Love Me Tender - Please Pt. 01

"Ray, honey, I can explain," she pleaded as he brushed by her and went into the bathroom. She heard his stream hit the water in the toilet and he seemed to pee for a long time before it turned into dribbles.

She waited for him to come out of the bathroom but instead the sound of water running into the sink told her that he was cleaning up. She walked into the bathroom and stood next to him in front of the large mirror.

"Sweetheart, please listen to me. I didn't do anything. If you let me tell you why I was kissing Mike, I'm sure you will understand."

Mike stopped splashing water on his face and standing up he looked at her in the mirror. He hadn't seen her naked in some time and he was amazed at how great she looked. She looked like a different person. She looked ten years younger and her belly didn't have an ounce of fat on it.

His eyes moved down to her groomed pubic hair and he could feel his cock hardening for the second time that morning. He looked up to meet her eyes but he saw that she was looking directly at him and not back at him through the mirror.

"You've got lipstick all over your ear and your forehead," she said in a quiet voice. "Maybe we both have some explaining to do."

Looking back into the mirror he realized that she was right. Except for where his beard covered his lower cheeks, he had lipstick everywhere including on his nose.

"Yeah, how about that?" he said. "Maybe I'm not an old stodgy professor after all."

His comments stung Karen and she went on the offensive.

"Well? I'm waiting," she said with one hand resting on her cocked hip.

Ray paused and stared at her in the mirror.

"Mine's easy," he said. "I went to the bowling lanes after I saw you wrapping yourself around your friend and drank beer until they needed a sub. It seems I bowl better when I'm relaxed."

He followed his last comment with a little laugh.

"I rolled twelve strikes in a row and every time I got one after the first four, I got kissed by the two women on the team where I was subbing. The only problem was that I didn't roll them all in one game. I rolled nine strikes in the first game and three in the second. The last game was a disaster because by that time I was so relaxed I couldn't see straight and I kept rolling gutter balls. They weren't happy with me after that."

"Who's Deirdre?" she asked.

"How do you know Deirdre?" he responded.

"She left your lipstick imprinted card in your pocket with her telephone number on it."

"She's the Secretary of the league and I'm supposed to call her with my association number so I can get some kind of a patch or something for my high game."

Karen stood quietly digesting the information and deciding that the story was so far-fetched that it had to be true. Ray turned and looked directly at her. His eyes were feasting on her body and he couldn't help but admire her. He was going to say something to try and calm the situation but he noticed what looked like a hickey on her left breast.

"Now that you've heard my story, I'm going to take a shower. While I'm in there, why don't you try and come up with some explanation as to why you have a hickey from someone sucking on your left tit. It better be a good one."

Ray stepped into the shower and Karen looked down at the mark on her breast left by the falling ironing board. She hadn't noticed it last night but today it looked like a real hickey had formed there. Not wishing to try and be heard over the sound of the shower, she went back into the bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed with a feeling of helplessness to wait for Ray.

"My family is falling apart," she said aloud. "My marriage has changed from a loving and caring partnership concerned with each other and our children to two individuals almost living separate lives. The worst part is that I keep getting myself in situations where I look like the bad guy when I'm not."

She heard the shower stop and the sliding door open.

Thinking back on his story she thought, "As stupid as it sounded it has to be the truth. He hardly ever drinks too much and he couldn't make up a story like that. I'm not going to tell him about the bonus Mike is giving me. I'll keep it for a surprise."

Karen stood up as Ray came out of the bathroom still drying himself with a towel. He stood in the doorway and looked at her as he patted the moisture from his beard.

"Well? Are you going to bother to tell me a story or are you just going to admit that I caught you again?"

"What do you mean again?" she countered.

"You've been working at that place for around four months or so and I keep finding out you've been making out with someone. At first I thought I was getting paranoid, especially after the night I forgot your birthday. But every time I see you being kissed and fondled by one of your so called 'co-workers,' I wonder what kind of a place allows that kind of crap to continue."

Karen sat back down in surprise as Ray paused for breath. He was on a roll and his voice came faster and with more feeling.

"I've tried to be understanding. I know that you have come out of your shell and that you are more confident and outgoing than at any time since I've known you. I know how important this new career is to you and I try to support you. But, Goddammit, you won't let me. You keep distancing yourself from me.

You're gone from early morning until late at night and I'm left alone wondering what in the hell you're doing. When I do try to do something for you it is dismissed out of hand. You tell me that you are too busy or I find you playing punch the pussy with some guy in a public parking lot in broad daylight in the middle of Savannah."

Karen held up her hand like a kid in school trying to get the teacher's attention but Ray ignored her attempt and continued his tirade.

"Did it ever occur to you that someone would recognize you? Did it occur to you that I am fairly well known in this town and you are recognized as my wife? Did it ever occur to you that one of my students or one of my friends might see you rubbing your tits and cunt up against some guy? What the fuck is wrong with you? Is this bearded old professor no longer good enough for you?"

"Ray, honey, please," she begged. "It wasn't like that at all. We showed some clients some houses and I made a sale and he was thanking me, I mean I was thanking him. What I mean is he is going to give me a bonus for helping make the sale. That's why I was hugging and kissing him. Oh, shit, this isn't coming out right. What I mean is ..."

Ray cut her off.

"Yeah, you were coming out all right. Since when do you go to work as that 'professional' you are always calling yourself, wearing a dress that barely covers you from the waist up? For God's sake, Karen, your tits were almost coming out the sides of your dress. I'm not sure you were even wearing a bra. Were you or did you forget to put it back on after he sucked your tits and left you that hickey?"

"Ray, please listen to me," she pleaded and standing up she walked to him and held him in her arms.

Ray didn't respond but left his hands dangling at his sides holding his towel in front of him. He tried to move away but she held tightly on to him.

"No, stay right here until I explain what happened," she ordered.

Ray gave up and stood looking down at her with an expectant look on his face.

Starting with the invitation to accompany Mike with the Stones and her decision to buy the dress, Karen went over the entire afternoon's episode with him in detail. He listened patiently and at some point she released him and gently pushed him back so he sat on the bed.

She sat next to him with her right leg bent at the knee and her body turned towards him. Holding onto his thigh with one hand she held his hand and never took her eyes from his as she resumed her detailed explanation.

When she got to the part where she returned to the house with Sidney, she conveniently left out the comment made by Mike and her decision to remove her jacket during the tour. She lied and said she had removed the jacket when she got back to her car because it was so hot. It wasn't exactly a lie but she knew she had shaded the truth. She also didn't go into detail about hinting to Sidney that she would see him again if they bought the house.

When she told him the part about the ironing board falling on her she remembered something and jumped up.

"Don't go anywhere, I'll be right back," she pointed at him to remain where he was.

Going to the closet she pulled out her dress and showed him the bloodstain on the bodice.

"See, here it is. That's the blood from the cut on my breast," she said and holding up the dress against her she showed him that the mark was right where the bruise was on her breast.

"I got so scared when I looked up and saw you in the parking lot. I knew it didn't look good and I knew what you were going to think. Then you threw the flowers out of the window and I almost died. I didn't even see the box of candy until I was crawling around picking up the flowers and found it. Look, here's where I skinned my knee on the parking lot pavement."

"All right, all right, I believe you," he said.

Karen didn't stop but continued to sob out words in a broken stream.

"I was so worried about you when I found the broken glass in the sink and then you didn't come home. When you finally got here and I saw you were drunk I thanked God that you didn't have an accident on the way home."

Karen was now sobbing hysterically and holding onto Ray.

"When you broke the flowers that I had picked up you frightened me more than ever. I was so afraid that you were going to turn around and leave and then when you wouldn't let me in the door. Oh, please, honey. I love you."

Ray looked up at her and said, "You have no idea how I felt when I saw you hugging and kissing that jerk. I don't like him and I don't think I ever will. From what I've seen of him at the parties, he's a predator and I don't trust him. I was out of my mind all night long. I just wanted to forget what I had seen and the more I drank the more I could picture it in my mind."

"It'll be all right," she soothed him. "It'll be all right. Brian and Melody will be gone in a few weeks and we'll have the whole place to ourselves. I'm going to quit the gym and my classes will be over next week and maybe we can get back to normal around here. I love you, sweetheart. I love you. Please understand."

Stepping closer to him she cradled his head in her hands and pulled his face into her belly. His still damp, furry beard felt good as she teased herself with it by swaying her hips and moving against it.

"You like?" she grinned. "It's all yours. Anyway you want it."

"I'm not going to work today. Want to spend the whole day in bed?" she giggled and raising her leg she placed her foot on the bed next to his hip.

Ray fondled her ass cheeks and stopped her from moving. His lips were inches from her pussy.

"Hey stranger, want to tickle me with that beard?" she giggled.

Pointing her knee outward to spread herself open, she raised up on her other tiptoe so her vagina was even with his mouth.

Ray nuzzled into her and sliding his hands up her body, he cupped her breasts and held her nipples between his thumbs and forefingers. Karen quivered with arousal and started sliding her pussy against his lips and face.

Ray let her continue for a few seconds and then he pulled back away from her.

"You may be only 40 but I'm 42 and I don't think I can last a whole day but I'm willing to shoot for a few hours. Come down here."

Holding on to her ass cheeks, Ray reclined on the bed and pulled her gently down until she was kneeling on the bed with her knees on each side of his legs. He continued to lay back and keeping a steady pressure with his hands he helped her slide herself up and over his torso until he had her body over his face.

Karen leaned over him with her hands on the headboard and watched as he raised his head and extended his tongue before his face disappeared into her crotch. She felt the tip of his tongue slide between her cheeks and for a moment she thought he was going to lick her naughty place.

She had only allowed that touch a few times, never with his tongue, during their marriage and although she had not disliked it, she still thought it was a dirty thing to do. Steeling herself against her instinct to pull away, she waited for the contact but he flattened his tongue against her and licked her hard, spreading her lips in the process, all the way up and over her clitoris.

Searching out her nub, he sucked it gently between his lips and gently tantalized it with the tip of his tongue. She squirmed around over his face until her body suddenly exploded. It came upon her so quickly that she was not ready for it. There was no buildup of sensation except for a little tingle that crashed into a full electric shock climax that had her gripping the headboard so hard that she broke one of her nails.

An almost animal like, mewing sound came from her throat. She tried to move away from the pain-pleasure sensations caused by his deliberate torture. He wouldn't let her go but held her tightly against his face through her orgasm and afterward. Karen finally twisted herself off of him and collapsed onto the bed by his side.

Ray let her lie there for a few moments before turning towards her and pulling her back into his arms. Wriggling her hand down between their sweaty bodies, she grasped his erection and gently squeezed it. He pulled back a little to give her some room and she took the opportunity to slide her hand down between his legs to cup his balls and gently roll them with her fingers.

Regardless of how good it felt, Ray couldn't wait any longer and he didn't want to come in her hand so he moved over her and paused as she spread her thighs in welcome to his needs. Still holding his erection, she moved it into position between her wide-open lips and he slid it through her guiding hand and into her in one long, slow motion.

Pulling her hand out from between them, she let wallowed in the sensations and rode a second climb to another peak that she knew was coming. He didn't pound into her but her rising hips met each of his down strokes and their pubic bones bumped against each other each time.

Ray felt her reaching her climax and he held himself in check so she could cum a second time before he let himself go. Her nails in his back told him that it was time and he fully inserted himself into her and kept it there. Her vaginal muscles were squeezing and releasing his cock as unintelligible sounds came through her clenched teeth. He waited until he could no longer hold back before he let himself pulse jet after exquisite feeling jet into her.

There was no sound in the room as the late morning sun bathed them while they lay quietly in each other's arms. Ray gently caressed her back as she lay with her head on his chest and her legs straddling his thigh. He could feel the heat and moisture from her pussy dampening his leg whenever she moved.

The thought came to him that although the lovemaking was fine there was something different about it. He had felt lust but not passion and there was no conversation, no vocalizing, no kidding or teasing.

He could remember, not too long ago, when they would lie together after making love and talk softly about their feelings and their hopes. There was no communication now, just the slowly diminishing after-effects of another sexual coupling. Even though he was going through the familiar motions of their after-sex routine, he didn't feel the love that he used to feel and he was not sure that she did either.

Karen's thoughts were already back on her work and she was wondering how she could take back the offer to spend the day in bed with him when the phone rang. Ray stiffened and made no move to answer it but Karen raised her head from his chest and looked at the realty office caller ID on the display.

"I have to get this," she said and disentangling herself from his embrace she hurriedly rolled over him and lifted the handset before the voicemail picked up.

Ray listened to her end of the conversation as she gave directions on how to fill out some form to someone on the other end.

Finally, with exasperation in her voice he heard her say, "Fine, I'll be there as soon as possible. No, it's no bother, you're not interrupting anything. Forty-five minutes at the latest. OK. Goodbye."

Ray was already up and out of the bed before she even said the goodbye. His hopes for some kind of further intimate contact with his wife were dashed and he felt himself getting angry enough to punch something.

As he walked out the door into the hall he heard her calling after him.

"Ray, I'm sorry but I have to do this. I'll come back as soon as I can. Ray?"

There was no answer and her remorse was short lived as her mind shifted into work gear and she made plans for a quick shower and mentally chose the clothes she was going to wear.

Chapter 15

Ray puttered around the house the rest of the day as he stewed over what was happening in his life. When the kids came home from school he sat and talked to them for a while. They were anxious for the school year to be over and they were looking forward to their summer.

Cinco de Mayo was only three days away and the last day of school was on Friday, May 18. In reality, Melody's last day was on Friday the week before that. Her graduation was on Saturday, May 19. Brian was supposed to stay in school until the day before graduation but everyone knew that with tests over there was nothing going on and the school day was pretty much a joke.

Melody and a group of seniors were going to the beach on Friday and stay until Sunday. They planned to skip school with the tacit approval of their teachers and leave in the morning. The five of them were going to stay in the same motel room near the beach to save money. Ray marveled at her confidence and independence and reflecting back on his high school days he realized that she was much more mature at 18, than he was at that age.

He was surprised that they wanted to spend as much time with him as they already had and that they were willing to share their plans with him. Brian asked for permission to spend the weekend with a friend. They planned to play on-line video games all night Friday and all day Saturday. He offered the telephone number of the parents of the house where he would be staying before Ray even asked him for it.

They talked for over an hour before teenage hunger pangs drove Brian to the kitchen for some food. Ray stood up to go wash up before dinner and Melody came to him and hugged him.

"I love you," she said and squeezed him so hard it hurt. "I wish mom would spend more time with us and come back to our family. I miss her but she never has time to talk to me anymore."

"I miss her too," he replied and was surprised at the words that came out of his mouth.

Karen's "back as soon as I can" never came true and after several calls to the office that were answered with the "we are closed" greeting followed by several calls to her cell phone that went to her voicemail, he finally ordered a pizza at seven o'clock. Brian drove to pick up their dinner and he and Melody sat down to watch the early evening shows.

"Did you ever get in touch with mom?" she asked from her curled up position in a chair.

"No, honey. All I get is her voice mail, she should be home soon."

"She could have at least called and let us know where she is," Melody complained. "She is really pissing me off!"

"Melody!" Ray admonished her. "Don't talk about your mother that way. She's probably tied up in a meeting and can't get away."

It was after nine o'clock and the pizza boxes were in the trash and several leftover pieces were sitting in the refrigerator covered with plastic wrap for Karen. Ray, deciding he'd rather sit on the patio and sulk, had not tried to call her again. By ten o'clock his sulking had not gotten him anywhere but deeper into a depression. Turning out the lights he debated on leaving one on for Karen when she came home but decided against it.