Lil and Nicky with Betty and Sherah

Lil asked Aunt Nicky, "Who are we with first?"

Nicola handed Lil the card. It read: 'Betty and Sherah, Dorinda and Dorothy, Tamara and Miriam, pass, Joyce and Bernie, Amanda and Willow, repeat for second exchange.'

Around the circle, the other pairs for this sensual exercise were looking over at their cards and up toward their first touch partners.

The first pairing went easily. Nicola and Betty paired off. Betty asked for Nicola to touch her hands, and Nicola responded by having Betty stroke her hair. Sherah asked Lil to trace her lips. Lil swallowed -- wasn't that supposed to be for the second exchange? -- but didn't protest. She carefully traced her finger along the line of Sherah's lips, first one way, then the other. Sherah closed her eyes and seemed to intently absorb Lil's touch. Lil asked Sherah to touch her shoulders. She felt Sherah's warm, long-fingered hands tracing the curves of her shoulders, then digging in and kneading, but mostly she was lost in the gaze of Sherah's dark eyes. Sherah's expression was neutral, but her eyes crackled with something and Lil's heart skipped a beat. Lil thanked Sherah and they moved along to the next pair, the redheaded cowgirls Dorothy and Dorinda.

Lil found herself facing Dorinda. Dorinda was taller and moved more gracefully than her daughter Dorothy, who'd be first to agree she was a little firecracker. Dorinda asked Lil to stroke her sides. Lil agreed and traced Dorinda's contours. Though Dorinda's skin was soft and she was by no means thin, Lil could feel Dorinda's muscles poised under her skin. Dorothy's mom might be easygoing and soft-spoken, but her body felt strong and active. Lil asked for Dorinda to stroke her face and her cheeks. She enjoyed the older woman's gentle touch as Dorinda caressed her cheeks. The glint of polished nails caught the light as Dorinda's hands moved next to Lil's face. There was giggling by Lil's side. Dorothy and Nicola had set each other off somehow. Lil smiled and thanked Dorinda. "You have a lovely touch," she said.

"My pleasure absolutely," said Dorinda.

Lil and Nicola moved on to Tamara and Miriam. Lil faced Tamara, while Aunt Nicky faced Tamara's aunt Miriam.

Tamara looked twice at Lil, but seemed to think better of saying anything. Tamara offered her hand for Lil to stroke. Lil caressed Tamara's hand, taking special time with the fingers and fingertips. Tamara's nail polish was hot pink. Her skin was lovely and smooth on her hand and up her forearm.

Nicola tapped Lil. "Your turn I think," she said.

"Oh," Lil said. "Okay." She looked to Tamara. "My hand too." They exchanged roles. Lil felt Tamara's fingers explore her hand and arm, tentatively. Lil said, "Firmer is good." Tamara got a little more deliberate and less fluttery. She gently pulled at Lil's fingers, dwelling on middle finger. Flirting? Lil wondered. She couldn't tell from Tamara's face. "Thanks," Lil concluded when it was time.

"Do you have a brother Gary?" Tamara asked.

"Yes, why?" Lil asked.

"He does some yard stuff and odd jobs for Mom, and, uh, yeah. You look kinda like him." Tamara said.

"Okay," Lil said. "Yeah, that's him." She remembered Gary did a little of that kind of thing.

Lil and Nicola's next touch pair was marked "Pass", as was Tamara and Miriam's. Bernie and Joyce were paired with Willow and Amanda, and Dorothy and Dorinda were paired with Sherah and Betty.

"Heh, should we touch each other, Lilly?" Nicola asked.

"Or switch so you're with Tamara and I'm with Miriam?" Lil asked.

"Or move on to our 'second time'?" Nicola said, winking.