She took them, knowing that her brown nipples tits were bare as the arm moved away from her chest.

"And these, too, perhaps," he added, reaching into the pocket of his robe and coming out with her pink panties – the ones she'd hastily kicked under the sofa, downstairs, when she and Jake were almost caught in the act.

"Oh!" she gasped, covering her face with both hands to hide the sudden blushes. She was totally exposed now, but it didn't occur to her until much too late. Her fingers parted shyly and she peered between them at her uncle. "You must think I'm some kind of…"

He shook his head. "A pretty young girl who's growing up into a beautiful young woman. That's what I see."

Her hands dropped away from her face. "Really? That's what you think?"

Steve sat down on the edge of the bed. Maria tensed slightly, aware that she was completely naked, but suddenly she didn't feel at all awkward or embarrassed. The way he was looking at her, the approval in his eyes and in the way his lips curled up for a smile reassured her.

"You look so much like your mom when she was your age." He smiled. "She was beautiful, and so are you. Good genes, I'm sure."

Maria cocked her head. There was something strange and intriguing in the way he talked. When he referred to Mom, it was like a guy talking about his girlfriend, not his sister, for heaven's sake! But the words thrilled her. No one had ever told her she was beautiful before, and she knew he was sincere.

"Jake and I," she began, "downstairs – we were making out – I guess you suspected, huh? But it was nothing major; just some kissing and stuff. Okay! I did let him take my pants off… but that was all…"

"Maria, I wasn't really upstairs. Or did you suspect that? I saw you come in, I was standing out in the hall…"