This year was going to be a good Christmas.

Dave leaned back and took another sip of latte, watching the Food Court crowds scurry. This corner table served a calm oasis amongst the bustle, giving him time to reflect.

Of course, last year’s Christmas wouldn’t be tough to beat. Getting asked for a divorce Thanksgiving Day. Claire out of the house with half the furniture by the 10^th. Christmas Eve alone in the empty rooms watching the cat scamper across the floor. Then far too many questions from cousins and parents and second cousins and aunts and cousins once removed and more cousins. Forget the season of giving, the season of joy, it was the season of nosy questions! And all “What happened?” with none being “How can I help?”

This year would be different. This year was going to be a good Christmas.

The sense of someone approaching tugged Dave from his scattered memories and back to the present. He glanced up into smiling emerald eyes and a devilish grin. Jen. With Will right beside her, of course, also smirking. His friends were irrepressible that way. Will slid his arm around Jen’s waist and then straightened up into mock self-righteousness.

“See, I told you we’d find him here.”

“Well, duh,” Dave replied. “I told you I was going shopping at the mall today.”

“Ah yes,” Will retorted, “but I said you’d not only be at the mall, but you’d be sitting in the food court, drinking a latte, wallowing in self-pity.”

Dave rolled his eyes. “That predictable?”

“Of course. I have known you for nearly 20 years, after all.” Will turned to Jen. “Dave’s post-rejection pout has followed the same pattern since junior high. Dave goes to a public place, drinks caffeine, and wallows in the corner hoping no one will notice. When you emailed to say you wouldn’t be bringing Kim to the party Saturday night, I knew where to find you.”

“Kim was three dates and out,” Dave said. “I was never sure she was really interested, and on the third date she decided to use her cell phone to check her messages while I was driving us to dinner. Which wouldn’t have been so bad if she hadn’t then spent the rest of the drive returning calls.”

Will visibly winced.

“So I figured there was no point in bringing her to the party. It wasn’t so much that I was rejected as I got smart.” Yeah right, this bluff was going nowhere. “I’m not pouting. I’m just not feeling very much in a holiday mood.”

Jen leaned forward, nearly resting her elbows on the table. “Ah, what’s wrong, Dave, not feeling very merry?”

Dave barely heard her. Her low cut and loose blouse had fallen away, revealing an expanse of smooth, pale curvaceous skin. She was definitely a healthy C-cup and was that a bit of areola peeking out above the lace? Dave let out the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding and then caught himself. He’d been staring. Feeling the flush beginning to rise in his cheeks, he quickly diverted his gaze to Jen’s face. She was smiling too smugly to break into laughter and he knew he’d been caught.

“Feeling a little merrier now, Dave?”

He swore he could hear Mae West from the back of her drawl. Jen arched her back slightly, pushing her nipples forward and Dave was sure he could see them hardening behind the fabric. He could hear Will chuckling.

“Not my fault, my man,” Dave said past Jen to Will. “You’re the one dating the damn exhibitionist.”

Jen laughed before Will could speak up.

“Well of course,” Will said, “I’m a voyeur. Who better for me to date than an exhibitionist like Jen?”

Jen rolled her shoulders, creating slow waves across her chest, drawing Dave’s eyes back to her cleavage. She leaned forward further, deepening his view.

God what a beautiful sight.

“Besides,” she uttered in a stage whisper, “He likes it when other guys look. As much as I do.” Jen stood back up, the devilish grin firmly in place. The show was over.

“Come shopping with us,” Will cajoled. “It’ll be fun. I promise.”

“Yeah Dave,” Jen added, still grinning. “I guarantee you’ll enjoy it.”

With a guarantee like that from Jen, how could he lose?

And he did have fun, Dave mused later. First they’d hit the bookstore, taking time between searching for gifts for Will’s numerous relatives to point out favorite titles to each other. Dave’s taste ran to sci-fi and fantasy, but he was pleasantly surprised by the number of “classic” novels that he’d actually read when Jen or Will pointed out some they’d enjoyed. He’d thoroughly enjoyed browsing the history section, noting new titles by familiar authors, but realizing he’d better wait until after the holidays to purchase them, lest he potentially step on any gift giver’s toes. And of course, Jen just had to drag them over to the human sexuality section where after a few minutes she declared, loudly enough to draw the startled look of another patron, that it was hopeless because there wasn’t a single book in the section that she could get for Will, since he already knew more than any of the authors. Will had the decency to blush above his shit eating grin and Dave just rolled his eyes as they ambled to the register to ring up their loot.

Jen’s antics continued when they hit the clothing stores. She insisted Will try on every hat she found, from cowboy hats to stocking caps to ball caps with stupid slogans. Will took it in good humor, even when he looked so patently ridiculous that Dave couldn’t help chuckling. The only time his mood dropped was when they were in Hallmark. He’d seen a particularly sappy romantic card, thought that Claire would like it, and then remembered.

Jen must have seen his face fall. She walked up, gently took the card from his hand, glanced at it, and then put it back.

“It can be hard being single for the holidays,” she said, her sympathy clearly sincere. “I had a few rough Christmases before I met Will.” She slid her arm around him in a gentle hug.

“Claire and I were together for five years,” Dave said, the hollowness ringing in his own ears. “I had thought it would be forever. And yeah, I got my hopes up for Kim way too early. I guess I just didn’t want to be alone.”

“You’re not alone,” Jen said, giving him a friendly squeeze.

Dave smiled. They rested in a quiet pause, before Jen spoke again.

“What about Jennifer?”

Jennifer.

Will and Jen had introduced Dave to Jennifer last May. She was uncanningly like Jen. Both gorgeous curvaceous redheads with great athletic legs. Jennifer was an inch or two shorter with hazel eyes instead of green, but they could easily pass as sisters, if not twins.

Jennifer had shown up at Will’s birthday party but Dave had been too lost in his own thoughts to notice her until Will gently steered him into the conversation circle by the fireplace. She’d been funny and quick witted—teasing Will about being the first to hit the big 3-0, then sliding some bad puns into a conversation about food. Dave had really relaxed and enjoyed the broad flirting that occurred as the party wound down, though he took it as just fun with no real interest behind it. Will emailed him Jennifer’s phone number the next day and harangued him until he agreed to ask her out.

Their first date had evolved from “just coffee” into dinner and then late night drinks with lots of laughter. He’d felt relaxed and enjoyed the glimmer in her eyes during the silences between topics. She’d taken his hand, walking back to their cars, and, after unlocking her car door and throwing her purse on the passenger seat, wrapped her arms around his neck. The kiss had been sweet and hot, tender and passionate, and his blood had roared in his ears all the way home.

Running more on autopilot than anything, he’d arranged a second date to the theatre. She’d looked stunning in her version of the little black dress, her copper curls cascading over her shoulders, black hose highlighting those legs, and just a hint of naughtiness in her smile. They’d started kissing at the car, and then on her porch. She was incredibly passionate and soon he was kissing her earlobes, her neck, and her lips again. He was running his hands across her back, stealing more kisses, feeling her grab his ass. Sliding his hands down to cup her ass cheeks in return. Then freezing.

His right hand had passed over a garter belt strap. She’d worn a garter belt on a date with him. He could feel the panic rising up the back of his spine. He’d slowed down, letting the passion cool, and then made some lame excuse and escaped to his car. Ran away, really. The next day he’d been too embarrassed to call her, or return her call the day after that.

He brought himself back from his memories.

“I just wasn’t ready,” he said to Jen. “I really liked her, but it was obvious that it was going to get serious awfully soon, and I wasn’t ready. It was still too soon after Claire.”

“And you’re ready now?”

Dave let out a deep breath. “Yeah, I’m ready now. Except that Jennifer won’t want to talk to me, the way I ended our last date. So I’m stuck going out with women like Kim.”

“You never know,” Jen commented. “Jennifer might understand. She got divorced herself two years ago. Besides, she might’ve had friends who could explain it to her.”

The last comment sounded too intentionally innocent to Dave’s ears, but he decided he really didn’t want to ask.

“You should call her,” Jen continued. “I bet she’d love to go out with you again.”

“I don’t know. How would I start that conversation? It would be one thing if I ran into her on the street, but it’s quite another to call her out of the blue. I’m not sure I could do that.”

Jen just hmm’ed in response.

Will came up at that moment with his card selections and they headed for the cashier. Another eight stores and another ten hat modelings found them in front of the Victoria’s Secret.

“It’s not a mall if it doesn’t have a Victoria’s Secret,” Will joked.

“C’mon guys—time to get something for me,” Jen announced. “And you, of course, dear love,” directed to Will.

What the heck, Dave thought, and followed them in.

Jen was a tornado. From one display to another, to a hanging rack and then a table of panties, she seemed to consider every item and evaluate it faster than Dave could even notice the fabric type. She was a pro in her element. The pile of lingerie she carried grew as they worked their way towards the back of the store. Finally she slowed to a pause and then motioned to the two guys to follow her as she approached a sales clerk.

“Changing room?”

The clerk motioned towards a discreet doorway on a side wall and Dave and Will worked their way over in Jen’s wake. She and the clerk arrived first and went around a small bend to the actual changing rooms, the clerk extracting her key as she went. Dave and Will pulled up at the outer doorway, meeting the clerk coming back.

“So, we wait here?” Dave asked.

“Yeah. Sometimes I go in with her, but I always feel a little uncomfortable if there are women in the other changing rooms.”

“Oh?”

“They can hear.”

“Oh? Oh.”

Dave leaned up against the wall and looked around the store. The clerk was an attractive brunette, but her attitude was pure professional. She glanced over at the guys a couple of times with an all business smile. The remaining shoppers ran the usual gamut of women. Older women in their 40’s and 50’s browsing the bra section. A pair of girls obviously still in high school tittering near some teddies. A woman in her 30’s sorting through a rack of silk tops.

“Ah hem.”

Dave turned back to the changing room entrance and once again his breath caught. Jen was standing there, hands on hips, obviously waiting for her men’s attention to return to where it rightfully belonged.

And boy did it rightfully belong there. Her outfit was deep emerald green silk. A plunging v-neck revealed almost all of her breasts and yes, her nipples were hard and poking through. The top ended just above her belly button and was matched by silk tap pants. Smiling at the admiration, Jen slowly turned around, letting Dave and Will see how the silk hugged her ass.

“You like?” she asked, Mae West returning to her voice.

Dave could only nod as Will managed a “Hell yes!”

Jen beamed at his comment. “Then I better go try on the next one,” she said, heading down towards the changing room. Watching her saunter away, Dave could feel his body stir. Oh yes, he was definitely ready to date again.

“You have an incredible girlfriend,” Dave told Will after a lengthy silence.

Will smiled. “Well, you could have one too, you know.”

“That looks like that? And is that bold? Hell, that brazen?”

“Sure.” Will held his voice steady, but Dave could tell he was trying to avoid laughing out loud. Before Dave could begin to sputter about the impossibility of such a thing, Jen returned.

This time, her outfit was black. A black gauze robe over a tiny lace bra and g-string, with matching black thigh high stockings. Again, a full smile of pleasure as she noted the men watching. With a roll of her shoulders she turned her back to them and let her hair cascade over the top of the robe. Set against the filmy gauze, it seemed more lustrous somehow.

“I am dating the most beautiful woman in the world!” Will exclaimed. His face was ablaze in delight.

Jen looked over her shoulder at Will, the awe and delight evident in her face as well.

This is what makes them work, Dave realized. Those looks between them. Suddenly feeling like an intruder in their private moment, he backed away, just as the clerk brushed by him leading someone to the dressing rooms. He managed to turn the wrong way in getting out of the clerk’s way and bumped into a rack of hanging clothes. By the time he got it straightened up, only Will was in the doorway.

“I’m going to go in,” Will said.

Before Dave could reply, he was alone.

Dave leaned back against the doorway wall, amused at the speed of his friend’s departure. What was it that made someone he’d known most of his life jump so quickly? Will wasn’t whipped, Dave knew. It was more like Will enjoyed exaggerating his response to Jen’s teases. There was a pleasure there—something precious that Dave could sense from the sidelines but not really name. Something that made life good for Will. Really good.

The sales clerk approached Dave.

“The lady would like your opinion on her current outfit. Second door on the left.”

Slightly surprised, Dave headed down the short hallway and opened the dressing room door.

She was alone and facing away. Red locks of hair tumbled over the top of an ivory white corset—the laces running down her back. Silk panties tight across the globes of her ass and white stockings completed the outfit. Wow. Dave could feel his pulse speed up.

She turned around, smiling. Hazel eyes instead of green. Jennifer.

“Hello, Dave.” The warmth in her voice melted his surprise. “Jen said I might run into you here.” She paused for a long moment. “Actually, she called me and told me she’d bring you here.” She let that sink in.

“Do you like my outfit?”

“I love your outfit.” Dave stepped forward and slid his arms around her, then down to her ass. Jennifer snuggled a little closer and tilted her head up facing his. His right hand brushed a garter strap. Then he ran his fingers down its edge. It felt glorious.

“It’s incredible, just like you,” he said.

Jennifer flushed at the compliment, then parted her lips slightly as he kissed her. The kiss was sweet and hot, tender and passionate, and he knew. He just knew.

This year was going to be a good Christmas.

Cold.

He was awake because he was cold.

No blankets. That would explain cold.

Sound.

Gentle breathing to his left.

Jennifer. That would explain no blankets.

Dave slowly rolled onto his side. Yep. Only a mass of red hair was visible, all the bed’s blankets pulled tightly around her shoulders. He’d roll his eyes in exasperation if he could keep them open long enough.

Fortunately, there was a cure for cold. Dave slowly wiggled forward, sliding the blankets up and then himself under them, nestling against Jennifer’s bare skin. She stirred just a little—enough to let him perfectly spoon her. He slid an arm around her, resting his hand in the valley between her breasts.

Warm. Very warm. She was a great heat source.

Dave dozed. Time passed unnoticed.

Noise.

He was awake because there was noise. More awake this time, it must be closer to morning.

The noise again. Wailing? Crying? Moaning? It was coming from downstairs.

Oh. Will and Jen. Dave smiled. Jen was certainly having a good morning. He suspected that Will was too, though much more quietly. Good for them.

Dave decided to just enjoy the unintentional eavesdropping as he drifted further awake. He was glad they had stayed. Last night’s New Year’s Eve party had been a fairly quiet affair—just the four of them and three other couples. While he knew that no one would drink enough to be seriously impaired, he had suggested beforehand that Will and Jen bring overnight bags so they could avoid dealing with the drunks on the drive home. In all honesty, his real reason had been that he had really wanted that time after the other guests had left, when it was just the four of them, sitting and telling stories. He had enjoyed listening to Will over-exaggerate their college exploits while Jennifer cuddled in his arms. When the yawns became too contagious, he’d helped Will and Jen unfold the sleeper sofa and then led Jennifer up to his bedroom.

Gentle movement drew his attention back to the woman in his arms. Her hands had dropped below her waist and were moving rhythmically. He slid his hand over to her breast, gently cupping it and running his thumb over her nipple. Now aware that he was awake, Jennifer stopped trying to be subtle in her motions and began to masturbate in earnest.

Jennifer didn’t climax during intercourse. She said she never had—that she needed more direct clitoral stimulation. She enjoyed intercourse quite a bit, as Dave could attest, and was very responsive when he was inside her. She just needed a bit more to go over the edge. They’d found that interspersing time for tongues, fingers, and toys amidst the actual fucking left them both very satisfied. Dave got what he wanted most—watching Jennifer’s face as she came. Jennifer got what she wanted most—feeling Dave’s cock pulse as he exploded inside her. “Horrible combination of fetishes” they had joked—each being more interested in the other’s orgasm than their own.

Dave let go of Jennifer’s breast long enough to sweep the hair away from her neck and cheek. Pulling himself up onto his elbow, he began to kiss her—neck, cheek, behind the ear. Jennifer was starting to gasp in ragged breaths while, as if by design, Jen’s cries from below grew louder. Dave leaned a little closer, placing his lips near Jennifer’s ear.

“God, I want you.” he murmured.

Jennifer stiffened and let out a low moan. He felt her legs and hips twitch back against his as her orgasm rolled through her. He watched it arrive at her face—the clenched squint of surprise, followed by the dazzled wash of happiness. Once again, it was glorious. As she caught her breath, Jennifer shifted onto her back, smiling up at him. She reached down and caressed his erection.

“My turn, big boy. Get a condom.” The huskiness in her voice brooked no delay. Moments later he positioned himself above her, then let her guide him inside.

They found their rhythm almost immediately. It was hard to believe they’d only been together a few weeks, he mused. Then they locked eyes. Staring into those hazel depths, Dave tumbled beyond words. The warmth of Jennifer’s gaze. The caress of her hands across his back. The heat surrounding his cock. The squeezes that matched his thrusts. An indefinite time later, as the rhythm speeded up, Jennifer’s cries increased in pitch and his own breath grew ragged, she got her wish. She even smiled as his body trembled. She was still smiling after he’d pulled out, taken care of the condom, and rejoined her under the blankets. She snuggled in, head on his shoulder, one leg across him, hand caressing his chest.

“Happy New Year,” he murmured.

Jennifer hugged him in return.

“Great way to start the year,” he said, kissing her brow.

She laughed lightly in response.

“Well, Jen was certainly an inspiration,” Jennifer replied, sliding her hand down to slowly caress his still semi-hard cock.

Dave laughed out loud.

“That she certainly is,” he agreed. “But so are you.” He kissed her brow again.

“Awww.” Jennifer shifted and smiled up at him, that mushy happy smile that came after each heartfelt compliment of his.

He just smiled back and lightly tussled her hair.

“It does sound like they’re done though,” Dave continued. “So we should probably get up and go see what they want to do.”

Jennifer stretched up and kissed him, then tossed back the covers and got out of bed. She threw on a black kimono while Dave hunted for a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt that would be decent enough for company. He paused to watch her brush her hair. God, she was so beautiful. There was a strength to her stance and a poise that just took his breath away, combined with the fluid motions of her arms as she worked the brush through her thick hair. Wow. Just wow. Jennifer finished brushing, and smiled at him.

“Let’s go,” she said, taking his hand and leading him towards the door.

Jen was sitting on the couch, her feet tucked under her, loosely wearing a short green silk robe. “Loosely” was the operative word—there was a good three inch gap revealing some delightful cleavage and much of the curves of her breasts. Dave tried to peek lower, but the angle of her legs obscured his ability to tell if she was a true redhead or not. He looked back at Jen’s face and her grin told him that he’d once again gotten caught staring. He grinned back, with only a little bit of embarrassed flush in his cheeks. Jen slowly ran the fingers of her right hand down the exposed flesh to just below her breasts, then tugged at the edge of the robe. Open another inch for a long second, and then fully closed. Dave let out a deep sigh. Jennifer playfully punched him in the arm.

“She’s not showing you anything you haven’t seen before.” Jennifer’s eyes danced merrily as Dave turned to her, smiling in return.

“Maybe not, but it’s still nice to look.” He was continually and delightfully amazed at how jealousy seemed to be missing from Jennifer’s nature. He leaned forward and kissed her lightly.

“Well maybe I’ll show him something he hasn’t seen before,” Jen’s drawl drew their attention back to her. Jen was standing now, a few feet away, holding the robe closed, her sash untied.

“Show him what?” Will asked, walking in from the kitchen door behind Jen carrying two steaming mugs.

Jen turned around to face Will and slowly pulled her robe open in a classic raincoat flasher pose.

“Show him this!” she exclaimed.

Dave stifled a laugh. Standing behind her, he couldn’t see anything, though Will was getting an eyeful.

“Hubba, hubba!” Will called out.

Jen snapped her robe shut. “Hubba, hubba? That’s the best you can do? Hubba hubba?” She looked over her shoulder at Dave and Jennifer.

“Hubba? Hubba?” Dave replied, giving an I-don’t-know shrug.

Jen faked a disdained sniff. “Hubba, Hubba indeed. C’mon Jennifer, let’s leave these heathens and go get a shower. Maybe when we return, they’ll be able to appreciate the finer things in life.”

The two redheads linked arms and headed towards the stairs, Jen holding her chin high with great exaggeration, Jennifer’s eyes alight with mirth before winking at Dave.

Dave turned to Will, rolling his eyes. “So, do you think they’ll shower together?”

“You’re the one who installed the large two person shower in your master bath. What do you think?”

Dave felt a little sheepish. “Claire liked her showers much colder than I did. Mine were too hot for her. That shower was the outcome. At least Claire couldn’t take it with her when she moved out.”

Will set the mugs down and glared at Dave.

“That. Is. Enough. It’s been over a year since Claire left. You’re with Jennifer now, who is ten times the woman that Claire ever was. She’s ten times a better match for you too. And if you keep bringing up Claire, you’re going to lose her. You will not fuck this up, do you understand?”

Dave nodded, mostly out of surprise at his friend’s militant tone.

“In fact, today’s New Year’s,” Will continued. “I suggest you make it your New Year’s resolution to forget about Claire and treat Jennifer as the goddess she is. Because you are never going to get this lucky in a girlfriend again. Understand? At a minimum, I guarantee that Jen and I won’t help you find the next one.”

Ouch. That hit home, given the amount of help Will and Jen had given in getting him together with Jennifer in the first place.

“Do not fuck this up by remaining stuck on Claire.”

“I haven’t been bringing her up. It was—”

“You brought her up three times last night!” Will interrupted. “And don’t think Jennifer didn’t notice!”

Dave sighed. Will was right, dammit.

“Okay. New Year’s resolution—I won’t bring up Claire any more and I’ll treat Jennifer as the goddess she is.”

Will’s gruff demeanor relaxed into a smile. “Good.”

“So now what?” Dave asked.

Will shrugged.

“When the ladies are done, you and I take showers—separately.” Will grinned with that comment, “and then we go out for brunch. Meritage is supposed to have a good spread, and you liked dinner there.”

Dave laughed. He’d taken Jennifer to dinner at Meritage the first night they’d slept together. He remembered that the food had been good, but couldn’t remember much else about it—being too enrapt in the company. Fond memories though.

“Deal. You drive though. You’ve parked me in.”

Will grinned back. “Deal.”

Then they just hung out. Drank coffee, glanced through the newspaper and made jokes about how poorly the local college team was doing. Reminisced about small events from the night before and re-told bad puns. Will admired the new history volumes in Dave’s bookshelf, but not so much as to lead Dave to suggest loaning him one. They heard the water stop and several minutes later Jen wandered in looking for her bag, wearing nothing but a towel. Will let out a low appreciative whistle at the sight of his girlfriend’s barely covered breasts and she beamed at him. Apparently the hubba hubba was forgiven and they shared a passionate kiss before Jen trooped back upstairs. Her only comment to Dave was to thank him for installing shower massage heads, which she and Jennifer had thoroughly enjoyed. Given that the innuendo filling her voice was over the top, he was confident she was just teasing, but he blushed anyway. A short time later, he was able to roll through the shower himself. Will was even quicker when it was his turn, and they were on their way to find food.

Meritage did indeed have a great brunch. It was a high end buffet—tables of hot dishes, cold dishes, pastries, breads, an omelet station, a carving station, a crepe station. Their server got them juice and champagne and they headed for the food. Dave was more hungry than he’d thought.

Later, when he was starting to fill his third plateful, Dave found himself standing in front of the pastry table. He heard a familiar voice from behind him and turned.

“Hello, Dave.”

Claire. It actually was Claire. With some blond muscular guy he’d never seen before.

“How are you doing?”

“I’m doing fine,” Dave replied. There was enough truth in that for him to remain relatively calm. “And you?”

Claire smiled and squeezed Mr. Jock’s hand. “I’m doing well.”

“Steve, this is Dave,” she continued. “My ex-husband.”

Steve nodded in acknowledgement but did not extend his hand.

“Pleased to meet you, Steve,” Dave lied. He turned back to Claire. “I’m glad you found someone. I know being alone is hard for you.” He managed to keep his voice level.

“Um, Dave, you should know that Steve and I are getting married in April.”

“April? Our divorce was just finalized! You’ve barely had time to get to know each other!” So much for remaining calm.

Claire started to look very uncomfortable.

“Well, actually, Steve and I got to know each other before I asked you for a divorce.”

Shit. Oh Shit. Just what he did not need to hear. The kicked-in-his-stomach feeling returned with a vengeance after having been gone for many months.

“I… see.” Dave managed to choke out. “Well, best of luck to you.”

Claire muttered some polite thanks and Dave quickly retreated back to the table. His friends were already there and he got their attention when he just stood by his chair.

"Claire's here. I just ran into her and her fiancé. They're going to be married in April. Apparently they 'got to know each other' while she was still married to me." Sarcasm pooled from his lips with the last sentence.

Will muttered something under his breath, probably obscene, his eyes flaring in anger before control settled again over his features. Jen looked shocked and in disbelief. Jennifer, though, just looked pained—as if remembering some wound of her own.

"At least now I know why she left," Dave pronounced.

“Do we need to leave?” Jennifer asked.

“No, let her be the one to leave. Again.”

Will stared at him for a moment, and then toyed with his champagne glass while Dave slid into his seat. An uncomfortable silence prevailed.

"You know," Will started, then paused until he had all their attention. "We have this champagne and we haven't had a toast. I'd like to propose one."

A few glances back and forth and the women raised their glasses, clearly trusting Will’s lead. Dave straightened up and lifted his glass towards the others. Will continued.

"To a New Year." The capital letters were clearly pronounced.

Jen and Jennifer both muttered "here here" as glasses clinked all around.

Dave smiled and was able to let go some. The conversation turned to resolutions and past crazy failures and resolutions they thought others should make. He wasn’t quite sure why Jen thought Will should resolve to wear more hats, but given Will’s sheepish grin, there was probably an inside joke in there somewhere. At one point, Jen asked Jennifer when her spring break was.

“Week before Easter. April Fourth through Tenth,” Jennifer replied.

“April? Really?” Jen smiled at Dave a little impishly. “You know, northern New Mexico is supposed to be beautiful in April. How about the four of us take a long weekend to Santa Fe in April?”

Dave wasn’t sure why Jen was picking Santa Fe, but he couldn’t help smiling. Her way of offering to help wasn’t very subtle this time, but very appreciated. Being out of town in April would be great.

All too soon the check arrived, the delightfully distracting conversation ebbed in a bustle of coats and Will finding his car keys, and they headed out in relative silence.

Dave drifted back to thoughts of Claire. Except there were no thoughts really, just the gut emotions of having been stupid and foolish and made a fool of. He’d never seen more than hints that she was having an affair, or that that had been why she’d left. Worse, he couldn’t believe how much he’d defended her the past year in conversations with others. Now her name felt like ash on his tongue.

Dave was in a fog most of the way home. He knew the other three were chattering and laughing around him, but while his eyes tracked the interplay, his mind did not. He was aware that Jennifer never let go of his hand. She was keeping the conversation light with Will and Jen, but toward the end of the ride, he caught her looking at him with deep concern. That got through.

He started remembering the first time he met Jennifer—that gentle laugh and the horrible puns. Later, the heat of their first kiss, fiery and tender at the same time. And of course, there was the surprise and delight of their second connection—her boldness in inviting him into the Victoria’s Secret dressing room and their passionate kisses while Jen and Will chuckled outside the door.

But there was more.

There was the theatre date later that weekend. Much like their theatre date the first time with two twists—this time it was a Sunday matinee and this time Jennifer had worn nothing but stockings and a garter belt under her dress. He hadn’t discovered that until very late in the evening. Theatre had stretched into dinner and then a walk through the downtown shopping district, holding hands and stopping to steal kisses under the pretense of looking at Christmas lights. They’d ended up back at his place, first kissing on the couch, then sliding to the floor. Hours had gone by, just kissing and caressing all the PG-rated places. He’d been gently teasing her—kissing lightly behind her ears, watching her squirm in pleasure as she became more aroused—when she seemed to pass some threshold. Jennifer had pushed him onto his back, straddled him, and then found her dress was too tight for her to really spread her knees far enough. Her solution, suggested with a mischievous grin, was for him to unzip her and help her get the dress out of the way.

She was a natural redhead.

He almost lost it, seeing her standing there in just black stockings and a black garter belt. Fortunately, he didn’t actually lose “it” until much later, with her able and eager assistance. After he’d gotten her off with his own fingers, of course. That was the first time he got to watch the pleasure of an orgasm course through her body and face. But not the last time, not by far.

They’d been nearly inseparable the next several days. He was grateful that things were slow enough at work that he could take that Monday off with just a last minute phone call. Jennifer didn’t need to make a call—the final exams she’d given her classes had been scheduled early and she’d turned in the grades the previous Friday, leaving her on break. They spent the day cuddling and talking. He played DJ for a while, sharing his favorite songs. They made a quick run for videos when she discovered he’d never seen Gone with the Wind and he snagged Casablanca, a favorite they shared.

The rest of the week had been pretty similarly low key. Jennifer came over after he’d gotten home from work, a couple of times after dinner but once in time for him to cook for her and another in time for them to get to his favorite Mexican restaurant. She would read her novel if he had chores to do that evening or head back to her place early. If not, they’d talk or watch more movies. Of course, they always found time for extended kisses and “play,” as tongues and lips traveled to where fingers had gone before. She could be so damn cute when she came!

Then there was the night they first made love. Dinner at Meritage had been two and a half hours of gentle foreplay—long lingering gazes, amusing anecdotes on both sides, and several stretches of open hearted sharing about dreams and fears and passions. Could he ever really explain it? How hearing her describe her delight in seeing a student understand captivated him more than any glimpse of thigh or curve of breast? Maybe the descriptive words would arrive some day. That night they were creating magic of their own—it was not a time for critical analysis or long reflection as he so often did. When they finally did retire to bed, it was almost languid. No urgency and no destination, as long as they were entwined, his body inside hers.

And then there was this morning. The way she looked, brushing her hair. The smile as she headed up the stairs arm in arm with Jen. Her laughing over brunch. She continually took his breath away—more than any woman had ever done. He was both relaxed with her, and thoroughly alive.

She truly was a goddess.

When he drifted back from the memories, he was smiling. He looked over at Jennifer. Her look of concern was gone and she was smiling warmly at him in return.

After Jen and Will had waved their goodbyes and departed, Dave turned to Jennifer and took both her hands in his. Taking a deep breath, he looked deep into her eyes and practically willed the passion and energy in his gut to flow through his heart and to his throat.

“Jennifer, I really appreciate you being with me today.”

She smiled.

“You are the best thing to happen to me in a long time and perhaps ever.”

Mushy happiness started to creep into her smile.

“And I want you to really know that. So I want to show you. If you’ll stay this afternoon, I’ll get out the massage oil. I’ll draw you a bubble bath, and then I’ll cook dinner. I’ll…”

Jennifer shushed him by placing a finger on his lips.

“Just kiss me.”

Dave pulled her into his arms and kissed her. It was passionate and intense and went on, and then on some more. They finally parted to catch their breath, and Jennifer beamed at him.

The kiss was just the beginning, he knew. He had a resolution to keep.

The emerald glowed in the sales clerk’s hand.

Dave reached for the chain, letting the gem dangle and shimmer in the light. It still glowed as if backlit, and Dave knew it would look fantastic against Jennifer’s skin. The single stone would fall just above the valley of her breasts and catch the light every time she laughed.

Will leaned in for a closer look. “Wow! That one’s more beautiful than any we’ve seen so far.”

Dave turned the price tag to Will’s view.

“Wow again! How can that cost less than the last two we looked at? It’s clearly better.”

Dave just grinned.

“See? I told you jewelry shopping with me would be an educational experience.”

Will nodded his head in acknowledgement.

Dave twisted the chain in his fingers, letting green sparkles shower the glass case below. With a satisfied sigh, he handed the necklace back to the clerk, followed by his credit card.

“It’s knowing what to look for. Cut, clarity, mounting, quality. Also where to go and where not to go—most of the mall stores are rip-offs. This store, and the last three we were in, are all owned by the artists that make these pieces. A master goldsmith or gemcutter is bound to create something special. If it’s what you’re looking for, it’s a find and the price is much more reasonable than a chain jewelry store can give you.”

“So why is this one cheaper than the last two?”

“Did you see how this one was mounted? Just four simple claws holding it in place. Simple and elegant, and emphasizing the quality of the gem. Now, do you remember how the last one was mounted?”

“It had that gold filigree around the edges and those two small diamonds.”

“Those diamonds were barely chips, but yes. It was the gold filigree that drove the cost of that necklace up. Now, with this one, did you note the cut of the gem? It had several additional facets, creating more possibilities for light to reflect off of it. While the other gem may have been larger, its fewer facets made it less brilliant. And did you notice the chain? Simple and thin?

“Well, yeah, though I didn’t look closely at it.”

“Remember the one at Master Goldsmith’s—the one before last? It was more of a rope than a chain. Again, it made the necklace cost more without making the emerald look any better.

Will snorted. “You’re right. I hadn’t noticed. I probably would have bought that one because it was good enough and I was tired of shopping. When did you get so good at jewelry? It certainly wasn’t when we were back in college.”

“Will, my good man,” Dave relished this chance to lecture Will for a change. “It’s the same way you get good at anything. Pay attention. Notice the details. Experiment a little—which in this case was comparison shopping. When you find what you like, don’t hesitate. It doesn’t matter if it’s jewelry, wine, theatre, music, you name it.”

“Even women?” Will was getting impish and Dave laughed.

“Even women. Especially in bed. Pay attention to the details. Experiment a little. Notice what she likes and keep doing it. Surely you’ve figured that out with Jen by now.”

Will was now chuckling along with Dave. “True. But she keeps surprising me. Finding new things she likes.” Will’s eyes focused far away, lost in memories he chose not to share with Dave. “I think that’s part of why I love her. It’s never boring.”

The sales clerk returned with the authorization sheet for Dave’s signature and inquired about wrapping the necklace. She quickly retreated again upon his assent.

“So… obnoxious personal question.” Dave paused. It had been a while since he’d actually prefaced a question to Will with that comment—they’d been friends long enough not to need it.

For budding friendships and acquaintanceships, Dave usually explained that an ‘obnoxious personal question’ was one that didn’t require an answer. He was letting his conversation partner know than an answer of “None of your business” or “I don’t want to talk about it” would be accepted gracefully and for keeps. More often than not, people actually started relaxing more once those words were uttered and found it easier to open up than if he’d beaten around the bush to get to the same topic.

“When am I going to help you pick out a diamond ring? You and Jen have been together, what, two years now?”

Will sighed. “It’s not that easy. We’ve talked about it, but Jen says she’s not quite ready. But she can’t say what it would take for her to be ready. I think she feels that she’d have to ‘settle down’ or ‘grow up’ or change in some way.”

“And nothing you say makes a difference.”

“Right, nothing I say makes a difference,” Will was nodding. “So I don’t push it. I know she loves me and that’s what matters.”

“Wise man.”

Will met Dave’s eyes in a shared sympathetic grin when the clerk returned. Dave picked up the bag with the necklace.

“Okay. One more stop, then we can head back. There should be a kettle corn vendor outside the food court entrance to the mall.”

“Kettle corn?”

“Jennifer’s favorite snack. Watch and learn.”

Will rolled his eyes and shook his head but followed after Dave.

The men arrived at Jen’s condo to find the girls (women? ladies? Dave was never quite sure how to refer to Jen and Jennifer collectively) chatting on Jen’s couch. Jennifer was radiant, almost glowing, as she smiled up at him. She stood and put her arms around him, drawing his head down for a kiss. Dave’s momentary surprise—this was not how they normally said hello in the presence of others—was quickly overcome and he returned the kiss. As he brought her arms around her, the bag of kettle corn in his hand bumped against her shoulder blades. She pulled back with a question in her eyes. Dave stepped back and brought the bag into her view.

“Have some kettle corn!”

Jennifer glanced quizzically at Dave but, at his urging, took the bag and opened it. She scooped a few kernels out of the top of the bag.

“Have some more!” Dave urged again.

Still looking a little puzzled, Jennifer thrust her hand deeper into the bag. Dave could see the unsaid “huh?” in her face as she first brushed, then grabbed and extracted a box wrapped in purple paper. She sank back onto the couch.

“Hmmm. Must be like Cracker Jack. Why don’t you open it up?” Dave suggested.

She was already ripping the paper off. Jen slid next to Jennifer so she could look over her shoulder as she opened the box.

Jen murmured “oh my” and Jennifer gasped when she opened the lid and saw the gem. She flashed a huge smile at Dave before turning her attention to the task of extracting the necklace and holding it up to the light.

“Oh! Thank you!”

“You’re welcome.” Dave could feel the pleasure of her smile flow through his body.

“We weren’t going to celebrate Valentine’s Day until after your business trip!” Jennifer exclaimed.

Dave blushed a little.

“I know. And we still will. I just thought you might like your present early.”

Jennifer just smiled at him, shaking her head slightly. She fiddled with the clasp, got it open, held her hair up and away, and slid the necklace into place. The emerald glowed, just above the valley of her breasts, as Dave had expected. Then Jennifer got a devilish look in her eye.

“Jen, is your guest room available?”

“Sure,” Jen replied.

“Good. I need to thank my man properly.”

Jennifer stood and took Dave’s hand and pulled him towards the hallway. Will chuckled in the background.

When they got to the guest room, Jennifer pulled him in, shoved the door shut behind them, and pushed him up against it. She threw her arms around his neck and began passionately kissing him. She was on fire! Dave began kissing back, but her lips and tongue pressed incessantly into his faster than he could keep up, and then she was tugging at his belt. He reached down and gave her a hand in undoing it and she immediately started unbuttoning his jeans. Sinking to her knees, she slid his pants and underwear down. Then she finally slowed. Gently cupping his balls with her hand, she slid his rapidly hardening shaft into her mouth.

He’d never asked how she’d learned to deep throat. Instead, Dave just let out a slow moan as Jennifer engulfed his entire cock. She began bobbing her head back and forth, varying between quick tight motions and more languid moves, her tongue caressing his shaft whenever her lips loosened their hold. At the end of one stroke, she let all but the tip slide out, sucking lightly on the head, tongue dancing all around. She brushed her hair aside and looked up, meeting his eyes. Never breaking the stare, she slowly pulled her mouth off his cock, then stuck her tongue out and lightly licked the end as if it were ice cream. The sight was as incredible as the sensation.

She plunged forward, again taking his entire cock. A mass of red curls obscured his view, but the pleasure more than made up for it. He began to breathe heavily as she licked and sucked and caressed, sliding forward and back.

“Gonna… come….”

“No you’re not!” Jennifer had pulled completely off of him and clamped her fingers around the base of his shaft, squeezing. “I want you in me!” She started yanking her own clothes off and Dave used the opportunity to pull his shirt off and kick his jeans away from his ankles.

Jennifer knelt on the floor, leaning her shoulders on the bed. She reached below her and parted her lower lips with her fingers. Dave knelt behind her and lined his cock up. Jennifer’s fingers caressed his shaft and then she guided him inside.

She was incredibly hot and wet. Dave realized that much of the additional heat was because this was their first time without a condom, only have gotten the STD tests the week before. Then Jennifer pushed back against him and thought fled as he lost himself in what was becoming some rather ferocious fucking.

Jennifer gasped and moaned as she rocked in rhythm with him. Dave could tell her fingers were busy on her clit, as she writhed not only to his thrusts but to her own strokes. He grabbed her hips and rolled them slightly, deepening his penetration. Jennifer let out a deep gasp and was soon clamping down on his shaft as her orgasm shuddered through her. The extra tightness was enough to push Dave over the edge. Several deep shots of pleasure coursed through him and he began to collapse forward as Jennifer’s after-tremors caused her to lose her balance as well. They somehow found their way to the floor, entangled and smiling.

“Well that was certainly a surprise!” Dave murmured once they’d shifted into a comfortable cuddling position.

Jennifer giggled and smiled at him. “So was the necklace. One good surprise deserves another, doesn’t it?”

Dave laughed in agreement and pulled her close. Jennifer played with her necklace, caressing the gem and twisting the chain lightly as he held her. They cuddled until the afterglow faded and the coolness of the room drove them back to their clothes.

Jen and Will just smirked when Dave and Jennifer returned. They chitchatted about nothings and then it was time to head for home. Two days later, Jennifer came over to help him pack. They gently made love in the early evening and she slipped away with a lingering kiss—a taste of his return, she said. Dave boarded a too-early flight the next morning for his week of hotel living over Valentine’s Day.

The evening of that holiday found Dave returning to his room sooner than he’d expected—the usual round of drinks with the client having been foregone so the customers could return to their wives. The room felt dark and cold. He turned the thermostat up before noticing the message light on the phone. He and Jennifer had said no calls, with the time zone difference and the anticipation of his late nights and her early mornings, but he couldn’t help smiling at the thought of Jennifer’s voice. Maybe he could return the call since he was back early. But no. The call was from the front desk. A package Fed Ex’ed. The home office, probably. More work to look at before the next day. Dave trudged down to pick it up.

But the package wasn’t from work, it was from Jennifer. A DVD marked “Do not play unless you’re alone.”

Back in his room, Dave slid the DVD into his laptop’s slot. Things whirred and the drive light blinked as the video software fired up. The image was of Jennifer, standing in front of a couch. It was Jen’s living room, Dave realized—the exact same place he’d given Jennifer the necklace. She was looking past the camera at something as the image steadied and the lighting was adjusted. She briefly nodded at some unseen signal and then looked directly into the camera and smiled.

“Hello dearest,” Jennifer began. “When you told me about your business trip and how we couldn’t be together on Valentine’s Day, I dreamed up this gift for you. This way you can see me, even if we can’t touch. Though there will certainly be a lot of touching on my end.” Jennifer broke into a broad grin. “You might want to do a little touching on yours too. At least, if you’re alone!”

“Now before we get to the good stuff,” a little leer appeared on Jennifer’s face, “the credits. Jen’s running the camera and Will is going to do all the formatting so this will play on your laptop.” She broke into a broad grin. “He’s promised not to peek, but I told him that I didn’t mind as long as it was okay with you. I imagine he’ll want to talk to you when you get back.” Her mirth stopped just short of laughter.

“So, to get started, do you like this outfit?” Dave remembered it well. He’d thought that blouse and skirt were a little too risqué for her department’s semester kick-off party, but she’d said the Department Chair wouldn’t mind and she didn’t care about the other professors. The gauzy black blouse dared one to stare through it, though the thin chemise underneath hid the treasures. The skirt was tight across her ass and slit high up the thigh—when she sat, the tops of her stockings peeked through, though she rarely was seated at the department party.

In the video, Jennifer had been moving her arms and stance, striking various poses. Then with deliberation, she turned to one side and ran her hand up her leg, parting the slit.

“See Dave, I wore stockings, the black thigh highs you love.” Pale flesh now showed above the lace top, where Jennifer held the skirt apart. She then turned to face the camera, looked down, and slowly untucked and raised her blouse. Pale skin showed in the gap above her waist.

“Hmmm. I seem to have forgotten the chemise that goes on under this.” Jennifer was smiling into the camera again.

“Which means that if these buttons…” she took hold of the top one.

“…were to happen to come undone…” Flip! It was open and the blouse parted.

“…then I’d be showing…” The next button down slid out of its hole.

“…quite a bit…” Another two buttons found their way unfastened.

“…of myself…” the last were undone.

“Don’t you think?”

Jennifer smiled coyly at the camera while holding the tails of her blouse taut, still concealing all but a thin strip of flesh—from neck, through cleavage, to waist. She slowly turned away, smiling over her shoulder until she was squarely facing the other way. She opened the blouse wide, almost a cape behind her, then rolled her shoulders and shook her hips. Gypsy Lee would have been proud of that grind. Jennifer then let the blouse hang freely, hooking her thumbs over the edge of her skirt. With a wriggle it slid to the floor.

She wasn’t wearing panties.

Jennifer made that ever clearer as she lifted the ends of the blouse, fully exposing her ass, then leaning forward, essentially mooning the camera. Dave felt his breath woosh out—this was the mooning that every teenaged boy had ever wanted to see. With another wiggle Jennifer stood up, then stepped out of her skirt and kicked it aside. Slowly, she slid the blouse off and down her back, freeing her arms at the last moment. It was tossed away, leaving her nude except for stockings and heels. She rolled her shoulders and her hair cascaded down her back. Dave’s eyes followed, enjoying the expanse of her flesh. Jennifer brought her arms in front of her and slowly turned around to face the camera.

Dave almost laughed at Jennifer’s mock innocent expression. She had one hand covering her crotch and the other arm across her breasts, as if caught unexpectedly without her towel. She looked squarely in the camera, shifting from feigned naivety to smoldering.

“I do hope you’re hard now, Big Boy. Because these certainly are.” She dropped the arm covering her breasts, revealing engorged nipples.

“And the thought of you hard, makes me wet.”

Her other hand slid away, revealing trimmed pubes. Arms extended, Jennifer slowly twirled around, a complete circle showing all. Then she sat on the couch behind her, legs parted.

“But perhaps you can’t tell that,” Jennifer cooed, caressing and squeezing her breasts with her left hand while her right stroked the top of her mound.

“So perhaps we should give you a closer look.”

The image jumped and fuzzed as it zoomed in and tried to find new focus. It settled on Jennifer’s stomach, now filling the screen, with just a flash of couch in the background to either side. The camera panned up to her breasts, now heaving under her breath. Her right hand came up, both breasts now being cupped and caressed. Jennifer ran her thumbs over her nipples and let out a moan. Then the hands traveled south, the camera following.

Jennifer’s hands slid down to her mound, then parted to her thighs, caressing just above the stockings for a few moments. Then they slid back up to her center. Fingers of one hand parted her outer lips, with a single finger from the other hand gently stroking her now exposed clit. She was audibly breathing deeper. Dave was now uncomfortably hard. Fuck it—his pants dropped around his ankles, allowing him to join Jennifer in her vicarious demonstration.

After a few moments, Jennifer plunged more fingers down, some inside, some also around her clit, both hands in motion. The view was only obscured for a few seconds before the camera jumped and fuzzed again, zooming out. Jennifer’s eyes were half closed and her deep breathing jiggled her breasts. Leaning back on the couch, she wantonly smiled at the camera, continuing her pleasure.

Jennifer was now stroking her clit furiously—a harder rhythm than Dave had seen her use before. Her face betrayed a total disinterest in the camera now—too caught up her motion and the resulting pre-tremors to care. She gasped, changing her strokes to circles with her fingers, and then back to strokes. Some words murmured off camera that Dave couldn’t understand caused Jennifer to open her eyes and look just beyond the camera, slowing her self-play. She nodded her head and then returned to looking squarely at the lens.

“Dave, dear, I particularly thought you might like this,” she crooned.

Reaching just beyond the camera’s view, Jennifer plucked something off the couch and then held it up for him to clearly see. It was one of her vibrators—long and smooth and fat. Jennifer twisted the bottom, turning it on, and then dropped it to her open legs.

Jennifer gasped and arched her back as the vibrator touched her clit. Backing it off, she calmed down and slid the toy lower. Then, with a steady thrust, it was inside her. Dave watched in awe and lust and fascination as she began stroking it in and out—his own hands now mimicking hers. She speeded up, her hand almost a blur as the plastic pistoned within her. Her other hand continued to make circles on her mound and clit.

Then Jennifer slowed. With apparent great self control, she pulled the vibrator out, and gently placed the tip against her clit. Just holding it there, her breath began to quicken and deepen. Pants turned to gasps, then heaves, and finally moans. Dave matched her breathing, nearly stroke for stroke.

Jennifer then shuddered, arched her back, and let out a low moan. Dave’s orgasm quickly followed hers. She jerked a little with the after-tremors, then pulled the vibrator away and set it aside. Flushed and a little glassy eyed, she slowly floated down and acknowledged the camera again.

“God! That was good! It’s not enough though—I really want you now. Hopefully you and Will will be back from your shopping trip soon.”

A devilish gleam was in her eye, and she nearly licked her lips. Jennifer slowly began to shift and sit up. Spreading her legs to the camera’s full view, she beamed a contented smile.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Dave. I hope you enjoy this surprise as much as I have.”

Dave chuckled, looking at the mess he’d made on the hotel carpet.

Jennifer closed her thighs and sat almost primly, as if she were wearing more than just stockings.

“I love you,” she said.

Jennifer remained still, smiling, her words almost ablaze in her face. After a few minutes, the screen went black, the DVD over.

Dave gazed at the darkened void, though it didn’t change. She’s said she loved him.

They’d avoided actually using that word these past two months—him all too aware of how quickly he’d declared that to his ex-wife, and Jennifer for reasons she’d never shared. They’d of course known how the other felt, but the word itself had seemed too laden with old ghosts to use. Until now.

Dave looked at the clock—it wasn’t too late. Jennifer would still be up and most certainly home. His turn to call. He’d say he loved her as soon as she picked up. She wouldn’t be expecting it.

After all, one good surprise deserved another, didn’t it?

Day One, Morning

Dawn broke.

More precisely, it shattered. The sun tried to climb above the horizon and there were a few reddish rays. Then the scattered clouds moved in, pummeling them to pieces. Occasionally a shaft of light escaped, but eventually the grey won, ensuring the overcast weather so confidently predicted by forecasters the night before.

Dave sipped his coffee on the porch, silently watching. He was rarely up this early, but it felt good. He’d soon return to the slumbering house behind him and join Jennifer in bed, but this was contemplative time. Alone time. Something he’d not get much of in the next three days. Road tripping to Santa Fe—him, Will, Jen, and Jennifer. Dave was forced to smile at the irony. Such a road trip would have been unthinkable just a few months ago.

They were now so significant in his life. Two redheaded women with similar figures and the same first name. At least he’d never called Jennifer “Jen”, though he’d had some tongue fumbles on occasion. True, he’d known Jen since she’d started dating Will two years ago, but they’d never really hung out as much until Jennifer joined them. He had been Will’s “guys night out,” not part of a second couple. Even when he was married to Claire.

Claire. Somewhere she was getting re-married soon, if she hadn’t done so already. It didn’t hurt the way it used to. While his stomach still tightened as the thought of her infidelity flittered through his mind, he was now able to dismiss it and his gut relaxed in turn. That was the past and this was now. Jennifer was a much better fit for him, and he was an order of magnitude happier.

Happiness. What a strange, elusive, indefinable concept. Had he been happy with Claire? Yes, as best he knew how, he supposed. They’d had fun at times and lacked friction in the little interactions of daily life. The sex had been pleasurable and regular with the occasional variant thrown in for spice. Then she’d left him and it felt like he’d died. He’d spent most of a year realizing that no matter how smart he was and how successful in business he was and how nice he’d been, it hadn’t been enough. She’d still grown distant, and then turned for comfort somewhere else. He’d been like a turn of the century pedestrian, trying to describe the horseless carriage that had run him down. That year had been hard.

But Will and Jen had been there for him, in his darkness. And then Jennifer, who lit up his world every time she smiled. Was this happiness? It was deeper than anything he’d felt before. More open, with all the accompanying vulnerability. More pleasurable, in both the simple ways and the fantastic. More passionate, both in the lovemaking with Jennifer and in all sensuous activity. Like sipping coffee. And watching the sun try to rise.

Speaking of coffee, his mug was empty. With a last deep inhale of the morning air, Dave went back inside.

He found Jen in the kitchen, sitting on a barstool, idly swinging one leg, reading a book. She was wearing her short green silk robe, which had ridden up exposing most of her thigh and just barely covering her more womanly charms. Dave grinned to himself. It wasn’t as much fun to look when Jen wasn’t deliberately showing off, but it was still a delightful sight.

Jen looked up and smiled at Dave as he refilled his mug. She pushed hers towards him and he refreshed it as well.

“You’re up early,” she said, setting her book aside and then grasping her mug with both hands, taking small sips.

Dave shrugged. “Sometimes I just wake up for no apparent reason. If I feel rested, I get up. I kind of like it when it’s quiet.”

Jen nodded. “I’m usually up early too. If it’s a lot earlier than when Will usually gets up, I read. If not, I wake him up.” She had a salacious grin with that last comment and Dave had no problems imagining how she woke Will up.

“So what are you reading?”

“Callahan’s Lady, by Spider Robinson. Will loaned it to me. It’s set in the best brothel in New York City. Will says that if Lady Sally’s really existed, he’d never leave.”

“That’s pretty high praise. What do you think of it?”

“I like it. I find the characters a little too perfect, but that’s what makes it fiction. I really like the central tenet though.”

“Which is…?”

“Sex as Art. The brothel employees are referred to as ‘Artists’ with ‘studios’ where they entertain ‘clients.’”

Dave chuckled. “You’d probably make a great artist!”

“Yes, I would!” Jen looked insufferably smug with herself, leading Dave to laugh even harder. Jen broke into a broad smile in response and they settled into a warm silence. It was interrupted by sounds of motion from the guest room.

“Will’s awake!” Jen exclaimed, eyes twinkling. “Time for some Art!” She slid off the stool and scampered towards the hall.

Dave just chuckled at her eagerness. Slowly, he drained the last of his coffee, savoring the last drops, and then headed upstairs.

Jennifer was sleeping softly on her side, the sheets having dropped below her breasts. Dave just paused, admiring. Her slow breath was peaceful, almost serene. She seemed to be dreaming, and the rolled a little, shifting partially onto her back.

That offered opportunities.

Slowly, Dave tugged the sheets lower. Then he gently climbed on the bed and rolled them all the way off, revealing Jennifer’s nude figure. He caught his breath at the sight. She was so beautiful. Careful not to disturb the mattress much, he positioned himself at her feet. She stirred as he rolled her hips so that she was fully supine.

Edging forward, he leaned and lightly kissed the top of her mound. Then the inside of each thigh. Jennifer stirred some more and Dave began to scatter kisses throughout her nether region. Sometime in the midst of it, Jennifer awoke enough to reach her hands down, touching his head, though not opening her eyes. Dave took that as a sign that he could begin in earnest. He paused, and then began one long wet lick, up between her labia and ending at her clit. Jennifer shuddered. Dave grinned and began to dine.

There was little finesse, this time. He alternated between sliding his tongue along her inner lips, occasionally probing inside, and wrapping his lips and tongue around her clit, flicking it and sucking lightly. As her juices began to flow, he brought his hands into play, firmly caressing and spreading her labia, then sliding one finger in. He had to shift forward so that he could rotate his hand to caress her g-spot while he continued to suckle her clit.

Jennifer moaned, obviously now fully awake. He looked up, hoping to catch her eyes, but her head was tilted back as she just enjoyed the sensations. Dave paused, taking a quick opportunity to cover her mons and thighs with wet kisses, before returning to her treasures. Jennifer seemed to catch her breath too, before settling into her familiar pattern of aroused openness. Dave knew she was ready for him to take her all the way to climax.

So he began. Gently and steadily—licking, caressing, lightly kissing. Slowly, very slowly, increasing the speed and pressure. No faster than her breathing increased, really. This time, Jennifer seemed to gasp loudest to his up-licks, against the underside of her clit. He kept at it. She began to flush and moan and Dave increased a tempo. Her moans turned to gasps and he licked and caressed and slid his finger in and out. She was starting to shudder and Dave’s pace increased again—tongue moving fast, sometimes sliding askew but always quick to return. Finger, now fingers, pumping, sliding, caressing. He gave long licks and quicker flicks and suction and again went a step faster. She was starting to breathe harder and so Dave began to lick more, kiss more, stroke more and….

Jennifer gasped, arched her back, and then collapsed back on the bed. The flush began to spread across her chest and the lopsided grin appeared. Dave’s own goofy smile joined hers. He rested, basking in her afterglow.

After floating down, Jennifer murmured, “my turn” and Dave pulled himself up into position. Jennifer held his shaft lightly as he got his balance. Then he was inside.

She wrapped her arms around him, and then hooked her ankles around his legs, pulling him in tight to her. Since it gave him less room for thrusting, he started a slow gentle rhythm. Jennifer’s lips found his own and they began to kiss—warm rather than hot. Affectionate rather than raw passion. There was no time passing. Just the caress and constant touch of skin upon skin with the slow and steady motion of his body within hers.

Sounds at the periphery intruded into their interlocked little bubble of a world. Slowly they filtered though and became recognizable. From downstairs—Jen’s passionate cries. Dave paused in the kissing, smiling. Hadn’t they done this before? Both couples enjoying a morning’s passion? Jennifer smiled, apparently sharing the thought.

“I want to feel you come,” she whispered, before kissing him again.

He speeded up and she rolled her hips to give him deeper penetration. Soon they both began to breathe raggedly and she got her wish. A few last powerful thrusts and then spurts, and Dave collapsed on top of her. Jennifer hugged him tight, and then they lay still. He slowly shrank inside her and then slipped out while they listened to Jen’s sounds peak, and then fade.

Jennifer slid her arms behind Dave’s shoulders and gave him a big kiss. “Shower?” she asked.

Dave murmured agreement and they began moving towards the bathroom. The day had begun.

Day One, Afternoon

Walsenburg had been a bust.

That wasn’t really fair, Dave mused. Walsenburg was probably a very nice town. It was just set off the highway far enough that they couldn’t spot any restaurants other than a Pizza Hut. Will had asked if they wanted to stop there for lunch or push on for Trinidad—another 35 miles. They’d decided to push on, but the conversation had turned to food and by the time they’d actually hit Trinidad, Dave’s stomach was rumbling and Jen and Jennifer had both remarked on being hungry.

Of course the drive had been longer than expected. By the time both couples had finished their morning… activities… and breakfast and gotten everything packed and loaded, they’d run smack into the Denver rush hour, surprisingly heavy for Good Friday. I-25 had been a parking lot, edging along, through most of the city. Will had grumbled that they should have taken the E-470 toll road, but since it had been Will’s choice as driver, his passengers just let it slide. Fortunately, the highway through Colorado Springs and Pueblo hadn’t been too busy by the time they got to them, but it was well after noon by the time they got to Trinidad.

Will pulled off the highway and into the parking lot of a Taco Bell.

“Taco Bell?” Dave questioned.

Will caught the challenging tone in his voice and responded defensively. “Everyone’s hungry and this is fast. I’m not going to waste time driving around looking for something better when we have no idea what would be better in this town. Besides, we’ll eat well in Santa Fe. It won’t hurt us to eat cheap now.”

Before Dave could reply, Jen and Jennifer had already gotten out of the car. He shrugged at Will and clambered out himself.

Jen had stopped to adjust her sandal strap, bending mostly at the waist of course. The pose pushed her ass towards the men, though her sundress was too loose to really reveal her contours. Jennifer stood patiently nearby. She’d chosen to wear jeans for comfort, with a blouse that was scooped reasonably low in front. It highlighted the emerald dangling just above her cleavage.

There were only a few other patrons present and no line. The food was, well, Taco Bell. No expectations meant no disappointments. They settled at a table and began to eat, reviving the casual conversation from the car. It didn’t take long before the food was reduced to a pile of empty wrappers and crumpled napkins on the table. Dave just sat back and watched his companions talk.

Jen’s eyes kept darting to something over Dave’s shoulder. He realized Will had noticed too. He tilted his head to catch her attention. Jen just smiled at him.

“She’s got some admirers,” Jennifer whispered, leaning in. “Two teenaged boys who can’t stop staring at her.”

“At both of us,” Jen murmured.

Jennifer smirked, obviously having deduced the same thing, though less willing to admit it. Jen had a devilish grin as well. She continued taking surreptitious glances towards the teens.

“Can I?” Jen asked Will.

He smiled. “Okay. How far are you thinking?”

“The panty trick?” she asked.

Will chuckled. Dave was now completely lost.

“Sure. They’re obviously in high school. It would probably be a big thrill for them,” Will said, clearly tickled at the idea.

“Join me?” Jen asked Jennifer.

Jennifer looked at Dave for his permission. She seemed eager for the game, whatever it was.

“Sure” he said, earning an appreciative smile in return. What was he agreeing to?

The girls slid out of their seats and sauntered towards the restrooms. Will started cleaning up the table and then motioned for Dave to follow him towards the restaurant door.

“C’mon,” Will impatiently called, when Dave balked a little in his confusion. “The view will be better and it’ll be easier to get out of here quickly.”

Dave joined Will loitering at the door. They were facing, but not staring at, what must have been the girls’ admirers. The two boys looked about sixteen and were engaged in some animated conversation, low enough to not be heard at this distance, when Jen and Jennifer strutted back from the restrooms and over to the teens’ table.

Jen took the lead, bending at the waist and saying something to the boys. Their eyes moved between her chest and her face, with looks of confusion appearing on their own. Dave could easily imagine the undone buttons they were enjoying. The Jennifer bent over next to Jen, not quite doubling their view due to the higher cut of her top, but still leading to eyes darting back and forth. After a few more words, Jen proffered her hand to one of the boys, something wadded up inside her fist. Jennifer mimicked the move with the other boy. With dazed expressions, the teens took the offerings, now clearly colored fabric, and whipped them into hiding under the table. Jen and Jennifer stood and turned, walking towards the exit where Dave and Will stood. Jen looked insufferably pleased with herself—the proverbial cat that ate the canary. Jennifer was on the verge of giggling at some unspoken joke.

Will nudged Dave. “Let’s get the car started.”

It was only a few minutes before they were pulling out of the parking lot, Will at the wheel, two giddy laughing women in the back seat. Dave tried to twist around from the passenger’s seat and watch it all.

“What did you say to them?” Dave asked. “What just happened?”

Jen giggled, then dropped into her Mae West voice. “I told them that we’d seen them admiring us. And that we thought they were cute. And that the thought of two cute guys admiring us had turned us on and gotten us all hot and bothered and wet.” Jennifer was laughing again while Jen continued. “Which was too bad because we had to leave soon and we couldn’t possibly get back on the road wearing wet panties. So since they were the ones that were responsible for getting them wet in the first place, would they be so kind as to take them off our hands?”

“So you gave them your panties?” Dave was incredulous.

“Sure did! See?”

Jen flipped her skirt up and back down far too fast for Dave to actually confirm the lack of panties, but he’d take her word for it. The girls were still laughing. Dave looked at Jennifer. She calmed down with some effort.

“Dave, my love,” Jennifer said. “It’s just fun. The looks on their faces were priceless.”

“Actually, it was about ten dollars!” Jen interrupted. “The cost of the panties!” She was still giggling.

Dave forced a smile over his confusion. Jennifer reached out and gently touched his arm, reassuring. Their eyes met and his smile became genuine. They’d talk later. He twisted back around in his seat, facing the road, just as Will dropped a new CD into the stereo. The laughter died and after a long pause, listening to the music, the conversation turned to other things.

‘Later’ arrived at a gas stop in Raton. Will said he wanted to stretch his legs for a few minutes and he and Jen wandered into the convenience store. Dave and Jennifer walked towards an outdoor bench.

“Dave,” Jennifer began, “what’s going on?”

Dave shrugged a little and then stared out at the horizon. Jennifer slid her arm around his waist.

“I guess I was caught off guard.” he said, turning towards her. “I didn’t know what to expect back in the Taco Bell.”

“Jen’s never done the panty trick around you before?” Jennifer asked, tightening her hug.

“No. She’s done a lot of other exhibitionistic things, but not that one. I was surprised. I was also surprised you joined her.” He kept his tone light.

Jennifer pulled back and looked at him, questioningly.

“Dave, you do know that I’m just as exhibitionistic as Jen is?” It was a rhetorical question. They had, after all, reconnected in a Victoria’s Secret dressing room.

“And you did give permission.”

Dave sighed. “Yes, I did. Next time I’ll make sure I know what I’m saying yes to first. I’m sorry.” He smiled sheepishly at her.

She met his eyes, and then softened into her own smile when it was clear he was truly apologetic. He bent and kissed her lightly.

“I like the fact that you’re an exhibitionist. Like Will, I’m a voyeur that enjoys looking at incredibly attractive sexy women.” That drew a small blush.

“I noticed you never let Will see the Valentine’s DVD,” Jennifer teased.

The memory of her stripping and masturbating on that DVD brought a reminiscing smile to the corners of Dave’s mouth.

“He never asked,” Dave replied. Which was technically true. Will had hinted about seeing the DVD but never directly asked.

“Well, it was your present, not his.” Jennifer snuggled into him.

“And I am so lucky to have an incredible girlfriend who gives me presents like that!” Dave exclaimed. Jennifer squeezed him tighter in response.

Dave glanced over towards the convenience store in time to see Will and Jen emerge with drinks and snacks. Still arm in arm, he and Jennifer walked back to the car to continue their journey.

Day One, Evening

They arrived in Santa Fe by late afternoon and spent a lazy couple of hours wandering the Plaza and the nearby shops. Dinner was early at a Mexican dive that Jen had heard an acquaintance say had excellent green chilé. It did, Dave was delighted to discover. Dusk had arrived as they drove to their destination in the nearby mountains.

It turned out that Jen had wanted to go to Santa Fe because of a Japanese Spa just a few minutes outside of town. It was beautiful, nestled in among the pines on the side of the hill. They’d managed to rent a cabin on-site for two nights, and had private hot tub reservations both evenings, with massages scheduled for Saturday afternoon. Dave wouldn’t have been surprised if Jen and Will took advantage of the common pool as well, which in the traditional Japanese way, was clothing optional. Of course, in the Western way of being concerned about impropriety, that was only before dark.

Their cabin felt truly luxurious. It was actually the second floor of a cabin, with a living room, bedroom and balcony, but no one currently occupied the room below. The fireplace was inviting, all ready to be lit, though it wasn’t quite cool enough. By prior arrangement, Dave and Jennifer claimed the bedroom, leaving Will and Jen to figure out how to unfold the living room futon from couch to bed. They did the usual unpacking and settling in with a little haste, for their tub time was near.

“We are going nude?” Jennifer asked Dave, as they hunted for towels in the bedroom closet.

He paused a moment. “Sure.” There was no trace of the confusion or uncertainty from earlier in the day.

That was a preview of Holiday Sights. To read the rest purchase the book.

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