Oh Teacher, My Teacher Ch. 03

"Thank you, Crystal. I haven't had time to work out how to approach this. I may fail. It may not be part of Astrid's nature to give it all up. I hope I'm going to be successful. She's too important to me not to try.

"I'm a beginner at relationships and I'm no psychologist. I might be a million miles wrong. I don't want to do anything to lose her. But ... somehow, I have to get her to tell me she loves me so that I believe she truly means it. Does that make sense?"

"Yes, Rick. It makes all the sense in the world. For someone who doesn't have much experience, you've learned a lot in a hurry," she smiled.

"Yeah. Astrid is an incredible woman. A fantasy, almost. Did you know that we got together when she asked me out on a date?"

"Yes, Henrik told me. That's Astrid. She'd probably sized you up at some point before she ever approached you. That's her style. I'm sure it can be intimidating to some guys."

I was nodding my agreement as she spoke. "I told her the other day that I felt like a prize bull at a livestock auction."

Crystal burst into a hearty laugh, her head thrown back. "Well you know what's expected from a prize bull, don't you?"

"Yeah. Do I ever."

Dinner that evening was noisy. Lots of talk and laughter and good food. I discovered that Crystal did all the cooking and she was very good. I hoped I hadn't made a pig of myself when I could barely manage a small piece of her "Death by Chocolate" dessert.

I was able to relax since Henrik accepted me so readily. I don't know whether Crystal said anything to him, but he treated me as an equal and I never for one moment thought I wasn't welcome in that house. After the meal, Crystal went to the kitchen to clean up and Astrid to her room to unpack. Henrik and I retreated to his study-cum-library.

"You have captured my daughter, Rick," he said with a slight European accent. We were each nursing a very fine cognac and feeling very mellow.

"I have to confess, sir, I am in love with her."

"I can see that. In her own way, she is in love with you too."

"In her own way?"

"She does not easily surrender herself, Rick. When her mother died, something died in little Astrid. All these years I have wanted her to be happy. To find love and be as happy as Crystal and I are. She is holding back some part of herself. I don't know why. Perhaps she is afraid of being hurt again.

"I hope you can unlock that door. You, or someone like you. You are genuine, I think. You did not know of her wealth, or who I was. Yes ... she is beautiful, but I also know this about her. She does not suffer fools gladly, as my English friends would say.

"She had never had a serious relationship with any man until you came along. If you are wondering how I know this ... she talks to me on the telephone ... every week. I've known about you from the day she invited you to the Christmas party. I hope you aren't offended."

"No ... no ... not at all. I'm glad she's been keeping in touch with you. That's good. I wish I could convince her to give Crystal a chance. I think she would be good for her if only Astrid would let her."

The silver-haired man nodded. "Yes. It's very sad. I understand some of it, but ... it's been so long now. So long since her mother died. Sooner or later, she has to let go. Let her mother rest in peace."

We sat in silence for a while, savoring the brandy, each of us lost in thought.

"Astrid and my mother have become quite close," I said.

"She told me. Eleanor ... that is her name?"

"Yes."

"I must invite your parents here. I would like to meet them. I understand you father plays golf?"

"Yes. He's a member at University Club."

"Good. I belong to Shaughnessy. Perhaps we can have a game together."

"I'll leave that to you two," I said, before voicing my thoughts. "Maybe we're getting ahead of ourselves. As much as I love Astrid, I need to believe that she loves me with the same ... intensity."

Henrik smiled. "I have confidence in you, Rick. I'm very good at sizing people up quite quickly. I believe you are bringing out the best in Astrid. I don't know how or when ... but I am confident things will work out." With that, he sat back in his chair, a comfortable smile on his face as he swirled his cognac in its snifter.

As with my parents, there was no pretense that Astrid and I were not intimate. Our bedroom was located at the farthest end of the mansion from the master suite. Overhearing Astrid's orgasmic cries would not likely be a problem.

"What do you think of my father?" Astrid asked as she snuggled into my chest that night.

"I like him. He's genuine and very straightforward. He and I have some common interests in European economics. He virtually insisted I give him a verbal version of my graduate essay."

"Good. I knew you would. I've been telling him all about you."

"Yes ... so I hear."

"Does that bother you?"

"No. Not at all. I've been telling my parents about you. Fair is fair."

"Daddy says I've chosen well."

I didn't respond. There it was again, her "choosing." It was my turn now.

"I had a long talk with Crystal this afternoon. I have to tell you, I really like her. I think you would too if you gave her half a chance."

"She's OK, I guess. I'm kind of getting used to her," she sighed.

"Damned by faint praise."

"What?"

"If I told you that Crystal loves your father with all the passion and devotion that my parents love each other, would you believe it?"

"I don't know. I've never thought about it."

"She does, you know. And your father gives it right back to her ... in spades."

"How do you know this?"

"I can see how they are together and I know from talking to both of them that they are very deeply in love with each other. That doesn't mean that your father has forgotten your mother. It means that he has accepted that he has a life to live that your mother couldn't share. He's made that life with Crystal and never regretted it. She feels exactly the same way."

Astrid was silent. I rolled toward her and saw the tears and felt her shoulders shake with her sobs. It was the first time I had ever seen Astrid show raw emotion. I upset her with my comments. It wasn't what she wanted to believe. I wondered if I had damaged our relationship. I put my hand gently on her shoulder.

It took a while, but the sobs subsided and the tears stopped and eventually, Astrid rolled to face me.

"Do you love me, Rick?"

"You know I do."

"I need you, Rick. I need you to make love to me. I need you to tell me that you love me. I need you to be with me every day. Can I count on you, Rick?"

"Yes, Astrid. You can count on me," I said softly as I pulled her to me.

She didn't need to encourage me. Just her presence ... her soft, lovely skin, her scent, her beautiful body. I was erect and ready for whatever she wanted. She wasn't in the mood for aggressive sex. She wanted something slower and more intimate.

I pulled her on top of me and she soon propped herself up on her knees and took me in her hand, guiding me to her center. Within seconds, I was inside, feeling the heat of her body on my cock. She collapsed onto my chest and we slowly began to move in rhythm. I was happy with this. I felt I could last a long time and Astrid seemed to be content with this pace as well.

I have no idea how many times I have made love to Astrid since we came together last December. Countless, but each of them has been unique and inspiring. Astrid continued to teach me whenever she thought it necessary, and I was a willing student. But tonight was something unusual. There was another component to our joining. Something new. Something different.

We were floating on an erotic cloud. I was barely moving in her. Each little movement elicited a soft moan from Astrid. There was a contentment about her that I hadn't felt before. I couldn't ever recall experiencing this kind of sexual satisfaction in quite this way. It was peaceful and loving and I would have been happy for it to carry on endlessly.

"Oh, lover. This is so nice," she whispered.

"Mmmmmm."

"I think we can go on forever like this."

"Mmmmmm."

"I can feel your heartbeat, lover," she said softly as her head came up, kissing me gently. "It's very slow. That's good."

It was what I imagined being in suspended animation would be like, yet it was more intense and erotic than I had ever experienced. I wondered briefly if this was what Tantric sex was like. I was sensing a deeper connection to Astrid. A spiritual connection? It required no effort. It felt almost as if we were becoming one being, in perfect harmony with each other.

I was lost in the ecstasy of this woman's charms. I was a follower, not a leader. And yet, for the first time, she wasn't leading. We were in perfect unison. Two bodies, one purpose. I wanted Astrid to have the intense pleasure that I was enjoying. I wanted to give that to her.

"Oh ... oh ... Rick ... this is so ... amazing," she crooned.

I knew that she was experiencing what I was. She was just as much in awe of the incredible experience we were sharing. This wasn't sex. It was making love. It defined what making love meant. We had discovered a new place in our relationship.

When it ended, it didn't end with some earth-shattering orgasm for either of us. It ended much as it started, with our arms around each other, holding tight and rocking back and forth gently. I was still inside her, but softening now. We experienced something powerfully different and we both recognized it.

"We have to come back here again, Rick. This was too good not to find it again."

"I've never felt anything like that ... ever. Amazing!" I agreed. I wondered if we accidentally found something I had only read about in books.