2 comments/ 12548 views/ 1 favorites Amber's Summer of Love Ch. 01 By: shadywriter Author's Note: This is an attempt at a longer-format story. It could have been posted in many categories and it takes a while to warm up. If you're looking for quick-and-dirty, you'd best look elsewhere. As always, constructive criticism is welcomed. * * * * * "Why are those men all looking at me?" Amber wondered as she emerged from the surf. She was feeling a little vulnerable anyway because this was the first time she'd ever been out in public in her new bikini, and this one was really small. Despite her mom's protests, she had bought it with the "summer fun" money Grandma had given her after graduation with instructions that she should buy something frivolous and fun, not save it for college or spend it on books. She loved the suit because it looked really sexy, like one she'd seen in a movie, and she wanted to be more cosmopolitan, more like the women she saw in movies and in magazines. She felt a lot older in the suit, like the college girls she saw gathering last spring break. But with all those guys looking at her, she also began to feel a bit uncomfortable. Not that Amber was unaccustomed to being looked at and appreciated for her beauty but she never liked attention and tried to distance herself from it. Today, though, she felt more under the microscope than usual and the only real difference was her new bikini. One of mom's complaints about the suit was that it was white and wouldn't be practical for swimming. She thought mom was just upset because it was a string bikini but as she walked up the sand toward her towel and noticed more and more boys looking at her, she glanced down. Shocked, she could see the darkness of her areola and nipples poking from the bra top and a dark smudge at the center of the bikini bottoms, where her golden brown patch of pubic hair was located. The suit had become transparent in the water! Now she knew why mom didn't like the bikini! She forced herself not to reach down and cover herself, feeling that would just call more attention to her body and wouldn't accomplish anything anyway. She quickened her pace and reached the towel, throwing herself onto her tummy to block the view of her body. She was mortified! All of these strange guys were seeing stuff that's supposed to be private! The only reason they were looking at her was that they could see right through her new suit! She became angry -- at the leering men, at mom for being right and at herself for not realizing that mom was only looking out for her. All the excitement over the new suit and Grandma's generous gift was gone, replaced with anger, disgust and sadness. Amber fought to regain her equilibrium, forcing the memory of young men's eyes from her mind. She lay on her stomach trying to quiet her beating heart and waiting for her suit to dry before getting up and running to her beachfront cottage. She glanced around to see if any of the guys were still watching. Could they see her butt through the suit? Of course they could! If they could see everything in the front, they could see everything in the back, too. Oh well, let 'em look! She knew she had a nice ass; her best friend Celia told her that the guys all stared at Amber's cute butt as she walked past them in the hall. If they were that interested in her when she was at school in jeans, just think how they'd react if they could see her now, almost naked in a transparent bikini. Amber had just turned 18 but seemed much younger to those who knew her. She had a fresh innocence that bubbled up through her impish grin, underscored by her lilting voice and the soft pink t-shirts and tops she wore almost constantly. She signed her name with a pink pen topped by a large flower; few in her graduating class thought she'd survive the rigors of university life even though she was an outstanding student. They didn't know that Amber's scholastic performance didn't come easily and that she had developed strong self-control and perseverance to accomplish what she had during her high school career. She'd had little interaction with boys in school. The few who had asked her out quickly discovered that she was not interested in sex and they never pursued a second date. The boys who interested her were the studious ones and they didn't know any more about dating and the opposite sex than she did. So here she was on the threshold of adulthood and just now realizing how physically attractive she was to the opposite gender. The knowledge didn't help her feelings of depression over her new suit and her inadvertent peep show on the beach. A shiver ran through her, both from the breeze on her exposed wet skin and from her reaction to thinking about guys seeing her nearly naked. As embarrassed as she was to be seen in her suit, a part of her was thrilled at the attention and turned on by the reaction guys were having to her body. It wasn't surprising to her that they'd be excited. She had been excited herself as she watched the change from little girl to young woman. Her breasts, while not overly large, were nicely shaped and were a full B-cup. Her quarter-sized areola were deep pink and were crowned by nipples that grew hard and sensitive when cold or stimulated as they were now. A U-shaped valley separated her still-maturing breasts and gave her tanned chest definition. Her waist was narrow and her tummy was hard from years of playing soccer. She wasn't all six-pack abs and she still had a tummy but it was more of a swell than a paunch. Celia told her it was sexy and Celia knew everything about sex. Or at least it seemed that way to Amber, who knew nothing. Finally, Amber assessed her hips. They were broadening into a woman's hips. Her pubic mound wasn't as prominent as it had been when she was very young and skinny but it still clearly marked the crown of her womanhood. And her cute ass was ripe and round, wiggling nicely when Amber flexed her butt muscles. The assessment heightened her arousal and she wished she was safely back at her family's cottage. She continued to lie on her towel, aware of the pressure on her hard nipples and the warm wetness between her legs. Would it show if she stood up? She reached down and slipped her fingers under the leg of her suit. Her fingers crept between her legs and touched the warmth pooling there. She pulled her hand back and examined it, noticing a wet, clear, slippery substance between her thumb and forefinger. She'd have to do some research when she got some time alone at the cottage to learn more about the fluid. She looked toward the beachfront and saw her mother waving from the cottage porch. She resigned herself to more stares as she arose, shook out the towel and wrapped it around herself, momentarily blocking the boys' view of her body in the damned suit. She walked to the cottage, dreading the confrontation with her mother. "Hi, sweetie," her mom greeted her. "How was the water?" Amber was puzzled; her mom didn't seem upset or anything. Maybe she didn't realize what had happened. "It was terrible mom," she said. "You were right about this stupid bathing suit. It's cute until it gets wet. Then you can see right through it! Boys were staring at me and they could see everything!" Amber finished her confession and collapsed in tears, sobbing as she leaned against her mother for support. "Now, now dear," her mother cooed. "It's not that terrible. I'm sure it looks worse to you than it really is. Even if the boys could see right through your suit, all they could see was your beautiful body. Be thankful you have a body worth looking at. I don't want you to flaunt it, but if a boy catches a glimpse, it will be a real treat for him. Most girls would kill to have a body like yours at 18."Amber looked up at her mother with tear-stained eyes. "Really? You don't think I'm horrible because I bought the suit even after you warned me? You don't think I'm a tramp for letting those boys see my body?" "I'm not pleased that it happened, sweetie," her mother said. "And I wish I had been more explicit when I cautioned you about the suit. It happens with all white suits -- they go transparent when wet. Even if they're fully lined you can see more through them than any other color. But now that it has happened, I just want you to be OK and to understand that you're physically very attractive. That's better than being unattractive isn't it?" Now her mother had her smiling. A minute ago, she thought her world had come to an end. Mom had managed to make it all better and actually to put a positive spin on the experience. She still wanted to get off the beach and out of that bathing suit, but she didn't feel like her world was coming to an end. "Thanks mom for being so special. And I'm sorry I didn't listen to you. I swear I'll never do something like that again. If you say it's not right, I'll believe you!" "That's great, darling," she said. "Now go get a warm shower and change into something that covers you up a bit more. The show's over for all these guys!" She gave Amber a squeeze and a tap on the butt as her daughter started up the steps. Amber grabbed some clothes from her bedroom and then locked herself into the bathroom. She turned on the shower, waiting for it to get warm, and untied the strings on her bikini. The top fell to the floor, baring her breasts and hard nipples to the warm bathroom air. She pushed the bottoms over her hips and let them drop to the floor, kicking them over to join the bra in the corner of the bathroom. As she passed the mirror, she took a critical look at herself. "Hmmm," she thought, "mom was right. I do have a nice body. No wonder guys want to look at me. I have nice breasts, my tummy's pretty flat, I have great legs and, like Celia says, I have a killer ass. I guess it's OK if I get looked at by guys." She stepped into the shower, grabbing the liquid soap and a washcloth. She ran the slightly scratchy but soft cloth over her arms, spreading the soap and taking off the salt air, sunscreen and old dead skin cells. She moved to her shoulders and down to her chest. As she passed over her left breast, a jolt ran through her body when the washcloth grazed her hard nipple. Wow! She'd never felt a sensation like that before! She ran the cloth under her breast and back up in her cleavage, teasing herself before passing it over her nipple again. The jolt struck again, traveling from her chest to her tummy and leaving quivering warmth between her legs. It was scary but also very pleasant. Cautiously, she moved from her left breast to her right to see if she could make it happen from either nipple. She danced around the center of her breast like a lover testing his luck. Finally, she slipped the washcloth down the swelling breast and over the hard, dark nipple. Zap! It was there, even stronger than it had been on the other side. Maybe anticipation made the feeling more pronounced. She didn't know about any of that but she certainly knew how it made her feel. As many times as she had showered at home and in school gym classes, she'd never experienced this feeling. It must be related to the guys seeing her in her transparent bikini. She squirted more soap onto the washcloth and continued to explore her breasts, lightly caressing each in turn with the soap-slickened terrycloth. Her nipples were dark and hard, extending half an inch from her breasts. The areolas were covered with bumps and had darkened to a plum color. Each touch was nearly painful, sending bolts through her body and heightening her anxiety. Finally too excited to continue, she let her hand drift down her belly and away from her over-sensitive breasts. "Wow!" she thought to herself, "no wonder girls get in trouble when they let guys feel them up." She didn't know if she could stop a guy if he was making her feel this good. Her hand and the washcloth continued their trip south, over the gentle swell of her tummy and down toward her patch of pubic floss. Since she was a honey blonde, her hair wasn't as stiff and dark as Celia's brunette patch, and she thought it was sparser than Celia's, too, since she could clearly see her gradually opening cleft through the hair. When Celia and she had sleepovers, she would catch a glimpse of Celia when her friend undressed for bed. And you couldn't see anything through Celia's dark brown forest of fur. Once Celia was showing Amber how she turned herself on and Amber got to see her slit all open and moist. Celia ran her finger through it and touched a little bump at the top of her slit. It made her shiver and arch her back. She said she did that when she wanted to cum. Amber waited until Celia was asleep that night and reached down and touched herself in the spot Celia had shown her. She almost jumped off the bed. It scared Amber so much she had never done it again. But here in the shower, as her hand drifted down through her pubic hair, she recalled that night. The washcloth was rubbing against the spot that hid the little pearl. She spread her legs and arched her back, making her pubic mound more prominent and pushing that secret spot out where she could see it and touch it. She reached down and stroked it. A bright light exploded in her head and she grabbed her crotch as her body celebrated a glorious connection. She shivered despite the hot water. She wasn't sure what had happened but she knew it was great and she wanted it to happen again. Her fingers danced between her legs, exploring every surface and crevice. Her vaginal lips were swollen and sensitive to her touch as she parted them and felt the hot fluid pouring out of her. Why hadn't her mom told her about THIS? They talk about everything ... she told Amber all about her body when she first started puberty. But she didn't say anything about THIS! Amber couldn't wait to tell Celia that she found something special. Drained and weak, Amber reluctantly climbed out of the shower and reached for the towel hanging under the window. She glanced up and noticed a boy standing on the sidewalk behind the cottage, looking into the window. The small window was well above ground level, but from the spot the boy was standing, he had a clear view through the open window to the bathroom. And, Amber realized, he could see her naked! This was even worse than on the beach! At least there she was covered by cloth, even if it was nearly transparent. She wasn't covered by anything but water droplets! And he was looking! And smiling! She grabbed the towel and clutched it to her body, covering her hard nipples and her wet pubic mound. He smiled and nodded as he turned to walk down the path, convinced his free peep show was over. She wasn't sure why she did it, but as he started to walk away, she dropped the towel to the floor and stood away from the window a few steps. Her legs were slightly spread and her hands were on her hips. If he turned to look back, he'd see her in all her nudity. And she realized that she wanted him to see her. She wanted him to look at her body, to be excited by it, as excited as she was thinking about him seeing it. Just then, he did turn. He saw her and jerked his head back over his shoulder. He lost his balance and went sprawling to the ground, out of her sight. She began laughing loudly, bending over and clutching her bare sides as the humor of the situation became apparent. She just let a boy see her naked! And she liked it as much as he did! She looked out the window again and he was picking himself up off the sidewalk, dusting himself off and glancing back at her window. She waved to him, standing defiantly, tall enough that he could see the tops of her bare breasts but nothing more. He quickly turned away, embarrassed at having been caught looking. She picked up her clothes and began dressing. She slipped her arms into her bra and reached back to fasten it. She adjusted the soft sheer cups over her breasts and picked up her string bikini panties, stepping into them and pulling them over her hips. She pulled a pink t-shirt over her head and donned a pair of khaki walking shorts. She twisted her still-wet hair into a ponytail and secured it with a Scrunchie. And then she went to join her mom on the cottage porch to watch the sunset. As they sat silently watching the rose-colored ball of fire kiss the Pacific Ocean as it signaled the end of day, her mind wandered back to the boy on the sidewalk. Who was he? How old was he? Did he really see all of her naked body and could he tell she was as turned on as he must have been? What happens when guys get turned on? She took the required health education course in high school and she learned the names and shapes of sex organs but she really didn't know much about what really happens. Her girlfriends all dated through high school and they all had some sexual experience with boys, at least some touching and looking. Since her dating totaled less than a handful of one-time outings and no unwarranted touching, she had no idea what boys thought or felt. She didn't even have a close male friend she could talk with to find out. The more she thought about her mystery watcher, the more curious she became. Does he live near here or does his family have a summer cottage like we do? If he's a visitor, will he come back here? What did he think when he saw her in the bathroom? Or did he see her in her transparent bikini and watch where she went, hoping to see more than he did on the beach? Knowing more about this guy was becoming an obsession and she couldn't even remember what he looked like! Was he blond, brunette, redhead? Tall? Short? Fat? Skinny? Try as she might, she couldn't conjure up the vaguest vision of her peeper. Lost in her reverie, she didn't realize mom had asked her a question. "Are you still bothered about this morning's events on the beach?" her mother, Jan, asked again. "I really hope you won't let that disturb you too much. We'll go out tomorrow and find you a new suit that's cute but gives you better coverage. You love the beach so much that it would be a shame for you to curtail your time on the sand because your suit attracts the wrong kind of attention." "Thanks, mom," she responded. "I'm fine. I was more worried about how you would react than I was about guys getting a look at my body. Not that I liked the idea of guys seeing things they aren't supposed to see but when you said you were OK with it, that made it all right with me. One thing that bothered me, though, was that the thought of all those guys looking at me was kind of exciting. Is that bad? Am I wrong to feel that way?" Mom looked at her and smiled. "No, sweetie, there's nothing wrong with being excited when men pay attention to you. It may be inappropriate attention, and today probably would fit into that category, but it still can be very exciting to know that you have power over men. I know you don't have a lot of experience with boys -- and I wish you had more of the right kind of experience before you start school in the fall -- so every bit of attention will be exciting. Just remember that some men are only out for your body and don't care about your mind or your personality. Steer clear of them. Keep focused on your school work and your personal goals. There's time enough for men after you reach your goals." She listened to Jan and wondered if she should tell her about her Peeping Tom and her experience with the washcloth in the shower. She didn't know if Tom was his name but she decided that's what she'd call him. She decided not to tell Jan in her present state because she'd be convinced he was one of the men who is just out for sex. And Amber didn't know how she knew this but she had a strong feeling Tom was more than just a sex-starved student. She wanted to give him a chance before telling her mom about him. They sat for a few minutes after the sun went down, basking in the afterglow of a beautiful sunset and an equally beautiful day. Mom and she were so close they didn't have to say anything to enjoy one another's company. They were content just to sit quietly with their own thoughts. Jan finally stood, straightened her slacks and said she was ready to call it a night. "I'm going to sit out for a few more minutes," Amber said. Jan walked over, kissed the top of her head and said good night. "Don't stay up too late, pumpkin," she said. "I love you." "Love you, too, mom," she replied. She didn't turn but knew her mom was gone when she heard the scraping of the door on the threshold. Amber's Summer of Love Ch. 01 Amber leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, recalling the day's events with a mixture of dread and excitement. She really wanted to better understand her reaction to what should have been a disgusting event, and what happened after her shower. She wasn't in a hurry to go in, enjoying the warm glow of remembrance. "Sleeping or just faking it?" The strange voice jarred her from her peaceful dream. She struggled to sit upright in her chair, trying to focus on the owner of the voice. "Do I know you?" she asked, studying the young man standing on the boardwalk in front of the cottage. "Well, not by name," he replied with a smile. "But I can tell you where your birthmark is located. And how beautiful you are without your clothes on." She could feel the heat creeping up her neck and cheeks. This was Tom, her mystery peeper! And as she looked at him, struggling for a fitting comment, she noticed that he was cute. Really cute. "Oh, you're the pervert from the sidewalk then?" she said with attitude. "Sorry we hadn't met before. At least then I'd have had a name to provide the police when I reported you for peeping in my window." She turned so that her shoulder and left side were facing him, signaling her displeasure. "If it was so horrible, why did you drop your towel and flash me?" he asked. "I didn't intentionally spy on you but when I glanced over and saw you framed by the window I was spellbound. You really are beautiful." His quiet honesty was more jarring than knowing he'd seen her nude. She felt herself flush again and her nipples tightened on her chest. She felt a now-familiar warmth begin spreading between her legs. Her body's reaction to his presence was irritating and she lashed out in response. "My towel slipped," she said angrily, "and I suspect you tell every woman you spy on that she's beautiful. Most women are attractive when they're naked. I wonder if you're as charitable toward clothed women you meet." "If I had met you clothed the reaction would have been exactly the same," he replied. "I didn't walk down that path expecting to see a beautiful woman standing nude in her window. But it wasn't your body that held my attention, it was your smile. And that's why I know you weren't mad at me for looking, because you were smiling that beautiful smile." His calm demeanor made her angry. And the fact that he was right about how she felt made her even angrier. "Look, Tom," she said tersely. "You may think you're God's gift to womanhood and that every woman is waiting for you to peek into her window but I wasn't. And your empty compliments aren't going to change my mind about you." "Tom?" he questioned. "My name isn't Tom. It's Sam. Is that why you flashed me? Because you thought I was some guy named Tom? I'm sorry for the confusion and for embarrassing you. And I'm really sorry for Tom because he missed seeing one of the most beautiful women anywhere in her most beautiful state." Now she was fuming. "There's no guy named Tom!" she shouted, losing what little control she had. "I named you that! It's short for Peeping Tom which is what you are! And I'd appreciate it if you'd stop reminding me that you saw me without any clothes! It's embarrassing!" He smiled again. "Well I'm glad to hear there's no Tom. That means I might still have a chance for a date with the goddess I saw through the bathroom window today. I promise no hanky-panky if you'll consent to a dinner date with me on Friday. I really want to compensate you for the embarrassment I've caused you. And I do want to see you again, this time with clothes on. If you're afraid to be alone with me you can invite anyone you'd like. My treat." This guy was smooth. And his smoothness was getting to her. What does she do now? Does she accept his invitation? She really wanted to but she doesn't want him to think she's easy (of course she's already flashed him in the nude so she doesn't know why he wouldn't think she was easy). And if she goes with him she doesn't want to drag someone else along. If she took Celia her friend would just be trying to get into his pants all night. If she took her mom, she'd look like a youngster who can't handle herself. And her other friends aren't close enough for that kind of invitation. She'll just have to trust him. Trying to regain control of her emotions and her senses, Amber walked to the burger stand on the corner and busied herself with ordering a drink and a small order of fries. She didn't look back to see if he had followed; she knew that he had. Without looking up, she said quietly "I'll go out with you. And I won't bring a chaperone although I probably would be safer having one. You can pick me up at 6. I don't have to tell you where I live but I'd prefer that you use the front door and stay away from the bathroom window this time." His laugh caused others outside the restaurant to look at the pair in surprise. But his remarks were spoken in a voice that only she could hear. "Thank you for accepting my invitation and thank you for having enough trust in me to agree to come with me alone. I promise you won't be sorry for the decision and I will make every effort to make you forget today's unfortunate incident. May I ask your name? I'd like to sound as though we knew one another when I pick you up for our date." She looked up and gave him a shy smile. "My name is Amber. And you'd better not mess up on Friday. You won't get another chance." "Nice to meet you, Amber. And I won't mess up. I don't like to waste opportunities and this is easily the most wonderful opportunity of my life. I'll see you on Friday. Dress comfortably; we won't be going anywhere fancy. But come hungry." Without waiting for a response, he set off down the boardwalk back past Amber's cottage. She watched as he disappeared into the spreading evening gloom and she pondered how she felt about the encounter. She still harbored some resentment toward him for being so cavalier about looking at her in her bathroom. But in his defense, she HAD flashed him. Why did she do that? She's not that kind of girl. Celia would have flashed him and invited him in to share her shower. She was so bold it was embarrassing. But Amber was not good with guys and that's another thing that surprised her about Sam: she could talk with him. Part of it was her anger. She was so mad at him for looking at her that she forgot about him being a guy. But another part was his self-confidence. He wasn't smart-alecky or stuck up; he just seemed to know himself and he knew what to say to her. Weird as it seemed, she found herself thinking she liked him, even though he had violated her privacy more than anyone ever had before, even her mom or Celia. Neither of them had ever stared at her after she had a shower. As she thought again about this afternoon, she started getting that tingly feeling again. Was this love? Or was it just a girl's reaction to a cute guy she likes? Is it something she can talk to mom about or should she wait to talk to Celia? Maybe she can ask Sam she thought, then she gasped at the idea. What was she thinking! How would she ever talk to him about something like that! Why would she do it?! She shocked herself by even considering something so outrageous. She turned and walked quickly back to the cottage as if the mere activity would erase the thoughts she was having. Her stomach was churning over her crazy thoughts. Talking to a guy about how he turns her on! And on a first date, no less! She used to think the guys she dated were only interested in sex and now she's going out with a guy who's already seen her naked, told her how good she looked that way and almost dared her to go out with him without an escort! And she's thinking about asking him why he turns her on! She must be losing her mind! The next morning she awoke, went to the bathroom and looked out the window before peeing and brushing her teeth. While she normally would do this in her t-shirt and panties, she made sure to wear a robe this morning and she kept retying it as she combed out her hair, making sure there was no one watching and that there was nothing to see. She wandered into the kitchen and found her mom reading the paper and drinking her morning coffee. She poured herself a cup and sat across from her mom. "Can we go shopping for that new suit this morning?" she asked. "I really don't want to go another day in that horrid white suit. I'll keep it for sunning at home in the backyard where no one can see me." Jan smiled up at her. "Sure, hon. We'll go find one that's cute and keeps you covered. Any suit shows more than guys really need to see anyway so we don't want to give them any more, right? Let's just finish our breakfast and then we'll go." The beach town wasn't blessed with a large shopping mall or big-name stores. There were a number of small boutique-type shops and mom steered them toward one that advertised swimsuit separates. Amber didn't need separates since she didn't have a too-big top or a too-big butt but her mom said that separates usually fit better and each piece was better-constructed. The salesgirl was about Amber's age and height and immediately grabbed several suits that she thought Amber would like. "Try these on and let me know what you think," she said, guiding Amber toward a dressing room. The salesgirl and Jan stood outside chatting while Amber changed into the first suit, a midnight-blue two-piece with a structured top and high-cut bottom. The suit was highlighted with gold threads woven along the seams of both pieces and up the straps, giving it a real luxury appearance. Amber wasn't overly impressed with the suit when she saw it on the hanger but as she adjusted the straps and turned to see herself she was taken by how the dark blue enhanced her tan and how the perfect fit of the suit was highlighted by the golden threads. "What would Sam think of it," Amber wondered, then immediately became angry at herself. "What do I care what that pervert would think? He'd only be happy if I pranced around nude." Then she realized that that was exactly what she'd done. She immediately regretted being angry at Sam for something she'd done without any encouragement from him. And why was she thinking about him? She'd just met him and not under the best of circumstances. Amber forced her attention back to the dressing room mirror and the blue and gold suit. She was admiring the way the suit cradled her tight butt as the salesgirl -- her nametag said "Melanie" -- peeked into the dressing room. "Wow!" she exclaimed. "If you buy that suit, tell me where you're going to be wearing it because I won't stand a chance with the guys there when they see you!" Amber laughed and spun around to give Melanie a good look. "Is it really that nice?" she asked, knowing the answer but wanting some confirmation. "Absolutely!" Melanie gushed. "The color, the style, the fit -- they're all just perfect for your body and your skin tone." She quickly gathered up the other suits she had selected. "No point in even trying these on," she said. "There's no way you're going to find anything that even comes close to that suit on you." Amber's mother stepped around the corner as the two girls were talking. "Honey, that suit looks amazing," she said. "I'd still like to think of you as my little girl but when I see you in that suit, looking as happy and confident as you do, I realize my little girl has grown into a beautiful young woman." They paid for the suit and walked out of the shop after Amber and Melanie exchanged numbers and promised to get in touch. Amber was happy she'd found a suit that looked good and fit well and she really liked Melanie. She hoped they'd stay in touch so she'd have a friend at the beach. Stopping at the burger stand on the boardwalk for a drink, Amber remembered Sam and her agreement to go to dinner with him on Friday. "Mom, I forgot to tell you that I met someone yesterday and he asked me to dinner on Friday. Is that OK?" Jan turned and looked questioningly at her daughter. "You met a boy, he asked you for a date and you neglected to mention this? Amber, I'm stunned. You've told me all about every boy you've ever dated, few though they may have been. And now you meet a boy on a day when you're mortified that every boy on the beach has seen your body through a bathing suit, he asks you out -- I assume you've already accepted -- and you mention it in passing? Who is he? How did you meet?" "It was last night, after you went to bed," Amber said, leaving out the part about the bathroom window. "He was walking on the boardwalk and stopped to talk. We came down here for a soda and he said he had to get home but he'd like to see me again. And he asked me to dinner. His name is Sam and his parents are down for the summer." Amber was inventing information for her mother to cover the fact that she knew nothing about Sam or his parents or anything. "What have I done?" she thought. "This guy could really be some kind of sicko, preying on young girls. I don't know where he lives, I don't know his last name, I don't know anything!" As she began to panic, she realized her mother was speaking to her."... show some maturity in judgment. Accepting a date from a total stranger, even if he seems nice and pleasant, isn't the best idea," Jan was saying. "I am really concerned about this, Amber." Amber didn't want to fight with her mom and she didn't want to really tell her why she'd agreed to go with Sam. "I understand your concern, mom, and you are right. I wouldn't have believed it myself before last night that I'd meet someone and agree to go out with him after only a few minutes of conversation. But wait 'til you meet him! He's really nice -- quiet, well-spoken. And he's super-cute!" Jan laughed. "Well, I guess dinner's not the end of the world. Just be sure you stay in places there are other people around. No point in pressing your luck." Amber decided later that afternoon to return to the beach in her new suit. She stayed clear of the water even though she knew the blue suit's construction, lining and color would prevent a repeat of the previous day's show. She lay on her towel, reading a novel she'd been trying to finish all summer. She was so engrossed she didn't notice a person standing near her until a shadow crossed her book page. "You forgot to call and tell me where you were going to be," Melanie said, laughing as she spread her towel next to Amber's. "Now that I'm here I guess I'll just have to play second fiddle." The salesgirl was in a shocking pink triangle suit that barely covered the necessities. And her body was as beautiful as any Amber had ever seen -- small, firm breasts, a tight waist, slim hips with a butt that looked like two melons and legs that were as long and muscular as a runway model. "Not much chance of you taking a backseat to anyone," Amber said. "Not in that suit. Or almost in that suit. That's the tiniest thing I've ever seen. Is it even legal?" Melanie laughed. "I hope so but I really don't care. I love to show off my body. If I could come to the beach nude I would but I KNOW that's not legal!" She chuckled again and rolled onto her side, studying Amber. "That suit looks even better out here than it did in the dressing room," she said. "You have an amazing body. I wish my boobs were as big and firm as yours. Are they natural? They're too small to be fake -- most girls who get boob jobs go really big -- but they're so perfect it's hard to believe they're real." "Oh, they're real," Amber said, cupping one in her hand and giving it a jiggle. "They're not very big but I think they look good on my body. And they help my clothes look good." "If I had a body like yours I'd never wear clothes," Melanie said, giving Amber a long, deep look. "I'd love to see it without anything covering it. Do you shave?" Amber blushed, astounded at the girl's frankness. "I don't know what to say!" she stammered. "No girl has ever told me she wanted to see me naked and no one has ever asked about whether I shave, er, down there." "Well, do you? And what's the big deal? We're just girls here. If I had to guess I'd say you don't because you have a pretty prominent pubic ridge. Some of it may be because of your hair so the suit would fit better if you did shave, or at least trim and thin a bit. And what guy said he wanted to see you naked? I notice you said 'no girl' had asked." Amber was flushed again. She was into a conversation she never expected to have and she didn't know how to get out of it. And she could feel her body beginning to respond to the talk in a way she didn't think was possible. Her nipples were tightening and that damp, tingly feeling was returning to her crotch. "I appreciate your assessment," she said to Melanie, not wanting to hurt the girl's feelings or have her feel that Amber was a prude. "I haven't really given any thought to that particular area of grooming. I shave my legs and my 'pits and that's enough work for now. I do keep my bikini line smooth so nothing peeks out." "OK, but what about the guy?" Melanie pressed. "C'mon, I want to hear about the guy who said he wanted to see you naked. Or has some guy already seen you naked? That would really bum me out -- a guy got to see you before I did. C'mon, spill to Melanie!" Amber giggled nervously. "If you promise, promise, promise never to tell anyone -- especially not my mom -- I'll tell you," she said. Melanie's head bobbed like a hula doll in the back window of a teenage boy's car. "The reason we were in your shop buying this suit was that I had a white suit that I bought for the trip and when it got wet it turned transparent," Amber began. "That happens to all white suits," Melanie interrupted. "You mean your mother didn't tell you?" "Yes, she did but I didn't listen," Amber said. "Now stop interrupting if you want to hear this story." Melanie fell silent as Amber continued. "So I raced back to our cottage and took off the suit. When I got out of the shower, I looked out our bathroom window and saw a guy looking at me from the sidewalk above our house. He could see me naked! And for some reason, that turned me on. So I dropped my towel and gave him a good look." "Wow!" Melanie said. "That sounds like something I'D do! And I'm a horny slut. I wouldn't have believed it of you. You seem like a goody-goody." Amber furrowed her brow. "Is it that bad to be modest?" she said firmly. "Just because I don't run around in three Band-Aids at the beach doesn't mean I'm a goody-goody." Melanie laughed. "Hey, don't take offense! And you're right, this bathing suit does look like three Band-Aids. Actually there are probably four -- my butt's not as exposed as it would be in a thong suit. I think it's great that you're modest. But I also think it's great that you had the moxie to flash the guy. He probably went off his nut when he saw you." "He fell off the sidewalk," Amber said laughing. "It made me feel good." "Did you know him?" Melanie said. "That would really be hot if it was someone you knew. Somebody you could see again and look him in the eye to see what he thought about it." "I didn't know him but now I do," Amber said. "In fact, I have a dinner date with him on Friday." "You are a fast worker, girl!" Melanie praised. "Is he cute? Is he worth the effort? Can I steal him? Just kidding about that ... I would never step in on another girl's territory. That sounds so cool! You'll have to let me know what happens. Let's meet here on Saturday and you can tell me all about your hot date. Let's make it noon -- don't want to set it too early in case you have a wild late night." Amber laughed, agreeing to the Saturday morning get-together. The two spent a few minutes just chatting before Melanie rose to leave. "Got to get to work," she said. "The boss is a real bitch about being on time." She gathered her towel and gave Amber a jaunty wave as she strolled up the beach. Her butt swayed enticingly in her pink suit and Amber noticed men's eyes following each swing of the tan flesh. "Strange," Amber thought to herself. "Just a few days ago, I would have thought she was some kind of slut but now I just think she's really self-confident. Funny what a see-through swimsuit can do for a person's perspective." She ended her musing and rose to return to the cottage. Amber's Summer of Love Ch. 01 Friday morning dawned bright and clear and Amber stumbled into the kitchen for a cup of coffee and breakfast. Her mom was reading the newspaper but looked up to greet her daughter. "Morning, pumpkin. You look like you had a rough night." Amber collapsed into a chair, grabbing the cup with both hands and inhaling the musky aroma. "I didn't sleep very well," she said. "I guess I was nervous about tonight's date." "Well if what you said about this young man was accurate I don't think you have anything to worry about," Jan said, thinking to herself that her lovely daughter might have something about which to worry. "Just watch yourself and don't give him any ideas. Boys tend to take their cue from the girl: if she wears provocative clothes, flirts openly or teases in a sexual way they assume they can take liberties. Make sure he knows you're not that kind of girl." Amber's insides began churning. "Well, I flashed him and let him see me naked," she thought. "Does that count as teasing in a sexual way?" But she responded to her mother appropriately. "No, mom, I'm not going to jump into his lap and start licking his face or anything. It's just a dinner date with someone I thought was very nice and polite. You'll see when you meet him." The day seemed to drag unceasingly. Amber tried a number of things to occupy her mind but it kept slipping back to her first meeting with Sam and ahead to ponder what might happen at dinner. She was concerned about her reaction to this boy whose frankness she found irritating and exhilarating. Why did he fill her thoughts? It wasn't just that he was the first boy to see her nude. She'd long ago gotten over the shock of that event. Besides, even though he got a better look, there were lots of guys on the beach that day who saw everything he saw through that dumb white suit. No, it was something more. But thinking about it started her insides churning again and she decided she'd just let the evening happen and not think about it. She wasn't likely to see him again after tonight anyway; a guy who looked like he did and was as smooth as he was probably had dozens of girls standing in line to date him. After tonight's courtesy date he'd go back to them and finish out his summer in a whirl of eligible young women. As the sun began slipping toward the horizon Amber went inside to begin her preparations. She went to the bathroom and began to undress. As she slipped her bra off her shoulders, she glanced up at the window. No one was standing on the sidewalk watching, but she hurriedly dropped her shorts and panties and stepped into the shower. The warm water cascaded over her body, striking her chest and shoulders before streaming between her breasts and down her hard tummy toward her pussy. She looked down at the honey-colored tangle of hair crowning her womanhood. "I wonder if Melanie is right?" she thought. "Would my suit fit better if I trimmed a bit from down there?" She cleaned her body and used her loofa to rub the dead skin cells from her arms, legs, shoulders and lower back. Her bath brush finished the job on her back and she reached for the moisturizing lotion, applying it liberally on her body and letting it soak in. Before she turned off the water, she grabbed her razor and shave cream, intending to give her legs a quick once-over. She performed the task -- cleaning up her armpits and bikini line at the same time -- then looked down once again at her pubic hair. "What the heck," she thought, "I've already broken a bunch of rules by flashing Sam. I may as well continue my decline into sluthood by trimming my girl stuff." She applied shave cream to the sides of her pubic thatch and carefully scraped until only a narrow strip of hair remained above her vulva. She put her razor away and grabbed a towel, patting herself dry. When she emerged from the shower, she took a pair of scissors and trimmed the remaining pubic hair to crew-cut length, then stepped back to assess her work in the mirror over the sink. "Not bad," she thought. "It looks neat but not too slutty. And it IS thinner than it was." She stepped from the shower and wrapped a towel around her. After a few minutes with the hair dryer and a brush, her hair was glistening as it framed her face in loose curls. She was fortunate that her hair was easy to care for and seemed to take on whatever personality she wanted it to for every occasion. Adjusting her towel she went into her bedroom to dress for dinner. Sam had told her to dress comfortably but she wanted to look nice and not embarrass him with her appearance. She studied her wardrobe carefully finally choosing a pair of black straight-leg linen slacks and a loose-fitting ecru silk blouse. The fabrics both floated off her body and gave her a cool, stylish appearance. She dropped her towel and moved to her dresser, searching her lingerie drawer for a t-shirt bra and matching hip-hugger panties. Donning the lingerie, she stepped into the pants and slipped on the shirt. She dabbed perfume behind each ear and at the center of her chest -- fat chance he'd ever have an opportunity to sniff THERE, she thought -- and then finished her ensemble with a pair of black low-heel pumps. As she walked into the kitchen, her mother turned to give her an appraising look. "Well, you certainly should hold his attention," she said smiling. "You look amazing. You're beautiful, sexy but sweet. You won't give him the wrong idea but he WILL have ideas." As her mother finished her praise Amber heard footsteps on the porch. "Ohmygawd, he's here!" she thought. "What do I do now?" The rap on the door brought her back to reality and she turned to greet her date. She opened the door and Sam stood smiling. His gaze took in her casual beauty and he smiled more broadly. "You are beautiful," he said. "It will be my great pleasure to escort you to dinner." Amber's mother walked up behind her daughter and looked at Sam over Amber's shoulder. "Sam, this is my mother, Jan," Amber said, stepping to the side to complete the introductions. "Mom, this is Sam, the boy I met on the boardwalk the other evening." Jan took in the young man's obvious good looks, his clean-cut appearance and attire and his pleasant politeness. "Amber has good taste," she thought. "He's a real cutie." She turned her attention to Sam and responded to Amber's introduction. "It's nice to meet you, Sam. It was nice of you to invite Amber to dinner so soon after meeting." "I believe a person shouldn't squander opportunities," Sam responded. "Your daughter is a beautiful, charming young woman and I really enjoyed our conversation. I wanted to continue our discussion and thought dinner would be an appropriate way to do that. Bright, beautiful women don't come along every day." His open smile took some of the syrup from his remarks and Jan thanked him for his kind words about her daughter. "You two have a pleasant dinner," she said. "Don't be too late." Her unspoken warning to Amber didn't go unnoticed. "I'll be good, mom," Amber said laughing. "And I'll be in before dawn." The couple walked away down the boardwalk, Sam guiding Amber with a hand loosely gripping her elbow. He didn't want to seem presumptuous by taking her hand or putting his arm around her but he knew the boardwalk was difficult to navigate and he had noticed Amber's heels. "Your mom is lovely," he said. "I see where you get your beauty. And she is really nice." "She is pretty," Amber said. "I've always been very proud of her. Since my dad left us she has done a great job of raising me and providing everything I needed. And she even finds time and money for the special things. She's never missed a school play or a back-to-school night. She stays up late to help me with papers and nurse me through sicknesses and shattered friendships. She's my best friend and the person I most look up to." She was surprised to feel her eyes becoming moist as she told Sam how she felt about her mother. "That's part of the beauty I see in both of you," Sam said. "You both have strong values and are fiercely loyal. I know I just met her but the way she talks about you and looks at you makes it obvious that she thinks you're really special." Amber couldn't think of anything to say in response so the pair walked quietly down the boardwalk. "Where are we going?" she asked to break the silence. "I thought I'd take you to a place I know that serves really good food in an outdoor setting. It isn't fancy but the chef is a wizard and it's never too crowded." As they talked he steered her off the boardwalk and down a street leading away from the beach into the residential area. She looked at the homes lining the roadway, beautiful small homes that were grander than a beach cottage but not pretentious or stuffy. She daydreamed about what it would be like to live in such a home and what the people who resided there might be like. Lost in her thoughts she didn't notice that Sam had guided her up a lane between two of the homes, toward a terrace behind an immaculately kept craftsman-style home. She looked around sharply, wondering where they were and what Sam had in mind. "Where are we?" she said alarmingly. "Where are you taking me?" She stiffened against his touch, slowing and looking for an escape route. "It's OK," he said, reaching for her arm. "This is my house. I didn't know if you'd come to dinner if you knew I was taking you to my house so I decided to surprise you. Obviously that wasn't a good idea. I'm really very sorry." As he talked he softly gripped her arm and pulled her toward him, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and turning her toward him. "I really am sorry I scared you. I didn't want to do anything to spoil this evening." Amber tried to process all that he'd said. They were having dinner at his house? With his parents? Obviously he wasn't trying to put a big rush on her. She looked up into his eyes and saw his sadness and concern. "It's all right, Sam. I'm just a bit overwhelmed. I was daydreaming and panicked when I came back to earth and saw where we were. I told you I trusted you and I still do. And don't worry; you haven't messed up the evening." To punctuate her assurance, she stretched up and gave him a light kiss on the cheek. "Now let's go eat. I'm hungry." They stepped around the corner to a beautifully decorated patio setting. An oblong table was centered on the flagstone terrace, surrounded by comfortable chairs and flanked by a large outdoor kitchen and a companion bar and buffet. Standing at the kitchen was a tall, willowy woman who looked like she belonged on a television cooking show. She was flawlessly dressed and groomed but wore a chef's apron and brandished a long-handled spatula. She smiled in anticipation as Amber and Sam walked onto the terrace. "Hi, son," she said to Sam. "And you must be Amber. We've heard so many glowing things about you that we weren't even sure you could be real." Her voice was like a bell choir, lilting but harmonious and commanding. She extended her hand to grip Amber's with a soft, firm clasp. As Amber began to respond, a taller, older Sam walked to her side. "Hi, Amber. I'm Mike, Sam's father. We're so happy you could join us for dinner." Amber thanked them for their hospitality. "I am a bit overwhelmed. I was expecting a burger on the beach and instead I'm greeted at this beautiful home by charming people who have prepared dinner for me. I guess I'll have to spend more time on the boardwalk picking up guys!" Everyone laughed at her humorous response and Mike signaled Amber to a seat on a settee near the table. "Can I get you something cool to drink?" he asked. "Some iced tea or lemonade?" "Lemonade would be lovely," she said as Sam came and sat next to her. "Why didn't you warn me I was meeting your parents at your house," she whispered to him as his father walked away. "This is pretty intimidating, you know." But her smile belied her anger and he smiled in response. "I didn't think you'd come if I told you where we were going. But mom's a great cook and when I told her I had made you upset at me she suggested I bring you here for dinner so she could help patch things up." "You didn't really tell them how we met, did you?" Amber said, alarmed at the thought that his parents might know about her bathroom peep show. "Not all of it," he said. "Just that we met on the boardwalk and you thought I was pretty forward." Sam's parents walked over to join the couple and Mike extended a glass of lemonade to Amber. The four exchanged pleasantries and Sam's parents asked Amber about her school plans. "I'm starting at State in the fall. I haven't decided what I want to do so I'm going to be undeclared for my freshman year. I hear that the workload can be pretty tough so I doubt I'll pursue any extracurricular activities at least the first year. But I'd love to play soccer at the college level if I can handle that and the coursework, too." Mike beamed appreciatively. "I'm a State alum," he said. "If there's anything I can do to help get you settled please feel free to ask. Several of my friends are on the faculty and are members of the administrative staff. I would be happy to introduce you so you'd have some friendly faces on campus." Amber was astounded. "That's so nice!" she said, standing to face Mike. "I could never ask you to do that but I'll certainly take you up on your offer if it gets too overwhelming. I'm excited to start; it's a great school and I hope I can do it justice." Sam stood silently by as Amber and his father talked. He looked at his mother and she smiled, nodding ever so slightly to acknowledge that he'd made a wonderful choice. "This one is a keeper," she mouthed so that only her son could see. "Hi, everyone! Sorry I'm late. A couple of customers just wouldn't leave!" All four turned toward the sound of the voice and Amber staggered in surprise. Melanie the shopgirl was coming through the french doors onto the terrace! "Hi, mom!" Melanie said as she greeted her mother with a kiss. "And, daddy, where's my drink?" she teased as she wrapped her arms around her father. She turned toward her brother and only then took in the fourth person on the patio. "Amber!" she squealed. "Are you telling me your big date is with THAT bum!" She laughed uproariously as she enfolded Amber with both arms and teetered side to side with her new friend, chuckling anew at the surprise. "Keep your eyes on him the whole night! He's a shifty one, that one!" She broke away from Amber and stepped over to give her brother a big hug. "Just teasing, bro," she said. "You'd better treat her right, though. She's one of my best customers. But now that I know you two are seeing one another I'm going to alter my selections the next time she comes in. I'm going to focus on long-sleeved, turtleneck styles for her!" She laughed as she turned again to Amber. "You must be in shock, sweetie. This family's a tough bunch to take even when people are expecting them. But I know you weren't planning on this tonight. If you want to run screaming out of here I'll keep the hounds at bay!" Amber could hear her heart beating as she glanced from person to person around the terrace. Melanie -- funny, light-hearted Melanie -- was oblivious to any tension as she prattled on. Sam once again had an expression of deep concern, hurt and fear in his eyes. His mother was looking from Amber to Melanie with confusion and concern, wondering how her zany daughter could know this bright, quiet young girl better than Sam did. And Mike was looking around in wonder at what seemed more like a TV sitcom than a family evening. "I guess it's up to me to try and sort all this out," Amber said after a long silence. "Sam has told you how we met. I met Melanie at the shop she works at when I went in to buy a bathing suit. We hit it off and spent the afternoon at the beach together. While we haven't known one another long, she is someone I feel I can talk to and who I can trust so we shared a lot, including the fact that I had a dinner date tonight with a guy I had just met who seemed really nice. She didn't know it was Sam, I didn't know they were related and I also didn't know we were going to be here for dinner. I'm sorry if I seem a bit overwhelmed but it's a lot to take in." Sam stepped quickly to her side, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her against him. "I apologize for my goofy sister," he said. "Had I known you had stumbled into that ragbag joint she runs I would have guided you to the competition. But she's largely harmless ... and her clothing is actually pretty cool." "Sorry, Amber, I was kinda shocked myself when I saw you here. When you said you had a date with a nice guy who was also pretty good-looking that put him at least two steps away from dumb brother here, who is neither nice nor good-looking. But I guess all that's in the eye of the beholder so enjoy him if you want to," Melanie said, reaching around her brother's waist on the other side of Amber and smiling across him at her new friend. "I guess I also should have told you that the shop is mine; daddy set me up in it for the summer when a couple of my suits were featured in a local tourist magazine. He thought it would be a good chance for me to find out what it would be like to be a real designer, which is what I want to do with my life. It's still a new experience for me so I mostly just act like I'm the hired help. It seems to relax customers more." The five began wandering toward the table as Sam's mother, Doris, moved to the kitchen area to finalize the dinner. Amber was still trying to grasp all the changes that had occurred in a very short time: meeting Sam's parents instead of having a quiet dinner alone, finding out that Melanie and Sam were brother and sister, and realizing that she had told Melanie that her brother had seen Amber naked, and that she had flashed him! Lost in her reverie, Amber stumbled and nearly fell. Sam reached out and grasped her arm, preventing her from hitting the flagstones. "Careful! These stones are really uneven. It's easy to catch a heel or lose your balance." He pulled Amber toward him protectively, wrapping his arm around her waist and closing the gap between them. She liked the warm strength of his body and the comfortable feeling of his arm around her. He guided her to a chair and seated her, moving to her right to take a chair next to her. Melanie sat on his right and their parents were seated across the table from the three young people. Doris tried to restart a conversation, fretting over the growing cloud of tension at the table. "So, Mel, how's the store going? Do you think it's worth the trouble and expense for just a few months?" Melanie caught on to her mother's ploy and jumped right in. "Absolutely! I have generated enough income already to pay the entire summer's rent and since I don't have any employees the rest of my overhead is low. Utilities aren't much since I'm basically only open during daylight hours and my inventory expenses are low, too. I think I'll turn a reasonable profit at the end of the summer." As she finished she glanced at her father. The businessman in him was listening intently for any sign that the truth was somewhere short of Melanie's presentation. But the father in him was bursting with pride at his daughter's industriousness, innovation and creative talent. He was certain she'd do very well as a designer, though she might never be in the "A" list. Amber also tuned in to what Doris intended. Not wanting to put a damper on the evening, she joined in. "Even though I didn't know the suits were Melanie's designs, I was taken by how perfect they were for me and for girls my age. They were up-to-date, stylish and feminine without being too exposed or flashy. I think a lot of girls who want a cool suit but don't want to be on display would love one of Melanie's designs." Amber's Summer of Love Ch. 02 Author's comment: This continues the story of Amber and Sam and their first experience. Thank you for the feedback and kind comments. If you haven't already read Chapter One, please go back and meet the key players. * Picking themselves up off the sand, Sam and Amber walked hand in hand back to her summer cottage. Sam's pace was slow, hampered by a throbbing case of blue balls caused by their furious sex play on the sand. Amber had experienced the most mind-numbing orgasm of her young life but Sam forced himself to focus on Amber's pleasure at the expense of his own. He hurt but the evening was well worth the discomfort. Amber turned to Sam and took his face in her hands, looking into his glistening brown eyes as her heart beat rapidly against her chest. "Sam, I cannot tell you how my life has changed in the few days since we met. Even before I knew your name or anything about you, you were changing me. I did drop my towel when you looked back at me. I couldn't believe it myself; there was something in your smile that told me you wouldn't take it wrong if I flashed you and for some reason I wanted to do it. No one other than my doctor and girls in phys ed had seen my body before I did that. And although I've made you feel bad about it I don't regret it at all. Because if I hadn't done that -- if I hadn't taken a chance and tried something totally outside my comfort zone -- I never would have met you. And I can't imagine my life without you in it. As crazy as it sounds after less than a week, I love you." She gifted him with a deep, wet, soulful kiss. Sam moaned into her mouth as she ground her pubic bone against his throbbing hard-on. "Amber, there's nothing crazy about the way you feel. I love you, too. And while everyone would tell us that it's impossible to love someone you've known for less than a week I'm certain that what I feel -- and what you apparently feel, too -- is real love. Let's not give the doubters anything to talk about. What happened tonight was as special as it could be. Your body, your breasts, your kisses all set me on fire. But if we don't get hold of ourselves and practice some self-control we'll ruin our individual futures and, with them, our future as a couple. And I don't want that to happen. I gave in to my emotions and your desires tonight and did something that excited me more than I've ever been excited before. But we can't do it again. I wouldn't be able to stop and you wouldn't want to stop me. "Just love me, Amber, and let me love you. But let's take it slow sexually. It would be easy for me to say that we can be careful and it will be all right. It's what you want to hear and it's what I want to say so that we can be together as a couple. But it's too dangerous and the stakes for each of us and for us together are too high." Amber couldn't see Sam through her tears. She'd started crying the moment that Sam affirmed his love for her and told her how much he wanted her but why he couldn't keep loving her like they did tonight. The tears were a mixture of joyful, loving tears for a man who was so caring, so sensitive that he'd put his own desires aside for her, and tears of sadness that what she'd experienced tonight wouldn't be soon repeated. "I understand, Sam," she snuffled. "I don't like it and I know you don't like it either. But you're right. My mom's future was ruined when she got pregnant with me and I know it would just kill her if something like that happened to me. I don't know anything about sex so even if we were careful I imagine we could make a huge mistake without meaning to. And that would be horrible for me, for you and for us. So as much as I hate the idea, I'll go along with it. But I know I'm going to go to bed a lot of nights thinking pretty nasty thoughts about you." With that, she kissed Sam deeply, shoving her tongue into his mouth and grinding her hips against his still-hard erection. The flashes of lightning that passed from his cock to her throbbing pussy almost made her renege on her vow. She pressed deeply against Sam, writhing in passion as her boyfriend began shaking with his own release, shooting jets of cum into his shorts as he pressed against her. His climax was so strong that he lost muscle control, stumbling and almost falling. Amber grabbed him under the arms and tried to support him. "Amber, I've never had an orgasm without any direct contact," he panted, recovering from his mind-numbing completion. "But that was the most incredible thing I've ever felt. Now I know we can't do what we did tonight; the minute I felt your bare breasts again I'd be all over you and nothing would stop us." The couple kissed again, hungrily, almost as if they realized that tonight had been a milestone that wouldn't soon be repeated. Their kisses were passionate but loving, erotic but tender. Had anyone been watching they would have been captivated by the couple's obvious love for one another and their self-control; the passion went only so far and then each seemed to muster enough control to return to a safe level. After long minutes of close-quarter affection, Amber and Sam reluctantly separated, still holding hands as Amber backed up the steps to her door. "I do love you, Sam," she whispered. "And I will try to behave. Just don't push me away." Sam stretched to maintain the connection as the beautiful girl backed onto the porch. "I'll never push you away, Amber," he said. "I love you, too, and I'm committed to making our relationship the best ever. We both have a lot to finish before we can build a life together but I want you in my life now, too. We can behave if we keep remembering what we'll have at the end of the road." Amber stumbled into her cottage, tears of joy and love blinding her. She didn't notice her mother in the shadows by the window and Jan watched silently as her daughter headed up the stairs to her room. Jan was troubled by what she had seen. Clearly these young people cared deeply for one another. And their body language said that they wanted more than a goodnight kiss at the doorstep. How could she keep them from making the biggest mistake of their lives? Both women spent a sleepless night, Amber wrestling with her love for Sam and her body's craving for more intimacy and her mother trying to develop a plan to keep the young lovers apart while not driving a wedge between her and her daughter. By morning, neither had solved her problem and neither was rested. Both stumbled into the kitchen for coffee. "Hi, pumpkin," Jan muttered, rubbing her eyes and stretching in an effort to coax her body into motion. "You look tired. Didn't you sleep well?" Amber struggled to respond to her mother, "I just couldn't sleep," she said. "I was too wound up after my date." Jan's alert system went active. "What happened?" she asked. "Did Sam do something? Are you all right?" "No, mom, nothing happened. I told you you could trust us. It turns out that you probably can trust Sam more than me. I'm so in love with him that all I can think about is being with him in ways that I don't even really understand. But he's the sensible one, telling me to calm down and wait until we've finished school and gotten our careers started. That's what's driving me crazy: I can't stop thinking about having sex with him and he wants it too, but he has enough self-control to put our hormones on hold. I'm not sure I have that kind of discipline." Jan was stunned. Here was her precious daughter telling her that it was Amber, not Sam, who wanted to push the envelope and put her future at risk. And she had been worried about the boy! "Darling, I'm sorry if it sounded like I mistrusted you. I've always believed you would do the right thing and that hasn't changed. I don't know Sam that well -- some might argue that you don't know Sam that well -- but if you trust him, so do I. I'd be dishonest if I said I wasn't happy to hear that he is putting the brakes on your excitement. I hate that you're unhappy but I'm delighted that he's focused on the future you can have together." Jan framed her next comments carefully. "Sam may think he can keep you in check and you may believe it, too. But I know how strong that physical urge can be when you're 18 and in love. So I'm going to insist that you make an appointment with the doctor and get a prescription for birth control pills. And Sam will have to make carrying a condom part of his daily routine. I'm not encouraging you to become sexually active. I would like nothing more than to see you married as a 22-year-old virgin after you graduate from college. But if you and Sam are destined to be together, you'll never survive four years without becoming intimate. And when that happens, I want to know that it won't ruin your lives and your futures." Amber began crying again, overwhelmed by her mother's love and concern. She reached out and pulled her mother to her, sobbing her love. "Mom, I promise to try my hardest to be that virgin bride for you. But I love you for wanting to protect me because you understand what I'm feeling for Sam. And thank you for not telling me we're too young and inexperienced to be in love." Jan held her daughter tightly, her eyes welling with tears of her own as she thought about the little girl who was now all grown up and entering a new chapter in her life. "Darling, I'd never question you that way. It surprised me that you and Sam seemed so connected after just meeting but it's obvious to anyone who watches you together that you have something special. My only concern is that you aren't hurt if the relationship turns out to be less than you both believe it to be. If you are destined to be a couple, you know you'll have my blessing and support. I love you more than I could ever express and I'm delighted that you're happy and in love." The two women swayed together in the kitchen, both lost in their emotions. They parted and turned toward the sink as they attempted to return to normalcy. But both were deep in thought, Amber wondering about the ramifications of her mother's comments and Jan concerned that she may have pushed her daughter toward intercourse while trying to protect her. Amber decided she would spend the day on her own, away from Sam, to unravel how she and Sam could fulfill their own expectations and those of their parents while not losing the deep, abiding love that they shared. She told her mother that she was going window-shopping downtown. She dressed and took the boardwalk shortcut to the town's main shopping area. It wasn't large by most community standards and much of it was taken up with tourist-oriented t-shirt shops and fast-food kiosks. Amber wandered aimlessly through the hardware store, her eyes taking in bins of fasteners and wall displays of hand tools but her mind focused on Sam and sex. A clerk asked if he could help her find something and she stared blankly at him. "Excuse me, miss, but is there something I can help you find?" the clerk repeated. "No thank you," Amber said, embarrassed that she'd been caught daydreaming. "I'm just looking." She continued up and down the aisles, staring at things she knew nothing about as she pondered her problem. Fearing the clerk would suspect her of casing the store, Amber left and turned to the next store on the block, a fabric and craft shop her mother frequented but that she had rarely visited. Strolling in the front door she was surprised to see Melanie standing at a long table with bolts of fabric stacked in front of her. "Melanie!" Amber shrieked. "Why aren't you working today?" "It's Sunday, silly," Melanie said, turning to greet her new friend. "If you weren't so googly-eyed over my dumb brother you'd know the day of the week. Besides, this is work. I need fabric to sew swimwear. And I can't shop on days my store is open." She walked over and wrapped her arms around Amber. "What are you doing here? I didn't know you were into sewing." Amber hugged Melanie tightly, her hands roaming up and down her friend's back as the girls bonded in the store aisle. Amber once again found herself stunned by the sharp sexual reaction to Melanie's slender body pressing against her. She backed off quickly, looking around as though they had been doing something sinister. Melanie looked questioningly at her brother's girlfriend. "What's wrong, Amber? Are you feeling all right?" "I'm fine, Mel," Amber responded shakily. "It's just that every time I'm close to you I get a really strange feeling. I don't understand it and it scares me." Melanie hugged her friend again and kissed her tenderly on the cheek. "Silly. You're just overwhelmed by my hot sexiness. It happens to everybody, male and female. I told you once that I love people and it doesn't matter to me whether they're male or female, gay or straight. And I also told you that I think you're incredibly hot. So it shouldn't be a surprise that you get all turned on when we're together. I just hope that you'll act on it sooner or later and jump my skinny bones." Amber couldn't think of a response. She was stunned as always by Mel's frankness -- not unlike her brother's unsettling honesty -- and wasn't ready to admit that Melanie was right about how Amber felt. She giggled nervously and lightly turned Mel's comments away. "Silly, I could never be hot for you. I only get turned on by girls with really big boobs!" Both girls erupted in laughter and the tension dissipated. They hugged, more platonically this time, and Melanie again asked her friend what she was doing in the fabric store. The seemingly innocent question brought Amber's mind back to her problem and she grew somber, her brow furrowed to fight back tears of frustration. Melanie noticed and immediately thought the worst. "Hey, my brother hasn't hurt you in any way, has he?" she asked, sweeping Amber into her arms in a caring hug. "If he has, I promise I'll make sure he never sires any children!" "No, Mel, Sam is the greatest thing that's ever happened to me," Amber broke down, breathing deeply in an effort to retain control. "The problem is me, not him. He's such a terrific guy and I'm not sure I deserve him. I'm certainly not being fair to him." "Let me buy you a cup of coffee or something so you can tell me about it," Melanie said. "I can't imagine why you would feel you weren't worthy of Sam; he's a nice enough guy -- and don't you dare tell him I said that -- but you're the first girl with brains that he's ever dated. If you two ever got into a battle of wits I know he'd lose." The girls strolled arm in arm down the boardwalk, Melanie's fabric shopping forgotten as her concern grew for Amber and Sam. While she could not yet know the depth of their feelings it was obvious that they were fond of one another. Why that would cause such angst in Amber wasn't clear to Melanie. The pair arrived at an outdoor bistro and grabbed a table toward the back of the patio, near the storefront wall and away from boardwalk eyes (and ears). Settling in, Melanie cut straight to the chase. "All right now, tell me why talking about my brother brings you to tears. I know you two clicked because I see it in your eyes and in his. And he's more spacey now than usual, which is pretty spacey. So what's the deal?" Amber looked at the pretty designer and let her mind drift back to when they first met in Melanie's small shop. Little did she know at that time that her life would become so tightly enmeshed with this family. Melanie's face grew concerned as she waited for Amber to speak. "I love your brother and he loves me," she said. "It's hard to believe that we can be as deeply in love as we are in such a short time but believe me, it's real. I can't imagine my life without Sam in it and he's told me he feels the same way." "So what's the problem?" Mel interrupted. "You guys are terrific together and know Sam doesn't have a prayer of finding anyone even close to you." "Melanie, don't interrupt me again please," Amber said, only partly teasing. "This is really difficult for me and if I can't just get it all out at once I'll chicken out and won't share it with you. And I need someone to hear it." Melanie apologized and fell silent, afraid that her new friend would stop her story and secretly hoping the story would be a hot one that would fuel her fantasies. A summer of setting up and running the shop had obliterated her sex life and she was willing to take anything she could get, even lurid tales that involved her brother. "So, anyway, Sam and I are in love. Last night we went for a walk on the beach and things got pretty out of control. We were about as close to sex as you can get without actually doing it ..." Amber paused, wondering how much detail she should share with Sam's sister. She decided to generalize somewhat to spare Sam any familial embarrassment and to keep their new intimacy private. "It's not that we did anything too lewd or anything. But it was really intense and it made both of us realize what could happen as our relationship grows. Sam actually has better self-control than I do; if he hadn't put on the brakes I probably would have raped him." "Whoa! I promised not to interrupt but the image of someone raping my brother is more than I can handle without comment!" Mel said, trying to inject some levity into a conversation that was deeper than any she had ever had. "I do understand how you might feel that way -- I can remember a few times when we were a little younger that I entertained thoughts of jumping his bones, too. He's a lot hotter than he realizes. Maybe that's why it's easier for him to put on the brakes than it is for you." Amber shot a look at her friend. "I should be shocked that you've thought about having sex with your brother," she said. "But you're the most sexual person I've ever met, sexy and sex-aware. I am surprised, though, that you'd think Sam was unaware of how sexy he is, especially since I already told you how we met and what he said about seeing me naked. I think he knows how he affects women -- I certainly know he's aware of what he does to me -- but he's such a nice guy that he doesn't take advantage of it." Melanie laughed at her friend's serious analysis of her brother. "C'mon, babe. Sam's a guy; he'd jump on any opportunity to get his rocks off. And he's seen you naked, which should just add fuel to his young male hormones. When you were so upset I thought it was because you guys were already doing the big nasty and you regretted it. Since that's not the problem I still don't know what's making you so upset. Are you telling me you want to screw my brother and he's telling you 'no'?" "Well, he's not saying no," Amber said haltingly. "But he's telling me we have to wait until we're out of school and have our futures secured before we get sexually involved. And I don't know if I can wait. When I'm with him all I can think about is sex even though I've never done it before. And while I know he wants me that way too, he's being cautious. He says if we start he won't be able to stop and he doesn't want sex to ruin our future together. My mom is worried about us -- she missed out on college because she got pregnant with me during a summer romance -- but she understands that we really do love one another. So she's insisting I go get a prescription for birth-control pills and that Sam carry condoms with him to protect us against an accident. I am so confused that I decided I'd take this afternoon to figure out what I really want." Not wanting to make her new friend's situation more uncomfortable, Melanie carefully crafted her response. "I wish I had your problem, Amber. I know that sounds mean and flippant and I don't mean it to sound that way. But I've never cared for anyone the way you obviously feel about my brother. And from what you say -- and from the way he's acting -- it's pretty clear that he loves you deeply, too. You already know what you want but you're trying to get someone to tell you it's all right if you and Sam have sex right away. I'm not going to do that. I think your mom is on the right track -- try your best to maintain control until your futures are secure but prepare for any eventuality. And if you get super-horny, come find me. I'll be glad to take the edge off for you." Amber's Summer of Love Ch. 02 Amber was stunned. She thought Melanie would tell her to go for it with her brother but the swimwear designer instead took the conservative approach. And then she added another wrinkle by propositioning Amber again, telling her she'd be happy to make love to her in her brother's place. "Melanie, I don't think I'll ever understand you," she said. "But thank you for not caving in to my whining and telling me it's all right to sleep with your brother. As for you taking his place, at least sexually, don't hold your breath on that. I'm decidedly a boy-and-girl girl, at least for now." The two young women changed the course of their conversation and parted shortly thereafter, Melanie to resume her shopping and Amber to return to her cottage. The rest of the day passed without incident and Jan asked her daughter if she was seeing Sam again that night. "I'm not sure, mom," Amber replied. "Sam didn't say anything about coming by today when he left last night. We don't have to see one another every night." But secretly she was sad that Sam hadn't said anything about coming by. Maybe last night's torrid scene on the beach had Sam second-guessing his involvement with her. He wasn't the type to get connected to an overheated, clingy girlfriend. Amber's concern grew and her depression over the couple's relationship deepened. Her mother turned toward the living room, gathering up a lap robe and her book and curling up near the window to read before daylight disappeared. Amber was thankful her mother didn't pursue the conversation. She was drained by her intense meeting with Melanie and wasn't ready for another soul-searching discussion of feelings she didn't really even understand herself. She walked slowly upstairs and stretched across her bed, trying to focus her thoughts on anything but Sam. She turned onto her back, staring at the ceiling and throwing her arm across her eyes hoping to block out the light and her darkening thoughts. Try as she could, she wasn't able to squeeze Sam out of her mind. What was happening to her? She'd always been able to ignore boys' advances, their flirting and not-so-subtle attempts to gain her attention. Why, then, has Sam so completely captured her soul, altered her reality and turned her thoughts in directions she'd never even considered? How can someone who's never been intimate with a boy be suddenly obsessed with thoughts of sex? She doesn't even know HOW to have sex, for gosh sakes! Her internal argument raged, blocking out the sound of her mother calling to her up the stairs. "Amber! Come down, please. Sam's here to see you." Jan had taken two steps up the stairs when her daughter emerged from her room, starting to descend the staircase. "Oh, there you are. I wasn't sure you heard me. Sam dropped by but didn't want to bother you. I told him you'd be excited to see him." Amber tried to muster enthusiasm to match her mother's mood. "Thanks, mom. I was just taking a catnap. I'm glad you came up to get me." The pair rounded the corner of the stairs into the living area where Sam stood nervously awaiting their arrival. He stepped quickly to embrace Amber, as though the act would melt his anxiety and cut through the tension he was feeling in his girlfriend. Sensing his discomfort, Amber returned his embrace and put extra heat into her kiss. Her body molded to his and she clung longer than she -- or her mother -- thought appropriate given where they were. "I'm glad you came," she whispered to him, clinging long enough for Sam's evident excitement to recede enough that it wasn't apparent to Jan. "Are you going out?" Jan asked. "If so, please don't be too late. I have to work tomorrow and I'd like to be able to have breakfast with Amber before I leave." Sam assured her they wouldn't be late. "I know Amber wasn't expecting me tonight," he said, "so I won't risk wearing out my welcome by keeping her too late. Thank you for permitting me to monopolize her attention the last few days. It's meant a lot to me." Taking his girlfriend's hand, Sam headed for the door. Amber pulled back on him gently. "Wait, Sam, I want to say good night to mom," she said, turning back to embrace her mother. "Thanks, mom, for supporting me. We'll be fine -- all of us." Jan turned quickly toward the stairs so the young people wouldn't see the silver shimmer in her eyes. Her daughter's reassurance that she and Sam would make their best effort to remain chaste until their school careers were over swelled her heart with pride. She knew it was unlikely that two young people who passionately cared for one another could resist becoming intimate for four, five or six years. But she knew from her daughter's quiet promise that all would be well that the pair were committed to each other and to the goal of remaining virgins until school was over. Sam and Amber strolled down the boardwalk hand in hand. Neither wanted to break the silence and each was engrossed in private thoughts. For his part, Sam was concerned that Amber had second thoughts about the previous night's interlude, that he had crossed the line with her and might have lost her forever. Amber, on the other hand, had once again returned to the thoughts that plagued her in her bedroom. How could she be so obsessed with sex when she hadn't ever been physically involved with a boy? And how could Sam -- whose Peeping Tom foray enraged her just a week ago -- so totally captivate her and envelop her every thought? They walked in silence before Sam stopped, his grip tightening on Amber's hand as she continued forward, lost in her thoughts. "What?" she asked, turning to face Sam. "I'm sorry," he said. "I knew it was wrong, that it would cost me the most important thing in my life, and I still let it happen. And I'd do anything to go back and do it all differently." Amber stared at him as if he were speaking a foreign language. What was he talking about? Was he dumping her or something? What had she done? The more she thought, the more upset she became. Suddenly, without saying a word, Amber began to cry. She collapsed on Sam's shoulder, sobbing uncontrollably. Sam knew. As this beautiful young woman collapsed in his arms, he knew. He'd blown it. Giving in to Amber's passion last night had irrevocably damaged their new relationship. And now she was so distraught she couldn't even talk to him about it. Amber's Summer of Love Ch. 03 Author's comment: This is the long-delayed third chapter in the story of Amber and Sam. Forgive the delay; life happens. And if you haven't already read the first two installments, go back and visit them before tackling this. Thank you for the comments and support. * Amber caught her breath, lifting her face from Sam's now-damp shirt. She looked into his eyes, trying to find some sign of his feelings. But all she saw was abject sadness, which she interpreted as a precursor to his ending their short relationship. Sam stared down at her, his muscles tensed to avoid pulling her to him and kissing her tear-stained cheeks. He couldn't find words that would express how he felt, how empty his heart was over losing her. He wanted to beg, plead, fall to his knees ... anything that would convince Amber he was sorry about last night and would never let it happen again. While Sam was waging an internal struggle for the right words, Amber broke the silence. "Sam, I love you. I don't understand it, I didn't try to make it happen and no matter what you say it won't change that. I do love you. I am sorry if I have been too clingy, too needy, too much of a hanger-on. I don't know how to be a girlfriend, if that's what I am to you. I've never had any kind of a relationship with a boy, certainly not one as deep and challenging as this one. So I guess I've made mistakes. And you seem to be struggling with how to tell me we can't see one another anymore, so I guess those mistakes were pretty big ones." Sam opened his mouth to speak but Amber pushed on. "Please, don't say anything yet. Let me finish. Losing you will hurt more than anything that has ever happened to me. Losing my father hurt because I thought it was my fault, that I had ruined my mother's life and love. I've been hurt by people saying mean things to me in school. But I've never hurt like I'll hurt without you. And it won't go away. But I will always treasure our time together. Most people never meet the perfect mate. I've met mine. Apparently, I've screwed up the chance and lost him, but at least I've met him. I love you, Sam, and I always will. I am not angry that you want to move on and I don't hate you for it. I hope someday I'll understand it, and I hope in time that we'll find a way to be friends." Amber finished her speech and dropped her head. Her shoulders sank and she stood like a ragdoll, limp and lifeless on the boardwalk. Sam took a tentative step toward his girlfriend and then paused. Clearly she wasn't angry about last night but she thinks he's ready to dump her because she's too needy. What can he say to reassure her that he'll never leave, never be upset at her, never feel that she's being unreasonable? Finally, the words come to him as he steps into an embrace. Taking Amber into his arms, he pulls her to him gently, reaching down and lightly gripping her chin to turn her tear-stained face up to his. "I love you, Amber. Deeply, completely and without reservation. I never want to lose you, never want to be away from you. Nothing could make me say anything to separate us." He kissed her gently, then pulled her hand as he strode down the boardwalk. "Where are we going?" Amber asked, still overwhelmed that her misperception almost cost her the love of her life. "Just come with me," Sam said. "I know how I can reassure you that I'm not going anywhere." The pair walked briskly down the boardwalk in the lengthening evening shadows, arriving at the door of a shop Amber didn't recognize just as the owner was backing out to close for the night. "Are you closed?" Sam said. "We really wanted to make a special purchase." The owner turned and smiled at the attractive young couple. "Well if that's the case then I'm not closed," he said, turning the key and pushing the door open again. "We'll just close the door behind us so we won't be disturbed." Amber was so caught up in the exchange that she was in the shop before she looked around. She realized with a start that it was a jewelry store specializing in custom-designed necklaces, rings and bracelets. Still holding Sam's hand, she felt herself being propelled toward the back counter of the U-shaped shop. In a case before her were several beautiful wedding sets. Amber's heart lept in her chest and she turned sharply to look at Sam. He was staring steadily at her. "Amber Jacobsen, will you marry me? We'll have the longest engagement in history but if you say 'yes' we can pick out a ring and you'll never again wonder if I want to leave you." Amber's faucets opened again, this time in unbridled joy. "Yes! Yes! Yes! I love you, Sam, and I want to be your wife. And I don't care if we're engaged for 20 years as long as we'll be together forever. You don't have to buy me a ring to prove your love. Just bringing me here, saying those words has proven it beyond any symbol." They kissed, oblivious to the shopkeeper who stood quietly by and watched perhaps the most-beautiful exchange of vows he'd ever witnessed. After long moments, Amber and Sam became aware they weren't alone and unclenched, blushing with embarrassment. "We're so sorry," Amber said. "That was totally uncalled-for. And you've been so kind to stay open for Sam. I don't know if we're really ready to buy a ring yet, though." Sam put his arm around his now-fiance. "We're ready," he said. "You aren't going off to school with a bunch of desperate jocks, nerds and ne'er-do-wells without something that lets them know you're taken. So forget your protests and tell this nice man which of these rings you like best. And no asking prices -- this isn't about budgeting or anything else. I'm only buying one ring in my lifetime so it has to be priceless. The girl who's getting it certainly is." Amber was overwhelmed. "Sam, I just don't know. I've never even thought about a ring. I guess I never imagined I'd meet anyone as special as you, someone who actually wanted to spend their life with me. And I'm not a big jewelry person as you may have noticed. I'm just an ordinary girl." She turned toward the display cases with a frown, wanting to please Sam but clearly unnerved by the whole process. The shopkeeper broke his silence and addressed Amber. "If I may, could I show you a few pieces that I think you might like? I am a designer -- these are all my original work -- and I try to imagine the buyer when I'm working. I think I can find something that suits you, something that I saw you in when I was designing it." He walked down the left side of the shop and bent to retrieve a tray of rings from a locked case. "These aren't displayed," he said. "They're pieces I created for special people and I only take them out when one of those people comes into the shop." He set the blue velvet tray down and extracted two rings. Both are simple in design, one in platinum and one in gold. Both, rather than solitaire, have emerald-cut diamonds in a row around the top third of the band. The stones are so carefully matched, so expertly mounted that they look like one oblong faceted stone, glittering in the showroom light. As she looked at the rings, Amber's breath caught in her chest. She had never seen anything so beautiful. They were simple but exquisite, plain but captivating. They really did look like they had been crafted just for her! Reaching for her hand, the jeweler slipped the platinum band on her finger. It was a perfect fit and Amber couldn't take her eyes off it. "That would be my choice," he said. "I think it suits you best, though I like the 24 carat ring equally well." Amber was still staring at the ring when Sam spoke over her shoulder. "I think you've picked the perfect ring for a perfect girl. And it apparently doesn't even need sizing. So let me give you my credit information and we'll let you get home for supper. Thank you so much for staying for us and for selecting the most beautiful engagement ring I could have imagined. We'll be back in a few years for the wedding bands so please keep us posted if you move the shop." He handed his credit card to the owner and turned Amber to face him. He reached down and pulled the ring off her finger, dropping to his knees as he did so. "Amber, I love you more than life itself. I want to spend my life with you, build a family and grow old together. Please accept this ring as a token of my love and fidelity. Will you be my wife?" He slipped the ring onto her finger as she pulled him to her in a warm embrace. "Yes, my love, I will be your wife. And the mother of your children, the grandmother of your grandchildren and the great-grandmother of your great-grandchildren. And I will never love you less than I do at this moment. Thank you for being you. And thank you for this beautiful symbol of your eternal love." The shopkeeper returned with Sam's receipt and a small box. "The ring is part of a set. The wedding band is in the box but it's bad luck if she sees it before the ceremony. I can craft a mate to it when you're ready. Thank you for coming in, and for reminding me why I do what I do. It's not about the metal or the stones or the price ... it's about the love two people discover that unite them on a lifelong journey. Please enjoy and come back to see me from time to time. I want to make sure the ring continues to shine as brightly as your love. God bless!" Amber's head was swimming as she walked out of the shop in Sam's grasp. She turned instinctively toward her cottage but Sam propelled her in the opposite direction. "Not so quick, lady," he teased. "We have a stop to make before I take you home. And I promise it won't be long because I don't want your mom angry at us on our engagement day." Turning down a side street, Sam held Amber more tightly. Suddenly she realized where they were, and where they were headed. "Are we going to your house?" she asked. "Why are you taking me there?" Sam chuckled. "Yes, smarty, we're going to my house. And we're going there so my parents can toast their new daughter-to-be. If we went to your house first we'd never get away from your mom again and I wanted my parents to know right away." "Do you think they'll be upset that we're moving too fast," Amber said, her sensible side kicking in finally after a night of not-sensible-at-all events. "They already know," Sam said. "I talked to them this morning over breakfast about how I felt and told them that if you would have me, I was going to ask you to marry me. I told you that you were the greatest thing that ever happened to me and I'm not one to let opportunities pass." They arrived at Sam's house and walked around to the patio. His parents were sitting on the deck enjoying a nightcap and they turned as the young couple came into the light. "Amber! Sam! What a pleasant surprise!" Sam's mother said, rising to greet the pair. "It's so nice to see you again Amber. You have really captured our Sam's heart, you know." She hugged the young girl affectionately as Sam gave her a kiss on the cheek. Sam's father, Mike, came to join the trio, putting his arm around Amber's shoulders as he patted his son on the back. "Good to see you two. We haven't had much of a chance since you met. Seems you've been spending most of your time together. Thanks for squeezing us into your busy schedules." The comment could have seemed sharp coming from someone else, but Mike's warm smile took the edge off. "Mom, dad, I brought Amber by so you could meet your daughter. Tonight, I asked Amber to marry me and she's accepted. The wedding won't happen until we're out of school but I didn't want to lose her and she apparently didn't want to let me go." Sam's mother squealed with delight. Hugging Amber fiercely, she gushed "I'm so overjoyed! When Sam first brought you to dinner I felt that you two had something special, something way beyond a summer romance. And Melanie has dropped little hints that the two of you were more than just a beach-town connection. I couldn't be happier!" She released Amber just as Mike spun her around and pulled her tightly to him. "Congratulations! I thought the big oaf would spend the rest of his life dating Hooters girls and never find someone of quality. Keep him in line, Amber. He doesn't deserve someone as great as you and you need to remind him of that regularly!" His booming laugh was joined by that of Amber, Sam and Doris. Amber beamed with an inner warmth as she was surrounded by these special people. "Thank you for your special thoughts," she said. "I was worried you might think Sam and I were moving too fast but we really have connected in a special way. We have lots to do before we can even think about marriage but Sam insisted that he didn't want me to wander so he corralled me before school started. And he gave me this amazing ring!" She extended her hand to display the beautiful ring to Sam's parents. "That's beautiful!" Doris exclaimed. "It's so perfectly Amber! How did you have it made in so short a time, Samuel?" Mike, too, was impressed. "It really is a perfect setting for you, Amber. It captures your simple beauty and grace without detracting from it." Amber's eyes glistened with tears of joy. This perfect family had found a way to make her perfect night even more so. Unable to say anything that would adequately capture the moment, she pulled her futures to her in a big group hug. "Thank you! I'm so happy I'm going to be part of this family!" Sam stepped in to rein in the enthusiasm. "We'd love to stay all evening but I promised Amber's mom I'd have her back early. And I think when she finds out what we've done we may keep her up a bit late anyway. So we'll come back later in the week to spend an evening with you both. Thanks for being the world's greatest folks and for loving my Amber as much as I love her." He steered Amber toward the corner of the house, pulling her away from his mother's warm embrace and his father's beaming attempt to get yet another hug. "Leave my bride-to-be alone, you old man!" Sam joked as the young couple laughingly dashed off the patio toward the gate. They rounded the corner and ran squarely into Melanie who collapsed in a heap on the ground, bundles scattering around her. Amber gasped and reached to pull her friend off the grass, pulling her into an embrace as she did. "Are you all right?" she asked, her hands drifting up and down Melanie's slender back. "I'm OK," Melanie said. "But I'll be better if you keep doing that for another hour or two! Where are you two headed in such a hurry? Got a motel reservation?" Sam playfully punched his sister and then became serious. "I don't appreciate you using your gutter humor on my future wife," he said, waiting for Melanie's reaction. At first, he thought she might not have heard him. Then Mel erupted like a volcano. "Wife! Future wife! You mean ... you ... she ... did you have to drug her to say yes?" She grabbed both of them and hugged them fiercely. "I love you both so much!" she said. "I've been trying to stay out of it but I just knew you two had to be together! You're perfect for each other! She's pure, you're simple ... it's a pure and simple match! I'm so happy! Congratulations!" She grabbed Amber's hand, looking for a ring. "You didn't let the lout get away without giving you a ring, did you?" she asked as she pulled the hand toward the light. "Ohmygawd! How ever did you find such a perfect ring, Sam! This had to be custom-made just for Amber! It's the greatest thing I've ever seen!" Amber's chest swelled at her future sister's reaction to the beautiful gift she had received. "Melanie, I doubt anything could make me happier tonight than having the man I love ask me to be his wife. But your happiness for us, and the fact that you and I will be sisters instead of just friends makes the whole thing perfect. It couldn't have been better planned." She kissed Melanie's cheek, then turned Mel's face to hers. Their lips met in a warm, not-sisterly kiss. "I do love you," Amber said. "You've become nearly as important to me as Sam." They hugged and Sam tugged at Amber's hand once again. "Come on, love. We have to get you home or you'll be grounded until the wedding day." The couple walked hand-in-hand back to the boardwalk and turned toward Amber's cottage. Sam pulled her up short and turned her shoulders to face him. "Before we get back to your house and your mom, may I have the first real, private kiss from my future wife?" He bent to Amber's warm lips as his lover pulled his head down and let her tongue drift into his open mouth. Their tongues wrapped tantalizingly around the other, hands drifting up and down hot bodies. Amber wrestled herself away from Sam and pushed back. "As much as I love doing that," she panted. "If we don't stop now we'll be nude in public and consummating our marriage years before the ceremony. Let's go tell my mom the good news." Sam and Amber clambered happily up the cottage steps as Jan reacted to the noise and stepped out onto the porch. "Hi, kids," she said. "Thanks for coming back so early. And, Sam, I promise I won't monopolize her time too often." She gave her daughter a hug before pausing, curious about the pair's goofy grins and glazed expressions. "What have you two been up to tonight?" she asked. "You both look like the cat that ate the canary." "Well, mom, remember how I told you Sam and I were in love? And I promised you we wouldn't do anything hasty? I really meant it but tonight things got a little out of hand and Sam and I did something you can only do once in a lifetime." Jan's face couldn't hide her shock and disappointment as her daughter stood beaming before her. "We got engaged!" Jan thought she was going to pass out from the shock. Amber was waving her left hand in Jan's face, trying to show her the ring she'd been given. And Sam was standing behind his fiancé, his smile fading as he tried to read his future mother's reaction. Amber suddenly stiffened, realizing that her mother wasn't reacting as joyously as she'd expected. "Mom, are you mad at us?" she asked, her smile replaced by a frown. "We aren't going to run off and get married right away. Sam said he loves me and wants only me, and he didn't want me going off to college without a sign that I was spoken for. We're going to wait until after we've graduated ... this is going to be a very long engagement." As Amber spoke, Jan began to recover from the news. And her shock was replaced first by love for her caring daughter and then by joy at her child's announcement. "Oh, darling, I'm sorry. It's just that, when you started to tell me, my thoughts went to our earlier conversation and I thought maybe ... oh, I'm so sorry. I should have known it was something wonderful, not something worrisome. I couldn't be happier for you, both of you," she said, turning to include Sam and reaching to pull him close. "I couldn't ask for a more wonderful son. Amber hasn't dated much and she's always been so critical of the boys she knew that I was worried she'd never meet a boy who could measure up to her standard. And then you came along and in just a few days she went from a no-nonsense daughter to a giddy, giggly girly-girl. That's when I knew you two were serious. And now you've taken a step to let the world know how you feel about one another, a step that also tells me and your parents how you value this relationship. To make this pledge to one another, and to make it public with a beautiful ring, means more to me than I can express. Thank you for caring so deeply for my daughter and thank you for this symbol of your care and concern for her." She hugged Sam to her, suddenly jolted by the clearly sexual reaction she had to the hard-muscled young man who hugged her back. She pushed away flushed, then put her arm around Amber again. "Darling, you know how much I love you. And how thrilled I am that you have found that perfect someone, the one man you want to share your life with. But now our earlier talk takes on even deeper significance. So I'm going to call the doctor tomorrow and make that appointment." Amber's Summer of Love Ch. 03 Amber blushed. "Mom, that's great. But do you think this is the best time to talk about that?" "There's no better time, sweetie," Jan said. "If you and Sam can't be frank and honest about your sexual relationship and take prudent steps to protect yourselves, it's unlikely your relationship will last the four or five years it will take for you to graduate. I don't mean to embarrass you -- and I don't want to have these conversations as a group in the future -- but it's critical for both of you and I want to make sure I'm doing my job as a loving, caring mother -- and mother." Sam hugged both women. "I'm not entirely sure what you guys are talking about but I have a good idea. While I have never imagined talking about my sex life with my future mother I think it's wonderful that you are so concerned for us. And I agree that if we can't have these conversations it will be tough to build a relationship. So I'll make sure Amber keeps that appointment ... and I'll do everything I can to make sure that she doesn't need the protection." The trio hugged again -- and Jan once again worried about the physical reaction to her future son's presence -- before breaking apart and heading into the cottage. "Okay," Jan said to her daughter. "Tell me all about how this happened. Where did he propose? And how, Sam, did you manage to have this beautiful ring custom-made in the week you two have known one another? It obviously was designed especially for Amber. Honey, did you know it was being made? Did you meet the jeweler and not tell me?" Amber laughed and gently tapped her mother's arm. "Slow down, mom," she said. "You're sounding like I did after my first date with Sam. No, the ring wasn't made especially for me although the designer said he had me in mind when he crafted it. I just met him tonight. Sam and I had had a conversation that I misinterpreted as him trying to dump me, so he told me he wanted to take me someplace to prove to me he wasn't trying to get rid of me. He took me to the jewelers and asked me to be his wife. When I said yes, the jeweler took out a special tray of rings that weren't part of his display and selected this one. He said he imagines someone when he's designing -- the person he believes should ultimately wear the ring -- and he said he saw me when he was doing this one. Then Sam put it on my hand and proposed to me again. It was so beautiful! The jeweler said it reminded him why he did what he did." Jan hugged her daughter to her. "That's the most beautiful thing I've ever heard. Thank you for sharing it with me. There's no question of your love for one another. It lights your faces and energizes the air around you. I wish you all the best and I hope you both study hard and graduate quickly. Because I want lots of cute, wiggly grandbabies!" They all laughed again, then Sam took his girl's hand. "I have to go and leave you two to get some rest. Come out and give me a big kiss that will last until next week." He pulled a laughing Amber to the front door, then turned back to address Jan. "Thank you for your blessing. And while I can't promise you lots of grandbabies, I can promise we'll practice, practice, practice to try and comply!" The young people scurried out of the door ahead of Jan's burst of laughter. On the porch, Sam turned Amber toward him and became serious. "Now, future Mrs. Wilkins, give your husband-to-be a kiss that tells him how happy you are and how much you want to spend your life with him." He pulled Amber against him and kissed her softly and passionately. Amber's body reacted immediately, grinding against his growing erection as she cupped his buttocks in her hands and pulled him into her. Her tongue plunged into his mouth and her breasts were pasted against his chest, her nipples aching with desire. She broke the kiss and whispered in his ear. "I know we can't do what I want to do to you out here. But when you go home tonight, run your fingers up and down that big hardness down there and imagine it's my hand, my fingers. Lick your fingers and run them all over, because that's what I want to do. Imagine your tongue is another part of you, and my mouth is doing this ..." She resumed the kiss, sucking his tongue into her mouth and licking its tip, moaning with passion. Sam was nearly incoherent. His cock bobbed with every heartbeat and his balls ached with the mental image of Amber tonguing the head of his penis. Her breasts were poking into his chest, the nipples leaving hot spikes where they pushed against him. And he could feel her pubic bone as she ground her hips against his swollen cock. "You're driving me crazy," he whispered. "I may not be able to walk tomorrow after this. And I know I won't be able to sleep for all the lurid daydreams I'm going to have." He kissed her deeply again and reached up furtively between them to gently squeeze her breast and roll her hard nipple between his thumb and forefinger. Amber arched her back and moaned deeply, the caress of her breast setting off a pent-up orgasm. Her hips bucked as she panted into Sam's mouth, clutching him to keep from collapsing from the passionate relief. Her hips pushing against him set off Sam's orgasm and he shot jets of cum into his underwear. He pushed against Amber, trying to dry-fuck her on the porch. They clung together, each holding the other as they recovered. "I love you," Sam gasped. "Thank you for being the sweetest, sexiest, most beautiful fiancé a man could ever have." "I love you, too," Amber said, still basking in the afterglow of her orgasm. "If the real thing is anything at all like what you do to me with clothes on, I'll never want to get out of bed. Thank you for looking into my bathroom window." Amber's Summer of Love Ch. 04 Author's Note: Apologies to those who have found my work-in-progress for the lengthy lapses between chapters. While I would rather spend my time with Amber, Sam and their families I find that life continues its relentless tug on my available energies. There is at least one more chapter waiting; hopefully it will emerge sooner than the last two. Thank you for your patience and interest. * Amber stumbled out of bed in the morning, forcing herself into action so she could have breakfast with her mother before she left for work. Wrapping herself in a robe, she went downstairs and began making coffee, then pulled out the toaster to prepare a hot meal for her mother. Just as she was putting the bacon and eggs on the plate, she felt her mother's arms circle her waist and smelled her mother's familiar fragrance. "Good morning, pumpkin," her mother whispered as she kissed her neck lightly. "How is my new bride-to-be this morning?" She gave Amber a quick hug as she released her. "Oh, mom, I'm so happy! I almost couldn't sleep. I kept looking at the ring and feeling it to make sure it was still there. I can't believe all of this is happening to me. I love Sam so much! And I'm so glad that Melanie is going to be my sister. I feel as close to her as I have to any friend I've ever had. She is so talented and so funny ... I just know we're going to be special friends. And she loves Sam to distraction, even though she tries to hide it behind a lot of teasing. You can see how proud she is of him and he of her. They are really close. I can't wait for you to meet his whole family." Jan looked at her daughter's glowing smile and felt a pang of anxiety. What if Amber felt closer to hers than she did to Jan? What if they didn't like her? Could she bear the loss of her daughter, even if Amber wasn't aware it was happening? Jan was so caught up in her reverie that she caught only the last part of Amber's question. "... before we go back home?" Amber looked at her mother and realized she wasn't really listening to her question. "Mom, I'm sorry. I know it's been a lot to take in in a short time. I was just wondering if we could have the Wilkins' over for lunch or something before we go back home. I'd like for all of you to meet and I think it would be nice to do it here. I'll do all the planning and preparation -- you have enough to do now that you're going back to work. And it doesn't have to be a big, fancy thing. They're not that kind of people: a simple buffet will be perfect." Jan smiled at her daughter. "Certainly, sweetie, we can do that. And you don't have to do all the work. You're the bride-to-be after all. We'll plan something nice that won't take too much out of either of us. Check with Sam and his parents and see when it might work out for them. I'm not working full-time this week; I told them when I agreed to come back before our rental was up that I would only work part of the week. So give me a couple of days' notice and I'll take the day off so we can make the place pretty for the occasion." Amber squeezed her mom tightly. "Thanks, mom. I love you so much. I just know you and Sam's parents are going to be great friends." Jan finished her breakfast and tidied the kitchen before gathering her purse and briefcase. She walked to the door, turning to Amber at the sink. "Enjoy your day, dear. Don't get too much sun and don't spend all your time indoors. Get out and take a walk or something. Maybe you should call Celia. You haven't talked with her in a few days and you certainly have lots to tell her. I'll be back by 6 ... be careful but have fun." Amber turned back to the sink and busied herself with the morning dishes. She thought about what she could do with her free day as she dried and restacked the plates in the cabinet. She thought about seeing if Sam was free but then stopped herself: if he came over and she knew they had the house to themselves for several hours she would attack him and they would do something they'd already promised not to do. Maybe her mother was right, maybe she should call Celia. In the whirlwind of the past week she'd forgotten her best friend. And she realized how upset Celia would be if she waited until they got back from vacation before telling her about Sam and their engagement. Finishing the morning cleanup, Amber went upstairs and grabbed her cellphone, speed-dialing Celia. Her friend answered on the third ring, her voice pulling Amber back home and back to high school. "Amb-air! How aire you, deah?" Celia's exaggerated, blended accent was her homage to screen stars of the 1920s and '30s. She fancied herself a modern-day Garbo, mysterious and sultry. In reality, Celia was a bubbly, too-typical 18-year-old, wearing clothes a bit too tight, carrying a few too many pounds around her hips and midsection and spoiling a naturally pretty face with too much makeup applied haphazardly. But her personality was infectious and made her friends laugh on their worst days. "Ciel, knock off the bad accent," Amber laughed. "I can't tell if you're a poorly educated Northeasterner or a French street-walker from Marseilles. In either case, it's not someone I want to talk to. I've got huge news, sweetie. Huge! Bigger than huge! So big you're not going to believe it! I barely believe it! Can you come down to the beach today?" Celia was so stunned by her friend's outburst that she forgot her accent. "Ams! What's going on?!? Are you hurt? Has someone hurt you? I'll kill 'em! I'll come down there and kill 'em with my bare hands! Sure I can come down. I'll be there in an hour. Are you at the same cottage as always?" "Ciel, don't get in an accident or something. I'm fine. This isn't bad news, it's great news. But I'm not going to tell you until you get here. So take your time, drive carefully and I'll see you around lunch time. Oh, and I'm sorry I haven't called before now. You'll understand when you hear but I want you to know how sorry I am I didn't call you earlier. Now go get dressed -- I know you're probably still in your t-shirt or less -- and come down here." Ciel's lilting laughter rang through the phone. "Actually I was just about to take a shower so I'm not wearing anything," she chuckled. "Of course, I'd probably be that way even if I wasn't taking a shower. But I'll hurry and see you in a while. Love you, hon!" The girls rang off and Amber set her phone down to begin getting ready. Before she could turn, the instrument rang. She picked it up, curious about who might be calling her. "Hello," she said, not recognizing the number reflected in the Caller ID window. "Amber! Bet you wonder how I found your number!" Melanie's voice was a surprise to Amber. "Melanie! How great to hear from you. How DID you get my number?" Amber was pleased, but puzzled, to hear from her future sister. "Your mom put it on the sales receipt when you bought your suit in the shop," Melanie said. "There's a place for a number -- a little marketing gimmick of mine -- and I went back to see if you guys had filled it in. I'm still on a high from yesterday's news and I wondered if we could have lunch today to celebrate. Or are you jumping Sam's bones to celebrate?" Amber's laughter filled the phone line and brought a broad smile to Melanie's face. "No, silly, I told you we weren't doing that. Actually my best friend -- well, my best friend except for my future sister -- is coming down and we're going to spend the afternoon together. I wanted to tell her about Sam and I and didn't want to wait until we get back home to do it." "Well, shoot," Melanie pouted. "I really am excited and wanted to have a little sister-bonding time with you. How 'bout tomorrow? Can we get together for lunch then? Please?" Amber assured Melanie that she would save the afternoon for the swimwear designer tomorrow. "And I may bring Celia by your store today; I know she'd love to see your designs and you'd love to meet her. She's almost as sex-crazy as you are!" After saying goodbye, Amber turned and headed up the stairs to prepare for her friend's arrival. She took time to decide on an outfit -- settling on a simple shorts set with a halter top and sensible cotton lingerie. Laying out her clothes on the bed, Amber stripped and walked to the bathroom nude. As she started to run the shower, she glanced toward the bathroom window and thought wistfully about the day she flashed Sam. Her nipples peaked as the memory returned and she felt moisture begin to build between her thighs. How was she going to be able to avoid attacking Sam for the next four years, she wondered. Her body was almost vibrating with her desire as she tested the water and stepped into the shower. The needles of warm water cascaded down her body, stimulating her senses and heightening her lust. Her fingers drifted across her hard nipples, sending pulses through her body to her throbbing clitoris. She rolled the nubs in her fingers, arching her back in response to the stimulus. Warm moisture built in her vulva, her labia filling with passion and opening like a spring rose. She softly caressed her belly, feeling her short strip of golden hair above her throbbing clit. Her finger circled the growing pebble and her breath came in short gasps as she held off the roaring orgasm. She squeezed her clitoris between thumb and finger, moaning loudly at the spasms rolling through her lower body. Finally, she pulled the clitoris away from her yawning opening and plunged two fingers inside, turning her wrist to allow her fingers to drift across her G-spot. She screamed aloud as the wave crashed over her. Losing muscle control, Amber slumped to the floor of the shower, the warm water splashing on her back as she shivered in post-orgasmic pulses, kneeling on the floor. Amber slowly recovered as the water on her shoulders and breasts began to cool. She struggled to her feet and quickly rinsed her body, paying particular attention to the glistening sticky moisture on her inner thighs. She ran her finger up her thigh and brought it to her lips, tasting the salty-sweet taste of her passion. "Hmmm," she thought, "I'll bet Sam would love a mouthful of THAT! I wonder what he tastes like?" The young woman laughed out loud at her outrageous thoughts; if Celia had ever said anything like that, Amber would have called her a cheap slut. But Celia wouldn't be engaged to the man she'd be lusting after, Amber rationalized. Nearly lost in her reverie, Amber was jolted to conscience by a shout. "Hey, Ams! Where the hell are you!" Celia had arrived and here was Amber, nude and still recovering from a self-induced orgasm. "I'm in the shower, Ciel! And, no, you can't come in and join me! Make some lemonade and I'll be right down!" Amber scrambled from the shower and dashed into her room, tossing clothes onto her body without paying much attention and gathering her hair into a ponytail before bounding down the stairs. She had barely cleared the bottom step when she was tackled in a big hug and her face was nearly lost in a wet kiss. "Ams! I've missed you sooo much! You have to tell me about your vacation! And what's the big news you wouldn't tell me on the phone? You have to tell me everything!" Celia crushed her best friend in a hug that she was reluctant to release but her curiosity got the better of her and she backed away, looking at Amber for the first time since her arrival. Amber was smiling broadly at her friend's puzzlement. Stretching out the moment, she took Celia's hands and pulled her toward the door. "C'mon Ciel, let's go get something to eat and I'll tell you all about my week." Amber continued to tug her friend toward the exit, forgetting the glistening ring on her left hand, the diamonds beginning to reflect the sunlight coming through the doorway. While it was lost on Amber, Celia caught the bright flash and her eyes were drawn to her friend's hands. She dug in her heels and pulled back against Amber. "What the hell!?! Amber, is this an ENGAGEMENT ring? What's going on? How ... who ... where ... when???? How long has this been going on?? I'm really pissed that you didn't tell me about this!" Amber began laughing at her friend's unrest and her reaction served to heighten Celia's discomfort. Celia pushed Amber's hands away and began stalking to the door. "Hell, I guess I'm going back home! You're not going to tell me anything and you've been hiding a guy behind my back for, what, months? A year?" Amber hurried to grab her friend's shoulders as Celia reached the door. "Stop, Ciel! I haven't held anything back from you. You know every detail about every date I've ever had -- at least every one until this week! If you'll just stop fretting for a few minutes, I'll tell you everything. I love you and you know I'd never keep anything from you." Amber pulled Celia into an embrace and kissed her friend's cheek. Celia begrudgingly turned back to her friend and stopped her grumping. "OK, but I'm not going to believe you met some guy at the beach and got engaged all in a week. You've never gone out with the same guy more than twice -- in fact, I can't remember you ever dating the same guy more than ONCE! And you're going to tell me you're now engaged?!" She continued to resist Amber's attempts to pull her out the door and toward the boardwalk. "Just give it up, Ciel," Amber laughed. "Come along and we'll find a nice table on the boardwalk. I'll tell you everything if you'll just stop crabbing and come along." Celia surrendered to Amber's persuasion and the pair walked down the boardwalk to the lunch stand where Sam and Amber went on their second night together. Amber's heart was swelling with affection for her friend and with the excitement of sharing her meeting Sam, falling in love and becoming engaged all in a week. The girls bought beverages and settled into a table under an umbrella. Amber sipped her drink and gazed out at the water, thinking of the night she and Sam spent on the sand exploring the physical side of their love. Celia tired of waiting. "All right, Ams! Enough stalling! Now what's going on? Are you really engaged? Like to-be-married engaged? To a guy? Who? When?" "Calm down, Ciel," Amber chuckled. "You'll burst a blood vessel. Yes, I'm really engaged although I am still trying to convince myself that it's real. And it's to-be-married engaged but the wedding won't be for several years. And believe me, it's a guy. The most wonderful, handsomest, kindest, sweetest, sexiest, most-loving guy in the entire world. I met him on Tuesday, had a first date on Friday and became engaged on Sunday. We've known each other for five days and yet it seems like I've known him for a lifetime. His sister is the sweetest, craziest person you'll ever meet -- and I'm going to introduce you two 'cause she's almost more sex-crazed than you are. And I think she actually has experience!" Celia could no longer contain herself. "Ams! You don't date! You hate guys who pay attention to you! How could you ever meet a guy and find out enough about him in a few days to know you want to spend the rest of your life with him? You didn't go and get yourself pregnant or something, did you? Is that why you're having this shotgun romance? When's the wedding, by the way? And am I going to be in it? Or are you just going to elope so you can be married before the baby arrives?" "Ciel, you're a nut! I'm not pregnant and the wedding isn't going to happen until we both have our degrees and have started our careers. And I certainly do know enough about Sam to know I want to spend the rest of my life with him. In fact, if I hadn't called you this morning I probably would have spent the entire day in bed with him, doing what my mom doesn't want us to do for another four or five years." "Are you talking about SEX!?" Celia was astounded. "You always bag on me for talking about sex and now you're telling me that you want to spend an entire day in bed with a guy you haven't even known for a full week yet. How did THIS happen!? You never want to talk about sex, let alone do it. You've never even let a guy touch your boobs; you've never even let ME touch your boobs, and you know I've wanted to!" Amber's sides ached from laughing at her young friend. The similarities between Celia and Melanie were astounding, particularly when it came to sexual matters. But Melanie's horniness was based on experience while Celia's lust was grounded in her desire to gain experience. Or so she said. "I actually have let a guy touch my breasts and it was wonderful," Amber said quietly, looking around to see if anyone else on the boardwalk was listening in on their conversation. "That's why I know that Sam and I would have spent today in bed if you hadn't been able to come down to the beach today. His touch is fantastic! If every guy were as good as Sam, I would have given up my virginity long ago!" "Are you telling me you guys have had sex?" Ciel asked, her voice dropping in response to the drama of the conversation. "I'm really going to be mad if you had sex before me, since you've never been interested before." "No, Ciel, you still have a chance to beat me. Sam and I are going to try our best to wait until we're out of school and married before taking that step. He'll be the one I give my virginity and he says I'll be his first, too. Mom wants me to get birth-control pills and she told Sam he has to start carrying a condom because she doesn't want us to have an accident that will put our futures at risk. So we're going to do that but we really are going to try to avoid intercourse until we're married. But I suspect we'll be doing everything short of intercourse as soon as we can find time alone!" Celia slumped back in her chair, overwhelmed by the news from her best friend. Amber had a boyfriend! Hell, Amber was engaged! And she'd let a guy feel her up and she wants to have sex with him! Celia never would have believed any of this about her friend. Not that Amber was prudish or standoffish but education was always her first priority. And she'd never given a guy much of a chance to get close, stopping contact at one date for the few guys who even managed to get that close. For her to be swept off her feet this quickly, by a guy she didn't even know, was almost beyond belief. Celia HAD to meet this guy! She wondered if his magnetism would extend beyond Amber, if she would feel the same spark her beautiful friend felt. And mostly, Celia wondered if he had a friend and if his friend was as sexy as he must be. Lost in her thoughts, Celia didn't notice that someone else had joined her and Amber at the table or that Amber was excitedly hugging and kissing the new person. As she became aware of the new presence she was stunned that it was a girl that Amber was kissing. And the kiss looked like more than a friendly hello. The two young women parted and Amber turned to Celia, whose expression broadcast her curiosity and concern about the pair's greeting. "Ciel, I want you to meet Melanie. She's so sexy she makes me hot every time I see her. Oh, and she's going to be my sister." Amber and Melanie broke up laughing at Celia, who was trying to process all this information. "Ams, you had me really scared. I mean I come out here and find out you're engaged to marry a guy you've known for less than a week, you and he have been more intimate than you've ever been with anyone and then you start swapping spit with a gorgeous model who you tell me gets you hot. You're going to drive me nuts!" Melanie came around the table in two steps and took Celia into her arms. She pulled Amber's friend against her and tilted her head, kissing her deeply and running her tongue around Celia's warm, soft mouth. Celia responded immediately, her tongue probing Melanie's mouth as the two young women ground their hips against one another. Hands were wandering up and down backs and the kiss was in danger of becoming a public nuisance. As much as Amber was enjoying the hot performance, she put a stop to it before anyone complained. Amber's Summer of Love Ch. 04 "Hey you two! You can get a room later and get acquainted. But knock it off before you're both arrested for public indecency." She punctuated her comments by softly grabbing the two girls' shoulders and parting them. As she did so, she noticed both Celia and Melanie were sporting hard nipples atop their rapidly-rising breasts. The kiss obviously was appreciated by both girls. "Hi, Melanie," Celia said, still trying to catch her breath. "It's nice to meet you. And I really, really hope we get to see more of one another. I mean that in every possible way." Melanie laughed as she leaned in and kissed Celia softly on the nose. "Nice meeting you, too," she said. "I didn't want you to feel jealous or left out! And I'm sure we're going to become very close. You'll have to get Amber to bring you to the shop so I can find a perfect suit for that perfectly marvelous body. Even if I can't, I'll enjoy undressing you so I can see more of that curvy softness." Amber laughed at her sister's abrupt honesty. "See, Ciel, I told you she was even hornier than you are! And she has the experience to go with it. Let's walk back to the shop with her and get this leering out of the way. Then we can go to the beach and spend some time together before you have to go back home." The trio walked the short distance to Melanie's shop. Celia, still trying to process all the information she had received and her reaction to Melanie's high-pressure sexual advances, was immediately impressed by Melanie's swimwear designs and the displays in the shop. "This has to be a goldmine!" she exulted. "These are the prettiest suits I've ever seen! They're sexy and stylish but practical, too. Any girl who saw these would want a bunch of them! I can't afford a bunch but I sure do want one! Can you find one for me?" Melanie grabbed Celia's hand and pulled her toward a rack. "I was turned on by how cute you are and how great it was to kiss you, but now I think I'm in love with you for saying those nice things!" She began sorting through suits, pulling out two and holding them up for examination. Her choices were a silver and black two-piece and a lilac one-piece with cutouts at the sides. "I think the one-piece is the perfect suit for your curves," she said, "but the two-piece will really call attention to your fantastic chest. C'mon and try them on for me." The girls started toward the dressing room and Melanie slowed, turning to address Amber over her shoulder. "Amber, would you watch the shop a minute? I want to make sure to give Celia my undivided attention." She ended her request with a wink, leaving little doubt as to the kind of attention she intended to provide. "Fine," Amber said, "but make sure to keep the screams and moans to a minimum. They'll scare away the customers." Her barb was lost on Melanie, who had followed Celia's tight little butt into the dressing cubicle. Celia was already unbuttoning her shirt when Melanie reached around from the back and cupped her breasts. "Let me help," she whispered into Celia's ear, running the tip of her tongue around the ear. "I can't wait to see these beautiful breasts uncovered." She pulled Celia's blouse off her shoulders and unhooked her bra, letting her hands follow the straps around Celia's tiny body to the warm mounds being revealed at her chest. Melanie's fingers traced small circles around the darkening and hardening nipples as she bent to kiss Celia's neck and shoulders. Her caress enfolded Celia's firm, full breasts, squeezing gently to encourage a moan from Celia. Melanie's hands moved down the brunette's body, onto her full hips and around to the fly front. She unbuttoned and unzipped the shorts, pushing them down and leaving Celia in only a thong panty. "Let's leave that on for now," she whispered. "I don't want you getting your new suit all wet." Celia's head was swimming. This girl, who she had just met, was driving her into a sexual frenzy. Her body was reacting in ways she could only have imagined and she was stunned to learn that she could be this easily aroused by a girl rather than a guy. What was happening? As she wrestled with her thoughts, she felt Melanie's fingers sliding down her thighs, pushing her shorts to the floor. "Whoa!" she said, turning to face the beautiful designer. "It's not that I don't want this -- heck, it's what I've dreamed about almost forever -- but you and I met less than a half-hour ago. I know we'll become lovers, I can feel it and I know you can feel it, too. But let's at least become friends before we become lovers." Celia stepped in and took Melanie in her arms, kissing her warmly and letting her hands drift down the slim girl's back as her breasts pressed against Melanie's chest. "You know how disappointed I am," Melanie whispered into Celia's ear, running her tongue lightly around and sucking gently on her lobe. "But the connection I felt when we first touched is worth waiting to explore." She kissed Celia's neck as she rubbed her bare back. As the two parted, Melanie took the opportunity to once again cradle Celia's beautiful breasts in her hands. "God, if I had boobs like these I'd be topless all the time and begging people to caress me." Celia moaned in reaction to Melanie's caress, then recovered enough to offer a shy smile. "I feel that way a lot," she said. "I've loved touching my breasts since they first developed. You're actually the first person other than my doctor to touch them -- and don't you dare tell Amber that! -- but now I want to have them touched more than ever. Amber said you were sexy but I don't think she has any idea HOW sexy!" She punctuated her comment with a soft kiss, her tongue darting out to lightly caress Melanie's lips. "Damn! I don't believe you don't have more experience," Melanie said. "You're about the hottest thing to come along since I met Amber, and she won't let me get to first base with her. Let's get a suit on that incredible body of yours before I forget we're in my shop and rape you on the spot!." She picked up the lilac suit and stood behind Celia as the younger girl stepped into the garment. Drawing the straps up Celia's body, Melanie adjusted the fit of the suit at the leg openings and in the center of Celia's breasts, tugging the straps to lift her breasts. Celia's thong created a panty line but the suit fit perfectly, cupping her full breasts and pressing them toward the deep "V" of the suit to create deep cleavage. The color enhanced Celia's dark Mediterranean skintone and hair color and turned her eyes from blue-green to lavender. Melanie thought about actress Elizabeth Taylor and her smouldering eyes as she drank in the beautiful teenager. "I didn't think I would ever see a girl who could rock my suits as much as Amber did in the one I chose for her. But this suit -- and that body -- were absolutely made to be seen together. In fact, I think we should probably print flyers to advertise your first beach day in that suit. Everyone will want to be there for the unveiling." Celia laughed heartily, reaching out to enfold Melanie again. "You are so sweet! No wonder Amber is absolutely in love with you! The only reason I look so good in this suit is that the suit is amazing! I've never felt so comfortable and sexy at the same time in a suit. I usually have to buy separates because my boobs are so much bigger than my bottom but this suit is cut so well and constructed so well that it fits me perfectly without being too tight or too baggy anywhere. I don't even think I want to try on the two-piece. I've never been able to buy a one-piece, certainly nothing this sexy,so this is the one I want." She concluded by hugging Melanie tightly and then kissing her warmly, her tongue not stopping at her lips but plunging deep into the designer's hot, damp mouth. The girls' tongues jousted as their hands wandered up and down overheated young bodies. Reluctantly the girls separated, both panting with desire. "If you kiss me like that again I'm going to have to throw Amber out of the shop, lock the door and ravage you until neither one of us can walk." She kissed Celia softly on the lips. "You and I are definitely going to see a lot of one another!" They walked hand-in-hand from the dressing room to the shop's main floor, catching Amber's eye as they emerged from the short hallway. "Celia! That's the sexiest, prettiest, most-amazing suit I've ever seen! And your eyes look fantastic! You might even be able to convince me to let you feel my boobs when you wear that suit!" Amber laughed along with Melanie and Celia as they hugged in the middle of the store. Their reverie was interrupted as the bell on the shop door signaled a new arrival. The trio separated and Celia scrambled to adjust the suit and to attempt to cover her hard nipples poking through the bra cups. As she raised her head to see who the newcomer was, she saw Amber in a passionate clinch with a tall, lean guy who appeared to have his tongue down Amber's throat and her ass in a two-handed clinch. Celia looked over at Melanie who smiled and shrugged her shoulders as if to say, "What can we do? It happens all the time." Amber broke from her kiss with Sam and turned to her girlfriends. "Ciel, this is Sam. Sam, this is my best friend from home, Celia." Sam reached out to take Celia's hand and was overwhelmed by the brunette fireball. Celia pulled Sam's face to her and planted a hot kiss on his lips, pressing her body against him and grinding her hips against him. Sam pushed back, gasping, then broke into laughter. "Wow, Celia! Amber said you were hot but I had no idea! Now that I've seen you nearly naked and found out you have a very long tongue for such a short girl, I can't imagine what we'll do for our second meeting!" The whole group broke into riotous laughter, Celia blushing fiercely and clutching herself, suddenly aware she was still wearing the sexy suit that Melanie had created. "Let me go and put some clothes on," she said. "As beautiful as this suit is, I don't think it's fair that I'm the only girl with her body on display. And I don't want to steal you away from Amber before the glitter is even off the engagement ring." Chuckling, she darted into the hall ahead of Amber's grasp, bolting the dressing room door to keep her friend from attacking her. "Just kidding, Ams! You know I'd never do anything like that. And the way Sam kisses you, I don't think I'd have a prayer of it anyway. Even dressed -- or nearly dressed -- in this suit!" She ducked into the dressing room to scramble out of the suit and dress, noticing as she pulled her shorts up that the crotch of her thong was nearly dripping with her moisture. She dropped the shorts to the floor and stepped out of them. She pushed the thong off her hips and lifted her legs to remove it. "May as well take it off," she thought. "At least it won't leave a big damp spot in my shorts." She rolled the thong into a tiny ball and wrapped it in a paper towel she found on the dressing room table. She pulled her shorts up on her hips and refastened the clasp, shoving the panties into her pocket. She adjusted her top and glanced briefly in the mirror to check her hair before returning to the group in the store. Amber and Sam were standing with their arms wrapped around one another and Celia was taken aback by how perfect they looked together. It was almost as if she was looking at a couple that had been married for years rather than two teenagers who had met less than a week ago. Her eyes glistened with tears of joy for her dear friend and with a pang of regret that she hadn't found that perfect guy yet. The quartet stood in the center of the store and chatted, Celia content to listen to the byplay between Sam and his sister and still fascinated by how comfortable Amber appeared in Sam's arms. She was still absorbing the abrupt turnaround in Amber's life, from a no-nonsense scholar to a giddy bride-to-be. Celia's chest tightened as her emotions bubbled to the surface, her love for Amber and her own sadness over not having a relationship like her best friend's deep love for Sam. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she missed a question she was asked by Amber. "Ciel! Wake up! I'm sorry if we're boring you here," her friend teased. "I just asked you if you're staying overnight or if you have to get back today. Mom wants to see you and you and I haven't really had much time to catch up on the news of your life ..." "And I sure as hell want to get some time alone with you," Melanie broke in, punctuating her comment with a quick squeeze of Celia's tight young bottom. "So don't go rushing back to the city and leave me with these two horn-dogs. It's hell listening to all the sucking noises every time they're together!" Sam and Amber broke into laughter and Celia -- recovering from the shock of Melanie's hand on her butt and her vagina's reaction to the squeeze -- paused to look at her watch before answering. "I'm sorry about fading away, Ams. I was just caught up in how much you and Sam obviously love one another and how you've never even cared about guys. It's terrific but sad at the same time 'cause I'm going to lose you and I don't have anyone like Sam for myself. Hey, but don't let me drag you all down! I don't have to get back today ... I'll call mom and let her know I'm staying over. I didn't bring extra clothes, though; maybe I can grab a shirt here in town someplace." "I'm sure I have a coverup here in the shop that will work," Melanie said, "though the idea of you not having any clothes is more exciting to me." She turned toward the racks, looking for a top that would fit Celia. The rest of the group talked quietly. "Sam, do your parents know your sister is gay?" Celia asked, her brow furrowed in concern. Amber laughed, then squeezed her friend. "That's exactly what I asked him after I spent an afternoon at the beach with Mel," she said. "Sam says Melanie isn't gay, she just loves people and doesn't care whether they're male or female, gay or straight. You should see her kiss her brother! It's the hottest thing you can imagine and she thinks it's perfectly normal! She even told me she understood why I felt the way I did about Sam -- she said she's even fantasized about being his lover." Sam's face showed his shock. "What! Mel told you that! When?! She must have been kidding." He was stunned, both at the comments and at the twinge that ran through his cock when he heard it. He'd harbored deep fantasies about Melanie for several years, keeping them to himself and fighting against the base reality of his feeling for his sister. "No, big brother, I wasn't kidding," Melanie said quietly, returning to the group with a hanger in her hand. "I think you're the kindest, sweetest, sexiest man on the planet. And if society didn't frown on it and if you weren't so grossed out by the thought I'd have been jumping your bones for years." To prove her veracity, Melanie pulled Sam's head down and kissed him deeply, pressing against him and forcing her tongue into his mouth. Sam's cock twitched in response and Melanie moaned involuntarily. Both parted quickly, embarrassed by their reactions and not wanting to expose their feelings to Amber and Celia. "OK, so now I believe you," Celia said to Amber. "That kiss was as far from a sisterly peck as I could ever imagine. And, Sam, you didn't seem to mind a bit!" Sam struggled to regain his composure. "I'm used to my sex-starved sister," he said. "She can't kiss anyone with her mouth closed. I'm surprised she hasn't given our maiden aunt or bachelor uncle a tongue-washing!" The light mood restored, the group began to break up. Amber and Celia headed back to Amber's cottage with a promise that they'd come to the Wilkins home later. "Let's all go to the beach tomorrow," Melanie said. "I really want to see Celia in that suit again -- since I'm not likely to see her out of it! -- and that way you guys can spend the evening catching up without interruption." Sam was disappointed that he wouldn't see his fiancé tonight but agreed to the plan, knowing he needed to give Amber time with her friend. They all traded hugs and kisses -- Sam and Amber spending more time with one another, and Melanie using the extra time to explore Celia's mouth and butt as they parted. Amber and Celia left the shop and turned toward the cottage. They walked in silence for several minutes before Amber spoke. "Ciel, what did you and Mel do in that dressing room? You guys seem awfully chummy for two girls, let alone two girls who just met. Are you bi? I mean, you're always kidding with me about feeling me up. Are you kidding, or do you really want to have sex with me?" She stopped her friend's progress by gently turning her shoulder and looked into her eyes. "Ams, I think you're one of the hottest girls I know. You're cute and sexy and kind and sweet and you have a killer body. Every guy who sees you -- and probably most of the girls, too -- sees the same thing. As much as I talk about sex and stuff, I don't know any more about it than you do. Melanie came on to me when we were in the dressing room and it really turned me on. But we stopped before anything really happened. I told her not to tell you because I wanted to tell you myself that she was the first person to ever touch my boobs. I don't know if I'm bi since I haven't really done much with guys or girls. But Melanie sure turns me on and if we spend much time together I think we'll end up being lovers. You're safe; I love you like a sister and while I love to tease you about having my way with you I'm not sure I could ever do it. And now that you and Sam are engaged I know I couldn't. But that doesn't mean I don't love you." She pulled Amber into a deep kiss, their bodies melting into one unit. The girls parted, both short of breath. "If that's a sisterly kiss, you have a strange concept of how siblings are supposed to behave," Amber said. "You and Melanie are meant to be together: you're both horny as can be!" Laughing and skipping like schoolgirls, the pair reached the cottage and scrambled up the steps, bumping into Amber's mother as they burst through the door. "Hey, easy there!" Jan said, clutching at Amber to keep her from falling. "Hi, Celia! It's nice to see you. I suspect that Amber has brought you up to date on our busy week?" "Hi, Mrs. Jacobsen. Yes, she told me what she'd done. And I got to meet Melanie and Sam. They're so terrific, it's easy to see how she'd fall in love with Sam. And Melanie is so full of life and joy! Is it OK if I stay overnight? Amber and I still have a lot of talking to do and Sam and Mel want us to go to the beach with them tomorrow. I can call my mom and let her know I won't be coming home tonight so she won't worry." Jan quickly assented and told the girls to go up and get cleaned up for dinner. They dashed up the stairs and fell laughing onto Amber's bed. Celia rolled over and hugged her best friend, kissing her cheek as she pulled Amber's slim body into her own. "Ams, I am SOOO excited for you!" she said. "If you had told me about all of this on the telephone I would have just figured you were suffering from sunstroke and told you to wait until you got home to tell me the rest of the story. You were right to make me come down here before you told me. Sam is absolutely beautiful! I'm happy for you but pissed that you met him before I had a shot at him. I just hope he has a horny friend who needs a curvy little girlfriend!" Amber laughed, her body moving against Celia's as they held one another on the bed. Just as she had with Melanie, Amber was stunned by her body's reaction to the closeness with Celia. This week had taught her a lot about her own sexuality. She'd learned that she not only could be turned on by a boy but that she also could be turned on by a girl. And now she realized that her best girlfriend's body was the second female form that got her motor running. Amber's Summer of Love Ch. 04 At the same time, Celia was assessing her own feelings. When Melanie had grabbed her in the dressing room, she was overwhelmed by her body's reaction. Although she hadn't had much experience with boys she was certain she fancied a sexual relationship with a guy. All of her fantasies featured well-endowed males doing male-type things to her body. But now twice in the same day a girl had gotten her juices flowing -- literally. And while she had teased Amber frequently, she never imagined that her best friend could elicit the kind of response Celia was experiencing. Discomfited, she slipped away from the embrace. Amber, caught up in the moment, reached to pull her friend back into her body. "Don't pull away, Ciel," she whispered. "I love you and I love holding you. Does it upset you that we're so close?" Celia paused to collect her thoughts before answering. "I love you, too, Ams. But you're going to be married, you're my best friend and you're a girl. That's three reasons I shouldn't let my body rule my senses. If I hadn't backed away, I would have kissed you and we might not have stopped. And that would put those three things at risk -- your marriage, our friendship and the fact that we're both girls." Amber chuckled deeply as she softly caressed her friend's shoulders. "Ciel, nothing will come between Sam and I. We both realize we have several years ahead of us before we can be married and we both want to be virgins when we marry. That said, we also know it's unlikely we'll be able to abstain from any sort of sexual activity for the next four or five years. So if you and I become involved, it won't threaten my relationship with Sam. In fact, I would never let anything like that happen without telling Sam about it. So if you feel toward me like I feel toward you, let go of your concerns and kiss me." With that she pulled her friend to her and kissed her deeply, her tongue exploring Celia's mouth while her hands drifted down her friend's back to her round bottom. Celia moaned in surrender, rolling onto her back and pulling Amber on top of her, cupping Amber's tight butt in her hands as their bodies writhed in passion. "Ams! I can't believe you're doing this," Celia panted. "You never even wanted to TALK about sex and now you want to do it -- and with ME!!" "Shut up and kiss me, Ciel!" Amber said, grinding her hips against her friend as she supported her upper body with one arm so she could reach up and fill her free hand with Celia's soft, firm left breast. She explored the mound, feeling the pebble of Celia's nipple blossom under her touch. As the girls kissed, Amber continued exploring her friend's bosom, drifting from one breast to the other in tune with Celia's encouraging sighs and moans. Celia, usually the spontaneous and crazy one of the two, reluctantly broke the hot kiss and pushed free of Amber. "Ams, I love you. And I really, really love what you are doing. But your mom told us to get ready for dinner and if we keep this up we won't make it to dinner. Give me a minute to pull myself together; we've got all night if you want to continue this later. I know I do ... as scary and weird as it seems right now." Amber kissed her friend softly and caressed her cheek. "I do love you Ciel. None of this seems real to me but I know I'd like to pick this up later. If we become lovers I will be the happiest girl in the world. And if not, you're still my best friend ever. Just don't push me away because you're worried about what other people might say. Give me -- and yourself -- the chance to find out what's right for us, not what's right according to someone else." She punctuated her little speech with another soft kiss and a light squeeze of Celia's breast. "I am still trying to get my head around all the stuff that's happened today," Celia said. "I have always thought you were the hottest girl I knew and now I'm sure of it. I am pretty certain I like boys better than girls but you and Melanie have churned something up inside me and I want to find out what happens if I let myself go. I guess I do care a lot about what other people think -- that's why I'm such a noisy clown: If they don't like me, I can blame it on my act. If I just act natural and they don't like me, then it's ME. I don't think I could deal with that. So if we do become lovers, please tell me it'll be something between us and you won't go and kiss me in the halls at school or anything." Amber kissed her friend on the nose and squeezed her butt as she rose from the bed. "Ciel, I'd never jeopardize our friendship. If we do make love to one another, it will be between us. I will tell Sam because not doing that would be cheating on him. And if it bothers him, I won't do it again, even though I think I want to do it with you often. I'm as stunned as you are that I have this insatiable appetite for sex with everyone after being so against the idea for so long. Just put up with me for a while and understand, please? You're my best-forever friend and I really do want you to understand." The girls stood by the bed and clung together, content just to share space with one another and not needing to say anything. Their reverie was broken by Amber's mother as she called the pair to supper. Celia, remembering that she needed to call her mother, grabbed her cell phone as she pushed Amber toward the stairs. "Go ahead and tell your mom I'll be right there. I need to call my mom so she won't worry that I'm not home." Dinner was an animated affair with Celia dominating the conversation. Her high-pitched chuckle and her nonstop narration kept Amber and her mother engrossed as they dined. Celia's week -- while nowhere near as dramatic as Amber's -- was full of typically teen activities: mall trips, sunbathing, daytime "mutant" TV, as Celia labeled it. She made each routine event sound like a showstopper and both Amber and Jan smiled broadly at the bubbly teen's enthusiasm. The girls chased Jan onto the porch as they took over the after-meal cleanup, tidying the kitchen as they continued their friendly chatter. Jan settled into a chair on the porch, closing her eyes as the musical lilt of the girls' conversation drifted over the evening air. She was nearly asleep when a board on the porch creaked, signaling an arrival. Her eyes opened to see a form silhouetted against the setting sun. "Excuse me, is this Amber Jacobsen's cottage?" a distinctly male voice asked. Jan found herself intrigued and a bit aroused by the deep resonance of the voice and she rose from her chair to move to a better vantage point on the porch. "It is," she said. "I'm her mother, Jan. Is Amber expecting you?" She strained to see details of the man's face without seeming too curious or forward. "No, she's not expecting me," the man said. "I'm Sam's father, Mike Wilkins. I was in the neighborhood and thought I'd stop by. Amber had said you had returned to work so I expected to catch her here. My wife and I wanted to invite you and Amber to lunch on Friday if you could break free. We're excited by the kids' engagement and they said you shared our excitement. So we thought we should get to know one another since we're going to be family -- or at leasts." Jan took Mike's extended hand in hers and grasped it warmly. "Well, hello Mike. I'm so glad I was here to greet you. I'm sure I can arrange to take Friday; I only agreed to return to work early on the condition that it not be fulltime yet. I don't want to cut our beach holiday short particularly now that Sam and Amber have created this firestorm of excitement. Just this morning Amber and I were talking about having you folks over for brunch. Would that be more convenient for you? I don't want to put your wife to a lot of trouble on our account." "Doris is really anxious to meet you," Mike said, "and she'd probably kill me if I accepted your kind offer and did not allow her to fuss over you. She delights in entertaining and started planning for Friday as soon as the idea left her mouth. So since I don't want to risk ending a really happy 30-year relationship I will have to decline and insist that you come to our place." Jan laughed happily. "I'd be delighted. Since Sam will be there, I don't even have to ask Amber. She'll be there whether I show up or not. And although it sounds like I won't hear anything from her, please tell your wife to call me if I can bring anything or do anything to help." Mike took Jan's hands in his. "It's a real delight to meet you, Jan, and I know you and Doris will become good friends. She'll be angry at me for having met you first but at least this way I will have gotten a word in before the two of you get started. I'll ask Sam to come escort you and Amber on Friday. Have a great evening!" Jan found herself watching Mike as he walked down the boardwalk away from the cottage. No wonder Amber was so caught up in Sam in such a short time, she thought. If Mike weren't so obviously happy in his marriage she'd be making a play for him. The Wilkins men must really have a corner on the sexy testosterone market!