I'm old and gray now, here in Massachusetts. I'm settled, with grandchildren. But I still enjoy my memories, especially the sexual conquests. God, how I love women. Today I'm remembering Emily the engineer — environmental engineer, to be precise.
In my early 20s, not long after college, I worked in the planning office of a coastal town, and we hired Emily's consulting firm to advise us on the extension of our town pier. It was quite a project, so I got to know her through a series of meetings. After construction began, she would come down from Boston now and then to go over the plans with me, and our talk would range back and forth from our work to our personal lives. I remember one sunny afternoon when she had the plans spread out on a picnic table in the park next to the pier. The loud, rhythmic beat of the nearby pile driver forced us to raise our voices.
"Did I tell you I'm a swimmer?" she said.
"On a team?"
"Not anymore, but I do try to swim every day for at least 45 minutes, at a reservoir near my house."
"They allow swimming in the reservoir? That doesn't sound environmentally correct," I teased.
"No, but I do it anyway. There are plenty of dirt roads that lead to secluded coves."
"Do you push yourself to increase your distance every day?
"How did you know? I do get kind of obsessive about it. I time myself, and I have a little gismo like a pedometer, but for swimmers."
"Do you shave all over, like those Olympic swimmers, to reduce the drag?
"No, I'm not quite that bad. I have a bathing cap and a Speedo, but look at my arms — I hardly have any hair to begin with. Sometimes, when no one's around, I swim nude."
"Oh really? Do you need to shave before those times?"
A small smile flickered across her face, then she lowered her head to the plans for the pier. "About this float at the end..." She was back to business.
I loved her brown hair, which was cropped short but still long enough to flop when she looked down. She must have used a top-notch shampoo; it was clean and silky. And her face was open, pert, wholesome. I liked this woman, I realized. I figured she must be just over 30. When we stood together, she was a head shorter, and her body was tight — she was an athlete, I now knew. She was intelligent. And she dressed well. Today she wore a sharply tailored summer-weight suit (I was wearing a tie, myself).
That evening we met for a quick swim on a remote saltwater beach. There were about 10 of us, actually — her co-workers and mine. I watched her closely, trying not to be obvious. She was indeed a powerful swimmer, even through the waves. There was no way could I keep up. There was talk of us meeting for dinner after we had cleaned up, but she called to cancel before I had left my little rental cottage. She said she felt a cold coming on, but she invited me to visit her at her apartment sometime. "Bring your swimsuit," she added. She lived a bit west of Boston. I wasn't sure where I stood with her personally, but the invitation made it easier to face another dinner alone.
A few weeks later, when I was in Boston to visit a college friend, I gave Emily a call on Saturday evening. She and her roommate were about to go out drinking, she said. Instead of inviting me to join them, she suggested I drop by her place around 10 the next morning. "I don't go to church," she chirped. I said I'd be there.
I arrived at the duplex (top floor) at 10 sharp, of course. It was a July day, and promised to be a hot one. Emily's roommate answered the kitchen door, introducing herself as Trudy and acting surprised to see me. Trudy had flaming red hair, freckles, and large, firm breasts. She was in a nightgown, and her eyelids were half closed. She explained that she and Emily had stayed out quite late the night before (cruising for guys?). Just then, Emily came in, drying her hair with a towel. Fresh out of the shower, apparently, she wore a thin sundress with a pattern of tiny blue flowers.
"I'm sorry, Trudy, I forgot to tell you I invited him over. We work together on that pier project."
With that, she turned on her heels, motioning me to follow her, and flopped down on a daybed in a little room just off the kitchen. She was on her back and looking at the ceiling. I saw no evidence of a bra. Not sure what she expected, I lay down next to her, to her right. Our talk was trivial. I felt awkward, but excited. Then I risked everything — I placed my hand on her flat tummy. There was a pause, then she turned her head toward me.
"Touch me," she whispered.
"Bonanza," I thought to myself, but I was determined to keep my cool. I knew she could jump up at any minute if I pushed things too far, too fast. Yet I slowly slid my hand down her dress until it cupped her vulva.
"Like this?," I asked.
"Mmmmmm," she said.