Engineering a Perfect Solution

The two girls giggled and then whispered something to each other that I couldn't hear. It didn't matter because I was busy dishing up breakfast. When I set it down in front of her, she exclaimed, "And biscuits and gravy too! Can I move into your spare bedroom? This is a perfect breakfast."

I saw a strange gleam in Crys' face but she said, "We'll take that under consideration." I just smiled and started to eat. Life, which I had never felt was bad, just seemed to get brighter with each passing day.

After breakfast, I left the women with a fresh cup of coffee while I showered and dressed for golf. When I came out, they were still sitting and talking but now, Crys was holding Heather's hand lightly. I gave Crys a hug and kiss and then gave Heather one too. I left as each of them wished me a good day on the golf course.

Once in the car, I turned off my lighthearted feelings of home and put on a different persona more like the one I used at work. I enjoyed my time with Jerry, but I also knew that I couldn't fully relax with him or he would lead us into who knows what kind of situations. It turned out to be a good idea that day as we were paired with two married women who appeared to be about our age. They proved to be good golfers, but also very receptive to Jerry's flirting and personality. I did what I always had done and tried to temper him. I only had moderate success.

When we finished, it was obvious that both women were entranced with the handsome Italian. Jerry asked them and me to join him for a drink. I declined using the old excuse of needing to get home and do the yard before Crys would kill me. For the results, I could have said that I had to go home and sort the socks in my dresser drawer. I left and hoped that Jerry didn't get in too much trouble. But he was a big boy now and I no longer felt the need to be his conscience; just his temper and I had done that for the day.

It was almost four when I turned out of the club and onto the road home. I looked at my phone and saw that I had a message that simply read, "Boat." It sounded like she wanted another day out even though the wind as up and it would be a little choppy. It took less time to get to the boat than it did to get home, so I was parking twenty minutes later. Crys's car was already there. I carried my sailing shorts and shoes from last night as they were still in my car.

As I walked down the dock, I quickly discovered that Crys was there along with Heather. They were sitting next to each other closely and that Crys had her arm loosely around Heather's shoulders while they talked. By the time, I got to the boat, Heather had sat up and Crys' arm was now in her lap. It crossed my mind that I ought to bug the boat, Crys' car, and the living room just to find out what they talked about. I wouldn't do that of course, but the concept of being a fly on the wall would certainly be appropriate.

"Well, this is a pleasant surprise. Didn't you see Mel for brunch?"

Crys replied, "Yes, we did and we had a great time. Mel had to leave early to get ready for a reception tonight. Heather was going to go home and try to find where she could do laundry. I told her to load it up and bring it to our house and she could spend the night again. I hope that you don't mind."

"Why would I mind? I was expecting to come home to my cake and now I find that there is also icing with the cake."

Heather looked at Crys and asked, "I didn't realize that he could be a silver tongued devil too."

She replied, "He certainly can be, but he only lets it out when he is comfortable and happy." Then she turned back to me. "Here is the deal; I am going home to prepare our dinner. You give Heather another sailing lesson. I brought a six pack for the two of you and a few things to nibble on. Be home by six for dinner."

"It's a little rough to go out, but I think we can spend the time going over the boat and how it works."

"That's what I told her. Be good." She got up and I helped her up to the dock before I stepped down into the cockpit. Heather was just sitting there with a smile on her face.

"So where do you want to start?"

"At the beginning and don't leave anything out."

And that was what I did. I explained the fundamentals of sailing into and with the wind and how the sails are adjusted for each. She quickly picked up about tacking and jibbing. Then I went over each of the lines and what their function was. She soon began asking questions.

When she asked about the engine, I explained that it was called the auxiliary power and was used in and around the dock area because a boat was harder to control in tight quarters. I also explained that especially on a lake, you might go out in a decent breeze and an hour later it might stop and the air would be still. In a small boat, you could paddle in, but on a bigger one, you would have to call for a tow or just wait until someone came by. She could visualize everything I told her. She asked if I could sail it out and in without the engine.

My reply was, "In the right conditions, you can and many people do. In fact, I will have you do that for your final exam. But you will need to practice a lot before you try." She had that gleam in her eye when I said "final exam."

When I was done, she asked hesitatingly, "Do you and Crys sleep out here sometimes?"

"You really want to know if we make love on the boat. And the answer is yes. If the weather is right and the temperature is not too hot or cold, it is very nice to sleep on the boat. And to answer the rest of the question, we have made love in the cabin, here in the cockpit, and on the fore deck. We even made love one night standing up holding on to the mast one night."

"Aren't you afraid of being seen?"

"Look around and picture yourself out in the middle of the lake at night. Right now, there are fewer than a dozen boats anywhere near there and after dark there might not be two or three on the whole lake. The power boats come in for the night. The only people out are other sailboats and they are probably doing the same thing we are."

"Wow; that would be exciting."

I just grinned at her. Then I added, "We have also made love in every room of the house, in the pool and hot tub, and on the back lawn. We haven't tried the front yard because of the neighbors." She was blushing as I told her this. I realized that Heather might be very sophisticated about many things, but might not be that experienced in other areas. I decided to ask Crys about that and find the boundaries that I shouldn't cross.

I asked, "Are you ready to call it a day?"

"Actually, I'd like to talk to you about something else, if you don't mind."

"Sure, do you want another beer?"

"Yes, thanks."

I got us each a beer and sat down next to her and let her have the floor.

She took a sip and then said, "I am a little confused about Melissa. Will you help me out a little?"

"I'll tell you what I can, but I don't know how much help I can be. She and Crys have always been close. I am usually only around her when all of us are together."

"I guessed that. What I don't understand is how she and Crys get along so well. They are so different in so many ways."

"Yes, they are; and I can't tell you about their deep connection, but I can tell you that they relate to each other in very similar ways that Jerry and I do. I'll tell you about Jerry and I and maybe you can fit that into a woman's perspective." She nodded. "I came from a normal family which was a little reserved, hard working, and not highly social. They had a circle of friends, but it wasn't a large group and they preferred to get together at their homes rather than at a club. That is the life I was used to and then throw in a good dose of shyness. I didn't date much in high school. When I got to college, I found myself rooming with this over size Italian who came from a big and boisterous family. I was in shock. But we accepted each other probably because we were both in engineering. From day one, he took the lead. He would tell me that we were going to a party or to a club or whatever and I went along. He wasn't at all shy. If he saw a girl that he was attracted to, he had no problem walking up to her and start talking. More often than not, he had a date with her before the night was over. Usually, the girl was there with a girlfriend. So I became his Tonto to his Lone Ranger. It worked to my benefit because I got to date a lot of nice girls that I would never have met if I had been on my own. I also had to pull Jerry back when he got over stimulated over a girl. If he went out with the same girl five times, he was ready to marry her."

I stopped for a moment to take a drink and I saw her busily visualizing all of this. Then I continued. "That is how I met Crys. We went to a party and as soon as we walked in, you could not miss Melissa. She was the absolute center of attention. Ten minute later, Jerry was getting her drinks and dominating her time. That was when I first saw Crys sitting alone. I went and asked her to dance. She smiled and said that she would love to. By the time, I went home that night, I knew that Crys was the woman for me and from what she has said, she felt the same thing. We started dating the next week and here we are today. When we were with Mel and Jerry, they still were the center of attention, but when we were alone, our own personalities began to emerge. You saw that last night. I don't know if that helps you understand Crys and Mel, but that is the best that I can offer."

"What you said makes perfect sense based on what I saw today. Don't get me wrong, I liked Melissa and I think she liked me too. At least she spent a lot of time smiling and looking at my tits, just like Jerry does. The thing was that Crys was much more quiet than I have been used to. She was definitely part of the conversation, but it was like Mel was leading the discussions and asking the questions. There was no tension or anything; it was just a different dynamic working."

"That is a very good description of Jerry and I too. It doesn't come up at work very often but when all of us get together, you will see the same thing. I am well aware that I act differently at work than I do at home and with our other friends in the neighborhood. Does that bother or disappoint you?"

She put her hand on my chest and replied, "Not at all. I already liked you at work, but seeing this side of you makes me really like you at lot more. I like the way you treat me and Crys. The teasing is natural and fun. It is obvious that you love each other, but to me it is more important that you respect each other. Both of you have careers and neither one of you seems possessive about the other. That is the kind of relationship I want. As I told you, I was getting hit on very early and I didn't know how to handle it. When I went to college, I tried to stay out of the limelight. I dressed frumpy and wore no makeup. I still got hit on but not as often. Then a girl I met asked me to join her sorority. I don't know why or even how I got in but I did. It wasn't one of the big social ones, but they did have a lot of parties. Most of the girls were career oriented and I fit in. Anyway, my friend made me realize that I just had to accept my physical assets and be proud of them, but to not take them too seriously. She helped me to develop a public personality that would work in a business environment, but she also encouraged me to keep my core personality for when I was alone or with close friends. I think you have seen that so far." I nodded and she continued. "I dated several guys during college and learned to get along with guys, but I was very selective. I mostly liked guys who were a lot like you. A couple tried to push me to marry them, but I broke those off quickly. None of them seemed to realize how important my education and career was to me. That is pretty much my history to date. Are you disappointed?"

"No; not in any way. I am honored to think that you might have dated me if we were in college at the same time. As I have been getting to know you, I have discovered pieces of what you just told me, but I hadn't tried to put it all together yet. But knowing this much, I hope that we can continue and that I will make fewer mistakes as we go."

"Please don't worry about making mistakes. I understand that you might say or do something that hits me wrong, but I don't want you to try to plan how we interact. Just do what you do. When you kissed me goodnight last night, I was surprised but not unhappy about it. I liked it and I like getting hugs from you. When Crys said that you were a teddy bear that made me feel good. I won't ever react negatively to a hug from you in private. It goes without saying that a lot of this is off limits at work."

"That makes me feel good because I do worry about stepping over your boundaries."

"Then let's leave it that you don't worry about them. If you cross one, I will tell you nicely and we will go on."

"That's a deal."

She took my arm and pulled it around her shoulders and held my hand. "I'm a little chilly; do you mind if your arm is around me?"

"You set the boundaries; I love it."

"Thanks. I have one more question and then we better get going. Do you think that Jerry or Melissa are fooling around on each other?"

I thought for a moment before I replied, "The honest answer is that I don't know. I have never asked Jerry and he has never said. And I wouldn't know about Mel anyway. If you are asking if it was possible, I would say that it is very possible and maybe even probable with Jerry and potentially possible with Melissa. They are both outgoing people who attract a lot of people. It wouldn't take much for either of them to cross the line. I doubt that either of them would have a long term affair, but a one night stand would be more likely. I'll share something with you if you will keep it to yourself. Crys probably would guess but we don't talk much directly about what either of them say or do. Today, we were paired up with two married ladies and Jerry was in his full splendor. He was charming them left and right and they were eating it up. When we finished, he asked all of us to join him for a drink. I declined but I expect that the two women didn't."

"That is what I would expect too. And if he pushed just a little, he might have to satisfy two women except that Mel is expecting him for her reception."

I simply said, "He has been late to one of her things before. Now, let's take this to the house and let you get warm and see what Crys is going to feed us tonight."

"I'm with you and thanks for talking to me. This has helped me a lot."

I helped her to stand and then step up onto the dock. When I also got there, she took my hand very naturally and we walked that way to my car.

When we walked in, Crys looked up and smiled, "Well I see that you didn't sail off into the sunset with her."

"I tried; but you know, we ran out of fuel just after we left the marina. I hated to do it, but I had to have Heather swim and tow us back to the dock." That earned me a firm swat on the arm from Heather. I was beginning to feel that both women would be using me as their punching bag for a long time.

Later, I left them alone again and went to bed, but before I did, I gave them each a big hug and good kiss. I took Heather at her word that she would call foul if I crossed a boundary. A good night kiss wasn't one of them.

The next morning, we were fairly lazy for awhile. As the closeness between the three of us increased, the casualness the women also increased. Crys came out for breakfast in a very short robe that was loosely tied together. Heather came out wearing a short pajama set that was just barely opaque enough to hide her body. Later, I went out to mow the yard while the two women got their swim suits on and took a morning swim. It was a mistake for me to mow the little patch of grass in back at that time because I seldom looked at the grass, but spent most of my time looking at Heather's body in her tiny bikini. I felt that I had now personally seen over 90 percent of Heather's beautiful form. Crys' suit covered only slightly more, but then I was very well aware of 100 percent of her excellent body. I also noticed that Crys paid a lot of attention to Heather. I smiled a lot as I put the lawn mower back in the garage.

Heather loaded her clothes to go back to the apartment after Crys had made us all a chicken salad lunch. After that she and I went to bed and took a nap together.

The following week proved to be another good one. I arrived Monday to find our report on Friday's meeting sitting on my desk and on my e-mail for review and comments. I read it over carefully and couldn't even find a typo to correct. The only thing I changed was to add two things. I added "Prepared by: Heather Harlowe" at the top and "Approved by..." At the bottom, I signed by my name and took it to Jerry to sign before I made copies and put one in Bill Reynold's box. I also left a copy for Heather before I went back to work. She was working with one of Jerry's guys on the updated prototype and found a perfect setting for the motor. The next day, a permanent motor was installed and she wrote up a report on it. She and Crys had lunch twice that week. After the Tuesday lunch, Heather came back and said that our next sailing lesson was Wednesday night since Crys had to go to a software seminar. We were going to meet her at a restaurant for a late dinner after we finished.

At our lesson, I motored the boat out and turned the helm over to her and let her call the shots all evening and then had her motor back into the dock. She handled everything perfectly. It was chilly and we both wore slacks and a jacket that night.

She came over Saturday night to stay. On Friday, she was invited to one of Melissa's receptions. She said that she had fun but not much more. I assumed that Jerry had been Jerry and that she had defended herself successfully.

The following week, we suddenly got very busy. We got back a go ahead to do a preliminary technical design and prepare a budget and time frame for the trash project as we came to call it. That meant that Heather was totally tied up all week at work. She did go out with Crys one night and we had our sailing lesson again. That weekend, the weather was lousy and she went home to visit her parents. Crys and I spent most of the weekend in bed watching movies and making love.

During this time, I began to notice that that Crys was her usual passionate self on some nights and on other nights she was less so. She never denied me, but I could tell that there was a change. I also noticed one night that she had a recent bruise on one of her breasts that I hadn't put there. I didn't ask but assumed that she and Heather were working their way along nicely.

The next several weeks were similar as we remained very busy. By now, Heather and I were very comfortable with each other. We held hands when we drove somewhere together and shared frequent hugs and kisses. In fact, our kisses had expanded to include open mouths and a little tongue play. She wore revealing clothing on the boat and at the house. I felt that by now, she and Crys were lovers. In fact, I thought that they had probably spent the night on the boat together when I was out of town one night.

On this past Tuesday, Heather came over for dinner, Crys asked "Bossman, just when is this final exam Heather you have been talking about going to take place?"

Heather said, "Yeah; when and what do I get if I pass?"

"Maybe a paddling depending on the mood of the professor." That brought out their joint laughter. Since that didn't make an impression, I thought for a moment and said, "All right, the exam will be tomorrow night and if you pass, I'll give you a key to the boat so you can go out there anytime and relax or sail by yourself."