Day Two - Chapter 15

They all saw each other at breakfast, but only four of them sat together.

Roberta and Jeff got there first, and were already eating when Roberta saw Jane walk in alone. She looked their way, and Roberta waved her over.

"Is Roger going to join you?" she asked.

"Yes," said Jane, who seemed much calmer than she had the last time they'd seen her, going into Roger's room.

"Do you want to be alone with him?" asked Roberta.

"It's not necessary," said Jane. "We settled things last night, I think."

"Mmmm, sounds yummy," said Roberta. She flushed. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I have no idea what came over me. That was terrible."

"You two have gone head over heels for each other, haven't you?" asked Jane, sitting down.

Roberta flushed even harder. "Is it really that obvious?" Jeff shifted in his seat, but didn't say anything.

Jane nodded, but smiled. "I understand how you feel. I'm a completely different woman than I was yesterday morning." She looked around, looking for Roger. She saw Bob and Lori sitting in a booth. Lori looked different somehow. She was wearing a plum colored skirt and a blouse that matched. It gave her a whole new look. She realized her face was different, too. She was animated, leaning forward toward Bob, but seemed relaxed... not tense, like she'd been all the time previous to this.

"Look at Lori," she said, nodding to the others.

Both turned to look. It was one of those moments when the person they were looking at, happened to be looking around too, and noticed them... noticing here. Lori smiled nervously and waved tentatively. All three waved back.

"Her too, apparently," said Roberta, turning back around. "Who'd have thought Bob would do something like that?"

"She'd have a crush on anybody who paid any attention to her at all," said Jeff. "Don't read too much into that."

"Woody and Crystal are over there," said Roberta, looking at another booth.

They all turned to look at the couple, who were eating normally and appeared to just be chatting.

"Never happen," said Jeff. "She's too tall."

"How come you suddenly know everything?" asked Roberta, arching an eyebrow. "You didn't think anything would happen between us either."

"Nothing was supposed to happen between us," he said.

"Well it did," she shot back.

"Children, children," chided Jane.

"There's Roger," said Jeff, waving.

Roger walked over to them.

"It's tomorrow," said Jane, promptly.

"I see," said Roger, somewhat mysteriously, from the point of view of the other couple present.

"I believe we have a date tonight," said Jane.

"I see," he said again, smiling.

"You want to eat with them?" asked Jane, looking at Roger, but obviously referring to Roberta and Jeff.

"I believe I do," he said. "I don't think it would be a good idea for you to get me alone before class."

Roberta and Jeff watched in amazement as Jane's laughter tinkled.

Roger sat down. "I can't wait to see what Bob has for us today," he said, as an ice breaker.

"Have you ever wanted to skip school?" asked Roberta. Jeff shot her a nervous look.

"Many times," said Roger, looking at the menu. "But not for the same reason you do." He smiled as she blushed. "Besides, if things progressed so rapidly after just one day of class, I wouldn't even think of missing the next one."

Now it was Jane who finally blushed. The smile on her face was beautiful, though, and all the others could see she was very pleased.

"This is very strange," said Jeff, fiddling with his napkin. "We're sitting here... teachers... and we're acting like kids."

"I don't care," said Roberta. "I had a good time last night."

"How good a time did you have?" asked Jane, her voice heavy with innuendo.

Roberta really didn't care. "I had a better time than I did on my honeymoon. That's how good a time I had." She looked at Jane. "How about you?"

Jane blushed at having her bluff called. "I've never been on a honeymoon. I wouldn't know."

"Looks like more than just us had a good time," commented Roger, looking past Jane. They all turned to see Tiffany and Chuck come in the door. Chuck was just pulling his hand away from Tiffany's, and it was clear she wasn't letting go quickly.

"You don't suppose this is some nefarious plot," said Roger, "orchestrated by Bob, to turn us all into sex fiends, do you?"

"I'll tell you this," said Roberta. "If I ever meet a couple who needs a little help with... things... I know who to send them to."

"He's supposed to save marriages," said Jeff. "Not break them up."

"You might mention that to him when we get to class," said Jane. She smiled at Roger to show she didn't regret what had happened between them.

Chuck and Tiffany walked over to them.

"Good morning. You guys want to join us?" asked Roberta.

"No," said Tiffany, speaking for both of them. "There's not really room at this table, and we have things to talk about. We just wanted to say hi, but thanks for the invitation."

"See you in class then," said Roberta.

When they sat down, Tiffany waited until the waitress had taken their order. She had been on her way to knock on Chuck's door again, this morning, when he had opened it and walked out. Neither of them said anything, but when she took his hand, his fingers interlaced with hers as they walked to the dining room.

She had done a lot of thinking last night, as she lay in her bed, unable to get to sleep. Even masturbating hadn't helped. She'd been looking for a man like Chuck all her life, even if she hadn't known it until she met him. Now, having met him, and feeling like she did, so soon after meeting him, she was scared. The real thing couldn't just happen like that... could it? You didn't just meet the man of your dreams, who considered you to be the woman of HIS dreams... by accident... at a seminar gone wrong... did you? If it was too good to be true... then it probably wasn't true. Was he just slick? Was he just playing her, like her boyfriend had? Did he just have a different ploy... acting like the good guy, who cares about you, so your defenses will be down?

What she'd finally decided was that he'd had the chance to get what a man like that would want. She'd been flaunting it at him... had made it clear he could have it. But he'd turned away. She knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he wanted her. His penis told her that all by itself.

She wondered about her own behavior too. She wasn't a slut. She didn't just hop into bed with anyone. Yet she had acted the slut with him. When he'd accused her of having a cruel streak, and teasing him because of it, she had known he was right, in a way. She HAD been teasing him, intentionally, trying to control him with her body. That bothered her, because, like him, she didn't really want a meaningless, shallow relationship.

It wasn't until she decided she had the opportunity of a lifetime here, that she was finally able to go to sleep.

This morning, as she dressed, her doubts had returned, though. They whispered at her that she couldn't be happy... that she was destined to keep searching.

His fingers, interlacing with hers, as they walked to the dining room, were seductive in a physical way. She loved the feeling of his fingers, casually touching her in a way that felt amazingly intimate. But then when they walked into the dining room, he pulled away, like he was ashamed to be seen holding her hand.

Finally, after they were seated, she forced the issue, just to get it over with.

"If I said all I wanted was a hot fling, and nothing more... could you do that?" she asked suddenly.

"No," he said instantly. "Not with you. Maybe with some other woman, but not you."

"So what you want from me is commitment," she said.

"If that works out, I'd be a very happy man," he said.

"How can you know that?" she asked. "We hardly know each other."

"I thought about that last night," he admitted. "I wanted Cheryl - she was the cheerleader - to love me... to choose me over all the other boys. When she performed, and I was sitting on the front row, she'd look at me and smile, and shake her body, and I wanted to believe it was all for me. But it wasn't. It wasn't for me at all. When you acted like you did... when you took off your bikini top... it was like that."

"But that WAS for you," said Tiffany.

"Was it?" he asked.

"Of course it was!" she hissed. "Do you think I go around showing men my breasts all the time?"

"You seemed awfully comfortable, like it was pretty routine." He frowned.

"Well you're wrong about that!" she snapped. "Other than my boyfriend, you're the only man in the world who's seen them like that!"

"Oh," he said, sounding ashamed. He WAS ashamed. He'd put her in a stereotyped box again.

"Look," she said, fidgeting in her seat. "I admit I don't have all that much experience with men, and that it's been a long time since... well... anyway, I admit I'm probably acting a little strange, for me, anyway, but you have a lot to do with that."

He looked at her intently. "I do?"

"When will you get it through your thick head that I like you?" she asked, reaching for his hand. He jerked, like he was going to pull it away again, but didn't.

"So it's not just sex? Not just a fling?" he asked.

"I don't KNOW what it is," she said, squeezing his fingers. "But I know I don't want it to go away, and not just because I'm so... horny. I can't really explain how I feel right now. Maybe it's a little like searching for gold nuggets. You get excited whenever something glints in the sunlight. You want to lean down and pick it up. You want to hope it's what you're looking for."

"I know that feeling," he said.

"But how do you tell if it's only fool's gold... or the real thing?" she asked tensely.

"In the old days, miners used to bite gold, to see if it was real," he said, trying to lessen the tension.

"You wouldn't let me bite you last night," she said.

"I'm nervous," he said. His eyes sharpened. "No, what I really am is scared. You scare me to death."

"Me?" she squeaked. "Why in the world would you be scared of me?"

"Because I want you to be gold," he said. "There. I let it all hang out. I want you to be the one."

"You want me to be your cheerleader." she said.

"I want you to be so much more than my cheerleader," he said softly. "I can't explain how much more. I've never found her, but, like you said, I see something glinting, and I want it to be the real thing so badly that I'm afraid to pick it up. I'm afraid it won't actually be the genuine."

"I can't give you some kind of guarantee," said Tiffany, feeling the whole weight of his desire pressing all around her.

"I know that," he said miserably. "I can't tell you I'd be the right guy for you either. I want to be... desperately... but I don't know how to be that man."

"That's just because we don't know each other very well yet," she said. "We just need more time."

"We have a week," he said. "That's not long."

"Do you just want to drop the whole thing?" she asked, afraid of what his answer would be.

"No!" he said, sounding shocked.

"Then let's use the rest of the week to get to know each other," she said. She was still holding his fingers. She stroked one of his, with one of hers. "And please understand that I don't usually act like this, but I like touching you. I know you like looking at me. It makes me feel good when you do. I like looking at you too. Don't think I'm some kind of slut just because I think about sex."

"I don't think you're a slut!" he objected.

"I gave you pretty good cause to think that yesterday," she said calmly. "But I'm not. You make me feel... different, somehow. If I act that way again, just remember I'm not trying to be a slut."

"I was only trying to take it slow because I was afraid that would mess things up between us," he said.

"I understand that, even if I don't agree with you," she said. "Maybe it's just because it's been so long, but I miss that. You're the first man I've been attracted to that way in a long time."

"I can't help being nervous about that," he said. "I really don't have all that much experience with women... that way."

"Have you made love with more than one woman?" she asked.

He blushed. "Yes, I suppose I have, but it turned out to only be sex... not love."

"Even so," she said calmly. "You have more experience with women than I have with men."

"Wow," he said, looking stunned.

"That's why I reserve the right to see your penis again," she said.

He blinked. She took her hand away from his, finally, and began to eat.

Woody and Crystal had rooms on opposite sides of the pool, and both left them at the same time. They met on the deck of the shallow end of the pool.

"My joints are sore," said Crystal, but she smiled.

"I'd say I was sorry, but I had too good a time last night. You going to be OK?"

"Oh, sure," she said. "I should have done my flexibility exercises when I got home, but I went to bed instead. You wore me out."

"I'll be more gentle with you in the future," he promised.

"So... there is a future... for us?" she asked.

He glanced at her and she noticed he had to look up. That bothered her for some reason.

"I hope so," he said easily. "You're a good date."

"You didn't act like it last night," she said.

"I'm sorry," he said, frowning. "I was trying to be the perfect gentleman."

"Is that why you didn't kiss me good night?" she asked.

"I DID kiss you good night," he said. He reached for her hand and pulled it to his lips, kissing her fingertips again. She felt a tingle race through her at that simple touch.

"That's how you kiss a woman you have the hots for?" she asked, smiling.

"On a first date... sure," he said. "I wouldn't want you to think I was a cad, who was only interested in your body."

"I expected you to try to kiss me," said Crystal. "I wasn't going to let you."

"See?" he beamed.

"But then I was unhappy because you didn't try," she said, still smiling. She liked being able to talk to a man this way.

She was surprised beyond measure when he stopped, took her elbow, spun her toward him, and then reached up to grasp her head lightly with both hands. She felt him pulling her face to his, unbelieving, and, with her eyes wide open, she saw his close as his lips touched hers. It was strange, because his grip on her head was strong. But his lips were soft and warm, almost fluid, as they more than brushed, but didn't mash against hers. It was an astonishingly tender and intimate kiss. He held her there just long enough for her eyes to close, and for her to take a long breath through her nose, preparing to kiss him back, and then pulled away.

"That's what I should have done?" he asked.

Crystal realized she must be blushing, because her face and throat felt hot. She hadn't been kissed like that for as long as she could remember. She let her breath out in a rush, and stood up straight.

"You're a dangerous man, Woody Buckholtz."

"Naw," he said carelessly. "I'm fully trustworthy. I only ambush a woman once, usually in broad daylight, where everyone can come to her aid. That's already over, so you're safe now."

"Are we going out again tonight?" she asked.

"I don't know," he said. "Why do you ask?"

"I might let you kiss me good night if we do," she said.

"We're definitely going out again tonight," he said, firmly. "But first, breakfast, and more education."

"Sexual education?" she asked slyly.

He looked over at her again, and she saw the same glint in his eye as when she had said she could hook her ankles behind her head. Again, she expected something... male... to come from him, and again, he did something different instead.

"Try to learn something every day," he said. "It's a mantra my students cringe at. I say that at least ten times a day, in class." He walked on beside her. "I thought you were trying to resist my charms."

"I am," said Crystal, realizing she was walking too fast again, and slowing down. "It's just a lot more difficult than I thought it would be."

"Excellent," he said smugly.

"I thought you were trying to take things slowly," she said, trying to turn the tables.

"That's before I danced with you," he said. "Finding a good dance partner changes everything."

"So... you're dangerous after all," she said.

"I will never knowingly hurt you," he said softly.

They arrived at the doors of the dining room as he said that, and the noise of people eating made it uncomfortable for her to try to respond. He didn't give her time to anyway, raising his voice.

"I see some of the others. You want to join them?"

"No," she said. "Maybe later."

"Excellent," he said, and her belly fluttered again.

"So," said Bob, when they were all assembled. "How did it go?"

He noticed that they had all come in and sat in pairs, this time. He knew what some of the pairs were, because he'd seen them together, around the resort. He didn't know enough about any of them to make a judgment on whether they had chosen well or not, but no one looked really uncomfortable. Jeff and Roberta were sitting closer together than the others, which suggested they had gotten along well. It was only a difference of inches, but Woody and Crystal were next on the "closeness index", followed by Jane and Roger, who were sitting about the same distance apart as Chuck and Tiffany. Lori, unsurprisingly, had sat next to the head of the table, where Bob had been the day before.

"It was interesting," said Woody, breaking the silence.

"How did the communication go?" asked Bob, when nobody else volunteered anything.

He saw color flush into Roberta's cheeks, and then noticed the same thing in Jane's. Both women looked at their partners, and then looked away. That was very interesting. Bob was seeing things he didn't usually see until day three or four, when the discussion became frank about sexual techniques, and couples were comfortable enough to share intimate details about their relationships. The women usually blushed, and the men either shifted in their seats, or preened.

"Come on, people, we have to talk, to get anywhere," said Bob. "Roberta?" he spoke her name.

She jerked, and looked at him, her eyes wide.

"Were you able to communicate with Jeff? Were you able to be honest with him?"

"I think I was very honest with him," she said, blushing even more.

Bob felt a tinge of concern. It wasn't unusual for attractions to develop between members of different couples. It was one of the things he talked about. But this group wasn't supposed to develop attractions. They were just supposed to learn to communicate on a deeper, more honest level.

"And do you think he was honest with you?" Bob asked.

The look she gave him said it all. Something had obviously happened between them. He remembered that both had problems in their marriages. He had hoped that would give them something to empathize with, and open up the lines of communication. But it was plain that something more had happened.

"Very much so," said the woman, looking at the man she was talking about like he WAS her husband.

Bob looked at Jane, who was staring at Roberta, still blushing herself. Bob felt more tingles of concern.

"May I take it that communication led to some feelings of... attraction?" asked Bob, looking all around the table, so that no particular person was singled out.

He got tiny nods of agreement from almost all of them, who were looking all around the table too, instead of at their partners. Roberta was the exception. Her eyes were still on Jeff, and when his met hers, they stayed there.

"How many of you feel uncomfortable, or guilty about that?" he asked.

Everyone looked at him then. Most of them looked shocked. He assumed that was because most of them had answered that question "Yes" in their own minds, but were unwilling to make that answer public.

Bob Nivens suddenly realized he had the potential for a problem on his hands. In all the strangeness that had resulted from the error that sent all these teachers here, he had adapted... and forgotten something crucial. Communication was SUPPOSED to create attraction. He knew that. How in the world had he forgotten that when he decided to throw members of this unorthodox "class" of people together?

"Do we have any... problems... here?" he asked. "My intent here is to help you... not put you in an uncomfortable situation."

Jeff finally tore his eyes away from Roberta, and met Bob's gaze.

"Jeff?" prompted Bob.

"When you're married," said Jeff slowly, "you're not supposed to be attracted to anyone else."

"Culturally, that's true," said Bob. "Biologically, it's preposterous."

Now he had everyone's undivided attention, and it was interested attention.

"Who are you allowed to fall in love with, and who are you not allowed to fall in love with?" asked Bob.

"Relatives," said Jane automatically. "Not, I mean." She blushed.

"Incest is banned by culture," agreed Bob. "That doesn't mean no one will ever think about it, or be interested in it, or be tempted to have that kind of relationship. Incest flourished for thousands of years before it fell out of favor with various cultures."

He got shocked looks.

"We touched on this yesterday," said Bob patiently. "Biological attraction comes first, and automatically. We can't control that part. It just happens. After that, culture, and religion, and personal tastes filter those feelings, and we make decisions - most of them unconscious - about who is acceptable and who is not."

Crystal raised her hand. When Bob nodded at her, she said: "How can you tell whether what you're feeling is just biology, or something deeper?"

"Relationships are based on lots of things," said Bob. "There is the initial physical attraction. Continued physical attraction is part of building a relationship. Not all relationships have sex in them. You have friends, who are very important to you, who you're not attracted to on a sexual level. True?" He asked.

He got nods all around, and went on.

"So, if the physical attraction persists, that's one sign. But personality counts for a lot. What you are attracted to most, in the case of your friends, are their personalities. You like them. You like being around them. You like talking to them. If that is happening, and you still feel physical attraction, that's another indicator of the possibility of a deeper kind of relationship."

He got more nods, and a few looks between partners.

"So feeling... desire," said Tiffany, "isn't such a bad thing, if you like the person you're with too."

"That's where it begins to get complicated," said Bob. "It's complicated because there are two of you, or more, in some situations, such as open marriages. Each member of the relationship has different wants and needs, and can give different things. They don't always match up to everyone's satisfaction."

"That open marriage thing bothers me," said Jeff. "I don't understand how anyone can be in an open marriage, and be happy," said Jeff. "If you really found that one, special person, how can you be with the love of your life, and feel something for another woman?"

Bob sighed. "Do you think there's only one person out there, in all the world, that you're destined to fall in love with?" he asked. "That's ridiculous, and I think you'll agree if you just think about it for a minute."