To the uninformed eye there were two women sitting at the kitchen table, but Nana knew very well that there were actually four--it was just that two of them were invisible to everyone but the girl with the long, coppery hair.

Acacia leaned her elbow on the table, resting her chin in her hand. "You boinked him yet?"

"Casey!" Nana scolded.

Acacia looked at her with totally unrepentant eyes, cracking her gum. "We learned the facts of life a long time ago, Nana. She won't drop dead of shock."

"Well, there's a little thing called tact that you ought to look into someday, dear." She watched as Acacia's expression changed, softening and smoothing, and Nana knew who would speak next. She was getting good at telling who was in control at any given moment.

"She doesn't bother me, Nana," said Milda, with a quiet smile. She hugged Acacia, and the gesture was so natural that Nana could almost sense a solid, living form in the empty circle of Milda's arms. "She's just getting ready to give me big sister advice."

"Nah," Acacia's nasal tone was back. "If I was gonna do that, I'd tell you do drop him and find yourself a nice girl. But," she said grudgingly, "he's not bad for a guy, I guess. You could definitely do worse. So..." she grinned, "ya boink him yet?"

"No." Milda looked down, smiling shyly as she smoothed her long skirt. "We've, um, we've kissed, and cuddled, and... and..." Color was mounting in her cheeks.

"And? And?" Acacia dipped her head to teasingly peer up into Milda's eyes.

"Well, he's... uh... I..."

Naresha's amused drawl issued from Milda's mouth. "Little sister has gotten a bit of practice at giving hand jobs, I think."

Acacia grunted. "Who's idea was that?"

Milda looked up, her expression as close to defiant as it ever got. "Mine. He didn't ask. It's just that I could tell he was really, really excited," her forehead wrinkled. "He smells different when he's excited." She smiled again. "It's nice. We were lying down, cuddling, and I could feel him against my leg, you know? All warm and firm. So I reached down and touched him." She gave the other women a round-eyed look. "Ooo, what a noise he made!"

Nana put her hand over her mouth to stifle her giggle, but Naresha and Acacia didn't bother. Finally Narisha managed to choke out, "Oh, so you've got yourself a moaner, have you? They can be a lot of fun."

"He kept telling me I didn't have to do it while I was getting his pants pushed down. I finally asked him if he was telling me that because he didn't want me to do anything, and he said he only wanted me to do what I wanted to, and I said good, because I wanted to do this." She shook her head. "Are all men that slow?"

"No, darling," Naresha assured her. "Most of them happily leap for any opportunity you offer." She stroked her sister's hair. "But you are planning on sleeping with him, aren't you?"

Milda covered Naresha's hand with her own and said gently, "I plan on making love with him." Naresha nodded slowly. She knew that there was a real difference for Milda.

Acacia sighed gustily. "Okay. You'll find some protection in the night stand." Her expression firmed. "You don't let him in without one, toots. We probably can't get preggers, but there's no point in risking it, and besides..." she wrinkled her nose, "you don't know where he's been."

Now it was Milda who snapped, "Casey!"

"I'm joking, I'm joking!" She pointed at her face. "See this? This is my 'I'm shitting you' face."

Colin entered the kitchen, his eyes going immediately to Milda, his smile shining. Then he glanced around, and his smile faded a little in puzzlement. "Hi, Nana, Milda. I thought I heard the other girls in here."

"They went out the back just before you came in, dear," said Nana placidly. Milda's eyes tracked across the room to the door leading to the hall, and Nana knew that she was watching her sisters quietly sneak past Colin. Nana was becoming so familiar with the different personalities that she could tell how each would act in a given situation. Judging from her small smile and headshake, one of them had done something teasing. Acacia or Naresha must've made kissing motions at him, or pretended to fan themselves over the 'hot stuff'.

"Oh. You know, one of these days I'm going to get all of you together and take you out. Acacia and Naresha could bring their boyfriends and it could be like a group date." He was getting a drink of water, and missed the look that Milda and Nana exchanged.

"Well, there's cold chicken in the refrigerator for your supper. You two young people will just have to find some way to amuse yourself this evening." Nana got up and took her purse from the counter. "There's a movie at the Lakelands that I'm dying to see."

"Really? We could go with you," said Colin, setting his glass in the sink. "What are you going to see?"

"I won't know till I see what's playing, and if you want to take your girl to a movie with an old lady when you can have the entire evening to yourself in an empty house, then young men have certainly changed." She walked out as Colin gaped after her, and Milda chuckled.

He gave the girl a sheepish grin. "I think she's onto us."

Milda got up and hugged Colin, standing on tiptoe to press a soft kiss to his mouth. "They're all onto us."

He sighed. "I'm that easy to read?"

"Like a large print book, viewed through a magnifying glass, and I love you for it." He grinned at her, leaning down to press his forehead to hers. She gazed into his eyes and murmured, "You have the prettiest eyes. They're green, but there's some gold in there, too."

"They sort of change, depending on what I'm wearing. Mom used to say that I have cat eyes."

"I knew there was some reason I loved you."

Colin's hands were sliding up and down Milda's back. He whispered, "There are so many reasons I love you."

She cocked her head. "How hungry are you?"

He blinked at the non-sequiter. "A little. I'm not ravenous, or anything."

"Good. We can eat after."

"After what?" She cocked her head, lifting her eyebrows. With that expression on her face, her resemblance to her sisters was even more evident, and it was impossible to mistake her meaning. Colin could feel himself blushing. "Oh." His expression softened. "Oh, honey. Are..."

She laid her fingers against his lips, hushing him. "Colin, don't ask me if I'm sure. I wouldn't be offering if I wasn't sure." She stroked his cheek. "Colin, you're a good, sweet, gentle man, and I love you. I want you to be the first man I make love to." She bent her head, letting the hair fall forward to shield her face. "What we've done together... that's all there's been. Do you believe me?"

Colin pressed his face against the top of her head, nuzzling her hair. "Yes, of course I do. But it wouldn't make any different, Milda. I'm in love with who you are, not what you've done."

"Then take me upstairs, Colin. Please."

He moved back a step and took her hand. They stared at each other for a long moment, then Colin led her out of the kitchen, down the hall, and up the stairs. In the upper hallway Milda stopped him by tugging on his hand just outside her bedroom door. "Colin, do you have any protection?"

He hesitated. "Are you going to be mad at me if I say yes?"

"Why would I?"

"Well, some girls might think it was kind of presumptuous."

"I think it's considerate." She stepped past him, and now she was leading the way to his room.

In the room Colin pushed the door shut. Not releasing his hand, Milda moved into his arms, laying her cheek on his shoulder. Colin held her tightly and said wonderingly, "God, you really trust me, don't you?"

"Yes."

Colin was going to say something else. Later he couldn't remember what it was, but he really was going to say something, but that was when Milda started unbuttoning his shirt. She leaned down and kissed the hollow above the notch of his collarbone.

They undressed each other slowly, with long pauses to explore what was revealed. Colin found out that Milda's body was just as good as he'd imagined it might be, after seeing Acacia in her baby dolls. She was soft, rounded, with a long waist, and surprisingly muscular legs. Later those firm thighs would clamp him tight, but at first they trembled gently as he parted them and lowered his head to taste the delicate, slick folds hidden by her sandy blonde pubic hair.

Colin was glad that Nana and the other sisters had left the house, because Milda proved to be a vocal lover. Even before he mounted her she was moaning and crying out, her body moving sinuously beneath his mouth and hands. When he went to enter her he was trembling with need, desire, and apprehension, so afraid that he would hurt her. She had reached up, cupped his buttocks, and pulled him to her, her head going back, eyes squeezing shut as he slid inside her.

They made long, slow love. Colin couldn't get enough of her, kissing her deeply as he thrust into the liquid heat of welcoming flesh. Soon she was shuddering and mewling under him, and he could feel her internal muscles rippling, milking at him, and, astonishingly, he didn't come. He didn't climax till the second time she groaned and thrust up at him, her sharp nails sinking into his back, her slitted blue eyes wondering.

When they were done he stripped off the gummy, sagging condom, wrapped it in a tissue, and dropped it in his wastebasket, then lay back beside her. She curled against his side, and he took her in his arms. She murmured softly, "I didn't bleed."

"I'm glad."

They lay for a while, not speaking, but comfortable in their silence. After a while Milda said, "Well, I don't know about you, but I worked up an appetite."

Colin laughed. "That's usually the guy's line. Okay, let's go raid the fridge."

"Beat ya down."

Milda hopped out of the bed and wiggled into her dress while Colin was groping for his pants. As she started for the door he said, "Hey, your underwear!" She snatched them up, tossed them at him with an impish grin, and darted out.

Colin's deep, warm laughter followed her as she scampered down the upper hallway. *If I hurry, I can have things set out by the time he's down.* When she was halfway down the stairs she heard the doorbell chime, and hesitated. *That can't be Nana or the girls--they have keys. It's after dark. Who would be coming by now?* She descended more slowly.

She'd just reached the door when Colin came out of his bedroom, his hair brushing his bare shoulders as he zipped his fly. "Wait a minute, Milda! Don't open that door."

"I'll check first." She stood on tiptoe and tried to peer through the spyglass, but all she could make out was a vaguely human figure. She winced back as whoever was on the outside pounded impatiently on the door.

Colin reached her, saying, "That thing's no use. Wait." He flipped on the porch light, then fastened the security chain. He glanced at Milda and said, "Step back behind me, babe, okay?" Smiling at his protectiveness, Milda took a step back.

Colin opened the door a few inches, peering through the slit. Milda watched as his normally gentle expression stiffened in distaste and annoyance. "What do you want, Bailey?"

A rough voice replied, "Nice to see you, too, Whitcomb. You gonna make me stand out on the porch all night?"

"Yes, I am. I'll ask you again--what do you want?"

"You can see the suitcase. I want to come back to the fold."

"I thought maybe you were here to pay Nana the back rent you owed. Or maybe return that television you stole, or possibly apologize for hocking my guitar."

Milda couldn't overcome her curious nature for long, and she edged closer to the far wall, peeking around Colin to get a glimpse of the man on the porch. She couldn't make out much--short black hair, a blocky build, narrow, muddy brown eyes set in a broad, square face. The man was leaning close to the slit, trying to peer past Colin, and his eyes fastened on Milda. "Well! Looks like the quality of old lady Collins' boarders is improving. Hey, cutie. Whose little girl are you?" The man's gaze raked over her, and Milda's skin crawled. It was as if he were reaching past Colin and lifting her skirt.

Colin's voice, usually so mellow, was hard. "She's my girl, Bailey, so just keep your mind out of the gutter."

"Sure, sure, I get the idea--private property, keep off. Seriously, though, I'm sorry about leaving under such a cloud. There were circumstances you didn't know about. Let me come in and I'll explain everything. I know I can talk the old doll into taking me back."

"She wouldn't, not even if the room was still free. I know you think she's stupid--hell, you think everyone is stupid. But she's not. Go away, Bailey."

"Look, Whitcomb," his voice had lost any pretense of good will, "I need a place to crash. Open the fucking door."

"Go hang with your biker buddies." Colin shut the door, relocking it.

There was an immediate pounding on the door, so heavy that Milda knew the man had to be using his feet as well as his fists. "I mean it!" Colin yelled. "Get the hell out of here or I'm calling the fuzz."

"Fuck you, Whitcomb." The voice was a snarl. "You're gonna wish you hadn't pissed me off. Oh, and Whitcomb," there was a dirty snicker, "You better keep your little girlfriend off the street at night. I mean, everyone knows that those hippie chicks put out to anyone with a dick, but some guys out there don't even bother to ask."

Colin, white faced, was reaching for the chain when Milda grabbed his arm. "Col, no! He wants you to open the door, remember? Don't let him goad you."

"Yeah, listen to the girlie, Col," Bailey said mockingly. There was another snigger, and Milda could feel Colin trembling. She stroked his back soothingly, and a moment later they heard footsteps retreat across the porch, then down the steps.

Colin sighed gustily. "I'm sorry, babe. I'm not usually like that."

"I know. C'mon, I think Naresha has some wine in the fridge. We could both use a drink."

In the kitchen Milda poured two glasses of wine and settled Colin at the table with one, then quickly fixed two plates of food. She waited till he'd finished one glass of wine and was visibly more relaxed before she voiced her curiosity. "Who was that, Col? I mean, I got that his name was Bailey and he used to live here, and he probably wasn't the best boarder in the world."

"Boy, there's an understatement." Colin poured himself another glass of wine and took a gulp. "Yeah, I guess you ought to know about him, just so you'll know to be careful. His name is Carl Bailey. He moved in here just after I did, about a year ago. He told Nana he was a mechanic, and he does do some work on motorcycles, but mostly he just hangs out with biker clubs. He's a hanger-on, he doesn't belong to any of them." Colin snorted. "I have my own opinions about how he makes his money."

"Drugs?"

Colin nodded. "Part of it. He's not a big time pusher or anything. I think he just unloads some pot or pills when he can get hold of them. I think he probably gets most of his scratch from burglary, or maybe plain, old-fashioned mugging or robbery. He sure wasn't shy about appropriating any little old thing that took his fancy when he was here. You heard what I said about my guitar?" Milda nodded. "My guitar, Milda. I mean, it would be bad enough if it was just how I made my living, but my parents gave me that guitar when I was twelve. I thought it had just been stolen, till I saw it in a pawnshop window. I recognized it, and my name is on the back of the neck. I had to buy it out, cause I couldn't prove ownership. He just said that he'd had an emergency and needed some cash, and he intended to pay me back." He shook his head. "He couldn't have gotten more than fifteen dollars for it, Milda. He's just like that, you know? Out for anything he can get, no matter how trivial it is, or how bad it will hurt someone else."

Colin sighed, running a hand through his hair. "He was here for six months. Nana gave him more chances than he deserved. I think he only paid rent for about a third of the time he was here. Then one day he was just gone, along with his things and Nana's television set. Now," Colin scowled, "now he's back. God, it's hard to credit the man's nerve." Colin looked at Milda seriously, "Look, I really don't like the idea of him coming back around here. I know that you and the other girls are pretty cautious, but please, be careful. Remember to keep the doors and windows locked, and try not to go out at night. If you do, take Naresha or Acacia with you, huh? He's kind of a coward--I don't think he'll mess with two at once."

Milda nodded. "I'll be sure to tell Naresha and Casey." She sighed, sitting back to sip her wine. "Though if I know Acacia, she might actually like to run into him, but not for any pleasant reason."