Family Wedding
Part Two
Written by: Cheryl Roberts

Disclaimer: See Part One

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Chapter 6

The following afternoon, Tommy found himself entering the Westside mall with more than a little trepidation. Thus far, he had managed to weasel out of every shopping trip Kim had asked him to go on, and he had heard some of Aisha's stories. He didn't really believe that Kim's shopping habits were as outrageous as Aisha claimed, but he'd always felt safer being left home.

"What is with you?" Kim wondered.

"I'm wondering if I should be terrified or not," Tommy answered, trying to keep a straight face.

"What for?"

"Well, Aisha has told me stories about going shopping with you...."

"You shouldn't listen to everything Aisha tells you," Kim harumphed.

"She was right about the zoning," Tommy muttered and immediately wished he hadn't when Kim glared at him blackly. The zoning episode was still something of a tender subject.

"Besides, this isn't recreational shopping," Kim continued, glossing over Tommy's comment. "We're here for a specific purpose, and I'm not spending my own money. I can't believe your mom offered to pay for my dress."

"It's the least she could do since she invited you on such short notice. She understands how tight things are for you right now with your mom away and all."

"Still, that was awfully nice of her."

"I still can't believe she offered to let me out of going to the wedding," Tommy said. He stopped by a directory to see what sort of suit shops they had in the mall.

"It was sweet of you not to back out," Kim remarked, pausing to give Tommy a peck on the cheek. Then she tugged him by the arm and led him down the north wing of the mall; she knew where she wanted to shop for his suit.

"I talked to Dad last night, and he confirmed that Aunt Jean was really starting to get to Mom. I never stopped to think how she felt about the whole mess. If I'd known, I wouldn't have been so selfish in bowing out of so many family get-togethers. I'm just glad you're going to be there, too."

"No problem."

As they walked along, they passed by a row of stores where Kim had spent a considerable amount of time window-shopping. The first was a jewelers. She glanced at the items in the display window. She always took a peek when she passed by. There were some gorgeous pieces on display; most were too expensive for her to even dream of owning, but there were one or two more moderately priced.

"See something you like?" Tommy queried, noting her wistful expression and catching her sigh.

"Hm? Oh, yeah, there are a couple of pieces. That sapphire earring and necklace set are kind of nice, but way out of my budget."

"I never realized you liked fancy jewelry. In fact, most of the things I've seen you wear are rather plain."

"I like sparkly things as much as the next girl, but all things considered, it isn't very practical to wear jewelry when you can be jumped by putties or Tengas at any time," Kim pointed out. "Besides, where would I wear it --at least now. Stuff like that can wait."

They moved on to the next shop: Barton's Leather Goods. Kim noticed Tommy lingering over the window; it wasn't a leather jacket that had caught his eye but a mannequin in a black leather mini skirt and bustier.

"Say, since you're picking out my suit for the wedding, how about letting me pick out your dress?" Tommy asked.

"You want to pick out my dress?" Kim reiterated dubiously.

"Sure. I know what I'd like to see you in."

"Yeah, right. Something like that?" she asked, gesturing toward the mannequin. "This is a formal wedding, remember."

"Well, not for the wedding," Tommy said sheepishly.

"I've tried the leather look before; I'm sure Billy told you about the time we got turned into punks. It's just not me. Don't forget, I'm not 5'8" and all bust and legs."

"I know that you're sweet and petite," Tommy replied, causing Kim to blush. That blush deepened as they wandered past the next shop: Lynette's Lingerie. For a moment, the two looked at the lacy, sexy undergarments in silence.

"I take it you like stuff like that," Kim ventured quietly.

"I think you'd look great in some of this."

Kim wasn't sure how to respond to his compliment. "I don't know," she murmured thoughtfully. The lingerie on display was all very lacy, frilly --feminine and definitely sexy. She had often wondered what it would be like to wear things like that. "I'm not sure I'd be brave enough to wear some of this stuff. It's all kind of risqué."

"Well, what sort of underwear do you wear?" Tommy asked abruptly, taking Kim by surprise. He hadn't meant to voice his curiosity, but Kim’s furious flush intrigued him, so he pursued the matter. "Do you like lacy, silky things or do you prefer cotton? Briefs, bikinis or what?"

"Tommy!" Kim hissed, her cheeks burning. She smacked his arm.

"Hey, take it easy. I'm only teasing."

"How'd you like it if I turned the tables on you? Boxers, briefs or what? Silky things or cotton?" she retorted, eyeing him expectantly.

"Cotton briefs," he answered, almost defiantly. "Do you think I'd like silky things?"

Kim refused to answer. She spun around and continued to survey the items in the windows as she tried to rein in her embarrassment.

"I'm sorry," Tommy apologized. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"It's all right," Kim said grudgingly as she started to walk away.

"What do you think about something like that?" Tommy wondered, pointing to the poster in the window. It was of a model wearing a corset-like garment, garters, and black stockings. "It's sexy without being too risqué."

"That's not too bad," Kim admitted, "but I'm not sure I have enough to hold it up."

"I don't know about that," Tommy said and felt he'd better not venture any further into those waters.

"What about you? Do you like it?"

"For me or for you?" Tommy joked.

"Tommy! You know what I meant."

"I know. I think you'd look awesome in something like that."

Kim said nothing to his response, but she did take a last, thoughtful look at the poster before they moved on.

"Ah, here we are. Jackson's Suitery --not overly expensive, fashionable, quality merchandise, great tailoring and customer service," Kim declared as they neared the clothing shop.

"How would you know? Buy suits often?" Tommy asked.

"I've had to help Mom shop for my older brother before," Kim retorted.

Tommy felt like kicking himself. He tended to forget about Kim's brother, never having met him. Tommy eyed the racks of clothing dubiously. "I don't know, Kim. There's so much to choose from, and I'm not sure what I like in suits --not that I like suits to begin with."

"Just trust me."

"Do I still get to pick out your dress?" Tommy inquired.

"As long as I have the right to veto your choice if it looks stupid on me."

The two wandered into the shop and were approached by a salesman.

"May I help you?" the man queried.

"I need a suit," Tommy began, feeling ridiculous at stating the obvious.

"Any particular color?"

Tommy looked to Kim, who was eyeing him critically. Their actions spoke volumes to the salesman, who was somewhat amused but not at all surprised. He had witnessed this performance any number of times.

"What do you think?" Tommy asked. "You're not going to put me in white, are you?"

"As long as you don't put me in pink," Kim shot back. "Besides, white is for the groom."

"Black, then?"

"Too funereal."

"Brown?"

"Not your color."

"Blue?"

"Too cold ... you need something dark but with a little warmth. How about charcoal grey?" Kim suggested. The salesman led the pair to a rack of suits in various shades of grey from silver to an almost black. Kim looked through the selections. "No ... not quite ... now, if this had pinstripes ... ah, perfect!" She pulled out a double-breasted jacket in a charcoal grey with wide pinstripes in light grey and held it up to Tommy.

"Not too bad," Tommy murmured. "Do I get to veto your selection if I think it looks stupid on me?"

"As long as what you select doesn't look worse than my choice. Now for a shirt --off white or a very light grey, I think," Kim continued.

While Kim was making the selections, the clerk searched for the rest of the garments in Tommy's sizes. At least that was something Tommy could help with. He felt a little foolish standing there letting Kim dress him like a doll. Once she was finished with the dress shirts, she turned to the rack of ties.

"Can I at least pick out my own tie?" Tommy asked. Kim just gave him this look that seemed to say ‘don't be ridiculous.’

"I wouldn't," the clerk said in a surreptitious whisper, to which Tommy raised an inquiring eyebrow. Kim finally settled on a burgundy tie with hints of black, off white, and several shades of grey in it. Once all the pieces were assembled, Tommy headed for the dressing room.

Tommy seemed to be in the dressing room for an uncommonly long time, and the clerk offered to check on him for Kimberly.

"Are you in need of assistance, sir?" the clerk asked.

"Uh, actually, yes. I can't seem to get this stupid tie tied," Tommy confessed. "I can never remember how to tie these things."

"A common difficulty," the man said. He adjust the knot then stepped back to survey Tommy with as critical eye as Kimberly. "If you ask me, sir, I would not veto the lady's choice just on principal. She has excellent taste." And Tommy had to agree.

Tommy emerged from the dressing room a short while later.

"Well, what do you think?" he asked.

Kim walked around him slowly.

"It's a little tight in the back of the jacket. The sleeves and pant legs need to be let down a little, maybe take the seat in just a tad --you’re not going to be doing karate kicks in this," she murmured. As she circled around him a second time, she brushed her hand down one of his arms and slipped in a pat on his behind. "Yum," she murmured, tiptoeing to whisper the comment in his ear. Then, she plucked up the Fedora she had set on the table and placed it on his head. She stood back to admire her handiwork. "Oh, I like. I most definitely like."

In the end, Tommy agreed to everything but the hat, to Kim's chagrin. Actually, he had rather liked the Fedora, but he didn't think his mother would go for it. By the time they were finished with Tommy's fitting, it was close to lunchtime, so they headed for the food court. As they wandered back to the center of the mall, Tommy spent a lot more time window-shopping, trying to see if he could find something that appealed. Most places displayed either standard prom dresses --frilly, fluffy things that didn't do a thing for Tommy-- or gaudily beaded evening gowns that he didn't think Kim would agree to wear. He had no problem with not putting Kim in pink; he had pretty much settled on blue. He simply could not get "Devil With The Blue Dress On" out of his head. And it couldn't be just any shade of blue --something deep and rich, not a pastel.

Kim watched Tommy as he window-shopped. She was somewhat surprised by the dresses he passed over. Initially, she thought he might try to put her in some full-skirted, frothy prom/bridesmaid style dress, but he displayed no interest in those. Considering his liking for the leather mini skirt, she assumed he might go for one of the more outrageous evening dresses, but he dismissed them too. It left Kim without a clue as to what he might select. Suddenly, Tommy stopped. He looked at a shop across the aisle from where they were walking. Kim tried to figure out what it was that had caught his eye. Unexpectedly, Tommy grabbed her hand and led her across the aisle.

"That's it," he declared.

Kim surveyed the gown on the mannequin skeptically. It was a gown in midnight blue/black shot through with silver threads. The bodice and upper skirt fitted close to the body then flared out just above the knees, falling into a ruffle that was knee length in front and tea length in back. There was a slight slit at the top of the flare. The top of the bodice was heart shaped in order to better frame the bustline. The inch wide halter-style straps fitted into a choker-style collar. Kim imagined that the gown was open backed. It was elegant, sophisticated and a touch sexy without being ostentatious. Kim thought it a very nice dress and was impressed with Tommy's taste. Still, she had a difficult time picturing herself in it.

"I don't know," she began warily. "That's the sort of dress you'd wear if you were a tall blonde with legs to spare."

"This is the Petite Boutique," Tommy reminded her.

"It looks like it might be expensive," she continued objecting. "It'd be one thing if I was spending my money, but...."

"The sign in the window says they're having a big sale," Tommy prodded. "Come on. What could it hurt to try it on?"

"Oh, all right," Kim acquiesced. They went inside, and Tommy made a beeline for the rack; however he didn't know Kim's size, and she wasn't going to enlighten him. Kim rifled through the rack until she found one in her size, then she went in search of the dressing rooms.

Kim sat for several moments simply staring at the dress. She had always wondered what it would be like to wear something like this, but she knew her mother wasn't likely to approve. However, her mother was on another continent, and she wasn't paying for it either. She held it up to herself, wondering if she should try it on. She knew that Tommy liked it, so why was she being such a ninny? With that thought, she kicked off her sneakers and pulled off her t-shirt.

In a matter of moments she had slithered into the slinky dress. For a while, all she could do was look at her reflection. She liked what she saw. The length wasn't too bad, perhaps if she took it up a little ... she stood on her toes, trying to envision herself in high heels. Two, maybe three inches, she mused. She tugged at the bodice; she didn't quite fill it out properly. Still, if she took the straps up a smidgen and wore a push up bra ... Kim plumped her breasts up to create a deeper décolleté. She'd have to get a new bra; she didn't have anything with a low back. She liked the feel of the gown, of the way the skirt swished when she moved her hips. Kim pulled her hair up off her neck, trying to get a hint of how she should fix it. A slow smile spread across her lips. If Tommy liked the dress on the mannequin, he was going to love it on her. She reached for the knob on the dressing room door then stopped herself.

Tommy sat in a chair outside the fitting rooms trying to be patient. He couldn't imagine what was taking Kimberly so long. How long did it take to try on a dress? He hoped it looked good on her. He smiled to himself; he wanted to get the dress for Kim. It was perfect for his image of Kim as a devil in a blue dress. And with the other surprise he had planned for her ... the saleswoman had been very helpful in answering his questions about accessories. Although, he had felt a little self-conscious in asking. However, it would be worth it to see the look on Kimberly's face....

Kim emerged from the dressing room in her street clothes, the gown draped over her arm. She wore an enigmatic smile.

"What is it? Doesn't it fit right or something?" Tommy asked anxiously, trying not to be too disappointed.

"It fits just fine, Tommy. I'll take it."

"Really? Why didn't you come out and let me have a look?"

"You'll get to see it --next Saturday."

"No fair, Kim," Tommy pouted; however, Kim's mind was already elsewhere. She needed to find some shoes, the bra, some black hose....

Chapter 7

Tommy took a deep breath and flipped on the light in the storage closet behind the basement stairs. This was a job Tommy wasn't looking forward to; his mother had sent him down to find the luggage. His father had built the closet to be the final resting-place of all the unwanted junk they couldn't find any other place for. You never know when you might need this stuff again, was his father's motto. To which his mother always replied by rolling her eyes and swearing never to have anything to do with the closet. That left Tommy to do the dirty work. He stared at the imposing pile of boxes and wondered where to start digging first.

Twenty minutes later, Tommy seemed to have hardly made a dent in the pile and had seen no sign of the luggage.

"Blast it," Tommy grumbled, thinking uncharitable thoughts about his father's pack rat mentality. Tommy wondered if he should have tried the attic first; it was possible his father had just tossed the suitcases up there after his last business trip. Tommy was about to do just that when he bumped into a stack of boxes, which toppled over. Covering his head, Tommy kept low until the cardboard avalanche was over. "One of these days, Dad...."

As he started cleaning up the debris, Tommy came across a very familiar box, and he had to sit down to take another look. He hadn't seen this particular box in at least six years; it had been like a treasure chest to him during early puberty. Inside were his father's old adult magazines. Tommy couldn't resist opening the box. Nostalgia, he tried to tell himself; after all, he had his own collection carefully hidden away, most of which were a lot more explicit than his father's "Playboys" from the Sixties and a few early "Penthouses" from the mid-Seventies. Still, Tommy reached for the issue on the top of the pile. At one time he had the contents of each one memorized. He had spent a lot of time under the stairs with the magazines and in the bathroom with the door locked. At the time he thought he was getting away with something sneaky, but now he wasn't so sure. Tommy sometimes had the suspicion that his father had purposely left the box where he could find it.

Flipping through the pictures, Tommy found a pictorial that made him think of Kim. The woman in the spread was dressed as a cheerleader; Tommy often thought it would have been nice if Kim had still been a cheerleader. Looking more closely at the pictures, Tommy tried to decide what it was about the woman that invoked images of Kim. It wasn't because of her body or even the color of her hair; it was something in her expression --a gleam in her eye and a smile that was both cute and sexy. Tommy felt his testosterone levels rise. He would give just about anything to see Kim looking at him like that --kind of the way she had while zoning. As he flipped through the pages, watching as the model shed her bulky sweater, her little red shorts so that she could flash a little ass from under the flirty skirt, Tommy envisioned Kim performing the same striptease for him. He could almost see her pert breasts as she slowly uncovered them or her fantastic ass peeking out from under the short skirt as she bent over. He wondered if Kim still had her uniform.

Pictorial after pictorial, Tommy saw Kim smiling up at him from the pages of the magazine. He longed to see her pose for him like that, touch herself like that--watching her run her hands over her breasts while she had been dancing had about blown his mind. He had never realized that seeing a woman touch herself could be so exciting. Images from Kim’s performance flashed through Tommy's mind, and before he really knew it, he had his hand down his pants and was stroking in cock in rhythm with the memory of the pounding music. Only in his mind's eye, Kim's striptease didn't stop with just her jacket. The outer shorts went too, then the Lycra top, and she bent over to let him feast on the sight of her wonderful bottom as she peeled her bike shorts down to her ankles, leaving her wearing nothing but a pair of lacy pink panties. It was enough to make Tommy quickly lose his load.

Upon ejaculating, Tommy seemed to recover himself. What was he doing? His mom knew he was down here; if he was going to jack off while daydreaming about Kim he shouldn't be doing it down in the basement --although he had jacked off in the closet plenty of times when he was thirteen. And he didn't have any tissues with him --unless somehow a couple had been left in the box with the magazines. Tommy rummaged through the box and was fortunate to find a stray Kleenex. As he wiped himself up, his eye caught one of the old "Penthouses." "Playboy" had been fine for satisfying the eyes; at thirteen, he had found the more explicit layouts in "Penthouse" a little intimidating. However, "Penthouse" had "Playboy" beat for satisfying the imagination. It wasn't the fiction so much as the letters. These were letters of real people having real experiences; although he had to admit that some of the related escapades seemed a little far-fetched --even now. He could remember wondering if he would ever get to do half the things that the people in the letters got to do. Kim's zoning had been something right of a "Penthouse" letter page.

The thought brought Tommy up short: right out of the pages of "Penthouse". They were close, he and Kim, to experiencing something right out of the pages of the magazine. Tommy had the feeling that they were going to be having sex sooner or later --if the kiss they shared Friday evening was any indication. He was so glad that he had finally kissed Kim like that; the thought sent a shiver down his spine, and his hands tingled with the memory of the feel of the curve of her cute little ass in his palms. He really had been afraid to do anything like that because he had feared that Kim might get angry with him for making a pass at her or something. Tommy had no desire to push Kim away, not when they were so close to ... what? It was no longer a question of if, just a matter of when, and that made Tommy realize that he really didn't know all that much about having sex except for what he had read in the pages of the magazines.

Having sex ... the phrase seemed too rough somehow. What he was feeling for Kim and wanting to share with Kim was more than just sex. Tommy preferred the phrase making love; at least that seemed to include all the emotions that were churning around inside him with the desires. In the letters, it seemed that at least one of the parties involved had some experience with sex and knew what to do. Tommy had some idea of what to do but only in the abstract. He felt confident in guessing that Kim probably knew no more than he did. Tommy didn't imagine that Kim's lack of knowledge and experience would be much of a problem; anything she would do to him as long as she touched him would be just fine, and as long as he got to touch her, he’d be in Heaven. What worried Tommy the most was being able to please Kimberly. It might not take much to please him, but he didn't know what to do for Kim. It wouldn't be any fun if she didn't enjoy fooling around as much as he did; he liked being able to evoke a smile of happiness from her. It always made him feel good inside, so how much better would it be if he could produce one of those filthy-cute smiles or the glow which lit her up as she danced for him? If Kim didn't enjoy making love, she wasn't going to want to repeat the experience. Already Tommy was driven to distraction with wanting her to grind her ass into his cock again, so he knew he'd be wanting more than simply a one shot.

Tommy knew he needed more information than he was likely to get from reading "Penthouse Letters." Once again, he turned to his cardboard treasure chest. If he remembered correctly, there were other things in the box besides the magazines: books. At thirteen, he was more interested in the instant gratification provided by the pictures than in the information provided by a stuffy old book. Tommy dug to the bottom of the box. There were a couple of paperbacks and a few oversized softcovers. The one that grabbed his attention was a well-worn copy of The Joy of Sex. He wondered how he had missed that as an early teen; maybe he just hadn't dug deep enough. The cover was bent and torn, and the pages inside looked well thumbed through. Some of the pages were dog-eared. My folks must have really used this book, Tommy mused. He found the thought uncomfortable. It was difficult to realize that his folks were people, too. It shouldn't have been so surprising to discover that his parents were sexually active; how else would one have gotten created in the first place? Now that Tommy thought about it, he had known at some level that his parents still had an active sex life --how many times had he come home from a game or from Jason's or Billy's house early to find the place dark and strange noises coming from a variety of rooms?

Tommy felt the heat in his cheeks and decided that that was enough speculation. He had in his hands the help he was looking for. He and Kim might not make love together for a good long while, but at least he would feel a little more confident knowing that he wouldn't make a fool of himself once he got her into bed.

"Tommy, have you found those suitcases yet?" his mother hollered down the stairs.

"Not yet!" Tommy shouted back, quickly repacking the box.

"They wouldn't be buried that deeply in the closet. Try the attic!"

"All right. Let me put this stuff back, and I'll be right up." Now, how was he going to smuggle The Joy of Sex upstairs? He had thought of stuffing it one of the suitcases. As Tommy emerged from the closet, he noticed the pile of folded sheets sitting on top of the dryer. Well, he’d have to take those sheets upstairs sometime. Smuggling the sex manual upstairs in them would simply mean that he'd be bringing the sheets back down sooner than usual.

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Kim punched in her code and disarmed the alarm system. Her mom had installed the system before she had left for Paris. Since the house wasn't sold, there was still a lot of furniture and other things left inside. Most likely her mother was going to include them in the sale of the house. The pieces that had meant the most to her mother were already in Paris or in storage. It always made Kim sad to stop by the house to see it so empty and to know that it wasn't home any longer. She came by every Sunday to check the doors and windows and make sure that no one had broken in or vandalized the place. She never stayed long; the place felt too creepy.

Kim wandered from room to room conducting her inspection. Nothing had been touched. Satisfied that everything was okay, Kim headed down to her bedroom. It was depressing. All the things that she hadn't taken with her to Aisha's were packed in boxes waiting to be shipped to Paris. Kim couldn't stand the thought of spending any time in her old room, so she went down to her mother's and deposited her packages on the bed. She had told Aisha and her folks that she was going to slip in a Sunday practice since she was going to miss both Friday and Saturday this week, and they knew that her house check was a regular Sunday activity. What she hadn't told them was about her side trip to the mall.

Kim laid her purchases out on her mother's bed, experiencing a thrill of naughtiness as she did so. Not that she had done anything wrong; she had simply gone back to the mall to pick up the underwear she needed and a pair of shoes for the wedding. The shoes had a 3" heel; it was a little higher than she was used to. They were black patent leather; the uppers were a concoction of ribbon-thin crisscrossing straps that fastened around the ankle. What had caught Kim's attention was the little charm dangling from the ankle straps. Those were separate, but the shoe store had a large selection of them. The minute Kim had seen the bird of prey, she had to get it. She didn't know if it was a falcon or not, but she liked to think it was. Kim slipped on the shoes to practice walking in them. She felt confident that once she got used to them, she'd have no trouble dancing and walking in them. The additional boost they gave her would certainly help Tommy out; he wouldn't have to bend so far to hold her as they danced. Kim walked back and forth in front of her mother's mirror. She liked the way the sandals made her look and feel. There was just a hint of a sexy swagger to her walk.

She turned her attention next to the bra she had purchased --an open back, black long line. The front was designed to resemble a corset. It was trimmed in lace with pink ribbons woven through the garment along the boning. The front also had mock laces. In the plunge of the deep cleavage was a tiny satin rosette; in addition, it had push-up pads. Kim had fallen in love with it. It closely resembled the bustier worn by the model in the poster in Lynette's window. Kim slipped off her dress and removed her standard bra. She fastened her new one and adjusted herself to fill it properly, then she turned to study her reflection. She turned this way and that, checking herself from every angle. She looked almost as naughty as she felt. She loved the way it built up her bosom, and it shaped her waist nicely. The only thing marring the picture was her panties. She had worn what she considered to be her laciest, sexiest panties, but they seemed incredibly mundane when paired with the daring bra. Kim no longer regretted her additional purchases, but she would try those on later. She wished Tommy could see her now; she recalled how his eyes had lit up when the poster had first caught his interest. She bet his face would be shining like a star if he could see her in this. However, the possibility of him seeing her in her underwear was highly unlikely.

As she posed in front of the mirror, she considered what other accessories she should use. With the choker, a necklace really wouldn't be necessary. Maybe some sparkling earrings or a bracelet--neither of which Kim owned. She played with her hair, considering how to style it. In a bun? Pulled back with combs? Again, she didn't have exactly what she wanted. She recalled that her mother had some fancy hair combs at one time, and she knew her mother had some beautiful sapphire earrings. Although, she had probably taken them with her to Paris. Still, Kim decided to rummage through the dresser drawers to see if her mom might possibly have left something behind that she could use. As she looked through her mother's things, Kim supposed she should take some time to pack them up; her mom had left an awful lot behind, but Kim wasn't sure if she should ship them to France or send them to Good Will.

Kim found no jewelry, but she did find a jet-beaded handbag that would go nicely with her dress, and in one of the bottom drawers she found a lovely, black lace shawl shot through with silver thread and dripping with fringe. Kim pulled it out and wrapped it around her bare shoulders; it would be perfect if it was chilly out Saturday night. Kim was about to kick the drawer shut when she noticed something else in the bottom of it. Taking a closer look, she found several worn paperback books and a slender, metallic wand about six or seven inches long and maybe an inch or so in diameter. Kim's breath caught in her throat.

"No way," she murmured as she reached for the object. It just couldn't be what she thought it was, but upon closer inspection, Kim saw that it really was a vibrator.

For a moment, she was too stunned to react. Kim supposed she shouldn't have been surprised that her mother owned a vibrator. Her parents had been divorced for a very long time, and her mother hadn't had a steady boyfriend until Adrian came along. It was kind of weird thinking about her mom's sex life --or lack of one-- but Kim imagined that it had to be pretty tough being used to having sex, then not getting any at all. As Kim inspected the device, she noticed that the metallic gold coat was chipping away in places indicating that the vibrator was fairly old.

Where in the world had her mother gotten the vibrator, Kim wondered, then the absurdity of the whole situation hit her, and she couldn't help but laugh. How often had she experimented with masturbation fearful of her mother finding out, and now she discovered that her mother probably got herself off with more regularity than Kim ever did. When the hilarity passed, Kim studied the vibrator thoughtfully. She wondered what it would feel like. Also in the bottom drawer was a set of batteries. Kim bit her lip indecisively. She couldn't ... shouldn't ... it wouldn't be safe to use the vibrator internally because of the flaking coating, but it couldn't hurt to try it externally, could it? Kim tried to talk herself out of it; she didn't even know if the thing still worked.

Yet, almost without thinking, Kim popped the batteries in and screwed the base back on. Immediately the device began humming and vibrating. As if mesmerized, Kim placed the vibrator against her palm. The sensation was not unlike using a massager, only more gentle. Kim slid the wand up her arm and rolled it across her chest. She reached around to try it on her back and couldn't resist gliding it across her buttocks. To her delight, it felt almost as good as Tommy's hand caressing her behind. With that thought in mind, Kim returned the vibrating rod to her chest and slowly drew it across the swell of her breasts; she closed her eyes and imagined Tommy's hands moving slowly over her breasts. Between her fantasy and the vibrations, a fiery tingle raced through Kim's body and zeroed in on the juncture between her legs. Oh, did it feel good! Slowly, Kim peeled back the cups of her bra and applied the tip of the vibrator to her nipples. That tore a moan of utter bliss from her throat.

Kim fell back on her mother's bed and continued teasing her breasts with the vibrator. She couldn't believe how hot and wet she already was, and her hips were snapping forward, searching for satisfaction. In her mind's eye, she envisioned Tommy's hand stoking her body until it came to rest on her eager pussy. With some trepidation, Kim applied the vibrator to where she imagined Tommy's hands. Surely it couldn't hurt to try it through her panties. She pressed her fingers to the lacy fabric and found her clit. She was almost afraid to touch herself with the vibrator, but when she finally did, her entire body seemed to explode, and she couldn't hold back her scream. It felt so incredible! Kim pressed the vibrator tighter against her pussy and squeezed her legs shut around it. She worked herself into a frenzy around the rod, all the while wishing it was Tommy between her legs.

Finally, the vibrator became too intense, and Kim tossed it aside. She reached down her panties to soothe her still-trembling mound. That had to have been the best orgasm she had ever had. She opened her eyes and caught her reflection in the mirror. What a sight she was --decked out in spiked heels and sexy lingerie, writhing on the bed and playing with herself, moaning and fantasizing about Tommy ... what would he think of her if he could see her now? Kim found the thought disturbing. What would he think indeed? What did she want him to think --that she was pretty, intelligent, fun to be with? However, she already knew he held that opinion of her. That she was sexy, desirable? That was more frightening to consider, yet she wanted him to want her. She just didn't want him to think she was a slut or something like that. She wanted his love and respect.

Kim had no answers for the questions and doubts plaguing her. All she knew was that she and Tommy were headed for something big--and headed there fast. She could hardly wait. Her mind drifted back to their dancing on Friday. She wasn't sure which had excited her more: touching Tommy or having him touch her. She hoped they'd have an opportunity to try it again soon. Thoughts of running her hands all over Tommy's body made her consider the next step: what happened when they reached the point where touching wasn't enough? What if they did go all the way? Kim wasn't sure she'd know what to do. Well, she had some idea, and she knew what sort of things she'd like to do to Tommy and vice versa. The thought of actually having Tommy's cock inside her made her stomach knot up. She wished she had a better idea of what to expect and all that. She wouldn't want Tommy to know how scared she was, and she didn't want to disappoint him either. If they were going to be lovers, she really wanted to make things good for him.

With a sigh, Kim picked up the vibrator and returned it to the drawer. Briefly she wondered where she could get her own. As she replaced the sex toy, one of the books caught Kimberly's eyes. Apparently her mother had read it often; the cover had been torn off, markers stuck out throughout the book, and when she flipped through the pages, Kim found passages circled, underlined, and highlighted. Curious, she opened to one of the marked pages and began reading. Before she knew it, Kim was stroking her pussy through her panties. The book was a collection of stories from ordinary women of all ages --stories, fantasies, real-life experiences. Kim was tempted to finish the one she had started, but she noticed that it was getting late. Mrs. Campbell would be wondering where she had gotten to. Kim decided to take the book with her and read through it later. Impulsively she clutched the worn volume to her still-heaving bosom. Somehow, she had the feeling that here was the help she had been searching for.

Chapter 8

"Kim, what's wrong? You look like you're totally wiped," Tommy said as he greeted Kimberly at the door Monday evening. She leaned exhaustedly against the doorframe, her gym bag hanging limply over her shoulder. Tommy took her bag and ushered her into the living room.

"I am. Practice was horrible; I took a couple of nasty falls --nothing serious, though-- and then having been trashed by Tengas right after school ... my body is so sore! My back and shoulders ache something terrible," Kim complained.

"Why don't we cancel tonight's lesson," Tommy offered.

"The wedding is only a few days away, and you still haven't figured out what to do with those hips of yours." After the reading she had done last night, Kim was looking for any excuse for Tommy to be near her. She was half tempted to let herself zone out just so she could touch him the way she had in her dreams.

Kim's statement made Tommy's eyebrows shoot up. He knew exactly what he wanted to do with his hips. "Tell you what; why don't we go downstairs. We'll take care of your backache then we'll work on the dancing if you're up to it. Okay?"

"Whatever," Kim agreed with a shrug and a yawn. As Tommy led her through the house, Kim noticed that it was rather quiet. "Where are your folks?"

"Grocery shopping. If you think you're a marathon shopper, you've never seen my dad at the supermarket. It's pretty scary. They left right after dinner, and I don't expect them back for at least another hour."

"What can you do in a grocery store for that long?" Kim wondered. "I mean, they're only shopping for a family of three."

"Who knows, and I really don't want to go with them to find out."

They headed down to the basement; Tommy headed for the stereo and slipped in some of the music they had danced to on Friday night.

"Lay down on the mats, and I'll be back in a second," he directed. He headed for the far side of the basement and disappeared into a doorway.

"What's back there?" Kim wondered.

"Mom's hot tub," Tommy called back.

"You guys have a hot tub? Too cool."

"We had to get it for Mom a couple of years ago when she messed up her back --doctor's orders. Dad and I also had to learn how to give her proper backrubs --pressure points and all that sort of thing. I figure I can work the kinks out of your back then you can sit in the tub and soak for a while."

"I don't have a swimsuit with me."

"That's no big deal. I can find you one of Mom's or you can wear your leotard. We can throw whatever you wear in the dryer, and you'll be all set. If you'd rather, I won't bug you while you're relaxing. How does that sound?"

"Absolutely wonderful," Kim agreed. She stretched out on the floor.

Tommy got down on the floor with her. "Uh, would you mind too much if I straddled your bottom? I'll have a lot better angle for working on your back than if I worked from the side," he said.

"Whatever works best for you," Kim answered around a yawn.

Tommy sat astride Kimberly's behind, careful not to rest his full weight on her. He pulled her hair away from her neck and started the massage with her scalp, gently working his fingers through her hair. He moved down to the nape of her neck, and firmly worked his thumb about in circles. He felt the shiver that raced down Kim's spine, and her sigh made him swallow hard.

"That feels awesome," Kim purred as she let her body seemingly melt into the mats. She had been a little nervous about having Tommy sit on her bottom--and a little excited, but now she felt herself drifting off under his sure hands.

Tommy didn't answer. From her neck he worked his hands across her shoulders, which were taut with stress and fatigue. His fingers eased the tension with smooth, hard strokes. He rubbed his way down her spine, fanning out to relieve all the muscles of her back. Part of his mind was concentrated on remembering the massage techniques; the rest of it was alive with the delight of having Kim's body beneath him and being able to touch her. Every time Kim sighed, a shudder rippled through Tommy's body.

He continued working Kim's muscles lower and lower; he slid off her ass so that he could reach the base of her tailbone. He was hard pressed not to give into the temptation of caressing her behind. The massage was complete, but Tommy wasn't ready to surrender his position just yet. Kim's body felt so wonderful under his hands that he wanted to continue touching her for just a little while longer, even if only for an innocent backrub. He lightly slid his hands back up to her shoulders where he gently caressed her bare arms. Tommy prolonged the massage until he realized that he was sporting an extremely noticeable hard-on. Trying to regain control of himself, Tommy swung himself off his delightful perch.

"How was that?" he asked, bending low to whisper in Kimberly’s ear. He was almost afraid to disturb her; she appeared to be asleep.

"Mm," she moaned, without opening her eyes. A satisfied smile crossed her lips, which did not help Tommy's efforts at calming down.

"Now for the tub," Tommy declared.

"I'm so relaxed I doubt if I can get up to walk to the tub," Kim murmured contentedly.

"I'll carry you, then," Tommy offered, only half teasing.

Kim glanced up at him, smiling warmly. "I'm almost tempted to let you." However, she rolled over and sat up. "That was wonderful; why didn't you tell me sooner that you were such a good masseur? I'd have let you give me a backrub a long time ago."

"Come on. I'll show you how to operate the controls," Tommy said, swallowing hard at her announcement. He collected Kim's gymbag and led the way.

The hot tub room was small, dominated by the tub; however, a padded bench lined the outer wall. There was also a shelf stocked with towels. Tommy had removed the cover when he popped in earlier and had started the heaters. He checked the water temperature.

"Perfect. See this panel here? This is how you control the whirlpool jets --on, off, and the force of the spray," he explained as he demonstrated. "Those jets can be pretty powerful. When my back's bugging me, I like to sit in front of one and let the water pound on the aching spot. It's a heck of a massage."

"This is really great of you to let me use this. Are you sure your folks won't mind?"

"Positive. Say, do you want me to find one of Mom's swimsuits for you?"

"That's okay; I doubt it would fit."

"Well, then, I'll leave you to soak. Help yourself to the towels, and holler if you need anything. I'll be on the mats working on a kata."

"Thanks, Tommy," Kim said, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

Tommy gave her a sheepish smile then took his leave. He sighed longingly as he stared at the closed door. He had really gotten into giving Kim the massage; he was grateful that she hadn't noticed how aroused he had become. It felt so good to touch her again ... if only he dared satisfy his need to touch her in more intimate ways, but after that kiss on Friday, Tommy wasn't sure he had enough restraint. Kim had been willing and responsive then, but a kiss was one thing. Major groping was another.

Tommy wandered over to the stereo and changed the music. He had picked up a few more things at the used CD shop, more 70s and 80s hard rock. Some of it, he felt, would be pretty dangerous in that it was potential zoning music, but he had found it wasn't too bad for practicing katas. Once the music was set, Tommy headed upstairs to get some water, change into his gi pants, and cool down his hormones.

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In the hot tub room, Kim stripped off her workout clothes. She had thought about just wearing her underwear, but she would feel too funny handing them over to Tommy to be put in the dryer. Instead, she was going to use her gym clothes sans undergarments. As she slid off her shorts, Kim couldn't resist a quick rub at her pussy. It was all wet. Tommy's backrub had done more than relax her; it had her hormones in an uproar. If she hadn't been so exhausted, there was no telling how she would have reacted. She had been disappointed that he hadn't gone ahead and rubbed her behind. Kim shook herself from her brief reverie. This was no time to be playing with herself; it wasn't like she was in her own room. With a sigh, she reached into her gymbag to find her ponytail holders and barrettes; however, as she rustled around in her bag, her fingers brushed against a book. Although she was alone, she blushed. It was the book from her mother’s dresser. She hadn't had much opportunity to read more of it. Kim bit her lip and wondered if she dared bring it out here. Tommy could come in at any time. Lock the door. Kim glanced at the door and found that it had a slide bolt, but it was broken. He said he'd leave me in peace.

Out in the basement, Kim heard the music change--AC/DC; she thought it an unusual selection for Tommy. Not long after that, she heard Tommy's ki-yais. Tommy would be concentrating on his kata; he'd probably forget all about her until she emerged from the little room. Feeling reassured, Kim gave in to temptation. Dressed in only her bra and panties, she sat on the bench and grabbed the book. She thumbed through the pages until she came to a likely looking passage. Not only was it circled, it was also highlighted, and the page was marked.

Mom must have really liked this one, Kim mused. It was about a woman and her masturbatory practices--in particular with water. She had tried everything from the water faucet to shower massagers, but the ultimate (she claimed) was getting off on hot tub jets. Kim almost dropped the book in shock. She glanced up anxiously at the swirling water in the tub before her. This was too weird a coincidence for her. She intently read over the rest of the author's account. It seemed simple enough. All the author had done was relax in the tub, spread her legs so that the jet stream shot right at her pussy, then let herself go. Kim felt herself getting wetter as she read on. It certainly didn't help that she was already horny. She quickly shoved the book aside; she spent several moments sitting on the bench breathing deeply. She closed her eyes and tried to concentrated on the music blaring in the basement and not on her hormones. However, the music had a driving beat to it that threatened to carry her away. If she had been out on the mats, she would be well on her way to hitting the Zone.

Kim nearly put her clothes back on, deciding to forgo the hot tub and temptation, but the sound of the bubbling water was soothing, and her body still ached, and she was so tired. It wouldn't hurt anything to just sit in the tub for a while. She didn't have to get off on the jets, and she'd leave her book in her bag. Kim removed her bra and wrapped a towel around her as she slipped off her panties. She felt too self-conscious to stand around naked in Tommy's basement, even if she was in the privacy of the hot tub room. Kim reached for her work out clothes and paused. What would be the big deal if she soaked in the tub without anything on? That way, she wouldn't have to throw anything in the dryer, and if she sat with her back to the door and had the towel within reach, she'd be able to cover herself if anyone came in. Kim approached the hot tub and sat on the rim. She slipped her feet in the warm water; it felt wonderful. Kim unfastened the towel and lowered herself into the tub with a sigh of contentment. Letting her head fall back on the rim of the tub, Kim felt herself getting drowsy

Tommy was right about those jets, she mused. There was one directed right at the base of her spine, pounding on her aching back. It felt pretty good. Kim glanced over at the jet controls; the dial was set on medium. Almost without thinking, she turned it to medium-high. The water pulsed against her with more force, and Kim sighed. It felt heavenly. Her eyelids were getting heavier as her body unwound. Kim slid lower into the water. At her feet was another jet, which pounded her sore insteps. Almost unconsciously, Kim's legs parted, allowing that jet stream to thrust up against her mound. The sensation made Kim's eyes snap open, and she quickly closed her legs; however, she had to admit that it had felt pretty good. With a nervous glance at the door, Kim spread her legs again. This time she sat forward a little more so that her hips were a little closer to the nozzle. The force of the water massaging her pussy was awesome. With another posture adjustment, water met clitoris, and Kim was gone.

"Oh, my God," she gasped. Her eyes fluttered shut as all her attention was focused on that tiny spot between her legs. In the back of her mind, she heard the music change --Van Halen, definitely zoning music. She wiped her moist brow, and her hand slowly stole down her face, neck and between her breasts. Between the music and the water, she was quickly transported to a fantasy where she was dancing for Tommy, then he was making love to her. "Ooh, yes! Oh, Tommy!"

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"Finish What Ya Started" faded, and Tommy hit the pause button on the stereo remote. He had been going strong ever since he got back downstairs. He needed a breather. He was dripping with sweat and realized that he had forgotten to bring a towel down for himself. That wasn't a problem; he'd just get one from the hot tub room. Tommy was almost to the door before he remembered that Kim was inside. He could always knock and ask her for one, but he had promised to leave her alone.

"Rats," he grumbled. It meant another trip upstairs, since his mother had taken all the laundry up already. As he turned back towards the mats, he thought he heard Kim's voice. Thinking that she had said something, he started to knock on the door, but before his knuckles struck the wood, he heard another sound: a moan. Tommy pressed his ear to the door. He knew he shouldn't have; if Kim needed help or anything, she'd call. Still, Tommy was curious. He'd never heard Kim make a sound quite like that. Then, to Tommy's horror, the door swung open; that shouldn't have happened. He wasn't pressing against it that hard, and he was sure Kim would have locked it. Then he remembered, the bolt was broken. His father must not have gotten around to fixing it. Tommy didn't want Kim to think he was spying on her. He grabbed the door handle to pull it shut; however his eyes fell on the pile of clothes on the bench. Kim's gym clothes and underwear were heaped on the cushions. That meant ... Tommy's grip tightened on the doorknob and his knees went weak... Kim wasn't wearing anything in the tub! Kim moaned again, and Tommy quickly, but quietly pulled the door closed.

"Oh, man," he groaned as he leaned back against the wall and slid down to the floor. He turned the music back on; hopefully Kim hadn't noticed the extended pause. He could scarcely believe it; Kim was naked in the hot tub. Tommy was hard just thinking about it. He also couldn't believe that he had had an opportunity to sneak a quick peek but hadn't availed himself of it! He felt like kicking himself. Sometimes, he was too considerate for his own good.

Sitting against the wall of the little room, Tommy could still hear Kimberly's sighs. It sounded as if she was really getting into soaking in the hot tub. As he sat there thinking about it, Tommy reasoned that Kim must have had her back to the doorway, otherwise she would have noticed when it popped open. That would mean she was sitting with her back against a jet; that was probably it. She was enjoying the extra backrub. However, that did not account for the gasp and giggle he had just heard. What was Kimberly doing in there? It was hard to resist cracking the door open to take another peek. Tommy only had her moans to go by, but they sounded rather like the noises he made when he was really getting into jerking himself off. Could that be it? Could Kim be masturbating in the hot tub? She wouldn't do that, at least not if she wasn't home in her own tub or something; at least, he didn't think she would, but the more he listened, the more it sounded like someone who was working herself up to an orgasm. Tommy tried to envision the scene --Kim naked in the water, her hair piled up on her head, her eyes closed, and one hand between her legs. Maybe she was playing with her breasts with the other. The scene had him reaching into his gi to stroke his cock.

Tommy experienced a powerful sense of déjà vu. He knew he had never been in a situation like this before, so where ... then he remembered. He had picked up the latest issue of "Penthouse Letters" earlier in the afternoon. He had examined his collection last night and realized that the last issue he had was three months old. He had skimmed through some of the letters before Kim had arrived, and there had been one from a guy who had written about watching an unknown woman getting off on the jets in a hot tub. Was that what Kim was doing? Tommy tried to think ... there were four large jets and four smaller jets in the tub. One of the large jets was on the wall that faced the door, where Kim was sitting. That meant that there was another large nozzle directly opposite from her. If she was sitting with her legs spread apart, the water would be hitting her right between the legs, smack on the.... Tommy groaned. It was just too much for him. He sat there listening as Kim's moans increased in intensity. He timed his strokes to match her groans. He closed his eyes, imagining her expression from the zoning episode and trying to picture her naked body. He focused all his attention on the noises she was making, envisioning what she was doing to pleasure herself. Suddenly, he heard a sharp gasp from within, a cut off shout, signaling Kim's orgasm. Moments later, he was biting back his own.

Tommy sat on the floor panting, grateful for the loud music. He was fairly certain that Kim couldn't hear him over the noise. He listened intently and thought he heard movement from within. He scrambled to his feet and raced for the stairs. He couldn't let Kim catch him with wet pants.

By the time Tommy returned to the basement, Kim was out of the alcove, dressed and stretching out. As Tommy watched her, he observed that her face was slightly flushed, and she had a sort of glow about her. She seemed more relaxed, and she was moving with an ease Tommy had never noticed in her before. There was the tiniest trace of a sexy sway in her hips, but that could have been a product of the music. After all, Van Halen playing was still playing. Kim finally turned and noticed him on the stairs; a radiant smile filled her face.

"So, how do you feel, Beautiful?" Tommy queried, trying to fight the knowing grin he felt tugging at his lips.

"Like a new woman. The hot tub did the trick," she answered.

And it was some trick, Tommy reflected. He felt a blush creeping into his cheeks, and he suddenly felt a little flustered. His momentary distress must have been noticeable to Kim because she frowned suddenly, her brow puckered.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Tommy rasped. He had to clear his throat. "Just swallowed wrong. So, do you feel like dancing?"

"Right now, I could dance all night," Kim replied.

In his eagerness to join Kim on the mats, Tommy tripped down the stairs.

Chapter 9

It was Wednesday evening. The wedding reception was three days away, and Tommy was a wreck. He was more excited, confused and anxious than he had been since he and Kim had begun the dance lessons. After listening to Kim jerk off in the hot tub, Tommy had been unable to concentrate on dancing. Kim had wound up leaving in a frustrated huff, for which Tommy felt guilty. It seemed that every time he touched her, he’d get as nervous as he had before they had shared the kiss. They had been unable to get together on Tuesday due to a paper Kim had to write, so Tommy spent the evening reading through the manual he had uncovered. He wound up putting it aside because for every answer it gave him, it raised more questions and concerns.

There was definitely nothing simple about sex. He had forgotten that Kim would experience some discomfort when they broke her maidenhead. He didn't want to hurt her. Kim was so tiny, what if he was too big to fit? Touching he could handle, and he wanted to suck on her breasts, but he wasn't sure about oral sex. Female genitalia seemed more complicated than his own. Would he do it right? Would he like it? Would Kim? He was also a little nervous about Kim seeing him naked; would she like what she saw? She was so into his hair, what if she didn't like his chest? And would he last long enough to make it good for Kimberly? Lately, it didn't take much effort to get himself off. What if he was too nervous to perform at all? What about protection? He had no idea if Kim was on the pill or not or if he should use a condom. Tommy wished he wouldn't get so worked up, but the book was telling him one thing, the magazines were another, and he was no better off than before.

He had gone to bed with his concerns buzzing in his head; to get rid of them, he lay in bed thinking about the more delicious moments of the last week: Kim zoning, the kiss, rubbing her ass, listening to her through the wall of the tub room.... In a way, it had been safer to relive those moments than worry about the future, even though those moments were what made the future so frightening. Tommy had fallen asleep feeling extraordinarily horny and had the wildest, wettest dream to date. In his dream, Kim had come to him dressed in her Power Ranger uniform and started performing a wicked striptease. Oh-so-slowly she peeled off the pink Spandex to reveal the black lingerie they had admired in the window of the shop in the mall. Then she began dancing; she fixed him with a filthy-cute smile as she worked her way into the hottest zoning Tommy had ever seen. While she danced, she played with him. She played with herself. She was begging Tommy to make love to her, only he hesitated at the last moment, and the scene changed. One minute he had Kim's tits in his hands, the next he was carrying a football. He was playing for Angel Grove once again in the big game against Stone Canyon. On the sidelines was Kimberly, a cheerleader once again. Even though her hair was in pigtails and she was wearing saddle shoes, she had the sexiest look on her face. She was wearing the warm-weather uniform, but it was sexier than anything the squad would normally wear. Every time she moved, her top would creep up until he could almost see the bottoms of her breasts. Then Kim bent over, and peeking out from under her sassy short skirt was her bare bottom. She hadn't worn her tights or her underwear.

Just about the time Tommy caught sight of her ass, he was sacked hard. His world went dark for a moment, then he opened his eyes to the sound of mocking laughter. The dream had become a nightmare. Once again he found himself flat on his back on the makeshift stage in Aunt Eleanor’s backyard with Kyle and Mark cavorting around him. He struggled to break free, but they already had the strings tied to his arms and legs. He was helpless to do anything other than be their marionette. Around him, the laughter of his relatives was deafening. Why wouldn't somebody stop them? Couldn't they see that Mark and Kyle were hurting him, humiliating him? They kept jumping and whirling around him, faster and faster; the moment Tommy dreaded was approaching....

"Ouch! Tommy, what is the matter with you?" Kim yelped, jumping back favoring the foot he had just stepped on.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled weakly. The images in his mind were too conflicting and too vivid for him to ignore. He felt so helpless in the face of Kimberly's anger, and he couldn't bring himself to meet her expectant gaze.

"That's it. Kill the music. Let's just stop," Kim snapped suddenly. She left Tommy standing in the middle of the floor staring after her perplexedly as she marched over to the stereo and switched it off. "No more dancing until you tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing's wrong; I just can't seem to concentrate, that's all," Tommy replied.

"Baloney! Something's bugging you big time. You were doing so well, and now all of a sudden you're back to where you were when we started. You can't concentrate. You can't dance ... you're even afraid to touch me again. I thought we had gotten that worked out. What's wrong?"

"Everything," Tommy snapped back, letting his frustration get the better of him. "Face it, Kim. This isn't working; we're just wasting our time. I'm hopeless. There's no way I'm going to learn to dance by this Saturday, so let's call the whole thing off."

"You're not hopeless; the reason this isn't working is because you're doing it for the wrong reasons," Kim insisted, her temper flaring as much as Tommy's.

"What do you mean?"

"Why did you want me to teach you to dance? You've never wanted me to before, and we've been to plenty of dances where it didn't matter how badly you dance. You're not doing this because you want to know how to dance. You're not doing this for the fun of it. You're doing it to one up your cousins for some stupid reason! That's not like you. What's the big deal? What happened between you and your cousins? Why are you still running away from them?"

"I'm not running away, I just don't ... I can't tell you about it, Kim. Please, try to understand...." Tommy implored.

"I want to understand, Tommy. I want to help, if I can, but I can't do either if you won't tell me what's wrong."

Why was Kim making such a big deal out of everything? He couldn't tell her about what Mark and Kyle had done to him; he didn't want her to know. Couldn't she respect that?

"Listen, Tommy; whatever happened between you and your cousins happened a long time ago, but nothing's going to be right for you until you resolve it. If you want to prove anything to your cousins, prove that you're the better man by letting things go and getting on with--whatever."

"Why do you keep insisting on bringing my cousins into this? It has nothing to do with my cousins," Tommy fumed.

"Then what does it have to do with? Why won't you talk to me!"

Tommy stubbornly refused to answer. He wouldn't even look at Kim.

"Fine," Kim declared at last. She stomped over to where she had deposited her bag. "Maybe you're right. Maybe we are wasting our time --with everything. If you don't want to go to the wedding, fine. I can always use the practice time."

"Kim, what are you doing?" Tommy asked, suddenly concerned.

"I'm leaving, since we're not getting anything accomplished.

"Kim, don't do that...."

"Call me when you're ready to grow up, stop running away, and talk to me," she said with finality. A small sob caught in her throat as she raced up the stairs.

"Kim, wait! Don't go ... come back," Tommy shouted as he chased after her. Kim dashed out the back door, slamming it in her wake. By the time Tommy reached the back door, she was already in her car and pulling out of the driveway. "Kim ... don't...." Tommy slammed his fist against the doorframe and turned to find his mother sitting at the table eyeing him expectantly.

"She's right, you know," Jan said.

"Right about what?" Tommy asked morosely.

"Everything. Tommy, you have to get over what Kyle and Mark did to you. Even I don't understand why you've held onto this as long as you have; it isn't like you to carry a grudge."

"Mom, it isn't just about what they did...." Tommy started to say.

"I know every man has his pride --even at seven, but this is ridiculous," Jan continued.

"Mom, I can't tell Kim about what happened."

"Why? Are you afraid she might laugh?" Jan could see that her words stung. "Don't you see, Tommy; what happened at Aunt Eleanor's birthday wasn't just a one time thing. By letting Kyle and Mark's actions eat at you, you've let them continue to torment you. They've managed to drive a wedge between you and the rest of the family; don't let them ruin your relationship with Kimberly. Kyle and Mark aren't worth it. Your pride isn't worth losing someone you love."

"I won't lose Kim over this," Tommy insisted with more confidence than he felt.

"So sure, are you? By not confiding in her, by not sharing with her you're basically telling her that you don't trust her."

"I trust Kim."

"Right now, Kim doesn't feel like you do."

"How would you know?" Tommy groused.

"Because I'd feel the same way if your father wouldn't talk to me about something that was obviously important to him."

Tommy had no answer for that; he was getting the uncomfortable feeling that his mother was right --again.

"And one more thing, if you don't tell Kim what happened, someone else probably will."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Aunt Eleanor's birthday is still one of the hot topics of nostalgia at family parties. I'd suggest telling Kim your side of the story if you don't want her to misunderstand."

Tommy grimaced. He hadn't realized that the fiasco was still talked about so much.

"So what," he mumbled, still in denial. "The business with Mark and Kyle isn't the problem."

"Oh?" Jan queried, her question delivered in her best who-do-you-think-you're-fooling tone.

"All right, maybe it's part of the problem," Tommy grudgingly admitted.

"And if the rest of it has anything to do with what’s going on between you and Kimberly, then you had most definitely better work up the courage to talk to her, or you won't have a relationship to worry about," his mother advised.

Jan watched Tommy as he disappeared into the dining room, his head hung low. She sighed. There was so much more she felt like she should say to him. While she might have wanted him and Kim to step back and take things a little more slowly, she didn't want to see them lose what they had.

"Trouble at Arthur Murray's?" Thomas queried, popping his head into the kitchen.

"You heard?"

"I'd be surprised if the neighbors didn't hear it, too."

"Tommy just has to stop being so pigheaded. He's got to get over this business with Mark and Kyle."

"Good advice. Maybe you should try it yourself."

"What do you mean?" Jan asked sharply.

"Quit trying to compete with Jean. It isn't worth being miserable over," Thomas said.

"I'm not competing with Jean. Her life hasn't been worth envying."

"Then why should her opinion about our son bother you so much? If it was your parents, I could understand that, but not Jean."

Jan had no answer for Thomas. As he returned to his study, Jan sat at the kitchen table, staring at the dregs in the bottom of her coffee cup and thinking about what Thomas had said.

----------------------------------------------------------

The next day at school was perfectly miserable for Tommy. He tried all morning to find Kimberly, but he had the feeling that she was purposely avoiding him. If being unable to track her down wasn't bad enough, the rest of the gang seemed to be aware of the fact that they had had a fight. No one knew what to say; lunch had been very awkward. Tommy forced himself to be patient; he and Kimberly had social studies together, so she wouldn't be able to avoid seeing him. When he got to Mr. Carson's class, Kim was already in her seat. She looked up briefly when Tommy entered the room. To Tommy's astonishment, she didn't look angry. Her eyes were sort of red, like she hadn't slept or had been crying. When their gazes touched, Kim looked so disappointed that it left Tommy shaken. Why would she be disappointed?

Tommy wrestled with that question for the rest of the class period. "... you're basically telling her that you don't trust her," his mother's words echoed in his mind. Was that it? Trust was an important thing in relationships; Tommy understood that, especially since becoming a Ranger. He and all his friends had to trust each other with their lives every time they morphed. But Tommy trusted Kim; it was himself he didn't trust. However, Kim couldn't know that --not if he didn't tell her. Tommy suddenly had the sinking feeling that he had let Kim down somehow. He couldn't bear the thought; after all, she had been there for him so many times before ... and she was trying to be there for him again, if he'd let her. It wasn't going to be easy; he didn't want to look foolish in Kim's eyes. Her opinion mattered as much to him as his grandfather's had, and he didn't want to tell her about the other things for fear that he might scare her away. However, if he didn't, he was going to push her away anyhow.

When the bell finally rang, Tommy was relieved. Kim collected her books and headed out the classroom without waiting for him as usual. He hurried to catch up with her.

"Hey, Kim, wait up," he called after her, and he was happy to note that she did stop.

"Hey, Tommy," she responded, but guardedly.

"Listen, about last night ... I didn't mean to get so bent out of shape."

"I probably shouldn't have been so insistent," Kim admitted reluctantly; she had been miserable ever since she left Tommy's house last night. She had returned to her room at the Campbells and cried herself to sleep. Aisha had tried to talk to her about it, but Kim couldn't. She didn't understand why Tommy wouldn't talk to her, and she didn't understand why she felt it was so important for her to know. She only wanted to help Tommy. She hated seeing him look so miserable; she just wanted to make things better for him. That he wouldn't trust her enough to tell her hurt, but it also didn't help matters any that she had pushed so hard. She felt like she had forced the issue and made it worse. Tommy would have come around in time, but Kim couldn't shake the sense of urgency that she felt. It was like there was no time to wait for things to work themselves out. "I'm sure there are some things in my past I'd rather you not know about."

"Yeah, but those things aren't causing problems in our relationship, and I'm letting this business with my cousins come between us. I don't want that to happen. I know that I'm going to lose you to Paris eventually, but I don't want to lose you over this."

"Tommy, I doubt there's anything about this business with your cousins that would split us up," Kim said.

"It's not just that. There are other things, too. Do you think you could come over after your practice? I think I'm ready to talk."

"Sure. I'll be there."

"Thanks."

Chapter 10

Tommy was pacing the basement floor when Kim arrived. He indicated that she should sit on the stairs. Kim said nothing as she waited for him to start.

"I spent last night after you left thinking about what Kyle and Mark did and why I've let it eat at me for so long," he began hurriedly, as if he was afraid he was going to lose his nerve. "When I looked at everything they did, there wasn't anything too terrible. I mean, kids get humiliated all the time by their brothers and sisters or their friends and they're not scarred for life. I honestly can't put my finger on what it was that bothered me so much.

"Kyle and Mark have always picked on me; I think I told you that. Kyle wasn't as bad as Mark most of the time, but Mark always seemed to drag Kyle along for the ride whenever he was causing trouble. This incident happened nearly eleven years ago at Aunt Eleanor’s ninetieth birthday party.

"You gotta understand that Aunt Eleanor meant a lot to everyone in the family. She was grandpa's oldest sister; she was a real sweetheart, and there was nothing that anyone wouldn't do for her. Like I've said, Mom's family was really big on dancing. In her younger days, Aunt Eleanor had been a dancer. So, for her ninetieth birthday, all us kids decided to put on a show for her. Everyone was doing something, and although I couldn't dance worth spit, I was to do a number with Becca. We were the last two to perform. It was horrible. I kept stepping on Becca's toes and tripping over my own two feet, but it wasn't too bad until Mark and Kyle got into the picture.

"At first they just started mimicking us, then Mark shoved Becca out of the way and became my partner. He was flinging me all over the stage. After a while, he started telling Kyle to show me what to do, so Kyle came up behind me and started moving my arms and stuff for me. Things just sort of snowballed from there."

Tommy had to pause and collect himself. Kim got up from the stairs and walked over to him. Gently she guided him back over to the steps and sat him down. She kissed him on the cheek as if to say everything was going to be all right. She settled down behind him and started rubbing his shoulders.

"Mark decided that the dance lessons weren't working," Tommy continued at last; he kept his gazed focused on his folded hands. He was wringing his hands so tightly together that his knuckles were white. "I have no idea where the ropes came from, but before I knew it, they had me trussed up like a marionette and were leading me around the stage like I was their puppet. There were other things, things that hurt physically, but I don't remember much about them. I just remember being hurt, embarrassed, and helpless. I knew enough karate back then, but try as I might, I couldn't do anything to break free what with Mark controlling my arms and legs. My struggles only seemed to make matters worse.

"To really make things terrible, everyone in the audience and everyone backstage --Aunt Eleanor, my folks, Becca, even my grandfather-- were laughing. They didn't even try to stop Mark and Kyle, they just sat there and laughed. Finally, when they were done horsing around, Mark forced me into a bow, and while I was doubled over, he de-pantsed me.

"The family burst into applause and gave us a standing ovation. As soon as the curtain call was done, I ran back into the house, hid in one of Aunt Eleanor's rooms, and cried myself to sleep."

Tommy took a deep breath at the conclusion of his tale. He waited anxiously for Kim to say something. Finally, she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him.

"That was horrible. I'd hate my cousins too if they'd made me lose face in front someone who meant as much to me as your grandfather meant to you," Kim said at last.

Her statement left Tommy thunderstruck. Made him lose face ... he had never thought of it like that. Maybe it wasn't that they had done all those terrible things to him as it was they had done it in front of his grandfather.

"But Grandpa wasn't upset or disappointed or anything like that. He was laughing just as hard as the rest of the family," Tommy blurted out; it just didn't make sense.

"Could it be that it wasn't Kyle and Mark you were so mad at so much as you were angry with your grandfather for laughing at you because of them?"

Tommy had to think about that one for several moments. "I was kind of angry with Grandpa. Couldn't he tell that I was in trouble? That they were hurting me? Why did he let those guys do that stuff to me? Why did he have to laugh along with everyone else? It was like when I needed his help the most, he turned his back on me."

"He probably didn't know it wasn't part of the act," Kim said gently.

"How could he not?"

"Didn't you tell me that Mark could charm the pants off Lord Zedd? If he could do that, he could fool your family into believing that his shenanigans were part of the script." Kim stroked Tommy's hair while he considered her words. "How long did you stay mad at your grandfather?"

"For quite a while. I tried not to be angry. Afterwards, he acted as if nothing had happened, that we were still best buddies. I thought he had forgotten about it, but he'd wind up bringing it up and laughing about it at the worst possible moments. Aunt Eleanor died about six months after the party, and family things were kind of tense for a while. Then I overheard Mom and Dad talking about Grandpa's heart. She was really afraid he was going to die soon. That made me afraid. Even though Grandpa had let me down, I didn't want to lose him, and I knew I couldn't stay mad at him. But I wasn't sure what I could do about it. Then Grandpa died..."

"... and you were mad at Kyle and Mark for making you mad at your grandfather and making you lose that precious time with him," Kim concluded. "It sounds to me like you resented your cousins not so much for stripping you of your dignity but for damaging your relationship with your grandfather. And maybe the reason you've been avoiding them for so long isn't because you're afraid they'll embarrass you again but that they'll destroy other relationships that mean a lot to you."

Kim had given Tommy a good deal to think about. Everything she said made sense. "Do you really think that my grandfather didn't know that what Mark and Kyle were doing wasn't part of the act?" Tommy wanted to believe that so badly. It was better to believe that his grandfather had been made a fool of, too, than to think that he could be so cruel as to laugh at Tommy during his moment of humiliation.

"Your folks were in the audience, too, weren't they?" Kim asked. "Weren't they laughing along with everyone else?"

"At first, yeah," Tommy confirmed. "I think Mom caught on towards the end, but Dad didn't really know until Mom asked me about it."

"If your folks didn't know, I'd say your grandfather didn't know either."

"Man, I spent all that time being hurt and angry at him, and it wasn't even his fault," Tommy said glumly. "I guess I let him down as much as he let me down."

"You know the truth now," Kim said softly. "I know you can't apologize to your grandfather for doubting him, but you can make it up to him by not letting Mark and Kyle control your life like they controlled you on the stage. Dancing well at Kyle's wedding isn't the answer; simply being there and not being afraid to be yourself is. If you want to show them something, show them that you're a man who isn't ashamed of himself and isn't ashamed to know he has limitations. And if they laugh at you while you're on the dance floor, let them laugh. If they haven't anything better to do than to make fun of you, then I think they must have pretty pathetic lives. They're probably trying to hide their limitations by making fun of yours."

"I guess you're right."

"It sounds to me like they're nothing but bullies and cowards, and if I catch them laughing at you, I'll deck 'em," Kim declared fiercely.

"While I appreciate the thought, decking them isn't the answer. It'd only make me look like a bully too." Tommy reached up to clasp the hand that Kim placed on his shoulder. "Thanks for understanding, for making me understand, and for putting up with me these last couple of weeks."

"Hey, you were there for me when the business with Mom and Adrian freaked me out," Kim replied. She rested her chin on Tommy's shoulders, and he didn't let go of her hand. The two sat in silence for a long while. "So, what do you feel like doing now?"

Tommy thought about it for a while. There was still a lot of things he and Kim needed to discuss, but at the moment he wasn't up to another heavy conversation. Actually, he really wanted to do something for Kim to make up for being such a jerk last night. Seeing the way she had looked at him in school had really shaken him up. He'd do just about anything to see her smile at him, to put the sparkle back in her eyes, and he thought he knew just how to do it.

"Would you believe I feel like dancing?"

"Huh?"

"Not more dance lessons. Fred Astaire couldn't help me. You know, nothing major; just sort of fooling around and having some fun. What do you say?"

"I think I'd like that."

They both hopped up from the stairs, and Tommy let Kim make the musical selections. She retrieved her workout tape from her gym bag and slipped it into the cassette deck. As the first song began, Tommy leaned against the pole in the center of the floor and watched Kim for a few minutes as she warmed up. Already she was smiling brightly as she bounced around energetically. She danced by herself through the first song, but as the second one came on, she skipped over to Tommy and grabbed his hand. She pulled his arm up and twirled herself around a couple of times before moving off. She shot him a smile that almost dared him to spoil her fun.

Tommy felt better already. Kim's smile was back, the sparkle and the glow were back, and her enthusiasm was infectious. At one point, Tommy found himself tapping his foot to the beat. When the fourth song came up, it was a slower song, and Kim returned to Tommy and invited him to dance with her. She wrapped her arms around him and guided him out onto the mats; however, he scarcely had his hands around her waist when he felt his insides getting tight. Suddenly, the playful mood was gone.

"What's wrong? Why are you so afraid to hold me?" Kim asked as Tommy released her; however, she caught his hands and wouldn't let him turn away. Tommy ducked his head, unable to meet her eyes. However, Kim observed the flush in his cheeks. She knew what was wrong; it was the same thing that was wrong with her. It was what had made her so sharp tempered the other night. She had known Tommy was feeling the same things she was feeling --he had told her so when he had kissed her: the excitement, the nervousness, and a lot of other powerful emotions. Tommy opened his mouth to say something, but Kim put her fingers to his lips.

"Let me guess. It's not because you're afraid to hold me, is it?" Kim queried. She reached up to tilt Tommy's chin up. "Is it because you want to touch me --in ways more intimate than we had the other night-- and you're not sure you should?"

Tommy's eyes went wide with amazement and relief. "How'd you know?"

It was Kim's turn to look away modestly. "I'm feeling the same things, too."

They managed to look at each other, and both started laughing with relief. They understood each other, but knowing what was bugging them and how to fix it was another matter. The laughter faded.

"I was so afraid to say anything," Tommy said in a rush to fill the awkward silence. "I was afraid you wouldn't feel the same way ... that you wouldn't want me to ... that I might scare you off or something."

"Same here. Tommy, let's not be afraid to be honest with each other anymore; we've both been so miserable these last couple of days, and there was no need for it."

"All right," he agreed. They were still holding hands. They hadn't realized it, but they were holding on to each other very tightly. "So, what do we do now --about what we’re feeling, I mean."

Kim bit her lip as she studied Tommy's face. His expression was so serious. He looked as scared and excited and hopeful as she felt. The first move was up to her; she had already figured that out, but she wasn't sure she could be the one to take the first step.

"Well, you're curious about me, and I'm curious about you, so maybe we should indulge our curiosity. I mean, nothing really major --not like going all the way or anything-- just..."

"Are you sure, Kim?" Tommy asked, searching her expression. As excited as he was by the thought, he didn't want Kim doing something she wasn't comfortable with.

"To be honest, I'm kind of scared." Couldn't he tell? She was shaking like a leaf, but now that she had made the offer, she wasn't about to back down. "But we have to do something. We can't keep putting this off and running away from it. It won't go away on its own. We both want to, don't we?"

"Except for kissing you the other night, I don't know how I've managed to keep my hands to myself," Tommy confessed

"You're a gentleman, that's how," Kim murmured.

Tommy reached a hand up to stroke Kim's cheek. "I've dreamed of doing something like this for so long, and now that I have the chance, I'm not sure where to begin."

"Why don't we start with a kiss?"

This time, the embrace didn't swoop down out of nowhere; it came as if in slow motion: Tommy bending forward, Kim reaching up, eyes closing, heads tilting. Once their lips met, however, it was as if a rush of heat enveloped them, spurring them on. Tommy hungrily attacked Kim's sweet mouth; his tongue slid past her lips to dance with hers. Kim had her hands in Tommy's hair, pulling him forward and crushing his mouth to hers. She couldn't seem to get enough of him.

While their mouths were engaged, their hands roamed freely over each other’s bodies. Tommy, reveling in the feeling of Kim's fingers in his hair, slid his hands up and down Kim's spine. He lost his fingers in her hair, tickled the nape of her neck, caressing her behind then grabbing hold as if he would never let her go. Kim's hands traced the same route until she had a purchase on his ass. They pressed each other closer until Tommy's imprisoned cock rubbed against Kim's mound. That seemed to bring them up short.

Their lips parted; both were breathing heavily. They stared deep into each other's eyes. They seemed to know that if they wanted to stop, they had better do it now, otherwise there would be no turning back. Kim brought her fingers up to touch Tommy's cheeks. His fingers brushed over her features, outlining her lips, and tickling her earlobes. Kim did the same to him, and it was such a delicious sensation that both parties shivered. Moving on some instinctive cue, the two slowly sank to their knees. Tommy kissed Kim again, more gently this time. While he lingered over her lips, he continued pulling her down until they were both lying on the floor. Tommy rolled onto his back, maneuvering Kim on top of himself.

Kim reluctantly broke the kiss. She gazed down into Tommy's eyes; they seemed to say, ‘ladies first.’ She wasn't sure what part of Tommy she wanted to explore first. Almost of their own accord, her fingers sought out his hair.

"I don't now why, but your hair really turns me on," she murmured thickly as she ran her fingers through his locks.

"I'm glad. It turns me on when you play with it," he answered.

"Really? Mm!" With that purr of delight, Kim gathered up a handful of his chocolate brown hair and buried her face in it. From his hair, Kim turned her attention to his face. "You have gorgeous eyes, too." She bent forward to plant a kiss on each eyelid and tickled his feathery eyelashes. "And your mouth is so..." She traced the outline of his lips with her tongue and slowly worked her way down his jaw line, nibbling and licking as she went.

"Oh man," Tommy groaned. Kim's nuzzling was setting him on fire. She licked her way back up and started chewing on his earlobes, which had him squirming under her. It sent a charge straight to his cock. He never realized that his neck and earlobes were so sensitive, and Kim really seemed to be getting into eating his neck. Tommy could have sworn she was growling. He moaned and tilted his head back, allowing her better access. Kim tongued her way down to the collar of his t-shirt. She pulled back and ran her hands over his chest.

"May I?" she queried, nervously plucking at his shirt.

"You can do whatever you feel comfortable doing," he assured her. Tommy leaned up as Kim started tugging his white tee out of his pants. It took a little doing, but with Tommy's help she managed to get it off of him, then she slowly pressed him back down to the mat. For a moment, she sat astride his hips and simply looked at him. Tommy felt a flutter of nervousness as Kim finally reached out to touch him, drawing her finger from his sternum, down his abdomen to his belly button. Her expression was contemplative, almost somber. She then ran both hands back up his body, and her eyes lit up with delight --to Tommy's relief.

"Smooth and hard, just like I imagined," she murmured. Her fingers traced the outline of his pectorals and the ripples of his abdominals. She drizzled her fingers down his arms, stroking the lines of his biceps and triceps. Then, she began using her mouth, kissing and licking all the areas her hands had just explored. To their mutual delight, they discovered that his underarms were an erogenous zone. When she played with his hair, it tickled, and when she took and experimental lick, Tommy nearly leaped off the mats.

"You really do have a thing for hair," Tommy gasped.

"I can't help it," Kim said sheepishly.

"Don't be sorry. You're driving me absolutely nuts!"

Kim grinned at that and returned her attention to kissing her way down Tommy's chest. He could no longer keep his hands to himself. He fumbled for Kim's legs and slid his hands up her smooth, muscular thighs and around to her bottom. As Kim's lips found his nipples, Tommy found himself thrusting up against her in amazement and pleasure. He hadn't realized that having his nipples played with would feel so good.

Kim sat back in momentary surprise --at Tommy's reaction and her own. She couldn't believe how good it felt to make Tommy feel so good. She was experiencing quite a rush from watching him wriggle beneath her and knowing that she was making him wriggle. Then there was the thrust of his hips against her, his cock briefly rubbing against her pussy. That sent a tingle shooting through her body as she felt his pressure against her clit. It was a curiously powerful feeling, and as much as Kim wanted to explore it further, it was just a little too much for her at the moment. She settled for leaning forward to continue playing with Tommy's chest --it felt so good to finally run her hands all over his muscles; however, the movement pressed her up against Tommy's cock again and sent another wave of fiery tingles rippling through her, causing her to gasp. Kim shook it off as she gazed at Tommy. He looked so good. His eyes were closed, and his face was flushed and almost seemed to glow. She saw the shivers that shuddered through his body. His skin was coated with a light sheen of sweat, and his chest heaved with his breathing. Feeling extraordinarily pleased with herself, Kim leaned forward and took a playful lick at his chest. As she was bent across him, she pressed her face to his chest. To her amazement, she could hear the pounding of his heart.

"Your heart's beating like a drum," she noted with a tiny smile of wonder.

"Is yours?" Tommy asked. Kim took his right hand and placed it over her heart. He felt it pumping as furiously as his. He was also extremely aware of his hand's proximity to her breasts. He felt his swollen cock twitch in anticipation, and so did Kimberly.

The movement in Tommy's trousers touched Kim's clit again, and this time she gasped. Tommy smiled at her; he probably had no idea of the real cause of her exclamation. He probably thought that she was just surprised by the movement. Kim slipped off his hips; the proximity was just too tempting, and doing anything like grinding herself against Tommy in a dry hump was just too heavy for their first time. Instead, Kim opted to run her hands down the sides of his hips, his legs and down to his feet where she pulled off his shoes and socks. Impishly, she tickled him.

"Hey!" he yelped, his body jerking up off the mats. The sudden onslaught on his feet put a momentary damper on the building fire within him. It was as if the moment had become too intense and Kim had tickled him to relieve the tension.

"Roll over," Kim directed. Tommy complied, masking his disappointment. He had been hoping Kim might feel brave enough to touch his cock through his pants. He was almost certain that if she had touched him he'd have come. Instead, he made himself as comfortable on the mat as possible, but it wasn't easy considering the strength of his hard-on. Tommy groaned, almost in pain, as Kim sat on his ass. That quickly passed as she began massaging his back and playing with his hair again. He whimpered his disappointment when she stopped, but he sighed with delight as her mouth found the back of his neck and her tongue slowly made its way down his spine. As she moved downward, she slid off his bottom (relieving the pressure on his cock); her hands caressed the small of his back and his sides. Then, she brushed them over his denim clad behind.

"You have a great butt," she said as she stroked his bottom leisurely. She dipped her hands into his pockets and traced a finger along the back center seam, following it down between his legs. The wiggle Tommy gave his bottom made Kim giggle. Kim continued rubbing and squeezing his behind until Tommy couldn't take it any longer. Tommy rolled over, and suddenly Kim found herself running her hands across his crotch. She pulled her hands back as if she had touched a hot pot.

"Sorry," Tommy apologized, "but the pressure ... it just got to be too much."

"It's all right," Kim mumbled, brushing her hair from her face and trying not to let Tommy see how embarrassed she was. Even so, her gaze kept wandering back to his groin.

"Go ahead; it's okay," Tommy encouraged, catching her furtive glances. Kim reached out tentatively then drew her hand back. Tommy caught her hand and guided it to the bulge in his jeans. His cock throbbed with joy at her touch.

"It moved," she gasped.

Tommy held her hand in place so she couldn't withdraw. He didn't release her hand until he felt certain she wasn't going to pull away.

"It does that sometimes when it's hyper-stimulated," he explained, amused by her reaction. His eyes rolled back in his head as she rubbed her hand back and forth across his hardness.

"It feels really big. Does it hurt or anything?"

"No, but if my pants are too tight and I get an erection, it gets uncomfortable. Actually, the difficulty is that it doesn't take much to give me an erection. It can be embarrassing."

"I imagine so," Kim murmured, thinking about how awkward it was for her when her tits got hard. At least, she could hide them under a bulky sweater or something, but the bulge in Tommy's pants couldn't be so easily hidden. What about when he was in uniform? That must be awful because there'd be no hiding a hard-on under the skin tight power suit. In fact, she could think of several occasions when Tommy had had a rather noticeable lump in his uniform. "You must think I'm pretty naive, asking silly questions like this."

"No, I don't; I expect I'll ask a few naive question about you."

"Speaking of which, is it my turn yet?" Kim gave Tommy's cock a timid squeeze as she sat back to let him up. Was it her imagination, or were Tommy's pants slightly wet in the crotch?

Tommy noticed that Kim was trembling slightly. "Hey, are you all right?" He self-consciously rearranged his anatomy as he sat up.

"Yeah, I think so. I'm just kind of cold and kind of nervous," she confessed. It was a little bit chilly in the basement, and Kim was dressed in a crop top with a denim skirt over her shorts.

"If you don't want me to do anything, I won't," he assured her. It was a difficult offer to make, but Tommy had to respect the fact that Kim might be more protective of her body than he was of his.

"That wouldn't be very fair to you."

"Fair has nothing to do with it. Don't do something you're not comfortable with; it wouldn't be right."

"It always feels right when your arms are around me," Kim whispered shyly. She gave another shudder and massaged her arms.

"Come here," Tommy instructed. Kim snuggled up next to him, and he picked her up and set her on his lap. For several moments he did nothing but hold her close, wrapping his arms around her, warming her with his body heat. "Better?"

"Mm hm," she sighed, cuddling closer. She liked feeling the warmth of his bare chest against her body.

Tommy stroked Kim's hair then placed a kiss on the top of her head. He tipped her chin upwards, and when Kim smiled up at him, her brown eyes full of warmth, trust, and longing, Tommy kissed her. His mouth sought hers in a tender exchange. His tongue traced the outline of her lips then probed their softness until her lips parted and his tongue partnered hers in an erotic dance. When he had drunk his fill from her lips, he slowly kissed his way down her throat; her neck seemed as responsive as his, and he spent several moments nibbling on the sides of her neck and swirling his tongue in the hollow of her throat.

His hands were not idle as his mouth was busy. They roamed from her arms to find a purchase on her waist. Slowly, carefully, Tommy allowed his hands to skim up Kim's torso. Her shivering increased as his fingers brushed the hem of her top. Tommy paused, but she reached for his hands, guiding them up over the fabric, letting him know it was all right to explore. Tommy's neck nibbling was interrupted as he sighed as his hands closed over the softness of her breasts for the first time. He gently squeezed her mounds through her shirt, and his fingers fumbled to find the hard little nibs he had glimpsed so often. It was difficult to maneuver with Kim on his lap, so he guided her down to the mat. He met Kim's nervous smile with a reassuring one of his own, then he resumed nibbling on her neck. His mouth continued down Kim's neck until it reached the collar of her top. With Kim on her back, both of his hands were able to caress her breasts; however, he was not satisfied with that.

"May I?" he asked. He held her gaze, but his fingers plucked at the hem of her midriff. Kim gave him a dazzling smile and raised her arms above her head, inviting him to remove her top. He eagerly accepted the invitation. Instead of a bra, he found a racer-back leotard top. Tommy was both disappointed and sort of relieved. The clingy pink fabric scooped low at the neck, showing off some fantastic cleavage but not nearly enough. Tommy lay down next to Kim, running his hand down the length of her side.

"Is there anyplace special you'd like me to explore first?" he queried, brushing the hair out of her eyes.

"I don't care where, just please touch me, Tommy," Kim entreated. She smiled as she stretched out sensuously. It was Tommy's turn to note her rapid breathing and feel the pounding of her heart. Her nipples were pressed as hard against her Lycra top as his cock was pressed against his Levi’s. Tommy knew exactly where he wanted to explore, and he lazily drew his fingers down to those inviting nipples. He gave one an experimental tweak, which drew the most awesome sigh from Kim that Tommy had ever heard. Her sigh alone made him even harder than he had been--if that was possible.

As he gingerly ran his hands over her breasts, Kim's eyes closed and her head fell back; she wore a smile of perfect contentment. Tommy's hands wandered all over the softness of her bosom, but he paid special attention to her nipples. Every touch made Kim moan even deeper; he was finding her breasts as sensitive as his cock. Tommy started kissing her throat again but continued down to the scoop of her neckline. He slowly kissed his way around the swell of her breasts above that pink border and dipped his tongue into the valley of her cleavage. Kim's moans seemed to become whimpers of supplication. Tommy drew his lips across the fabric of Kim's top and boldly nipped at her hard tits. The move caused Kim's body to arch off the mat unexpectedly.

"Did I hurt you?" Tommy asked, worried about the sudden, intense reaction.

"God, that felt wonderful," she moaned, relaxing again. "Do it again."

Not one to disappoint a lovely lady, Tommy took another nibble at Kim's breast. How he wished there wasn't the pink top between them, but perhaps that was for the best. Already things had become more intense than he had anticipated. Tommy drew back and let his fingers continue their explorations. Her breasts were wonderfully soft, and they fit his hands just like he imagined they would. Tommy knew that he had better move on, but before abandoning Kim's mounds, he ran his finger along the neckline and boldly slipped it underneath. His fingertip came tantalizingly close to grazing her nipple. After a last kiss deep in her cleavage, he began kissing his way down her quivering belly.

Upon reaching the snap of her skirt, Tommy decided to roll Kim over and explore her bottom in more detail. He knew her back well from the massage the other day, and he spent a few moments kneading the kinks out of her back and shoulder muscles. Then he moved on to her bottom. For a moment or two, he rubbed her through the fabric of her skirt, but then he let his hands roam up underneath, although his fingers were still safely on the outside of her shorts. Still, he loved the feel of her rounded cheeks as he caressed them. Kim seemed to enjoy the attention he was paying her bottom; she sighed contentedly as Tommy stroked her ass. As she had on him, Tommy followed the seam of her shorts and ran his finger down the dividing line, dipping dangerously low between Kim's legs. It was her turn for her hips to buck against the mat; Tommy found that almost more than he could bear.

Tommy forced himself away from her sweet cheeks, which jiggled enticingly every time she moved them, and proceeded to make his way down her shapely legs. He worked his way down the muscles in her legs then back up again, and as he brushed the insides of her thighs, he came excitingly close to touching her mound. It took all his force of will not to invade that most private of areas, but her ass beckoned enticingly. For all his restraint, Tommy could not resist the urge to playfully nip at Kim's behind. With a squeal of surprise, Kim flipped over, and Tommy suddenly found himself with his hands on her pelvic area. He felt Kim tense as she realized where his hands were. He paused, uncertain if he should proceed; however, Kim took his hand, and mirroring Tommy's gesture, placed it on her pussy.

"Geez, Kim," Tommy gasped. He could feel her warmth even through her panties and shorts. "You're so hot --I mean, literally."

"I think that's where the phrase came from," she murmured. She kept her eyes closed as Tommy gently cupped her mound, fitting it to his palm. He rubbed it easily, and the friction nearly had Kim humping his hand. Perhaps it was the realization of where Tommy's hand was or perhaps it was realizing that she was awfully close to losing it, but something seemed to freeze inside Kim. She opened her eyes to see Tommy looking down at her with concern; he had sensed it too. Already he had pulled his hand away from her mound.

"Are you okay?" he wondered. "How do you feel?"

"Wonderful," Kim sighed. Tommy was sitting next to her, sort of leaning over her and smiling down at her. Kim reached for him about the same time he reached for her. In no time, she was devouring his mouth. His hands pulled her close, and it seemed as if they were going to start it all over again.

* * * * * * * *

Jan paused at the top of the stairs. She didn't want to interrupt Kim and Tommy if they were still having their discussion, but she really did need to get her clean uniforms. Jan could hear the music from the doorway; she took that to mean that they had wrapped things up. She hoped that they had gotten everything worked out; she truly hoped Kim had talked some sense into her stubborn son. The basement door was open, but that didn't necessarily mean anything; they always left the door open --a sort of compromise for parental sensibilities?

I'll zip down, get my uniforms and zip back up before they even realize I'm down there, Jan decided; however, she was barely three steps down when she started hearing Kim and Tommy's heavy breathing and moans. There were other noises with which she was all too familiar, and she could hear them rolling around on the mats. Jan froze. She wasn't sure what to do. The two were obviously into some seriously heavy petting; she wanted to stop them before things went too far, but she also didn't want them to feel like she had been spying on them.

Leave them alone, Jan; they're not kids anymore. If they're going to do it, better they do it someplace safe --like at home-- rather than run off to a sleazy motel somewhere, she schooled herself.

* * * * * * * *

"Tommy..." Kim gasped as Tommy slowly nibbled his way down her chest. She gently pushed him away. Things were starting to get a little too hot. Tommy gave way without argument. "I think we'd better..."

"Yeah, me too," he agreed breathlessly. "We were kind of getting carried away, huh?"

"Yeah. Wow."

* * * * * * * *

On the stairs, Jan smiled and heaved a silent sigh of relief. She should have trusted them both to have a little restraint and use a little common sense. Granted, this confirmed her worst fears, but she felt better knowing that they could say no and could make themselves wait. Jan retreated to the upstairs. She'd give the kids a few minutes to recover themselves before venturing down to get her uniform.

* * * * * * * *

The two sat arms length apart trying to catch their breath and smiling at each other with sheepish grins. Both were desperately in need of relief but not sure what to do about it.

"Thanks," they said simultaneously; that helped ease the moment a bit. Kim found herself squirming as she sat on the mat; if only she could find a way to ease her aching pussy. It was taking everything she had to keep her hands out of her pants, and if it was this bad for her, it had to be equally frustrating for Tommy. He did nothing to conceal his hard-on, and he looked just as uncomfortable as she did.

"Tommy, are you needing to...?" Kim asked delicately, giving Tommy a look that needed no explanation.

"Yeah," he admitted hesitantly, almost embarrassedly. "What about you?"

"Me, too. If you want to go upstairs to the bathroom or your room maybe, I wouldn't mind," Kim offered.

"You wouldn't?" Tommy said with relief. He wanted to jerk off so badly, but he didn't think he could do it in front of Kim.

"If you wouldn't mind me staying down here --maybe using the hot tub room?"

For a split second, Tommy had visions of sneaking back down to listen to Kim through the door again, but his sense of fair play overrode that. "Sure."

"And when we're done, do you think you might still feel like dancing?"

"Absolutely," Tommy agreed. Kim suddenly wrapped her arms around Tommy and hugged him tightly. Was it his imagination, or did she give his groin a tiny thrust? Kim went to kill the stereo, and Tommy headed for the stairs. Then he spied his mom's uniforms hanging on the line near the washing machine. "Oops. I'd better take Mom's stuff up, so she won't be coming down here and interrupting," Tommy said as he collected the laundry.

On to Part Three.....

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