How it began
Everyone has desires, for some they remain buried, for others, they are uncovered by specific events. I discovered such a desire through a brief but intense relationship. It was one day early in that relationship that led me to discover the pleasure of being naked in front of a clothed woman.
Mary was a former colleague, but we had kept in touch after I had moved on. When she also quit her job, she called me and asked if I wanted to go and jump out of an airplane with her. As she revealed to me later, aside from quitting her job, her motivation stemmed mostly from going through a divorce. And so, we jumped out of a plane and later into bed together.
She had already gone through the separation movements, that is moving out of her common house and moving in with roommates, but she remained married on paper. I was in my thirties, single, divorced for already a couple of years, and although I never knew her age, I always suspected that she was already in her forties when we became intimate. Although we saw each other regularly, it was clear to me that I was the recovery lover with possibility for more, but this was a topic neither one of us dared to bring up as we were having too much fun.
One Sunday afternoon Mary invited me to her place. 'Oh, and can you bring a brush?' she asked. At first, I thought she needed help painting furniture or walls, but she informed me that she wanted a fine art paint brush, but my questions what it was for remained unanswered.
Mary lived in a spacious room in a shared apartment with 3 other women who I had never met even though I had visited her quite a few times. The housemates were again absent, and this meant that we felt free to embrace and kiss right when I entered. She was clearly excited and soon pulled me towards her room. I had a happy grin on my face in anticipation of passionate love making. But once in her room, she immediately asked for the brush.
'Can you tell me now, what you need it for?' I asked.
Instead of answering, she showed me her hand, which, I discovered, was covered in fine ornamental drawings. Mary explained that she had been to a wedding where the hands had been painted with henna, and she had enjoyed it so much that she brought back a tube.
'I'd like to try it on you.' she said.
Although I wasn't so sure I wanted henna drawings on my hand, I gave in as I thought it might be a fun experience.
'Thank you', Mary grinned, led me to her bed and sat me down. After kissing me one more time, she turned her back to me and laid down a sheet of paper on her table in preparation of the anticipated mess.
'Take off your sweater', Mary commanded with a smile. I thought that was sensible because I did not want it to get stained. I sat in my T-shirt ready for the painting to begin, hands already outstretched.
Then came the moment that changed the landscape of my sexual fantasies.
'Take off the rest too.'
'You mean my T-shirt?'
'No, everything.'
'You mean, you want me naked?'