I sat on the large couch in the middle of the great room of the suite, slowly sipping my coffee. My legs were pulled up in a fetal position with my arms wrapped securely around them. I felt so tired from only getting a couple of hours of sleep, yet my mind was whirling almost uncontrollably as I mentally replayed the events of the previous evening.
In the short time, I had been with James, we had done many things that pushed me out of my comfort zone. At times, our sex had been gentle and loving. But most of the time, he was very rough, aggressive, and demanding with me. However, nothing that I had experienced previously could have prepared me for what we had done the night before.
I had never let anyone restrain me, and even though I had been spanked during my childhood by my father when I misbehaved, I had never been spanked with anything other than a hand. Being spanked with the flogger, and especially seeing its catastrophic effects the morning after, had really shaken me.
During the spanking, the erotic feeling of the act itself and the pain just seemed to add to the intense, carnal experience of being restrained. Seeing the red marks all over my body, and especially the deep red welts on my ass had given me such an uneasy, apprehensive feeling.
As I reflected, what troubled me the most was not what we had done, but rather what James had said. He told me, in the heat of that intense sexual moment, that I actually enjoyed the pain that he was inflicting on me. The very thought that I may have liked what he did, or more accurately, what I let him do, was almost too horrendous for me to even contemplate.
I jumped slightly when I heard a knock on the door of the suite which broke me out of my thoughts. Slowly, I rose from the couch and opened the door and found myself peering into Gianna’s sympathetic, caring eyes.
“Mel, are you alright?”
“I’m fine honey,” I said, as she melted into my arms and we kissed passionately.
“God you scared me to death with that phone call, I thought something was wrong,” she said, the panicked tone leaving her voice once she saw I wasn’t in any type of peril.
I sat down on the couch and curled my legs under me and watched as she poured herself a cup of coffee, then sat down next to me.
“Where is James?” she asked between sips. “You told me he wasn’t leaving until tomorrow.”
I proceeded to tell her about his son’s asthma, the medical emergency, and how he had to catch a flight back to Los Angeles.
“An allergic reaction to medication, especially in cases of asthma, is serious, but as long as they got him to an Emergency Room, I’m sure he’ll be fine.”
Gianna had nearly completed the third year of her RN program, so hearing her words gave me some measure of relief concerning James’ son.
We sat silently for several minutes sipping our coffee. I dreaded the thought of telling her why I had a panic attack when James left, but the ‘elephant in the room’ could only be avoided for so long until…
“Mel, you sounded like you were almost in hysterics when you called, what’s going on?”
I took a deep breath. I was now really starting to regret not being able to pull myself together once James left.
This is going to be a rough one.
“You have to promise that you won’t overreact.”
“You’re scaring me, just rip the Band-Aid off and come out with it.”
I stood up, slowly untied my bathrobe, and held it open, exposing the red marks on my stomach and breasts. Thankfully, my swollen red nipples were beginning to revert back to their natural pink color; however, the effects of the clamps and flogger were still very evident.
I watched as her mouth dropped open and tears began to well up in her beautiful brown eyes.
“Oh God, what happened to you?” she said, in a horrified tone.
“I, I. I mean… We...”
Gianna cut me off.
“HE DID THIS TO YOU?!” the fear and apprehension in her voice quickly turned to rage.
“I’ll fucking kill him,” she spat angrily, as tears started to streak her cheeks.
“Gianna it’s...”
I attempted to stammer out the rest of my sentence until she interrupted me again.
“Turn around so I can see the rest of you,” she said, her voice calming somewhat, as her medical training took over.
I turned and faced away from her and dropped my robe to the ground while simultaneously hearing her gasp in shock. I could almost feel her eyes travel up and down my body as she assessed me.
“Melanie, these welts on your ass, he almost broke the skin,” she said, in utter horror. “If he had, you would have required medical attention because they could have very easily gotten infected.”
“But he didn’t break the skin Gianna and there was no blood,” I said calmly, hoping that the steady, even tone in my voice would help to settle her down.
I pulled the bathrobe back up covering myself and then sat back down on the couch.
She refused to sit down and her rapid-fire questions commenced.
“You need to tell me everything that happened,” she said, in a cold, demanding tone.
“Gianna, it was just some playful spanking,” I said, trying to make light of what had happened in a further attempt to calm her down.
“That’s bullshit! A ‘playful spanking’ wouldn’t leave these marks all over your body and those welts on your ass.”
She was starting to tear up again as the realization of what we had done began to sink in. Her inquisition continued...
“What did he use to spank you with?” she paused, shaking her head, “because these marks couldn’t have been made using only a hand.”
“He called it a flogger; it looked like small strips of leather attached to a handle.”
“And you just sat there and did nothing while he was making these horrible fucking marks on your body?” she said, in utter rage.
I looked down, feeling deeply embarrassed from what I was about to admit.
“I was restrained when he was flogging me,” I said softly.
“Christ, he tied you up?”
“Gianna,” I said gently, looking into her eyes, “I let him tie me up.”
Our eyes met, and I could see the bewildered look on her face. I knew that her mind was grappling and searching… trying to somehow make sense and give meaning to the shocking things I was revealing to her. She started to calm down somewhat and sat beside me on the couch and took my hand in hers.
We were silent for several minutes as we continued to hold hands and sip our coffee. I wanted to give her time to mentally process these momentous revelations. When we were together, everything we did sexually was tender and loving. We were playful with each other, but there was always an element of sensuousness and softness. She was beginning to realize just how different my relationship with James was compared to my relationship with her.
“So you’re all right with what he did to you?” she said softly, her voice breaking the silence.
“I could have stopped it at any time, Gianna,” I said hesitantly, “but it was as if I got lost in it.”
“You actually.... liked it… then?”
“I’m still trying to make sense of what happened, but yes, part of me, on some level, liked what we did,” I said honestly.
She paused for several seconds trying to collect her thoughts. I could see how difficult it was for her to hear these shocking revelations concerning a part of my sexuality that she hadn't even known existed.
“It’s very difficult for me to hear you talk about these things that you say you like, and even more painful for me to see the physical effects of them,” she said hesitantly.
Suddenly, a panic washed over me as I listened to the serious tone of her voice. I hadn’t even contemplated that these startling revelations might be a reason for her to want to end our relationship. Maybe I had made a mistake this morning when I called her in my panicked state after James had left. However, I could have only hidden the marks on my body from her for so long because it would have only been a day or so before she would have found out.
“I know I’m going to fumble this a little bit so I want you to be patient and bear with me.”
I took a deep breath and tried to prepare myself for the worst, if she was going to break up with me, I desperately didn’t want to let her see me cry.
“We’ve only been together for a little over a month, so I feel a bit reticent in admitting this, but I’m in love with you, I’m sure of it.”
My jaw dropped open in response to her unexpected words, but I tried to remain calm and let her finish what she needed to say.
“I love what we have Melanie, you’re so tender and loving, I’ve never been in a relationship where I’ve felt so much affection.”
As much as I tried to control it, her beautiful words were bringing tears to my eyes.
“But, you can’t ever ask me to participate, or in any way be a part, of what you let him do to you. I could never hurt someone that I love, that’s just not me. If you want to do these things with James, then I’ll try to be understanding and give you the space you need. But this is something that you’ll have to get from him, not me.”
After hearing her words, I immediately broke down crying. It was almost too much to emotionally process. What James and I had done, its physical effects on my body, him leaving, and then Gianna telling me that she was in love with me. It was just too much to hold in.
“I love you too, so much,” I stammered out, between the falling tears.
When she saw me begin to cry, she instantly pulled me to her and we melted together and kissed passionately, our tongues gently playing in each other’s mouths. Just feeling her next to me, holding me, meant the world to me, she always seemed to know exactly what to say and do.
I knew Gianna had feelings for me, but I never thought she felt the same way for me as I did for her. We broke the kiss and held each other tenderly for several minutes until we finally parted and just held hands.
“I’ll try to support you as much as I can Mel, but there might be things that we just won’t be able to talk about, like what James and you do when you are together.”
“We don’t have to talk about that part of my relationship with him Gianna, and I totally understand you not wanting to, but just being here this morning, it means so much to me.”
We continued to hold hands and enjoy the comfortable silence as we both reflected on the revelations that we had discovered about each other that morning. I knew Gianna wasn’t pleased with everything she had learned about me, but I was so glad that I could be honest with her about it and she didn’t end our relationship over it.
I also couldn’t believe that amidst all of the turmoil, she confessed her love for me. My elation at hearing that news was also coupled with no small measure of guilt over the threesome that James and I had with Megyn.
Gianna could somehow, amazingly, understand and deal with me letting James restrain and flog me. However, James paying for a marathon sex session with a dancer we had just met in a strip club, and then me having sex with her again for hours after he fell asleep; yeah, not so much.
The threesome with Megyn and any other subsequent trysts was just going to have to go under the umbrella of the things that Gianna and I agreed not to talk about, and I was somehow going to have to try to live with the guilt of that.
I noticed that Gianna was looking around the expansive, extravagant suite.
“So this is how the other half live?” she said, smiling at me, her mood lightening considerably.
“Yeah, this is what I’m forced to deal with each time I meet him,” I said teasingly.
Gianna and I both came from middle-class families, but extravagance on this level was just as foreign to her as it was to me, at least before I met James.
She released my hand, rose from the couch, and scurried into the kitchen and started to explore. I poured another cup of coffee and watched in enjoyment as she admired the elegant decor of the suite while I was mesmerized by her every movement.
She was dressed in baggy black sweatpants that seemed to somehow, miraculously, mold to her amazing ass perfectly. She was also wearing a pretty pink t-shirt with pink tennis shoes. Her hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail and she wasn’t wearing makeup. I knew she had thrown on her clothes and come immediately when I called. But damn, she still looked stunning and I had no idea how anyone could look so beautiful with absolutely no effort.
She exited the kitchen and went into the dining room.
“Mel, what’s this on the table?”
I got up and walked over to the dining room table. There was a small, oval velvet box on top of a note that was handwritten on Bellagio stationery. Next to that, there was an envelope with ‘Gianna’ written on the front.
She looked at me expectantly.
“I had no idea any of this was over here,” I said truthfully, “but that envelope is obviously for you.”
Gianna hesitantly opened the envelope and pulled out a handwritten note, again on Bellagio stationery. Wanting to give her privacy, I watched as she read it. She smiled and passed the note to me so I could read it. It said:
“Gianna, I want to thank you again for your assistance in helping me choose an executive chef. Your input was invaluable and I sincerely appreciated it. Additionally, I thoroughly enjoyed spending the evening with you and Melanie and it was a genuine pleasure to get to know you a little better. As much as it pains me to lose my best server, would you consider a promotion to assistant manager? If you're interested, David will tell you about your new duties and the considerable increase in pay. Continued success in your studies. Sincerely, James Moretti.”
I watched as Gianna’s face lit up as she removed twenty, one hundred dollar bills out of the envelope. Her mouth dropped open as she looked into my eyes.
“God Mel, I… I… I don’t know if I can accept this,” she said, as she counted the money.
“Of course, you can accept it, you deserve every cent of it, honey.”
Seeing the joyous look in her eyes as she counted the money, gave me so much happiness.
“Do you think I should accept the promotion?”
“Of course, you should. You’ve worked so hard in that restaurant, no one deserves it more.”
She sat the money back on the table, pulled me to her, and hugged me tightly.
“The money, the promotion, I know this is all because of you Mel,” she said softly, into my ear.
We broke our passionate embrace and looked into each other’s eyes.
“No Gianna, all of your hard work and good advice has paid off; it doesn't have anything to do with me.”
“Yeah right,” she said smiling, as I looked into her sparkling brown eyes.
Our attention then turned to the small oval box on the table and the handwritten note beneath it. I picked it up and Gianna and I read it together. It said:
“I’m sorry again that I had to leave so unexpectedly this morning. I promise I’ll make it up to you. James.”
I picked up the small oval, velvet box and opened it. Inside was a pair of two karat diamond stud earrings encased in gold. My jaw dropped open as Gianna and I silently studied the small, intricate jewelry for several moments.
“Melanie, they’re beautiful,” she said, breaking the silence.
“They are,” I said in agreement.
“I’m hesitant to even bring this up. But, do you think he’s giving you the earrings because of, you know, what happened last night?”
I pondered her question for a moment, mentally playing back the evening’s tumultuous events.
“No, I don’t think it has anything to do with that Gianna.”
I knew what she was trying to ask me was, ‘Did I think James felt guilty about anything we had done?’ I knew the answer to that question was definitely no.
I knew him well enough to know that he didn’t have any remorse or guilt over anything that had transpired the night before. From the first evening we met, James reveled in having rough, aggressive sex with me. Now, after last night, I could add ‘bound’ and ‘flogged’ to that list. It was as if with each passing night I was with him, he beckoned me to walk further down this dark, carnal path with him and that was creating a conundrum that I was having difficulty solving. I knew he would never force me to do these things with him. I had to consent to them. But as he pushed me further, where would my breaking point be? How much could I take before I used my safe words and tapped out? That was the question that was haunting me.
If James did have a regret, it was leaving this morning without talking to me and making sure I was okay with everything that we had done.
Thankfully, that ended our discussion of the previous night's activities. I was still trying to make sense of everything that had happened, and answering questions from Gianna only made that more difficult.
I amorously took Gianna’s hand and gave her an impromptu guided tour of the suite. While we went from room to room, she marveled at the decadent, extravagant decor. We paused briefly inside the walk-in closet that was attached to the ‘hers’ bathroom. I watched as she began thumbing through the very provocative club dresses that James purchased for me to wear. Instantly, I began playing back the ‘Yellow Scrunch Dress’ incident of the night before in my mind.
“He really does expect you to wear these dresses when you are out with him, doesn't he?”
“Yes he does,” I said hesitantly.
“Someday you’re going to have to explain ‘James Moretti Logic’ to me.”
“The minute I understand it, honey, you’ll be the next to know.”
She smiled and lovingly and took my hand, “C’mon, let's get you cleaned up.”
We walked into the bathroom together and Gianna turned on the water in the large brownstone resin tub. I watched as she poured scented oil and dropped bath salts into the steaming hot water. While I was loosening my bathrobe, I saw her slide her pink t-shirt up over her head and begin to slip off her tennis shoes.
“And just what are you doing?” I said.
“I’m joining you, of course,” she said, smiling seductively.
After we had both finished undressing, I watched Gianna slip into the water and slide up against the back of the large tub. I entered the tub after her and then sat down in the water, both of us facing the same direction. I then slid back and felt her wrap her arms around me, holding me securely, lovingly while her breasts pressed into my back.
The warm, soothing water felt so good on my aching joints and muscles. It may sound obvious, but I had never realized that dominant sex play like I had experienced the night before, could be so physically demanding and mentally exhausting.
I knew I couldn’t discuss it with Gianna, especially when I could hardly admit it to myself, but as I played back the events of the previous evening, I came to the realization that what we had done was intensely erotic to me. To give up all control and put an almost incalculable amount of trust in another person for my safety and well-being, had elevated our sexual intimacy to a plane that I didn’t even know existed. Additionally, there was an element of danger and extreme taboo involved in this type of sex play that perhaps should have worried me. However, it only seemed to add another dimension to the intense, erotic nature of the act itself.
Even though I was certain that I couldn’t handle that type of intense play every time James and I had sex, it was as if Pandora’s preverbal box had been opened, and I knew I couldn’t go back to the conventional and ordinary sex I had experienced before I met James.
I moaned as I felt Gianna’s mouth gently kiss my neck which quickly brought me back to the now. I closed my eyes and enjoyed her tender, loving ministrations to one of the most sensitive and erogenous areas of my body. Under the water, her hands began to roam. They moved up and down my stomach, over my thighs, and then over my breasts. My nipples hardened as they slipped between each of her fingers.
“I missed you so much honey,” she said in a low, husky voice. “I know it was only a couple of days, but it felt like months, and all I could think about was holding you again.”
I tried to return her affectionate words with commensurate ones of my own, but my voice was lost when I felt her hands move lower from my breasts to between my legs. I gasped as the tips of her fingers exquisitely drifted over the lips of my sex. I closed my eyes and enjoyed her delicate, deft touch.
“Oh God Gianna,” I moaned when I felt two of her fingers slip inside me.
I felt a rush of pleasure course through my body as she gently moved her fingers in and out of me. Her other arm was wrapped securely around me, holding me, and ensuring my body would remain firmly crushed against hers. My hips were moving almost involuntarily, meeting the gentle thrusting of her fingers as the water rippled around us and threaten to spill out of the tub and onto the marble floor.
I felt dizzy, a combination of the warm, soothing, fragrant, water and Gianna's tender, gentle touch. My breathing became heavier and increasingly labored as the pleasure of my orgasm was beginning to overtake me.
“Yeah Mel, let it go for me baby,” she cooed seductively into my ear.
It felt as if the walls of the bathroom were going to crash down around me as a very powerful orgasm rocked my body. Gianna continued to hold me securely against her as I came down from the peak and once again regained my senses.
During the next several minutes we washed each other with the loofah, then stepped out of the tub and dried each other with the large fluffy towels. It felt so good to be with her that morning. It’s difficult to describe a feeling that’s so simplistically complicated, but to be in love and have that love be openly and freely returned is one of life’s most simple and enjoyable pleasures.
I took Gianna's hand and we walked from the bathroom into the master bedroom and got into the bed facing each other on our knees. I could see the hungry, almost desperate look in her eyes. We leaned in towards each other and our lips met in a passionate embrace. We spent several minutes making out with our lips locked tightly together and our tongues exploring each other's mouths. I pulled her closer, eliminating the space between us, feeling her breasts crush into mine as our bodies rubbed sensuously together.
“Oh God Mel please, put your mouth on me,” she moaned when our lips broke contact.
I playfully pushed her back onto the pillows at the head of the bed and she invitingly opened her legs wide for me and I crawled in between them. Still on my knees, I leaned in and kissed her stomach and felt her hands run through my long blonde hair. I playfully kissed between her breasts while listening to her moan. I then took one of her nipples into my mouth and sucked tenderly before releasing it and sucking on the other. Each hardening immediately after I rolled them around on my tongue. She let out a low gasp while I continued to slowly, luxuriously tease her breasts with my tongue. After releasing her nipple, I moved up her torso and my mouth gently possessed hers again.
Our tongues played together while I felt her hands roam up and down my body. The harder we kissed, the more her breathing became more shallow, more urgent. My bare mound was pressing against hers and I could feel the heat and wetness emanate from between her legs.
I leaned up and away from her and gently put my hands on the back of her thighs and carefully rolled her legs back until her knees were on either side of her ears. Like me, Gianna incorporated an almost daily routine of yoga in her workouts which made her incredibly flexible.
I very gently rubbed the tips of my fingers over the puffy pink lips of her wet vagina and little-puckered bottom. Our eyes met briefly and I opened my mouth and let a long string of saliva drip down onto her asshole. Teasing her, I gently rubbed it around and some of it escaped down to her her sex. With one hand I reached underneath, through her leg and up until I gently began rubbing my fingertips over her wet slit. With my other hand, I continued to rub my saliva over her bottom. Once I could see she was well lubed, I began flicking my tongue over her little-puckered hole and using the tip I gently pushed my saliva into her.
Her clit was very engorged and it began to push out of the protective hood; I immediately ran my fingers over it as I continued to push my tongue in and out of her bottom. Her breathing was very labored and she elicited gasps and moans and her pelvis gyrated almost involuntarily so that I had to hold her thighs tight, to ensure that my tongue and fingers remained in contact.
Her bottom was very well lubed from my tongue and I gently pushed a finger inside it while simultaneously flicking and licking her engorged clit. As I did this, I felt her thighs clamp around my head, while her body began to shake and convulse.
“Oh God right there Mel, Yes!” she screamed, as her orgasm quickly overtook her.
I withdrew my tongue and let her recover and come down from the peak.
Once I could see that she had her wits were back about her, I helped her lower her legs down and she smiled and then slowly spread them for me again.
“And just what do you want?” I said, raising one eyebrow.
“Please Mel, do that again,” she whimpered.
Without hesitation, I locked my mouth back onto her vagina. She leaned back and opened her legs even wider for me, giving me better access. I heard a low moan escape her lips as I worked my tongue up and down her slit and then gently pushed it inside of her. She was babbling almost incoherently, but I could tell she was enjoying what I was doing. I wrapped my arms around both of her thighs, holding her still while I licked the walls of her vagina. Her hips were moving in a slow steady rhythm as I continue to lick her. I felt her foot rest gently on my back as I withdrew my tongue and licked up and down her wet slit.
From the change in her breathing, I knew she was getting close again and I made my tongue long and flat while licking her clit with just the tip. Her breathing changed to short, shallow pants as I continue to roll the hood of her clit side to side, and then up and down.
I looked up from between her legs just as her eyes were rolling into the back of her head and she let out one long gasp, as her body went rigid and then began to shake in orgasm. Wanting to give her respite, I withdrew my tongue and gave her time to recover.
I slid up her body and she pulled me tight against her.
“Oh God Mel, I've missed you so much, and of course, I miss that,” she said, smiling at me.
We began kissing again and I could tell she was ready to reciprocate, but because of the long luxurious bath and only getting a couple hours sleep, I felt exhausted and I knew I had to get some rest.
“Honey, I can barely hold my eyes open. Would it be okay if I took a little nap?”
“Of course baby, that would be fine.”
I flipped over and I felt Gianna pull me into her arms and we spooned together tightly. The last thing I remember were her soft gentle kisses to the nape of my neck as I fell into a deep, restful sleep.
**********************
It was dead week. That dreaded week before final exams, where all students are presumed to be studying before the five days of finals in all their classes. In reality, most of my friends found a little time to take study breaks and go out to have a good time. For me, that meant spending time with Gianna.
She was still staying over three of four nights a week at my apartment. A couple of times I had thought of asking her to move in with me, then I would lose my nerve when I thought that might be moving too quickly or put unwanted pressure on her. I had already purchased a chest of drawers for her things and half my closet was filled with her clothes. I knew that some of her belongings were in the house that she shared with her roommates in North Las Vegas, but as much time as she spent in my apartment, it felt like we were already living together, at least to me.
I had gotten out of class at noon and spent a couple of hours studying at the library for my Marketing final. Gianna had texted me earlier and told me she’d be at my apartment around four and since she didn’t have to work that evening, I wanted to have dinner ready for her when she got there. I went to the market on my way home and purchased the ingredients to make a Cobb Salad, her favorite meal.
Just as I was putting the finishing touches on the greens, I heard the front door open.
Perfect timing, she’s home.
“Hi honey, how was your day?”
“It was good, but my finals are going to be a real bitch,” she said.
We slipped into an easy embrace and gently kissed. However, I could tell something was off immediately. She always stressed about her classes and grades, it was just the way she was, however, I got the feeling this was something more. I decided to wait her out and let her tell me what was going on.
She was wearing dark blue nurse’s scrubs and white tennis shoes. Her hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail, and even though she had been on her feet all day, she still looked beautiful.
“Everything go okay at work last night?” I said nonchalantly, trying to subtly draw her out.
“Yeah, I’m still trying to adjust to the whole ‘boss’ thing, but I really love it.”
Her promotion to Assistant Manager had come with some growing pains. She had to work more closely now with David, the general manager, which wasn’t always easy. However, James had nearly doubled her salary, so I knew she was being well compensated for any additional stress.
“Mel, you didn’t have to cook,” she said smiling. “Can I help with anything?”
“You can open a bottle of wine and then have a seat, sexy. It’s all done and we’re ready to eat.”
I watched as she glided across the room, as if on air, and retrieved the wine. She grabbed some glasses and met me at the table just as I was bringing over the sliced bread.
We talked between bites about our classes and the goings on at James’ restaurant. When they weren’t preparing and serving gourmet Italian food, the cooks and wait staff seemed to get into quite a bit of mischief and it was one of my favorite pastimes discovering who was sleeping with whom, behind whose back.
After we had finished our meal, Gianna refilled both wine glasses which emptied the bottle.
Okay... right about… now…
“Mel, we need to talk.”
There it was. I knew the woman I loved all too well.
“We do huh?” I said, smiling.
She took a deep breath as if trying to summon the courage to broach whatever subject that had obviously been weighing on her.
“When Tim picked me up last night, he asked me where I was the night before.”
Tim was Gianna’s boyfriend, the one who had no idea she was bi-sexual, or that she had been seeing me and spending so much time at my apartment.
“What did you tell him?”
“I told him the truth, Mel.”
My jaw dropped open.
“Some liar you are, you fold at the first question,” I said teasingly, trying to lighten the mood.
She gave me a soft smile.
“Tim told me he has dropped by a few times when I wasn't home, of course, that’s because I was here with you,” she paused for a moment to collect her thoughts, “my roommates didn't know what to tell him so he became suspicious.”
“How much did you tell him?”
“I told him everything.”
We both remained silent for a minute or so until she continued speaking.
“Naturally, he was very upset. You're the only secret I’ve ever kept from him, so he felt very hurt and betrayed. After I answered him, neither of us spoke the entire way home and when we got to my house, he told me he needed time to think. I wasn't sure what to say, so I just got out of the car and when I did, he drove away without saying goodbye.”
God, that sounded harsh.
I wasn’t sure what to say or how to react, so I didn't say anything.
“When I saw him today, we had a long talk on our lunch break and we were able to clear the air somewhat. When I met you, I really had no expectations. I mean, besides the fact that I knew I wanted you.”
I smiled slightly, remembering that first heated night we spent together.
“Then, we just clicked, and I knew I wanted to see more of you, and then all of the sudden I started to develop feelings for you and…“
She paused again to collect her thoughts.
“Maybe I should have told him right then from the beginning that I had met you, but I didn’t. He’s just so traditional, and so is his family Mel, and I had no way of knowing how he’d take all of this, so I just made the mistake of doing nothing.”
When she stopped talking we both took a long sip of our wine and then looked into each other’s eyes.
“So where does this leave us?” I asked cautiously, almost afraid of her response.
“He’d like to meet you.”
My jaw dropped.
“Gianna, I… I don’t know if that’s a good idea, I mean...”
“Hey, I met your boyfriend,” she snapped back, a mischievous smile splitting her lips. “Fair is fair.”
I gasped, “You can’t even compare the two events. I told James about you minutes after the first time we kissed and of course, being the typical male, he thought it was sexy. But to Tim, I’m some bitch you are sneaking around with behind his back, who is trying to steal his girlfriend.”
“Well, that was his first reaction.”
“Yeah, sounds like a fun evening Gianna, meeting some guy who already hates me.”
“Once he thought about it Mel, he thought it was sexy too, and asked what you were like and if he could take us out to dinner this weekend, so he could see for himself who I’m spending so much time with.”
I wasn’t sure how to react to her last statement.
What was he expecting, dinner, or more?
“What did you tell him about me?”
“Just, you know, the basics.”
“So you didn’t go into detail about us… I mean... intimate things?”
She gasped, “Oh God, no. I mean, he knows.. you know, but I didn’t go into minutiae concerning what we do in bed together.”
I wasn’t sure that I wanted to meet Tim, especially if he had preconceived negative opinions of me. However, Gianna did have a point. She didn’t balk at meeting James that night in his restaurant and if I refused to meet Tim, it would put an enormous strain on her relationship with him as well as negatively affect my relationship with her. It was quickly becoming obvious that I didn’t have much of a choice.
“You better tell him that he has to take us someplace nice,” I said, with a relenting smile.
*****************
My knees were knocking together and I felt sick to my stomach. It was Friday night and I had agreed to meet Gianna and Tim at ‘35 Steaks + Martinis’ inside the ‘Hard Rock’ just off the Las Vegas Strip. Even though it was only a couple of miles from my downtown apartment, it took me nearly an hour to get there and valet the Land Rover in the heavy Friday-night traffic.
I must have tried on ten different outfits once I got out of the shower. What the hell do you wear when you are meeting your girlfriend's boyfriend for the first time? After what felt like hours in front of the mirror, I finally settled on a black, strappy-back, sleeveless cocktail dress. I also chose to wear faux leather, black wing accent gladiator sandals that went perfectly with the little short frock. To complete the look, I selected a black silk bra with a matching thong.
While sliding the tiny thong up my thighs, I paused for a moment to examine my bare vagina. Earlier in the week, I had completed my second laser treatment which was permanently removing my pubic hair. The technician told me that I’d need at least four more treatments to ensure nothing would grow back, and I had to admit, it did feel somewhat cleaner. However, not having hair there made me feel like I was naked, even when I was fully clothed. It was an odd feeling that I couldn’t fully square in my mind.
I still didn’t know why James wouldn’t just let me shave instead of going through the bother and expense of these laser treatments. There were so many things about him I just didn’t understand. I knew that it was obviously very important to him that I do it, and like most of the other things he demanded of me, I just unquestionably relented and gave in to him.
I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw Gianna and Tim waiting outside the steakhouse for me. Gianna was wearing a little black mini skirt with a cute white lace top and brown cardigan sweater with black ankle boots. Her long dark hair was in gentle, loose curls and she looked beautiful. Slowly, my eyes gravitated to the young man who had his arm wrapped securely around her. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but Tim was very handsome, in an almost non-assuming way.
He had brown eyes and wavy brown hair that was kept in a short, professional type cut. He looked to be about six feet tall and maybe 165 pounds. I could tell that he was in good shape and had a bit of muscle, but not in an ‘overdone’ jock type of way. I had to admit when I saw them together my heart sank just a little; because standing side by side, with his arm, wrapped tightly around her, they looked like the perfect couple.
Part of me wanted to turn and run away. I was terrified of being some type of ‘third wheel’ around them. Summoning every ounce of courage I could muster, I walked towards them until they saw me. Gianna gave me a warm smile, but I knew her well enough to know that she was hiding some apprehension behind the pleasant grin.
“So, this is the infamous Melanie,” Tim said, a slight grin crossing his lips as he sized me up. Gianna playfully elbowed him in the side.
“You promised you’d be nice,” she said, gently chiding him.
“Melanie, this is Tim.”
“Timothy, it’s nice to meet you,” I said, softly.
“It’s nice to meet you too, but my mother is the only one who’s allowed to call me Timothy.”
“It’s a pity she’s not here to give you a refresher course in manners,” I said, with a saucy, playful smile.
Gianna’s mouth dropped open, “Melanie!”
Tim and I both smiled at each other.
Shit. He was a nice guy who had a great sense of humor. Unfortunately, I liked him already.
“I must be the luckiest man in the world tonight; I get to dine with the two most beautiful women in the entire casino.”
He extended one elbow towards me and the other towards Gianna. We both intertwined our arms through his and he escorted us into the restaurant.
The hostess sat us at a cozy corner booth near a large bar and I was able to take a few seconds to appreciate my surroundings. The front of the bar had inlaid brown and gray granite that was accented by matching dark oak beams and bar stools. The ceiling had identical dark oak columns and the walls were painted in a plain, off-white color. What made the entire space pop, was glowing pink neon lighting on the ceiling and blue and purple neon that lit different sections of the walls, which gave the entire restaurant a modern, hip vibe.
Tim ordered a bottle of wine and we all decided on starting with an appetizer of shellfish that featured Maine lobster, Alaskan king crab legs, tiger prawns, and various types of oysters.
After we had ordered our entrees, there was a minute of rather uncomfortable silence. To make matters worse, Gianna excused herself to use the restroom. Even though I offered to go with her, she insisted that I stay at the table and keep Tim company. I had to admit, it was a sly move.
Thankfully, Tim only let a few more seconds of uncomfortable silence go by before he broke the ice.
“So, you’ve been seeing Gianna for about a month?”
“That’s correct,” I said after I took a sip of my wine.
“And she told you about me from the beginning?”
“Yes, she did.”
I saw the hurt, wounded look in his eyes. He looked so vulnerable and I felt bad for him. I also felt guilty for being complicit in keeping Gianna’s ‘other life’ with me a secret from him.
“Don’t be mad at her,” I said, as I reached over and squeezed his hand. “She loves you dearly, and she made it very clear to me from the first day we met how important you are to her.”
He smiled softly, and I witnessed the aggrieved look begin to vanish from his face.
“I was pretty sure she was seeing someone else,” he said hesitantly, “I was just very shocked to learn that person was a woman.”
“I can imagine, that’s a lot to try to take in.”
“At first, I thought it was just sex, or maybe she was experimenting, but it’s more than that, isn't it? I see the way you look at each other, it has to be.”
The last thing I wanted was to delve this deep into their relationship or reveal too much about my relationship with her.
His question was difficult to answer on several levels. Gianna was a very accomplished lover and nothing she did with me bespoke of experimentation. Experimenting with women was something she had done long before she met me. Furthermore, he was right about the nature of our relationship.
“Just like your relationship with her, our relationship is more than sex,” I admitted.
“I know this must sound very naive, but I didn’t know women could feel that way for each other.”
Gianna was right, he was very traditional.
“We can Tim,” I said, smiling slightly.
“I’ll shut up now before I come across as a bigger simpleton than I probably already do.”
We both laughed, and for the first time that evening, I felt really comfortable around him.
“You didn’t get out much in Utah, did you?”
“Hey now!” He said playfully.
I could see why she was so crazy about him. He was a nice guy who was obviously stone in love with her. What’s not to like?
Gianna returned from the restroom to a table that was completely different than the one she had left. Tim and I were laughing and joking with each other and it actually felt like we had been friends for years.
“Well, you two are getting along good, you’ll have to catch me up, what did I miss?”
It was time to mess with Tim a little bit.
“He was just telling me how you do this thing with your tongue when you’re in bed together and it just drives him crazy.”
Tim’s face instantly turned a deep shade of crimson that I had never seen before while Gianna simultaneously gave me a shocked, playful expression. I quickly learned that Tim was a true wide-eyed innocent and all I had to do was bring up something even remotely sexual and that was enough to render him a blushing, stuttering, stammering mess.
The rest of our dinner was amazing. Gianna ordered seafood risotto, I had the Chilean sea bass, and Tim ordered a New York strip steak. We had a wonderful time laughing and joking with each other and it was so much fun to hear them talk about their classes.
Because they were in the third year of the nursing program, they were able to take many of their classes together and they saw a lot of one another throughout the day. I had to admit I also felt a slight twinge of jealousy. They were the same age, on the same career path, and they seemed to have so much in common, much more so than James and I did. I hated to think that Tim and I were in some sort of competition for the affections of Gianna; but if we were, I thought he definitely had the inside track.
While we were eating our entrees, we decided to order a second bottle of wine, and because of the alcohol, we were all feeling loose and relaxed. When the check came, Tim nonchalantly pulled out his wallet and gave his credit card to our server. Outwardly, he acted like the bill was no big deal, but inwardly, I knew it probably was. I did some quick mental arithmetic, and I figured that the check had to be about $400 with the tip. I had thought about offering to pay for some, or even the entire bill. However, he was the one that asked us out to dinner, and I didn't want to overstep my bounds because I was getting along so well with him.
Gianna told me that Tim was a part-time emergency medical technician, so I knew that he obviously had money to pay the bill. Nonetheless, I reasoned that a full-time student, who was working a part time job, probably didn't have a lot of extra money, especially for such an extravagant dinner.
It also made me think of James and our evenings out and how that was changing me and my perception of the things around me. He had taken me to a lot of very swanky places like this one, and we ran up some very large tabs, which he always paid without batting an eye. At first, the extravagant expense of everything we did together really shocked me. However, as the time passed, I realized that I had gotten used to James’ money and maybe now, on some level, I was starting to take it for granted. That was obviously an attitude that I needed to work on correcting.
While we were finishing the last of our wine and waiting for the server to bring back Tim's credit card, Gianna began speaking.
“So, the night is still young, what do we feel like doing now?”
“There's a jazz club here that I've been wanting check out,” I said. “How would you guys feel about doing that?”
“Oh I'd love that,” Gianna said enthusiastically.
Gianna and I loved smooth jazz music. It was one of the first things that helped us bond as we were getting to know each other.
“Yeah that's fine with me,” Tim said, apathetically.
I could tell he wasn’t that keen on the idea, but he also didn’t seem willing to throw a wrench into our plans.
It was a short walk inside the casino from the ‘35 + Martinis’ steakhouse to the ‘Blue Note’ jazz bar. When we approached the hostess station outside the bar, we learned that there was a $10 cover and a two drink minimum. Tim pulled out his wallet in an attempt to pay until I stopped him.
“Sorry buddy, but this is my idea, so I'm paying and if you don't like it, you're just going to have to wait in the car,” I said teasingly.
“My mom taught me never to argue with a pretty girl, so I guess I'll be forced to relent,” he said with a soft smile.
The bar was very full, but not quite up to capacity. It had a small stage at the back of the room, and there were at least a hundred people listening to the soulful jazz music that the band was playing.
The room was somewhat dark like most bars and tastefully decorated with brown oak tables and chairs that were lit by purple lights that hung from the ceiling. The walls were painted red and were broken up by large black wooden columns, and each column had a black and white portrait of a famous jazz musician hanging from it. The club also had beautiful hardwood floors, and I noticed that a modest space was reserved near the bar for a small dance floor.
Almost immediately after the hostess had seated us, a pretty server came to our table to take our drink order.
“We need a bottle of Patron,” I said, “and three bottles of water.”
Tim's eyes got wide when he heard my drink order.
“You want the whole bottle instead of just getting shots?”
“You're drinking with the big girls tonight Timmy and you had better keep up,” I said saucily.
The live music coming from the stage was just amazing, and each time the band played a new song, a dozen couples went to the dance floor and started dancing seductively. I already had a pretty good buzz going from all the wine I had consumed at dinner, and as I did a series of Patron shots with Gianna and Tim, I could really feel the alcohol start to hit me. After the fourth tequila shot, I was feeling incredibly loose and relaxed.
“I want to dance,” Gianna said, as the band started to play a soulful rendition of an old Miles Davis classic.
Tim and I looked at her expectedly. I wasn’t sure which one of us she had been talking to or wanted to dance with. She giggled when she noticed the ‘lost’ look in my eyes.
“I want to dance with you Mel, Tim’s not much of a dancer.”
Once we were on the dance floor, we immediately wrapped our arms around each other and moved in unison to the beat of the seductive rhythm. Being in the “Blue Note’ was much different than being in a hip-hop club like ‘Rain’. We were the only same-sex couple dancing together and we were getting a lot of lustful, gawking, stares from those around us. It would have probably bothered me somewhat had I not been so buzzed from the alcohol. I felt Gianna’s hands squeezing and rubbing my ass as we began to make out. I knew the alcohol must have been getting to her too, because she was normally much more reserved when it came to public displays of affection, especially in such a predominantly heterosexual place like this.
“God, I want you, Mel,” she said huskily while licking and sucking on my earlobe.
Between the alcohol and Gianna’s very intense public foreplay, I was becoming very aroused and I knew the wetness from between my legs was beginning to soak my thong.
“What about Tim honey?” I said, between gasps and pants. Damn, her hot mouth was really getting to me.
“Just go with it Mel, it will be okay. Follow my lead.”
I wasn’t sure what she had in mind, but I decided to throw caution to the wind and trust her judgment.
The song ended and we walked back to the table hand in hand. When I saw Tim, it took everything in my power to not burst out laughing. His mouth was wide open and he had a look on his face that was somewhere between dumbfounded and flabbergasted.
“Do you know every single person in this club was watching that little performance you two just put on?” he said incredulously.
“Christ, they are still staring at you.”
Thankfully Gianna spoke up and deflected his question.
“This was your idea baby, not ours,” she said playfully. “You wanted to know what we are like when we’re together, now you’re finding out.”
I looked down and noticed she was rubbing the very noticeable bulge in the front of his pants. Tim might have been shocked by what Gianna and I had done on the dance floor, but obviously, our bawdy little display had a very physical effect on him as well.
“Mel and I talked about getting a room here, are you game?”
Get a room? We did?
“We are all way too drunk to drive home anyway,” she added.
I’ve been told that the greatest desire for any man is to be with two women. However, as I looked into Tim’s anxious, apprehensive eyes, I knew what Gianna was suggesting was scaring the hell out of him.
He started to open his mouth, but no sounds came out. At this point, I’m sure part of the stammering was due to the alcohol because he had been drinking just as much as me and Gianna. However, it was very apparent that the reality of what Gianna was proposing was hitting him hard.
“Don’t worry about the money baby, you paid for dinner, Mel paid for the club, I’ll pick up the room.”
It was all I could do to keep from bursting out in laughter. I was certain that his stunned reaction had nothing to do with money and I could almost see the trepidation etched on his face. A fantasy of his was quickly becoming reality and he looked terrified.
In all honesty, I had to admit that I was a little hesitant myself. When I met James, I promised him that he’d be the only man I’d have sex with. At the time, it seemed like an easy promise to keep. I had a few friends that were guys, but none of them interested me in a sexual way. Furthermore, spending a weekend with James every month more than satisfied my appetite for being with men.
Nonetheless, Gianna appeared to be giving me the ‘green light’ to be with her and Tim and I wasn’t sure yet just how far I’d let it go once we were all together.
**********************
I watched as Gianna retracted the keycard and I heard the small motor roll back the deadbolt and unlock the door to the hotel room. As the three of us got out of the hall and stepped inside, I took a moment to take in my surroundings.
The room had one king size bed and gray carpeting. Additionally, the room was decorated mainly in brown: Brown bedspread, brown walls, brown window coverings, and a brown wooden hotel dresser. The only part of the room that wasn’t brown was the white ceiling. My sexual exploits had taken me to many different hotel rooms in Las Vegas, but I couldn’t remember any of them having such glaring lack of color. However, Gianna and Tim didn’t seem to mind the limited color palette as they immediately made their way towards the bed.
“I’m going to use the restroom,” I said hesitantly.
Gianna raised her hand in acknowledgment, seconds before collapsing on the bed, on top of Tim. I quickly retreated to the bathroom and even though I was still incredibly buzzed from the alcohol, I still had to take a deep breath to try to settle myself down. The threesome that I had with James and Megyn a few weeks earlier seemed to be much less complicated than the one I was about to engage in. Even though I formed a bit of a connection with Megyn afterward, it was still ‘hook up’ sex. In contrast, this ‘love triangle’ was a much different situation and I didn’t know how it would play out. Regardless, after spending several minutes in solitude, I knew further delay was just a stalling tactic.
When I went back out into the room, I tried to hide my shocked expression. Gianna and Tim were both naked on the bed and Tim was lying back, propped up on two pillows with Gianna kissing him hard, while slowly stroking his cock slowly up and down. Because I was the only one in the room who was still fully dressed, I felt out of place which added to my nervousness.
Gianna must have heard me enter the room.
“Get your clothes off honey and come over here and help me,” she said playfully.
As soon as she finished speaking, she kissed her way down Tim’s chest and took his erection into her mouth. I had to admit that watching her lovingly fellate him, started to really turn me on while simultaneously easing some of my anxiety.
I removed my sandals and unzipped the back of my little black cocktail dress. Once I began removing my outfit, Tim’s eyes immediately locked on mine. I reached behind my back and undid the little hooks of my bra freeing my large breasts. I watched as Tim’s eyes traveled up and down my body while he simultaneously let out a low, guttural moan. I wasn’t sure if his utterance was due to his appreciation of seeing my breasts, or Gianna plunging his cock rapidly in and out of her mouth. Nevertheless, the erotic scene playing out on the bed was causing me to become incredibly wet.
While looking directly at him, I slowly slid my sodden thong down my tan thighs exposing my vagina to Tim’s lascivious, hungry eyes. He let out another gasp as Gianna released his shiny, saliva covered cock from her mouth.
She turned to look at me, and then turned again and looked into Tim’s eyes.
“She has a beautiful body, doesn’t she honey,” Gianna said, before kissing him hotly on the mouth. After breaking their embrace, she said, “Slide down, it’s my turn now.”
Tim silently complied and slid off the pillows and down, onto the middle of the bed. Once he was in position, Gianna turned to face me and then swung her leg over his torso to straddle his chest. She then began scooting backward until she had sealed her vagina on his waiting mouth.
I stepped forward onto the bed and crawled between Tim’s open legs. His cock was spasming and throbbing in time with his heartbeat and he had a long string of pre-cum that was oozing out of the slit and dribbling onto his stomach. I quickly came to the conclusion that little Timmy had a very nice cock. It wasn’t overly long; however, it was very thick and veiny.
I gently grasped his member and began to slowly stroke him, which caused a copious amount of pre-cum to seep out and onto my fingers.
God, Gianna had this boy worked up.
His penis was pulsing and fluttering as I worked my hand up and down his shaft. I looked up at Gianna who was now gasping and moaning as she ground her pussy hard onto Tim’s mouth. As I studied her facial expression, I knew from experience that she was already close to orgasm.
From between Gianna’s thighs, Tim emitted a muffled gasp as I took him into my mouth. I plunged his cock down in rapid succession to loosen and relax my throat. A few seconds later, I was taking him all the way down to the root.
Gianna was now shuddering and gasping as she orgasmed into Tim’s mouth. She had both her hands on his stomach to steady herself and honestly, I wasn’t sure how that poor guy was getting oxygen.
Once she had recovered, I looked up and our eyes met. She studied me intently as I fellated her boyfriend and I could tell from the lustful look in her eyes that watching me give him head, was turning her on as much as it was me.
While I bobbed up and down on him harder, I reached between my legs and dipped two fingers into my pussy, soaking them. I then raised my wet fingers to Gianna’s lips. She opened her mouth, licking and sucking the secretions from my fingers.
Once I had retracted my fingers from her mouth, she resumed grinding her vagina onto his face. Tim’s ass was now rising up off of the mattress as I felt him thrust himself deeper into my mouth and throat. Additionally, I noticed that his stomach muscles were tensing up and his cock was twitching and fluttering in my mouth, so I knew that he had to be getting close to orgasm.
Seconds later, I watched Gianna cry out and tremble in orgasm as she ground her pussy hard onto Tim’s mouth. Almost simultaneously, Tim began to thrust his hips upward which lifted his ass up off the mattress and sent his cock deep into my throat. I knew he was just seconds from cumming and I quickly raised my head which expelled his penis from my mouth.
In truth, watching Gianna get herself off by grinding her pussy into Tim’s face with this handsome young man’s cock in my mouth, was one of the most erotic acts I had ever experienced, and all wanted was to taste his cum seconds before it went down my throat. However, even in this intense hedonistic moment, it felt like that would be taking things too far.
It’s difficult to explain, but Tim was Gianna’s man, and even though I knew she was okay with me being with him, even to the point of me having sex with him, it just didn’t feel right and I couldn’t take things further. Additionally, there was James and the promise I had made to him. I knew he would be furious with me for taking another man in my mouth, and to have sex with another man, that would be stepping way over the line.
Gianna had recovered from her orgasm and I looked up at her as our eyes met. Without saying a word, I gave her a look that she immediately recognized. She smiled and nodded her head in understanding.
“I want to feel you behind me, baby,” she said to Tim. “Mel, get on your back, I want to taste that pussy of yours, she said, while getting on her hands and knees in front of him.
Tim and I both complied with Gianna’s request. I turned over onto my back and slid forward until my legs were on either side of her and he positioned himself behind her spread legs. I looked into Tim’s eyes as I heard Gianna gasp when he entered her. Seconds later, I felt her extend her tongue into my vagina. I closed my eyes and my head hit the mattress as the waves of pleasure hit me. Gianna was an amazing lover and we had been together long enough that she knew exactly what I liked, and how I liked it.
I opened my eyes and they met Tim’s. He was very slowly and gently moving in and out of Gianna. I’m sure that part of his unhurried pace was his attempt at holding back his orgasm and prolonging the experience. However, he looked to be almost in a trance as he watched Gianna’s head between my legs as she pleasured me. I could feel her gently moving forward and then back as he methodically rocked in and out of her. Every now and then he must have hit a spot inside of her that she especially liked because it would cause her to momentarily unlatch her mouth from my pussy and cry out, and then a few seconds later she would regain her composure and her tongue would once again find my vagina.
I know that he had never witnessed intimacy between two women, much less be directly involved in it. I was amazed at how it actually added to my experience, seeing the look of wonder in his eyes as he watched the woman he loved, make love to me. In contrast, I remembered being with James and Megyn. I know James loved watching us together, yet there wasn’t the sense of awe on his face like I witnessed on Tim’s.
Gianna withdrew her tongue from inside of me and began rapidly flicking the tip over my clit which instantly brought me back to the now. Almost without warning, I felt my orgasm begin to build.
“Oh God honey, yeah… right there,” I screamed, as the waves of passion were very quickly overtaking me.
“Cum in me baby, I want to feel that cum inside of me,” Gianna gasped while shaking violently in orgasm.
I was just beginning to regain control of my senses when I witnessed Tim shudder and moan as he reached his apex, and I knew from the look in his eyes that he was orgasming inside the woman that we both loved, and a disparate feeling came over me. I cringe at the thought of calling it jealousy, but perhaps that’s what it was, because the last time I felt it, I was watching Megyn have sex with James. I hated these possessive feelings and I quickly tried to put them out of my mind.
The three of us collapsed on the large bed. A few minutes later, our breathing had returned to normal and Tim excused himself to use the restroom.
I looked into Gianna’s eyes and noticed that she was studying my face intently before she began to speak.
“I know this wasn’t easy for you Mel, but I want you to know how much I appreciate it.”
I took her hand and gently squeezed it.
“I enjoyed watching you both and even though I was apprehensive about meeting him at first… and… you know… doing this…” as a smile broke on both of our faces, “I’m glad we did.”
Gianna leaned in and we kissed softly, just as Tim came back into the room.
I spent the next several hours watching them make love, and Tim watched Gianna and me, but the three of us didn’t engage in sex together. Even though I was very tempted, I didn’t let Tim penetrate me which I hoped was keeping at least part of the promise I had made to James. The guilt I was feeling, was assuaged somewhat by the fact that the three of us meeting and being together was important to Gianna, and I felt like I had to be there for her, just like she was for me the morning that James abruptly left for Los Angeles. For the first time, I was beginning to realize just how problematic it was being in love with two people.
The sun was coming up and Tim had just fallen asleep. Gianna urged me to stay with them in the hotel room, but it just didn’t feel right. They needed some privacy as a couple, and I knew I’d sleep better in my own bed.
As I drove home, I couldn’t help but reflect on the complicated state of my love life. I didn’t like the fact that I had to share the two people that I loved with others. Things were much simpler when I was hooking up with women I met in clubs and then leaving the next morning, before awkward and potentially romantic entanglements could arise.
Even though I wished the circumstances were different concerning the two people I was seeing, I was happy. James was opening up a world to me that I didn’t even know existed, and even though that was sometimes very scary, it was also incredibly exciting. Then my thoughts turned to Gianna. She was the most thoughtful, kind, caring, and loving woman that I had ever been with, my relationship with her seemed to balance the tumultuous experiences I was having with James. No matter what he put me through, she’d be there for me and help get me through it. I came to the conclusion that nothing in life is ever perfect, and all that any of us can hope for is to be happy, and that morning, I was.
I had just gotten off the elevator and was walking down the hallway and approaching my apartment when I noticed a small package by the front door. I observed that the parcel had a Los Angeles return address and I recognized it as James’ office. Even though I was very tired, I knew I’d never be able to get to sleep until I opened it and discovered what he had sent me.
Once I was inside, I opened the box and saw an envelope with a card inside. The card read:
“Melanie, I know you’ve been studying hard for your finals and I wanted to reward you by taking you someplace special. I’m going to leave you in suspense by not revealing our destination quite yet, but the enclosed contents will give you a hint. James.”
I dug down into the Styrofoam ‘peanut’ packing and pulled out five bikinis. Oh God, five micro bikinis. I read the almost microscopic tag on one of the thong bottoms and it said, ‘Wicked Weasel.’
James had been many things to me in the time that I’d known him: My benefactor, my lover, and my dominant. I had no idea where he planned to take me or the things we’d do once we were there, but there was one thing I was certain of: There would never be a dull moment.
