Chapter 26

Friday morning, I got up at my usual time and quietly slipped into my workout shorts. I still didn’t like Friday workouts, because if I did things right (ab crunches), I felt nauseous afterward. No pain, no gain, I told myself as I headed outside to do my workout. I picked up the jump rope and began warming up.

I did my abdominal exercises and then worked my legs. After my legs, I did bent-over rows and several other back exercises. Once again, I picked up the rope to do my twenty-minute cool-down routine. Afterward, I mindlessly walked around in a circle, letting my breathing return to normal.

Neither Gina nor Kendall were up yet, so I took a quick shower and then headed down to the clubhouse. Not only was I queasy, but my calves were starting to quiver from my leg workout, so I picked up my pace. I’d learned that even though I felt sick to my stomach, I still needed to eat. Once I got some food in my stomach, I knew I’d feel remarkably better.

At the clubhouse, I decided against the standard bowl of cereal. Instead, I found a large mixing bowl and emptied the last half of the box of corn flakes into it (I’d given up Froot Loops in favor of something a little healthier). I also finished off the last of our milk. Finally, I scrounged around, found some bread and cheese, and made four pieces of cheese toast.

When I picked up my food and looked for a place to sit, I spotted Jeremiah “Gunny” Kershaw. I grinned at the thought of such a gentle name applied to a grizzled character like Gunny. He looked up from his newspaper when I approached him.

“Hi, Gunny,” I said. “Mind if I join you?”

“Not at all, Paul. Have a seat.”

I sat down, smiled politely, and started shoveling food into my mouth. I tried not to wolf it down, but I knew I’d get a headache if I didn’t get something in my stomach soon. I looked up when Gunny chuckled quietly.

“I used to be able to eat like that,” he said. “Corps food’s not the best food in the world, but they got lots of it.”

I nodded and took another bite of cereal.

“But back then, I looked a lot more like you,” he added, “all angles and hard muscle. And everything else worked like it was s’posed to,” he said with a conspiratorial look. “Back then, I had girls chasing me two and three at a time, just like you do.” He leaned forward and looked at me earnestly, fixing me with a parade-ground stare. “You really should think about joining the Marine Corps, Paul.”

I noticed that he dropped the “young mister” from my name when we were alone. The old curmudgeon was probably adding it for the girls’ benefit. Not that I minded, but I grinned when I realized what he’d been doing all along.

“Women love a man in uniform,” he continued. “I’d be proud to salute you any day. Although as smart as you are, you’d be wasted as anything other than a sergeant.”

I grinned in reply and took a bite of cheese toast.

“If you do join the Corps, remember this...” When I nodded to show I was paying attention, he continued. “Sergeants run the military. If you want something done, find the sergeant in charge. Don’t waste your time finding an officer, he’ll only have to find a sergeant. If you decide to become a swabbie like your father, no offense to him or other squids,” he said with a grin, “petty officers are just like sergeants, only not quite as smart, since they didn’t join the Corps in the first place!”

“I’ll try to remember that,” I said when we both stopped chuckling.

“I imagine it’s the same in the civilian world, though,” he said with a sigh. “There are men who do the thinking, and men who do the doing. Now, I’m not saying that the two don’t mix, but that’s just how I seen it. Susan says you work hard, but you’re the kinda man who’s good at the thinking part too, so make sure you got yourself a good sergeant, if you see what I’m getting at.”

I nodded seriously.

Before he could say anything else, I looked up and saw Gina and Kendall walking toward us.

Gunny followed my glance and then smiled. “Well, it’s Miss Gina and Miss Kendall,” he said genially. “I was just telling young Mister Paul here about the value of a good sergeant.”

They smiled graciously, though I was pretty sure they were both confused.

“I’ll let you two have him now,” he said with a grin and a wink.

When he stood, I followed suit. Then I held out my hand and gazed at him earnestly.

“Thanks for the advice, Gunny,” I said.

“Maybe one day I’ll salute you instead of shaking your hand,” he said as he gripped my proffered hand.

“Maybe one day,” I said.

With that, he nodded respectfully to the girls, folded his newspaper, and walked toward the door, humming the Marine Corps hymn as he went.

“What was that about?” Gina asked.

“He knows about the three of us,” Kendall said, her voice almost panicky.

Gina forgot her question and looked at the taller girl. “How can you tell?” she asked.

“I dunno. Maybe it’s just the way he treats us. Maybe it’s something about the look in his eye. Maybe it’s ... I dunno. I just know. I can’t explain it, but I can tell.” Then she looked at me anxiously. “You don’t think he’d tell my parents, do you?”

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “He didn’t say anything to me about knowing about us, but...” I shrugged. Kendall was far more perceptive than I probably ever would be. “I don’t know how to explain it, but I don’t think Gunny would do anything like that.” I shrugged again. “This is gonna sound weird, but we’re ... um ... well, we’re friends, I guess.”

As if that explained everything, Kendall nodded. I trusted her insight, and she, in turn, trusted my judgment about Gunny.

After that, Gina fixed herself a bowl of cereal. I was still hungry, so I fixed myself a couple of egg sandwiches (using the last of my family’s eggs, of course). Kendall had eaten with her family, so she chatted while Gina and I ate. Mom, Elizabeth, Erin, and Leah came down after a while. Erin was wearing her bikini bottoms, and I wondered when she’d started her period. I guess I hadn’t been paying much attention for the past couple of days.

As soon as Erin and Leah sat down, Drew entered the clubhouse, his preternatural “teenage girl” locator on high gain. Gina, Kendall, and I grinned at one another. Instead of letting the younger girls leave, Mom and Elizabeth invited Drew to join us. He politely pulled over a chair and sat down.

While Mom ate, she teased me a little about me demolishing our food supplies. In a fit of flippant helpfulness, I offered to drive to the grocery store and do the shopping. Every woman at the table, including the younger girls, looked at me in mild, amused shock. I felt my cheeks heating, but before I could retract the offer, Mom grinned and said she’d be happy to make me a list. Drew stared at me as if I were out of my mind, but I shrugged it off.

When Mom and Elizabeth headed back up to the cabins to get ready for their trip to Columbia, all the teenagers headed down to the lake. I hung back for a moment and gestured to Drew.

“You know,” I said in a conversational tone, “women like a guy who’s helpful.”

“Women like to be told what to do,” he said with a snort.

I couldn’t help myself, and started laughing. Just keep that attitude, I thought, and see how many women come running. I think Drew was confused by my reaction, but I merely kept laughing.

He shook his head in bewilderment and jogged to catch up with Erin and Leah. Then Gina and Kendall hung back until I caught up with them. When they asked what I had been laughing about, I quickly explained.

“You see why I can’t wait to move away from home?” Kendall asked. “He even tries to tell me what to do sometimes.”

“I’ll put a stop to that,” I said seriously. “Real quick.”

“Oh, Gina,” Kendall said, a teasing note in her voice, “we have big, strong Paul to protect us. How fortunate we are. I might swoon.”

Despite their laughter, they both smiled.

“One day,” I said with feigned indignation, “you’ll be happy I’m big and strong.”

“Oh, we’re happy now,” Gina said.

“We just don’t need you to protect us,” Kendall added.

“Unless we get attacked by a serious case of horniness,” Gina said with a smirk.

“Then you’re our guy,” Kendall said, smirking as well.

***

Mom was evidently serious when she said she’d make me a grocery list. She and Elizabeth were going to take the Coulters’ car to Columbia, so I could drive ours to town. She made me a list and handed it to me with an envelope full of cash. When I asked if Gina and Kendall could come along, she agreed, subject to Elizabeth’s and Kendall’s parents’ approval.

Elizabeth agreed, and we went to ask Kendall’s mom. Melissa actually seemed happy we were going. She made a list for Kendall, and gave her cash as well. We were laughing about doing the shopping for our two families until Gina’s mom gave her a list too. I guess we all needed something from town, and our trip had quickly turned into a boon for three families.

While Mom and Elizabeth were getting ready, Gina, Kendall, and I hung out in the Coulter cabin. Mom had taken a bath in our cabin, but came up to the Coulters’ to actually get ready. She and Elizabeth shared the bathroom with practiced ease, putting on make-up and fixing each other’s hair.

Susan knocked on the screen door a little later. As she entered the cabin, she told us that Kara had called. She and Stacy were still in town and were planning to see a movie with Jason Goodwin. Gina perked up immediately at the mention of an unfamiliar name, so Susan explained who he was. I already knew a little about him, but not much.

According to Susan, he was a grad student at South Carolina, and worked for his father (Susan’s accountant) in the summers. He was getting his MBA in finance, and was interested in cars. Susan certainly seemed to like him.

When Mom and Elizabeth came out to put on their dresses, Susan passed along Kara’s message. Elizabeth nodded in understanding and asked Susan to keep an eye on Leah—and Erin, my mom added—while we were all gone.

“I’ll see if they want to have lunch with me,” Susan said cheerfully. “My house has just been full of people lately.”

We all chuckled at her exuberance. Then Mom and Elizabeth put on their dresses. They weren’t going to drive to Columbia in them—they were going to wear regular clothes and change into their fancy dresses before meeting Dad and Chris—but they wanted to show off a little in front of an appreciative audience.

Mom’s dress was pale green with an iridescent pattern. It was sleeveless, and set off her bronze skin and sun-brightened blonde hair. On both sides, the dress was slit almost to the waist, and when she moved, we could almost see her ass. It hugged her figure from the waist up and her braless breasts swayed gently as she moved.

Elizabeth’s dress was a plain white silk wrap. On the hanger it looked completely ordinary, but when she put it on, it was transformed. One side of the skirt was much higher than the other, and a healthy expanse of her left leg was exposed. The top was fairly loose, but it clung in all the right places. And with her Indian ancestry, we could easily see her dark nipples.

Much to my chagrin, she actually reached up and tweaked them until they were hard. They cast little shadows where they poked out, and the effect was mesmerizing. Not to be outdone, Mom reached up and pinched her own nipples, quickly pulling them to erection as well. Gina and Kendall grinned at me as I shifted in my seat.

Mom and Elizabeth then slipped into their high heels. While they turned, strutted, and showed off their outfits, the girls clapped and whistled. Each of the women was trying to ooze as much sex appeal as possible, and they were succeeding.

“Well, Paul,” Mom said. “Give us a male opinion.”

For a moment, I was struck speechless. Everyone laughed good-naturedly at my expression, but when they finally quieted, I shook my head in wonder.

“Dad and Chris are two very lucky guys,” I said sincerely.

“So if you were my husband,” Elizabeth asked, her clipped British accent a musical sing-song, “then you’d ravish me wildly?”

All the women laughed when I blushed furiously.

“What about me, Paul?” Mom asked.

I didn’t think it was possible, but my blush deepened.

“Ladies,” Susan chided, “we don’t want to give poor Paul, ahem, too much stimulation.”

“Sorry,” Mom said, properly chastened, although she was still grinning broadly.

“Sorry,” Elizabeth echoed. “We wouldn’t want to give him a hard time.”

While all the women giggled, I thought about anything but getting an erection. My cock was already half-hard, but I was resolved not to let it get stiffer.

“Now, now, ladies,” Susan said with a mischievous grin, “let’s not give Paul a big problem. That’s not our job.”

“Whose job is it?” Elizabeth asked artfully. “I mean, if I can’t bring a man to attention with these,” she said, cupping her breasts, “then I’m losing my touch.”

“Elizabeth,” Mom said, feigning shock, “you’re so evil.”

“You are,” Susan added. “He’s not after your tits, he’s already got a pair of Coulter breasts.”

“Two pairs,” Elizabeth said with an outrageous grin. “He’s had Kara’s too.”

“And Kendall’s,” Mom added.

Kendall joined me in blushing, but she was still grinning at my embarrassment.

“Are that many breasts good for a young man?” Susan asked.

“I don’t know,” Elizabeth replied. “Let’s ask him.”

I had to cross my legs to keep my sudden erection from springing up.

“Uh-oh,” Susan said. “You’ve done it now.”

“I didn’t do anything,” Elizabeth said.

“Me either,” Mom added innocently.

They broke down into giggles again, with Gina and Kendall joining them. My face felt like it might spontaneously burst into flames, and they could all tell how hard my dick was, which only made them giggle more. I knew they weren’t laughing at me, so much at their own antics, but it didn’t make me quit blushing.

“I want you so bad right now,” Gina whispered in my ear when she grew quiet.

When I looked at Kendall, her eyes were smoldering with desire.

As if reading their minds, Susan suggested that Gina, Kendall, and I head down to my family’s cabin. Unfortunately, in order to walk out of the cabin, I’d have to stand up, which would make my erection even more obvious.

“It’s okay, Paul,” Susan said reasonably. “We’ve all seen it before.”

“I haven’t seen it before,” Elizabeth said with a mock pout. “It’s nice to be appreciated.”

“It is nice to be appreciated,” Mom agreed.

“And it’s nice to know we haven’t lost our touch,” Elizabeth added. Then she looked down at her breasts. “Good girls,” she said to them.

That raised another round of giggles.

Much to my consternation, Gina suddenly stood up and reached down to me. Kendall smirked and stood as well. Then Susan grinned and arched an eyebrow in challenge. Piqued, I threw decorum to the wind and stood up, my erection bouncing gently.

“Very nice,” Elizabeth said.

Kendall looked a little shocked, but Gina grinned from ear to ear.

“Be kind to him, Elizabeth,” Mom said.

“I am being kind to him,” she replied with feigned innocence. “I like a man who’ll stand up and be—”

“Run!” Susan urged with a grin. “While you still can. Quick! I’ll distract them.”

The cabin erupted into laughter as we practically bolted through the door, my erection leading the way.

“Good luck, Paul!” Elizabeth called out after us.

Once Gina, Kendall, and I got to my cabin, we were all over each other.

“I can’t believe your mom, Gina,” Kendall said, panting.

Gina was sucking on Kendall’s left nipple, so she didn’t answer. I leaned in to kiss Kendall, and her tongue hungrily sparred with my own.

“And your mom, Paul,” she said when we broke the kiss. “She was having as much fun as the rest of us. She was even looking at your hard-on!”

“She knows a gorgeous dick when she sees one,” Gina said as she sank to her knees. “Mmmmm, and so do I.”

While I kissed Kendall, Gina wrapped her lips around my shaft and tried to swallow me whole. After several glorious minutes, I had both of them bend over the couch. I entered Gina first and fucked her for several minutes. Then I moved behind Kendall and slid my glistening shaft into her pussy.

In the heat of the moment, I completely forgot to roll a rubber over my dick, but I didn’t care. I slammed my hips into her, driving my cock deep into her super-tight pussy. Gina fingered herself while she played with Kendall’s pendulous breasts. For several minutes, I simply pumped into Kendall. Then I had her lie on the couch and spread her legs. She wrapped her arms around my neck as I jackhammered into her. At the last second, I remembered to pull out. With a groan, I shot my load all over her heaving stomach and breasts.

In a flash, Gina started licking up my pearly semen. Soon, she was between Kendall’s legs, licking the older girl’s pussy and making her writhe in ecstasy. My erection hadn’t subsided at all, so I moved behind Gina and entered her in one swift motion. While she ate Kendall to two orgasms, I steadily rammed my cock into her.

I reached around and fondled her swaying breasts as I pounded into her, and she soon shuddered with an orgasm of her own. As she cried out in rapture, I slammed into her, grinding my hips against her ass as I did. With a grunt, I emptied my balls into her spasming pussy. Then I stood there for several long moments, simply gripping her hips and panting. Slowly, we collapsed in a heap on the couch.

“Wow,” Kendall said when we’d all recovered a little.

“Yeah,” Gina agreed.

“I can’t believe your mothers,” Kendall said, reviving our pre-sex conversation. “I mean, they were both teasing Paul.”

“My mom’s like that,” Gina said. “Sometimes, she’ll start teasing my dad in the middle of the afternoon, and I know that by dinnertime, he’ll be ready to screw her silly.”

“They do it in front of you?” Kendall asked, shocked.

“Not really, but I know when Mom’s teasing him. And sometimes, I’ll come back to the cabin and hear them in their room, screwing their brains out.”

Kendall merely shook her head in wonder.

For a while, we lay together contentedly, the sweat of our exertions drying on our skin. But we soon decided to get cleaned up so we could drive to town. I showered with Gina first, then Kendall hopped in.

“Paul,” she said seriously, when we heard Gina walk into the main part of the cabin, “you can’t do that again, put your dick in me without a rubber, I mean. Not until I tell you. Promise me, okay?”

“Why?” I asked, confused. “I didn’t come inside you.”

“That doesn’t matter,” she said earnestly. “There’s still sperm in your pre-come, and I could get pregnant.”

“You’re kidding?” I asked in shock.

She shook her head gravely.

“Why didn’t you stop me?” I asked.

“I ... I wanted you inside me so bad that ... I guess I wasn’t thinking.”

“But what about our first time, at the quarry? Did you just find out about this pre-come thing?”

She looked down and wrung her hands. “I knew about it then,” she said in a small voice. “But I wanted you inside me, so I decided to risk it. It was worth it, that time, but we can’t do it again. Do you understand?”

In reality, I didn’t. If she’d known she could’ve gotten pregnant our first time, even if I didn’t come inside her, then why had she had sex with me? Did she want to get pregnant? No, she didn’t, I admitted. If she did, she wouldn’t have told me about it, or she would’ve simply told me she was on the pill. But still, it was putting both of us at risk, and I didn’t like it. Not one bit.

“Don’t be angry with me,” she begged. “The odds against it are like a million to one, but I just don’t wanna take the chance again, not if we don’t have to. Not until...”

“Not until what?” I asked suspiciously.

“Not until right before my period, that’s the safest time.”

“How do you know?”

“I just know. Trust me. I know how my body works.”

“You don’t want to get pregnant?” I asked.

“Goodness, no. I love you with all my heart, and you’d make a great father, but I’m not ready to have children. I am only seventeen.” Then she laughed. “I may be from Tennessee, but I’m hardly some dumb little country girl.”

“Okay,” I said at last. “I promise not to put it in you without a rubber.”

“Actually,” she said with a grin, “you just can’t put it down there without a rubber.”

I arched an eyebrow.

“I can’t get pregnant by swallowing,” she said with a grin as she sank to her knees.

The water turned cold soon after that, but we didn’t care. Since I knew it would take longer—and since I didn’t want her jaw to get tired—I stroked the base of my cock while she sucked the first few inches. Then I held the back of her head while I filled her mouth with semen. It wasn’t as much as usual, since I’d already come twice, but she certainly didn’t complain. When we finally stepped out of the shower, we were shriveled and a little chilly, but very happy.

***

Shortly before lunch, we went up to Gina’s cabin to see Mom and Elizabeth off. I helped them put their dress bags and a small overnight bag (with make-up and a few other things, they said) in the car. They were excited about seeing Dad and Chris, and we all grinned as they rushed to leave. Finally, they got into the car and backed onto the camp road. Amid waves and well wishes, they drove off.

As we all started to walk down the hill, I pulled Susan aside. For the past day, I’d been trying to think of something special to buy Gina and Kendall, sort of as going away presents. I guess I wanted something for them to remember me by. That morning, when I was shaving after my shower, I’d had a brilliant idea. Susan grinned as I told her about it. Then she gave me directions to a store in town.

I thanked her and jogged toward Gina, who was waiting for me a little further down the hill. Kendall had to eat with her family, so Gina made the two of us sandwiches. She had to use her family’s bread, since I’d eaten the last of ours that morning. After we finished lunch, we went up to our cabins to get dressed. I pocketed all of the cash I had, and grabbed two rubbers, just in case.

Gina came down the hill wearing short shorts and a spaghetti-strap halter top. Her nipples were hard and clearly visible, and she looked delicious. I smiled lecherously as she pirouetted for my inspection. When Kendall arrived, both Gina and I stopped and stared. She was wearing a blue sundress that matched her eyes. The dress accentuated her flat stomach and showed off her breasts. Her hair was pulled back with barrettes and she was actually wearing a little makeup—eye shadow and lip gloss. She looked gorgeous, and she blushed when she saw our reactions.

“Don’t say a thing about the makeup,” Kendall said. “It was Mom’s idea.”

“You look great,” I said sincerely.

Gina merely nodded.

“And I’m the luckiest guy in the world,” I added.

With that, we got into the car—all in the front seat—and I carefully backed onto the road. Then I put the car into gear and we headed to town.

Before she left, Mom had given me a short lecture about being responsible and driving safely, but it wasn’t necessary. This was the first time I’d be allowed to drive to town by myself, and I wasn’t about to screw things up. Besides, we were all sated from our fun earlier, so we probably wouldn’t be fooling around in the car.

During the trip, I paid attention to the speed limit and tried to drive carefully. The girls didn’t even tease me about how serious I was being. But when I pulled off the main road through town and turned down a side road, they looked at me curiously.

“Before we go to the grocery store, I have a stop I want to make,” I said.

“For what?” Gina asked.

“You’ll see,” I said cryptically. “It’s a surprise.”

When I pulled up to a jewelry store, they both stared at me in disbelief. I merely grinned and turned off the engine. When we entered, a middle-aged man looked up from the counter.

“Ah,” he said, “you must be the young man Mrs. MacLean phoned about.”

Gina and Kendall’s curiosity deepened, but I didn’t offer any explanation.

“Yes, sir,” I said. “I’m Paul Hughes.” I held out my hand and he shook it.

“Donald Sebastian,” he said. “It’s nice to meet you Mr. Hughes. Mrs. MacLean explained a little about what you were looking for,” he said, “but why don’t you tell me in your own words.”

“I’d like something for my girlf—” I cleared my throat to cover my multiple girlfriends slip. “Sorry. I’d like something for my lady friends,” I amended. It sounded weird, but it was more or less the truth. Then I fingered the chain Gina had given me. “Something in this pattern.”

He lifted his glasses and leaned forward to peer at it.

I obligingly stepped forward.

“Ah,” he said. “Three plus one Figaro ... sterling silver ... a timeless, elegant pattern. Yes, sir, we have a wide selection to choose from. If you and the young ladies would like to step this way,” he said, gesturing to another display case.

Then he pulled a large tray from the case and set it on the counter. It contained an array of bracelets, necklaces, and even longer chains.

“Paul,” Gina whispered, “what are you doing?”

Instead of answering, I gestured for her and Kendall to precede me. Kendall wore an amazed expression as she stepped toward the tray of chains. Gina’s eyes widened in disbelief, but I merely nodded toward the tray.

“Did you have something specific in mind, Mr. Hughes?”

“Whatever you think would look good,” I replied. “Susan, I mean Mrs. MacLean said you’d be able to recommend something. She said I should rely upon your fine taste,” I said, quoting her exactly.

“She’s too kind,” he said graciously. Then he turned to the girls. “We have a fine selection of bracelets, anklets, and chains of all lengths,” he said.

Gina fingered the silver bracelet I’d already given her. Then she stepped forward and peered at the tray.

“Perhaps a bracelet, Miss?”

She quickly shook her head.

“An anklet is very elegant,” he said, “and much less common. It’s more exotic and alluring, in my opinion.”

She nodded tentatively.

“Ah, excellent,” he said. Then he selected a thin, silver chain and pulled it off its spindle. “Here you are, sir,” he said, holding the chain out to me. “Would you like to do the honors?”

Gina grinned as I took it and knelt before her. She lifted one plain white Ked and pointed her toes. Her skin was so dark that the silver practically glowed.

“Oh, Paul,” she breathed as she gazed at it. “It’s beautiful.”

“It is indeed, Miss,” Mr. Sebastian said. “I’ve always thought an anklet was sometimes more stylish than a bracelet. It draws the eye to the turn of the ankle, to the grace of the calf.”

When I looked up at Gina, her eyes were glistening.

“I love it,” she said.

“We’ll take it,” I said without hesitation. I had no idea how much it cost, but I wasn’t about to ask. Susan had assured me that I had more than enough cash to buy the chains. But as a backup plan, she had an account with the jeweler. If the gifts were more than I could immediately afford, I could put them on her account and then pay her when I had enough money.

“It’s beautiful,” Kendall said when Gina modeled the anklet.

Gina simply nodded, speechless.

“Find something you like,” I urged Kendall.

“Goodness,” she said, “I wouldn’t know where to start.”

“Have you thought about a bracelet, Miss?” Mr. Sebastian asked. When Kendall shrugged noncommittally, he took one off another spindle and held it out to me.

I put it on Kendall’s wrist and she held it at arm’s length to admire it. I don’t know how I could tell, but she didn’t seem happy with it, despite that fact that she smiled graciously.

“Maybe an anklet?” I suggested helpfully.

When she nodded, I removed the bracelet and exchanged it for a longer chain from the jeweler. Then I knelt before her. As she held up her foot, I ran my hands along her shapely calf and she shivered. When I looked up, she grinned shyly. Then I put the anklet around her leg and fastened the clasp. Once again, she smiled graciously, but I could tell she wasn’t happy.

“What else do you have in this pattern?” I asked as I stood up and handed the chain to the jeweler.

“We have longer chains,” he said, indicating a large selection.

“What are these really long ones for?” Kendall asked, finally working up the courage to speak to him.

“Ah, Miss,” he said, “those are waist chains. We rarely sell them, but with your height, and if you don’t mind my saying so, with your figure, I think a waist chain would look exquisite.”

“How do you wear it?” she asked, her eyes lighting up.

“You put it around your waist, hence the name,” he said without a trace of sarcasm, “and it rests on your hips. A waist chain accents and enhances the female figure. And since it’s normally not visible, it’s a much more intimate piece of jewelry. Would you like to try one on?”