In The Garden Of Snakes (An Erotic Summer Tryst) (2 page)

“Maddy, what do you say.”

“Hi. We’re going swimming. Wanna come?”
Madison was a short brunette with rosy cheeks.

“Maybe later.” Impatient to continue playing,
the girls ran from the room.

“Come on. I’ll give you the tour. Then we can
go swimming. I gotta work on my tan.”

A woman suddenly appeared. “Oh, there you
are. Why didn’t you tell me you’d arrived?” She was of medium
stature, with long, dyed blonde hair. A loose fitting, colorful
shirt flowed out around her. “I’m Constance, Carmen’s stepmother.”
She held out a hand.

I shook it. “Jessica.”

“Did you have a good drive?”

“Yes. It was fine. Thanks for inviting me to
stay with you. My mother wanted me to tell you that. Well, thanks
from me too.” I struggled for something else to say, feeling at a
loss. “This house is really nice.”

She smiled, and lines appeared around her
eyes. “Thank you. Everyone’s outside having lemonade.” She glanced
at Carmen. “Your dad’s in the studio.”

“And he’s not coming out until he’s
Picasso.”

Constance leaned in conspiratorially. “I
should warn you, he’s looking for nude models. So, if he
propositions you, it’s only for art’s sake.” She laughed at that.
“I have to check on lunch. Excuse me.”

The thought of posing nude for anyone, let
alone a man who was substantially older, had my stomach turning
over with bundles of nervous energy.

“She’s joking, Jess. You don’t have to get
naked for him, unless you want to.”

“Um, I think I’ll pass.”

“That’s what I thought you’d say.”

I followed Carmen out the French doors. We
stood on a gray stone patio that seemed to stretch on forever.
Potted trees and flowers were placed at intervals, among cushioned
furniture. There were several seating areas and a lengthy table
with chairs. Umbrellas provided spotted shading. A pretty brunette
in a bikini approached.

“This must be Jessica.” She smiled
pleasantly.

“Hi.”

“I’m Sonya.”

“You’re way ahead of us,” said Carmen. “We
should get our swimsuits on.”

“Well, hello,” said a gray-haired woman. She
was in a wheelchair, which glided over silently. “You must be
Jessica.”

“I am.” I knew this was Carmen’s grandmother.
“Your house is beautiful, Mrs. Hollander.”

“Why, thank you, sweetheart.”

A woman came out dressed in blue nurse
scrubs. “It’s time for lunch, Rose.”

“I want to eat out here.”

“I can set the table.”

“You girls are all so lovely.” She smiled
through a watery haze, her red-rimmed eyes glistening. “You be
careful of the snakes, my dears. There are so many in the
garden.”

“Yes, grandma. We’ll watch out for the
snakes.” Carmen made a face.

“They’re hiding in the bushes.”

“I’m sure the girls will be just fine,” said
the nurse. “Let’s find you a shady spot.”

“Isn’t it lovely to be young?” murmured Rose
wistfully. “Those were the best years. The pretty dresses and
parties. The dinner dates, the luncheons. What fun we had at the
Stork Club.”

“Yes, Mrs. Hollander.” The nurse wheeled her
off.

“I’m grabbing a Coke and heading down,” said
Sonya.

Carmen glanced at me. “Let’s hit the pool.
You can meet everybody later. I’m dying for a cigarette.”

How bad could it be? It wasn’t as if I would
be exposing myself in public. The residence was private. “Okay.” We
returned to the house. I was in my bedroom, stepping into a modest
one-piece when the door suddenly opened. It was Carmen. “Omigod!” I
hid myself, turning around. “I’m getting dressed.”
God. This is
so embarrassing!

“Sorry. I have horrible manners. You might as
well get used to it. Are you really wearing
that?
”

“Uh, yeah.” I slid the straps over my
shoulders.

“That’s like somethin’ my grandma would wear.
I have a couple of bikinis. You can borrow one. You don’t have to
go around looking like that.”

I turned to her. “I’m fine. I…don’t mind
this. Where are the towels?” She had on a bikini that was nothing
more than strips of cloth held together by string.

“Down by the pool.”

“I’ll grab my sunscreen.” I was going to
ignore that look on her face, which made it painfully obvious how
disgusting she found my swimsuit to be. I’d never really been in
public nearly naked before; my family wasn’t the outdoorsy type,
and we’d only been to a pool once or twice. I had never learned how
to swim.

She gave me a look. “This place is gonna
freak you out.”

“How do you mean?”

“Roberta usually goes topless.”

“Who’s Roberta?”

“Mom’s younger sister.”

I shrugged. “People can do what they
want.”

“I’ve gone topless too.”

“You can do what you want.” The mention of
women being naked had an unusual effect on me. A strange tingling
had begun in my tummy. I’d experienced this before, mostly when I
was bored or when I read or saw something that aroused me. I shook
myself mentally. I’d have to get it out of my head. “Let’s go. I’m
ready.”

The walk to the pool was fragrant and
beautiful, the plants being at their peak. We passed a gardener on
the way. He was packing mulch under a bush; his gray pants were
stained.

“This is Stuart,” said Carmen. He stood and
brushed dirt off his thighs. She gave him a hug, which surprised
me.

“Hey, Sunshine.” He was tall and lean, with
dark wavy hair and an easy smile. “Hello.” His eyes roamed over me,
pausing on my breasts. “Your house guests are getting
prettier.”

“Jessica’s staying with us for a month. She’s
lived a sheltered life, Stuart. Just look at her.” His appraisal
was blatant and knowing. I swallowed the lump in my throat, my
palms suddenly sweaty. “I’m hoping you’ll help me corrupt her.”

“She looks petrified, Carmen,” he
laughed.

“I know.”

I was at a loss. These two obviously had a
rapport. What was I supposed to say?

“She’s got a body,” he murmured. “It’s there
under all those…clothes.” His look was considering and slightly
lascivious.

“That she does. I saw it five minutes ago.
I’m still jealous.”

A little shiver went down my spine, sinuous
and pleasurable. I’d never been examined like this before, as
openly or as ardently. My nipples became firm little nubs pressing
against the Lycra of my suit. “Are we going to the pool?”

“Yes we are,” Carmen said loudly. “Let’s hit
the road. Good bye, Stuart.” She linked her arm through mine,
whispering, “Sorry about that. He was my first.”

“What?”

“He popped my cherry a couple of years
ago.”

My mouth fell open. “You’re eighteen. When
did
that
happen?”

“Fifteen.”

“Oh, wow.”

“I fuck him whenever I’m here. He’s not bad,
if you like it rough.”

“W-what?”

“Never mind, my sheltered one. I gotta have a
cigarette.” She popped it in her mouth and lit the end, blowing
noxious smoke into the air. “We really need to have a talk,
Jess.”

“We do?”

She nodded. “You’re gonna get eaten alive
here, trust me. It won’t be pretty either. I don’t think I can save
you.” Humor flashed in her eyes.

“You’ve changed a lot since I knew you.”

“Christ, I hope so.” The pool was an enormous
rectangle with inlaid stone all around and seating areas. A woman
lay on a lounge chair, her tanned breasts completely exposed. “Hey,
Roberta!”

“Hi, Carmen. I have a fucking hangover. Could
you make any more noise?”

“Sorry. This is Jessica. She’s here for the
summer.”

“Hello, Jessica.” Her voice sounded monotone.
“Welcome to the party.” She wore an enormous straw hat and huge
black sunglasses.

I didn’t want to stare at her breasts, but I
found myself doing that. They were large and firm, the masses
jiggling slightly, taking over her entire ribcage. She wore several
gold bracelets, which caught the light. We sat on cushioned lounge
chairs near the water’s edge.

“I’m getting in real quick.” Carmen stubbed
out her cigarette and jumped into the water.

I began to apply sunscreen, feeling woefully
overdressed. I glanced at Roberta, and little tingles registered in
my tummy, pinging one by one. I’d never seen a woman topless
before, not even my mother. The sun gleamed off her bronzed skin,
the surface shimmering with suntan oil. The curve of her breasts
were obscene, they were so full and lush looking. Mine were just as
large, and, if I were to drop my top, the effect would be
similar.

“Fucking freezing,” muttered Carmen. She
grabbed her towel. “They say they’re gonna heat it, and they never
do. Liars.” She sat cross-legged on the chair. “So, we gotta
talk.”

Oh, boy. Here it comes. “I’m sorry I’m a
disappointment.”

“That’s not it at all.”

“Seems like it.” I applied sunscreen to my
arms.

“Mom was the religious one. Dad wasn’t into
all that crap. Ya know? So, after he met Constance, um…things
changed. They started to have parties. Wild parties. I’d sit on the
landing and watch. The guests were naked, and everybody was fucking
everybody.”

The images her words created sent little
tingles through me. The idea that Mr. Hollander would have sex with
someone other than his wife was unthinkable. “You’re joking,
right?”

“Nope. I shit you not. I couldn’t make this
up if I wanted to. Constance comes from a really liberal family,
Jess. They’re weird and flaky, but totally fun. My mom was the
opposite. I guess dad was looking for something different. I don’t
know. I hated her at first cause she was taking mom’s place and
everything, but she grew on me.”

“If my mom knew about this, she’d never let
me come.”

Carmen grinned wickedly. “Yeah.”

“I’m tired of being told what to do.”

“You’re eighteen. You can do what you
want.”

“Not really.”

A bottle of sunscreen was in her hand.
“Nobody around here cares about that. You can walk around naked, if
the urge strikes.” To illustrate the point, she removed her top and
bottoms, exposing perky breasts and a hairless pussy. “This is
gonna be an all over tan.” A saucy grin played on her lips. Her
toned body was on full display, the curves of her narrow hips, the
pale mound of her pussy, with its mysterious cleft, and the
tautness of her tummy. I shaved, but I had never gotten rid of all
the hair down there. “Oh, man, this is nice.” Carmen massaged
lotion into her skin. “I’m so gonna burn my pubes, but I don’t
care.”

An older man approached. “Good afternoon,” he
said. I found it shocking that Carmen didn’t cover herself.

“Grandpa Fred! Grandpa, this is Jessica.
She’s here for the summer.”

“Hello, Jessica. Pretty girls are always
welcome at High Bridge.” He tipped his hat and continued walking, a
shiny oak cane in his hand. “What a lovely day. Let’s see if the
ducks are out.”

“Hey, dad,” called Roberta.

“Hello, dear.”

Carmen glanced at me. “He’s Constance’s
dad.”

“Yeah. I got that.”

“Don’t look so freaked out. Nobody gives a
shit about nudity here.” She rolled to her side and held her head
in the palm of her hand. “You hate it, don’t you?”

“Hate what?”

“Being here.”

“No.”

“You think I’m a slut.”

“No.”

“I’ve grossed you out.”

I shook my head.

“I’m not go—”

Abby and Madison ran by. “Ew! Naked boobies!”
The girls darted down the path, giggling and laughing, followed by
several household pets.

“You’re a virgin, aren’t you?”

“Maybe.”

“You wanna stay that way?”

“I-I have to.”

“Who says?”

“God.”

“Ugh.” She fell to the chair. “I got my work
cut out for me.”

I met everyone at dinner that night. We sat
at a long table, filled with pretty dishes and shiny cutlery.
Animals were at my feet, waiting for scraps of food, which Abby and
Madison provided, much to Constance’s chagrin. The family matriarch
sat on the end dressed in a black dress with a string of pearls
around her neck. Carmen was to my right and her parents were across
from us. I hadn’t seen her father, Joseph, in years, and he was
almost exactly as I remembered with dark, gray tinged hair, strong
facial features, and an athletic build. His attention was focused
on me, which was disconcerting.

I’d come down wearing a sundress my mother
had made; the multicolored, ensemble was modest and comfortable,
while Carmen wore a sparkly silver top with tiny black shorts. She
looked so cool and sophisticated that I felt twinges of jealousy.
Her shoulder-length hair was styled to perfection, while mine hung
down my back, straight and boring.

Earlier I had met Uncle Henry, who wasn’t as
sociable and preferred to drink brandy and read. He wore a wrinkled
suit and dark-rimmed glasses. “Pass the wine, please,” he requested
gruffly.

Christian, who was a family friend, blonde
and handsome, handed him the bottle. “Here you go.”

“Thank you, son.”

Christian and Sonya had joined us by the
pool. He had played the guitar and smoked a joint, which Carmen had
shared with him. As a result, she’d behaved strangely all
afternoon, giggling and looking bleary-eyed. The narcotic effects
of the drug were slowly wearing off.

Carmen flung a heaping spoonful of mashed
potatoes onto her plate. “I’m freaking starving. Pass the meat,
please.”

“So your family’s in Ithaca?” asked
Joseph.

I nodded.

“In the same house?”

“Yes.”

“They go to that church still?”

“Yes.”

“Your dad’s teaching, right?”

“Yes.”

“And you’re heading to college?”

“I am.”

“Which one?”