Chapter 11

When Lynn finally awoke, the small table clock next to her bed read 2:00 p.m.

"Welcome back to earth, sleepy head," laughed Denise who had already been out to get coffee and croissants.

Lynn sat up in the bed, gratefully accepting the food and coffee.

"How long..."

"I brought you home a little after four."

"You were there?"

"Yes," was Denise's quiet answer.

"Oh God Denise, I'm so ashamed!"

"Of what? That you're a highly sexually charged woman?"

"That I let all those people..."

"What? Satisfy you?"

"But it went beyond that. We both know that."

"Perhaps, but you did get what you wanted, right?"

"Did I ever," smiled Lynn, her body sore and aching in every joint, especially in the three overworked orifices from the night before, "and then some."

She looked up at the blonde and smiled.

"This is getting to be a habit, but... thank you!"

"My pleasure. It's not every night I get to sleep next to a beautiful naked woman."

They both laughed, but Lynn dropped her eyes.

"Why Lynn Downing I do believe you're embarrassed," smiled Denise.

"After last night I didn't think I would ever be embarrassed again." Lynn mused a moment. "Maybe it's because you're someone I know, someone I trust, someone I care about."

Denise's eyes misted

"Lynn I..."

Whatever Denise was about to say was lost to the ringing of the phone. The lovely blonde picked up the receiver.

"Hello. Yes... yes... yes, just a moment. It's for you... your husband," she said handing the phone to Lynn.

"Hello Gary..."

Denise gathered up her purse, leaned over and kissed Lynn on the cheek and headed for the door.

"Just a moment Gary... ," said Lynn, covering the mouth piece and looking into the intense blue eyes of the woman who was about to leave. "Denise I..."

"You need some privacy right now. Call me if you need me."

"That seems to be pretty often."

"I enjoyed last night almost as much as you did. Any time you want someone to hold you close, I'm your gal."

"Thanks Denise, I don't know how to..."

"No need," smiled the blonde bravely, holding back the tears, "next time the coffee's on you."

With that, she turned and left to avoid letting Lynn see her heartache. Lynn's heart was filled with love and gratitude for this wonderful woman with whom she had grown so close. She sat staring at the closed door for several seconds, finally becoming aware of the phone still in her hand.

"Gary, I'm sorry to keep you waiting."

"Lynn, I want to see you. Paul, rather reluctantly gave me your number. I guess he thinks I..."

"It's OK Gary," she encouraged.

"I've been thinking and I realized I really gave you hell the other day. I don't care what you've done, I want us back together."

Her heart leaped into her throat.

"Oh Gary..."

"Please let me take you to dinner tonight."

"Yes, I'd love to"

"Wonderful. Shall I pick you up about seven?"

"Seven will be fine."

"See you then," he said and hung up.

Lynn's feelings were again conflicted, thrilled that her husband, the man with whom she had spent her entire adult life, loved her enough to want her back despite her adultery and, unknown to him, incest, yet also painfully aware of the fantasies, erotic urges which, at times, built unbearably and uncontrollably, able to be satiated only by the most passionate and sensual release.

Security and love versus passion. She had no idea which meant more to her at this point in her life, but she was determined to find out. She arose to bathe and pick out a pretty dress to wear for Gary.

"You look beautiful," he said, as she took a bite of steak.

The restaurant was not as ritzy as that to which Peter had taken her, but it was nice and the booths private.

"Thank you," she said, feeling a bit awkward with her husband for the first time in her life. "Gary, I'm so sorr..."

"No," he interrupted, "you made your apologies the other evening. I refused to accept them."

"You were angry. You had a perfect right to be."

"I'm not angry any more. Hurt maybe, but I've been thinking and I've come to realize that you tried to tell me. There were lots of times you said you needed more from me, more foreplay, more variety, more... sex!"

Lynn's eyes averted his.

"No, it's OK, I realize now that you were trying to tell me you needed more and I just, somehow, didn't listen. Well I want you to know I'm listening now. Let's go home and I'll prove it to you!"

"Gary, it's so soon. Do you think we really should?"

"I want to prove to you that I can give you what you want, what you need."

"Oh Gary," she said as they reached across the table and their hands met, "Of course I'll go with you!"

Lynn was pleasantly surprised to find candle light and soft music playing as they entered the front door. He kissed her lovingly and went to pour some wine as she sat on the sofa which now seemed different, almost alien to her, part of a world left behind, a world to which she was not sure she could return.

He returned and they sipped the wine as he, rather obviously, steered the conversation to old times and the happy moments in their married life. Although well aware of his ploy, Lynn, nevertheless, shared with him the happiness and contentment of those times. Only when Paul's birth was mentioned did her mind suddenly spring back to the present and the untenable situation she shared with her son and the complications thereof which would impact them all.

But as the evening wore on, she became aware just how hard Gary was trying to be romantic. She loved him for it the more because romance was simply not his fort. They kissed and his tongue found its way into her mouth, a welcome change. His hands found her breasts and although he was still rather clumsy in handling her bra, she found herself becoming excited at the prospects of being seduced by him. Her hands began exploring his body as well and it was not long before they found themselves in bed, naked.