The weeks following the conference were the most exciting, and, at times, the most frustrating of Carole's life. She spoke to Paula almost every day on the telephone, they e-mailed each other constantly and even managed to meet twice for a weekend during which they continued their mutual discovery of each other's body. Their telephone sessions were the most erotic journeys through their fantasies that both had experienced and usually ended in a verbal masturbation as they described their feelings in the most explicit words and images that either could conjure.
The weekends together were spent at Paula's house in Manchester and she introduced Carole to the gay scene there, delighting in flaunting her new lover in front of her old friends and past sexual partners. Carole had never been so open about her sexuality and she found that she loved it. She loved the feeling of being able to walk down the street with her arm round Paula's waist, loved kissing her in public, touching her in an obviously sexual way, being totally unashamed and proud of her lesbianism for the first time in her life.
On the first occasion that she stayed with Paula she was taken to a gay club where Paula promised her that she would have the opportunity to explore any sexual fantasy that she had ever dreamed of, and more besides. The thought of what might happen frightened Carole somewhat but she went along with the idea because she was so in love with Paula and wanted to please her in every way. She was becoming aware that Paula was so much more experienced than she was and that she had been involved in sexual activities that Carole could only imagine in her wildest erotic dreams. The reality was to prove a turning point in their relationship, a time that would bind Carole even more closely to Paula.
As they entered the club Carole's senses were almost overwhelmed by the sound of the music, by the heat, by the atmosphere of raw sexuality that permeated the air. The club itself consisted of a large central area where couples, both male and female, were dancing closely, entwined, writhing, almost making love there amongst the crowd. Around three sides of the room were darkened alcoves and, peering closely, Carole could see that they were occupied by couples and groups, many of which were obviously already consummating the love making started on the dance floor. A long bar occupied the fourth wall and Paula led Carole there, bought her a drink and asked, speaking close to her ear,
"Well, darling? What do you think of my favourite club?"
Carole could barely speak. Her mind was reeling, her body ached for Paula, and she wanted to be part of this frenetic sexual scene. Paula spoke again, her voice husky, seductive,
"Come. Dance with me, my lover. Be with me."
They moved to the floor, their arms encircled each other's waist and they moved together, bodies barely touching, lips close but not quite kissing, feeling the atmosphere surround them in one large glow of sex. As they moved sensually, provocatively, Carole felt a body pressing against her back, felt female hands on her hips, felt, rather than heard, the whisper of a familiar voice in her ear,
"Carole, my darling. Remember me?"