Thanks so much to everyone who has voted on my installments. It really is flattering that tens of thousands of people have taken the time to click on my stories.
As for the lack of sex in this story, I won't apologize for that. I want the characters to develop naturally -- not jump in the sack because sex is fun to write about. I actually put this story under Romance, but the webmaster switched it to Mature.
If you like my writing style, but want some excitement, too, check out some of my other offerings like "Sheer Undies Lead to Sheer Delight" and "Bundle of Joy" and "Afterglow."
This is just a short chapter to keep people interested while I work on Chapter Five.
*
Sleep was slow to come as I stretched out in my sleeping bag. The brain kept going and going.
What did it mean that Randi kissed me? Was it an impulse reaction in the heat of the moment, or was it something that she's been working up to? If it
was
an impulse, will she regret it when she wakes up? What does this mean to me? What do I do next? Hell, what do I feel?
So many questions, and practically none that I could answer at the time.
The adrenaline rush of her kiss finally faded and the weariness of the day won out. My eyes closed, and I drifted off.
Gradually awakening, it took me a moment to remember where I was.
Eventually I crawled out of the tent and stretched, noting that the sun was high enough it must have been late morning.
Having people in the house was so common that I should have felt right at home when I walked inside, but everything was a little off. I heard the voices of the many girls scattered throughout the house, but sounds were muffled like when my ears are waterlogged from swimming.
I thought I should change clothes and wiggled my way through the throng before hesitating at my bedroom door.
What if she's still in my bed? I can't go barging in on her? I should knock.
No, I really should barge in. Maybe she sleeps in the nude, and when I startle her, she'll sit up in bed with the covers falling away from her chest.
That last thought was so startling -- both that I was so bold as to think it, and that I wondered what she would look like naked in my bed -- that I felt my face heat up in embarrassment.
I knocked on the door, waiting a few seconds and tentatively eased it open.
The room was empty except for one of the girls' travel bag on the foot of the bed. I let out the deep breath I had been holding and eased myself into the room.
As I stepped over to the drawer chest, I saw Randi's sleeping bag on the floor on the far side of the bed. She was still here somewhere.
I pulled open a drawer and then stopped as I considered what to wear.
Should I put on something nice to stand out? No, that would look completely out of place. Maybe a T-shirt? No, then I'd just look like a bum.
I went to the closet and pulled out a casual, yet nice shirt that seemed like a good compromise. I laid the shirt across the bed and stripped off the white T-shirt I'd slept in. I tossed the shirt in the laundry hamper by the chest and then followed with my boxer-briefs.
I was reaching into a drawer for a clean pair when I heard the doorknob twist behind me.
Oh god, did I lock the door? I always lock the door.
When you are used to having kids over, it becomes a habit to lock up, but I had been so distracted that morning that I couldn't remember.
My back was to the door, but I knew when it opened because the voices from the kitchen suddenly became clearer. I whipped out my underwear and clamped it to my crotch as I turned to put my butt toward the dresser.
"Oh shit, Mr. D," gasped Autumn, slapping a hand to her mouth. The way her eyes were looking down and not at my face told me plainly that she'd gotten a good eyeful of my ass.
"I am sooo sorry," she sputtered, looking away quickly. "I didn't know you were in here. I was just gonna get my --" Then she broke off, perhaps just realizing that she was trying to explain herself while I still stood there naked.
Autumn backed out of the room, closing the door as she went. As soon as her hand left the knob, I could hear her utter, "Oh my god, oh my god."
I raised my hands to my head as if to keep my skull from exploding. Then I remembered that I was still naked and facing the door with my junk uncovered. I spun around and quickly slid on my underwear. I no longer cared what I was wearing. I just wanted to hide out in my room.
After I dressed, I considered sneaking outside to take the tent down, but I couldn't bear the thought of Autumn telling people what happened and everyone turning to gawk at me.
Instead, I pushed some pillows up against the headboard and reached under the bed to pull out my guitar.
I wasn't upstairs to hear the ensuing conversation, but according to a couple of people who there, it went something like this.
Paige, Lori and Tessa were sitting on the sofa, while Kim and Randi were sitting on Kim's sleeping bag and leaning back against a wall.
Randi was unwrapping a granola bar when Lori asked, "Hey, where did you find that? I didn't see any in the cabinets."
"Oh, I brought it from home. I didn't know if there'd be anything -- I could split it with you."
Lori hopped up from her spot as Randi reached up an arm with half the bar in her hand. Autumn flew into the room and stole Lori's seat.
"Oh my god, I am so embarrassed," she exclaimed. Turning to Paige, "I am really, really sorry. I didn't mean to."
"Mean to what?"
"I was just going to get my bag -- crap, I didn't even get it -- and then whoa! There they are! And I kinda froze."
"Take a breath, girl," said Lori.
Autumn's rapid ascent of the stairs had brought a few curious faces up to the TV room.
"What are you talking about?" asked Paige. "Why are you sorry?"
"I was getting my bag, and I didn't know your dad was back in the house. I thought he was still in the tent. I opened the door, and he was changing clothes, and I didn't mean it."
"Wha—you saw Coach naked?" asked Tessa, sitting on Autumn's other side.
"What did you see?" asked Kim. "Cause you said they. There
they
