Chapter 2

Lynn sighed contentedly, stretched out in her fulfilled nakedness beside this man she had willingly aided in crime, this lover she had eagerly crossed the country to be with... this handsome husband she had almost forced her self to think of as being truly dead in order to bear the long nights... weeks... months of waiting, but now it was over; they were together again, and it was more beautiful than she'd ever dreamed it could be. Dear God, what a blissful reunion that had been! She could still hardly believe or understand her own wantonness, but she certainly wasn't ashamed of it; in fact, the flush to her cheeks, she realized, was entirely pride. It had been a long time, but she could remember vividly that their lovemaking had never been like that, nor had she, which was serving to answer a myriad of questions that had lingered in the shadows of her brain the past two years.

In essence, she had never given herself wholly to him before... and therein dwelt the intimate secrets of passion and love... She'd read that someplace, but had never really probed its meaning. God, all of the beautiful delights of the universe were suddenly opening up to her, weren't they? She sensed the tiny ripples of muscular reactions still playing over her sensual flesh. A breeze swept aside the faded drape at the open window to brush soothingly over her silken skin. The rumbling wash of the unceasing surf reached her and she rolled her head to gaze at her prostrate lover who was smoking and staring up at the soiled, plaster-cracked ceiling absently.

"A penny for your thoughts this time, Darling?" she said in a soft voice, moving onto her side toward him.

"Oh... nothing really... just musing, trying to get my head back together after that session," he replied, grinning over at her, then suddenly swinging his feet to the floor and sitting up on the edge of the bed.

"W-Was it good for you too, Darling?" she asked in the same tone.

Earl turned to look at her. "Yeah," he answered, his smile twisted to one side. "Almost too good... too much, Baby... yeah."

She smiled happily and watched him stand then go to a chair where a pair of faded dungarees hung over its back. He took them and started to pull them on. "What're you doing?" she asked.

"Doing... ? Putting my pants on. Goin' down stairs, Rabbit. Got some business to discuss with Rudy and Virgin... Want to come along?"

"Isn't it late? They'll be in bed, won't they?"

Earl chuckled. "If they are, I guarantee you they won't be sleeping!"

Lynn caught the meaning of his words and tittered lightly. "Maybe they'd rather not be interrupted."

He didn't answer. She watched him zip the fly closed, then run a comb through his hair before the mirror, studying the pattern of waves that fell neatly into place down the back of his neck. He'd always had attractive chestnut-colored hair, but he had never worn it so long. She wasn't sure that she liked it... or any aspect of the new image he portrayed; yet, she didn't dislike it either... it was almost as if he were another person entirely, not the Earl Carter she'd expected... the Earl Carter she had married... but God, it'd been absolutely beautiful with him... so fulfilling... her heart was still pounding...

"Coming... ?" he asked, facing her with hands on hips.

"Aren't you going to slip on a shirt or shoes?" she questioned, surprised, for that wasn't like him either.

"Hell no. I'm overdressed now," he replied grinning. "Look, don't be shocked at the way they dress around here. I'll warn you ahead of time, nakedness is accepted as the uniform of the day. They're nature people, Rabbit, with no hang-ups on the modesty bit. It's love, love, love... all the time. You with me?"

Was she? Lynn wasn't sure, but she swung up from the bed forcing a smile. She couldn't very well put down something she knew nothing about, besides, she felt certain they would be leaving all this behind them shortly, since she had arrived with the money. She guessed that she could endure a measure of the much-talked about uninhibited generation and its infamous non- culture. After all, she wasn't any damned prude... and it might just turn out to be fun... at the least, educational. She went to her suitcase, opened it and brought out a long shift, similar to the one Virgin had been wearing.

Earl watched her move across the room, the sight of her provocative, alluring body causing his drained, flaccid rod to stir feebly. Christ, she was something else, all right! The dancing little sway to her almost pendulous, upthrusted tits and the jiggling roll of her hips and bottom, then the way her rounded full ass-cheeks spread as she squatted with her back to him by her valise... fuck... the lewd display could damn easily probe him toward seconds. Later, he decided; business first; he was going to get all he wanted of her in the next day or so... enough to last him a lifetime...

"This ought to do nicely," Lynn said, slipping into the gown and straightening her long hair, "without making me appear overdressed, as you put it, Darling." She smiled at him and moved close to take his hand. "I can't help but feel that your friends must think we're some kind of animals, the way we rushed up here to get into bed almost before I'd had a chance to say hello to them."

"Don't let it bug you, Baby," Earl grunted, leading her out into the dimly lighted hallway. "If there's one thing they understand around here, it's fucking... example... look!" He paused before an open doorway, still holding to her hand and drawing her close to him so that she couldn't avoid the sight.

"M-My God!" Lynn gasped under her breath, her pretty green eyes widening in utter astonishment. There were three of them on the bed, all naked, a young dark-haired, slender girl who couldn't have been over sixteen or seventeen, and two bearded, shaggy- headed males... one cradled intimately between the girl's wide spread thighs with his shaft buried to its hilt in the moist pink slit of her undulating vagina, while the other lay on his back beside her and she was masturbating his hardened penis with her small, white hand!

Lynn couldn't believe it! Yet, there was no doubt in her mind but what the lewd spectacle was actually taking place. She could readily see the glistening, solid flesh of the mounted one's cock along with his bloated, swaying balls between his spread, hairy thighs as he drew it out of the girl's tight, pink vagina to its very tip, then plunged into her upraised young loins furiously, causing her small, pointed breasts to ripple like mounds of white gelatin, while she moaned and whimpered in obvious rapture and simultaneously continued to stroke and massage the heavy prick in her hand.

"Inspiring, eh, Rabbit?" Earl said, grinning obscenely. "That's Sari. She drifted in from Spokane a couple of weeks ago... and I don't think she's been out of that bed over two hours a day since." He made a dirty little sniggering sound. "She enjoys making friends."

"M-My God, Earl... she's just a child!" Lynn gasped.

"Some child," he answered wryly. "Come on. Virgin'll introduce you around while I talk to Rudy..."

Lynn did, still in a state of awe at the unexpected lurid show she'd witnessed at the open door of Sari's room, but then, not too surprised at some of the others she glimpsed as they made their way along the hall and down the stairs to the door of their so-called host and hostess' quarters.

It opened off of what had once been the hotel lobby, a large room shabbily furnished with dilapidated chairs and several couches, all of which were occupied by young girls and seedy looking fellows in different stages of undress, relaxation and sexual play, but nothing to the point of actual intercourse, such as she'd viewed upstairs. Nevertheless, the casual sight of so many naked feminine breasts and both male and female genitals entirely exposed caused her an inbred feeling of uneasiness. A thick haze seemed to hang heavy over the atmosphere of the room... an almost sweet-smelling pall that was not entirely unfamiliar to her. Pot! And from the expressions of a few, Lynn realized, they were on heavier stuff.

God! Just what was her husband doing in the midst of all this... this debauchery, anyway? She looked at him, her lovely eyes filling with confusion, but before she could speak, the door opened inward... it was Rudy...

Rudy Opal was a big man, taller, broader and older by at least ten years than Earl, Lynn decided, sitting across the kitchen table from him. She wasn't sure that she liked his black beard, but it was trimmed and surprisingly neat, and when he smiled his strong white teeth glistened attractively in contrast. His eyes were dark and alert, constantly probing, she felt, as time and again she caught them raking over her... almost undressing her, and he made no effort toward hiding the fact. He, too, sat naked to the waist, a pair of cut-off jeans covering his heavy loins, the wealth of matted black hair encompassing his chest not exactly repulsive to her.

"We didn't get much of a chance to talk, Lynn," Virgin was saying in her soft, sultry voice from the chair to her right. "It seems that your daddy-man had a weighty problem that had to be taken care of first... and I can well see why. You're a very lovely girl, Darling."

Lynn sensed the twinge of red coloring her cheeks. "T-Thank you," she said, looking directly into the striking, agate-hued eyes of the slightly older girl. She was beautiful, Lynn thought, with her ivory-like complexion, sallow cheeks and shimmering black hair. Virgin... what a lovely name for an enchanting girl, tall, willowy, and obviously well endowed with curvaceous charms beneath the faded, draping thing she was wearing... what was she doing there, leading this sort of wasted, unmeaningful life... ? Was she happy? She certainly looked it... Then, a question occurred to Lynn that she hadn't even thought to ask her self before! Did they know about Earl's insurance swindle? Had he confided in them? If so, why? God... on second thought, what was the meaning of all of it?

"I thought maybe Virgin could take Lynn around and show her the place... introduce her to some of the family while we talk some business, Rudy," Earl said, interrupting her thoughts, and Lynn found herself looking at one then the other of them.

"Hey man, plenty of time for that," Rudy said with a certain air of authority. "I like to look at that golden head. She's a stunning chick, eh, Virgin?"

"Absolutely stunning," Virgin agreed softly, her smile filled with warmth and love.

Lynn swallowed uneasily as Rudy pushed from the table and walked to a cupboard at the other end of the room. He came back carrying a cigar box and reseated himself. Smiling, he said to Lynn: "Grass, Baby, Tijuana gold... you with it... or you have aversions?"

Lynn stared at him, then dropped her eyes to the box that was half-filled with the weed. He took out papers and began to roll the cylinders skillfully. She turned to Earl who was watching her, an uncomfortable expression bothering his thin face. He looked away and began to toy with his fingers self-consciously. A sensation of anger surged through her at his near hangdog attempt to avoid answering the multitude of questions that were racing crazily through her mind. What was going on? What was his affiliation here? How much had he told these people? What had happened to him? What was this deal he'd spoken of? But above all, what was their future together?

"No!" she heard herself snap sharply when Earl refused to look at her. "I have absolutely no aversion... Hang-up... isn't that the proper term? Hang-up! Well, I have none against it! In fact, the last time I tried it, I really enjoyed it!" she added, and that was the truth, except that the occasion had been with Nickie and that had left something to be desired.

"Great, Baby!" Rudy said, his captivating grin directed for her consumption alone.

"Y-You've tried it... pot, I mean?" Earl questioned, gaping at her suddenly.

"Of course! hasn't everyone?"

"Huummph! Bratham must've changed in the last couple of years!" Earl spat.

"Not even a tiny bit, Darling... only the people have changed!" Lynn tossed back at him.

"Yeah... I can see that!"

Rudy chuckled loudly. Then he said: "Cool it man! That's no way to talk to this little gem..." He lighted the joint, dragged deep, then, handed it across the table to Lynn who took it, her eyes level with his, as if caught up by some compelling force that she couldn't understand. "Try it, Baby," he said, and she did.

They watched her, Virgin impassively, Rudy measuringly, and Earl unbelievingly, as she dragged deep and held it in her lungs for the full effect, then sighed slowly.

"Jesus Christ!" her husband exclaimed.

Rudy grinned appreciatively. "You've been there, Baby," he said.

Lynn looked to Virgin who was smiling with understanding warmth in her lovely eyes. The willowy brunette said: "It's good isn't it, Darling?"

Lynn nodded. "It is... honest, it really is!"

"Shit!" Earl spat. "Let's get down to business, Rudy. If you want the broads to sit in on it... okay with me! I got the cash... sixty Gs! Now, let's talk about Lopez!"

Again, Rudy laughed. He handed both Virgin and Earl a dark- paper rolled reefer, then put his own in his mouth, lighting all in turn from a book of matches, Virgin's first, his own last. He sucked deep, held it, then exhaled wearing an euphoric smile. He let his discerning eyes dwell for a long time on Lynn's level, answering gaze. She couldn't help but sense the unwanted excitement his stare was causing her; yet, she wanted nothing out of the whole affair but Earl's appreciation of her. By the same token, she didn't want to incur Virgin's wrath... she who was sitting innocently by and watching this entire uncalled-for scene... But she was a woman, and obvious]y all woman; she would understand, even if it was necessary to apologize later...

"Sometimes, when I feel ambitious, I bake a batch of cookies properly spiced with it," Virgin said. "They're wild."

Lynn nodded; she couldn't imagine such a thing, but if this lovely creature said so she knew it was true. There was something about her... something deep, mysterious, all-knowing! Lynn felt a tiny ripple of delight race through her as she exchanged meaningful expressions with the enchanting girl.