A Swinging Odyssey

Chapter 3 Heat in French Polynesia

Author's Note:

My special thanks to The Soulful Bard for reviewing and improving my story.

All errors are strictly mine.

* * *

One day, after Aiko came home from the library, Aiko told Gerald she overheard some clients talking about their plans for a South Pacific cruise.

"Hawaii, Bora Bora, Tahiti, you know, places in a relatively remote part of the world. It sounds like it would be a really good vacation, especially in the middle of winter," Aiko sighed wistfully.

Gerald understood what she was hinting at, a South Pacific cruise. She wasn't very subtle about it. But he liked the idea and let her continue.

"I even checked out the possibilities on the Internet," she continued. "We can fly to San Diego, get on a cruise ship, see exotic places, enjoy the sun, swim on tropical beaches, in short, relax for an entire month. No cooking, no house cleaning, no rushing around at work, no responsibilities. What do you think, Gerald?"

Gerald could tell she thought she made a really solid case.

"Oh, I don't know," he teased sounding doubtful. "What so interesting about vast amounts of water broken up only by a few green islands with tiny beaches? No friends, no family, no TV, no shopping." He emphasized the last two words. "It sounds pretty boring to me."

"Oh you." she said. Gerald's smile told her he was being difficult for the fun of it.

"I think it's a brilliant idea," he assured his wife. "Why not? The kids are in university and are old enough to care of themselves. We've got unused vacation time and we're not poor. Let's do it. It'll be fun."

* * *

Two months later, they were on the high seas on their way to Hawaii. For five sea days the happy couple enjoyed the ships restaurants, took part in various onboard activities, watched the evening shows, danced to live music in the lounges and met new and interesting people, many of them couples in their own age group but some singles too.

In Hawaii, they took the ship's excursions in Hilo, Kona and Lahaina but decided to explore Honolulu on their own since the ship was staying overnight.

Having had little experience about cruising and excursions, the happy couple made a point of paying close attention to what the more experienced passengers had to say.

On their last Hawaiian stopover, they met an older gentleman, Bob.

"I worked for a tourist company specializing in Hawaii and the South Pacific," Bob explained. "So I got to travel to many of the islands including all the large Hawaiian Islands and quite a few in French Polynesia too."

"Could you give us some advice about excursions in French Polynesian?" Aiko asked.

"Sure," he said. "For starters, the islands are generally safe. Although French is the official language, many people speak English too. So I'd recommend you go out on your own. It's usually much cheaper than taking the ship's excursions. On the other hand, if we were docking in a very poor country with a high crime rate, it's better to take the ship's excursions because they make special security arrangements with the local government agencies."

"Any downside?" Gerald asked.

"Well, generally speaking," Bob explained, "there is one big advantage in buying the ship's excursions; the ship takes responsibility for making sure you get back to the ship. If you're out on your own and you miss the ship, you have to make your own way at your own expense to the ship's next port of call."

"Oh, okay," Gerald said.

"Have you made plans for French Polynesia?" Bob asked.

"No, not yet," Aiko replied. "We weren't sure what excursions to take."

"Well, don't," he said. "If you don't mind my company, I'd be happy to act as your guide."

By the time the ship had reached the first French Polynesian island, the three of them had become friends. Bob took them on shore excursions on every Polynesian island they visited.

One included a circumnavigation of Bora Bora, with a two-hour stopover on an island beach and a visit to a lagoonarium. In Raiatea, they toured a vanilla plantation, a pearl oyster farm and, of course, another beach. In Papeete, they rented a car to see Tahiti's sites. In Moorea, they took a local tour bus to the island's highest peak. It offered a spectacular view of both Cook's Bay and Opunohu Bay, where the ship was anchored. It looked like a toy. The cruise through French Polynesia ended with visits to Ringaroa and Nuku Hiva.

* * *

Once they had become acquainted, Aiko, Gerald and Bob often saw each other at the breakfast buffet. Aiko usually woke earlier than Gerald. She wanted to do her early morning exercises in the ship's gym. Gerald wasn't interested. He preferred swimming later in the morning in one of the ship's pools. So it wasn't unusual for Gerald to see Aiko and Bob already chatting over breakfast before he joined them.

Bob was a great conversationalist and storyteller. He was one of the very few single men onboard ship. He was also a social butterfly. Gerald noticed that he preferred to socialize with women. It didn't matter to him if they were paying guests or crew members.

One morning, while the three of them were having breakfast, Bob greeted a woman Gerald had seen only fleetingly onboard. They were obviously acquainted.

"Her husband's not the jealous type," Bob remarked. "She does her thing; he does his. He doesn't mind if I talk to her."

Gerald thought it was an interesting observation for a man to make about another man. 'Aiko and I do our own thing, too," Gerald thought. "So I guess that means I'm not the jealous type either.'

Gerald took note of other little titbits in Bob's conversations. One morning, Aiko slept in but Gerald got up early. Sure enough, Bob was already having his early morning coffee. Gerald joined him.

After the usual pleasantries, the conversation somehow turned to the subject of women. What caught Gerald's attention was Bob's remark that he liked Asian women. Gerald, curious to see how Bob interacted with Aiko, decided to delay his next appearance for breakfast.

On the following day, Aiko was back to her onboard routine. Sure enough, she was having breakfast with Bob. This time, Gerald decided stay back for a few minutes to watch them. He paid particular attention to Bob's body language.

'Mmm, I think he's got the hots for my wife,' Gerald thought, 'but I think my wife is talking about something that interests her and hasn't noticed he's taking quick peeks at her various body parts.'

That evening, back in the stateroom, Gerald told his wife what he observed.

"Gerald! What a thing to say about Bob," she protested indignantly. "He's been a perfect gentleman. He's made no pass at me at all."

"Don't get me wrong, hon," Gerald explained. "I think Bob is a decent guy. He respects our relationship and so makes no attempt to hit on you. He genuinely enjoys the company of women. I like him," he concluded.

"So what makes you think it's anything more than that?" Aiko asked.

"Bob is a guy, who confessed to liking Asian women. And you are one very sexy Asian woman. So far as I can tell he's a normal guy. I think his interest in you is greater than he let's on. He hides it well. I'm a guy, Aiko," he continued. "I can tell when a guy takes a sexual interest in a woman, especially if she happens to be my wife."

"Really, Gerald, you're making me blush!"

"Well, you're one hot little vixen, you know," he replied leering at her and patting her ass.

Aiko was embarrassed and flattered at the same time. 'Guys!' she thought. 'They've always got sex on their minds. Surely, Gerald is just seeing things that aren't really there. Bob is just a friendly guy. He hasn't done anything improper.'

Aiko's own thoughts concerning Bob had been entirely innocent up to now. She had assumed his thoughts were just as innocent. What Gerald told her about Bob caused her to think differently about him. She was now on the alert for signs of Bob's sexual interest in her. She also began to think about Bob as a man, an attractive, if older, man.

On the next morning, Aiko and Bob were once again sharing the breakfast table. This time, she paid closer attention to his eyes. Then she saw it, that quick flick of the eye, a mere split second, that told her he was trying to peer down the valley between her twin peaked mounds.

'Damn! Gerald may be on to something,' she thought. 'Do I dare... Yes, I'll go to the washroom and then take a really quick look back,' she thought impishly.

"Excuse me for a minute, Bob" she said out loud. "I have to use the lady's room."

As she sashayed toward the washroom, she quickly turned her head around. Sure enough, he was ogling her behind. He lowered his gaze immediately. But it was already too late; she caught him.

After a few minutes, Aiko returned to the table, all the while pretending she hadn't noticed his more than friendly admiration of her female attributes.

Aiko wasn't the least put off by his sexual interest. She was secretly flattered by it, even thrilled. It made her feel good to be admired by men despite being in her 40s.

'He really is a handsome man,' she thought sneaking in a few looks of her own.

At that precise moment, Gerald joined them for breakfast. Her nascent erotic train of thought burst like a bubble.

Later, when Aiko and Gerald were alone, Aiko told him what happened.

"I told you so," he said needlessly. "You little teaser. Were you flattered by his ogling?" he asked. "Because you're giving me the distinct impression that you were."

She blushed. She had to remind herself that her husband had an unusually acute sense of observation. She didn't contradict him.

Gerald found himself immersed in his own thoughts. 'I wonder....' he thought.

* * *

On the last day before the ship's return to San Diego, the three of them were having breakfast together for the last time.

"All good things have to come to an end," Gerald said. "Then it's back to the grind. We were really lucky to meet you, Bob. Your knowledge of the South Pacific and your companionship made our cruise exceptionally enjoyable."

"No problem," Bob replied. "I enjoyed your company too. You're a great couple. I've never seen a couple as loving and as comfortable with each other as you two."

"That's very sweet of you," Aiko said.

"Aiko and I have booked a meal for three at the specialty restaurant tonight. We had you in mind as the third person. Will you join us?" Gerald asked.

"I'd be delighted," Bob said in his usually charming way. "But I don't wish to intrude on you two lovebirds on the last full day of your first ever cruise vacation."

"Please join us, Bob," Aiko pleaded. "It's the very least we could do for taking so much of your time on the excursions."

Bob acquiesced.

That evening they enjoyed an excellent meal and shared a bottle of red wine. The restaurant was almost empty. Most passengers were no doubt doing their last-minute packing. Aiko, Gerald and Bob had completed their main packing in the afternoon.

An hour and a half later, after coffee and schnapps, the meal was done.

"There's nothing else us to do. Let's get another bottle of wine and enjoy the rest of the evening in our stateroom," Gerald suggested.

Aiko looked at him questioningly but saw no pressing reason to object. Gerald was right. There was nothing interesting happening onboard ship. One way or another, guests and crew were busy preparing for the next day's early morning disembarkation.

Back in their stateroom, Gerald opened the bottle of wine and poured out three glasses.

"May we have more vacations like this one!" Gerald proclaimed.

"Cheers!" replied both Aiko and Bob.

Aiko and Gerald were already feeling the effects of the drinks they had at dinner. Unused to drinking alcoholic beverages, it didn't take much for them to become a little tipsy. The second bottle of wine made them even tipsier. The normally reticent Gerald became talkative, almost garrulous. In contrast, Aiko became quieter, more subdued.

The couple shared one weakness in common; at a certain point booze lowered their inhibitions. Early in their marriage, Gerald had discovered that a couple of glasses of red wine seemed to make Aiko more sexually receptive.

Gerald watched his wife closely. A half-hour later, he saw the signs; her inhibitions were dropping away. So were his.

Completely catching Aiko and Bob off-guard, Gerald slid his hand underneath his wife's blouse. A second later, he was massaging her breast.

"Gerald, what are doing?" she cried, stunned more by the suddenness of his action than by what he was actually doing.

Of course, her question was rhetorical. Her wine-addled brain seemed to undercut her ability to formulate her protest. To make matters worse, she liked the feel of his hand on her breast. Her body yearned for more of his touch. Somewhere in the back of her mind, the spark of a thought told her to stop. But the spark was soon extinguished and the thought remained unarticulated.

Gerald turned to his guest. "Are you attracted to my wife, Bob?" he blurted out.

'Oh my god,' Aiko thought confused and paralysed by the sudden tyurn of events. 'What's he doing? Where is this leading to?'

Aiko put her hand to her mouth. She still had enough presence of mind to be both embarrassed and confused. Her modesty made her fearful of what Bob might say but the effects of the wine, and her innate sensuality conspired against her. She wanted to hear the very words that might offend her modesty.

'I shouldn't know what I'd like to hear,' she mused giggling at her own contradictory thought.

"Oh-oh," Bob said as he watched the movement of Gerald's hand underneath Aiko's blouse, "I think somebody's had a bit too much to drink."

"That's not an answer, Bob," Gerald countered slightly slurring his words. "Don't be evasive."

Bob stared at Aiko, then glanced away. His gaze spoke volumes. Aiko saw his lust openly displayed in his eyes. Much to her own surprise, this knowledge caused her own loins to stir.

"You didn't answer my question, Bob," Gerald reminded him.

"Of course I am. She is a very beautiful and exciting woman," he finally answered.

"Do you find Bob attractive," Gerald questioned his wife.

Aiko blushed. "I would never cheat on you," she said evasively. She wanted to say yes.

"You didn't answer my question, hon."

"Yes," she finally murmured.

"I know," Gerald said, "I see it in your eyes." He changed the subject with a question. "What's the definition of cheating, Aiko"?

Bob didn't expect that question either. He was curious to see how Aiko answered it.

"In marriage, cheating is the act of deceiving one's spouse with the aim of having sex with someone outside their marriage."

Gerald continued. "So if there is consent, there's no deceit or deception. Isn't that right," Gerald asked. But he didn't wait for an answer. "Therefore, if a married person has the permission of his or her spouse to have sex with someone outside the marriage, it's not cheating. Right?"

"Y-yes, I guess so," she said hesitantly.

"So here's the situation. Bob is definitely attracted to you. You are attracted to Bob. Ergo, there is mutual attraction. Isn't that true? Be honest now."

"Yes," she said quietly, "I do find him attractive. Although he's older than we are, he's still fit, handsome, charming and very nice company."

Gerald took the plunge. "So if I, as your husband, consented to allow you, my wife, to have sex with Bob, it means you're not cheating. Right?"

"I-I guess so," Aiko stammered.

'Oh my god,' Aiko thought even more confused and startled by the situation. 'What does he think he's doing? Is he setting me up? Manoeuvring me into accepting another man's embrace? Is he inviting me to have sex with Bob? Or is he inviting Bob to have sex with me? Both?'

Her thoughts seemed to fly all over the place. She had never known her mind could be so tumultuous. She knew she was in a really weird situation. Her aroused libido played havoc with her usual persona as a reasoning, logical intellectual. Her brain pulled her in one direction, telling her what she just heard couldn't and shouldn't be happening. Her body, her sexual being, pulled her in the opposite direction.

Aiko was acutely aware that she was alone in a small room with two very horny men, her husband and a man they had only met recently. Aiko felt her arousal turn into lust.

"This is so weird. I feel so strange," Aiko said out loud.

Her hands felt sweaty. Her mouth was dry. She glanced at her husband trying to see if she missed some hidden meaning in his words. She looked at Bob, and saw his usual friendly demeanour replaced with an openly lustful leer.

Gerald saw the hesitation in his wife's face. He knew an internal conflict was raging inside his wife's mind between her everyday modesty on the one hand, and her awakened sexual desire on the other. While she was normally shy in the presence of other men, she wasn't the least bit shy in her sex life with Gerald. In fact, she could be very lusty. Gerald realized he could end the whole thing, right now, by appealing to her sense of modesty, or he could encourage her lustful nature to take its course.

Gerald made up his mind. "Relax, hon," he said softly. "I know a part of you says no, and another part says yes. We both love sex, hon; it's our nature. It's what we are. I want you to be at peace with your true sexual nature. You're a very sexual person. For this one evening, I want you to abandon all social restraint. I want you to immerse yourself completely into the pleasures of the flesh."

"Do you know what you're saying, Gerald? Are you sure?" she asked excitedly, breathlessly. "The two of us have a good thing going just between the two of us. I don't want to risk losing you and everything we've built together."

"We won't lose a thing," Gerald replied. "I promise. We've talked about swinging; now you've a chance to actually try it."

"And what are you going to do if Bob and I, you know...." She couldn't say the words.

Bob followed the exchange with enormous interest. While they were talking, he moved to sit next to Aiko.

"Fuck," said Gerald completing the sentence. "We'll cross that bridge when we get there, hon."

Aiko's face was flushed with wine and sexual anticipation. In different ways these two men were trying to seduce her, Bob in the typical manner of a horny guy, and her husband in the atypical manner of creating an erotic situation that allowed another man to seduce her.

Aiko felt Bob's arm on her shoulder. She turned to look at him. Since the day she and Gerald started dating, she had never allowed another man to kiss or touch her in a sexual way. This was about to change.

Bob took Aiko's cheeks in both hands and brought her face close to his. He kissed her gently. She didn't respond at first but then gave him, a concession, a small kiss in return. Bob kissed her again, this time more firmly. She responded with a matching kiss.

Now encouraged, Bob took more liberties with his kisses. Holding the nape of her neck, he drew her mouth to his. His kisses became more urgent, more passionate. His tongue entered her mouth. Aiko responded in kind, hesitantly than willingly.

Aiko felt another, more powerful wave of lust surge through her. It triggered a flood of female juices between her legs. Her breathing quickened. Her body yearned for more intimate contact.

Bob broke the kiss. His hands descended down Aiko's neck. They encountered an obstacle, Aiko's blouse. Bob unbuttoned the top button, then the next one, working his way down the front of the blouse until they were all undone.

Gerald remained silent as he watched Bob undress his wife. He was awe-struck by what he had instigated. To see his wife's seduction in real life was even more erotic than anything in his wildest fantasies. Gerald's cock was iron-hard. He had no doubt that Bob was in the same rigid state.