THE RIVER
The very next day, Bessie's mother had taken her shopping, as promised. They didn't leave the department store with a single item that could be seen and the only thing that would ever prove that they'd shopped at all would be the charge on her father's department store credit statement.
However, the bags they hauled into the house would say otherwise. Bessie had tried hard to keep a mature, open mind as she shopped with her mother, desperately trying to ward off the natural blush that seemed to invade her cheeks each time her mother held up a negligee and offered a detailed description. Bessie's current underthings were extremely modest--and comfortable--covering up her body completely from her shoulders to her thighs. These things that her mother had purchased for her were a completely different story.
Desperate to prove that she was grown up now, however, she was forced to admit that the undergarments they had brought home were actually quite pretty and the material felt nice. Not to mention she was allowed to choose between beautiful pastel colors and lace patterns. Now she pulled them out of the shopping bags and boxes--a couple of French silk chemises, dangerously short, with thin straps and lace trim; a couple of two-piece silk sets that resembled the chemises except with a brazier that was separate, leaving her torso bare; new shorts to wear under her day dresses; several pairs of nylon stockings; three silk lingerie nightgowns, all with thin straps; two silk robes; three braziers; and the grand finale--two garter belts. What Bessie was going to wear the garter belts under, she had no idea, but her mother spent the longest time singing their praises, so Bessie felt like she didn't have much choice but to give in. By the time they'd made the purchases and walked to the parking lot, Bessie's head nearly spun. Who knew that undergarments would be so diverse and tasking to shop for?
"Oh, bother," her mother had said once they'd gotten into the car. "We have to go back inside. We forgot to purchase new swimsuits."
"But, Mama, I have a swimsuit--"
"That old thing?" Her mother sneered. "Absolutely not. That thing you have isn't even in fashion anymore. My daughter is an adult--a beautiful woman--and she has a boyfriend. You wouldn't want him to see you in last year's frumpy swimwear, now would you? You have to think of these things when you dress now, you know? What would he like to see you in?"
"What makes you think he'll ever see me in any swimwear?"
"Please, Bessie, it's summer. I know you and Millie are bound to run into him and his brothers when you go to the river like you always do. You know...when she comes back around, that is."
Bessie curled up her lip as they had gotten out of the car once more. First of all, Zac never acted like he minded what she wore and he always said her dresses were pretty--and it seemed that he was the only one who thought so. And besides, she knew what "this year's fashion" looked like in swimsuits--and it was next to nothing.
Nevertheless, her mother made her try on and purchase two swimsuits--both of which tied in thin straps around her neck and only just covered her rear end after stepping into the short, tight skirt. Thankful to at least be covered between her legs, she felt completely naked with her legs bare all the way up to her thighs. "Women actually swim in this? I'm practically nude," Bessie objected.
"Sweetie, have you looked in the mirror? When I was your age, I would have killed for that body..."
Sure, Bessie looked in the mirror. In private, every day, and she curled her nose up at her long, five-foot-six, spindly frame; at her skinny arms and legs; at her small breasts and her nearly non-existent hour-glass figure. She was a beanpole.
"You look like a ballet dancer, so graceful and delicate," her mother said in awe. "And yet here you never even took a class. No wonder a twenty-six-year-old man fell for you so quickly."
"Mother!" She scolded. "Zac's feelings toward me are not that superficial!" Except she was instantly ashamed of herself for the comment because she was extremely physically attracted to Zac. And judging by what had just happened in the barn the previous day, she knew that what she'd just told her mother wasn't entirely true.
Her mother was quick and wise, however. "Oh please, dear. You can't be in a relationship without some level of physical attraction. Come, now. Off with the suit, it's nearly lunchtime and we need to start home."
Now at home, as Bessie put away her new unmentionables in her bureau, her mother cleaned the kitchen downstairs after the light lunch they'd shared. Despite a few embarrassing moments, and despite the struggle to admit that she was really excited about her new, sexy, grown up underthings, she had really enjoyed the morning she had spent with her mother. Though she was more than ready to spend the rest of the day with Zac, wearing one of her new secrets-no-one-knows underneath her dress, she had to admit that she was happy to see her mother once again as she knocked at the bedroom door.
Except that it wasn't her mother that had knocked.
It was Millie.
Surprised to see her, Bessie lowered the yellow swimsuit that was in her hand, back down onto her bed.
"Hello, cousin," Millie greeted her, a meek, guilty smile quickly flashing across her face. "How are you?"
"Millie," Bessie greeted curtly. "I'm well, I hope you are."
"I've been better," she replied. "Been doing a lot of thinking these past couple of days and...well...I made a fool of myself the other day and I...I want to apologize."
Bessie had to admit, she was surprised to see her. And, despite her initial confusion and hurt over the altercation, the more time she had to think about it, the more bitter she had become. Raising her eyebrow and crossing her arms over her chest, Bessie retorted, "Zac told me he spoke to you. I suppose he guilted you into an apology?"
"He didn't necessarily guilt me into anything...but he did give me a few things to think about."
"I'm sure."
Millie crossed the room and sat on Bessie's bed, picking up her new swimsuit and laying it across her lap. "I've missed you, Bessie. I've missed you something terrible. And I'm still getting used to the idea of you having a boyfriend and not being around as much as you used to be. We used to be so close."
"We are close. But that has nothing to do with you calling me a hussy and accusing me of stealing Taylor away. You suggested that I was untrue to Zac, in front of him, and I was humiliated."
"Oh, no, Bessie! Is he mad at you?"
"Not at me. But he sure was upset at you."
Millie sighed as her face fell in shame. "The truth is, I've never had a man to want to break up with me before. I always break up with them. And it hurt my feelings that...that Tay didn't want to see me anymore. It...it hurt my self-esteem and instead of taking responsibility, I looked for something to blame. And when your name came up, I went for it. It was wrong of me and I'm so ashamed. Won't you please forgive me, Bessie? Please?"
"You do know that I never once suggested that Taylor break up with you, don't you? I would never do that to you."
"I know. I know you didn't and I'll never accuse you of such a thing again, I swear it. And I also take back what I said about telling everyone about you at the university next semester. I didn't really mean that. You're my cousin and my best friend and I can't wait for you to come to school with me."
Bessie's heart melted in an instant. The truth was, she'd missed Millie, too. "You really want to be best friends with me again?"
"I never wanted to stop being best friends with you. I just said a bunch of things I didn't mean. But--but if you really want to stop being best friends, I could understand..."
"Oh, Millie!" Bessie said, racing to her cousin's side on her bed and throwing her arms around her neck. "Of course I don't want to stop being best friends, you're my best friend forever!"
"Oh, thank goodness!" Millie said, hugging her back. Then she pulled away and she grinned at Bessie, holding up her swimsuit. "I just realized we haven't been to the river yet this summer. And someone's been shopping!"
Bessie took it out of her hands and held it up, frowning at it. "Mama made me get this dreaded thing. I got a baby blue one, too."
"Bessie, it's just gorgeous, I don't know why you have such a problem with it."
"Because when I put it on I'm still naked!"
"Nonsense! All the girls are wearing these this summer, they're all the rage. And you can get a much better suntan in it, too."
Well. Maybe Bessie hadn't quite taken that into consideration. And she could use a little extra color on her skin. "Well, when you put it that way, I guess..."
"Brilliant!" Millie grinned excitedly. "I'll go and borrow a suit from Aunt Cathy and we'll take a couple of towels and go for a swim, just like we used to!"
And just like that, Bessie had her best friend back. She didn't have the heart to tell her that she and Zac already had plans for the day. She just hoped that Zac would understand when she told him the reason she didn't show up to meet him...
******************
Who knew Bessie's mother had such a swimsuit laying around in her bureau?
Bessie should have guessed.
Millie lay on a towel in the grass next to her, beautifully filling out Bessie's mother's tiny swimsuit that was pink and strapless with ruffles around the edges. The light color was magnificent against Millie's dark hair and it was just one more reason that Bessie was self-conscious in her tiny, yellow number, and opted to keep her short cover dress over it, hot as the sun beat down on them.
"I feel like we haven't gotten to talk in so long, even before our quarrel the other day," Millie said as she shifted her position under the sunlight. "So I take it you and Zac are an item now? Officially?"
Bessie blushed, regardless of the heat of the sun. "Yes. He asked me the night of the social--right before he kissed me."
Millie's eyes widened and she grinned excitedly, suddenly sitting up on her towel, not caring about where the sun shined on her body. "He kissed you? You got your first kiss?"
"And many more since," Bessie giggled.
"Oh, Bessie! I'm so excited for you. You must tell me everything, don't spare a single detail!"
Bessie bit her lip and let a grin spread across her face. "I like kissing him. I mean, I really like kissing him..."
"Do you?" Millie urged. "Do you kiss him a lot?"
Bessie nodded. "I can't stop kissing him. It's all I seem to want to do..."
Millie giggled with excitement. "Do you use tongues?"
"Millie!"
"Well? Do you?"
"Yes," Bessie admitted. "And...I really like it."
The two girls broke into a fit of giggles and Bessie couldn't help being excited to share her news with Millie. She'd always felt like she was so out of place when Millie's and Judith's conversations had turned into ones like these and Bessie could never contribute. Now that she could, she finally felt like she fit in.
Millie grinned at Bessie slyly and asked her, "So. Have you only kissed on the lips?"
"What?"
"You heard me. Have you ever kissed him anywhere else?"
Bessie bit her lip and her eyes darted around in thought. "Well...I kissed his neck yesterday..."
"You did?" Millie said, surprised. "You're necking with him?"
"Um...sort of...I guess...maybe? I'm not...really sure..."
"Well come on, Bessie, either you are or you aren't--"
Finally Bessie sighed with exasperation and gave in to her shortcomings. "Millie," she said to her, looking her square in the eyes. "I need your help. I need you to tell me everything you know about...um..."
"About what...?" Millie prodded.
Bessie shifted her weight uncomfortably. "About...you know..."
"About sex?"
Bessie nodded her head quickly.
"Sex?" Millie squeaked. "You want to know about sex?"
"Shh! Will you keep it down, for crying out loud?"
"Oh, please, nobody's around here." Then Millie's eyes glittered with pride. "What do you want to know?"
"I...I don't know," Bessie admitted. "I'm not sure. Zac is...well apparently he's quite experienced and used to it and...well we all know I'm not."
"Do you want to have sex with him?"
"Do we have to call it that?"
"Well, that's what it is."
"I don't know. I just...I feel like I want to do more than kiss him. And when he touches me I feel all these chills in my body and I just...want more. Except I don't really know what, exactly, I want."
"I think you do know what you want," Millie corrected. "You're just afraid to admit it to yourself. And that's natural when you first start feeling those things, I guess. After all, the first time a boy ever touched me, I had no idea what was going on, I just knew that I liked it. And Bessie--it's okay if you like it. If he touches you and you like the way it feels, it means he's doing it right."
"But how do I know...you know, what part of touching is...is making love...and what part isn't?"
Millie giggled at the question and then recovered quickly. "I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to make fun of you. Um, the actual act of making love requires you both to take off your unmentionables. So if he's touching you while you still have at least the bottom half of your clothes on, you're not making love. You're just petting. And that way you still feel good and you're still a virgin."
Bessie's eyes widened and she blinked at her cousin in shock. "Really? You can do that? Without going all the way?"
"Of course you can. And it's awful fun, too."
"Oh my goodness," Bessie whispered in thought. "I just...I don't understand..."
"You're making this much more difficult than it has to be--"
"No," Bessie said. "No, yesterday we were--we were almost doing that--what you said--without going all the way. And I was okay with it until he made me stop. He told me if I kept going he would want more...but I don't understand..."
"Wow," Millie muttered. "Good for him..."
"But what did that mean?"
"It means he respects you. And that's good. That's real good. If he didn't respect you, he would have kept going and taken your virginity right there without thinking twice about it."
"I told him I wanted to wait until I was married--but I think I told a story..."
"So you want to lose your virginity to him?"
At this, Bessie couldn't help her reaction. A grin spread across her face and she looked up at the sky, her heart swooning at the mere thought of Zac. "Millie, I want to lose everything to him!" Then she looked at Millie again. "So now I need to know everything."
"I'm not really sure what to tell you," she replied. "Make sure your skin is always smooth and shave your legs and underarms--men like that sort of thing. If you think you're ready to have sex, don't wear complicated underthings. Um...I say the most important things are, if it feels good, just do it; don't do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable; and be prepared because it might hurt a little bit at first. But not for long."
"Hurt? How?"
"Well...you know...if you've never had anything, you know, inside you before, the first time will be a little uncomfortable."
"Inside me?"
"Bessie, please! Surely your mother told you something--"
"She did, I just--the idea makes me so nervous..."
"Have you felt it yet?" Millie asked suddenly.
This caught Bessie off guard and she was suddenly very confused in the change in subject. "Felt what?"
"You know," Millie said, her eyes widening. "It."
"It, as in..."
"His penis, Bessie, Jesus, you really had to make me say it, didn't you?"
Bessie's jaw dropped in shock. "No! No, I have not felt...no!"
"Goodness, he really is respectful, isn't he?"
"What does that mean?"
"When a man gets excited, he grows...stiff under his pants. And if his body is pressed against yours, you can feel it. Just wondering if you had and then maybe you could tell me what it was like and I could give you an idea of how it might be for you..."
"Millie!" Bessie scolded with surprise. "I can't believe I'm even hearing this!"
"Well, Bessie, you wanted to know about sex and there it is. Men's penises get hard when they're excited, just like you wake up wet between your legs after an exceptionally sensual dream. And don't pretend like that's never happened to you before."
Bessie's eyes widened and she could only blink at her cousin. She wished she wasn't so dumbfounded at all the things Millie was revealing to her. She hated how sheltered and alien to these things she was. She wanted so much to be familiar with everything Millie was mentioning but she supposed she had so much more to learn about sex and the male form than she thought she did. This revelation didn't help her nerves one single bit.
"For starters," Millie continued. "If you're ever going to be comfortable with yourself, you have got to take off that silly little cover-up dress. You're not doing that new swimsuit, or your skin, any justice."
"Yeah, but I don't--have a body like yours...I'm getting plenty of sun where I need to have it, thank you."
"You're not getting anything on your chest and shoulders. And when Zac finally does see you naked, he's going to see nothing but those embarrassing suntan lines from the collar and the sleeves of that ridiculous dress. Summertime by the river is no place to be modest, dear cousin. Not while you're trying to get some color."
She just had to mention Zac seeing Bessie naked, didn't she? She hated how Millie had a point. Sighing, Bessie begrudgingly stood up and pulled her dress over her head. Admittedly, there was something about the slight rush of freedom she felt, standing in the middle of the outdoors in nothing but a piece of material that only covered her from her chest to her backside. And she did like the way the sun felt shining on the places she had never actually revealed before.
"There, now," Millie said as she looked up at Bessie. "Look at you, you fill that suit like a Hollywood starlet."
"Starlet or harlot?" Bessie muttered.
"Stop being so modest. Jeez, it's like you're eighteen going on eighty or something. Stop being such a square and live a little."
With that, Millie rested her case and lay down on her back, squinting her eyes shut at the sun, leaving Bessie alone with her thoughts and her body.
________________________________________________________________________________________
"Well, look at it this way," Taylor said, his tone much too optimistic for Zac's liking. "Her not showing up means we can both fish today. And with both of us fishing, we can have one hell of a fish fry tonight."
Zac didn't care about fishing or frying fish or really anything having to do with anything other than Bessie and his own self-loathing. He didn't understand why she hadn't met him. Her father was at work and the Harlows' second car was at the house, as Zac had spied on the house before deciding to settle and wait at their tree, but Bessie never showed. He wasn't sure if he should be worried, angry, or heartbroken. Not knowing which emotion to feel was really taking a toll on him.
"I just don't get it," Zac said, trying to make sense of the situation as he and his brother walked through the woods with their fishing poles over their shoulders. "It's not like her to stand me up like that. She's never done that before."
"There's a first time for everything, you know."
"No. Not with Bessie. If she couldn't meet me, she would have at least met me long enough to tell me she couldn't meet me."
"Is she that diligent?"
"Very."
"I don't know, then," Taylor sighed. "But I bet whatever it is, she had good reason for it. I don't think she's the type of girl who would stand you up for spite."
"She's not. That's why I don't understand."
"Here," Taylor offered. "Let's catch a few fish this afternoon and then afterward you can run over to Bessie's house and try to see what's going on. I mean, you never know. She could have lost one of those horses you told me about and she might need comforting or something. She might need you."
"Don't wish such things on her, Tay. And if that were the case, are you really going to make me go fishing instead of going to comfort my girl? Think about it."
"Oh, yeah...I guess you have a point."
"Of course I do."
As the two brothers entered the clearing that led to the river bank, Zac's heart stopped. "Whoa," he said suddenly, halting Taylor mid-stride. "Holy shit..."
Zac had found Bessie. And he was completely beside himself. Walking up at the edge of the clearing, neither she or Millie had noticed their presence and he was glad for it, just so he could drink in the scenery for a moment.
His eyes took Bessie in as she stood on a towel on the bank of the river. The sunlight bounced off of her light brown hair as her slender body was covered by nothing more than a pale, yellow swimsuit, so light it almost appeared as if she were wearing nothing. Her long legs were covered by absolutely nothing in their entirety and her shoulders and back exposed to the summer breeze made Zac's jaw drop. The swimsuit hugged her body tightly, showing off the shape of her breasts, the light curve in her waist, and the round, tight nature of her backside.
Zac lost the ability to speak.
He only regained it again when Taylor stupidly opened his mouth. "Jesus Christ," he muttered. "Would you look at that...?"
Zac backhanded him in his stomach, never taking his eyes off Bessie. "Stop looking at her."
"I know she's your girl, but at least give me these few seconds..."
"Don't be a disrespectful prick," Zac spat.
Finally, Taylor snapped out of it. "You're right. You're right, I'm sorry. Shit, Millie's here, too..."
Zac had already stopped listening to his brother. He dropped the fishing pole where he stood and tore off his cap. Nearly simultaneously, he tore the hair tie out of his hair and he began to unbutton his shirt. He couldn't undress himself fast enough.
"Hey," Taylor said in horror. "Hey, what are you--I thought we were going fishing?"
"Not anymore," Zac said breathlessly as he kicked off his shoes and tore off his trousers as fast as he possibly could. "Today I'm going for a swim with my girl."
"But, Zac--Zac, you can't leave me alone with Millie--"
"You'll work it out," Zac breathed. "I promise."
Finally out of all his clothes except for his under shorts, Zac grinned at Taylor. "Guess you're the rotten egg today."
"Goddammit," Taylor complained as he began to remove his own clothing.
Zac didn't stick around. With the smile still on his face, he took off running from the woods and toward the river bank, his eyes never leaving his prize. He had to admit amusement when Bessie had only noticed him for a split second before he stopped and threw her over his shoulder on the way to the water.
"Zac!" She screeched with a half giggle. "What are you doing here, what are you--what are you doing? Zac!"
Her legs kicked and her arms flailed and Zac roared with laughter. He only stopped long enough to throw her into the water and then jump in after her. When he came up from underneath, shaking his hair out of his face and slicking it back with his hands, Bessie was still screeching. "Zac, what the hell are you doing? What is this? I don't even have a swim cap on--"
Amused, Zac swam toward her. "Did you just say 'hell'?"
"Um, uh, maybe..." she sputtered. "I don't know. I just know that you scared the bejeezus out of me and now my hair is wet and ruined."
"Oh, please," he breathed, realizing his feet could touch the bottom. He reached for her and pulled her close by her waist, the feeling of her near-naked body completely exhilarating him. "There's nothing wrong with your hair. A little river water never hurt anyone."
She bit her lip and she smiled at him, her hands barely gripping his bare shoulders. Her hair was slicked back the same as his and the water dripped down her face. "How did you find me here?"
"I didn't mean to find you here. Tay and I decided to go fishing after you stood me up."
"Oh, Zac," she said regretfully. "I didn't mean to stand you up, honest. I was going to meet you when Millie came over and wanted to make up. When she suggested coming to the river, I thought it would be a good idea that we make amends. You forgive me, don't you?"
He grinned at her mischievously. "Gotta admit, I wasn't too sure about it. Until I saw you wearing that and...well, you're definitely forgiven now..."
"Zac!" She scolded, her eyes wide. "Don't be rude."
"I'm not being rude. I'm being very...very appreciative..." And with that, he took a chance, reaching down to her still kicking legs, and wrapping them around his waist. Her lack of objection and willingness to leave them there turned him on way too much. Her face was closer to his now and he took the opportunity to whisper to her, "Do you have any idea how sexy that suit is on you?"
She looked surprised. "You...you think I'm...sexy?"
"Yes," he replied, matter-of-factly. "God, yes."
At the same time that her arms slid around his neck, he couldn't stop his hands from disappearing under the water and gripping her bare thighs, dangerously close to her backside. Her eyes widened in shock as his grip on her tightened and she suddenly pulled away and smiled. "Well, don't start getting fresh."
And then she dunked his head under the water.
Amused by her playfulness, he came up and found her gone, only to turn around and chase her as she swam for the river bank. He caught up to her just close enough to touch one of her toes, until she turned around and giggled as she splashed him, and then got out of the water and ran for her towel. She had never played hard-to-get before, but Zac was having great fun with the game.
When he finally stepped out of the water, Bessie was already collapsing on her towel, covering herself with a dress. As she giggled and caught her breath, he collapsed beside her, resting his weight on his elbow and tearing the loose dress from the front of her swimsuit.
"Zac, give that back," she objected as he reached over her lap and pulled her body down underneath him.
"It's too late to be modest, sweetheart, I've already seen you."
"Well...at least get up. Tay and Millie are right there..."
"Look," he said, matter-of-factly. "There's only room enough on this towel for us to lay one of two ways--me on top of you or you on top of me. Personally, I'm up for either. But the least I can do is be a gentleman and let you pick."
"You're ruining my suntan."
"Trust me, baby, I couldn't give a shit about your suntan right now."
"You're being very...blunt today," she pointed out.
"I'm sorry. I'm just...I'm extremely turned on, I'm finding it difficult to think clearly..."
"All the more reason you should let me get dressed."
"All the more reason you should stay right where you are."
Bessie was silent as she stared back up at him. The water from his hair and face dripped onto her but she didn't seem to care. He suddenly became very aware of the way her hands ran up and down his arms now, however, and he was beginning to regret having her underneath him in nothing but his underwear.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Finally, Zac kissed Bessie and, despite the hot sun, she enjoyed his kiss and the closeness of his body. She tried her best not to think about how nearly naked they both were, especially Zac. She knew he was in his under shorts, she just knew it, and as much as she pretended that it was a swimming suit, it was no use. He lay on top of her in no clothing, kissing her lips, and touching her bare shoulder and she trembled at his touch, fighting a battle with herself whether what they were doing was going too far for her or not.
When his lips trailed down to her neck and the chills ran rampant through her body, releasing a content sigh that she hadn't meant to release, her eyes snapped open to the bright blue sky and she hissed, "Zac. Zac, we're not alone out here."
He stopped kissing her and glanced behind them. "It's okay," he smiled breathlessly. "Tay and Millie are down at the water, skipping rocks. They're not even paying attention to us."
Looking up at him, unable to resist him as his drying hair began to fall around his face, she reached up and ran her fingers through it as he met her lips again. This time she let her hands trail down his neck and onto his bare back, the scorching heat from the sun seeping into his skin and burning her palms as she touched him. He didn't seem to mind the way the sun brutally beat down on his back and she was nearly ignorant of the potentially dehydrating heat they created amongst each other underneath the June sun.
She especially wasn't paying attention to the sun when his hand suddenly trailed down her side and all the way down her bare leg, bending her knee alongside his body. He'd never touched her legs before and feeling his hands on unchartered territory sent waves of chills through her body that she felt she probably shouldn't have had in such a hot climate. However, she happened to like the way her knee felt bent up against his side and she dared take it a little further, and let her foot lightly graze the back of his leg.
She heard him sigh as he kissed her and he broke their kiss long enough to tuck his hand underneath her waist. In one swift move, he lifted her hips up off of the towel and repositioned her underneath him, settling himself once again and causing her eyes to snap wide open after he'd let his lips trail to her neck again.
It was because she suddenly felt it.
She was sure of it. There it was, just as Millie had said, below his waist, hard like a rock, pressed against...well, pressed against her.
It felt like quite a large rock. Though she had nothing to compare it to, she wondered how in the world she'd never noticed before, because surely she would have. In the moment, she was in such a state of shock that she didn't even realize the thickening of his breathing and his sighing into her ear until he moved his hips into her in such a way that sent a violent wave of pleasure right down to her toes. "Oh my god," she whispered suddenly.
Zac stopped immediately and widened his eyes at her. "Are you okay?"
Her eyes darted into his for a moment before she whispered, "I think we're too exposed. I think this is too much."
As if on cue, Millie's voice rang out from the river bank in an uncharacteristically loud tone, "Well, hello there, Gary Phillips and Chris Smith! Good day for a swim, isn't it?"
"Oh my god," Bessie hissed, shoving Zac's body away from her. "Those guys work at the courthouse with my father."
"Bessie, I'm not--well, I'm really not in a position to move right this second," Zac laughed sheepishly.
"Well, you have to. You just have to!"
Rolling off of her, Zac bent his knees up and grabbed up her cover-up dress, holding it in his lap. Drat. She had intended to put it on.
Now the two men approached her in their own swimsuits as she crossed her arms modestly over her chest. "Bessie Harlow," Gary Phillips greeted her. "And...Zac Hanson...fancy meeting the two of you here."
"Yeah," Bessie pouted. "Fancy that."
"Millie's right, it is a good day for a swim, isn't it?" He pointed out.
"Sure is."
"So...why aren't you swimming?"
"I already went swimming," Bessie replied curtly. "Now I'm sunbathing."
"Can't get much sunbathing done when you're not getting any sun," Gary retorted sarcastically. And then he and Chris Smith laughed and raced their way to the water.
"It's time to go," Bessie said regretfully as she stood and began to gather her towel.
"Who are those guys?" Zac asked.
"They work with my father. They look up to my father. They want to be like my father."
"And they'll tell your father," he finished.
"Exactly."
"Well...Bessie...you can't hide our relationship forever--"
"I'm not hiding anything!" She snapped. "He already knows about us. But he doesn't need to know...everything. And, boy, Gary and Chris sure did get an eyeful just now."
"Oh..." Zac replied, finally catching on. "Shit, Bessie. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have--I mean you look so good in that suit and--and well I'm only a man and...Jesus, I was a real pig, wasn't I?"
Bessie's heart melted for him in an instant. How in the world could one person succeed in making her feel so...deliciously naughty one minute and then turn around and just make her want to hug him the next?
She didn't know. She only wished she had the opportunity now to focus all her energy on Zac instead of on the pounding of her own heart in anticipation of the word that would surely get back to the judge.
The very next day, Bessie's mother had taken her shopping, as promised. They didn't leave the department store with a single item that could be seen and the only thing that would ever prove that they'd shopped at all would be the charge on her father's department store credit statement.
However, the bags they hauled into the house would say otherwise. Bessie had tried hard to keep a mature, open mind as she shopped with her mother, desperately trying to ward off the natural blush that seemed to invade her cheeks each time her mother held up a negligee and offered a detailed description. Bessie's current underthings were extremely modest--and comfortable--covering up her body completely from her shoulders to her thighs. These things that her mother had purchased for her were a completely different story.
Desperate to prove that she was grown up now, however, she was forced to admit that the undergarments they had brought home were actually quite pretty and the material felt nice. Not to mention she was allowed to choose between beautiful pastel colors and lace patterns. Now she pulled them out of the shopping bags and boxes--a couple of French silk chemises, dangerously short, with thin straps and lace trim; a couple of two-piece silk sets that resembled the chemises except with a brazier that was separate, leaving her torso bare; new shorts to wear under her day dresses; several pairs of nylon stockings; three silk lingerie nightgowns, all with thin straps; two silk robes; three braziers; and the grand finale--two garter belts. What Bessie was going to wear the garter belts under, she had no idea, but her mother spent the longest time singing their praises, so Bessie felt like she didn't have much choice but to give in. By the time they'd made the purchases and walked to the parking lot, Bessie's head nearly spun. Who knew that undergarments would be so diverse and tasking to shop for?
"Oh, bother," her mother had said once they'd gotten into the car. "We have to go back inside. We forgot to purchase new swimsuits."
"But, Mama, I have a swimsuit--"
"That old thing?" Her mother sneered. "Absolutely not. That thing you have isn't even in fashion anymore. My daughter is an adult--a beautiful woman--and she has a boyfriend. You wouldn't want him to see you in last year's frumpy swimwear, now would you? You have to think of these things when you dress now, you know? What would he like to see you in?"
"What makes you think he'll ever see me in any swimwear?"
"Please, Bessie, it's summer. I know you and Millie are bound to run into him and his brothers when you go to the river like you always do. You know...when she comes back around, that is."
Bessie curled up her lip as they had gotten out of the car once more. First of all, Zac never acted like he minded what she wore and he always said her dresses were pretty--and it seemed that he was the only one who thought so. And besides, she knew what "this year's fashion" looked like in swimsuits--and it was next to nothing.
Nevertheless, her mother made her try on and purchase two swimsuits--both of which tied in thin straps around her neck and only just covered her rear end after stepping into the short, tight skirt. Thankful to at least be covered between her legs, she felt completely naked with her legs bare all the way up to her thighs. "Women actually swim in this? I'm practically nude," Bessie objected.
"Sweetie, have you looked in the mirror? When I was your age, I would have killed for that body..."
Sure, Bessie looked in the mirror. In private, every day, and she curled her nose up at her long, five-foot-six, spindly frame; at her skinny arms and legs; at her small breasts and her nearly non-existent hour-glass figure. She was a beanpole.
"You look like a ballet dancer, so graceful and delicate," her mother said in awe. "And yet here you never even took a class. No wonder a twenty-six-year-old man fell for you so quickly."
"Mother!" She scolded. "Zac's feelings toward me are not that superficial!" Except she was instantly ashamed of herself for the comment because she was extremely physically attracted to Zac. And judging by what had just happened in the barn the previous day, she knew that what she'd just told her mother wasn't entirely true.
Her mother was quick and wise, however. "Oh please, dear. You can't be in a relationship without some level of physical attraction. Come, now. Off with the suit, it's nearly lunchtime and we need to start home."
Now at home, as Bessie put away her new unmentionables in her bureau, her mother cleaned the kitchen downstairs after the light lunch they'd shared. Despite a few embarrassing moments, and despite the struggle to admit that she was really excited about her new, sexy, grown up underthings, she had really enjoyed the morning she had spent with her mother. Though she was more than ready to spend the rest of the day with Zac, wearing one of her new secrets-no-one-knows underneath her dress, she had to admit that she was happy to see her mother once again as she knocked at the bedroom door.
Except that it wasn't her mother that had knocked.
It was Millie.
Surprised to see her, Bessie lowered the yellow swimsuit that was in her hand, back down onto her bed.
"Hello, cousin," Millie greeted her, a meek, guilty smile quickly flashing across her face. "How are you?"
"Millie," Bessie greeted curtly. "I'm well, I hope you are."
"I've been better," she replied. "Been doing a lot of thinking these past couple of days and...well...I made a fool of myself the other day and I...I want to apologize."
Bessie had to admit, she was surprised to see her. And, despite her initial confusion and hurt over the altercation, the more time she had to think about it, the more bitter she had become. Raising her eyebrow and crossing her arms over her chest, Bessie retorted, "Zac told me he spoke to you. I suppose he guilted you into an apology?"
"He didn't necessarily guilt me into anything...but he did give me a few things to think about."
"I'm sure."
Millie crossed the room and sat on Bessie's bed, picking up her new swimsuit and laying it across her lap. "I've missed you, Bessie. I've missed you something terrible. And I'm still getting used to the idea of you having a boyfriend and not being around as much as you used to be. We used to be so close."
"We are close. But that has nothing to do with you calling me a hussy and accusing me of stealing Taylor away. You suggested that I was untrue to Zac, in front of him, and I was humiliated."
"Oh, no, Bessie! Is he mad at you?"
"Not at me. But he sure was upset at you."
Millie sighed as her face fell in shame. "The truth is, I've never had a man to want to break up with me before. I always break up with them. And it hurt my feelings that...that Tay didn't want to see me anymore. It...it hurt my self-esteem and instead of taking responsibility, I looked for something to blame. And when your name came up, I went for it. It was wrong of me and I'm so ashamed. Won't you please forgive me, Bessie? Please?"
"You do know that I never once suggested that Taylor break up with you, don't you? I would never do that to you."
"I know. I know you didn't and I'll never accuse you of such a thing again, I swear it. And I also take back what I said about telling everyone about you at the university next semester. I didn't really mean that. You're my cousin and my best friend and I can't wait for you to come to school with me."
Bessie's heart melted in an instant. The truth was, she'd missed Millie, too. "You really want to be best friends with me again?"
"I never wanted to stop being best friends with you. I just said a bunch of things I didn't mean. But--but if you really want to stop being best friends, I could understand..."
"Oh, Millie!" Bessie said, racing to her cousin's side on her bed and throwing her arms around her neck. "Of course I don't want to stop being best friends, you're my best friend forever!"
"Oh, thank goodness!" Millie said, hugging her back. Then she pulled away and she grinned at Bessie, holding up her swimsuit. "I just realized we haven't been to the river yet this summer. And someone's been shopping!"
Bessie took it out of her hands and held it up, frowning at it. "Mama made me get this dreaded thing. I got a baby blue one, too."
"Bessie, it's just gorgeous, I don't know why you have such a problem with it."
"Because when I put it on I'm still naked!"
"Nonsense! All the girls are wearing these this summer, they're all the rage. And you can get a much better suntan in it, too."
Well. Maybe Bessie hadn't quite taken that into consideration. And she could use a little extra color on her skin. "Well, when you put it that way, I guess..."
"Brilliant!" Millie grinned excitedly. "I'll go and borrow a suit from Aunt Cathy and we'll take a couple of towels and go for a swim, just like we used to!"
And just like that, Bessie had her best friend back. She didn't have the heart to tell her that she and Zac already had plans for the day. She just hoped that Zac would understand when she told him the reason she didn't show up to meet him...
******************
Who knew Bessie's mother had such a swimsuit laying around in her bureau?
Bessie should have guessed.
Millie lay on a towel in the grass next to her, beautifully filling out Bessie's mother's tiny swimsuit that was pink and strapless with ruffles around the edges. The light color was magnificent against Millie's dark hair and it was just one more reason that Bessie was self-conscious in her tiny, yellow number, and opted to keep her short cover dress over it, hot as the sun beat down on them.
"I feel like we haven't gotten to talk in so long, even before our quarrel the other day," Millie said as she shifted her position under the sunlight. "So I take it you and Zac are an item now? Officially?"
Bessie blushed, regardless of the heat of the sun. "Yes. He asked me the night of the social--right before he kissed me."
Millie's eyes widened and she grinned excitedly, suddenly sitting up on her towel, not caring about where the sun shined on her body. "He kissed you? You got your first kiss?"
"And many more since," Bessie giggled.
"Oh, Bessie! I'm so excited for you. You must tell me everything, don't spare a single detail!"
Bessie bit her lip and let a grin spread across her face. "I like kissing him. I mean, I really like kissing him..."
"Do you?" Millie urged. "Do you kiss him a lot?"
Bessie nodded. "I can't stop kissing him. It's all I seem to want to do..."
Millie giggled with excitement. "Do you use tongues?"
"Millie!"
"Well? Do you?"
"Yes," Bessie admitted. "And...I really like it."
The two girls broke into a fit of giggles and Bessie couldn't help being excited to share her news with Millie. She'd always felt like she was so out of place when Millie's and Judith's conversations had turned into ones like these and Bessie could never contribute. Now that she could, she finally felt like she fit in.
Millie grinned at Bessie slyly and asked her, "So. Have you only kissed on the lips?"
"What?"
"You heard me. Have you ever kissed him anywhere else?"
Bessie bit her lip and her eyes darted around in thought. "Well...I kissed his neck yesterday..."
"You did?" Millie said, surprised. "You're necking with him?"
"Um...sort of...I guess...maybe? I'm not...really sure..."
"Well come on, Bessie, either you are or you aren't--"
Finally Bessie sighed with exasperation and gave in to her shortcomings. "Millie," she said to her, looking her square in the eyes. "I need your help. I need you to tell me everything you know about...um..."
"About what...?" Millie prodded.
Bessie shifted her weight uncomfortably. "About...you know..."
"About sex?"
Bessie nodded her head quickly.
"Sex?" Millie squeaked. "You want to know about sex?"
"Shh! Will you keep it down, for crying out loud?"
"Oh, please, nobody's around here." Then Millie's eyes glittered with pride. "What do you want to know?"
"I...I don't know," Bessie admitted. "I'm not sure. Zac is...well apparently he's quite experienced and used to it and...well we all know I'm not."
"Do you want to have sex with him?"
"Do we have to call it that?"
"Well, that's what it is."
"I don't know. I just...I feel like I want to do more than kiss him. And when he touches me I feel all these chills in my body and I just...want more. Except I don't really know what, exactly, I want."
"I think you do know what you want," Millie corrected. "You're just afraid to admit it to yourself. And that's natural when you first start feeling those things, I guess. After all, the first time a boy ever touched me, I had no idea what was going on, I just knew that I liked it. And Bessie--it's okay if you like it. If he touches you and you like the way it feels, it means he's doing it right."
"But how do I know...you know, what part of touching is...is making love...and what part isn't?"
Millie giggled at the question and then recovered quickly. "I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to make fun of you. Um, the actual act of making love requires you both to take off your unmentionables. So if he's touching you while you still have at least the bottom half of your clothes on, you're not making love. You're just petting. And that way you still feel good and you're still a virgin."
Bessie's eyes widened and she blinked at her cousin in shock. "Really? You can do that? Without going all the way?"
"Of course you can. And it's awful fun, too."
"Oh my goodness," Bessie whispered in thought. "I just...I don't understand..."
"You're making this much more difficult than it has to be--"
"No," Bessie said. "No, yesterday we were--we were almost doing that--what you said--without going all the way. And I was okay with it until he made me stop. He told me if I kept going he would want more...but I don't understand..."
"Wow," Millie muttered. "Good for him..."
"But what did that mean?"
"It means he respects you. And that's good. That's real good. If he didn't respect you, he would have kept going and taken your virginity right there without thinking twice about it."
"I told him I wanted to wait until I was married--but I think I told a story..."
"So you want to lose your virginity to him?"
At this, Bessie couldn't help her reaction. A grin spread across her face and she looked up at the sky, her heart swooning at the mere thought of Zac. "Millie, I want to lose everything to him!" Then she looked at Millie again. "So now I need to know everything."
"I'm not really sure what to tell you," she replied. "Make sure your skin is always smooth and shave your legs and underarms--men like that sort of thing. If you think you're ready to have sex, don't wear complicated underthings. Um...I say the most important things are, if it feels good, just do it; don't do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable; and be prepared because it might hurt a little bit at first. But not for long."
"Hurt? How?"
"Well...you know...if you've never had anything, you know, inside you before, the first time will be a little uncomfortable."
"Inside me?"
"Bessie, please! Surely your mother told you something--"
"She did, I just--the idea makes me so nervous..."
"Have you felt it yet?" Millie asked suddenly.
This caught Bessie off guard and she was suddenly very confused in the change in subject. "Felt what?"
"You know," Millie said, her eyes widening. "It."
"It, as in..."
"His penis, Bessie, Jesus, you really had to make me say it, didn't you?"
Bessie's jaw dropped in shock. "No! No, I have not felt...no!"
"Goodness, he really is respectful, isn't he?"
"What does that mean?"
"When a man gets excited, he grows...stiff under his pants. And if his body is pressed against yours, you can feel it. Just wondering if you had and then maybe you could tell me what it was like and I could give you an idea of how it might be for you..."
"Millie!" Bessie scolded with surprise. "I can't believe I'm even hearing this!"
"Well, Bessie, you wanted to know about sex and there it is. Men's penises get hard when they're excited, just like you wake up wet between your legs after an exceptionally sensual dream. And don't pretend like that's never happened to you before."
Bessie's eyes widened and she could only blink at her cousin. She wished she wasn't so dumbfounded at all the things Millie was revealing to her. She hated how sheltered and alien to these things she was. She wanted so much to be familiar with everything Millie was mentioning but she supposed she had so much more to learn about sex and the male form than she thought she did. This revelation didn't help her nerves one single bit.
"For starters," Millie continued. "If you're ever going to be comfortable with yourself, you have got to take off that silly little cover-up dress. You're not doing that new swimsuit, or your skin, any justice."
"Yeah, but I don't--have a body like yours...I'm getting plenty of sun where I need to have it, thank you."
"You're not getting anything on your chest and shoulders. And when Zac finally does see you naked, he's going to see nothing but those embarrassing suntan lines from the collar and the sleeves of that ridiculous dress. Summertime by the river is no place to be modest, dear cousin. Not while you're trying to get some color."
She just had to mention Zac seeing Bessie naked, didn't she? She hated how Millie had a point. Sighing, Bessie begrudgingly stood up and pulled her dress over her head. Admittedly, there was something about the slight rush of freedom she felt, standing in the middle of the outdoors in nothing but a piece of material that only covered her from her chest to her backside. And she did like the way the sun felt shining on the places she had never actually revealed before.
"There, now," Millie said as she looked up at Bessie. "Look at you, you fill that suit like a Hollywood starlet."
"Starlet or harlot?" Bessie muttered.
"Stop being so modest. Jeez, it's like you're eighteen going on eighty or something. Stop being such a square and live a little."
With that, Millie rested her case and lay down on her back, squinting her eyes shut at the sun, leaving Bessie alone with her thoughts and her body.
________________________________________________________________________________________
"Well, look at it this way," Taylor said, his tone much too optimistic for Zac's liking. "Her not showing up means we can both fish today. And with both of us fishing, we can have one hell of a fish fry tonight."
Zac didn't care about fishing or frying fish or really anything having to do with anything other than Bessie and his own self-loathing. He didn't understand why she hadn't met him. Her father was at work and the Harlows' second car was at the house, as Zac had spied on the house before deciding to settle and wait at their tree, but Bessie never showed. He wasn't sure if he should be worried, angry, or heartbroken. Not knowing which emotion to feel was really taking a toll on him.
"I just don't get it," Zac said, trying to make sense of the situation as he and his brother walked through the woods with their fishing poles over their shoulders. "It's not like her to stand me up like that. She's never done that before."
"There's a first time for everything, you know."
"No. Not with Bessie. If she couldn't meet me, she would have at least met me long enough to tell me she couldn't meet me."
"Is she that diligent?"
"Very."
"I don't know, then," Taylor sighed. "But I bet whatever it is, she had good reason for it. I don't think she's the type of girl who would stand you up for spite."
"She's not. That's why I don't understand."
"Here," Taylor offered. "Let's catch a few fish this afternoon and then afterward you can run over to Bessie's house and try to see what's going on. I mean, you never know. She could have lost one of those horses you told me about and she might need comforting or something. She might need you."
"Don't wish such things on her, Tay. And if that were the case, are you really going to make me go fishing instead of going to comfort my girl? Think about it."
"Oh, yeah...I guess you have a point."
"Of course I do."
As the two brothers entered the clearing that led to the river bank, Zac's heart stopped. "Whoa," he said suddenly, halting Taylor mid-stride. "Holy shit..."
Zac had found Bessie. And he was completely beside himself. Walking up at the edge of the clearing, neither she or Millie had noticed their presence and he was glad for it, just so he could drink in the scenery for a moment.
His eyes took Bessie in as she stood on a towel on the bank of the river. The sunlight bounced off of her light brown hair as her slender body was covered by nothing more than a pale, yellow swimsuit, so light it almost appeared as if she were wearing nothing. Her long legs were covered by absolutely nothing in their entirety and her shoulders and back exposed to the summer breeze made Zac's jaw drop. The swimsuit hugged her body tightly, showing off the shape of her breasts, the light curve in her waist, and the round, tight nature of her backside.
Zac lost the ability to speak.
He only regained it again when Taylor stupidly opened his mouth. "Jesus Christ," he muttered. "Would you look at that...?"
Zac backhanded him in his stomach, never taking his eyes off Bessie. "Stop looking at her."
"I know she's your girl, but at least give me these few seconds..."
"Don't be a disrespectful prick," Zac spat.
Finally, Taylor snapped out of it. "You're right. You're right, I'm sorry. Shit, Millie's here, too..."
Zac had already stopped listening to his brother. He dropped the fishing pole where he stood and tore off his cap. Nearly simultaneously, he tore the hair tie out of his hair and he began to unbutton his shirt. He couldn't undress himself fast enough.
"Hey," Taylor said in horror. "Hey, what are you--I thought we were going fishing?"
"Not anymore," Zac said breathlessly as he kicked off his shoes and tore off his trousers as fast as he possibly could. "Today I'm going for a swim with my girl."
"But, Zac--Zac, you can't leave me alone with Millie--"
"You'll work it out," Zac breathed. "I promise."
Finally out of all his clothes except for his under shorts, Zac grinned at Taylor. "Guess you're the rotten egg today."
"Goddammit," Taylor complained as he began to remove his own clothing.
Zac didn't stick around. With the smile still on his face, he took off running from the woods and toward the river bank, his eyes never leaving his prize. He had to admit amusement when Bessie had only noticed him for a split second before he stopped and threw her over his shoulder on the way to the water.
"Zac!" She screeched with a half giggle. "What are you doing here, what are you--what are you doing? Zac!"
Her legs kicked and her arms flailed and Zac roared with laughter. He only stopped long enough to throw her into the water and then jump in after her. When he came up from underneath, shaking his hair out of his face and slicking it back with his hands, Bessie was still screeching. "Zac, what the hell are you doing? What is this? I don't even have a swim cap on--"
Amused, Zac swam toward her. "Did you just say 'hell'?"
"Um, uh, maybe..." she sputtered. "I don't know. I just know that you scared the bejeezus out of me and now my hair is wet and ruined."
"Oh, please," he breathed, realizing his feet could touch the bottom. He reached for her and pulled her close by her waist, the feeling of her near-naked body completely exhilarating him. "There's nothing wrong with your hair. A little river water never hurt anyone."
She bit her lip and she smiled at him, her hands barely gripping his bare shoulders. Her hair was slicked back the same as his and the water dripped down her face. "How did you find me here?"
"I didn't mean to find you here. Tay and I decided to go fishing after you stood me up."
"Oh, Zac," she said regretfully. "I didn't mean to stand you up, honest. I was going to meet you when Millie came over and wanted to make up. When she suggested coming to the river, I thought it would be a good idea that we make amends. You forgive me, don't you?"
He grinned at her mischievously. "Gotta admit, I wasn't too sure about it. Until I saw you wearing that and...well, you're definitely forgiven now..."
"Zac!" She scolded, her eyes wide. "Don't be rude."
"I'm not being rude. I'm being very...very appreciative..." And with that, he took a chance, reaching down to her still kicking legs, and wrapping them around his waist. Her lack of objection and willingness to leave them there turned him on way too much. Her face was closer to his now and he took the opportunity to whisper to her, "Do you have any idea how sexy that suit is on you?"
She looked surprised. "You...you think I'm...sexy?"
"Yes," he replied, matter-of-factly. "God, yes."
At the same time that her arms slid around his neck, he couldn't stop his hands from disappearing under the water and gripping her bare thighs, dangerously close to her backside. Her eyes widened in shock as his grip on her tightened and she suddenly pulled away and smiled. "Well, don't start getting fresh."
And then she dunked his head under the water.
Amused by her playfulness, he came up and found her gone, only to turn around and chase her as she swam for the river bank. He caught up to her just close enough to touch one of her toes, until she turned around and giggled as she splashed him, and then got out of the water and ran for her towel. She had never played hard-to-get before, but Zac was having great fun with the game.
When he finally stepped out of the water, Bessie was already collapsing on her towel, covering herself with a dress. As she giggled and caught her breath, he collapsed beside her, resting his weight on his elbow and tearing the loose dress from the front of her swimsuit.
"Zac, give that back," she objected as he reached over her lap and pulled her body down underneath him.
"It's too late to be modest, sweetheart, I've already seen you."
"Well...at least get up. Tay and Millie are right there..."
"Look," he said, matter-of-factly. "There's only room enough on this towel for us to lay one of two ways--me on top of you or you on top of me. Personally, I'm up for either. But the least I can do is be a gentleman and let you pick."
"You're ruining my suntan."
"Trust me, baby, I couldn't give a shit about your suntan right now."
"You're being very...blunt today," she pointed out.
"I'm sorry. I'm just...I'm extremely turned on, I'm finding it difficult to think clearly..."
"All the more reason you should let me get dressed."
"All the more reason you should stay right where you are."
Bessie was silent as she stared back up at him. The water from his hair and face dripped onto her but she didn't seem to care. He suddenly became very aware of the way her hands ran up and down his arms now, however, and he was beginning to regret having her underneath him in nothing but his underwear.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
Finally, Zac kissed Bessie and, despite the hot sun, she enjoyed his kiss and the closeness of his body. She tried her best not to think about how nearly naked they both were, especially Zac. She knew he was in his under shorts, she just knew it, and as much as she pretended that it was a swimming suit, it was no use. He lay on top of her in no clothing, kissing her lips, and touching her bare shoulder and she trembled at his touch, fighting a battle with herself whether what they were doing was going too far for her or not.
When his lips trailed down to her neck and the chills ran rampant through her body, releasing a content sigh that she hadn't meant to release, her eyes snapped open to the bright blue sky and she hissed, "Zac. Zac, we're not alone out here."
He stopped kissing her and glanced behind them. "It's okay," he smiled breathlessly. "Tay and Millie are down at the water, skipping rocks. They're not even paying attention to us."
Looking up at him, unable to resist him as his drying hair began to fall around his face, she reached up and ran her fingers through it as he met her lips again. This time she let her hands trail down his neck and onto his bare back, the scorching heat from the sun seeping into his skin and burning her palms as she touched him. He didn't seem to mind the way the sun brutally beat down on his back and she was nearly ignorant of the potentially dehydrating heat they created amongst each other underneath the June sun.
She especially wasn't paying attention to the sun when his hand suddenly trailed down her side and all the way down her bare leg, bending her knee alongside his body. He'd never touched her legs before and feeling his hands on unchartered territory sent waves of chills through her body that she felt she probably shouldn't have had in such a hot climate. However, she happened to like the way her knee felt bent up against his side and she dared take it a little further, and let her foot lightly graze the back of his leg.
She heard him sigh as he kissed her and he broke their kiss long enough to tuck his hand underneath her waist. In one swift move, he lifted her hips up off of the towel and repositioned her underneath him, settling himself once again and causing her eyes to snap wide open after he'd let his lips trail to her neck again.
It was because she suddenly felt it.
She was sure of it. There it was, just as Millie had said, below his waist, hard like a rock, pressed against...well, pressed against her.
It felt like quite a large rock. Though she had nothing to compare it to, she wondered how in the world she'd never noticed before, because surely she would have. In the moment, she was in such a state of shock that she didn't even realize the thickening of his breathing and his sighing into her ear until he moved his hips into her in such a way that sent a violent wave of pleasure right down to her toes. "Oh my god," she whispered suddenly.
Zac stopped immediately and widened his eyes at her. "Are you okay?"
Her eyes darted into his for a moment before she whispered, "I think we're too exposed. I think this is too much."
As if on cue, Millie's voice rang out from the river bank in an uncharacteristically loud tone, "Well, hello there, Gary Phillips and Chris Smith! Good day for a swim, isn't it?"
"Oh my god," Bessie hissed, shoving Zac's body away from her. "Those guys work at the courthouse with my father."
"Bessie, I'm not--well, I'm really not in a position to move right this second," Zac laughed sheepishly.
"Well, you have to. You just have to!"
Rolling off of her, Zac bent his knees up and grabbed up her cover-up dress, holding it in his lap. Drat. She had intended to put it on.
Now the two men approached her in their own swimsuits as she crossed her arms modestly over her chest. "Bessie Harlow," Gary Phillips greeted her. "And...Zac Hanson...fancy meeting the two of you here."
"Yeah," Bessie pouted. "Fancy that."
"Millie's right, it is a good day for a swim, isn't it?" He pointed out.
"Sure is."
"So...why aren't you swimming?"
"I already went swimming," Bessie replied curtly. "Now I'm sunbathing."
"Can't get much sunbathing done when you're not getting any sun," Gary retorted sarcastically. And then he and Chris Smith laughed and raced their way to the water.
"It's time to go," Bessie said regretfully as she stood and began to gather her towel.
"Who are those guys?" Zac asked.
"They work with my father. They look up to my father. They want to be like my father."
"And they'll tell your father," he finished.
"Exactly."
"Well...Bessie...you can't hide our relationship forever--"
"I'm not hiding anything!" She snapped. "He already knows about us. But he doesn't need to know...everything. And, boy, Gary and Chris sure did get an eyeful just now."
"Oh..." Zac replied, finally catching on. "Shit, Bessie. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have--I mean you look so good in that suit and--and well I'm only a man and...Jesus, I was a real pig, wasn't I?"
Bessie's heart melted for him in an instant. How in the world could one person succeed in making her feel so...deliciously naughty one minute and then turn around and just make her want to hug him the next?
She didn't know. She only wished she had the opportunity now to focus all her energy on Zac instead of on the pounding of her own heart in anticipation of the word that would surely get back to the judge.