CHAPTER 1
The four attractive females in their early thirties and packed into brief bikinis relaxed on deckchairs on the grass a few feet away from the tile surround of the pool at Blue Ocean Apartments. That name was a misnomer because the nearest ocean was several hundred miles away but everyone agreed it was a distinctive name that went with the distinctive architecture.
A blonde guy with wide shoulders and a compact body approached the young women.
"Enemy approaching from two o'clock," reported Rebecca, lifting up her shades to get a better look at him.
"Hi girls," said the guy with an Aussie accent. "I'm Joe Almond."
Anita said, "Just keep on walking Joe otherwise we'll complain to management you are harassing us."
"Well get off your ass and complain," Joe said. "They only take complaints in person."
The four women sat up to take notice of this threat.
"Kevin," called Meg to a gay guy they were friendly with.
Kevin trotted over eager to please and Meg said, "Get rid of this guy for us please."
"Move on buster."
"You appear to have had expensive dental work done Kevin. One punch from me and bang goes that investment and because you would have thrown the first punch I would not be held culpable."
"Um just don't worry the girls. I'm warning you," Kevin said, and scuttled away.
"You miss," Joe said, pointing at Carla. "Would you please join me in the pool."
"If you give me a good enough reason I might consider it."
"We are Lesbians," Meg said. "So why don't you fuck off."
"I'd believe you share an apartment but that's all. I have to admit to claim you are Lesbians is a great deterrent."
"Anita came up with that idea," said Meg, pointing to the curvy brunette. The other two blondes were slim, looking a mite underdone.
"Come into the pool with me Carla. I don't bite."
"Okay," she said, taking off her shades.
Her three friends remained silent and watchful.
Joe jumped into the shallow end and she went down the ladder.
"Kiss me. I need you to be relaxed."
She kissed him without a word and he made no attempt to cling to her so she kissed him unhurriedly.
"Fine and thanks. I noticed earlier three of you are fairly even swimmers but you trailed those three. I picked your fault immediately."
"I have weaker leg strength according to Meg."
"Bullshit."
"Pardon me?"
"Look float on my arms and kick. Don't worry, I won't grab your pussy."
"I'm not sure if I'd worry if you did."
Joe smiled and said thanks but perhaps they could focus on that some other time.
"Float and don't worry about getting your hair wet."
"We don't worry about that."
"Good. One of my arms will support you just below your tits and the other over your belly button. Are you comfortable about that?"
"Yes."
"Okay float. Good and you are now in my arms. Now kick."
There was a flurry of splashing but Joe held the body moored.
"Yes just as I had observed. The problem is you are bending you knees when you kick and excessive splashing is evidence of that. Now try kicking from your hips and don't bend you knees."
"That's it."
"It's making me roll a bit."
"That will reduce as you become more confident and train your mind to swim on a relatively even keel. Bending your knees creates drag and that slows your progress. Now swim off without bending your knees. It will feel awkward but believe me you'll be swimming faster. Tomorrow morning at dawn we'll try this with flippers because that will really drum in the reality of what knee bending does."
She said that was fine.
"All right Carla give me two lengths. Take your time. It's no race. Just concentrate kicking with straight but not absolutely rigid legs and without knee bend."
Carla swam up the pool and came back much faster. Her smile was fabulous.
"You are a darling," she said, pressing into Joe and kissing him.
Joe looked in the direction of the girls and gave them a piercing whistle. There was a debate and Anita began walking to the pool and the other two followed.
"Jump into the pool and swim two lengths as you normally do when racing. Expect to see some improvement from Carla."
"Are you a swimming coach?"
"I used to swim competitively Anita and I've taught my sister's two kids to swim, that's all."
The four thirty-somethings set off and began pulling away from Carla.
"Hips Carla," he shouted. He repeated the reminder a minute later and then for an untrained swimmer Carla swam practically faultlessly. She finished second behind Rebecca.
"Rebecca won college swim championships," Meg said proudly. "Let's see what you can do against her Joe."
"Nah I have no wish to show off."
"I'm game but only on one condition Joe."
"What I must kiss you when we finish?"
"Oh two conditions. The other condition is you race fully stretched. We really would like to see just how fast you are."
"Okay. I note no diving is permitted so we start as you guys just did. Is two lengths okay Rebecca?"
She nodded happily and Meg started them.
The girls screamed encouragement as the race began, drawing other people poolside to watch.
Joe won by more than half a length.
"God you are good," Rebecca said kissing him deeply.
"I'll work on Carla every morning this week and next Saturday we'll test her in a swim off with Rebecca."
Meg asked would Carla win. Joe said no but providing Carla did everything he asked of her she'd really push Rebecca.
Rebecca won the swim off on Saturday evening by two lengths.
"God you have really improved," she said and Meg and Anita agreed.
"What now for Carla?" Meg asked.
"Nothing," Joe said, disappointing them all. "There's no point at her age. Perhaps when she becomes a senior. But she now has a proper swimming technique that works well for her and can enjoy it."
"Then I won't have you around me any more?" Carla said, looking a little upset.
"Give me a call when you get rid of your boyfriend. I'm here for another six weeks"
"Peter and I are almost engaged."
"Then good luck to Peter."
"But Joe..."
"I'm sorry Carla."
"Joe I'm the only one of us without a boyfriend at present," Anita said. "I'll date you."
"This had upset Carla for some reason. I have no wish..."
"Date Anita, that's fine by me," Carla said bravely.
Joe punched his cell phone number into Anita's phone. "Talk this over with Carla in the morning Anita and call me about whether it's still on. I have no wish to come between you guys and place a strain on your happy foursome."
Anita said that made sense.
Joe went off feeling rather pleased. If starting from scratch with those four women he would almost certainly have picked Anita because she had the best tits and legs and possibly the best brain but the other three were better lookers. Still it was hard to get perfection. He grinned thinking he'd come up short in some departments himself.
Anita called him mid-morning.
"We've had a discussion and it's settled. Carla doesn't wish to give up Peter and they all agree I should run with you."
"That's the sensible outcome Anita. When do you wish to date?"
"Can I come to your apartment now. I'm eager to be screwed."
"What a wonderful way to begin a relationship. Please hurry." He laughed encouragingly and said he found this exciting.
"Me too. I've never before allowed any guy to have sex with me without me first knowing him rather well."
"Anita my sweet, I'll not let you down. Hurry over."
The door to the fully furnished apartment Joe was sub-renting was open. Anita entered and closed the door behind her. Joe emerged from the kitchen wearing only shorts. He moved up confidently and kissed Anita deeply and with the aplomb of a woman over thirty she kissed him back unhurriedly and didn't bother when she felt the knot of her back-tied top being undone. The bra hooks were next to go.