(1) Towel, Please

Shawn let out a Tarzan yodel into the vacant house. Belle flinched at the echo. They were alone, just finishing up their paint job in the living room of Mimi’s new house. Everyone else had left already. Belle insisted on staying to finish the job. No argument from Shawn. Their attraction was at full brew by now. But denial was in the air, and the chase was still on.

Shawn just arrived from McDonald’s toting their evening meal. He held up his Coke for a toast, “To Mimi’s house” Belle tipped her cup, “To Mimi’s house.” Shawn grabbed a french fry, “To our junior year.” Belle touched her french fry to his, “Junior year, may it be the best.” Shawn flashed his winning smile. Once they finished eating, they threw away their trash and returned to their paint job.

They approached the living room doorway with their small brushes. Belle sang along to Christina Aguilera’s “I Turn To You” playing on Salem’s WITX station. “It’s hot in here,” yelled Shawn. Belle mumbled “I’m fine.” Well maybe not, she thought as he removed his shirt. Suddenly Belle felt quite warm herself. Ignoring her body’s response, Belle made small talk about the up coming junior year.

Shawn grabbed a stool and climbed it to paint the top of the door frame. Belle dabbed her brush in the paint and felt the sudden urge to draw on Shawn. When he wasn’t looking, she painted a small smiley face on his lower back. “Belle, what the hell?” “Oh Shawn, it washes off! I’m just having a little fun.” “Whatever!” Taking this as a cue to continue, Belle painted “I LOVE BELLE BLACK” across his entire back. She drew a heart around the proclamation. “What did you just write?” “I wrote ‘Shawn Brady is Cool”

“Yeah, right.”

“I did!”

“Nuh huh, you wrote ‘Belle Black has goofy hair.’”

“I don’t have goofy hair!”

“Ah, but you do!”

“I don’t!”

“You do!”
”Whatever, Shawn!”

Shawn stepped down off the stool. He dipped his brush into the paint and wrote, “Belle is a goon!” on her arm. Belle shot him a dirty look. “What is that? A goon? Please!” “Turn around.” Reluctantly, Belle turned around. “Pull up your hair.” Belle twisted her pony tail into a tight bun. Shawn cracked up to himself as he wrote, “I Have Nice Tits” across the exposed part of Belle’s back. Belle tried her best to follow what he was writing, but lost track after “Belle.”

She turned around, “Why are you laughing?” “I’m not!” “You are! Shawn, I’m going to see what you wrote! There’s a mirror in the bathroom.” “No! You can’t look!” “Why?” “You just can’t!” Belle turned to go towards the bathroom, “Now I really want to see it.” Shawn grabbed her, pulling her close. She tried to break away, but he wouldn’t let her. They started to wrestle, and soon they were on the plastic covering on top of the floor.

Belle grabbed her brush again and smeared paint on his face. “Oh, you SUCK!” grunted Shawn. She reached to do more, but Shawn beat her to the punch. He stuck his hands in the paint and smeared it all over her face and throat. “Oh my God!” shrieked Belle. Within minutes, they were covered with paint, head to toe. In their hair, all over their clothes, all over their body. They stopped, giggling at each other.

“Belle, what are we going to do? We’re completely soaked.”

“I know!”

“I can’t go home like this! I’ll get it all over my dad’s truck. We’re gonna have to take a shower.”

“We?”

“The plumbing isn’t hooked up in the upstairs bathroom yet.”

“Oh yeah, I forgot about that.”

Belle stood up and walked down the hall. Shawn followed right behind her. She stopped in the doorway and turned around, “Can’t you wait until I’m finished?” “No, I’m not gonna let this paint dry while you spend half and hour in there!”

“Oh Shawn, you’re such an exaggerator. Fine! Suit yourself.”

“No problem, I will.”

Belle went to turn on the lights, but realized that there wasn’t any lightbulbs screwed into place yet. “Shit! We have to do this in the dark.” “Good, I wouldn’t want to overwhelm you with my naked manliness.” “NAKED? Who says we’re going to get naked?” “How else are you supposed to take a shower?” “Shawn, we are not getting naked!” “All right, all right. You don’t have to yell.”

Belle stepped into the shower and turned on the water. Shawn came in behind her and waited impatiently as she rinsed herself thoroughly. He tapped his foot, “Hello! Do you want this to dry on me?” “Hold on! Let me rinse my hair.” She rinsed her hair then moved to the side so he could step into the stream. Belle hesitated at first, then proceeded to take off her tank top. Shawn’s jaw fell open as he stared at a wet Belle in her mauve colored bra, “Didn’t know you shopped at Victoria’s Secret, Belle.” “Glad you approve of the selection, Shawn.” “Don’t flatter yourself.” “Who’s flattering who?” “You’re flattering yourself Belle, obviously.” “Ok, asshole,” she replied sarcastically.

Shawn stepped out of the stream again, allowing Belle to rinse her shirt more thoroughly. When they were completely finished, she turned off the water. They stared at each other, dripping. “Now what? There’s no freaking towels,” wailed Belle. Shawn shrugged at her, “Human squeegie, I guess.” “Whaaat?” Shawn grabbed Belle’s arm and ran his hands firmly over its surface. Belle felt a rush from his touch, “I see,” she murmured. He continued on the other arm. Then he reached down to squeegie her legs.

He came up smiling and was about to say, “Now me!” when they heard a door slam and a familiar, “Shawn?! Belle?! Hello?! Is anybody here?”. It was Mimi. Shawn and Belle froze in place. Shawn held his finger up to his lips, “Ssshh.” The stood stiff as they heard Mimi search throughout the house. Belle ran her eyes over Shawn’s very fine, very sun-kissed, dripping body. He caught her in the act and mouthed, “Freak.” Belle started to giggle at him. He placed his hand over her mouth, eyes wide. “Be quiet,” he whispered.

Belle ran her hands seductively along Shawn’s chest and back. He tilted his head back, eyes fluttering. “You can’t do that,” he whispered. “Human squeegie,” she whispered back. For revenge, Shawn leaned down and playfully munched on her exposed cleavage. Belle sucked in her breath, almost dying of stifled laughter. Shawn covered her mouth and pulled her close. They sensed Mimi in the hallway just outside the bathroom. They could hear her talking to herself, “Where did everybody go? Why are all the lights on? And the radio still playing?” Shawn and Belle remained still, not wanting to be caught. Mimi shut off the radio and all the lights. Once they heard the front door close, they let out a sigh of relief.

“That was TOO close, ”said Shawn.

“I know!”

“And where is a towel when you need one? Or a change of clothes? I feel like I’m in a diaper.”

“All I have is a Habitat for Humanity t-shirt in my backpack.”

“Oh, well that helps a lot,” he fired back sarcastically.

“It’s better than nothing.”

“I guess.”

Shawn stepped out of the shower, “Wait to go Belle, this is all your fault you know.” “Shut up!” yelled Belle. She went into the living room to search for her backpack. Once she found it, she fumbled inside for her shirt. “Excuse me for a moment.” Shawn caught her drift and turned around so she could change into her dry shirt. Curiosity got the best of him, so he snuck a peak. She was down to her bare skin. He could see the outline of her breasts in the moonlight as she pulled the shirt over her head. Damn! Isabella was sporting some serious curves these days. She’s a straight- up woman now, thought Shawn.

To his irritated surprise, he felt an erection coming on. He adjusted himself, “You done yet?” “Yes Shawn, I’m done now. We have to clean up this mess. Then we might as well get out of here.” Shawn flipped on the lights, “Looks like Mimi got it for us already.” Belle looked around the room and saw that he was right. “Well, we better leave then. It’s getting late.” And I’m getting horny, he thought as he eyed the front of Belle’s shirt. She was obviously “cold.” Luckily, she didn’t notice his observation. She slipped on her back pack and stepped out the front door. “Guess I’ll have to use nature’s blow dryer on the way home, huh?” Shawn followed her outside and opened the passenger door of Bo’s truck for her. Belle rolled down the window. Shawn crossed to the driver’s side by the back way of the truck. He smiled to himself thinking, Damn…