Caught! Pt. 19

"When I've thought about my own experience, I've always thought that what I want is a man who had several girlfriends before me. Therapists constantly encounter unhappy people who got married young and came to regret having such limited sexual experience. It's a primary cause of infidelity. Statistics show that people who get married older are more likely to remain together. I've thought that I'd be more likely to find a man I liked if we were both a bit older. Both veterans of previous relationships. Both mature enough to commit to another person. It hasn't happened yet, but hope springs eternal in the human breast."

"Who said that?" Jon asked.

"Alexander Pope. It's from a poem called An Essay On Man. I notice that we share an interest in scholarly pursuits."

"My original intention was to do nothing but pursue scholarly topics. I wanted to write about French history and culture. Then my idiot brother turned out to be unsuited to take over my father's business, so I got the job. In my heart, poems by people like Alexander Pope are far more interesting than nuts, bolts and other fasteners. C'est la vie."

Theresa smiled. Then she began speaking in French. "I am mainly interested in scholarly pursuits. I studied psychology for that reason. I am a therapist professionally because it fascinates me, not because I need a paycheck. I accept a limited number of clients because I like to spend a lot of time devoted to other pursuits. Like my interest in all things French."

Jon was startled to hear the sound of fluent French come from Theresa's mouth. He replied in French. "You have a Parisian accept."

"I graduated from the Sorbonne."

"I envy you. Why didn't you tell me? It would have been fun to conduct our sessions in French. I don't have nearly enough opportunities to speak French. These days it's mainly when I speak with my mother."

"If I'd revealed that I spoke French, I would have had to tell you that my mother was a well-known linguistics professor who understood that the only way a person can become truly fluent in a language is to acquire it as a child. If you wait until puberty, it's too late. The part of the brain that makes it possible to acquire language switches to other functions in adolescence. So I was raised hearing people speaking French, English, and Spanish. I am trilingual, and I speak all three languages without a foreign accent."

"Really? I had no idea."

"Very few people do. It's ironic that kids in public schools don't start studying foreign languages until high school. They don't get started until it becomes impossible. It's easy for a child to acquire a language. After puberty, it is virtually impossible to become fluent. You'll always speak with an accent, and you'll never learn to think in that language. There are a few exceptions. Some people never stop being able to acquire language. Some of them speak dozens of languages. They are called hyperpolyglots. But they are rare - like people over seven feet tall. Anyway, if we would have had this conversation, it would have revealed too much about me. Therapists just shouldn't reveal much at all."

"I can see that. If I'd had any idea, I would have wanted to talk about nothing but France," Jon said.

"Precisely. You needed to talk about yourself," she said.

"Well. This is turning into a very interesting conversation," Jon said. He wondered if it would be possible to become friends on a personal level with Theresa. It would be nice to know someone who shared his interest and spoke good French.

"Let's get back to talking about you," Theresa said, continuing the conversation in French. "The longer we talked, the more obvious it became that you genuinely need to have real intimacy with more than one woman. It wasn't because you were some sleazy loser who just wanted to fuck as many women as possible. When you were young you went through that phase, but that's not who you are now. Jon, you are lonely. It is sad.

"The longer we talked, the more I got to know about Vanessa. Everything clicked for me when you said she'd been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I felt sympathy for her situation from the beginning, but when you told me of her condition, my heart went out to her. It really did.

"And it made me admire you more. I always admired your ability to remain committed to her despite all she'd done. The depth of that commitment became a lot clearer when I realized how tempted you must have been to toss her aside. You have been extraordinarily generous emotionally. It's not just because she sleeps with you. Someone like you can always find women to sleep with. Your relationship with Vanessa has been very inconvenient at times. It's admirable that you put up with so much for her. It's hard living with someone with bipolar disorder."

"That's very gracious, but I don't think I would have done it if I'd known from the beginning what was going to happen. I became committed to Vanessa gradually. I was in love before the real nightmare began."

"That's how all normal relationships are, Jon. Sensible people don't fall in love at first sight. Lust, yes. Love, no. Hearing about your relationship with Vanessa made me think about my own attitudes.

"I've always thought that I would never fully commit to an open relationship. I haven't dated exclusively since I was young, but I always imagined that if I got into a permanent relationship, I wouldn't tolerate infidelity. I'd be too jealous. Open relationships are fine when you're single, but unacceptable when you're committed. That's what I've always thought.

"You've forced me to think differently. A person like you has a deep need for more than one intimate partner. And a person like Vanessa has a deep need to be loved by you and her girlfriend. She's earned her place in your heart.

"This is the hard part of what I want to say. I have feelings for you, Jon. I've had them for a long time. I've done my best to keep my feelings hidden, but I think the world of you. You are a genuinely good man. You've been battered many times, and you've always emerged better than before. For months, I've wondered what it would be like to be with you, knowing that you'd be with Vanessa, too. I'm not sure, but I think I'd be OK with that. Knowing all you're told me about your relationship with Vanessa, I don't think I'd be that jealous. I might be a little jealous at times, but I think I could handle it.

"Jon, I have no idea if this is something you'd want. But I remember you telling me the way Margeaux Laurent said she wanted to apply for the job of being your girlfriend. I guess that's what I'm doing now. I know there's a position available. I think I'm the girl for the job. I am someone who has no interest in your money. All I want is you."

That happened fast. The conversation seemed pretty normal for a long time. Jon just stared at Theresa for a long time. At length, she smiled and resumed talking in French. "This is the part where you tell me what you think," she said.

"I . . . am trying to wrap my head around this," Jon said. "I had absolutely no idea you felt anything for me. I've had feelings for you, but I've resisted taking them seriously. I've read that clients often have feelings for their therapists, but that this is some kind of psychiatric glitch."

"Yes. It's called transference. Not a good thing. If you've had feelings for me, it might just be transference. Or it might be that you sensed I have feelings for you. Maybe both?"

"I wish I knew more about you," Jon said. "Everything I know is great, but I don't know nearly enough. I know that I think you are extremely attractive."

"When men are attracted to women, they can't help but imagine what the woman looks like naked," Theresa said. "Have you wondered about that, Jon?"

Jon blushed.

"I have my answer," Theresa said, laughing.

Jon sat for a moment, then laughed along with Theresa. "This is not fair. You know me so well you can tell what I'm thinking."

"Boo hoo hoo. Where I'm from, it's considered a good thing if men and women know each other's hearts."

"I'd love to get to know you better," Jon said. "Over the last week I've felt very discouraged about what you told me. I imagined that I'd never find a woman who'd even consider being in that kind of relationship. What's happening right now seems too good to be true."

"Well, maybe it is. There's one way to find out."

"What do you suggest?"

"I know a good way to start," Theresa said. "I remember one time you told me the brand of bourbon you prefer. I'm more of a vodka drinker, but I bought a bottle of your favorite bourbon. Would you like to go to my place and have a drink of your favorite bourbon?"

"This day just keeps getting better and better," Jon said

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It was remarkable how comfortable Jon felt with Theresa. They'd only been dating a few weeks, and had been intimate just a few times. But it felt like he'd always known her. Theresa knew almost everything about him; he didn't need to put forth the special effort one makes when a relationship is new, and you're trying to make the person think you are someone worth knowing. Theresa already knew that.

And what Jon knew of Theresa was reassuring. He knew she didn't want him to buy her designer clothes, expensive shoes or high-end jewelry; she had plenty of that stuff already. She wasn't particularly impressed by the fact that he drove a Maserati because she drove one herself. She might have preferred an exclusive relationship, but she knew all about Vanessa, and accepted her as part of Jon's life.

He walked behind her as they left the restaurant, admiring the graceful way she moved. They would drive to her home, make love, he would spend the night, and they would make love again in the morning. There would be no coy negotiations or pretend reluctance. They were adults. This was an adult relationship.

Jon parked in front of Theresa's house. "Would you like to come inside for a drink?" she asked.

"I'd love to come inside, but I want a lot more than a drink."

She smiled. "I love that you are so direct."

"I think I'm pretty transparent to you by now."

"And impatient. So impatient."

"I beg your pardon. I'm the most patient man in the world. I've spent more than two hours in close contact with someone so beautiful and desirable that it's hard to have a normal conversation. Remember, I've seen you naked. It takes extraordinary effort not to think about that. If patience was an Olympic event, I'd have a big stack of gold medals."

Theresa smiled and shook her head. "I can't tell if you're trying to make me feel good, or if you're being completely honest."

"Both. Obviously. Both. Can we go inside and have sex?"

It was time to laugh. "I don't think I have a choice," Theresa said.

"I'm getting out of the car now," Jon said.

Jon opened the door for Theresa. He did his best to act impatient, and Theresa did her best to act annoyed. The facade didn't fall until Theresa closed the door behind them, and Jon took her into his arms. They were both ready to get busy, and the first kiss of the evening was long and passionate.

As soon as it was over, Jon picked up Theresa in his arms and started walking toward the bedroom. "This is a grand gesture," she said.

"Me Tarzan. You Jane," Jon said.

"Could you drop me off at the ladies room first?"

"If I must."

He walked into her bedroom and put her down in the doorway of the master bath. "While you're in there, take off all your clothes, OK?"

"Fine. You do the same."

"Fine."

Jon stripped off his clothes, draped them over a chair in the corner, then climbed into bed. Considering what was about to happen, he felt remarkably calm. Relaxed. Excited and happy, but feeling as though he was in exactly the right place at exactly the right time with exactly the right person.

Theresa opened the bathroom door. She was wearing a very sexy lace bra with matching thong panties. "I left these on because I thought you'd rather take them off yourself."

"Good call."

Theresa got into bed and snuggled into Jon's arms. They both knew plenty of exotic ways of making love. They'd done that before, and they'd do more later. But at the moment, neither of them felt the need to show off.

They'd dated less than a week before confessing their love. It was almost instantaneous. Theresa started loving Jon before he stopped being her patient. Jon fell for Theresa about a nanosecond after he stopped actively resisting the idea. They spent so much time in bed that Jon had a hard time finding an opportunity to tell Theresa how he felt. He knew that the first time a man told a woman he loved her should never, ever happen during or right after sex. She'd think he actually meant he loved having sex with her, which is not the same as actual love. Jon made sure that the first time it happened was when they were fully clothed, sitting in a nice jazz club, sharing cocktails, and during a lull in the music.

"I hope you know I want you in my life forever," he said. "I am in love with you. I know it's kind of early to tell you that, but I want to say it, and I can't wait any longer. I am sure. I've never felt so comfortable with a woman. I've never felt an attraction like this. I think about you all the time."

Theresa squeezed his hand. "I love you too, Jon. I was waiting for a special occasion to tell you. I guess this is as special as it gets."

"I thought you were waiting for me to tell you first."

"Why not both?"

It was good that he'd finally found a time to tell her, because they were in bed almost all the time after that. They had so much sex that they sometimes made plans to do something nice, just because that forced them to get dressed and leave the house. But afterward they'd immediately come home and return to bed. Jon was concerned that he was neglecting Vanessa. Maybe it was time to sell the company so he didn't have to waste so much of his life thinking about fasteners.

Jon laid Theresa back on the sheets. He got up on one elbow so he could look at her body. Theresa was slowly realizing how important that was to Jon. She'd read plenty of feminist theory about the toxic effect of the male gaze. She'd had patients tell her how awful they felt when men leered at them. She was surprised that she got so much pleasure being the object of Jon's lingering looks. It was turning into the gentlest foreplay she'd ever experienced. Jon felt Theresa was as beautiful and sexy as any woman he'd ever known. She didn't possess the va-va-voom sexiness of Vanessa. She wasn't a conventional beauty like Margeaux. She didn't remind him of any of the beautiful women he'd known over the years. But she possessed a special kind of beauty that seemed related to the fact that she was lovely inside as well as out.

Jon slowly eased one bra strap off her shoulder. He kissed the exposed skin as he pushed the fabric down. He lavished kisses on one breast after exposing the nipple, then did the same after exposing the other. She put one hand on the back of his head, gently guiding his kisses down her abdomen, where she wanted.

When he reached her panties, he kissed and licked along the waistband, finally reaching inside and placing his hand against her pussy. He explored her skin so slowly Theresa began to squirm beneath his hand, anxious for more. She exhaled in relief when he finally dipped one finger between her lips. He found her warm, wet, and ready. After running his finger up and down her slit, he took his hand from inside her panties and rubbed her wetness around and around her nipple. By this time Theresa has experienced this particular kind of touch from Jon repeatedly, and she liked it more each time. Jon licked the wetness from her nipple, then reached into her panties. He coated his finger again and repeated the whole thing with her other nipple. He did it a third time, coated her lips, then kissed her passionately. Knowing how much Jon loved the way she tasted made Theresa feel feminine as a goddess. Like most women, she'd known men who were squeamish about giving oral sex, and she felt lucky to be with a man who seemed to love it as much as any other part of lovemaking.

That's what she was thinking when Jon pushed the panties down her legs. She wondered if he would go down on her, but it didn't make much difference at that moment. Whatever Jon wanted was fine with her. She felt his hard cock pressing into her hip and couldn't avoid thinking how good it would feel inside her.

So she wasn't disappointed when Jon spread her legs and pressed the head of his cock at the entrance of her pussy. He moved the tip up and down, paying special attention to her clit. Sometimes Theresa felt she should take more initiative in bed, taking turns directing the action. She'd done that with other men, but it didn't feel natural with Jon. Making love with him was like dancing. Dancing was most enjoyable when the man led the woman firmly, and that was how she felt about intimacy with Jon.

She was ready - beyond ready - when she finally felt Jon enter her slowly. He heard her make a sexy little noise. Her hands roamed up and down his back, encouraging him to move inside her. He moved so slowly that Theresa found herself wanting more. She rocked her pelvis back and forth, encouraging him to go faster and deeper.

She came. Jon paused for a moment because she always felt hypersensitive for a moment after an orgasm. When he felt her relax he resumed, insistently pressing his cock all the way inside her.

After a few minutes, Theresa came again. She'd always had orgasms fairly easily, but most men had to work to make it happen. It seemed effortless with Jon. He waited for her to relax, then pressed on more forcefully.

Time seemed to slow down for Jon, who realized that there was something familiar about the way he was feeling. Calm. Happy. Turned on, but not in a rushed or frantic way. Loved. More than anything, he felt loved.

When had he felt this before?

Theresa came again, and it reminded him of the many times he'd had sex with Samantha when they were both teenagers teaching each other about love in the back of his parent's RV. Sam knew everything about Jon, and she'd loved him without caution or regret.

A lot had changed since Jon was a teenager. He'd learned all kinds of lessons, good and bad. He'd learned how it felt when his heart was broken. He'd discovered how easily he could be fooled. He'd experienced the emptiness that came when he was with someone who wasn't committed to him, but had sex anyway. Vanessa taught him what it was like to be needed - really needed - by someone with tragic flaws.

Theresa was teaching Jon how good it felt to be with someone who knew everything about him, but loved him anyway. He knew he was extraordinarily lucky to meet Theresa when he did.

Theresa came again, more powerfully this time, making a sexy little noise he finally recognized. She sounded almost exactly like Sam cumming happily as she hugged Jon to her breast. It transported him back through time and space, filling Jon with so much uncomplicated joy that he groaned loudly, thrusting into Theresa as forcefully as he could, cumming like a teenager losing his virginity to a girl he loved.

They held each other for a long time, enjoying the feeling of profound satisfaction of sex that went beyond the merely sexual. They both knew they'd found someone who'd be in their lives forever. Jon remembered the first time he'd felt this way, when his love for Sam was the most profoundly satisfying emotion he'd ever experienced. It was agonizing when they both went off to different colleges, but he'd imagined he'd feel that kind of love again.

He just hadn't realized it would take so long.

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This is the end of our story, but more will be written about Jon, Vanessa, and the other characters in Caught! If you liked this story, perhaps you'll like the next one more.