Close Quarters

Have you ever heard a couple making love? The way your pulse quickens, and the chills race down your spine? How you're almost a part of what they're doing? This story seeks to recreate that feeling.

*

"Daddy, are you going, too?" Rachel asked as she ran into David and Cynthia's room. At five years old, she still asked many questions to each of them in turn.

"Yes, your mother and I are going together," David replied as he zipped up his overnight bag. "We're both going with Steven and Sharon. Didn't Mommy and I tell you we were going a couple of days ago?"

"Yes, Daddy, but are me and Brian going, too?"

"No, Rachel, you and Brian are staying with Grandma. Didn't Mommy and I tell you this also?"

"Yes, Daddy, but when is Grandma coming?"

"None too soon, Rachel. Now why don't you carry Mommy's purse to the front door while I carry these bags? And don't open it!"

Dave got their things in a neat pile by the door, so they could run out to Steve and Sharon's car. The rain poured outside, but that didn't diminish his spirits. Hell, being locked up in the hotel room with Cynthia might be the best way to spend this weekend. Too many months had passed since they had been together without the kids.

"There's a car out there, Daddy!" Brian yelled.

"Thanks, Brian, it's Grandma. I'm going to take and umbrella out there to walk her in."

"Can I come?"

"Too wet, Brian" Dave said, as the screen door closed behind him. He waved to Cynthia's mother and walked over to her car in the driveway.

"Hello, Doris. Thought that the umbrella was the least that I could do. How are you doing?"

"Good, Dave. You're looking great as usual. Looking forward to a weekend with my daughter?" Doris said as she cooked an eyebrow at him.

"I might ask her for a kiss or two, but I'm sure that our chaperones will keep us in line," Dave replied, slipping into the familiar banter with Doris. "You know that they don't allow boys and girls together alone on these trips."

"Steve and Sharon definitely strike me as the type who will keep you two in line—the pour line on the beer glass, that is," Doris whipped back. David had always liked Doris and her sense of humor. He knew where a lot of Cynthia's beauty and personality came from. He opened the front door for her.

"And how are my prince and princess?" Doris gushed as she swept them into her arms. "We are going to have such a great time while your Mommy and Daddy are away. Who wants a cookie?" she asked, pulling a tin box out from under her coat.

"Rachel and Brian may have more fun than we do," Cynthia observed.

"Don't count on it, if I have my way," David said, getting a raised eyebrow from both ladies.

"OK, Mom, you remember the drill? It's been a few months." Cynthia said.

"I don't forget that fast yet," Doris quipped. "At least give me a few more years. No, I know where everything is. There's the candy jar, and your bed in the back should still make a good trampoline."

"Right, Mom. Just don't get the cops called over here."

"We'll keep the destruction inside. Now, you two have a good time," Doris said as another car pulled into the driveway. "Don't bother inviting them in. Too wet, and you need to get started on your trip. On you go!"

David and Cynthia gave their kids the usual hugs, kisses, assurances, and admonishments, grabbed their bags, and walked out to the car. David dropped the bags into Steven's open trunk and walked Cynthia to her door. As Cynthia got into her seat, she saw David watching her legs. She pulled up her skirt up and flashed him a bit more, giving David a wink when she caught his eye. David never tired of watching Cynthia. She could rivet his eyes, yet her attraction was not that of a supermodel. It was more that of a good-looking woman who excited on many levels, only one of them visual. With shoulder-length dark hair and dark eyes, Cynthia could exude a sense of mystery that enchanted David. David always thought that she would make a good sorceress, if magic were possible.

She was a bit more formal than most women these days, preferring the etiquette of a bygone era. Favoring subtlety to directness, Cynthia often just used her eyes to communicate something to David. At the same time, Cynthia drew her friends into a circle of warmth, openness, and humor. She counted Sharon and Steve as longtime friends in her inner circle. Cynthia's tastes ran the gamut from high culture to popular, but always with a discerning eye for quality. She ran and bicycled for fun and exercise, and she had accompanied David on many of his outdoor adventures. Altogether, she was everything David could imagine when he married her.

"Hello, Dave. Supposed to blow over in an hour or two. Weekend should be great," Steven said as Dave got his belt on.

"This will be a great time no matter what the weather. We've always had fun on these trips. You look lovely, Sharon," David said as he turned to her. And she did. She was as attractive as Cynthia, with differences that always drew David's interest.

"Thank you, Dave." Sharon said, dazzling him with her smile.

"Not a good idea to be eyeing the other ladies before a weekend with me," Cynthia laughed. "I might pout."

"Just being a gentleman," David smoothly replied, to snorts from Steven. "Of course I only have eyes for you, dear."

The four friends fell into chatting as they worked their way over to Highway 1. They then started the drive up the coast from Santa Monica to Santa Barbara—their destination for the weekend. After a half-hour the rain began to let up as the traffic thinned. They talked about their work lives, their families, mutual friends, and what they would have for dinner that night. Passing through Malibu and by Pepperdine University, the conversation was lively, and the four friends hardly noticed the miles traveling by. They quieted, however, when they saw the warning sign flashing on the highway:

"WARNING: ROAD BLOCKED 20 MILES AHEAD. SEEK ALTERNATE ROUTE."

"Uh-oh," Steve said. "I'm just glad that we're only ten miles out." Traffic was slowing as the rain picked up again.

The group kept things quiet to let Steven concentrate on his driving. Soon they were turning in to the town.

"Traffic seems unusually heavy in town," David said. "I don't remember it being like this."

"I wonder if folks are holed up in Santa Barbara, waiting for the blockage to clear on the highway," Sharon said. "Look at how crowded the restaurant parking lots are."

"Could be," David answered. "Let's hope that our rooms are still open."

"We have reservations," Cynthia replied.

"Yeah, but people may need emergency shelter if this doesn't let up. I'm sure that a lot of folks are deciding to quit for the night."

They continued to their inn. They had both stayed here before, previous to their kids, and they had fond memories of the place. It was two blocks from the beach, and it had a nice corner of grass and trees that most of the rooms looked out upon.

When they arrived, the parking lot was nearly full. They all got out and hurried to the lobby. The rain had lessened, but it was still coming down.

The manager was apologetic.

"We held one room open for your party with two beds. I'm sorry, but the road north of here is going to be blocked for some time, with flooding and a large accident. The town is under orders to house as many people as possible tonight. Of course, we will only charge you for a double room, and we'll see that you have two of our suites tomorrow. The good news is that the rain is supposed to be leaving the area right now, and the rest of the weekend looks great."

"Well, thanks for at least saving one room." David said. "It's a lot better than driving back."

"I guess we're not getting laid tonight," Steven said as he and David walked back to the car to get their bags. "Unless you want to wait turns in the lobby." He sounded about as disappointed as David felt. Nights without the kids were precious.

"No, I think that we'll just get up and get to our new room early tomorrow. The work of moving will probably wear me out, so I'll have to take an immediate nap. I have a feeling that Cynthia will be tired as well."

"You know, I've been feeling pretty tired in the morning myself these days," Steven said, cracking a smile.

The couples got to their room and unpacked only enough to get them through the night. They had dinner reservations in an hour, so they kicked back on the beds and continued talking.

"I figure it's about time to start the evening," David said as he went over to his bag. He rooted around and extracted a bottle of champagne from a cooler bag. "Sharon, can you help me with these glasses?"

"I knew that you were good for something," Steven remarked. "Excellent call on the bubbly."

The couples clinked glasses and continued talking and laughing. The dusk outside hid the fact that the rain had blown inland, and the night was now clear.

"Look," Cynthia said before they left. "I can see the stars and the moon on the horizon. Let's walk to dinner!"

"Great idea," Steven replied. "I didn't want to worry about how much wine I drink tonight anyway."

Their dinner was outstanding. They tried a new place on a recommendation from a friend, and it was just what they liked: intimate, an inventive menu, and a great wine list.

"Ah, it's great to eat like adults. I'm having to remember to savor my meal, rather than wolf it down," Sharon laughed.

"Here, here," David replied, raising his glass. "To our best friends and a great weekend!"

***************************

The two couples slowly walked back to their room under a full moon, reminiscing about how they had spent so many nights like this one before their kids. They tarried a little more than they did in the old days, when separate rooms were waiting on them.

"First dibs on the bathroom!" Steve said as they got to the hotel.

"Next!" David added.

"Some gentlemen we have for husbands, Sharon," Cynthia observed. "Maybe we should go on the prowl while they're in there. I'm sure there are some men back at the restaurant who would be happy to treat us nicely before going to bed."

"Not if they don't have a hotel room. You might be treated nicely in the back seat!" Steve shot back.

"You might be right. We'll let you off this time. Actually, you and David can go first, since you're usually pretty fast. Then you go Sharon, and I'll be able to take my time."

When David came out of the bathroom in his boxers, he got a whistle from Sharon. However, he knew that this would work both ways. Propped up in this bed reading, he would enjoy the show when Sharon came out in whatever she had to cover herself with. He figured that Steve would enjoy the same show with Cynthia. David and Cynthia never brought much sleepwear on these trips, so Cynthia would have to improvise. As Steve walked out in silk boxers, he got a similar catcall from Cynthia.

It was Sharon's turn. As she went in, David remarked, "You probably don't want to wear too much to bed, you know. I'm sure it will get stuffy with all of us in here." He felt Cynthia's pinch for that one.

"I don't know about hot, but it's getting deep," Sharon said as she closed the door.

When David heard the door open, he of course looked up, and whistled silently to himself. Sharon was clad in a tightly fitting black tank top, the type women wear under a blouse. "So she didn't have anything to sleep in either," David thought approvingly. He also approved of the obvious lack of a bra. He had always appreciated Sharon's breasts under her sweaters, but this was a much more intimate look. The shear material did little to change their natural shape, firm as they were. Her nipples were half-erect and stood out proudly on her chest. David quickly worked his gaze downward—he knew that he didn't have too much time to look Sharon over. The tank top flared over her hips and ended almost at the bottom of black panties. Beneath that, her well-remembered legs were walking over to the bed. He dropped his gaze—not even knowing whether Sharon had seen him staring. Something told him that Cynthia had, however, and he looked beside him to see her smirking, a world of meaning in her eyes. Cynthia got up and grabbed her overnight bag as she went in the door.

"Think I'll be too hot, Dave?" he heard Sharon tease as Cynthia closed the door behind her.

"Uh, I'm sure of it," David replied, burying his nose in the book. After reading the same sentence about a hundred times, he heard the door open again. Not knowing what Cynthia was going to wear, he was anticipating her entrance about as much as he figured Steve was. He wasn't disappointed. Sharon walked out in a lacy black bra that did little to obscure her erect nipples. Below that, a tight tummy gave way to matching black panties and graceful legs. Fixing David with a look first, Cynthia made a point of turning around and bending over to place her bag on the floor by the door. Being familiar with the view, David took the opportunity to see the effect of this on Steve.

Both Steve and Sharon had their eyes locked on Cynthia, each too mesmerized to worry about who was observing. As Sharon turned back around, they quickly lowered their gazes, but David could see the slight blush of excitement on Sharon's face. He knew that he didn't have to interpret the look on Steve's.

"Pleasant dreams, you two," Cynthia said sweetly as she slipped under the covers. David laughed to himself at how Cynthia always managed to say a lot with a few words.

"Always, Cynthia," he heard Steve say. "Night."

David turned the light off, slipped down under the covers, and turned back to Cynthia. Over her shoulder he saw that the curtain was still open and that the moonlight was silver on the trees. He and Cynthia often slept with curtains open on moonlit nights, and he didn't stir to close these. He heard a series of low endearments and several kisses behind him as he did the same with Cynthia. He could feel the heat from her and knew that she wanted him this night as much as he wanted her. He had a wild thought of pulling her to him and making love right there, but he held back. It was just something that had never come up between the couples, even in a joking sense, and he didn't feel bold enough to act on his own. With a final kiss, he extended his arm under Cynthia's head to cuddle her and turned on his back. As Cynthia shifted next to him and settled her head on his chest, he began the long process of getting sexual thoughts out of his head and drifting off to sleep. It was going to be a while.

Suddenly, David's drifting senses jerked back into acute focus. Had it been ten minutes or thirty since he had turned off the light? It took a second for his conscious mind to register what his subconscious had known instantly: he had heard a kiss. He dismissed the idea even as his heart began to pound, but he listened intently. There it was again. A quiet smacking sound. Surely it hadn't been that long, and his friends were just saying a final goodnight. But still he listened. He heard more smacking sounds, and then he was sure that Steve and Sharon were locked in a prolonged kiss. A surge of lightheaded energy coursed through him. He had never witnessed more than a social kiss between Steve and Sharon, yet here they were obviously swallowing each other's tongue. Careful not to nudge Cynthia, he turned his head ever so slightly and worked his eyes all the way over, trying to confirm what his ears were telling him. How far were they going to take this?

What he saw made his cock leap an inch. By the height of the covers on their bed, either Steve or Sharon was clearly on top of the other one. David turned his head to get a better view, wondering if Cynthia was awake as well. He hadn't noticed any movement from her yet, but she had her head on his chest and wouldn't have to move. David thanked his unwitting foresight in leaving the curtain open as he focused his eyes on the bed next to him. The figure on top's long blonde hair dropped down, slowly moving as it's owner made love with her tongue. The upper part of the back tank top extended from beneath the covers. Sharon's breasts were pressed into Steve's chest, so he couldn't see much there, but he did enjoy the view of Steve's hands massaging Sharon's shoulder blades. He thought that he could just see some slight movement where Sharon's ass would be, but he wasn't sure.

As they continued kissing, Steve's hands slowly worked down Sharon's back. With each caress, he lowered the covers a little more. David knew it was probably getting hot in there. Sharon was also starting to lift herself from Steve's chest, and now David could definitely see that she was slowly twisting over him. By the time Steve reached her lower back, Sharon had nearly raised completely off of him, only her breasts making contact. Both Steve and Sharon were still trying to be quiet, but David could hear some of their inhalations as they occasionally remembered to breathe. He watched with approval as Steve's hands worked back up, then to the sides, and finally to Sharon's front. As Steve's hands began to cup the underside of Sharon's breasts, David heard a very low moan. He saw Sharon arch her back slightly to allow Steve better access. His hands stayed low for a while, however, prolonging the anticipation. David could now see Sharon's entire breast stretching the tank top, the only contact being Sharon's nipples as she impatiently dragged them across Steve's chest. Steve sensed her need and brought his fingertips together at her nipples, drawing another moan and the beginning of a pronounced rocking in Sharon's hips.

"OK," Dave thought to himself, "this is going all the way. I wonder if Cynthia is catching this?" He felt it getting warm under their covers, but that could just be his excitement. He also wondered whether his friends intended for their lovemaking to be witnessed. They had waited a little while before starting, but not that long. They were being quiet, but not silent. It was hard to say. Well, he could answer one question, at least. With his arm draped over Cynthia, he took a finger and lightly traced a circle on her arm. If she were asleep, he knew it wouldn't wake her.

A second later, he felt movement under his arm. His cock jumped again as he felt Cynthia lightly drag her finger over his abdomen. His mouth going dry at the implied message, he felt her begin to drill the finger in and out of his navel. The finger stopped and the hand went flat. Once again, Cynthia was communicating: Let's quietly enjoy this show, and then let's start one of our own.

David's attention shifted back to the bed next to them, where things were heating up. Sharon's hips rocked back and forth, and she still locked her lips to Steve's. David felt sure that she had worked her pussy back to rub against Steve's cock. As Steve's hands left Sharon's breasts and slid the covers back over her panty-clad ass, David's suspicion was confirmed. Steve's hands then slipped under the waistband and slowly pulled the material down. David wondered how Steve and Sharon were going to get the panties off without a lot of stirring. He shouldn't have doubted his friends. Steve slowly worked the material down, aided by appropriate arching from Sharon. When her straddled legs stalled further progress, she deftly rolled one leg back over the other, bring her ass into full view. Steve worked the material down nearly to her knees, where she drew the upper leg and foot through the panties. She then rolled back over Steve, the panties forgotten on her other leg. As she started to work his boxers down, David could see Steve's cock standing proud. Soon she had worked them down far enough, and she moved above him again, rocking more forcefully now. This time the moan came from Steve.

Steve's hands returned to twist Sharon's nipples through the thin material of her top. David could see them fully extended—hard between Steve's fingers. Sharon's hips were rising higher as she worked the head of Steve's cock toward her opening. Steve patiently worked her nipples, waiting for Sharon to make the final move.