Just try not to think about it...
Roger was trying to get on with his day. He'd sat down on the couch and turned on the football game. Sports usually helped him de-stress. But something was still nagging him.
I can still feel it...
The humming from that machine. He felt it inside him. Even when the machine stopped, the feeling was still there. Even as he tried to focus on the plays of the game, a deep, pleasant tingling persisted.
It was so warm...
He missed the warmth. He'd felt it on his skin for a while after getting out of the tanning bed, but it had faded. He kept touching his arms, feeling the softness and smoothness his skin now had. He couldn't help but admire its new warm glow. And his clothes - they seemed so rough now! The slightest movement irritated his skin.
But he had to get his mind off of that! The game was on, and it was a good one! He watched the football sail out of bounds, and the camera lingered on the cheerleaders dancing on the sidelines. Their lean legs and slender arms moved in perfect rhythm. Their skimpy outfits showing so much skin - and reminding him how uncomfortable and constricting his shirt and trousers were.
They're so tan...
Way more tan than Roger. Sure, he had a nice foundation going. But his tan wasn't nearly as good as theirs, and it was sure to fade before long. He couldn't believe it, but he actually felt jealous! Maybe just a few more seconds in that light would give him the color he wanted. He pulled his eyes from the screen to glance upstairs. His daughter's awful music was thumping from behind her door.
As he looked longingly, Jon came down the stairs, looking concerned and frustrated. He avoided making eye contact with his father as he darted into the kitchen. Something was really bothering the young man, but Roger couldn't put his finger on it. It probably didn't help that he was so pale.
Tan is happy...
Roger couldn't take it anymore. He had to get back into the light. Into the warmth. He hopped up and peeked around into the kitchen - Jon was still rummaging through the fridge, so he dashed quickly upstairs. The bass from Zoe's death metal let him bound up quickly, his steps drowned out.
Into the new room in the hallway, which shouldn't exist, he closed the door quickly behind him. And then noticed something new. Hanging on a hook on the back of the door was a skimpy purple bikini. That hadn't been there before, had it?
He reached out and touched it, rubbing the fabric between his fingers. It was so soft... so stretchy. And so small. It was perfect! He stripped out of his irritating clothes as quickly as he could, then slid the bottoms up and tied the top behind his back, covering his flat chest. Finally, it was like his skin could breathe! He never wanted to take it off. It felt so good to have so much skin exposed - and the softness of what little fabric there was perfectly caressed his more sensitive parts.
But now he felt the chill even more. His nipples started to poke through the bikini top a bit. He needed the warmth now more than ever. He giddily laid back on the tanning bed and pulled the lid closed with a satisfying click. It hummed to life and the blue light returned. He closed his eyes and let the warmth wash over him. The tingling deep inside intensified, stronger than it had ever been.
Just for a minute... he told himself.
