Chapter 1
Becky Finch watched her husband, Rudy, flirting with Tina Walters and a cold hand seemed to grip her heart.
Of course Tina, young and blonde and curvey, liked male attention. That had been evident ever since the Finches had moved to Pender, Oregon, from Spokane. Gene, Tina's husband, with whom Becky was dancing at the moment, didn't seem to mind when his pretty wife displayed her legs as she was doing now for Rudy.
The Walters lived next door to the Finches in the new suburban development that Gene had helped construct. He was Pender's "go-gettingest" young builder, already doing well at the age of thirty.
It was Saturday night and Becky had invited some friends over for a little party. The third couple, Hal and Janet Collins, were at the Finch stereo, looking through the records.
Tina, relaxing in a chair that sat back in the shadows, her legs crossed, her short skirt halfway to her hips, smilingly basked in Rudy's nearness, giving him every opportunity to glance under her dress.
At the same time Becky became aware of Gene's arm tightening around her slender waist. She didn't mind too much. He was strong, tanned, rugged-looking. He was very successful. But then, Rudy had done well in the past years, too. From assistant manager of a Crest Store in Spokane he had been given a full managership at Pender. He was on the way up.
But he wasn't always so charming around the girls, Becky thought. In fact he was just a little shy and backward until he started wearing that hair piece!
Rudy, now thirty-five, had been balding when Becky had first met him two years earlier in the Crest office at Spokane. She hadn't minded. Some men lost their hair early in life. He had good basic qualities-a drive to succeed, a quick mind, steadiness. She had liked him the moment she spotted him and had gone after him!
He had been flattered that a girl ten years younger than he went out of her way to be friendly....
Then, while on a buying trip to San Francisco, he had been expertly fitted with a toupee. In the single year he had worn it she had noticed changes in his personality. He was more outgoing, more assertive. He appeared s more in public and generally performed better on his job.
But most noticeable, and to Becky most disturbing, was his new manner around women. He looked younger and acted younger. He was even trying to change the pattern of their behavior in bed. Other girls reacted to his dark handsomeness, to his younger appearance. He was more dashing.
Becky say him lean down to Tina and smile, saying words she couldn't catch. Tina giggled, slowly uncrossing her superlative legs, giving him ample opportunity to look far beneath her skirt....
Tina stood up finally and they began to dance. Becky experienced a sharp tug of jealousy.
II that blonde knew he was nearly bald, maybe she wouldn't be showing him her panties, Becky thought.
She realized, though, that she couldn't blame Tina too much. Tina was a born flirt, avid for male compliments. A year earlier Rudy would have politely ignored her and paid all his attention to his wife. Becky was reasonably pleased with her marriage. She had remained single a bit longer than most girls. She wanted to succeed as a mate and homemaker.
There had been talk BTH (before the hair piece!) of having children, but lately Rudy had dropped the subject. He claimed they should have more fun before starting a family. He wanted to move up to manage an even larger store. Pender was a comparatively small wheat-country city and he had his sights set on a brand-new store, with more departments, being built at Pasco, Washington.
Janet and Hal Collins already had one girl, age two. He owned a Western clothing establishment he had inherited from his father. They were well established in Pender and, like the Walters, intended to stay. They were natives.
Janet and Hal lived in an older home they had remodeled, and they seemed quite happy and adjusted. Janet was large, buxom, with slow indolent movements. She had big brown eyes and a very sensual mouth. Hal was wide-shouldered, narrow-hipped and looked handsome in the Western attire he wore most of the time. Janet and Tina, about the same age, had gone through Pender high school together.
Becky became more and more aware of Gene's nearness, of the pressure of his hand on hers, of the tightness of his arm about her waist. They had all been drinking-a serve yourself bar had been set up in the Finch kitchen.
"You're quite a girl," Gene whispered in her ear.
Becky's first impulse was to sidetrack him, to suggest another drink or a break in the dancing, but when she saw Tina cuddled tightly in Rudy's arms, her curvy hips flattened against his loins, their cheeks pressed together, her sharply-coned breasts poking into his sport shirt, she changed her mind.
"You're quite a man, Gene," she replied.
"Well, I've been wondering when I was going to make an impression." He swelled his broad chest against the pout of Becky's breasts, lightly encased in a very sheer bra. She felt a tingle of excitement.
"How do you mean?" she asked, a bit curious.
"You don't wolf around like most of the gals your age. Are you really such a home body?"
"I'm married," she said tartly.
He laughed. "So are Tina and Janet. Don't be so serious about it and you might have more fun." He squeezed her fingers. "You've got a terrific figure...."
In spite of her resentment of his boldness, she was flattered. She was proud of her slender shape, of her long straight legs, but she had never thought of herself as being anything like "terrific."
"You've had too many drinks," she answered.
"Just the right amount. Say, why don't we all go over to our pool and take a swim? I feel a real bash coming on!"
Becky had been in the Walters' enclosed pool a few times when only Tina was there. It was an extravagance she and Rudy couldn't afford.
Obviously Rudy made less money than either Gene or Hal. The weather was warm ... and the small air-conditioner Rudy had bought just barely kept their living room livable in August.
She overlooked the insinuation that her own party might fall flat for lack of anything more to do-besides dancing and drinking. But Gene was probably right.
"Ask the others," she said.
A moment later, at the end of the recorded tune, Gene made the proposal. Everyone agreed it was a wonderful suggestion. Becky noticed that Rudy was all smiles.
"Now I'll get to try on that new Bikini I just bought," Janet drawled, rolling her big brown eyes.
Gene chuckled. "I can hardly wait to see that!"
"By golly!" Hal mimicked. "This here girl has been a-keepin' things from me again!" More laughter....
Later Becky found herself in the shiny, tiled double-bathroom at Walters where the girls had gone to change into their swim suits. The men had already changed out near the pool and the sound of their voices drifted in through the open bathroom window. Evidently they were now enjoying the water.
"Don't be bashful, honey," Tina said to Becky. The blonde was down to panties and bra and they were so thin she might as well have been nude. Her full breasts rode forward jauntily, their strawberry nipples swollen.
I wonder if dancing with Rudy caused that? Becky thought illogically. She wasn't used to exposing her body to anyone, at least not since PE classes at high school. Lately Rudy had kidded her about shyness, even in their bedroom-something he hadn't done previously. Another subtle change in his outlook, his personality?
Janet stood in front of a full-length mirror as she removed her bra. The large brownette threw her shoulders back, surveying her almost-naked figure. She still wore a pair of smoky-colored lace-trimmed undies.
"Have to watch that sag," she remarked, weaving her generous hips. Her breasts were huge with prominent dark nipples, the aureolae banding them quite wide. Becky felt her cheeks turn hot. The easy familiarity between Tina and Janet she had noticed she attributed to their long friendship, but now it seemed a little more than that. Their suggestive remarks often jarred Becky's sensibilities.
Becky wasn't totally unaware of lesbianism. There had been plenty of whispers about certain girls at Stanton High, but she had considered it a mere phase some girls went through before marriage. When a gal was growing up there were always so many deterrents to normal sexual release with the boys....
She had been a virgin when she married Rudy and until the hair piece they had been, in her opinion, quite well adjusted. The last few "times," though, Rudy had seemed a little distant, and a month earlier he had mentioned that she didn't act "sexy" in their bedroom. He had even brought home some new, very sheer nighties which she hadn't yet worn. At the same time he was becoming more bold, hinting that it might be fun if they did it on the living room floor or in the shower.
All these changes disturbed her. Were they necessary if two people were really in love? She had to admit, though, that she didn't always climax when Rudy did. Also she hated to "act" in such an intimate and personal relationship.
"Does Hal really appreciate what you've got?" Tina giggled, glancing over at Janet.
"Oh, usually," Janet drawled. "But I get the idea once in a while he'd like a change of pace."
"How many drinks have you two had?" Becky asked dryly.
Tina laughed. "Don't break in on such an interesting conversation. I know Gene would go for a little variety!"
Becky blushed. Perhaps she and Rudy should change friends, she thought. She wasn't used to girlish discussions about what husbands liked and didn't like regarding sex. "Change of pace" and "variety" ... were these two attractive girls talking about "switching?"
Janet laughed her slow throaty laugh. "I see we're shocking Becky. Come on, honey-get into your suit. The boys are waiting."