Neighbor Ch. 01-03

"I gave Ruth three orgasms the first time. This number reached five the second time and Ruth set a goal of seven for the next three times we engaged. I'm not particularly proud of what I did. In my defense, I was clothed the whole time. I did get just beyond semi-hard which pleased me. Like Clinton said, I did not have sexual relations with Ruth. But close to, I guess. That is all. I have never touched her breasts, by the way. Ruth never asked me to."

I gave a deep involuntary sigh. "Now you know the whole story. Want to hit me? Poke a shiv through my ribs?"

Bill was crying. His emotions and the beer had come together to release something in him. He was intelligent and I think he saw how his ignorance about sexual matters could have led to the present situation. He sobbed for about ten minutes in silence. Then he pulled himself together, blew his nose and wiped his eyes dry.

"I'm not sure what I'll think about this tomorrow when I am sober and have time to reflect on what you have told me, particularly about Ruth. I do love her deeply. You make it sound inevitable she would look for satisfaction elsewhere. I am not so sure about that. I do vow to open up communications with her, as you suggest and see if we can work it out."

Bill promptly stood and staggering slightly left my house without another word. I locked my door behind him.

I did not hear anything from either of them for a month. I saw Bill's car in the driveway most of the time. I only saw Ruth in the distance once and waved to her. She waved back smiling. I thought that was encouraging.

It was Ruth who called me. "Can you come over for thank-you dinner tonight, with just you, Bill and me? About 8 after the children are fast asleep. Duck's on the menu. Bill told me to say, 'Bring your tongue.'"

"Thank you. Love to come over. I'll bring a bottle of wine." I thought to say more but just settled for, "See you later."

"Duck?" I thought. "Interesting choice of menu."

******

Jim wrapped the story up in time to get his wife's tea ready before she came home from the Library.

Neighbor Ch. 2

-------

Most of us are creatures of habit.

On the first warm day in spring, Jim washed and polished his red Audi R8, an investment from when he was flush with cash from his consulting . He systematically worked on the outside and detailed the interior. Having finished his day-to-day vehicle, Jim planned to collect get the Corvette next and then work his way through his collection day by day.

Jim began his spring ritual when he was eighteen with his first car, a red '55 Ford Thunderbird, purchased second hand. Over the years, he'd indulged his passion for beautiful cars. Some cars are passing fancies like a love affair with a blonde bombshell, while others have stayed in his collection. The Audi was keeper, and likely stay in his collection along with the '64 Mustang, '67 Corvette, the '96 Acura NSX, and the Ferrari.

In the early days, it was important to catch any winter paint deterioration and touch up the paint chips before they rusted. These days, the cars' paint jobs are much better. Also, the vehicles are stored year-round in the large industrial shed/garage in the back garden. Jim even avoided taking them out in the rain, if it could be avoided. Even though rust is no longer an issue, he loved polishing each car to explore its curves and fine detailing.

Jim just finished the Audi when Kelsey rolled up in her Volvo SUV. As she stepped down onto her driveway, two doors down the street, she gave a cursory wave before leaning into the Volvo to liberate her toddler, Amy, and the baby, Freda, from their seats. He watched her ass with a new appreciation as she leaned forward to unbuckle the restraints. She was clearly struggling from the amount of time she was taking.

Kelsey stood up, waved and beckoned Jim over. As he walked over the lawn that separated their houses, he noticed Kelsey seemed to be having some difficulty with Amy's child car seat. As he got closer, he understood why. Amy was wriggling like crazy. "Hold still, you little imp" Kelsey said cheerfully.

When he reached Kelsey's driveway, Jim enjoyed a front row seat to the little drama. Amy wriggled and Kelsey struggled with the clasps such that her bottom gyrated from side to side provocatively. The moment Amy was free, she scrambled out of the car and ran past Jim onto the grass laughing.

"Could you keep an eye on Amy while I get Freda" Kelsey asked

"No problem" Jim replied.

Kelsey shut the car door and went around to the other side. Moments later, she returned with Freda in her arms. She set down the toddler who half-stumbled to join her sister on the lawn. Kelsey stood up and turned back to Jim. Her auburn hair was tied back in a ponytail and her face was bare of makeup save lip gloss. She wore tee shirt and yoga tights, setting off her lean, athletic figure. Already, the freckles on her face and arms had been exaggerated by the sun.

"Thanks. Amy's so active these days I need eyes in the back of my head to keep track of her. Now I can say it, "Hi stranger!" Kelsey grinned holding out her hand for me to shake.

"Hi, yourself. Isn't this weather great? My. These two have grown over the winter. Wow. You must keep feeding them." Kelsey looked puzzled for a moment before she realized that Jim was attempting a joke.

"Yep. Aren't they great? Love 'em to pieces." Jim saw a flash of chest, and he thought nipples, as Kelsey bent down and gave Freda a big hug before the little one half-stumbled, half-walked back onto the lawn to chase her big sister.

"I have a question for you." Kelsey said straightening up with a smirk. Jim had the distinct impression she was well aware of the eyeful she'd given me.

"Fire away, but before you ask, I wanted to say I'm sorry I couldn't help you with the fire alarm when you called me. I was on my way to an appointment that day. Otherwise, I would have been happy to help."

"No worries. I called my dad and he walked me through it. The battery was wedged. If something else gets stuck...like a drawer, I'll be sure to call you. I understand you have a way with drawers." She winked at me.

Jim felt a bit of a jolt. Jim's most recent story on Literotica involved a wedged drawer. Surely, it was just a coincidence. Jim blushed when the thought that she knew, crossed his mind.

Kelsey continued, "To change subjects -- I'm curious. How old are you?"

"Sixty-six. Retired just over a year ago. Why do you want to know?"

"I guessed you were seventy-two. Way off. No reason really but I thought you looked too young to be retired and wondered if you worked at home."

Her statement did not make a lot of sense, but Jim ignored the inconsistency. "I'll tell Gee you took me for..." He hesitated with a hopeful smile plastered on my face, "Fifty?"

"Do that. Gee's what, about ten years younger than you I guess."

"I never discuss women's ages." Jim flashed a smile.

"Very wise. Here's another question, what did you do before retirement?"

"You are full of questions." he said eyeing her curiously "Guess."

"Geologist."

"Wow, not far off the mark. Where did that come from?"

"I'm forming an idea about you." Her grin widened as she looked at Jim under her eyebrows.

"Really? Good or bad?"

"Hard to say just yet. Yes, I think it's hard." She paused "How close was I?"

"I taught Geology at the University. Did you Google me?"

"No, would you have liked that? Sedimentary or igneous?"

"What?" Jim paused, thinking game on, "Oh, want me to answer sedimentary?"

Kelsey shook her head slightly.

"No. I didn't think so."

"I'm thinking igneous as in Igneous Rocks," she said looking all the world like a cat toying with a mouse.

"So, you do know?"

"Know what?" she replied playfully.

"Occasionally, I use an ID, Igneousrocks."

"I thought as much. I like your work by the way."

"How long have you been reading Literotica?"

"I don't just read it. I write for Literotica too. I'll leave you to figure out my ID." She said with a smirk.

"Ok, Kelsey. I'm rumbled. You know my secret vice."

"Well, you know my secret as well. So, what are we going to do about it? Does your wife know?"

"No and I'd like to keep it that way. Does Phil?"

"Also no. You're secret's safe with me. Looks like we have mutual standoff and a shared kinkiness. Hmmmm, sounds promising! So, what now?" Kelsey's grin widened.

"You're the one with the ideas. Might make for some good writing. Would you like to edit my drafts?" I liked the idea of Kelsey working with my words.

"Are you propositioning me, Dr. Germaine?"

"Who me?" Jim said raising an eyebrow. " Should we explore the logistics of some scenarios, do you think?"

"Mmmm...in name of basic research? Yes, I imagine we may." Jim thought he's died and gone to heaven. From a secret crush to almost lovers in one big step, Jim was bowled over.

Freda fell down and started to cry. Kelsey bent down and picked up the toddler. "I'd better be going. Do you have a secure e-mail address?" Jim wrote my g-mail address on the back of a scrap of paper from his wallet and handed it to her. He felt his skin prickle as her fingers brushed his hand.

"I'll drop you a line and we'll see where we go from here. Let me know how Mike's duck dinner went down. See ya."

Following her oblique reference to my Neighbor story, Jim cannot describe how aroused he was to watch Kelsey's curvaceous butt in Lululemon tights shimmy as she mounted the front steps holding Freda with Amy tagging along behind her. After all, she was the original fantasy model for Ruth. She looked back at him as she closed the door and winked.

"Back to work. Time to clean the dashboard," He thought, when Gee emerged from the front door.

"Cup of tea?"

"Sure"

"I'll put on the kettle."

"Be there in five." After his encounter with Kelsey, the Audi's curves seemed to have lost some of their appeal. He packed up his tools and stored them in the garage.

By the time Jim reached the sunroom, a tray was already set out on the coffee table. Gee poured the tea. "All finished on the Audi?"

"Still got a bit to go on the interior. Had a chat with Kelsey."

"Yes, you seemed pretty cozy when I looked out." She gave him a piercing look as she passed a mug of tea. "Was she flirting with you?"

"What makes you think she was flirting with me?" Jim was curious.

"Come'on, Jim. She had an ear-to-ear grin on her flushed face, her eyes were sparkling, and her nips on her flat chest kept straining in your direction as she pulled her tee tight across them. You don't have to be Einstein to spot that one."

Gee's ability to read people never ceased to amaze him. Often, she noticed small details that blew right past Jim.

"Straining nips." he laughed, "I'll have to remember that one. Oh, sure she was flirting with me. Would you deprive an old codger like me the pleasure of flirting with a young woman?" he said trying to divert her.

"What line was she taking?"

"Oh." Jim thought for a moment. "She guessed what I did before I retired." Gee burst out laughing.

"Was she right?" Gee could hardly contain herself with the giggles.

"What's so funny?" He was at a loss.

"You, men! Suckers for a pretty face and a nice butt." Gee teased "Last Wednesday when you were off playing snooker at the Seniors' Center, Kelsey waylaid me in the garden."

"Oh" Jim tried hard to not to seem too deflated. He had a feeling where this was going.

"She saw me working on the raised planters you made me. I invited her in for coffee. She wanted to know all about the planters...what pattern you used, what type of wood, whether I found them easy to work on, etc. She told me she had trouble keeping the children out of the garden and was considering raised planters. Of course, I knew it was all nonsense. So, I waited to see what she really wanted." Gee was enjoying her story, so Jim played along.

"So, what did she want" he asked. He knew well enough to allow Gee her moment.

"The conversation soon moved on to you. She seemed inordinately interested in you. She even asked me if you were an author? I had to laugh. I told her you were a retired Geology professor. That revelation seemed to stoke her interest even more. Bit strange, actually."

"So, the little minx knew." Jim thought to himself. The blow to his ego stung. No man likes being played.

Gee sipped her tea. The laughter had gone. She looked serious.

"Jim. She's a beautiful, vibrant young woman. Are you attracted to her? I don't mind. I wouldn't blame you. Even I think she's attractive."

Jim was on the horns of a dilemma. Was his crush so obvious? He didn't know where this was going and after thirty years of marriage. He knew Gee could read him like a book. Straight up was the only option. "Yes. I find her attractive."

"That was not my question. Are you attracted to Kelsey?"

"Yes."

"What you going to do about it?"

The questions seemed relentless. He knew the right answer was 'nothing', but that's not what came out of his mouth.

"I'm not sure. If all the ducks lined up in a row, then I might get careless."

"Careless? James. You mean you'd fuck her if you thought you would get away with it."

'James'. He knew he was in trouble. "I didn't say that." The conversation was running downhill at a rapid pace.

"I take that as a 'yes'." They both sipped their tea in silence. Jim took a bite from a chocolate chip cookie baked by Gee.

Gee broke the long tense silence.

"Remember when I was hit by the SUV. I was laid up with the coma, lower spinal injury and the rest of it. As I languished in bed after the operations to fix my broken pelvis and leg, and stick rods and bolts in my vertebrae, I thought we'd get through all this just fine and we'd be at it again with our hikes, dancing and love making. Didn't work out that way did it? I curse that driver every day of my life." She paused to settle her emotions, taking another sip of tea with her hand shaking.

"It's been almost ten years now. We've acclimated to the new reality. OK. Well, sort of. We manage a walk around the park, but no longer in the Rockies. If we're at a wedding, I can manage a slow dance. You sit the dances out with me when I know you want to be on the floor. After all the surgeries, I have no sex response so our love life has diminished to the occasional blow job."

There were tears in Gee's eyes. She continued, "Strangely, I accept my circumstance, with reluctance, of course. I am reasonably content. We still have a good life together and long may it last. But I'm sorry. Sorry about what I can no longer give you. I never thought I say this but if you fuck Kelsey, I won't object. Subject to conditions, of course."

Jim's eyebrows were up in his non-existent hairline. The hairs on his arms stood up on end. "You what..."

"Let me finish. I would expect our relationship to remain more or less the same. I'd insist on knowing when you were with Kelsey. This offer does not extend beyond her. You must be discreet and withdraw from any relationship that threatens her marriage or her children. I don't want to know what goes on between you. If my present circumstances change, you will break it off, gently, from Kelsey. Got all that? A Hall Pass."

Jim was stunned. "I don't know what to say, except you are Saintly in your attitude."

"No. I'm not. I'm a realist. If not Kelsey, I'm sure you'd meet someone else. I see you looking at other attractive women. You have always done that, but now it's different. The looks are longer and with a more lustful intent. We've been through a lot together and I don't want to lose you."

Gee paused for a long time. Jim had no clue as to how to respond. He remained silent, out of words, for a long while, then managed, "I love you very much my sweet Gertrude."

"I love you too, sweetie. More tea?" Gee smiled at me. "That's settled then. Maybe, I can relax the rules a bit, and extend the hall pass to Plain Jane across the road too. She's always had the hots for you." Gee giggled.

"Thanks, but no thanks." He made a face and Gee laughed. Jim reached over and squeezed her hand.

"I'm not really sure why this came up now, but I imagine this conversation was very difficult for you." Jim said honestly

"Funnily enough, my art teacher got me thinking. I asked him about the design of his wedding ring. Quite beautiful with three interlinked bands of white gold, yellow gold and red. He explained that the white gold represented honest communication, yellow for the union of their hearts and the red was for the passion of an open marriage. I'm not quite that broadminded but it did make me think."

Gee knew nothing about Jim writing erotica. He had started five years after her accident. After their conversation, Jim realized the erotic writing was compensating for their lack of sexual activity. He asked himself, "Should I let Gee in on my writing? She was an English major and a librarian after all." On the other hand, he didn't wish to upset her.

************

Next morning Jim checked his main email account, spun off a few curt replies and deleted the junk mail. Gee was fiddling around in the basement. Nothing special. Then he then opened his Gmail account.

Iggy:

You know the routine. Some place in the first few paras or your story you just have to include a description of the characters:

Bill did not look his full six foot one. He held himself fully upright. The width of his shoulders and the depth of his large frame redirected attention from his good height. He moved his large body with a light deftness that spoke to his days playing semi-professional tennis when he was younger. He had a firm butt and his thick thighs stretched the leg openings of the white tennis shorts he often wore. His calves were large and strong. What other junk the shorts contained was not immediately evident.

He had sensitive long, narrow, almost feminine, hands in stark contrast to the rest of his build. His square face was well balanced in its proportions with the exception of a roman nose that was a touch too long. He often gave a demonstration, much like a party trick, of touching his nose or cleft in his chin with his tongue. The full head of hair gave a white shock to his countenance. The bushy eyebrows cast a deep shadow over light blue eyes that twinkled with humor and delight as evidenced by the deep laughter lines that bracketed his eyes. One was drawn to his intense gaze. The whole package was supported by a deep melodic voice. The only hint of his age was to be found in his hairy ears. [Jim thought, dammit she was describing me. Inaccurately and with a touch of exaggerated irony.]

XXXK

******

XXXK aka Nann

Bit too florid (look it up. remember I'm married to a librarian) for me.

Iggy:

*******

Iggy:

WTF. Nann? NANN? Makes me sound more ancient than you.

XXXK

*******

Nann:

.. that's the danger of hanging out with an old guy. LOL...Naughty And Nice Neighbor. Nann is camouflage. XXXK sounds like a slick, supercharged Jaguar coupe, which may be too close to the mark for anonymity.

Ig.

*********

Ig.

Now I know what it feels like to have old age creeping up on me!

You win, for now. Show me your description of Ruth (where did you find that name? I'd rather be called Alycia.) Describe Ruthy. (me!).

(Reluctantly and for the time being) Nann

******

Nann:

I can do florid too, you know.