the grotto couple departs

Simon leaned down toward Abbie. He hadn't said much, but at this point, he whispered to Nicole, "this woman is amazing. May I touch her?"

Abbie laughed a little. He was asking Nicole for permission? Was he going to ask her?

Nicole looked at her lover. "Let's find out." She turned back to Abbie. "Simon would like to touch you. May he?"

Abbie smiled. That's better. My body, my choice. "Yes, of course," she replied.

Simon reached a hand out and held Abbie's breast. He squeezed her firm flesh, pinched her nipple, and smiled. "Absolutely amazing." He released Abbie, and put his hand on Nicole. "Thank you." He walked back to where his suit was, and slid it back on. He handed Nicole her bikini top.

Nicole looked at Abbie as she put her suit back on. "I think he likes you. Maybe we'll see you around the hotel?"

"I hope so," Abbie replied. She fingered her pussy one last time, and slid her hand out. Nicole took her hand. At first it appeared she wanted to shake hands or something, but instead, she kissed Abbie's fingers, sucked the tips of them, and then kissed them again.

"I hope so too." Nicole walked back to Simon, took his hand in her own, and like a couple of young lovers who were simply out on a stroll, the two of them left Abbie alone in the grotto.

Abbie was stunned. In part, from the unexpected sexual adventure she just had with two strangers -- but also in part, from the ways in which it was specifically different from anything she had experience before.

The way Nicole said goodbye, the parting kiss on her fingers ... The way Simon had asked Nicole for permission to touch Abbie -- after things had most definitely been far more intimate.

Abbie giggled to herself as she replayed the actions in her mind. She imagined that it was unlikely she'd ever see Nicole and Simon again (she assumed that the rest of her weekend with Jake would be much busier with activities with his extended family).

But then she thought more about Jake. He had left. He had been weirded out by ... something. She didn't know what. She thought that they saw eye to eye -- but then again, her approach to sex and intimacy was different than most. Everything felt so good when it was her and Jake -- and maybe there was some kind of line being crossed here that he saw, but that she didn't.

Abbie wasn't the sort to let things like this fester. She knew she needed to connect with Jake again and find common ground with him. She knew that they could have great times together, but that of course, they'd need to talk about how to communicate and better understand one another.

She slid her body back into the pool and rinsed herself off. The water was refreshing. She looked back toward the exit from the grotto, where she had seen Nicole and Simon depart. She wondered whether they saw (or would acknowledge) Jake -- or honestly, whether he'd still be there.

Abbie slipped under the water again, swam back out the tunnel, crossed the flimsy barrier, and re-entered the main pool. No one seemed to notice the young woman who appeared from the forbidden tunnel. She floated across the pool to the side where she and Jake had been earlier. She pulled herself up out of the water, and smiled as she saw Jake on his chair, stretched out in the sun.