High Interest Loan Ch. 01

"Alex, I hope so. I wonder if that's what will happen."

"So, you'll do it?" My heart was racing.

"Let's see, go to the fucking island alone and drink myself into oblivion every night, or take a handsome man who promises to try to make me forget Ricardo for a week. Hmm, think I'll take Door Number Two."

I pulled her to me and we hugged. I just loaned my boyfriend out for a week of sex and I was feeling good. Maybe I should be booking myself into a week of psychiatric help when they go on their trip?

Donna took her last sip of wine and turned to me. "So, how hung is Sean?"

I laughed. This was the Donna I knew. "Wouldn't call it a salami, but it sure works hard, lasts a long time and produces amazing results. And, it looks cute."

Donna grinned.

"Plus, he has the strongest tongue I've ever had."

Donna closed her mouth and swallowed hard. "Sorry, Ricardo, you're history."

We both laughed and left the bar arm in arm.

When I told Sean, I wasn't sure he was happy or not. Sitting on the couch in our apartment, I filled him in on most of my conversation with Donna.

"I didn't think she'd go for it," he said. "I guess we're really going to do this?"

"You don't want to?"

"I am only doing this because of you," he said seriously.

"My hero!" I exclaimed. "Sean, remember it's okay to say that you want to go with Donna. I get that it could be exciting. Hell, I was excited when she propositioned me."

"Yes, I'll do it," he said. "Seriously, though, it's because I love you, and we both love Donna. I still think it's the craziest idea I've ever heard."

"Great. Now the trip is two weeks away. I think I'm going to get my share of lovin' in while I can."

I lowered his zipper, extracted his penis and bowed my head to his lap. The immediate stiffness convinced me that Sean was thinking of me right now. When I finished with one last big swallow, Sean had a smile bigger than the one he showed while contemplating a week with Donna. I knew I had to give him something to keep him thinking of me.

Of course, the best laid plans, etc. I got my period during the week before they were to leave. Neither of us enjoys sex during my flow and it was especially heavy this time. Knowing my usual pattern, I figured it would end just about the time they were ripping each other's clothes off in Aruba.

"Great," I thought. "Instead of sending him off with my girlfriend all tired and sore, I'm going to say Bon Voyage as he carries a week's worth of ammo in his balls. Oh well, Donna can thank me later."

As the departure date approached, I helped Sean do some shopping. He soon had a new wardrobe of bathing suits, casual clothes and decent underwear.

Sean had loosened up after he agreed to the plan. That evening as we were unpacking our shopping bags, he held up the new underwear.

"Do you really think I'll even need these?"

I punched him in the stomach and packed them in his bag.

The one good thing about being work-a-holics was that both of us racked up lots of vacation time. Sean put in for the full week that he would be away with Donna, plus two days after the week that he wanted to spend with me upon their return. I then took the two same days off.

Donna arrived on Saturday morning. We agreed that I would drive them to Logan Airport for their flight to Aruba. She arrived toting a small carry-on bag. I commented that she seemed to be traveling light.

"If you could see the size of my bikinis, you'd know why I can take a small bag." She smiled and then blushed. "Guess you didn't need to hear that."

"I guess it's better to imagine you in a bikini as opposed to showing off your pretty, bare butt to Sean."

She hugged me and whispered thank-you about the thousandth time since we agreed on this crazy idea.

Sean came out of the bedroom wearing jeans, Timberland boots and a cotton pull-over sweater. He looked fabulous and I asked myself if I really knew what I was doing. I took in his sandy hair and brown eyes. He always had a half-smile that made you like him at first sight. He put in the time to keep himself fit and trim, but never overdid it. My stomach flipped as I contemplated a week without that toned body in our bed.

"Before we go," I announced. "There is one thing I insist on."

Sean and Donna focused on me.

"I want to see you two kiss."

They looked at each other and then back at me.

"Go ahead," I insisted. "I will be imagining things much worse than this. I think if I actually see you two kissing, I will be able to begin to place what you're doing in perspective."

Although that was true, I also knew that both of them were crazy nervous. Sean told me over and over again that he was worried about what I would think. Then, he confessed to having some "performance anxiety." This week was supposed to be about giving Donna a great sexual experience. What would happen, he said, if he couldn't perform or meet her expectations?

Donna had voiced similar anxieties. What if she was not good enough for Sean? Was she too fat? Would she snore? The list went on.

I figured if they shared a good kiss before they left, it would alleviate their anxiety over being sensuous and wondering what I thought. Also, it would be an ice-breaker. So, when they were alone in their room, it would not be the first time they kissed.

"I'm waiting," I said.

Slowly, they moved together. Sean bent and placed his lips against Donna's. He lightly held her shoulders and she place her hands along his hips. They broke apart after no more than a second.

They turned to look at me.

"Pathetic," I said with a scowl.

I pushed them apart and said, "Let me show you."

Sean puckered up. I brushed him aside and drew Donna into a clinch. I pressed my lips to hers and kissed her hard. She took in a deep breath and I slipped my tongue inside her mouth. Her eyes sprung open in shock. Next, I grabbed her butt and held her to me, as I pushed my pelvis into her. It took her a second and then she responded. I felt her tongue swirl around mine and could sense her hardened nipples against my chest. I raised one hand and took her breast. For the first time in my life, I was fondling a female breast. I could feel Donna's nipple stiffen and I pinched it. She gasped and that made me push my tongue deeper inside.

I broke the kiss and turned to Sean. I mashed my mouth to his and put my hand between his legs. I stroked the rapidly hardening penis and used my tongue with abandon. When I was sure he got the message, I stepped back.

"That, my two friends, is kissing. Now, show me you learned something."

Tearing their eyes from mine, Donna and Sean looked at each other. They crossed and embraced. I smiled as Sean's hands cupped Donna's butt and lifted her into him. She stood on tippy-toes as she kissed him hard. When her hand moved between them and I saw her grab his erection through his jeans, I felt both satisfaction and trepidation. He responded and felt her boob. It hit me that my boyfriend and best friend were hours away from being lovers. I pushed both of them in this direction and now I needed to deal with the emotional consequences.

After about a minute of moaning and groping I called time.

"Nice, I see you guys have got the hang of it. We'd better head out so you don't miss your plane and have to screw each other in the terminal."

I dropped them curbside and drove off. Driving away, I hoped I didn't crash into anyone as tears flowed down my cheeks. Arriving back in Cambridge, I flopped into bed, still wearing my down coat, and pulled the blankets over my head. I cried until I was dry and fell into a restless sleep.

My cell buzzed. Opening my bleary eyes I saw a text from Sean. They arrived safely and had just checked in. He said the room was fabulous. Isn't that just peachy, I thought. I stumbled into the kitchen and fixed a tall vodka and tonic. Sitting in front of the TV watching a college football game, I asked myself what the hell I had done.

Dinner that night was three more vodka tonics. I fell asleep in my clothes and woke up in the middle of the night cramped from my awkward position on the couch. In the bedroom I stripped bare and got under the covers. I looked at my cell. No new texts. I wondered how many times they had fucked by now. I made myself into a ball and wondered if this is how the entire week was going to be as I cried myself back to sleep.

***

Next morning, slightly hungover, I showered and dressed in a skirt, cotton turtleneck and cardigan sweater. I had decided to treat myself to brunch at the place where Donna and I always ate. Once again, I decided to walk and by the time I arrived my cheeks burned with the cold. I imagined my nose was giving Rudolph a run for his money.

I pulled off my knit cap and fluffed out my hair. As the hostess greeted me, I blew my nose and unzipped my coat.

"Regular table, Alex?"

"Please, but it will be just me?"

"Oh, where's Donna?"

"Sucking my boyfriend's dick," was the first thing to pop into my mind, but instead I said, "on vacation."

"Must be nice. I hope it's somewhere hot," she said as she led me among the tables.

"Yeah, hot like in a bitch in heat," I thought. I shook my head and told myself to stop being so weird.

I sat and pretended to look at the menu as I awaited my Bloody Mary. I unbuttoned my cardigan and slid it off as the heat in the restaurant warmed my body. I was draping it on the back of my chair when I heard my name being called.

"Alex!"

I looked up and almost screamed. The last person in the world I expected to see stood next to the table. The odds of her appearance were too great to calculate. We would run into each other from time to time, but what the hell was she doing here? And now?

"Beth," I said, "what a nice surprise."

"Come, give me a hug, girl."

Slowly I stood and we embraced. I noticed that her breasts did not feel any bigger than mine. I also noticed that they did not seem to be confined to a bra. I now regretted not wearing one myself as I could feel our nipples brush against each other.

"Are you expecting someone?" she asked, continuing to hold my hand.

"No, join me?"

"I don't want to impose."

"You won't be. I'd enjoy the company." I asked myself when I got to be such a good liar.

I looked at Beth Hughes, my supposed lesbian lover from college. I recalled how we were called the "Blondie Twins." Beth is only an inch shorter than my six feet. Our blond hair is almost the same shade as are our blue eyes. We used to keep our hair styled to the same mid-back length. Now, we each wore it short. I parted mine while hers was swept back and lightly held in place with gel. She looked totally beautiful and, for the first time I admitted, totally sexy.

"God, what's it been? Almost a year?" she said.

I nodded. "I think the last time was at Harvey Green's non-Christmas party." She laughed.

Harvey was one of our college buddies who also worked in Boston. He was "Jewish to the core", as he liked to say, or after a few drinks, he was "Jewish to the tip of my circumcised cock." Every year he threw a party around Christmas time since a lot of our friends would be in town. Of course, he would never call it a Christmas party. No matter the name, it was always fun and a great opportunity to catch up with friends.

"Still seeing that handsome man? Sean, is it?"

"Definitely. Been over two years now."

"Great. He seems really nice."

I smiled and thought about where he was now. "Yes, he's great."

"Where is he?"

"What? What does that mean?"

Beth seemed surprised at the ferocity of my reaction. "Alex, I mean nothing by it. I was wondering why he wasn't with you today. I mean you're dining alone."

"Oh, yeah, sorry. He's, uh, he's out of town."

Beth nodded, but she looked like she didn't buy my story.

Our waitress came. She asked about Donna.

"Oh, she's uh, she's out of town."

Beth's blue eyes bore into mine.

She ordered a Champagne cocktail and we both opted for Eggs Benedict.

Beth was wearing a pale pink v-neck sweater that looked like Cashmere—expensive and soft Cashmere. Underneath I could see the top of a silk teddy. Her nipples pushed out from the soft fabrics. I wondered if I had ever noticed her nipples before. On the bottom, she had skinny jeans tucked into expensive looking leather calf-length boots. Before when she turned to put her fur-lined parka on the back of her chair, I noticed how attractive her rear looked in the jeans.

We spent the next ten minutes catching each other up on our lives. Beth was now a senior editor at a top publishing house. She described how fast the industry was changing and the effect that e-publishing was having.

"I should have finished my novel before now," she said. "I would have had the opportunity to make a lot more money."

"Novel?" I asked. "Can you tell me about it?"

Beth blushed. "Well, it takes place in a college. Sort of a coming of age story about two girls."

"Coming of age?"

"Yes, sexually coming of age," she said and smiled.

"Oh, so they're..."

"Lesbians?"

I nodded.

"Yes. It sounds so 2008, doesn't it?"

We laughed. We graduated in that year.

"So, would I recognize the college or any of the characters?"

Just then our meals arrived. We each ordered another drink. The next few minutes were occupied with eating and agreeing on how good the food was. After our drinks appeared, Beth reached out and touched the back of my hand.

"I think you'd recognize the college, for sure," she said and giggled. "And, you might see some characters that have a certain resemblance to people we know."

"Oh, do tell."

I ate a bite of eggs and watched as Beth dabbed her mouth with the corner of her napkin. I never realized how full and luscious her lips were.

"Our female protagonist is a tall, slim blond. She's extraordinarily beautiful and smart, but shy and socially awkward. At the beginning of the novel, she's a virgin. We follow her journey and witness her growing awareness of the joy of Sapphic love. She is pursued by a fellow classmate only too eager to show her the path."

Raising an eyebrow, I said, "Sapphic?"

"Yes, you know women loving women." Beth folded her napkin and placed it next to her plate. I could see a slight blush on her cheeks. Beth knew I understood what "Sapphic" meant, but I think she wanted to provoke me.

"Does this protagonist have a name?"

Beth smiled showing her perfect white teeth outlined by deep pink-shaded lips. "Her name is Lexi."

"And the person who is pursuing her in this proposed Sapphic relationship?"

"That would be the lovely and beautiful Liz."

I drank some Bloody Mary, collecting my thoughts. My pulse was racing.

"Would Liz be anything like a tall blond, blue eyes, small breasts and long legs?"

"Yes, but her breasts are not that small, at least in the book," she smiled and thrust her chest out ever so slightly. "It's fiction, you know. And, they are topped by delicious, dark and thick nipples."

I flashed back on the time we swam nude. Even though I did not think I was admiring her breasts back then, I could now recall them in exquisite detail. My mind zeroed in on the nipples that extended from the tight flesh of her breasts. They were indeed dark and thick. I couldn't comment if they were delicious, but the thought made me warm. I looked at Beth's sweater to see the pronounced imprint on each side of her chest.

Our waitress stopped and quickly left as she took in the looks heating up the air between Beth and me.

"Did you tell people we were lovers?"

Beth licked her lips and smiled. "We're not talking about my book now, are we?"

"No. Did you?"

"When?"

"In college."

"No, never. I told people how beautiful you looked when we swam naked. I might have intimated that there were things I would love to do to that body. I wanted you as my lover, Alex. Let's make that present tense as well. I was quite a love-sick cow over you. Unfortunately, you never saw that did you?"

I shook my head. "I just learned you were gay a couple weeks ago. I had no clue back then, obviously."

"I know. I think that's what made you so fucking attractive. I wanted to be the one to take you first. Have you ever made that move?"

Playing with my fork, I looked out the window to see snowflakes covering the bare trees. "I have only been with men."

"I can understand and Sean seems special," she said. "Of course, women are different in so many ways. These ways, Alex, are something I would be willing to show you."

My face burned. Although my mind fought my emotions, there was no denying I was enjoying the seduction. Who doesn't like being seduced? A beautiful woman was coming on to me and I liked the attention. The pressure building between my legs and the hardness of my nipples were sure signs I was also turned on.

Beth captured my index finger with hers. I admired her long fingers and immaculate manicure. For a second, I imagined them exploring deep, dark, damp places. "No rush, Alex, just something to think on. Of course, with Sean being, what was it, out of town, we might think about what could happen while he's away. Just a thought on a cold, lonely day."

I smiled and pulled my finger away.

"Beth, it's good to see you, but I don't think we'll ever be more than friends."

Beth touched her neck above the top of her teddy. "I value our friendship and am happy to think we can continue as friends. The other is just a whimsy. Something to think about when you're alone at night and are wishing there was someone warm and soft next to you. Someone who knows what women like and who loves to give a woman something no man could ever give her. No more than a thought, Beth. Call it a fanciful daydream. Just a dream with soft, warm flesh pressing against soft, warm flesh. Beautiful breast touching beautiful breast. But, I need not go on, do I?"

A vision of a naked Beth in my arms, her long body tight to mine, the exotic fragrance filling my nose while her elegant fingers plucked at my nipples made me close my eyes with repressed desire. A thought of her short blond hair nestled between my legs, her blue eyes locked on mine as her long tongue explored my most intimate place unsettled me.

"Are you all right, Alex? You look pale all of a sudden."

I opened my eyes and tried to smile. "I'm fine. I think my cramps are letting me know they have no plans to leave soon."

She nodded.

"Alex, before when I asked about Sean, you said he was out of town."

I nodded.

"When the waitress asked about Donna, you said the same thing. I noticed, however, that you evidenced some discomfort. Wondering why?"

I had forgotten how smart Beth was. She was a psych major who preferred working in the literary world instead of the clinical one. She appears never to have lost her skill at insight. I must have shown too much before.

"No reason. Cramps, I suppose."

Beth nodded and smiled. "Of course."

Desperate to change the direction of the conversation, I said, "That's a beautiful sweater. Cashmere, I suppose."

Beth looked down. "Yes, I must admit I splurged on it. Cost a damn fortune, but it's so soft I couldn't pass it up. The only problem is it tends to show everything."

She ran her finger over the point of a nipple pushing against the front. The sharp point seemed to grow as I watched.

"You could always wear a bra," I said kiddingly.

"Where's the fun in that," she answered and touched her other nipple at the same time. "Besides, you shouldn't be telling me about bras." She looked at my shirt and how my nipples were clearly visible under the cotton.

"I, uh, wore a sweater here," I stammered.

"Of course, but you're not wearing it now, are you?"

I fought the temptation to cross my arms over my chest. If she wanted to look, let her damn well look. If it turned her on, she deserved it for trying to make me uncomfortable. She could damn well remain turned on and frustrated.