Chapter 19

Denise watched from the doorway as Jack slowly rose from his crouched position at the toilet and flushed it. She felt terribly sorry for him, but at the same time her sympathy was beginning to wane, as he had no one but himself to blame. She stood there uncertain as to if he would want someone to baby him or not. At times like this, Denise became very uncertain about Jack's moods.

"Are you going to be ok," she asked quietly.

"I guess," he grumbled as he gingerly stood and shuffled over to her, "I think I want to go back to bed."

Denise let him drape an arm over her shoulders and gently guided him back to the large bed. Jack flopped around like a fish out of water for a moment before pulling the sheet up over his head and emitting a loud groan. Denise stifled her giggles and turned away so he wouldn't notice her smile. She briefly wondered if he was really feeling that badly or if he was playing it up for her benefit.

"So, dear," she began, "what do you want to do today?"

Jack muttered balefully under the sheet.

"What was that," Denise asked a bit louder, "I couldn't quite hear you."

"I said," Jack snapped throwing the sheet back off his head, "I'm going back to sleep!"

"Ok," replied Denise as she stood up, "when should I come wake you sahib?"

"In a week or two," he muttered angrily, "or whenever this damn hangover is gone."

Denise giggled softly and reached down to stroke his hair lightly. Jack rolled over so his back was to her and closed his eyes. Denise continued running her fingers through his hair, marveling at the softness until he fell asleep a few moments later. Once she was sure he was sleeping she stood up and headed downstairs to see what everyone else was doing.

Denise was getting herself a cup of coffee when Renee and John joined her in the kitchen. They were both carrying their overnight bags and set them down by the kitchen door, before helping themselves to cups of coffee and sitting down at the kitchen table.

"Are you guys leaving already?" Denise asked, somewhat confused, "I thought you were planning to stay through tomorrow."

Renee smiled at her before replying. "We had planned on it," she said with a rueful grin, "But... well we had a long talk last night about our relationship and we thought that we needed some time for just us. It's not that we're upset with anything or anyone here, don't think that, it's just that we've both been concentrating so hard on other things that we really hadn't thought about what... well... I guess what we really have as a couple. So we're going to head back and just spend time together, just the two of us and see if we can't get it figured out."

Denise looked downcast at her roommate for a moment. "Darn. I was really looking forward to hanging out with you guys today. I mean, I feel bad 'cause Jack and I kinda blew you all off yesterday during the day, and I really didn't spend much time with you last night. I was hoping we'd all go to the beach in a big group today."

Renee walked over and hugged Denise gently. "Don't worry hon, you're still on our list of things to do," she whispered teasingly, "it's just that we got to talking last night and we need some time for us."

Denise grudgingly hugged back then released Renee. "Well, you're not going to go without breakfast are you? I'm going to whip something up here in just a minute."

Renee laughed and John joined in a moment later. "Wait around while you cook something? Without anyone badgering you about it? This I have to see," Renee chortled as she resumed her seat next to John.

Denise gave her a sour look and walked over to begin rummaging through the pantry. Not thinking about anything but breakfast, Denise bent over to rummage on the shelf, exposing her bare ass to the now seated Renee and John. She moved several containers and stayed bent over for several minutes until Jill smacked her bare ass and asked, "Looking for something or are you just putting on a show for everyone?"

Denise immediately straightened up and yanked her nightshirt back down over her ass. Her face turned bright red as she regarded the four laughing people behind her in the kitchen. Staci had taken a seat on the other side of John while Jill had moved back by the sink as to avoid being hit. Denise took a deep breath to compose herself, and moved to the refrigerator. Opening the door she took out the remaining eggs and the remains of the half-gallon of milk.

"You know Jill, you could do something for me if you're not too busy standing there ogling me," Denise said conversationally as she turned to the brunette.

Jill grinned, "well I was rather enjoying ogling you, but what can I do for you?"

"Get out that loaf of French bread you got yesterday and start slicing it. Also you can tell me where the spices are kept in this kitchen," replied Denise sweetly.

Jill rolled her eyes and opened the nearby breadbox. "The spices are in the cabinet over the stove. The frying pan is in the drawer under the oven."

Denise gave Jill a smirk and squatted down to get out the frying pan. Staci indicated that the leftover syrup was in the fridge, so Denise got that out and set it on the table before beating the eggs and milk together with the cinnamon she found in the cabinet. A few minutes later, the kitchen was filled with the smell of French toast cooking. Knowing that Renee and John were probably in a hurry to leave, Denise made sure to give them both the first batch of toast as it came out of the pan. She battered four more pieces and set them to cooking while Renee and John dug into their breakfast. Denise served Jill and Staci next before tossing a few more pieces of the egg soaked bread in the frying pan for herself. Finally, Denise took a seat next to Jill and began pouring syrup all over her breakfast.

The conversation stayed light and joking with the girls picking on John quite a bit. Being outnumbered, John deflected as many of the quips as he could and even managed to get in a few zingers of his own. It was about a half hour later that John and Renee stood up and announced they had to be leaving. Denise hugged them both and said she would see them the next day before heading back up stairs to get dressed. Jill and Staci said their goodbyes and began gathering the dirty dishes as John and Renee slipped out the door and into John's truck.

"So do you think they're ok?" Staci asked as she began filling the sink with hot soapy water.

Jill shrugged, "I don't know. I talked a bit with John yesterday and I know that he had some reservations about their whole relationship, so I think that's why they left. I hope things are ok, but I can't be the judge of it."

"Here you dry," ordered Staci handing her lover the first rinsed plate from the sink. Jill rolled her eyes and locating the dishtowel began rubbing the water away from the plate. The two girls washed the plates in silence for a few minutes until Denise reappeared in the kitchen. Denise was wearing a different long white tee shirt that just barely covered her purple bikini bottom.

"So what's on the agenda for today," Denise asked brightly as she helped herself to the last cup of coffee and shut off the coffee maker.

"We thought we'd drag you and Jack out to the beach," sneered Staci, "that is if we can drag you to back into the real world for a little while."

Denise snorted loudly. "That would be wonderful except for the fact that the boy wonder is rather hungover and may not be making an appearance for some time."

"Is he ok?" asked Jill timidly.

"Shit, he's fine. It's not anything you did to him, he's just suffering with a bad headache and upset stomach," scoffed Denise, "Actually I tried to convince him that coming out in the sun would be good for him, but he just rolled over and went back to sleep. I'm sure he'll be fine, he's a big boy after all."

"Yeah, you could say that," retorted Staci with an exaggerated wiggle of her eyebrows bringing giggles from her two friends.

"So are you two ready to go yet," demanded Denise a moment later antsy at the amount of time they were taking to wash the dishes, "my god I didn't use that many dishes! C'mon, we're burning daylight."

Jill looked at Staci for a moment before grabbing a mug from the bottom of the water filled sink and flinging the contents at the redhead. Denise managed to avoid most of the water, but some splashed across her chest, rendering the white shirt transparent. Staci cocked an eyebrow and stared at her for a moment before washing the last few mugs in the sink and placing them in the nearby draining rack. Denise meanwhile had grabbed a handful of paper towels and was using them to soak up the soapy water from the floor.

"So I guess we know what part of the beach you were interested in today," she teased.

Denise flushed lightly and shrugged. "I just thought maybe it would be neat to get rid of my tan lines. I thought Jack might like it. Of course without him there..."

Jill shook her head and laughed, "I sure know I like the idea," she teased, "and I bet Staci likes the idea of you wandering around nude in an unfamiliar place."

Staci rolled her eyes and headed for the stairs, "I'll get the towels and stuff," she was saying as she headed up to the fourth floor, "Denise you and little miss nudist can fill that small cooler with drinks, since I'm sure that my darling Jill has no need to come up for a swimsuit."

Jill shot a dirty look at Staci's retreating form before grabbing the small cooler from the deck. Opening it, Jill poured the melted ice onto the sand below and brought the cooler into the house. Denise was in the fridge pulling out water and soda bottles and setting them on the countertop.

"Don't forget those wine cooler things Renee got yesterday," offered Jill, "I want to try them."

Denise shrugged and set three of the silver bottles on the counter. Jill filled the cooler with the drinks and poured the remains of one of the ice bags over the top.

"Do you have any chairs we could take," asked Denise quietly, "I really got sand in some unmentionable places yesterday and it really bugged."

"Shit, I knew I forgot something yesterday," squealed Jill as she went back out to the deck. She returned to the kitchen moments later holding three bamboo mats.

"What are those," asked Denise.

"They're beach mats. You unroll them and place them on the sand beneath your towel. That way your towel doesn't get so sand covered and you can sunbathe easier. I forgot them yesterday, but I think we'll need them today."

Denise shrugged and stuffed one in the backpack she was carrying. The two coeds were sitting in silence when Staci reappeared in a long white tee shirt of her own, knotted to the side exposing her tanned stomach and silver belly ring and carrying her beach bag. From the way she wobbled it was obvious she was following Denise's lead and just wearing the bottom of her blue bikini.

"Why are y'all so quiet today," she asked, "I figured you'd be all excited to go to the beach."

"Sorry," answered Jill, "Just thinking. Let's go shall we."

The three girls walked out on the deck and had gotten as far as the hot tub before Denise suddenly stopped.

"Hang on a sec," she called as she ran back into the house.

Denise reappeared a few minutes later and they began once more heading back up the beach.

"What was that all about?" asked Staci.

"Well, two things really," replied Denise, "for one thing I thought I should get a higher spf lotion for my boobs since they aren't exactly tan and I wanted to leave Jack a note telling him where we were, just in case he wants to join us later."

"Ahh... good thinking, wouldn't want to sunburn those cute nipples of yours now would we," cracked Jill, "of course I'm sure there would be plenty of people willing to rub aloe on them afterwards."

Denise blushed heavily but said nothing as they continued up the beach.

The three girls walked for several minutes before reaching the same area that Staci and Jill had taken Renee and John the day before. Spreading the mats and towels down, they sat and began to disrobe. Jill shrugged off her tattered jeans shorts and pulled off her tee shirt swiftly, revealing that she had not bothered with underwear after her shower. Rummaging through her bag, she pulled out her tanning oil and promptly began applying it liberally to her body. Staci wasn't far behind her roommate and had soon stripped down and was rubbing lotion all over her own nubile body while Denise just sat looking somewhat uncomfortable on her mat.

"What's wrong D?" asked Jill calmly as she lay on her back and pulled her sunglasses back on.

"Ahh... well... geez... I guess... I've never done anything like this before," stuttered Denise, "I'm suddenly a little embarrassed. I mean what if someone is spying on us or something. I mean we could be all over the Internet by this afternoon."