"Wendy, why does Harry say you're an exhibitionist, and what is an exhibitionist, exactly? I've never been quite sure."
Emma posed the questions to her friend, genuinely curious.
Wendy considered. "Answering those in reverse order, an exhibitionist is someone who likes showing off their body in public and Harry thinks I deliberately let men look at me."
"You mean like wearing that ultra small bikini you have?" giggled Emma.
"No," said Wendy thoughtfully, "more like not wearing that ultra small bikini when I should. I told Harry it was an accident and I thought I had it on under my dress, but I don't think he believed me."
Emma stared at her. "Care to explain that a little more?"
"When we went to the beach on Saturday, I whipped off my dress thinking I had the bikini on. It turned out that I didn't and I had to put it on fast."
"You flashed at the beach?"
"Accidently, I assure you. I wouldn't do that deliberately."
The two girls stared at each other, and then started giggling.
"No wonder Harry is annoyed with you," laughed Emma. "He's does tend to get jealous easily. Why do you do things like that?"
"It's fun and it's exciting. I like knowing men are looking at me and wanting me and knowing they can't have me. I only do a bit of flashing every now and then. It's harmless really."
"What sort of flashing do you do? Have you ever streaked?" Emma was getting interested in the subject.
"I go commando sometimes, with a short skirt, or have a little accident with my bikini. I have streaked in the past, but not now. Oh, and I haven't ever had sex while people are watching. To my definite knowledge, that is."
"Why do you say 'to your definite knowledge', like that."
Wendy smirked. "My last boyfriend had this thing about having sex with the lights on and the curtains open. I always wondered if he was putting on a show."
"And you let him?"
"I didn't know for sure," said Wendy, "and it would have been most insulting to suggest he was doing so if he wasn't," she added innocently.
"I'm quite convinced you're crazy, you know," sighed Emma. "Isn't that sort of thing dangerous?"
"Not really if you take a few simple precautions. I didn't accidently strip at the beach without making sure that Harry was close by, you know." Wendy laughed. "He might have been furious, but it also made him incredibly horny."
"Why did you start doing that sort of thing?"
"Purely by accident. I'd had a shower and was only wearing a towel when the doorbell rang. I was decently covered so I answered it. It was just the postman, wanting a signature for a registered letter, but while I was signing it the cat jumped up on me. Claws sunk into the towel and then cat and towel hit the ground and there I was, signing for the letters, starkers."
"What did you do then?"
"I signed the form, accepted the letter and closed the door. Then I started laughing thinking about the stunned look on the postman's face. It sort of grew from there. Why don't you try it sometime."
Emma gave a declining laugh. "Not me. There's no way I'm going down the street with no panties. I'd be terrified that someone would see."
"That is the idea of it, you know," said Wendy dryly. "Anyway, you wouldn't have to go down the street. Do what I did. Answer the door naked sometime and watch the reaction. It's fun and it's harmless, really."
"I'll pass," laughed Emma.
- - -
Emma recalled the conversation a few days later as she saw the two young men walking through her gate and heading confidently towards her door. She knew the type of people they were, so sure of themselves and their mission. They'd bail her up, talk their way in and chatter to her for hours about sin and redemption and the way to holiness.
"I," thought Emma bitterly, "am just too polite for my own good." She knew she wouldn't have the nerve to say not interested and close the door in their face, and she was too polite not to answer when they knocked. She needed an idea.
"Answer the door naked sometime and watch the reaction"
Why not? It'd be harmless and those nice young men would fall all over themselves apologising and removing themselves. Trying not to laugh, Emma stripped of and waited.
With the expected knock on the door, Emma sauntered casually over and opened it. She hadn't expected to feel so excited while she did it. Nervousness she could understand, but that little twitch in her libido was unexpected.
Smugly, she faced the startled visitors, and opened her mouth to apologise.
"I'm, sorry," she gushed, "but you've caught me at an inopportune time. I have to..."