Passing the Torch Ch. 04

"Oh, come on," Vanessa continued. "There's no harm admitting she's a sexy woman just because she's married to your friend. Right Tim?"

Tim nodded eagerly. "Of course not. I don't care."

Vanessa smiled, thinking the young man wasn't telling the truth. He certainly cared, just not the way his friends might presume.

"We're all adults here," Vanessa continued and felt her slip into the familiar role of the lecturing teacher. "There's nothing wrong with acknowledging a woman is sexy, just because you think she's off limits. She might even want you to look."

A dense silence followed. Vanessa realized her choice of words was unfortunate given that she herself was considered off limits in more ways than one. Yet, she couldn't point out she wasn't referring to herself. It would only make the situation more awkward. She became increasingly aware of the hot young bodies that hurdled around her. The wind she felt as she took on her teaching role was quickly knocked out of her sails. In lack of a better option, she flicked to the next picture.

To her relief, it drew all attention away from her and back to the screen. Bella struck a similar pose as in the previous picture, leaning back in the canoe with her chest pushed against the sun. Only this time, her top was gone. Her delightful little tits were on display for all to see.

"Oh, maybe we shouldn't be looking at that," Will said, but his actions didn't match his words. His gaze remained on the screen.

"It's fine," Tim said quickly. "I asked Bella to remove any picture she didn't want you to see."

"And she told you to leave it in?" Joel asked, sounding skeptical.

Vanessa smiled at him. "What if she did? Many girls like to show off a bit, especially to cute boys such as yourselves. I'm sure you've had girls send you sexy pictures. Getting married doesn't stop women from being fun."

There she went again, lecturing away. This role she was comfortable with. She flicked to another picture, and even though she didn't know what the picture would be, she felt as if it was another slide for her lecture. This one showed Bella by the river shore, arms stretched out as if inviting the world to see her. There were boats in background, and while they were too far away for anyone on board to see her, the image still conveyed a conspicuous exhibitionism.

"See, that doesn't look like a woman who minds flaunting herself," Vanessa said. "And there's no harm in that. Besides, it's nice to be topless outside. Why do you think we have the tall fence?"

She immediately regretted her comment. It was true, of course, and if the boys weren't there, she'd probably be making the most of the empty house. Sometimes she even went naked, cherishing the combination of liberty and sensuality. But why on earth did she allude that to the boys? She was baffled a comment like that had leaped out of her. Yet, there was something very familiar about it. When she was younger, she enjoyed revealing things about her erotic nature, both for the shock-effect and to give hints about things she'd be willing to do.

Now her comment about going topless was meant to support that what Bella was doing was perfectly normal. Instead, Vanessa felt it shift the attention back to her. The boys looked stunned, and she felt as if they were imagining her sitting there topless. Tim seemed oddly pleased by what she said and looked like he was thinking of something important to say. But Carl spoke first.

"There's no fence around Bella though."

To Vanessa's relief, the attention turned back to the screen. She quickly flicked to another photo. This one was bolder, showing Bella caressing her breasts. It seemed to have been taken after a dip in the river and drops of water decorated her perky tits. She had a suggestive smile on her face.

"Are you sure she wants us to see this?" Joel asked. "That looks like it was meant for your eyes only."

"Hey now, there's no reason to look a gift horse in the mouth," Vanessa said. "If she wants you to see the photos and Tim doesn't mind, shouldn't you just be grateful?"

"Yeah, man," Tim chipped in. "I told Bella no one would think less of her if I showed you those pictures. I hope I wasn't wrong."

His voice was strained, and Vanessa couldn't tell if it was because he was nervous over how his friends were reacting or because he was excited they were looking at the erotic imagery of his wife. Probably both, she guessed.

"Oh, no one will think less of her," Vanessa reassured him. "Right boys?"

They hummed in agreement.

"And now, maybe you can at least acknowledge that his wife is fucking sexy." Vanessa said and tapped her finger at the screen. She'd never used the F-word in front them, but there were far stranger things about the situation than her choice of vocabulary. To some extent she understood why Tim wanted her to show his friends the pictures rather than do it himself. It was easier for her as an outsider to guide them in the right direction. But it seemed hard for them to admit they found their friend's wife sexy with their former teacher there. The awkward silence felt intense.

"Well, sure," Will said eventually. "I can admit it. Your wife is fucking hot. You're a lucky man."

Vanessa wasn't surprised Will was the one to first speak up. He had a competitive streak, and he never seemed to back out of a challenge.

Carl nodded in agreement. "Yeah, she sure is. Is it appropriate to send her our thanks?"

He was still looking at the screen and it wasn't clear who the question was directed at, but Vanessa had slipped into her mentoring role and took it upon herself to answer.

"Sure it is. Or better yet, why don't you tell her yourself next time you see her? I'm sure she'll appreciate the compliments."

This was beyond what Tim had asked her to facilitate, but his long haul was a lot more than just showing off his wife. Making his friends discuss the sexy pictures of Bella directly with her would be a good starting point for the next step. Tim's eyes lit up, and Vanessa could tell he had the same thought.

Sensing that her job was done, she passed the pad to Carl. She stood and walked over to her recliner. Tim mouthed a silent thank you, and she felt very pleased with herself. She listened in as Tim continued to assure his friends it was perfectly fine to pay his wife some compliments.

She started imagining how things would play out next time one of his friends came over to meet his wife. Maybe Tim would suggest she'd take her top off, seeing as the friend already seen her tits in the pictures. Bella would surely comply, given how eager the young woman was to show off. She would probably wear a thong to show off her ass, but it would only be a matter of time before she'd remove that too. She'd seduce the friend in no time. No man would resist that hot young body. Tim would probably join in, sharing his wife with his friend. Which one would he invite over first? Vanessa couldn't help wondering which one she'd pick if it was her choice. It was difficult. They were all such attractive young men.

"Wouldn't you agree, Mrs. Hamilton?" Tim asked, shaking her back to reality.

"What?" she said, and felt momentarily guilty over her wandering mid.

"I was saying a lot of married women like when other men flirt with them," Tim continued. "There's nothing wrong with that, right?"

"Uhm, sure, no. I'd say it's perfectly fine. Just because a woman is married doesn't mean she won't enjoy some attention from other guys. At least if it's from cute guys such as yourselves."

The part of her that felt she should behave as their teacher dreaded the words that had just leaped out of her mouth. She meant it as encouragement to flirt with Bella, and she hoped that was obvious. But how could she insinuate she found them cute? And yet, there was something very liberating about letting it slip. The young men stared back at her, all of them looking like they were doing advanced math.

"Well," Will began, looking nervous. "Let me be the first to say that you look very beautiful today."

The rest remained quiet, studying her response. It was a polite compliment, but still sounded strange coming from one of her former students.

She smiled at him. "Thank you, Will. That's kind of you to say."

"I don't think he's kind. Just honest," Tim said. "We're all glad you decided to come spend the day with us."

"Yeah, very glad," Carl said. "And if you have any pictures like these of Bella, you have my number, right?"

Will threw an empty beer can at the back of Carl's head. Vanessa laughed. Usually, it would have been unheard of for Carl to say such a thing to her. But they had just watched topless pictures of his friend's wife together, and she shouldn't be surprised it changed where Carl saw the limits of his jokes.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Hamilton," Tim said. "I think what our idiot friend is trying to say is that, you know... No one would mind if you want to be more comfortable. You said it was nice to be topless."

The words hung heavy in the air. His friends looked shocked by his audacity, and Vanessa stared at him in disbelief. Carl was obviously joking, but Tim looked serious. Maybe he was trying to make her prove to his friends that what Bella did was perfectly normal. He had a pleading look on his face, and glancing among his friends she saw nothing but hopeful eyes. No one said anything, as if the fact she wasn't immediately shutting down Tim's proposition was a moment too precious to disturb.

"Very funny, Tim," she said eventually.

Surely, he couldn't be serious. She picked up a magazine from the table next to her recliner. The boys kept watching her expectantly for a while, but when it became obvious she wasn't going to take Tim up on his offer, they started looking at each other, uncertain what to do.

"Did you hear the story about the man who had sex with his neighbor's wife in the elevator?" Carl said out of the blue, breaking the silence. "It was wrong on so many levels."

The others laughed far more than his joke deserved. At least it relieved the tension.

Vanessa pretended to read her magazine, but her mind still lingered on Tim's proposition. She hadn't told him many details about her past, but she had hinted that she used to do a lot more than show off her tits to a bunch of guys. It was probably hard for him to understand why she had left that life behind, given that he was just discovering how much his wife enjoyed acting on her slutty side. Why wouldn't he expect she wanted to go topless before him and his friends?

Or maybe they were just hoping she would. Surely the awe she'd seen in their eyes couldn't just be her mind playing tricks on her. Maybe her husband was right when he said many young men are attracted to older women. A familiar surge of excitement boiled up inside her, like a calling from a different time. Back then, she would have phoned her husband to explain the situation, and he would have encouraged her to do something wild. She would have asked for his advice on which one to seduce. Maybe even more than one. But those days were long gone. She was a professional woman, a mother, and a respected pillar of the community. She couldn't sleep with one of her students, even a former one.

But no one was implying she'd sleep with them. Tim had just suggested she should feel free to flaunt herself if she wanted. Would that really be so bad?

Maybe it would be appropriate, even. She had agreed to help making Tim's friends understand that it's perfectly normal if a married woman wants to bare herself. Showing rather than telling was always the better didactic choice. It was a ludicrous logic, but it somehow kept the part of her that wanted to behave as their teacher in check.

She shook her head at her own thoughts. Was she actually considering this? And the moment was gone, wasn't it? The guys had even turned away from her, sitting lined up by the pool with their feet in the water.

But perhaps this was a teachable moment. The guys had dropped it quickly, without trying to pressure her. That was the appropriate behavior. It should be rewarded, shouldn't it? It could prove a valuable lesson for them about how to approach Bella.

As if testing her own nerves, Vanessa pulled the straps of her bathing suit over her shoulders. It was insignificant. Women did it all the time to avoid tan lines, and even though a parasol shaded her recliner, the boys probably wouldn't think much of it if they turned around it.

She pulled her arms free from her bathing suit, leaving the straps dangling along her sides. She'd done that at public beaches, and it wasn't particularly improper. But it left a lot of her chest exposed, and she was sure her guests notice if they turned around.

But none of them did. They chatted away about mundane things. Apparently Will had a new car that constantly broke down, and Carl made some crack about how Will at least was saving money on gas. None of them had a clue of the struggle that was going on inside Vanessa's head.

The excitement rose inside her, drowning out the voices that pleaded with her to act sensibly. She was in her own home and should be allowed to do whatever she pleased. And why shouldn't she set a good example for the boys, showing them that respectable women are allowed to flaunt themselves if they please? As if teasing herself, she pulled the suit down inch by inch.

Then, cautiously to not make noise, she sat up straight in her recliner and rolled her bathing suit all the way down to her hips. Her heart pounded in her chest. Here she was, sitting topless behind a group of her former students, and they didn't even notice it. What would they think if they turned around?

Doubt creeped into mind. Why was she doing this? She was too old and should know better than to flaunt herself like this. And to ex-students of all people? Repeatedly, she made up her mind to cover up.

But every time she reached for a suit, something inside her stopped her hands. It was like a voice from long ago, urging her to not cover up. Just a little bit longer. You need this. You deserve this.

And then it was too late. When Will turned his head and looked back at her, he did a double take. His eyes widened, and even though he forced his gaze away for a moment, he soon turned back around to peek at her again. It wasn't long before his friends wondered why he kept looking over his shoulder. One by one they turned around to stare at her, each of them awestruck as they saw her.

Vanessa pretended not to notice them looking, but with her eyes hidden behind sunglasses, she secretly observed her admirers. They clearly didn't know how to handle the situation and most of them kept diverting their gaze as if to not get caught staring. She had to suppress a smirk at what a poor job they were doing.

Part of her thought what she was doing was crazy. What would they think of her, exposing herself to a group of young men who saw her as mentor and role model for many years? But another, increasingly powerful voice reminded her this was nothing compared to what she used to do. Surely, she could allow herself to relive just a bit of that long-lost thrill. Acting like the confident seductress she once was, she peeked over her sunglasses to let the young men know she knew they were watching. They immediately looked away.

Except for Tim. He made a point to let his eyes linger at her chest. He smiled at her and winked.

"Guys," he said. "If a woman invites you to admire her, it's hardly rude to stare. Right, Mrs. Hamilton?"

Cautiously, the guys turned back around, and soon she had four young men openly staring at her. Tim's comment might have been to prepare his friends for how to act around Bella, but it felt a lot like he was making her admit she wanted them to stare. Shaded from the sun, she couldn't use tan lines as an excuse. She had merely decided to show off her ample chest for them.

"Yes, I think that sounds about right, Tim," she said.

She stood up, and four pairs of eyes traced her steps as she swaggered towards the pool. She smiled at them.

"It's really hot out here today," she said, smiling at her audience. "Maybe I'm not the only one who needs to cool off."

With that she dove into the water. Once she came up for air, the boys had already slid into the water. She couldn't tell if their willingness to follow her lead was because they wanted to be close to their topless teacher or to conceal the effect she had on them. For a while they just stood around, acting like they didn't know what to do. But with her chest covered by the water, the spell she had them under was in part broken. Will challenged the others to a competition to see who could jump the farthest into the pool. Vanessa couldn't help thinking that they were trying to impress her.

Joel didn't participate however. He was always the most reserved of the group, and he lingered in the corner of the pool. Not sure what to make of the situation, Vanessa decided to talk to him. The only thing she knew for sure was that she'd agreed to help Tim open his friends up to the idea of sharing Bella, and Joel was probably the one who needed most nudging.

"How are you doing, Joel?" she asked. "Is life treating you well?"

"Uhm, yes. Very well. I'm looking forward to the semester."

He continued to talk about classes he was going to take but seemed to be on autopilot, as if his mind was elsewhere.

"I'm sorry, Joel," Vanessa said. "Am I making you uncomfortable? I can cover up again."

She reached for her bathing suit.

"No, no!" Joel stopped her, apparently more eagerly than he intended. "I don't mind."

"Are you sure?"

The young man nodded but seemed bothered to have her effect on him as the focus of their conversation. He glanced around as if looking for something else to talk about.

"When was the last time you met Bella?" Vanessa asked.

"A few months back," Joel said.

"You should try to see her soon," Vanessa said.

Joel looked surprised at her blunt remark and then glanced over at Tim.

"Then again, you saw quite a bit of her today," Vanessa continued. "Were you surprised Tim showed you those pictures."

"Yeah, a bit. He used to be quite protective of her."

"Sometimes people have an epiphany," Vanessa said.

"And you really think she wanted him to show that photo to all of us?"

"If I know Tim, he wouldn't do anything against his wife's will. I'd say he's still protective but maybe not possessive."

"And your husband? Would he be upset if he came home now?"

That was a fair question. What would Ben think if he saw her now? Upset? Not likely, given what he had done with Bella recently. But probably surprised. She had repeatedly told him that sharing her body with other men was a thing of the past. Yet, here she was, hanging out topless with a bunch of admiring young men.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to pry," Joel said and gave her an embarrassed look.

"No, it's fine." she said. "I wouldn't worry about Ben. He's a good husband and only wants what's best for me, no matter what that might be."

Joel watched her as he silently processed her words. That was typical for Joel—he wasn't always quick to grasp new information, but he always got there eventually.

"And the same goes for Tim," Vanessa continued, reminding herself why she was there. "I wouldn't be surprised if Bella might show you the goods in person. If it makes her feel good, I'm even sure Tim will appreciate it. Don't hesitate to show some appreciation."

"Appreciation?"

"You know, flirt with her a bit. I'm sure she'll enjoy it. The fact that she's married doesn't mean she won't enjoy the attention."

Joel looked like he was going to say something but stopped himself when Tim approached.

"Hey, what are you talking about?"

"Your sexy little wife, actually," Vanessa replied.