The Reluctant Exhibitionist Ch. 01

"The training wheels are off, Wendy, and we're not going to put them back on. You're not a novice anymore. We've moved on past the naked car rides and t-shirt training and you're ready for the next step. You've already proven it. You're not going to like it, and I don't want you to, but you're perfectly capable of doing what I'm asking and we both know it. And by the end of the summer you'll be capable of even more than you are today. Now are you in or are you out, Wendy?"

I bit my lip as a single tear rolled down my cheek. "I'm in," I said quietly.

A slight smile appeared again at the corners of her mouth. "Then I want you to take off your clothes for me now, Wendy. Every stitch."

ON THE ROAD

Nancy glanced over at the lovely nude girl squirming nervously in the passenger seat and couldn't help but smile despite the worried thoughts swirling through her mind. She thought back to Wendy's first naked car ride and how the terrified co-ed had curled up into a ball on the seat and cried her eyes out. It seemed like a long time ago that Wendy had taken that first tentative step out of her comfortable world and toward a life of naked-on-demand public exhibitionism, but it had actually only been a few months. Wendy had progressed much faster than Nancy could have guessed that first day. She'd underestimated the girl's fortitude, but Nancy also knew that she'd overestimated her own ability to maintain a patient course in bringing Wendy along. While that had helped accelerate Wendy's progress, it had been at great risk to the long-term prospects for her plan.

Twice now Nancy had taken a chance on the spur of the moment and pushed Wendy farther than originally planned and twice she'd gotten away with it, although not without consequences. Besides last week's nude store walks there'd been the last-second decision at Sinful Delights to have Wendy model the open-bust teddy for the crowd. That had led to her first true public exposure - an important hurdle to clear - but it had also resulted in a month's break in training as Nancy gave the girl time to recover psychologically in order to keep from losing her.

So the last two times that Nancy and Wendy had been together she'd deviated from her plan on a whim and this worried Nancy terribly about her ability to pull this off over the long run. It was very important to maintain a pace that ensured that Wendy was continually progressing but could also handle her assignments without thinking that the alternative might be better. But the increasing intensity of her fantasies had caused Nancy to make mistakes and right now it was too close a call in Wendy's mind for comfort. The whole plan was balanced on a knife's edge.

The safest course of action today would've been to do what Wendy had asked: tone things down a bit for awhile to allow the girl to get back into something of a comfort zone and then start turning up the heat on her again like the proverbial frog in hot water. She'd seriously considered doing that for a few moments but then ultimately rejected it for a couple of reasons. The first was that it would set a dangerous precedent and give the girl the idea that her demands were negotiable. Nancy couldn't allow that because some of her plans for Wendy down the road were truly outrageous and she couldn't let her think that she could balk at them and get away with it.

The second reason for rejecting it was purely selfish: last week had been thrilling for Nancy and she wanted to experience it again and again – not return to milder exhibitionist excursions. Eventually Wendy would become more accustomed to the relatively brief but intense assignments planned for this summer but for now they'd be pushing her to her current limits. Because of that, this was a very dangerous time.

The prospect of further verbal confrontations with Wendy didn't bother her much; she knew she'd prevail in any face-to-face encounter with the girl just as she had today. It was the fear that the girl would just suddenly bolt town that had her worried. If that happened she didn't know what, if any, action she could take to get her back. If push came to shove Nancy doubted that she would actually follow through with her blackmail threats. She'd grown fond of Wendy and didn't really want to ruin her life; she just desperately wanted her cooperation for a few short years. Besides it would threaten Nancy's own career if the blackmail scheme ever came to light, especially now that she'd been manipulating Wendy's grades. If Wendy ever called her bluff she'd probably have no choice but to let her go. She could never, ever give the girl the slightest hint of that, though.

This had always been the weak spot in Nancy's plan and one that had worried her from day one: could she possibly carry off a bluff for more than three years? Maybe, but it was no slam dunk and Nancy couldn't afford any more missteps. Wendy was a smart girl and might eventually figure out that Nancy couldn't afford to have the plagiarized term paper come to light any more than Wendy could. Her threat to e-mail nude photos to Wendy's friends and family might keep the pressure on her for awhile, but since Nancy planned on eventually exposing her to friends and family anyway that wasn't a permanent solution either. What she needed was more leverage to use against the girl that would guarantee her continued participation indefinitely. Finding that leverage would have to be a priority.

Nancy was still mulling things over as she turned down a street running through a quiet residential neighborhood and pulled to the curb in front of one of the houses. Wendy had been silent since leaving the house, lost in her own thoughts, but now she spoke up. "Nancy, what are we doing?"

"We're picking someone up. Be a dear and run to the front door and ring the bell, will you?"

"What? Who is it?"

"It's a friend. You'll recognize her. Now go."

Wendy began to open her mouth to object and then thought better of it. Nancy forgot her worries momentarily as she watched the nude girl look around nervously and then open the car door and scamper across the lawn to the front door.

MARGARET

"Oh, Jesus, you're naked already," the woman blurted out with a short laugh. I recognized her immediately...it was Margaret, the owner of Sinful Delights where Nancy had forced me to put on an impromptu lingerie fashion show for mall shoppers. I guess I should have known she was in cahoots with Nancy in all of this, especially since she'd provided her with photos of me in various states of undress taken by hidden cameras in her changing room. I stood outside the door not sure exactly what I was supposed to do or say and looked around nervously again for prying eyes from the neighborhood. The woman poked her head out the door to check for the same thing and then pulled me by my arm into the house. "Get in here before my reputation in the neighborhood is totally ruined," she laughed. "My neighbors already think it's scandalous enough that I run a lingerie store without them seeing naked girls showing up at my doorstep." I got the feeling from the way she said it that she wasn't really all that worried about the prospect of scandalizing the neighborhood.

Margaret was middle-aged – a few years older than Nancy but more attractive. It was obvious that she'd been a beauty in her younger days but, to her credit, she hadn't tried to mask the graying hair with dye or the lines around her eyes with excessive makeup or plastic surgery. "Well, I guess Nancy does have you well trained, doesn't she?" she said. "I didn't expect you to get naked until we got there." Her eyes pored over my body as I stood skittishly with my arms crossed just below my breasts. "I'd forgotten how perfectly proportioned your body is," she said. "You could have a career as a lingerie model."

"No thanks," I snapped. "Been there, done that."

"Probably not for the last time, though," she chuckled. "I've given Nancy an open invitation for you to give us a repeat performance anytime. You actually boosted my sales quite a bit that day."

I didn't really want to contemplate repeating that scenario and tried to change the subject. "So why am I here right now anyway? Nancy says we're picking you up?"

"Didn't Nancy tell you? I'm coming along with you today."

"No, she didn't. But then she doesn't exactly keep me informed about all of her plans for me."

"She probably figures it's better for your psyche that way. I'm going to be your official photographer today. Well, videographer, to be more precise." She walked to the sofa and picked up a nylon tote bag from the end table. "I guess I'm ready to go," she said as she pulled a digital video camera out of the bag. "I'd like to get started on the way out, though. I'm going to film you walking back to the car." Of course. God, I hated this but I assumed I had no say in the matter. She poked her head out the door again looking around for nosy neighbors, pedestrians or cars passing through the neighborhood. I could hear a lawnmower running in the distance but apparently there was no one nearby. At least I hoped so. "Okay, the coast is clear," she said. "Go for it."

I took a deep breath and stepped out the door retracing my steps back across the front lawn aware that Margaret's camera had a prime view of my naked backside as I walked. "Hop into the backseat, dear," Nancy said as I opened the passenger door. "Let Margaret ride up front." I sighed and opened the rear door just as I caught a glimpse of a car hood turning a corner towards us a couple of blocks away. I crawled quickly into the backseat and shut the door, not sure if I'd been seen or not. I sat upright in the seat without attempting to cover up which was how Nancy typically made me sit while riding in the car. "Get down," Nancy hissed from the front seat.

"What?"

"It's a cop. Get down."

I ducked down and slid onto the floor of the back seat, my heart thumping like crazy in my chest. Oh my god, this had always been one of my biggest fears! What was I going to do if he'd seen me and stopped to investigate? I could hear the car drawing nearer and I closed my eyes and held my breath as if that would help keep me hidden. The car slowed down as it pulled alongside our parked car, just inches from where I laid on the floor. I could hear the sound of tires rolling along the pavement as it cruised slowly past us, but thankfully it continued on down the block without stopping. I don't think I breathed again until I was startled by the sound of the front passenger door opening as Margaret slid into the front seat. "Holy shit, that was close," she said as she looked back at me lying on the floor. "This whole thing is starting to make me nervous, Nancy."

You're nervous? Try trading places with me you bitch, I thought to myself. I was ready to strangle them both. "It's just part of the excitement," Nancy replied. "Right, Wendy?" I cursed her beneath my breath but didn't reply. "Hop back up into your seat, dear," she said. "He's gone."

I reluctantly complied looking down the street just to make sure of it myself. "I wonder if one of the neighbors saw Wendy and called the police," Margaret said.

"I doubt it," Nancy replied. "Otherwise he would have stopped. I think it was just unlucky timing on our part. Or maybe we should call it lucky timing. If he'd turned the corner a few seconds earlier he would have seen our little girl in all her glory."

My heart was still racing from the close call and I decided to confront her with something that had been on my mind more than once. "Nancy, what am I going to do if I ever actually run into a cop?" I asked.

"Well, if it's a straight male or a gay female, which covers about ninety-seven percent of the cops in this town, they'll be more likely to ask you for your phone number than arrest you."

"I'm serious, Nancy."

"So am I. A man is much more likely to be arrested for indecent exposure than a woman. I researched it when I was still trying to force myself to get naked in public. It's much easier for a female to get away with public nudity, especially for a girl who looks like you." Nancy turned around in the front seat and looked back at me. "But if you do encounter a police officer - and I'm sure you will at some point - then just be polite and promise to put some clothes on. Do that and you should be fine. Whatever happens, though, don't you dare say anything about me."

I'm not sure I was really comforted by that answer but I guess there was probably some truth in it. Still, the idea of actually being confronted by a cop or even arrested was terrifying to me. I mean, I wasn't exactly raised in the 'hood so the most experience I've had with the law was saying hi to the security guard who worked at my Dad's country club.

I know I must sound like a spoiled rich kid to you, born with a silver spoon in her mouth and all that. I guess I do come from a privileged background, but I really don't think I'm spoiled or anything. My parents were stricter than a lot of my friends' parents were and they didn't always give me everything I asked for, although I certainly didn't go without either. My family is very achievement-oriented, though, and my parents expect a lot out of their kids. I'm the youngest in my family and my older brother and sister had already graduated from college and launched successful careers. The same was expected of me and my parents would be absolutely devastated if I was kicked out of school. I don't know if I could ever look them in the eye again if that happened. Of course they wouldn't exactly be thrilled if they found out I was running around town without any clothes on either so I don't know how I'd be able to explain that to them if it ever came to that.

I guess coming from such a sheltered background hadn't really prepared me for what was going on in my life right now or in dealing with someone like Nancy. More than a few times I've thought I was being dumb and naïve for going along with Nancy's demands. I mean, wouldn't she get in trouble too if she tried to have me expelled and I told the administration about her blackmail scheme and the altered grades? Probably, but I didn't get the impression that she cared all that much about her job anyway. At least she doesn't seem to care about it as much as I care about the possibility of getting expelled. I wasn't willing to take the risk that she was bluffing and wouldn't really follow through on her threats. Not yet anyway.

I knew there was no doubt that I was going to go through with Nancy's awful assignment that afternoon. Nancy was right about one thing: the naked store walks had proven that I could bear the humiliation and do it when the time came. The inevitability of what lay ahead sent a shiver of fear, anxiety, and anticipation knifing through me. I knew my body was also exhibiting unwanted signs of arousal and I felt flushed as I looked up and saw Margaret pointing the video camera at me. "She's so cute, isn't she?"

Nancy nodded with a smile as she put the car in gear and pulled away from the curb, beginning the final leg of the journey to my ultimate destination for the day.

LAKE RUTHERFORD

My heart sank as we pulled into the parking lot and drove slowly past the rows of cars, trucks, and SUV's parked there, killing any hope that the lake wouldn't be as crowded as I feared. It probably wasn't as packed as it would be during the dog days of July and August but it was plenty crowded enough for my tastes, considering Nancy's plans for me.

Lake Rutherford was located about a thirty mile drive north of town and was a popular destination during summer months for swimmers, sunbathers, boaters, and fisherman. It had taken about an hour to get here from Margaret's house, which had given me plenty of time to work myself into an even higher state of anxiety. Ever since reading the assignment card drawn from Nancy's summer job jar last Saturday I'd been anxiously watching weather reports hoping for a cool or rainy day that would hold crowds down on the beach. No such luck, though – it had turned out to be a warm and sunny day.

I'd been to the lake once previously last September, not long after starting school. Some classmates had talked me into coming here one day after class to get a swim in before the weather turned cold and we'd partied on the beach until the sun went down. That had been a fall weekday so there weren't that many other people at the lake that day. I figured it would be a lot more crowded on a June weekend and, by the looks of the parking lot, I was right. Thinking back to that day reminded me of when I'd been just another carefree co-ed looking forward to the fun and excitement of her college years. That already seemed like ages ago and that girl was long gone now.

One of the many worries tumbling through my mind on the ride over was about the possibility of running into someone I knew during my nude stroll along the beach. Nancy had told me that this phase of my training would involve relatively brief nude outings in front of anonymous strangers, but I wasn't really convinced that this assignment assured my anonymity. I mean, I'd been here with fellow students before, hadn't I? The lake wasn't really a big college hangout or anything, and a lot of students were out of town for the summer, but it wasn't outside the realm of possibility that someone I knew would be here. At least the odds of it were greater than they had been last week at the two stores located all the way across town from campus.

Nancy continued cruising until she reached the far end of the parking lot where relatively few cars were parked and pulled into a spot on the edge of the lot. She shut off the engine and turned around to face me in the backseat. "Well, here we are, dear. Are you excited?" I didn't answer her but shifted nervously in my seat. "I think she is," Margaret laughed. "She's on high beam." I looked down at my nipples and knew my body was betraying the fact that the closer I got to my fate the more aroused I became. When I looked up I saw Margaret pointing that damn video camera at me again.

Nancy grinned and nodded. "Wait until you see her in front of a crowd. She really has to struggle to contain her arousal." God, I hated listening to them talk about me like I was some kind of exotic zoo specimen. Ladies and gentlemen, please observe the physiological responses of this female of the species named Wendy Wilson as she's taken out of her natural environment and exposed to unusual external stimuli. Curiously, her body responds to humiliation by exhibiting physical changes normally associated with the mating ritual.

"Well, I'm sure she's anxious to get this over with, so let's get started," Nancy continued. "Hop out, Wendy, and I'll give you the details of the plan."

I looked around the parking lot and didn't see anyone nearby so I shoved the door open and stepped out onto the pavement. Although I still hated it I noticed that it was getting somewhat easier for me to get out of the car now at Nancy's command: just another small sign that Nancy's incremental progression plan was working all too well. I shut the door and waited as Nancy and Margaret exited the car. I was shielded by the car from the rest of the lot and behind me were woods, so I half-expected Nancy to order me out into the open. She didn't, though, as she came around the car and looked me over. She then reached into the tote bag that Margaret had brought along and pulled out a small clear bottle of some type of liquid. "The sun is bright today, Wendy, so I think we should protect your skin. Why don't you rub this lotion on your body before we get started?"

"That's okay," I said. "I won't be out here that long, right?"

"That's true, but we don't want to take any chances with that gorgeous skin of yours. Go ahead and put it on."