. 15

This is a story about sexual exploration and, open relationships. Open relationships can and do happily exist; but they are not for everyone. If you do not believe it is at all possible for open relationships to exist without damage to any and all involved parties, please do yourself a favor and don't waste your time reading this.

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Standard disclaimer—this story takes place in a world where STDs don't exist and only babies planned for and wanted do—in other words, a fantasy world. Any resemblance to real-life people is purely coincidental.

Gwen pushed deeper into the backwoods than she had since her daughters had been teenagers, thankful to have by her side an experienced rider with no pressing need or desire to get back by a certain time. She was also pleased to have Cricket readily accept her invitation to spend the night so they might ride again the next day, the overnight bag the young woman had packed a sure sign that she had hoped to be asked. Their conversation never seemed to lag as each learned more of the other's life via casual references made during their discussions of all things equine. The wine that was consumed during and after dinner further relaxed both women's grip on their privacy, although subjects of intimacy were carefully skirted, each worried the other might find their inner thoughts and desires objectionable.

Gwen felt the unfamiliar yet comforting warmth of their deepening friendship when the two finally hugged and said their goodbyes that Sunday afternoon. It felt different than what she shared with Natalie. She saw her sister-in-law as a mentor, a bold and sometimes dangerous inspiration on her expanding horizons; with Cricket, she was the worldly one, the steadying influence, and she welcomed the chance to play a softer, gentler version of the mother she had been to her daughters. Both roles were more enjoyable than she ever could have imagined just a few short months ago.

Gwen resisted the urge to call Natalie until Monday morning. "Hi Natalie, how are you?"

"Hey there, I was getting ready to call you! I'm fine...how did things go after I left Friday? I'm guessin' Tim probably figured out what we had been up to. Hope he wasn't upset. He seemed kinda embarrassed to catch me in my undies."

"No, he was alright with, uhh, all that..." Very alright, Gwen thought, remembering how he had shown his approval right there in the kitchen. "Hey listen, I'm umm, hoping you can do me a favor."

"Sure—anything. What's up?"

"Well...remember those things you gave me a few months back?"

"What, the dildos and the vibrators? Sure, why?"

"I was hoping you might be able to get some more."

"You dirty girl, you. Did you wear out the ones I gave you, or are you looking for some more variety?"

"No no, not for me. I want to get something for Cricket. She told me when she was here riding that her husband threw hers out after they got married. I feel badly for her—I think she would like to have one, but money's tight."

"Ex-husband," Natalie again corrected her, "and he continues to sound more and more like a petty, limp-dicked asshole."

"Definitely not a nice man," Gwen agreed. "So do you think you can help me out and get something for her?"

"Well...I've got a better idea. Let's drive up there on Saturday and shop in person. We'll get something for her, maybe something for you...we'll have dinner, be home by 9. How about it?"

"All the way to Atlanta to...shop? Seems like a long way."

"The journey's half the fun, girl. A little road trip for you and me."

It's only an afternoon, Gwen reasoned. The sleeping arrangements that might have ensued had they planned an overnight stay would have been a cause for both excitement and mild panic, and she was not sure she was ready for that yet. "Would Liz, umm, be joining us?" Just making sure, she assured herself.

"Probably not. I'm pretty sure she's got Ashley this weekend. Maybe we can meet them for dinner before we head home?"

"Dinner might be alright..."It still seems like a long way..."

"It'll be fun. We'll leave about noon, do some shopping, eat and head home. We're doin' it." Natalie's tone made it clear there would be no argument. "Tell Tim you'll be home late--well, late for you two. We'll talk more when I come over on Friday."

Gwen's next call was to Cricket. "Hey there, everything okay?"

"Everything's okay," the young woman replied softly. "Riding really helps with my sanity. Thank you for everything."

"Think nothing of it. You know you're welcome any time. Speaking of which, I don't know if you had planned on coming over this weekend—"

"No," Cricket answered quickly. "I really feel bad about intruding on yours and Tim's private life so much, and I don't want you to get sick of me always being there. You two work hard, and I know how precious weekends can be, and the last thing you need is some mopey little girl getting in the way of...well, whatever happily married people do on weekends."

"Stop that! You're not mopey, and Tim and I see each other all the time," Gwen laughed. "And you're not in the way." Gwen began to tell the young woman that it was nice to have another rider along now that Ali had a husband to tend to and was not stopping by as much. No need to remind her of someone else's marital bliss. "You're more than welcome here anytime," she repeated. "As a matter of fact, I was calling to let you know I'll be out of town Saturday, but if you wanted to come over and ride on your own, I should be home sometime in the evening. You could stay over and we can ride together on Sunday."

"I couldn't do that—I mean, do you really want me there without you? You trust me that much around your horses?"

"Of course I trust you –just don't get lost on the trails, but if you do, I'm sure whatever horse you have will take you back to the barn when they get hungry. And I'm sure Tim will be in and out all day, so you won't be alone."

"But I'm sure I'd be making a mess of his Saturday, him having to keep an eye on me."

"Tim will be doing his own thing and I'll make sure he knows you're fine on your own. He certainly won't be bothered by having you here, so please say you'll come out."

"I'll think about it..."

"Don't think. Just come over."

The women said their goodbyes and Gwen turned her attention to the ever-increasing paperwork pile. Eric's speed and efficiency had certainly increased the number of jobs started and completed, and as soon as Andrew passed his test, things would get even busier.

***

"Change of plans." Natalie dispensed with the normal pleasantries when she called Thursday afternoon.

"What?" Gwen's attention had been divided between the computer screen and the phone she held, but now focused on the woman on the other end of the line.

"Okay, first, I can't come over tomorrow—I'm pulling a double as a favor for someone. Second, would you mind if we stayed at Liz's Saturday night?"

Gwen's felt the tingle of anxiety and excitement-induced adrenaline hit her bloodstream. "I thought she had her daughter this weekend?"

"She does, but Barry just sent us both links to the proofs for the photos he took of us, and we thought it might be fun to look at them together. So, we're thinking that maybe after Ashley goes to bed, we could open a bottle of wine and the pictures, and have a laugh going through them."

"Oh—but you don't want me there for that."

"Why not? You were there when they were taken—you should see how they came out. Come on—sort of the same plan, shopping and dinner, then back to her condo for a little mid-evening art viewing."

Reluctantly Gwen decided that things could not get very far out of hand with Liz's daughter in the house. "Alright, I guess, as long as Tim doesn't mind taking care of the horses."

"Great! See you same time on Saturday."

Gwen's next call was to Cricket, letting her know she would not be home Saturday night after all, but that she was still welcome to come riding without her. The young woman demurred despite Gwen's insistence, finally promising to at least think about coming just for the day. Tim enthusiastically welcomed the news of his wife's overnight stay and initiated their spirited lovemaking that night and the next despite Gwen's insistence that nothing noteworthy was likely to happen.

That Saturday afternoon, Natalie pulled the SUV into the parking lot of the strip mall that held Sensual Sensations. Gwen could not help but look around nervously as she crossed the hot pavement and entered the store, wary of those who might take note of where she was going and guess her intent. The contents of the shop did not startle her as much as her first visit, but she still stopped short and took in the incredible variety of products you would not find in your local department store. Racks of condoms, shelves of vibrators and displays of dildos in all colors, shapes and sizes close by; lingerie and other less identifiable items further back.

"Natalie! Gwen! What a nice surprise!" Gwen whirled in the direction the voice was coming from and recognized Cho Lin Chen, the owner of the scandalous boutique, approaching from between two racks of what appeared to be leather riding apparel. That's lingerie, the Slut corrected.

"Cho!" Natalie hugged the petite woman. "I was hoping you'd be here today."

"On a Saturday?" she replied with a laugh as she hugged a startled Gwen, "Always. In retail, just because you're the boss doesn't mean you get weekends off. So what brings you two here?"

"Gwen has a friend whose ex—"

"Not an ex yet," Gwen felt the need to correct.

"Who's soon-to-be ex asshole of a husband threw away her vibrator," Natalie said as she gave her sister-in-law a placating smile, "and Gwen wants to get her a new one."

"Well that wasn't nice of him at all," Cho commiserated. "But very nice of you. I guess some people are jealous of the things we sell here, like they might somehow be replaced by a big rubber cock. Maybe her ex had reason to worry. I'm sure we can help you start putting things right. I'd love to help you pick just the right one, but I'm doing a fitting for a bride-to-be in the private modeling room and I think I'm going to be a while."

"You sell wedding dresses?" Gwen asked, looking about in confusion.

"I sell what goes underneath, as well as honeymoon attire," Cho replied with a sly grin. "The bride's mother is a long-time client, and they're both back there waiting for me, so I have to get back. But Dorothy here—"she motioned to a plump little white-haired sweater-clad woman nearby who stepped forward—"can assist you with all your needs. I'll try and catch up with you before you leave. Have fun!" Her lithe body disappeared between the racks of leather and soon only her jet-black hair-covered head could be seen bobbing towards the back of the store.

Gwen watched the sixty-something woman approach, convinced she would be much more at home giving advice on quilting supplies than selling sex toys. "Hello again, Natalie. I'm Dorothy," the older woman said turning her attention to Gwen. "Is there something I can help you two with today?"

"Gwen here needs some toys," Natalie said in a very clear voice before her sister-in-law could respond. The blushing woman cringed and looked about for anyone who might have overheard.

"For a friend," Gwen quickly offered in a low voice, anxious to make it clear they were not for her. "A gift."

"I see," Dorothy replied with a pleasant smile. "And is your friend a man or a woman?"

"A woman. She's going through a divorce, and I wanted to get her something to replace something she lost, "Gwen felt the need to explain. "I'm sorry, I didn't know you sold things for men?"

Dorothy laughed. "Oh yes, many of the products we carry are designed for a woman's pleasure, but men seem to be able to make use of just about anything. And of course there are items that we sell that are designed for men only. Do you have something in mind for your friend?"

"Well, she had a vibrator, but her husband threw it away. I think she'd like a new one."

"I see. Do you know what kind of vibrator she had?"

"I don't, but she said she got it at one of those novelty stores you see in the mall?"

"Oh, one of those," the older woman said with a soft laugh. "They're usually not very good, and they break easily. They're gag gifts meant for embarrassing the person it's being given to more than anything else, in my opinion. I think we can do better than that. Would you happen to know what she prefers in terms of noise and intensity?"

"I, uhh, don't. Is that something I would need to find out before buying one?"

"No, not at all. It's sometimes helpful to know—shape, vibration strength, and noise level can all play into the choice. Loud vibrators are often very powerful, but if you're trying to be discrete, they may not be the best option. And of course, some women find strong vibration just too intense. Whether or not it's insertable can also be a factor. Perhaps something not too loud that she can adjust the vibration on?" She reached for a nearby package, a close cousin to Gwen's rabbit.

"I got Gwen almost the same one," Natalie said proudly. "And a Magic Wand, too.

"Excellent choices! So you have an idea what I mean about the varieties? The Wand is very high quality, and one of the most powerful we carry. The rabbit is not as intense, but it does allow for multiple stimulation points, and is a little more portable since it doesn't have the electrical cord the Wand has."

Gwen nodded, embarrassed to have been outed over her own collection.

"Well then, perhaps something along the lines of what you have?" Dorothy suggested. "Either is an excellent start to any collection."

"You're probably right...it might be safer to just take one of each," Gwen mumbled.

"I'm sure she'd appreciate either one of them, so giving her both is a very nice gift indeed," Dorothy said brightly. "The rabbit also has the advantage of being useful for penetration, if she prefers that." She led the way to collect the second vibrator. "Is there anything else you think she might like?"

"A dildo," Natalie said with loud conviction before Gwen could speak. "I gave Gwen two." Her sister-in-law blushed again at this new public broadcast of the contents of her nightstand.

"Ah, very good." Dorothy led the way a couple aisles over, stopping in front of a dizzying selection of phallic instruments. Some were very lifelike, others more abstract, in many shapes, sizes and colors. "Do you see yours here, Gwen?" the older woman asked.

"Uhh, that one, I think?" She pointed to a chocolate-colored slab of rubber.

"Oh yes, the Big John. Very popular. A good combination of both girth and length. I prefer thicker to longer, myself. The majority of the nerve endings are clustered around the vaginal opening, so feeling like I'm being stretched a little is more important to me than depth of penetration. I like beer cans better than pool cues! But that's just my preference." Dorothy picked up a curved length of pink rubber, an artistic impression of a mushroom head on one end while a protrusion much like a tulip bulb stuck out at a right angle two thirds of the way back down the shaft. "Forgive me if I'm becoming too personal, but is what you're looking for something you might use together?"

"Oh, no—no, this is just for her," Gwen stammered. "And what in the world is that?"

"Well, this part here—"Dorothy delicately squeezed the tulip bulb—"is normally inserted vaginally, and the other end—"she touched the rounded end—"is inserted into your partner. The manufacturer claims you can use it just like that for intercourse, but I have a smaller version with a straighter shaft, and I've found it works better if you have a harness to help keep it steady."

Gwen desperately tried to recover from the shock of the conversation. This sweet little old grandmother not only still had sex, but apparently was not above a little perversion. "I, uhh, think I'll just take one like I have."

Dorothy smiled and led them to another row. "Of course, dear. Do you know if she enjoys anal play?"

"Anal?"

"Yes, that part of the body is second only to the genitals in concentration of nerve endings. Many people enjoy incorporating some anal play into their sex life." The older woman picked up what appeared to be a string of different sized ball bearings. "Anal beads. You or your partner push them in slowly, then pull them out slowly. Or fast, whatever your mood might be." She smiled. "Some women use them vaginally as well, but you should have a separate set for each activity. They've never done much for me, but a friend in my church group swears by them."

"I think we should get this for you." Gwen turned to see Natalie holding what appeared to be a horsetail mounted on a bump-embedded curved black stick. It can't be a horsetail, she corrected herself as her critical eye examined the plume of black strands. That's not real horse hair. It reminded her of a fly whisk, or maybe some sort of whip, but she couldn't imagine it would be very effective if used like that—the long silky hair would only tickle. "What is it?"

"This is popular in the Ponygirl and Ponyboy scene —that's a kind of roleplay," Dorothy explained, taking the object from Natalie. "You insert the beads rectally—"she closed her fist around the thin black length, the silky hair hanging from her clenched fingers—"and it looks like you have a tail. The shape and the raised nodules help keep it in place and make it feel a bit like the anal beads."

"I'll bet Tim would love to see you wearing that around the house," Natalie encouraged.

"Don't be silly—he doesn't even like to ride," her shocked sister-in-law babbled.

"He loves to ride you. Imagine if you pranced around the house, swishing your tail..."

"Stop that! No, I don't think we need anything that goes back there, thank you."

They continued to browse for a few moments more, Natalie pondering a set of sheepskin-lined leather cuffs before deciding to purchase them. Gwen wasn't sure she wanted to know what her sister-in law planned to use them for exactly, but did briefly wonder if Adam would be involved. She decided that if what she had already gathered was good enough for her, it was good enough for Cricket and asked the white-haired grandmother to point them towards the checkout. Gwen was sure to use the personal credit card for this purchase; no need for something like this to appear on a business statement, and the Lady took pains to remind her that the bank now knew she was a registered buyer of sex toys.

Cho did come back to say goodbye, complimenting Gwen on the wisdom of her purchases before hurrying back to the fitting she was conducting. The women made their way out to the car, Gwen checking carefully to ensure the contents of the plain bag she held could not be seen by passers-by, and they were off to dinner.

Gwen was surprised and pleased to discover that evening how stern, sexual and slightly-scary Liz was also a wonderful mother. Ashley was reserved and mature beyond her years, respectful of the adults around her and exceedingly polite. For her part, Natalie played the role of firm but doting Aunt to a tee, and neither woman gave the slightest hint of impropriety.

Ashley was in bed by 8 on her mother's orders, Gwen mildly impressed that the little girl did not attempt to extend her evening by whining or arguing. Liz poured them all a glass of wine. "She'll read for a half-hour and then fall asleep. I'll break out the laptop once she does." Gwen took the opportunity to excuse herself and went out on the little balcony, dialing home as she went.

Tim answered on the third ring. "Hey honey. Just came back in from the barn. How's the shopping?" He knew what Gwen and Natalie had come here for, and she wondered if he was hoping for sordid details of what she had purchased.