Chapter 8

As they drove into the parking lot to view the sea lions on the beach, she had Benny on his leash and stopped to lean on the low fence. She motioned him to come to her. "This is mating season. You can see that the males have staked out their territories." She laughed out loud, "I've been dying to tell you this, but when they mate, they may go at it for a couple of hours, then the female terminates their copulation by biting him on the neck!"

"Well, he's obviously enjoying himself. I hear lots of barking and cheering. Does she bite hard? I wonder if she gets anything out of it but pups?"

"I don't remember. We had to learn all this stuff in school science class and I recall some of it. The girls had quite a giggle when the teacher reminded us that the females were not loyal and mated with as many as five or ten males."

""I assume that the males have equal freedom for group sex?"

"Apparently. They don't seem to get jealous when their woman leaves them for another."

He replied, "Well if they don't defend their territories, I wonder if they eat their young?"

"I don't remember for sure, but I do know that they crave each other's touch. Look over there. There must be a dozen of them all piled up."

"They set a good example for the rest of us by cuddling with their friends."

"When the teacher talked about how they cuddle and how they were drawn to do that, I don't think any of the students had slept or nestled with anyone. Maybe they'd had sex, but they hadn't enjoyed the all night pleasure. We didn't really understand what the teacher was saying between the lines." She turned to hug him, "I sure do understand now, though."

He replied, "I went to the Galápagos on a tour a couple of years ago. We saw lots of them there."

She recited as if in class, "The Galápagos sea lions maintain their territories longer than the California ones do. Anyway, that's what we read, but I haven't been down there."

"Fascinating, nature."

"That's probably more about sea lions than you ever wanted to know. I love the chance to do a little teaching!"

"You did well on sea lions 101! I appreciate them more."

"Thanks. Since there's no more outstanding scenery, why don't you drive? I feel the need to hold a lonesome dog."

"Ashley, you're going to spoil Benny."

"So?"

As they drove into the garage, she said, "I'll let him run around for a few minutes outside, but I need a bathroom first. Will you watch him?"

"Yeah, but hurry."

Bill reflected on the conversation. She said she didn't want children. How did Karen get the idea that she did? I'll have to call Karen. I don't want to influence her decision, but if that's what she has decided, I will go with it. I hope she knows what she is doing.

Later, as they were preparing dinner, he asked, "What's on for tomorrow? How will you ever top today?"

"I probably won't. We were lucky that we had sun on the way home. Sometimes it's foggy all day. Maybe there's a good film we could see." She started searing the tuna, "Why don't you look for something while I finish getting this ready."

He put his arms around her from behind and kissed the back of her neck. "I think I found something here!"

"Oh, that's here all the time. Take me out!"

After searching the local paper, he said, "Hey, I found something downtown. Match Point with Scarlett Johansson."

"I've heard about it. What time?"

"Five, seven forty, or ten ten."

"Let's do the five o'clock and then we can go to dinner. I know a place close to the theater that is quite good if you like Mexican."

"Thought you'd never ask. I thrive on Mexican."

"Do you now? We'll have to do something about that at home, too."

After dinner, they paid their obligatory offerings to the church of everlasting email and then watched the news before giving up on the regular programming and returning to their reading material.

After a few minutes, he said, "I'm still watching a replay in my mind of that scenery today. I'll probably dream about it."

She replied, "I never get tired of it. Oh, sometimes it is a pain in the winter when it rains and washes out the road or causes the big rocks to stop traffic." Then she moved over close to him. "I think we have some unfinished activities in the bedroom. Don't forget."

He caressed her face and ran his fingers through her hair, "I'm sure we do. I can't watch you all day and then forget about it."

She nuzzled up to his neck; "I still get all damp and squirmy when you talk to me softly like you did in the car. Reminds me of how you affected my desire while I was in your classes."

He kissed her softly at first and then let his tongue engage hers. She turned on the couch to face him and resumed kissing. When they released, she said, "When you kiss me like that, I feel like I'm necking for the first time. I could keep it up for hours."

"We can do that. There is no hurry. I rather enjoy it myself, just kissing for its own right without going further at the moment." He pulled her back to him and massaged her back and neck as they continued.

"I feel good with you, Bill."

"I have to tell you something. Days like today will be highlighted in my memory forever. I have enjoyed every minute being with you since I arrived. I don't want to go back for that meeting."

"That's nice to hear, darling. Sometimes I worry that I'm alone in this relationship."

"You are not alone! I feel more comfortable and in tune with you than with anyone in years. I am coming to love you deeply and that scares me."

She instantly straddled his lap facing him and held his face as she beamed at him, "I'm anxious, too." Her tears started down her cheek as she kissed him and pressed herself against his chest. "You make me glow inside when you say those words."

He ran his fingers through her long brown hair and then sucked the tears from her face. "I realized today how much I want to get that job at Poly. I have also wondered if you would consider coming to me if I don't."

She leaned into him and put her cheek against his, feeling the bristles of his beard, "I've had too much emotion today to think clearly. Of course I would consider it, but let's talk about that tomorrow. Take me to bed now."

While she was brushing her teeth, he retrieved the restraints from the corner near Benny's bed. He noticed them the first day he brought his suitcase into the bedroom. He found wrist and ankle restraints, a blindfold, and a leather whip. He laid all of them out on the bed. Her jaw dropped when she saw them and she drew her breath in sharply, "What are you doing with those, Bill?"

"Lie on your belly and put your arms out."

"You better not hurt me!"

"Do as you're told, woman. Face down!"

She followed his orders and he quickly had the strong restraints attached to hardware snaps on the bed frame, leaving just enough slack in the ropes to allow her to get on her knees.

Her voice was crackly, "These belonged to my father. I think one or two of his women friends were kinky." She tried unsuccessfully to see through the blindfold. She listened for him, but heard no noise. Then, she heard water running in the bathroom and could hear him humming That Old Black Magic. Time passed slowly as she wondered what he would do to her. She felt herself getting wet and her breathing was faster than before.

It seemed like an hour later that she heard him walking toward the bed and then she felt the tails of the whip tickling the bottoms of her feet very softly. "Oh, God, no! I can't stand that," and tried to jerk them away.

He dangled the ends of the whip up between her legs, the insides of her thighs, across her vulva and butt and to the top of her back. Then he reversed the movement lightly back and forth all the way back down to her ankles, then to the soles of her feet again. She protested loudly, "Nooooo. Please, no!"