"It's still early afternoon," said Anton. "We have plenty of day left."

Patty wiped beads of sweat from her forehead. "Want to go swimming in the lake?"

"I think that's a great idea," said Anton.

"I don't have my swimsuit with me, so we'll have to stop by home first," said Patty.

Anton's eyes danced mischievously. "We could go skinny dipping, if you want."

"What's that?"

"Swimming without your clothes on."

Patty gasped. "Really?"

Anton laughed. "It's fun!"

"You mean you've done it before - with a woman?"

Anton nodded. "Yes, I have."

"And that's all you do - just swim?"

Anton smirked. "You can do more - if you want." He grinned and swatted her behind. "I'm teasing you, P.B. If that idea makes you uncomfortable, we can just wear our swim suits - this time."

"Anton!"

He laughed uproariously. "Teasing you again, P.B. Hey, look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel awkward. Of course we'll both wear proper swimsuits. I would never want to pressure you into anything you're not ready for."

"Well, I don't want you to think I'm a prude," Patty mumbled as they walked along.

"I don't think that at all, P.B. You're a nice girl, and I have all the respect in the world for you."

She blushed. "Thanks, Anton."

"You're very welcome, P.B. Here we are." They'd reached Godsey's store. "I'll give you half an hour or so while I go back to the motel to change into my trunks. Then I'll come back and pick you up, and we can go to the lake."

Patty entered the store to see Ike ringing up customers at the register. She went upstairs to find Sammy asleep in his crib while Pearl tried on jewelry in the mirror. Sharon was spending the day with a friend from school.

Patty went to her bedroom, put on her swimsuit, and went back downstairs. Pearl didn't notice her coming or going. Ike glanced up as she left the store but didn't say anything.

She waited outside until she saw Anton walk up in his dark blue trunks and flip flops. She gave his tall, lanky body an appreciative scan, and smiled.

He grinned back. "Ready to go?"

"You bet!"

He took her hand, and they walked to the lake together. Once there, they both dived in and began to swim around. After a few minutes, Patty felt something grab her foot. Startled, she screamed. Anton's laughing face bobbed into view.

He began to swim for the shore very quickly.

"I'm gonna get you!" Patty yelled.

He reached the shore and took off running. When Patty got to dry land, she ran after him, but his long legs easily outran her short ones, and she soon lost sight of him.

"Anton! You come back here!" Suddenly two sets of fingers tickled her ribs from behind, and she jumped a foot in the air. Anton ducked just out of her reach, and they ran around in circles, laughing, until Patty collapsed in the grass, and Anton fell down beside her.

He rolled over onto her and began to kiss her urgently, passionately. She could feel the evidence of his arousal through the material of their clothing, and her heart began to hammer madly.

"Gott, ich will dich so sehr," he panted.

"What?" Suddenly, it was hard for Patty to breathe.

Anton paled and rolled off of her to lie at her side.

"I'm sorry," he rasped, his voice husky.

"What did you say before?" Patty's voice quivered.

Anton cleared his throat. "Something I shouldn't have. I'm sorry, Patty. It was my fault. I should not have let it get so far."

Patty just stared, unable to speak.

"The way I feel about you, P.B. - it scares me sometimes! I was so afraid - so afraid we'd do something we would regret later."

The sound of giggling startled them both. They looked up to see two little girls peeking at them from behind a bush. The older girl had very dark brown hair, and the younger girl's was a lighter shade of brown. They both had piercing blue eyes. The older girl wore a purple swimsuit, and the younger girl wore a hot pink one.

"Who are you?" asked Patty.

"I'm Vivi, and this is Rosie," said the older girl.

"Where are your parents?" asked Anton.

"Over there." Vivi pointed to a spot underneath a large shade tree, where a man and a woman were cooking on a grill over a fire. The man was tall, with dark brown hair and a beard, and piercing blue eyes, like those of his daughters. The woman was shorter, with lighter brown hair. She looked up and gave Anton and Patty a warm smile.

"Hello! You're one of Ike's stepdaughters, aren't you?"

"Yes. I'm Patty, and this is my friend from Germany, Anton Reiker."

"It's nice to meet you both." The woman shook their hands. "I'm Erin Longworth, and this is my husband, Ashley. The two little girls are our daughters, Vivian and Rosemary."

Ashley nodded his hello as he flipped the meat over. "Just grilling some hamburgers here. You two are welcome to join us, if you want. There's plenty."

Patty looked at Anton, and he nodded. "Sure. Thank you for the invitation."

"No problem at all!" said Ashley with a grin.

"You're one of Elizabeth's sisters, aren't you?" Patty asked Erin. She nodded.

"I'm the middle sister. Elizabeth is the youngest, and we have an older sister named Mary Ellen. We also have four brothers - John Boy, Jason, Ben, and Jim Bob."

Patty's eyes grew wide. "Wow, that's a lot of kids! There's only me and Sharon in my family - and now Sammy, of course."

Erin nodded. "Seven in all. We grew up in a big house with our parents and grandparents. We fight sometimes, but we all love each other very much."

Patty swallowed a lump in her throat. "It's nice to grow up in a happy home."

Anton gave her hand a sympathetic squeeze.