The Bikini Bet
Marley Quinn
The Bikini Bet
by Marley Quinn
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
A Note From the Author
Venancio Beach
Peace and Relaxation
Hungry
Washboard Abs
Susanna
The Boardwalk
Larissa
Modeling Gig
The Rusty Spade
Boilermaker
Whazzafudd
The Super American
The Bikini Bet
Trial Run
Enzymes
Compliance Check
Pillow Fight
A New Strain
The Man of My Dreams
Victory Park
Third Time
White Thunder
White Betty
A Pulsating Blast
I'll Protect You
Length and Girth
Bean Sandwich
Anne Summers
Better Than Booze
Ravishing
Signal
Physical
Scratches
Massage
Bath Time
My Next Great Summer Adventure
Just Fabulous
Statues
Hoo-Haw
Back to School
Hot Brother
Toasty
Big Dope
The All-Important Task
Poking Through
The Whore of Babylon
Lower
A One-Time Slip
Firm Squeeze
So Sweet
Holy Shmokes
Spank Bank
Progressive
TAP
Petition
Press
Sci-fi Toga
Shower Drain
The Treatment
Dig In
Branding Opportunity
Shebang
Poor Guy
Let Them Stare
I Want to Get Wet
Two Half-Naked Fools
Bon Appetit
All Sizes and Colors
Incoming Tides
A Long Way From Shore
Tossed Aside
Promise Not to Look
Unleashed
Special Treatment
Chest Compressions
Almost Like Water
Bank Run
Inappropriate Attire
Double Team
The Right Girl
Some Kind of Goddess
The House of Clams
Glowing Again
Two Slippery Nipples
Double Oh Boy
Prove It
Catfight
Fish Tacos
A Stiffening Breeze
Hot Load
Stay Modest
All Natural
Laundry
Hot Buttery Popcorn
A Muffled Grunt
Useful Practice
A Full Measure of Satisfaction
The Dryer
A Real Killjoy
Ogling
Sap Rising
Fake Love Stuff
Overalls
Trufan
A True Supermodel
An Artistic Miracle
One of My Happiest Places
Bad Old Witch
Blasphemy!
Diamond Sling
Lemonade
A Healthy Appetite
Carrot Stick
Dolled Up
Red Leather Luggage
Party, Bro
Champagne Run
Dance With Me
Popping Bottles
Envelope
Testing Those Boundaries
Completely Drenched
Dizzy
Heaven
Transformation
Rocking It
Odd In Our Own Way
Ten Minutes
My Purity
Choking Sound
Epilogue - Three Years Later
A Note From the Author
Hello,
Because I am not famous enough to be trusted enough to tell you a story without any spoilers, I am legally required to tell you that this is an adult book with adult themes that includes very explicit descriptions of sexual acts. Furthermore, all of the completely fictional characters in this story is at least 18 years old and none of them engage in sexual relations with family members related by blood.
Furthermore, absolutely no one was harmed in the writing of this completely fictional story that, again, exists only in your imagination and does not involve real people.
Sorry for the interruption. And now, on to the story!
---Marley Quinn
Venancio Beach
"Wow, this is my favorite part," I said after I hoisted my suitcase off of the revolving conveyor part.
"What part?" said Colton.
"Right there, those doors," I said. "Once we step through them, we'll get that delicious blast of warm, tropical air."
"Yeah, gonna be nice after all that cold rain," said Colton with a grin, hefting his final suitcase off of the conveyor belt.
"Come on, let's go!" I said with a smile on my face as we stepped through the sliding glass doors together, the salty tang of the air flooding my mind with memories.
"Wow, kinda weird to be here without our parents," said Colton with a chuckle as we turned right and began walking towards the rental car counter.
"Are you sure they won't be dropping by later? It really won't feel the same without them. I mean, going to Venancio Beach for the summer is a family tradition," I said.
"Yeah, Dad's caught up with that big merger over in Switzerland, and Mother is visiting Aunt Rose. So yeah, looks like it's just gonna be you and me this year, sis," said Colton with a grin.
"Wow, then we definitely should throw some awesome parties!" I said, grunting as I tried to keep up with Colton.
"Willow, listen to me and listen to me good," said Colton. "I already told Dad we will take care of the beach house, so that means no parties."
"What? That's crazy!" I said. "Come on, Colton. We're both young and single. When are we ever gonna have this chance again?"
"No, Willow!" said Colton. "I don't want every stoner and drunken frat boy in Venancio Beach coming to our house and trashing the place. Sorry, but no parties."
"What about a small party then?" I said, hating the whiny tone in my voice.
"No parties!" said Colton as we got in line at the rental car counter.
"Oh, so that's how it's gonna be, eh? And what? You're not gonna invite Teddy and Bongo over?" I said.
"That's different," said Colton, turning to avoid my gaze.
"Ha!" I said. "So it's okay for your two buddies to come over and drink beers and do who knows what else? But I can't have any friends over?"
"Look, not here, Willow!" hissed Colton. "We'll discuss it in the car."
I then stood around and fumed for the next ten minutes or so as Colton handled the paperwork. Key in hand, he turned and left the rental counter, and I followed him across the parking lot as best as I could.
"Jeez, slow down!" I said.
"Okay, look. We'll talk about parties and having friends over and everything else once we get to the house, all right? It's too hot out here to be discussing this stuff," said Colton, and for the next long while, we wandered across acres of parked vehicles until we came to the one that was reserved for us.
"Whew, hit the AC," I said as soon as Colton fired up the motor, and within a few moments, we were both treated to a lovely blast of chilled air.
"I always forget how hot it is down here," said Colton as he carefully backed the car out of its narrow slot.
"Tell me about it! I can't wait to unpack my luggage and change into a bikini," I said.
"Listen, uh, Willow, maybe we should talk about that," said Colton as he wove the car down the long rows towards the exit of the parking lot.
"Talk about my bikinis?" I said. "What? Spit it out."
"Well, it's just that, you know, uh... you've really developed over the last year," said Colton, nervously chewing on one finger as he drove.
"Yeah? And so what?" I said, turning to glare at him even though he kept his eyes locked on the road in front of us.
"Well, perhaps you might be mature enough now for something a little more conservative," said Colton.
"Are you serious?" I retorted. "Just because my boobs got bigger, you want me to start dressing like a granny?"
"No, no, nothing like that," said Colton, his cheeks reddening. "It's just perhaps you've outgrown some of your old swimsuits, so it might be time for some new ones."
"Well, I won't say no if you're paying," I said with a laugh. "But seriously, bro. Why are you worried about me wearing a bikini?"
"Worried?" said Colton with a nervous little laugh. "It's not that I'm worried. It's just... as I've said, you've developed. And perhaps you don't realize what kind of effect that can have on guys."
"Ah, there it is!" I said with a laugh. "You worried your little sister is gonna go boy crazy this summer? Relax! I love Venancio Beach and all, but the guys down here are pretty dumb. I think that I'll be able to resist their beery charm."
"Well, it wasn't really you resisting them that I was talking about," said Colton, his cheeks now a flaming red.
"Wait, you think that guys will take one look at me in a bikini and lose their minds?" I said, breaking out into a laugh. "That's pretty fucking funny, Colton, even for you."
"Willow, you know I hate it when you cuss," said Colton. "Anyway, never mind. Just drop the subject. Pretend I never brought it up."
"So, you're saying I can wear what I want this summer, even if it's my skimpiest bikini, the one where my boobs practically are falling out?" I said.
"Skimpy? Uh..." said Colton, his cheeks now painfully red. "Yeah, fine. Wear whatever you want. Just don't say I didn't tell you so later."
"Fine," I said. "Then it's decided. Now, let's not discuss this for the rest of the summer."
"Agreed," said Colton, and for the next few minutes, we drove along in amiable silence while listening to music on the radio, neither of us realizing just how important my bikinis would become that summer.
Peace and Relaxation
As soon as my brother Colton unlocked the door to our family's beach house, I ran through the rooms, grinning and smiling as I explored all of the familiar places.
"This is gonna be my room!" I declared, tagging the first room off of the living room, a cozy little space with a double bed and a superb view of the ocean.
"Fine," said Colton, dumping two of our suitcases next to the sofa. "I guess I'll take Mom and Dad's room."
"Fine with me," I sang. "But you do know that if they drop by this summer, they'll kick us out of there."
"Willow! I told you, Mom and Dad aren't coming this summer. It's just gonna be me and you, so that leaves me in charge," said Colton.
"Sure, sure," I said with a laugh as I extended the handle of my suitcase and began wheeling it toward my room.
It took a bit of effort to angle the heavy thing through the door to my bedroom, but I got it, in the end. I then wheeled it over to the center of the room and then flipped it on its side, unzipping the main compartment first so that I could root around in the region of my suitcase where I had packed all my bikinis.
Earlier, my brother Colton had chastised me for having "outgrown" my old swimsuits, but what he didn't know is that my friend Lisa worked at a fashion retail outlet, and so now, my suitcase was stuffed with dozens of new bikinis, beach skirts, and other outfits that I had gotten for a fraction of the normal sale price.
With the waves and the beach outside beckoning me, it took me quite a long while to settle on which bikini to wear first. After all, I wanted to make a good first impression, even if no one else was out there. Finally, I settled on a lovely classic triangle bikini set in white with delicate pink stripes, the net effect a callback to those peppermint candy canes we used to get in our stockings for Christmas.
Grinning with happiness, I quickly shucked off all of my traveling clothes and strapped myself into the bikini, carefully tying all the knots just so until everything felt snug and in place.
Stepping in front of the mirror, I saw that my skin was still far too pale, but otherwise, I looked rather fetching in the candy cane bikini, the contrast between the pink and the white adorably cute, in my opinion. Best of all, the top provided a generous amount of coverage for my boobs so as not to trigger my brother's overprotective instinct.
Smiling to myself, I then fished out a pair of sunglasses, my favorite beach sandals, and my straw bag which I quickly loaded with everything I'd need for a long afternoon, lying out on the beach. Once I was sure I had everything, I perched the sunglasses on top of my head and then headed out into the living room where I saw Colton bringing in the last of the supplies.
"I'm going to the beach," I said.
Colton gave my body a long once-over, but he said nothing, nodding as I brushed past him and out of the house, following the little path to the stairs that led down to the sand and the water.
Grinning with happiness, I took in the enormous expanse of blue-green fading off to dark blue waters on the horizon, the sun sparkling on the wave caps as gentle waves crashed onto the sand. Everything was just as I remembered it! I then carefully made my way down the steps and then hunted around for a good spot to lay out my beach towel.
Once everything was set, I fished out the lotion from my straw bag and slathered the stuff all over my body, carefully working it into my skin with firm, circular motions, smiling as my nimble fingers massaged my exposed skin.
Glancing around, I saw absolutely no one, so I took the risk and lifted my top long enough to rub in a generous portion of lotion onto my breasts. I knew that it seemed kind of silly to worry about things like that, but I was worried that my brother Colton could join me at any minute.
Once I was fully lubed up, I reclined on my beach towel and let the gentle sea breeze and the crashing of the waves lull me into a delicious state halfway between sleep and wakefulness, the warm rays of the sun sending blissful shivers down my spine. As my breathing began to slow down, I let the salty burr of the air fill my nose and throat, and a deep sense of peace and relaxation diffused its way through my body and mind and spirit.
Before I knew it, my eyes were covered by the salty bangs of my hair, and I sat up with a start, seeing to my surprise that the sun was far lower in the sky. Looking around, I saw a blush of pink across my upper thighs and arms, and I could feel an intense dry heat from all of my exposed skin.
As quickly as I could, I got to my feet and began gathering my things, doing my best to shake out the beach towel before folding it and packing it away in my bag. Within a few minutes, I was ready to go, walking slowly as my body limbered up, my thoughts whirling and chaotic.
Thankfully, I soon stepped into the refreshing cool of our beach house, and I paused to dump all of my things on the floor next to the sofa before dashing to the bathroom where I splashed cold water on my face for several minutes until I felt partially restored. A full body inspection revealed a few places where I had nearly gotten sunburned, but otherwise, I had emerged from my impromptu beach nap unscathed.
"Oh my gosh, you startled me," I said as I stepped out of the bathroom and nearly crashed into Colton.
"How was the beach?" said Colton, his eyes roving up and down over my body. "Looks like you got some sun."
"Yeah, I did. I can't wait until I'm properly tanned!" I said.
"Willow, I just want to say that's a nice bikini," said Colton, a small smile on his face. "Don't think I've seen that one before."
"Yeah, it's new," I said, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks.
"Anyway, you hungry?" said Colton. "I've been busy in the kitchen."
"I'm starved!" I said, truthfully.
"Great! Get changed, and I'll see you there," said Colton.
And with that, I went to my bedroom and changed into a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, not realizing that that would be the last time I'd be wearing those kinds of clothes for the rest of the summer.
Hungry
Dinner with my brother Colton on our first night together in our parents' vacation house in Venancio Beach went swimmingly well, my brother making a huge pot of our family's favorite pasta dish. After dinner, we shared a bowl of popcorn and watched a movie, laughing and joking at all the bad acting and cheap special effects.
As I've done ever since I was a little girl, especially when the weather is warm, I stripped off all my clothes and then jumped in the bed, relishing the sensation of the tropical night air on my skin. As I closed my eyes, I began replaying all the happy memories I had shared with my family in this house, and I grinned as I imagined all the fun I would have this summer, and sure enough, it wasn't long before I drifted off to sleep.
When I awoke, the sun was already high in the sky, a piercing bolt of golden light streaming through the drapes. Yawning as I rose to my feet, I flung back the drapes and took a deep inhale of the salty sea air, my soul soaring with happiness as I took in the cloudless sky and the endless expanse of blue before me.
In the bathroom, after I performed my usual ablutions, I was pleased to see that all the pink area of my skin had faded to a lovely honey color, meaning that my first day's efforts of lying out on the beach were already paying off.
Deciding to get another jump start on my tanning strategy, I decided to slip into a bikini before heading downstairs for breakfast. That way, I could dash out the moment that the meal was done. I then spent the next few minutes going through my collection until I settled on a lovely two-tone green and yellow number made by an upscale boutique in California even though it was a bit skimpier than the candy cane bikini I had worn yesterday.
"Morning," I said, as I stepped into the kitchen and set my bulging straw bag down on one of the unoccupied chairs.
"Hey there, sleepyhead," said Colton, turning to look at me, his eyes taking in my bikini. "Wow, looks like you're going to get some more sun today, eh?"
"That's the plan," I said. "What you got?"
Colton then rattled off a number of breakfast items he had prepared, making it quite hard for me to choose. On one hand, my brother was the best cook in the family, but on the other hand, I didn't want to put on any weight, especially not when I was about to become a tanned beach goddess.
"Just some fruit," I said, wincing when I saw the brief look of disappointment flash across Colton's face.
Thankfully, as I nibbled my way through the small bowl of fruit, Colton and I chit-chatted about a bunch of banal things until everything was back to being good between us.
"Okay, Willow, I'm going to head into town for a bit. Do you need anything?" said Colton after I rinsed out my bowl and set it in the rack to dry.
"No, I'll just be at the beach," I said.
And with that, I turned and headed out, following the path to the stairs that led down to the beach. I grinned from ear to ear as I saw that we were in for another perfect summer day, the sun hot and fierce as it glinted off the wave caps.
Soon enough, I had my towel laid out, and I fished out a bottle of water and took a healthy swig. Not wanting to risk getting dehydrated, I took a second and then a third swig before recapping the bottle and nestling it into the depths of my straw bag.
Lying back, I then let the sun do its work, the gentle crashing of the waves lulling me back into that familiar trance. This time, however, I had set an alarm on my phone that reminded me to flip onto my stomach. I then reached behind and unfastened my bikini top, sighing with pleasure as I felt the warm fingers of the sun begin to massage my back and legs.
Unfortunately, all too soon, my phone beeped again. With a groan of disappointment, I refastened my bikini top and then sat up. A visual inspection revealed that I was pink enough for the moment, so I packed away all of my stuff and then headed back to the house after chugging the rest of my water.
Stepping through the back door of our house, I saw no sign of my brother, so I dropped my bag on the floor near the sofa and then stumbled my way back to my room where I dropped onto my bed like a sack of potatoes, drifting off to sleep just moments later.
My room was dim and dark when I awoke, jumping to my feet as my heart raced, thinking that I had just heard a loud explosion. But as I stood there in my room, I realized that it had been just a dream. My heart pounding, I flew out of my room and went down the hallway to the bathroom where I spent the next several moments splashing cold water onto my face until I felt my breathing return to normal.
"Oh hey, Willow, there you are," said Colton, coming across the open door to the bathroom that I had forgotten to close. "Is everything all right?"
"Yeah, it's fine," I said. "Just got a little dehydrated, that's all."
"That hot sun will do it to you every time," said Colton with a grin. "Hey, I was just about to make lunch. Are you hungry?"
"Heck, yes, I am," I said, truthfully.
"Cool. I was thinking about firing up the grill, then we could eat lunch on the balcony," said Colton.
"Perfect!" I said. "While you cook, I'll sit on the lounge chair and work on my tan a bit more."
"Suit yourself," said Colton, staring at me for a long time until I finally realized that he was making a bad pun.
And with that, the wheels were set in motion that would determine the course of what happened that crazy summer.
Washboard Abs
I think I've already said it before, but my brother is a great cook, and it wasn't long before I was absolutely stuffed from all the delicious foods that he made on the grill that day.
Sitting there on our balcony and admiring that magnificent view of the ocean, I felt absolutely wonderful. With good food in my belly and an entire summer in front of me, what else could a girl need? Maybe a little romance, but that was for later.
"Whew, I can't believe I ate so much," said my brother Colton, patting his stomach.
"Me either. I ate like a pig," I groaned as I pressed the lever to extend the lounge chair to a reclining position. "I don't need to eat anything else for a week!"
"Oh hush, you're as skinny as a rail," said Colton. "You're the one who needed to eat, not me."
"What are you talking about?" I said with a laugh. "You're always going around, flashing your washboard abs at people."
"Hey, if I keep eating like this, I'll be forced to wear a T-shirt when I go swimming," said Colton with a laugh.
And with that exchange, we lapsed into companionable silence, the crash of the waves and the delicious heat of the sun on my exposed skin sending me back into that familiar reverie. But before my phone's alarm could chime, I was jolted awake by the sound of people energetically discussing something, the details of which were initially lost in the roar of the surf and the wind.
I sat up in my chair and peered through the slats of the balcony to see four people walking down the beach, laughing and joking. The two girls looked about my age or maybe a year or two older while the two guys could easily pass for graduate students.
It was clear that the four of them were having fun, and I badly wanted to be in position to meet them, or anyone else of a similar nature, the next time they passed by. Otherwise, I might be left stuck in the house all summer with my increasingly strict brother.
"I got to get back to working on my tan," I announced as I stood up from the table.
"All right, but don't get burned," said Colton, earning a sour smile from me.
I then gathered up my beach things and was out of the house within a few minutes, a grin on my face as I walked barefoot across the sand to find a good spot. After that, it wasn't long at all before I had everything set up. But this time, before lying down and getting some sun, I decided to go dip my toe in the water.
As a kid, I had always loved to swim, but in those days, I wore one-piece bathing suits. I wasn't quite sure if my bikini could withstand any vigorous activities, so I decided to limit myself to just getting my feet wet. And indeed, when that first sheet of surf washed over my ankles, it felt absolutely amazing, like a shot of pure adrenaline.
With the blazing heat of the sun on my skin, the bracing coolness of the water felt absolutely delicious, so I decided to take another step further into the ocean. Soon, the water was up to my knees, and I grinned as I bent over to splash some water on my arms, each icy drop setting off fireworks of pleasure on my skin.
Before I knew it, I was in the water up to my waist. I then leaned back and dipped my hair into the water, moaning with pleasure when I stood up straight, a deluge of water cascading down my back. At that point, I simply could not resist a proper swim, and so I launched myself into the water. With no one anywhere nearby to watch me, it was the perfect time to stress test my bikini.
Happily, the fabric managed to stay in place, although my boobs did slide out of the top sideways a couple of times, but otherwise, I was very impressed by my bikini's resilience. For several long minutes, I swap to and fro, relishing the way my entire body was working in harmony to propel me through the water.
But soon, I began to feel the ache in all those swimming muscles that had lain unused all year, so I stopped and planted my feet on the sandy bottom. I then spun and danced in the water for a bit, savoring the way that the water felt as it flowed around my body. Truly, there are very few sensations as silky and sensual as full body immersion in water.
Finally, though, it was time to come out, and I waded my way to shore, my legs suddenly growing heavy as I stepped back onto terra firma. With my hair dripping and a sheen of water still on my skin, the breeze sent a wonderfully cold tingle down my spine. I then sat down on my towel and enjoyed the warm embrace of the sun as its heat and the wind dried my skin.
Once I was fully dry and starting to feel toasty, I rooted around in my bag until I found my lotion, and it wasn't long before all of my exposed skin was glistening in the sun. And with that, I lay back, placed a small towel over my eyes, and gave myself up to the universe for a while.
Truly, it felt like only a couple of minutes had passed when my phone's alarm jolted me out of my reverie. Obediently, I hoisted myself up and then flipped over face down, reaching up behind me to unfasten my bikini top. But when I lay my head back down on the towel, I found it impossible to get comfortable. No matter where I shifted, it always felt like the ground was crushing my chest.
Just then, I remembered a video I had seen on one of my social media feeds recently. Sitting up, I peeled back the towel from the sand. Gauging where my chest was pressing up against the sand, I used my hand to dig out two holes that were about the same size as my breasts before putting the towel back into position.
Sure enough, with my sandy "cupholders" for support, lying facedown on the towel felt quite comfortable, indeed, and it wasn't long before I felt a delicious tingle on my upper thighs and lower back from the sizzling heat of the sun.
Susanna
The bleating of my phone alarm jolted me out of a deep sleep, and I slowly pushed my way up to a seated position on the towel after I had silenced it. Yawning, I looked around to see that the sun had dipped in the sky, its reddish-orange hues illuminating everything with a warm glow that perfectly matched the sensual tingling from my skin, and even in the fading afternoon light, I could see that my skin was beginning to bronze.
As quickly as I could, I gathered all my things and headed back to the house. The front door being unlocked, I stepped inside and then dumped my bag on the floor near the sofa.
"Willow, is that you?" I heard my brother Colton call out.
"Yeah, it's me," I said, feeling slightly foolish.
I then dashed off to the bathroom to give myself a thorough examination in the mirror. To my delight, I saw that my skin was, indeed, beginning to develop a lovely glow, and I saw absolutely no trace of any pink or irritation. Even my hair seemed to have lightened just a bit, the faintest traces of honey gold in my long, brunette locks.
Stepping out of the bathroom and into the hallway, I nearly collided with Colton as he was rushing towards the living room, a pair of dress shoes in one hand.
"Woah, where are you going?" I said.
"Down to the Boardwalk," said Colton, setting his shoes down for a minute to make some adjustments to the collared short-sleeve shirt and tan slacks that he was wearing.
"Down to the Boardwalk, where they sell fried chocolate bars on a stick to tourists? Are you serious?" I said before breaking out into raucous laughter.
"If you must know, I'm meeting someone," said Colton, a hint of pink rising to his cheeks.
"Wow! We've been here one day, and already you're firing up the dating apps," I said with a grin. "Good job, bro."
"Yeah, we'll see how it goes," said Colton, slipping on his shoes.
"Hey, if you're headed there now, let me come with you," I said. "Relax, I just want a ride. I won't mess with you and your date."
"Uh... fine, okay," said Colton. "But hurry up and put on some clothes."
"Actually, there's this cute little cover-up skirt I've been dying to try. It actually came as a set with this bikini," I said.
"Whatever, just come on, let's go," said Colton, tapping at an imaginary wristwatch on his right arm.
"I'm going, I'm going!" I said, dashing off to my room where I spent the next two minutes in a mad scramble to find the beach skirt that matched the bikini I was wearing, finding at last under a pair of leather pants.
As quickly as I could, I shimmied into the skirt, loving the way that it hung at an angle across my hips, the lovely fabric draping just above my knees, its green hues perfectly complimenting my bikini top. Carefully inspecting my image in the mirror, I decided that I could pass for a beautiful tourist from somewhere in Europe, perhaps Italy or Spain, utterly sexy and confident in their own skin.
And with that attitude, I fixed my jaw and made my way out of my bedroom and to the front door of the house which I saw had been left slightly ajar, my brother nowhere in sight. But the revving of the engine outside told me to pick up the pace until I was practically bounding when I ripped open the passenger door, sliding into position just as Colton peeled out of the driveway.
"Jeez, she must be pretty hot for you to be driving this fast," I muttered, double-checking that my seat belt was fastened.
"Well, the truth is that we've been talking on the internet for a while. But this is the first time we're meeting in person," said Colton, nervously chewing on the tip of one of his fingers.
"Woah, and how long have you known this girl?" I said.
"Uh, tomorrow will be four months exactly," said Colton, shooting me an angry glare when I broke out into laughter.
"Sorry, sorry," I said, valiantly attempting to resist the urge to continue laughing. "I just don't want you to get catfished, Colton."
"Catfish? Ugh, no. I'm taking her to Trattoria Primavera for their pasta alfredo," said Colton.
"Oh no," I said, a chill racing down my spine. "I'm not talking about the restaurant, bro. I'm talking about catfishing. It's internet slang."
"Slang for what?" said Colton, his eyes narrowed and wary.
"For when someone pretends to be a girl on the internet in order to trick guys into falling in love with them," I said.
"What? That's crazy. Why would anyone do that?" said Colton. "And what does it have to do with catfish?"
"I think it's because female catfish have long whiskers or something," I said. "But actually, I don't know. What I do know is that there are some really cruel and evil people out there."
"Well, Susanna isn't like that. She's the sweetest girl I've ever known in my entire life, Willow!" said Colton.
"Colton, I'm going to ask you an important question, and I need you to be honest with me," I said. "Have you sent Susanna any money?"
"Not really," said Colton, his eyes locked on the road in front of us.
"Not really or no?" I said.
"Well, it was just because her mom got sick that one time," said Colton.
"Oh god," I said, smacking my forehead with the flat of my hand. "And what about gifts? Send her any expensive ones?"
"Well, she really loves jewels, and, like, her birthstone is..." said Colton, the rest of his answer drowned out by my groans.
"Colton, I really hope I'm wrong. I do. But I think you're being catfished, bro," I said. "There are red flags everywhere, including the part where you kept this a secret from me for the past four months."
"Willow, stop saying all this crap about Susanna! You don't even know her," said Colton.
"Fine. Really and truly, I hope I'm wrong. But in case this meet-up doesn't work the way you want it to, I'll be here for you, Colton," I said, reaching over to give my brother's leg a little squeeze, instantly averting my gaze when I saw that my fingers had accidentally brushed against the outline of his penis.
"Thanks, Willow, but it won't be necessary," said Colton, swinging the car into an open slot adjacent to a sidewalk teeming with hordes of tourists, at least one-fifth of them stuffing their faces with junk food by my count.
"All right, then, what's the plan?" I said after exiting the car and easing my way onto the busy sidewalk. "I'm probably going to take a stroll down to the pier and maybe try some of that saltwater taffy."
"I'm meeting Susanna in fifteen minutes in front of the Old Grand," said Colton after checking his phone. "If you want a ride back to the house, maybe we could meet up at the fountain in a few hours. But otherwise, you'll have to catch a bus."
"Okay. Well, good luck! And I really hope this turns out for you, bro," I said, planting a good luck kiss on one cheek, watching as he turned and melted into the crowd, leaving me to enjoy all of the delights of the Boardwalk.
The Boardwalk
At first, I did feel a little self-conscious walking down the Boardwalk wearing only a bikini with a fairly short wrap-around skirt hung diagonally across my hips. But as I looked around, I saw more than a handful of shirtless guys, including one sporting a truly impressive gut, as well as a few ladies in swimsuits, cottage cheese thighs be damned.
Sure, I stood out a little, but I kept my head held high. The sun felt absolutely delicious on my skin, and I wasn't going to let anything disturb my self-confidence. And sure enough, the few guys who tried to shoot me creepy glances always turned their head away after a moment, unable to meet the intensity of my gaze.
As for the rest, I got more than a few appreciative looks, including from one super cute guy with a dreamy smile, but looking down, I saw that he was holding hands with another guy, and so my insta-dream of our marriage, children, and life together was dashed upon the rocky shores of the Boardwalk in summer.
Soon enough, I discovered that my nose had led me to the stall where they make those hideous fried candy bars on a stick, so I found a slightly out of the way place to stand so I could watch this strange tragedy unfold before my eyes, a parade of victims coming one after another to challenge the limits of their digestive system and mortality.
Yet as I watched one person after another chow down on those crispy, crunchy fried candy bars with unabashed enthusiasm, I started to feel an uncomfortable rumbling in my belly. To my horror, I realized that my body was demanding to eat one of those horrid things dripping with fat and salt. Rationally, I'd rather have eaten a lovely salad, but my monkey brain compelled me, somehow, to join the line, and soon enough, I found myself handing over a ridiculous amount of money in exchange for my very own fried candy bar on a stick.
With the darn thing in my hand, there was really no other option but to go ahead and eat it, sighing with pleasure as I took my first bite, the delicious, gooey chocolate making my whole mouth sing. And before I knew it, I was licking the last few bits from the stick, my mouth smeared in chocolate. But after I dashed to the restroom to clean myself up, I found myself grinning as I patted my satisfied belly.
A few minutes later, I exited the restroom and made my way back to the Boardwalk. Instead of deciding what to do next, I merged with the crowd of tourists and let them dictate my steps, allowing me to relax and stare at all the people as I shuffled along in a thick knot of people. After a while, I got caught in a little eddy, arriving near a kiosk purporting to sell "real Italian" gelato in a wild medley of colorful flavors.
At that point, my stomach was bulging, so I only gave the gelato a quick look over before turning to rejoin the flow of the crowd, but the man working behind the counter called out to me.
"Pretty lady! Signorina!" said the man in what, to my mind, sounded like a pretty authentic Italian accent.
"Hi," I said, feeling myself blush as I turned to look at the man.
"For the beautiful signorina!" cried the man as he used his scoop to quickly dump three different flavors of gelato into a paper cup.
"What?" I said.
"You are so beautiful, like a princessa," said the man. "Here, gelato for you. On the house!"
At that point, there was no way to gracefully say no, so I took the gelato from his outstretched hands.
"Uh, thank you," I said.
"Anytime! Have a wonderful day!" said the man.
Still stunned that the entire exchange had just happened, I shuffled off into the crowd, one hand holding the cup of gelato. Curious about what flavors he had put in there, I lifted the cup to my nose, inhaling a confusing medley of fruit flavors that left me more curious than ever.
As I let the crowd slowly pull me along the Boardwalk, I could see that the heat was beginning to melt the gelato. Not having the heart to waste such a generous gift, I decided that it was probably best if I at least tried it, smiling to myself as a burst of tropical flavors hit my tongue a few moments later.
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