Chapter 5

By the time the party started that evening, however, Suzie Halford had still not come to terms with her problem. But thankfully, she thought as she mixed another gin-and-tonic, she didn't seem as disturbed about it as she'd originally been. In fact, after the initial shock of her wantonness had worn off, she was finding much less shame and remorse than she'd originally feared.

The young blonde bride leaned against the kitchenette counter and sipped her drink, recollecting for the hundredth time since her return to the cabin how she'd been revolted at the sight of her brother and Verna making love on the blanket, but then had stared in fascination, unable to tear her eyes away until her pent-up desires had permitted Jim to take possession of her newly- awakened flesh. Perhaps it was as Jim said, a perfectly natural human condition to respond erotically to the passions of others... but perhaps it was some warped craving which had burst in her mind and had overcome all that was right and holy. Well, whatever it was, it had changed her dramatically, there was no doubt about that. Whether her shocking lessons in sexual awakening would be for the good or not was another matter, but she couldn't help chuckling, feeling almost grateful for the callousness which seemingly had begun to thicken the mental skin of her once pitifully naive innocence. It seemed ironical to her that she, so sinlessly frigid and despising sex last night, could be standing here now even thinking in such an obscene and earthen manner!

It was dark outside now, and the party which had begun at dusk had moved inside the tiny cabin. Jim, Carl, and Verna were sitting on the overstuffed couch at the moment, laughing and chattering, their stomachs filled with the thick, juicy pepper steaks she had grilled, and with the foil-wrapped potatoes and a green salad which had accompanied them. Suzie took a heavy swallow of her drink as she glanced over them, and made a face; she had mixed it exceptionally strong without realizing it. Well, what difference did it make? She was starting to enjoy herself now, much more than she had supposed she would, and she didn't want the pleasantly euphoric effect of the considerable amount of alcohol she'd consumed to diminish any. Things were running along smoothly, and that was such a godsend that she didn't care to have anything change.

She stood at the kitchenette for another moment, careful not to bump the stack of dirty dishes piled behind her in the sink, and hummed to the music coming from Jim's cassette player. It was one of those portable jobs that ran on batteries, and she was glad that he'd remembered to pick up fresh batteries along with the groceries and booze. When the song ended, Jim got up and put in another cartridge, then went over to prod the blaze in the fireplace. The flames leapt higher with a crackle and pop, adding a warmth and intimacy to the otherwise darkened living room.

Such a peaceful scene, so serene and pleasant, Suzie thought. Who, coming upon us here, would ever suspect that this afternoon I watched my own sister-in-law sucking and then fucking my brother, and was screwed half to death at the same time! Come on, gal, mustn't think that way... it's a nice get-together, a nice respite from all the pressures and the physical awakenings which have been running rampant through my body and mind of late. It's a nice party... a simple, wholesome party...

She was about to go over to join the others, when abruptly Carl and Verna got up to dance. Low, slow-rhythmed music filled the room with almost a fog of violins and muted brass, and the fire was slowly dying again into a bank of glowing embers which made deep, sliding shadows against the walls and ceiling. Jim, having replaced the poker, walked over to his bride and smiled at her.

"Something the matter, Suzie?"

"What? Oh no, no nothing."

"You've been standing here all alone for some time."

"I've been thinking about all the dishes I have to wash," she said with a laugh. "Not that it hasn't been worth it!"

"A delicious dinner, rosebud. How about a dance?"

"No... not yet, darling."

"Oh, come on. Carl and Verna are having fun."

Having fun... The same kind of phrase as he'd used before to rationalize lovemaking in the woods! And, as Suzie looked at the dancing couple, it was almost as if they were copulating again before her eyes. They were as close together as they could get, embracing each other passionately, Carl grinding his pelvis into his wife's abdomen while she thrust her breasts into his chest! But... it did look like fun!

Jim caught on to what Suzie was staring at, and chuckled. "Don't get upset, rosebud. That's just Verna's way of dancing - one of them, leastways." He held out his hand. "C'mon, like we did before. Let's copy them!"

Suzie found it difficult to walk steadily after drinking so heavily, and she swayed noticeably as she left the support of the kitchenette counter. Jim calmly enveloped her in his strong arms and held her close, and she in turn found it easier to hold onto him with her arms about his waist and her head against his chest for support. The music flowed like soft wine around her ears and she shut her eyes, dreaming of dancing naked with him like this. Lord, what a lewd and obscene thought to suddenly have! But yeah... that was fun too!

Jim found his cock beginning to expand into a rigid pole of desire in his pants as he held his alcoholically relaxed young wife close in his arms. He slowly began to stroke her back, much as one would a cat to make it purr and with the same effects. Suzie snuggled closer, nuzzling his shirt...

Carl, drifting past Suzie and Jim, couldn't help noticing how close they were together. His heart warmed with gladness, happy that they were as much in love and happy with one another as he and Verna were. What a difference that afternoon in the woods had made! He'd never be jealous of Verna's past affairs again, not if they were responsible for having produced the seething and passionate woman she was today, with him! Even now she seemed to be intent only on making love to him, and the tingling in his penis at the thought of once more entering that wild pussy of hers was making it grow into a hard erection. He knew he should calm down, that it would be very embarrassing if Jim or his sister caught sight of his bulging pants... but no matter how he willed his penis down, it refused to go limp. Verna wasn't helping the situation, either, all but raping him on the dance floor with his clothes on! On and on her belly and hips writhed against him, brushing teasingly against the stiffened outline of his cock. Her muscles seemed to linger there, massaging gently, slowly in time to the music, sending burning ripples of renewed passion surging through his loins...

"Honey?" she breathed in his ear. "Honey, having a good time?"

"Yeah!" he answered hotly. "I'm having a fine time!"

"Mmmm, good! I love dancing. Any kind of dancing. It always gets me so excited!"

"Is that why... you go-go danced in Fresno?" he asked, finally broaching a subject which his mother had made life miserable over. "I know you did..."

She giggled lightly, teasingly. "I was going to tell you tonight. I mean, it was nothing to be ashamed about... but I knew you'd disapprove."

"Once, I would've," Carl agreed. "Not any longer."

"Good! And I'll... I'll dance for you a very special dance when we're alone, then. A very, very special dance!"

"The dance of the seven veils?" he quipped.

"Who needs veils, honey... ?"

Verna's nimble, lithe body continued to caress him, and she undulated against his loins and chest, pressing her soft breasts and rounded hips against his flesh. Her lips were parted and she kept running her hot tongue back and forth along his neck, her breath hot and sweet against his cheeks, her eyes closed and her lashes brushing his skin. Carl knew he should pull back from her before Jim or Suzie saw the erection she was causing him to have, but the salacious pleasure of her expert rhythm rendered him incapable of doing it. All he could do was hold her tighter and slowly turn with the beat of the music and feel his penis grow and grow and grow...

Eventually the music ended, and the two dancing couples drifted apart. They all sat back down on the couch, and since their drinks were mostly empty, Jim proposed another round. Suzie said she'd fix them, but Verna jumped up and quickly offered to be substitute hostess. When she served the drinks, she stood in front of the couch, one hand on her hips and the other raising the glass high. "Here's to us, everybody! Here's to us!"

The other three drank heartily to that, and when the glasses were refilled once more, Jim said cheerily: "She sure is one hell of a dancer, ain't she, Carl?"

Carl grinned broadly and said expansively: "Sure is!"

"She always was a show-off, even when we were kids in grammar school," Jim chuckled fondly. "Always strutting and parading around like a little teaser. That's why she digs dancing so much, Carl, because she likes to show off."

Verna laughed good-naturedly at her brother's ribbing. "I'm a regular exhibitionist, if you really want to know!"

"And it's a good thing she is, too," Jim continued calmly, "because otherwise she might get upset knowing we watched you two fucking in the hills today."

There was a shattering moment of silence after that lewd revelation, which somehow seemed to Suzie to be the loudest sound she'd ever heard in her life. She blanched absolutely white, numbly sitting between Carl and Jim, head bowed and her breath caught in her lungs. Carl looked as if his jaw had suddenly fallen to the floor, and Verna was wide-eyed, blinking rapidly as if she'd just stepped into a pool of harsh light. Only Jim seemed at ease, and he was sitting back with his legs crossed, casually sipping his drink.

"Wh-what was that?" Carl finally managed to gasp out. "What are you saying, Jim! Did you... ? Were you... ?"

"Uh-huh, we did. We even saw Verna giving you a blow-job!"

For the first time, Suzie ventured to look up. Her twin brother was staring at her, absolutely crimson in the face, his mouth working but without making any noise. The only sound was coming from Verna, and she was beginning to giggle in a drunken, high-pitched tone. Then Jim said placidly:

"And believe me, it was one of the hottest things we've ever seen! Why, it was so hot, we fucked right there in the bushes while we watched! Yeah! Me and Suzie! Jesus!"

This was too much for Suzie to bear, and unable to control herself, she moaned: "Oh, please forgive me! I... I don't know what I was doing! It was a mistake, a horrid mistake!"

"I... I..." Carl choked, almost purple now. "Some mistake!"

Verna threw her head back and her giggle turned into a rich, hearty laugh. "The hell it was a mistake! Oh, this is a fracture! You set the whole damned thing up, didn't you, Jim? You set it up when we were talking over breakfast, and you tracked us down, and now... now... !"

She couldn't continue for a moment, her laughter almost reaching hysterical heights. Then she gasped out: "I've never done that before, screwing in front of others. But now that I think about it... Damnit, Jim, you should have told me what you were up to! I think I'd have gotten a real kick out of knowing you were there!"

Carl, spluttering, trying to find words in his reeling brain, leapt to his feet. "You planned it?" he screamed suddenly, as full understanding dawned on him. "You actually planned the whole damned thing? That's the most despicable trick I've ever heard of!"

"Oh, I don't know," Jim answered calmly. "I thought it was kind of fun, personally."

"You... you bastard!"

"Oh, sit down and cool off," Jim retorted, his voice suddenly authoritarian and full of control. "And you, Suzie, don't make excuses. You had fun, too, if only you'd be grown-up enough to admit it."

Carl stood trembling violently, staring wildly at his sister, who sat miserably on the couch, immobile as if in a catatonic state, then at his bride, who was still bubbling with mirth as if the whole affair was some delightful prank; and then at Jim, who snapped again: "Sit down!"

Carl slumped back on the couch, too shocked to resist the command. He didn't know what to think either, except that what he'd just heard went against everything he'd ever been taught, everything he'd ever believed in. He needed time to think, and his temples were pounding with all the alcohol he'd consumed, and Jim's voice seemed somehow hazy and distorted as the older man talked to him.

Jim was explaining now: "Yeah, I set it up in a way though I didn't know what would happen for sure. I did it for the kicks, that's true; but I also did it to prove a lesson to you and Suzie. I liked it, Verna likes it now that she knows, and damnit, if you two would be honest with yourselves, you'd realize you could like it, too." He paused to let his words sink in to Carl and Suzie. "The trouble with both of you is that you were raised puritanically, where innocence and modesty were virtues, and sex was only used as a means of procreation. But that's not right, and the idea that enjoyment is wicked and sinful is the most obscene philosophy which has ever been foisted on the human race. Repression is what's unnatural, not sex, and if you think about it, you'll see that sex - any kind of sex that brings you happiness without hurting somebody else - is a beautiful experience which will enrich your love for one another. End of sermon."

"I... I think you're right, darling," Suzie suddenly said, a certain newfound courage seeping into her heart. "I know that I... liked watching, and well, it didn't hurt anybody and I love you just as much as ever. More, considering how I reacted. Last night, when it was proper for me to experience sex, I still couldn't bring myself to let go. It took what you did, Jim, a morally forbidden act, to open up this whole wonderful world to me."