Book Club

About ten minutes later, Gerald came into the kitchen. Freshly showered and fully dressed. "Oh," he said. "I didn't realize the dress code from last night was still in effect."

He started to take off his shirt. "Don't," said Joy. Lars and I should be getting home and if you do that, I might be tempted to delay our departure and who knows where that will lead."

"Who knows, indeed," said Gerald with a broad smile.

Joy laughed. "Have no fear," she said. "Lars and I will be back. Right after you and Gloria spend the night at our house. And," she continued, "I still want to see the playroom in the basement."

Joy and Lars found enough clothing to drive home and put the rest in Joy's purse. They hugged Gerald and Gloria goodbye and shared promising kisses.

They held hands on the drive home. Lars suggested they stop for breakfast. "I can't," objected Joy. "I'm not wearing a bra."

"So, move slowly," said Lars as he pulled into a diner's parking lot.

Back in the car, Joy complained. "That wasn't nice," she said. "I was self conscious the whole time."

"You were beautiful. I loved the way your breasts moved under your blouse," said Lars.

Joy couldn't remain upset with Lars obvious pleasure. "You liked that, didn't you?" she asked.

"I loved it," admitted Lars.

"You'd let me do it again," she concluded.

"I'd encourage you to do it again," he said.

Back home, Joy made more coffee and they sat at their own kitchen table.

"What's happened to us?" Joy asked.

Curious, Lars asked, "Tell me more."

"I'm changed," said Joy. I'm not the same woman I was two weeks ago. I remember I was conservative about sex. We were a committed a couple. We had sex frequently and I always enjoyed it. I never considered sex with another man or any other woman. This morning, I'm an advocate of sex for the fun of it and I find intimate contact with another woman exhilarating. I think you're the same. How did this happen?"

"You're correct, except for sex with another man," admitted Lars. "It seems an oxymoron, but I think we're better than ever together because of our experiences separately."

"I agree," said Joy. "I'm about to ask you something that would have been outrageous just last week."

"What's that?" asked Lars.

"Wanna fuck?" asked Joy.

Meanwhile, Helen was thinking about Joy's problem. She didn't know the details but she assumed either Joy or her husband was involved with someone of the opposite sex and she eliminated Joy's husband since it was Joy who was seeking a path forward. She never imagined that Joy was seeing Gloria. She and Jason were meeting regularly with Hank and Carol and the time they spent together was among the best hours of the week for all four of them.

She liked Joy. She wanted to share her experiences with Joy and by extension, her husband. She ran the possibility past Jason and then with Hank and Carol. No one thought it was a bad idea and Carol even encouraged her, wondering out loud about Joy's husband.

She did some research and phoned Joy early the next week.

Joy was surprised to hear from Helen but she sat down to listen.

"Joy," said Helen. "I like you and I've been thinking a lot about our conversation over coffee in the café. Confidentially, my situation has developed into a four-way sharing that's been mind blowing and intoxicating for all four of us."

Joy didn't know what to say so she said "Oh," and just listened.

"We've been wondering, all four of us, if you and your partner would consider joining us," continued Helen.

"You've discussed me with your neighbors?" Joy asked, concerned.

"Not by name or even that we're members of the same book club. Just as another woman who might benefit from congregating with us," assured Helen.

"Congregating," thought Joy. "What an interesting way to think about it." "I need to think about it," Joy said.

"You're interested?" asked Helen.

"I am but it's not a decision I want to make on my own," said Joy.

"Call me when you're ready," said Helen.

That evening, Joy raised the question with Lars without mentioning Helen by name.

"You're kidding. This woman's invited us to join her and her friends in a sexual romp?" asked Lars.

"That's about it," confirmed Joy.

"Sight unseen?" asked Lars.

"Well, she does know me," offered Joy.

"But she's never met me and neither of us has met any of the other participants. I bet you don't even know her husband's name," expressed Lars.

"True, but isn't that part of the adventure?" asked Joy. "Remember, it's just for the fun of it."

"We are different if we're even considering it," commented Lars.

"True," agreed Joy. "What should I tell her?"

"Tell her we're interested with the possibility and that we can change our minds at any time," said Lars.

Joy called Helen the next morning. She explained the conditions with Helen. Helen understood the hesitation. She could relate to the sight unseen nature of the arrangement. She suggested the six of them gather to meet each other in a public location to remove the possibility of unexpected and possibly unwanted intimacy.

Joy agreed and they agreed on dinner Saturday night at a large Italian restaurant downtown.

Dinner was a comfortable affair. It seemed they all had warm feelings for each other. Carol, Helen's neighbor, spent considerable time focused on Lars. In Joy's opinion, she was undressing Lars in her head. That was okay with her. She was fascinated with Hank, Carol's husband, who Helen had accurately described as a hunk.

Over dessert, Joy had one observation. "I'm having a wonderful time, but there's one thing missing." She commented.

"What's that?" asked Helen."

"Gloria," stated Joy.

"Gloria? Who's that?" asked Jason, Helen's husband.

"Gloria is the person responsible that all of us are together," explained Joy.

"Joy's right," said Helen. "Without Gloria, none of this would be possible."

"Okay, I'm confused," said Jason.

Helen explained. "It's not a secret that I had the hots for Hank before any of you knew it. It turns out that Jason secretly had similar thoughts about Carol. And," she continued, "Hank and Carol were privately having similar thoughts about Jason and me.

"We would have never discovered any of it if it hadn't been for Gloria. Gloria is a mutual member of our book club and a friend. One afternoon, I shared my frustrations, in general terms, with her. She encouraged me to be honest. That's it. Just be honest. Talk with my husband and my neighbors. Put it all on the table. At worst it would end my frustrations. At best it would lead us to where we are today. We all know the result.

"I think something similar occurred between Gloria and Joy."

"Joy spoke up. "Helen's correct. Gloria told me the same thing. Be honest. Lars and I have a better relationship because of her advice."

"I assume Gloria has a husband," said Hank. "Don't you think dropping this on them out of the blue would be more harmful than helpful?" he asked.

"Not necessarily," said Joy. "Lars and I already have a relationship with Gloria and Gerald."

Nobody was more surprised by Joy's comment than Helen. "I didn't see that coming," she said. "How the devil did you connect with her husband?" she asked Joy.

"I didn't," said Joy simply.

Helen was silent for a moment. "Then ... Oh," she mumbled.

The reached a unanimous decision. Helen and Joy called Gloria Monday morning. Gloria loved the idea and Gerald was a quick second. The rest is history.

Restaurants get requests for eight, hotels accept reservations for two-bedroom suites and four local neighborhoods frequently host all night dinner parties for eight.

Last spring, the Octobang, a whimsical name bestowed on them by Carol, rented a four-bedroom house in the islands with a private beach. They spent the entire week skinny dipping in the incredibly clear lagoon behind the house.

Meanwhile, life goes on for all of them as if their special relationship didn't exist. No one wants to draw unwanted attention from neighbors, friends or business connections.

Lars' dermatology practice continues. However, he is more willing to give more comprehensive full body examinations to women, with their permission of course. He's never alone in the examination room with a woman. Ursula, his nurse assistant is always present in the room. Recently, Ursula has been hinting that she would consider having Lars give her a full body examination. Lars is of the opinion that Ursula wasn't thinking of being examined in the office. He mentioned Ursula's comments to Joy and the Octobang. Joy knows Ursula and was the first to suggest that he encourage her and determine her intensions. Ursula is married and Joy's comments were quickly endorsed by the rest of the group. Carol began working on a new name for the group.

While they wait, the music keeps playing and the Octobang keeps dancing.