FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE - EAST MEETS WEST
Author's notes: This is the third and final installment of the "From Russia With Love" series. If you haven't already, I recommend that you read the first two installments before this one.
This is a spouse swap story. If that is not your thing, read no further. This will not be your 'cup of tea'. Otherwise, I hope you enjoy.
PROLOGUE
(Prologue taken from Sandy's Epilogue in "From Russia With Love - Paying It Forward")
As Tom and I said goodbye to our friends, our teachers and lovers, James and Jan, I felt empty inside. I reached for Tom, and he wrapped his powerful arm around my shoulder, and I wrapped mine around his big, muscular back. We went back to the room and crawled in bed. It was unspoken but mutual - no sex. I was pretty sore. We kissed and went to sleep. We slept through lunch and didn't awake until almost four p.m. We lazily showered and got ready for dinner.
I felt naughty and dressed in a pale-blue, silk blouse, no camisole, and medium-blue leggings. I encouraged Tom to wear his dark blue polo shirt that he looked so hot in.
We went to dinner, and when we arrived at the dining hall, there were only 10 place settings at the dining table, four on one side, six on the other, with three couples already seated. (This is the slow time for the lodge, just before winter weather closes them down.) The last time we ate here, there were six other couples and a family of four. Tonight, there was the Russian couple we shared the shuttle with, and next to them, a middle-aged couple who looked entirely overdressed, and they seemed a little aloof. Then on the opposite side of the table sat a middle-aged Asian couple, and they acknowledged us with polite smiles when we walked in. I guided Tom to that side. As we approached, they both stood to introduce themselves. Tom surprised me by quickly reaching for the man's hand and beginning our introductions. Like I said, Tom can be a little shy at first, but not now. I think our time with James and Jan had changed both of us in more ways than we were yet aware.
"Hi, sir, ma'am. This is my wife, Sandra Kay, and I'm Thomas. May we sit here?"
The man gave a slight bow, shook Tom's hand and in a soft, but deep voice, said, "It is most pleasurable to make your acquaintance. We would be pleased for you to join us. This is my wife, Hideko, and I am Hiroshi."
We exchanged handshakes and pleasantries and sat for the meal as the attendants began bringing out appetizers and taking drink orders.
I asked, "How long have you been here?"
"We arrived yesterday afternoon. We were supposed to arrive two days ago, but the weather in Moscow delayed us, so we are here for four more days. I understand the lodge is closing after we leave."
Tom responded, "Yes, they said a major storm is due a few days after that, so they are shutting the lodge down. We are leaving the same day as you."
After we sat, another couple, whom we had not seen before, joined the other side of the table at the remaining place settings. They were young looking, not as young as us - late twenties, early thirties. I wouldn't call them a good-looking couple, but they seemed nice.
We only chatted a little with the Asian couple during the meal, but we did learn they were from Kyoto, Japan. I had never met anyone from Japan. Where we live, there are very few Asians - a few Vietnamese immigrants who are farmers like my parents, and some people who are of Japanese and Chinese descent, but they are as American as we are. At college, there were a fair number of Asians, but I didn't know their nationalities, except for a girl from Taiwan that I became friends with. It was exciting to meet an actual Japanese couple.
The man, Hiroshi, was handsome, and his wife, Hideko, was pretty and looked petite like me. Oh, and they spoke better English than we do. Except I noticed that when they said something like "thank you," it came out sounding like "sank you," and "pleasure," sounded like "preasure." I guessed that was just something to do with the differences in our languages. I remember James telling me that Russian didn't have the 'w' sound like in water (He said 'Star Trek' has it completely wrong!), or the 'a' sound, like in cat, and so on.
After dinner, we invited the couple to join us for drinks and they readily accepted. As we walked to the cocktail lounge, I was able to get a better idea of what they looked like, overall.
Hideko was wearing a long, emerald-green dress that showed her form pretty well. She was about my size, same height of 5'-4" and slender like me, but her hips were a little more pronounced than mine and her bottom looked slightly bigger. She also looked to have a larger bosom, and I guessed she would weigh a little more, maybe 120 to 125 pounds.
By the way - at the time, I thought Japanese women were mostly flat-chested. Hey, I grew up in the sticks, okay? But as I write this, I now know that they come in all shapes and sizes - and Hideko came in one of the nice shapes.
Her raven black hair was pulled back in a kind of bun with jeweled picks holding it in place. She had a pretty, oval face highlighted by large, almond-shaped eyes that were surrounded by long, dark lashes - very enchanting. She had a small, delicate nose and small mouth, but with full lips. She had a light complexion, the color of ivory, I guess.
Hiroshi was "distinguished" looking. He wore his dark hair in what I would call a western, business cut. He had a handsome face and a ready, open smile. He was darker than Hideko, kind of like some of the Native Americans in our area, near Parkersburg.
At that time, I also thought that Japanese people were all on the short side, but Hiroshi looked like he was 5'-10 or 5'-11" with an overall slim build but with broad shoulders and a V-shaped torso. He had a nice-looking physique, with no apparent body fat - trim and solid, and probably weighing around 170. Altogether, a nice-looking man. We found out that Hiroshi was 38, Hideko was 36, and they had been married 14 years, with two children at home.
When we were seated in the lounge, Tom asked what they would like to drink (He surprised me by taking charge again). Hiroshi asked Tom to select the drinks. He didn't hesitate and ordered Long Island Iced Teas. I didn't know at the time whether he had an ulterior motive for that choice or ordered them just because he liked them. I found out later, he was thinking ahead, just in case...naughty boy!
INTRODUCTIONS
I am Sandra Kay, Sandy, 21 and my husband is Thomas, Tom, 22. We have been married for ten days and have already had our first sexual liaison. (Did I say first? What would Freud make of that?) And as crazy as that sounds for a young, newly wedded couple, it's even crazier when you consider that Tom and I were virgins until a few months ago (We were trying to wait till we were married - oops); and that we are from a very conservative farming community in Ohio.
About me: I am 5'-4" tall and weigh 110 pounds. James said I was a "cute little pixie" and that I had the body of a gymnast. Sweet, huh? I like that description, so I included it here. I am petite and not bosomy or overly shapely, but Tom and James both think I have a great body. Who am I to argue?
I hate describing myself, so I'll give you my husband's description of me:
Sandy has long, silky, blond hair that cascades over her shoulders to below her breasts and the color is all natural. She has the prettiest face with a small nose and full, sexy lips ('lipstick-ad' lips, a friend once described them). Her body is very firm with just the right size curves for a nice shape, perfect B-cup breasts that have no sag at all, and the best looking behind I've ever seen on a woman (Well there was another pretty nice one...). She has strong, slender legs and pretty, delicate feet (Some very pretty women have big, ugly feet.). She is very bright, energetic and optimistic. She is always game to try anything and just fun to be around. She is my best friend and has been since the eighth grade.
Okay, besides blushing, I'm about to gag, but thanks Tommy. Oh, by the way, don't call him Tommy - only I can, when I'm really happy with him or really upset with him.
About Thomas: He is 5'-8" tall and almost as wide at the shoulders. He is not fat; short but not fat, just very muscular - 175 pounds of muscle! He has a 46-inch chest, which I guess is pretty big for his height, and the rest of his physique is equally impressive. I love his big, powerful arms.
Tom is a good-looking man, too. He has handsome facial features, a great smile and sexy, deep-blue eyes. He does look younger than he is. Everybody thinks he's 18, which bugs him - a lot. His hair is almost as blond as mine and he wears it fairly short, but not a butch-cut or flat-top. Like me, he is pretty fair-skinned. He is fun and easygoing and a very kind and considerate person and husband. He can be a little shy around strangers but is otherwise outgoing. Of course I love him, but more importantly, I really like him - he's the best!
The first time I saw Tom was outside school, in a fight. A bigger guy, a school bully, was picking on him and they ended up going at it. Tom tore into him and beat him up pretty badly. Tom was and still is sensitive about his size, well now just his height. When I met him, he was shorter than me and just about everybody else in the eighth grade and not buff, but still strong for his size. He was a wrestler in high school and placed second in state his junior and senior year. Because of his size, he didn't want to be called "Tommy," a little boy's name in his mind. Don't get the wrong impression. Tom is not a hot head at all, very easygoing; he just can't stand to be bullied - and he doesn't like to be called Tommy!
