Room Share

"Ah," I replied, "your trust is more important than a thrill." We were quiet for a minute.

"It's been good working it out together," she observed.

"Yeah," I agreed.

"We've listened to each other... Actually, not just words, we've picked up each other's feelings."

"Yeah, that's been good," I answered, staring forwards through the windscreen. "What about the 'clothing optional' aspects? We're seeing quite a bit of each other. I nearly got an eyeful this morning... further accidents are possible, likely I suppose, for either of us. I know you're pretty assertive, and you manage your own destiny, but I don't want to think there's... pressure... or just momentum, making us want to appear cool and relaxed about that, when we're really not."

Kate looked across at me. "No, I actually am pretty relaxed about it. I mean, fundamentally, it's only what we'd be wearing on the beach, or in the swimming pool. Long as I remember where I am and don't flash my tits!" We laughed. "But even if I do, like you say, it's not a disaster." She paused. "So how are you feeling about it? Wandering around in your pants..."

I cocked my head to one side. "Good. I don't mind... No, to be honest, I'm liking it. I'm not shy, don't mind being seen, and it feels good that you don't seem to mind me being... out there. It feels really good that you don't seem to mind me seeing you, wandering around in your pants. It's..." I reached for the words. "It's not the obvious thing, just getting to see you in your underwear. It's the fact that you permit it. The trust, the way you're relaxed with it, that feels amazing. The intimacy. I'm flattered."

"Aah, that's lovely!" cooed Kate with a smile. "You don't have to be flattered, I'm getting the same thing. You look OK, but that's not it... No, you look better than OK, you look great. But it's the joy of sharing it, both in underwear, a bit vulnerable, trying to decide what's OK..."

We were pulling into the car park at the training centre.

"Exciting day ahead!" called Kate, but with heavy irony. She wasn't wrong to be ironic.

**********************

"Ugh, I need some exercise!" Kate exclaimed as we drove away late that afternoon, windows down and zipping round the corners to blow some air through the baking hot car. "Get some life back in the system."

"Me too," I rejoined.

"Good! Swim or run?"

"I'd always go run. Even though it's hot. Swim the next day, then run again."

"Man with a plan! OK, run it is. OK if we start off together? I'm sure you'll leave me behind after a while."

"Don't overestimate me. You have the advantage of youth."

"Well, it's all relative."

We stopped at reception to ask about an additional room, but there hadn't been a sniff of one. They'd checked around the area again too. It was strange walking back to our room. I wasn't disappointed, but I didn't know what Kate thought and was wary about saying so. She spoke first.

"Doesn't feel as bad as yesterday."

"No, it doesn't seem bad at all, really," I ventured.

"Cos you get to see me in my bra again!" Kate teased.

"Yep, you got me. And I'll be watching for those nipples poking out," I joked.

"Have to wait for morning when it's cooled down," she teased again.

Kate changed in the bathroom while I did the same in the bedroom. We hadn't run together before, so we were neither of us sure how quick the other would be. We agreed to take it easy because of the heat, and jogged gently round some quiet roads and a few footpaths, attracting stares from curious cows lurking in the shade as we passed. We covered a few miles, slowly enough to chat on the way round about the scenery, and about the course and the people we'd met.

Nevertheless, we were sweaty when we got back to the room, and I quickly took off my trainers and socks while Kate got some water, and she did the same while I had a drink. I came out of the bathroom and pulled my T-shirt over my head. The early evening sun streamed in through the windows, and the curtains hung slack in the still air. Kate looked up from the floor where she sat, and ran her eyes down my sweat-shiny chest and stomach. She reached down to her own waist and lifted her lycra top up and off. She wore a sports bra beneath, and I in turn admired her glistening torso as I sat myself opposite.

"Not fair you can be topless while I'm stuck in this," she complained, plucking at her bra.

"Well..." I began, but stopped and smiled as I saw she was ahead of me, also smiling and shaking her head.

"I could," she said simply, despite her denial a moment before. "I was thinking, I really don't mind all this, the flesh and the looking, seeing you like that, and you looking at me... When do I ever get to have a decent gawp at a nice-looking man's body? Never." While she spoke her blue eyes moved between mine and my chest, and my legs, lying loosely on the floor in front of where I leant against the wall.

I let her look, enjoying her admiration. "Well, you won't be able to complain about that again," I smiled. Kate looked up and smiled back, then continued her scrutiny of my upper body and shoulders, and lower, across my shorts to my thighs. This felt astonishing, to be so blatantly an object, though by consent, and to feel Kate's eyes roving so freely over me.

"Wow, thank you," she said. She was showing no sign of taking off her bra and I wasn't going to push it. I could have hinted at it gently, and I don't think it would have been out of line, but my instinct told me to bide my time.

After we'd recovered and drunk more water, and sat around for a while checking our phones, Kate was first into the shower, and again emerged in her towel. I went in and showered quickly, donned my own towel, and knocked on the door, calling, "Are you decent?"

There was an exclamation, and Kate called back, "Yes, it's OK," and I came out. She was standing between our beds facing towards me in only a pair of knickers, a hand covering each bosom, leaning slightly forwards with a surprised smile. "You were quick!"

For the second time today I was seeing Kate topless, though not her breasts, only this time she'd made it happen. I was thrilled to see her this way, and gratified that she was again comfortable enough with me to allow it. "Oh, sorry!" I replied, smiling back. "Didn't know I was supposed to take longer! Shall I go back in for a moment while you, err...?" nodding towards where her hands squashed her breasts, pushing the smooth flesh sideways.

"No, you're OK," she answered, straightening up. "Just got to get my dress on." I noticed for the first time a dress laid out on my bed in front of her. She hesitated for a second, then lowered her hands, releasing her bare chest to my gaze. Her eyes held mine for a moment before I submitted and looked lower. Her beautiful, pale breasts were modest in size but perfectly formed, and her pink-brown nipples firm, though not hard. She stood still for no more than a couple of seconds before reaching down - her lovely tits gliding forward as she did - picking up the pretty summer dress, and diving her arms into it so that in a moment her gorgeous flesh was covered again.

"Too hot for a bra," she announced as her head emerged through the neck, and the straps settled on to her strong shoulders. "Was that OK?" she grinned.

My heart was drumming and the blood raced through my head so that I was almost dizzy. I beamed at her, my mouth opening but not making words yet. I puffed and raised my eyebrows, and shook my head gently. "Oh wow," I said quietly.

Still smiling, she turned to the desk. "Anyway, I need to do my hair, and you need to get dressed so that we can go and eat." She caught my eye in the large mirror and looked down at my towel, and I became aware that I now had to decide how much to reveal. I didn't mind what Kate saw, and in fact I was glad to have a chance to be naked in front of her, but I didn't want to flaunt myself too obviously.

I collected clean pants from a drawer and returned to my bed, facing the window. Kate was brushing her hair, but I could see she was glancing sideways in the mirror every few moments to check what I was doing, and I took this as a good sign. I reached to my waist, untucked the towel, removed it and dropped it on the bed. I turned my head to the mirror and saw Kate looking at me, or rather, looking at my penis. I smiled and she glanced up to my face, returning the smile, and gazed down again. My prick was soft but slightly enlarged from the shower, the warmth, and the sexy experience, and looked pretty good, I thought.

All this took only a few seconds, and I picked up my pants and stepped into them, tucking my penis out of sight to break the spell. Kate finished brushing. "Guess we're even, then!"

**********************

Kate's dress dipped between her breasts, and hugged them closely. It was well fitted, doing justice to her slim waist, slid over her hips, and ended a little way above her knees. Knowing how she looked beneath it was maddening: I wanted her to take it off, but that was probably more than the hotel restaurant would allow. It was white with a flowery pattern, so that although the shape of her boobs was clear, it was more difficult to see her nipples, and I had to stare unreasonably across the table to discern them.

Kate regarded me critically, head on one side and brow slightly furrowed, but a smile playing on her lips. "You getting a good look?"

I lifted my gaze. "Yeah, sorry, carried away. That dress is great on you, you look really nice."

She looked away, embarrassed. "Oh, thank you!" She met my eyes again and smiled broadly, pleased with the compliment. She raised a finger. "So, just in case you were thinking of checking again, I'm happy with how things have gone. You didn't force me to see you naked, and I chose to show you my boobs. And I liked it," she emphasised, raising her eyebrows.

"Which?" I asked.

She didn't hesitate. "Both! It just felt like the right moment, don't you think?"

"I do, I know what you mean. It feels natural, not... gratuitous."

"You actually were quicker in the bathroom than I expected. I was there with my hands on my tits in front of you, and it seemed more awkward to make you turn round than just to carry on putting my dress on. It was like... this is what happens when you're sharing a room. Same with you getting dressed."

I nodded. "Yes... doing what seems normal. Though when I dropped my towel I was conscious of you looking. And when you put your dress on I guess you were of me. And I liked that..."

"Which?" returned Kate.

"Hah! Both! Or all of them. You looking at me; me looking at you; and you being conscious of me looking at you! Is that over-complicated?"

Kate's brow furrowed again. "Bit... But no, I get it. I s'pose you don't normally get a kick out of looking at your room-mate's body, so it's different."

We stopped talking to eat some of the carbonara which had arrived. We'd decided not to take up the free booze offer tonight, and eat modestly, to avoid descending into the health-damaging trap set by lengthy courses with three meals a day provided. I was able to admire Kate's shoulders, and how her dark hair fell over them, the shape of her breasts and of her nipples showing discretely through the dress.

Kate picked up the conversation again. "It's interesting. I like seeing you undressed, but not because it's sexy... I mean, it is, a bit, but the main thing is that you're just pretty good to look at. And it's great that you let me."

"Yeah," I agreed, swallowing some pasta.

"I wouldn't have thought it would turn out like this," Kate went on. "I mean, yesterday afternoon I was a bit unsure, but it's worked out well, you've been lovely..."

"Oh, you've been lovelier!" I broke in, laughing.

"... And just now... I liked it, just in that moment, I liked showing you my boobs". She smiled and bit her bottom lip, and flushed slightly. "But that was just in the moment - I'm not saying it's tits out all the way from here!"

I shook my head in wonder. "That's brilliant. It's fantastic, to have that... understanding. I don't expect anything, just enjoying the moments".

**********************

Back in our room we read and fiddled on our phones, and watched the news on the telly. It was warm and there was little air, and eventually Kate headed into the bathroom. She came back out in her vest and knickers, like the previous night, and I took my turn getting ready for bed, stripping to my pants. When I came back into the bedroom Kate had turned off most of the lights and was at the window looking into the night. I looked at the backs of her thighs, and the shape of her bum and waist as she sank her weight on to one hip. I walked over to where she was leaning on the frame. "Join you?" I asked.

"Course. Lovely night."

"Mm." I leant on the window frame next to her and enjoyed the coolness on my bare skin. My shoulder brushed hers. We stood in silence for several minutes looking at the dark silhouettes of the trees, and the stars not washed out by light pollution, before I stepped back in and sat on the edge of my bed. Kate walked slowly back, and I saw again her nipples showing through her thin top. She sat opposite me and leant back on her hands. She looked fabulous in the light of the single bedside lamp to our side. I met her eyes, and then allowed my gaze to stray where it wanted. I admired her breasts, stared at where her nipples showed through the vest. I gazed at her thighs, pressed against the bed, squeezed together, meeting her vagina, hidden beneath tight-stretched white knickers. I knew I was staring, and she knew I was, but I didn't care. I looked back to her eyes and she was smiling at me. She maintained eye contact, and it came to me that it was her turn. I slowly leant back and let her examine me. She looked down at my body, and I felt again the hotness of her gaze on my chest and legs and groin. She lingered on my pants, where my prick pushed through.

I looked at her again, her flat, pale stomach, the curve of her waist. "I love your belly," I murmured. "Your skin is so smooth between your vest and your knickers. It looks so soft."

"Mmm," she smiled, and sat still a moment while I continued looking, before speaking again. "This is really nice, but I think we should go to bed. It's enough for now."

I sighed, disappointed, but also elated. "Yeah, fair enough... Nice though."

We looked at each other for a moment, and climbed into our beds. I reached out and turned off the single light.

"Goodnight," she called, softly.

"Night."

**********************

I woke to Kate's urgent voice. "Paul, wake up, we're late."

I opened my eyes and she was standing over me. She touched my shoulder, her hand warm on my skin. "Are you awake?" I grunted, and noticed her eyes move lower down my body where I lay on my back, the covers pushed off.

"I'm going in the bathroom. I'll be five minutes, be ready." She walked round the bed, looked again at my body, caught my eye and smirked as she disappeared into the bathroom. Then I realised why. I felt my prick pulsing, pushing against my pants, and peered down to confirm that I'd woken with a raging hard-on, large, solid and completely unmistakable. Kate had had a good view, from several angles. I blushed, even though I was now alone. At least it was an innocent display on my part.

I fumbled for my phone to check the time, realising at the same time that I'd forgotten to set the alarm, and cursed when I saw we were 45 minutes behind where we should be. I hopped out of bed and began to assemble things I needed for the day, and five minutes later the bathroom door opened and Kate strode out, holding her towel in front of her, but at waist height, so that I had a brief second view of her lovely bosoms, this time with nipples hard and wrinkled from the shower, which would have revived my erection given slightly longer to look. I saw bare skin down both her sides from waist to knee, but only towel between. She looked stunning, and I gasped

She paused for a moment, and glanced down at my groin smiling. "Good dreams, then?" she asked knowingly.

"Sorry about that," I offered.

"No need to apologise! Perfectly natural, and not such a bad sight to wake up to." Kate winked and grinned as she walked past me.

I showered and brushed my teeth in double quick time, and hurried out also naked and holding my towel before me. Kate was applying make up in the mirror, wearing knickers but still topless, and I took in her left boob from the side, the nipple firm but not hard like before, and replicated in the mirror where the reflection was pointing straight at me.

I threw my towel on the bed, and saw Kate's hand twitch as she looked at my naked body from the mirror again. My prick was still a little swollen, and felt big against my thigh as I moved. I went to the drawers and wardrobe, picked out clothes and returned to the bed, and Kate finished what she was doing and turned, exposing both breasts to me at the same time as she looked directly at my genitals.

"Whoo!" she cried, smiling, and I laughed. We pulled on our clothes and rushed from the room, laughing together.

**********************

"Well that was pretty wild!" exclaimed Kate as we drove off. I was unwisely clutching a bacon sandwich in one hand as I held the steering wheel with the other, and changed gear with difficulty. However, we were back on time for the course.

"It was, I replied, "but are we still OK? I know you said it was natural, but was my... stiffy...?"

Kate cut across me. "Always the doubts! Paul, relax! I'll tell you if I'm not happy, trust me."

"Yeah, sorry, I just feel the need to ask. The history of male sexual aggression, and all that. I'll stop now."

"No, I appreciate the gesture, you're right. But really, we're good. I meant what I said, it was very interesting to see you at your best! Pretty impressive!"

"Well, thank you, glad to brighten your morning. While we're at it, can I say that you looked devastating coming out of the bathroom?"

**********************

It wasn't really possible to do anything social with the other delegates on the course, as they were all staying close to the training centre, far from our hotel. Most of them were from the same department and knew each other, and although they were nice people, it was difficult to break into their circle beyond daily pleasantries. We headed back to the hotel for the swim we'd agreed on the day before.

We picked up our swimming costumes and looked at each other. Kate raised her eyebrows and I laughed. She went to her bed and started undressing, and I did the same. She was side on to me, and glanced over as she stood up holding the knickers she'd just removed, with a quick self-satisfied smile as she saw me look up and down the length of her naked body. Her figure was magnificent, slim, toned and straight, her skin smooth, and her right breast shapely. The clean line of her body from ankle to shoulder was beautiful, and markedly superior to when she'd been wearing underwear. I saw now that even just the waistband of the knickers she'd worn before broke the continuity and diminished the vision.

She remained sideways-on as she slid into her bikini bottoms, so I was afforded no full-frontal view. She missed my nudity, but turned when she'd finished and looked over to me. "The cubicles by the pool have showers, don't they?"

"Yeah, think so."

"I'm thinking I'll take my shower stuff and wear my clothes for the evening to go down in, so I'm good to go when we finish."

"Smart," I answered. "I'll do the same."

I put on jeans and a shirt over my trunks, and Kate got into a skirt which came half-way down her thighs, and a white cotton blouse, through which the pattern on her bikini top was visible. We picked up shower gels and towels and headed down.