Chapter 7

LAURA

Laura pushed the grocery cart ahead with an urgency. She hated grocery shopping. Now put her in a clothing boutique or shoe store and that was something else, but buying food was simply tedious.

She decided on some plums and kiwi for snacks and walked over to the fruit and vegetable plastic bag dispenser. Tearing off one of the bags she was surprised to see Kyle Emerson, the graduate student who had rescued, then propositioned her at the departmental social round the corner of one of the aisles.

Their eyes met and he broke into a wide grin. "Well, hello Laura Weston!"

"Kyle -- what are you doing here?"

"Hey, grad students have to eat too you know."

"Uh, yes, of course," she replied a bit flustered. She turned to go on with her shopping, obviously trying to dismiss him, but he was nothing if not persistent and ambled over to her.

"Thought about my suggestion?" he asked, lowering his voice.

"No! I really haven't and don't intend to. I'm married and..."

"And I told you that doesn't matter. Do you want everything you can have or don't you?"

"I have quite enough, thank you,"

Again she turned to leave.

"No, you don't and we both know it." She turned to offer a retort but he beat her to it. "Look, nobody's suggesting we run off to Acapulco. I just want you to be honest with yourself and realize that you can have it both ways."

"At what cost?" she heard herself ask.

"At no cost if we're discreet."

"You seem to have it all figured out."

"And why shouldn't I. I've been thinking about you a lot since the social and the more I think of you the more I realize what a sensuous and desirable woman you are under the surface. Strip away that professor's wife facade -- and your clothes -- and I'm betting you're as hot for me as I am for you."

"But why me, Kyle?"

"You asked that once before. You're beautiful Laura. You've approached an age where you're beginning to doubt your sensuality. You need to know you're still desirable and capable of satisfying a man. I'm more than willing to be that man."

"And what's wrong with proving that to my husband?"

"Nothing wrong with it at all if he's capable of satisfying you too. But we both know that's not the case, don't we? Otherwise we wouldn't even be having this conversation."

"And we aren't having it any longer!" she said as forcefully as possible and started to turn.

"What color panties are you wearing, Laura?"

She turned, her mouth open in shock.

"What did you say?" she asked keeping he voice low and looking around to make sure no other shoppers were within earshot.

"It's a simple question. What color panties are you wearing?"

"None of your business!"

"Does your husband ever ask you that? Does he ever buy you panties? Or bras? Does he even know your bra size?"

"That's none of your business either!"

"Does he?" insisted Kyle. "Does he, Laura?"

She started to answer then realized he was right. Donald had never been much interested in the sensual and even less as time had gone by. Looking back she realized that both the kids had been very much planned and his lovemaking had been as much procreational as recreational tapering off after the kids were born to only an occasional tumble between the sheets which while still enjoyable, were less and less satisfying. Laura couldn't remember the last time she had orgasmed.

"I ... I have shopping to do," she said.