Neighbor

To make sense of this I recommend you read all the previous chapters of this series if you have not done so already. To start at the beginning, look for a revised collection of Chapters 1, 2 and 3 consolidated into one submission.

As usual, this is a work of fiction and all events, places and people are products of my imagination.

This chapter is transitional. It follows on directly from the previous chapter and sets up the final chapter containing much more sex and a robust ending.

*****

The weight of Gee's arm draped across his lower abdomen brought Jim to sudden consciousness. He needed a pee, badly.

Gee was awake when he returned. She fluttered her eyelashes as she smiled, "Since you're already up, how about a nice coffee. Pretty please." Jim obliged.

After they had drunk their coffees, Jim offered, "I guess we ought to talk about last night."

"I suppose. I find it a bit difficult. In some strange way I feel embarrassed. It was all new to me. Yet, I did my first circling of the block with just my training wheels on." Gee gave a wan smile.

"You responded, sexually. Isn't that progress for you? For us?"

"Of course. Not just responded. Orgasmed." Gee hesitated. "Jim, I am trying to come to terms with the way I got there. Brought off by two women. Albeit close friends. I have never had a lesbian experience in my life before. Not even at college, although there was a lot of it going on."

"Let's call it a bi-sexual experience. I know that's just semantics, but lesbianism seems to me to be further along the spectrum."

Gee giggled. "Exhibitionism, voyeurism and now bi-sexualism. I'm working the whole field. What's next I wonder?"

"Whatever it takes, sweetie." Jim leant in and kissed Gee on the lips, lingering and just touching her with his tongue. He did not get a response and broke it off after about a minute. "Nothing?"

"Sorry. Nothing at the moment. I think I am just hungry for food." She swung ger legs out of bed and with an encouraging spring in her step asked, "Scrambled eggs, bacon, toast and tomato?" Jim nodded. "In the kitchen in ten minutes. Bring the cups down with you."

Jim sat back in the bed disappointed. He had hoped a switch would be thrown and everything would be back to the way it once was. He took a deep breath and resolved to continue.

Later, as they ate, Jim asked, "What was the best part for you?"

"Jim. I love you dearly, but I'm not ready to talk about it yet. Can we leave it?"

"Of course, That was insensitive of me. What do you want to do today? It's Friday. We have until Monday before you return to work. Like to go for a drive in the Ferrari? The weather looks good." Jim tried to avoid going out when the roads were wet, for fear of getting some corrosion in the bodywork.

"No. I'm good. A quiet day to pull things together. I see you have stacked some mail over there from when I was away. I have some bills to take care of and I must take a look at our accounts. In any event, I am rather sore and noticed it as I walked down here. You can guess why." Gee did all the accounting and worked the banking from her computer. "Do you have anything specifically in mind?"

Jim had his second disappointment of the day. He's like to have spent time close to Gee. But he could understand how the previous day would have been exhausting. "Nothing special. I may still take a drive and I really should do some work in the garden. Don't worry about me."

Just as they were leaving the kitchen Gee spotted that the message machine flashing on the land line. The light was so faint it was easily missed. She hit the play button. "Hello Jim and Gee. It's Pat Degroodn here. If Gee's home I like to talk to her about a painting, or paintings, I would like to do using her as a model. By the way, Jim, it was great to meet you at last. Give me a call. You know my number." The call was made the previous evening when they were out.

Jim spoke first. "That's no surprise. He loves you modelling for him."

"You said. Well, more implied that he did like me as a subject when you told me about your meeting with him."

"This reminds me. Thinking about images of you: when you were away and I was missing you very much, I realized that I do not have any nice photos of you. All I have are just a few holiday snaps. I'd like a studio portrait study. Would you sit for a studio photo? I'll pay. It occurs to me that Patrick may know a photographer who is good."

"Why not. I'll ask him when I see him. But this cuts both ways. I need one of you too. I'll look into it." Jim had not thought Gee would like one of him too. He also thought that his little arrangement with Pat might just work.

Gee picked up the cordless phone and walked into the family room to call Patrick. She clearly had his number memorized.

Jim changed into his work clothes, collected his tools and wandered into the garden trying to decide where to start. About an hour later Gee came out carrying a lemon drink. "I hope you don't mind but I've arranged to go over to see Patrick tomorrow for the afternoon. He needs to get started with preliminary sketches."

Jim only had one answer, "Go for it." Gee gave a broad smile and turned tale back to the house and shouted over her shoulder, "Things to do." He did wonder if they had been talking for the last hour.

He had his answer shortly. Gee came running out a few moments later. "There's a call for you from a Don Jam-s-something. I did not catch it. It seemed urgent."

Gee passed the handset over and Jim said, "Jim Germaine here. Who is this?" It had been almost twenty years, but he recognized the slightly nasal, high pitched east Indian voice immediately. The caller repeated his name. Jim never mastered his very long Sri Lankan second name and used to call him DJ.

"DJ. Where are you? In town on a visit?"

DJ ignored Jim's question. "I've been trying to reach you for the last hour. You talk too much on the phone." Then, without preamble, " Would you play bridge with me at a tournament over the weekend? Ten until nine on Saturday, Ten to five on Sunday?"

"Slow down DJ. You're in town for a bridge tournament?"

"No. I moved back to the area three years ago. I was recruited for the AI Institute in town. I play bridge at the Hopeline club. The district tournament is in town this weekend. My usual partner was in a serious car accident yesterday. As the local champion I am expected to play. All other partners are taken."

"DJ. The last time I played with you was nearly twenty years ago, before you moved down south. I am sure the bridge conventions have changed and I'm not sure I even remember the basic ones."

"It's like riding a bike. You'd be fine. We'd need about 30 minutes to go over things. Jim, help me please. Maybe I can persuade you to join our club afterwards."

In the past, Jim and DJ played well together. As a brilliant mathematician, he could remember every card that was played during the game that made him formidable.

"Give me your number. I must speak with Gee - remember her - and I'll get back to you within the hour." Jim wrote down the number on a garden label he had to hand. "I'll call. Promise."

Jim thought that this may be a good news, bad news story. If he was absent the whole weekend Gee would have an opportunity to spend the whole time with Patrick, as it was, she had planned for just the Saturday afternoon. He pondered: good or bad? On balance, Jim felt he must keep his eye on the prize to get Gee sexually active again.

Also, he thought that getting back to bridge might be a good idea, particularly in the winter when Gee was at work.

He called Gee out to the garden to explain the possibility. Jim thought that Gee looked quite excited about spending more time at the studio than had been already agreed to. They discussed it briefly and they settled on Jim spending the weekend playing at the bridge tournament. Jim was sure Gee would contact Patrick to get more time with him.

Jim called DJ and made all the arrangements to turn up early so they could go over their game plan and conventions.

As he pulled weeds and trimmed the hedge, Jim reflected that it was important to connect with Gee on a wider front than just her sexual performance. Apart from the sexual agenda they were following, they had family, Gee's work, his auto collection, Gee's art, and now the possibility of bridge to consider as part of their day-to-day life. Plenty of conversational material.

Jim whisked Gee off to their favorite French restaurant for dinner late in the day. Gee seemed withdrawn even after quickly consuming a large cocktail and most of the bottle of wine. As the evening wore on, Jim found it tough going making conversation even when talking about the grandchildren. In response to his gentle enquiries, Gee assured Jim she was just fine. It was evident she was not. Jim wondered if the events with Susan and Kelsey had triggered some depression.

Before the cheese and coffee was served, Gee excused herself to go to the washroom. Although he faced away from the corridor that led to the back, he watched in a mirror her back disappear into the dark hallway. He noticed her fumbling in her purse.

The waiter brought the cheese plate and the coffees.

After sitting for about ten minutes Jim became worried that she had fallen ill. He started looking for her in the mirror. He was just about to go and find Gee, when she emerged. He clearly saw her slip her cell phone into her purse. He wondered if she was talking to Susan or had a call from someone else.

"Sorry about that. There was a long line up." Jim registered there was no reference to a phone call.

Gee seemed more cheerful. She started talking about an idea she had to improve service at the library on her return on Monday. She was still trying to work out the details in the auto on the way home, asking Jim what do you think if I try this or that out?

Gee gave Jim a cursory kiss on the lips after they slipped into bed together. Jim spooned up to her back and put his arm around her to cup her breast. Gee neither encouraged nor discouraged Jim. She just lay there motionless.

Both jumped out of bed and were all business in the morning. Showering, dressing and grooming as if they were going to work. A fast, cold breakfast saw Jim take off to catch up with DJ for his bridge refresh. Gee spent some time in front of a mirror getting her look just right before she started her journey over to the studio.

Jim and DJ started quite well at the tournament, but it slowly turned sour as the hands favored the other partners, and towards the end Jim, out of fatigue, made a few silly errors. He felt embarrassed, but DJ was kind and understanding. They played at forty-eight percent that put them in lower half of rankings, but far better than Jim's private objective of not coming last.

Gee was already in bed asleep when Jim returned home. He fell into bed and was asleep almost instantaneously.

Jim awoke briefly thinking he heard voices, and promptly fell asleep again. Gee was nowhere to be seen when Jim dressed and went downstairs for his breakfast.

There was a scribbled message on the kitchen table.

I should be home by about five this evening. Luv U

Jim appreciated Gee had left a note but was puzzled by the early departure. It seemed to him that Gee's behaviour did somewhat fit the pattern of the previous evening.

Jim played much better the second day of the bridge tournament. They achieved respectable third positions in both the morning and afternoon sessions with low sixties percentages. DJ expressed pleasure at gaining some Master Points.

Gee came home closer to six than five. Still, Jim felt good for the first time since they met up with Susan and Kelsey.

"I've ordered in a pizza. Haven't had one for months. OK with you?"

Gee was pleased, "Good one."

He pulled a cold beer from the fridge. "One for you?"

"Why not?" Jim opened hers. The had just sat when the pizza delivery arrived. Jim got it and brought it back to kitchen breakfast bar. They sat down to eat.

Gee was chatty. "So, how did it go today? I had the impression yesterday was not so hot."

"We warmed up yesterday, and today we came third in both sessions."

"Good for you."

"Tell me about your weekend at the studio?" This is what Jim was anxious to hear.

"When I arrived on Saturday it was a bit weird. Probably not in the way you think."

"How so?"

Gee continued, "Patrick was working on a large sketch pad when I arrived. His greeting was a bit off hand, which annoyed me to be honest. He immediately told me to sit down on a high stool. He started sketching. Five minutes later he turned to a new sheet on his pad and had me stand with a hand on the back of a chair."

Jim interrupted, "You were fully clothed, I take it?"

"Yes. Just as I had walked in. Anyway, this went on for about an hour and half with different poses. I did perhaps twenty different ones. He called them gestures. Then he said enough, and we stopped for coffee that Robin brought in. You met her I think? "

"Yes. She was with Tony."

"As we were having coffee and Danish pastries in walked this Adonis. Patrick introduced his son Julian. Did you know he had a son?" Jim nodded he didn't. "Nor did I. Think a taller, about six-two, younger, about twenty-three or twenty-four, tanned version of George Clooney. Jim, I have to say I melted." Gee grinned, "Maybe my treatment is working. It was explained that he had just returned from a six-month world-wide walk-about including South America, Europe, India, Bangkok, Vietnam, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. He gave snippets. He also explained that his Grandfather had given him a no-limit credit card to do whatever he wanted before he pursued his doctorate at Princeton, in history I think."

"With that amount of travelling in just six months I think it was once over lightly ." Jim felt he had to put this Julian down at least a bit, whilst thinking what a lucky fucker. In reality Jim was already jealous.

Gee continued, "I asked the highlight of his travels. You would never guess what his answer was."

"Probably not. Bangkok?"

"No. He answered all the beautiful mature women he met along the way. He gave me a rapacious look up and down. He's hot as the sun, Jim."

"Is it me that needs to extend the hall pass now? You know, daughter and mother; father and son?"

"Pencil it in. No. That doesn't sound quite right. Pencils are too thin." Gee gave one of her delightful giggles.

Gee continued, "After coffee we made our way to the workshop, and I spent the rest of the day with Patrick and Julian sanding and applying gesso to the huge wooden 'canvases' for the five replacement paintings he plans to heave ready for his exhibition. Each one is six by eight feet. I have no idea why he would paint on wood rather than canvas, but there it is. I should ask Patrick."

"That's all you did?" Jim wasn't sure he was getting the whole story.

"God's truth. I was pooped at the end of the day, but he now has four of the five surfaces to start on. "That's why I was asleep when you got home."

"You left early on Sunday."

"Yes. I set the radio alarm for six-thirty. Patrick wanted me there to get an early start." During Gee's work weeks they had the radio alarm set to get them the early traffic, weather and news. "I hit the button as quickly as possible. Hope I didn't wake you."

"No. I heard strange voices and rolled over and went straight back to sleep. Thanks for the note, by the way. So, was the second day as weird? As you put it."

"No. But much more interesting, I think you'll find. There was coffee, toast and fruit laid out when I arrived. As we ate, Patrick explained that he had short listed ten gestures he would like to detail more closely. He asked me to put on a body suit that was more or less flesh colored."

"Naked under the suit?"

"Apart from panties, yes. I changed and started the gestures as he directed. Patrick was fidgety and was tearing off sheets of his sketchbook throwing them towards a blue box in the corner along with a series of 'fucks'. He was clearly frustrated. I made a suggestion to take a break. He did not accept immediately, but after another couple of aborted attempts to capture my image he declared that we should take a break. I'd never seen him like this before."

"You were quite sensible, by the sounds of things."

"He called Robin in. She must know him very well because she brought a trolley into the studio with a cauldron of a spicy pea soup and a sliced warm French loaf. It hit the spot. Julian joined us. Patrick explained he was having one of his rare off days. The sketches were just not working. He turned to me and suggested maybe I should go home and come back another day. I reminded him that I started work the next day and would only be available in the evenings until next weekend. Julian broke the silence. He suggested that his dad photograph me instead."

"Bright kid. Is that what happened."

"Yes. Bright. But also devious. You'll see. We moved to the photo studio next door that is used by a man who goes by the name of Edward. No second name. Did you see it?"

"No. but Patrick indicated it to me when he showed me around. It's what made me think of having a studio photo of you. Go on."

"The studio is set up with a complete set of backdrops, with three full rooms a bit like IKEA, staging, lighting, multiple tripods and about ten cameras, including video stuff. There are sofas and even beds in there. I stood around while Patrick and Julian fiddled with cameras and lights. We started again. I took the poses. Patrick still seemed frustrated. Julian jumped in, in a deferential and polite way, to suggest it might work better if I removed the body suit."

"I get your point about devious. Did you comply."

"What do you think? I actually did a slow strip in front of them. I did not need any persuasion. All the posing had me slightly aroused. You know me the exhibitionist. Getting naked took it up several notches. The posing went better. My nipples hardened. The testosterone in Patrick started to run. His muse had arrived. He started to move me about physically, pulling an ankle this way, twisting a wrist just so. Nothing inappropriate. I lost sight of Julian until he suddenly appeared totally naked, and I should note tanned all over, in front of me. His body is sharp. He shaves his pubic area."

"Wowee. That must have been a surprise."

"That it was. He turned to his dad and asked him if he wanted a second person in the frames as apparently had been discussed between them earlier. Patrick had the courtesy of asking me whether I agreed, spelling out the situation. I think he was surreptitiously videoing my answer. I agreed first, putting the caveat that the images would be solely for the use of Patrick and his artwork."

"Smart move. Don't want them all over the internet."

"Julian put his arm around my shoulder initially, and after a few shots like that, he had his hand was around my waist. Patrick directed more intimate shots. My nipples were like bullets. Julian's hands wandered over my body as the gestures changed. He had learned a lot travelling the world. Franky, I became aroused. Which Is good, although the circumstances are a bit problematic."

"How long did this go on?"

"About twenty minutes or so. That is, until he started dry humping me between my ass cheeks. Patrick jumped in with a 'Stop that. Go and get Gee's gown'. Julian complied immediately and left the photo studio to get the robe. He bumped into a short squat man as he entered the studio. I was immediately introduced to Edward. He looked a lot like Edward Borgnine. He examined me up and down and just said, 'Hi. Nice' before turning to Patrick to apologize that he didn't know he was using the studio."

"You were given a brush off?"