Enter the tent

Although I did not really expect Shawna to literally live up to her word about "taking" the first guy to enter the tent, I figured, What the hell? I walked up to the tent noisily, so as to give the impression that I was just arriving and had not actually been listening for any amount of time.

"If you think I'm kidding..." I heard Shawna say, just before I popped my head in through the flap.

"Boo!" I said, and both Linda and Shawna jumped in shock, rather fetchingly in both cases, I had to say. Linda, whose back was to the flap, was more startled, and she immediately turned around and smacked my in the arm with her fist. I chuckled, and said, "I'm sorry, you guys, I just couldn't resist. I thought I heard talking from over here and I figured you were awake, so..."

"I told you they'd hear us!" said Linda, a scowl on her pretty face. She turned to me, "What did you hear?"

"Just voices," I said. "I couldn't make out the words. What were you guys talking about?"

Linda cut a glance over to Shawna, who raised an eyebrow and said, "Shall I tell him, or do you want to?"

Linda squawked. "Shawna, that was private!"

"Ooo," I said. "Sounds juicy! C'mon, you can tell me."

"Well," said Shawna, a mischievous smile on her full, red lips, "I was just telling Linda that she needed to choose--" Linda slapped her hand over Shawna's mouth, covering a muffled laugh.

"No, Shawna!" she said. "I'll tell him." She looked at me. "John, come outside with me and I'll tell you what we were talking about."

"No way!" said Shawna. "Then how will I know you really told him? Besides, remember what I told you about the first one through the door? Maybe it's too late for you!"