(This is one of a series of 5 chapters that recounts the experiences of David and Catherine and their interaction with acquaintances, Joshua and Sukhi.)
The Irresistible Temptation
Catherine was halfway up the ladder slipping files back into their appropriate pigeonholes when a voice below announced, "It's the six month anniversary since you fell off that ladder and you know what that led to!"
Catherine felt herself blushing slightly as she looked down at the grinning Joshua, "Trust you to remember that," she retorted [Ch.01-The Photograph].
"I'm unlikely to forget as I never did quite get all the Coke stains out of my shirt, so I've prepared this time by leaving my Coke in the next room."
"It must be Wednesday," Catherine sighed, then she turned and looked down at him again, "but seriously Joshua, I thought we were going to forget about all that?"
"Well, actually yes, but just lately I did think about it again. You
know how it is, you get increasingly casual after a while and things slip back to where they were over time. Have you never thought about it?" Joshua challenged, shuffling uncomfortably and wondering if he hadn't pushed her a bit too far.
Catherine busied herself with a few more files then came down to the first step and put two more folders away. " I looked at the photographs just two nights ago," she whispered hesitantly as she felt her heart pounding.
After a long silence, Joshua muttered, "And . . . .?"
"And I thought they were rather beautiful - I also found them a bit unsettling," Catherine admitted.
"Mmmm", said Joshua as he smiled and held out his arms. After a second's hesitation, Catherine raised her arms and allowed herself to fall backwards into his arms. Joshua caught her under the arms and lowered her feet to the ground. He kissed her neck and allowed his hands to fleetingly caress her straining breasts.
"Why don't you invite me around one evening so that you can show them to me again? " he suggested as he released her and left the room with his pulse racing and an unusual bulge in his trousers.
Catherine said nothing as she touched the burning spot on her neck where he had kissed her and looked speculatively at his retreating back. The truth was that while she and David had not had any major rows like the one that caused the three-week separation six months earlier, they too had lost the special fervour that was so evident on their reconciliation.
Later that evening, Catherine teased David that they were back to their old ways without much in the way of romantic effort and that their sexual life had become extremely predictable. "I hope you're not suggesting that we separate for three weeks again! I couldn't handle all that drama again, although I must say that life was pretty exciting for quite a long time after we got back together. By the way, I have been selected to attend a two-week course on microsurgery at Green Lane Hospital in Auckland so I'll
probably be away the whole of that time. They don't recognise weekends up there, so we'll have a two week separation anyway."
Catherine's pulse skipped a beat as she casually enquired,
"Congratulations, when does it start?"
"They have been able to 'borrow' a British professor who is
about to conclude a similar course in Sydney unexpectedly so they want to start it Friday week. Who knows, the break might provide just the very scenario to spark things up again?"
" Who knows, indeed," concluded Catherine as she busied herself with the new curtains, immersed in a profound sense of guilt at the thoughts that had begun assailing her.
The news of David's course in Auckland left Catherine somewhat equivocal. She really did love him and thinking of the wonderful times that they had had after the brief separation still warmed her, but neither had she completely forgotten the unbridled passion and the sense of liberation that Joshua had aroused. Whilst she worked over the curtains she wondered how or even whether to tell Joshua. Should she be as bold as she might like to be or take things a lot more quietly? She was confused and unsure what she really wanted. "Damn!" she thought, "why does life have to be so complicated?"
"Are you finished with those curtains? Is there something that I can help you with?" asked David. This interruption to her thoughts brought her back to reality.
"You are thoughtful. I think they're almost done - why, were you thinking of going to bed?"
He laughed. "Well now that you mention it; I am going to be away for a while and I want to have a hot image of you to think about during the lonely nights up there."
Catherine felt a tingle of excitement. Now this is more like the old David, she thought.
"Never mind the curtains then, I can fix them tomorrow."
Catherine went quickly to the shower. She turned it on and began to undress in the bathroom whilst waiting for the water to heat up. She looked at her body in the mirror. Not too bad. She cupped her breasts. They were firm and the nipples were sensitive. "Who am I kidding?" she thought. David is the man for me. He takes a while to get going and sometimes he is not as attentive as he might be, but for all that, he is the most sensitive soul. I just love him. She jumped into the shower and washed the dirt and grime of the day away (including the spot where Joshua had kissed her).
When she came in to the living room, wrapped in a towel David felt his excitement grow. "I'll just go and jump in to the shower," he said, wanting to distance himself from the potency of her.
"No you won't. Just come here big guy!"
David unfurled himself from the couch, awkwardly rearranging the front of his trousers to accommodate developments within, and took her in his arms. She smelt delicious with that heady mixture of humidity and hair shampoo emanating from her. Catherine wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his lips down to hers. Her raised arms, combined with their body movements as the intensity of the kiss developed, caused the tuck in the towel to unravel and she could feel David's hands exploring her bare back