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NNTP-Posting-Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2007 14:38:13 -0600
From: Nick Scipio <nick@nickscipio.com>
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Subject: {ASSM} "Nereids" by Nick Scipio - Ch 9 (MF, oral)
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Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2007 20:10:03 -0500
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Author: Nick Scipio
Title: Nereids
Part: Chapter 09
Universe: Summer Camp
Summary: Jack MacLean is happy with married life, but it's the
Swinging Sixties and he wants more. His wife does too,
and they have their eye on her new friend, Beth Hughes.
But Jack and Beth's husband will soon be fighting a war
in the skies over Vietnam. When they return, everything
will change.
Keywords: MF, oral
Revision: 1.02
Word Count: 10,360
Web Site: http://www.nickscipio.com/summercamp/nereids/
FTP Site: ftp://ftp.nickscipio.com/summercamp/nereids/
Discussion Forum: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Scipio_Forum/

*****************************************************************
                        STANDARD DISCLAIMER

This story is intended as ADULT entertainment. It contains
material of an adult, explicit, SEXUAL nature. If you are
offended by sexually explicit content or language, please DO NOT
read any further.

This story is a work of fiction. All characters and events
portrayed in it are fictional, and any resemblance to real people
or incidents is purely coincidental. The author does not
necessarily condone or endorse any of the activities described.

This story may not be reproduced in any form for profit without
the written permission of the author. It may be freely
distributed with this disclaimer attached.

Copyright (c) 2007 Nick Scipio. All rights reserved.

*****************************************************************

Nereids
A Summer Camp Story
by Nick Scipio

CHAPTER NINE

Jack and David rode to NAS Miramar in a Navy transport plane,
boarding in predawn darkness and emerging an hour later in sunny
San Diego. On their way to the marina, they made a quick stop for
enough basic groceries to tide them over till the women arrived.
When they reached the _Nereid_, they changed out of their
uniforms and into work clothes.

On their previous trip, Jack had placed orders for nautical
equipment, mostly from local companies. The harbormaster signed
for the deliveries, and kept the boxes and crates in a small
storage room.

Jack and David hauled everything to the _Nereid_, and then worked
like slaves for hours, talking little and resting less. David had
never outfitted a sailboat before, but he was good with his hands
and had a knack for anything mechanical. When they finally took a
break for lunch, they wolfed down sandwiches and coffee. Then
they went back to work, and kept at it till well after dark.

Jack had a list of what they needed to do, but he kept adding to
it. By the time they knocked off for the day, they'd accomplished
two-thirds of the original list, but the list itself had almost
doubled.

"Oh, God, I'm tired," he groaned as he eased into the dinette. He
used a church key to open two bottles of beer.

David gratefully accepted a bottle and they silently--wearily--
toasted each other.

Jack glanced at his list. "I need to go to the harbor office
tomorrow morning and take care of paperwork."

"I can get the dinghy and outboard squared away while you do,"
David said. "I also want to have a good look at the _Nereid_'s
diesel," he added. "I know it's new, but I'd still feel better if
we had some spare parts and extra fuel filters."

Jack nodded. The harbormaster had said that Mexican diesel was
notoriously dirty.

"I'll make a list of the things we need," David continued. "And I
want to go over the radios and nav equipment to make sure I know
how everything works. We should probably get spare fuses, too."

Jack nodded again, and added fuses to his ever-lengthening list.
"I think we'll need to borrow the harbormaster's van tomorrow,"
he said at last. Then he glanced at his list. "You can buy engine
spares and fuses while I buy cooking utensils, linens, marine
toilet paper... and, well... you get the picture."

David nodded.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Jack said suddenly, adding to his list.
"We'll need a US ensign and a Mexican courtesy flag." He glanced
over the list again. "We've got a big day ahead of us."

David nodded again, too tired to speak.

They were up before dawn the next morning, and soon had a pot of
coffee on the stove and the smell of breakfast wafting through
the cabin.

"I'm going to need a vacation after yesterday and today," David
said, plucking toast from the small oven with his bare hands.

Jack caught and buttered each piece as it flew toward him. "No
rest for the wicked," he said absently.

David laughed. "We must've been very wicked."

"Or we're _going_ to be."

David's answering grin was a mirror of Jack's own.

They spent the rest of the day either shopping or stowing their
purchases. Once again, they finished long after sunset, but the
boat was well-stocked with emergency equipment, spares, and
everything else they'd need for ten days at sea. Wally Erskin
owed Jack a small fortune, but _money_ had never been one of
Wally's shortcomings.

"The harbormaster said we could use his van again tomorrow,"
David said. "The girls can go grocery shopping in your friend's
car, and we can buy all the booze with the van."

"Right," Jack said, and took out his list. It was smudged and
tattered, but most of the items were crossed off. "Remind me to
get 35mm film, too," he added, although he made a note. "And a
couple of spare batteries for the flash."

David facetiously gestured to the list.

Jack grinned at his friend's dig. Then he scanned the list a
final time. "Not much left to do," he said, more to himself than
to David. "A couple of things here and there, and then we're
done."

"The harbormaster mentioned something when I returned his van,"
David said. "He said we should take some T-shirts and ball caps."

Jack felt his eyebrows rise.

David shrugged, as if to say "Don't ask _me_, it was his
suggestion." Aloud, he said, "The locals down the coast go nuts
for anything American. He said we can use the shirts and caps as
trade goods."

"Beads and trinkets for the Indians?"

"I guess. But if you think about it, it makes sense."

Jack nodded. "Yeah. It's not like the Mexican villagers can go
down to the local five-and-dime and pick up Dodgers caps."

"He said the local fishermen will trade fresh catch for shirts
and caps."

"Okay," Jack said, adding to the list, "a half-dozen T-shirts and
caps. Anything else?"

"Not that I can think of."

"Well then," Jack said, stifling a yawn, "I don't know about you,
but I'm going to hit the rack."

**

Beth felt ready to burst with excitement. She put the final
touches on her makeup and then closed the small case. She and
Susan would be representing their husbands on the military flight
from Lemoore to San Diego, so she wanted to look her best.

"Are you ready, Bethy?" her father called.

"Be right there, Dad," she hollered back.

Her parents were almost as excited as she was, but for entirely
different reasons. They were looking forward to spending two
weeks with their grandchildren. Beth felt a pang of regret that
she was leaving them--what kind of mother was she, anyway?--but
she quickly suppressed it.

Paul and Erin would be fine, she told herself. They'd have fun
with Grandma and Grandpa, and they'd enjoy Disneyland. Erin
wouldn't remember much of it, but Paul and Beth's father would
have the time of their lives.

"Beth, hon," her father said from the doorway, "we need to go."

"I'm coming, Dad."

He picked up her makeup case and took it to the idling car. Beth
checked on Erin in her new car seat. She was happily chewing her
rattle, so Beth opened the front passenger door and slid into the
seat. Her father drove, while her mother rode in the back and
played a game of I Spy with Paul.

Beth smiled to herself as she listened to them. Her mother's
clues were simple: "I spy a man on a bicycle, can you see him?"
But Paul saw the world a little differently: "I spy a white
bridge, can you see it?" The "bridge" wasn't a bridge at all, of
course--it was a series of arches along the front of a building.
But it _looked_ like a bridge, especially once he pointed it out.

Beth listened to the game with half an ear. She was thinking
about blue water, white beaches, and Susan. Her thoughts returned
to the world around her when the car slowed at the base gate. The
Marine sentry saw the car's officer sticker and snapped a salute.
Beth smiled when her father had to restrain himself from
returning it.

Susan and her father were already at the base operations building
when Beth and her family arrived. Kirk and Doug helped Beth's
father with her bags. David had given her a canvas seabag for a
suitcase, since they wouldn't have room to stow her big Samsonite
aboard the boat.

Beth knew she'd packed too much, but she didn't know what she
could've left behind. The days would be warm, but the nights
chilly, at least until they sailed further south. So she'd packed
everything from her bikini to sweaters. (She and Susan weren't
planning on wearing the bikinis much, but they'd agreed that
bringing them was the sensible thing to do.)

A man appeared beside her. "Mrs. Hughes?"

She nodded.

"I'm Chief Petty Officer Brownlee," he said. "I'll be escorting
you aboard the plane and getting you situated."

"Thank you, Chief Brownlee."

"I'm sorry we don't have accommodations more suitable for
ladies."

"Oh, I'm sure we'll survive, Chief," Susan said as she joined
them.

"Yes, ma'am," he said. With a deferential nod, he picked up
Beth's luggage and carried it aboard the large twin-engine plane.
He returned a few minutes later.

"We'll be starting the engines in fifteen minutes, ma'am," he
said to Susan. He included Beth with a polite smile. "Will you be
ready by then?"

"Yes, thank you," Susan said. "Just give us a few minutes to say
goodbye, and then we'll be right with you."

"Of course, ma'am," he said. "Take your time." Then he nodded
toward the plane. "The pilot says he'll wait as long as you
need."

"That's very kind of him," Susan said.

Emboldened, the chief grinned and leaned forward confidentially.
"We don't have many passengers of the feminine persuasion, if you
don't mind me saying so, ma'am."

Susan's smile was dazzling and completely unaffected. "Well
then," she said, "we're lucky you'll have us."

Beth had to stifle a laugh at the chief's boyish expression. He
was still blushing as he bobbed a respectful nod and headed
toward the waiting plane.

Beth said goodbye to Paul and Erin, hugging and kissing them
both. After a long moment, she mustered the willpower to hand
Erin to her mother.

"Thanks again, Mom and Dad."

"Go," her mother said, a gentle command. "Have fun. We'll see you
when you get back."

"Are you sure you'll be all right?"

"We'll be _fine_," her mother said. "Go."

**

David and Jack were waiting at the airport. Beth felt a flutter
in her stomach when she saw David in his uniform. He'd gained
weight since coming home, and he didn't brood as much when he
read the newspaper. Beth smiled--she had her husband back.

At the marina she used the harbormaster's phone to call her
parents. They were fine, the children were fine, and her mother
told her--again--to relax and enjoy herself. Beth promised to
call when they reached Mexico.

Susan called her father to report their safe arrival. He and the
boys were flying to Washington, D.C. later in the day, and the
boys sounded excited about the trip. They were also excited about
their two weeks out of school, but Susan had made sure they had
assignments from their teachers.

When Beth and the others reached the _Nereid_, Jack offered to
give them a tour. He was like a schoolboy showing off his latest
toy. The boat _was_ very pretty, though.

"Come aboard," he said, gesturing grandly, "and I'll show you the
accommodations."

The cabin was smaller than Beth thought it would be, but much
larger than some of the other boats she'd been on. The galley was
small but well-designed. She wouldn't want to cook a gourmet meal
on the three-burner stove or in the small oven, but they wouldn't
have to eat TV dinners, either.

Jack led them forward, pointing out storage lockers. The boat was
_full_ of them, with every space imaginable dedicated to some
purpose. They reached the main salon and a fresh breeze puffed
through the open skylight. Jack folded down one of the berths on
the right-hand side of the boat.

_No,_ Beth corrected herself, _on the_ starboard _side._ She'd
been sailing before, but she didn't automatically think in
nautical terms. Not like the men did, at least.

"You and David will sleep here," Jack said to her.

Beth quickly realized that she and David wouldn't have _any_
privacy. They wouldn't even be able to sleep together--she could
sleep across from him or above him. She told herself that the
cozy living arrangements were part of the charm. Besides, the
lower berths looked comfy enough for two, as long as the two were
friendly. She smiled to herself at that, since she planned to be
_very_ "friendly" with David over the next ten days.

"What's in there?" Susan asked, gesturing to a door.

"That's the head," Jack said. "The bathroom." He opened the door
and showed them a small room with a sink and mirror.

Beth glanced at the room beyond--a closet, really--and felt her
eyes widen in surprise. The small room held both a toilet _and_ a
showerhead.

"No wasted space," Jack said, noticing her expression. "Two words
of warning, though," he added, including Susan with a glance.
"First, don't put anything into the toilet that you didn't put
into your mouth first. And I mean _anything_."

"Got it," Susan said mischievously. "No tampons in the toilet."

"Second," Jack continued, ignoring her jibe, "once we put to sea,
we'll have to pay attention to our fresh water. Here in the
marina, we don't have to worry about it. But out there"--he
nodded toward the ocean--"we can't stop at the nearest service
station and top our tanks. We carry 120 gallons of fresh water,
and we'll use it for everything: drinking, cooking, and washing.
So that means no showers. Sorry."

"How do we wash, then?" Susan asked.

Jack grinned. "You shower on deck."

Beth stifled a laugh at Susan's expression. She wasn't easily
ruffled, and Jack obviously enjoyed catching her off guard. To
her credit, she quickly recovered. She _was_ a nudist, after all,
and showering in public would hardly faze her.

"David and I bought a portable solar shower," Jack continued,
still grinning. "You fill it with seawater and the sun heats it."

"But we can't wash with _salt_ water," Susan said.

"You can wash just fine with salt water," Jack disagreed. "But
you'll need to rinse off with fresh water afterward. It takes a
lot less water to rinse off than it does to lather, wash, _and_
rinse."

Susan slowly nodded.

"Besides," Jack added, "we want to watch you shower on deck."

Susan looked at Beth and rolled her eyes. Then she turned
mischievous. "Well," she said, "if we have to shower on deck,
then you guys do too."

"Of course."

Beth stepped close to David and hugged herself to his arm. He
smiled down at her, and she thought she detected a hint of guilty
eagerness.

Jack pulled out a large black plastic bag with a shower nozzle--
the solar shower itself. He said it would hold five gallons,
which should be more than enough for one person to shower.

"Two, if you're friendly," he added.

Beth pretended to look shocked, but she was anything but.
Instead, she was excited at the prospect of showering on deck.
And she felt a thrill at the idea of showering with _Susan_.

Unfortunately, she had to pay attention as Jack showed them how
to work the pump toilet. Once again, he warned them not to put
anything "foreign" into it.

"Okay, Jack, we get it," Susan said, with a rare bit of pique.
"No tampons in the toilet. I'm not on my period anyway. And
neither is Beth."

"It's not just tampons," Jack insisted. "No Kleenex, no cotton
balls, no Q-tips, no cellophane wrappers, no nothing."

"All right," Susan half-snapped. "Nothing in the toilet but pee
and poop."

"Uh-oh," David said, defusing the tension, "you know she's
serious when she talks to us like children."

Jack started to reply, but then laughed instead. "Yeah, you're
right," he said. "Sorry. I've dealt with a clogged head before,
and let me tell you, _that_ wasn't fun."

"Don't worry," Susan said, "we'll take care of your head." She
smiled devilishly: "The big one, the little one, and the one in
there."

They all shared a laugh at Jack's expense. He bore it well, and
even laughed at himself. He was still chuckling when he opened
the door to the captain's cabin.

"This is where Susan and I will sleep," he said. Then he shrugged
at David. "Rank hath its privileges."

"Yes, sir, Commander, sir," David intoned facetiously.

"You may call me Captain."

David chuckled.

With that, Beth looked at the cabin. It was small, but it held
the boat's only double berth. The cabin was bright and airy,
though, with an open skylight in the center of the room.

"So," Jack said at last. "What do you think?"

"I think it's _wonderful_," Beth said. "We're going to have so
much fun!"

Susan and Jack shared a knowing look, and Beth felt a flutter of
desire. She turned and smiled at David, whose cheeks had turned
rosy with one of his rare blushes.

"I think you're right," Susan said at last.

**

Beth hung her dress in the locker between the main salon and the
captain's cabin. Then she pulled jeans and a sweater from her
seabag. The weather wasn't cold, but it was cloudy, and the ocean
breeze held a bit of a chill. She thought about taking off her
bra, but she didn't want to go out in public without it,
especially since her sweater was tight, white, and thin. Susan
emerged from the forward cabin a moment later and they headed
toward the rear of the boat.

_Toward the stern,_ Beth reminded herself.

David and Jack had already changed out of their uniforms and were
lounging on the benches in the... whatsitcalled?

_Cockpit,_ she suddenly remembered. Then she turned crimson at
the double entendre.

Susan shot her a curious look.

"I'll explain later," Beth murmured, her imagination run amok
with cocks--_hard_ cocks.

She grinned to herself. She'd gone three days without
masturbating, and was ready for some time with her husband. For a
moment she worried about the other couple hearing if she and
David made love, but then she laughed ironically.

_If they can hear_ us_,_ she thought, _then we can hear them._

The tips of her ears burned as she thought about what Susan
sounded like when she was having sex.

"Are you okay?" Susan asked, leaning close.

_Treacherous imagination,_ Beth cursed silently, trying to think
of something else, _anything_ else. "I'm fine," she lied. Then
she pasted on her fake smile. "Are we ready to go?"

Not surprisingly, Susan's eyes practically glowed with
understanding.

**

Beth and Susan filled three grocery carts. They'd spent the past
two days planning their menus and making a shopping list. The
_Nereid_'s cupboard was--quite literally--bare, and they had to
buy everything they'd need for the trip.

When they reached the check-out line, Beth almost laughed at how
_easy_ the shopping had been. Then she sobered. It was easy
because she didn't have to do it while watching a toddler and a
baby.

"They're fine," Susan said, as if reading her mind.

"I know. It's just..."

Susan put her hand atop Beth's and smiled in understanding.

Beth sighed.

"They'll be fine," Susan said. "They'll have a good time with
your parents."

"I'm sure you're right."

"I am. Trust me. And while Paul and Erin are having fun with your
parents, you and David will be having fun with us."

Beth thought she detected a hint of something _more_ in Susan's
voice. She looked up.

Susan merely waggled her eyebrows, and Beth felt her face
heating.

They returned to the boat before the men did. Fortunately, Jack
had given Susan the second set of keys. Once they unlocked the
main hatch, they began hauling groceries down the long dock.

"Excuse me, ma'am," a teenager said when they returned to the car
after the first trip, "but would you like some help?" He was
probably fifteen, tanned and wiry and sandy-haired. A younger boy
stood next to him, obviously his brother.

"Sure," Susan said. "Thanks."

The boys were Ryan and Reed, the harbormaster's sons, and they
easily scooped up several grocery bags apiece. They were eager
and cheerful, and were obviously trying to impress Susan. Beth
grinned at their antics, but the two boys quickly carried all of
the grocery bags from the car to the boat.

"Thank you very much," Susan said. As if by magic, she produced a
pair of folded five dollar bills and gave them to the boys. It
was an exorbitant tip, and they tried to give half of it back.

"You don't understand, Mrs. MacLean," Ryan said. "Our dad'll
ground us if he thinks we're trying to take advantage..."

"Then split five dollars between you," Susan said evenly, "and
put the other five in savings for your college fund. Will your
father accept that?"

"Yes, ma'am!" Ryan said, beaming.

"Thank you again, ma'am," Reed said.

Still grinning, the boys ran down the dock, already planning what
they'd buy with their money.

Beth looked at Susan with a widening smile.

"What?" Susan said, uncharacteristically abashed.

_You're perfect,_ Beth thought. _And I love everything about
you._

With that, they began putting away the groceries, but Beth
couldn't keep from stealing glances at Susan. For her part, Susan
had turned nervous and a little klutzy. Beth smiled to herself--
she'd been the same way when she'd first met David. She knew
she'd fallen in love--

Her stomach dropped. _Oh, my God!_ she thought. _Could Susan
possibly be...?_

By the time the men returned with the wine and liquor, Beth had
managed to convince herself that she'd been imagining things.
Susan couldn't possibly be in love with her. She was being silly,
and she knew it. But still, she'd seen the way Susan looked at
her.

_Stop it,_ she told herself sternly. _Women do not fall in love
with other women._

_But_ you _have,_ another part of her said.

For a moment she stood there and argued with herself. Susan was
looking at her with a puzzled expression when Beth finally shook
herself out of her trance.

"Sorry," she said, chagrined. Then she looked into Susan's eyes
and something within her snapped--she decided to be daring!
_"Faint heart never won fair lady,"_ her father always said. Beth
caught Susan's eye and nodded toward the front of the boat.
_C'mon,_ she said silently.

_What?_ Susan asked with a look.

Beth raised her eyebrows expectantly. _Trust me,_ she said.

In the main salon, Beth stripped off her sweater without
explanation.

Susan's brow furrowed.

"Now that the guys are back," Beth said, "I thought we'd give 'em
a bit of a show." She unclasped her bra.

Susan caught on immediately, and tugged her own sweater over her
head.

Beth put her sweater on again, but reached up to tweak her
nipples. She closed her eyes and imagined _Susan's_ hands on her.
Electric shivers ran through her as she caressed her breasts. She
felt a familiar warmth between her legs, which made her smile
ironically--she'd only meant to make her nipples hard.

_Okay,_ she told herself wryly, _maybe I overshot the mark._
Aloud, she asked, "How do I look?"

Susan took her time. "Fantastic," she said at last. "How do I
look?"

She was wearing a light pink cashmere sweater. It was thinner
than Beth's white one, but not as tight. Still, her nipples stood
out, and Beth's mouth watered at the thought of sucking them. She
suppressed the urge and tried to compose herself.

"You look great," she said at last.

Susan's eyes twinkled mischievously.

"What?" Beth said.

"I was just thinking..."

_What?_ she asked with an arched eyebrow.

"The guys are in for a real treat."

_They're not the only ones,_ Beth silently agreed.

**

Later that night, Beth took off her clothes and folded them
neatly. She'd brought a pajama top, although she didn't bother to
put it on. She started to climb into her berth, but then thought
better of it.

"David?" she said softly. She was horny, and she didn't care if
Susan and Jack could hear.

"Yeah?" David said, his voice pitched low.

Instead of answering, she crossed the narrow salon. Clouds
covered the moon, but enough light shone through the skylight
above them. She knew she was silhouetted, and she paused a moment
to let David see her nudity.

"Scoot over," she said quietly.

He did, and she joined him in the berth. She frowned when she
felt his pajama bottoms. Undaunted, she caressed his flaccid
penis through the fabric.

"I thought you weren't going to wear these anymore," she said.

"But..."

She half-clucked at him. "Susan and Jack are nudists," she said.
"And I guess _I've_ become a nudist over the past year. So I want
a nudist husband."

"Sure, okay." He tugged off his pajamas.

Beth kissed his chest and then reached for his manhood. Her
nipples hardened in anticipation, but she wanted to take her
time. She stroked him gently, his dick growing in her hand.

She'd lost a couple of pounds in the past month, mostly from her
hips and thighs. Her faded tan didn't hide the faint stretch
marks, but she was happy with the way she looked. And now she
wanted to show off.

She liked the way David and Jack's eyes had followed her braless
breasts. She liked the way _Susan's_ eyes had followed them as
well. She was looking forward to reaching a warmer climate, where
she and Susan could sunbathe nude.

"I like being a nudist," she said softly, speaking her thoughts
aloud.

David nodded, content to let her talk as she stroked him.

"Susan was telling me about some of the camps out here. They
sound fun. I want to go to one. With you, of course," she quickly
added. "I also want to go to her father's camp. It sounds so
relaxing."

David made a sound of agreement.

"I guess I like showing off," she continued, still saying
whatever came to mind. "I like people looking at me. And... I want
them to look at _you_ too."

"Me?"

"Mmm hmm. I want them to see how lucky I am." She laughed softly.
"I used to think that only men wanted beautiful wives on their
arms."

"You want a beautiful wife?" he teased gently.

_Ha!_ she thought. _You don't know how close to the truth you
really are._ Aloud, she said, "No, it's not that. I want a
handsome husband. In some ways, I'm like most women: I want a man
who loves me and who treats me right. I want someone who makes me
laugh and will hold me when I cry. I want someone who's a good
father and a good provider." She kissed his chest.

"Sound like anyone you know?" she asked rhetorically. Then she
turned serious again. "Call me shallow, though, but I want a man
who looks good too."

"You're not shallow," he said.

"I know. I don't think I am, but still..." She chuckled at another
thought. "Maybe that's why I want us to become nudists. I want
other women to see what I get that they don't." She frowned at
that. "I'm not mean-spirited, and I'm not very competitive, but I
guess a part of me _is_ a bit competitive. You're _mine_, after
all."

_But I wouldn't mind sharing,_ she added silently, _with the
right woman._

She chuckled again, low and throaty. "And I want other women to
see that you've got a big dick."

"_What?_"

"Yes," she said, almost defiantly, "you heard me. I want to show
off your body. I want other women to look at your dick and think,
'Wow, she gets that every night?'"

"You're kidding, right?"

She shook her head. "Men want women with big tits. Why? To play
with, sure, but they also want 'em to make other men jealous."

He started to say something, but kept silent.

"See," she said, taking his silence for agreement. "So why
shouldn't I be the same way? I want to make other women jealous."
She paused, equivocating. "Okay, maybe not jealous, but I
definitely want them to see how lucky I am. And a husband who's
hung like a horse is part of that."

"I'm _not_ hung like a horse."

"It sure feels like a horse from this end, baby," she said, half-
teasing, half-serious. "But seriously, I like your dick." She
squeezed the dick in question. "And I want to show you, stud."

He made a strangled sound.

"All right, maybe the stud comment was a bit much, but still... you
understand what I'm talking about, right?"

He shrugged.

"You like my body, don't you?"

"You know I do."

"Would you like me as much if I had an A-cup?"

"Sweetheart, that's not fair. You know I love you f--"

"You love me for who I am," she interrupted, repeating the words
he'd told her countless times. "But you sure are happy that I've
got nice tits, aren't you? Don't think I don't know how you feel
about them. You're a tit man, David Hughes, and you always have
been."

"You got me," he said, a mix between chagrin and amusement.

"Well, maybe I'm a dick woman."

He snorted with soft laughter.

After a moment Beth did too. "Okay, that was stupid, but you know
what I mean."

"Yeah, I guess I do."

"And _that's_ why I want to go to a nudist camp. I want other men
to look at me and think what a lucky guy you are. But I also want
the women to look at you and think how lucky _I_ am."

"That's fair, I guess."

"You're darned right it's fair."

He chuckled. "What got you started thinking about this?"

She fell silent for a moment, searching for an answer. "I guess
I'm really looking forward to the trip." She paused again. "I
still feel a little guilty about leaving Paul and Erin, but I'll
get over that as soon as we set sail."

He nodded and hugged her tighter.

"But I guess I started thinking about this because I don't want
you to get upset."

"Upset? Why would I get upset?"

She shrugged. "I really, _really_ want to show off my body,
David," she said seriously. "And I don't want you to be jealous
or overprotective or anything else."

"Why would I be? I know you love me. You do, don't you?"

"With all my heart." _But what if I love someone_ else _too?_ she
wondered silently. _Do I have enough room in my heart for two
people?_ She knew she did. She loved Paul with all her heart, but
she didn't feel any less love for him when Erin was born. Any
mother would understand. But would David?

"Then why would I be jealous?" he asked, pulling her back to the
conversation.

"You don't mind Jack looking at me?"

"Why should I? He's my best friend. I trust him not to make a
move on you." After a moment: "And maybe it's like you said... I
want him to look at you and think what a lucky guy I am."

"Besides," Beth added slyly, "you'll be looking at Susan."

"Not like that," he said, but his words didn't agree with his
dick.

"Yes, you will," she chided softly. "And that's okay. She wants
you to look."

He hesitated. "She does?"

"Mmm hmm. She's a bigger tease than I am. And she's been excited
about this trip since we first started talking about it. She's
too polite to come right out and tell me she thinks my husband is
sexy, but I can tell. So look all you want."

"Really?"

"I don't mind. You said it best: I know you love me. Besides, if
Susan and I want you guys to look, we can hardly complain when
you _do_, now can we?"

"Stranger things have happened," David said dryly.

She laughed. "You're probably right, but not this time."

"Is that why Susan said what she did about Jack and me showering
on deck?"

"Mmm hmm. She wants to see you." Beth felt herself grinning as
David seemed to grow harder in her hand. "I've been telling her
about your big dick for almost a year, and she wants to see for
herself."

"Has she told you about Jack?" he asked after a moment.

Beth chose her words carefully: "Yes, but only in a roundabout
way."

"'Roundabout'?"

"Well, we don't sit around and compare notes, like 'He has a big
vein down the side, and this little sensitive spot behind his
balls,' but yes, we talk about you. She knows you're well-
endowed, and I know about Jack's dick." She fell silent, but then
almost laughed when she felt David tensing, working up the
courage to ask:

"He's not bigger than me, is he?"

She held her index fingers about six inches apart--well short of
David's eight and a half--but hastily added, "I've never _seen_
it, of course, but Susan told me."

"That's a pretty decent size," David said.

"Well, I don't have much experience with other dicks," she said,
teasing him gently, "but yeah, I guess it's nice. I like yours
better, though."

They fell silent for a few minutes, each lost in their own
thoughts. Then Beth decided that she'd waited long enough. She
wanted to taste David, and she wanted it _now_.

She kissed her way down his chest until she reached his navel.
She circled it with her tongue, his belly trembling at the
sensation. Then she scooted lower, until she could easily close
her mouth around his dick.

She sucked him quietly for a few minutes, her lips moving
smoothly over his shaft. He came quickly, but she wasn't
surprised. She _had_ been stroking him for a while, after all.
She swallowed and then swallowed again, the heat of his semen
filling her with a warm glow.

He didn't grow soft when his orgasm subsided. She stroked him
gently, testing to see if his head was too sensitive. He didn't
wince, so she straddled his hips and set his shaft at her
opening. She sank onto him with a low groan, heedless of Susan
and Jack.

_Susan can fend for herself tonight,_ she thought with a wry
grin. _I've got_ my _man. Who could ask for anything more?_

"What're you grinning about?" David asked, his voice tight with
concentration.

"Ira Gershwin," she said. "Or George. I don't know. Who cares?
Shut up and fuck me."

David stifled a laugh. "You're the one who's doing all the
talking," he said, his hands on her hips as she began rocking.

She didn't argue. Instead, she bent over him, her hands on the
pillow by his head. Her breasts swayed toward his face, and he
rewarded her by capturing a nipple. He licked and sucked as she
rode him. He liked it when she was on top, for that very reason.

_That's because he's a tit man,_ she thought, grinning. _Oh, God!
And I'm a dick woman._

"Eat your heart out, Susan," she murmured.

David suddenly launched his hips up, impaling her with his dick.

_His_ cock_,_ Beth thought. _His big, beautiful, thick, hard,
pumping, spurting cock!_

David released her nipple. She rose on her knees and he began
thrusting into her, slamming upward so hard that she thought he'd
bounce her off the bed. He didn't, and she cried out softly each
time he buried himself inside her. He grunted with the effort,
his face a mask of concentration.

Beth closed her eyes--she couldn't focus them anyway, not with
David's pounding into her. Instead, she concentrated on the
sensations in her pussy. Electric jolts of pleasure raced through
her, leaving a tingling buzz in their wake. She felt her orgasm
building, and heard herself panting between cries of "Yes... Yes...
Yes."

She felt herself tense up, and then pleasure exploded deep in her
belly. She felt him spurting within her, but her own orgasm
nearly overwhelmed her.

When she finally came to her senses, she was sprawled atop him,
and they were both panting. She tried to muster the energy to sit
up, but couldn't. His dick was still buried deep inside her, and
it was still as hard as when she'd first lowered herself onto it.
She felt him pulse inside her and she closed her eyes.

"Oh, my God," she groaned.

**

"Oh, my God," Susan whispered.

Jack silently agreed.

"He was fucking the hell out of her."

Jack arched an eyebrow in surprise--Susan didn't normally use
language like that.

"Did you hear?" she asked, her voice low and urgent.

"I think the people on the next _dock_ might've heard."

"I'm _serious_, Jack. That was amazing."

"If you'd like, I can ask David to give you the same treatment."

She swatted him playfully. "Later," she said. "Once I've had a
chance to talk to Beth."

"Better keep your voice down," he warned. "Remember, if we can
hear them, _they_ can hear us."

She nodded silently. Then she grinned, her expression turning
mischievous. She reached for his erection and began stroking him.
She'd been playing with him since David and Beth started fucking,
but she'd been preoccupied listening to them.

Now she devoted her full attention to him. She pulled him between
her legs and set his cock at her opening. Then she rubbed it over
her slit, coating them both with her juices. He sank into her a
moment later and she groaned. Her smooth labia spread around his
shaft, as if holding him in place. She held him close when he
bent forward to kiss her.

He began thrusting, his dick sliding smoothly within her. She was
soaking wet after listening to the other couple. She'd wanted to
open the cabin door and sneak a peek, but he hadn't let her. He
wanted to be a _swinger_, not a Peeping Tom--he wouldn't spy on a
friend and his wife.

"Fuck me, Jack," Susan murmured in his ear, her breath hot on his
skin. The November evening had turned chilly, and her body felt
good against his.

He moved inside her, his hips grinding against her with each
thrust. She gripped his ass, and he began thrusting faster, his
hips slapping into her. Her breasts bounced with each thrust, her
dark nipples a blur in the faint light.

After several minutes, he pulled out and said, "Turn over."

She rose on hands and knees. He scooted forward, found her
opening by touch, and sank into her. She groaned again, her back
bowing with pleasure. He gripped her hips and began thrusting.
They fucked like that for several minutes, sometimes going slow,
sometimes fast. But the past days' exertions were finally
catching up to him, and he couldn't keep it up much longer. So he
pulled out and rolled to his back beside her.

She threw a leg over him and lowered herself onto his shaft. Then
she began riding him, her breasts swaying in time with her hips.
He cupped them, testing their weight. When he twisted her
nipples, she gasped quietly.

"Are you thinking about David?" he asked, his voice pitched low.
"Are you thinking about his cock inside you?"

Her nostrils flared as she shook her head.

He knew his wife, and he played a hunch. "Are you thinking about
sucking him while you fuck me?"

Her eyes popped open and she looked guilty. "You... think... you're...
_so_... clever...," she panted.

He nodded.

"Well... you're not."

"We'll see," he said softly. Then he rolled her onto her back and
came to rest between her hips, sitting on his haunches. He aimed
his shaft at her pussy and slid into her.

She groaned softly.

He began fucking her, taking long strokes and trying to watch her
pussy. It was too dark, though, and he couldn't see more than
vague shapes. So he gripped her hips and began thrusting for
real.

He felt the familiar pressure in his balls, but he didn't want to
come yet. He buried himself inside her and stopped moving. Then
he sat back and began playing with her clit, rubbing it with his
thumb. She was already worked up, and it didn't take her long to
climax. She arched her back and shuddered, her pussy gushing
around his shaft.

He began moving his hips while she was still in the throes of her
orgasm. She pulled him close and held him as spasms filled her
pussy. He fucked her for a few thrusts, but then felt the surging
heat and pleasure of his own orgasm. He thrust once, hard, and
groaned as he erupted.

**

"It sounds like we started something," Beth joked quietly, her
head resting on David's shoulder.

"Mmm hmm." He was hard again, and she stroked him lightly,
occasionally teasing his balls with her fingernails.

"Are you ready for round three?" she asked. "Or is this round
two? Did those first orgasms count as two rounds, or one long
one?" She almost felt him roll his eyes. She grinned. "I'm just
trying to keep count."

"Has anyone told you you're insatiable?" he said.

"Not recently. Why?"

"No reason. I just thought you should know."

"If I admit that you're right, will you fuck me?" He liked it
when she talked dirty. "Will you stick your big, hard _cock_ in
me? Or do you want me to suck you? You can hold my head and fuck
my face. Then you can come wherever you want--in my pussy, down
my throat, on my tits... anywhere."

"God, you really _are_ insatiable tonight," he said softly.

"Mmm hmm. Being with you does it to me. Now, are you going to
decide? Or do you want me to?"

He shook his head in disbelief. But he knew better than to call
her bluff, so he gestured for her to mount him.

With a grin, she swung her leg over his hips. She slid onto him
easily.

Unlike the first time--_Actually, the_ second _time,_ she thought
wryly, _but who's counting?_--they took their time and made love
slowly. He held her to his chest, her breasts flattened against
him. He rocked his hips, moving himself within her. After a while
she began moving her own hips, pressing her clit against the hard
base of his shaft.

She came quietly, hugging him with an intensity that would've
hurt a smaller man. When she came to her senses, she felt an
overwhelming love for him. She buried her face in the hollow of
his neck, waves of pleasure still surging through her body. She
inhaled the scent of him and kissed his neck gently. He wrapped
his arms around her and she felt him kiss her hair.

Timeless, disconnected minutes passed, and she eventually
realized that he was still hard within her. Her pussy was
sensitive, but she began moving atop him, moving just enough for
him to feel it. He cupped her ass and began rocking his hips,
gently driving himself into her. He tensed up, and she felt him
fill her.

They held each other for a long moment, and then she kissed the
side of his neck again. She rested her head on his shoulder, the
sweat drying on their bodies in the cool air.

"I love you," she whispered.

He didn't answer with words. Instead, he stroked her hair and
began rubbing her back.

She luxuriated in the feeling of his fingertips--normally so
strong and powerful--as they caressed her back, sending shivers
down her spine.

She didn't ask if she could sleep with him. She already knew the
answer, so she closed her eyes and drew a deep, satisfied breath.

**

Jack buried himself as deep as he could and gasped as he emptied
his balls into Susan. She clutched his arms, her legs wrapped
around his to hold him inside her. When his orgasm subsided he
flopped to the mattress beside her, completely exhausted.

"Oh, my," she said quietly.

He couldn't even muster the energy to reply, and simply blew
softly.

With a weary groan, she draped herself over him, her body hot and
slick with sweat. "Oh, my," she said again, a mere whisper. "We
should eavesdrop more often."

He swallowed to moisten his mouth and nodded silently. Then he
grinned to himself. Listening to David and Beth had gotten him
worked up a second time, and fantasies of Susan and Beth together
had done for a third.

He was dead tired, though, from three days of hard work and three
hours of intense sex. Still, visions of Susan and Beth filled his
imagination as he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

**

Jack blinked awake and smelled fresh coffee. Susan was still
asleep beside him, and the sky was just beginning to lighten in
the east. He rose and dressed quietly. When he closed the cabin
door behind him, he realized that Beth was still asleep in the
port berth. The sheet clung to her, revealing the curve of...

He paused. He wanted to see her body, but he wasn't going to do
it when she was asleep, so he politely fixed his eyes ahead.

"Mornin'," he said to David when he reached the galley.

David poured him a cup of coffee by way of greeting.

"How'd you sleep?"

David flashed a thumbs-up. Then he silently tossed his head, with
a look that said, "You?"

"Fine, thanks." Jack grinned. "When I got to sleep, that is."

David answered with sheepish smile.

"The... uh... the lack of privacy doesn't bother you, does it?"

David shook his head. He was like this sometimes, Jack thought--
he didn't talk much, but that didn't mean he didn't
_communicate_.

Aloud, Jack asked, "It doesn't bother Beth, does it?"

A shrug, but then a considered headshake.

"Good. I'd hate for her to feel uncomfortable."

David smiled, grateful.

"And I'm sorry we don't have a double berth for you, but..." He
felt his face warm. "Well... you didn't seem to mind."

A guilty grin.

Jack cleared his throat diffidently. He didn't _mind_ talking
about sex, but it was awkward with another man. He couldn't
understand how women could blithely share intimate details with
each other. So, with a soft snort, he turned to business.

"I thought we'd take advantage of shore power while we can," he
said. The _Nereid_'s water heater ran on a 110-volt line from the
marina, but it was a dockside luxury they'd have to live without
once they set sail. "The water isn't as hot as an aircraft
carrier's, but it's better than nothing."

"We'll survive," David said, breaking his silence. "I don't know
about the girls, though. Beth likes her hot showers."

Jack laughed. "So does Susan. What a surprise, huh?"

David grinned.

"Anyway," Jack continued, "I was thinking... after we shower, it'd
be nice to have Sunday brunch ashore. Sort of a farewell meal,
since it'll be the last one we don't cook for ourselves for a
while."

"Yeah, that sounds nice."

"You wanna shower first?" Jack asked.

"You go ahead. I'm going to have another cup of coffee and go up
on deck."

With a nod, Jack drained his cup and headed forward.

**

Beth woke to the sound of the shower. She was snuggly warm and
didn't want to get up, even though she was alone in the bunk.

_David must be in the shower,_ she thought. She was tempted to
join him, but she didn't want to move. She wasn't exactly _sore_
from the night before, but lying in bed just seemed so much
easier than getting up.

The shower stopped.

_Too late now,_ she thought. _Still, I could join him as he dries
off._

She'd just thrown off her covers when the bathroom door opened.

"Oh, sorry," Jack said suddenly, looking away. "I thought you
were still asleep."

"That's okay," Beth said. She thought about covering herself, but
decided to be adventurous instead. He was still gazing at the
floor, so she stood and stretched. She wanted him to look at her,
but he wasn't cooperating. She stepped closer and gestured at the
bathroom. "May I...?"

"Oh, sure," Jack said. He moved out of the way and she stepped
into the small bathroom.

She wanted to linger, but she couldn't do it without seeming
obvious, so she shut the door. But then she smiled--she'd seen
the look in his eye.

She rolled her eyes at her antics. _I'm turning into Susan,_ she
thought wryly.

"Is that such a bad thing?" she asked aloud.

**

Jack closed the cabin door and slid into bed behind Susan.

"Oh, my," she said languidly, still half asleep. "What's gotten
into _you_ this morning? First last night, and now this?"

He reached between her legs and felt for her clit. She moaned
softly when he found it. He ground his erection against her ass
and she pressed back against him. She quickly warmed to his
touch, her juices coating his fingers.

When she was wet enough, he slid into her from behind. She gasped
softly as he began thrusting. He kissed her neck again and
reached for her breast. Her nipple hardened in his palm and he
squeezed gently.

He came quicker than he wanted to, but she didn't seem to mind.
She simply draped herself across him when he rolled to his back.

"Mmm, that was nice," she said softly.

His chest rose and fell with his heavy breathing, but she hardly
seemed winded. He chuckled to himself--of course, _she_ barely
had time to get worked up.

Jack imagined Beth's body again, although he felt guilty about
it. It felt _wrong_ to think about another woman so soon after
he'd had sex with his wife. Unfortunately, he couldn't help
himself.

He replayed the scene in his mind. _It's almost like she_ wanted
_me to see her._ Even though he'd been trying not to, he'd gotten
a good look out of the corner of his eye.

Beth's tan had faded to a light bronze, but like Susan, she
didn't have tan lines. _Un_like Susan, she had a neat triangle of
pubic hair. His mind's eye traveled up the memory of her body,
over her smooth stomach to her breasts and pinkish-tan nipples,
soft and inviting. His dick twitched.

"You can wake me up like that _anytime_," Susan said softly.

He smiled and tried to forget the sight of Beth's body. He
couldn't, though, and his dick hardened when Susan idly caressed
it.

"Again?" she said, but didn't wait for an answer. She knew his
reactions, so she crawled between his legs.

She gave his dick an experimental kiss and then moaned softly. "I
love tasting myself on you," she said, her voice low and husky.

She began sucking in earnest, and he did his level best not to
fantasize about Beth.

**

After brunch, they stopped at a farmer's market for fresh
produce. When they returned to the boat, Jack and David topped
the water tanks while the women stored the fruit and vegetables
in the galley's DC-powered cooler.

The day was overcast, and the weather service reported a steady
northwest wind blowing at eighteen to twenty knots. The _Nereid_
might be a cruiser, but she had racing blood in her, and Jack was
eager to test her speed in the fresh breeze.

"What's the word, hummingbird?" he called toward the open
hatchway.

Beth stuck her head out and smiled when she saw him.

Jack felt a rush of desire, but suppressed it quickly.

"I think we have everything," she said. "Susan and I have gone
over our list again, but you can double check if you want."

He shook his head. "If you two are happy, then I'm happy."

She smiled again--

_God, she has the most beautiful smile!_

--and disappeared below.

He tried to put Beth out of his mind as he called forward to
David, who was working at the bow. He finished what he was doing
and came aft.

"Ready when you are, Skipper," David said. Then he began humming
the tune from _Gilligan's Island_.

Jack gave him a hard look.

David grinned smugly.

Jack decided to tease back: "Okay. But if I'm the skipper, you
know who that makes you... Right, little buddy?"

The humming died abruptly.

"Right," Jack drawled, "I thought you'd see it my way."

"Aye, aye."

Jack grew serious. "With this wind," he said, glancing up, "we'll
have to back on a spring." He paused to consider the web of
mooring lines that held the boat fast to the dock. "Single up to
one bow line, one stern line, and the stern spring on a bight."

Susan and Beth came on deck.

"What can we help with?" Beth asked.

"You can help David with the mooring lines," Jack said to her.
"You take them in when he casts them off. All right?"

She nodded and then headed forward as David leapt to the dock.

"Is there anything I can do?" Susan asked.

"Sit here and keep me company," Jack said, nodding at the cockpit
benches. He dropped into the after cockpit.

"It seems weird," she said, "not having anyone at the dock to
wave us off."

"Uh-uh. It's bad luck." He started the engine and tested the
transmission in Ahead. The water churned behind the boat and he
shifted to Astern. Satisfied, he shifted to Neutral.

"Bad luck?" Susan said.

"Singled up fore and aft," David reported.

He ignored Susan for a moment and called to David, "Cast off
forward."

"Cast off forward, aye."

"Cast off aft," Jack said a moment later.

David cast off the stern mooring line and tossed it aboard. The
boat began to drift away from the dock, held only by the stern
spring line. He scrambled up the steps and leapt across the short
distance to the _Nereid_'s deck. He immediately headed forward to
coil and stow the mooring lines Beth had brought in.

"Bad luck to have friends wave you off," Jack said to Susan,
picking up where he'd left off. "Bad luck to leave on a Friday,
too."

She looked dubious.

"I don't make this stuff up," he said. "Sailors are a
superstitious lot."

She rolled her eyes.

"You think I'm just being silly," he said, "but we wouldn't've
left on Friday, even if we'd been ready. Trust me. I may not put
much stock in sailors' superstitions, but that doesn't mean I'm
gonna flout 'em."

He pulled the transmission lever to Astern and nudged the
throttle. With a displacement of sixteen tons, the _Nereid_
barely moved. He nudged the throttle again and felt her shudder
with movement. She finally eased back, and the spring line grew
taut. The boat's stern crabbed toward the dock while the bow
swung away. When she'd turned enough, Jack shifted to Ahead. The
boat checked her way and began to glide away from the dock.

"Prepare to take in the spring line," he called to David, who
echoed the order.

Jack chopped the throttle and pulled the transmission to Neutral.
He didn't want the propeller spinning with a line in the water.
After all, a fouled shaft was the _last_ thing he wanted.

He gave the order and David reeled in the dripping line. "All
clear," he said at last.

"All clear, aye," Jack said. He shifted to Ahead and eased the
throttle forward. The boat gathered way, headed toward the mouth
of the marina. "Here we go."

David stowed the fenders and then dropped into the cockpit. He
put his arm around Beth and sighed.

Jack felt the same way. He had the wind in his hair and the scent
of the ocean in his nostrils. He pulled Susan close. Her body
felt good next to his, warm and soft.

He began whistling a shanty.

_Sally, she's a pretty little craft,_
_Sharp to the fore and rounded aft._

**

Once they cleared the marina, Jack turned the bow into the wind.

"Prepare to set the main," he said.

"Prepare to set the main, aye," David said, already casting loose
the gaskets. A minute later he stood at the winch.

"Set the main!"

David cranked and the mainsail rose smartly, fluttering in the
breeze. The wind was chilly, especially with the sun behind the
clouds, but the weather report promised clear skies and warmer
temperatures to the south.

Susan and Beth watched the mainsail rise, but Jack kept a lookout
for nearby boats. San Diego Harbor was a busy place, especially
with all the weekend sailors who were taking advantage of the
wind.

Several smaller yachts were sailing off the port beam, probably
racers out for an afternoon competition. Since the _Nereid_ was
cruising under power, the sailboats had the right of way, so Jack
bore away to starboard when the main was set. He trimmed the sail
and then killed the engine.

"Prepare to set the jib," he called forward.

"Prepare to set the jib, aye."

He gave the order.

The sail was light enough to raise by hand, although David had
wrapped the halyard around the winch to make it easer to haul.
When he came aft to tend the jib sheets, Jack glanced at the
racers.

The smaller boats would run clear in a few minutes, and _Nereid_
could come about and cross their wake. He kept an eye on them,
gauging their progress.

"Ready about," he boomed at last.

"Ready," David said.

"Ready about," he called again, glancing at Susan and Beth.
They'd struck up a conversation, and weren't paying a bit of
attention to him. He felt a moment's irritation, but quickly
shook it off.

Why _wouldn't_ they talk to each other and tune out the back-and-
forth of working the boat? After all, they didn't know he wanted
them to pay attention _now_.

He chuckled to himself. He'd had the same problem when he first
became an instructor pilot. Then as now, he had to remind himself
not to lose his temper simply because someone didn't know what to
do. He shook his head at his own impatience.

He still had plenty of sea room ahead, so he decided to wait to
come about. He consciously relaxed and put on his instructor's
face.

"Sorry to interrupt, ladies," he said.

They fell silent and looked back at him.

"We're going to come about in a minute or two," he said. "When
we're ready to turn, I'll call 'Ready about.'"

Beth blushed. "Sorry."

Susan looked puzzled. "For what?"

"I knew that," Beth said. "We were supposed to say 'Ready.'"

Jack nodded for Susan's benefit. "When I call 'Ready about,' it's
really a question. I need to make sure everyone aboard knows
we're about to turn. When we do, lots of things will happen at
once, and some of them can be dangerous if you're not paying
attention."

"Like what?" Susan asked.

"Like the boom knocking you overboard," David said evenly.

"Oh."

"Yep," Jack said. "That's why the helmsman lets everyone know
what he's about to do. That's also why David and I talk to each
other as we work the boat. I call an order and he repeats it, so
we know we're on the same frequency. If I shout 'Ready about' and
I don't hear 'Ready,' then I won't turn the boat."

The women nodded seriously.

"So you don't need to pay attention to everything we say, but
it's a good idea to listen with half an ear." A thought occurred
to him and he grinned. "Think of us as your children: when we get
loud, you need to pay attention."

"You pay attention to children when they get _quiet_," Susan said
wryly, "but I understand."

"Okay," he conceded with a grin. "But when I shout 'Ready about,'
you need to make sure you're clear of the boom and ready for the
turn."

They nodded.

"I won't turn till I hear from everyone, so take your time and
make sure you're really ready. Okay?"

"We're sorry, Captain Jack," Susan said. "Let's try again."

She was teasing him, and he felt a stab of irritation. _This is
serious,_ he thought peevishly. She wasn't some student pilot he
could rake over the coals, so he swallowed his frustration and
scanned the surrounding ocean.

"Ready about," he said again, his voice pitched to carry.

"Ready," the women chorused.

Jack didn't move. Instead, he skewered David with a pointed look.

The man grinned, insufferably wry. "Ready, aye."

Jack glanced heavenward and tried to appear long-suffering.

The women laughed, and he felt his exasperation drain away.

"Helm's alee," he called at last.

He turned the wheel and the boat came about, quick and
responsive. David re-sheeted the jib and she gathered way, white
water racing along the leeward rail as she heeled. Point Loma
sheltered them from the full force of the wind, but they were
already making better than five knots.

_How could I possibly be annoyed on a day like today?_ Jack asked
himself.

He glanced at Susan and she apologized with her eyes.

_Me too,_ he said silently.

She understood.

He closed his eyes and listened to the song in the rigging. He
breathed the sea air, fresh and sharp. The _Nereid_ surged
beneath him, and he felt the life in her as she sped toward the
open ocean.

**

Copyright (c) 2007 Nick Scipio. All rights reserved.

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