Naed Thirst

The next day was a sunny Saturday, and Samantha was driving back to Palos Verdes with her best friend Beth. Beth had recently gotten an apartment with her boyfriend Garret, and they'd been kind enough to let her use their couch. While she was grateful, Sam was glad not to have to take advantage of their generosity. On the other hand, she was less glad she'd told her friend all the details on the ride over.

"So do you think they'll answer the door nude when we get there?" She sounded hopeful. But that was Beth, always up for an adventure.

"I seriously doubt it. I think they just like to skinny dip in the pool once in a while." Samantha hoped that was true.

"Well it sounds like a sweet deal even if they go buff all the time. What did you say they were paying you?"

"Fifteen dollars an hour, twenty hours a week. It doesn't sound like much money..."

"But when you add in what you save on rent it's easily double that," Beth eagerly finished for her.

"Yeah."

Beth turned in her seat and cocked her head. She was a spunky, blonde California native, and in the four years they'd roomed together at UCLA she'd gotten to know Samantha very well. "What's wrong? You don't sound too happy about it."

"It's not that. I'm thrilled. It's just that . . ."

"It sounds too good to be true." Beth had a habit of finishing other people's sentences.

"That's it. I mean the job doesn't sound difficult. You could definitely get someone to do it for the money alone."

"Sure, but you said they have this huge house with that extra space. It doesn't sound like they're hurting for cash, and they don't want to mess with renters. It makes a great incentive that doesn't cost them much. Plus, it could cut down on turnover. Once you were moved in, it would be hard to just flake out and not show up to work."

And awkward for her if she wasn't comfortable working there, Samantha suddenly thought. To stop her mind from racing, she said, "They certainly seem to be well off. I didn't know psychologists or photographers made that kind of money."

"Maybe they have family money. Or they're drug dealers," Beth added, grinning.

Samantha ignored the comment. "She also had me sign this confidentiality agreement. It covers client information, of course, but it was broader than that. Technically, I shouldn't even be having this conversation. Pretty much anything that happens in the house is covered."

"Definitely drug dealers."

Samantha rolled her eyes. "Illegal activity isn't protected." She wasn't a lawyer, but she knew that much.

"Sex cult."

"Now you sound like my mother."

Beth waved her imagined objections away. "Typical rich people crap. I grew up in a fairly wealthy neighborhood, and when I was in high school I did some babysitting. They all think that everybody wants to know all their so-called secrets. One family I worked for put locks on their trash cans. Like anyone wanted to sort through their kid's crappy diapers. It's a status thing."

Samantha thought her friend was probably right. She wanted her to be.

They reached the house in the early afternoon. Beth gave a low whistle. "Nice."

Angela and Rich came out to meet them, opening the driveway gate and having Samantha back down in front of the garage. They offered to help Sam and Beth take her things up. She tried to refuse but her new employers wouldn't take no for an answer. Samantha didn't have much, just what she'd been able to fit into her car -- mostly clothes, some bedding, books, and odds and ends -- plus her laptop and printer. Still, it was nice not to make more than a couple up trips up and down the stairs.

She had no furniture outside of a cloth folding chair and an air mattress. She had been planning to buy furnishings as she could afford them, but the room over the garage already had most of what she needed. In the main living area there was a desk with an office chair where she could do homework, and a two-seat table by the window where she could eat. The bedroom had a double bed, a nightstand with a lamp, and a dresser. There were even some dishes in the cupboard of the kitchenette. She would still need to get a few things and decorate, but nothing essential. The generosity of the offer struck her once more.

Sam and Beth spent the afternoon unpacking and chatting while Angela and her husband went on with their day. Later, Beth didn't hesitate to accept when Angela invited her to stay for dinner. Samantha would have preferred to finishing with the room and grabbing something on their way to taking Beth home, but she could tell her friend was full of curiosity about everyone in the house and would never forgive her if she was denied a chance to pry a little.

True to form, Beth asked lots of questions over dinner. Angela and Rich never seemed to get annoyed, but they didn't reveal much either. Angela had been in private practice for ten years. Rich had been a photographer for most of his adult life. They had one son, nineteen, who would be a sophomore at UCLA in the fall. Keiko had lived with them for five years and was originally from Osaka.

For every question they answered, they asked two more. They asked about Beth's relationship status and her future plans. They asked about her family and growing up in LA. And they asked about how Beth and Samantha met, including what kinds of things they liked to do together. As an observer instead of an interviewee this time, Sam noted that Angela was especially adept at turning inquiries around on the inquirer. By the end of the meal, they had learned much more about Beth and Samantha than she had learned about them.

***

"So, would you do him?"

"What? Who?" Traffic was heavy, so she didn't turn her head as she expressed her bafflement. Beth had been going on and on about how cool Sam's new job was going to be, how good the food was, and how much she liked Angela and Rich, but the question still took Sam off guard.

"Rich."

"He's old enough to be my dad."

"Yeah, mine, too. But your dad doesn't look like that. And he's not your dad. So answer the question."

Beth always loved to tease her and would give her a hard time no matter what she said, so she tried to borrow a page from Angela's playbook and turn the question around. "Why, would you?"

"In a heartbeat."

"What about Garret?" Beth had been going with her boyfriend for about two years, and they'd moved in together right after graduation.

"He could do Angela. He'd be down for some MILF action." She paused and seemed to really think about it. "Do you think they're swingers?"

"Are you?" Sam knew her friend was probably just trying to shock her, something she loved to do, but it was working anyway.

"Not yet, but you never know. Maybe with the right couple."

Samantha tried to study her friend while keeping an eye on the road. Even early on a Saturday night, driving in LA required concentration. She was about to ask some more questions about this whole swinging idea when Beth started to giggle.

"Had you going, didn't I?"

"Yeah, you did." Samantha laughed along with her friend, but in the back of her mind she was thinking about Rich, imagining possibilities that might have shocked even Beth.

* * *

After dropping Beth off and returning to what would be her new home, Sam had stayed up late, fussing around the room, too keyed up to sleep easily. When a knock came at the door, she had a moment of disorientation before she remembered where she was.

"Keiko's making smoothies for breakfast. Come on down if you want one." It was Angela, calling through the door.

Samantha looked at her bedside clock, 10:00 AM. She never let herself sleep that late. She mumbled a reply and forced herself out of bed. She thought about taking a shower, but didn't want to keep Angela waiting. She didn't want to seem rude, even if she wasn't on the clock. So, she slipped off her sleep shirt and started to put on a bra. She supposed it might be acceptable to go down in her pajamas, but she wasn't comfortable enough for that yet.

When she got downstairs, Samantha looked around but didn't see anyone in the living room or adjoining dining room. She was relieved not to be confronted by anyone lounging in the nude. Angela leaned out of the kitchen and called her over. Sam made her way across the brightly lit house and found Keiko and Angela chatting, Angela sitting on a stool while Keiko leaned against the granite counter top. Keiko handed her a smoothie that Sam accepted with a smile and a "Thanks." Angela was dressed in workout gear, a sheen of sweat on her skin. "Just got back from the gym," she said by way of explanation.

Samantha nodded and took a sip. It was rich and fruity, and just as delicious as everything else Keiko made.

"We'll do lunch about 1:00 today, and then we're going to spend the afternoon by the pool. Rich has a shoot with a new model, and that's always fun to watch. You're welcome to join us."

Samantha muttered something non-committal, and quickly finished her drink. She thanked Keiko for breakfast and retreated to her room. Once she'd showered, she busied herself checking email and Facebook as she thought about spending the afternoon with Angela and Rich. She liked them well enough, they'd been extremely friendly and kind so far; yet they were still basically strangers, and Angela was her boss. Of course, if she were honest with herself, she'd admit it wasn't just the prospect of getting too chummy with her employer that was on her mind. So far, in spite of the warning, the residents of the house had stayed fully clothed. She suspected that was mostly for her benefit. While she appreciated the courtesy, she recognized that if one liked being nude, an afternoon of sunning and swimming was the ideal time to do it.

Sam finally resolved to spend the day in her room reading a book while the rest of them did whatever they were going to do. When lunchtime neared, however, her stomach gave an angry growl. The smoothie had been good, but not really filling, and she hadn't had a chance to stock her little kitchen. So, she made her way into the main house and downstairs, following the scent of something delicious.

Angela was just sitting down at the dining room table as Keiko brought out the food. Angela was wearing a white cover-up, which actually covered very little, the lines of her slim figure clearly visible through the loose weave. Keiko was wearing something similar in black, and although it was less sheer, it was still obvious that she wasn't wearing anything beneath it. At least they were wearing something, Sam thought. She sat down across from her boss and was a little surprised that Keiko sat down when she did. She didn't see Rich.

"Should we wait for Rich?" Samantha asked, eyeing the food in front of her. There was a tray of fish tacos and bowls of guacamole, pico de gallo and a corn and bean salad.

Angela helped herself to a taco and handed the tray to Sam. "He already ate. He had to go pick up his model at the airport." She poured herself a large glass of something milky from a pitcher and offered it to Sam. "Horchata?"

Samantha had seen the drink at Mexican restaurants but never tried it. She poured herself a half glass and passed the pitcher to Keiko. She took a tentative sip and then another longer one. It was sweet and tasted of cinnamon, very creamy on the tongue. "It's good, what's in it?"

Keiko spoke up, something she hadn't done much of so far. "Milk, cinnamon, almonds, sugar and rice. Traditional recipes use water instead of milk, but we prefer it this way."

Samantha took another sip and was able to appreciate the subtlety of the almonds against the more obvious cinnamon flavor. "It's really good -- like everything you make."

Keiko met her gaze and thanked her, and they all ate heartily. Samantha washed down a bit of taco with the last of her horchata. The meal distracted her nicely from what the other women were not wearing, although she couldn't help stealing a couple of glances at Angela's rosy pink nipples showing clearly through the white fabric of her cover-up. Downing the last of her horchata, she suddenly felt strangely self-conscious, over-dressed in her t-shirt and shorts. So, she blurted out the first comment that came to mind. "I notice you drink a lot of milk." Sam mentally kicked herself for the comment as soon as it was out of her mouth. Freudian slip much?

Angela just smiled and answered. "Good for your teeth and bones, right? Of course we're picky about where our milk comes from. Luckily, we've found a very reliable local supplier."

That didn't surprise Samantha. Angela and Rich obviously liked to have the best of everything. "An organic farmer?"

"Something like that. Although it's not really much of a farm. Only one cow." She exchanged a sly smile with Keiko. "For now."

When Keiko started to clear the dishes, Angela stood and grabbed her own plate. "Sunday is supposed to be Keiko's day off, but she insists on cooking anyway."

"It's what I love to do," Keiko added demurely.

"Yes, and we love that you love it. But at least we can help with the clean up on your day off."

Samantha took the hint and helped to clear the table. She wasn't all that comfortable with being waited on anyway.

Once they had dishes in the washer and the leftovers put away, Angela suggested, "Meet us by the pool?"

Samantha hesitated. She could see Angela's body even more clearly when she was standing and knew that she wouldn't wear the cover-up much longer. Curiosity melted in the face of reality, and she stammered an excuse, "I . . . I really need to catch up on some reading before the semester starts. Maybe next time."

Angela smiled. "You know where to find us if you change your mind."

Back in her room, Samantha tried to do some reading. Nothing she needed for class, just something to keep busy. She found herself strangely unsettled though, and couldn't shake the feeling that she was missing out on something exciting. It reminded her of when she was a child and her parents sent her to bed when there was still company in the house. She'd never been able to sleep and would sneak out of bed to spy on the grown-ups. There was never anything interesting to see, just adults having boring adult conversations, but she still couldn't make herself go back to bed until the company left.

Unable to concentrate, she gave up on her book and started to pace. She considered doing some shopping, but her pacing led her right to the large windows that looked out onto the back yard. She realized she had a particularly good view of the pool. Her room didn't look out directly over it, being off to one side, but if she stood close to the window she could see everything but the area nearest the house.

The long, rectangular pool was situated parallel to the residence, with the deep end nearest her room. She spotted Angela and Keiko lying out on wooden loungers on the far side. As expected, they were nude.

Samantha quickly stepped back from the window, afraid that they would see her. A moment later she realized she was being silly. It was dazzlingly bright outside compared to the relative dimness in the house. They wouldn't be able to see past the glare on the glass, and in any case they didn't seem to be looking her way. She stepped back to the window and studied the scene.

Angela's body looked much like she thought it would -- slim and athletic with a light, even tan. It was hard to tell at a distance, but she looked shaved down below. Her breasts were modest but shapely, with dark pink areolas standing out against her skin. Keiko's body, on the other hand, was even more impressive than she'd imagined. The two women were about the same size, but where Angela was petite and toned, Keiko was all luscious curves. She had a slim waist and flat stomach with a neatly trimmed triangle between her legs. But beneath the slender middle, shapely hips flared, and, above, her breasts were large and incredibly firm, with dark nipples that seemed to glisten in the sunlight. Samantha thought they must be fake. As soon as she thought it, she felt guilty for being catty, even if it was likely true. She was busty herself and knew that her breasts didn't defy gravity the way Keiko's seemed to.

Like most women she knew, Samantha had a complex relationship with her body. She was tall and healthy, and people said she was pretty. Her looks had received attention all her life. People loved her bright green eyes and her mane of red-gold hair. Her appearance had gotten her praise even when it detracted from other accomplishments, like when she'd presented at the science fair in the sixth grade and everyone told her how good she looked while ignoring her project on solar power.

What people most noticed, at least since puberty, was her figure. Specifically, her chest. She was a D cup, and that meant that she got a wide range of often very obvious reactions, not all of them positive. Women could be envious, and men sometimes forgot to talk to her face. She was still shocked by the number of people, male and female, friends and complete strangers, who though it was okay to ask "are those real?" Moreover, she hadn't been comfortable in a bikini since she was fifteen. She was self-conscious about the way her breast moved when she walked without a sturdy bra (forget about running) and didn't like being stared at, even by the cute guys. It was amazing how many men didn't understand that being gawked at wasn't flattering. So, whenever she went to the beach it was in a conservative one-piece. She looked back at the women by the pool and wondered if being nude would be liberating or just make her more self-conscious.

Soon, she felt a little silly standing there. After all, she could go join them if she wanted to. She was about to turn away when she saw Angela say something to Keiko. Keiko nodded and leaned over to pick up a bottle as Angela adjusted her chair and turned to lie on her stomach. Samantha watched, fascinated as Keiko started to spread lotion on the other woman. She started at the shoulders as Sam expected, but as she worked her way to the small of Angela's back she kept going and was soon kneading Angela's pert buttocks. Samantha was surprised, and a little turned on. She didn't consider herself bisexual, not really. She and Beth had experimented in college: drunken make-outs and some mutual fondling, always initiated by Beth. But as she watched Keiko move lower still, rubbing lotion into Angela's slightly spread inner thighs, she wondered if she was more attracted to women than she'd been willing to admit.

Samantha was feeling positively voyeuristic by the time Keiko had finished with Angela, and was trying to talk herself into giving the women their privacy when more players came onto the scene. It was Richard, who, she was disappointed to note, was wearing shorts and a t-shirt. He had a camera bag over his shoulder and had his hands full of other gear. A woman followed him, his model presumably. She was a tall, slender brunette wearing a tiny sapphire-blue bikini. Rich turned and said something to her as he began to arrange his equipment. She nodded and walked over to Keiko and Angela. The women appeared to introduce themselves, and if the model was shocked by the other women's nudity, she didn't show it.

Sam thought about changing vantage points so she could hear as well as see. There was a rear-facing window in her bedroom the she could open, unlike the tall picture windows she was looking out of in the main room, but there was something about watching everything unfold in pantomime, like watching a video with the sound turned off, that added to the kinky thrill.

Rich set up a pair of big, round reflectors on stands and got his camera out of his bag. He made some adjustments and then called the tall woman over. Samantha had never seen a professional photographer at work, at least not since she'd had her senior pictures taken. He worked quickly and with confidence, giving direction occasionally by gesturing with his hands, and adjusting the reflectors to eliminate unwanted shadows and balance the light.