My Wonderful Obsession 44 free porn video

My Wonderful Obsession Part 44: Double-Dating I'm sure you've seen it before in the movies. The morning light filters through the bedroom curtains. The camera pans to the bed and the sleeping girl with the mass of tousled dark hair covering the pillow. You guess she's nude, since her back is bare all the way to the curve of her shapely butt. She abruptly rolls over towards the camera and reaches for someone she expects is next to her - but isn't. Then she sits up, clutching a sheet to her bare chest and sees him emerge from the bathroom, all dressed and evidently ready to steal quietly away. But noticing she's awake, he sits on the bed and takes her face in his hands, delivering a tender kiss and whispering thanks for a wonderful night, tells her how lovely she looks, and promises to call her later. Seconds later you hear the sound of the door closing and she rolls onto her back, staring up at the ceiling with a contented expression on her face. Well, that's pretty much how I remember it, anyway! A few minutes later, the alarm went off and I quickly hit the snooze button. I wanted to just luxuriate in the cozy feeling of the warm sheets against my bare skin, and enjoy the lingering aroma of Rob's maleness that permeated them. So it wasn't a dream after all, I thought with a smile and shake of my head. After hitting snooze a second and third time, I reluctantly extracted myself from the sheets and stumbled nude into the bathroom, glancing in the mirror as I made for the toilet. "OH MY GOD," I said aloud. My face was an absolute disaster - I'd neglected to remove my eye makeup and there were these huge dark smudges down my cheeks and across my temples. And my hair! Rob must have thought he was sleeping with Alice Cooper! How could he have ever thought I was even remotely 'lovely?' What a liar! And here I thought I was the crazy one. A shower seemed the only option, so I scrounged an elastic to tie up my hair and just let the warm water run all over my body. There was this dull ache all through my crotch area, so I took the wand and squatted a bit with my legs parted, directing the stream there for a few minutes. It seemed to help. When I opened the curtain to step out, there stood Julia in her bathrobe, holding a towel for me. She didn't exactly look her best either. "I knocked, but you didn't answer," she said before I had the chance to open my mouth. I took the towel and began drying off, figuring what the hell, she already saw my female body without clothes and didn't seem to freak out. "How are you feeling?" I asked cautiously. "Like shit," she answered. "But I've been wide awake for at least an hour. Um ... do we need to talk, Sandy?" Oh crap, I thought. "About what?" "About what? Well, how 'bout this: I heard the door a while ago? And you're bed's, like, a total mess? And I might have been right out of it last night, but I could swear you were there with someone." 'Busted,' I thought as I patted my body dry with the towel. I was still completely naked and Julia was definitely stealing glances at my crotch, but I didn't care. And I didn't beat around the bush either. "That wasn't someone, that was Rob." "As if it would be someone else ..." I pulled off the elastic and began brushing out my hair. "Well, you went off with the others, so I didn't think it would be a big deal if Rob and I, like, hung out with each other for a while?" Julia had to raise her voice. "Sandy, you slept with him. Like, that's a bit more serious than just hanging out!" I felt like I was having to defend myself! "I know. Like, you and I both know? But it just felt right, and I was really wanting ... oh, forget it, you wouldn't understand." Surprisingly, Julia's face broke into a thin smile. "Oh, I think I might. You seem to forget, I've been a girl a lot longer than you have." When I didn't respond, her face unexpectedly brightened and she said, "Hey, why don't you make some coffee while I grab a quick shower too, and then we'll talk, okay?" I nodded and smiled back as I began applying moisturizer. "Coffee sounds like a super idea." She handed me my bathrobe. "And we all know you have a seriously hot body, but you might wanna, like, cover it up before you go to the kitchen? You never know who's walking past the window." So we sat for a while and shared coffee and conversation. And for the first time I really felt like Julia's girlfriend and not her ex- boyfriend who was still pretending to be a girl. It was the coolest thing! I felt really bad for wanting to murder her the night before. We could have talked and talked for hours, but we had to meet up with Lindsey for our lessons. When we were on our own again that afternoon, we picked up right where we left off, using every second on the chairlift to talk and often continuing for ten or fifteen minutes at the top, before setting off downhill again. By the end of the day I knew more than I wanted to about Julia's sex life, with both me and Alex, and even another guy she had a fling with, who she said reminded her of me (other than my gender issues, that is). And she knew pretty much everything about me and my affairs with Mark and Rob. Knowing Julia as I did, I wasn't overly surprised to hear of her sexual adventures with other guys, but I think she was a bit shocked to find out how intimate I'd been with my men, especially before my operation. "And here I thought you were such a prude," she kidded. "Didn't you tell me you weren't gay?" "So I lied," I giggled. "But really, like, I didn't see myself as a guy, you know? I don't think I could've done some of those things if I wasn't in a dress." "Sex is always more convenient in a dress," she joked. "But like, I don't think those guys would've been too into it either." "Not Rob, that's for sure," I laughed. "But Mark was different. He knew I was a guy, but I think he liked my feminine side right from the get- go? And he really supported me and encouraged me, you know, when I was trying so hard to be accepted as a girl." Julia's face turned dark. "Not like me ..." "Oh, I don't blame you one bit. I think women really hate it when guys try to out-do them at being female. I was like, totally guilty of overdoing it? Still am ..." "You said it, not me. But I AM really sorry for not being more supportive ..." "And I'm sorry for getting so carried away and disappointing you." Julia smiled and squeezed my hand. "You were just being yourself. I should never have taken it so personally." "Well, like I said, I don't blame you at all. I was thinking, like, what if a guy I was dating started doing what I did? Would I be like, 'Oh Jim, how cool that you like wearing women's clothes and doing your hair and makeup! You go right ahead and look as girly as you like. You don't have to look like a guy just to please me!' Well, I don't think I'd be too crazy about that either." Julia's face had a wry smile. "Now you know where I was coming from. Ironic, huh?" "Yeah, pretty ironic." ***** We kept up our nonstop conversation after we got back to the condo. That night we were double-dating with Rob and Jeff. How fun! The occasion called for our best clothes and extra attention to the details. Luckily we had over two hours to shower and make ourselves lovely, which was a good thing 'cause we never left each other's sides the whole time, even using the toilet while the other was using the sink. "Don't you miss being able to stand and pee?" Julia asked in all seriousness while I was busy doing it seated. "Well if you must know, I've been sitting for years? Except when I was out hiking, or someplace where the seat was, like, totally gross." "Like gas station toilets," she nodded. "They're the worst. Too bad, now you don't have a choice. You have to suffer like the rest of us." I was going to say something like, 'But there's a million other perks,' but opted to keep that conviction to myself. Maybe one day she'd understand. Or maybe I'd eventually get where she was coming from, after I'd experienced life as a woman for a few more decades. I seriously doubted it, though. This was now, I thought, and I couldn't have enjoyed being a girl more. Then Julia surprised me by asking me to do her eye makeup. "You're a lot better at it than I am," she said. I very happily obliged, and was thrilled to be able to work my mascara brush into her long lashes and use my whole bag of tricks to give her the perfect evening eyes. And she reciprocated by styling my hair for me, into a very feminine, long bob, using her curling iron and the volumizing spray I'd brought along. I absolutely loved having her fuss with my hair, and I got all kinds of tingles whenever her fingers lightly brushed my scalp and neck, reminding me so much of when we were intimate, years before. To say I was in seventh heaven would be an understatement! I would've pushed her to let me redo her nails, and I might've even redone mine, but we were running short of time. The guys were due at our door in less than a half-hour and we still had clothing and jewelry choices to make. As planned before the trip, we did some mixing and matching from each other's skimpy travel wardrobe. Julia wore the black stirrup pants I'd been given by the McCowans, which I said made her legs look six inches longer. I wore a pair of black tights, and I borrowed a white long-sleeve top that had a plunging V-neckline and fit skin-tight all over. You could clearly see the hard outlines of the white push-up bra I wore under it, but Julia observed that the view of my cleavage would be distracting enough that it wouldn't matter. She suggested I finish off my look with a short mauve-colored skirt she'd brought, just so I wouldn't be all monochrome. It wasn't one of my colors, but it fit perfectly, and she complimented me on how the ensemble emphasized not only my bust, but also my hips and butt and my narrow waist. None of my tops really suited her, so she went all the way with the apres-ski look and chose her long-sleeve mauve turtleneck made of the same stretchy, form-fitting material as the one she loaned me. Tucked into the stirrup pants, I thought it showed off her bustline a lot better than my top did, but then again she was better-endowed in the first place. Finally, we both wore short leather boots with a bit of heel, and she loaned me her mauve-colored lipstick so at least I'd have something to go with my skirt if not my nails. With only minutes left, I didn't feel like arguing, even though I knew the mismatch would bother me all evening. I DID point out that if I was the ultimate hot-pink girl, SHE had to be the queen of mauve! Finally we rummaged through my jewelry case for earrings and bracelets. Julia had forgotten to bring anything except the small studs she always wore in her ears, so she said she was thankful at least one of had planned ahead. There was one 'small' thing I'd been wanting to bring up all day, though. "Oh, and by the way - d'you think you could maybe try keeping my secrets secret tonight? Like, I almost died last night when you started going on about me being your boyfriend ..." "I never said that - they did," she objected. "Yeah, but you sure hinted at it, and Stephanie, like, took it from there? I get so stressed out, when I think somebody might clue in about me. You know?" "Yeah, all right - I get it. But your boyfriend sure didn't buy it, did he? Or is that why he was so eager to get into your pants, so he could do his own personal inspection?" "Well maybe, but I prefer to think he was just eager to get into my pants." We both laughed, and we were still giggling when the doorbell rang and our dates came in. They were both dressed nicer than usual, so I was glad we'd gone to some extra effort too. "You two look happy to see us," Jeff grinned. "And look, they're even color-matched," Rob chuckled. "What color IS that - purple?" "Looks more like dusty pink to me," said Jeff, who was eyeing Julia's boobs. "It's MAUVE," I corrected them. "We're sharing clothes tonight," Julia explained, "so we don't have to wear the same outfit more than once." "Not that we'd ever notice," laughed Rob. "That's 'cause you're guys," I snickered. "Girls always notice. It's a major faux pas, you know." I was tempted to say guys don't notice 'cause they see right through your clothes, but kept the thought to myself - and Julia, who agreed with me a hundred percent when I mentioned it later. "Well, ladies, it'll be a major faux pas if we don't make it to the restaurant in time for our reservation, so let's be on our way." We piled into Rob's trusty SUV and drove a few minutes back to the Interstate, and about a half hour later we came to a big fancy lighted sign that announced 'VAIL RESORT.' This was exciting! I'd heard about this place, and its more famous cousin Aspen, on the 'Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous' show, never thinking I'd actually get there. A short distance more and we arrived at a parking lot surrounded by big trees, where Jeff said, "We walk from here." I didn't mind, because we got to stroll through an alpine village-like setting, till we came to a breathtaking Swiss-style building with stone facing. The guys led us to this quaint-looking entrance below a sign with red crosses that said 'Swiss Chalet.' Julia and I exchanged very excited glances as we entered. WOW. The interior was done in beautiful woodwork with knotty- pine walls. Rustic but very upscale, I thought. The ma?tre D' greeted us warmly and showed us to a corner table for four that had a curved, upholstered banquette bench and two plain hoopback chairs, then took our coats. "You two can have the bench," Rob said to me and Julia. "Jeff and I will tough it out on the chairs." "You sure?" I protested. "Girls have more natural padding, you know." "We know that, but we're still sure," laughed Jeff. "We're used to it. You should see how hard the beds are in the staff housing." "Besides, these chairs aren't the best for hanging your purses," Rob pointed out. Julia and I smiled at each other, and we sat down, purses on the seat between us. Rob really was the most considerate man in the world, I thought. What other guy would think of that? Anyway, it was a lot better to have them seated across from us, so we could make eye contact and, of course, they'd get to admire not only my eye handiwork but also our chests. Good thing the right boy sat across from the right girl, and as expected, their eyes seemed to go between ours and our boobs all evening long! Soon a bottle each of red and white wine appeared, and the waiter made a big deal of uncorking them and pouring a little for the guys to approve. Our dates took care of ordering the food, and we all eased into some great conversation, beginning with simple stuff like where everybody had skied before (not much for us girls to say, but plenty for the guys) and progressing to other pursuits we enjoyed in whichever season. These two guys had done so much traveling, and so many cool and dangerous-sounding activities like rock climbing and sky-diving, that my friend and I were really were kind of blown away and not a little intimidated. We were only a few years younger than the guys, but what a difference in life experience! Luckily, they seemed to enjoy talking all about their exploits and near-misses, and we girls just kept asking more questions and making more comments so they wouldn't focus too much on what we had done, or more accurately, not done. Then the excitement began! Two waiters came with fondue burners and pots, and then plates and bowls of raw meat, scallops, vegetables and cubed bread. Julia and I exchanged ecstatic glances - neither of us had ever done fondue before, and here we were having it on a double date with two of the coolest guys on the planet! Our waiter described the different pots: one with a combo of Swiss and gruyere cheeses, another with a special cooking oil, and another with a low-fat chicken broth. All were bubbling merrily away. "Well, let's dig in," Rob ordered, and we all got skewers loaded up and into the different pots. I noticed with delight that mine were pink - easy to find! Julia just shook her head in mock disgust. My favorite fondue, unfortunately, was the bread dipped in cheese - SO delectable, but dangerous if you don't want it to end up on your hips! Whatever - it was the most fun, romantic dinner I could imagine and so perfect for a double date. The boys finished up the last bits of steak and veggie, and after our waiter cleared everything he handed them a dessert menu. "Should we go for it?" Rob asked Jeff, who nodded enthusiastically, so Rob pointed to something on the menu and the waiter smiled and nodded, then left. "What did you order?" I prodded him. "Guess. We're in a Swiss restaurant." Julia and I looked at each other and just shrugged. A few minutes later another fondue set appeared, then bowls of fresh strawberries and cubed pieces of white and chocolate cake. When the waiter lifted the lid from the pot, I saw bubbling Swiss chocolate! "Wow, this looks so incredible!" I exclaimed. Julia chimed in, "Oh, I love chocolate-dipped strawberries!" Now, before our dessert showed up there's no way I had any more room, but this treat was just so amazing and decadent (not to mention romantic!) that it would've been just plain wrong not to enjoy it. So we all dug in once more and I have to admit, that was the most perfect choice the guys could have made. A trifecta of girls' favorite aphrodisiac treats, as Julia confided - wine, scallops, and chocolate- dipped strawberries. I whispered back that we were both 'in for it' later, but she just laughed. After the boys took care of the check, we strolled through the brightly- decorated village, admiring all the sights, each girl holding hands with her guy and making comments like "What pretty decorations in those windows!" and "This is so awesome!" and "That dress is amazing!" and "Oh, I'd love to go shopping here!" On the way back to Keystone, I sat up front with Rob and the two J's were in the back seat, snuggling close. Once when I turned to say something, I caught them kissing! Not to be outdone, I reached for Rob's hand and held it tight as we sped down the Interstate. Back at the condo, the guys built a nice fire and we girls spent a couple of hours snuggled up with them in the warm, flickering glow, both getting lots of kisses between the conversation. I was pretty tipsy from all the wine and all the amazing treats, but not enough that I didn't wonder how the night would end. Like, for sure they'd expect us to go to bed with them. After all, we'd obviously gone to extra effort to attractive them, and they went to a lot of trouble and expense to show us a good time. What red-blooded guy wouldn't think we were in the mood too? I was still feeling sore from the previous night, so I would've been fine with just the kissing and cuddling, although I would never had said no to Rob. Julia, on the other hand, told me the next day she had no such concerns, and was ready and willing to go to bed with Jeff if that's the way things worked out. In the end, though, our dates were perfect gentlemen like they'd been all evening, and we got our goodnight kisses before midnight. It was just as well - we were completely bagged and both of us had been nodding off, we were so warm and cozy in the arms of those wonderful guys. After they'd gone I followed Julia to her room and sat on her bed chatting with her as she took off her makeup and did her teeth. "Thanks for not mentioning anything about me," I said while her mouth was full of toothbrush. "It was nice not stressing about anything." She just nodded. The next morning we were up early making coffee and munching cereal, and we chatted a bit more about our evening. "That's what I mean," I said, "about the kind of perks girls have. Like, wasn't that the most fun date ever? They had to do all the work and we just got to enjoy it." "Yes, it WAS pretty amazing, and I had a fantastic time. But Sandy, men and women should really be equal, don't you think? Like, is it right for guys to do all that and we don't even get to order our own food? And is it right for them to pay for us?" "I don't see why not. I think it's great." "I'm not so sure. They're gonna expect something in return." "You mean sex." "Yeah - wouldn't that make us, like, hookers?" "Oh, come on - that's exaggerating. They were just being gentlemen. I like it when men treat women like they're really special. It's kind of old-fashioned, I guess ..." "It sure is. But I'm not too crazy about some aspects of your old- fashioned boy-girl relationships. That's why women have so much trouble being taken seriously. And being paid what they're worth. AND - being expected to spread their legs whenever the guy gets a hard-on." "There you go again - it's not all about sex, Julia. These guys are really interested in us, as real people. Sure, they're attracted to us, and I totally love that. It's supposed to be like that, isn't it?" She sipped her coffee for a while, then said, "Yeah, I can see your point. I do like when Jeff says I look beautiful. And I like how he treats me. He's really a sweet guy. He's WAY nicer than Alex." Then she winked at me. "Not nearly as nice as you, though." I nearly sprayed my mouthful of coffee across the room. "That's too funny! I seem to recall letting you down big-time." She shook her head. "We've been over this. Let's just agree that everything worked out for the best, okay?" We clinked our coffee mugs. "Agreed." ***** This was our fourth and final day of lessons, and Lindsey took us all over the mountain, hitting a few blue runs and keeping up her close observation of Julia's skiing - and mine too. We both got lots of great tips and Lindsey made sure we practiced and practiced all the techniques she taught us. I was having trouble keeping focused, though - my mind was more on having sex with Rob than my skiing technique. Later that afternoon we met up with Rob, who joined us on the slopes until the lifts closed. It was so cool to ski with him again - I loved his compliments, and he told me I was doing even better than I was in Vermont. He even said some really nice encouraging things to Julia about her skiing ability, which made her face shine like the sun. I was SO appreciative of that, 'cause I knew how much of a positive difference compliments can make to someone like Julia, who was always self- conscious around guys like Rob. Up until then, she was worried if Jeff saw her on the hill he'd think she was a total klutz, but after what Rob said, she told me she hoped to be able to ski with him. No wonder I loved that man so much! "So how are you liking my new resort?" Rob asked us as we rode a chair up. "I love it," I replied. "You were so right - the snow here is so much nicer. I think I have a lot more confidence, you know? Like, I can ski faster and do my turns without ever catching an edge?" "Yeah, same here," agreed Julia, "It's the best. I never thought I could learn so fast." "Well, you ARE skiing on the latest equipment," he explained. "The snow is only part of the reason. But don't sell yourself short - you girls are both fast learners. You're both pretty athletic." Athletic, he said? - what a joke! Julia and I winked at each other and giggled. "You're being way too nice, as usual," I told him appreciatively. "Yeah - like everyone who works here!" Julia exclaimed. "Especially the lifties? They're so funny! There's this one guy who has a new joke for us every time we see him." "And they all smile and say hi and have a great run and stuff? They treat you like family." Rob was beaming. "That's what I like hearing. This mountain isn't the biggest, but it's got a great reputation for western hospitality. I was pretty happy to get the job. Vail's an amazing mountain, too, but I prefer the vibe here." Then Rob asked what our plans were for the evening, and I said we had none, so he suggested the four of us get together again and cook ourselves a meal at our condo, which had a great kitchen and ample dining space. My friend was all for it! "But WE'LL do the cooking," I stated. "I won't argue!" laughed Rob. "Jeff and I'll do the buying if you let me know what you need." So we made up a list on the spot, and Rob said, "Done!" And we were all set for another awesome double-date! By the time we were done showering, the weather outside had deteriorated. The wind had picked up and blowing snow was beginning to accumulate on the window ledges. "Good thing we did the driving date yesterday," Julia remarked. "I wouldn't want to be going anywhere in this." The guys showed up at our door around six with bags of groceries and bottles of beer and wine, and we took their snow-covered coats, shook them off and hung them in the closet. "Looks like they want us to stay for a while," grinned Jeff. We didn't reply, and I don't know about Julia but I was hoping they'd keep us company till morning. Nothing like a couple of nice hunky men to keep a couple of lonely girls warm and cozy on a stormy night! This time the girls were in THEIR element, and we got to repay the boys for the wonderful time they showed us the previous night. Donning aprons, Sandra was in charge of the food and Julia the presentation, and we both did the serving. I think our guys were blown away! We handed them each a glass of beer and put them to work making a nice big fire, while I busied myself preparing the meat dish and getting it into the oven. Then I scrounged some cocoa and oat flakes from the pantry and whipped up the chocolate drop-cookies I'd previously made for my brother (earning me praise and one of his infamous 'you'll make a good wife some day' quips) and put them in the fridge to harden. Julia help me chop the veggies, and while I got them cooking she set the table, put napkins in rings and created a marvelous table center with silk flowers and three candles of different sizes in the middle, and then we made a colorful tossed salad. Meanwhile, with the fire crackling away nicely, the guys uncorked the wine and poured us girls each a glass, earning themselves an appreciative kiss. We all clinked glasses and sat and chatted in front of the fire while the meal finished cooking. When everything was ready to serve, Julia, wine in hand, came over and whispered, "Okay, you were right, Sandy - it's definitely more fun being a girl." We giggled and clinked glasses to seal our little agreement. If it was possible, I'd have to say that evening was even more romantic than the previous one. The ambience was certainly right up there, with the candles, the flickering fire, and only the four of us in the entire place. Rob and Jeff kept up a steady stream of compliments on the food, the service and of course our looks! There were a lot of jokes, a lot of laughter, a lot of glass-clinking ... and a lot of wine was consumed. That wasn't necessarily the smartest thing for me, 'cause I couldn't help leaning over to smooch Rob every ten seconds, or Julia, who emulated my behavior but also talked a lot more and a lot louder than I thought she should have. Jeff didn't seem to mind, though. I thought he was totally smitten with her, and that made me even more delighted with the whole scene. After the ladies woozily cleared the table, ordering the gentlemen to stay put, we cut up the fresh fruit they'd bought and then put scoops of ice cream into four fancy stemmed glass bowls and added the fruit. Julia found a bottle of Amaretto in the cupboard, and we drizzled some all over the dessert. That got us even more compliments. "Oh, I almost forgot!" I exclaimed, and I retrieved the drop cookies from the fridge and arranged them nicely on a serving platter. As I placed it on the table, Julia couldn't resist. "Oh Mrs. Johnson, you have such a lovely daughter - and she bakes too!" Then she had a huge giggle fit. I just gave her a dirty look. "Hey, these are my all-time favorite!" Rob exclaimed, helping himself to three or four. He grabbed me and pulled my face to his for an appreciative kiss. "This is incredible! Are there any more like you back home?" Jeff kidded Julia as she poured more liqueur onto his dessert. She responded by parking in his lap and saying, "Why, is one of me not enough for you?" Then she gave him such a huge, long, passionate kiss that Rob and I started clapping and cheering. When she let him breathe again, he admitted, "Uh, okay, more than enough!" Well, you can probably guess how THAT evening worked out. Yes, we eventually paired off to our respective bedrooms for some serious making-out, and then some. For Rob and me, it was more or less a repeat of two nights earlier. Not for Jeff and Julia, though - even with their door closed and the howling of the wind, I could still hear her screaming with delight, reminding me of how she'd done just that years earlier with me instead of Jeff. That might have felt weird if I was more sober. But if I could hear her, so could Rob, and I'm sure he was counting on the same response from me. That might have caused me to feel pressured, if not for all the wine in my system. Instead I was able to relax and just let him have his way with me, without feeling like I needed to control how and where he touched me. Maybe I was counting on him being as relaxed as I was, I don't know, but when his mouth went to work on my boobs, with a thumb inserted in my vagina, and his fingers clutching my ass, he never let on that anything was different than he expected. I didn't know what to expect, though - this was all new territory for me, sharing my new sexual reality with a guy so intimately. I remembered how Rob gave me a mini-orgasm the year before by just concentrating on my boobs, and of course I fervently hoped I'd come big-time that night by having full-blown sex, with all of Rob's foreplay tricks. And I DID get super-aroused, and felt lots of tingly sensations all over my body, by just clearing my mind of anything except that I was now a complete female being made love to by the most hunky, masculine - and kindest, most considerate - male on the planet. I can't even begin to describe how amazing and wonderful that was! But after what seemed like a long enough time, I wasn't exactly nearing the 'top of the mountain,' as Kath had described the point where you know you're about to reach your high point and slip giddily down the other side at a million miles an hour. So I made the difficult choice to fake it, and I put on my best act with lots of moaning and squirming, and then I yelled, "Come in me, NOW!" Rob quickly shifted his body and I spread my legs wide to receive him. This time he forced his way in rather quickly, and I inadvertently went "OH!" as his cock stretched and filled me. But this was no time to be a wuss, so I threw caution to the winds and extended my legs into the air, saying, "Go for it, go for it, NOW!!" Both of Rob's hands went under me, grabbing butt cheeks and helping pull me wide open, and he began thrusting, not as violently as I expected, but with enough forcefulness that I knew I couldn't last much longer. So I began panting and moaning louder and louder. He followed suit, and when I knew he was about to explode I arched my back, pushing my boobs hard into his chest, and screamed "YES! YES! YESSSS!" His whole body convulsed at that instant and he let out a long loud moan. I grabbed his ass with both hands and pulled him tightly into me, ignoring the pain in my overstretched vagina. Thank God for the wine, I thought later - at least there was SOME anesthetic! I could still feel his cock pulsing, and once again I regretted not having him in me skin- on-skin - why did he think he needed a condom? Didn't he believe me about the Pill? "That was SO incredible ... you are SUCH an awesome man," I fibbed. I hoped he believed me about this, at least. After all, we were both hot and soaked in sweat; how would he know? For insurance, I planted hundreds of kisses all over his face and neck and ears. "And you're ... an awesome woman," he panted. Rob was out of it for a while, but then he began returning my kisses, and we kissed passionately and sloppily for a long, wonderful time. When he began to shrink a little, I reluctantly let him withdraw, making sure the condom went with him this time. "Excuse me a minute," Rob whispered and he disappeared into the bathroom, returning a minute later with a cleaned-up penis and a glass of water for me. He laid down beside me as I drank, tracing the contour of one of my boobs with his finger. "Thank you, hon," I smiled. "You're always so nice to me." He just looked into my eyes and I could feel myself melting. "Um, did you like that?" I asked, rather lamely. He chuckled and shook his head a bit. "You're almost as funny as you are sexy, darling. You don't know, do you? It's never been like this for me ... you have me so turned on, I can't stop myself from coming." "You don't need to stop yourself. I WANT you to come ... it gets me excited, too." "But I've always been able to control myself ..." "What? You mean ... you've done this before?" I asked demurely. Rob laughed out loud, and said, "Only with you, darling - only with you." That made me giggle with pleasure, and then we wrapped our bodies around each other and rolled over with me on top, kissing and laughing and tickling each other all over. I felt a deep sense of relief that he obviously believed he'd brought me to a wonderful orgasm, and there's nothing I was going to say or do to change his mind. Soon he started getting drowsy and I stroked his forehead lightly to help him fall asleep. Then I carefully moved to my favorite cuddling position and pondered my situation for a while. Was I disappointed that I couldn't come in spite of all Rob's attentions? YES. I mean, if I couldn't come with HIM, this guy I was so hugely attracted to, who else could I ever come with? I began to worry the much-vaunted sex-change doctor had somehow messed up, and I'd go through the rest of my life never experiencing a real female orgasm. But he told me everything looked perfect! I couldn't make any sense of it, and my brain was starting to hurt as much as my vagina, so I just let it go and drifted off to sleep, the sound of the capricious wind seeming like a metaphor for my uncertain predicament. ***** Both our men were up and out the door by seven. When Rob leaned over to kiss me goodbye I threw my arms around his neck and refused to let go. "I'm leading first tracks this morning, darling," he whispered as he ducked and slipped out of my grasp. "But I need you right here," I pouted, without asking what he meant. When he was gone I stole a glance outside and in the dim light saw at least two feet of new powder piled up near our building. The wind had subsided overnight and the snow had stopped. Then I got it. 'Ah, there's fresh powder on the mountain,' I thought. Julia and I didn't have lessons that day, so I made myself a cozy cocoon with the duvet, and was just falling back asleep when the bed jiggled and my friend climbed in next to me. "I don't wanna be alone," she said. I was surprised and delighted! "Me either," I said. She snuggled right up alongside me in the spooning position, with my front to her back, and I reflexively put my arm around her. It occurred to me that the last time we were both naked in bed together like this was when I was still her boyfriend. We lay together like that for the longest time, alternately drifting off and waking up, and not saying a word. Julia was the first to break the silence. "Sandy?" "Uh-huh?" "Did you, uh, have an okay night?" "Um, yeah ... it was interesting. Sounded like YOU were having fun." "You could hear us too? Hmm, I wondered ... yeah, it was pretty good, I guess. Jeff's a really nice guy; he knows what he's doing. How 'bout Rob?" "He tries ... I mean, he really wants you to enjoy it?" "Sounded like he got his wish. I could hear you screaming 'YES' over and over." "You could? Oh shit ... well, to be perfectly honest it wasn't quite like that? I don't know what was wrong with me ..." "You mean you faked it?" "A little ..." "It sounded like a LOT to me. Sandy, that's so wrong. Don't you think you should be honest with Rob?" I moved away from her and lay on my back. "NO. I don't have to be honest with him about anything. Except maybe how I feel about him." Julia shook her head. "Sandy, it's not right. You're not being fair to yourself, either." I knew she was right, but I felt frustrated. "Easy for you to say - you've got a real clit and a real vagina. They work like they're supposed to." Tears were beginning to flow. She rolled over and put an arm and leg over me. "Hey, get real. Most girls don't come the first time, or umpteen times after that either. It's something you have to learn, and practice." "It sure seemed easy for you ... "That's 'cause it was YOU making love to me." That was surprising, gratifying and difficult to hear, all at the same time. "Well, if it's any consolation, I wish I still could." 'What made me said that?' I wondered. In response, Julia snuggled even closer, and she kissed my cheek. I became aware of her wonderful smell, the same enticing aroma I found so attractive years before, and it instantly transported me right back to when we had all those illicit sexual encounters. THAT's what must have made me say it. "I wish you could, too," she whispered. I turned my head and our eyes met. We embraced tightly, our boobs squished together and our hands caressing each other's smooth bodies. Having literally just finished doing this with a man, the difference was SO striking! But she quickly pulled back away from me. I noticed that my heart was just pounding from the encounter, and I felt SO aroused - and so confused! "I'm sorry," I began to say, "I ..." She put a finger to my mouth to cut me off. "It's okay ... it's mutual." And we embraced again. Oh, that amazing aroma! I put my face into her neck to drink it in to the max. After a few minutes, Julia said, "D'you mind if I, um, take a look at you?" "Mmm," I replied. She must have taken that as a 'yes,' because she pulled back the duvet and gently pushed my legs apart. "Wow, they really gave you, like, the full shave treatment, didn't they?" "I got it waxed too. I got everything waxed." "Thought so. Your legs are, like, insanely smooth. There you go, out- girling me again." "Sorry." "It's okay," she laughed. "Maybe I need to try that sometime ... when I can afford it." She nudged my legs open a little more and her fingers carefully pried my lips apart. "Let me have a little peek," she said. I began to feel quite self-conscious! "Does it look ... all right?" I asked with trepidation. "Hmm, not bad. I didn't know they could make you look so real ... so natural." She motioned for me to sit up next to her. "Here, look at mine ... hey, do you have a hand mirror?" "Yeah, in the bathroom." I went to grab it and sat back down on the bed beside her, both of us reclining with our legs wide open. Awkward! She had me do a comparison. "See, yours is the same. Look, you can see your clit peeking out, too - right where it's supposed to be. You're a bit red, but that must be from you-know-who." Julia was right - other than the skin color, and her pubic hair, you could hardly tell the difference. That made me feel pretty damn good! "Yeah, I am kinda sore ... like, I'm wondering if he's a bit too big for me?" "Well I haven't seen him, so I can't say. Alex was pretty big, too, but that might be one difference - maybe I can stretch more? Like, I'd have to if a baby was on the way out ..." "Don't think I'll worry about that. I'd be happy if I could just have sex without it hurting." "D'you think that's why you couldn't come?" "No, it wasn't that ... I don't think. He was, you know, using his hand on me first? And I wasn't really getting anywhere ..." "Show me what he was doing." So I inserted my thumb into my vagina, with the heel of my hand pressing on the area of my clit, and moved it in a circular, in-and-out motion. "I think it was like this?" She nodded and smiled. "Hmm, d'you mind if I try something?" "Uh, no ..." "Okay, look, just go with me on this, all right?" She maneuvered us onto our sides, and she lifted my top leg over her hip, so my vulva was fully exposed. Then she slid her fingers between the lips and felt for my clit. Her touch was so light, and the sensation was SO electric, and when she zeroed in on it with two fingers I gave a little jump. I'm still not sure if it was what she was doing, or who it was that was doing it. But I suspect the latter ... "Aha ... you definitely need some lube," she remarked, matter-of-factly. "In the drawer, of my nightstand," I said, feeling only a little uncomfortable with what was happening. "How convenient!" she giggled as she reached for my KY. She squeezed some onto her fingers and put them back on me, and began to stroke me very softly. It felt exquisite, and my body began moving in response. "You feel pretty real to me," she said. "It's like I'm doing this with myself." "Oh ... you do this ... a lot?" Tingles started going up and down my spine. "All the time," she giggled. "I'm an expert, you know." "I can TELL." I was beginning to breathe heavier. "We'll teach you, too ..." "Oh my God, I hope so. That feels so ... so unreal!" My breathing was speeding up, and Julia's fingers were keeping pace. And the whole time, all I could think of was her erotic, pheromone-rich scent. "Now it's your turn," she commanded, as she placed the fingers of my right hand where hers had been and directed them in the same stroking pattern. It felt SO erotic to be doing this with her! "You're gonna be SO in tune with your body," she promised. Julia began kneading one of my breasts with her other hand. "Where did you get such big boobs?" she asked innocently. "You're always trying to out-girl me." And then her mouth was on my nipple, sucking and licking it while still directing my fingertips to do their magic on my clit. "I could NEVER ... out-girl you," I stammered. "You're the most amazing girl in the world ... I love you so much!" I was so totally lost in a million delightful sensations, I almost didn't realize I was nearing the top of the mountain, it happened so fast. But I sure noticed when I went over the top! "Ohhhhh!!!" I moaned out loud, as my whole body shuddered with a million tingly sensations. I stopped stroking myself but Julia took over, much slower and more gently this time, and then she let them slide partway into my vagina, holding me there nice and snug. Her touch felt so delicate that it never bothered my bruised skin at all. "Oh my God, that was ... that was ... I can't describe it. SO different from when I used to come? It was like a big wave washed over me ... but I LOVED it. Thank you, thank you, thank you." I hugged her as I tight as I could and then realized my face was soaking wet with tears. "Poor little sweetheart," Julia kidded. "Was that too much for you to handle?" "Maybe," I said. "It's just that, you know, I didn't think that could ever happen. Not so fast, anyway ..." "You just needed a pro to show you how it's done," she smiled. "But you also showed me I can have, you know, a real orgasm? You have NO idea how much of a relief that is!" "Always glad to be of service." "Mmm ... what if I need, you know ... more lessons?" She laughed. "I'll think about it, but you might be on your own from now on. I should point out that you might've been a gay guy, but I'm not a lesbian. Okay?" I giggled loudly. "Could've fooled me." We laughed and hugged each other once more, then Julia told me her fee was coffee, and I should make it snappy. "Yes sir, right away sir!" I replied. ***** Julia and I ended up lingering for hours over coffee and breakfast, just talking and talking about life. When she asked me what my hopes were for my relationship with Rob, I answered truthfully that I hoped to become his wife, and my intention was to 'snag' him if I could figure out how. She seemed a little surprised, and said I shouldn't get my hopes up until I spent a lot more time with him. "But he sure adores you," she admitted. That was nice to hear! When I asked her about Jeff, she said thought he was a great guy, and great looking, and not bad in bed either, but she wanted to date a lot more guys before thinking about marriage. Anyway, she said, her intuition told her he wouldn't be the type to commit, and besides long- distance relationships weren't her thing. I countered that she shouldn't be so quick to dismiss the possibility, 'cause after all, great guys don't grow on trees these days. Anyway, our great guys were both off work at noon, and we met up with them at one of the mountaintop restaurants at lunchtime. In contrast to how worried she felt before, Julia seemed to be looking forward to showing Jeff how well she could ski, and as for me, well, I couldn't wait to do the slopes with my favorite hunky instructor again. We took a couple of runs together, and then split up for the remainder of the day. I had an absolutely amazing time with Rob, and this time we could hug and kiss all we wanted out on the slopes and I never once had to worry that 'someone' might catch us in the act. The coolest thing, though, was being free to ski as hard and fast as I could without worrying about leaving my friend behind. "Ready to try some powder?" Rob asked after we'd aced a few blue runs in the back bowls. "Sure," I grinned, "if you think I'm up for it." "You'll do fine," he smiled back. "You just use a different technique. Don't worry, I'll show you." The first thing I noticed when we got off the chairlift was the black diamond sign. 'Oh-oh,' I thought. "Uh, Robert ... am I going to break a leg on this run?" "Not if I can help it," he laughed. "We didn't groom this trail yet - left it for the powder hounds. It's starting to get skied off, but they left enough good stuff for us." "But it's so steep ..." "You'll do great, I promise. Just lean back in your turns, and keep your tips up a bit. Like this ..." He started off and executed a couple of perfect turns, the deep snow hiding his skis and billowing all around his legs. 'What the hell,' I thought, and I followed. Five seconds later my face was buried in the fluffy stuff and a pair of strong arms was pulling my body vertical again. "You didn't lean back," he laughed. "Are you okay?" "Guess so," I replied, shaking the snow from my goggles. "You're sure I can do this?" "Sure I'm sure. Let's try again ... you need a bit more speed before you turn or you'll just get bogged down. Remember to lean back a bit." "Okay, here goes nothing ..." I set off a little faster, and concentrated on doing as he said when I made my turn. It worked! I carved right through the turn and came to a stop, looking up at Rob for his approval. "Perfect!" he exclaimed, a huge grin on his face. "Now do another." So I did, and this time I skied right through four or five turns before stopping. "This is so cool," I said when he caught up. He replied with a big kiss. "I said it before - you're a natural, Sandra. Ready to go?" "Ready!" So we set off together, one executing the most perfect, tightly-linked turns you ever saw and the other basically skiing from one side of the run to the other before doing her tentative, still shaky turns. The slope was steeper than anything I'd tried before, but with the extra foot of loose powder it was easy to stay in control. Rob was already at the bottom when I was still only halfway, and when I finally joined him, with NO more falls, I got the biggest-ever hug and kiss. "Spectaculah!" he exclaimed. "Do it again?" "I'm game," I laughed. "I didn't die yet ..." So it was back to the top, and back down again, this time a little faster for me, and I lost balance and fell once but the deep snow was a good cushion and my skis didn't even pop off. We did that run a few more times, until my thighs let me know enough was enough! Still, skiing powder was another big physical breakthrough for me, not to mention the bragging rights that came with it, and it pretty much cemented snow skiing as my favorite winter activity. In the years to come I'd get to enjoy skiing many, many more times, but I owe it to Rob who took an interest in me and saw my potential. ***** That evening we got together with our boyfriends, Lindsey, Stephanie and a bunch more resort staff whose names I can't recall, at the same place we'd gone the first night. By then Julia and I were being treated like regulars, and it was great to be able to join in with our own stories of experiences on the mountain and trade jokes with the others. Well, it was great until Julia got a little too sloshed and began talking too much again. We were laughing about all the tumbles and mishaps we'd survived over the previous five days of skiing, and I said something like, "Thanks for not running into me and breaking anything!" To which she blurted, "Like, as if I was gonna to do THAT, Sandy - you've been in the hospital ENOUGH lately!" Rob heard what she said - damn it! - and he immediately queried me. "You were in the hospital? What for? What happened?" "Never mind, it was nothing," I answered, desperately trying to think of a way to change the subject. "Oh, you call getting beat up nothing?" Julia blabbed. "You call getting your ..." And before she stuck her foot in it any further, her face darkened and she put her hand to her mouth. But it was too late. "You were assaulted?" Lindsey gasped, a look of shock on her face. "That's so horrible ..." "What happened?" Rob repeated. They could tell I wasn't about to give them an answer, so instead they prodded Julia for information, and she looked at me with an apologetic look in her eyes. "Um, she had a ... a run-in with a creep?" she shrugged. "He wasn't very nice to her ..." "When WAS this?" Rob demanded. "Last August? She was out jogging - at night? - and this guy attacked her. She had, uh, some injuries ..." "Serious injuries?" asked Stephanie. Everyone was staring at me! "Pretty serious," replied Julia. "She was in the hospital for a while ..." There was a concerned or annoyed look on Rob's face - I couldn't tell which. "How come you didn't tell me?" "I ... I didn't want you to be worried," I lied, tears trickling down my cheeks. Truth was, I didn't want him to find out about certain OTHER stuff. "I just wanna forget what happened. I'm okay now." "And the low-life's dead an' gone," my friend added. "He's DEAD?" Lindsey squeeked. "Did you ..." "Naw, this other dude nailed him with a baseball bat," Julia explained. "Good thing ... she might've been killed." I didn't appreciate all the drama in Julia's explanation. But I don't think Rob's desire for info was remotely satisfied, either. He whispered to me, "Can I, uh, talk with you privately?" He got up and helped me into my coat, and we headed outside where it was quiet. 'Oh shit,' I thought. "I'm sorry, Rob. I should've told you. I just ..." "Yes, I wish you HAD told me. I'd have been there on the next plane. How bad ..." "Was I injured? Uh, well, he kicked me in the ... you know, down there? I blacked out." "How long were you in the hospital?" "Um, a while ... and I had to go for some, uh, reconstructive surgery?" The look on in his face told me a light had come on. "So is that why you couldn't come at Christmas? Why it was uncomfortable for you, to ..." "To make love with you? Yes, and yes. Guess I needed more time to heal. I'm sorry ..." "YOU'RE sorry? I feel like the world's biggest jerk," he said, shaking his head. "If I'd known ..." I put my arms around him and felt tears streaming down my cheeks again. "I didn't want you to be worried," I repeated. "Like, the guy's dead? I'm over it now ... really." He shook his head. "I'm not. I can't begin to imagine what you went through. You're such a ... a sensitive girl. If I'd been there I would have killed the bastard myself." "I know, and you would've been in trouble ... but someone else beat you to it. He was a guy we knew from high school." "Was he, uh ... with you?" "No," I chuckled, shaking my head. "He was, like, our worst enemy? Julia and me? But he heard me scream. It was totally random." "I'm guessing he's your best friend now." "No ... you are, silly. But yeah, he's definitely off my shit list these days." "Well, I'd like to send him my personal thanks. He saved the life of someone who's very special to me." "Uh, I don't think you need to," I said, feeling the love from Rob but worried about what might get revealed if those two guys ever communicated. "Let's just leave well enough alone." His arms drew me closer and I rested my head on his shoulder, his hand running through my hair. "Don't know if I can. This is a big shock, darling. I can't believe I came that close to losing you, and I didn't even know about it." I didn't respond for a minute or so - my mind was just churning. Then I blurted, "I love you, Robert." "And I love you too, Alexandra. More than I ever thought I could love someone." ***** Needless to say, we passed on intercourse that evening. For the two J's, however, it was another story - and my friend never got back till morning! But Rob and I did spend the night together again, and it was the most wonderful, awesome night I'd ever spent with a man, at least up till that time in my life. We must have kissed and cuddled and caressed and tickled and embraced and fondled and grasped and nuzzled and squeezed each other for literally hours and hours on end. Not having to stress about whether my vagina (or anything else about my body) measured up to Rob's expectations, I was able to totally get into my female headspace and literally BE the girl I always dreamed of being - a girl who's able to enjoy everything about a man's body: his size, his smell, his firm muscles, and even his furry arms and chest! And it was obvious that Rob - being a one-hundred-percent red-blooded male - was totally into the smoothness, the softness and the shape of my body. I mean, he needed a release, oh, I don't know how many times? And this girl was only too eager to help out, and she knew just how to do it in the sexiest, most exciting way a guy could ever ask for, without wearing out his tender skin. We got maybe an hour or two of sleep before he had to get up for work again. While he was in the shower I fixed him a nice man-sized breakfast of ham, eggs, toast and coffee, and served him wearing nothing but my satin nightie. He couldn't take his eyes off me, and he pulled me onto his lap when he was done eating, and ran his hands all over me and under the nightie, fondling my breasts while we kissed. "Oh, I wish you didn't have to work today, hon," I breathed in his ear. "YOU wish," Rob chuckled. "I could spend all day with you - as long as you didn't wear anything but this." "Or maybe nothing at all?" I asked in my most innocent-little-girl voice. I thought I could feel something under me - and when I felt there, he was hard ... again! Oh my God - SO gratifying to know I could do this to a man! "I can't believe how sexy you are," he smiled, shaking his head. "Where've you been all my life?" "Waiting for you, of course! You're so silly ..." He just kept smiling and staring into my eyes with those insanely fantastic eyes of his. "What are you thinking, hon?" "A lot of things," he replied. "But I need to get going. I'll talk to you later. What are you two up to today? Hitting the slopes again?" "Don't think so. Lindsey's going shopping at Vail, and she asked us if we wanted to come along? Julia's game, so we might do that. We're all skied out. She's like, 'we haven't broken any bones yet, so why tempt fate?'" "If you go shopping with Lindsey, you'll have broken credit cards instead," he joked. "I'll take my chances," I giggled. "Shopping's my most fave thing ... after you and skiing, I mean." He laughed. "Well, I want a fashion show later, okay? You look great in everything." I put on my best pout. "But I thought you only wanted me to wear this ... or nothing!" Rob laughed again and stood up, lifting me with him, and kissed me again. "Yeah, you're so right. You don't need any clothes, after all ..." At the door we embraced and kissed once more, Rob running his nice big hands up under my nightie and pulling me close. Huge tingles erupted all up and down my spine! I wanted so badly for him to stay with me! But then he left. I felt an immediate chill, so I put on my bathrobe and a pair of fluffy socks, then poured myself a cup of coffee - the think drink, as the TV ads had once claimed. I curled up on the sofa and contemplated the cold dark fireplace, thinking of it as a metaphor for what my life would be without a man to share the warm fire of his love. No question in my mind - I wanted THIS man to be my husband. And for the first time, I felt marriage was within my reach. After all, hadn't we both expressed our love for each other - numerous times? Hadn't he said how attracted he was to me? How sexy I was? Hadn't he said, 'Where have you been all my life,' more than once? And I was finally a woman, so nothing stood in my way. But what about children, I wondered, the big issue that put the kibosh on my love affair with Mark. But Rob surely wouldn't want kids, I reasoned. Kids would cramp his lifestyle - OUR lifestyle. And what if he did? We could always adopt. Okay, so he didn't know everything about me. Hmm ... if I played my cards right, it wouldn't matter that I was so much younger. Anyway, what a plus that would be when we were older! People would wink at him and say, 'Oh, so you married a younger woman ... a real babe!' But what about my biggest secret, I mused. THAT was the hard part. Sooner or later, he'd find out. Maybe I could just go with the strategy Mom and I cooked up - like, here I was, born with the wrong genitals, but with the correct brain and hormonal system, and it was just a matter of a little surgery to put everything right. I knew my looks would be on my side, and how could anyone deny I was always meant to grow up to be a woman? I knew it would have to come from me, not someone else. But breaking the news to Rob was going to be the major challenge. I ran all kinds of scenarios through my mind, but despite the coffee I couldn't decide how it should be done, without risking losing him. I mean, he'd feel I'd lied to him, or I'd led him on, or something awful like that. So finally I just shook my head and came to the conclusion that, if I wanted to marry this man, a little deception was my only option. Girls always did that to snare a husband, didn't they? I'd read in Cosmo that it was called the great bait-and-switch. You put on your absolute best face and your sexiest, most alluring behavior, and once the ink was dry on the marriage certificate you could go back to being your regular slouchy self, sweat pants and all. Except I could NEVER be a slouch, could I? Then, after we were married and having the most wonderful life together, I could carefully break the news to him, but by then he'd be in a forgiving mood. Why? 'Cause he'd have a wife who looked after his needs SO well and always looked SO good that he couldn't imagine living without her! That would be me - the ultimate trophy wife! ***** Julia came in the door around nine. "About time!" I scolded her. "You got some coffee on?" was her response. I poured her a cup and added some milk. "How was YOUR night?" I prodded. "Jeff wasn't kidding - the beds ARE like cement. I have the bruises to show for it." "So why didn't you sleep here?" "I dunno. We went to his place to hang out and, you know, one thing led to another ..." "I figured as much. So, are you two officially an item now?" "Maybe. We'll see. I do like him a lot. But I just don't see how we can make it work, you know?" I nodded, even though I didn't really accept that relationships with built-in limiting factors couldn't be made to work. Julia was definitely more analytical than me about such things, though. We chatted for a while longer, then got showered, dressed and made up for our shopping trip. Lindsey rang the doorbell just before noon and we set off in her cute little blue Civic for some serious girl time in Vail Village. On the drive there, Julia sat in the front and the two of them chatted away, leaving me with my thoughts. I was in a great mood, for all kinds of reasons. First, that I could even do what I was doing that day. It felt like the coolest thing to be one of the girls, and to have the chance to do things only girls get to do - like, go shopping! Second, I was in love with a super guy who had told me he loved me, too. A real catch! I was positively full of optimism for the future, and SO incredibly grateful to have had the one-in-a-million chance to become the girl I always wanted to be. Lindsey was great to hang out with on the slopes, but she was even better to go shopping with! And Vail was just over-the-top as a shopping destination. There were lots of one-of-a-kind shops that sold all kinds of unique clothing and gifts, although at first glance the prices were pretty atrocious. But Lindsey said there were lots of end-of-season sales and you could also dicker over the price, something I'd never had the courage to do but she was very good at. I saw the most amazing sweater-dress in one shop - it was a hundred percent Angora wool, mini- length and clingy with long sleeves, and it was even one of my favorite colors, pure white. When I tried it on I thought I'd never want to take it off! It felt softer than anything I'd ever worn in my entire life. "That looks SO pretty on you," Lindsey exclaimed. "I can't wear white - it just washes me out. But you have the perfect skin and hair color for it." "Yeah, you really do," agreed Julia. "And it makes you look super- cuddly, like a teddy bear." "You think so?" I giggled, thinking of a guy I'd like to have cuddle me. "It feels SO amazing on your skin - you should try it on, Julia." "Me? No thanks, I saw the price tag. Even if it was half-price I couldn't afford it." I couldn't afford it either, but as usual for me, anything that made me look and feel as pretty and feminine as that dress, I not only wanted but felt that I needed. "What do you think I should wear on my legs?" I asked, the buying decision already made. "You could wear almost anything, as long as it's something," said Lindsey. "I'd go with tights," said Julia. "Black or maybe blue, or even pink?" "Pink does look awesome on her," agreed Lindsey, "but I'd stick with black. Then do hot pink lipstick, same as your nails - they'd just pop! Or you could go with bright red, and do red nails and lipstick, black patent pumps - that'd be your go-to for Christmas parties!" "Yeah, you could dress it up or dress it down, whatever suits," Julia said. "You could even wear it over skinny jeans, with flats." Lindsey nodded. "I'd even try dark pantyhose and a super-high heel. It'd be like total sex, but hey, you only live once, right? If you have the bod, go for it." As if I needed any more convincing! Ten minutes later I walked out of the store with my amazing new dress all folded and wrapped expertly in tissue paper and placed in a fancy box. With Lindsey's help I only paid six hundred, which might sound like a lot but the tag said eleven hundred. Thank God for credit cards! I guess Rob was right after all. We stopped at a small, cute caf? for a quick snack to keep up our shopping energy. It was there that Lindsey paid me the ultimate compliment, when she confirmed what Rob had said about missing me. "He was like a lost puppy," she laughed in her high, feminine voice. "He thinks you're pretty special. I can see why - you're the nicest person, and it doesn't hurt that you're drop-dead gorgeous." It was a bit awkward with Julia hearing that, but I was floored and I told Lindsey thanks,