Michael had looked forward to meeting Gerard Manning, the well known academic in his special field of psychology and author of a noted treatise which complemented his own research into the psychology of pleasure. The two professors were together on a platform before an audience of their peers at a conference in Chicago.
Michael was greatly impressed with Gerard's intelligent, discerning presentation. The latter was a tall, vigorous, distinguished-looking African-American man of 62, a year older than Michael and about the same build, tall and lean.
Gerard evidently found Michael's contribution equally interesting because they quickly agreed to meet for dinner afterwards. Over poached salmon and Sauvignon Blanc they continued to discuss their respective research, in the course of which Michael discerned that, like himself, Gerard was especially interested in the psychology of sex. He also learned that Gerard too was married with grown children and enjoyed travel, fine food and wines along with music, theatre and the world of ideas generally.
"You know," said Michael while sipping his wine after the dessert had been served, "I've enjoyed this chance to get to know one another. It's really extraordinary how much we have in common."
At that moment a blonde woman of mature years entered the room wearing a low-cut blouse which exposed generous cleavage, a tight short black skirt, stockings, and patent leather platform heels which looked to be at least five inches high. One couldn't help but notice her. Gerard gave her an appreciative gaze. As she hoisted herself onto a bar stool, she exposed a glimpse of white thigh, stocking top and garters.
"How nice," he said. "You don't see that much today. Regrettably they've gone out of fashion."
"Unfortunately that's true," Michael agreed. "I'm old enough to remember the wonderful era before pantyhose."
Gerard laughed. "The golden age indeed!"
"Do you think she's a hooker?" Michael inquired, as a tall older man joined her and they began talking.
"No, I don't think so. I guess that she likes men and knows what they find irresistible. The suggestion of the slut is astoundingly attractive to men, especially of a certain age."
"It works for me," Michael chuckled.
"Me too." Gerard hesitated a moment before going on.
"This is actually a most fascinating topic, don't you think? Not only in its psychological aspect, but one which, well, how can I put it? Presents a certain attraction?"
Michael took in a quick breath. The other man had stumbled on a fetish of his - full fashioned stockings and garters, tight skirts and high heels on attractive women.
It was just one among a rich panoply of sexual fantasies, rituals and practices which no one but Michael's wife Joyce knew about. He wondered how much Gerard suspected. He didn't imagine that the other man could guess his predilection for women wearing boots, thong panties, costumes of every variety imaginable, striptease, role playing and long sex sessions featuring all these in various combinations. Michael decided to pursue the opening.
"As a matter of fact, yes," he replied. "I've had a fascination, perhaps fetish is the better word, for women in stockings and high heels since I was a teenager collecting the girlie magazines of the 60's."
"Ah! You and me both. I recall countless hours entertaining myself with the likes of Nylon Jungle and Black Silk Stockings in my youth, while my parents thought I was studying. Fortunately I had endurance and a strong right arm."
Michael laughed. "And a good hiding place for all that interesting literature!"
"Exactly. Reading which became increasingly hardcore through the decade to keep one's attention. At this stage of my life I've been fortunate to recapture much of that excitement, even to exceed it in quality if not quantity. All it takes is a good imagination and a willing wife."
For some reason, Michael was interested in hearing more. Perhaps it was the unusual opportunity to discover that someone shared the same fetishes, perhaps it was his awareness that Gerard the psychologist would be thorough and well informed, or perhaps it was the wine. He breathed deeply and took up the subject.
"Oh yes. I know just what you're talking about. Ms wife Joyce superbly indulges my desires. She always wears real stockings, especially during sex, and caters to my fantasies about hookers, princesses, buxom young girls, you name it."
"This is very interesting. Is your a second marriage by any chance?"
"Yes. How did you guess?"
"Mine is too. Second marriages are sometimes more successful in pairing temperaments, and for that matter, sexual styles. One has a sense of what one is looking for and more experience in identifying the traits that meet one's needs. Not there is much in the way of studies or reliable evidence available."
He paused, having almost lapsed into a professional analysis.
"But I digress. I can say that my second marriage has been very successful in this regard. My wonderful wife Lucille attends to my every whim. You may be surprised that I too take an avid interest in the things you have enumerated, such as playing out my fantasy of sex with hookers."
"Amazing. That's also a favorite of mine. Joyce is very good at satisfying this desire."
Gerard gave him a keen look.
"I hope you don't mind me being personal, but I have to ask...is your wife sexually submissive?" Michael was a bit taken aback, but answered readily, assuming the question was inspired by a professional interest.
"Submissive? Not if you mean into BDSM. But, yes, I would say that when we are having sex she is very compliant. Or rather she has a strong desire to please."
"Ah, that seems to fit with a pattern I've noticed. Not that I've been able to do a proper study, of course. I refer to myself and my wife as well as a few others I've known. Ladies of this type, whom I deeply admire, find delight in seeing a man pleased sexually. It doesn't mean they are otherwise submissive. Quite the contrary. They are sexually, but not psychologically, submissive. It helps if the man is well hung."
Michael was surprised by this turn of the conversation.
"Well it happens that I fit that description. How does that bear on this type of sexual activity?"
"I don't know. It's never been researched. I can say that in my experience a certain type of woman, probably rather rare, is greatly stimulated by a man of large equipment, so to say. This is certainly true of Lucille, though not of my first wife."
"Extraordinary. Joyce is like that too. And my first wife was not."
"It seems there are women, like our present wives, who lust after the male organ, if it's of impressive size."
"That explains a lot in my case." Michael hesitated. The conversation was becoming very personal. Perhaps his professional interest led him to go on. "Joyce likes to see it, touch it, and a lot more. She is very penis centered."
"Lucille also. Such women become rather submissive in the presence of a male who is imposingly erect."
"Actually," he went on in a somewhat professorial tone, "I suspect it's a vestige of an instinctual mating ritual. Such things are common in other species. Antlers, bright feathers, and such attract the female. Of course it's almost completely disappeared in humans. But a few, perhaps very few, women respond to the male organ in a particular way. They might be termed Priapus worshipers, so to say."
Gerard paused a moment. The older woman in stockings was leaving with the man who had met her at the bar. They both watched as they walked by.
"Probably going to fuck," said Michael.
"Indubitably. I feel pretty sure they're going to have a good time."
"Anyway," Gerard continued, "it so happens that I'm a member of a small society, a club really, of the same name, that is, the Priapus Club. At present we consist of four couples of mixed race who enjoy the very things we have been discussing. Perhaps you and Joyce would like to join?"
Michael was stunned. He had never suspected anything like this. He was intrigued and rather excited at the idea.
"Well, I'm taken by surprise, you understand. I can't imagine that Joyce would agree. We've never done anything with other people."
"I understand completely. But if Joyce is the type I think she may be, it isn't that difficult. Let me describe a bit what the Priapus Club does and then you can think about it."
"Go on."
"Good. We meet about four times a year. We would prefer to meet more often, but we're dispersed around the country and one couple is from Denmark, so it involves quite a bit of travel. You see finding new members is rather difficult. We are highly selective so as to keep the group compatible. The couples are all of the type we have been describing, and if you and your wife weren't rather similar, I'd never have mentioned it."
"Anyway, we usually meet for a weekend at a resort of some kind. Our activities always stretch over several hours and sometimes two or even three days. We'll usually have a theme, with the wives all costumed in a similar vein, such as hookers or schoolgirls. Our sessions may include stripteases or a sex show involving a special performance the others watch. And we do fantasy realizations on request. There are opportunities for all sorts of couplings, double penetrations and such. You get the idea."
"I'm beginning to see. You say these gatherings may last several days. How do you manage to do it so often? Or is the question better stated, how can you last such a long time? I suppose most of the men are middle-aged?"
"Yes. The couples range from their 40s to 60s. We practice a technique called "tease and denial" by which the males refrain from reaching a climax until the end of the weekend. It takes some discipline, but once mastered is highly effective and allows for many hours of erotic stimulation."
"I think I know what you mean. I often hold back for a long time, even a couple of days, to prolong the pleasure."
"Exactly."
"But how would I get Joyce to go along?" Michael was somewhat surprised to hear himself tacitly agreeing that he would like to take part in their activities.
"It's easier than you think, if she is the type of woman you've described. A couple of more questions, if I may."
