BLIND DATE
by bobbi jo

What's wrong with this picture?  I'm 26 years old, independent,
and single by choice.  I depend on nobody for anything.  Now my
life depends on a man I just met this morning and a thin orange
rope.  How did I get myself into this?  Well...

Ever watch a TV dating show?  Me too.  Every night I'm home
alone.  Oh, my friends 'fix me up.'  They know some real duds! 
One was all hands.  Another was ugly.  Some smoke.  One chewed
bubble gum, popped it all night, then stuck the wad in his cheek
and wanted a kiss.  Yuck!

The same friends sent my name to a TV dating show.  When the TV
station called, I figured, 'Why not?'  The guys at my office are
married.  The firm's clients are losers going through divorces. 
My friends are doing a lousy job of fixing me up.  What did I
have to lose?

At the station, I filled out a questionnaire, then recorded a
tape.  They use the most outrageous clips on TV.  The
questionnaire asked everything: my favorite color; my height,
weight, dress size, shoe size, and bra size; my favorite
activities; and how often I date.  I also had to describe my
perfect man.  I never thought about it.  'How am I going to find
the perfect man if I don't know what I'm looking for?' I thought. 
I started dreaming.  Tall, but not too tall; dark, or at least
tanned; muscular, with nice buns; a little old fashioned; and
'willing to try anything once,' I wrote.

On tape, I described some previous dates, my worst date, my best
date, and so on.  Daren, the host, kept trying to trip me up, but
I thought I did pretty well.

A week later, the station called back.  I was going to get to
choose a date on Tuesday!  I got to the station early.  Before I
went on, I watched videos of three men.  All looked and sounded
OK.  One guy, though, made a crack that 'all my ladies have to
look hot.'  I don't consider myself 'hot,' so he was out. It was
hard to pick between the other two.  I chose Rick.  He manages a
health club and said he was looking for a girl 'willing to try
anything once,' the same comment I made.

I waited while last week's couple described their date.  The
host made complete fools of them.  Then it was my turn.  Daren's
a jerk.  He started off saying, "We decided to let Clara pick a
date.  She's seldom goes out and we didn't want her alone again
this Saturday night."  They showed three short clips from the
guys' interviews.  Nothing in the clips had anything to do with
why I chose Rick.

Daren asked about my "perfect guy."  He brought up "willing to
try anything once."  "What sort of thing would you want to try
once?" he asked me.

"I don't know, like skinny-dipping."

The audience roared.  I should have thought first!  I did just
what I feared most.  I made a fool of myself.  I tried to explain
that I really didn't want to go skinny-dipping.  Daren cut me off
and said it was time to choose.  I chose number one:  Rick.

The next evening, the station called me.  Then they called Rick
and connected us to protect my privacy.  "Rick's here," he
answered.  "No simple 'hello' for this guy," I thought.

"Richard, this is WWWW-TV calling.  I have your date, Clara, on
the line if you have time to talk."

"Sure!  Hi, Clara.  I'm glad you picked me.  I hate rejection."

"Hi," I said stupidly.

"Have you made big plans?" he asked cheerily.

"No."  Now I really felt stupid.  I wanted to do the picking but
I wanted it to be, you know, a date.  I hadn't thought that I
get the money and that I was expected to plan the date.

"If you don't mind, I'll plan the date.  I'm a bit old fashioned. 
I like taking a girl out rather than the other way around."

'A little old fashioned' was another of my criteria for the
perfect man.  Relieved, I told him, "I don't mind at all."

"Good.  This is great.  When a friend sets up a blind date, I can
guess what she'll be like from what my friend is like.  This
time, all I know is your name and whatever you tell me during
this call."

"I know.  It's exciting, but scary," I admitted.  Then I blurted
out, "And I don't really want to go skinny-dipping!"

"I usually don't even get a kiss on the first date," he laughed,
soothing me a little, "So I won't be too disappointed if we
don't go skinny-dipping.  What do you like to do?"

The show was taped.  It hadn't aired yet.  Rick didn't know about
my comment about 'skinny-dipping.'  I felt dumb again.  I was
glad he couldn't see me blush.  I composed myself a little bit
before I continued, "Something different.  Not just dinner."

"I know what you mean.  Let's make it a progressive date.  Are
you free this Saturday?  All day?"

"Yes.  But what do you mean by a progressive date?"

"Start out early.  If we hit it off, we keep doing things until
we're both so exhausted we can't move.  If we don't get along,
we do something absolutely horrible to talk about on the show,
blow the money, and cut if off early."

"Sounds good to me."  An escape!  If he's a jerk or if he thinks
I'm a jerk, we have a way out.  We talked for another hour.  He
sounded nice.  He promised that my date would be memorable. 
Little did I suspect how memorable!

He said to dress casual and offered to pick me up at my
apartment.  I preferred a neutral place.  He mentioned several
spots.  I chose a nearby restaurant and we agreed to meet at
eight Saturday morning.

***

Now I was terrified.  Going out with a total stranger!  I tried
to picture him, but the faces from the videos mixed with each
other.  I thought about canceling, saying I was sick.  I was
crazy to get myself into this.  I tossed and turned all that
night, finally worrying myself to sleep in the wee hours of the
morning.

I worried all week.  My show aired Thursday.  My comment about
'skinny©dipping' came through loud and clear, but my protests
were drowned out by the audience.  Did Rick see it?

I went crazy.  What's 'casual'?  Shorts and a T-shirt?  Skirt
and blouse?  A sweat suit?  I couldn't go through with it.  On
Friday, I was a wreck.  Everybody saw the show and teased me. 
After work, I went shopping, but I couldn't find anything that
was casual enough but not too casual.  Exhausted, I cried myself
to sleep.

***

I woke up in a panic.  I forget to set the alarm.  It was almost
eight and I still didn't know what to wear.  My stomach was
queasy.  I hadn't eaten since lunch yesterday.  I pulled things
out of my closet.  Nothing was right.  Tina, my roommate, came in
complaining about the noise I was making.

"I'm sorry, Tina.  I can't decide what to wear."

"You never had a problem before," she quipped.

"Help me, please," I whined.

"Well, what did you decide to do?"

"We didn't.  He's planning it.  I'm just supposed to wear
something casual."

"Here."

She saved me!  Designer jeans, a plain blouse, a loose tank top
over it, and tennis shoes.  Perfect.  I dressed in a flash and
ran out the door without even tying my shoes.  "What if he
doesn't wait for me?" I worried.

Rick was sitting on the curb outside the restaurant sipping a cup
of coffee.  I pulled into the parking lot.  He wore jeans, a
T-shirt, and cowboy boots.  I ran a brush through my hair before
getting out of the car.

"Hi, Clara.  I was just enjoying the crisp morning air."

"Hi.  Sorry Iáţám late."

"Only a few minutes.  Besides, I needed time to calm down.  I'm
pretty nervous."

"Me, too," I admitted, relieved that he wasn't miffed.

"Let's have breakfast."

Rick took my arm.  We talked as we filled plates at the breakfast
buffet.  He promised again that I would never forget the date.


"I'd never forget being raped, either," I observed.

He looked me in the eyes like he could see right through me.  He
had big blue-green eyes sunk deep in his head.  "Please don't be
afraid of me.  I'm crazy, but harmless," he said with a smile.

"I'm nervous too.  I hope I dressed alright," I said, stepping
back with my loaded plate.

"You look great," he reassured me.  "And I brought some clothes
for you, even a bathing suit.  I forgot to tell you to bring
one."

"Ah, but I planned to go skinny©dipping," I answered in a whine,
kidding him.

"OK," he said, "I'll even join you."  I blushed.  I'd never do
it.  Would he expect it now?  He laughed at my worried
expression.  "Let's just see how things go."

He was being so gallant.  I liked him.  He described how scared
he was once he said that he'd plan the date.  He was afraid that
I might hate what he planned.

"I'll try anything once," I quipped as we were finishing our
breakfast, "except skinny-dipping on the first date." 
Conversation flowed easily from then on as we talked about our
preparations, worries, and foibles.

After breakfast, I parked my car at the mall next door and
climbed into his pick-up.  It had a camper shell and a canoe on
top.  We drove into the mountains and stopped at the riverbank. 
I helped him unload the canoe.

"It's time for our first change of the day," he told me.  "You
may want to take off your underwear when you put this on so you
don't get chafed."  He gave me a wet suit and opened the back of
the truck.  I climbed in.  I made sure he wasn't peeking before
I stripped off my clothes and put the wet suit on.  I left my
panties on, but I did take off my bra.  The wet suit was snug. 
I put my tennis shoes back on and climbed out.

At the riverbank, Rick showed me how to kneel in the canoe.  He
put two big packs in.  Then I helped him snap a cover over the
top.  He steadied it as I got in and drew the string tight around
my waist.  We put on life jackets and helmets.  Rick got into the
rear hole in the cover and sealed himself in.

We paddled around in the river just across from his truck for a
while.  He taught me the basics of white water canoeing.  White
water?  He intentionally tipped the canoe and we practiced
righting it with the paddles.  I heard a yell from the shore and
Rick waved to a friend of his who was taking the truck downstream
where we'd leave the river in the afternoon.

"Ready?" he finally asked.

"I guess so," I replied, not too sure of myself.

We turned the canoe down stream, paddling smoothly.  When we hit
the rapids, my job was to keep the canoe's front out front while
he controlled us from the back.  The river was getting faster and
I started paddling harder.  This was fun!  Then I heard the roar. 
It was deafening.  And terrifying!

It looked like we were drifting toward the edge of the earth.  I
knew I was going over a waterfall to my death.  The front of the
canoe hesitated in midair, then fell down into raging foam.  I
paddled for all I was worth.  The canoe seemed to bounce and
pound from side to side, up and down, and back and forth, with no
sensation of going forward.


I was covered with spray.  Half the time, I couldn't see.  Water
was all around me.  The front of the canoe would rise out of the
water, then slam down into foam up to my chest.

"Left.  Paddle left!" I heard Rick yell.  "Yeah, harder."

I paddled as hard as I could, stroking as if my life depended on
it.  For all I knew, it did.  We swung into a calm eddy behind a
giant boulder.  A fine mist flew down onto us from the top of the
rock.  Rapids boiled on both sides.

"Are we having fun yet?" I yelled over the roar.

"I am," Rick yelled back.  "Let's rest for a minute."

I was out of breath.  I needed a rest.  Rick kept us in the
whirlpool behind the rock.  In a few minutes, he yelled,
"Ready?"

"I guess so."

"Then stroke us out of here."

He let the canoe spin around in the whirlpool until it pointed
down stream, then we stroked together to force it back into the
rapids.  It was getting exciting.  When we made it to a smooth
stretch of river, I intentionally tipped the canoe.  The cold
water felt good.  Rick and I both laughed as we righted the canoe
and continued on.

When we get through the next set,áţá Rick yelled, "Paddle to the
left shore.  There's a beach at the bottom of the cliff."

We descended into another rapids.  I was in control now and
enjoyed it more.  When the water smoothed out, there was a
beautiful sandy beach at the base of a tall cliff.

We got out and beached the canoe.  I was light headed for a
second and couldn't get my legs to work after kneeling for so
long.  Rick laughed and helped me.  We rested and talked.  He
said that he was glad the weather cooperated.  He didn't know
how he was going to do to make a date truly memorable indoors.

I told him, "I'll always remember approaching that first rapid. 
I was afraid that we were falling off the end of the earth."

"That's nothing compared to the fear of falling you'll get when
we climb that," he said, pointing up the cliff.

"Oh, no!" I protested.

"You said youáţád try anything once," he challenged.  "It's safe. 
You'll be a climber by the end of the day.

Rick described 'climbing in balance.'  Done right, weight goes
straight down.  If you hug your upper body to the rock, it
pushes your feet out and causes falls.  He said that this was a
beginner's cliff and pointed out each handhold and foothold plus
where he would put in 'safety chock stones' and 'belay anchors.'

From one of the packs, he pulled out clothes for us.  I got an
aerobic dancing style bra top and bikini, plus canvas pants and
long sleeve flannel shirt.  He put on shorts and a flannel shirt. 
He tipped the canoe on its side so I could change on one side
while he changed on the other.  He had borrowed several pair of
climbing boots for me.  The second pair I tried on fit
perfectly.

Next, I was fitted with a nylon 'seat' with a carabiner hooked
at my waist.  Then I put an equipment sling over my shoulder.

Rick sat me on a little ledge a couple feet above the beach,
wedged 'chock stones' with wire cables attached into a crack
behind me, and hooked my seat to them with another carabiner.  He
described how to belay and warned me that his life would depend
on me if he slipped.  I had to keep both hands on the rope at all
times, paying out a little at a time as he climbed.  If he
yelled, "falling," I was to bend forward, wrapping the rope
around myself to hold him.  My job was to 'clean the wall,'
prying out the chocks with the back of a hammer as I climbed up
and collecting them on the equipment sling.  He also showed me
'jumar ascenders.'  If I got stuck and couldn't climb, I could
just hook them onto the climbing rope, put my feet in the slings
that hung from them, and 'jumar' up the rope, sliding them up
the rope one at a time.  I wasn't sure I was ready for this,
even though I had said that I would try anything once.

Then he started to climb.  About 10 feet up, he put a chock into
a crack, attached a carabiner, and snapped the climbing rope in. 
I watched him climb another 8 feet or so, when he yelled,
"falling" and jumped away from the wall.  I bent forward,
wrapping the rope around me.  A microsecond later, the rope
snapped tight and pulled me off my perch.  It pulled me up while
the chocks and carabiner at the back of my seat held me down. 
Rick ended up hanging right next to me.

"Hi," he grinned.

"Hi, yourself," I replied, proud of myself.

"I think youáţáve got it."

"I hope so."

"So do I."  Rick started climbing again.  He was half way up the
cliff when he stopped and set his belay anchor.  After a minute,
he yelled, "Ready?"

Too late to chicken out now.  I yelled back, "On belay?"

"Belay on.  Climb."

"Climbing," I yelled back.  When I tried to get up, I realized
that I was still anchored in.  I pried the chocks out of the
crack, hooked the carabiner onto my equipment sling, and started
up.  Within a minute, I was out of breath.  I never realized how
much work mountain climbing is.  And, according to Rick,this was
a beginner's wall.

I easily found the hand and foot holds, keeping three points in
contact with the rock.  I had to coach myself continually to
'climb in balance.'  I instinctively wanted to hug the rock.  At
10 feet up, I had to pry out a chock.  It was wedged in good and
when it popped out, I slipped and 'kissed the rock.'  Rick
coached me in getting my feet back onto the little footholds. 
Then he described 'tension.'

"When you say 'tension,' I pull the rope tawt.  Then you can
just lean back in your seat and use both hands.  Try it."

Ten feet is a long way off the ground for me, but I'll try
anything once, right?  "Tension," I yelled.  Actually, the rope
was already tight.  I had barely dropped three inches when I
slipped.  This time, I kept my footing and cautiously let go.  I
pried out the chock and continued to climb.  Once, on a long
reach with my arm, my leg started 'motor boating,' quivering
uncontrollably.

"Just lean back and relax for a minute," Rick advised.  He
climbed the pitch in ten minutes.  It took me an hour to reach
his narrow perch.  He hooked me into his anchor and had me turn
around.  When I looked down, I almost fainted.

We rested a while and I relaxed.  The view was great.  Then it
was time to go to the top.  Rick climbed the next fifty feet,
and I climbed after him, cleaning the wall.  There I was, 70 feet
off the ground hanging from a thin orange rope.  I looked up and
saw Rick taking pictures of me.

At the top, he set a rappel anchor.  He described the rappel, put
on his gloves, and down he went.  I wasn't too sure about this. 
I snapped myself into the rope and leaned back.  Rick yelled to
lean back more, that I was too upright.  I slipped and 'kissed
the rock' again.  It took a few minutes, but I finally got up the
courage to lean all the way back until my feet were flat against
the wall and my body was horizontal with the earth.  It's a
scaryfeeling at first.

Rick yelled, "Now turn around."  He had the rope around his leg
and was taking pictures.  I slowly inched my way down at first. 
Then I got brave and kicked myself away from the wall like I'd
seen on TV.  It was fun!  I got to the bottom too soon and
wanted to rappel again.  We dropped our equipment and shed our
shirts.  Rick then led me up a trail off to our left.  It was an
easy ten-minute hike to the top of the cliff.  We rappelled down
again.  This time, I went down in four big bounds.

The river mist and shade were cool earlier, but the sun was now
shining over the cliff onto our little beach.  It was also lunch
time.  Rick brought out sandwich fixings and drinks for a picnic
on the beach.  I shed the canvas pants and stretched out on the
tarp he spread.

My muscles were tight from the paddling and climbing.  Rick
massaged all the tension away with suntan oil.  I couldn't
believe my morning.  As I lay there under his expert hands, I
wondered, 'What's next?'  I fantasized about going
skinny-dipping with him.  I wanted him to kiss me.  I even
fantasized about making love on our private beach on the
Rappahannock River.  I dozed off, dreaming.

Rick woke me after an hour's nap.  It was time to move on. 
Together, we packed the canoe and shot a couple more rapids
before we paddled to the shore where Rick's pickup was parked. 
We put all the gear away.  Rick said I had to keep the exercise
bikini.  It couldn't be returned.

We took a swim in the river.  It was cold.  My nipples hardened
under the unlined exercise top.  I was embarrassed, at first. 
Then I sort of hoped Rick would notice and enjoy the view.  I
think I look pretty good, even though I'm not as athletic as he
is.  I work out at a spa three times a week.

We walked along the shore and talked about everything in the
world.  I told Rick about my job as a receptionist for a law
firm.  He told me how he loved the 'gym' as he called the health
club.

We agreed that we had enough adventure for one day.  "You're
going to be sore tomorrow, you know."  I could feel the
tightness in my muscles from the unaccustomed use.  I knew he was
right.  He gave me another massage.  His strong hands felt good
on my bare legs.  He massaged places that I would never let any
other man touch on a first date.  Somehow, it was just right
this time.

Conversation came easy as we drove back toward the city.  We
talked about favorite TV shows and music.  We joked about
previous disastrous dates.  He kidded me about skinning my nose
as I 'kissed the rock.'  His interests are all outdoors and
athletics.  He spends most weekends hiking, climbing or white
water canoeing.  In winter, he goes cross-country skiing.  My
interests are more sedate.  I like to dream and read.  I love to
go to the beach and just lay around soaking up the sun.  We had
nothing in common except some chemical or animal attraction.

Rick had made reservations for a dinner theater.  That was my
part of the date.  I got $50.00 to spend as I wished.  Rick took
me back to my car and followed me home.  He waited patiently with
Tina while I showered and changed.

Rick showered and changed too.  I was amazed when he came out,
dressed to the nines in a white evening jacket and bow tie. 
Tina was impressed too.  He apologized that the best show in town
was booked.  I had no complaints.  The food was great and the
show was good.  As we left, Rick commented, "I enjoyed the food
and show, but it interfered with our conversation."

I agreed.  I liked talking with Rick and although I leaned my
head on his shoulder during the show, the show put as much
distance between us as the holes in the canoe cover.

"Are you ready to call it a night?" he asked.

"Are you?" answering his question with a question.  I didn't
want this date to ever end, but I was afraid Rick was tired or
tired of me.

"Let me show you my gym," Rick answered.  So, at midnight, we
went to tour his spa.  Exit signs provided the only illumination. 
It's a well-equipped health club with a pool and sauna as well as
all the exercise equipment.

"How about skinny-dipping in the hot tub?" he asked, holding my
arms and looking straight into my eyes.

I was glad it was dark so he couldn't see my blush.  I actually
wanted to, but I was scared.  "Not on a first date."

"Then Iáţáll get you a suit.  The Jacuzzi will help take some of
the tightness out of your muscles so you won't be so sore
tomorrow."

He punched in the code to turn off the alarm and opened the
club's shop.  He picked up a tiny bikini like female body
builders wear in competition. It's designed to show all and hide
nothing.  I went to the locker room and changed.  I ended up
almost as exposed in the suit as I would be nude.  I was glad he
left the lights off so he couldn't see too much.

When I got to the tub, Rick was already soaking.  He had brought
in a single candle, a rosebud in a vase, fruit drinks, and
snacks.  He held my hand as I stepped in and sat down beside him. 
I sank down in the water up to my chin.  It felt so good!

Rick massaged all the remaining tightness out of my neck and
shoulders.  Then he lifted my legs onto his lap and massaged
them.  Then I felt something brush the side of my leg.

"What was that?"

"What?" he asked with mock innocence.

"That," I told him, making sure I wasn't imagining something
that wasn't there.

"Just because you chickened out doesn't mean I did," he chided. 
What touched my leg was exactly what I thought it was!

"You mean Iáţám sitting in this tub with a naked man?"

"Yep," he kidded, "And on a first date."

I was horrified.  Then I thought about what a gentleman he had
been.  I hadn't noticed for fifteen minutes.  My mind was
whirling.  I'm in a hot tub wearing the tiniest of bikinis with a
nude man that I just met this morning.  I must be crazy!  Then I
got crazier.

"Who says I chickened out?"  I untied the top of my bikini and
threw it out of the pool.  Then I slipped off the bottom.  I
giggled.  It was so naughty!  I had never done anything so daring
in my whole life.  The water was up to my chin so he couldn't
see anything.  Actually, it was so dark we could hardly see each
other anyway.  But he knew I was naked and I knew he was too.

He leaned over, held my shoulders, and kissed me.  It wasn't an
erotic or passionate kiss, no Frenching or anything like that. 
But it was a kiss.  I thought I felt the hair on his chest brush
my nipples.  A rush went all the way through me.  I wondered if I
had made a mistake.

"I'm glad you got your courage up," he said simply.  "But your
friends will never believe it."

I giggled again.  "You're right about that.  They all think
I'm a prude."

"I can't imagine why.  Half the guys in the city must be chasing
a girl as pretty as you."

"But meeting new people is so hard.  And you never know if
they're weird or murderers or what.  It seems like all the nice
guys are queer or married."

"Sometimes you have to take risks.  Try anything once."

"I'm not one to take risks."

"You couldn't prove it by me.  Now, let's end the evening with
an all over body massage."

A chill ran down my spine.  Rick was trying to seduce me.  He got
me naked.  Now he wants to feel me up.  "No.  I don't think so. 
It's time I gothome."

"If you won't let me give you a massage, would you rub my
shoulders?" he asked.  "They're kind of sore."

"Why not?" I said.  Rick got out of the tub.  I strained in the
dim candlelight to see, but couldn't.  He took a towel and
wrapped it around his waist. Then he brought more towels over. 
He turned his back as I wrapped one around me.  Then he took my
hand and led me to the massage room.

He took his towel off and lay down on the table.  I found some
lotion and poured some on his shoulders.  I did the best I could
at massaging him.  I could feel his hard muscles relax.  Neither
of us said a word.

When I paused, Rick sat up and looked at me in the dim light. 
"Sometimes you have to take risks, Clar'.  Even the risk that a
nude massage might turn us on."

I stood motionless, trying to decide how to react.  One little
voice inside me was saying, "Run, or you'll become a date rape
statistic."  Another was saying, "It's worth the risk."  I was
frozen.  Chills ran down my spine while heat radiated from my
face and neck.  I wanted this man, but I was scared to death of
what he would think of me allowing him to take me on a first
date.  I was dying for his touch at the same time I dreaded
it.

Rick got up and invaded my space, pressing his body against my
towel.  He kissed me easily and gently.  Then he lifted me and
laid me on the massage table.  I shivered, even though it was
warm.

"Roll over, Miss Modesty," he kidded lightly, pulling one side
of my towel so that I spun onto my belly.  Then he lightly laid
the towel over my fanny.  I'm not sure how good a job I did
massaging him, but he certainly did a good job on me.  He's
trained as a masseur so he can supervise others at the spa.  His
strong hands worked all the tension out of my neck, shoulders,
and arms.  He moved down to my lower back and rubbed up my back
to between my shoulder blades, then spread his hands over the
muscles and back to my waist.  Boy, he has great hands!

When he paused, I tensed, afraid of what or where he might touch
next.  "Take the risk," the little voice said.  I relaxed again
as he started at my ankle and moved up one leg.  Again, he got
his hands farther up my legs than any other man had on a first
date.  He felt me tense and said, "Relax.  I don't believe in
rape on the first date."

It was such a ridiculous statement that I laughed.  Date rape was
exactly what I feared.  I trusted him with my life earlier in the
day--yesterday, actually. I would trust him now.  I let the
tension drain away.  He started on my other leg.  I felt so
relaxed that I almost went to sleep.

"Time to turn over," he said.  It was the moment of truth.  Did
I have the courage?  Could he see in this dim light?  I took a
deep breath and rolled onto my back, horribly aware of my nudity.

"Spread your legs, Miss Modesty," he said mockingly.  I tensed. 
This was it.  I was helpless.  He had decided to take me.  I
spread my legs a little.  He gently laid the towel from my belly
to between my legs.  "You can close them now."  I felt
embarrassed for not trusting him as I let out my breath,
realizing that I had stopped breathing.

His strong hands gently circled my neck, drawing the tension
from my shoulder muscles.  Then they moved down to the muscles of
my chest.  I had to fight my instinct to tense up as his hands
approached my breasts.  They slid down to the sides of my rib
cage, then back underneath.  He moved on down to my abdomen, then
to my legs, massaging both my thighs.  He came so close, but
never touched me in any objectionable way.  I relaxed again,
letting him work the tension out of my legs.  I felt gloriously
alive.  The massage was both relaxing and stimulating at the same
time.  I didn't want it to ever end.  But it did.

"Relax and I'll get your things," Rick said gently.  He brought
my things and the bikini.  He reached under my arms, lifted me to
a sitting position,and pulled my dress over my head.  "You won't
need all this for the short drive home," he said, referring to my
bra, panties, pantyhose, camisole and half-slip and the bikini
bathing suit.

I smiled in the dark.  Now it was my turn.  I found his face with
my hands and pulled it to me.  I kissed him passionately, sliding
my tongue between his lips.  "Thanks," I said.  Then I
remembered that he was still nude and blushed.

He dressed right there in the room with me.  "Here," he said. 
"Put these with your things and your roommate will really
wonder."  He handed me his bikini briefs.  I giggled again.  This
was crazy.  He gave me a bag from the spa's shop for my things.

Rick slipped his arm around me and led me back to his pickup.  I
climbed in, feeling deliciously naughty with nothing on under my
dress, carrying my underclothes in a bag.

"I hope you had a good time," Rick told me.

"I'll never forget it," I answered him honestly.

We were silent as he drove me home.  I had run out of things to
say.  Evidently, so had he.  He pulled up in front of my
apartment.  Tina was still up, judging from the lights on inside. 
Rick walked me to the door, then turned me to face him.

"I usually don't expect a kiss goodnight on a first date," he
said.

"I usually don't give one."  Then we just sort of melted
together under the porch light.  The heat rose again into my head
and neck.  I was flushed with desire for this guy I had just met. 
Our heads turned sideways to deepen the kiss.  It ended too
soon.

"Would you like to come in for a nightcap?" I asked.  It's a
terrible clich‚, but I couldn't think of anything more
appropriate at the time.

"I'd love a cup of coffee," he answered, taking my keys and
letting us both in.

Tina was up, padding around in a shorty nightie.  She didn't
leave.  Rick sat at the table and watched me make coffee.  Tina
flirted with him.  I got jealous.  He was so handsome.  And so
gallant.

Tina was being terribly nosy, wanting to know everything about
our date.  I was tired.  I felt like shocking her and making her
jealous of me for once. She's always bragging about her
conquests.  So I told her that Rick got me naked in the back of
his pickup at the very start of the date.  I didn't bother to
tell her I was alone, changing into a wetsuit.  I described white
water canoeing.  I told her about changing on the beach, again
not bothering to tell her the canoe hid us from each other.  I
told her about the spa, not bothering to mention the bikini, and
about the massages.

Her shocked looks were just what I wanted.  I was proud of my
wickedness.  Rick played along.  He sat next to me at the table,
sipping coffee and massaging my shoulders.  I felt great and oh,
so naughty!

Tina saw the bag from the club, and asked, "What'd he get
you?"  Before I could answer, she dumped it out on the table. 
"Oh, my god!"  Rick's bikini underwear was the perfect proof of
my exaggerations.  Tina was suitably shocked.  I loved it!

"I wish I could get a massage like that," Tina said.

"That's up to Clar'," Rick told her.

I looked back at him questioningly.  I saw conspiracy in his
grin.  "Sure, Tina.  But you have strip completely naked," I
told her.

Never before had I ever been able to make Tina blush, but boy did
she blush now.  She was always the adventurous one while I was
shy and reserved.  She was only dumfounded for a second, though. 
She accepted the challenge.

"OK," she said, stripping off the top of her shorty nightie.

"Into bed," Rick said, standing.  Tina went toward her bedroom. 
Rick followed, pulling me with him, explaining, "We need a
chaperon."

Tina was brave, peeling off her bikini panties without
hesitating.  I took some satisfaction in her blush and attempts
to retain a little modesty.  She lay down on her belly and Rick
stood over the bed and started the massage.  He was thorough,
starting at her shoulders and moving down.  When he finished her
legs, he went back and massaged her neck.  None of us spoke a
word.  Believe it or not, there was nothing erotic about the
massage even though Tina was nude.  Within minutes, she was sound
asleep.

Rick pulled the sheet up over Tina, leaving her sleeping.  He put
his finger to his lips and led me out.  We both giggled once her
door was closed.

I poured more coffee for us and we sat on the loveseat in the
living room.  Rick said that girls like Tina hit on him all the
time at the club.  He turned them all down.  He complimented me
many times, saying that my shyness was 'charming.'  He liked how
I dressed, saying I showed that I had a nicebody without being
"snotty about it."  I complimented him on his build, his sense
of adventure, and that he was "a complete gentleman."

"Believe me, my thoughts weren't too gentlemanly," he admitted,
"but waiting usually makes things even better."

From there, our conversation got raunchy.  I admitted that all my
thoughts weren't pure, either.  We described our previous
partners.  I was surprised when he told me he was a one-woman
man.  He had actually had fewer partners than I had.  We were
both afraid of AIDS and VD.  We were both selective.  Although he
went out more often than I did, it was with girls from the health
club who were just friends and coworkers.  As we talked, we sort
of moved into each other's space, our faces just inches from
each other.

Then Rick kissed me.  This was the passionate kiss I had waited
for.  When we finally broke it, he asked me to describe my most
outrageous fantasy.  I told him mine was making love on a beach
when I might get caught.  We kissed again, and that fantasy
filled my mind.  I asked about his fantasies.  His favorite was
tying his conquest to the exercise equipment in the health club,
ending with her bound helplessly to the massage table, his for
the taking.  Then we described lots of other fantasies and
experiences.

It was wonderful how relaxed I was with him.  I was alternately
afraid of date rape and then afraid that he wouldn't find me
attractive enough to try to seduce.  My mind kept going back to
his statement that things were better when you waited.  That made
it all OK.  I was already seduced.  He could have me any time he
wanted me, but not tonight.

The coffee had its effect.  We soon had to take turns in the
bathroom.  It was so easy and comfortable to go to the kitchen to
freshen the coffee, then return to the couch and start right in
again describing our most intimate of thoughts and feelings. 
Rick stretched out on his side, resting his shoulders on the
padded arm.  I snuggled in with him laying my head on his arm. 
We kissed again and again, talking back and forth, sipping
coffee in between.

I suddenly noticed it was starting to get light outside.  We
decided to go outside and watch the sun come up.  Bare footed
and still wearing my dinner dress with no underwear, I followed
Rick outside.  He took the mattress from the back of his pickup,
put it on top of the camper shell, and helped me up.  We laid up
there, leaning against the padded canoe watching the sun come up. 
It was fun to kiss for a minute, then be quiet until the early
morningjoggers got beside us and startle them with a, "Good
morning."

When the sun was just over the horizon, we went back inside.

Rick said, "It's that time."

I melted into him for one last kiss before he left and we kissed
passionately once again.  Then Rick picked me up and started
carrying me to my bedroom."

"No, Rick.  I'm not ready."

"Trust me."  I trusted him.  More than I ever trusted a man
before in my life.  But I wasn't ready for this.  I was
comfortable with waiting.  I had made up my mind we would wait.

"No, Rick," I insisted again when he stood me in my bedroom next
to my bed.

Have you ever kissed a man who was fully clothed while you were
nude?" he asked.

"No, Rick," I said sternly.  "I'm not ready."

"But you'll try anything once," he said quietly with a grin as
he lifted the hem of my dress.  I was exhausted, unable to
resist.  What I had feared all night was about to happen.  He
wrapped his arms around me and kissed me deeply.  I put my arms
around his neck and kissed back.  I was completely helpless.  My
legs felt like rubber bands.

Rick held me up with his strong arms as we kissed, then he
gently laid me down on the bed.  Daylight illuminated the whole
room, exposing me completely to his gaze.  I closed my eyes.  I
didn't even have the energy to blush.

"You're worth waiting for," he said gently as he started
massaging my neck, then my shoulders, then down my body.  He's a
real expert.  I relaxed completely.  He rolled me onto my stomach
and continued the massage.  I was really surprised when Tina woke
me at noon.

Tina grilled me as we made brunch.  She wouldn't believe that we
just kissed, but she also wouldn't believe that I made love to a
man on the first date.  She couldn't believe that a man could
massage nude women and not come on to them.  "He must be gay,"
she concluded.  She ended up talking continuously while I sat and
savored the feelings in my sore muscles.  In spite of the
stiffness, I felt gloriously alive.  Tina's speculations on what
went on were far wilder than anything I actually did.


Rick called Sunday evening.  My heart leapt into my throat when I
heard his voice.  I hadn't given him my number.  I wondered how
I would get in touch with him.  The TV station didn't want us to
talk or see each other until after we appeared on the show. 
Rick, though, had memorized the number from my phone in the
apartment.

"Let's talk about the show," he suggested.  I hadn't thought
about that.  "We should be honest, but not too honest.  Let
everybody guess what went on."

"I'm not sure I want everybody in the world to know that we were
doing nude body massages on the date, especially my
mother!"

"Why not?  She won't believe it anyway.  You know Daren's going
to ask if you went skinny-dipping," he observed.  "What should
we tell him?"

It was a blast reliving the whole date over the telephone.  We
knew that Daren, the show's host, wanted a program full of gasps
and laughs about our adventure.  In the end, we decided that
honesty is the best policy.  Nobody who knew us would believe it. 
My friends and my mother both know how shy and reserved I am. 
Rick's clients and friends know how many times he's turned down
opportunities.  We would just have fun.

That night I was left alone with my thoughts and my sore
muscles.  I had decisions to make.

***

"Good evening and welcome to 'Blind Dating Blind.'  I'm your
host, Daren McRanger.  Tonight, we'll hear all about Clara's
date with Rick and then find out who Steven will pick for his
date, right after these messages."

I was nervous.  I felt like I had to pee although I had just used
the bathroom.  The two-minute wait drove me crazy.  The host
talked to the staff instead of me.  I knew Rick was in the back,
which made it worse.

When the 'on-the-air' light lit, Daren reviewed the men I had to
choose from and that I picked Rick.  He welcomed Rick, who was
shown by a different camera behind a screen.  Then he asked me,
"Well, Clara, where did you go on your date?"

"To the Rappahannock River."

"Oh?  That's an interesting place for a date.  What did you do
there?"

"We went white water canoeing and mountain climbing."

Gasps and applause from the audience.  "And did you go
skinny-dipping?"

"I brought some pictures," I answered.  The audience had dirty
minds and roared at my answer, thinking I had pictures of us
skinny-dipping.

"I don't know if we can show pictures like that."  A technician
showed a slide Rick's friend took of us in the canoe wearing
life jackets and helmets.  Then I described my first experience
at rappelling.  It was a shot of my second time where I was
bounding down and wearing the exercise top.

"Well, Rick.  Did you finally get her clothes off?"

"She took them off herself," Rick answered, grinning.  The
audience roared!

"Really?"

"Well, after we left the river, we drove back into town and went
to the dinner theater.  It was a good show."

"Forget the dinner!  I want to hear about how you got her
clothes off."  The audience shouted agreement.

After the audience calmed down, Rick continued, "Well, after the
show, I decided to show Clar' the gym where I work.  I invited
her to soak in the Jacuzzi and she accepted."  Whistles and
guffaws from the audience, just as I expected.

"Was it that easy to get you out of your clothes?" he asked me.

"Well, no," I replied.  "I told him I wasn't ready to be nude
with a guy on the first date.  He was a real gentleman and gave
me a suit to change into.  Then I joined him in the Jacuzzi."

"Oh, so you didn't get her naked," he said to Rick, sounding
disappointed.  The audience groaned too.

"No, I didnáţát," Rick admitted.

"But I did," I laughed.

"Huh?"  The audience laughed as Rick and I grinned at each other
on the monitors.  "Can you enlighten us, Clara?"

"Well, when I got in the tub, Rick massaged me.  I was kind of
sore.  Then, we sort of kissed."  The audience reacted with 
"Ooooo."  "And when we kissed, I sort of touched Rick where there
should have been a bathing suit and there wasn't."  The audience
loved it and roared and whistled.

"So, Rick, you were skinny-dipping and she wasn't?"

"Yeah.  I told her, 'Hey, just because you chickened out
doesn't mean that I did.'"  The audience was eating this up.

"Well, Clara.  How did you react to that?"

"I told Rick that I wasn't chickening out.  I just wasn't ready
yet."

"Well, did you take your clothes off?"

"I was nearly naked already.  The suit was supposed to show you
off rather than cover you up."  The audience's reaction was just
what you wouldexpect.

"So you were practically naked anyway?" Daren pried.

"Yeah, so I figured what the heck, I'll try anything once and
took it off."  You should have heard the reaction of the crowd!

After the commercial break, we described the massages after the
hot tub.  "So what did you do then?  Just get up out of the
tub?"

"No.  Rick got us towels and he turned his back while I wrapped
one around me."

"Does she look pretty good in a towel?"

"She looks pretty good in anything, everything, and nothing,"
Rick said, to the applause of the whole audience.  I couldn't
help but blush, but I likedthe compliment.

"Well, what did you do then?"

"Well, our muscles were still tight so I offered to give Clar' a
massage."  More "Oooooo'ás."

"How was the massage?" Daren asked me.

"It was great.  Rick really knows his stuff," I answered, to the
gasps and applause again.

"It's kind of hard to get a massage with a towel wrapped around
you, isn't it?" Daren asked.  I knew where he was leading and I
wasn't about to disappoint him.

"Well, I had to take the towel off!"  Yep.  You know the
reaction.  "But I was face down and had the towel over my bottom
so he couldn't really see anything."

"OK," Daren said, leaving a 'dramatic pause' for the audience to
laugh through.  "What then?"

"Well, then we went back to my place."  More "Oooooo's."

"I don't think we can continue this," Daren said.  "Besides,
it's time for a break."

He barely made it in time for the commercial as the director
counted down to zero.  After the break, he continued, "So you
guys had a really good time."

"Yeah, it was great," we both agreed.

"Well, let's see who the audience picked for you, Clara."  He
flipped over the cards.  Rick was second.  Ben, the guy who made
the comment about "hot girls," was the number one pick with 44
percent.

"Well, you can go out with Ben and we'll pay for it or you can
stay with Rick.  What'll it be?"

I answered, "I've thought a lot about this.  The date was great,
but Rick's a little too crazy for me.  I'll try Ben."  The
audience gasped in surprise.

"And how do you feel about that, Rick?"

"It's her choice.  I had a great time, Clar'.  Bye."

The audience was shocked.  They groaned and booed.

***

Ben was more than a little crude on our date Saturday night.  He
saw my show and just wanted to get my clothes off.  I dressed
really 'hot' for him in a shiny red minidress and sheer hot pink
hose.  I had to fight him off all night.  He still stole a dozen
tight-lipped kisses.  I gave him ten seconds of tongue on my
porch.  I counted the seconds until it was over, then shooed him
off.


I went inside, ignoring Tina's questions about how the date
went.  I just took off all my clothes and put on my long coat and
sneakers.


Ten minutes later, the doorbell rang.  I opened it and asked
Rick, "The beach or the health club?"

"Ladies first.  We're off to the beach," he replied as he led me
to his truck.