Professional Excellence Ch. 10

Gina appeared at my shoulder and suggested we start the auction whilst the Spanish contingent dithered. I contacted David again to tell him what was going on.

Why not skype it, then we can join in too?'

Came the reply. Gina needed to grab Nigel away from Linda to take care of the technicalities - she was chatting coyly to him while jotting something in the black notebook which had made its way out of the desk drawer and now seemed to be circulating freely. She went to second April to help her get ready while Nigel and I set up the links.

Once connections had been made, the sight which appeared before us on the big TV was a sorry one. The boys were clearly a few steps beyond worse for wear. Their faces were red from sunburn as well as the copious amounts of alcohol they'd been consuming. Everyone at our end searched the huddle for evidence on their spouses. There was a lot of it. Among the slump were at least two naked strippers. Most of the lads faces and clothing bore evidence of lipstick and body lotion. Howard and I exchanged a look and then smile. He was smeared with cosmetics like the others. I was glad he didn't appear sheepish or ashamed. David gave a jaunty wave which was returned by at least half-a-dozen of the girls including me. He appeared to be the only sober one there. Gina's summoning whistle made us all freeze and them all jump: they hadn't heard it before. Dr Greg fell off his chair, the girl who had been sitting on his lap fell on top of him. I glanced at Mary; she was kissing Josephine on the mouth.

Normally, Gina's party sales were well-organised affairs. She'd have to cajole reluctant participants into buying relatively innocuous toys and accessories. She'd start with the smaller items: lotions, sexy underwear, temporary tattoos, perhaps clamps and ticklers. The more experimental dildos, revealing clothing and costumes, vanilla bondage gear and the like would come towards the end of the event when everyone was as loosened up as they were going to get. Tonight, things were much more random. She'd kitted out April in a half-face mask, one of those glittery numbers with feathers and sequins. There were cheers and whistles from abroad when she appeared next to the mistress of ceremonies. April giggled and gave a little curtesy.

Gina's mistake, if that it was, had been to also co-opt Nigel and his burglar mask to bring the boxes over from where we stowed them to within camera range. When she stuck her hand into the first one, it emerged with a studded dog collar and leash. This was promptly fastened around Nigel's neck and April led him among the cheering assembly. Suffice it to say that this merest hint of the presence of a submissive male brought out the worst in the women present. There was much grabbing and stroking and, to judge by Nigel's occasional jumps, the odd pinch on his bottom.

A pattern quickly formed. Bids for the leather, plastic and latex clothing and restraints would be made on one side of the auction or the other. If the respective spouse was in agreement they'd quickly add five pounds and Gina, ever accommodating, would knock down whatever it was to the partner present in the room. Howard and I acquired an interesting looking flogger and a beginners set of restraints that way. Whilst this was for charity, Gina was ever the businesswoman. She reminded everyone constantly that orders made on her website that night could be guaranteed home delivery the next day.

Her assistants developed a routine for delivering the lots to winning bidders. Both April and Nigel seemed taken with their roles as she led him around on his leash. The winning bidder would get a kiss from Nigel and he'd get a slap on his behind. All eyes were on me when I won our auction items. Everyone in England knew who Nigel was even if the Spanish drunks were still in the dark. They waited with bated breath to see what I would do; Nigel, himself was grinning at my dilemma. There were cheers as well as critical groans when I rose to accept the flogger and then grabbed April's head and kissed her firmly on the lips. I could feel her quiver as I let the clinch linger for a moment. It might have been enjoyment, but the rational side of my brain told me surprise was a more likely explanation. We were both flushed and breathless when we broke.

The smaller items in the sale went like hot cakes. And the unwritten five-pound rule meant a substantial profit for the refuge on things like ribbed condoms, split-crotch panties and the like. A packet of the pills Gina had given Nigel fetched almost a hundred pounds. The amount of alcohol consumed had a lot to do with it, but Gina's patter helped. She sounded like a market barker as she extolled the length and hardness of Nigel's stiffy. April pulled faces of mock horror and astonishment as she led him around in front of the salivating audience.

'Come on ladies, feel it for yourselves. You know you've been eyeing it up all evening. Imagine something like that waiting in the bedroom for you every night.'

No second invitations were necessary. A blushing Nigel disappeared into the middle of a jostling crowd. I couldn't see exactly what was going on, but judging by the smiles on my friends faces when Gina called for order and April literally dragged him out of the melee by his lead, they were more than happy with what they'd sampled. That, I thought to myself, should be the end of my lad's obsession with the size of his cock. He was grinning like a Cheshire Cat. Bids came in thick and fast with partners indicating to each other across the continent that they were more than willing to give the herbal medication a try. When the magic number was reached Gina quickly cried out sold and reminded everyone once more that they could always order their own supply by accessing the internet.

The final item needed all Gina's skills. She pulled out the deluxe version of the strap-on April or I had won earlier. This one was boxed and tightly sealed in plastic. As well as the harness, it included a full range of attachments from a slim four-inch number to a realistic-looking, black penis which wouldn't have looked out of place on a stallion. There were no bidders.

'Come on girls, you know how excited you were when our hostess won one earlier.'

Still no takers. I spotted that a number of the Spanish contingent looked over at Howard. He was either totally blotto or completely blasé about the announcement. I gave him a little wave when he glanced at the screen.

'What about you boys? Get those wallets open. I know some of you went to the country's top boarding schools. Don't tell me you wouldn't fancy reliving those days in the privacy of the bedroom with the woman you love.'

Whether the guffaws were for the suggestion that romance still burned in most marriages, or the allusion to the upper classes predilection for buggery, was not clear. There were still no takers, but Gina was not to be denied.

'Imagine what a little pegging would do to your relationship. All the best people are doing it these days.'

Nada.

'Or the extra spice to your morning when a pal pops round for coffee. Beats another boring conversation about the kids.'

That was the one which unlocked the door. Mary shouted out fifty pounds. In Spain all eyes turned to her husband. His sunburn glowed noticeably brighter, but his lips remained stoically closed. We snuck glances at Josephine. She and Mary still had their arms around each other. It was pretty clear that Mary was not just wanting the equipment to ream her insensitive husband's rear end. The lack of follow-up was beginning to get slightly oppressive. I would have put down a bid myself to lighten the air, but Gina had already preempted that move.

'One hundred pounds. And don't bother to wrap it.'

'Sold.'

There was relief on Gina's face as she brought the auction to a close. She started handing out brown bags and carriers so purchases could be taken home anonymously. For the rest, David became the centre of attention. A lot of the girls had no idea who he was; the boys just started quizzing him about his love life. He smiled sweetly and started playing with his phone. Mine went off a minute later.

Don't get any ideas, I just did it to save a marriage.'

There was even a smiley face: way to go technology boy. I sent him one back with a couple of kisses. There was a buzz in our room as people compared what they'd bought as they packed items away. Linda swapped her banana-flavoured panties for Mona's raspberry ones. There was general laughter when Mary offered Janet a tube of lube.

'Believe me, if the good doctor wins you're going to need it.'

Nigel was talking to David over the skype-noise at both ends. He was asking when the competition answers were going to come back. We all laughed as David tried to get his troops in line; it was like herding cats. Half of them seemed more interested in the naked girls now that the international action was over. It took about five minutes for him to get all of them to airdrop their guesses to his phone and another five for Nigel to stop laughing. He kept muttering pitiful to himself. He got all of us to stand up and prepare to reveal the correct answers. I was first.

'One, its Monica. Almost all of you guessed her. Well done.'

I stepped forward and made as much of a show as possible of pulling the dress down to reveal my bust; not easy in a skin-clinging net dress. There was a lot of noise from the other end - probably static, I thought.

'Next, Linda.'

She got a round of wolf-whistles and cheers as she slinked out of her blouse to reveal the spangled tips to her almost perfect B-cups. A bouncer came over to ask them to keep the noise down. David resolved any conflict by the judicious application of a ten-euro note.

As each pair of breasts was revealed there were appreciative noises from the other end of the continent. Most of the girls were drunk enough to try and add a little flamboyance to their semi-strip. Janet outdid everyone. After getting them out, as she put it, she flipped round, tugged the string of their thong from between her cheeks and pulled them apart so everyone could get a good look at her anus. The bouncer in Spain earned another few euros when he intervened to quiet the reaction. Only Melanie showed any reluctance, flashing briefly and then running out of the room. By the time it came to April's turn, we'd left her until last on purpose, it was pretty clear that only one or two of the boys considered themselves in with a chance of a prize.

Doctor Greg was one. Unsurprising, I guessed as he was GP to several of us. Judging by the look of self-satisfaction on my husband's face, he was another. Nigel called April over.

'And now our final entrant in the competition. Tonight's mystery woman and the one you've all been waiting for, the blonde bombshell herself. Gentlemen, I give you, Sybil.'

There were whistles and hoots at the other end and she began to wriggle like a snake as she tugged first one shoulder then the other out of the tight dress. I noticed more than one open mouth at the other end as she moved, but mostly I was thinking about Nigel's excellent impression of a master of ceremonies. Giving April a pseudonym was a clever idea. The boys would be guessing for months. I caught his eye and nodded to him. Clearly my little boy was nervous no more.

April, or should I say Sybil, had a tiny pair of skull-and-crossbones pasties. When she got the dress to her waist she approached the phone we were using to skype and shook her breasts like a pro. She hadn't finished, however. Stepping back, she pulled the dress further over her hips and as it slinked to the floor raised her hands straight over her head and shook her breasts so they rotated. Had she been wearing tasseled the effect would have been spectacular. As it was, a couple of the professional strippers in Spain applauded quietly to show their appreciation. She curtsied to pick up her dress and stepped out of view and came over to me.

'That was quite a show. Where did you learn to do it?'

'Don't ask. But when your love life mostly relies on the performance of drunk blokes you've picked up in pubs, you need a trick or two to make sure they're up to the job.'

I hugged her again and felt my pussy tweak as I felt her naked breasts against my body. We stepped apart as Nigel began speaking again.

'Gentlemen, your attention if you please.'

He coughed and stood quietly as the banter in Spain fell away. There was quite a buzz of anticipation at this end of the connection as well.

'I was expecting to have to take a break to tally the scores before announcing the winners. That, however, will not be necessary.'

He reached over and took a sip from Marjorie's champagne glass as if needing to lubricate a dry throat.

'You were, quite frankly, rubbish. Woeful would be a generous description of your performance.'

There was laughter at both ends and more than one comment on the performance of spouses at our end: none of them flattering.

'There are a number of you who scored nothing at all. Shameful. The fact that you didn't even recognise your own wives' breasts beggars belief. They will be having words with you on your return.'

He looked sternly into the camera as he took another pause. He raised his hand to get their attention again.

'If I tell you that the winner and runner up only got five and four right respectively, I think you'll agree, either indicates a degree of gentlemanliness your current situation belies...'

He paused again after nodding at the strip club scene.

'...Or a blindness to the charms in front of you every day which you need to remedy quickly. If you don't others will. I know I would.'

He called Janet and I to stand beside him before he continued. I could see from the room there were a number of improper calculations going on about the chances of getting him into their bed.

'Now guys, the moment you've all been waiting for. First the runner-up, and winner of the blow job from the delightful Monica - spouses consent being obtained, of course - is Doctor Greg.'

He gripped his hands together and shook them over his head like the boxer he'd never been. His friends slapped him on the back. I noticed that Howard joined in. I looked at Mary. She appeared indifferent about the whole business, but I thought a public statement was needed for both our sakes.

'Mary and I will arrange to have coffee sometime next week and we'll decide together whether this goes ahead. Judging by the congratulations he's receiving from Howard, he'd already given his permission.'

I smiled at Mary and she nodded her thanks as discreetly as she could. Everyone's eyes returned to Nigel who enjoyed the limelight for the last time.

'And the winner, the man who is going to have the pleasure of sliding his willy up this delightful derrière.'

He raised Janet's hand. She turned her back to the camera and pulled up her skirt.

'Is Howard Thurston. Talk about a family double.'

He stepped out of shot as Howard was being congratulated and turned of the skype link. The room was all atwitter with these developments. Inebriated women, most with their tops undone, were chatting animatedly about the contest, the pros and cons of Janet and my choices, but mostly, from what I could hear, whether Nigel was serious when he hinted he might be available for a liaison. Mary and Josephine had already cornered him with arms on either side of his waist. All three were chatting animatedly.

The first person to come to me was April. She needed help getting back into her dress.

'If you need a late substitute for that doctor...'

She left the sentence hanging and winked at me. Her face was flushed and the champagne had clearly hit her hard. I stroked an errant lock away from her eyes after she pulled off the mock-Venetian mask. Janet interrupted before I could say anything. She was pretty far gone too.

'Fancy making it a foursome?'

'What exactly?'

'Me getting stuffed and you sucking off the good doctor.'

'Oh that.'

'Too late to back out now.'

'I wasn't thinking of it. But, like I said, I do think we should consider this again when the hangovers have worn off.'

'What about a five-some? I don't need to be sober to make decisions like that.'

April had finished adjusting her clothing and had positioned herself between us. She looked desperately expectant.

'We could take the strap-on and just see what happened.'

Janet looked a little worried. I faked a laugh.

'Down girl. I'm definitely not agreeing to anything until after I've spoken to Mary. You two could make your own plans. Maybe April could sort out Geoffrey while you initiate Howard into the delights of buggery?'

I pushed them towards the champagne and excused myself to say goodbye to those who had to leave. There'd been a cry earlier as one of the girls got a call from her babysitter wondering where she was. Others remembered their obligations at home too and yet more realised that withMatch of the Day over, they had only a brief window of opportunity to surprise their husbands and try out some of the goodies they'd acquired during the course of the evening.

Mary took me on one side and we fixed a date for coffee. She thanked me for the consideration but admitted that at the moment she was in favour of the arrangement. She kissed me on the cheek and then slipped her arm through Josephine's as they made for the door. When I eventually made it back to the front room, there were only four guests left. Marjorie was looking perky in the same seat she had occupied all evening, Linda, April and Mona were drunk-slumped in various armchairs. Linda was stroking the inside of Nigel's thigh as he offered her more booze from one hand and a mixed platter of macaroons and vol au vents from the other. He noticed me come in but made no effort to move.

'Gina asked if it was OK to pick up her stuff tomorrow. I said yes. She went because she has to be up early for church apparently.'

There was a tone of disbelief in his voice which turned to shock when I told him who she was married to. Marjorie waved him over to her while he was still considering a response. I took the bottle and tray from him and put them both on the coffee table before following my friends' lead and dropping onto the sofa at the opposite end from the older woman. She was patting the cushion between us.'

'Sit down. Take a load off. You've on your feet all evening. I'm probably the only one who hasn't had a chance to chat to you.'

Nigel looked to me for permission before gratefully sinking down between us. Marjorie slipped her arm under his and turned towards him, looking into his eyes.

'I understand from your mother you're performing for charity soon.'

'Yes, in a couple of weeks.'

'Wonderful. Young people get so little credit for the good things they do.'

'Thank you.'

'Its a pity the tickets are all sold out.'

'We were surprised.'

'Do you think your colleagues could be persuaded to put on additional shows. Perhaps for the lodge ladies, for instance?'

I grinned at her. Marjorie sounded very matter of fact bout the whole thing. As if she was arranging for someone to come along to give a talk about antiques. Or watercolour painting. I was pretending not to eavesdrop. The others were less subtle. All gossip about the events of the evening had ceased and they were all leaning forward in their seats to catch what was being said. Marjorie didn't wait for a reply as Nigel considered how his fellow strippers would react to the suggestion.

'I've been impressed with your mother's original approach to fundraising.'

She raised her glass to me over Nigel's shoulder.

'Monica, why don't you get the young man some more champagne. He looks parched.'