Dixie

"Oh."

"We swim nude and sometimes have cocktails in the nude too."

"You said the women, how many are there?"

"It varies, but never a lot of people. There would be Charles, or rather Chuck and Sandy, they're my best friends. On occasion, Gwen, his sister, is there..."

"Brother and sister, and they're naked together?"

"I thought you might question that one. That's right. Gwen and I have become very good friends too."

"I'll just bet you have. Sorry, I'm doing it again."

He smiled and said, "Dixie, relax, you're doing nothing wrong. I know the whole thing is weird and so do they, but nobody gets hurt and we all get along great and have a great time."

"Who else?"

"It depends on who he invites if anybody. Except for rare exceptions, it's just the four of us."

"So you're not inviting me because it would be awkward for me to see your friends...and you naked and me in a tiny bikini." He showed her his most charming smile and just stared at her trying to decide what to say.

"You're sitting there picturing me naked aren't you?"

He hadn't been, but his smile continued and he said, "Yes I am." She dropped back against the couch and looked up at the ceiling. She didn't know what to do or say, but she did know she couldn't look at him right then. "You look fantastic too."

She moaned and said, "Oh my God," but she still didn't look at him.

Then without thinking it through she said, "You don't know, but what I could have inverted nipples or scars or big ugly tattoos or something."

"I do know you don't have inverted nipples."

"How could you possibly know that?"

"From watching you sleep. Your top was stretched across your chest."

She looked down and licked her lips and said, "A few hours ago...just a few hours ago you were still on your way home and I was calmly taking care of you...I mean of your house. You hadn't stared at me and scared the life out of me. We hadn't had that almost unbelievable conversation in the kitchen and you hadn't even thought of me being naked."

"How do you know what I think of when I see you?"

"Damn it Loren, I'm having enough trouble with this as it is."

"Okay I'm sorry. You're right I never have."

Then she knocked him back by asking, "Why not?"

"What? Just a second ago you were..."

"I mean you're thinking of me being naked now, but why not before? What has changed or what has triggered your...your, whatever you call it, thoughts maybe." He moved over and sat next to her and she tried to scoot away from him a little bit.

He put his arm around her waist and firmly pulled her back against him and said, "I don't bite, and I promise not to rip your clothes off." She licked her lips again and he said, "I've never noticed that before."

"Noticed what?"

"That whenever you get nervous you lick your lips."

"I do not."

"Want to put a wager on that?" She didn't answer him. He turned to face her a little more and said, "Okay, here it is. I don't know if or when Chuck and Sandy could have us out there, but I'm officially asking you to go with me if the opportunity presents itself."

"Why?"

"Holy shit, why am I inviting you?"

"Yes."

"Why not, how many times do I have to tell you that I like you? I have a lot of respect for you because when you first came here you were introverted, and you weren't inclined to even have a conversation with me. But now, you are a very attractive woman that's not the least introverted, and you have...blossomed, is the only way I can think to describe you. I like talking to you and...well, being with you. I think we would be very compatible and have a great time going out there."

She showed the first hint of a smile as she told him, "It isn't the trip out there that's the issue."

"Are you saying you're considering it?"

"I'll admit to considering it." He put his hand behind her neck and pulled her to him and into his lips. She stiffened and then relaxed and then opened her mouth slightly to receive him. Her hand went his arm and they leaned against the back of the couch, as the kiss continued just a little longer. They moved just enough so they could look at each other and she asked, "Why did you do that?"

"Because your next argument was going to be, we've never even kissed so how could we ever be naked together. Now we've kissed, so that is no longer an issue."

"Okay, so now we've kissed let's get naked right?"

He smiled and said, "Works for me."

She couldn't hide her smile as she said, "Well, not for me. You seem so cavalier about all of this, but to me, being naked in front of you and a couple that I don't even know would be a life altering experience."

He got serious then and said, "I know it is, and I'm not being cavalier. That's why I was at a loss about inviting you. I want to share the experience with you, but I'm afraid I could lose you as my housekeeper and very good friend."

"How long have you been thinking about this?"

"For quite awhile actually."

Her eyes locked onto his and she asked him, "Loren, is there anything that you're not telling me?"

"I don't think so."

She stood up so he stood up next to her and as she turned to collect the coffee cups, he said, "Oh, there is one other small detail."

"What's that," she asked as she set the carafe on the serving tray.

"We have to sleep together on the boat."

She spun around and said, "We have to sleep together? You almost forgot to tell me that part? Then you casually mention that we have to sleep together?"

"Well the boat can sleep just so many. It isn't a huge boat."

"Loren, we can't just sleep together. My God, we just kissed for the first time, and just one time."

"Are you saying that if we kiss more it will be okay?"

"Of course I'm not saying that."

"It wouldn't be a big deal. I mean sleeping together. We'd be mostly naked or totally naked anyway."

"But not in bed together at the same time. I can't believe you. We're losing track of something here. I'm your housekeeper, not your lover, or whatever, your housekeeper."

"You're my best friend."

"A minute ago I was your very good friend, but now I've graduated to your best friend. Is that because you might see me naked?"

"It's because you're my best friend."

"Loren, I'm not in the habit of getting naked in front of other people, especially people I don't know."

"But you know me quite well. You even handle my underwear."

"This isn't funny and knowing you so well and seeing you everyday, might make it even worse to have you see me in the buff, or me see you naked. We have to come home and see each other everyday again. I have to go back to being your housekeeper. Loren, I want to go so badly. To be with you on that boat and see things. I haven't even been out of town in over two years, but I can't imagine me just peeling off my clothes in front of you, and...Chuck, whoever he is. I just don't do things like that."

Loren could almost taste his disappointment. "Please think it over."

"I will and I can't tell you how flattered I am that you would even consider taking me with you. It puts me into quite a predicament in fact. I even try to picture myself naked in front of you."

"So do I in fact."

She smiled again and said, "Okay I'm going home. My head is spinning and I can't focus or think straight."

"Just think about it please?"

"You know I will." She paused at the backdoor and then turned and told him, "Thank you for the kiss."

"Thank you too and anytime."

Chapter Ten

It was past nine o'clock when Ginny called Loren. "Well how did it go?"

"Not as I would have hoped."

"You in trouble with her?"

"No. I even thought she might say yes for awhile, but then she all but said no. She's going to think about it."

"If she didn't say no, then she really is thinking about it. What do you think the biggest hang up is?"

"Being naked, of course."

"Her or you?"

"Yes."

"So okay take her with you, but don't get naked."

"I can guarantee that Chuck and Sandy would be naked, and to be honest I like to be too. I like swimming nude and sunning and just hanging out in the nude."

"Cute choice of words, I'd like to see you hang out naked too."

"Do you think Frank would agree to that?"'

She laughed and said, "Not hardly, but it's a nice thought. I'll bet your friends would be surprised if we made love in front of them."

"Then again, probably not because they are very liberal."

"I like them and I don't even know them."

"You know Ginny, maybe you're right, or at least partly so. I could tell her she could just wear a tiny bikini, but I would be naked. Maybe that compromise would change her mind."

"It might."

"I knew you were more than just fantastic in bed."

"Now you have me thinking about us again. Well, good luck lover."

"Thanks, I'll probably need it."

Monday morning, Dixie made no reference to the boat, or their conversation, or the kiss, as she fixed their breakfast, and Loren didn't bring it up either until over one last cup of coffee he said, "I have a proposition for you."

She sat down and said, "Okay, and what might that be?"

"You'd wear a micro bikini or at least a tiny bikini, and I'd still be naked sometimes." She looked at him without commenting so he added, "Well, it's something else for you to think about."

"And I promise I'll think about it." Then as he got ready to leave she told him, "Have a good day."

He came back to her and kissed her cheek and said, "Thanks."

"What was that for?"

"I felt like Ward Cleaver going to work while June stays home."

She just smiled and said, "Go to work."

Loren had the typical hectic Monday but he managed to get away well before six and headed home. He rode along with his tie pulled loose and the top two buttons on his white shirt undone and his jacket tossed into the backseat. He knew that once home, he'd have a cold beer and dinner would be waiting for him either in the fridge or on the stove compliments of Dixie. He went straight to his bedroom where he stripped down and put on a pair of shorts and an old faded tee shirt that said, you got crabs at Gleason's Crab Shack, and padded back to the kitchen in his bare feet. With his cold beer in hand he stood at the kitchen table and thumbed through the mail and paused at a long envelope when he more felt than heard something behind him. He turned around and broke into a smile. "What are you still doing here?"

"That's a very unflattering greeting."

"I'm sorry Dixie, you're right." He stepped closer to her and said, "Let me try again. You look hot, does that mean what I hope it means?"

"That's a little better, but I had to coax it out of you. No, it doesn't mean I've decided, but I had to know that I could even stand in front of you in a regular bikini."

"Obviously you can, and I thank you. It's a conservative one, but I'm still very impressed."

"Thank you, I had to start with something simple like this."

"So I get to see you in something less conservative?"

"You are too impatient."

"There are those at the office that would agree with you totally."

Stepping over to her he put his arm around her. She left her arms at her side and asked, "What are you doing?"

"Getting you used to the idea of being in a bikini."

"Are you telling me we're going to be in each other's arms all the time?"

"No, that's not what I mean." She was trying not to smile as she stared at him and put her hands on his arms again. I thought that...how can I explain my reasoning?"

"I'm anxious to find out."

"If you're comfortable in that bikini, and then get comfortable in that bikini with my arms around you, it should make it easier to change into a less conservative one."

"I'm not following your logic I'm afraid."

He moved his hands up and down her low back in a slow caressing fashion and said, "So my warm arms and hands around you don't have any effect on how you feel standing there in a bikini?"

If it was having an effect on her, she wasn't showing it. "It feels very nice, but I don't get the connection to another bikini."

"Oh well, I thought I was onto something. Oh wait, I know what will help you be more comfortable. From what you said, I assume you do have another bikini here right?"

"Yes, I bought it at Penney's today."

"Go put that on and I'll meet you back here in a few minutes."

"This I have to see," and she headed to the bathroom to change.

He stayed in his room until he heard her exit the bathroom, and then waited a few seconds before going out. She was standing in the kitchen again right where they were minutes before. When she saw him appear she stared at him and started to laugh and couldn't stop. He just stood there smiling at her and she wiped tears from her eyes and then laughed again. She managed to spit out, "What are you wearing?"

"A bathing suit."

She lost it again and then asked, "What's under your suit," and she wiped her eyes again.

"This is my layered look."

"Are you wearing those ugly long legged skivvies under your suit?"

"Well yeah."

"Oh damn, I wish I had a camera right now, I'd blackmail you into giving me a raise. Loren, you sweetheart, you look so absurd and funny my sides hurt."

"Oh sure, make fun of me," and she laughed yet again. He suspected she was very nervous standing there in her now much less conservative bikini, and once she started to laugh, she lost control. He just hoped she had laughed herself through what had to be a very uncomfortable moment for her. She was still smiling and her eyes were still wet when he put his arms around her again and pulled her closer to him. "You look awesome. Very sexy and awesome, and thank you for doing this for me," and she licked her lips a couple of times.

"Loren, I don't know if this is going to work. I was raised in a very conservative Catholic family. I'm so nervous and embarrassed just standing here in front of you like this. I can't even bring myself to show you my other bikini."

"What other bikini?"

"I bought two of them."

He kept her in his arms and told her, "I'd give anything to see you in the other one, but only you can decide about that. Dixie, I really do want you to go with me. What can I do for you to get you to say yes?"

Her arms were around his waist loosely and she lost her smile and said, "I don't know, Loren." Her hands were moving over his warm waist ever so lightly and slowly as she told him, "I really do want to go with you, I really do. But I don't want to lessen your fun, and I couldn't stand to embarrass you in front of your friends."

"Dixie, what could you possibly do to embarrass me in front of Chuck and Sandy?"

"I don't know, but I worry about that. Even if I could bring myself to wear the other suit while there, I'd still be the only one with anything on. I'd feel like a prude or something. I'd be the ugly duckling in a flock of swans."

He kissed her. Then he hesitated and said, "I know you weren't fishing for a compliment, but I'm going to give you one anyway. You are anything but an ugly duckling. I told you before that you are attractive, charming, and interesting, and now I have to add, so very, very sexy. I had no idea just how sexy you are. You've been hiding a beautiful body under those conservative clothes you wear." She licked her lips again.

She took a deep breath and then told him, "Thank you. If I thought you were just spitting out empty words, I'd run home crying, but I know you're sincere."

"Of course I am. I have no need to lie to make a point. There isn't a man alive that can see that would disagree with me."

"But it still comes down to the fact that you'll be down there without your suit on," and then she paused and smiled at him saying, "Or your underwear, of course, and I'll be wearing my bikini."

"Question, do you still feel awkward and ready to run away standing here as I stare at you?"

"Awkward yes, because I'm almost naked in front of my boss, but I'm not going to run anywhere."

"But remember, we'll be on the boat, way out on the water somewhere so it will just be the four of us...well, unless he invites Gwen or something."

"I know you don't understand why this is all so hard for me."

"I think I do, but I'm just frustrated because I'm not solving the problem. You're not able to say yes, I'll go with you."

"Do I have to decide right now?"

"Of course not, as long as it's warm weather, we have a chance to go out there. Oh, I just had another good idea to get you comfortable."

"What's that?"

He reached for his suit with one hand and teasingly said, "I'll strip and you can get used to looking at me naked."

She grabbed his suit and said, "Don't you dare. I'm...God, you scared me. I'm not ready for anything like that."

"I'll strip to my skivvies."

"You do that and I'll just laugh."

"Okay and before she could stop him, he jerked his suit down and kicked it halfway across the room. What he didn't take into account, was his skivvies were pretty thin and she could make out the outline of his manhood. She held her breath, and licked her lips quickly and then looked back into his eyes again. "Why are you intent on upsetting my whole life? You are going to drive me crazy, do you know that?"

"I'm just trying to get you to go on vacation with me and have a wonderful time. I know I'll call it a Christmas present. It's not polite to refuse a gift."

"It's not polite to stand in front of your housekeeper in your funny skivvies either."

"It's for a worthy cause."

"I think you just like to get your way, and you're not used to having somebody tell you no."

"Okay, Dr. Freud. I'll have you know I have people tell me no every once in awhile. Of course, they don't work for me anymore," and he smiled.

"Now be serious. I'm right I'll bet."

"I'll admit to being a little spoiled, but I can take no when I have no choice. You said yourself that you really want to go so we have a common objective, a common goal. Now do I get to see you in your other suit?"

"Today?"

"Why not? I mean you're used to me seeing you like this now, but if you wait until another day it will just be harder than ever for you."

"You are just so full of logic. Loren, that suit is so tiny it's almost like being naked."

"Then why did you buy it?"

"Because I want to be able to loosen up and wear that for you, I have to try."

"Then please put it on for me. Nobody is here but you and me. Nobody will ever know about this, unless you want them to know. If you can get used to wearing that bikini then we can call Chuck and Sandy."

"Now that's blatant bribery."

"Whatever it takes, I'll even throw in a gift or two."

"Loren, now be serious."

"I am being serious."

"I still don't understand why you're so insistent that I go with you."

"Because of all the reasons I've told you. No hidden agenda and no tricks. I just want us to have a great time and come home with wonderful memories."

"You could take about anybody you'd like to though."

"I know and that's why I want to take you. She was licking her lips again as she said, "Do you really understand when I say that suit covers so little of me?"

"I've been around long enough to have a very good idea of what you are talking about and I've seen a few of them on women at pool parties and so forth. I will not be shocked that's for sure."

Her hands were on his hips and she tipped her head back with her eyes closed and took a deep breath and let it out in a long sigh...and licked her lips again. "Oh God, how will I face you every morning knowing you've seen almost all of that there is to see."

"Pretend that you were in an accident and I was there to help you. But during the accident your clothes were ripped to shreds and I saw all of you as I rescued you. Would you feel all embarrassed and awkward when you saw me later?"

"That's different."