Chapter 1

Please just a little longer! Betty pleaded silently as her husband rutted against her trim young body. Twelve strokes, thirteen, fourteen. Her heart sank when Michael gave a familiar groan and trembled against her. She wanted to scream nasty four letter words! Fifteen strokes? Was that all she had to look forward to? She smiled up at the panting man and lied. "Oh honey, you were wonderful!"

"Baby-doll, you just bring out the animal in me!" He pulled out of her and flopped onto his back. "Big presentation tomorrow at work. Goodnight, sweetheart." He pulled up his pajama trousers and rolled over onto his side.

Betty sat up. "Michael? Michael!" It was no use. Her husband of two years was sound asleep! "Drat!" she muttered, while slipping out of bed. The petite blonde threw on her robe over the rumpled night gown and quietly went down the hall to the bathroom.

"Am I the problem?" she gazed at herself in the mirror. Beautiful blue eyes looked back at the troubled woman. "Let's be honest." She told her reflection. "I can't act, but I look just as good as any of those starlets I read about in the magazines!" She let her robe drop to the floor, and pulled the simple cotton nightgown daringly low to expose more of the generous cleavage the good Lord had blessed her with. "I am certainly not the problem!" Her skin flushed. "I get my share of wolf-whistles, and more!" she shook her head sadly. "Maybe I just want too much. I wish I could ask somebody. They'd think I was some horrible harlot if I said I wanted my husband to make love to me for more then just a minute or two!"

Betty started the bathtub filling, safe in the knowledge that an Atomic Bomb couldn't wake her husband after what he thought of as making love! The young woman slipped out her nightgown and stepped into the nice hot water. "Oh Michael. Just once I want fireworks!" She lay back, and closed her eyes.

Under the steaming water, the young woman's right hand moved. She spread her shapely legs and moaned softly as that hand sneakily slipped between her plump thighs. Betty let out a long gasp of air as her questing fingers began to explore. This had to be a sin, but the heavens above knew how wonderful it could feel! Betty began to stoke the pouting petals of her private place. She sighed again, and daringly slipped a finger in where Michael's manhood had just spent so little time.

"I want more!" she whispered as her fingers danced. "I want a man to make me feel wonderful!" The trembling blonde attacked her little pink pearl with her thumb as she sawed a finger in and out of her warmth.

Panting now, the blonde's left hand reached for her ample bosom. She alternated roughly rolling hr firm nipples between thumb and index finger. The mix pf pain and pleasure made her heart pound! Her hands both moved faster. Little whimpers and moans filled the room as her hips rolled under the hot water of the bath. Her mind pictured some nameless lover, pushing in and out of her body with untiring powerful strokes. The lover she wanted would never spend and tire after a pitiful fifteen thrusts! She could feel it coming now, and her breathing grew loud and labored as her body raced towards this most secret of goals. "If he lasted longer, maybe I'd even get pregnant!" she cried as her fingers danced.

As usual, this blissful thought helped speed her along to that delightful, yet frightening state her body could achieve! Betty cried out as her body writhed in the water. She had no idea what to call these strange convulsions, but the sensations filled her mind and soul with joy! Again and again she brought herself to that almost magical place, only to stop when she noticed the water had grown cool. As she dried her sated body, she sighed. If Michael lasted as long as her hands and fingers could, would she explode like this too? She felt it in her heart. She would never know such bliss with him.

The next morning Betty happily cooked breakfast for Michael and herself. Bacon, eggs, grits, and momma's secret family recipe biscuits made a very good start for any day! It wasn't that she didn't enjoy being a housewife, she just longed for love, and a baby to prove that bond! Michael smiled at her as she set his plate before him. "What do you have planned for this beautiful sunny Friday, sweetheart? I wish I had nothing to do all day but go to museums and picture shows with my friends."

Betty smiled, while once more wanting to say certain four letter words. Did Michael think this house cleaned itself? Just who did he think did the laundry, or went to the grocer? "Oh, I don't know. Maybe Lex and I will take in a show. There's an exciting new picture starting today called Destination Moon. It's all about a group of industrialists who plan a trip into outer space and build a rocketship to make the voyage. It looks thrilling!"

Michael laughed. "Trip to the moon? Rocketship? What foolishness will they dream up in Hollywood next?" He noticed his wife's frown. "I'm sorry, honey. You and Lex go and enjoy the picture. Be careful though. I don't quite trust her. A woman her age should be married, not living alone. Just what is her line, anyway? How does she support herself? I know she's a foreigner, but I just can't place that accent. You know I don't trust foreigners!"

Betty shook her head. "Darling, Lex is a nice girl. You have no call to say mean things about her!"

He just looked at his watch instead of answering. "Holy smoke! Look at the time!" He bolted a few bites of egg before getting up from the table. "Don't wait up, sweetheart. Me and the boys are going to the fights after work. We'll probably stop off for drinks afterwards." He gave her a chaste peck on the cheek before heading for the door. "Have fun today!"

Shaking her head, Betty scraped Michael's nearly untouched breakfast into the sink and ran the garbage disposal. "I'll have fun!" she shouted at the empty kitchen. "You go and get pixilated with 'The Boys' and see if I care!" Betty felt a little better after this secret outburst, and set about tiding up the house before heading out to meet Lex.

Feeling smart in her new day dress, Betty walked downtown to the boarding house Lex called home. Head held high, anyone passing would swear the lovely woman had no clue that every passing man gave her the eye. Deep down, Betty adored the attention. It didn't make up for her husband's lack of attention at home, but it surely did help!

When she pressed the buzzer to announce herself, Lex as usual opened the door almost as if she was just waiting for her to arrive. The statuesque woman with the unusually large eyes smiled broadly. "Betty look, heels!" The redheaded beauty danced around a couple of steps, letting her dress flare outward as she twirled. The lovely effect was almost spoiled when she nearly stumbled to the floor. "I am not used to the heels yet."

Betty laughed at her friend. "Lex, you act as if you never wore heels before. Stop being so silly!" She laughed again at the odd look on Lex's face. "They are darling though. Where did you get them?"

Lex looked concerned for a moment. "Oh, someplace yesterday."

"Someplace? Well, next time take me someplace. We can shop together."

"Affirmative, um, okey-dokey!" Lex smiled. "To shop together sounds like fun!"

Betty had grown used to her friend's odd way of expressing herself. It was part of the charm that made them become fast friends when they met the day after that terrible thunderclap woke up half the city on a clear and starry night several weeks ago. "Let's go Lex. I'm taking you to the movies."

"Movies? Oh! Motion pictures. I'd like to see a motion picture with you." The woman gave one of her enchanting smiles. "What motion picture will we observe?"

"Destination Moon. I'm very eager to see it." Betty blushed. "I know it may sound silly, but I think someday people will be able to fly off to the moon. Maybe even out to the stars themselves! Perhaps someday we'll even meet people from another planet"

Lex gasped. "You, you believe that?"

"Well don't laugh. It's just a dream of mine, that's all."

"Betty, you have a wonderful dream!" Lex smiled. "I share that dream. I believe it and know it can be made true!"

"Well then, my fellow dreamer. Let's go!"

Walking to the theater with Lex was a treat onto itself. Betty had to keep herself from giggling as her strange friend looked over everything as if they were in a museum. The redhead pulled up short and stared down at the sidewalk. "Betty, that animal is looking at me!"

Looking around almost in panic, Betty spotted a small calico cat and smiled. "Oh, that's Mrs. McCoy's cat, Angel." She gracefully knelt and motioned to the pretty little feline. The cat recognized someone who knew cat protocol and strode right up and let the woman pick her up. "Hello Angel. This is my friend Lex."

Angel looked over the stranger and decided she was no threat. She let out a quiet little meow. "Betty, she is very beautiful!" Lex reached out a hand, but hesitated.

"It's okay. Angel is a very nice cat. Just let her sniff your finger so she knows you're a friend."

Lex offered her hand to the cat and smiled broadly when the little feline rubbed her face against her fingers. "She's so warm and soft!"

Betty giggled. "Scratch her gently behind the ears and you'll have a friend for life!"

The redhead complied. "Angel is buzzing. Is this okay?"

"Angel is purring, because she likes you." She set the animal on the sidewalk. "We'll see you again later, Angel. Lex and I are off to the movies now."

Lex watched as Angel walked down the middle of the sidewalk, as if it was placed there for her convenience. "Betty, I think cats are nice!"

"So do I!" Betty sighed. "Michael doesn't though, so I can't have one at home."

"You should tell Michael that you want a cat in your home!"

Betty giggled. "Maybe I'll do just that! He's never home anyway!"

The two friends made it to the theater. Betty was secretly pleased at the reaction of the boy in the ticket booth. The young man couldn't make up his mind on who he wanted to stare at more! His eyes kept going from Lex, to her, and right back to Lex again. It was quite reassuring! Lex was extraordinarily beautiful, and the young man seemed to like her just as much! "Two please." She said softly. The young man fumbled with the tickets, and actually blushed as he offered them.

"Three dollars and twenty cents, ma'am!" he announced with a huge smile.

"Goodness. I guess we missed the matinee." Betty began searching through her bag. "Just a moment. I know I have another dollar somewhere.

The young man looked around to make sure nobody was listening. "It's still early. Let's just call this a matinee. Two bucks, even."

Betty smiled broadly. "Thank you young man!" she handed him the money, and didn't even mind when he 'accidentally' stroked her hand with his fingertips while taking the crisp bills.

As they made their way into the auditorium, Betty couldn't help giggling. "That young wolf really likes us, Lex." She teased.

The redhead looked puzzled. "Wolf, where? Oh, you mean the man exchanging currency for entrance slips? How can you tell?"

"Silly, he dropped the price a whole dollar and twenty cents." Betty stood tall. "Trust me, he likes us!"

Betty watched the film with rapt attention. It somehow made it even more fun when Lex would giggle at strangely inappropriate parts of the picture. Take during the exciting lift-off scene. Lex seemed to find all the exciting machine noises and roaring rocket jet sounds very funny. When the space men landed on the moon, the redhead had to cover her mouth to quiet her laughter. "Earth's moon does not look like that!" she gasped. "Those look like lava flows, and volcanoes! Impact craters look entirely different!"

With a giggle of her own, Betty shushed her friend. "Hush, you silly goose! This is exciting! I want to see if they get home alright!"

When the movie was over, the two friends hurried outside into the setting sun. "Betty, I liked observing this motion picture. I do have a question. Why did they not remove the ladder from within the air lock? They had cutting tools. This was depicted. They would have had more reaction mass to work with, insuring a safer trip back to Earth."

"I'm sure I don't know." Betty grinned. "You must admit, it was exciting! Imagine building such an advanced machine and making the voyage all the way to the moon!"

"It was exciting!" Lex giggled. "Such an advanced machine they created, too!" The redhead nearly choked as she laughed heartily.

"You're being silly again Lex!" Betty took her friend by the hand. "Come on now. I'll make some coffee when we get home, and I baked a nice spice cake to go with it."

They walked in silence for a few moments. Lex pointed out at the full moon. "Earth's satellite is beautiful, is it not?"

Betty looked up at the brilliant orb. "Yes it is Lex. That's a true lover's moon. No wonder it has inspired so many songs and poems."

The redhead opened her mouth to speak, but paused. "I am looking forward to trying your coffee and spice cake, Betty." She finally said softly.

"Well, we're home now, so let's go in and have some!"

Once inside, Betty lit the gas jet and set the percolator on the stove. "Coffee will be ready in a jiffy, Lex. Is cake enough for you? Maybe I could fix us a light supper."

"Cake is enough." Lex smiled at her friend. "I am not very hungry for a supper."

When everything was ready, Betty couldn't help noticing how nervous her friend suddenly appeared. Lex picked up her coffee cup but seemed to have trouble bringing herself to drink the steaming beverage. The redhead put the cup down, and concentrated on eating her cake with remarkable gusto. When finished, Lex sighed and stared into the coffee she so obviously did not like. Betty put down own her fork and took the woman's hand. "What's wrong Lex? Is something troubling you? You're not your normal cheerful silly self."

The redhead sighed. "I am fine." She blinked those huge soulful eyes. "Betty, are you my friend?"

"Of course, honey!" Betty squeezed the hand she held. "I'm your very good friend. If something is bothering you, maybe I can help."

"Betty, you have hopes and dreams that are so close to the truth. I, I feel I want to show you something." Lex lowered her head and brought her hands to her face. Betty could swear she saw her friend remove a large concave disk from each eye. "I am not what I seem." Lex looked up, and Betty was stunned.

"Lex, your eyes!" Betty stared at them, seemingly drawn into their depths. The pupils were slits, like those of a cat, but they were horizontal instead of the feline vertical. There was no ring of color like the normal iris. Instead what would be the whites of a human's eye was a gorgeous shade of gold. "I, I've never seen anything like them! Nobody has every seen eyes like those before!"

Lex covered her face. "I had no wish to shock you, my friend Betty. I apologize."

Betty grabbed the woman's wrists and gently pulled her hands away. "Lex, your eyes are lovely!" She took a deep breath. "Go ahead." She whispered. "Tell me."

"Betty, I am not a product of Earth's biosphere." The troubled visitor whispered. "I am merely a visitor tasked to observe humanity."

The human gasped. "Lex, are, are you from Mars?"

That seemed to break the spell. Lex's musical laughter filled the room. "No Betty. The planet you know as Mars could not support higher life forms such as you or me. My world is so far away; it would take light itself nearly one hundred of your years to make the journey."

Betty tried to look solemn, but ended up giggling. "No wonder you thought rocketship Luna was funny! Your rocket must be so advanced it made the movie look silly!"

"Not a rocket, but yes." Those golden eyes sparkled. "I think your people would call my ship a Flying Saucer."

Betty found she was still holding Lex's wrists. She changed her grip and held the delicate hands in hers. "Why do you trust me with this secret, Lex? You must have gone through an awful amount of trouble to blend in."

Golden eyes closed, and fair skin flushed. "Our people are not so very different." She sighed. "I love you, friend Betty."

"Why, I love you too, Lex. I've only known you for a short time, but you are my very best friend!"

The lovely star traveler smiled sadly. "Friend Betty, I, I long to see you every day. When we part, my heart feels heavy with sadness." She pulled her hands away. "I have said too much! I will leave now."