"I thought you might be too sensitive," Robin said soft and low.

Maryl shook her head and lifted her hips to encourage her. "Don't stop," she moaned.

Robin snuggled into her side and ran her tongue around a receptive nipple. "I won't."

Maryl fell into pleasure like she had waiting for it all her life. It built beyond its normal boundaries and she held her breath as it lingered for a moment and then flung her over the edge. "Stop," she panted. "Stop." Robin moved to lie on her and Maryl put weak arms around her slim body.

"Was it okay?"

Maryl smiled at the worry in her voice. "Oh, it was good. It was very good."

"You were so quiet. I wasn't sure..."

Maryl rolled over and put Robin under her. "And how will you be? Will you be silent or will you echo from the hills?" Robin blushed and Maryl set about finding out.

She woke up spooned into Robin's back, the memory of her sweet moans still singing in her ears. A wave of desire made her whimper and she pressed her lips into Robin's shoulder. It wasn't enough and she raked her teeth over the spot. She heard Robin hiss in pain, but her hips wriggled back into her. Encouraged, Maryl carefully nipped her way down to slender hips. She lifted Robin's leg and bit her inner thigh, then buried her lips and tongue in Robin's sweet flesh. She tried to make it last, but Robin came a short time later.

Maryl lay her head on Robin's thigh. "Did I hurt you?"

"Not much."

She smiled at the lie, but let it go. "You shouldn't have let me sleep. I don't want to waste a single moment of this day."

Robin's fingers brushed through her hair. "It wasn't a waste for me. It was so sweet having your arms around me while you napped."

Maryl played absently with the dark curls inches from her face. "I hoped for this, but I had no idea how perfect it would be. I would have been content to spend another day just talking."

Robin stretched languorously. "I'd like it if we could do both."

"What did you tell your family about me?"

"Nothing, but they knew anyway."

"How?"

"They're my family. They know me too well. And then there's Bruce."

Maryl looked up at Robin's face. "What about Bruce?"

Robin sat up with a nervous expression. "I have to tell you...He probably knows we've been making love."

"How could he know that?"

"I don't know," Robin shook her head. "He says it's like being aware of your big toe. For the most part, you don't think about it. It's just there. But if it hurts or feels especially good your awareness of it increases. Apparently he has an awareness of me inside of him and when I'm happy or sad he knows it."

Maryl sat up and thought about it. She placed her hand on Robin's breast and looked into her eyes. "So, he can feel this?"

Robin shook her head. "I don't think so. He's never admitted it anyway. What he feels is...emotional intensity. He knows I'm happy and he may know that part of what I feel is s.e.xual."

"That must be pretty uncomfortable for you at times."

"For a long time I considered it a nightmare. But then I realized that my mom can do the same thing just by looking at me. And it's got to be harder for him than it is for me. I know all the time that if something really terrible were to happen to me, my brother would know and he would find me. I feel bad sometimes that I don't feel him in the same way."

"So he knew yesterday that you met someone?"

"Not exactly. He knew that I was inexplicably happy and it only made sense to him that I met you."

Maryl snuggled into her arms. "I've heard of twins being separated at birth who live out similar lives and even twins who can feel each other's pain, so it doesn't sound too strange."

"I'm inclined to think that since we're fraternal twins it's not a lack on my part, but a gift on his. It's like I'm an emotional radio station and he's the receiver."

"Do you ever feel obligated to feel good for his benefit?"

"Sure. But I think we all feel that to some degree. Don't you ever hide your feelings and only show people the good?"

Maryl snorted. "Of course."

"It's like that for me, too. The only difference is that he knows when it's a lie. But like I said, my mom sees through me, too, and to a lesser extent, so do my other brothers. But that's sort of what family is. People who know you."

Maryl held back the urge to say that not all families were like that. She didn't want to introduce anything depressing into their conversation. It occurred to her that she was doing exactly what they had just talked about and the irony made her smile.

"What did they think about all this at your camp?" Robin asked.

"I didn't tell them either." She remembered that she had to sing and groaned.

"What is it?"

Maryl shook her head and started to get up. "Something they want me to do later. I'm not talking about it without a beer in my hand. Are you hungry?"

Robin started to get up and Maryl stopped her. She waded across the river and untied the inner tube. Dragging it behind her, she pulled it up onto the sand next to the blanket and opened the cooler. "I hope you like peanut b.u.t.ter and jam sandwiches."

"What kind of jam?"

"Strawberry."

"I love it."

Maryl handed her a sandwich and a beer, then helped herself.

"What do you have to do later?"

Maryl took a long drink of beer and her eyes watered at the cold bite of it. "Eva promised to make us a cobbler if we picked berries today. Since I'm 'goofing off', as they put it, they seem to think that I should have to do something special for them in order to share in it."

"And that would be?"

Maryl grimaced. "Sing."

Robin grinned. "That doesn't sound so bad."

"You haven't heard me sing."

"You have a beautiful voice. I'd love to hear you sing."

Maryl bit into her sandwich and shook her head.

"Come on," Robin pleaded. "Sing something for me."

"No."

Robin's eyes opened wide. "No?"

"No."

"I'd sing for you if you asked me."

Maryl shrugged. "I'm not asking."

Robin laughed in disbelief. "You allow me to make love to you, but you won't sing for me?"

"Singing and making love are not at all related."

"Then I must not be doing it right."

Maryl rolled her eyes and held up a hand. "Don't even try and guilt me into it."

"Will you at least tell me why you won't sing?"

"Because I'm tone deaf. I can't sing."

"Oh, please. Don't you listen to the radio? Half of today's best selling recording artists can't sing. That doesn't stop them."

"Well, they all sound good to me. I can't tell the difference."

"I refuse to believe that someone with a voice as beautiful as yours can't sing."

"I guess it was a trade off. I got a nice speaking voice and no singing ability." Robin continued to eat her lunch, but she was obviously planning something and it made Maryl nervous. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm trying to decide how to make you sing for me."

Maryl laughed. "Give it up, Robin. It's never going to happen. You can't make me sing."

Robin finished her sandwich and reached for an apple. "I have four brothers. They provided me with a thorough education in the arts of manipulation and force. I'm reasonably sure that I can make you do anything I want."

Such a bold statement shocked Maryl and she felt her hackles go up. "I can't believe you would say such a thing. You would force me to sing for you?"

Robin grinned and bit into the apple with a crunch. "You could just do it and I won't have to be unpleasant. It's up to you."

Maryl was suddenly on very uncertain ground. It occurred to her that she really didn't know Robin, regardless of how intimate they had become. She had no way of knowing what Robin was capable of in order to get what she wanted. She was tempted to sing just to avoid finding out. "What are you going to do?"

"I haven't decided yet." Robin stared at her apple, looking for her next bite. "This apple is really good. Very sweet."

Maryl sat with her lunch in one hand and a beer in the other. She wasn't sure what to do. Sing and endure Robin's ridicule or refuse and suffer the consequences. Robin seemed totally calm and Maryl found that even more distressing than threats.

Robin finished her apple and tossed the core in the river. "Thank you for lunch."

"There's more." Maryl swallowed nervously.

"Maybe later." Robin swung around behind Maryl and put her arms around her waist. "Eat. I want to make love to you."

Maryl forced herself to finish her sandwich while Robin nuzzled her neck and ear. It was hard to stay scared when Robin's lips raised such delicious sensations. She felt herself weakening and after a final mouthful of beer, she turned in Robin's arms and pulled her mouth down for a kiss. Robin was more knowledgeable about her body this time and she deliberately brought Maryl to the edge of o.r.g.a.s.m and held her there.

"Does this feel good?"

Maryl was all but crying for release. "Yes!"

"Do you want to come?"

"Yes!"

"Will you sing for me?"

Maryl hesitated and Robin's caress stilled. She groaned. "Not fair. Please."

"Promise me," Robin said.

She felt Robin's fingers move in a reminder and then stop again. She was too close to endure much more, but she couldn't let herself surrender to such blatant manipulation. "No."

Robin's laughter accompanied renewed stroking and Maryl came in a blaze of light and sound. She heard herself cry out and was shocked at herself. At the same time, however, allowing her pa.s.sion voice at the height was remarkably satisfying both physically and emotionally. "That was mean," she gasped.

Robin lowered her to the ground and lay on her. "It would have been mean if I had held out for your promise, but I wanted you to come. You weren't quiet that time," she said proudly. "I'll bet they heard you in camp."

"Whose camp?" Maryl giggled.

"Both." Robin kissed her way from ear to neck and stopped at a point just below her jaw. "This is where I'm going to put it."

"Put what?"

"A monster hickey."

"No hickeys," Maryl said quickly. "They'll see it."

"A big old fat hickey right there. Unless you sing for me."

"You wouldn't," Maryl laughed.

Robin's voice was quiet and sure. "I promise you that I will. You have ten seconds to decide."

Maryl sputtered and objected as Robin counted down. She tried to get away, but Robin had her pinned and she couldn't fight back. "Wait!" she screamed out as Robin's mouth found its mark. "Wait."