She liked the beach, so I suggested a day in the sun, free of yard work, the phone, and things we really shouldn't put off. It didn't take long for her to agree to put off things we should be doing, so we packed up the car and headed to the sunshine and sandy waterfront. We did not bring suits because the beach is clothing optional, and we each brought a book and plenty of sunscreen. I put the towels in the trunk, the umbrella, and a cooler with ice and drinks.
At the beach we set up and settled in with books in hand and few expectations except rest, sun, and catching some waves. When Glen and Sandy showed up we invited them to join us and they spread out their towels next to us and we put down our books and chatted, talking sports, a little politics, and the weather.
Sandy is a petite brunette with a cute face and a well-shaped body, and Glen is tall and a typical California dude with long Sandy hair and an athletic build. The have been friends of ours for just a year, and we met them at the nude beach the summer before. Glen works in sales and Sandy is a stay-at-home mom. They have two kids who often stay with her parents. I didn't think much about it, but I have never seen them at the beach. Glen tells me they don't make it public, at least to her parents, that they go to the nude beach.
It wasn't long before the women got up and took a walk down the beach. When they returned Claire asked me to walk to the water with her. "They're swingers," she told me as we approached the wet sand. "They are
inviting us to a party this Saturday to tryout the lifestyle. You interested?" she asked, a little cynicism in her voice.
I turned it around on her and asked if she was. "Any curiosity at all?" I said. She stood looking out at the ocean.
"I would be lying if I said no," she confessed, "but I am frankly afraid. I worry you'll find some chick you want to set up housekeeping with."
"Housekeeping?" I said with a grin.
"You know what I mean," she said aggressively, angrier than I thought my comment deserved.
"That would not happen," I said. "I am not complaining about you. It would just be a new experience. Like you said about curiosity. I would be lying too if I said I am not a little curious as well. Just like you said. I feel the same way. I am not looking to replace you," I said taking her into my arms. "No one could replace you."
We walked along the water and didn't talk for a while. "I like them," she said. "I am not sure I am ready for a swingers gathering, however. Will you be upset if we don't?" I said she had to feel comfortable for us to go. You're not, then we don't go. It is that simple."
She promised to think about it and we went back to our towels. Later that day she and Sandy took another walk. When they returned she seemed more relaxed, like Sandy had talked to her about her reluctance.
On the way home she turned to me and put a hand on my arm. "Sandy says we can go and just socialize. She said she felt the same way I do. After a few times she got more relaxed and comfortable. Now she says she is just fine with it. I think I want to go," she said softly. "You?"
I said we would just go and be social, just visit, meet people and not get involved in the sex part. She smiled, obviously pleased to not have to deal with the sexual decision.
Before we left for the swingers party she spent a great deal of time getting herself ready. Claire was in the bathroom for nearly an hour. I wondered what she was doing that took so long. Claire was more excited about meeting swingers than she was letting on.
We arrived at six and there were already many cars parked out in front of their house. A few couples were nude when we went in and seemed quite relaxed as we were introduced once inside. Sandy took Claire aside and talked to her about not being afraid to refuse a request for sex.
"No mercy fucking here," she said. "If you don't want to, feel free to say no, you don't have to if you don't want to. No means no. If you just want to dance, or chat, or just observe, or read a magazine, it is up to you. You should not feel pressured here."
"Sex is only one of the things we do here," she said. "If you do something it should be what you want to do."
We visited with a few couples and chatted about many things, one of them the swinger lifestyle itself. One woman said that people don't understand that sex is a recreation and not a sin. "You don't have to love someone to fuck them," she said emphatically. "Like dancing. You don't have to love them to enjoy dancing with them." I could tell Claire was thinking having sex was a long way from dancing.
We did dance together, and we did observe in a group- sex room for a short time, although we felt like voyeurs watching people having sex. Around midnight we went into a room for couples and got down on one of the beds and eventually had a nice tender session of old people sex. We did feel like the older generation, even though we were not much older than most of the people we met there.
It was strange to hear other people's grunts and talking while we were having sex. We never think of ourselves as making noise as we are engaging in sex, and having other people speak, grunt, call out, or pant is really strange and hard to get used to. Not only is it different, it is also distracting. We giggled about it while we were having sex and I am sure that was troubling to the others in the room enjoying themselves.
