This is my entry for the Nude Day Story Contest 2022. It’s a work of fiction and has ended a little differently than I imagined when the story began.
All characters are over the age of eighteen.
Please take the time to rate the story and comment. It helps me as an author to improve my writing.
*****
“Hey, lady, what are you up to?”
“Eh. I wish I had something to be ‘up to.'”
“Shut up. You’re always up to something.” Dana couldn’t keep from laughing as she said that. It did seem that Wendy was always busy doing something, and she thought she might be able to add to it.
Wendy just smiled. She knew what Dana said was basically true — she did like to stay busy, probably to a fault. When she had time for her mind to wander, it could be dangerous. Not that she would rob banks, or murder people she didn’t care for. She simply went out to lunch .. and struck up conversations with handsome gentlemen who’d asked politely if they might join her. The “joining” hadn’t gone beyond the meals and conversations so far, but Wendy wasn’t sure what might happen if she, well, just let loose. All of her activities tied her to reality, a reality that mattered.
“But,” Dana added, “if you’re looking for something to do, I may be able to help.”
“Does it involve clothing?”
“I’m so easy to read aren’t I?” Dana said, laughing.
Wendy chuckled. “What do you need?”
“Luke bought two new dresses for me, and, not surprisingly, they could use some small alterations.”
“Dana, if you didn’t have an absolutely perfect figure, things would fit you.”
“Don’t start, Wendy. Ugh. It’s not perfect.” Dana always received harassment when she asked for alterations from her best friend. She knew that there were many definitions of a “perfect figure,” and she couldn’t ignore the fact that hers fit some of those definitions. Good DNA from her mother, who’d been a model when she was young and before she’d had Dana and had never been able to get rid of the added weight.
“Did you bring them with you?” Wendy asked, knowing what the answer would be.
“Of course,” Dana answered, hurrying to her car and quickly back with a shopping bag that held the dresses.
“You want to do it here or in the bedroom?”
Dana snorted. “Like I’m going to strip to my underwear in your family room,” she said, heading to the bedroom, shopping bag in hand. She stripped off her knit top and shorts, ready for the fitting.
“Whoa,” Wendy said as she came into the room.
“Will you cut it out? And does Max know about this tendency of yours?”
Wendy laughed. “I take good care of Max, but if I were going to check out that tendency …” She wiggled her eyebrows at a blushing Dana as she opened the bag and pulled out a dress. “Holy shit. This is quite a dress.”
“Luke picked it out, and when I said no, he bought it. I tried to tell him, but he wasn’t listening.” Dana sounded a little depressed and defeated.
“This dress has a neckline that meets the waistline.”
“I know, and I’m not sure why he wants people to see more of my … ugh, skin.”
“I believe that skin is called tits,” Wendy said as Dana rolled her eyes. “Maybe he’s just proud of you.”
“I suppose.” She took the dress from Wendy and pulled it on over her head. “Well?”
“You should really have your bra off to model that one,” Wendy giggled.
“Imagine it’s not there.”
“With no bra, and wearing that dress, and on Luke’s arm, you’d look spectacular.”
“I’m not going out with half of my breasts exposed.”
“So, what do you want me to do with it?”
“Can you just pull the big plunge together and sew it, so it’s only a half-plunge.”
Wendy looked at the dress, then at Dana, and chuckled.
“I could if you don’t mind having your boobs squished up under your chin.”
“You’re always so graphic with your descriptions. Any suggestions then?”
“Yeah, just leave it the way it is and look like a hot babe, which you are.”
Dana’s cheeks were almost instantly red, as she sent a mock glare at Wendy.
“You know how I hate to show, well, my body, I guess. Can you sew something in there then to kind of hide most of my boobs?”
“I could, but what’s Luke going to say?”
“I’ll deal with that. I can give him … Well, you can guess.” The red was now on Dana’s cheeks and moving down her neck.
“Some special nookie, or maybe a really good blow job?” Wendy asked, always willing to tease and torment her friend.
“Wendy, shut up. You know we don’t do things like that.”
A big laugh from Wendy. “Yeah, I forgot. Anyway, I can fill it in as subtly as possible, but I think you’re silly. If I had a body like yours, I’d flaunt it as much as I could. The skirt’s a little short too.”
“I can live with that, I think. Legs are different than boobs.”
Wendy shook her head. “Legs are different than boobs?”
“You know what I mean.”
“Yeah, I do. What do you need on the other dress?
Dana carefully unfolded the other dress, obviously much longer and more formal than the red one with the plunging neckline. It was a beautiful gold color. Dana pulled off the red dress and slipped into the gold one.
“Good lord, Dana, when do they award the Miss America crown?”
“It is pretty stunning, isn’t it.”
“It is, particularly with the bra strap crossing the bare-to-below-the-waist back.”
“That’s part of the problem,” Dana said.
“And speaking of leg.”
“Never had a dress with a split clear to my waist.” She had a futile look on her face.
“So, with this one, you wouldn’t be wearing a bra.”
Dana rolled her eyes.
“And probably little thong panties as well.”
“Don’t even think that,” Dana gasped.
“Well, take your bra off, and let’s see how it looks.”
“Wendy, I can’t do that. People will know I’m not wearing a bra.” Dana looked almost horrified at that thought.
“It’s just us here, so do it and let me see how it looks. Where you’ll be wearing this dress, I’ll guarantee you there will be others braless as well.”
“But look, if I get just right,” Dana said, raising one arm and twisting sideways, “it pulls away from my body and … yeah.”
“A little side-boob exposure?”
“A lot of side-boob exposure.”
“So, people know you have boobs.”
“But I don’t want to show them.”
Wendy had a thoughtful look. “Take your bra off and let me see.”
Dana’s eyes widened, then narrowed. Reluctantly, she reached around and unfastened her bra, twisting to free the straps. She tossed it onto the bed.
“Let’s get the whole effect. Take your panties off too.”
“I think you’re turning into some kind of a pervert,” Dana chuckled. But she reached under the dress and pulled the panties of.
Wendy sighed. “Walk over and look at yourself in the mirror. Just look; no thoughts of what you’re showing and how much skin is visible. Just look.”
Dana crossed the room to the full-length mirror. She paused with a straight-on view, then turned sideways with her back to the mirror, straining to look over her shoulder. She turned to Wendy.
“I guess it is a little …”
“Spectacular is the word you’re looking for,” Wendy said.
“But still,” she said, crossing the room to Wendy and getting into that awkward position once more. “What do you see?”
“Just some creamy and smooth skin.”
“It’s for the Christmas party,” Dana said resignedly.
“It would be a travesty to alter that dress even a little bit.”
“Wendy, I don’t know if I can do it.”
“Well, Christmas is a long way off, and I suspect you’ll have talked yourself into it by then. What’s the red one for?”
“There’s a dinner in about two months. Ugh.”
“We’ll work on it, and I’ve got an idea that may help.”
“Oh, what’s that?”
“I’ve got a couple of things to finish first. Give me a week, and we’ll get together and figure it out.
Dana was puzzled but nodded and headed to the mirror once more. She turned and posed several different ways. When she extended her leg through the slit in the dress, her leg was visible nearly to her waist
“I’d have to wear at least bikini panties, wouldn’t I?”
“Victoria’s Secret can help you out on that. And you’d better go to less than bikini.”
Dana shook her head and sighed.
*****
Back home, Dana pondered what to do. Luke had picked the dresses, and he clearly loved them … and loved her in them. But, what to do? They were way beyond anything she’d ever worn in public, and she was afraid she’d be bright red the whole time with people wondering about her. Still, he was anxious for her to wear them, and she wondered about his motives. Was he just proud of her, or was he wanting to flaunt her sexuality, getting some kind of a semi-orgasmic thrill from showing off her body?
She picked up the shopping bag and went to her room, stripping off all her clothing. She put on the gold dress and went to the mirror. The side-boob problem would only happen if she was in a couple of positions, both being highly unlikely. She could imagine how the completely bare back was very stunning, and her long leg peeking out of the slit that extended to her waist would be entrancing, at least to the men who were there. She’d never had a desire to be entrancing to anyone except Luke, but could that change? She wasn’t sure.
As she paced the room, periodically checking the mirror, it occurred to her that she was completely naked under the dress, something she’d never been before. Looking in the mirror, she realized that, should she be at the Christmas party like this, no one but her would know she was naked underneath. That simple thought had her nearly gasping for breath as she had never had a thought like that previously and was trying to clear it from her mind.
She was quickly free of the gold dress and put on the red one. A very different picture with this one. Lots of cleavage and boobage showing, along with legs to above her knees. At the mirror, she leaned forward, dropping her shoulders. It was close, but no nipple showed. Plenty of soft, smooth skin, though.
She stripped again and put on her regular clothing, feeling comfortable … and like herself again. Was that who she really was, dressed like she was now? She wondered about the thoughts she’d had when she was wearing those two dresses. And what did Wendy have up her sleeve? She was anxious to find out.
They’d visited several times in the week just past, but nothing had been said about the dresses, mostly just sharing the sewing projects that Wendy had in process. A couple of them were dresses not too much different than the two she’d shared with her.
Wendy was not Dana, but she was certainly nothing to be ashamed of, figure-wise. Breasts a little smaller, hips a tiny bit broader, a tummy that Wendy kept wishing were smaller, and just a few more pounds than were needed. But, she always said that Max liked his women just a tiny bit “squishy,” and she was that. Dana had seen her in a bikini once and was sure she’d draw stares at any beach.
But a week had passed. And it was Wendy who remembered that first.
Dana’s cell phone rang.
“What’s up, Wendy?”
“Remember that I said I was working on something, and I needed another week?”
“Sure do. You ready?”
“Come on over, and I’ll let you in on the whole thing.”
“Be there in ten,” Dana answered, stuffing the phone in her short’s pocket.
The whole thing? She wondered. That didn’t sound like something simple. What did Wendy have up her sleeve this time?
“I think you’re here in nine,” Wendy laughed as Dana came through the door without knocking.
“When you said, ‘the whole thing,’ it got me thinking.”
“Good. It sounds like you’re ready for a surprise, then.”
“When Luke surprises me, it usually involves tickling. You’re not going to tickle me, are you?”
“Now, who’s the pervert? If you beg me, I might tickle you, though.”
Both of them got a good laugh from that.
“Okay, here’s what I’ve come up with. Hear me out before you decide anything. I have a little surprise for you.” Wendy paused and smiled. “Beside being a seamstress, I’m also an artist of sorts.”
“You mean a drawing, painting artist?”
“Exactly. I did it when I was in high school and first year of college. Then I got too busy and just stopped. I’ve kind of picked it up again, and Max has encouraged me, and, well, that’s where I’m beginning with you.”
Dana looked puzzled. “I don’t understand.”
“Come with me. We’ve turned the garage into my studio.” She led Dana through the house and into the garage. It was filled with canvases, both full and empty.
“Wow, you’ve been working,” Dana said, looking around at the many paintings both hanging and leaning against the walls of the garage.
“Here’s the one I finally finished,” she said, leading Dana around the big easel.
Dana stopped suddenly, eyes wide and hand to mouth as she stared at the painting.
“That’s … Max,” she said quietly.
“Sure is, and I’m really proud of it.”
“Should you be showing me this?” Dana asked, afraid to look at her friend.
“You mean because he’s naked? He doesn’t mind. He’s proud of my artwork.”
Dana stared. He was certainly naked, and she marveled at the painting. It looked almost like a photograph, but if she looked carefully, she could see brushstrokes. She didn’t have to look too carefully to see … She couldn’t believe Wendy was showing her this. Dana finally found the courage to look at her best friend, who was smiling.
“So, say something.”
“Max just posed, and you painted him?”
“That’s all there was to it.”
“So why are you showing it to me?”
Wendy took a deep breath. “I want to paint you.”
The entire meaning of what Wendy was saying suddenly struck Dana, and a shocked expression filled her face.
“You want to paint me … like that? Have you lost your mind?”
“Not at all. I can’t think of anyone who’d look more beautiful in a painting like that.”
Dana could barely catch her breath. Naked. Wendy wanted her to model for her … naked? This was so, so far beyond anything that had ever happened between them, she couldn’t imagine where Wendy had gotten this idea. It was … it was …
“You’d just pose here in the studio — no one would see you except me. We’re big girls now and can see each other naked.” Wendy went to the wall and pulled out a canvas from behind several others. “Here. I posed for myself in a mirror,” she said, placing the painting on the easel.
It was certainly a naked Wendy, Dana decided quickly, as beautifully and carefully done as the one of Max. She was still having trouble catching her breath. This was all so, well, overwhelming.
Wendy chuckled. “Plus, you owe me for all the sewing I do for you.”
“I’m supposed to trade naked modeling for your modifying my dresses and things?” Dana stammered,
“Plus, my good advice on how good you look in the dresses I didn’t modify.”
That was why she was here in the first place; she was trying to gain enough courage to wear those dresses. And all Wendy could come up with was having her pose naked? Her brain hit the brakes. She looked at Wendy.
“So, you think if I can model for you, that would make it easier for me to wear those dresses?”
“I sure do, and you might even enjoy the modeling, freeing yourself, going against what you’ve always been, that kind of stuff. Plus, you’ll have a painting to hang in your bedroom. Or your family room,” she added, laughing.
Dana sputtered. The thought of a picture like that hanging anywhere in their house had her blushing. She knew that Luke would love it, though. Still, it couldn’t hang where people could see it. Maybe in their ensuite. It was large enough for that. She paused her thinking once again. If she was deciding where to hang the painting, that meant she had agreed to do it. She looked at Wendy as she nibbled her lower lip.
“When can we start?” Wendy asked, smiling at her.
“I haven’t said yes.”
“Not in words, but I can read your face.”
Dana glanced at the painting of Wendy, half-covering the one of Max. She looked way better naked than she had in the bikini.
“I can’t believe I’m agreeing to this, and I still may back out.”
“Don’t say anything to Luke. You can surprise him on his birthday or at Christmas. Plus, you’ll surprise him when you wear those dresses.”
Dana wasn’t at all sure that posing naked, in private and for Wendy, would make it easier for her to expose so much of herself to others, like Luke’s co-workers. Maybe, but she’d have to see. She remembered wearing the dresses, naked beneath them. And she remembered how she’d looked in the mirror. Yep, she’d have to see.
“Let’s start tomorrow before you change your mind,” Wendy suggested, chuckling.
Dana met her eyes. Still time to change her mind. The single word “naked” hammered at her brain. She was naked when she showered and with Luke, of course. Even that had been difficult the first time. Now, though, it was … Could posing for Wendy be like that, too? It was so different, a foreign territory that Dana thought she was ready to explore. She’d find out tomorrow.
*****
Tomorrow came, Luke went to work, and Dana was left with her decision of yesterday. She dressed normally, refusing to let this possibly temporary thing change her life. She walked the three blocks to Wendy’s with purposeful strides, looking confident even if she didn’t feel that way.
As she usually did, she went in the back door and called for Wendy, who appeared immediately, a big smile on her face.
“I’ve been waiting for you and am anxious to get started.”
“Am I allowed to be terrified,” Dana asked, nostrils flaring.
“No, you’re not. There’s no danger here.”
“I keep telling myself that, but it’s so against everything I’ve known or done. Can you paint a trembling model?”
“If it would make you feel better, I can be naked too while I paint.”
“Oh, lord, no. That would be weird. What am I saying? This whole thing is weird.”
“I can guarantee you that, worldwide, possibly hundreds of people are posing naked at this very moment.” Wendy checked the look on Dana’s face. “That didn’t help, huh?”
Dana shook her head. “No.”
“Well, listen, I’ve seen you in your bra and panties when we were looking at the dresses, so it should be easy to get that way again.”
Dana decided that made a lot of sense. She slowly and carefully took off her shirt, then her shorts. She decided that, since she was in undressing mode, she might as well continue. Eyes closed, she reached behind her and unclasped her bra, holding it in place momentarily, then pulling it off, eyes still closed.
No comment from Wendy.
Feeling a little more confident after taking off her bra, Dana quickly slid the panties down her legs and kicked them aside. She opened her eyes.
“I’ve told you this before, but I sure as hell wish I had a body like that.” Wendy said, a serious look on her face.
“Wendy, it’s not –”
“– It is, and you know it,” Wendy interrupted. “Now, let’s talk about the posing and the kind of portrait you’d like.”
“I thought you’d know what you wanted to paint. You mean I get to decide?”
“Sure, it’s going to be yours, so it should be something you like … and Luke likes too.”
“That. I’d forgotten already.”
“We could have you standing, sitting on a loveseat, sitting beside a vase of flowers; there are hundreds of possibilities. Plus, it depends on how sexy you want to be.”
“Sexy? What kind of a picture are you planning to paint?” Dana looked a mite horrified.
“I told you, it’s up to you. I’m not going to do anything that you aren’t in agreement with.”
Dana relaxed, noticeable. “Thank goodness,” she said softly.
“I did have an idea, though. It would get the whole you in the painting.”
“What does that mean?”
“You’re standing there, and I can see you, but just part of you. Come over here a minute.”
She led Dana to the full-length mirror and stood away from it slightly, then motioned for Dana to move a little to her right.
“What do you see?”
“I see your backside in the mirror, and …” Dana smiled. “I get it. So you want to do that?”
“It would show the you that you expected to show, plus that cute butt of yours.”
“Wendy, are you going to keep that up all day?” Dana asked, an exasperated look on her face.
“Probably, but just ignore it. And notice how much more comfortable you are walking around naked than you were at first.”
She was right, Dana decided. When she thought about it, her mind rebelled. Otherwise, she didn’t even notice it.
“I picture you standing by a wooden chair, your back to the mirror, your hand on the chair, maybe one knee bent a little. Sound good?”
Dana wasn’t sure how it sounded; she’d never posed before and had no idea.
“Let me get the chair and show you,” Wendy said, rescuing Dana from her uncertainty. She went into the house and was back in seconds with a low-back chair from the dining room. She placed it carefully, went to the easel, and checked, then motioned for Dana to pose as she’d described.
Dana did her best, not sure if she was doing what Wendy wanted. She saw the artist coming toward her. Hands on her shoulders, Wendy turned her very slightly and then moved her leg, gently lifting her knee. Dana took a deep breath. When she’d agreed to pose naked, she hadn’t anticipated being touched and more, by another woman … her best friend, at that.
“I’ve got to be sure to include these tantalizing butt dimples you have.” Wendy touched two spots at the top of Dana’s butt.
Dana knew she had the dimples, but she never expected Wendy to touch them. She was already experiencing things she’d never imagined. She’d had a massage a couple of years ago, and the masseuse had touched her body. It seemed weird at first, but a massage involved touching the body, and she had enjoyed it — enjoyed it quite a bit. And about all of her body had been touched.
Wendy was standing in front of her now, staring at her breasts.
“Your nipples are pretty relaxed. You want to give them a little life?” she asked with a chuckle.
“My god, Wendy, I don’t want to look like a porn star.”
Wendy raised both hands. “Just a suggestion.” She walked to the easel. “Looks perfect. Memorize your pose, so when we take breaks, you can go right back to it. And,” Wendy said with a giggle, “building on your porn star idea, this isn’t BDSM, so tell me when you need to take a break.”
Dana had heard the term BDSM, but she had no idea what it was, except it was some kind of pornography. She knew Wendy loved to tease her naiveté, and she’d never really minded it. She spent two or three minutes memorizing her pose, then let her eyes roam without turning her head. It was a little disconcerting that the portraits of Wendy and Max were staring at her, but she found herself returning to Max, blushing slightly when she realized where she was looking.
Flexing and moving slightly, Dana made it to one hour before she needed a break. Wendy brought two glasses of wine, very full glasses, and they chatted for fifteen minutes, finished the wine, and went back to work. She noticed she felt a little more relaxed after scarfing down the wine, something she’d remember.
“I’d like to be a little further along before you see it,” Wendy said when they were finished for the day. Tomorrow at one? We’ll have a couple of hours.” She picked up Dana’s clothes. “Want to leave these here and walk home naked?”
Dana rolled her eyes and grabbed the clothes, quickly putting them on.
“How about if it was midnight on a moonless night, the power was off, it’s pouring rain, and half the neighborhood is away on vacation?”
“Probably not. Someone would be out walking their dog.”
“You’re a hopeless pessimist. See you tomorrow.”
*****
They worked tomorrow, and the next day, then paused for the weekend. On Monday, they were back at work, Wendy promising to reveal what she had done. They had been at work about thirty minutes when Max walked into the studio.
There was a loud scream.
“Sorry,” he said. “Oh, it’s just Dana.”
“Just Dana” was frantically scrambling to cover herself, having nothing available except her hands and arms. One arm across her breasts, and one hand covering her crotch, she was visibly shaking.
“I got to work and didn’t have my wallet. You know where I left it?”
“On the little desk in the family room, I think.”
“Thanks, and sorry, Dana.” The look on his face said he wasn’t really sorry. He went back into the main house.
“You okay?” Wendy asked?
“I will be when I stop shaking.”
“Max isn’t that scary.”
“I’m freaking naked,” Dana said, her breasts and crotch still covered, afraid that Max might return.
“You made his day, you know. He thinks you’re absolutely gorgeous and the ultimate babe of babes.”
“Wendy, no way.”
“Way,” Wendy replied, laughing.
“I’m sure that picture of you he just saw is foremost in his mind right this minute. And he’ll tell me about it this evening.”
She’d heard that from Luke but never from anyone else. Somehow, this was different. Luke was her husband, and of course, he’d say it. Max was just a friend and had nothing to gain from saying it. Wendy teased her about it constantly, but she’d always disregarded it. Now, with Max, did that make it true? When he called her “the babe of babes,” he was talking about what was under the clothes, and now he had seen that. Would he change his mind?
“You ready to pose again?”
“I think so.”
“Well, you’re going to have to move your arm and your hand.”
In two hours, they were finished for the day, and it was time to see what Wendy had done.
“It’s roughed in, but lots of details need to be added. We can do that without the posing. Your face, your hands, your breasts, and the other details. Go ahead and look.”
Dana’s eyes opened wide. It was like looking in a mirror, even without the detail. She decided it was already amazing.
“How do you do that?” she asked.
“It’ll be better when all the details are there. I did get the butt dimples there in the mirror.”
“I never see them,” Dana said. Now that she could see them, she understood why they’d be fascinating.
“Luke will love it. When’s his birthday?”
“About two weeks.”
“No problem; I’ll have it done before then.”
It was complete and ready for Luke’s birthday after a few awkward “posing” sessions where Dana sat beside Wendy, holding out her hands, having her face studied carefully, and, of course, topless with Wendy carefully studying her breasts and nipples. But, when it was complete, it looked almost like a photograph; it was so finely detailed and realistic.
In their conversations, while Wendy was painting, she noted she had other projects in mind. She wanted to take famous old paintings by the masters and create modern versions, beginning with The Nude Maja by Goya, with Dana posing, of course.
“By the way,” Wendy said after their last session, “now there are portraits of you, Max, and myself. Only one missing.
Was she hinting that she wanted to paint a portrait of Luke … naked?
“Why not?” Wendy asked, seeing the look on Dana’s face. “You stared at Max while you were posing. I need to get my jollies too.” She ended that last statement with a sinister-sounding chuckle.
“Wendy, what have I gotten myself into?”
“Nothing, except you’re way more relaxed showing a little of your body now, and I suspect you may be ready to wear that red dress to Luke’s dinner party.”
Dana knew she was right about that. What Wendy didn’t know was that Dana had put the dress on several times lately, commando, and had put a chair in front of the mirror, crossing and uncrossing her legs and checking what could be seen. She was satisfied that she could do it without exposing anything and had decided she’d wear no underwear for the dinner. She smiled when she thought of what Luke’s reaction would be. Plus, she wondered what her own reaction would be, particularly after she’d had a couple of drinks. The way her thoughts about herself had changed, it could be dangerous.
“After you wear that dress to the dinner, talk to Luke about having his portrait done.”
Dana decided that Wendy was developing an obsession with painting a portrait of a naked Luke, and, despite her reservations, she knew Luke would love the idea. She’d bring it up when she gave him his birthday present. And, she wondered if Wendy would volunteer to paint while she was naked, as she’d done with Dana.
“Another project I have in mind is a modern interpretation of Monet’s painting’ Luncheon on the Grass. It has two men and two women on a picnic with one of the ladies naked. My version will have a more realistic four people naked.”
“And should I assume that one of them will be me?” Dana asked.
“And the others will be me, Max, and Luke.”
“Wendy,” Dana squealed. “I’m supposed to sit there and pose with two naked men there also?”
“It’ll be fun. I might have to take photos to use. We’ll all pose for the photos, and I can use them to do the painting when it rains and stuff.”
“It’s still naked posing with men.”
“Don’t worry, it’ll be easy by then. I want to body paint the two of us also, you know, painted on clothing, and then we’ll walk around the streets, and people will wonder, ‘are they or aren’t they?'”
She was trying to act cool, but Dana was having trouble getting her breath as she pictured the things Wendy had planned. Would she be able to do them at some time in the future? She’d nearly had heart failure the first time she’d pulled off her clothing in front of Wendy. But she’d done it. Could she do more?
*****
Luke’s birthday was on Friday, and the dinner party was on Saturday. She was sure Luke would be nearly overwhelmed by the surprises she had in store for him. And there were several.
She prepared his favorite dinner on Friday, steaks, baked potato, tossed salad, and a little cheesecake for dessert. After dinner, when he was comfortable in the lounger, she went to the spare bedroom and was back quickly with a large but thin present, wrapped neatly in bright red paper.
“Guess what this is?” she teased.
Luke made several futile attempts at guessing before she handed it to him. He carefully tore the paper off, then just stared for long seconds. Slowly his head turned toward her.
“Dana?” was all he could say.
“Do you like it?”
He looked at it again. “This is the best gift you could have gotten me. And, I thought it was a photograph, but it’s a painting. Did you have … where did you get the idea … who painted it?
Dana knew his mind was wondering if some strange man had been seeing her naked while he painted the picture.
“Wendy did it.”
“Wendy? I didn’t know she painted.”
“Neither did I, but she showed me two that she had done before, of herself and of Max.”
“Max?”
Dana could hear the obvious question in the single word.
“Yes, and they’re both naked. And yes, now I’ve seen a painting of Max naked.” She wasn’t going to mention just yet that Max had seen her posing naked. “And now, Wendy wants to do one of you.”
“She does?”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” she said, giggling.
“I’d rather see the one she did of herself.”
“I’m sure she’ll let you. Maybe as a birthday present.”
“Dana, I can’t believe that you, of all people, were able to pose nude for a portrait, even if the artist was your best friend.”
“She said I owed her for all the sewing she’s done for me.”
While Luke continued to look at the painting, Dana called Wendy, asking if they could come over, and Luke wanted to see her picture. Wendy laughed and said that would be fine.
“So, you want to see my picture, huh,” Wendy said when she answered the door.
“Well, if you’re willing to show, I’m willing to look.”
“On one condition. That you allow me to complete the quartet of paintings.”
“Sure. I’m willing to show if you’re willing to paint.”
Dana shook her head at her husband’s sexual innuendo, but it wasn’t over yet.”
Wendy sensually licked her lips. “Can’t wait,” she murmured, her voice low and suggestive.
They viewed the nude Wendy, Luke trying to be cool about it but failing. They worked out posing times for Luke, talked about the other projects that Wendy had suggested, and Dana and Luke headed home. Luke propped the painting on the bedroom dresser opposite the bed, and the sex that followed was slightly different and much more satisfying than usual. The Saturday morning follow-up was the same.
When Saturday evening came, and it was time to dress for the dinner, Dana showered and went to the spare bedroom. Still naked from the shower, she pulled on the red dress, arranged her hair, applied the little makeup she usually wore for special events, added a couple of dashes of her favorite cologne, and went to their bedroom where Luke was dressing.
He turned to her, smiled … and then his eyes went wide.
“You’re wearing that dress?” he said, a huge smile now engulfing his face.
She walked toward Luke, bending from the waist and pulling her arms together in front of her.
“Dana, no bra?” He looked totally astounded.
“Unless you insist I wear one.”
He just shook his head and, seeing her smile, had another thought.
“Lift your skirt.” She did and received a look and a smile she’d treasure.
“That painting has changed you.”
“A work in process.”
“Can’t wait for the conclusion.”
“Me either,” Dana replied, wondering herself where she was headed. Time would tell.
At the dinner party, she carefully watched the men since most of them seemed to be watching her. Luke was having no trouble finding company, as he seemed to be very popular, particularly with the men. Dana, not used to drinking, had just finished her second martini when a third magically appeared in her hand. The buzz she was feeling was very pleasant, and kept a smile on her face as she talked with the men gathered around her and Luke. Her blinking eyes, pleasant giggles, and body movements had most of the men sure she was flirting with them. Of course, Dana had no idea this was the case.
The little clutch purse she carried was a nuisance, and she continually dropped it, bending quickly to pick it up, often in unison with one of the men. A couple of times, she looked down and could see three-quarters of her breasts exposed, or maybe even that next fraction, whatever it was. With the constant movement and the bending, her nipples were anything but relaxed, and she knew they were providing a nice pair of pokies for all to see. She chuckled to herself at that thought, so unlike the Dana she had been. As she finished the third martini, she wondered if she could somehow expose her nipples. She’d have to work on that. The short skirt provided another possibility.
Dana continued talking and laughing, trying to listen to herself to see if her speech was slurred yet. She’d gotten good and drunk a couple of times, but it was with Luke and a couple of close friends, so nothing had come of it. She had trouble remembering those times, but Luke kept telling her she was a delightful drunk.
She excused herself to go to the restroom; she had some experimentation to do. There was only a single lady there washing her hands, and quickly Dana was alone. She bent over in front of the mirror, moving her arms and twisting her body. The red dress was made to expose, but not fully expose. Finally, she discovered that if she bent down to pick up her clutch and held each arm a particular way, there it was, long, red, and hard. She smiled.
On the way back to Luke, she stopped at the finger-food table and quickly downed a couple of small and delicious items. Her stomach was empty, and she knew she’d have a fourth martini put in her hand almost immediately. She wondered how she’d be with a little more buzz.
She arrived, and the martini greeted her about ten or fifteen seconds later. Her brain was functioning clearly enough to warn her to sip this one very gently and slowly. Someone new had joined the group around Luke, a curly-haired blond with gorgeous blue eyes who had to be a surfer or something of that nature. His smile was captivating as he introduced himself and asked her a couple of simple questions. As she transferred the clutch to the other hand, of course, it fell to the floor. And, of course, Dana knew the time was right as she bent, moved her arms just so, and watched surfer-man’s eyes move to her now barely exposed nipple.
As they stood, an even larger smile covered his face, and he winked at her.
“Talk to you later,” he said, a very sexual tone in his voice, she thought, and he walked away.
She’d done it and wondered what Mr. Blue Eyes had in mind. It didn’t bother her a bit. The other thing would be a little more difficult, but she might try the nipple view again. She took a large swallow of her martini as they headed to the tables and dinner.
As they were eating, Luke said, “Those delicious boobs or yours have already been well-viewed tonight, you know.”
“You think so,” Dana giggled, taking a bite of potatoes.
“You may be naive, but you’re not that naive,” he countered.
“With this dress that you wanted me to wear, I don’t know how I can keep that from happening.”
“I didn’t say I wanted it to stop. When I bought that dress, I knew that if you wore it, you’d be observed. I’m just surprised you wore it.”
She’d finished the fourth martini and was eating, the effect of the food trailing the alcohol just a bit.
“I could show my ass, or my pussy too,” she said, leaning close to Luke and giggling. “Actually, they wouldn’t see my pussy, just my muff.”
Luke looked at her and smiled. “One more martini and I think I could get you up on the table here to dance naked.”
“You think?
“No more martinis until I give the okay, you got that?” She nodded, still smiling. “I’m probably not going to get to dance with you much at all as about fifty guys already have their eyes glued to you.”
Another giggle. “Really?”
“Maybe I should just take you home before you get into trouble.”
“I’ll be good,” she said, extending her pinkie toward him. The “pinkie promise” was complete, but she did remember Mr. Surfer and wondered if she’d be dancing with him.
He was the first one to cut-in on Luke. “I just have to dance with this beautiful lady,” he said as he squeezed her hand and put his arm around her waist, pulling her against him.
Luke watched suspiciously, realizing that, because of the red dress and some changes in Dana, this was how his night would play out. He knew there were lots of women anxious to dance with him as well, and he’d take advantage of that.
With her body pressed against him, surfer-guy wasn’t going to get a view of her boobs, but he’d already had that. But his time with her was short as another man cut in after less than a minute.
It was like that all evening with Luke’s co-workers and clients seemingly enjoying her company.
On the way home, Luke chuckled and asked, “Well, I was dancing with lots of women and didn’t get to see if you had a chance to expose your ass or your pussy.”
Dana curled her nose. “No, I didn’t. It’s hard to do when you’re dancing. Her speech was very slurred by now, and Luke decided that only the constant movement of the dancing had kept her awake. But she did have one more question. “Who’s the surfer guy that kept cutting in? I think he saw all of my boob one time.”
“Well, he’s a client of ours, a good one, and we make lots of money off him. He is a surfer, and if you were going to show off to anyone, he was a good one to pick.”
“Oh, good,” Dana said as her eyes drifted shut.
Once home, Luke said a quiet thank you to the beautiful painting now hanging over their bed.
*****
Dana went with Luke for his first posing session with Wendy. Maybe she’d relax after a few sessions, but Wendy seemed awfully anxious to get with a nude Luke. As long as it was only him naked, it should be fine. She wasn’t sure if Wendy did it on purpose, but the painting of her hung right in front of where Luke would be posing.
Wendy went through the explanation of the posing, breaks if needed, and the final details she’d need when it was almost done. She’d moved a loveseat into the studio and described how she’d like for Luke to pose. When it was time to start, he stripped, sat in the chair, looked at the painting of Wendy, and immediately began to get an erection.
“Is that what you want in the painting,” Wendy asked, chuckling.
“I think I’ve been set up,” Luke groaned.
If Wendy was so intent on seeing Luke naked, she might as well see him as Dana liked to see him. She crept over to the loveseat, grasped his partial erection, and began pumping.
“Dana, stop,” he yelled, but she was holding him very tightly, and when he tried to dislodge her hand, he was in danger of losing some skin. It only took a few pumps to accomplish what she was after, and she released him, his cock hard and sticking straight out from his body.
Both Wendy and Dana were laughing as Luke wasn’t quite sure what to do.
“It’s nice,” Wendy said. “I’ll leave that part till last. Now, just hold still so I can get started.”
As Wendy began to work, it suddenly dawned on Dana that she was sitting in the studio with her naked husband, her best friend having just said that his erection was “nice,” and she had laughed along with her. Things had certainly changed in the last few weeks, and soon they’d have another painting to hang in the bedroom.
Dana went with Luke for his second session but let him go alone after that. Like her, he said that posing for the final details was weird, the final session being the ultimate with him sitting in a chair beside Wendy, his pants at his knees, while she studied the details of his cock. He wasn’t sure that was necessary, but Wendy had seemed to enjoy it.
The final result was as spectacular as hers had been and was hanging above their bed. Access to their bedroom had become very limited, and both of them enjoyed lying on the bed and looking at the paintings.
*****
Dana had completed her posing for Wendy’s modern version of Goya’s The Nude Maja. It had been easy posing, and the final result was what Dana had imagined it to be when she went to Wendy’s to see it.
“It came out pretty well, you think? ” Wendy asked.
“Like all the others, it’s gorgeous.”
I showed it to the Goodwin Gallery downtown. They want to display it for six months.”
Dana’s eyes opened wide.
“They’re sure it will sell during that time too.”
“Wendy, that’s me in that painting,” Dana said, her heart pounding.
“And you look perfect there.”
“I’m naked.”
“Appropriate for The Nude Maja.
“Don’t play dense. You know what I mean.”
“Are lots of your friends artsy-craftsy people who visit small downtown art galleries?”
Dana was silent for a moment. “No, but still.”
“Well, if you say so, I won’t do it,” Wendy answered, a defeated look on her face.
“Oh, pile the guilt on me,” Dana said, laughing. But what Wendy said was true. She didn’t know anyone who visited those galleries. But it was her face … and the rest of her, too. This was a real test of the changed Dana. She took a deep breath. “Oh, hell, go ahead.”
She received a big hug from Wendy. “Thanks.”
“Now that we’ve settled that, what are we going to do to celebrate National Nude Day?”
“Huh?”
“It’s July fourteenth, and that’s just a few days away. We need to plan something.”
A good bit of discussion followed, with many possibilities explored. They parted, leaving the final decision hanging.
The next day they talked for an hour. The plan was set and would be a surprise to the men, particularly since neither of them was aware that National Nude Day existed.
“Guess what, babe?” Dana said when dinner was finished.
“Um, how many guesses do I get?”
“Just be quiet. Today is National Nude Day, and we need to celebrate.”
Luke began unbuttoning his shirt.”
“Slow down, tiger. The celebration begins after dark.”
“Go on.”
“I’ll update you then.”
It was an enticingly nerve-wracking evening for Luke, his imagination sparked by those four letters. N-U-D-E. He kept watching Dana, chagrined to see how much she was enjoying tormenting him.
“It’s almost dark,” he finally said, a hopeful tone to his voice. “Fill me in.”
Dana smiled. “We’re going to Wendy and Max’s to celebrate.”
“Oh, nice.”
“We’re going to walk.”
“Okay.”
“Naked.”
“No shit?”
“Yup. We leave our clothes here and walk.”
“So, you’re going to be outdoors naked?”
“That’s the plan.”
“See, dreams do come true.”
“Luke, you’re a dork, sometimes,” Dana said, laughing.
Both of them stripped, followed by Luke chasing a squealing Dana two laps around the entire downstairs. Still giggling, they closed up the house, hiding a key under a rock, and started their trip.
The street lights were all on the same side of the street, which would hopefully help them stay unobserved. They stayed behind bushes when they could, and when a car passed, they hid, with Dana learning over to make sure it was past them. It was all Luke needed, and his hand was immediately between her legs, massaging gently.
“Luke, stop,” she pleaded, grabbing his arm. A few more seconds of enjoyment, and he relented.
In the quiet neighborhood where they lived, walking along naked wasn’t a severe challenge. They only had to seek cover two more times, and each of those times, Luke used his hands freely on a squealing and squirming Dana.
They arrived at the Proctor’s panting, Luke having chased Dana the last one hundred yards, tickling her at nearly every step. They were greeted by a naked Wendy, which brought a smile to Luke’s face. He’d seen the painting, but reality was much more juicy. He received a knowing smile in return. Once inside, they met Max, who was also naked.
Dana was astounded that all four of them were ready to spend an evening together … naked. She found herself repeatedly “checking out” Max, or at least checking his manhood which didn’t seem to be totally limp. She smiled at that, knowing that Luke was doing the same with Wendy.
“We have martinis, Dana. I understand you like them,” Max said, smiling. He filled a rather large glass and handed it to Dana, then filled three more and passed them around. “Don’t worry, if you get too buzzed, you’re welcome to spend the night here.”
A pair of chuckles, and soon, second glasses were being poured. These were larger glasses than they’d had at the dinner, so Dana knew the effects would arrive sooner. They discussed the paintings, Dana being challenged to go to the downtown gallery to view her naked body. As she pictured that, she heard the words, “are you the model?” and it caused her to tremble and tingle as well.
The second glass had been emptied, and Dana was flying low, a very contented feeling filling her brain as a “what the hell” feeling surged through her body. She sat on a chair across from Max, watching his erection slowly growing. In her muddled state, she realized she was sitting very comfortably with her legs spread enough that her muff was no longer shielding her pussy. When she glanced down, she could clearly see her parted labia. She smiled at Max, and he returned the smile. She felt sorry for him in that condition, his erection very prominent and needing help.
She walked unsteadily to his chair and dropped to the floor on hands and knees.
“Poor thing,” she chuckled, blinking her eyes at him. She licked her lips, and her hand took hold of him. She loved the groan she heard, her innate sensuality bubbling to the surface. For a second, she thought of using her mouth but decided her hand would do the job. She began a slow but steady pumping, the kind that Luke particularly enjoyed.
“Is that good?” she asked. Max simply groaned.
Luke watched what was happening, realizing that he was getting hard from the watching. A quick look at Wendy — she was looking at him and nodding. On hands and knees, she crossed to his chair and, unlike Dana, was perfectly willing to use her mouth, surrounding the head with her lips and caressing it with her tongue. Wendy wasn’t Dana, but right this instant, she was amazing, her breasts rubbing his legs as her mouth enveloped his erection. He closed his eyes, enveloped in what she was doing to him.
Max was ready to explode. This exceptionally beautiful woman was massaging his cock, and, not to miss an opportunity, he leaned forward and began squeezing those fantastic breasts he had seen once before. The nipples were hard, the skin soft and smooth, the breasts amazingly firm and, well, just perfect. He looked across at Wendy and was jealous. He wanted that but didn’t know how to make it happen. He’d try.
“Look at Luke,” he whispered in Dana’s ear. She released him and turned her head. Then her eyes rolled to his, and she smiled. In seconds, her lips closed on his cock and slid down nearly to the base. He grunted as her head began to bob up and down, faster and faster. She was better at this than Wendy, he decided. “Gonna come,” he grunted, and her hand was back in action, streams of milky liquid landing on her hair, her face, those beautiful breasts, and finally dribbling down her hand and arm.
Their eyes met.
“Better now?” she asked, her speech still a little slurred.
She was still gripping his erection, and Max wasn’t sure he could speak. “Yeah, much better,” he finally said to Dana’s answering giggle.
She stumbled back to her chair and watched as Luke shot spunk on Wendy’s face and breasts as well, then held up her glass. Max rose slowly, took the glass, and filled it, returning it to Dana, who took a big swallow. She wondered what might happen after the third glass. Right now, though, Wendy was reaching for her hand to guide her to the bathroom. She chuckled as she realized they were both a bit of a mess.
The trip to the bathroom was a little awkward, with both of them bumping walls and stumbling repeatedly, each helping to support the other.
“Max was in heaven,” Wendy said a little unevenly.
“I made him get hard and thought I needed to take care of it,” Dana replied. “Maybe I shouldn’t have done that.”
“He thinks you’re the best there is. You made him a happy camper. He’ll remember that … and remind me about it forever.” Wendy finished with a giggle.
“Wendy, he loves you,” Dana replied as she washed the sticky cum off her face.
“I know he does,” and I don’t mind him thinking that about you. I just know he never dreamed something like that would happen.”
“He gave my boobs a good squeezing, too.” She paused her scrubbing for a second. “You seemed to do a good job with Luke, too.
“He didn’t try to fight me off, that’s for sure. Max says something about getting a little ‘strange’ can be fun when he’s teasing me. We weren’t exactly doing that, but it was fun.”
“Hold still,” Dana said, taking a wet washcloth and cleaning two strings of gooey liquid from Wendy’s hair. Wendy took the cloth and did the same for Dana.”
They looked at each other.
“They owe us,” Wendy said. “Are you game?”
“I’m ready.”
Back to the family room they went, and Dana drained the last of her third glass. She saw Max eyeing her with a smile. Wendy went straight to Luke and sat down next to him. Dana went to where she had been earlier, sat down, and spread her legs.
She smiled as Max’s cock was already responding, and he dropped to his hands and knees and came toward her. It felt so strange in a way, legs spread wide, womanhood in full view, and a different man heading toward her. It was her good friend, Max, but what if it was someone else. She shivered as Max touched her legs, then began kissing his way from her knee to her crotch. There were all sorts of possibilities, and she wondered what all he might do.
“You ready?” he murmured, looking up at her.
She bit her lower lip, nodding. His finger traced her cleft from top to bottom and back again, over and over, not probing, just caressing. That had never happened to her before, and she was nearly frantic, wanting him to do more. At last, he did, stroking over and over the pinkness between her vagina and her clitoris, not touching either. Breathing was getting more difficult, and she knew her body was glistening. She forced herself to look at Max — his eyebrows were raised, he was smiling and licking his lips. She knew that if he didn’t do more soon, she’d have to grab his hand and make the decision for him.
At last, his finger probed, sliding slowly inside her. Her hips pressed forward to meet his thrust, forcing his finger deeper. She felt a second finger and then a third. Without even thinking about it, her hips were moving back and forth on the fingers.
“You like that, don’t you?” he said softly.
All Dana could do was moan and press forward with her hips.
“How about this,” he asked as one finger slid across her clitoris.
Dana jerked, a sharp moan escaping her throat.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” Max said, his finger flicking back and forth across her swollen clit.
Dana couldn’t control the moans that seemed to be getting louder and louder. This was different than she was used to as Max’s tongue and finger alternated with almost the same flicking motions. Luke used his lips much more than Max, but the flicking had her body heating, sensations racing through her as she felt his fingers moving faster and faster.
It was going to happen, and the spasms began with a long and loud moan, followed by more spasms and staccato moans as her body shuddered, every muscle contracting over and over.
“Stop, please,” she finally said through her labored breathing.
He did and said, “Look over there,” a very wet finger pointing toward the other couple where Luke’s face was buried between Wendy’s widely spread legs, her body mimicking what had just happened with Dana.
Dana watched as Max reluctantly sat back on his haunches, giving her pussy a last look before standing. She smiled as his erection was still very prominent. Wendy had brought her legs together, and Luke stood beside the couch.
“It’s midnight,” Luke said. “Nude Day is over.”
“No, it’s not,” Wendy countered. “Let’s go out in the yard and practice posing for the luncheon picture I’m planning to do.”
Max offered his hand to Dana, and she stood, as did Wendy. Outside in the yard, and naked? This was something new. It was a warm night in July, and there was no dew on the grass yet, so sitting and posing was fun, filled with pushing and touching and lots of laughing. The yard was fairly private, but none of them were thinking of that as they listened to the crickets chirping and the cicadas singing their mating songs. There was even the unmistakable sharp chirp of a whippoorwill.
When they finished with the supposed posing practice, Luke crawled across the grass to Dana.
“I heard you,” he said, kissing her ear.
“You should have been taking care of Wendy and ignoring me,” she answered with a chuckle.
“I was doing that, but it must have been good, right?”
She looked at him in the glow of the moonlight. “It was … different.”
“That’s what Wendy said, too. It was so strange, hearing those gorgeous moans, but being so far away.”
“That isn’t fair; I couldn’t hear you at all.”
“I doubt you were hearing anything. I just wish I could have watched it.”
“You mean you’d have liked to see another man make me come?”
“As long as you’re still mine, yeah.”
“That’s not an issue, and I did see the very end of Wendy taking care of you. It was, well, fascinating and exciting, too.
“How about me taking care of you right now and right here?” Luke said, sliding his hand along Dana’s thigh.
“You want to make me come again?”
“More than that.”
“Oh, god, Luke. Wendy and Max are right there.”
“And when they see us … they’ll join us.” He pushed her back so she was flat on the grass and spread her legs.
“I guess I don’t have much choice now,” she whispered.
“You can say no if you’d like,” he said as he pressed his erection against her.
“Some other time,” she groaned.
Just as predicted, Wendy and Max, ten feet from them, joined them within seconds.
*****
On Saturday, Wendy dragged Dana to the little downtown gallery to see her painting. Dana piled her hair into a bun, wore dark glasses, and a plain, loose-fitting dress to disguise herself as much as possible. It was a special day at the gallery, and it was fairly well packed. Wendy went to talk to the owner, and Dana stood by herself to view the well-lit display. By herself was a misnomer, as there were many people standing around with her, looking.
“Unique idea,” a lady shared with her. “And the model is beautiful as well.”
Dana smiled as she nearly said thank you to the lady.
She listened to more comments, blushing slightly despite her disguise. When Wendy returned, she asked Dana if people seemed to like it.
“Everything I’ve heard so far is good.”
“The owner says he’s had several offers to purchase it. The last one was for five thousand dollars, an older gentleman who said he’d double the offer if he could meet the model.”
“Wendy, no way,” Dana said, looking around guiltily.
“I told her that wouldn’t happen, and she was going to go back to the gentleman for a response.”
Dana thought for a moment. “So, if I just meet the guy, you’ll get an extra five thousand?”
“Minus commission, of course.” She received a nudge in the ribs for that.
Dana remembered when she’d posed for that picture, and the one of herself, how nervous and embarrassed she’d been to expose her body. Then Wendy has told her about the gallery and the painting being on display. She had rebelled at first, then agreed. Now she was standing in front of the painting, and no one had recognized her. With the many things that had happened since, particularly the National Nude Day celebration just two days ago, she felt much differently about herself than she had then. She smiled at Wendy.
“Tell your friend to get as much out of the old guy as she can, but I’ll be happy to meet him so the artist can receive an additional five grand, or whatever the doubling might be.”
“Are you sure, Dana?’
“Yeah, and maybe I’ll give him his own personal viewing, you know.”
“Dana.” It was Wendy’s turn to look appalled.
The patron of the arts upped his offer to ten thousand dollars, which, when doubled, gave Wendy an additional ten thousand. She promised to share with Dana.
The meeting with the gentleman was very pleasant — dinner at the Downtown Athletic Club. Dana didn’t give him a “personal viewing,” but she did wear the red dress, which she was sure made the old guy’s heart pound a little harder.
When the Proctors or the Berrys went to the other’s house for dinner or games, it was after dark and interesting. With cooler weather approaching, they were both sure it would get even more interesting. On “very special” nights, their times together were very interesting and delightfully exciting, their experimentation becoming more and more sensual and … well, just, you can imagine.
Dana had changed dramatically … and was loving it. She could dress as she wanted, act as she wanted, and be who she wanted. And Luke had never been more proud of his wife. When other men gawked at her, he loved her even more. Perhaps he was changing too. They’d both decided that National Nude Day had accomplished that, or at least put the final stamp on everything.