The Maidens of Palmares

The wind was cool and in their faces as the women churned down the beach road towards the packed stone and sand that made up the half mile path to the ocean. They ran on their own the rest of the week but on Fridays Lis and Carey put in a little over five miles together. They were competitive and each Friday was a test to see who had worked hardest physically during the week.

They plowed through the slower surface their running shoes digging into the sand, their leg muscles straining after the long run. They slowed to a walk and stretched in front of a four foot high cement sea wall. They took a seat on the wall facing the blue water and white caps of the Atlantic Ocean. This is where they got to talk. They were both New Yorkers and could sing chapter and verse about the Yankees and the Giants and usually did on the wall. They were mostly alone down in this section of Jersey a place more in line with the city of brotherly love than The Big Apple. Nonetheless plans for trips to games were made here as well as vacations, more important things too. They had shored each other up on this wall and cried on each other's shoulders. It was a confessional for best friends. For a couple of days Carey had needed this confessional. She knew that it was going to be painful. She just hoped something so private and close to the bone didn't fatally wound their relationship.

"You okay? You seem a little off today." Lis said as she stared off into the ocean.

" I guess I should just come out with it. Lis, I saw you with him. I stopped by your office on Tuesday." Carey dragged the elephant out into the open.

"I know. I saw you too." Lis admitted in her deep voice a slight smirk creeping across her face.

"You saw me?" Carey turned showing her friend how surprised she was.

"Amaro is a most delicious distraction but I still caught a glimpse of you. You had a real shocked look on your face." Lis smiled the wind blowing her fine blonde hair around her face.

"You should know that he just started fucking me too." Carey was glad that her friend had come clean and she wanted to do the same.

"I know that too." Lis replied frankly with the same smile.

"My God you knew already. How?" Carey was amazed and about to get an education.

"Well first I had come back to my house after everyone had left the party and heard the two of you moaning. Second I knew you would be screaming his name because I had recommended you." Lis told her.

"You had recommended me? What in God's name does that mean?" Carey was really bewildered now.

"Amaro asked if I knew another woman who he'd enjoy. I had picked you, in the end I thought twice about embroiling you in this so I told him I had someone else in mind. Then he saw you at the party." Lis said.

"If you were sleeping with Amaro why would he want or need another woman and why would you let it happen? Was it because he was your boss? Never mind, I've been with him. He could be with a dozen women and not be satisfied but why did you allow it?" Carey asked.

"At this point would you deny him anything?" Lis summed it up for the both of them. 'It wasn't because he was my boss either. Before you, another woman had recommended me and before that another woman had recommended her. It's just the way it works."

"Lis! The way what works? My God this is insane!" Carey couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"You're going out on a date with him tomorrow, right?" Lis inquired.

"I'm not sure I can go through with it Lissy. I mean Amaro says that he's going to let Dennis in on our affair. He says that he knows my husband will acquiesce and will even encourage it but I'm more confident that he's just crazy. I'm afraid about what might happen." Carey admitted.

"You don't have to worry. This is a process that Amaro knows and does extremely well. He handled Jon and now Jon not only approves of my relationship with Amaro he's watched us." Lis said

He's watched Amaro fuck you? My God! Lis how far does this go?" Carey kept getting hit by one shocking revelation after another.

"If you go out with Amaro tomorrow you'll find out everything. It'll be irresistible I promise you that." Lis smiled over at her friend.

"I have to admit that I was thunderstruck at the party. The way he made the electricity surge through me even before he had touched me, Lis he sent tingles up and down my spine just when I thought he might be looking at me and when he spoke . . . holy shit!" Carey admitted.

"I know. He had me jumping the same way when we first met. Thunderstruck, Blitzkrieg, whatever word you use for skilled assault and immediate surrender that's it." Lis replied.

"I thought that it might have been that he was black but I had been around plenty of handsome black men before. Still it was so taboo, so forbidden. He was the first interracial sexual experience for me. Probably the same for you right?" Carey had moved on from the shock of Lis' fucking the same man she had and accepted it. She couldn't resist talking about Amaro now.

"Well since we're in the business of admissions today, no. Carey I've had sex with other African Americans." Lis let out.

"Really? That's so interesting. Anyone that I know? I can't believe as close as we've been I didn't know." Carey was feeling a little left out of Lis' life.

"You remember the runner up from the legs contest? Where we first met?" Lis said.

"Sure Cinnsy LeLune right? She had that crazy short crew cut afro back then. We stayed friends for a couple of years." Carey remembered.

When you went to the after party so glad to be done with the contest? Well I was up on Cinnsy's room being done by her. Carey I'm bisexual." Lis told her friend.

"Oh God Lis, I didn't know that." Carey went quiet. This one was by far the biggest bombshell. After they had met and before they were married the two friends had lived together and become best friends. Carey had told Lis everything and she thought Lis had done the same. Obviously Lis had kept some things from her even beyond her affair with Amaro.

"I know that you're disappointed with me not because of my sexuality but because I kept it from you. You have to understand that this is so private. It's something that I kept between myself and the women I was dating. There were a few women since college. Three were black. Cinnsy was the first. We were together for two years. I thought about coming out so many times. Then there was Aisha, a friend of Cinnsy's. I went with her after Cinnsy and I broke up and then Erica another friend of theirs. Like I said, they were all black women. I'm sorry Carey." Lis told her.

"You don't have to be sorry for wanting to keep something like that to yourself. It sounds like three friends may have passed you around though. Maybe those black girls were into blondes?" Carey kidded Lis hoping to lighten the mood.

"Yeah maybe, I know I didn't mind. Like me they're all married now. It's in the past but I always look back on that time fondly and I'll never forget it." Lis concluded.

"And you'll always be my friend Lis." Carey hugged her friend. "Now tell me about Amaro."

"Like I said, you'll find out about everything tomorrow." With that they walked back down the beach to their homes.

Carey had asked Dennis if he wanted to go to the marine art exhibit showing at the Hayden just as Amaro had asked her to do. When her husband had dragged his feet she suggested that Amaro drive her so that she could meet her friends down at the museum. Since he was new in town he'd need someone to direct him to the event and Carey had volunteered. Carey had been told by Lis that Denny was the bull and Amaro the matador and it was the Brazilian's job to put the sword into her husband's back which happened to every bull at the climax of the bullfight. It was part of the pleasurable experience of taking another man's wife sexually.

Carey stood in front of the mirror applying another coat of lip gloss. She was as nervous as she'd ever been and one hundred percent certain that she's made a huge mistake, one that was too late to take back. She was also certain that she'd gone insane. How else would one explain what she was going to allow to happen? She was going to take a big piece of her relationship with her husband, Dennis and hand it over to a man who had burst into her life like a summer squall and she was now infatuated with sexually.

Carey's heart jumped when she heard the doorbell. She checked out the tight fitting navy blue cocktail dress. It may have been overdressing a little bit but Amaro had said that he wanted to see her legs on their date. She heard the two of them talking and went to the top of the stairs to listen.

"I'm so glad that Carey is going to show me around town tonight." Amaro's smooth hum of a voice could be heard from the kitchen.

"Hey she wanted to go to this gallery tonight and her friends from work are going to be there so why not give the new guy in town a lift." Dennis was already on the defensive with the black man.

"Yes I'm also looking forward to an expert view of these vessels. I know that I so enjoy imparting wisdom and pleasure in areas where I have an expert prowess. Carey is so willing to pay me back and that is so pleasing." Amaro set things up.

"So you're an expert in other art forms I guess." Dennis smiled and took a swig from his beer.

"Oh you know about us Brazilians and dancing. We can't get enough of the tango, the rumba." Amaro added.

"Well that's another art form I don't participate in. I'm a wallflower and proud of it." Dennis offered.

"Oh Dennis how could you not want to express your feelings on the dance floor? The touch of a woman." Amaro inquired.

"Who knows, maybe it's a macho thing. Carey drives me nuts at parties." Dennis admitted.

"Where I come from the dancer is the macho one. Maybe at the next party you will allow me to be Carey's partner?" Amaro maneuvered as a matador around the hapless Dennis.

"If it keeps her from nagging me then you could go dancing with her tonight and I'd thank you." Dennis' horns plowed through only red cloth catching none of the matador.

"As you wish Dennis." Amaro smiled.

Just then Carey entered the room. The dress, the make up, the long exposed legs told the whole story. Maybe a woman could go to an art museum with a man dressed this way and it might be considered friendly but if they went dancing? There could be no doubt as to how the woman felt about that man and how she wanted him to use her. Still Dennis raised no objection as his wife left with the black man looking as sexy as he's ever seen her.

"You look so sexy tonight my pet." Amaro ran a hand up and down Carey's silk encased thigh as they drove away from her house.

"I heard you talking with Denny. Did you tell him?" Carey asked hopefully.

"Not directly but after listening to what I had to say and seeing how you dressed and made yourself up for tonight . . . well your husband is a smart man who lives in constant fear of losing you. He knows that you are letting me fuck you. The next time we meet I will drive that home." Amaro told Carey.

They pulled into the museum parking lot and Amaro let Carey out at the door. Per Amaro's instructions Carey walked in ahead of him where she ran into Valerie Pruchler and Amy Rabinsky. Amy worked with Carey and was about her age. They had a lot in common and were friends at the insurance company. They both admired the ocean and the ships that they insured. Another was husbands that just weren't interested in looking at paintings of tankers fighting through rough seas, tugboats steaming into harbor or ancient warships blasting their cannons across a harbor at an enemy vessel.

Valerie was a dermatologist who had gone to college with Amy. As a skin doctor she had plenty of business in this beachfront community. She was intrigued by the art and wanted to tag along with her good friend. Her husband was on board with the other men and as such had also stayed at home.

"Hey girl you've got to see these paintings by this new artist, Harold O'Greeley. He's got this thing about Macintosh tugs." Amy gushed to Carey as a greeting.

"I've got that fleet insured." Carey responded with a smile.

"Well that's why I let you in on this guy. I knew that you'd be into it. Let's go. They're right over here." Amy replied.

Just as the women were about to head around the corner of the long corridor Amaro came through the front door of the museum. Carey had no idea how her lover wanted to play this situation but when he approached their group Carey introduced him to Amy and Valerie. She made it as painless as possible knocking some of the heat to the woman who had referred her as a sex partner to him.

"This is Amaro. He's a friend of Lis' from the law firm. Amaro's from Brazil and wanted to get a look at these paintings and prints." Carey presented her lover as subtly as possible.

The three of them shook hands and said their hellos with Amy showing an immediate level of contempt towards the black man. Amaro was a perfect gentleman walking behind the women with his hands behind his back. He was quiet but when he talked he was interesting, funny and full of a charm that Carey hadn't seen a trace of during her first encounter with him. She was thinking that maybe someone had hypnotized the Brazilian to act like a nice guy. After a couple of laps around the circular building exploring the art and discussing some of them, Amaro signaled as subtly as possible that they should be on their way. It was after they left that the talking really began.

"So you think that they're fucking?" Valerie gave Amy a devilish grin.

"Oh God I hope not. She's too good looking to be with a black man. Why would she ever be into someone like that? I didn't even know Brazilians were that dark skinned." Amy said back unable to control her racist attitude.

"Oh come on Amy you've got to modernize your views a little bit. There are plenty of people of African descent from Brazil. I don't know. He's got to be twenty years older than us but yeah their knocking boots. Carey spent about five minutes looking at the Macintosh tugs. She's their underwriter for Chrissakes! And did you see him give her the signal to leave? She jumped." Valerie concluded.

"Well I wish that they would all go back to Brazil, at least the Africans." Amy came back with a sneer.

"You know that's a horrible attitude Amy. What's wrong with a gorgeous white woman like Carey going for a dominant man like that? He gives off some heavy vibes and he's built. You know that he's got it going on in bed. If Carey's spreading her legs I guarantee she's having the time of her life." Valerie summarized.

"What is it with today's white woman and black men? I mean you've just said what so many drones believe. Black men are so powerful and dominant. They're all hung like horses. It's all bullshit if you ask me and I don't care how dreamy this guy is beautiful white women like Carey don't lie down with black men." Amy gave her point of view, something that Valerie had heard many times over from her college friend.

"Look I know how you feel about black people Amy, especially the men but you can't go off like that. Times have changed. Africans are a big part of our society now and black men are having sex with gorgeous white women. It's just the way it is." Valerie came back at her friend in a calm voice.

"So you're saying that if you weren't married, which let me remind you Carey is and as such shouldn't be fucking around, you would have a go with that guy?" Amy asked with a smile.

Dr. Valerie Pruchler said nothing in response only smiling and continuing her stroll down the museum corridor.

Amaro drove north from the museum along a road that zigzagged its way in and out of the town's waterfront and beach areas. The black man's large hand had returned to Carey's muscular thigh.

"I guess that you're not dropping me off at home." Carey smiled in the fading light.

"There is no way I would allow you to spend the time to make yourself so sexy without rewarding you." The black man smiled over at the brown haired beauty.

"By that I hope you mean a richly deserved fucking." Carey leaned over and kissed the Brazilian's neck.

"Oh my elegant slut you have no idea." Amaro replied.

They walked along the boardwalk this time much more crowded with visitors to the orth Rio beach looking to have a good time on a Saturday night. Many of the white people stared at Amaro and Carey as they walked by them the black man's hand firmly attached to her buttocks showing a sort of ownership of the white woman. Some of the white men were disgusted by the sight but still others along with most of the women knew that the gorgeous white woman with the short light brown hair had willingly allowed this ownership and they knew that she had chosen well. The picture was of a well built dominant black man who was enjoying the fruits of his plunder, a very sexy white woman.

As they had done when Carey had first tracked down Amaro the couple had made their way up the street to Amaro's home. Carey noticed that the first floor was lit up and there seemed to be some activity inside.

"I don't know if I'll ever get used to the staring." Carey whispered into Amaro's ear as she walked closely to him.

"The white men are curious and their women are jealous. You may never get used to it but you do love the attention, it shows." Amaro smiled as he walked.

"Do you have some friends using that first floor dance and sex lounge of yours? Pray tell where will we go to have you pound me with that beautiful cock of yours?" Carey was moist with excitement now and starting to boil over.

"They're some friends of yours as well." Amaro replied with a smile.

Carey was taken aback by the black man's comments but before she could respond Amaro opened the door to the building. Inside there were a little over a dozen men standing around the bar with drinks in their hands. They were all dressed in casual clothes and all of them were as black as Amaro. They turned to Carey and Amaro when they walked through the door and after a brief observant moment they began to clap and cheer. Some stepped forward and shook Amaro's hand saying things like 'Outstanding Amaro!' 'You have outdone yourself!' 'What a perfect specimen!' as they looked Carey up and down.

Carey was taken aback by the men and their comments. They were obviously talking about her as if she was some sort of trophy. She also had no idea what was going on. Still as loud and rambunctious as the men were with their friend Amaro celebrating his conquest and openly ogling her legs and breasts they were very polite towards her smiling and saying hello. As it turned out there were fifteen men including Amaro ranging from their early twenties to a couple of the men who looked to be in their sixties. What they did have in common was the deep onyx color of their skin and their looks. They were all very handsome and fit men.

"Why don't we go to the dressing room? There are some people that you know in there." Amaro led the leggy brunette to the back of the large room.

"Amaro who else is here? What's happening? Why are these friends of yours here? I'm not sure that I like the idea of me being the belle of the ball with fifteen men." Carey was suddenly like a woman who had walked into a party and found that she was the guest of honor with all that implied. The surreal situation was causing an endless array of panicked questions to sprout forth. Yet Carey didn't have to wait long fo many of those questions to be answered. Amaro opened a door to the side of the stage and on the other side was a dressing room large enough for about ten people to change clothes.

"Hello Carey." Carinna Evalyn greeted her wearing only high heel pumps, brown stockings and a matching garter belt.

Carey Lain put her hand to her mouth. She was in shock. Besides Corinna there were three other women standing beside her naked except for the same lingerie. Carey's friend Lis Ruhame was in sheer royal blue stockings and black pumps, another blonde haired partner at The Evalyn Law Firm, Vera Gillian was wrapped in a rather unusual pair of sheer full fashioned white stockings with red seams up the backs of her legs to the red bands that wrapped tightly around her thighs and the final guest was Carolyn Grosiette the president of the Shorefront Bank wearing a pair of expensive black full fashioned hose and black pumps. Carey noticed that all of the women had been tattooed, each at the triangle just above their genitals and on their left breasts. The tattoos were block printing in a foreign language that she didn't immediately recognize.