drunk, totally relaxed, and very aroused. Her nipples were hard and showed prominently through the tight black fabric.
This sexual tension was a revelation. Poor old Rob, she thought. He would never do anything like this. He missed a lot, and so have I. Well, she told herself, maybe he experiments with bimbette. You know, I really hope he can. She shook her head. I must be mellowing, but I do hope he’s getting some good sex. I know I will get mine, eventually. Maybe sooner, rather than later. She fluffed her hair and, barefoot, she ran down the stairs.
When she arrived at the pool, all the patio lights were out with just the underwater lights to illuminate the soft mist rising from the water. Nan was stretched out in a lounge chair with Gloria and Pete sitting in chairs on either side of her. Everyone else was in the water and through the choppy surface it was impossible to tell who had clothes on and who didn’t. Steph and Steve were involved in a splash fight at the shallow end, with Chuck egging them on. Brian, Eric, and Marcy were hanging onto the ladder at the deep end, talking. Jessica found herself looking at Brian’s muscular shoulders and wondering what he looked like without a bathing suit.
Jessica walked to the deep end and dove cleanly into the eight-foot-deep water. She came up beside Brian, facing the side of the pool, holding on to the edge. “The water’s perfect,” she said, pushing her sopping red hair out of her face.
“So are you in that bathing suit. I could rape you right here,” he whispered, pressing his obviously naked body with its ridge of hard male flesh against her side. “You look so sexy.” He released the pressure of his body. “But I won’t rush you. I just want you to know that our time will come, eventually, if I have my way.” He let go, pushed Marcy under the water and together they swam to the other side, leaving Jessica with Eric.
“That suit looks terrific,” Eric said, moving nearer. “It’s actually more sensual than being nude.” When she was silent, Eric continued, “I’m sorry if I come on too heavy. You’re new to this crazy life we have here. But we’re just free spirits and we do what feels good and doesn’t hurt anyone else. I won’t embarrass you, but I would be less than honest if I denied that you turn me on.”
Remembering that Eric had been divorced for several years, she asked, “Were you and your wife swingers?”
“We had occasional flings, with each other’s knowledge, of course. We were very creative in the bedroom.”
“If you’ll pardon me for asking, what caused your breakup?”
“Money, mostly.” He pulled himself from the water and sat on the edge of the pool while Jessica remained in the water next to his ankles. As water sluiced from his torso she admired his body, substantial in his brief red trunks. “I made some, she spent more. She always wanted me to do things that made more money, I wanted to do things that made me happy. When I was offered a new job with a large architectural firm in the city at an unseemly increase in salary, she begged me to take it.”
“You didn’t want to?”
“Not really. Commuting was not my idea of how to spend three hours a day. And that job would have also meant weeks, even months travelling. I had commuted and travelled before and it took too much out of me. That’s why I took the job in Scarsdale in the first place. It was a small firm but we created some wonderful buildings.
“So we argued about the job. She whined about all the things she wanted out of life. I tried to explain that all I wanted was to stay in Scarsdale, enjoy my ten-minute drive to work, and have enough money to do the things that were important to me. And that wasn’t a big house, a maid five days a week, and trips to Europe several times a year.”
“What is important to you?”
“I love my kids. They’re boys, twins, and they were fourteen then. I liked being able to get to their soccer games and parent conferences. She wanted them in a private school. I like tennis and golf. And I like my friends.” He looked around the group. “I wanted to have something left at the end of the day, not get up at the crack of dawn, work, come home, eat, fall into bed so I can get up with the roosters and do it all again.”
“And your wife wanted you to take the city job?”
“She demanded. She gave me the ‘If you loved me’ bit and I thought about it and discovered that I didn’t love her. At least not enough to do everything the way she wanted. So we split. We still see each other occasionally, though not as much now that the boys are in college. I miss them, especially since they’re spending their summer together in Colorado. Anyway, Marilyn lives in Hartsdale, in a large condo I bought her, and I think she’s happy. But her happiness isn’t my responsibility anymore. It took me a long time to realize that nothing I did was going to make her happy anyway.”
“That’s a very grown-up attitude,” Jessica said.
“How about your divorce. Was it very difficult?”
Jessica told him about Rob and bimbette. “I find I’m becoming less bitter day by day. Being here has opened my eyes a lot.”
“And, if you’ll pardon my asking, was your sex life really as boring as you alluded to before?”
Jessica sighed and sipped the drink Brian had set on the edge of the pool for her. “I guess so. I’m not sure how much was his fault and how much was mine.”
“Why does it have to be anyone’s fault?”
“Not fault, exactly, but I’m just not responsive enough.” Why in the world had she admitted that? Now he won’t be interested. She looked at the glass in her hand and put it down. And she realized that she wanted Eric to be interested.
“Did he tell you that?” When she nodded, he said, “A sensual woman like you? He has to be a jerk.”
Jessica laughed and, bobbing in the warm water, moved slightly away from the side of the pool and kicked her legs. “Thanks for that. But why do you say I’m sensual? What do you know about me?”
“I know that your nipples are hard and it’s getting difficult for you to hold still.” When her cheeks pinked, he said, “And you’re blushing. I love that.” He grinned. “I know this is sudden, but could we get together one evening soon?”
“Is this a proposition, sir?” Jessica said, flirtatiousness coming easily from somewhere deep inside her.
“Maybe. I have to admit that I’d love to teach you how sexy you really are, but let’s start with dinner. It can progress as quickly or as slowly as we like from there. Or not at all, if that’s what we decide.”
Jessica smiled. This man was making a pass at her and she was revelling in it. “I’d love to have dinner with you.”
“Friday? I can pick you up here at about six?”
“Friday it is.”
“Did you have a nice evening?” Steph asked as she and Jessica tidied up the kitchen. They could see Brian, a towel around his waist, wandering around the pool area, stuffing plastic plates and glasses into a large black garbage bag.
“I had an amazing evening,” Jessica said. “Your friends are terrific people. I like them all so much.”
“I knew you would. They’re the greatest.”
“Okay. I think
