Beware the Quiet One

"Of course you would say that," Grace grumbled.

"Excuse me?" Sally demanded, sitting up.

"That was out of line, Grace," Keisha stepped in. "Face it, you lost the vote. You can go out there yourself if you want, you know."

"What fun would that be?" Grace whined. But she gave up the fight. "Fine. Let's all shower then, and dinner and an early night it is."

"We have a bath in our bedroom," Cindy told Grace. "Sally and Keisha, yours is over there by the kitchen door. There should be towels in there already."

"Mind if I go first, Sally?" Keisha asked.

"Not at all." Sally was once again curled up on the couch, privately counting the seconds until she might have a moment alone. If she never got any privacy in the living room, there was always the shower head.

"Great!" Cindy said. "See you all soon, then." While Keisha was off to the bathroom, Grace followed Cindy into the master bedroom and Cindy almost shut the door...but left it ajar.

Sally hadn't taken notice of Cindy leaving the bedroom door open a crack. All she knew was that she probably had five blissful minutes to herself. After three days, that would be more than enough, she knew. She sat up and picked up a quilt that was draped over the couch, folding it to just the right thickness as she could have done in her sleep after all these years, and set it on the middle cushion. Sally knelt over the bundle and, after one cursory look at the bathroom and bedroom doors to ensure she was alone, she gathered up her skirt and lay down with the quilt between her thighs. The first push was a divine relief, the second even more intense, and soon she was humping with utter abandon.

Inside the bedroom, Cindy held her finger to her lips and pointed to the not-quite-closed door.

"What?" Grace whispered.

"Sally's alone out there," Cindy replied. "Since we know she didn't do it back at that restaurant, what do you think she's up to now?"

"Now? With all of us right here?" Grace looked skeptical.

Cindy tiptoed to the door and opened it a crack, and leaned over so Grace could scoot in under her and they would both get a look. Sure enough, after four years of only hearing Sally masturbating, now they at last got to see her humping the couch with utter abandon. She was facing away from them and was very much wrapped up in her private thoughts, so she was never aware of her audience. With her heavy breathing, she never heard Cindy shut the door at last, and of course she never heard Cindy and Grace dissolving into quiet laughter behind the door.

"That poor girl!" Grace said. "God, how lonely she must be!"

"I know!" Cindy agreed. "I sure hope she finds a man someday."

"He might not last very long at her pace, will he?" Grace said. She was soon laughing uncontrollably, and so Cindy took advantage of her condition and took her shower first.

Sally enjoyed one intense, cathartic orgasm and allowed herself a moment to catch her breath, and then hastily returned the quilt to where she had found it. She had herself rearranged innocently on the couch for less than one minute when Keisha appeared in the bathroom doorway. "I made it as quick as I could, Sally," she said.

"No problem," Sally said. "I think I love this couch anyway."

"That's good," Keisha said just before she disappeared into the bedroom, suppressing a smile as she was able to guess why Sally would fall in love with a couch. Sally waited until Keisha had shut the door before she set about undressing. She didn't mind any of the others seeing her naked, as the four of them had all seen each other in various stages of undress over the years; but she didn't want to give the others any ideas about her plans for Monday. Better to make it a complete surprise!

Since none of them cared to face even ten more minutes in the Cadillac, much less to be the designated driver, Cindy led them into town on foot. It was a typical affluent seaside town, replete with cafes and tourist traps everywhere. They were a bit ahead of the dinner rush, and at Cindy's recommendation they settled on a café with a dazzling view of the setting sun -- and of the guys on the beach. Despite the pleasant surroundings, the matter of gas money -- an on-again off-again battle throughout their time on the road -- soon bubbled up again. Grace, having supplied the beautiful but inefficient vehicle, found herself on the offensive once again. "Come on, this was a once in a lifetime trip, it deserved a once in a lifetime car! You loved the ride, you all know you did!"

"Sure we did," Keisha allowed, "But you can't expect us to believe even you were happy about just how much gas that thing takes, Grace."

"Well, of course not, but so what? It's our last hurrah!"

"I already have enough student loan debt to worry about without all the gas money that thing has on my credit card now," Cindy said. "You know, I could argue that I ought to get a break on the bill because I'm supplying the lodging!"

"It's your uncle who did that, not you!" Grace shot back. "Besides, what about wear and tear on my car?"

"Your father's car," Keisha corrected.

"Same diff."

"No it isn't!"

"Guys!" As usual, Sally was the last to speak up, but the most authoritative once she did. "Look, we didn't come here because it would be cheap! We came here to spend some quality time together before we go out into the mean old world. Can't we do that now and worry about gas money later?"

"What she said," Keisha said with an approving nod.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Cindy allowed. "But I'm sure you can understand why I'm frustrated about this. I just didn't think it would be this expensive."

"Well, none of us is really in a position to beg off her share," Grace said. "Although I do think given that it's my dad's car..."

"Not again!" Keisha interjected. "No one is ever going to agree to that. Get over it."

Cindy perked up suddenly. "I have an idea you might go for, Grace," she said. Before going on, she took a long sip of her margarita, her mouth curling into a sassy grin around the straw. Once she had set her glass down, she turned and looked out at the beach. "So many cute guys out there...no doubt we all gave some thought to a fling while we're here. Or at least Grace and Keisha and I must have."

"Hey!" Sally piped up.

"Sorry! I just honestly didn't think that was your thing, Sally. But if you say so. Anyway. Here's my idea. The first one of us who gets a worthwhile guy -- not just getting laid, any girl can do that with some loser, but someone worthwhile -- doesn't have to chip in on the gas on the way home."

Sally didn't dignify the suggestion with a response. Keisha looked like she wanted to slap Cindy. But Grace was receptive. "Not bad," she allowed. "But how do we define 'worthwhile'?"

"You'll know it when you see it," Cindy said. "Honor system, we all know each other well enough to know if one of us is lying just to get out of paying for gas, don't we?"

Keisha and Grace both acknowledged that they did, and Sally nodded reluctantly, wondering if she was even supposed to be in on the wager. She had not, after all, complained about the gas money in the first place, plus she had always been vaguely aware of her friends' slight condescension about her relatively straight-laced lifestyle.

"So what do you say?" Cindy went on. "It rewards good behavior, keeps us away from the many jerks out there on the beach, it might lead to a lovely memory, and you save a little on the drive home. Who's in?"

Cindy looked back and forth from Keisha to Grace, waiting to see who would cave first. None of the three expected the reply she did get: Sally declared, "I am."

"WHAT?" Grace made no effort to hide her surprise.

"I didn't even really think..." Cindy began.

"I know," Sally told her with a smile. "That's why I'm in."

"Sally, no offence," Keisha said. "But I thought you were a..."

"Virgin? I am," Sally said. "So isn't it time I change that?"

"Aren't you saving yourself for marriage?" Cindy demanded.

"No," Sally corrected her. "Just for the right guy. But I'm beginning to think I've been a bit too demanding about that. Now, Keisha and Grace? You too?"

"If she's in, I'm in," Grace said with resignation.

"Make it unanimous," Keisha said. "At least there ought to be some fun in it, no matter who gets stuck with the bill."

"Well..." Now Cindy sounded like she regretted the whole idea; but it was a done deal. "May the best woman win." She raised her glass and they drank a toast, and then the conversation turned to matters more pleasant, or at least less confrontational.

After dinner there was talk of club-hopping -- mostly from Cindy and Grace -- but all four friends were still rather tired from the drive, and the last rays of sunshine were obscured by dark clouds, suggesting a coming thunderstorm. So they settled on a stop by the nearest grocery store to stock up on drinks for tonight and meals for tomorrow. The threatened storm arrived shortly after they returned home, and there was no more talk of going out for the evening. Instead, Cindy unlocked the cabinet in the living room that contained her uncle's DVD collection, and the four friends spent a contented evening drinking and reminiscing and occasionally paying attention to the movie. There was no further teasing or needling about anything, much less arguing about their wager, for there was a fierce rainstorm outside and a cold real world they were all about to be thrust into, and tonight they were together.

When they all finally called it a night, the glow of friendship stopped Cindy and Grace from any rude speculation about what Sally might do to the couch. So they never knew that once Sally was sure the others were shut away for the night, she humped her way to two more orgasms before unfolding the quilt and falling asleep beneath it. With what she had up her sleeve for Monday, anything could happen regarding their silly bet, after all. They might well beat her at her own game if they were brave enough to play it...but Sally doubted that very much!

Sally had, as usual, had the least to drink among her friends. That plus the bright sunshine from the front windows meant she was the first to wake up by quite some time. She saw no reason to wait for the others, so after a leisurely breakfast and a quick shower, she put on her swimsuit. It was a one-piece, but a very elegant-looking two-tone blue one that was much more flattering to her full figure than a bikini would have been, and it always made her feel beautiful. This morning was no exception, as she checked herself out in the full-length mirror by the kitchen door to make sure everything was in place. Surely the others hadn't really expected her to wear a bikini anyway! She didn't even own one...but they didn't need to know that just yet. She slathered sunblock on her arms, legs, face and as much of her back as she could reach by herself, and burst out onto the deck and beyond into the cool sand and the warm sunshine.

The sand was still crunchy from the rain last night, until Sally reached the waterline. The water was quite cool, but it felt pleasant on her feet and she stood, rooted in the sand and gazing out into the water, wonderfully at peace. Then, with her plans in mind, she turned around to survey just how private their private beach was. Not very: from the water, the neighbors' backyards were readily visible for a few doors in each direction. Then again, maybe some of the neighbors knew what day tomorrow was as well! That idea and the accompanying nervous anticipation made Sally want to play with herself again, so she braved the cool water and sauntered in up to chest level. No one could tell from there as she reached inside her swimsuit, even if anyone had been awake to see her!

She was used to the temperature by the time she was done, so she set about frolicking lazily in the water, swimming a few laps as best she could now and again in the waves when she felt like it. She neither knew nor cared about the time, but the sun was quite a bit higher and the water warmer when at last she heard Grace call to her from the beach. "Sally! How long have you been out here?!"

"I don't know! Come on in, the water's great!"

To Sally's mild surprise, Grace accepted her invitation. She was wearing a skimpy pink bikini that looked flimsy enough to be lost in the waves; but Grace still had her bare essentials covered when she reached Sally. She looked nearly as happy as Sally felt. "Isn't this wonderful?!" Sally said. "Worth every bit of the long trip! Now you can see why I lost track of the time, can't you?"

"It's great, all right!" Grace agreed. "I wish you'd woken us all up, though."

"No, you don't," Sally said. "You needed your sleep, and I figured you'd all be up once you were ready. It is a vacation, after all."

"I guess," Grace admitted. "Just that I think we were all looking forward to getting out onto the beach at the same time."

"So you and Cindy could give me a hard time about not being in a bikini," Sally said all too knowingly.

"No!" Grace protested. Sally gave her a polite but firm knowing look. "Okay, maybe...but really, we tease you because we love you, you know that, don't you?"

"Sure you do," Sally said.

"I'm sorry, Sally." Grace felt horribly guilty of a sudden. "We really do love you."

"Thank you," Sally said. She thought about adding "I love you too," but couldn't quite bring herself to do it. Regardless, she and Grace joined hands and waded back up to the shore, where Cindy and Keisha were now waiting for them. Sally was not at all surprised to note that they were attired just as skimpily as Grace was: Cindy in black and Keisha in a wonderfully flashy silver tone.

Cindy was smirking at Grace as they stepped out of the water. "I told --" she began.

Grace shushed her. "The water's great!" she announced in a voice too cheerful to be real, but at least Cindy got the hint. "You should take a turn too!"

As if to egg her on in that respect, Sally kicked up some of the surf in Cindy's direction. "See, it's wonderful!" she teased.

"We'll see about that!" Cindy replied, and she jumped and tackled Sally in the receding tide, both of them laughing with abandon as they wrestled in the salty water. Soon enough they were all four splashing about, the strife and tension of yesterday utterly forgotten. Cindy had found a Frisbee somewhere in her uncle's storage bin just inside the house, and a long and energetic game of catch ensued.

Their happy splashing about caught the attention of their next door neighbors, who were also enjoying a late morning. None of the women was sure just when the guys first noticed them, or whether the guys saw them first or vice versa. What did matter was that one chiseled young man in navy-blue bikini briefs sloshed out to greet them and, to their mild surprise, stopped at a respectable distance. "Morning!" he called out. "My name's Dan and my buddies and I are staying next door. Can we join your game?"

His tiny, skintight trunks made it all too clear how happy he was to make their acquaintance. All four friends would have been only too happy to welcome his lovely, tan and nearly bare body into the mix, to say nothing of his three friends hanging back on their slice of the beach. After a quick glance among one another that made it clear they were all thinking the same way, Keisha spoke up. "Sure, come on in!"

"Almost too perfect for our little deal, isn't it?" Keisha asked the others as Dan waded back to let his friends know they could join. "Four of them, four of us."

"I'm sure they're thinking the same," Grace noted.

"What do you suppose their reward is for the first to get lucky?" Cindy mused.

"They're guys, they don't need a prize, silly!" Keisha reminded them. All four laughed, although Sally was a bit slower joining in than the others. Willingly they spread out their circle to welcome the guys, and they splashed out into the water. Introductions were called out from a safe distance, and the guys mingled as best they could. Dan took advantage of his having taken the lead and positioned himself between Grace and Cindy, neither of whom minded his company a bit. The others followed his lead, and the circle was soon alternating girl-boy to everyone's pleasure.

Small talk abounded along with Frisbee-throws, and soon they learned the guys were all a couple of years younger than they were, on a short break before heading back for a summer term at their college up north. Dan was very much the alpha-male, not shy about explaining that it was his parents' beach house and they would be coming down later in the week, but for now he and his buddies had the place to themselves. "We're leaving the day after tomorrow," Dan said. "Party hard, study hard, you know."

"We know all right," Cindy said. "We just graduated, so I guess it's work hard from now on, but we're here to have a heck of a last hurrah."

"Hope we can help you with that!" piped up one of the other guys, who had been introduced as Gabe. He had positioned himself on Cindy's other side and was focusing far more on her than on the Frisbee. He spoke with a cowboy-style accent that sounded fake to Sally, though that was only a guess on her part.

"Always a class-act there, Gabe," spoke up Ron, who was sandwiched between Keisha and Sally. In a lower voice, he turned to Sally and said, "Sorry, he's always making comments like that!"

"Thanks," Sally said, welcoming the opportunity to look at Ron and admire his well-sculpted chest. He and Gabe were both built and bronzed just like Dan, Gabe having the added distinction of plenty of chest-hair, which had been greatly titillating to Sally before he opened his mouth. But it was their other friend who really intrigued her. Nate, on her right, was clearly the quiet one of the group, with a friendly smile but little to say, his dark hair a bit longer than his clean cut friends' cropped 'dos, the only one of the guys in baggy trunks that left a bit to the imagination, and the only one among all eight of them who was wearing a shirt -- a worn white t-shirt, but a shirt nevertheless -- clearly he was their Sally, and she immediately found him intriguing.

The feeling was clearly mutual, for she let her gaze wander his way a couple of times and always found him looking at her. The first time, he flashed a shy smile and quickly looked away. The second, he gave her the same smile but held her gaze this time. Sally gave him a welcoming look in return and felt a warm connection. She also felt a pleasant tickle on realizing that even in her modest swimsuit, she was revealing more than he was. If only Nate knew what she had planned for tomorrow! But from the way he was looking at her, she suspected he would likely approve.

She approved of what she saw as well, and when the Frisbee game inevitably petered out, she was delighted to find him tamping down his shyness long enough to come join her in her little corner of the surf. "Hi," he said, reaching out his hand, and she shook it. "I've...um...I've been hoping there'd be a lull in the game so I could introduce myself."

Sally's heart melted at the clumsy yet sincere introduction, though the cynic in her did wonder if it was just an elaborately practiced line designed not to sound like a line. Quickly she concluded that if it was a line, it was a good one. "I'm glad you did," she responded. "The game was fun but there hasn't been much chance to mingle, has there?"

"So...you're Sally, was it? I'm Nate."

"Yes, I'm Sally. The house is Cindy's uncle's," she added, pointing at Cindy, who was now fending off Dan and Gabe with her usual flair, "and it's my first time in Florida. I'm guessing yours too?"

"Yeah. I'm from Iowa, so this is all really new to me. We've been here a few weeks and it's all gone by so fast! Just as well we're heading back to school to be productive and all, but I'm going to miss this place!"