Even after Marianne's promise to tell her a funny story about New Year's, Denise looked glum. Several friends had gotten together for coffee at The Chesnais Crepery. Marie, the owner was a fat, uninhibited French woman who would inevitably waddle into others' conversations and inject some sort of mischief. She overheard one of Marianne's friends, whom she recalled by name as Margaret, jjokingly commiserating about how "Men just don't get it." The fat chef interjected "Ah, but zumtimes, Miss Margareeet, it tis the womoan who does not get it. No?" Then with a pat on Margaret's head, she added, "I shall bring you a free crepe. You shall feel better." In five minutes she returned and placed a plate in front of Margaret. Around its upper perimeter Marie had piped maroon, glazed words in her beautiful script, "For You To Enjoy." On the plate was a miniature breakfast crepe perfectly created in the form of a penis. Marie had expertly folded the crepe at one end, forming an unmistakable cock's head. At the other, she'd added two small sausage balls. The laughter was so boisterous as to disrupt the whole restaurant, so Marie took the plate, waddling from table to table sharing the bawdy joke with most of her patrons before returning it to Margaret.
Margaret, playing along, shouted after Marie as she walked back to the kitchen, "It's about the right size too!" The girls giggled as did several other dinners. Marie turned shrugged, and quipped, "Zis is the point, my princess! Anything bigger...." she paused comedically, sporting a mischievous smile, "... and you have to pay." Denise had been quiet all morning. When she simply smiled at the Marie-Margaret exchange, Marianne picked up on it. After sorting out the check, the women all bid adieu and headed out, but Marianne remained seated. Denise rose to leave, "You coming, Marianne? "Nah, let's just sit and talk for a minute, K?" and Denise sat back down.
"Are you alright Deni?" Marianne nursed the remainder of her coffee. Denise nodded her head "yes", though her eyes and demeanor said otherwise. "Alright, out with it. What's up?"
"Noth...." Denise paused as if she wanted to open up, then shook her head and said, "Nothing, I'm okay."
Seated across from her friend, Marianne planted both elbows on the table, raised her folded hands to her chin, and looked directly into Denise's eyes, "What's up, Denise?"
"Nothing, really," she continued the evasion.
"Alllrighty then," Marianne sighed, "Tell me about the latest adventures of Anaconda Jim."
Both ladies laughed. Denise was always ready to tell others about her latest escapades with Jim and his extra-large cock. She enjoyed teasing Marianne with her bawdy accounts, mainly because her long-time friend was usually so reserved in response..
"Oh Marianne, you don't want to hear all that," Denise dismissively flipped a wave. "I'm... I.... I just bring that stuff up because I don't want, you-know, I don't want you and Nate to end up like Roger and me... uhm... taking things for granted. Then all the sudden, some perky 20-something with no gag reflex comes along.... and....." Denise's eyes started to well.
"Oh my God Deni, I thought Roger just left. There was another...?"
"Yep! Prettier, younger, and she apparently had some serious bedroom skills too. Good old Rog, he...." Denise's voice cracked, she wiped her eyes "...Oh silly me..... Anyway, she convinced him to transfer to Miami after we spit. That's why he left town. They lasted about six months there until she found another guy -- richer of course -- she dropped Rog like a hot potato."
As Denise talked, Marianne assessed her friend. She was quite attractive, and in great shape. Her expressive brown eyes highlighted a pretty, if mature, face framed with a cute bob cut. Her 5'5" frame was tanned, and appointed with great D-cups and a nice derrière. Whereas Marianne was a size 4, Denise normally wore a size 6, sometimes an 8, but without a hint of fat on her, she had begun a workout routine since her divorce. That kept her well toned.
"Do you hear from him?" Marianne asked
"Not really," she shook her head, regaining composure. "I think he's... I don't know... He seemed to change, Marianne. Mid-life crisis?... Maybe?.... I don't know. Over the last couple of years we were together, things went from lackluster in the bedroom, to... POOF! Gone! and then out-the-door with blondie." She noticed her blonde-headed friend look taken aback, and added, "Oooops! Sorry, no offense," as both girls chuckled. "Anyway, it's all in the past now. But I realized after the fact that I took things for granted, especially with sex. I just don't want you..."
"Denise, Nate and I are fine. In fact, we have never been better," Marianne started.
Denise interrupted, "All I'm saying is don't let it get stale. Break the routine. You are so.... so.... uh.... well... proper." She had almost said "so boring," but proper seemed softer, and the way Mary was smiling sweetly back, made it was clear her friend wasn't really going to 'get it' either way.
But Mary interrupted her train of thought, "Denise, I'm not as naive as you think," she stated. When Deni dismissively responded, "Oh, okay," then rolled her eyes, Marianne started again, "I'm not naive, I just don't... it's just not.... I just don't feel as comfortable as you do in discussing my sex life."
Denise was exasperated. Marianne realized it. Something was bothering her friend. Something she judged Marianne too sexually naive to help with. Marianne changed tack. "Ever tried a Sybian, Denise?" she challenged her friend out-of-the-blue.
"What?"
"A Sybian, Denise. It's a sort of saddle...."
"I know what a Sybian is, Marianne."
"Well?" Marianne addressed her friend with an inquisitive expression.
"Well what?"
"Well, have you ever tried one?" she prodded Denise.
"What does that have to do with anything?"
Marianne shrugged, acting almost perturbed at her friends deflections, "I don't know, Deni. Seemed like a simple enough question...."
"No. Okay? No Marianne, I've never tried a Sybian."
"Well if you ever get the chance, you should try one out..." Marianne stated with deliberate nonchalance.
An incredulous look fell over Denise's face. Her eyes narrowed. "Wait! You're saying YOU tried one out?" Then she started laughing, reached out and grabbed her friends hands saying, "Marianne, I love you. But you are soooo full of shit." Both women began laughing.
"I appreciate the effort though. I really do." Denise said as she nodded and gave Marianne's hands a telling squeeze.
"I bought one a few a few months back. It's really nice." Marianne paused, letting the new information permeate.
"Wh... wait!... You?... What?" Denise stammered
"I have a Sybian." Marianne casually shrugged like it was no big revelation. "I told you, I'm not naive. I just don't talk about it."
"HOLY SHIT!" Denise let the exclamation slip before catching herself. Several diners looked her way as she covered her mouth embarrassed, her eyes wide as saucers. She leaned across and whispered, "YOU have a fucking Sybian machine?" she half-whispered, still incredulous. Marianne nodded with a smirk, and both women broke out laughing. Denise again mouthed, "Holy shit!" this time soundlessly. Still chuckling she glanced around the crowded cafe, stood, and taking Marianne's hand, said "Let's go for a walk."
They left and walked a block to the nearby park. Denise remained quiet, pensive. She led them to a bench, and as they sat, she opened up. "I'm afraid it's all getting away, Marianne." Marianne looked puzzled, but listened. "The sex, the parties, Jim, it's all out of control...... That probably sounds worse than I mean it, because out-of-control is.... well.... exhilarating at times. Really exhilarating. But, just not all the time. And right now, with Jim, he's so much more experienced with 'the lifestyle' as he calls it. So he's kind of always in the lead, kind of controlling things. Last night, we... oh Marianne... you don't want to hear the details, but suffice it to say things didn't turn out as expected. It was a game. I was blindfolded. The guys weren't. Things happened that I didn't realize. To be fair, Jim didn't either. He apologized afterwards. He really was sorry. We had this same discussion about him being in the lead.. He said if I wanted to set up our next thing, he'd go along. But...."
Marianne finished Denise's thought, nodding, "But.... what's the next thing?"
Denise looked straight at her "Yep.... what's the next thing? I don't want more of the same."
Marianne backtracked, thinking about Denise's vague reference to last night, "Denise, he didn't hurt you or anything? Please say..."
"No! No! Nothing like that. He.... Well.... nevermind. No. Nothing like that. Just.... Can we not talk about it right now. It happened. Bad luck. Whatever. Anyway, I feel horrible about it. So....."
"So what are you thinking that you might want to try?" Marianne felt uncomfortable and intrusive, but needed to ask, if she was going to help.
Denise thought quietly, then shook her head, "I don't know. I don't....... I want something out of his damn comfort zone, something that he is as unsure of as I am with some of the stuff he gets me into. But.... I really don't know."
Now it was Marianne remaining quiet, pensive.
"Well Marianne, thanks..." Denise stood up to end the conversation. It had helped that her friend had extended to her. "... Thanks for being such a good friend and putting up with my... my demons." Then as Marianne stood with her, she smiled, "Could I try it?"
Marianne, still deep in thought, just stared. Denise thought maybe she had offended her somehow. "Oh, sorry... I was just...."
Marianne almost in a trance, and not really looking at Denise suddenly said, "I know someone." Then looking Denise in the eye, she repeated more emphatically, "I know someone! I know someone!"
Denise was bemused and almost smiling at her confusion over whatever Marianne was so suddenly excited about.
Marianne grabbed Denise's shoulders and shook her to get her attention. "I know someone who can help you!..... I do! Her name is Tish. She gets off on controlling men, and she's really good at it. If she's up for it, will you talk with her?"
Denise looked at her friend in total disbelief. "You know someone?.... what?... like a dominatrix?"
"Yes... well... sort of. I'm not sure she'd call herself that. But if she's up for it, just talk to her. Okay?"
Denise wanted details as to exactly how her buttoned-up friend knew this Tish person, but Marianne wouldn't share. Instead, she implored Denise to please trust her. Finally, almost reluctantly, Denise agreed to let Marianne set up a meeting. Marianne texted a long message to Tish detailing the favor she needed, why it was important to her friend, and that Denise could know none of the details as to how Tish and the Hills met, or what they had done. She judged, correctly, that considering how Tish had corralled Nate under auspices of police-work, Tish would be equally happy to keep that part secretive, closely-held between them. Just before sending the text, she smiled as she typed "Oh Tish, btw, Jim is supposedly quite well hung."
As they sat back down awaiting any response, Marianne refocused, "Try what, Denise?"
Denise was again lost, shaking her head, "What?"
You said, "Could I try it?... Try what?"
"You know.... The Sybian."
Marianne nearly choked as she started laughing, "Nooooo!" just as her phone rang.
It was Tish.
