Chapter 13

ALLISON CONTINUED HER affectionate explorations in the boat while we sailed to the island. She kissed me more than once, on my neck and on my cheek, and spent most of the trip with her hand on my thigh. This was a full-girl press. She’s an affectionate child, a sensual one who loves to be held and stroked and petted, a demon for massages, we’ve known that of her since she was little, but on this trip her displays of affection began to take on on a distinct sexual note. As far as we knew her experience with high school boys was limited, but it was certain “sweet sixteen and never been kissed,” a marker she passed a couple of years ago, had no longer applied even then.

We’d known about Julian and Harper, they’d never made a secret of their affections when they were younger, even if it was years before their feelings became romantic and they tried to be discreet. We suspected Amy had experimented with Julian as well, but hadn’t seen anything to suggest Allison had become a member of the Julian gaggle.

This morning the island was deserted, just as it had been on my earlier visit with Sarah. Unlike the hotel and its environs, the only sign of progress or change here was a thatched dining area with rough picnic tables. No running water, but the thatch was a needed addition to the rather scrawny trees and other vegetation that might have provided cover against the brilliant sun and the heat that seemed to press against us everywhere. Absent the breeze on the water the three of us dripped with sweat in only the few minutes it took for us to bring our food and water and gear from the boat.

We occupied the picnic tables immediately. After a couple of pieces of fruit each and some water we decided swim and some sun was first on our list. Allison was the first one to strip. Nude, she turned to me.

“Do my back, Dad?”

“Sure sweetie.”

The kid’s a wonder. Smoothest skin, nicely developed shoulders. She’s the athlete of the family in a petite package--swimming, soccer, gymnastics. She skipped baseball, said it’s too slow and boring, and basketball because at barely five feet she’d be run over by the bigger players. I gave her a mini-rub as I applied the sunscreen all the way down to her butt.

When Allison shoved her rear end back into my hands I palmed both cheeks and squeezed, followed by a slap on the hips.

‘You’re done, Allison. Off you go.”

“Bye Mom, bye Dad.” With a wicked smile she splashed into the surf.

“Fred, what’s up with Allison?”

“You mean, is she trying to entice you, Matt, that innocent little girl?”

I snorted.

“Right. She’s innocent but she sure as heck knows how to flirt. How to entice, I mean. Where does that come from all of a sudden?”

Fred put her hand between my legs.