.

[Author's Notes: You knew it had to happen. I finally upped the rating of this story to 'M'. This chapter is mild, but I'll probably use the freedom of the looser rating to let the story unfold more naturally in subsequent chapters. Sensitive readers may want to bail.]

Secluded

A rising sun warmed the Saturday morning trek of an artist and his model through the town's festival grounds. Senpai, dressed in a t-shirt, shorts and sneakers, carried his portable easel and canvas tube over his shoulder while Nagatoro, sporting a blue dress and sandals, hauled his paint supplies in her green backpack.

"I should have known you'd bring me here." Nagatoro pointed down the paved path. "That's where you yanked me out of line and dragged me up the hill."

"Do you remember which side trail I dragged you up?" Senpai asked.

Nagatoro scanned the area and updated the position of her pointing finger. "That one, right there. Don't tell me you're taking me to that same lookout."

"There won't be anyone else around this early in the day."

"You thought we'd be alone last time, before the fireworks lit up those smooching couples." She shook her head. "That showed me where your head was at. You're such a pervert."

"I had no idea they'd be there."

Nagatoro bumped her shoulder into his. "Think you might get some action this time?"

Senpai pushed his glasses up his nose. "We're not like that. We have a professional relationship."

"You mean like the professional way you squeezed my boobs that time?"

"That was an accident."

"And the time you went after my feet with that electric toothbrush when I wasn't able to defend myself?"

"You gave me a free tickle-pass."

"I nearly peed myself. Not that it would have been a big deal since I was butt-naked. But you sleep on that mattress."

A sly smile formed on Senpai's lips. "Did Toro-cat want to mark her territory?"

Nagatoro's face turned beet red. After taking a moment to recover, she smacked his shoulder. In a soft voice, she said, "Nice comeback, Senpai. I'm impressed."

He adjusted the position of the easel resting on his shoulder. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"You deserve this opportunity."

They left the concrete path and turned up the dirt side trail.

"I know what you said about them not seeing the real you, but only a painting, but I'm not sure I buy that. After all, you told me having the picture of the painting on my phone was worse than having a picture of you, remember?"

"But you're the only guy who's ever seen my tan lines. You know… all of them. That matters."

"I still think it's a pretty lame rationalization."

Nagatoro stopped in her tracks. "No, Senpai. It's an awesome rationalization. You should get on board with it. Let's face it. Your artistic impression of me without my clothes on is not our private little secret anymore."

"I suppose that's true. Sorry."

"It's fine. Stuff happens. So let's make the best of it."

"You're right."

They continued walking.

Senpai glanced over. "That's a beautiful dress."

Nagatoro spun around. "Thanks. Actually, it's a sarong."

"What's that?"

"It's a wrap dress. They're big in Indonesia." She pinched one of the straps threaded through a loop supporting the garment's halter top. "It's basically a long strip of cloth with a big square piece sewn onto it. You'll see when you unwrap me."

"Okay."

As they approached the scenic cliff view, Nagatoro furrowed her brow. "You're not seriously thinking of painting me here, are you? People come here all the time, even in the morning."

He kneeled down and picked up a candy bar wrapper, crumpled it, and stuffed it in his pocket. "And they make a mess. I wish they'd have more respect for places like this. You should leave nature the way you found it." He faced the ocean and pointed right. "The place I found is a hundred yards this way. Getting there's a little rough."

"Lead the way."

For the next ten minutes, they steered their way through dense trees and thick brush until they came to an oak tree set back five yards from the cliff.

Senpai rested his hand on a horizontal limb jutting out just above eye level. "This is where I pictured you."

Standing half a head shorter, Nagatoro reached up for the limb and looked out at the ocean. "You picked an awesome spot. This'll make a gorgeous backdrop." She glanced from side to side. "Plus, ain't nobody going to find us here."

He unfolded and set down his easel. "If we stay quiet." He pulled the painting supplies out of Nagatoro's backpack and set them on the easel's landing.

She faced him. "Senpai, you skeevy pervert. You were thinking of tickling me again after you tied me up, weren't you?"

"This'll be the fourth time I paint you like this. Do I really need to tie you?"

"You do if you don't want me running around and changing my pose. Besides, it's tradition." She spread her arms overhead and rested her palms on the limb. Then she kicked off her sandals, placed her ankles together, crossed one knee in front of the other, shifted her hips, and smiled brightly. "How's this?"

Senpai's eyes widened, and his jaw dropped a bit. "It's perfect."

"Then dial it in."

"What do you mean?"

"Duh."

"Sorry." He reached into his canvas tube and pulled out a package of black plastic cable ties and a wire clipper.

"No ropes today?"

"Too bulky." He connected two zip ties together and tightened them around the tree limb near Nagatoro's right wrist, then used a third zip tie to fasten her wrist to the loop. With the wire clipper, he trimmed off the excess plastic. He fastened her left wrist to the limb in a similar fashion. Lastly, he wrapped a single zip tie around her ankles.

Stepping back, he asked, "How's that?"

Nagatoro patted the branch and tried pulling her wrists back. "It's not super comfortable, but it's pretty darned effective. You better not attack me when I'm like this because these will leave a serious mark."

"I promise I won't attack you. I'm out of tickle passes, remember?" He collected up the plastic pieces and stuffed them in his pocket.

"Got to leave nature the way you found it," Nagatoro teased. She patted the branch and shifted her bare feet on the ground. "I feel like part of nature right now." She giggled. "Well, almost."

Senpai stepped back to his easel and appraised his model.

Nagatoro wiggled her hips. "Forget something, did we?"

He pushed his glasses up his nose. "Um… sorry."

"It comes off real easy. Untie the straps behind my neck and pull them through the loop. That loosens everything."

Senpai stepped behind his model, undid the straps, and pulled them through the sarong's center loop. The dress fell off her body.

She took a deep breath—"Oh, boy."—and looked around. "I can't believe we're doing this outside."

The painter lifted his brush. "You look incredible in the natural light."

"Thanks, Senpai," replied his blushing model.

It didn't take long for Senpai to get into the zone as he transferred his perception of the beauty before him onto his canvas—toned slender legs, alluring hips, perfectly shaped breasts, flawless hair, and that radiant smile.

A gust of wind blew Nagatoro's mane back over her shoulders. "We couldn't have picked a more perfect day to do this," she said in a soft voice. "And tomorrow's going to be just as nice. You're still good with painting me at the pool tomorrow?"

"Sure." Senpai adjusted the shading under his model's chin. "That producer said we needed to get his people five pieces for the show by Wednesday, so that works out great. A daylight pool session is going to be really risky, though. Is Sakura still okay with playing lookout for us?"

A few moments passed in silence.

"Is she still okay with being our lookout?" he asked again, upping his volume a notch.

When his model didn't reply, he raised his head from his work.

Nagatoro's eyes bulged, and the color had drained from her face. "Senpai," she half whispered, half cried. She stared down at her chest. "Help."

A spider the size of a 100 Yen coin rested on her left breast. Nagatoro stood frozen in fear as the bug leisurely lingered.

Senpai dashed forward with his hand extended and brushed the spider off of her breast. It hit the ground and scurried away before he could step on it. "Are you okay?" he asked.

Still frozen, Nagatoro gulped.

"Sorry about that," he said. "I guess that's one downside of modeling in the woods. Bugs."

She nodded and took a few deep breaths. Slowly, her color returned. "I hate spiders."

"Do you want to go on? I'm three-quarters finished."

A devious smile formed on her lips. "You planned for that to happen so you could molest me, didn't you?"

"No… wait…" He extended his palms. "I didn't…"

She smiled. "You're such a sneaky pervert, Senpai. Planting that bug on the limb so you could touch my breast."

"I had no idea…"

Nagatoro giggled. "I'm fine. But check on me more often next time."

"Will do. Huh?" Senpai squinted at the white powder on his hand. He bent forward to inspect his model's body. "What's that dust all over you?"

Nagatoro turned her head and examined the fine white particles that had settled on her arm. "I'm pretty sure it's tree pollen."

"Let me take care of that."

Starting at the top, Senpai gently brushed the dust off of Nagatoro's hair, shoulders, arms, and hands. Moving downward, slowly and methodically, he dusted off her neck, collarbone, breasts, belly, pelvic region, shoulder blades, back, tailbone, and bottom. Lastly, he cleaned off her thighs, knees, calves, shins, ankles, and feet.

Although a myriad of "pervert" retorts flashed to mind, Nagatoro shivered in silent bliss as Senpai's soft hands lovingly cleared the dust off of every square inch of her body.

When he finished brushing off her toes, he rose and stood before her, deadpan. "Better?"

With her body flushed and her nipples standing at attention, she managed to whisper, "Thanks, Senpai." She remained silent and warm until he finished his work.

"All done," he said twenty minutes later. He trotted toward his model, wire cutters in hand.

Nagatoro shook her head. "Uh-uh, Senpai."

"Huh?"

"I'm part of nature, remember? You've got to return me to the way you found me."

Senpai glanced at the neatly folded sarong set off to the side atop her sandals. "You mean…"

"And I'd appreciate it if you brush me off again before you dress me. I picked up a little more pollen."

To her delight, Senpai competently brushed his model clean. Then he spent the next thirty minutes trying to work the sarong.

"You're flubbing this on purpose," Nagatoro teased. "It's not that hard to cover a naked girl. Especially one that can't move."

"I've never worked one of these things before! Can't you at least give me a hint?"

"No way, Senpai," Nagatoro giggled. "Figure it out. Hey! Get your hand off my butt, you pervert."

"I'm trying to keep it put!"

"Creeper!"

Once he'd gotten relatively close to covering her, Nagatoro let him cut her free.

They pocketed the plastic, packed their supplies, and strolled hand-in-hand to the walkway.

Author's Notes: I admit the last couple chapters were kind of grim, so it was a ton of fun to get these two together for another painting/modeling session. I don't think I'm spoiling anything when I tell you Nag and Semp are going to get closer, but not without life putting more hurdles in the way. See you next Wednesday (Thursday in Auckland)! — SK