Chapter 33

In the months since Christmas, Gina and I had grown closer. She didn’t get possessive and she didn’t turn petulant when things didn’t go her way. I think it was because we could have sex on a regular basis. It certainly wasn’t like being together for a month (or less) over the summer.

Instead, Gina knew that if we didn’t have sex one day, we could still get together the following day. So she relaxed and we talked a lot more, instead of simply fucking like bunnies. She was still selfish sometimes, and she occasionally treated me like an object, but she was apologetic when I pointed it out to her. She genuinely seemed to want to improve.

We got together with Heather a few more times and finally talked the blonde girl into going nude in the hot tub. She had a cute patch of dark blonde pubic hair and a gorgeous, full ass. Gina told me that the few times she tried to do anything sexual with Heather, the blonde girl balked. Instead, Heather wanted to learn how to give a blowjob. When Gina told me, I offered to provide the practice equipment.

“Heather was hoping you would,” Gina said, grinning unabashedly.

“And you?” I asked.

“I was hoping you would too.”

“Oh?”

“Mmm hmm,” she said, nodding. “I can’t wait to see her lips wrapped around you.”

A few days later, Gina, Heather, and I gathered at the Coulter house. It was a Saturday, and Elizabeth and Leah were out shopping with Mom and Erin. They were going to see a movie as well. Gina’s father was in New York City on a business trip, so we’d have the house to ourselves for the entire afternoon.

Ostensibly, Heather was there to work on an English paper, but we were more interested in chemistry: sexual chemistry. We dropped our books on the kitchen table and then immediately headed toward the hot tub. Once there, Heather shed her clothes and slipped into the water. Then she watched as I took my time removing my clothes. Gina merely grinned, slipped out of her clothes, and stepped into the water with her friend.

Once I was nude, I sat on the edge of the tub, my legs dangling in the water. The sun was shining and the day was pleasantly warm. It was still a little chilly, but not so much that I minded. Almost casually, I fondled my limp member. Then I made eye contact with Heather. She looked nervous, but excited.

“Are you sure it’s all right?” she asked.

I nodded.

She looked nervously at Gina. “Are you sure?”

I tried not to smirk as Gina hid her enthusiasm.

“I’m sure,” she said instead, keeping her expression serious.

Since Heather was still a little timid, I decided to slow things down. “Why don’t I just sit here for a while,” I suggested. “And you can just look at it. Would that be okay?”

Gratefully, the blonde nodded.

When she leaned forward slightly, I flexed my buttocks and made my penis twitch. She jerked back as if scalded, but quickly recovered. She blushed when she saw me grinning.

“You can touch it, if you want,” I said.

Tentatively, she reached out, glancing up at me as she did. I reassured her with a smile and she returned her concentration to my dick. She’d seen it before, but she had never studied it. Her expression was rapt, and I toyed with the idea of startling her again. I decided against it, since she was already nervous enough.

“What if your mom comes home early?” she asked, suddenly pulling back and turning to Gina.

“She won’t,” Gina said. “They’re going to the matinee movie. They won’t be home till after six.”

Heather licked her lips and then nodded.

“So go ahead,” Gina continued, “touch him. He likes it.”

Heather smiled shyly and then reached for me again. As soon as her fingertips touched the soft glans, she pulled back. Then she mustered her courage and touched me again, trailing her fingers along my shaft.

“It’s getting harder,” she said.

“It’s because he likes it,” Gina said. “I told you he would.”

Heather merely nodded and returned her attention to my manhood. Then she gripped my shaft, squeezing gently as it filled with blood. Tentatively, she stroked me, the loose skin sliding along the hardening tissue beneath.

“That feels good,” I reassured her. “Keep doing that.”

Obediently, she kept stroking me. When I reached full erection, she leaned closer.

“Wrap your fingers around it,” I said. “Here, like this.” I showed her how to grip me.

From behind Heather, Gina flashed me a brilliant white smile.

“Do you like how it feels?” Gina asked her friend.

Heather nodded and kept stroking me. Her grip was hesitant and slack, but she was growing more confident.

Gina slid forward and started telling the blonde girl about my cock: what felt good, which parts were sensitive, how I liked to be squeezed and stroked. Heather paid attention, but her eyes were riveted to my erection. At Gina’s suggestion, the busty blonde started fondling my balls.

“Oh, yeah,” I said. “That’s nice.” Then I groaned semi-theatrically. “You’re a natural.”

“I am?” Heather asked, excited.

“Mmm hmm. Just keep playing with my balls.” I leaned back and propped myself up with my arms. While Heather stroked me with increasing confidence, I made appreciative noises. What she was doing felt good—not great—but I knew she needed the encouragement.

“Do you wanna kiss it?” Gina asked Heather after several minutes of stroking.

I opened my eyes and looked down at the two girls.

“Is that what I should do next?” the blonde asked.

Gina nodded.

Heather glanced at me nervously and then leaned forward. I spread my legs wider. Her kiss was soft and hesitant, right on the tip of my erection.

“That felt nice,” I said. “Thanks.”

Her face lit up with a smile, her blue eyes sparkling as her cheeks turned pink.

“Do you want to kiss it again?”

She nodded.

“Open your mouth when you do,” I suggested. “Just a little.”

She did, her lips lingering on my glans.

“Did you like that?”

“Uh-huh. It doesn’t taste bad or anything.”

“Suck on the head,” Gina suggested.

Gaining confidence, Heather wrapped her lips around the crown and sucked gently. With Gina quietly coaching her, the blonde girl started using her tongue to tease the underside of my glans. Then she opened her lips and slowly engulfed more of my shaft. She could only take about two inches, but I let her know how good it felt.

As her self-assurance grew, she started moving her lips back and forth. Her teeth grazed me a few times, but Gina noticed and quietly gave her a few pointers. At Gina’s suggestion, Heather wrapped her fingers around my shaft and started stroking me as she sucked.

For her first blowjob, she was doing fine. Her teeth scraped my shaft a few more times, but I kept up a patter of encouraging words and happy moans. Gina could tell I was slightly exaggerating things, but I don’t think Heather figured it out.

“Oh, God,” I groaned, “you’re gonna make me come.” I wasn’t really getting close, but I could tell that her jaw was getting tired. Gina could suck me for thirty minutes at a time, but Heather didn’t have that kind of stamina. Yet. So I gently pushed her hand out of the way and wrapped my own fingers around my shaft. “Do you want to swallow?” I asked.

Heather pulled back and licked her saliva-shiny lips. “It just tastes salty, right?” she asked Gina.

“It tastes great,” Gina said, nodding. “I love the taste of his come.”

“You said he shoots a lot, right?”

Gina nodded again. “But it’s not gallons or anything. You might have to swallow a couple of times, but it’s not that much.”

While Gina assuaged Heather’s fears, I kept stroking my shaft, building myself toward release. Heather asked Gina questions about what it was like when I came; she seemed to be worried about the amount more than the taste.

“Can you just shoot a little?” she asked me.

I chuckled and shook my head as I continued stroking. “It doesn’t really work like that. I can’t really turn it on and off, like a faucet.”

“Yeah,” she said, shrugging. “I want to taste it, but I don’t wanna get too much in my mouth and gag or something. I mean ... you know.”

“Yeah. Why don’t I spurt once or twice in your mouth and then you can pull back. Gina can swallow the rest.”

Gina’s eyes lit up at the prospect.

“I mean, some might hit you in the face,” I continued, glancing back at Heather, “but just keep your eyes closed and you’ll be cool.”

“I’m sorry,” Heather said. “I just don’t wanna get too much. I’m not sure I can swallow your ... um ... your stuff. You know. Is that okay?”

I nodded. “I’m pretty worked up, so that’s probably a good idea. I mean, your lips and tongue felt really good, especially for your first time.”

Positive reinforcement—Pavlov would be proud.

Then I closed my legs to let the girls move closer. Heather’s buoyant breasts pressed against my left leg as she leaned forward. Then Gina moved close, her breasts pressing against my right leg. Almost casually, Gina put her hand on Heather’s arm. I shared a knowing smile with Gina and continued stroking myself. After a minute, I got Heather’s attention.

“Would you suck the head?” I suggested. “That felt really nice.”

“It did?”

“Uh-huh. And you look really cute when you’re sucking me,” I added.

She blushed and quickly locked her lips around my shaft. I warned her when I was about to come, and she looked up nervously. The first spurt must’ve been a lot more than she expected, because she jerked back in surprise. The next spurt landed on her cheek and chin.

Gina lunged forward as I shifted my aim. When her lips wrapped around my girth, I moaned softly. Two more spurts filled her mouth and then my climax dwindled. She greedily swallowed and then replaced my hand with hers, hoping to squeeze more semen from my shaft.

As Gina sucked, I turned to look at Heather. She glanced up at me and then closed her mouth, swallowing the small pool of white semen. With my left hand, I cupped her cheek, using my thumb to wipe the errant trail of sperm. While she paused to consider what my semen tasted like, I unobtrusively wiped my thumb on my towel. Gina would have greedily licked it clean, but I don’t think Heather was ready for that yet.

Since I didn’t get soft, Gina kept sucking me. I was more than happy to let her. I gestured for Heather to sit next to me on the edge of the tub, which she did. Her body was warm from the water, and she felt good next to me. I wrapped my arm around her and leaned in to kiss her. She eagerly responded against me.

“Thank you,” I said, when we broke the kiss.

She licked her lips, opened her eyes, then smiled shyly.

When she looked into my eyes, I said, “And any guy who won’t kiss you after you’ve sucked him off isn’t worth another blowjob.”

She blushed and lowered her gaze.

“You did real well,” I said, “especially for your first time. Did you like it?”

“Yeah. I think I see why Gina talks about it all the time.”

I nodded. Then I pulled her close and kissed her again. She responded instantly, pressing her ample breasts against my side. I turned her body slightly and started fondling her breast, teasing her nipple. In between kisses, she panted with growing passion.

“Later,” I said, “we can go to Gina’s room.”

Heather nodded, leaning forward to kiss me again.

I dropped my hand from her breast and let it rest on her thigh. As I resumed kissing her, I moved my hand up her thigh and gently parted her legs. When she didn’t protest, I slid my hand higher, finding her steamy pussy.

“In Gina’s room,” I said, teasing Heather’s outer labia with my fingertips, “I’ll go down on you.” I found her clit and circled it with my thumb. “Would you like that?”

“Oh, God,” she panted. “Yes.”

We continued kissing as I teased her pussy. Between my legs, Gina was trying to swallow me whole. With steady pressure on the spot behind my balls, she brought me to the point of no return. I groaned into Heather’s mouth as I emptied my second load down Gina’s throat.

When I came to my senses, I suggested we go inside. We picked up our clothes, but didn’t even bother putting them on before we raced across the short distance between the hot tub’s privacy hedge and the back porch. Once inside, we immediately headed for Gina’s room.

There, I directed Heather onto the bed and then turned to Gina. She flowed into my arms and I kissed her. Then I brought my right hand to her lips, letting her taste Heather’s juices. Gina eagerly sucked my fingers, closing her eyes and savoring the flavor.

“I promised Heather I’d go down on her,” I said. “Do you want me to take care of you first?”

Gina shook her head. “I want to watch. Besides,” she said, “I want you inside me.” Then she reached between us and grasped my flaccid length. “You won’t be ready for a while.”

I nodded in agreement. When I turned to Heather, I had to stifle a chuckle. She looked horny, nervous, desperate, and shy, all at once. As I moved next to her, Gina sat on the other side. Tentatively, I put my hand on the blonde girl’s calf.

She didn’t flinch, so I slid my hand higher. Our eyes met and she smiled, a shy, excited smile. I continued moving my hand up her leg, caressing the back of her knee. She shuddered and closed her eyes. With slow, gentle touches, I persuaded her to lie back and relax. When my fingers found her moist sex, she gasped. I started to remove my hand, but she quickly covered it with her own.

“Don’t stop,” she breathed.

I bent my head to suckle her nipple and continued teasing her fleshy labia, parting them with my fingers and rubbing my thumb over her hooded clit. When I gently rolled the little pearl between thumb and forefinger, she gasped in pleasure.

I took my time with her, building her up. Her pussy reluctantly opened when I first slid my finger into her, but she begged me to keep going. While Gina watched—playing with herself as she did—I kissed and caressed Heather, working her into a frenzy.

Then I moved between her legs and used my lips and tongue to continue what my fingers had begun. I parted her damp pubic hair with my nose, inhaling her virginal, fresh aroma. When I kissed her arousal-swollen pussy, she moaned and clutched at my head.

Using long licks, teasing the sensitive area between her inner and outer labia, I drove her higher. She cried out as I wrapped my lips around her clit. Then I flicked my tongue under the protective hood. With my hands, I held her legs apart and began buzzing my lips against her clit. As I did, she gasped and moaned in ecstasy, her orgasm building.

When I finally pushed her over the edge, she shuddered and bucked her hips against my face and softly cried out. I held on and flicked my tongue against her clit, driving my finger inside her, feeling her muscles spasm. With a heaving, trembling sigh, she went limp.

I looked up, turned to Gina, and grinned. “I think she liked it,” I said.

Instead of answering me, Gina simply leaned forward and kissed me, tasting the other girl’s juices on my lips. When Gina and I separated, Heather moaned softly as an aftershock coursed through her body. Using my resurgent erection for leverage, Gina pulled me from between Heather’s legs.

“God, you make me so hot,” she whispered. “Every time I see you with your face between another girl’s legs, I get all wet.”

I reached between her legs and rubbed a finger over her slippery labia. She was open and very ready. With a hungry grin, I moved between her legs.

“I can’t wait to feel you inside me,” Gina breathed.

“Do you want me to leave?” Heather asked quietly.

At the sound of her voice, I looked up and immediately had to stifle a grin; she was trying not to stare at us. As I tried to compose myself—I didn’t want to embarrass her—I hovered between Gina’s spread, up-thrust knees, my erection poised at her opening.

“Do you want me to leave?” Heather repeated. “I can go, if you want some privacy.”

“Do you want to?” I asked.

She blushed, but didn’t reply.

“You can watch, if you want,” I said.

Gina reached down and started gently squeezing my erection. Her grip was firm and insistent.

“I can?” Heather asked.

“Do you want to?”

Once again, she blushed. But this time, she nodded as well.

With a barely suppressed grin, I told her she could stay. Then I turned my attention back to Gina. I lowered my hips and she set the bulbous head of my dick at her opening. With gentle pressure, I eased into her. She closed her eyes and savored the feeling as my girth spread her open. When I bottomed out, she groaned deep in her throat.

With that, I began thrusting, making sure Heather had a good view of my cock pistoning into Gina. Gina was hot and very wet, and soon began lifting her hips to meet my thrusts. For only a moment, our thrusts were out of synch, but we quickly settled into a comfortable rhythm.

She ran her hands over my arms and shoulders, urging me to pump her harder. Then she trailed her fingers over my ribs and down my flanks, clutching at my thrusting hips. When I looked at Heather, her eyes were glued to where Gina’s and my bodies were joined.

I pushed myself back on my haunches, the tip of my erection still spreading Gina open. Then I ran my hands over her thighs, teasing her hot skin with gentle caresses. When I began thrusting again, her chest and face flushed a darker shade. With a low moan, she closed her eyes and moistened her lips.

I teased her clit with my left hand, using my thumb to draw small circles around it. Her nostrils flared as she inhaled sharply. I took my time with her, making sure she enjoyed herself, and making sure to put on a good show for Heather.

After several minutes, I pulled out. Gina’s eyes popped open, but she quickly realized what I wanted. With a wry grin, she flipped her leg over me and rolled to her side. Then she rose on all fours and flipped her hair back. With a sultry expression, she glanced at me over her shoulder. I scooted forward, set my rod at her opening, and entered her from behind.

It was one of her favorite positions—my dick bumped into her inner spot with each thrust—and she quickly began panting and whimpering in pleasure. I increased my pace, my hips slapping into her round ass. She hung her head and moaned softly, thrusting back at me with each stroke.

When I felt her pussy start to spasm, I reached around her hip and teased her clit. With my fingertips, I put pressure on the base, gently pressing and releasing, driving her toward her climax.

When she came, she tensed up and cried out, arching her back. I kept thrusting, my fingers dancing over the sensitive pearl at the top of her slit. Her pussy spasmed and clutched at me. She moaned again, deep in the throes of her orgasm, and I slammed into her a final time. Her climax washed over her, her body quivering with pleasure. When her orgasm subsided, she hung her head and panted, her back heaving as she drew shuddering breaths.

I started to thrust again, but she practically lunged forward; her pussy was too sensitive. In a blur of motion, she spun around and wrapped her lips around my slippery shaft. With one hand wrapped around the base, she jerked me off, flicking her tongue against the head.

In a few moments, I came, semen gushing over her tongue as she moaned and swallowed. She massaged my balls, hoping to squeeze more semen from them. With the pleasure of my orgasm still tingling along my nerves, I sank back on my haunches, panting.

“Wow,” Heather said. “That was so cool.”

“Mmmmm,” Gina sighed. “Yeah.” Then she languidly rolled to her back. “You should try it.”

Heather quickly shook her head.

“You’ll like it,” Gina said.

I recognized Heather’s apprehension, but I don’t think Gina did. “It’s okay,” I said, interrupting Gina. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

Heather breathed a sigh of relief, but Gina tensed up.

“You can when you’re ready,” I said.

“I dunno if I’ll ever be ready,” Heather said. “I mean, I want to, but...”

I arched my eyebrows.

She blushed.

“What?” Gina asked, rolling to her stomach. “You told me you wanted to.”

“I know,” Heather said quickly. “It’s just...”

“Just what?” Gina asked, a touch of exasperation in her voice.

“Isn’t Paul’s ... um ... dick ... pretty big?” Heather ventured. “I dunno if it’ll fit.”

“It’ll fit,” I said with a laugh. “But we’d have to go slow the first time.” She was genuinely anxious, but Gina seemed determined to talk the blonde girl into having sex with me. So I decided to forestall the conversation; Heather wasn’t ready, and Gina would only get frustrated when she didn’t get her way. “C’mon,” I said before either girl could say anything, “let’s get cleaned up and at least look like we’re working on our English paper.”

Heather really wasn’t ready to have sex yet. She was worried about not being on the pill, about the pain, and about countless other things. But she definitely liked watching Gina and me have sex. She liked giving me blowjobs, and she liked it when I went down on her. But more importantly, she knew I was discreet, so she didn’t have to worry about getting a bad reputation.

In school, she was as demure as ever, but when she came over to Gina’s house, she was almost a different person. She was enthusiastic and eager to explore (within her limits). Slowly, Gina and I also started working on her aversion to girl-girl sex. Her Midwestern values were at odds with her growing desire. Surprisingly, Gina was patient and didn’t try to force the issue.

The one thing I initially worried about was Heather becoming attached to me or falling in love. Thankfully, she only wanted to be friends. She realized how committed I was to Gina, but that didn’t have anything to do with her desire to remain only friends.

I asked Gina about it once, and she told me that Heather said I wasn’t her type. Heather liked me as a friend, but as far as she was concerned, I wasn’t boyfriend material. I guess she thought of me as someone she could fool around with whenever she wanted, and I was more than happy with that relationship. And since Heather was beginning to see the possibilities of girl-girl sex, Gina was happy too. Impatient, but happy.

For spring break, Gina and Leah were going to visit their grandparents in Richmond, Virginia, so I made plans to fly up to Knoxville. Kendall’s spring break was the week before mine, but she said she could afford to skip one or two classes and spend a few days with me. We’d be together from Saturday till mid-Wednesday.

Bridget even offered to let us use her car and her family’s cabin in the mountains. Kendall and I would have almost five days to ourselves. She was looking forward to it as much as I was.

During one of our phone conversations, shortly before our spring break together, I mentioned Heather. Kendall immediately discerned that Gina and I were fooling around with the blonde. In bits and pieces, she dragged the story out of me. I think she could hear in my voice that I wasn’t in love with Heather, and that seemed to satisfy her.

Once I realized Kendall wasn’t upset that Heather was giving me blowjobs, I told her more about the relationship. She confirmed my suspicions about the blonde girl; I was merely a good friend.

“You’re her blowjob buddy,” Kendall teased.

“You’re not upset?” I asked.

“Maybe a little,” she said, “but not really. Not when I think about it rationally, at least. My initial reaction is ‘No, no, no! I want you all to myself.’” Then she laughed. “But then I calm down. I know the difference between love and sex. There are only two women you love.”

“Three,” I corrected.

“Yeah, Susan. But she’s a special case. You don’t love her like you love Gina and me.”

“Yeah.”

“Besides, I’ve known you were having sex with other women.”

“Yeah. But that doesn’t bother you?”

“Sometimes it does,” she said, and I could almost hear her shrug. “But I know you love me,” she continued, “and I know I’m not going to lose you to Heather.”

“True.”

“And I know how Gina is.”

“What d’you mean?” I asked.

“Do you think it’s a coincidence that Heather’s a lot like Lisa?”

“No,” I said in sudden realization.

“Uh-huh. Gina likes sex, and she usually has a best friend who’s a lot like her. But she’s not going to be best friends with a girl who’s going to be competition.”

I found myself nodding as Kendall spoke.

“So I’m not worried about you having sex with Heather,” she continued, “as long as you’re careful.”

“Oh, I will be,” I said distractedly.

“Good. I don’t want anything bad to happen to you. You’re too smart for that.”

“Thanks.”

“And if anything did happen, I’d never forgive you,” she said, teasing me. “Because then you wouldn’t be able to ravish me.”

“Oh?”

“Mmm hmm,” she said, almost timidly. “I was thinking...”

“Yes?”

“When you come up for spring break, I want you to do something.”

“Uh-huh?”

“I ... I want you to tie me up and ... um...”

Even though her roommate was gone, I heard her cup her hand around the phone mouthpiece.

“I want you to ... um ... rape me.”

“You want me to what?”

“Not for real,” she said hastily. “Just for fun. We’ll have the cabin to ourselves, and I’ve been there. The nearest neighbor is about a half-mile away. So you could ... um ... you know ... tie me up and do whatever you want.”

“I dunno.”

“Oh, Paul, please. I want you to. I want you to ... to rape me.”

“Not for real, right?”

“Oh, no. Just for play. But I really, really want you to.”

“Okay,” I said softly. “I think I can do that.”

“Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, Paul. I love you so much. I’ll make it worth your while.”

“Of course you will,” I said roguishly. “You’ll be tied up.”

“Paul!” my mom called from the kitchen. “Dinner!”

“You’d better go,” Kendall said.

“Yeah. I love you.”

“I love you too,” she said. “And ... thanks. For understanding about ... you know.”

“You’re welcome. Thank you for understanding. About Heather and everything else. I really don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t have you,” I said sincerely.

“Oh, Paul,” she whispered. “You don’t know how good that makes me feel.”

“I mean it. I’d be lost without you.”

“I love you,” she said. “Now go eat. You’ve got to be healthy and strong when you ravish me.”

“Oh, don’t worry. I will be. And I love you, too. Bye.”

“Bye.”

In Atlanta, before my flight boarded, the gate agent talked to the flight’s head stewardess and they upgraded me to first class. They knew I was flying to Knoxville to see my girlfriend, and I was beginning to figure out that a lot of women had a soft spot for romantic guys. I didn’t mean to get upgraded to first class when I talked to the agent; it was just a lucky break.

Since I flew stand-by, I had to check in an hour before departure. As a result, I usually ended up chatting with the gate agents and stewardesses. Dad would say that being polite is its own reward, but I certainly got enough other rewards to make it worthwhile, even if it hadn’t made me feel good in the first place.

When the plane came to a stop at the gate in Knoxville, the head stewardess, Bonnie, asked me to wait to disembark. Evidently, the flight crew had a layover in town. When the captain and first officer came out of the cockpit, carrying their jackets and Jepps cases, they glanced at me.

“You’re David Hughes’s son?” the captain asked.

“Yes, sir,” I said, shaking his proffered hand. “Paul Hughes.”

“I’m Art Maxwell,” he said. Then he pointed to his co-pilot. “This is Stu Pfefferman. We both know your dad.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” I said.

“Bonnie tells us you’re meeting your girlfriend,” Art said.

“Yes, sir.”

“Sir? I’m Art,” he said, pointing to himself. “This is Stu.” Then he grinned at me. “When you say ‘sir,’ I think I’m back in the Air Force.”

“God forbid,” Stu teased. “That’s just what this country needs, more half-crazed pilots with missiles.”

“Mud mover,” Art said to the first officer, winking at me as he did.

“Fighter puke,” Stu replied without heat.

The two of them continued hurling epithets as we walked up the jetway. Bonnie merely grinned at me and shook her head. Then she introduced the other two stewardesses, Marybeth and Grace.

When we reached the concourse, I almost laughed when I saw Kendall. She looked beautiful, but she also looked frantic. As soon as she saw me, she ran toward me, her relief evident.

“Oh, my goodness,” she said, hugging me tight. “When all those people got off the plane and I didn’t see you, I thought you weren’t coming.”

When she pulled back, I grinned at her. She was wearing a blue wrap-around dress that clung to her curves and matched her eyes. Her hair was pinned back on one side, and someone had obviously helped her do it. She was also wearing subtle eye shadow and lip gloss.