A New Way of Seeing Things Pt. 02 Ch. 18

The older woman was horrified by the thought of her guest sitting alone in her apartment, and angered her mother didn't seem to care enough to prevent it from happening. "Cricket, why don't you come with Tim and me to my family's Thanksgiving dinner? It's at my parents' house, I'm sure they would be glad to have you—" Gwen wondered as to the truth of this, particularly her own mother—"and you can finally meet KD, and my brother, and Natalie."

"Gwen thank you, that's very sweet, but I can't intrude on your family's holiday. I'll be fine alone."

"You'll better with friends. Please come. I insist. I do not want you spending Thanksgiving alone."

The young woman pondered the invitation for a moment. "Alright, thank you, yes, I'd love to come. But only if I can bring something."

Gwen laughed. "Even we're not bringing anything. My parents have the entire dinner catered. It gets dropped off at their house, all ready to eat. But you can help Natalie and me put it in the oven to warm up, if you like. Plan on being here in the morning, and we can go over together, then you can stay here overnight and go to work from here."

Cricket, her eyes moist, hugged her host. "Thank you, this all sounds wonderful."

The young woman groaned and stretched as they broke their embrace. "This is so embarrassing! I'm sore from riding! I never imagined that would ever happen."

"You're out of practice. You need to come up here more often."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm already here too much. I'm such a nuisance."

"Tim and I love having you here. You're not a nuisance at all. As for the soreness, the hot tub might help."

Cricket stretched again and smiled shyly. "Is it alright if I use it? I'll get my bathing suit. I just leave it packed now."

"A soak would be nice. I'll go up with you. Let me get changed."

The young woman took a step towards her room, stopped, and looked back at Gwen. "I, uhh, think part of being a nuisance is I might be umm, cramping your style. I know Alison said you liked to swim without a bathing suit when it's just you...I'm guessing that goes for the hot tub, too?"

"For the last time, you are not a nuisance," Gwen said more firmly, "and yes, if it's just Tim and I, we don't bother with suits."

"You don't have to bother with one when I'm around, if you don't want to," Cricket said in a rush. "I'm a big girl, it won't bother me."

"Tell you what," Gwen announced, the wine making her bold. "I won't wear one if you won't. That way neither one of us will be bothered."

The young woman hesitated. "I, uhh...this sounds silly, but I never swam without a suit before. Do we get undressed now, or up there or...?"

"Wait here." Gwen retreated down the hallway, returning a moment later with two robes. She handed one to the young woman. "Here. Go get changed. I'll wait for you."

Cricket blushed and headed for the guest room, Gwen waiting until she closed the door before stripping down. The young woman reappeared a few moments later, her host's hand-me-down belted securely about her waist. Gwen handed her two towels while she picked up a bottle of wine and glasses. "Ready?"

The women made their way up the hillside in the autumn darkness, Cricket looking about nervously as Gwen poured two glasses and set them within reach of the spa. Her own nerves were on edge as the moment had come to disrobe, her young friend looking on anxiously for guidance. Her calm expression masking the urgings of the modest Lady for restraint, she faced Cricket, undid her robe and walked past her, down into the steaming water.

She turned and sat in time to see Cricket untie her own robe and lay it over a nearby chair as Gwen had done, revealing a lithe, well-toned figure, at least as petite as the older woman she was now exposed to, if not more. She turned and hurried into the tub, submerging herself up to her neck as quickly as her body would allow, letting out a squeak of discomfort while she adjusted to the sudden change of temperature.

Cricket gratefully accepted the glass being offered to her and took a gulp. "I feel so daring, and...naughty, I guess?" she said with a nervous giggle. "I've never been naked outside before. Daniel would freak out if he could see me now. This would be a big no-no. He's so not into naked people. Well, at least he wasn't into me naked...sounds like his co-worker had what he was looking for." The young woman looked into her glass.

"Your ex-husband is a fool," Gwen declared. "You are a beautiful girl. And now that you're moving on from him, I'm sure there plenty of men for you to get out and meet who think you're beautiful, too."

Cricket laughed softly, the wine loosening her tongue. "I was never much for going out, even before Daniel. I think that's why he took a liking to me—I could talk finance and I didn't seem like a 'loose woman'. I got hit on some in college, but only said yes three times—the first time was to lose my virginity and see what the big deal was, the second time was to see if I had done it wrong the first time, because it really wasn't that good, and the third time was I really thought I was missing something. The really sad part was, number three passed out on my bed before we could do anything. Honestly, I don't think any of the three were looking for beauty as much as someone with the required body parts who would say yes. Problem was, the first two apparently had a much better time than I did based on how quickly they finished, and the third threw up in my bed. So, I guess I'm better off giving myself a good time. And sorry, that was way too much sharing."

"It's too bad you've had those experiences. It took me a while to find out how good a physical relationship can be, too. But that was my fault, not Tim's. Don't give up. And I'm glad you're 'taking care of yourself'."

They fell silent, the wine, the water and the soft hum of the water pump lulling them into a very relaxed state. Gwen finally roused them. "C'mon, we've been in long enough. You look like you're falling asleep." They climbed from the tub and dried off, Cricket pointedly looking away from her host, not wanting to appear as though she were staring at the nude woman. Both slipped on their robes to ward off the chill night air before descending back to the house. "Going to bed?" Gwen asked as they stepped into the kitchen.

Cricket nodded. "The water did wonders for my aches and pains, but it made me a little sleepy." And being naked like that made me a little horny, she added silently. Was it bad manners to masturbate in another person's house?

"Before you go," Gwen called out over her shoulder as she headed towards the bedroom, "hold on a second." She returned a moment later, holding a gift bag.

"Gwen, this is too much. You really don't have to—"

"Hush. It's not much." Cricket could see her host was somewhat nervous about something.

"After all you've done for me, anything is too much. What is it?"

"You should, umm, open it and find out."

The young woman reached into the bag and retrieved the first tissue-wrapped box. Eying Gwen with mock suspicion, she gently broke the tape seal and removed the wrapping.

"Oh, a neck massager," Cricket said examining the Magic Wand. "How did you know I was going to be sore after riding?"

"Maybe you should, uhh, open the next one."

"There's more?" Cricket's hand plunged into the bag, past a layer of tissue to the bottom. Her look changed from one of comic exasperation to concern, and Gwen feared her gift had gone too far. Despite the plastic packaging molded about what the young woman had grasped, the object felt strangely familiar, but totally out of place in a gift bag. The wrapping was carefully removed to reveal her very own Big John. Cricket's mouth was wide in astonishment as she looked to Gwen to confirm what she held.

"I'm sorry," Gwen said weakly, "You asked about that catalog in my office and how Daniel threw yours away and I thought you might like a replacement. I can return them, no problem," she said reaching for the dildo Cricket was holding, "I'm sorry, these are really inappropriate gifts, I have no idea what I was thinking, sorry."

The young woman pulled the package back out of reach. "No, please, I don't want you to return them. They're not inappropriate at all—I, I like them. I'm touched you'd take a chance like this. I'm sorry if I seem shocked, but I've never gotten anything like this before." She looked down at the Magic Wand lying on the table. "So, that's not a neck massager?"

"Well, I suppose it can be used for that," Gwen said, blushing, "but I've never used mine that way."

It was Cricket's turn to grin and blush. "Oh, you have one, too? Do you have...one—" she held the plastic-encased dildo up—"like this?"

The older woman nodded. "There's one more thing in there."

"Gwen, this must have cost a fortune! There can't be more!"

"Just one more."

Cricket retrieved the Rabbit and unwrapped it. "I know it looks like some sort of art project with all the protrusions and the little white balls, but it really is a vibrator, and the end kind of circles around which makes the balls move. It sounds crazy and I'm sure I'm not describing it that well, but if you try it you'll see what I mean. I have one a lot like that, too" Gwen admitted, "they do what they're supposed to."

"I'm sure they do," Cricket laughed, slipping the rabbit out of its packaging and inspecting it. "Thank you." She put the vibrator down and hugged Gwen. This is the best and most interesting gift I've had in a long time. Well, other than Mr. Gambini."

"Mr. Gambini is my gift to Daniel," Gwen said as she returned the hug. "I'm going to bed. Stay up as late as you want, sleep as late as you want."

Cricket put her gifts back in the bag. "Thank you again. This really is too much. Someday and somehow, I will repay you for all your kindness."

"Gifts are meant to be enjoyed, not repaid. Let's just say it's nice to have another good friend. Goodnight. See you in the morning."

Cricket smiled, grabbed the bag, and headed down the hallway, softly closing the door to the guest room behind her. Gwen took her time turning out lights, looking out the window for signs of anything amiss in the barn. Batteries, she suddenly remembered. I forgot to put batteries in the bag. She doesn't need to be spending money on those. A package was retrieved from the utility drawer, and she softly knocked on Cricket's door.

"Uhh, one minute." She could hear the crinkling of the bag, followed by silence. The door opened and the wide-eyed young woman stood there, the robe which had been discarded when she entered the room held modestly against her chest. Gwen caught a glimpse of the now empty dildo packaging peeking out from the top of the bag.

"The neck massager plugs into the wall, and the Big John doesn't need anything, but the Rabbit needs these," she offered, holding out the batteries.

"Oh, thanks, that's very nice of you."

Gwen smiled. "Sleep well. See you in the morning."

"You too."

Gwen retired to her own room 2 doors down. With a guest in the house, she considered at least putting on a t-shirt to sleep in, but the Slut reminded her she had already shown her guest everything. She laid the robe at the end of the bed and pondered the events of the evening. Cricket had accepted the gifts politely, Gwen thought, and she dared hope the young woman had actually been pleased with them, if a little embarrassed. Maybe she'd actually use them...

Maybe tonight, the Slut suggested, and an image of the young woman tentatively exploring her new toys came to her unbidden. The Lady banished such impure thoughts about the innocent young creature, but Gwen could not deny it only stoked the fires of arousal that had been building since she had dropped her robe and entered the hot tub. Her own toys were certainly available to take the edge off; she settled by slipping under the covers with her own rabbit and one of the dildos, the one she had subconsciously started referring to as the 'beer can', somewhat confident that her actions and the softer buzzing of that particular vibrator might be more easily hidden under the sheets. She's not going to come in unannounced, the Slut counseled, get comfy! Gwen smiled to herself and decided her current course of action would be sufficient for her needs. She was right, and the sleep that followed her orgasm was restful, her toys carelessly left in plain view on the nightstand.

She awoke at her customary time the next morning, her internal clock making an alarm unnecessary. The robe she had worn the night before was considered sufficient cover, and she made her way into the kitchen to start breakfast. The coffee had been started when she heard the sound of soft footsteps in the hallway.

"Oh—you're up!" a fully-dressed Cricket squeaked as she turned the corner, startled by the figure at the sink.

"So are you," Gwen said with a smile. "Going somewhere?"

"Oh, I just got up." Not just, the young woman thought. I was up forty-five minutes ago. I just got taking care of things would be closer to the truth. "I was uhh, going to go muck the stalls before you got up. No reason for you to have to do that when I'm here."

"I'm perfectly capable of mucking stalls, young lady. But, since you're dressed for the part and I am not, you do the stalls and I'll make breakfast. Deal?"

The young woman smiled. "Deal. Oh, and uhh, do you ever use the hot tub during the day?"

Gwen nodded. "Uh-huh. Why wouldn't we?"

"Well, umm, you know, it's light out, and no bathing suits...if Tim's not home until tonight, maybe we could get in it again—maybe before or after we ride?"

"Why not both?"

Cricket grinned. "Yeah...why not?"