A Cycling Odyssey Ch. 05

"Cuckolded? What's that?"

"It's a French term -- where a wife ...has sex with another man sometimes right in front of her husband."

We remained silent for the longest time.

"Oh...well...that was an interesting start to your trip!" I said not knowing what else to say.

"Geez Dana, I wish you were here with me right now. I would rather have told you about this face to face, but I wanted to tell you right away."

"You certainly had a memorable day...to say the least!" I said, trying to sound upbeat.

"That's for sure. I love you, Dana."

"I love you Paul," I said reassuringly -- pleased that he had told me.

There was a knock at my door.

"Just a moment," I said.

It was Nina.

"Will you save me a seat at the orientation? I'll be a bit late." She seemed rushed.

"Yes, sure."

She handed me her sweater. "You can put this on the seat."

"OK, see you in a bit."

I closed the door behind me.

"I've got to go Paul. When will you call again?"

"Probably tomorrow evening. I'm on the train most of the day today. Dana, are you OK?"

"Yes, of course. You had quite the day...that's all."

"I love you Dana. You know that!"

"Yes, Paul. I know that. Look! Take care and give me a call tomorrow." Then, trying to sound chipper, I added "You'll have difficulty topping your first day."

"That's for sure. I'll call again tomorrow."

I hit "end" and stood staring at the phone thinking about what Paul had told me. How could a woman...that age...just pick up a man and...shop for lingerie? And...to take him back to her home and...cuckold...whatever that is...her husband? My goodness! I felt bad cutting Paul off like that. He obviously wanted to talk more about it...and that was a good thing.

I suddenly realized I had to get to the orientation to save a seat for Nina. I gathered my things and walked quickly down to the auditorium. People were already streaming in. I was there just in time. I got two seats near the back and placed Nina's sweater on the seat beside me at the end of the row. As I waited, I couldn't help but think about Paul's day in Copenhagen.

On the right side of the stage was a speaker's podium. In the middle was a chair and a kitchen table with a coffee pot, a coffee cup and a plate that had, what looked like, a piece of sliced cheese on dark bread. Behind the table, on top of a high, black tower, was a large, open shower stall.

The lights dimmed. A tall young woman with long blonde hair and large, black rimmed glasses walked up to the podium. Looking at her notes, she tugged down on her tight, black, knee length pencil dress. She wiggled to help with the adjustment.

She introduced herself as Annika, the coordinator for the event and welcomed everyone. She went on to provide a brief overview of the week's program.

"And to give you all an idea of the kind of fun we're going to have, we'd like to present a short skit that was prepared and performed last year to loud acclaim."

The young woman stood back and gestured toward the middle of the stage with her left arm. The auditorium suddenly went dark. As the music started, a spotlight shone down on the kitchen table where Svante was sitting drinking a cup of coffee and eating a cheese sandwich. He put down the sandwich and started singing -- the same song he was singing when he saw Nina for the first time yesterday. Many women in the hall sat up in their seats, started laughing and clapping.

Svante sounded so forlorn...melancholy. He was dressed in his white, kitchen uniform -- sporting his morning stubble. You just wanted to give him a hug to cheer him up.

Then the light on Svante went dark and the music changed to a lively, loud burlesque tune. The spotlight shot upward illuminating Nina -- covered in bubbles - pouring what must have been body soap from a champagne bottle over her body. I thought immediately of the burlesque routine in a champagne glass that Paul and I had seen at the Burlesque festival in Toronto. Nina was moving her body in the most suggestive, teasing, and sensuous way -- dripping water from a sponge held high above her head. The water washed the bubbles away exposing full, firm breasts with large, dark areolas and a thin waist. She moved her hands down her body and swirled her breasts.

When the burlesque music stopped, the spotlight on Nina went out. The focus was back on Svante who resumed singing his melancholy song totally unaware of what had transpired above. As Svante started another verse, Nina sauntered out nude with her housecoat slung casually over her arm -- her tall, Rubenesque body and full breasts on display. Svante continued singing, as best he could, as she walked slowly toward him arranging her hair. She stopped, gave him a kiss, and walked on. Svante, in total shock, looked on as she walked off stage.

The lights went out and the crowd erupted in applause. When the lights came back on, Svante and Nina were holding hands and laughing facing the crowd. Nina had managed to get her housecoat on but not done up. Her breasts dangled enticingly each time she bowed. Everyone had clearly enjoyed the performance -- including Nina and Svante.

Annika returned to the stage to introduce Renee de Lanclos a well-known artist from Copenhagen who would be leading the Nude Sketching and Sensuality in Art sessions. Renee came to the podium still smiling from the performance.

"That Danish classic -- Nina in the Bath - is an homage to happiness that can be found in the simple, little things of life -- including drinking coffee and showering. And how Nina transformed that simple act of a shower to a celebration of the female form. She even caught Svante's eye...finally. Some men take longer than others."

At that moment, Svante entered the auditorium looking for a seat. Renee looked at him feigning a scowl. Svante returned her look with a 'Who? Me?' like gesture. The crowd roared laughing. Nina -- now dressed - followed Svante out from behind the stage. I waved to get her attention. She came up and sat down beside me.

I placed my hand on Nina's arm and said "Bravo! I knew you and Svante had something going!"

At the end of her short talk, Renee encouraged us all to get to know one another and to be open about our sexual experiences and feelings -- doing so led to happiness and sensuous art she said. When she finished speaking, Annika reviewed some administrative details. The orientation was over in less than an hour. People slowly filed out of the auditorium and made their way to the back of the school where we all -- including the maintenance, kitchen, and office staff - gathered for our hike. It wasn't long before we headed out - walking in groups of twos and threes along a dirt road that led through a tree plantation and past a small lake. Everyone was talking.

After about an hour, Nina joined the group I was with. We slowly dropped back to be by ourselves.

"Enjoying yourself?" she asked.

"It's a great way to get to know people...".

We continued walking. "Paul called this morning. I would have liked to have had more time to talk. He'd started telling me about the weirdest experience he'd had at Illum."

"Oh!" Nina remarked.

Was I imagining things? Or did Nina just startle at the mention of Illum?

"I had to cut him off because I had to get to the orientation." That reminded me. "Oh Nina, that was so funny you and Svante. Your routine was lovely. How'd did you build up the nerve?"

"I'm an exhibitionist at heart. I've taken some burlesque lessons and always loved that champagne glass routine. Last year, when I heard Svante singing that song in the cafeteria, the idea just came to me. I spoke to the maintenance staff. They had fun rigging up the shower stall. They probably couldn't wait to see me. For Svante, all he had to do was what he did in the kitchen every day. Seeing his face, the first time I walked by him naked was priceless!"

Another two people joined us. They joked with Nina about the skit. We kept walking for another hour. We strolled by a small mill pond, a collection of old, dark red brick buildings, then walked up a small rise to a café overlooking the water.

Annika shouted out for everyone to take a seat and announced the food would be right out. Nina and I sat down beside one another. Mateo came over as Svante was sitting down opposite Nina.

"May I join you?" Matteo asked.

"Of course!" I said gesturing to the seat across from me.

As he sat down, a younger woman -- in her forties -- with long straight black hair tied back in a ponytail asked me "Is this seat taken?" She pointed to the chair on my left.

"No. Please sit down. My name's Dana" I said reaching out to shake her hand.

"I'm Abbie. This is Renee" she said pointing to the woman pulling out the chair directly opposite her beside Mateo.

I recognized her as the one introduced by Annika after Nina's performance. I reached across the table and shook her hand.

"I loved your comment at the end of Nina and Svante's skit" I said.

"Well, it was all I could do to keep a straight face."

Renee looked over at Nina and called out her name. Nina looked across the table at Renee.

Renee continued. "Svante still has that same devouring look on his face at the end of that skit...just like the first day you practiced!"

Everyone broke out laughing. Svante leaned back sheepishly in his chair with arms crossed on his chest and nodded with a smile looking directly at Nina. Nina blushed.

The waiters started bringing out trays filled with a variety of Danish open-faced sandwiches. They placed them down the centre of the table. Another waiter brought out bottles of Tuborg and Carlsberg and put them wherever there was room on the table. Another waiter came by with a fist full of small, clear, stemmed glasses tucked between his fingers and a frosted bottle of Akvavit. We all took a beer and snaps.

Seeing that lunch had been served, Annika rose to welcome everyone reminding us that we had to walk home. Everyone laughed and began eating. Abbie immediately struck up a conversation with Mateo. It was obvious they knew each other well.

Mateo turned to me. "Abbie was one of my pupils. Actually, we've partnered at a few dance competitions."

I turned to Abbie. "I wasn't planning on taking Tango, but I watched them practice last night and think I might give it a try."

"You'll like it! It's so passionate!" she said looking over at Mateo with a smile.

Svante serenaded us a few times while we ate. Many in the crowd joined in now and again. After a couple of hours, it was becoming quieter. People had started heading back. Nina left first with Svante. Abbie and Renee left with Annika. Mateo and I were still talking when, suddenly, we realized we were all alone.

"I guess we should get going" Mateo said looking about.

On the way back, we talked about family. Mateo was from Argentina. His Danish wife had passed away about 10 years ago -- a few years before he had planned to retire. He worked a few years more than planned. Then some friends encouraged him to provide dance lessons in Copenhagen. The walk back seemed a lot faster. Perhaps it was the pleasant conversation.

When we got back, I went upstairs to my room. I looked at my phone. Paul hadn't called. I cleaned up, read a bit and then went down for a light supper. I wasn't really hungry after that big lunch. I returned to my room and decided to make a cup of tea to help me get ready for bed. I went out to the small, communal kitchen at the end of the hallway. I was standing by the counter waiting for the water to boil, deep in my own thoughts, when Nina entered.

"Hi! How'd your day go?"

I turned around to see Nina with a cup in her hand.

"Is there enough water for me too?" she asked.

"I think so. Tea?" I asked.

"Yes please."

I reached for another tea bag and handed it to her.

"Everything OK? You look...deep in thought."

The kettle began to whistle. I turned it off and began to pour water into Nina's cup.

"Nina, you smiled when I mentioned Illum today."

Three women suddenly came into the kitchen talking loudly.

Nina looked over at them and back to me. "Let's go back to your room and talk" she suggested.

I poured water into my cup and set the kettle back on the counter. Back in my room, I curled up on my single bed with my back to the wall. I rested my cup in my lap. Nina pulled up the desk chair and sat across from me with legs crossed. We each took a sip.

"Why are you asking about Illum?" she asked.

"Paul called this morning. He'd had lunch in the cafeteria on the top floor and met a woman."

"Oh!" Nina's eyebrows raised.

I waited for her to say some thing, but she didn't. I continued.

"She asked Paul to help her shop for her husband...".

"Oh!!" Nina uncrossed her legs and sat upright in her chair.

"...for lingerie...at L'Agent Provocateur!" I said with a raised voice.

"She has expensive tastes!...Lingerie, I mean...not your husband" Nina quipped.

I couldn't help but laugh with her.

"Seriously Nina. Is that normal at Illum?"

"Well...".

"I mean...to approach a man you don't even know...have him help you select a lingerie set for you to wear for your husband on his birthday...my goodness!" I didn't know Nina well enough to tell her about what happened afterward.

"Well, there's some sense to it. At least you get a male's opinion. You don't often get that at a lingerie store." Nina tilted her head to the side, raised her eyebrows and smiled.

"I'm serious Nina. Isn't that a...bit forward? I mean...a bit risky...for the woman?"

"I don't know. Based on what I saw on the train platform, I think she made a good choice" Nina said staring me straight in the eye.

"Oh...well...yes...Paul's rather good looking" I agreed. I recalled her watching him while he stood on the train platform. She had been attracted to him as I'd thought.

"I'm talking about the woman taking the chance" I said seriously trying to bring our conversation back to what I wanted to talk about.

Nina's face turned pensive. She was wrestling with something. I decided to stop talking. The silence was becoming uncomfortable when Nina lowered her cup of tea.

"I can imagine how she might have felt" Nina rested her cup on her lap. She drew in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "I did something similar. It must have been about five years ago."

I put my cup down.

"It was totally out of character...an awakening for me." Nina had suddenly become reflective and serious.

"For so many years, Thomas...my husband...had been telling me to 'feel free'...saying that he wanted me to know that I could have sex with any one I wanted...that I wasn't tied just to him. All he asked was for me to tell him right away should it ever happen. I thought he was just fantasizing and didn't really mean it. And...I'd never contemplated doing such a thing. I mean...it's the way we're brought up...to be monogamous. Right?"

I nodded. She continued.

"Then one hot summer day, I was walking down Stroeget. I was wearing a nice skirt and blouse that Thomas had bought me. I'd always thought the set looked good on me but had never worn it outside the house. I was too shy. The skirt emphasized my hips and the blouse...well...Thomas always buys me tops with low necklines. This one was quite low. I'd noticed several men turn their heads as they walked by me."

Nina shook her head.

"I was getting rather excited when I recalled something, I'd heard in my university days...about older women picking up young men at the Illum cafeteria -- something about stacked sugar cubes being the sign. I found myself suddenly on the escalator going to the top floor. There was a handsome young man -- dark hair and broad shoulders -- sitting by himself with three sugar cubes stacked on top of one another beside the small plant on his table. Our eyes met. I sat down at his table and started talking."

"But you didn't even know him!"

"I was turned on by the attention I'd been getting. He was attractive. And I could see by the way he was looking at me, he was attracted to me. It turned me on even more. I threw all cares out the window in the heat of the moment. I look back on it now and shake my head...just like you're doing now. But...it happened...And it was...is...a memory that I'm glad I didn't miss out on...that I took the chance."

"So?"

"So?" Nina asked.

I was prying. "Oh, I'm being too personal. You don't have to tell me more if you don't want to."

"Well, as we've been encouraged 'to share our experiences'..." Nina said mimicking Renee's French accent.

Gripping her cup tightly with both hands, she continued.

"I asked him if he'd like to help me select some lingerie. We went downstairs to the lingerie department in Illum. I selected three sets. He came with me into the change room. I turned my back to him and asked him to take off my blouse and bra. Each time I put on a bra, I turned around to let him see me. I asked him his favourite. I turned my back to him and put that bra on a second time. Before turning around, I asked him to undo my skirt. I could feel his fingers trembling on my lower back as he unbuttoned me. When he tugged down on the zipper, he realized I wasn't wearing any panties. My skirt fell out of his grip. He quickly stooped to pick it up. I could feel his breath on my thighs as I stepped into the matching panty set. Then I turned around to show him."

"My goodness! He must have been in total shock!"

"I'd never felt so proud of myself before, seeing that young man's eyes pouring over my body. He must have been just twenty-five. I was in my fifties. I could see the outline of his cock in his pants...and a dark stain had formed at the tip. I leaned forward and kissed him on the lips holding on to his chin. I actually pushed my tongue into his mouth. I really got carried away!"

"My goodness...! You must have been terribly excited." I was aroused just listening to her story.

"I was. He was bowled over and I was enjoying every minute seeing the impact I was having on him. I left the set on, had him take off the tags, and paid at the register. The customer service representative knew something was going on but was professional. As we walked out of Illum, he thanked me for such an unforgettable day. I asked him whether he lived far away. It turned out that he lived just around the corner. We walked a bit further. I thought he was never going to ask. Then he did. 'Would you like to come back to my place?'"

I adjusted my position on the bed.

"When we got back to his place, we stepped into his living room. I put my bag down on a chair and stood facing him. It was obvious he didn't know what to do. I asked him whether he'd like to see the lingerie set I just bought. He nodded. You can undress me then, I said. It was so exciting being unwrapped -- his trembling fingers, his eyes, his cock growing in his tight jeans again."

Nina was staring straight ahead.

I took him by the hand and led him into his bedroom. It was exciting being in charge. I undressed him at the foot of his bed and pushed him backward. As he shifted his body up toward the pillow while remaining on his back, his eyes remained riveted on me. His cock was erect -- just a bit thicker and longer than Thomas. I could see precum sparkling on his tip. I removed my bra and panties. His jaw dropped as I uncovered my breasts. His look made me feel so...so good about myself. Imagine...having this young man lusting after me -- his erection making it so obvious. I must have been standing the tallest I ever have. My breasts were swollen and my nipples certainly were...erect themselves." Nina chuckled to herself.

I sat smiling, shaking my head, captivated, imagining the scene.

"He told me he had a condom in his wallet. I was kneeling on the bed straddling his thighs as I tore the package open. He watched me roll it over his shaft. I wasn't terribly good at it. I pinched his crown instead of the tip of the condom. He jolted and cried out. It had been such a long time since I'd last put a condom on a man!"