Chapter 33: A Quiet Evening

Kathy woke me up, gently calling my name. With a yawn, I stretched, feeling stiff and sore all around. I managed to sit up with a groan at the effort, my muscles protesting at the slight strain. When my eyes found her, I noticed the concerned expression on her face.

"What did you do?" she asked, with an irate tone.

"Hello to you, too," I replied, instead of answering her question.

She didn't take any notice; instead, she repeated her question with an exasperated tone. "Mitch, what did you do? You look like shit."

"Thank you for the compliment," I retorted, with a wry grin, but seeing she was losing patience, I added, "I was at the gym, working out."

"Working out, or trying to kill yourself?" she responded.

She was still angry, and my replies were getting her worked up.

"If I was trying to kill myself, you wouldn't have the dinner ready, now, would you?" I responded, trying to calm her down.

Her expression softened a bit, and with a concerned tone she said, "You worried me. What did you do with your face? It's all red, and your beard and moustache..."

"Ahh, that. I wanted to shave it off, but decided to trim it very short. I was under the sunlamp, working on my tan."

"It looks odd. Why did you?"

"A whim... I was kinda tired of seeing an old guy greet me from the mirror. Does it look really bad?"

"Not too bad, just odd. You need to spend more time under the sunlamp. I guess that's your plan?"

"Yeah."

"Any further plans to kill yourself?" she asked, with a motherly tone.

"No, dear mother. I don't have such plans. I just overdid-trying to catch up."

"Catching up with what? Weren't you getting enough exercise?" a familiar voice cut in, with an amused tone, bringing a small smile to Kathy's face.

I turned to the sound; it was Sarah, grinning at me from the door.

"Jeez, girls! At least give me a second to wake up, will you?"

"You don't have any right to complain. You worried us, sleeping dead to the world and looking like that," Kathy retorted, but she still had the faint smile on her lips at Sarah's quip.

"There's nothing to worry about. I'm all right. Just tired."

Trying to change the subject, I asked about Mark.

"He's going to be late. He said he'd call if he couldn't make the dinner," Kathy answered. Turning to Sarah, she said, "I'm going to take a shower. Keep an eye on him, will you?" Then added, "Or your hands, if you prefer." The last one was delivered with an impish tone, but Sarah didn't seem to take any notice.

I chuckled at Kathy's antics. In the meantime, Sarah took a seat next to me. Looking at me critically, she said, "Shave it off completely, otherwise it will take a long time to get rid off the tan lines." She brushed my cheek, feeling the stubble. "I called you in the afternoon, but you weren't in. When we walked in and saw you like this, Kathy got really worried. You should cut her some slack. You know how she is," she reminded me, but she wasn't really admonishing me.

"Yes, Ma," I replied, but getting a hurt look, I apologized by kissing her. "What about you? I hope you're not worried."

"I wasn't. I know you can take care of yourself, but you really look tired, Mitch. Why did you push yourself so hard?"

I was considering telling a white lie, but in the end, decided on a partial truth.

"I was feeling stressed and wanted to blow off some steam. And I hadn't exercised for a long time. Sometimes at the rig, I relieve one of the crewmembers, trying to get a bit of exercise with manual labor to keep in shape, but this last tour, it was too busy. I didn't get to exercise, barely managing to get some rest. I guess I needed the exercise, because it felt great when I was working out."

She nodded sympathetically, before asking, "Stressed?"

"I feel restless when I'm not busy with something, without any physical activity," I said, offering another partial truth.

At my reply, she arched an eyebrow, before it gave way to a mischievous look, and I knew what she was thinking; I could have a different, but much more enjoyable form of exercise... with her.

"You're bad, Sarah," I retorted.

"What? I didn't say anything," she replied, with an innocent expression on her face.

"No, you didn't. Do I need to convince you I'm a telepath?"

With a laugh, she gave up the pretense. "No, you don't need to." Getting serious, she added, "I think you need a break tonight."

I really needed a break, because I wasn't sure what kind of a night I would have. After the short sleep I had a while ago, I might have a restless night. But she sounded hesitant, almost wistful when she was talking about giving me a break.

"We can always cuddle," I replied.

Despite my words, I was trying to find a way to spend the night alone. Perhaps, she heard the lack of enthusiasm in my tone, because she gave me a quizzical look.

"I didn't want to sound unenthusiastic. When I'm this tired, I'm a restless sleeper. I don't want to keep you awake. You need your rest," I offered.

"That's all right. I need to study. I have a busy schedule tomorrow. By the way, I might not be able to join you and Dana tomorrow, and Kathy mentioned she'd like you two to stay here. Do you mind?"

"More studying?" I asked, wondering if she was trying to give us some space.

"Yes. And I have to go through some patient records, and write a few reports."

She must have caught something on my face, because she shook her head. "No, really. I have to catch up with my classes and get my paperwork done before the weekend." Then, with a very soft tone, she added, "and you two need some time, Mitch. We both know it. You know how I feel about Dana."

We both knew she was right, and she was being honest about it. I tried to put my arm around her to pull her to me for an embrace and a kiss, but groaned again when my muscles protested at the sudden movement.

"You really worked yourself, didn't you?" she asked. Then, with a laugh she teased, "Overcompensating again?"

I answered with a sheepish grin, before pulling her to my chest, sharing a short kiss. "I hope you'll stay for the dinner."

"Sure. In the meantime, do you want a massage?" she asked.

It was a very attractive offer, but before I could answer, she added, "You look like you need it."

"You're not tired?" I asked.

"Nope. I want to get my hands on your body." Then with a wicked grin, she added, "I just might make you scream."

"There's no question about that, the way I feel at the moment," I retorted, chuckling at her quip.

Standing up, she pulled me to my feet.

"Come on, old man!"

"Who's old?" I responded, while we walked to my room.

"You. My grandpa would beat you in a race, the way you walk," she retorted.

"Well, he might, but I don't have wrinkles, yet," I came back.

She didn't pull any punches with her next quip. "Maybe not, but can you get it up?"

"That's below the belt," I protested.

"Yes, it is, and I haven't even gotten below your belt. Yet!" she came back with a lecherous grin, and I had to try hard to keep from laughing at her.

"When did you get to be so merciless?"

"I'm very merciful. You might want to reconsider that remark when I'm finished with the massage."

"If I survive it."

"You told me not to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs... or is it, the goose that injects the fertilizer for the eggs?" she retorted.

I laughed at her wicked sense of humor, before conceding defeat. "Touché."

By then, we were in my room, and she asked me to get undressed, while she went out to get towels, and something to use for massage oil. I undressed down to my boxers, and lay face down on the bed. A few minutes later, she walked in with a large and a small towel, and scented body oil, leaving the door ajar.

"You're not going to use that on me, are you? That's for women."

"Shut up, Mitch. You wanted a massage, so let me do it. I think I've spoiled you," she scolded me with an amused tone.

I took the big towel and slipped it under my body before lying down again.

She quickly undressed, leaving her panties on, and giving a playful slap on my ass, she asked, "What's this?"

"That's to protect my virtue," I quipped.

Laughing, she retorted, "I've already taken your virtue. Now, get rid off that... thing! I want to get my hands on the goodies."

When I moved too slowly for her taste, she asked me to raise my ass up, and swiftly pulled my boxers down to my thighs, and legs, finally taking them off. Straddling my legs, she slapped my cheeks again, making me grunt.

"Mmm... Yummy!"

"I was expecting a massage, not a spanking."

"Be quiet! Don't give me ideas," she warned playfully.

"Yes, Ma'am!"

Slap! Slap!

"Mmm hmm... You're learning," she teased.

Sliding forward, she settled on the back of my thighs, and leaning down, kissed my neck and shoulders. I could feel her nipples rubbing on my back.

"Now, put your arms on your side, and relax. In a short while, you'll feel great," she instructed.

"You always make me feel great, love," I replied, before turning my head, searching for her lips.

After the kiss, I put my arms on my side, and let her take over. Sitting back, she poured a bit of the body oil on my back, making me arch with the cold feel, before I relaxed on the bed. Spreading the oil slowly, she worked on my sore muscles, starting with my shoulders, then down along my sides and spine, loosening the knots she encountered. She had magical hands, powerful, but soft and she knew what she was doing. As I sighed in pleasure, she was humming and murmuring softly, and I got the feeling she was enjoying herself very much. As she worked her way down to the muscles in my lower back, she slid down to sit on my legs. She kept working on the knots, moving up and down between my lower back and the middle, and it felt great. To my great surprise, I was getting an erection, and after a while it started to feel uncomfortable, trapped as it was in an awkward position. I was trying to find a way to move it to a more comfortable position without being obvious about it, but couldn't come up with any ideas.

She slid down a bit more on my legs, and said, "Raise your ass."

Oh, God! Lucky break!

Following her instruction, I raised my ass slightly, letting my hardening dick slip into a more comfortable position. Before I could lower myself again, I felt her hand reach down to touch my penis, making me jerk up. She gently positioned my penis in a more comfortable position. After a playful slap to my cheeks, I lowered my ass.

"Comfortable?" she asked.

"How did you know?"

"You were fidgeting, and I know something about male anatomy," she replied. After a pause, she added, "When I work on the lower back, and around the spine, the blood moves easily, rushing to some interesting places."

"So you were working me up?"

"I didn't say that. It's a natural reaction. I don't think you're in any condition for strenuous exercise, and that will subside in a while," she explained with an amused tone. "If I don't help it, that's something else," she quipped, and draped herself over my back, letting me feel her erect nipples as if to make her point-I groaned at the feeling. Then, she ran her hands gently over my shoulders, and placed soft, little kisses on my back.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Great. You have magical hands."

"And you have a yummy body. I could work on it for hours."

"I don't really have a great body," I replied almost automatically-feeling a bit self-conscious. Perhaps, it was something left from childhood; a result of being a victim of stronger, and physically more developed kids. I knew I was in good shape, but I didn't have much in the way of muscles. I was what one would call a wiry guy, with an average looking body.

"Let me be the judge of that. You have good muscle tone, wide shoulders, a narrow waist, a flat stomach, strong runners' legs, and a really yummy, yummy butt. What more do you want?" she said.

"I don't know... an inch or two taller... a bit more muscled look? Not like body builders, but..."

She grew quiet. I opened my eyes, and turned to look back.

"Do you really feel like that?"

"I guess... I mean, I know I'm in good shape, and have no visible defects but... I have an average looking body."

"I never figured you would be self-conscious about your body. You really have a yummy body, Mitch. I'm serious, and I'm talking as a woman, not as Sarah, your friend," she said.

I realized she meant what she said, and for a moment, I felt relieved, but very quickly, it gave way to embarrassment, and I mumbled, "If you say so."

"I say so," she responded pointedly.

Our eyes locked, and I didn't know how to respond, but she must have understood, because she slid forward, and leaned down for a kiss, and we locked lips. Brushing my cheek affectionately, she sat back, and slid down my body to continue the massage.

"Now the best parts," she quipped, before starting on my ass, and buttocks, making me chuckle.

As she was working on me, there was a knock on the door. Kathy asked permission to come in, even though the door was half-open, and she could see we were not engaged in something private. Sarah took the small towel and covered my lower regions, and invited Kathy in. I turned my head towards the door, and let it down on the bed again, watching Kathy approach the bed.

Giving me an appraising look Kathy said, "You look much better."

"Thanks to the lady who is sitting on my legs, and crushing them with her weight," I quipped.

It was a stupid thing to do, because the repercussions were very serious. Sarah immediately lifted the towel, and gave me two hard slaps, the sound echoing harshly inside the little room. Kathy chuckled, before she started to giggle at Sarah. When Sarah didn't cover me with the towel, I had to give in, because she had me by the balls-I mean, by my ass!

"OK! OK! I'm sorry. I was just joking," I said.

Slap! Slap!

"Good! Apology accepted," Sarah retorted teasingly, before she covered me with the small towel as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Turning to Kathy, she said, "You might want to try this with Mark. It seems very effective in teaching them who's the boss."

Kathy was laughing at Sarah's antics. When she caught her breath, she agreed with her. But, she wasn't going to let Sarah have the last word.

"Somehow I don't believe you'd be singing the same tune, if he was lying on his back."

Sarah squealed, catching what Kathy was getting at. Collecting herself, she quickly returned fire. "And you would sing a different tune?"

Instead of returning tit for tat, Kathy moved on. "How is he?"

"He's all right, but he had knots all over the place. He said he hadn't exercised for a long time, so no surprises there."

"Do you have to work on him more?"

"I was just getting to the best parts," Sarah replied, with a serious tone, getting a snicker from Kathy.

"Strange. I think you have him in the wrong position for that," Kathy retorted, with an innocent tone.

"In the condition he is in, I have to settle for his other best feature," Sarah came back.

As if she didn't know what Sarah was talking about, Kathy asked, "And what part is that?"

"Oh, you know. The parts that I just warmed up."

"Oh, that! Well, I better not keep you from your work then," Kathy responded giving us an amused look, before she turned and left the room, closing the door behind her.

I had to grin and bear all that teasing, but now, I wanted to pay her back. As I tried to twist and roll, Sarah quickly moved to pin down my shoulders, keeping me face down. Even though I could have overpowered her, I let her. My muscles were still pretty sore and tired, and I didn't want to hurt Sarah.

"What do you think you're doing?" she asked with a serious, but playful tone.

"I wanted to pay you back," I replied.

"After all that I've done for you?" she responded, still playful.

"Yes."

"I see you haven't learned anything yet," she said with an ominous tone, and quickly removing the towel, gave a hard slap.

"Just remember paybacks are a bitch, Sarah," I warned her, after letting out a half-groan at the stinging slap.

"I'm sure they are. Now, will you be good, and let me finish this?" she responded with almost a pleading tone.

"Yes." Then with a softer tone, I added, "Thank you, love. I really appreciate it."

"Well, if you appreciate it, then relax, and let me enjoy this, Mitch," she said, with the same soft tone.

Closing my eyes, I relaxed to the bed, and let her continue. After she finished working on my ass and buttocks, she quickly went through my legs. Then, she draped herself on my back, kissed my cheek, and said, "Now, the front part."

"Is that necessary?"

"Don't argue, Mitch. You have knots, and I need to loosen them," she replied softly.

When I turned over, I was semi-erect.

"You see. Here's one large knotted muscle that needs to be loosened," she quipped.

"I should have known," I retorted with a grin.

I was feeling amorous, and I wanted to make love with her, but I just didn't have the energy, and the massage left me in a very lethargic condition.

With a more serious tone, she said, "I was just joking, Mitch."

I gave her a gentle look, and said, "I would love to make love to you, Sarah. I really feel like it. I just don't know if I'll be able to bring you any pleasure."

"Shussshh. I want to finish this massage."

Pouring some body oil in her palm, she spread it over my chest, and continued with her massage. I could feel the wet crotch of her panties, and the heat of her pussy. She was worked up, and I was still erect. I put my hands on her hands, stopping her, and asked if she wanted to take off her panties.