Seven Nights A'Dippin'

"Sorry," I added belatedly. "We can go."

"Relax," the woman said, smiling. "It's cool. We were young, younger, once too."

"You did surprise the hell out of us," the guy said. "I mean, at first, we thought you might be robbers looking to break in from the back. And with us partaking of our nightly wine and dip routine dressed like, well, this, we weren't exactly keen on jumping out to confront you."

Seen from that perspective, I could appreciate why they'd been so quiet.

"Wow, sorry." Eve said. "Never thought we'd be the ones scaring someone."

The woman said, "Thankfully, once you two started undressed, we figured we were in the clear. We didn't say anything until we were certain of your intentions."

"Yeah, about that..." I said.

As the couple approached the edge of the pool, Eve and I both backed up to give them space. They set their glasses down by the side and climbed into the water. I couldn't help checking them out as they did so. It almost felt like it would be rude to look away.

"A dare?" The guy asked as he draped his arms along the edge and his wife cuddled up beside him.

"Something like that," Eve said. "My friend and I have this challenge going, to see who's 'Queen of Bear Creek' for the summer. We're each doing something the other had already done, but we have to do it every night for a week and collect photo proof."

The woman chuckled. "So, you're skinny dipping in strangers' pools?"

"Yeah," Eve said. "And since there are only seven pools in our neighborhood, we kinda had to hit them all. We toyed with asking permission, but that seemed like a surefire way to lose the challenge."

"We'd have let you," the guy said. "But, yeah, I can see how most probably wouldn't."

"Thanks," I said. "For, you know, not freaking out. We've tried to be sneaky and quick in and out."

"I take it you haven't been caught before tonight, then?"

Eve and I had drifted slowly back toward the couple, now that they'd settled in at the edge. It felt like a comfortable across-the-dinner-table sort of conversation distance. Now, with a bit better lighting, I recognized them, though I didn't know their names. In a neighborhood as small as ours, there were few people who I couldn't recognize at least in passing.

"Not yet, no," Eve said. "This is the third of seven, so we've got a ways to go."

"I'm Mike and this is Annette, by the way," Mike said, uncurling from the edge to offer his hand. I shook it, as did Eve, and then we did the same with his wife.

"Rand and Eve," I said.

"I recognize both of you from the neighborhood," Mike said. "Nice to finally make your acquaintances."

"Cute couple," Annette added.

I blushed at that and was about to correct her when Eve simply said, "Thanks."

We joked a bit about the challenge, told them more about the details and what we'd faced so far and what pools we still had yet to tackle. They found the whole thing amusing and were particularly interested in hearing about the other side's underwear challenge.

Mike and Annette weren't shy in telling us about their proclivity for skinny dipping, a large reason why they'd bought this particular house with a well-obscured backyard. They rarely wore suits and even had a few couple friends who joined them on occasion. I found it surprising, yet after having gone skinny dipping a few times now, I could see the attraction.

Annette finished her wine and looked at the empty glass with disappointment. "Well, we should probably be calling it a night. Shame you couldn't just use our pool every night to finish your challenge. We'd let you."

"Absolutely," Mike said. "Heck, feel free to come on by any time you wanna do some swimming or skinny dipping. Just, maybe let us know ahead of time in the future. We wouldn't want to be caught indecent or something."

Annette gave her husband a playful scowl and I blushed at the suggestive nature of the comment.

"Sure, thanks for the offer," I said. It seemed unlikely, but maybe we'd actually take them up on it one day.

"Hey, you still need you picture, right?" Mike asked.

"Yeah, we do," Eve said. "And we'd probably better hurry to make sure we get it in time."

Mike nodded. "How about you take it with all four of us? Bet that'd totally blow your friends' minds!"

Annette looked at Mike with a questioning look. "You sure you want our pictures out there?"

Mike shrugged. "I trust them. Beside, they'll be in them, too."

"We're supposed to blur out the naughty bits," I said. "So, I mean, if you want to get in it, sure. And I'll delete the unedited version."

"We don't want our pictures getting out, either," Eve said.

And so, just like that, we all got out of the pool in our naked glory and I repositioned my phone to get all of us in the picture. Mike and Annette were in the middle, arms wrapped around one another, and Eve was getting cozy with Mike. Annette held her arm out for me, so I joined her, acutely aware that I was pressed body to body with a naked woman I'd only just met. Still, it wasn't that weird. They were a nice couple and our nakedness had become more incidental than sexual.

I called out the command for the picture and the camera flashed as it was too dim here to go without. Everyone crowded around behind me to check out the result and I made quick work of blurring out all the bits on display. After doing two butt-only shots that didn't need editing, this was going to be quite the change-up for our judge.

"Send a copy to me, would you?" Mike said, giving me his cell number. "Then you've got a number to reach me at if you two ever want to come back over."

I did, and he thanked me.

They offered to let us keep using the pool while they went inside, but Eve and I both politely declined. It was getting late and we both had work tomorrow. Besides, it would feel a little awkward.

After we were dressed, Mike got me alone for a moment. "Say, we're going to be leaving Friday on vacation for a week. If you two wanna use the pool, have a little privacy, knock yourselves out."

I blushed yet again, hopefully invisible in the dark, and simply thanked him. Yeah, that would be fantastic, but Eve and I weren't a couple. Hadn't even gone on a date. Earlier, though, Eve had acknowledged their assumption that we were a couple. Or, rather, she hadn't corrected them. Did that mean maybe she was starting to look at our friendship differently?

We shook hands again and parted ways.

"I can't believe that happened," Eve said, practically skipping. I was surprised how good a mood she was in, considering how it could have gone.

"Sure got lucky."

"I gotta say, I'm kinda jealous of them. Getting to skinny dip whenever they want?"

I turned to Eve. "So, you're liking it, then?"

"Yeah. Why, aren't you?"

"No," I blurted. "I mean, yes, I am liking it. It's been...surprisingly fun. I like the daring, the risk. And doing it with you. And, yeah, I think I'm past being all nervous about getting naked."

Eve agreed and we walked in awkward silence for a bit.

"What did Mike talk to you about at the end, there?" Eve asked.

"Oh, he just mentioned they were going on vacation starting this weekend, in case we wanted to use their pool some more."

Eve seemed to catch on to the unspoken implications.

"Funny how they assumed we were a couple, right?" I said.

Eve gave me a questioning look. "What's funny about that? You don't think we'd make a good couple?"

I stammered, then realized she was messing with me, which only caused my face to burn all the more.

"I think we would," I finally said.

Eve looked a little embarrassed, mirroring my feelings. "So, why haven't you asked me out?"

Oh crap. What did I say to that? That I'd wanted to forever but didn't know if she would say yes, and that I didn't want to risk our friendship?

Before I could decide on an answer, she offered one. "Same reason I didn't? We've been friends too long?"

"Yeah." I said.

Our hands grazed and clasped. I don't really know which of us started it. Maybe it was both. All I'm sure of was that neither of us let go.

"You free for dinner tomorrow night?" I asked.

"Yes, I am."

I squeezed. She squeezed back. With that smallest of gestures, it seemed my world had been turned upside down. Or was it right-side up? Either way, I was ecstatic.

#

Night 4 (Vs. the Storm)

One thing I hadn't factored into planning for our seven nights of skinny dipping was the weather. I should have known things were going too smoothly this particular night.

I suppose I should circle back to the date. Yes, we met up for dinner. While Eve and I had known each other and been friends of a sort for most of our lives, there were precious few times we'd ever done something together, just the two of us. Aside from the skinny dipping episodes this week, they probably numbered fewer than the fingers on a bomb-maker's hand. So, dinner could have been a really big deal. I mean, this was a date. That meant something.

As it turns out, we talked about mostly the same stuff as always -- work, school, TV shows, dumb friends, and strategies for trespassing skinny dipping. Yes, I did say "mostly the same." Despite the conversation being familiar, there was just a hint of difference -- an energy, a deeper look in one another's eyes, a genuine interest in the other.

And we held hands when walking from dinner to the movie theater and almost entirely throughout the picture. That was nice.

On exiting the theater, though, at about quarter to eleven, we realized our mission might be in jeopardy. A strong breeze had kicked up and there was the smell of cold, rainy air behind it. The sky was a freaking light show with lightning forking across the face of huge wall clouds. It was still distant enough that the rumbling was an indistinct perpetual growl, but it was clearly headed our way.

"Think we can get an exemption for inclement weather?" Eve asked as I drove us back to Bear Creek. "This doesn't look safe and I don't think it'll be over in time, either."

"I doubt it," I said. "You can ask, but he'll probably say that we had all day."

"And Becky would never let me hear the end of it." Eve grumbled, watching the sky. "Think we could get in and out of one quickly?"

I wasn't keen to take on the storm, but I was invested enough that I didn't want to lose any more than Eve. And, since we appeared to be something of a couple now (I hoped), I wasn't about to get off on the wrong foot by letting her down.

"We can try, sure. Maybe this is the best chance to get Becky's place."

"Yeah, good call."

We got back to my house and parked in the garage just seconds before the heavens opened up. It wasn't rain, but a deluge. Lightning struck somewhere nearby and shook the garage and car. Eve looked at me with concern and determination.

"Might as well leave the towels," she said. "No faking that we're off to swim with friends tonight."

I realized I'd left my suit and towel upstairs in my room. If I went inside now, my parents would probably notice and wonder why I was heading back outside. I couldn't bank on them being asleep quiet yet. With the storm, that was a question or two too many.

"It's not like you're swimming," Eve chided when I explained it to her.

She undressed right in front of me, though she did turn her back and I pretended not to look. She slipped into her bikini so that she might have dry underwear at least for when we were done. That was topped with her t-shirt, which would be soaked in moments. I offered to leave my shirt behind and she could take that after. She smiled at the suggestion.

We ducked out of the garage and were physically hit by the wind and rain. It was hard to talk, so we just jogged side by side the two blocks to Becky's house. No one was outside, and we had no reason to think anyone would bother watching us. We let ourselves in through the side gate, but it was already clear by then it was going to be another bust. Becky's back light was on, clearly illuminating the pool. We peered around the corner and were slightly surprised to find Becky and Chuck sitting out on the back porch, pretending to be watching the storm or something. The jerks couldn't even let us catch a break on a night like this.

"Fuck!" Eve looked to me. "Plan B? Again?"

"Running out of time, but sure. Might as well go for the toughest target. I don't think anyone will notice in this."

I strained to recall which house it was from the front -- just across the street and down a few from Becky's. This one was in the middle of the Bear Creek loop, so it had neighbors on all sides. I'd rated it a challenge due to being very visible from multiple two-story houses adjacent and that they always seemed to be home. I was pretty sure there was at least one dog neighboring as well.

The storm was insane but gave us great cover. The gate to their backyard, however, was padlocked. I gave Eve a boost over and then used a trash can to help get myself up and over.

"Looks clear, but it's pretty dark," Eve said from her post at the back corner of the house. "Camera?"

If I set my phone near the pool, the lens would be covered in rain and might not get a clear picture. I looked around and decided it could go on the patio table under the overhang. It was really close to the back door, but our best option. I explained the plan and we moved quick.

"You know," Eve said as we stripped. "We're so wet, we could just take the pic and skip the pool."

I chuckled. "Yeah, but we'd know. It'll take an extra ten seconds to jump in and out."

"Fine." I could tell she agreed with me and wasn't annoyed. "Let's roll."

I set my phone-in-tripod on the table and was in the pool moments behind Eve. A huge bolt of lightning hit nearby, and Eve jumped into my arms. I could feel her bare breasts pressing into my chest and my cock grazed her hips under the water.

"Damn!" she said. "Too close!"

I agreed, despite my eagerness to keep holding her. She, however, let go and led the way out of the pool. There were a couple lights on upstairs, but as long as no one was up and watching the storm, we were in the clear.

I tried to voice activate my phone, but the storm drowned it out. I had to fiddle with drying my fingers so I could work through the menus until getting to a timer setting. After about a minute longer than I wanted, I got the shot, using the flash. It wasn't like anyone would notice in the middle of a storm.

Photo checked -- yeah, Max liked yesterday's full frontal group shot and would undoubtedly like today's follow-up frontal angle -- and we were back around the side and trying to dress in the dark. Eve cursed at trying to deal with the wet clothing and finally just fought her t-shirt over her and carried the bikini. I similarly struggled, but eventually managed to get my shorts to cooperate.

I boosted Eve over, well aware that my hand pressed bare ass, and then had to climb over using one of the gate's crossbars. It wasn't pretty, but we were clear.

Eve jogged across the yard and down the sidewalk. Between the distant streetlights and flashes of lightning, I could see her bare ass. Unlike her swim cover-ups, the t-shirt she'd worn tonight didn't cover all of her bottom.

By the time I caught up, she was giggling like mad.

"Your butt's hanging out," I said.

"I know. Don't care. That was awesome!"

She took my hand and we jogged all the way back to my garage, thankfully never seeing another soul. We ducked inside and closed the door. For not the first time in this endeavor, I was glad we had a detached garage with minimal chance my parents would notice us.

I flicked the light on and was immediately treated to one of the most amazing sights of my short eighteen years -- Eve standing before me in just her t-shirt. Tank top, really. Without having been able to put her bikini back on, the thin fabric was utterly plastered to her skin, with highly erect nipples protracting from the slightly darker hue of her areolas. And, well, she was still bottomless, leaving a narrow strip of dark hair running between her hem and between her legs.

Eve must have caught my staring. "Wet t-shirt material?" At least she was in good humor about it.

I nodded. "Yeah. You've got my vote."

She shook her head and sighed in amusement. "Yeah, well, I'm freezing and need my towel. And you probably need a cold shower."

Eve didn't know how right she was on that count. While I'd somehow managed to keep myself in check through the first few times seeing her naked, this had set my cock to swelling. At least I had my shorts on.

I handed Eve her towel as she stripped and set aside her sodden shirt. Again, I was acutely aware of her dripping wet and goose-bump swathed body, particularly the way her tits bounced as they came free of the clingy shirt. She caught me staring -- again, and only half-heartedly turned away from me as she toweled dry.

"You can use my towel when I'm done," she said, reminding me that I, too, was soaking wet, cold, and without my own towel. That also implied I'd have to strip and reveal my state of arousal.

I was nervous as hell about it, but if we were going to keep getting naked together and date, her seeing me erect would be inevitable. It didn't seem like the sort of thing she'd probably be offended over. Still, I wasn't used to...exposing myself like that. She was drying off quickly, though, so I had to make a decision.

Deep breath, shorts and underwear off. It wasn't quite that easy, as the soaking wet fabric was hard to get over my hips. Eve turned in time to watch me tip over into my car, giggling at my awkwardness. I blushed at her response, and then her eyes dropping to my crotch. Yup, still hard. She got another one of those unreadable expressions, which seemed better than turning away or looking disgusted.

"Here," she said, handing over her towel when I was free of my clothes. I happily accepted and managed to partially cover myself while drying, all the while hoping things would settle down. A naked Eve trying to get past me to open the back car door and her dry clothes didn't help the cause.

Eve got her panties, a cute pink pair, on and turned to me. "Oh, right. You don't have anything to change into, do you?"

"Uh, no."

She smiled. "Might want to keep that towel for a bit, then. I'll get it from you tomorrow."

I nodded and tried to wrap it around my waist. With my erection, that was easier said than done. Eve actually laughed out loud at my difficulties. She closed the car door, still only in panties, and came up close to me and wrapped me in a hug.

"I had a lot of fun tonight," she said. "Never had a date go quite like this."

"Yeah, me either."

I was acutely aware of her breasts pressed into my chest and the way my erection was pressed up against her pelvis. Still holding each other, she looked up. I looked down. We both kinda figured out this was the moment. Thank goodness, because I was worried I'd miss it or, worse, it wouldn't happen at all.

We kissed.

I've only had a few first kisses before. Most were nice. None were while nearly naked with a topless girl. That certainly made it noteworthy, but what really made it special was that it was with a good friend.

The kiss was tentative at first, as if we were making sure this was right. Then it became more passionate as we agreed that, yes, this was right and way overdue. And then it became almost frantic, as if we could make up for years of missed opportunity with one another.

When we finally paused, many minutes later, my body was trembling. Eve's chest was heaving. I wanted to continue but not overdo it.

"C'mere," she said, pulling me back so she could open the back door again. She climbed into the car and pulled me behind her.

Soon, I was sitting in the middle of the back seat and Eve was straddling my lap. She was sitting just far enough back so as not to be pressing into my cock. Much as my body craved that contact, it was probably just as well since I didn't need to make a mess in her towel.