[I recommend you read Part 1 of Kori and Beth first in order to get a feel for the characters and their motivations (and because this episode picks up where the first one left off). Again, this is more of a character piece with wetlook, but wetlook isn't the focus, nor is there anything of a sexual nature.]

The Shower

Kori still held Beth's hand as they waded deeper into Lake Michigan, more for balance than anything else at the moment. It was slow going with Kori struggling to keep her footing in her strappy, sparkling black Louboutin open-toe stilettos. She'd just made a big deal about wanting to keep them on, but she knew her companion was keeping her mouth shut each time she stumbled, probably too scared of ruining the moment to say anything. Kori paused, turning to study Beth with a small smile on her face, the small waves splashing against their waists.

A step later, Beth also stopped, turning back to Kori. "You ok?"

Kori nodded. "Yep, I'm fine. I just..." She let out a small laugh. "You were right. The shoes need to go. This will be a lot more fun if I'm not tripping over my own feet."

Beth nodded, smiling. "I didn't say they need to go. I just couldn't believe you actually wore them in here."

"You challenged me, remember?"

"That wasn't a challenge! I meant that you shouldn't do it and I didn't think you actually would."

"See? A challenge!"

"Are you always like this? Like, if I said you wouldn't actually jump off a cliff, would you take that as a challenge?"

"Honestly? No." Kori shrugged. "I'm not really sure why I kept the heels on. But now they need to go." She let go of Beth's hand and reached for the blonde's shoulder, then paused. "Ummm... can I...?"

It took a moment for Beth to realize what she was asking, but she nodded and let Kori use her shoulder for balance as she raised one foot, then the other, to reach and unbuckle the ankle strap of her expensive stilettos. Holding them delicately by the front straps, she lifted them out of the water.

Beth stared at the shoes in awe. "I've never actually seen Louboutins in person before. And I never imagined the first pair I'd see would be dripping lakewater."

Kori shook her head. "I really can't believe I wore them in here. I love these shoes. They were... an impulse buy, I guess. I bought them secondhand at a boutique, but they still cost more than any other shoes I've ever bought, and they were in perfect condition. Now..." She sighed as she turned them over to look at the soles. "The bottoms are all scratched up and the red is coming off." Her face fell a bit as she studied the worn soles. "And... I'm a bit worried about how well they'll dry out this time. Last time, I only stepped in a puddle, so it's not like they were submerged or soaked or anything."

"I'm sure they'll be fine," Beth said, reaching out tentatively to touch Kori's arm reassuringly, though she didn't sound so sure of it herself. "Besides... like you said, if they're not fine, you'll still be fine."

Kori looked up at Beth and smiled reluctantly at the reminder, then nodded. "You're right. I'll be fine. I'll be right back, though. I'm gonna go toss these on shore so we can actually swim."

"Don't toss them!" Beth warned. "I mean... put them by our stuff, on a rock or something so they don't get covered in sand. Trust me, sandy stilettos aren't very comfortable the next time you wear them."

Kori raised an eyebrow. "You have experience with sandy stilettos?"

Beth nodded. "Not wet, just sandy. I made the mistake of wearing heels to a beach wedding a few years ago, and didn't clean the sand out of the toes afterward. Then I wore them on a date and had sand between my toes all night no matter how many times I tried to discreetly shake the sand out."

"Ah, that sucks," Kori laughed. "Ok, I won't throw them at the beach."

Beth watched Kori wade back toward the shore and couldn't help smiling as the beautiful young woman's skin-tight burgundy leather pants emerged from the water. By the way she was walking, more turning her hips rather than swaying them, Beth could tell they were both tighter and stiffer than Kori was used to. Still, the way she moved was... Beth cocked her head to the side in surprise and confusion. Sexy? Really? She'd admired the way clothing fit other women before, but couldn't remember actually... admiring them. Admiring the way they affected... her? Was she actually checking Kori out? The way her hips moved, the way her cropped top and low-waisted pants emphasized her slender waist? Like, for real?

Beth shook her head to clear the thoughts, then waded after Kori and quickly caught up, careful to keep her eyes away from the woman's body. "Do you really want to swim, Kori? It's starting to get cold."

Kori turned to look over her shoulder at Beth. "Yep, of course I do. Unless," she hesitated. "Do you want to leave?"

Beth shook her head emphatically. "I'm not trying to get away from you. It's just... getting cold."

"It wasn't so cold in the water," Kori said with a shrug, stepping out of the water onto the sand. She glanced down at the goosebumps forming on her arm "At least not until we got out again. The breeze doesn't feel so nice anymore."

Beth nodded, her eyes drifting down to the glistening wet skin at Kori's waist and the skin-tight wet leather below. She caught herself and her eyes shot back up to Kori's face.

Raising an eyebrow, Kori blurted out, "Were you just checking me out?"

Beth's cheeks turned beet red. "I... ummm... No!"

"Ah, uh-huh," Kori said, nodding slowly, her own cheeks tinted pink as she turned away a little too quickly. She covered the last few steps to where she'd left her purse and the remains of her dinner and carefully set her shoes on a nearby rock, safe from the sand. "Ok, back into the water!"

Beth quickly turned around and ran into the water, splashing water all around her. Kori grinned and followed, diving into the water once it reached her thighs. The beautiful curls she'd spent so much time on earlier were ruined instantly, but she didn't care, coming up laughing a moment later. She brushed the wet hair from her face and turned back to Beth. She stood up quickly, just as a stronger gust of wind blew past her. "Oh, my god!" she shrieked, wrapping her arms around herself as she started to shiver.

Despite her own shivering, Beth grinned at Kori's reaction. "I told you it was getting cold."

"Ok... new plan: We continue this somewhere away from the water and the wind!" Kori declared, splashing toward the shore.


A few minutes later, the two women were wrapped in towels, climbing the steps to the parking lot. Beth had her beach bag slung over one shoulder and her hoodie draped over her other arm, carrying her tennis shoes in her hand. Kori had deposited the Styrofoam takeout container and empty Fanta bottle in the trash, now carrying her Louboutins in one hand and her small sparkling purse in the other, Beth's spare beach towel wrapped tightly around her as she led the way.

"These pants are getting so cold," Kori complained disappointedly. "They felt so good earlier, especially while we were in the water, but now..."

"They still look perfect on you," Beth said from two steps below her, not-so-subtly watching the way Kori's hips moved as she climbed, the way the leather stretched and flexed with each step, knowing no one was around to see her.

Kori stopped and turned. Beth quickly looked away, studying the rock wall of the bluff far too intently. "Are you...?" Kori hesitated, then closed her eyes for a moment as she tried to focus her thoughts. She took a deep breath, then asked, "Earlier, when you were checking me out... ummm... What did you see?"

Beth swallowed guiltily. "What... what do you mean?"

Shaking her head, Kori quickly turned around and continued up the stairs. "Nevermind. I shouldn't be asking that."

The two climbed the rest of the steps in silence as Kori mentally berated herself for asking something so direct and personal, while Beth tried her best to look anywhere else but at Kori's leather-clad rear end. When they finally reached the parking lot, they each turned toward their own cars: Kori's black Camry parked near the stairs and Beth's white Nissan Murano in the far corner of the parking lot. Noticing Beth wasn't following her, Kori turned back, her shoulders slumping slightly as the blonde walked away.

"Beth?" Kori called softly.

Beth stopped and turned. "Yes?"

Kori opened her mouth, hesitated, and closed it again, looking down at her bare feet on the cracked concrete. A moment later, she pulled the towel off her shoulders and held it out to Beth. "Your towel," she said, almost sadly.

Confused, Beth stepped closer, though she didn't reach for the towel. "Is something wrong?"

Kori shook her head, her arm lowering slightly. "I just thought you'd want your towel back before you leave."

Beth took another step closer, ignoring the towel. "Are you ok?"

"Aren't you leaving?"

"What?" Beth asked, taking another step forward, then paused as she realized why Kori's demeanor had suddenly changed. "Wait... What? No, I thought we were just putting our things in our cars. You wanted to continue this, didn't you?"

Kori nodded slowly.

Beth smiled. "Keep the towel for now. Maybe put it on your seat to keep it dry?" She glanced over her shoulder at her Murano, then back at Kori's wet outfit. "Do you live around here? It's a bit of a drive back to my place, but I have a change of clothes in my car. We should get you out of those clothes before you catch a cold."

Kori hesitated. "I do. Just a few blocks up that way." She pointed with the hand holding the towel.

Beth smiled reassuringly. "I'm not trying to invite myself back to your place, I promise. I mean... honestly... I'm not even sure what I'd do in that situation. I'm new to this, remember? I just want to make sure you're safe and warm."

Kori smiled, surprised at how relieved she was to hear Beth say those words. "Ok." She nodded. "Go get your car and follow me."

A few minutes later, Kori pulled into the duplex's shared driveway and Beth parked on the street in front of her house. Beth hopped out carrying a plastic Walmart bag containing her change of clothes, still barefoot, and waited near the porch for Kori. A few moments later, Kori stepped around the side of her downstairs neighbor's dark blue Durango and Beth's eyes widened. "You put your shoes back on?"

Kori blushed. "I guess I just feel weird walking around barefoot outside." She led the way to the porch steps, her wet stilettos loud on the old wood, squelching softly as she stepped. "I'm upstairs. Don't worry about making too much noise. The guy downstairs sleeps like a rock once he takes out his hearing aids at night. Just don't be too crazy on the stairs." She unlocked the door, pushed it open, and started up the carpeted stairway inside to the second floor as Beth stepped inside, closed and locked the door behind her, and followed her up the stairs, once again trying to look anywhere but eye-level at the woman ahead of her.

When they reached the top, Kori suggested, "We should probably rinse off the lakewater before we change, right?"

"Is that smart to do with leather pants?" Beth asked skeptically.

Kori frowned. "Probably not... but neither was swimming in them in the first place. And I'd rather not have them stink of lakewater when they dry."

Beth chuckled. "I guess that's sound-ish logic." She looked around the living room at the top of the steps, then back at Kori. "Ummm... Do you actually live here, or is it, like, a show house or something?"

Kori's brows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"This place is completely clean, nothing out of place, no lint or dust or crumbs anywhere... I've never seen a living room so... unlived-in before," Beth said, gesturing around the room.

Kori hesitated. "I... ummm... I clean when I'm feeling stressed or down." She frowned as she watched Beth's eyes travel around the room in awe. "I guess... it happens a lot," she confessed. "Especially over the last few weeks.

Beth turned back to face Kori, studying the dejected look on her face. After a moment, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Kori. To her surprise, the woman didn't resist or try to push her way. Instead, Kori almost seemed to collapse into the hug, resting her cheek against Beth's shoulder as she hugged her back. They stood there like that for a long moment, well past the normal duration of a friendly hug, but neither moved. Finally, Beth gently pulled away. "We're dripping on your carpet. You should probably go start that shower now. I can wait in here until you're done."

"Or..." Kori hesitated. "Or... you could join me..."

Beth stared at her in surprise. "Wait... you mean that?"

Kori suddenly grinned as a thought came to her. "Lesson number one in dating a woman... or anyone, really: Never say no to an intimate opportunity!" She paused, her grin turning into a small, shy smile. "I mean... I promise not to try anything too... intimate... I'm not trying to push you into anything. Just suggesting... ummm... saving water by rinsing off together?"

Beth took a step back, unsure how to respond as she stared at Kori wide-eyed.

Kori's smile faded. "I'm sorry! I shouldn't have said any of that. I... ummm... You can go rinse off first and I'll wait out here."

Beth swallowed, startled by how quickly and totally Kori had backtracked. After a moment, she shook her head. "No, you're right..." She gave Kori a small, nervous smile. "I shouldn't say no to this. I mean... I don't *want* to say no to this..."

"Really?" Kori asked, a worried, yet hopeful look on her face.

"Really." Beth nodded, her smile growing. "Let's do it!"

Kori turned and rushed down the carpeted hall as fast as her stilettos would carry her, then stopped at the bathroom door to wait for Beth.

Beth hesitated, looking down at her feet, dirty from walking across the parking lot barefoot. "I'm leaving footprints on your nice white carpet."

"So?" Kori let out a small laugh. "I'm sure I'll be in a cleaning mood again soon."

Beth frowned. "Kori, I don't want that."

"Ok, fine, give me a sec." Kori disappeared into the room across the hall from the bathroom, then reappeared and carefully underhanded a black patent leather open-toed stiletto down the hall to Beth, who caught it and stared at it in surprise and confusion. Kori grinned, then readied to toss its partner. "Catch!"

"Kori!" Beth yelled in surprise, dropping the first shoe to catch the second one. "What are these?"

"Shoes, obviously," Kori laughed. "You don't want to leave dirty footprints on my carpet. The soles on those are clean, so..."

"A pair of socks or slippers would've done the job..." Beth muttered, staring at the smooth, shiny shoe in her hand.

"Oh, hush!" Kori smiled. "Put them on and come here. Or don't put them on. Your choice. Either way, I'd like you to join me, not worry about my carpet. That's my problem for later, ok?"

Beth kept staring at the stiletto in her hand. The shiny black heel was nearly six inches, offset only slightly by the platform beneath the toes. Slowly, she shook her head in amusement. "Princess solutions to normal-people problems..." She looked up at Kori, the woman smiling despite shivering in her wet clothes. "Are these even my size?"

Kori shrugged. "Maybe? I don't know your size, but your feet look about the same size as mine, I think. Maybe. I haven't exactly checked out your feet. I think there are websites for that, but not really my thing," she added with a laugh.

Beth sighed, amused by the absurdity of the situation for the second time tonight. She slipped the towel off her shoulders and used it to wipe off the bottoms of her feet as best she could, then tentatively slid one shoe on. It wasn't a perfect fit, a little loose, but it fit. She looked up at Kori to find her smiling brightly. "Dammit, Your Majesty," Beth laughed. "I was really hoping they'd be too small or something." She bent down to pick up the other shoe, then leaned against the wall for balance as she slipped the other stiletto on. "Better?" She took one careful test step, wobbled, and fell against the wall with a startled laugh.

"Perfect!" Kori laughed. "Now, come on, if you're still up for a rinse."

Beth picked up her towel off the carpet, then kept her other hand against the wall for balance as she slowly walked down the hall toward the bathroom. "I can't believe you got me to do this."

Kori clapped excitedly. "You're doing great! Those look so good on you!"

"You're going to turn me into a princess if I let you, aren't you?" Beth groaned playfully.

"Totally. Want to try on a ballgown?"

"No!" Beth laughed. "I'm here to rinse off and change, not get a makeover."

"Aww... maybe next time..."

Beth shook her head in amusement. "I should definitely not have mentioned a makeover. Go start the shower before I decide to leave."

Kori's smile faltered for a moment. Then she spun on her heel and disappeared into the bathroom, her stilettos clicking on the tile. A moment later, the water started.

Beth finally reached the doorway and froze when she saw Kori standing in the shower, water pouring down on her drenched curls, flowing down over her haltertop and leather pants. "You're still wearing your Louboutins..."

Kori nodded, smiling. "They were already wet anyways." She stepped over to the open doorway of the glass-walled shower, holding both hands out to Beth invitingly, bouncing slightly on her toes. "Come on! Hurry up!" Beth stepped into the bathroom and leaned against the sink, raising one leg to take her shoe off. "Keep them on!" Kori almost begged. "They're not expensive, I promise! I got them super cheap online. I don't even think they're real leather."

Beth looked up at the drenched woman in confusion. "Why? They're clean. They don't need to be rinsed."

"I know, but... they look so good on you. And if you keep them on, we can be about the same height."

"Or you could just take yours off..." Beth suggested, amused.

"What was it you said? 'Princess solutions for normal-people problems?'" Kori grinned, again reaching both hands out to Beth.

Beth looked down at the stilettos, then back up at Kori. "Are you sure? I mean, they're your shoes, so if you really want me to wear them in there, I guess I don't really have a reason to say no. Well, as long as you won't let me fall and break my ankle, that is."

"I won't let you fall, I promise!"

Beth shook her head again. "Well... you were definitely right about one thing earlier: You're going to make sure I remember this night. But, just so I know going forward though, is this something I should expect from you on a regular basis? Ridiculous, over-the-top , and completely unnecessary, just for your amusement?"

Kori nodded enthusiastically, then faltered a bit. "It's not too much, is it? I can dial it down if it's too much. I can be normal if that's what you want."

Beth frowned. "Normal? No. I want you to be you, even if this," she said, gesturing to the wet clothes and stilettos, "is normal for you. I just want to know what I should expect in the future."

"Honestly? Tonight is my first time doing a lot of things. Intentionally swimming in clothes, intentionally *showering* in clothes, not freaking out about getting my favorite shoes wet, inviting someone back to my place the first time I meet them in person... You haven't pushed back or freaked out or tried to stop me, so... I guess I'm kinda... really... going overboard with things tonight." She paused, looking down at the floor. "But... I guess... maybe I push too hard? Most people either stop me before things get weird like this, or they just... decide I'm too much and disappear."

"So this is all *my* fault?" Beth asked, laughing.

Kori looked up at her. "What? No, that's not what I-"

"I'm kidding, Kori," Beth interrupted, seeing Kori's expression turning defensive. "Honestly, as weird as all of this is... I kinda like it. I almost wish I were wearing something more than just a tank top and shorts."

"And stilettos."

Beth grinned, then repeated, "And stilettos."

"You could if you want. My shoes obviously fit you, and you look about my size for clothing, so we could find you something nicer to wear," Kori suggested.

Raising an eyebrow in surprise, Beth thought for a moment, but then shook her head. "It seems almost like a waste at this point. You're already in the shower." Noticing the brief flash of disappointment on Kori's face, Beth added, "Maybe next time?"

Kori immediately perked up. "Next time? You want to see me again?"

Beth smiled. "I would *love* to see you again! Tonight has been a blast, even with the cold and the misunderstandings and everything. And the way those leather pa-" She clamped her mouth shut, her face flushing.

"What about my leather pants?" Kori asked, grinning as she pressed the subject.

"I... ummm... I hope they aren't ruined, because..." Beth paused, shaking her head. "I just hope they're not ruined so you can wear them again."

Still grinning, Kori turned around and stepped back under the spray of the shower, giving her butt a playful shake as the rivulets of water flowed down the smooth, shiny leather surface. Beth swallowed hard, unable to look away. Kori looked back over her shoulder, still playful, and gestured to Beth. "Aren't you going to join me?"

Beth's eyes shot up to look at Kori's face, giving her an amused glare. "That wasn't very princess-like."

Kori shrugged. "Princesses don't have to always be good girls. Now, are you going to join me, or just stare at my butt all night?"

Beth took a careful step on the tile, her first without something to hold or lean on for support since putting on Kori's six-inch stilettos, then another, and another, until she reached the shower door. She looked down at the shoes for a moment, then back up at Kori. "You make walking in heels look so easy."

"Spend enough time with me, and I'll have you walking like a pro in no time!" Kori reached out and took Beth by the arm, gently pulling her into the large, glass-walled shower stall. Beth didn't resist, using the door frame to support herself as she carefully stepped up and over the base of the door frame. Kori stepped back against the wall, stepping out of the spray and slowly pulling Beth into it, immediately re-wetting Beth's lace-trimmed red cotton tank top and denim shorts.

"This feels so weird!" Beth said, staring down at her open-toed stilettos as the water flowed down her legs, into her shoes, and out the open toe box.

"Good weird? Or bad weird?" Kori asked.

"I don't know... Good, I guess?"

"And your clothes? How do they feel?"

Beth thought for a moment, then shrugged. "I guess not a lot different than a swimsuit with shorts. I've worn shorts like these a few times swimming when I forgot to take them off before jumping in the pool, or one time when we went cliff-jumping during a hike. So... I guess this just feels kinda normal?"

Kori nodded. "You're not bothered by the way it feels, though, right? So... maybe next time we can take it up a notch?"

"Like...pants? Or a ballgown?"

Kori's eyes widened in excitement. "A ballgown! Totally a ballgown!"

Beth laughed. "Maybe let's save that for the third date?"

"That implies that the second one is going to go well enough to warrant a third!"

Beth nodded, smiling. "I have a feeling that that is a safe bet."

Kori smiled. "We must be doing something right if this is your first date ever with a girl and you're already skipping ahead to the third date."

"I really was just joking about the ballgown," Beth said. "But... maybe. They're your dresses; I don't own anything that fancy. But... yes. I'm actually pretty surprised how comfortable I am around you after only... what? Two hours?"

Kori grabbed Beth's wrist to look at her black sports watch, then raised her eyebrows. "Not even. We're barely past the one-hour mark, and you're already back at my place, wearing heels in my shower."

Beth's eyes widened in surprise. "One hour?"

"Give or take fifteen or twenty minutes. We really didn't talk too long before we went into the water, and then we came straight back here."

Beth looked down at her watch. "Most first dates, I'm still trying to get my nerves under control at the one-hour mark. This whole thing has been so crazy that my nerves went right out the window," she said with a small, unbelieving laugh.

"Same, honestly," Kori began. "I'm not usually like this. I'm really not used to my date being so... receptive? I mean, like... just willing to go along with everything.

Beth shrugged. "It probably helps that your date has no idea what to expect from dating a woman..."

"You make it sound like you have no idea how women think," Kori laughed. "I thought I already told you, think about what you'd want, then do that. It's really not all that different from dating a guy that you have chemistry with." She paused. "You're not one of those people who only ever does what you think your partner wants, are you?"

"No?"

Kori chuckled. "That didn't sound very confident. But seriously, don't worry so much about doing the right thing or whatever. Just be yourself. It's ok to say no to me if you don't want to do what I suggest." Beth nodded slowly. Kori studied her for a moment, then smiled. "Ok, so... I promised you an intimate shower experience without getting super intimate, right? So... what if I wash your hair? Is that ok?"

"That's intimate?" Beth asked, confused.

"It can be." Kori smiled again. "You know 'intimate' doesn't necessarily mean kissing and sex, right? Letting someone play with your hair can be a really intimate experience, even if that's all that happens. I genuinely love how it feels when someone runs their fingers through my hair."

Beth thought for a moment. "I guess I understand. I did really like when my exes played with my hair. Well, the nice kind of playing. I had one ex who thought it was hilarious to ruffle up my hair when I did it nice for him. I hated that."

"I would never, ever do that!" Kori declared. "That's just mean! But... since your hair is already soaked, let me help you wash out the lakewater, ok?"

"Ok," Beth nodded, turning around carefully in her borrowed stilettos, gathering up her long, wavy ash-blonde hair from where it clung to her shoulders and dropped the heavy, wet mass down her back.

Kori gently took a small handful of wet hair in her hand and studied it. "I really like this color, Beth. It kinda reminds me of sand on the beach." She let it fall back against Beth's back, then ran her fingers slowly through the wet locks a few times, her short, wine-red nails contrasting with the pale blonde hair. She reached for the shampoo on the corner shelf, popped open the top, and poured a generous amount in her other palm. Then she began gently massaging the shampoo into Beth's scalp.

After a few seconds, Kori saw Beth's shoulders relax, releasing a tension she hadn't noticed before. "How does it feel? Ok?"

Beth's eyes were closed, though she was no longer under the shower's spray. She didn't respond immediately, and when she did, her voice was quieter, softer. "You're so... gentle. This is... nothing like when I've had it washed at the salon. I like it, I really do!"

Kori smiled. "Good."

The two fell silent as Kori continued gently massaging Beth's scalp, her short, neatly trimmed nails scratching lightly at Beth's skin. The blonde woman's body relaxed more as the shampooing continued.

Finally, Beth spoke, her eyes still closed and her voice quiet, vulnerable. "I almost left today when I saw you on the beach. When that girl bowled you over and you almost dropped your food? I didn't want to talk to you, didn't want to look at you. But I couldn't help it. You honestly looked ridiculous trying to walk across the sand in those shoes and leather pants. But you didn't give up. You found your spot and sat down, and then you were so happy when you started eating your burrito. Like... somehow that burrito made the whole struggle to get there worth it. You just looked so... content. Peaceful. On the app... you seemed so perfect. Too perfect. Way out of my league. But out there on the beach? You just looked happy, but... also lonely."

Kori's fingers tensed for a brief moment, slowing nearly to a stop before she continued, but Beth didn't seem to notice as she continued. "And once I saw that, I couldn't just leave. I *had* to come over and talk to you, even if you might be upset about me cancelling our date and saying I was really only into guys." She hesitated, the quiet stretching out into a long moment, but Kori was unsure how to respond and just kept lathering the shampoo into Beth's hair.

Beth continued. "That was a lie, that I'm only into guys. I mean... it wasn't at the time. I was curious about maybe dating a girl for a change, but I had no doubt I was only really into guys. But... out there on the beach with you?" She paused again, then sighed reluctantly. "I've never... looked at a girl like I was looking at you today. I don't really know how to describe what I was thinking either. It was just... different?"

"Different, bad? Or different, good?" Kori asked when Beth didn't continue.

"Different weird?" Beth shook her head. "No, not weird. Weird for me, I guess, but in a good way. I'm normally way better at not getting noticed checking someone out. But you caught me a bunch of times today, like I was just way too distracted to try to hide it."

Kori grinned. "You were super obvious about it a couple times."

Beth blushed. "I know. I'm sorry."

The grin turned to a gentler smile. "Don't be. I mean, maybe don't make a habit of blatantly checking out women on the beach, but... Honestly? I kinda liked the way you were looking at me, like I was something special you just couldn't look away from. It was cute."

Beth's blush deepened and she didn't respond. After a moment, she asked, "Are you done shampooing my hair? I can do yours if you want."

Kori smiled. "I'd like that. Let's get you rinsed first, though, ok?" She took Beth by the shoulders and gently guided her back under the shower's spray, running her fingers through Beth's hair to help wash the suds out. She watched as the suds slid slowly down, contrasting against the red cotton tank top and wet denim cutoffs before running down her legs and gathering around the drain.