Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 ï>¿The Garden Centre Of Eden by CloudCuckoo

   A shy girl with no experience of men comes out of her shell.

   They say every journey starts with a single step.  In my case, the
journey to enlightenment began with a spilt cup of tea.

   I should begin by explaining how I got to the starting point of my
journey.

   My name is Eve Laidler.  I was born and raised in England: my father was
the owner of a small independent garage and repair workshop in East Anglia,
a quiet, gentle man but with a twinkle in his eye and an unassuming sense
of fun, which I'd like to think I've inherited.  My mother on the other
hand was a more severe woman who tolerated, but never really joined in, my
father's humour.  Then when I was eleven years old, my father died quite
suddenly of a heart attack.

   My mother tried to take on the running of the garage, although it was
already clear that the big car dealerships were squeezing the likes of us
out of business.  But our little operation was near an American air base,
and some of the staff stationed there would use us to service their
American cars which they had brought over, since the big boys had no
advantage over us when it came to models they had no experience of.  One
day about two years later, my mother announced that she was going to marry
one such serviceman, Joseph Waller.  This was out of the blue, as far as I
was concerned; she had never brought him to the house, and although I knew
she had evenings out, I never realised she was dating.  Within 6 months,
she was married, Joseph was sent back to the USA, and we went with him. 
Shortly after, he left the Air Force, became the manager of a hardware
store and we settled in a modest wooden house in a small town in middle
America, in what some comedian called "one of the square states", and I
found myself having a completely different life.

   Joseph was a humourless and solemn man, who was stern and domineering.
To give him his due, he tried hard to be a father figure to me, and was
kind in his way, but the austere outlook soon had me suppressing my fun
side, and I became more introspective, careful about what I said, and
keeping my emotions hidden.  My mother and I became Americans.  We became
closely involved with the local church, the Church of the Redeemer, and
Pastor Josiah Brown became a regular visitor to our home.  I was persuaded
-- actually, more like commanded -- to join the choir, and what with school
and church affairs, I had a steady and secure, if not exactly stimulating,
existence.

   At school, I was a bit of an oddity, with my English accent and
upbringing, and a lack of understanding of many of the ways of life that my
fellow students took for granted.  Even the teachers found me hard to
integrate, since the syllabus was different and I was missing some of the
early years' grounding in some subjects.  Also I found it hard to get used
to American spellings, and constantly got ribbed for using the wrong words
-- after I asked a class mate to borrow a rubber, instead of an eraser, I
got called Rubber all the time.  I didn't know at the time it meant a
condom, at school in England we called them Johnnies.  So I found myself a
bit socially excluded, and became a bit of a loner.

   Then when I was sixteen, my stepfather died.  He'd been fit and healthy,
but ran out of the store after a customer who'd left his wallet on the
counter, and was hit by a car coming past the front of the store.  This was
in the parking lot, and the car was only doing ten or fifteen miles an
hour, but he fell awkwardly and hit his head hard on the road -- a freak
accident.

   My mother was devastated.  She cried a lot, and when she wasn't crying,
she was angry -- at Joseph for leaving her, at herself for not coping with
it, and often at me, for reasons I couldn't always determine: I couldn't
seem to do anything to please her.  She seemed to lack the drive of old,
and I think she probably had a minor breakdown.  More and more of domestic
life I found myself taking over -- cleaning, shopping, cooking.  My mother
had had a part time job as a receptionist for a local doctor, but took so
much time off for 'compassionate leave' that eventually the doctor was
forced to replace her.  I began to wonder how we were fixed financially. 
Pastor Brown stopped by often to lend his support, and slowly my mother
began to rally.  Eventually one of the church members found her another job
helping out in a store -- not well paid but at least it helped her back
into normal life and interaction with the outside world.

   It was easier in the choir at first, as we had little time for
socialising, and choir practice was more about singing than chatting. 
There was one boy there though, Pastor Brown's son Abe, who began to take
an interest in me when I was seventeen.  I had become a reasonably
attractive teenager, with a decent and trim figure and a pleasant if not
exactly pretty face.  Although I did nothing to show off my looks, Abe
began to seek me out.  Now Pastor Brown was an ebullient man with a booming
voice who always seemed to fill any room he was in.  He seemed to consider
his role in life as uplifting people by force of personality, and of course
keeping them in God's way in the process.  Abe, on the other hand, was a
sly, unctuous kid with a wheedling voice, who acted in public just like the
very correct Pastor's son, but who in private started to come on to me.  At
first, it was sexual innuendo.  For example, one evening I was collecting
up all the various hymn books and music sheets after choir practice, and
Abe stood watching whilst everybody else was packing up and leaving.  When
they had all left, and I had nearly finished, he came over with his usual
oily smile and said, "I'll help you if you like, if you do something for me
in return." "That's big of you," I replied sarcastically.  "It's what you
can do in return that will make me big!" he responded with a leering grin.

   This kind of exchange became more frequent when he had the opportunity,
and I could see him start to engineer such opportunities.  If I borrowed a
book from the church library, he would somehow be there when I took it
back. Once a month in summer, the church had a stall in the car park
selling donated goods to fund missionary work, and if I volunteered to man
the stall, so would Abe, forever trying to peer down my cleavage if I
leaned to reach an item from under the table.

   The Pastor seemed to think I was sweet on Abe, and kept pairing us up
for church tasks.  He asked me to distribute the monthly parish publication
to congregation members, and arranged for Abe to drive me round one
evening. After we finished, I went into the church to put the unused copies
in the office, and Abe followed me in.

   "You owe me a reward for helping you!" he said.

   "Oh yes, and what do you suppose that is?"

   My reply was incautious.  He grabbed me and spun me round with my back
to the cupboard, and kissed me hard.  It wasn't a very romantic or arousing
moment.  Before I could gather my wits, his hands were on my breasts,
kneading and mashing them.  It didn't feel good.  I pushed him away and ran
out, laughter in my ears.

   He kept telling me I should lose my cherry before I went to college, so
I would be ready for the boys there, and he was the man to take it for me.
My response was to tell him to get lost, but it seemed to have little
effect.

   Not surprisingly, what with my mother's state of mind and my involvement
in the church, my schoolwork suffered, and it began to look as though it
would be harder for me to graduate from high school.  So it wasn't a
question of losing my virginity before going to college -- I wasn't likely
to get there.  Even if we had the money, or I could get a job and work
myself through college, my mother would not let me go and it did not seem
as if she could cope without me.

   So I got a vacation job at Jackson's Mow & Grow -- a large garden centre
on the outskirts of town.  It was thanks to old Mr.  John Jackson, whom I
knew as a leading member of the church, although he was now pretty much
retired and most of the day to day running was done by his grandson Luke. I
really enjoyed it, from manning the shop tills to watering the stock to
plant culture in the greenhouses.

   Then just before I graduated from high school, my mother got sick.  She
developed severe abdominal pains and fever, and the doctors diagnosed
peritonitis from a bowel rupture.  She failed to respond to treatment and
within a week she had died.

   So there I was, just turned eighteen, now completely dependent on
myself, with no near relatives to help, no close friends thanks to my
restrictive home life, and no money.  I somehow got through the immediate
issues of bereavement and funeral, found that she had actually been
organised enough to make a will in which she left me the house, and it
turned out there was a savings account which I hadn't known about -- close
to ten thousand dollars -- but she had stated it should be used to cover
all the funeral expenses, and the balance went to the church.  I was left
with the current account with just a couple of hundred dollars, but at
least no debts.

   So now I had no worries about where to live, but no money and serious
worries about pretty much everything else.  By the time all this was done,
school had finished, so I never went back.  I went instead to see Luke, and
he offered me a full time job at Mow & Grow, which I eagerly accepted --
not much money, but enough to enable me to keep the house and still eat.

   Fast forward four years to the spilt cup of tea.  I mentioned it to
Marijka the following day whilst we were at the potting bench potting up
begonias for the forthcoming Spring rush.

   "I usually make myself a mug of good old fashioned English tea to drink
in bed with a few minutes of reading before I go to sleep.  Well, last
night I managed to throw it all down my front -- I was carrying my book and
the mug out of the kitchen and caught the sleeve of my nightie on the
kitchen door handle, and splosh!  Tea all over me and the floor, and to
make matters worse the mug smashed and the book fell into the tea puddle. I
was lucky the tea had already been standing for a few minutes otherwise I
could have been scalded!  Took me ten minutes to mop everything up.  Then I
had to change my nightie, but I'd only just put a clean one on, the old one
was in the dirty washing basket and my only other one was still in the
wash. I had to go to bed with nothing on!  Luckily I was so tired I was
asleep in minutes."

   What I hadn't mentioned is that I had never done this before, and it
felt very illicit, like I had secretly done something bad.

   "Lucky you!" said Marijka, "I always sleep nude.  It feels so much
better!  You should carry on like that and see if you don't agree."

   It came as no surprise.  Marijka was modern, liberated, confident,
lacking inhibition -- all the things I was not.  A Dutch girl, she was in
the States on a gap year after finishing university whilst she decided what
career to pursue, staying with an uncle who lived locally; and despite
being older than her, I felt so much less mature and experienced.  However,
she was fun, enthusiastic and never seemed to be down, and we got on really
well.

   "Well, I don't know...  I somehow feel more comfortable in a nightie."

   Actually, it had felt really good -- cool, smooth on my skin, and very
sensuous.  When I woke in the morning with the alarm buzzing, and I
realised with a shock I was still naked, it had felt...  exciting.  But I
had leapt out of bed and into my dressing gown to head to the bathroom for
my morning shower.  It was when I got out of the shower and was towelling
myself dry, I thought: why was I so scared to walk a few feet to the
bedroom with no clothes on?  I was alone in the house, no-one could see. 
What was I afraid of or embarrassed about?  Indeed, what would be the
consequence of not wearing my dressing gown?

   And so, when I finished drying myself, I left my dressing gown on the
bathroom door and walked back in the nude.  It took some self control not
to cover myself with my hands and scamper back: irrational fears take some
time to get over.

   When I said I felt more comfortable in a nightie, what I really meant
was I felt uncomfortable about not wearing a nightie.

   "It just seems more free and unconfined and -- well, sexy to be naked in
bed," said Marijka.  "But then I like being naked around the house too, for
the same reasons."

   "What about your uncle?"

   "Oh, after he caught me out a couple of times coming home when I was
naked, we've come to an arrangement -- Dirk likes it too so now we accept
each other nude."

   This would take a bit of mental processing.  Marijka was tall, stately,
blond, very attractive; her uncle Dirk was middle-aged, shorter, balding, I
suppose reasonably fit and not bad-looking, but even so, to go around naked
in front of him...

   "Well, as long as you don't forget and strip here...  Bert would have a
heart attack!"

   Bert was the general maintenance and fix-it man around the garden
centre. Fifty-ish, portly and nervous, especially around women.  Marijka
giggled.  "It's almost worth it to see his reaction!  If I could manage it
without getting fired!"

   "Perhaps you could get Francine to do it -- she's more his type!"
Francine was regularly on the tills, a large black lady, kindly but loud
and assertive, and Bert was clearly terrified of her.  One of the four till
positions had a dodgy power outlet so the till regularly cut out: Francine
would be heard bellowing "Bert!  Bert!  This dang cash register don't work
again!" and Bert would rush up, flustered, and mutter about cables or water
or something.  "I don't care!  Fix it!" she would exclaim, with a wink to
anyone nearby.  Even Marijka was a little intimidated by Francine.  She had
patiently and repeatedly explained the pronunciation of her name, which
roughly rhymed with "Ma Raker", but Francine kept lapsing back to "Mary
Car", so Marijka gave up and accepted it.

   Before we could develop this theme any further, however, we were
interrupted by Luke, who swept in and demanded, "Hi ladies, have either of
you seen any of the bug sprayers?  The large ones, the rucksack style."

   "No, sorry Luke," we chorused.  "Didn't Jimmy have one to spray the
roses out the back?" I added.  "Thanks, I'll ask him," and out he swept
again.

   "Now that's someone I could strip for," said Marijka, "and judging by
your reaction I think you could too!"

   I blushed.  Luke was very nice and very good looking, not that I'd ever
stand a chance of attracting his attention.

   "Don't forget Luke is spoken for -- that heiress, Keiron Sangster..."

   She was 'posh American' from a wealthy family with several ranches in
the area.  Always impeccably groomed, poised and haughty.  She certainly
didn't seem to me to be the sort of woman who would settle with a
practical, down to earth local businessman like Luke.

   "Well, am I right?" Is he part of your late night fantasies?"

   I felt a bit flustered.  Now I knew how Bert felt.

   "Well, I don't -- er, haven't given it any thought," I finished lamely.
I wasn't sure where this was going and hoped I could head it into more
comfortable territory.  "Have you heard when the wedding is scheduled for?"

   "They won't get married, they don't fit -- she will seek out someone a
bit more -- how do you put it -- aspirational!" For a Dutch native, her
English was sometimes better than mine.

   Unfortunately the ploy didn't work.  "So who do you fantasise about in
bed?"

   I was a rabbit caught in the headlights.

   "Well, I don't -- er...  I'm not sure what you mean?" I was lost.

   "You know, when you are feeling hot, when you let your fingers do the
talking?"

   I realised with a start she was talking about masturbation.  I blushed
even more obviously.  I had been brought up to believe that masturbation
was wrong, sinful, un-Christian.

   "Well, I don't -- er..." I felt I was repeating myself.  "I mean, I
haven't -- er --"

   "You don't play with yourself?  Why not?"

   "Well, it doesn't seem right, I was brought up to think it was wrong..."

   Marijka snorted.  "What's wrong with it?  If you can give yourself an
orgasm with no man involved, no-one to get emotionally tense, you can
imagine yourself with anyone on the planet -- well, not someone old, fat
and smelly, obviously -- then why wouldn't you?  It's a fabulous feeling,
better than alcohol!  You aren't doing any harm to anyone, how can that be
wrong?  Give it a go, Eve!"

   Fortunately for me, before I could dig my hole any deeper, Luke came
back and got me to help him put a stock delivery away whilst Marijka
continued with the potting on.

   I thought about this in the evening as I was preparing to go upstairs to
bed.  What was my hang-up exactly?  Indeed, did I have one -- perhaps I was
just being 'proper'?  I remembered how I felt more free and comfortable in
bed nude, and how hard it was to walk across the landing from bathroom to
bedroom in the nude.  But I thought, no-one can see, why should it be
wrong? Why should enjoyment of nudity be sinful if you are alone?  I took
my nightly mug of tea upstairs -- fully clothed and carefully this time --
set it down on the bedside cabinet, took a deep breath, and got undressed.
This evening, instead of rushing to get my nightie on (well, I still didn't
have a clean one anyway), I dropped my underwear into the laundry basket
and walked over to the mirror on the wardrobe door.

   I hadn't really looked at myself in the mirror naked for...  well,
probably ever.  I saw a reasonably fit and shapely young woman, with a bush
of brown pubic hair, shapely breasts -- not very large, not small either --
and quite prominent nipples.  Should they be that hard?  Don't think they
are normally...  I wonder why?

   I turned one way then the other, looking over my shoulder at my
reflection.  Seems ok, not supermodel territory, but nothing to be ashamed
about.  It still felt a bit naughty, but I couldn't think why it should be.

   I felt a bit emboldened.  I opened the bedroom door to saunter down to
the bathroom, and did my usual evening toilet.  When I came back to the
bedroom, I took a sip of my tea and realised I'd left my glass of water on
the kitchen table.  What the hell, I thought, and walked down the stairs
and into the kitchen.  I forced myself not to hurry.  Here I was, naked
where I'd never been naked before.  I walked around the kitchen, noting the
feel of air gently breathing on my skin.  I went over to the kitchen
window. It looked out onto the back yard, with my vegetable patch.  It was
deep into dusk and I realised the kitchen light was on and it would be easy
to see in.  There were only a couple of upstairs windows of the houses on
the next block visible, and they were dark.

   Suddenly the light came on in one and I could see a man coming into the
room.  I squawked with fright, clutched at my boobs and groin, and scuttled
out of the kitchen.  Then I remembered the water, reached around the door
and felt for the light switch, and edged slowly round the door as my eyes
adjusted to the dark.  I scampered to the table, grabbed the water, and
rushed out and up the stairs.

   I dived into bed, turned the light off and pulled up the covers.  My
heart was still pumping.  Had he seen me?  Then I thought, and what if he
had?  Would he think me dissolute, a harlot, or -- wait a minute -- would
he be turned on?  I realised that despite my panic, I was actually
exhilarated, and that my nipples were again hard, and I had a funny
sensation in my groin.  I thought I'd better lie still and let my heart
rate get back to normal, and try to direct my thoughts back to less
distracting topics.  And soon I drifted off to sleep and dreamt of Marijka
standing in the garden centre shop naked, ordering me to take my clothes
off too, and the other staff standing around chanting "Off!  Off!" until I
woke with a start.



   - 2 -

   It was a few days before I got to chat with Marijka again, as we were
going through the vegetable module pots -- squash, zuccini, sweetcorn and
so on -- checking and thinning the seedlings to ready them for sale.





   "So Eve, still sleeping in the buff?"

   "Yes," I replied shyly.  "It saves a bit on laundry!"

   "That's my girl!  I'll get you sunbathing nude before long!  No more
white suntan lines!" I snorted with disbelief.  "Well, at least it's
getting to sunbathing weather now, not that I do any of that -- I'm not the
lie in the sun type.  I think Al next door is pretty disappointed about
that!" Al was a teenage boy, who often watched me when I was pottering in
the garden and he thought I wasn't looking.  Mind you, it was pretty
obvious he was -- there's only one gap in the fence he can look through and
he always found something imaginary to do in that particular part of his
back yard!  Not that he had much to look at -- I was mostly gardening or
tidying the yard out there, and dressing provocatively was hardly my style,
especially for yard work.  I think he was very shy and doubtless unsure of
himself around the opposite sex, something I could sympathise with.  His
parents, Jeff and Ayleen, were out a lot and he seemed to have few friends.

   Marijka stretched and wiped her brow.  "I wouldn't mind wearing a lot
less now -- it's getting warm in these greenhouses!" As she was wearing the
regulation green shorts and Mow & Grow polo shirt, she was hardly
overdressed as it was.  "I wonder if Luke would mind if I didn't wear a
bra? All this bending down is not comfortable and it's making me feel
hotter."

   "Do you often go without a bra?"

   "Quite often when I'm not at work.  It feels freer and whilst my boobs
are young and firm I might as well take advantage!  Also it's amazing how
many men notice and can't take their eyes off my shirt front!"

   "Doesn't that bug you or make you nervous?" I asked.

   "Hey, it's nice to be noticed!  As long as they only look and don't act.
I've had a few men chat me up but no-one has done anything threatening."

   "It sort of seems a bit like flaunting, almost sexist...  although it
depends on how much you show I guess," I mused.  I'd never really thought
about this before.  Mind you, the thought of being braless did seem to be
attractively daring.  "Well, if you want to, there aren't any customers
going to come in here, and it's getting late so you won't get moved out
front today..."

   "What the hell!  I will if you will join me!" and Maijka made as if to
start.

   "What, me?" I was shocked.  I'd never gone without a bra in public since
puberty.

   "Sure, why not?  You said yourself it's private in here."

   "But what if one of the others comes in?  Luke for instance?"

   "Hey, we're not going to be topless!  How much will they see?  Come on,
let's see if it is more comfortable!"

   She reached behind under her shirt and unclipped the bra.  She slid the
straps down her arms and pulled her elbows through, then tugged the bra
down the front and out from under the hem.  "Come on, you can't pull out
now!"

   I didn't think I had made any commitment to join her, but found myself
automatically following her.  Off came the bra.  I realised I hadn't got my
bag there so it had to be rolled up and stuffed into a shorts pocket. 
Marijka applauded and gave a small cheer.  "Ta-dah!  See, the sky hasn't
fallen down!"

   My heart was racing and I was aware my nipples had gone very hard again.
I looked at her.  She struck a few poses.  "See?  Just looks natural!" Sure
enough the thick cotton and loose nature of the polo shirts meant that you
couldn't readily tell there was no bra.  "I see you are enjoying the
situation!" Marijka's words jolted me back and I realised I had been
staring at her.  I looked down my own chest and it seemed to me my nipples
were quite prominent bumps in the cotton.  It suddenly occurred to me that
perhaps Marijka thought I was turned on by her!

   "Oh, I -- er, sorry, I've never done this before!" I felt myself
blushing yet again.  Marijka seemed to have the knack of bringing this out
in me.

   "Forget it and just get on with life -- you will find it becomes
natural."

   Before I could think of anything to say, the noise of a trolley alerted
us to Luke's arrival.

   "Hi girls, just found this abandoned outside, returning it to the
entrance.  Marijka, are you using unconventional means of weed control or
something?"

   Marijka suddenly realised she was still holding her bra.  "Oh, sorry, it
was digging in a bit and so...  um..." I hadn't seen her on the back foot
before and it was a relief to discover she wasn't always so much more
confident than me!

   "OK!  But I suggest you put it down somewhere so you can use both
hands?" He grinned and pushed the trolley off.

   We carried on working, and as we both moved the plant trays around, I
realised it was quite comfortable, but distracting to have the cloth
rubbing over the nipples.  I also noticed that when Marijka bent down,
although the shirt was not especially low cut, it was loose enough that you
could see her breasts.  However, I hadn't realised that when a woman bends
forward, the upper swell of the breast when hanging down masks the view of
the nipple.  Later however, as we searched on all fours for a dropped tool
in amongst the discarded pots under the bench, I discovered that the
converse meant that viewed from behind, Marijka's nipples were clearly in
view as the shirt hung low.  I realised this was the first female nipple I
had clearly seen since the locker rooms at school, when each girl checked
out her neighbours to assess their developing breasts.  And then the
emphasis was on the breast not the nipple.  I realised I liked the view and
suddenly wondered with a jolt if this meant I was attracted to women.  I
didn't think so but frankly I didn't know.

   There seemed to be a lot about myself that I didn't know.

   Later, I put my bra back on in the ladies room.  I couldn't face driving
home braless just yet.

   That evening, as I was getting ready for bed, I thought again about what
Marijka had said about masturbation.  Was it wrong or just an innocent
pleasure?  The church had always taught that it was sinful, and only that
past Sunday, the pastor had preached about 'scarlet women' -- he hadn't
mentioned masturbation specifically, but you felt that it was part and
parcel of being a scarlet woman -- whatever that was exactly.

   I thought about the bible studies I'd done over the years in Sunday
School.  I couldn't actually remember anything about self gratification. 
So I decided to google it.  And it seems the Bible is pretty silent on the
matter.  It talks a lot about adultery, lust and coveting, but apart from a
passage in Leviticus saying that if a man has a "discharge" then he is
"unclean" until he has washed -- which seems pretty ambiguous -- there
wasn't any direct declaration that playing with yourself is wrong.  And
Marijka's declaration that it can't be wrong when nobody else is involved
let alone harmed or upset seemed logical.  So I thought, perhaps I should
at least try it and see what I thought of it.

   So I went to the bathroom and washed and cleaned my teeth as usual, my
head full of equal amounts of excitement and trepidation.  I went back to
my bedroom and got undressed, and slipped under my duvet naked.

   Now what?  I hadn't ever masturbated before.  In fact I don't think I
had ever touched my pussy other than with toilet paper after a pee!  How
best to go about it?  I presumed just touching my pussy would get me going.
So I tentatively ran a finger along my slit.  It felt alright.  Was this
being turned on?  I slid my finger up and down my slit a few more times. 
It felt quite tingly, and a bit moist.  I remembered at school one time, a
group of girls gathered round reading an article in sex in a woman's
magazine, giggling about it.  One of them saw me and said, "Hey, Eve, want
to read how to get your orgasm from clitoral stimulation?" Another one said
with a grin, "It's no good asking Eve, I doubt she even has a clitoris!"
and they all laughed.  I blushed and left them to it.  So now I thought, I
don't actually know how to find my clitoris, or come to that, what to do if
I can.  Do I put my finger inside, I wondered?  Then I thought, but I'm a
virgin, will that break my hymen?  Does it matter if it does?  Maybe not, I
thought, most men probably already have had sex before marriage, and if any
future husband is upset at no hymen, even if I'm still technically a
virgin, then I don't want to marry him.  So as my pussy was starting to
feel quite a bit damper, I tried pushing my finger inside.  Was there a
momentary pang of a breaking membrane, or was that just the sudden electric
feeling of pleasure?

   I remembered Marijka's question -- did I fantasise about Luke?  Well,
I'd never fantasised about anyone before, so I wondered what it would be
like if it were his hands touching my stomach, my pubic hair, my pussy...
my butterflies multiplied a hundred fold, and my pussy became definitely
wet rather than moist.  Every touch felt electric.  It was a bit
overwhelming, and I stopped for a sip of nearly cold tea.  I'd have to get
used to this in stages.  I lay back to let my breathing return to normal,
and almost at once fell asleep.



   - 3 -

   The days passed, and I was getting used to walking about the house
naked, at least upstairs, but not downstairs again just yet.  I hadn't
nerved myself up to touch myself down there again, but I knew I would
eventually.  At least I hadn't spent time alone with Marijka to endure
further teasing, until one day we were assigned to getting the geranium
cuttings priced and ready for sale.  Before we could start chatting,
however, Luke came round and said,

   "Girls, I'm going around all the staff, but as you are here, I'll speak
to you now.  I'd like to pick your brains...  We need some kind of a sales
boost, maybe a special event or something, and I don't want to have an
'everything discounted' type of sale, something a bit different.  Any
ideas?"

   I was initially a bit alarmed.  "Does this mean we are in financial
difficulty?"

   "Not really," said Luke, "but I'd like to redevelop and freshen up the
plant display area, and the checkouts, and we need to get proper barcode
checkouts installed, and the power tools shop is so cramped, it needs more
space.  There's a limit to what I can borrow, so I need a cash boost to
improve liquidity."

   "How soon do you need this?" Marijka asked.

   "Let's say within the next ten to twelve weeks would be ideal, say by
the end of July or so."

   We ummed and ahed a bit, Marijka suggested getting a celebrity for a
day, but Luke said he suspected the cost of anyone worthwhile might be a
bit high.  I suggested a series of themed events, such as a fairy grotto
for Midsummer's day in June, maybe a barbecue day, a stars and stripes day
for Independence Day.  Luke quite liked that, if we could get a regular
schedule of events planned out, and asked us to see what themes we could
come up with over the next week or so.  Further ideas seemed to elude us
and Luke went off to find other groups to ask.

   Marijka and I continued discussing themes, but couldn't come up with
something that was a real slam-dunk, and after fifteen minutes or so work
got in the way of further chat.

   Over the next couple of weeks, there were tentative plans laid for a
couple of theme days, but nothing that really inspired.  Then one day, I
had just arrived at work, and Marijka came through the door, and saw me,
rushed over and said, "I've had an idea about an event, I want to see if
Luke is bold enough to go for it!"

   "What event?" I said, intrigued.  Just then Marijka saw Luke coming into
the shop area on the far side and yelled to him.  "Come on!" she said and
rushed off to intercept him.  I tagged along, wondering what this was all
about.

   After a greeting, with Luke obviously in cheerful mood and enjoying
Marijka's enthusiasm, she burst out with:

   "I know what we can do!  If you have the nerve!" she said.  "I found out
about it last night...  It's on July 14th -- National Nude Day!  We could
have a nude day here!"

   I was in shock, I couldn't speak.  Luke however seemed to be considering
it.

   "How would that work I wonder...  I guess our staff would need to be
nude, we could perhaps invite customers to be nude...  Perhaps we offer a
discount to naked customers!"

   I found my voice.  "My God, you're serious!"

   "I'll need to check on the legality, but I think it could cause quite a
splash, if no other businesses are doing it...  Marijka, can you see if you
can get enough staff to agree to be naked?  I guess we'll need to have --
er, let's see, about eight with rest period cover for the checkouts, say
four floor walkers in the plants, about four in the power tools area, a
couple for the hard landscaping, I guess around half a dozen in the
cafÃ(C), kitchen staff in the back exempt from nudity I think, is that
enough?  Oh, and we will need at least one to manage the parking lot --
that's probably clothed -- and a couple at the entrance to welcome visitors
and explain the day, say a couple more for the disrobing rooms -- need to
work out how those will be set up..  See who is game, I'll let those who
won't strip change their day off or work in the private areas like the
nursery glass houses so no-one is out of pocket.  And none of the temporary
staff who are under 18.  But a good idea, let's see if we can make it fly!"
And with that he strode off smiling.

   "So what do you think, Eve?" Marijka asked.

   "Um...  I don't know..." I was in a turmoil.  "What if you have your
period?" I made a quick mental calculation.  I wouldn't be on mine.  No
excuse there.

   "That's a good reason to decline.  I'm sure we can work around those who
won't or can't strip.  What about you, Eve?  Will you join in?"

   No way, I thought.  I'm not going to be naked in front of potentially
hundreds of people.

   "Of course, you'll get to see Luke naked!"

   I had to admit that was an appealing thought, but still, no way was I
going to be naked in public.

   "OK I guess..." What, was that me?  What on earth did I think I was
agreeing to?  Why didn't my mouth respect my mind's decision?  I must speak
up and say no, but before I could, Marijka exclaimed, "Great!  We'll have
so much fun!" and gave me a big hug.

   I still felt appalled and horrified, but also I suddenly realised, part
of me was excited at the prospect.  How could that be?

   "Is it really legal?" I asked.

   "All I know is that there are Nude Day parades or pageants in some
cities, especially it seems in San Francisco.  I think there is some
wriggle room depending on the state, but I don't know what is the case
here. Anyway, we are talking about a private enterprise, not a public
street.  Maybe it is OK."

   Over the next couple of days, I don't think Marijka got much work done,
she was going round the staff cajoling and arguing, and slowly built up an
unexpectedly impressive list of those consenting.  The college students who
normally worked weekends and between terms seemed particularly keen.  Even
Francine was game.  "Hell, I ain't no fashion model," she said, "but I
ain't ashamed of how I look.  It was my Ethan persuaded me.  He said he was
lookin' forward to seeing me naked in front of everyone!  He's gonna take
time off work to come see for hisself!"

   Luke reported that his chat with the lawyer indicated that there
shouldn't be a problem on our premises, with the law pretty much untested
if anyone was naked on the road out front.  In theory it should only be a
problem if there was 'indecent behaviour' but no-one had any real idea of
what that meant.  Did it mean simply nudity, or did it require some sort of
lewdness?

   So it was decided the event would go ahead.  Luke called a meeting of
all staff who were to be involved, plus any others interested, at the end
of one working day.  He announced that customers would be limited to over
18s, and would be invited to strip themselves -- there'd be 20% discount
for all customers, but naked customers could claim double that.  We'd set
up temporary changing rooms just inside the entrance where customers could
strip and leave their clothes -- like a cloakroom, only a bit more
comprehensive!  As for the staff, we'd get a bonus for participating, and
would be expected to be naked apart from the Mow & Grow branded baseball
caps if we wanted, just as normal, and of course for shoes and socks. 
Normal rules applied to makeup, jewellery, glasses and sunglasses.  It
would be up to us if we took part in photos by visitors.  We'd have one or
two clothed wardens in the carpark to organise traffic.

   Luke was really enthused about the publicity and the potential boost to
footfall, and hoped that would translate into money in the tills.  We would
start publicising the event about ten days before, with banners outside,
posters in the town and advertising on local radio.  Luke said he hoped
we'd get four or five thousand visitors!

   Someone asked, what if a visitor got an erection?  (Sniggers from the
assembled staff!) "Well," said Luke, "we should ask them politely to hide
it with something -- maybe we'll keep some sun hats to hand for that!"

   Someone at the back called out, "We'd need some extra large if they are
like Adam!"

   Adam was a young man from Lawnmowers who was probably six ten or maybe
even seven feet, a gangling man who was cheerful and friendly but seemed to
blush profusely at anything.  Needless to say, the resulting laughter had
him beetroot coloured in no time.

   Someone else called out, "If we are going to have Adam and Eve naked, it
will be like the Garden of Eden!"

   Marijka piped up, "You mean the Garden Centre of Eden!" When the
laughter died down, Luke exclaimed, "Perfect, Marijka!  I think you just
nailed our publicity slogan!"

   Eventually a pretty eventful week came to an end, and I got home on
Sunday evening tired out.  (I'd taken to working Saturdays and Sundays --
busy days at Mow and Grow -- and having Monday and Tuesday off, an
arrangement which suited me but Pastor Brown was not pleased about,
although I said I'd arrange to be available special Sundays for church
events.) I'd been getting home late, after a busy day, and pretty much
grabbing something to eat, watering the plants in my own greenhouse, and
falling into bed and asleep in seconds.  Tonight I thought I'll open a
bottle of wine and try to relax and wind down.  So I sat down after dinner
-- takeaway pizza bought on the way home, I'm afraid -- with an inexpensive
but pleasant California Chardonnay, and allowed myself more or less for the
first time to think over what had happened.

   In just a few weeks' time, I would be naked in front of maybe five
thousand people.  My track record to date was a handful of girls in the
sports changing rooms at High School!  I'd never been naked in front of a
man -- even my doctor was a woman.

   Come to think of it, I'd never had a naked man in front of me either.  I
mean, I knew about human biology from a purely academic point of view, but
I'd never seen a real live penis, let alone an erection.  I know, I
thought, I'll Google it.  So I went online and tried 'erection', and got
nothing much except medical references and definitions.  I tried a few
other search terms, and after twenty minutes or so the only picture of a
penis I'd found was a photo of Michelangelo's David.  I leant back on the
settee and closed my eyes to try to gain some inspiration; the next I knew
I awoke in the dark, my laptop gone into hibernation.  Nature's way of
telling me to go to bed!



   - 4 -

   The next few weeks seemed to be a blur.  I used my days off collecting
various goods donated for a grand garage sale in aid of the Christian
orphanage we sponsored in Africa -- the actual sale would be a week before
Nude Day, about three weeks away - and work at Jackson's was also pretty
busy.  I had frankly used this as an excuse not to think any more about
Nude Day or about my own body.  Luke had given me more responsibility for
monitoring stock levels and re-ordering, and helping cash up at the end of
the day; and with that came a welcome if modest increase in my salary.  It
also meant more frequent meetings with Luke at the Garden Centre and
sometimes having lunch together in a quiet corner, me with my packed lunch
brought to work and Luke usually with something from the cafÃ(C).

   Marijka of course noticed and one day when Luke was out visiting a
supplier or something, and she joined me for lunch in the private area out
the back where we had the shrubs not yet ready for sale.  She had just got
back from a couple of days off in Chicago, her uncle Dirk took her, and I
heard all about the great time she had.

   Then suddenly she changed the subject.

   "I reckon Luke is getting sweet on you!  He's always hanging around like
a bee around a honey pot!"

   "Don't be ridiculous," I responded, "mostly we just talk about things to
do with work."

   "That wasn't the case on Wednesday when I was there too, he hardly spoke
to me, and it was all about where you came from and what you liked doing!
He'll ask you out soon, mark my words."

   I couldn't believe this for a minute.  "He wouldn't be interested in me!
And anyway, he's still engaged to Keiron Sangster."

   "I tell you, that won't happen!  So does he figure in your thoughts now
you are pleasuring yourself?"

   I gasped at her directness, and of course my face coloured up at once.
Damn my face for revealing my discomfort so plainly!  I avoided answering
the question directly.  "That reminds me, I tried to take a look at
pictures of naked people on the internet..." (my face got even redder)
"...just to, er, you know, research Nude Day and so on..."

   "Of course, just proper research!" Marijka interjected, with a smirk.

   "Anyway, I couldn't find anything!  I thought the net was supposed to be
full of that sort of stuff?"

   "Hmm, there must be something not right...  Want me to come round this
evening and take a look for you?  Besides, when I was in Chicago I got a
small present for you!  I can bring it round."

   "You shouldn't have -- it's not even my birthday!  But thanks, it would
be great if you can take a look.  I'm not the world's most IT literate
person!" And so we fixed up for her to come round Sunday evening, which was
also the end of her working week, for something to eat and a bottle of
wine, and some computer consultancy.

   By the time Sunday came around, I was more than ready for some chat,
food and wine.  Marijka arrived having gone home to shower and change, and
I was just getting some salad prepared.  Marijka opened the bottle she'd
brought and we toasted the forthcoming National Nude Day.

   "It's funny," I said, "I've almost got used to the idea, but not to the
practicalities of actually taking part!  I've never been naked with anyone
before, other than changing rooms."

   "Well, do you want to practice now?  I'm happy to strip off if you
like."

   "No!  Er, I mean, I wouldn't want to with some steaks to grill, health
and safety precautions and all that."

   "OK!  Later then?" she said with an evil grin.

   So over dinner we had more of a chat about Chicago -- I'd been just the
once and really enjoyed it, although to be honest I was glad to get back to
small town America after a couple of days there.  Then Marijka told me all
about her new boyfriend, Dan, who was a salesman of some sort of office
equipment, I think; for some reason that surprised me, perhaps because
Marijka seemed a free spirit and being a salesman seemed so corporate and
formal.  Eventually we were sitting back in our easy chairs with the last
of the wine, the gossip more or less gossiped out, and Marijka said,

   "So, perhaps I'd better take a look at your computer?" I went and
fetched the laptop.  "Show me what you did." I repeated how I'd started
searching, and the same result came up.  "Ah, I have an idea.  Let me have
a look at your browser settings...  ah yes, you have the adult filter set
on!  Let's unset that and try the search again...  There!"

   A whole load of dodgy sounding links popped onto the screen.  "Let me
show you some of my favourites!  These are free sites, lots are
subscription only," said Marijka, and suddenly on screen there was video
playing of a couple naked on a bed.  The man had what looked to me like a
colossal erection -- I hadn't realised they got that big!  - and the woman
grasped it and slid it into her mouth.  I was agog, I had heard about oral
sex and the girls at school were often chattering about blow jobs, but
although I had a vague idea it meant putting a penis in your mouth, the
actuality of it took me aback.

   "She looks like she's enjoying that!" said Marijka.

   "It doesn't look like she's blowing much," I mused.  Marijka laughed. 
"Yea, I don't know why it's called a blow job and not a suck job!" she
said. I filed that one away, I'd thought you had to blow.

   Then the man pulled his cock out of her mouth, and pulled her onto the
bed and opened her legs to return the compliment.  I'd been looking at his
cock, and had a sudden shock.  "Gosh, she's shaved her bush off!"

   Marijka grinned.  "Most women do nowadays!  I do.  It feels better when
you use your fingers, and the men like it better when they are eating
pussy." I guessed she meant cunnilingus.

   "But it seems weird, and possibly a bit dangerous!"

   "Tell me Eve, do you shave your armpits?"

   "Yes, of course!"

   "And your legs?" I nodded.  "So why there and not your pussy?" I didn't
have a good answer.  "Give it a try, Eve, even if you don't have Luke
licking away down there you'll enjoy your own pleasuring more!  Just one
tip -- if you do shave, cut it close with scissors first, it will shave
much more easily."

   I focused on the screen again, the guy was working overtime with his
tongue, and the girl was squirming and moaning loudly.  It certainly seemed
to be getting her going, although I wondered how much was for the benefit
of the camera.  Then she pushed him away, and he climbed on top of her and
gave her a passionate kiss.

   "That's got to taste of her own pussy!" I said.  "Oh yea," said Marijka
dreamily, "I love that!" Another unexpected fact to log for future
consideration.

   The man then used his hand to guide his cock into the woman's cunt.  (I
had to force myself to use these crude terms even mentally, to see if I
could get more comfortable with them!) After a few slow strokes in and out,
he moved faster and was soon hammering away.  The girl moaned louder and
louder, and her tits gyrated around.  I was mesmerised.  Then suddenly
Marijka clicked out of that -- "I'll show you a couple of other sites, you
can look at this when you're alone and can join in!" I blushed again, just
what I'd been thinking.

   She found a video of a girl masturbating with a large dildo.  It looked
like a white shiny penis.  "Have a look at that whilst I get you your
present!"

   I barely heard her, I was again fascinated, partly by the focus on what
I presumed was her clitoris, and partly by the thought that this woman was
prepared not only to do this in front of a cameraman (I knew it wasn't a
fixed camera as the viewpoint kept changing), but also to post this on the
internet where goodness knows how many people were looking at her private
parts in close-up and at her in ecstatic pleasure.  I have to say it made
me get wetter and wetter.

   "There you are, Eve!" I had been so caught up in what was on screen that
she startled me.  There in her hand was a dildo just like the one on the
screen!  "It vibrates too -- switch it on here, and turn the vibration up
or down here.  Do you want to give it a go now?" There was a twinkle in her
eye, and I realised it was a dare rather than an expectation.  She didn't
wait for an answer.  "Take it!"

   I grasped it tentatively.  After all, I'd never held a penis, let alone
an erection, and this sure looked like that.  "Thanks Marijka, you
shouldn't have..." I made the polite response automatically, although
inside I was glad she had -- I'd never have the nerve to get one myself.

   "Let me show you one more site, these are erotic stories, I love
browsing through these, especially the competition entries!" I saw the
stories were categorised into headings such as Erotic Couplings, Group Sex,
Exhibitionist and Voyeur -- that last one caused a frisson given the Nude
Day event looming ever closer, and I thought I'd better take a look some
time.  "And there's a Nude Day Story Contest!" I exclaimed.  That I had to
see.

   I took a deep breath.  "Thanks Marijka, I really appreciate you showing
me all this.  And thanks for the gift -- that was unexpected!" I closed the
laptop lid firmly, that would save till later.  "Can I offer you some more
wine?  Or a coffee perhaps?"

   "No thanks, actually I really ought to go, I said I'd catch up on a box
set with Dirk later this evening!" And so she grabbed her purse and car
keys, and I thanked her profusely again, and we had a big hug.  That
actually felt pretty nice too, I wondered again about that.

   After she had gone, I decided to take the laptop into the bedroom.  I
took the dildo too.  I'll just get ready for bed, I thought, putting
another delaying tactic in place.  I undressed -- my panties were damper
than I recalled them ever being -- and went to the bathroom as usual.

   On returning to the bedroom -- keeping up the sleeping nude approach --
I sat on the bed and opening the laptop, found the video we'd watched
first. It resumed where we'd left off, with them going hammer and tongs. 
Then the scene changed, the man lay on his back, and the girl got on top.
The sight of her lowering herself onto his cock and sinking down made me
very wet again, and I really wanted to feel what she was feeling.

   Then I remembered the dildo, and pausing the video, I picked it up.  I
turned it on, it was set to low, and it made a pleasant hum and to my hand
there was a nice gentle buzz.  Imagine if this was the guy on the screen --
they are about the same size.  I touched it to my pussy, and the jolt was
like an electric shock, but a nice one.  I got to my knees on the bed and
held the dildo upright as though it was the man on the screen's cock,
positioned myself above it and lowered myself down slowly, like the girl in
the video.  When it touched my pussy lips, the buzz of the vibrator
delivered a much larger buzz to me, and I gasped and moaned.  I very slowly
eased myself further down and felt it start to head into my pussy.  It felt
epic.  I felt a barrier and remembered my hymen; what the hell, I thought,
it has to go sometime, and I pushed on.  There was a sudden stab and then
it eased.  I paused, and the sweet sensations overwhelmed me again and I
eased down some more.  Then I started easing it out and pushing back again,
going a bit deeper each time.  The feeling was fantastic, and nothing
outside my pussy existed -- not the video, my bedroom, any noise other than
the slight slurp on my pussy muffling the buzz and the sounds of my own
ragged breathing and little cries of pleasure.  I felt everything getting
more and more intense, and then suddenly there was nothing but these waves
of pleasure, spasms of ecstacy that seemed to go on for ages and then
eventually subside.  I keeled over and slowly started to pull the vibrator
out, but suddenly the pleasure built and built again like a chain reaction
and I had another glorious pleasure wave.  Much later, after I'd become
familiar with the concept of the G-spot, I realised I'd probably
overstimulated it on the way out.

   I lay back on the bed, chest heaving, and realised I'd just had my first
orgasm -- indeed, my first two.  If that's what they were like, I'd be
doing that pretty often from now on!  Eventually I gathered myself
together, climbed off the bed and realised I'd made quite a mess.  Not only
was there a large wet patch, but a little blood from my hymen was on the
duvet.  I'll have to change that, I thought.  Then something occurred to
me: was I still a virgin?  I wasn't any longer 'intact', but I hadn't been
with a man -- unless you counted the one in the video, I thought with a
smile.  Perhaps it doesn't matter.  Could a man give you more pleasure than
that?  I hoped one day to find out.



   - 5 -

   Time seemed to fly by, with work so busy as well.  I'd taken to spending
more time naked at home, trying to get so as it felt natural and to build
my confidence before doing it in public.  I was often too tired during the
week, but on my days off, I confess I got to look forward to spending some
time with my new toy.  I learned what turned me on most, discovered I liked
to pinch my nipples whilst working my clit, and also found that imagining
myself being exposed in public turned me on.  I wasn't sure if I would find
Nude Day too embarrassing and intimidating to be able to take part, or if
the opposite would be true and I'd get too obviously aroused by it.  Either
way, it still excited and terrified in equal measure.

   Then one Sunday Marijka and I were chatting over lunch, and she said,

   "Listen, we are both off tomorrow, and the weather sounds like it's
going to be hot, why not come over in the afternoon and join me in Dirk's
pool?  It's not very big but it's cool and wet on a hot day!  Dirk will be
at work, Dan can't join us 'cos he's working too, so it's just us." That
sounded very tempting, I hadn't had a swim for -- oh, it must be at least a
couple of years.  Why not, I thought.

   "OK, I'll bring a bottle and we can have a good chat -- if there's any
Mow & Grow gossip you've heard that I haven't!"

   "Great!  Come in time for lunch, I'll get a salad together.  Say about
twelve thirty?"

   Next morning, as I was starting to get ready, it suddenly occurred to me
I hadn't even seen my swimsuit for a long, long time.  It took me a while
to find.  Yes, I only had the one.  It was a relatively modest one piece,
plain dark blue.  I had to admit it didn't look very glamorous; still, I
didn't need to impress Marijka.  I tried it on: it still fitted, but seemed
a bit dated.  I left it on and put a tee shirt and short denim skirt over
the top, and threw a pair of briefs with a towel and some sunscreen into a
bag.  I'd be coming back with no bra, I realised -- the thought sent a
small thrill through me!

   Marijka answered the door in a bright red bikini that seemed to cover
about the same area as a couple of pocket tissues.

   "Hi Eve!" she beamed, and gave me a big hug and kiss on the cheek. 
"It's a great day for it!"

   She led me through the house and onto the patio at the back.  She was
right, the pool wasn't very big, but big enough, and nicely secluded. 
There were a couple of loungers by the pool, and a table, two chairs and a
sun umbrella on the patio, set for lunch.  I handed over a chilled bottle
of rosÃ(C) and she opened the screw cap.

   "You can change in there," she said, gesturing.

   "It's ok," I replied, "I'm wearing my costume." And so saying, I
shimmied out of my tee shirt and dropped the skirt.

   "Very demure!  We'll have to freshen your look, I can tell!"

   "OK," I laughed, "but after lunch and after I've loosened up with some
wine!"

   Marijka brought the food from the kitchen, and we had a pleasant salad
lunch, talking about the local radio adverts that had started to promote
"Jackson's Mow & Grow -- the Garden Centre of Eden" on National Nude Day:
it had created quite a stir locally and Luke had done various interviews
for radio and for a local TV news crew about the event.  I helped Marijka
clear away, and we moved to the poolside; then she suddenly said,

   "Oh, I know what I was going to tell you, Jane in the landscaping
section heard Luke and Keiron having a blazing row.  Apparently she came to
see him and they went off into a quiet corner and things got heated.  Jane
couldn't hear what it was about, but it ended with her shouting 'You can
keep it!' over her shoulder as she stormed out!  Now that sounds like a
break-up to me, I reckon she'd just given him the ring back.  Don't say I
didn't predict it!"

   "No, it doesn't sound good.  I wonder how Luke is taking it?"

   "I'll bet he's relieved.  I think he knew they didn't fit, I think his
heart is elsewhere, he just hasn't realised it yet."

   "Oh really?  Who has turned his head?"

   "You, you silly goose!  I've seen how he looks at you when you aren't
looking!  You should make it clear to him that you are interested."

   I made a non-committal grunt.  I couldn't see it myself.  Anyway, how do
I indicate I'm interested?  I have to admit Luke is attractive, and I
really enjoy his company.

   "Anyway, let's swim!"

   We both jumped in the pool, with shrieks of shock -- the water wasn't
that cold, but it was a whole lot colder than the poolside.  We played and
splashed for a while and then climbed out and settled on the loungers.

   "The water was cool, wasn't it!" Marijka exclaimed.  I realised she was
looking at my chest, and my nipples were quite prominent.  I suddenly
remembered that last time I wore this, one of the breast cups had come
unstitched, so I'd taken them both out to repair and replace, but never did
so.  Before I could reply, she reached behind and undid her bikini top,
throwing it on the ground.

   "Come on Eve, get some sun on you!"

   I was open mouthed.  She seemed perfectly comfortable with bare breasts,
and was looking at me quizzically.

   "I, er, haven't got a top to take off," I said lamely.

   "Hey, us Dutch women know how to take care of things like that!  It's
normal on any beach in Holland.  Stand up!"

   I did so uncertainly.  She pulled the straps off my shoulders and over
my arms and rolled the swimsuit down to my hips.  I was topless outdoors
for the first time in my life.  I could feel my nipples hardening.

   "Let's go all the way.  An undress rehearsal for National Nude Day!"

   Before I could do more than make a half stifled gasp, let alone assent,
she had pulled my swimsuit down to my ankles.  Now I was naked outdoors for
my very first time.  She stood up and slid her bikini bottoms off.

   "See?  No thunderclap, the world is still turning!"

   I could see that she was shaved down there, and it made her look very
exposed and open -- the ultimate exhibitionist gesture.  She saw me
looking, and looked at my full bush.

   "I think we should take care of that, don't you?  But first, let's get
some screen on -- I bet you've never had sun on a lot of that skin!"

   We both got our sunscreen out and began to lather it on our fronts, arms
and legs.  I couldn't help noticing that Marijka's boobs, a bit larger than
mine, seemed nice and firm and bouncy as she covered them.

   "We'll have to do each other's backs," she declared, "turn around!"

   I did so and she started covering my shoulders and back.  It felt very
nice, but then she started rubbing it over my bottom, and it felt more than
nice, it felt erotic.  I was getting turned on by a woman.  Was I perhaps
gay?  No, I was sure I was attracted to men.  What was happening?

   Marijka stopped.  "Now me!" she said and turned round.  I followed the
same path, shoulders, then back, and then -- with a slight hesitation --
her very taut and pert bottom.  It felt good, and a bit illicit.  She
sighed.  "You have a nice touch!" she murmured.  I finished and stopped, a
bit uncertain as to what next.

   "A bit of time on the sun beds now, I think.  I'll get some more wine!"
and she sauntered off round the pool.  I settled self-consciously on the
sunbed on my front -- it felt a bit less exposed, and yet the exposure was
still thrilling me.  I watched Marijka returning with two plastic wine
glasses: she was displaying her breasts and her pussy, at the same time
proudly and carelessly, her groin glistening with sunscreen -- or was it
arousal?

   She passed me a glass and settled on the empty sunbed on her stomach,
head turned towards me.  "Bottoms up!" she said, and laughed.  "What if
Luke could see us now!"

   That thought suddenly made me tingle, and even more when I realised with
a start that he would see me naked in just over two weeks' time.  Before I
could dwell any further on that, Marijka said,

   "Right, time to turn over.  No hiding!  Ready?" And before I could say
No, she commanded: "Turn!" -- and I found myself turning over with her.  I
tried hard not to cover boobs and crotch with my hands, and ended up sort
of hovering them uncertainly over my tummy in a clear gesture of
discomfort. Marijka reached over and grasped my nearest hand in hers, which
at least stopped the vague waving.

   "Don't be shy, you've nothing to be shy about.  You are a real good
looker."

   "I don't believe that, but it's just that it's my first time and I
haven't had time to get used to it."

   "Let me give you some advice.  Any time you are naked intentionally, be
proud of your body.  Any time you are accidentally naked, such as, oh I
don't know, dropping your towel whilst changing on the beach, be calm and
nonchalant about it and correct the situation with dignity.  If any time
you are unfortunate enough to be forced by a man to strip, act with
reluctance because it is not your choice, but act as though it is no big
deal -- men of that type get off on humiliation, so refuse to act
humiliated.  And certainly don't double up and frantically try to cover
yourself with your hands -- by then anyone looking has already seen
everything, you can't make them unsee it, so act casually.

   "But I think you've got a closet exhibitionist inside.  Use getting
naked where you can for thrills and don't worry about it!  Like on July
14th..."

   "I'll try!" and I squeezed her hand.

   "Now," she said, "let's see what we can do to improve things down
there...  Let me get some tools!" and off she went into the house, leaving
me waiting in some trepidation.  She was back quickly carrying a towel and
scissors, a razor, and a bottle of baby oil and a hand mirror in a trash
bin.

   "Lie still!  It will be easier if I do it first time.  You realise this
would cost you a bomb in a salon!"

   I was definitely uncomfortable now.  This was going to be a bit up close
and personal.

   "Right, first question -- do you want it all off or are we leaving a
landing strip?"

   "Oh, er, I, um..." I hadn't really yet considered shaving there at all,
let alone in what style.

   "It will be easier just to shave it all...  You can easily let it grow
back if you decide you want something to point the way!"

   "Oh, er, I, er, OK..." I said decisively -- not.

   "I'll start from the top and work down.  Scissors first!" And before I
could say anything she bent over, gat a lock of my short-and-curlies
between two fingers, snipped it off and dripped it in the bin.  I made an
involuntary small squeak and Marijka smirked and grasped another lock.  She
steadily worked down, getting closer and closer to my most intimate area. I
found myself getting a little aroused.

   "OK, time to open the legs for me!" she said.  I slowly parted my
thighs, and it felt really quite erotic exposing myself like that.  I was
definitely getting moist.  She continued working down along the edges of my
labia.  I could smell my arousal, and so surely could she.  Finally she
said, "Stage one over!" and brushed her fingers along my slit.  I was sure
that was intentional.  It felt electric.

   "Now the oil," she said, "it helps avoid razor burn." She poured a small
amount into her left palm and dipped her right fingers in it, and rubbed it
into the stubble.  Now I was sure she was deliberately touching my slit and
it was getting hotter and wetter.  She wiped her hands and picked up the
razor.  A disposable just like the one I used for my armpits and legs.  She
bent over so close I could feel her breath on my pussy, and started with
small strokes, working from the top down towards my slit again.  She used
her other hand to press and hold the skin, and as that hand got closer and
closer to my privatest part I got to hoping she would touch me there.  I
realised I had let out something between a sigh and a moan, and she smiled
knowingly.  My thighs were now as wide as I could get them; they'd done
that all on their own, I hadn't told them to.  A few careful small strokes
below the opening and then to the sides.  Her fingers were so close to my
slit, and I'm sure I was leaking arousal juices.  Then she said,

   "I think that will do, but let me check for any slight stubble left."
With that she ran her fingers all over my mons and along the edge of the
lips, and then finished blatantly running them along the slit and into it,
up to the clitoris and around it.  I couldn't help a gasp of a combination
of shock and pleasure.  She laughed and stood up.  "Feel free to -- well,
feel freely, if you need to!"

   Well, although I would have been unable to resist if she had continued
to fondle me, I wasn't quite ready to masturbate in front of someone else,
so I tried to quell the surge of arousal.  "I think I'll just shower and
have a swim," I said.

   "Before that, don't you want to take a look?" and she handed me the
mirror.  I positioned it and inspected the result.  Now I'd looked at
myself naked in a full length wall mirror a few times recently, but never
inspected my crotch so directly.  It looked like it belonged to somebody
else, not me.  It was glistening a little, and the inner lips were peeking
out.  I ran my fingers around the edge, feeling the strange smoothness that
I wasn't used to.  It also occurred to me that to be naked like this on
Nude Day would be to expose myself absolutely fully.  The thought gave me a
little thrill and a shock of fear all at the same time.

   "Wow," I said.  "Wow indeed!" she replied.  "Like it?"

   "I think so, I need to get used to it!"

   She smiled.  "Don't forget you'll need to shave regularly to keep it
smooth, just like your legs."

   I handed the mirror back and went for a shower and then into the pool.
The shock of the coolness of the water after the heat of the sun -- and of
my arousal!  -- was sharp and refreshing.  I climbed out again after a few
minutes and resumed lying on the sun lounger.

   Marijka appeared with a couple of drinks she'd gone to fetch.  As she
was putting them down, there was a noise in the house and a deep voice
called "Hello?" I sat up with a start, alarmed and conscious of my nudity.

   "Out here by the pool," Marijka called.  As she got up, she turned to me
and murmured, "It's Dan!  Remember -- dignified, nonchalant, proud!" and
she trotted over to the door into the house as a man came through the other
way.

   "Hi Dan, I thought you were working!" and she threw her arms around his
neck and gave him a kiss.

   "Hey, I'd have stopped by sooner if I knew you were skinny dipping!  I'm
on my way to a meeting at Mason Chandler's, but I don't need to be there
until four, so as I was passing I thought I'd call in for a few minutes."
He suddenly caught sight of me, desperately trying to act as if I was naked
in front of men all the time.  "Oh, excuse me, I didn't know you had
company," and he averted his eyes politely.

   "It's Eve, my friend from work.  Come and meet her!" and she took him by
the hand and led him over.  I took a deep breath and stood up, held my hand
out and shook his.

   "Pleased to meet you, Dan."

   "And you Eve, Marijka's told me a lot about you, so I hoped we'd meet.
Didn't expect it to be like this though!" He turned and pulled over a chair
from the poolside table and sat down.  I moved back to the sun lounger.

   I realised his resolve had cracked and he was now checking out my body.
I quite enjoyed that, and realised I was checking him out too.  A smart
young man, neat hair, pleasant smile, wearing a business shirt and slacks,
in which I couldn't quite detect if there was a bulge.

   "I, er, Marijka wasn't expecting you..." I said lamely.

   "Well, I am at work technically, I'm on my way to meet a client, but I
had to pass this way and had about ten minutes to spare, so thought I'd
drop in.  I knew Marijka had planned to have a lazy day by the pool, but I
never realised she had company, or that it would be so...  decorative!"

   I blushed.  But I was amazing myself at how cool I was, naked with a man
I didn't know.  At that point Marijka returned with a drink for Dan, and we
spent five minutes chatting inconsequentially about Dan's work, as though
we were all fully clothed, before Dan made his excuses and left for his
meeting.

   After he'd gone, Marijka came and stood in front of me, hands on hips.
"I now declare you definitely ready for National Nude Day!"