Helene said, "It concerns your boobs and Henri Colounge."
That wasn't an area Collette wanted to let anyone explore just yet. She came right back. "Dare."
Helene stood up and looked at the three young men. All wore, tuxedos and came from the upper class. She settled on Antoine. "Your dare is to sit on Antoine's lap and let him touch whatever he wants for a minute by the clock."
Collette said, "What if I refuse the dare?"
"You agreed that any dare refused meant taking everything off and staying naked for the rest of the evening."
Collette chewed her thumbnail. "Why can't I sit on Renard's lap?"
"Because, you silly girl, you know Renard already. What's the fun in that?"
Antoine Franco was a well-muscled young man who had arrived in France just six months earlier. He'd met Collette at several parties and decided he liked her and wanted more contact, intimate if possible. He had brown hair that curled slightly and a handsome face with a high forehead, a strong nose and chin. His brown eyes twinkled with pleasant good humor.
Antoine rearranged himself in his chair and opened his arms to Collette who approached shyly. She sat on his knees, not his lap. He placed his hands carefully on her hips and brought her back against him. The two other girls said, "Ooooohhh."
One of the other young men brought out a pocket watch and said, "I'll begin timing."
Antoine's voice as he spoke was a deep and stirring baritone. "Not yet. The minute doesn't begin until the first touch."
They waited. The men expected a little mildly playful groping with protestations by Collette which would be ignored.
Instead of a clumsy grope, Antoine placed his hand gently on Collette's cheek and brought her up to his face. He kissed her, very gently and very thoroughly. She kissed back.
Adele said, with irritation because she'd seen Antoine before that night and wanted him for herself, "No fair. The dare was touching, not kissing."
Helene said, "Hush, Adele. No sour grapes."
Halfway through the minute, Collette held Antoine's hand in hers and placed it on her breast. He gave her a little squeeze and she gasped. His hand stayed in place with various changes in position and pressure for the entire minute.
The boy with the watch said, "Time."
They didn't stop. Everyone watched without protest. It helped that one of the boys came for Adele and held her on his lap and kissed her.
It didn't end for another minute when Antoine leaned back. He said to Collette, "Would you like to get on the rest of your clothes and go somewhere more private?"
She nodded and stood up. She dropped her dress over her head and gave it a little shake to get it in place. She winked at Helene who smiled back.
Adele and her special friend excused themselves as well, leaving Helene alone with Alain Bedeau. Alain stood beside her as their friends drove away. She hadn't put her clothes on yet and still wore nothing but her chemise which covered her from low over her breasts down to the tops of her legs.
They faced each other. Helene said, "Why have we never become lovers?"
"Because you won't admit you're attracted to me. I don't know why. I never let the horses run through the house and haven't taken a hatchet to anyone in over a month."
"I'm sorry I'm not attracted to you."
Alain walked slowly back to his chair. He didn't sit down. Instead, he studied the chair as if it held the answers to all of life's questions. He said, "I can prove you're wrong."
Helene stood in front of Alain. "Why would I allow myself to be subjected to a test that does nothing more than establish what I already know. Such a test would be futile and awkward. I'm not attracted to you."
"What if you're wrong? I could be the sole love of your life, and you will die alone and dried up all because you wouldn’t take a simple test. All because you were afraid of your own feelings."
Helene took the bait. "Afraid. I'm afraid of nothing, especially not males of any age."
Alain took her hand and carefully led her to his chair. He sat and brought her down on his lap. "I'm glad you aren't afraid of me." He looked directly into her eyes. "You aren't. Not even a little bit."
She said, in a low, whispery voice, "Not even a little bit."
He kissed her. It was a long kiss. After it ended, he said, "How about that little flutter in your tummy? That proves you're attracted to me a little bit. Does that little flutter scare you? It could become a bigger flutter."
She kissed him very quickly. "How do you know I have a little flutter?"
"I know, and I can prove it."