Jenna's Third Day

Now she was totally out of her element. Naked here in public, so to speak, and this guy was obviously hitting on her. She couldn't help herself as she glanced down at him, naked also, to see if she was creating any noticeable reaction. Not so much that she could see.

"Just saw you swimming out here by yourself and thought I'd see what's up."

Her mind was flying. He was obviously at the resort and that was for couples only. What kind of a couple was he one half of? She decided he was trying to turn the evening activities into day-time activities as well. She wasn't enjoying this confrontation at all.

"My HUSBAND," emphasis on husband, "is taking a nap and I just decided to cool off. Heading up to join him now."

"Oh yeah. Nice to see you. May be seeing you again before the week's over."

She was hoping she wouldn't be seeing him again but you never could tell here. She walked past him, careful to keep a good bit of distance between them, and sloshed out of the water, heading for the umbrella and Robert. She didn't look back although she just knew he was watching her butt swinging from side to side as she walked away from him.

Robert was awake. "Nice swim?"

"Swim was nice. Coming back up here wasn't so nice."

A concerned look from Robert. "What's that about?"

"A guy, had to be from here, came out in the water where I was swimming. Nearly ran into him. I'm sure he was hitting on me." She smiled. "Glad I didn't run into him because I'm sure his hands would have been all over me helping me stand up."

"We don't need that but, you are hittable you know. Particularly like you are now."

"I'm about ready to put my suit back on as it is." She looked at Robert. "And you haven't had yours off yet."

"Did the 'hit man' have his suit on?"

"Um, no. I did check him out though. No stiffie."

"Yeah, well that's why I don't take mine off."

"Because you will or won't have one." A little giggle from her.

"Ha," he said, untied the string on his suit, raised his hips and slid the trunks off. "There," he said jauntily.

"My, my. Sometimes you surprise me. But bad timing since we need to go to the market to pick up my bikini. Unless, of course, you'd prefer that I go by myself so you can just lay here naked and attract a few females over here to ogle you."

"I am a little hot, temperature wise," he added, just to clarify things. "I may go to the ocean for a bit."

"Counting waves?" she teased.

"Probably."

"Okay." She was already putting her suit on. "I'll go ahead and see you in a bit."

"Be careful. You look as good with that suit on as you do with it off."

She walked away, shaking her head, but smiling.

****

The road was not nearly so dusty this afternoon as the slight morning breeze had died away and it was simply hot out here in the sun. But the colors hadn't changed and the beauty around her allowed the walk to be very enjoyable. At the little stall, the wizened lady saw her and smiled, that somewhat toothless but never-the-less very warming smile.

"Suit ready," she said, reaching under the counter and pulling out a small, brown bag. The smile stayed there while Jenna opened the bag. The suit was there, the beautiful material exactly as she remembered it. She held up the top. It would cover her . . . barely. Then the bottoms. On the front, just under the waist band, which was a waist band in name only, sewn carefully into the material, somehow, was 'Jenna'. When she put those bottoms on, it would be so low that she thought that maybe it should say, 'Jenna's' since that was about where it would be. She turned it around and could see, just above the right leg area and in smaller letters, 'A-y-a-n-n-a'.

"Ah-yahn-nah," she pronounced very carefully.

"My name," the lady echoed, still smiling.

"Thank you," Jenna said, very sincerely. This is beautiful."

"You like try on?" she said, gesturing toward a curtain at the back of the stall.

A quick thought. "Sure," Jenna replied and headed toward the curtain, the lady stepping aside to let her pass.

It was a tiny area for sure, probably just large enough for her to change suits. She took her top off and put the new top on. She was able to tie the string around her neck but couldn't reach the one behind. She'd need the lady's help with that. But, holding it in place it seemed to fit perfectly. The lady's 'I see you' seemed to be enough to get the size just right. She slipped the bottom off and carefully put on the new one. It was small. About another quarter of an inch smaller and it would be showing more than she wanted shown. She wasn't good at estimating but there had to be six or eight inches or more of her showing between her navel and the bottom of that suit. Thank goodness most of her time in the sun here had been spent nude or she would be nothing but tan lines.

She stepped to the curtain and pulled it back a tiny bit. "Ayanna, could you please tie this."

"Sure," she answered, stepping to the curtain and jerking it open as Jenna frantically fought to keep herself covered. "There, all tied. How you like?"

Jenna stepped out into the better light and tried to look at herself.

"Sorry, no mirror," Ayanna told her.

"It fits perfectly," she said, astounded at how small it seemed but how it did cover all the key areas. She was anxious to see herself in the mirror in her room.

"Good," Ayanna nodded.

Jenna took the little wallet she had brought with her, pulled out three tens and a five. "US dollars okay," she asked. It was the original amount that Ayanna had suggested.

"They the best," Ayanna replied, eagerly watching the money in Jenna's hand. She took it when Jenna held it out to her. "Too much," she said, counting the money. "Not sure I have change."

"You keep it," Jenna said, gently patting the wrinkled hand. "This is beautiful and I love it. It's worth what I gave you."

"You nice lady. Thank you." Ayanna made a half-bow to Jenna.

But now, Jenna was trying to decide. Wear it back or change? Easy decision. She didn't want to go back to that little area behind the curtain and, she was covered . . . mostly. She'd just walk back and surprise Robert.

As she neared the resort, she realized that they hadn't made any plans on where to meet. Was he still at the beach or back in their room? Robert was so logical that she just knew he'd still be at the beach since they hadn't made other plans so she went straight there. Sure enough, he was nestled under the umbrella and she walked over to join him, passing the snack bar and a good portion of the other people to get there.

Robert spotted her when she was almost to the umbrella. "Holy shit," he said, just staring at her. Then he chuckled. "You know why I looked around and just saw you?"

"No. Did you hear me or something?"

"No. Everyone at the snack bar was suddenly looking this way and I was just checking to see what was causing that."

"That's not true," she said, frowning at him.

"Scout's honor. A lot of them are still looking."

She sat down and quickly looked over at the snack bar. It was true. She couldn't decide whether to cheer or to be embarrassed. It was definitely new territory for her. She might have to explore it a little more completely.

"What there is of that thing, the material is beautiful. I love it. Stand up a second and turn your back toward me," he said, a sly smile on his face.

Hesitantly, she did as he asked.

"That's quite a delectable ass you have there, Mrs. Jenna."

She was almost getting used to hearing that.

****

They headed back to the room to get ready for dinner . . . and whatever followed. Robert had his trunks back on.

"So, being naked with other naked people, were you able to keep that thing under control?" she asked teasingly.

"Pretty much, until you showed up."

She wacked him on the arm . . . but it was a nice compliment.

They showered, dressed a little more modestly and headed to the courtyard for dinner. Tonight was native dish night and they had no idea what that might be.

When it was served, they still had no idea what it might be, so they asked.

"Salt fish and green figs," the lady serving them said, then smiled. "It's shredded cod and the figs are what you call bananas. It's spicy and you should love it." She poured each of them a glass of wine and moved on with her business. Both of them had eaten cod, of course, but never cooked green bananas. Plus, spicy could be a little questionable as well as neither of them were Jalapeno fans either. A few tentative bites and they could hardly eat fast enough. Delicious was their consensus. And the wine was delicious too. A few more glasses and they'd be ready for the evening, whatever it held.

They were sitting by themselves tonight as no one had joined them for the dinner. Probably a third of the tables were like that so they didn't feel left out. After all of her thoughts earlier today, Jenna couldn't help but look around, at the males at the other tables that were close to them. She could be with one of them before much longer. She finished her second glass of wine, held the glass high and it was refilled in seconds. She still wondered how much Robert had paid to get all of this but wasn't about to ask him.

"So," he said to her after a span of silence. "I wonder what clever thing they'd have us do tonight?"

"You mean to match us up with someone?"

He looked at her a little strangely, his eyebrows raised. She had said it fairly plainly. "Yeah. Just wondering."

Despite what she'd decided, the wine certainly helped to loosen any knots or twist-ties or whatever, that were holding her back. She'd known that a little before, but it was much more apparent here. Her third glass would be empty before things started and she would probably be working on her fourth. The glasses weren't overly large so she wasn't sucking down huge quantities of mind-numbing alcohol and she didn't want to have so much that she'd pass out and not know what had happened to her. She had to giggle a little at that thought.

Before she knew it, that man was standing at the microphone as he had done the last two nights.

"Okay, everyone. Ready for another adventure?"

Several loud yesses and some cheers. It sounded like people were ready. Jenna looked at Robert and he back at her. She couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking.

"As usual," the voice said, "we have to separate you. Women to my right and men to my left."

Jenna stood up, gave Robert a kiss, which he returned rather sensuously, and she was off to the other end. The big fountain in the middle did an effective job of not letting one end see what was happening on the other end.

"The usual numbering off," he said.

There were 28 on each end this time, down a little from the first two days. Evidently some were opting out of the 'activity'. Jenna wondered.

There was a lady with a glass fish bowl filled with small balls, like a bingo game. She was instructing the ladies.

"At the other end," she began, "the men are each receiving a blanket. They will go to the beach where, I should note, the tide is out, so plenty of hard sand. Each man will pick a spot and sit down, covering himself totally with the blanket. This bowl," she held it up, "contains 28 numbers and each of you will draw a number. Once all of you have a number, the person who has the number one will go to the beach and choose one of the covered men. After that, you're free to go wherever and do whatever." She laughed as did about all of the women gathered there. I'll keep a watch here and in 30 seconds, number two will go and select. Thirty seconds more and number three and so on. Good luck and enjoy yourselves."

The lady standing next to Jenna nudged her. "It's not myself that I'm here to enjoy," she said with a knowing laugh.

"Good point," Jenna replied and headed for the fish bowl. She reached in and checked her ball. Number 25. She knew it didn't matter what number you got. It wasn't like choosing a present at a party or something, where the first person would get the best gift. Still, human nature being what it is, she'd wanted a lower number. Robert was out there, covered with a blanket and one of the ladies standing here with her, or the one already headed to the beach, would choose him. She looked around but knew it wouldn't do any good for her to pick one for him. It didn't work that way.

It was a long 11 or 12 minutes that she had to wait. Robert was probably already being led off by someone. She sighed, not able to keep from wondering what he'd be up to in the next hour or two. Useless thoughts she decided and the lady called, "Number 25," and she was beach bound.

She knew there'd only be four blankets left when she got there and was sure the man, whoever she chose, would be happy to be free of its confines as it hadn't cooled off much when the sun went down. She tried to decide as she walked, how she'd make her choice. Nearest? Farthest away? Biggest? Smallest? She finally decided to just wait till she got there and then decide. She followed the path and soon was at the beach. Sure enough, four blankets with large lumps under them. She decided on the farthest away, went to it, said "Hello," and lifted the blanket

"Whew," he said, standing up, and then added, "thank you."

Jenna was not tall at all. He was even shorter than she was. He wasn't 25 either, more like 45 or 55. She wondered if this was the time to say, "Stop," and go back to her room. Of course, that might be awkward as well since Robert could be there with . . . She decided she'd just go on and see what happened.

"Edgar," he said crisply, extending his hand.

"Jenna," she replied shaking it.

"Listen, shall we go on in?" It obviously wasn't really a question as he was already heading back toward the building.

So, she following along slightly behind this little man who was struggling to manage the blanket as he walked, a rather quaint looking walk at that. It was fascinating to watch, particularly as he got into the soft sand. This was obviously slightly foreign territory to him and he was awkward and she thought, a little self-conscious doing it. At the door, he fumbled with the blanket for a moment, then opened it for her.

"Wait here," he said, obviously an order. "I have to take this to the main lobby." He disappeared around the corner of the hallway, the blanket dragging behind him.

Jenna took a deep breath, her eyes wide as she giggled softly. This was not Mario by a long shot. And it certainly wasn't Lars. He was quickly back, walking very briskly without the blanket to impede him. He opened the stairway door, put his hand on her back and ushered her through.

"At the top, turn right." Again, crisp and obviously an order, not a suggestion. He followed her up and she couldn't help but wonder if he was watching her butt very carefully as it was certainly right in front of his face. "Two fifteen," he said and she was amazed that he could make even a simple number sound like some kind of order or command. She stopped at 215 and he reached around her and opened the door, obviously unlocked.

Once inside, he gestured to a chair and she sat down, he quickly following.

"So, Jenna it is, right?"

She nodded and smiled, feeling like she should snap out, "YES SIR," to his question. This could be interesting but she wasn't certain in what way.

"What did you think of the way of selecting partners tonight?" This sounded a little more like a genuine expression of his curiosity.

"It worked," she said. "I would have trouble figuring out different ways to get that done for sure."

"I've been coming here with my wife for 10 years or so, missing a few when arrangements couldn't be made. I've done this one once or twice."

"It's obviously not the best for the men," she smiled, "being stuck under that hot blanket."

"It's been made well worthwhile by your selecting me," he said, a very different tone to his voice now, his face lit by a very broad smile.

"Well, thank you," she said returning his smile, wondering if it was going to worthwhile for her.

"Where are you from and what do you and your husband do for al living if I may ask?" He leaned forward, elbows on knees.

"We're from Ohio, and I'm a dental hygienist and my husband is an engineer. You?" She didn't feel the need to say USA as he was obviously from the USA as well.

"My wife and I live in Connecticut. I'm an investment banker in New York City and she's an attorney there as well. You look young," he said, checking her very carefully from head to toe, a little more she decided than was needed to tell her age. But, with what might be coming, she told herself, nothing wrong with that. "Would this be your first time here?"

For the, she wasn't sure how many times, she related the story of how they'd happened there.

"My goodness, this must be a real adventure for you then. And I'm fortunate enough tonight to be a part of it. And hopefully, a good part.

The vote was still being counted on that, waiting for the late results from Cook County. She had to chuckle to herself at that thought.

"You say you've been coming for 10 years or so. You and your wife must enjoy it then."

"Very much so. Like you, it was quite an adventure the first time. But I was 34 and she was 32 that first year so," he glanced at her again, "I imagine a few years older than you are right now."

She could tell him her age but there was no real reason to.

"Life was so hectic, is so hectic, in New York that we barely had time to eat and sleep let alone other more interesting and entertaining things. So, we spend a week here and that's our big fling for the year." He emphasized "big fling" by throwing his arms out to the side. "We've come to planning some things for the week, how we'll do certain things, as I'm sure you'll see in a while. We try to make the most of our time here for sure."

So, what was going to happen tonight wasn't going to 'just happen' like the first night with Mario or even last night with Lars. It was somehow planned. What had she gotten herself into by selecting that farthest away blanket?

"So, you work in New York City but live in Connecticut?"

"Oh yes, many, many do that. It gives a small semblance of normalcy to our lives. Now that both my children are grown and gone, we've considered selling the house as it's far too large for just the two of us, even with the maid we have."

"A maid?" Jenna couldn't relate very well to that and was surprised that she had just blurted it out. She was kind of fumbling with chatter, a little wary of what might be ahead. Deep down, she knew she was probably just delaying but couldn't help but be suspicious of someone who was carefully choreographing the evening, if that's what he was doing.

"Yes, a maid. Corrine insists on that. Actually, she's kind of a combination maid, cook, cleaning lady and," he chuckled, "butler too I guess."

"Sorry. I didn't mean to snoop into your life. It's just that, I'm my own maid." She had to laugh at that.

Edgar laughed too. "That's the way we were at first too, that is, with my first wife, Caroline." He saw a puzzled/interested look cross Jenna's face. "Breast cancer," he added. She's the mother of Brent and Natalie. She and I came her together first, and now I come with my second wife.

The expression on Edgar's face had changed drastically, but only for a moment. He had obviously drifted back into his past and the look told Jenna it was a pleasant journey back. Quickly though, he returned.

"If I may be so bold, you seem like a person that I would just enjoy having as a friend. First impression you know. You may see, later in the week should we run into each other, that Corrine is," his face reddened slightly as he paused, "a typical trophy wife."

Jenna's eyes widened at that. She was just sitting there and Edgar, an acquaintance of 15 minutes was telling her things she didn't really need to know. She thought that "TMI" might be in order here but yet, perhaps knowing a little more about him would make the rest of their time together a little more . . . comfortable?