Temptation Abounds

Spring meant rainy weather and that translated into a weekday squash match rather than weekend tennis. This spring also brought on change in more than the weather. But, I'm getting ahead of myself.

My playing partner, Jim Schenck, suggested the old downtown Athletic Club. A new facility recently opened in the suburbs and the Athletic Club faded away as it transformed into a single-room occupancy facility, soup kitchen/food pantry and a building with limited athletic options. It still offered great squash courts. Since we could fit a good match in under an hour, we decided to play on a weekday.

I met Jim and we practically had the place to ourselves. After an hour on the court, we hit the showers. The old pool was right off the shower room.

"How about a swim?" Jim asked.

"Nude?"

"Yeah, you can still do it here since it's an all-male facility."

"Are you sure," I asked.

"Well, pretty sure. If not, someone will kick us out."

We peered around the corner to find an empty pool. The gallery above the pool was also empty. There was a glassed-in room at the deep end, where parents used to sit and watch their kids learn to swim. It offered a quiet respite from the echoing noise in the pool chamber.

Jim led the way and we walked to the deep end. We dove in and began doing some laps. After about ten minutes we climbed out at the deep end and shook the water from our naked bodies.

"This is a bit strange," I said. "I haven't skinny dipped in a public pool before."

I thought I caught some movement behind me in the glass-fronted area.

"Is someone in there?" I asked.

Jim looked and shrugged. "I can't tell. Without my glasses, I can't see that well."

With the reflection from the high clerestory windows, the florescent lights and the tinted glass, it was hard to see inside the room. The two of us mostly saw our reflection in the glass as we tried to peer in standing by the edge of the pool.

"Ready to go?" asked Jim.

We showered again, dressed and headed to the lobby. On the way down, Jim's phone rang.

He took the call and said he had to get back to the office. As we entered the lobby I saw his wife, Barbara. She waved and came over to kiss Jim and give me a peck on the cheek.

"Sorry, Barb," Jim said. "Something's come up. Can't do lunch. Maybe Joel can fill in for me."

"Something's always coming up," she said with a little bit of an edge. "But, go along. I'll see you at home tonight."

They kissed quickly and Jim hurried off.

"The weather cleared so I brought lunch," Barbara said, "want to go over to the park?"

"Sure, I'll go with you. I'm hungry."

"So, the only reason you'll spend time with me is because I feed you?"

I knew she was kidding and played along. "Well, you are a married woman, so I guess I'll have to be satisfied with just eating your goodies." The second the words were out of my mouth I regretted them. The double entendre was unintended.

Barbara stared at me and then slowly broke into a smile. "I can guarantee that whatever I have to offer is tasty."

We held each other's eyes and then just started laughing.

"You know, I didn't mean to infer anything."

She slipped her arm through mine and we moved outside. "Yeah, but you are really cute when you blush. And, my goodies are tasty."

We reached the park in five minutes and found a dry spot of lawn. Barbara pulled a blanket from her canvas tote and spread it on the ground. She extracted a small bag and took out two wrapped sandwiches, chips and bottles of water.

She sat across from me and we opened our food. "Mmm, this is tasty," I said. I made a big show of licking my lips and arching my eyebrows.

"You're bad, Joel." Barbara said and laughed.

We ate in silence and I reclined, holding my head up with my arm. Barbara sat crossed-legged and when she shifted, I caught a quick flash of yellow panties.

"Joel, can I give you some advice?"

"Sure, if you think I need advice."

"Let's put it this way, I think it could save you from embarrassment or even prosecution."

"If you're speaking as a public defender, I'm going to take your advice very seriously."

"Good," she said and grinned. "Before you decide to go naked in a public pool, I would make sure that no one is watching."

My heart skipped a beat. "That was you behind the glass?"

"Yep."

"I'm sorry, Barbara. Jim said it was ok to swim nude."

"Joel, you know Jim well enough to understand that he is completely clueless about so many things. Besides, you don't have to be sorry. I enjoyed it."

I felt my cheeks burning. "This is embarrassing, Barbara. I mean at the end we stood facing the window trying to figure out if there was someone there. God, you saw everything."

"Oh, yeah. Everything. I had gone looking for Jim to meet up for lunch. I just sorta wandered in that room and then I saw the two of you walk out. To put it mildly, Joel, I was shocked."

"Shit," I was breathing hard. "I'm glad it was only you and not some people we didn't know."

"No problem. As I said, I rather liked having the show for myself."

"Show?"

"The show of watching your beautiful prick bounce around."

"Oh..."

"Don't be shocked, Joel. Girls like to look, too. You happen to have a great body and what's between your legs is simply a work of art."

"I figured you ladies thought they more or less were all the same."

"Joel, you were in the shower with Jim, right? I don't think it would take more than a glance to see that you are at least two or three times his size. Don't think I'm bitching and size is not the only consideration, but sometimes a gal wants a nice piece of meat with her salad."

I laughed. Barbara could be bawdy, but usually not so direct regarding her preferences.

"I don't know what to say," I replied. "But, I am certainly not going to talk about another man's business."

"For God's sake, Joel. Call it what it is. Prick. Cock. Balls. Whatever, but don't call it his business."

"Barbara, how about we stop talking about all this and then I don't have to call it anything?"

"I like talking about it, Joel. I promise you I will like thinking about it, too. I might even think about it when Joel gets his best semi- and does his normal five thrusts before rolling over and going to sleep."

The silence hung between us. Barbara pulled her knees up, affording me an unobstructed view of her mound covered by the yellow panties with a tiny wet spot in the middle.

"Joel, I'm sorry. I should not have said that. It's not fair to you as Jim's friend to have to hear me bitch about my frustrations in the bedroom. Please forgive me."

"I'm your friend too, Barbara."

She looked at me and I thought there might be the start of a tear in her eye. "I'd love to believe that, Joel, I really would."

"Why would you doubt it?"

"Well, you knew Jim first. And, guys bond with guys."

"True, but I like you a lot and I consider you my friend. Don't you consider me your friend?"

"That would mean a lot to me, if you were."

"I am."

"Thank you."

"Nothing to thank me for," I said. "I'm honored to have you as a friend."

"Yeah, but now I have one up on you. I've seen you naked." She smiled.

"Maybe. But, right now you're giving me a great upskirt. I really like those yellow panties."

Barbara laughed and pulled her skirt over her knees. "Now, that's embarrassing."

"All I saw was fabric. You got the Full Monty."

"Emphasis on 'Full"' she said and grinned.

We both had to get back to work and began to pack up. As we walked out of the park, Barbara again slipped her arm through mine. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure. That's what friends are for," I said.

"Did you get hard looking up my skirt?"

I stopped. After a second we started walking again. "Yes. And, it's still hard."

"Wow. All because of me?"

"You're a beautiful woman, Barbara. It's a natural male reaction."

"Joel, I might admit, under heavy cross examination, that I border on pretty. But, I could never cop to being beautiful."

"Wrong, counselor. You're beautiful. I always felt Jim was the luckiest guy around."

Barbara squeezed my bicep. "You are just what a girl's ego needs. Thanks." She kissed my cheek. We were at the intersection and she and I would be going in different directions.

"Thanks for lunch," I said and kissed her forehead.

"Maybe another time?" she asked.

She sensed my hesitation. "Just lunch, Joel. I like talking with you."

"Still, I need to think about it. The stuff we talked about today would not sound very good if Jim heard it."

"Just lunch. Think about it."

We went our separate ways.

Jim and I had another squash match a week later. Again we were in the shower. I couldn't help but take a look between his legs as he was lathering his hair. I guess it did look sorta small. I hoped Barbara didn't say anything to him about mine being bigger.

"So, another swim today?" I asked.

"Nope. I found out that nude swimming is not allowed."

"Really. How'd you find out?" I was wondering if Barbara had told him about watching us.

"Asked at the front desk. The attendant said definitely not. Even though it's men only, they don't allow people in the pool without a suit."

"Probably would have been nice to know that before last time."

Jim laughed. "Yeah, but no harm no foul that time. Right?"

"Right." I said.

As June rolled in, so did the heat and humidity. We returned to our usual summer plan of playing tennis early in the morning. Each Saturday, we'd meet at a court a few minutes' drive from their apartment and get our matches in before the sun was high in the sky. It was still hot and muggy, but we could manage it.

After our first match in June, Jim invited me for breakfast. He had picked me up earlier and now he drove to their apartment building. We arrived and found Barbara preparing eggs, bacon and bagels. We sat on their small balcony overlooking the Plaza and enjoyed a pleasant visit in addition to the meal. Breakfast after our Saturday match became a habit.

To enable me to get out of my sweaty and stinky tennis clothes, I started bringing a change. Joel would shower in the bath off the master and I would use the main bath. I felt much better wearing dry clothes while sitting around the breakfast table.

It was the third week in June and a particularly oppressive morning. We cut our match short and dragged our butts to the apartment. Barbara was just starting breakfast. Jim and I were standing on the balcony dripping sweat and drinking ice water when Barbara brought his phone to him. He answered the call and raised a finger to indicate he would be back in a minute. Barbara looked at me and shrugged. It was not the first time Jim was the recipient of an unexpected call. As a deputy county attorney, he often had to go to crime scenes to be sure the investigation got off on the right foot.

He came out and announced he had to run. He told me to stay and have breakfast and then hurried to take his shower. Ten minutes later, after a brief kiss with Barbara, Jim was out the door.

"So, you hungry?"

"Hungry and smelly," I said. "Do I have time for a shower?"

"Sure, the bacon will hold and I'll wait to start the eggs until you're out."

I went to grab my bag and realized I left it in Jim's car. I told Barbara that I had to skip the shower.

"No, go on. I'll wash your clothes and dry them. They won't take long."

"I'll need something to put on."

She grinned. "If you insist, but there are no surprises there. Anyway, I'll get you a beach towel you can wrap around yourself."

Wondering about the propriety of eating breakfast wearing only a towel, I smelled the bacon and coffee and let my stomach make the final decision.

I stripped in the bathroom and tossed my clothes into the hallway. I enjoyed the walk-in shower that was all glass on the one side. I had finished and was dripping dry when there was a soft knock. The door eased open and Barbara appeared carrying a large towel.

I stood facing her behind the glass. She held out the towel. I opened the door and was now naked without even the misted glass to offer me protection.

She made no pretense about where she wanted to look. I felt my dick react to her stare.

"Maybe, I should dry off now, Barbara."

"Sure,' she said and handed me the towel. "You're handsome, Joel. I so enjoy looking at you. Would you mind turning around, please?"

Holding the towel loosely, I pivoted and began to dry my hair as Barbara took in the view of my back.

"That's an awesome ass," she said.

I turned back. Now at half-mast I slowly dried my dick. Barbara watched my every move. I finished wiping the rest of my body and wrapped the towel around my waist.

"You know, you don't have to wear that, if you don't want to," she said.

"Might be best to keep it on," I answered, knowing that it put some barrier between our building desire.

"Ok," she said. "Breakfast is ready."

We sat on the balcony and ate. I hardly tasted anything as my mind raced with the erotic thoughts of how I stood naked before her just a few minutes ago. Barbara looked especially pretty today. Her strawberry blond hair was loosed of its normal professional bun and flowed down to her shoulders. Barbara's a runner and her sun-tanned face was abloom with freckles. I long admired her warm, blue eyes and the thick slightly arched eyebrows above them. She's probably an inch or so taller than Jim, making her around five feet ten. She carries no visible body fat and has an athletic build.

If it didn't make me feel like such a creep, I probably would admit to having a serious crush on Barbara. In addition to her beauty, she was smart, funny and had a sarcastic streak a mile wide.

"You're hardly eating," she said.

"Look, Barbara, can I be honest?"

"Oh, you haven't been honest with me before?"

"You know what I mean. I'm trying to talk about something that's, well, a little uncomfortable."

"Really!" she said with a smile as her eyes drifted over my naked chest and then downward. "You look quite comfortable to me."

"That's what I'm talking about. I'm sitting here half naked and get the feeling we are flirting."

"Not true, Joel." She paused and added, "I'd say you are more like eighty percent naked."

"That's not helping, Barbara."

She touched my hand. "Joel, I'm teasing you. But, let's get serious. Talk to me."

"Barbara, I think you know I like you. I've always liked you."

She interrupted and added, "But, it's just not working out. You want to break up and it's really for the best. No, ah, you want to swim naked in front of other women. No, no, wait, you think it's only fair to me. I should be free from having you as my...what? Exactly, what are you to me, Joel? Certainly, not a lover. If you were, you'd get rid of that damn towel. So, what are you?"

"Barbara, I'm your friend."

She looked me directly in the eyes. I held her gaze, not wanting to flinch.

Letting out a long sigh, she moved her hand from mine.

"Yes, I know you're my friend. Actually, Joel, you are one of only two friends I have right now."

"No old girl friends?"

"Not here in Kansas City. There're a couple back east, but they have kids and it's never a good time to talk. The women I've met here are either, single and looking to remedy that situation or, married and occupied with juggling career and kids. Actually, I have made a friend with a woman at work, but she's a little younger and single. I do like her, though and we get along really well. I think we're moving in the direction of friendship. We've connected on several levels. I think we are good for each other in a lot of ways. But, Joel, I've always felt something clicked between us and you are a good listener."

She put her hand back on top of mine. "Make that a great listener, Joel. Thanks."

"I like talking with you. You call me a good listener; well I probably talk more with you than anyone I know. I feel that we can talk about anything."

"And, so we can. What do you want to talk about?"

"Barbara, I don't want to do anything behind Jim's back. I'd hate it if someone did that to me."

"Like what? Are you saying you don't want to fuck me?"

"God, Barbara. That's not what I said."

"Oh, then you do want to fuck me."

"Stop doing that. You're making me crazy."

"Ok, Joel, but just so we're sure. I do want to fuck you. I want that very, very much. I've even dreamed about it. I doubt it will ever happen, because in spite of my teasing I'm not sure I could cheat on Jim. But if we did, it would be fantastic."

I now had a major tent in my towel. The thought that Barbara wanted what I was too cowardly to admit I also wanted had amped up my libido to off-the-chart levels.

"No answer?" she said.

"You didn't ask a question," I said lamely.

"Joel, do you want to fuck me?"

She held my hand tight and kept her eyes fixed on me.

"Yes," I whispered.

Barbara sat back, releasing my hand. "Thank God," she said. "I was afraid that I totally misread you." Smiling and looking down at my lap, she added, "Of course, some things are quite difficult to misread."

I blushed and then laughed. "Yeah, that's embarrassing."

"God, no, Joel. That is a freaking compliment," she said looking at my erection still hidden from sight.

"But, Barbara, I can't do that."

Never taking her eyes from my lap, she said, "Oh, I beg to differ. I think that looks very capable."

"I meant I can't do it because I feel it would be..."

As I struggled to find the right word, Barbara pulled my hand to her mouth. Her lips brushed my knuckles. "Because you think it would be wrong or you thing it would be unfair to Jim?"

My erection jumped as her lips met my flesh. "Uh, both, but mostly because it's unfair to Jim."

"Not very convincing, Joel," she said and pried one finger free and sucked it into her mouth.

"Oh, Jesus, Barbara, you are driving me crazy."

She smiled. "That's the idea."

I pulled my hand away. Taking a long drink of water, I tried to corral my thoughts.

"Barbara, you are any man's dream."

"Any man's or yours, Joel?"

Her eyes were searching mine, looking for the truth.

"Mine," I said softly, "Plus many more men, I suspect."

"But..."

"Barbara, I never had sex with a married woman. I felt that was crossing a barrier that I never wanted to cross."

"If I weren't married?"

Laughing, I said, "This goddamn towel would have been left in the bathroom and we'd be in your bed right now."

"Joel, that almost made me cum."

There was no response to that statement that would ease this situation. "Barbara, have you been with another man since you and Jim married?"

She thought for a second, let a sly smile turn the corners of her mouth up and said, "Another man? No, Joel, you would be the first 'other man' I would be with."

I kept my mouth shut for the simple reason I didn't know how to respond.

The silence hung heavier than the humidity. Finally, I said. "Are my clothes ready? I should get dressed."

Barbara gave a half-smile and nodded. "Let me check." She left the table and a few minutes later returned carrying my tennis clothes and underwear.

I stood, still exhibiting a tent in the towel, and reached for my clothes.

"One hug?" she asked.

"Might spear you," I replied.

"Worth the risk." She dropped my clothes on the table and came into my arms. Her body melded to mine. I could feel her breasts through her shirt press into my chest. Smelling the herbal scent of her hair, I ran my fingers through the thick mane. She laid her cheek on my bare chest and pulled me tighter. My erection was positioned along her stomach.

"Joel, it would be so good between us. Honest, it would." She cupped my butt and pulled me even tighter.

"I know, Barbara, I know. I just can't do it. I will probably regret this for the rest of my life, but I know it's the right thing to do."