When Adelyn and Courtney arrived back at their bungalow that late afternoon, Cheryl and Julie were waiting for them next door. They quickly came over to grill them about the day's strenuous outing.

"So how was the river, ya'll," Cheryl asked, taking a bite out of a large cookie. "And the big-ass mountain hike?" She then produced another chocolate biscuit from a large bag. "Here . . . bet ya'll are pretty hungry, huh?"

"Hungry and tired," Courtney complained. "I thought it was going to be just some lame exercise thing. I didn't know it was . . . an Olympic training session. So how are your arms, Ads?"

"Wow yeah. The paddling was brutal," she answered. "I just want to sleep now. You're right, my arms are dead!"

"The only thing that made it pretty cool was 'Dan the Man,'" Courtney added.

"Who?" It was Julie. She was never one to let pass the mention of a guy.

"Oh God, Julie! You should've seen him. That counselor. With the canoes? He's a Canadian guy. And absolutely hot! Didn't you think so Ads?"

"Yeah . . . I guess."

"Right," Courtney continued. "Adelyn, here girls . . . was her usual cold fish during the whole trip. See there was this other hot dude in our boat? Michael? Well he did everything but jump into her lap, just to get her attention. I swear Adelyn was more interested in the insects and fish! . . . And I'm not kidding!"

Cheryl and Julie laughed, while Cheryl freely passed around her bag of cookies.

"Come on, Courtney, just because it's not my style to wiggle my goods in a guy's face for attention . . ."

They all laughed again, except Courtney.

"You think I'm kidding? She actually did that," Adelyn pointedly confirmed. "I was surprised our little playboy bunny here didn't ride back in the canoe naked  just trying to  get noticed by the guy."

"That's too funny!" Julie said, giggling. "I can totally see you doing that, Court."

"Well. . . if it was just me and that Dan guy . . . I probably would have gotten naked. He was so damn sexy!"

This hit a nerve with Adelyn, as just the thought of Courtney with Dan intimately, fueled her anger. And about the way the whole day played out. Her only consolation was that Dan finally did express a secret desire to see her again. Just the thought of it gave her the chills, and managed to erase from her mind Courtney's all-day desperate tactics.

"But hold on now girls," Cheryl loudly interrupted. "Didn't ya'll say . . . he was a counselor? Like as in . . . working here?"

"Is that right, Court?" Julie asked. "A Counselor?  You're going after the big fish now?"

"Well OK. Yeah, he is a counselor, but still damn hot."

"Listen girls," Julie added. "I think they must have rules about counselors. Not to . . . you know . . ."

"Fraternize?" Adelyn provided.

"Yeah . . . fraternize with the campers here. I mean . . . come on. They're all like twenty-five to thirty or something. Right?"

Adelyn secretly knew Dan was only twenty-two.

"Well, anyway, Courtney," Adelyn informed. "This guy didn't pay too much attention to any of the girls today. So I guess you'll just have to work your charms on the younger guys here . . . and back on dry land."

They all smiled.

"Yeah well, maybe . . . But I still think he secretly liked me," Courtney was obviously in denial that her methodology with guys would in some rare cases not work.

"So. What did you two delinquents do all say," Adelyn asked Julie and Cheryl. She brought it up to finally get Dan off everyone's mind.

"I had a tennis lesson," Julie said, proudly. "It was OK. And afterward yoga and a swim. I didn't talk to a guy all day. But that's cool. I see a lot of the guys here are actually kind of losers."

"And you, Cheryl?" Courtney asked. "Did you go audition to be that hypnotist's stage assistant?"

The girls all laughed infectiously, still remembering Cheryl's hilarious debut as Rianna, while a hypnotized subject of the show.

"Well. I just ain't say'in what I did today," she responded sharply. "But it looks like it was a whole lot more interesting than what you lame little school girls did."

The laughing cooled down and each girl looked at Cheryl a bit surprised and with just a twinge of jealousy.

As their fourth evening moved on, just before darkness, the girls discussed all going out to the reggae-themed party after dinner that night. Tired as they were, Courtney and Adelyn agreed to join forces and attend the revelry as a group. Adelyn knew she would have to, at some critical point, disappear during the festivities to keep her date with a certain Canadian employee there at Camp Harmony.

* * *

After showering, the girls had each donned colorful scarfs and gaudy jewelry for the occasion, agreeing to dance the night away. Around eleven-thirty, as the reggae music was just cranking up to a fever pitch, and the illegal drinks had begun to work their spell on the carefree crowd, Adelyn told Julie she was going to the restroom. All three other girls were already buzzing from the tequila and rum-and-coke. They were in a pretty clueless state when Adelyn moved out of the meeting hall and started across the pathway toward the river.

That night she had made it a point not to drink anything the guys were passing around on the dance floor. Though now she thought perhaps she should have—just to settle her nerves before facing Dan at his doorway in the moonlight.

Reaching his living quarters, she found the solid door behind his screen shut in a non-welcoming manner. Taking a deep breath, Adelyn opened the screen door and tapped on the solid one, realizing she might be waking Dan up after an exhaustive day of responsibilities.

As she knocked again, slightly louder, the door opened and the handsome Dan stood sleepily before her, looking much as he did earlier that day, though without the Camp Harmony polo shirt. The moonlight shone in onto his bare chest giving Adelyn a feeling she was intruding too much upon his privacy.

"Adelyn! Great . . . you came," he said, seeming genuinely pleased to see her. "Wait. Let me get a shirt on."

Dan turned and disappeared for several seconds before returning wearing what looked to be a fresh white T-shirt.

"Sorry. After my shower I just collapsed tonight.

"Dan, are you sure I'm not . . .?"

"No. No way. I was hoping you'd come tonight. Really. Come on in."

Dan's words pleased Adelyn and assured her that her visit was truly called for.

"Just don't mind the mess. OK? I haven't had time to do much straightening up. Getting ready for these trips down river . . . and with a full-on hike are pretty grueling."

"I can imagine."

Dan moved aside to allow Adelyn in.

"Well . . . I'm pretty tired too," she said, a bit nervously.

Dan directed her as before into the main room of the small place and they sat on the floor pillows again.

"And my arms!" Adelyn continued. "My gosh! Canoeing is just not my strong point, I guess."

Dan laughed. "Well it usually isn't . . .with most people, I've noticed. But you did really well. You and your friend . . ."

"Courtney?"

"Yes, Courtney."

"Sorry about the way she behaved all day. You have to know her. She just lives to be the center of attention."

"Well I did notice she can be a little bit . . ."

"Of a flirt?"

"Yeah OK. And I could tell you were feeling uncomfortable with her doing that."

"Well. Actually jealous, is more like it."

"Really? Hey, look. Adelyn. I could tell what she was up to. And I've seen it all before. It just doesn't impress me. And why? Because she'd be like that with any guy on any other day. Believe me, I didn't feel special to her in any way.

"Wow. OK then. So you knew . . ."

"What she was trying to do? Of course. Like I say, It meant nothing to me, Alelyn. You're far more my type than Courtney ever could be."

She was deeply touched by the comment, and even fought back a victorious smile.

"See, every summer I get that treatment from at least two or three girls. And usually at least one of the female camp counselors."

This time Dan smiled. A little self-consciously.

"It can actually get much more obvious than the way Courtney was today. Really. It's just kind of entertaining to me, that's all."

"Well . . . alright then."

"Look. I've got something to show you."

"What?"

Dan reached over as before and pulled Adelyn up out of her chair. He then passed through the kitchen with her, holding her hand, into a small pantry area with shelves of canned and packaged food. Taking a flashlight off the first shelf, he shined the light down into a square cardboard box. With his other hand he reached down and brought back up a small fluffy puppy. It began to wriggle in his hand and complain a bit until he held it more substantially against his chest.

"Awe!. . he's just a little guy!" Adelyn said with excitement.

"Yeah. A golden Lab. I found him yesterday. Near the bank of the river."

"So who owns him?"

"I'm trying to find out. But for now . . . I guess I do. He was pretty hungry when I brought him here. Drank up all my milk!"

Adelyn laughed.

"He handed the puppy to her and after a few frantic squeals the little dog rested complacent in her arms.

"I'll keep trying to find his owner. But if not . . . well, it looks like he'll just become the camp mascot here."

"That's so sweet! And he's so cute!"

After several minutes standing and rocking the little dog in her arms, Dan took the animal from Adelyn and placed him safely back in his box for the night.

"Let's go sit outside," he said.

With this, Dan led Adelyn out past the back door to a small path that led to the bank of the river. There were several old camping chairs there and they each took one sitting shoulder to shoulder. The moon was again high in the night sky, and the sound of the river only meters away whispered along the banks.

"You know, I really am glad you came here tonight," Dan said softly. "I thought maybe you would change your mind."

"No. I wanted to come, Dan. I've thought about it since I left here last night. I don't know. I just feel really comfortable with you. And well . . ."

"What?"

"And also very attracted, I guess."

There was a moment of silence between them, when just the sounds of the river and the distant beat of the reggae music could be heard.

He leaned over and kissed Adelyn softly and slowly on the lips.

"You know, there are a lot of things we can do before this . . . big event you told me you want to accomplish."

Adelyn felt her face flush hotly with self-consciousness. "Well you would know that," she whispered to him closely. "I'm afraid I really don't have a clue about those things yet."

"See, the secret is in taking them all slowly. Enjoyably," he whispered back. "And not all in one night. Maybe not in five or six nights."

"But that's all I'll have left with you here."

"It's important," he whispered even softer, "to not get too far into it, too soon. Just enjoy the process. The present moment."

"Like how?"

Dan then leaned over and kissed her again, a bit stronger, but longer and more passionately. When he stopped, Adelyn's heart was pounding strongly and her breath was pronounced and audible to them both.

"Tonight we we'll only kiss. And I'll hold you in my arms to make you feel safe. If we're careful about it . . . you'll feel all the power and joy kisses and hugs can give."

"Really? . . .  But how can you be so sure you'll not want to do more?"

Adelyn was herself already in the mood where she did not know where or at what point she would or could stop Dan if he continued beyond those kisses.

"Come on. I'll show you."

Once again, Dan stood and took her by the hand, leading her back into the house through the back door. He moved into a small back room, only big enough for the double bed that was there, neatly made, sporting only one pillow. He climbed onto the bed and motioned to her in the dim light from the river-facing window, to join him there. And cautiously, slowly she sat next to him in the center of the soft mattress.

This time Dan took her by the shoulders and pressed his mouth against hers softly. He was careful to let Adelyn freely feel the power to escape or surrender in the semi-darkened room. And surrender she did—to the many more of their kisses until he gently laid her back onto the bed by his side. There she kissed him herself aggressively and sensed that their mouths and tongues were one in the other-worldly process of loving expression. There was eventually that familiar sensation of a strong pulsing between her thighs again, and a heaving of her breasts as her breathing dominated the sounds and movement of the two of them still fully clothed on the bed.

And following the latest, strongest kiss, Dan placed his finger lightly against her mouth to slow her down and gradually stop their sensual momentum.

"Why, Dan? I want you to take me.  Right here. Now."

"As I told you. There is much to do before that." His own breathing was slowly settling down. "We will pick this up tomorrow night . . . and definitely move closer to your goal, Adelyn."

"Are you sure?"

"Anticipation, you will find, is the most powerful force in making love. Most powerful for both of us, I promise you."

Adelyn's body did not want to cooperate with his suggestion to wait. To stop. It hummed and tingled all over. The nipples of her breasts were still super-sensitive, even under her clothing, and she could feel that a considerable wetness had saturated her underwear. As Dan moved away and stood by the bed, he reached over for her hand and she reluctantly took it knowing he would assist her off the bed and to her feet. That her first real night in the art of lovemaking would cease temporarily.

"You will come again tomorrow night, Adelyn. And not be disappointed."

"You mean like I am now that we must stop?"

"No. You will be even more fulfilled, I promise. But not all in one night, as I have told you. And not while you gradually earn the joys of this. Do you trust what I say?"

"Yes, Dan. I do."

She stood immediately and threw her arms around him, kissing him once more with great power and emotion. "Of course I trust you!"

After their intense, last embrace, Dan walked her out the front door into the cool night air. Nearing the bungalows alone, Adelyn noticed the sounds of the Reggae music had stopped, and only the distant river reminded her where she had just been. And what she had just learned from her incredible mentor.

* * *