Chapter 2

Kate finished her exams on Thursday morning of finals week and Alison was only about three hours behind her. When the arrangements for the tickets had been made, Kate had said they could leave on Friday, so early Friday morning the two girls, each with only a small carry on, caught a cab for the airport. The flight required one plane change, but by noon they had left the snow behind and were staring at blue water, white sand, and bright sunshine as the jet made it's final approach to the island airport. A short cab ride placed them in the lobby of a resort hotel with ocean view rooms overlooking a beach of unbelievable picture book quality.

Once the two girls had had a chance to clean up, Kate knocked on Alison's door. Alison opened her door cautiously in her small green bikini. When she saw Kate standing there in an equally small black model, she opened the door wide and told her to come in. "I'm still not sure about going out in only this," Alison said as she turned and looked out her window.

"Don't worry about it," Kate replied. "Look out there. Half the people on the patio and beach have on even less. Well, maybe not less, but certainly no more. Besides, this is what they told us, remember. At one thirty we're to meet them at a table near the bar down on the beach. Think of it as part of the 'job interview', OK? After all, you can't blame them for wanting to see what you look like, now can you?"

"No, I guess not," Alison said. Then she brightened. "And I guess we won't standout unusually on that beach. You're right and there aren't a lot of clothes in sight."

"Oh, we'll standout, all right," Kate said. Both girls knew they were real knockouts and this comment brought a laugh from Alison, breaking the last of her tension. "Come on," Kate said. "Let's go see what we're getting ourselves into. Or maybe I should say see what's going to be getting into us." Laughing, the two left the room and headed for the beach.

The bar they were looking for was actually a combination of bar and hotel coffee shop, located right down on the beach, not forty yards from the ocean edge. It consisted of a fair sized building, open on three sides, with tables both under the roof and also out in the sun beyond. As they approached Kate recognized James at a table with a number of others. She counted four men and three women already seated, drinking cool looking drinks and nibbling at snacks on the table. As the two girls approached, James spotted them, waved, and stood as they came over. The other three men also stood and Alison was struck by this unusual display of courtesy. Kate went up directly to James and greeted him with a hug and a quick kiss. Then she turned to the other men and repeated the hug and kiss with two of them. James quickly introduced her to the third man who he identified as Joe. Kate reached to shake hands with him, but as he took her hand he leaned forward and gave her a hug and quick kiss also.

Kate then turned and introduced Alison. All of the men looked at her with frank appraisal and she responded in kind. Everyone was dressed in bathing suits, the women's as brief as her own and the men's also very revealing. As the introductions continued, Alison began to sort out everyone. There was James. She had immediately identified him from Kate's description. There was Joe, black hair, brown eyes, a ready smile. In fact everyone was friendly and had a warm and ready smile. The other two men were Bob and David. Both were blue eyed blondes, but David was at least six three while Bob was near Alison's own five nine. The three women were Kelly, Sue, and Barb. Alison soon found that Kelly and Sue had been on last year's trip with Kate, as had James, Bob, and David. While Barb was new, she was a close friend of Sue, much as Alison was Kate's friend. "Personal recommendation" echoed through Alison's mind. There was another return from last year, Ken, who was expected any minute.

Even though Alison was new to the group, she was immediately included in the conversation and within minutes felt as though she had known everyone before. It was soon obvious that there were no dullards in the group. As would be expected of young men who had risen rapidly, usually with their own companies, the men were all intelligent, confident, and mature. But the women, though younger, also fit this description. They could converse on a wide variety of topics, showing deep understanding. They were all poised and self possessed.

The conversation was general, not about the coming trip and not at all sexual in nature. However, sex was part of the gathering. Kate had been right and everyone of the men would definitely classify as a "hunk". The other three women were as attractive as Kate and Alison and everyone seemed to exude a feeling of, Alison wasn't exactly sure what, call it "aliveness". A feeling that they loved life and were ready to enjoy it in everything they did. Alison had long ago noted that this attitude seemed to be a part of all really sexy people, men and women.

In about ten minutes, Ken showed up. As Alison was introduced he leaned forward to give her a hug and a kiss and she responded in kind. In fact, she found she was immediately and very strongly attracted to him. Ken was about six foot with dark brown hair, worn medium short in a conventional haircut. He had eyes of almost the same deep emerald as Alison's and the usual ready smile which showed off a perfect set of white teeth. "Not even capped, just natural," Alison thought as she looked at him. He was really well built. Not an ounce of fat, smooth muscle everywhere, but not the overdeveloped bulges of a serious weight lifter. Arms that looked like they could lift her high and hold her with ease. "If he's really a company executive," Alison thought, "then he must spend all of his lunch time in the gym."

He sat next to Alison and over the next hour of conversation, his hand slid around her shoulders or along her arm several times. Each time brought an almost electric shock to Alison. Slight touching among those seated at the table seemed natural. It wasn't like groping or even especially sexual in itself. Just a natural action which was noticed, but not taken as anything unusual, by anyone. Except that Ken's touch seemed to Allison to be so intense. Within a half hour everyone seemed to feel as though they had all known each other well for months, if not years. Of course, several had, but someone watching probably couldn't have told who had and who had just met.

Finally, after about two hours, James got around to mentioning the real reason everyone was there. "As you all know by now," he began, "four of us guys and three of you girls were here - well, not really right here, exactly - but along for our trip last year. Joe is a newcomer and so are Alison and Barb. You veterans may remember that last year we had Roger, Carol and Elizabeth with us. Well, Carol couldn't make it this year; she's seriously involved with some guy - some lucky guy, I'm sure we all agree. And Roger and Elizabeth decided that they liked last year's 'get-to-know-you' activities" - this brought chuckles from most present - "so well that they, well, they decided to get married." This brought knowing grins from several of the men who already knew this and excited squeals from the three returning girls. "Anyway," James went on, "we've got some pretty good activities planned." Again the knowing grins and smiles from the three returning women. The two new women smiled but a little more uncertainly. "I'm sure we're all looking forward to it. Now I think it's time everyone had a chance to grab a swim or a nap or whatever they want and we can all meet in the lobby at seven for dinner."

With this the group broke apart and went their separate ways. Alison and Kate decided to go ahead and swim in the incredibly blue sea. Ken joined them for one quick trip out and back and then, with a hug and kiss for each, left, promising to meet them at seven. The two women swam a while longer and then headed back to their rooms. Alison promised to come over to Kate's room at five of seven and then they would go out to meet everyone together. Then she went into her room and decided a quick nap might be a good idea if she was going to be bright and awake that night. She set a clock to wake her at six fifteen, took off her suit and stretched nude on the bed and, as she began to drift asleep thought, "Quite a day. From snow to sleeping nude with the sound of the ocean coming through the window in less than twelve hours. And those five sexy, sexy men..." As she fell asleep the thought of one of those men in particular left a smile painted across her mouth below her closed eyes.

At a quarter after six the alarm woke Alison. She felt immediately wide awake, rested and eager to continue her adventure, for that was how she was coming to think about the whole trip. She quickly showered and dressed in the one really good evening dress she owned, a decidedly simple silk in a green slightly darker than emerald. The soft fabric clung to her curves showing off her excellent figure and the color enhanced both her eyes and dark red hair. The dress was cut well above her knees and was low enough in the front to reveal the tops of her breasts. It left a lot of her back completely bare.

Alison knew she looked good in this, but now began to worry that here she would stand out, not because of her looks, but because of her lack of tan. Everyone on the island, it seemed, had already been in the sun long enough to acquire at least a golden color, but her skin was nearly white from the dark Michigan winter. At least, she thought, most of the other girls are just as pale. Only Kelly looked as if she had been out in the sun at all. Actually this wasn't surprising. During the conversation that afternoon, Alison had discovered that all of the women were graduate students and, in fact, all were from northern schools. Kelly went to school in New York, so her tan probably came from a booth.

A little before seven Alison knocked on Kate's door and when Kate opened it she found her in a plain black dress which contrasted well with her blonde hair. Since Kate was ready, the two started to the lobby. As they walked into the large room they saw Sue and Barb entering from another door. Both pairs immediately spotted the group of men and Kelly, seated in a corner and headed in that direction. As they walked across the lobby, the men stood to greet them. Just below their consciousness both Kate and Alison were aware that male (and some female) heads turned to look as they passed. Neither gave much thought to this; it wasn't uncommon when they were somewhere together, especially if they were dressed up. But as everyone met the thought struck Alison that every one of the ten of them was unusually attractive and the thought of an entire group of perfect people - well, not perfect, but attractive - did seem a little surreal.

The men had a limo waiting which took the group to one of the better restaurants on the island. This turned out to be a plushly furnished place with the feel of a better English pub, dim candle light, and quiet music. There was a small dance floor by the bar, but the only music coming from it was soft and slow. Definitely not the kind of place usually frequented by college students on spring break. In fact, Alison thought, the tab tonight would likely pay her usual food bill for a month. (As it turned out, she was wrong: it would probably have provided for two months.)