Chapter 2
They were nice people. Decent people. They were all friends; they were faithful and loyal to each other, and they enjoyed making love.
Their vacation together had begun as innocently as had that particular evening. During a coffee break one afternoon earlier in the summer Abe had made an offhanded remark to Chuck.
"You know, it's too bad that our vacations don't coincide instead of just over-lapping. We might be able to work up a good deal."
"How's that?"
"Daisy and I have been thinking about renting a cabin somewhere in Wisconsin, but to get anything really nice, you have to pay a mint. Now, if two or three couples were to pool their resources, they could probably get a lot more for their money. Start their own little Second-Honeymoon Hotel."
Chuck looked interested. "Say, that would be nice. I wonder if one of us could get his vacation-period shifted."
They agreed to see what could be done.
Able and Chuck got along well, and for that matter, they got along with Ben Lancing, too. Technically, they might be regarded as rivals, because they were all assistant managers of the engineering division of Tri-Compass, Inc., a firm involved in the highly important business of guidance systems, including a lot of hush-hush government work. Their boss, George West, was due to replace the retiring vice-president in charge of engineering, some said that that was largely because he'd married the daughter of the company's president, and either Able, Chuck, or Ben would almost certainly be promoted to the manager's position.
Yet Able felt no particular sense of rivalry with the other two men. Much as he would have liked to have had the position, he was fairly sure that Ben would get it. Even though Ben hadn't been with the company as long as Able, he was older and more experienced. What he lacked in brillinace he made up for in good solid reliability. All in all, he was a first-rate man in his field.
The brilliant one was Chuck. No one could deny that he had a certain genius in the field of electronics. But his genius was rather erratic and thus far he hadn't shown much sign of being an organizer, a leader. In a few years he might develop such qualities, but he hadn't yet.
At least that was the way Able saw the situation. Someone else, George West, for example, or the firm's president, Thompson Read, might see things differently. And if Able were to be chosen for the promotion, he certainly had no intention of turning it down. But he was on guard against disappointment, and he didn't intend to allow any rivalry to spoil his relations with the other two men.
They were all good friends. Not best friends, perhaps, but definitely good friends. They went out together, they ate in each other's homes, and their wives all knew and seemed to like one another. If there were any feeling of rivalry within the little group, it was surely among the wives, and they had tactfully managed to keep it suppressed and under control.
A couple of days after Able made his remark he was approached by Ben.
"Chuck told me about your idea. It's great."
"Want to be included in?"
Ben shrugged. "I'd have to ask Fern first. And I kind of doubt that George would go for the idea."
"He might if he was properly approached. If the girls go for the idea, I'm willing to ask George."
The girls, after a certain amount of thought, did go for the idea, so Able, without much hope, did put the question to his boss.
George West was in his middle thirties. He was a dark man with a furrowed face and he was as heavy-set as Ben though not nearly as tall. He was rumored to be a skirt-chaser, which, of course, didn't keep him from being a pretty good engineer and a fairly good boss. Not even the fact that he'd probably gotten where he was by marrying old man Read's daughter, Inez, could change that.
"If we all take our vacations at once," Able said, "you'll be left without any assistants, of course. But, on the other hand, all the usual disruption caused by our separate vacations will be gotten over at once instead of being strung out over a number of weeks."
"I'll have to think about it," George said.
A few days later he called Able into his office again.
"Do you and Ben and Chuck still want to take your vacations together?"
"If it's okay with you."
"Sure. And I've got a suggestion."
Ben took a picture out of his desk drawer and handed it to Able. It showed a two-story house in a clearing in some woods. Made of logs, the place was styled like a cabin, a rich man's cabin.
"My summer place," George said. "There are four bedrooms upstairs, each with its own bathroom. You'll only need three, of course. The downstairs is mostly living room, though there's a kitchen-and-dining area. Everything's modern: electric lights, refrigerator, television, record player, the works; so you needn't worry about that. The beach, pier, and boathouse are only a few yards away. Lots of sand, enough fish, plenty of privacy. I own most of one side of the lake and there's nothing much on the other side. If you fellows are looking for second honeymoons, you couldn't find a better place."
And he went on to tell more about the "cabin".
Able looked at the picture regretfully. "From what you say, George, I doubt that even the three of us together could afford to rent anything this good."
"Who said anything about rent? If you feel like going someplace else, don't hesitate to say so. Frankly, I get bored with the place because there's not enough nearby company. But if you fellows care to use it, you're entirely welcome. I wouldn't think of charging you anything."
That settled the matter. The three assistant managers weren't going to miss a deal like this. And so in late August they and their wives all gathered in George West's cabin in the woods.
They had a good time. They found that they were completely alone, and they could do as they pleased. And since one thing pleased them above all others, they spent a lot of time in their rooms.
When they were together, they were careful not to trod on any toes. Everybody's rights were respected. Each couple allowed the others to go off together whenever they pleased, and, as at any honeymoon resort, they all had a pretty good idea of what the others were up to.
Sure, they did get just a little bit bored at times but, on the surface at least, not desperately so. On the second Saturday night, at the end of their first full week together, they all piled into Ben's car and rode a number of miles to attend a country barn dance. They had an enjoyable time but were somehow'just as happy to get back to the big two-story cabin where they could do what they really wanted to do. Each pair in their own room, in their own bed.
They boated and fished a little, between lovings. They swam and lay in the sun on their own private beach, between lovings.
Naturally, they were extremely informal and they became even more so as the days and nights passed. They ran around in a minimum of clothes, and perhaps only habit kept them wearing what they did retain. Able became used to seeing Fern walk around with her shirt or even her peekaboo jacket unbuttoned clear down the front. He became accustomed to seeing Edna pull up her halter to scratch the underside of a boob or the bottom of an aureole. He didn't even think about the fact that the other men daily saw Daisy in the same state of semi-nudnty.
They were intelligent people, sophisticated, informed. They didn't bother with conventions that served no useful purpose, except insofar as they did so automatically.
Day by day they soaked up the sun and grew browner. While the men fished or swam the girls lay on the sand and chatted and dozed, taking off their bras and hardly bothering to cover up when one of the men came by. When one of them was caught bare-breasted in the cabin, she would pull on whatever was convenient with a minimum of haste.
They were friends: what did they have to hide from each other?
They were innocents, and they didn't know how innocent they were.
By sundown they were all dressed again, to some extent at least, and had gathered in the big main room of the house. Ben and Fern were wearing just what they'd had on before: walking shorts and shirts. In expectation of an evening swim, for the evening was hot, Able and Chuck had donned swimming trunk? and Daisy had on her blue bikini. Edna wore yellow bikini capris, that came up just to the bottom of her smooth tummy and down over her calves, and a brief yellow halter from which her breasts, the most fullblown there, threatened to emerge at any minute.
They blinked the last of sleep from their eyes, and laughed, and mixed gin and tonic. They weren't expecting trouble. They were too innocent for that, though if asked they would have called their innocence sophistication.
The few lights that were on gave the room a comfortable glow and the few drinks that they consumed made the glow even warmer. Fern put some records on the hi-fi and they danced.
"Friday night," Chuck said, somewhat dolefully. "There's tonight and tomorrow and tomorrow night. Then on Sunday we have to pack up and clear out. And then it's back to the old salt mines."
"Don't talk about it," Fern said.
"We ought to do something really memorable, something to top the vacation off."
"The whole thing's been memorable," Fern said snuggling up to Ben as they danced.
They traded partners and Able found himself with Edna. He'd danced with her before but never quite like this. They were both barefooted, and he was in his brief swimming trunks. And from the exposed round bottoms of her boobs to the bottom of her stomach she was as naked as he. His hand rested on the small of her back and each ripple of her muscles seemed to send messages through his finger tips up through his arm. Her soft flesh rubbed against his flat hard stomach.
He loved his wife but, in the classic phrase, he was only human. And the gin and tonic-had loosened his inhibitions.
Down boy! he thought, and he hoped that the way in which Edna affected him wouldn't be too evident to the others.
He was glad to get away from the blonde and dance with Daisy again. She was more nearly naked than Edna and, in the last analysis, more attractive to him. But he was also more used to her and therefore in better control.
Later he danced with Fern, who was a little bit more covered up around the middle than the other two women. That was just as well, because the small girl was attractive enough just as she was. And in spite of his session with Daisy much earlier in the evening, he found himself to be all too responsive to the opposite sex.
He assured himself that he was well able to keep himself under control.
The laughter and the dancing continued. For the most part they did fast dances which kept them out of body contact, but now and then they slowed down for a breather with a classic blues or a romantic old Miller record. And that was when thighs and torsos touched and Able found that he had to watch himself.
It was Chuck who came up with the suggestion.
"Hey, you know what we ought to do? Skinny-dip."
"What's that?" Edna asked.
Chuck looked at his wife in amazement. "You don't know what skinny-dipping is?"
"I've heard of it but that's all."
"Moonlight swimming," Ben said.
"Swimming in the raw," Chuck said, "moonlight or not. I haven't done any skinny-dipping since I got out of engineering school."
"Yes, you have," Edna contradicted him. "Just the other night. You and I-"
"I mean a skinny-dipping party. .When did you last skinny dip on a party, Edna?"
"Like you, not since college," his wife admitted.
"I never have," Fern said.
"Neither have I," Daisy said.
Chuck looked at Ben.
The big man shrugged. "Not since T came home from Germany in 'forty-seven! How about you, Able?"
"Not for five or six years. Not since before Daisy and I got married."
"How about it, then?" Chuck said. "Shall we all go for a skinny-dip?"
They looked at each other questioningly. Then Fern said, "Whee, we're going to skinny-dip!" and that seemed to settle the matter.
They freshened up their drinks, grabbed cigarettes and a couple of blankets and headed out into the night, moving in a group down to their small private beach. Ben and Chuck spread the blankets out and they all laughed with anticipation. The moonlight was bright and the air was warm.
There were a few seconds of hesitation, one of those Who goes first? moments. Then Fern yelled, "Last one in is a scardy cat!" and unfastened her red shirt.
That was the go signal. Chuck unhesitatingly shoved his trunks down and, slightly embarrassed, Able did the same. Fern ran for the water, kicking off her shorts as she went, and Chuck just managed to beat her.
Able looked around. Ben had his shirt off and Edna her halter and they were both dancing on a single leg while they finished stripping. Edna naked was a ravishing sight to say the least.
Able looked at Daisy, who was plucking at her halter.
"Coming, honey?"
She gave him a quick smile and pulled off her halter, then scooted out of her bottom.
"The water's so cold!" Edna shrieked as she and Ben went running in, sending splashes and sprays up around their thighs in the moonlight.
"Come on, scardy cats!" Chuck called, and Able and Daisy ran to the water.
The water was cold and the warm air made it seem all the more so. Nevertheless, they all swam and bobbed and splashed about for the next ten minutes, making the lake echo with gales of laughter. Chuck was the first to say, "I've had enough!" and to retreat to the beach. When he returned from the house with towels, Able and Ben followed him up onto dry land.
The three men pulled on their swimming trunks and shorts, then stretched out to smoke and finish their drinks and watch the women. Each in her own way was a sight to behold. Blonde Edna was the most full-blown of the three, every curve strong and aggressive. Daisy was more trim looking and solid-breasted. Copper-haired Fern was the smallest and thinnest, but she was pert and strong, with breasts that stood out like firm little melons.
"The Three Graces," Ben said.
"Three September Morns," Chuck suggested.
"Three August Nights," was Able's idea.
"Ah, those August nights!" Chuck said.
After five more minutes the women decided they'd had enough. At least they'd out-lasted the men. Fern came running up onto the beach and threw herself, naked and trembling, into Ben's arms. He rolled her onto her back and kissed her. gave her a couple of quick little strokes at the legs, and pulled a towel over her. Then Daisy and Edna came running up to grab towels.
They didn't linger to dress but hurried toward the house just as they were, Fern and Ben leading the way. By the time the others arrived, Fern had already slipped a few records onto the hi-fi and was pulling on her shorts.
The other two girls toweled themselves hastily, getting rid of the last of their shivers, while Able made stiff drinks for them. Daisy pulled on her bikini bottom and Edna struggled into her skin-tight pants. She was just about to pull on her halter when Chuck reached out to stop her.
"Hey, what you doing?"
She stared at him. "What do you think I'm doing? I'm dressing."
"Well, don't!"
"Why not?"
"You don't see me pulling on any silly halter, do you? Look at Ben and Able. They're bare chested. So are you girls half of the time when you're on the beach. You've just been skinny-dipping with us, so why bother to cover up now?"
She continued to stare at her husband, a slight smile on her face. "Chuck, are you drunk?"
He laughed. "A little. Aren't you? Come on, dance with me!"
The other four gazed at Chuck and Edna and they gazed at each other.
She let her halter slip from her fingers.
The hi-fi was playing an old Dinah Shore recording of Deep Purple, and Edna slid into Chuck's arms. Her lush, pink-tipped breasts flattened against his chest, and she seemed to melt against him.
Able turned to Daisy who was still staring at Chuck and Edna. Like the others, she had on only one piece of clothing, the ultra-brief bottom of her blue bikini. He took her right hand and slid his left around her waist. Then all of her smoothness and warmth was caressing the front of his body and their bare legs were moving against each other.
Immediately he wanted her.
As they danced one number after another, he became loggy with desire. Before long he wanted to stroke one of Daisy's nipples but when he tried, she whispered, "Able, don't." But he detected that they were hardening, and she pressed them against his chest as if to hide them.
Every record that Fern had put on was slow, sensuous, and romantic, with a heavy beat like the throbbing of love. Talk and laughter died, returning now and then in little bursts. Each couple seemed to be floating sensuously in a little private universe. And as Able moved his finger tips up and down Daisy's spine, and felt her tremble, and heard her breathing harder, he thought that soon, very soon, they must make a trip upstairs to their room.
Over Daisy's shoulder he caught a glimpse of Chuck and Edna. They were dancing as close as ever, but now he was undisguisedly stroking her right breast, his fingers playing over the expanded nipple. They'd reached the point where they didn't care who saw. And so had Able.
This time he met no resistance as he started fondling Daisy's right breast, drawing and pressing at the rosy-brown center. Her head tilted back; their mouths met, and their tongues clashed like bolts of lightning mating, sending electric thrills rippling through them.
Yes, they would have to go upstairs soon....
A record came to an end and, as if they were all of one mind, they took a break. Laughter and talk were resumed, and fresh drinks were mixed. Looking about, Able noted that all three girls had swollen nipples and lips, and the veins at the tops of their breasts were quite apparent. Their eyes were a little drugged looking, and they had the air of trying to blink themselves awake. Edna tried to demonstrate a belly dance, which Daisy almost equalled. Then Fern rolled her shorts down on her hips and showed that she could perform best of all.
Able and Daisy were just about to resume dancing when Able felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Trade off," Ben said.
Able didn't really want to, but he looked at Daisy who nodded reluctantly, so he turned to Fern. The small copper-headed girl smiled at him and he reached her. He and Fern slid into a tight embrace.
The sensation was odd. Not for years had he had his body up against that of a woman other than his wife, not like this. Fern's shorts were still rolled down on her hips. A strange stomach was pressing against his. A strange rib cage. Two strange naked breasts, the tips in full bloom. The feeling was so novel that for a moment he began to lose his sensual yearning.
Then Fern whispered, "Mm, you dance sexy! I'll bet you give Daisy a wonderful time in bed!"
That did something to him. Suddenly Fern was no longer just a strange sensation. She was a desirable female, and he was all male.
"I haven't heard any complaints," he said.
"I'll bet not. I'll bet she likes it as much as I do."
"And you like it?"
"Oh, do I!" she said on a sigh.
Yes, not even dancing earlier with Edna had been like this, for at that time she'd at least had her halter on. But from the abdomen up there was absolutely nothing between Able and Fern, nothing at all.
The warm flesh moved together.
He was relieved when once again he found himself dancing with Daisy.
"Well," she whispered, an odd light in her eyes, mischievous, teasing, almost challenging, "you seem to be kind of stirred up!"
"Only for you, baby."
And, actually, that was true. Another woman might arouse him. But, aroused, he really wanted only Daisy. If another woman got him going, and in this case Daisy and not another had really started him off, his wife stood to profit by the fact.
"You're the only woman I really desire," he said.
"Am I?" Her eyes and her smile continued to tease him.
"Let's go upstairs."
"Soon."
Not long after that he felt a hand on his shoulder again. Ben had returned but this time with Edna. Daisy smiled and turned to Ben. and the blonde flowed into Able's arms.
He didn't experience that moment of oddness which he'd had with Fern. Just as he'd responded quickly the first time he'd danced with Edna, he did so now, but even more powerfully. He'd already been keyed up for quite some time, and now Edna's skin seemed to burn him as she brushed against him. She was dancing differently from before, more suppely and sensuously. Her naked breasts and pointed tips moved against him more as she twisted in his arms, and he couldn't help stroking her bare back.
He felt her belly rounding out, expanding against his, and he pressed back; a million little sparks seemed to pass between them.
His body felt as if it wanted to rip its way out of the scant clothing to get at her. Daisy, he thought, we've got to go upstairs!
But they didn't.
The dancing went on. Partners were exchanged. Laughs became lower, and voices grew huskier. This was a party unlike any they'd had since they'd arrived here, and they all knew it. They all sensed that the situation was growing dangerous, but no one made a move to break it off. They all thought they could handle whatever might happen.
They were innocents.
"We know where you're going!" Chuck chanted. "We know where you're going!"
Able, dancing again with his wife, looked up to see Ben headed for the downstairs powder room. He was staggering slightly, perhaps a little higher than the others, though no one was really drunk. Able joined in on the chant, and then so did the others.
"We know where you're going! We know where you're going!"
"Sure you can find the way?" Able asked.
"Does anybody want to help me?"
"Oh, does Momma's little baby need help?" Edna asked.
"Please, Momma!"
"Poor little baby, let Momma help!"
Edna hurried after Ben, and the other four came up behind them, not quite believing in what was supposed to happen. Able wondered if he hadn't had more to drink than he'd realized.
"Okay, Momma," Ben said as he opened the powder room door. "I can take care of myself from here on.
"Chicken!" Daisy said, to Able's surprise.
He laughed and said, "Don't let her call you chicken, Ben."
"Chicken, chicken!" Daisy yelled louder.
Ben shrugged and grinned amiably. "Well, all right.
So she helped him. And they all stood there laughing and not quite believing what they were seeing.
Ben unfastened his own shorts and they fell to his ankles.
She held his hand as if he were a little boy. Then, quickly, she reached out with her other hand.
"We aim to please," she said. Ben gasped. She stroked him.
He responded, showing his full strength. For a moment they were all completely quiet. And Edna continued stroking, stroking. "Hey!"
Fein's little shriek and her sudden rush through the powder room door broke the spell. She grabbed Ben and dragged him away as they all burst out laughing. His shorts left behind on the floor, she pulled him across the main room, and they fell onto a couch in a tight embrace.
The next thing Able knew was that he was dancing with Edna again. They were joking and laughing, but soon the voices died.
Then he knew only the soft brushing of his body and Edna's, her large breasts against his chest, the sweep of her naked torso against him, the tangling of their legs. And the desire, the need, for loving grew so intense he could hardly stand it.
He caught a glimpse of Ben and Fern on the couch. Her shorts were at her knees now, and she was slowly kicking them away as Ben caressed her. They seemed to have forgotten entirely that they weren't alone. Kissing and fondling tenderly, they were in their own little world.
Party's getting rough! Able thought with a stifled sensation. Party's getting real rough!
Edna's eyes were closed. She was breathing through thickened lips. She writhed against him, openly teasing him with her breasts.
When Able realized what she was up to, he was shocked. She wanted him to play with her nipples, just as Ben was playing with Fern's. But Ben and Fern-that was different. They were man and wife.
He felt Edna's hand against the back of his head.
The next thing he knew they were kissing. They barely swayed to the music, and their tongues met.
He hardly resisted as she drew his right hand to her left breast, and his palm filled with warm softness The nipple tickled his palm then emerged from between his fingers. His finger tips found the hard core of the soft globe and drew toward the nipple, moving it.
Then he saw why Edna was coaxing him into giving her a treatment. She was just keeping things even.
For Chuck and Daisy, as he spotted them off to one side, appeared to be even farther along.
She, still in her blue bikini bottom, was standing arched back just slightly. Her head was back, her eyes were closed, and Chuck's mouth was on hers, their lips open in a passionate kiss.
He, in his minimal swimming trunks, stood against her and a little to one side, his right hand against the small of her arching back. His left hand was on her high right breast, his fingers working slowly and rhythmically.
Her left hand was on his shoulder. Her right arm hung limp at her side. Then she raised her right hand and brought it down over his chest and stomach just once.
Chuck's hand immediately began the trip down the front of Daisy's body. She took a deep breath as he touched her ribs. Able saw her stomach flutter as he stroked her.
Then his finger tips began to slip under the front of her bikini bottom and she trembled and bucked slightly.
All that happened in a matter of seconds, a very few seconds. But to Able the seconds seemed to freeze and to stretch out forever.
Then he found himself shoving Edna to send her careening off of Chuck while he grabbed Daisy and yanked her away.
"Wow, brother!" he said. "Time to switch partners!"
He'd tried to sound as good humored as possible, and everybody laughed. But the laughter was weak and strained.
He pulled Daisy into his arms and they danced. Seeing how sex-drugged she looked, his heart thumped all the harder. That had been-a narrow escape. Anything could have happened and probably would have if he hadn't acted in the nick of time. Now everything was a joke, but for a minute there....
There was no question that he was still aroused.
He wanted Daisy. He wanted her more than ever. The time had come to bring this little party to its climax.
"Darling," he whispered. "I'm going crazy for you!"
"I'm going crazy, too," she answered, her breath in his ears sending shakes through him. "For me?"
"Only for you. You know that."
"Let's go upstairs."
"Yes. Let's go to bed." She pressed her middle toward him so that cloth rubbed against cloth. "Let's take these off and then we'll get on the bed and you'll...."
He listened to her, his throat dry and his heart banging. He'd never felt so stirred up himself, and he'd never known her to sound so excited.
"Take me upstairs and I'll take my pants off, darling, and yours too," she whispered, "we'll kiss and play with everything, and I'll let you...."
"Hey, what're you two whispering about?" Ben said from the couch where he was still rolling about with Fern.
They didn't answer. Daisy left Able's arms, turned and started up the stairs, and Able followed.
"We know where you're going!" Fern said.
"We know what you're going to do-oo!" Edna chanted. "We know what you're going to do-oo!"
They kept going.
"Hey, you're chicken!" Ben called.
"By golly, that's right," Chuck said rushing to the foot of the stairs. "You're chicken! If you're not, you'll come right back down here!"
Able and Daisy stopped and looked around.
"What do you mean?" Able asked.
"Look at what Edna and Ben did. Look at Fern and Ben right now. Do they look ashamed? Why should they? They're among friends! Aren't you among friends?"
"Sure they are," Edna said. "Don't be party-poopers, you two! Come on back down!"
"If you want to do a little loving," Ben said, "nobody's going to stop you. Nobody's stopping Fern and me, are they? We all know the facts of life."
"Oh, Ben," Fern said, "if they want to be alone, let them go."
"Nothing doing! If they want to make love, they can do their loving right down here in front of all of us. Isn't that right, Chuck?"
"Absolutely! And they will, too. They're not chicken!"
Edna laughed. "Come on back down, you two!" To Able's surprise, Daisy smiled and started back down the stairs.