"Bill... Would you... would you," taking a deep breath, "Would you like to make love to our very dear friend... Valerie?"
My world came to a stop. I think even my hand stopped stroking her bare back.
I didn't say anything. Just tried to grasp what the love of
my
life had just asked me. Thoughts racing through my brain in a nanosecond.
'What?'
'Where did that come from?'
'Why?'
"Bill?"
Kathy's face was now inches from mine. Those soft blue gray eyes. A look of love and gentleness. Her voice soft.
"Kath... Where did
that
come from?" I softly asked.
She leaned in and lightly kissed my lips.
"Don't you know...? You're not supposed to answer a question with another question."
"I don't understand."
"It's a simple 'yes' or 'no' question. Asking for a simple 'yes' or 'no' answer," she softly said.
"I can't answer that, Kath. It's
not
a simple 'yes' or 'no' answer."
"Why?" her voice still soft and quiet.
Taking a moment, and taking a cleansing breath.
"I can't."
Her soft lips on mine. Her eyes making me melt into hers. I hate it when she makes me melt like that. Well, maybe not. But still...
"Would it help, if I told you that I already
know
the answer?" her lips on my cheek.
I just looked at her. Confused.
"You two love each other."
I started to say something. Kathy put her soft fingers against my lips.
"You two have loved each other for a long time. Before either of you even knew it. Before either of you wanted to acknowledge it.
Long
before you actually said the words to each other last winter, at the end of the quarter. You two have shared those heartfelt words many times since then.
"You held her, as she cried on your shoulder, after that day when she visited the Art Institutes. She thought you were mad at her for not including you in the whole idea of changing schools. That she was afraid of losing her two closest friends. I think that it hit her to the core. It was something she was determined to not let happen... no matter what.
"Valerie's been naked and in our bed a number of times. The first time we comforted her during that storm. The second time was the night she moved in with us and just wanted to be close to us. The time she cried on your shoulder as we comforted her after that 'asshole' of a date. And then when it got cold... I'm glad you didn't get her an electric blanket. And many other times."
There was a brief smile before turning serious again.
"You've held her bare body against yours many times. You have always been respectful and careful with her. Even when putting sun tan lotion on her front.
"So, why am I asking you now... if you'd like to make love to our best friend? Most women wouldn't even consider that... sharing
their
man with another woman... even a best friend."
I started to say something again. And again, Kathy pressed her soft fingers to my lips. And then kissed me.
"Before we go any further. Would you please answer my question?"
Rolling to my side so that we were both on our sides, looking deeply at each other. Kathy's hand gently stroking my cheek. Her cute little nipple peaking back at me. My hand gently stroking her cheek.
"Yes, Kath. I would like to make love to our very best friend.... Valerie," I whispered.
She leaned in and gently kissed me.
"See. That wasn't so difficult, was it? Besides, like I said, 'I already
knew
the answer'," her voice soft and gentle accompanied by a gentle smile.
She scooted in close and our lips met, before pulling her on top of me. The kiss went on... and on... and on.
"I love you, Kathy."
Kiss.
"I love
you
, Bill,... We'll talk about it some more. Think about it."
Kiss.
..........................................
Kathy said she wasn't going to say anything to Valerie until I was ready. However, I did start to look at Valerie differently. Kathy noticed immediately. There was always a tender smile when I looked back at her. Valerie didn't notice.
Loving someone and being 'In Love' with someone are two different emotions that I had never consciously thought of. I knew that I definitely loved Valerie. But, was I 'in love' with her? I definitely missed her when she was gone. But, not like I missed Kathy when
she
was gone, like before she moved in. With Kathy, it was an emptiness a loneliness. That part of my heart was missing and longing for her return.
I was not good at sorting through these types of emotions and feelings. I'm a guy.
I was reminded of a cartoon I saw comparing the control panels of what controlled a woman's emotions and what controlled a man's. The woman's control panel was filled with lights, buttons, switches, and dials. The man's... one switch... 'On'... 'Off'.
Thoughts and questions kept going through my head.
'What would our, as in all of OUR, feelings be toward each other afterwards?'
'Was it going to be just a 'one time' thing? Or would Valerie be joining us in our bed. Or would there be times when it was just Valerie and me? I knew that Kathy and I would always have
our
times together.
'What would I feel when I made love to Valerie?'
'How would I feel
after
I made love to Valerie?'
Most important, 'How would
Valerie