I recently told a story about how my wife Lucy and I moved out to California and got involved in a pretty crazy scene; this story is from the time before we moved West.
In my previous stories I'd mentioned how, before we moved, Lucy was not the most adventurous sexual being. That was mostly true, but not entirely. There was one time when she really surprised me...
After we both graduated we moved to a Midwestern college town where I studied for my master's and Lucy got a job teaching.
During that time we became friends with another young couple, Arthur and Sophia (Sophie). I met Arthur at a pick-up basketball game at school. He was getting his PhD in Philosophy. Sophie was French, and was a pre-med undergraduate, even though she was older.
Arthur and Sophie were a great couple and the four of us really hit it off. We would have dinner at each other's houses at least once a week. Sophie was a terrific cook.
The only issue I had with Sophie was that she was sometimes wound a little tight -- she was a great conversationalist and a kind and curious friend, but at times her OCD would show through, like how she would insist on washing the dishes immediately after we finished eating. Not the worst thing in the world, but I felt like I was walking on eggshells around her sometimes.
Anyway, one night before Lucy and I were married Arthur and Sophie invited us to their place for a Friday night dinner. It was summertime, the kind of sultry Midwest summer night when the cicadas are buzzing and fireflies glint from between the tall grasses.
We drove to their place near campus and headed up to the front porch, a bottle of wine in hand. Lucy was wearing a linen blouse and a pair of culottes. She looked great.
Arthur met us at the door. He took the wine, gave me a cursory one-armed hug, and immediately reached out for a full hug from Lucy, leaning in for a kiss on the lips. Arthur was a notorious lip kisser -- he kissed every woman he met. It was an ongoing joke among his friends. Even so, I knew that it was probably something more with Lucy. He really connected with her. They had a similar energy: gregarious, funny, and inquisitive.
"Come on in," he said, motioning us through the front hall and into the kitchen. Sophie was preparing a salad. She looked up and smiled when we came in.
"Bonjour, bonjour!" she said. Lucy came to her and they hugged, doing the french kiss on the cheeks thing.
Sophie was our age but her hair had started to go prematurely gray. She often debated dyeing it, but for now she let it stay like that, a dramatic white streak across her straight dark hair.
She was wearing a loose-fitting gray dress. I didn't find Sophie tremendously attractive, to be honest. While she was objectively pretty -- bluish gray eyes, full lips, and fine features -- she just didn't exude much sexuality.
Not that I really cared about that, but it was notable. Occasionally Lucy and I would wonder about the nature of Arthur and Sophie's relationship. Lucy agreed that Sophie didn't seem like a very sexual being.
Arthur opened the wine we brought and grabbed four glasses from the shelf. He poured two, handing one to Lucy and one to Sophie, then two more for me and him.
"To a sweaty summer!" He held up his glass. "Salut!"
We all toasted, and Lucy offered to help Sophie with the meal prep.
"Ah, no, everything is just about ready. The cous-cous, salad, and -- Artie, can you check on the fish?" Artie opened the oven door and the most amazing smell wafted across the room.
"I think it's ready?" he suggested.
Sophie came over to the oven and nudged him aside with her hip. Grabbing a pot holder, she squatted on her haunches and leaned in to lift the lid on the baking dish. As her hips flared, I was surprised by how nice her ass looked.
"To the table!" she said. "Let's eat!"
We sat and ate and chatted, sharing stories and catching up on all the week's news. Arthur and Lucy got into a deep conversation about a new book on ethics that they both had read.
We finished the bottle, and I asked if anyone wanted more. Arthur nodded, but Sophie stood up first.
"I need to start cleaning up," she said. "You all can sit in the living room." Here we go... I thought.
Lucy jumped up. "Nonsense. We'll all help," she offered. "Tom, why don't you start rinsing the dishes, and I'll load them for you?"
I walked over to the sink and began spraying the plates that Lucy and Sophie brought over. Arthur put away the leftovers and soaked the pots in the prep sink.
As I was focused on cleaning I felt a sudden sharp thwack on my ass. Spinning around, I saw Lucy, grinning, a rolled-up dish towel in her hand.
"Gotcha!" she said.
Without thinking, I pointed the spray nozzle at her and pulled the trigger. Lucy yelped as water covered her face and chest, soaking her shirt.
"Oh, shit, I'm sorry!" I said. "I didn't think there would be that much water."
Arthur was cracking up. "You look like a drowned cat," he told her, grabbing a dish towel and gently drying her hair and cheeks as Lucy stood forlornly.
I turned to Sophie, worried that she would be annoyed, but she just stood with a bemused expression, watching Arthur attempt to dry Lucy off.
"I think you're going to need a new shirt," she said. "Come upstairs with me. I'll loan you something and we can hang that blouse up to dry."
The two ladies headed upstairs to Sophie's bedroom and Arthur and I finished cleaning, then opened a second bottle of wine and went into the living room to wait for them.
"Shit, sorry about that," I said. "That was pretty immature of me."
"It was hilarious," Arthur said. "Besides, Lucy started it. You didn't see how she and Sophie were planning for her to slap your ass. Sophie was egging her on."
Soon we heard the two of them coming downstairs. Sophie entered the room first, followed by Lucy. Lucy was wearing a white spaghetti-strap shirt. She had removed her bra; I guess my spray had really soaked her through. The tight shirt clinged to her and accentuated her pert breasts.
Sophie sat in the easy chair next to mine, leaving Lucy the free spot on the couch by Arthur. Arthur handed Lucy a glass of wine, trying unsuccessfully to avoid sneaking a peek at her chest.
I leaned over to pour a glass for Sophie. She took it and gave me a wink.
We settled back into a leisurely conversation. Sophie asked Lucy how her teaching had gone.
"It was a great year," Lucy said. "But it feels good to be done. I just finished writing my last recommendation for student summer internships."
"Internships? What kind?" asked Arthur.
"Everything -- scientific research, media opportunities, travel grants, you name it. It's amazing what these kids do."
"Wow," he said. "That's a far cry from the six-week summer canp at the lake that I used to go to every summer from the time I was eight."
"I know, right?" said Lucy, taking a sip of wine. She shivered. "I think this wine's getting me a little tipsy..."
Arthur picked up the bottle and filled her glass to the rim. "Then the only proper response is to get you a LOT tipsy. You're driving, right, Tom?"
I raised my half-finished glass. "Indeed."
