Chapter 71

Phil returned to the new house two weeks after his first foray, this time in the company of the rest of the ownership group. Baseball practice was due to begin in two days and the summer jobs had concluded for the rest of the crew.

Only Hailey stayed behind. Beth needed her for a series of meetings the following week and Hailey had grudgingly agreed to stay.

The penthouse had been abandoned; the few personal items the occupants had left behind were moved into storage. Hailey’s belongings were in the U-Haul with everyone else’s and she was spending the week with Phil’s parents. The mid-August sun beat down on the group as they made their way back to school and the group was grumpy when they pulled into the circular driveway in front of the house.

Katelyn was riding with Phil in the U-Haul and she summed up the group’s feelings aptly.

“Damn,” she said in a shocked voice. “I saw the pictures but I had no idea of how big this place really was.”

Molly and Tiffany bounded out of Hailey’s Saturn and rushed to the door. Part of their haste was the fact they both had to pee but another part was the excitement of seeing the splendor Hailey had described.

They rushed inside, ostensibly to find a bathroom, and stopped in their tracks. It was even nicer than Hailey had told them – and she had been effusive in her praise. Their bladders finally got the better of them and they raced off to the bathrooms Phil pointed out to them.

They returned and began the same walking tour that Hailey had taken earlier.

“So, who’s going to stay down here?” Phil asked when he’d finished showing them the bedrooms and they returned downstairs.

“Me,” Katelyn answered. “We all drew lots last night. We might switch up or we might stay where we are. They all pretty much look the same.”

“Yep,” Tiffany said. She took a seat on the velvet settee. “Phil, before I forget, you did a great job on landing this house.”

“You did,” Molly chimed in. “Thank you. We’re still a little unsure of how we’re going to pay our share but we’ll figure it out once we see how much things are going to cost.”

“I want to talk to you three about something I’ve decided,” Phil said. “Do you want to change and head to the pool? We can chat out there and wait until it cools down before we move the stuff in.”

“Good plan!” Tiffany said. She started to walk upstairs and then she stopped. “What are we supposed to change into? All of our clothes are in the truck.”

“Crap,” Phil muttered. “I didn’t think of that. I guess we’ll just have to fight the heat.”

“It’s a hundred degrees out there and I’m not interested in making 50 trips carrying shit in here,” Katelyn pointed out. “We can just swim in our underwear. No big deal.”

“I’m not wearing any,” Tiffany said, looking slightly amused. The other two women just turned to look at her. “What? I knew I was going to be in a fucking car for five hours. What’s the big deal anyway? We can just swim naked. Hailey said it’s concealed. No one will see us!”

“I’ll see you,” Phil pointed out.

“So what?” Tiffany said again. “You’ve seen all of us naked and we’ve seen you naked.”

“Uh, Hailey was there,” Phil replied.

“Just call her and ask her then,” Tiffany stated, rolling her eyes. “Good God!”

“I’m not going to interrupt a meeting so I can ask her if I can swim naked with you guys,” Phil laughed. “I somehow think she would find that a little screwed up.”

“She’s not going to care,” Molly told him.

Tiffany pulled out her phone and started typing.

“There!” she said, putting the phone on the table. “I texted her. I told her it was hot as hell out here and our bathing suits were still packed in the truck and did she mind if Phil swam with us. I’m going to hit the pool – naked. You can either come out to talk to us or sit in here and wait for her answer. I don’t really give a fuck. I’m hot and I’m sweaty so I’m going out. Are you two coming with me?”

Molly and Katelyn gave Phil a sheepish look but followed Tiffany out of the room. She’d already taken her shirt off by the time she reached the corner of the hallway. Phil decided he’d start moving Hailey’s things in and was headed to the truck when Tiffany’s phone rang. He waited to see if anyone else was coming to answer before he picked it up.

“Save me!” he said when he answered.

Hailey greeted him with a long laugh.

“What’s up with the text Tiff just sent?” she wondered. Phil explained the situation and Hailey responded the same way Tiffany had.

“It’s nothing you haven’t seen before,” she replied. “I mean, it’s just the three of them. You didn’t invite anyone else to the pool, did you?”

“It’s just them,” Phil confirmed.

“So what’s the big deal?” Hailey inquired. “I think I can safely say they aren’t offended at the prospect.”

“The big deal is that you’re not here,” Phil admitted.

“Oh!” Hailey replied. “That’s not a problem with me. I mean, honestly, do you think they’re going to stay fully clothed all the time unless I’m in the house?”

“Probably not,” Phil agreed with a long sigh. “I guess I just wanted to make sure it wouldn’t make you uncomfortable.”

“It doesn’t,” Hailey told him. “So what did you want to talk to them about? Tiffany’s note said you wanted to speak to them but you wouldn’t do it while you might see a boob.”

“She left that part out of the explanation,” Phil answered. “It’s just something I want to run past them. It ties into what you and I talked about while we were here. I just wanted their take on a couple of things I’m been considering.”

“I liked what we talked about while we were together,” Hailey told him. “I still get a little shiver when I think about how sweet you are. I miss you already. It’s going to be a long week without you here.”

“You’ll have fun,” Phil assured her.

“Maybe,” Hailey answered. “Uh, thanks for leaving your car. You didn’t have to.”

“I didn’t mind,” Phil replied with a smile. “Your friends from high school got used to seeing you in that car and I know you secretly enjoy driving it.”

“You don’t have to worry about me tomorrow night,” Hailey said in a small voice.

“I’m not worried at all,” Phil told her. “You haven’t seen them all summer and I’m sure you’ve missed them. You’ll have a good time. I only wish I could have stayed to meet them, too. Uh, you don’t have to worry about me either.”

“Why would I worry about you?” Hailey wondered.

“Well, I mean, with Molly, Tiffany or Katelyn,” Phil answered.

“Please,” Hailey replied dismissively. “If you decide you guys want to fool around, I’m really OK with it.”

“We’ll talk about it when you’re here,” Phil said. “I just didn’t want you to think the reason I asked them to come down this week was so I could have some alone time with them.”

“I really think you should,” Hailey confided. “I don’t mean getting frisky with them but you rarely do anything one-on-one with Tiffany or Molly. It might be nice for you to go out to dinner or go to a movie. Tiffany’s birthday is this week. I’m not sure you know that but I think she’d like a special evening. Molly would, too, I think. I’m not talking about a date or anything but just spend some time with them when the rest of us aren’t there. It worked wonders for us. I know that’s different. Still, I’m going to make it a point to do stuff alone with Katelyn and Molly when we’re all there.”

“That might be nice,” Phil agreed. “I’ll see how sore I am after practice tomorrow. I’ll let everyone know about Tiffany’s birthday. It’s Wednesday, right?”

“I have to run, Love,” Hailey said in a dejected voice. “Yes, it’s day after tomorrow. I’m glad I got to talk to you. I didn’t want to call while you were driving but I was taking a few minutes and I missed you. It’s fine for you to do anything you’re comfortable with so long as you restrict your activities to our three friends. Just tell them I say to be gentle with you.

“I love you!”

“I love you,” Phil repeated. “I’ll talk to you later tonight.”

“Count on it,” Hailey said. “I’m going to take a couple of special pictures for you when I get home so watch for them.”

They ended the call and Phil headed into his bedroom to change into the swim trunks he’d brought with him on the earlier visit. They hadn’t been worn but neither he nor Hailey minded in the least.

“Thank God!” Molly said when Phil emerged from the private exit of the apartment. Tiffany and Katelyn were splashing in the water but Molly was half dressed in wet clothes. “I just came in to look for you.”

“What’s up?” Phil asked.

“Sunscreen!” Molly said. “As in we need some.”

Phil tossed the bottle he’d grabbed along with four towels.

“I knew she’d say she didn’t mind,” Tiffany said in a smug voice as she drifted to the side of the pool. Her pale bottom was visible beneath the rippling water.

“Your ass is going to get red,” Phil told her.

“I’ve got a little bit of a tan on it,” Tiffany replied, vainly trying to see her own butt by looking over her shoulder.

“I meant because I’m going to pull you out and spank you if you don’t lose some of the attitude,” Phil replied, looking down at her. Tiffany had her elbows on the edge of the pool and looked up at Phil and gulped.

“Yeah, sorry,” she said. “I’m a little keyed up, I think. I’m really stoked about the house but I’ll watch it.”

“No problem,” Phil replied. “I just didn’t want it to get out of hand too quickly. You probably should put some lotion on the areas that don’t see consistent sun, though. You can get burned easily in the water.”

“I will,” Tiffany told him, smiling at him softly. “Thanks for the towels, too.”

“You’re all very welcome,” Phil said. “Thanks for the lovely view of your bottom.”

“Anytime,” Tiffany replied. Molly had stripped down to skin again and slathered herself in the waterproof lotion. Phil took in her body as he turned to her.

“Do you want to invite your cousins out for dinner?” he inquired.

“This is their last week off,” Molly said as she lowered herself back into the pool. “They went to see his parents for a few days. They’re back Wednesday and I’m going to visit them and catch up.”

Tiffany and Katelyn emerged from the water, seemingly unashamed of their nudity. Phil decided they had nothing to be ashamed of. Tiffany heard Molly’s answer and frowned slightly.

“I’m having dinner with my family Wednesday, too,” Katelyn remarked, which caused another frown from the diminutive Tiffany. Phil immediately saw Hailey’s hand in the plot.

“Looks like it’s just you and me for dinner Wednesday,” Phil said, putting his arm around Tiffany’s slippery shoulders. He automatically rubbed the lotion into the areas of her back she couldn’t reach. “What do you say we go somewhere nice for dinner and maybe take in a movie or something? Maybe I can spring for an ice cream cone afterward if you play your cards right.”

“Sounds like fun,” Tiffany said. “I’ve always wanted to try that rib place out on Highway 40.”

“I like it!” Phil agreed. He shot a wink at Katelyn who replied with a wide smile. Then he picked Tiffany up and tossed her into the water. She came up sputtering and watched Phil and Katelyn wrestling on the pool deck. Katelyn was strong and agile so Phil gave up and just grabbed her around the waist and jumped into the water himself.

“Jerk!” Katelyn laughed when she brought her head out of the water. Molly was laughing at her friend until Phil hooked her around the waist and pulled her under, too.

“I declare myself Sea King!” he said as he scrambled back out the water before they could exact revenge. He took a seat on one of the chairs and put his sunglasses back on. The women swam for a few minutes before getting out and joining him. None of them made any attempt to cover up their bodies – and Phil decided he didn’t mind in the least.

“Why are you wearing a suit?” Molly wondered.

“Because I have a suit to wear,” Phil answered with a shrug. “I’d never been skinny dipping before a couple of weeks ago and I wasn’t sure if it would bother you three or not.”

“Like Tiffany and Molly haven’t groped you every chance they’ve gotten for a month,” Katelyn said with a smirk.

“Yeah and it’s just us, never you,” Molly shot back. “Well, I for one don’t mind. If it bothers you, keep the suit on. I plan to sunbathe topless – and probably bottomless – as often as I can. I mean, I won’t if you’re offended or something but I don’t really see a problem with casual nudity. We’re all best friends; at least I consider the four of you my best friends. We’ve shared a lot and made it through a lot of mistakes. I’m closer to the four of you than I am to my own family. I don’t say this but they’re just words, I guess. I love you all. I don’t want something as silly as clothing to disrupt the closeness we’ve developed.

“I was never all that comfortable with my body. My family is devout Catholics and considered showing a kneecap to be a sin. My freckles and my pale skin and my flat butt have always been of concern. Since I’ve been around you, I’ve come to see that others find me attractive and I’ve come to enjoy wearing less than a nun’s habit. I think we all have appreciated the reaction we get from you, Phil. You let us act a little crazy – to do the things we’ll warn our children not to do in the future. Skinny dipping, nude sunbathing, the sexy photos – six months ago I wanted to do those things but I never would have considered them. Now I can’t wait to see what we do next. If it’s nothing more than we’re doing now, I’ll still be happy. If it turns out to be more, I’ll be happy with that, too. I think I speak for all of us when I say it was very unusual for us to be happy – with who we were, with what we looked like, with how we acted – until we found you and each other. I always thought I became liberated when I spent my summers on the Continent. I was wrong. I became truly free when you four walked into my life and gave me people in my life I can trust absolutely.”

Phil listened intently to Molly’s impassioned speech. It was particularly long-winded for her – and especially honest. There was no self-deprecating humor or sarcasm in her words. She wasn’t flippant or cynical. She was sincere.

“I’m not opposed to anything you want to do,” he said. “I’ve enjoyed the hell out of the pictures – the solo ones and the ones we took together. I enjoy looking at all of you and I think you four are the sexiest women I’ve ever been around in my life. I adore your pale skin and your freckles – and I think your bottom is perfectly shaped. I love that Katelyn walks with her shoulders back and her head high. I enjoy watching the way the muscles in her butt flex when she walks or runs. Those long legs in shorts – or less – drive me crazy. I’ve thought Tiffany was special from the first time I met her – almost a year ago. I thought she was crazy sexy the afternoon I saw her come out of the shower at the dorm with just a towel wrapped around her. Seeing her nude is always a treat. She might think her breasts are too small but I think they are amazing. Those nipples drive me insane whether they are bare or sticking through a T-shirt.