Being Jim Ch. 07: Barbra's Wish

"But Barb was right too, you are an amazing kisser, so gentle but still so exciting and passionate. It would be easy for any gal to fall for you." She said a little wistfully as she licked her lips unconsciously signaling a desire for more.

Who am I to deny a beautiful woman the service of my lips? I willingly leaned in and reengaged in our lip play. Both of my hands were on her shoulders once more and Penny was all but standing up from the couch as she leaned into me searching for something and apparently finding it in my kiss. She did stand up from the arm of the couch and she wrapped her arms around my waist and pulled herself in closer to me. I let my hands and arms slide down from her shoulders to the small of her back and pull her into me as well.

A gasp and a small moan escaped Penny's lips as she paused briefly when her breast and two very hard nipples pressed into my chest. Her thin blouse and sheer bra did little to blunt their rigidity, nor did my knit shirt.

"Oh Jim, I am so turned on right now. You can't imagine how much... it's been so long since a man has done this to me, or even looked at me..." She trailed off with some definite embarrassment in her voice as she rested her head against the crook of my neck. That put my face in the crook of her neck and shoulder as well as she was just a bit taller than I. I of course nuzzled and kissed her exposed neck lightly eliciting yet another low moan.

"Penny, you are a beautiful woman, any man alive would be happy, thrilled even to pay attention to you. You are exciting." I purred into her ear.

"Jim you are wonderful and very nice but I think you're just saying that." She half choked the words out. I stopped moving at all, stopped kissing and nuzzling... stopped breathing even for a moment or two wondering what else I could do to show Penny that she was still attractive and exciting. I felt her hardened nipples again against my chest and then it came to me.

What is the easiest way for any girl to know that I guy found her exciting? I pulled back away from Penny a bit and reached around behind me to take her by the wrist, her left as I was using my right hand. I pulled her hand and arm around between us, first bringing it up to my mouth were I kissed the palm of her hand. Then looking her in her eyes and not breaking that gaze I lowered her hand to my crotch. I pressed her palm against the growing bulge in my jeans and held it there. Penny could feel my pulse pumping through my contained erection.

Her eyes widened in surprise and then narrowed in realization that I was not kidding when I told her she was exciting.

"Penny I don't mean to be crude but you should know that the body doesn't lie. So when I tell you you should never doubt yourself or your affect on a man, believe it! You have the looks, you have the skills, own it girl!" I said all without blinking.

Penny looked deep into my eyes and with her hand still feeling my erection through my jeans her bottom lip began to tremble again. Releasing her hand from my right, I brought my right hand up and touched my index finger softly to her lower lip to still the trembling. I then shifted to take her chin gently in my fingers and I leaned in and kissed her softly once more, tenderly and slowly.

When I pulled back again she stood there stunned and gasped once then held her breath. She swallowed and stepped back from me to hug herself again much as she had earlier but this time there was something new in her posture. A smile began to spread on her face, slowly at first but it grew and grew. I saw a new light in her eyes along with a slight sheen... tears?

Oh no! Not tears! I can't stand making a girl cry. It always breaks my heart. My face must have reflected my concern because Penny half chuckled and lifted her hands to wipe her eyes.

"Oh Jim... I'm not crying because I'm sad... you just made me so happy. How did you do that with a few kisses and a few words? If Barbra ever decides to part with you I want you to know you can always come see me..." She began but then stopped and stood up straight once more. "I need to get you back to Barb. I need to thank her and tell her she was right... Jim..." Suddenly Penny looked uncertain again and shy, perhaps a little worried. "I... I want to thank you... for..." I cut her off with my index finger once more pressing softly against her lips. I smiled at her and shook my head.

"Penny, I should be thanking you. You gave me your trust, and you showed me just how exciting and wonderful a person you are. Remember that feeling and believe in yourself. That's all the thanks I need." I said sincerely and offered her my right arm. She smiled and took it and we headed to the door. I paused after a step or two and used my left hand to... readjust... my apparent bulge in my jeans to make it less noticeable. I looked to Penny and smiled sheepishly and shrugged. "Beautiful women... I can't help it sometimes." I said and we opened t he door and walked back down the hall way to dining room.

Barbra saw us emerge from the hallway and she studied us both intently, a poker face to compete with the pro's that one was for sure! She couldn't hide the question in her eyes however. When we reached the booth Penny patted my arm with her free hand and then disengaged and scooted in next to Barb. I resumed my seat across from the two ladies. I saw that I had a bit more of my drink remaining in my glass, so I finished it off in one go.

Penny took Barb's right hand in her left and squeezed it as the two studied each other's eyes and faces in silent communication for a moment or two. Penny nodded and smiled if a bit sheepishly and Barb's face split into a big happy grin. Penny leaned over and whispered something into Barb's right ear and her eyebrows rose and she gave me a sidelong glance before turning and whispering into Penny's ear. Penny bit her lower lip and gave her head a very brief shake in the negative then whispered into Barb's ear something more. Barb nodded her head slowly then smiled a sweet if sad smile, her eyes shined with the reflection of a building tear. The two ladies wrapped their arms around one another and hugged for a long minute or so rubbing and patting one another's backs and whispering in each other's ears. Finally they separated again, red faced smiling and shedding tears... of happiness? Barbra handed Penny a piece of folded paper and Penny took it and looked at it then put it in her pocket. Penny then scooted out from the bench on their side of the booth and stood at the end of the table straightening herself out. She then leaned over and whispered in my ear.

"Thank you Jim, you really are a gentleman and I'm so happy for Barb. Remember what I told you though... look me up anytime." And with that she kissed me on the cheek and stood back up... she gave Barb one of those little bye bye waves and a big smile and went back to work, she stopped at a table halfway across the room and greeted the customers that had just seated and began taking drink orders.

"Jim... are you okay?" Barb asked from across the table, both of her hands laying flat on the tabletop. Her beautiful nails almost looking wet as they were so shiny... and red... I shook my head at the momentary flashback from another time with another woman. It's funny how some things can trigger memories.

"Honestly? Never in my life would I have thought you would ask me to do such a thing as you did today." Barb's face began to crumble but I held up my hand in a "hold on" motion before I continued. "I'm not upset or anything babe, really, just a little... I don't know... stunned maybe? To think that you trust me that much... it's really humbling Barb." I said sincerely. She smiled that sweet loving smile again and reached both of her hands over to grasp my right hand and squeeze it.

"I already paid our bill, are you ready to go?" She asked. I shrugged and smiled at her and nodded.

Barb and Penny hugged once more before we left. Penny gave me a hug too, though this time there were no hard nipples pressing into my chest. She did wink to me though and blush slightly. Penny promised to call Barb. Arm in arm Barb and I walked to the car. We drove around a bit and eventually stopped at what is advertised as a floating museum.

The Valley Camp, a retired freight and ore hauler had been converted into a floating museum housing and displaying maritime exhibits. Paintings, and exhibits of things from everyday life aboard freighters, clothes, personal items used by the sailors were displayed everywhere throughout the ship. The ship itself was a display as well, the different compartments, berths and galley, the bridge... the holds were where most of the exhibits were set up of course.

One interesting exhibit was of the Edmund Fitzgerald that sank in a winter storm in 1975 including a model of the ship that sank and two of its lifeboats as well as other wreckage recovered. Not exactly a cheery exhibit but still interesting. Towards the end of the self guided tour Barb and I found ourselves standing on the aft decking at the fantail railing looking out across the water of St Mary's River.

There was a cool breeze blowing but there was no rain at the moment so we just stood there and relaxed a bit. Barbra cuddled up close to me to ostensibly keep warm but we both knew that she was just as much being affectionate in the moment. I wrapped my left arm around her shoulders and hugged her gently all the same.

"Jim... Penny told me that you told her that you loved me." Barb spoke softly as she leaned her head against me.

"That's nothing new to you is it?" I asked and kissed the top of her head, and took a long sniff of her hair relishing the floral scent of her shampoo.

"No. No it isn't, but it feels nice when I hear it from other people." She admitted and gave me a squeeze with her right arm.

"You know I love you too... right?" She asked in a quiet timid voice. I kissed the top of her head again and hugged her with my left arm.

"Yes I do. I've known for quite a while actually. I know we've declared that we are only friends... well... special friends I guess... but even if we never fooled around again Barb you know I would still love you just as much. We may not always be lovers but you will always be a friend... a very very dear friend... and I yours." I said softly.

We stood there a while longer in silence, both lost in our own thoughts perhaps, enjoying one another's closeness. It was the first few raindrops pattering about the deck that drew us back to the present and we agreed it was time to go. Back through the ship museum to the entrance and then to the car we walked hand in hand, both with smiles on our faces.

The drive back to St. Ignace was mostly quiet as Barb snuggled up close to me and rested her head on my right shoulder. Pulling back into St. Ignace I heard Barbra's stomach growl and I couldn't keep from chuckling. At which point my own stomach growled and she started laughing. She tilted her head up to me and we both said "Dinner?" and then both started laughing. We both asked one another what they wanted and I told Barb I would defer to her judgment as I didn't know the area like she did.

In the end we decided to go to a restaurant named The Galley. The restaurant was on the shore overlooking Lake Huron, and not too far from our hotel.

For dinner we both opted for the broiled whitefish with small house salads on the side. I think I was developing a taste for whitefish on this trip, in several different forms, smoked, fried and now broiled as well.

The meal was filling but not heavy so we both had room for a desert and decided to get a piece of cheesecake with strawberries and glaze. Barb finished with a cup of coffee and I had a cup of hot tea... well sugared of course. The cheesecake was so good I ordered two more servings to go before we paid our bill and made for the parking lot. We walked to the edge of the lot overlooking the bouldered shoreline and the waves lapping off the lake. There was a cold breeze blowing in off the water so we didn't linger long.

A short while later we were back at our hotel and we cuddled up on the top of the bed with the TV on. I couldn't tell you what was on though as I was not really paying attention to the boob tube, but rather to the woman in my arms. We were spooning of course, much like... no... exactly like we had been sleeping the past few nights, only we had our clothes on this time.

"I have a confession to make..." Barb almost whispered as she clutched my right hand and arm to her breast with both of her arms. I wasn't sure if I needed to speak or simply wait for her to explain or go on. After a prolonged silence with only the sounds of our relaxed breathing and the almost muted sounds coming from the TV I finally gave a verbal nudge.

"About..." I made the one word into a question. I could feel Barb take a deep breath as if to steel herself for what she was about to tell me.

"Asking you to kiss Penny today... It... it wasn't the first time." I felt Barb tense as she awaited my reaction.

"Funny... I don't remember you asking me to kiss Penny before... or anyone else for that matter." I tried to make light of the mood still wondering exactly what Barbra was referring to... Not the first time?

"Not you silly." Barb said with a small sigh resigning herself to give further explanation.

"It's not the first time I've asked anyone to kiss Penny... or for that matter she asked anyone to kiss me." She added and with that she now had my utterly undivided attention. There was a story here and I wanted to know it.

"Oh? Care to elaborate a little more on that statement?" I asked now that my curiosity was piqued. I felt Barb chuckle silently as she once more squeezed my right hand and arm.

"We've known each other since we were little girls, spending every summer up here but you know that part. Penny, Gail and I and a couple of other girls used to run around together. We had boyfriends almost every summer too but no one serious really. But we girls are curious and we like to trade notes and... well... talk." She chuckled not quite silently this time. I had to smirk myself as she mentioned one of the truisms that I've come to know in my life... Girls (Women) TALK.

"And?" I again gave a little verbal nudge for Barb to continue.

"And sometimes we would share... more than just descriptions. You know sometimes words just don't do a feeling justice... it just seems lacking. So... so we would share the actual thing." Barb said either still beating around the bush a bit or having trouble putting what she wanted to say into words. I wasn't sure which it was really, but I was starting to get an idea what she meant.

"So you're trying to tell me that if one or the other of you were impressed with say a certain guy's... kissing... you would ask him to do it to your girlfriend so that she would know what it was really like?" I proposed. I could feel Barb at first tense briefly then relax into me and snuggle all the closer if that was even possible.

"Yes..." Barb confirmed but I sensed that there was more that she hadn't put into words yet.

"And possibly you've 'shared' more than just a good kiss from time to time?" I left the question open to interpretation to see where she might go with it.

"Oh it was usually just kissing... but there were a few times that we tried other things, but that was pretty rare." Barb admitted but as she didn't tense up or even relax more I figured that it must not be a source of regret or concern other than what my reactions might be.

"So, now knowing a bit more about your shared history with Penny, I shouldn't have been shocked or even surprised by your request this afternoon?" I asked in a light voice tinged with amusement. Barb hugged my arm furiously and then brought my right hand to her lips and kissed it softly before speaking again.

"Jim, I would trust you with my life. I knew if you agreed to what I asked that you would be just as kind and gentle and loving with Penny as you've been with me. I... I wanted to show Penny a little bit of what I've found in you... I wanted to share that feeling of... of... complete acceptance and trust... of... love." Barb finished quietly and I could feel her take in a breath in a bit of a gasp.

Again she went silent waiting on my reply. I lay there spooned behind her, my right arm trapped in her grasp clutched to her breast as if holding on to a lifeline. I could almost feel her heart pounding through her back ... or maybe it was my own heart? It was beating rather strongly as if swelled by the words describing me. Then again, maybe it was my head that was swollen, I mean I'm just as susceptible to flattery as most any other guy I suppose.

"Well I hope I made the impression you were trying to make then. Still though... it was rather unusual, certainly not something that I've experienced much of. I will say this much for Penny however, she's certainly wonderfully skilled at kissing... at least after she loosened up a little anyway. She was rather tense, but then I think I probably was as well." I confided to Barbra a little sheepishly.

"Oh you made an impression alright! Especially when you put her hand on your crotch and she felt your growing interest in her." Barb chuckled and then reached behind her to check me out herself...her hand groping my semi erect manhood through my jeans. "You know guys can say anything and not mean a word of it, they can kiss you and make you think that they are interested in you... but the crotch doesn't lie. Penny knew that everything you told her was true and from the heart. You have no idea how much that meant to her. Thank you Jim." Barb cooed and she squeezed my arm again.

"Barb...?" I prompted and waited...

"Yes?" She asked softly

"If you ever do anything like that again... give me a little warning first... okay?" I spoke softly but earnestly and then kissed the top of her head again. I could feel her relax in my arms, and snuggle a little closer still.

"I will lover... I will. I promise." Barb said with a smile in her voice and though I couldn't see it at the moment I'm sure she had a smile on her face as well.

We both lay there together on the bed enjoying the warmth and comfort of each other mindlessly watching some TV show, I couldn't even tell you what it was, it was that impressive. At some point, sometime later, Barbra spoke again.

"Jim... let's go to the beach tomorrow. We can stop and get some hotdogs and buns and stuff and have a picnic on the beach." She said but it sounded more like a question or a request anyway. I couldn't find anything wrong with the idea though so I told her so.

"Sure babe. That'd be great. Hey... if we find a secluded spot maybe we can go skinny dipping." I suggested mostly in jest but I think she took it seriously.

"Oh... I think you might change your mind when you get in the water... but we'll see." She said somewhat cryptically. Hey... she didn't say no though, so there's that to maybe look forward too I thought.

Eventually Mother Nature put in a call to Barb and I and we both had to get up from our comfy repose and make a pilgrimage to the bathroom to relieve ourselves. Ladies first of course... I began changing my clothes, taking off my jeans and shirt and slipping on sweats and a tee shirt. Then we traded places... only Barb wrapped me in her arms as she came out of the bathroom. Ordinarily that would have been wonderful but an extra squeeze on my waist was not very comfortable on a full bladder. She giggled and let me go so that I could take care of that little problem. I went ahead and took care of all my business while I was in there... why not? Washed my hands afterwards and my face... went ahead and shaved again and brushed my teeth and flossed.

When I came out of the bathroom Barb was sitting up on the bed with our two take home containers of cheese cake from the Galley. I took my place next to her and she handed me a plastic fork and then my box with the cheese cake. It was just as good now as it had been earlier in the evening... and sharing it with my present company made it even better I think. Of course tasty bites between sweet kisses are always a plus. Alas, it doesn't last... well... the cheese cake didn't anyway, we soon had it all put away and had nothing left but a few crumbs from the crust and a sweet after taste in our mouths.