Seattle – 1993

On top of the block, sits a large A frame with lots of glass. She hits the garage opener clipped to her visor and the double wide, RV size door cantilevers open. We drive inside.

The shop is a full 50'+ deep and at least that wide. Ceilings are 12 feet high with a pair of I beams crossing in the center. A half ton Lodestar hoist hangs from one of the beams, hook unoccupied.

There are several work tables, an oxy/acetlyne rig, a mig welder, an industrial compressor, a peg board wall covered with hand tools and two mechanic's rolling tool chests.

It's an active work space, and well ordered. Most tools are on the wall or stored away in boxes. The gas rig has a cutting head affixed and is laying on the table. Nearby are some pieces of ½" sheet, already cut into various shapes.

Two projects stand in the open. One is a welded metal structure, still taking form, but somewhat birdlike, the other is a stone sculpture and most definitely destined to be a woman. It is on a short plinth and is approximately twice life size. The rough outline appears to be reaching out to something.

Stranger and stranger. Who the hell does she live with? Or is she a peep show dancer, a writer, a welder, a sculptor? Not sure anything would surprise me anymore.

I climb out of the LC and walk over to the work area, kicking up dust as I go. I can feel Gina watching me and am confident she is enjoying my confusion.

"You are a woman of many talents. My barn in Colorado isn't this well equipped. And you are making serious art."

"Not me, that's Ash's work. I can change a tire, but beyond that, tools are not my forte."

"So Ash is a bit more than your mentor........."

"Yeah, I was probably being a little cute and precious with that. Ash is my partner, my lover. Oh! That certainly got a reaction. Let's go eat and I will tell you about us, more or less."

There is an inside staircase from the shop up into the kitchen area which opens up onto a huge living space with no separating walls. It is essentially broken into four quadrants. Bathroom and shower in one corner, sleeping area in another, both in the back part of the large, open room. There are two hinged shoji screens partially separating the bath area, but that's all.

The kitchen area is at the top of the inner stairs and the living area is by the front door, accessed from the deck and outer stairs.

While I look around, Gina takes the sushi and lays it out on a serving plate and begins to set the patio table on the deck through two sliding doors.

The whole western wall is either glass or sliding glass doors and the view is amazing. On the horizon, Mount Olympus is glowing gold, the sun just about to dip behind its summit.

"C'mon! Gina pulls me away from my inspection of her bookshelves and we go outside. She has placed two chairs next to each other, facing the sound, mountains and sunset. She has split her sushi into two equal servings and taken one of my tamago.

"I refuse to eat alone and you still look hungry."

We eat in silence as the sun gradually turns the entire Olympic range a rich amber, then pink, before dowsing itself behind them. The dark settles around us.

"Okay, you have been insanely patient. And I have probably been a bit of a tease, but that's kind of what you hired me for me, isn't it?"

"Touché! Yes, it is what I "hired" you for, but you were frankly pretty poor at it."

"I know, and that's part of the reason you are here."

"Other than my penchant for masturbation and newfound acceptance that I may be an exhibitionist, I don't know what I might have done."

"That's exactly what it was, but let's get all those questions behind your eyes out of the way. Go ahead, ask away!"

"So, Ash is your lover and your mentor?"

"Yup, I am a lesbian, full blown. I met Ash in Tokyo at one of the very rare lesbian clubs. She was in town doing live two woman sex shows for rich Japanese businessmen. She is a very talented and legitimate artist, but she supports herself between commissions doing sex shows. She is in high demand and makes a decent living in the underground sex scene."

"I was in the middle of my tenure with the ad agency and we dated each other off and on for over a year until I finally tossed it in and moved back to the states. She had a lot to do with my willingness to take a chance as a writer instead of an editor or reporter."

At this point, we move inside as the mosquitos have taken note of our presence. We move to the couch, still facing, out to the west and although now indoors, we are still wrapped in the northwest gloaming, the night settling around us.

"Here in the states, she is a star at both the San Francisco and Seattle Lusty Lady locations. She does not work the big room ever, occasionally works the confessionals, but the real money is in Private Pleasures booths where customers make appointments, can tell you what to do and live sex shows take place. She works the restaurant because a friend is the owner and she has fun doing it."

"When we moved in together, she asked me to join her for some Private Pleasures shows. I had to get really drunk the first time and it was a disaster. However, we did it twice more and while it was fun, Ash cut it off as she felt she was pimping me. Frankly, I kind of agreed."

"An editor friend at Vanity Fair had visited us and suggested I write an anonymous article about the confessionals with background from the girls of what seems to be a dying scene. I liked the idea and have been working on it for the past six months."

"Most of the girls are in their twenties, some are as old as 40.. Ash and I fall in between. They span a wide and interesting demographic and give great interviews. However, I was still unable to translate what it felt like and so about two months ago, I began working the confessionals."

"It has not gone well. Dan, the manager has relegated me to afternoons as too many customers have complained on how I am not 'hot'. If it was not for Ash's standing, I would be long gone."

"When you are doing sex acts, most clients don't give a shit. Lesbian sex seems to be some sort of holy grail for the peep customers. But when it is solo, you either have to convince them you are getting off being watched by them or you have to interact and tease and pull them into your game."

"Ash has tried to teach me dominatrix tricks for the latter and to just let go and enjoy for the former. Neither of them work for me. To interact, I have to actually look at these guys, most of whom are pitiful if not outright ridiculous. And to indulge in self pleasure in front of them, I have to ............."

"Hell, I don't know what I have to do, but you do. You did it today. You checked out on me until you caught me watching. I was kind of wondering why the hell you were even there. I have now had the odd experience of watching about 500 guys jerk themselves off and until I interrupted you, you were the first who didn't really need me at all."

"Most of these guys just chug themselves no matter how lame my show is. A few pound on the window demanding that I get 'into' it. They do that too often and Max or Henry will remove them from the premises."

"Sometimes we get guys like you who make me wonder why they are there, moderately attractive and obviously affluent. Seemingly able to get laid out there in the world......... And then they turn into window pounders or shouters."

I cringe a bit at the 'moderately attractive'.

"Watching you disconnect was new for me. I was kind of bummed out when you opened your eyes, but I still wanted you to continue -- that was fucked up, making you keep them open, but it did excite me a bit. Margaret Meade would not have been pleased."

This woman just referenced "Coming of Age in Samoa" during a discussion about peep show booth behaviors!

"Ash has tried to show me how to do myself, but I think that because she is a "pro", and my lover, I just can't quite find the essence of the act. You seemed to have a solid connection with enjoying yourself whether I was in the room or not and that's what Ash always emphasizes is the key to solo work in the booths."

"The misuse of women in this trade is obvious and I get all the feelings of that when in the booths, probably too many. But the girls talk about another side, where they are in control."

"Unless I can find a way to really feel this work and the control is brings, I don't think I can convincingly finish this article."

She has laid this out logically, but I am still stunned.

"Excuse me, but are you asking me to teach a lesbian how to masturbate for the stimulation of straight men?"

"No, I am asking you to teach your new friend Gina how to approach masturbation the way you do."

Stunned no longer suffices. I am developing a crush on a woman who is completely unavailable to me. Now she is asking me how to pleasure herself in a manner similar to how I do myself. And she is serious.

Silently, I quickly recite the Third Step Prayer. And then ask God to allow me to simply be a vessel for truth and not let my ego or especially my libido get in the way.

Approaching her request seriously, I begin doing what I can to help.

"Gina, when you masturbate for yourself, how long do your sessions last? Do you really make love to yourself, or do you just rub one out?"

"Not very long, just a few minutes actually. Never more than 5."

"Do you simply do it because Ash is not around and you need to get off?"

"Yeah, that's more or less it. Usually at bedtime when alone."

"Well, with guys pumping tokens into that window, you are going to be played out really quickly if you approach it that way."

"That's what Ash says too."

"Have you ever taken your time, I mean really taken your time masturbating?"

"Only when a partner and I have done it together, like foreplay. But that usually disintegrates kind of quickly into love making."

"I know, I find it far too stimulating with a lover, but we are talking about solo or in this case 'on the job. Do you like clitoral stimulation, G spot, anal, tit play? What gets you off?"

"I really like them all."

"Then you have a lot of options. I used to do the same thing, just jerk off for release. And in a lot of ways, that was fine, but I found that the more self-foreplay I had, the more pleasurable and intense my orgasms were. Do you know what 'edging' is?"

"Of course, it's when you take yourself or your partner right up to the brink, the edge and then quiet down before repeating."

"I have had solo edging sessions that have lasted hours. Sometimes the stimulation involves pictures or erotic writing and sometimes it's only touch."

"But you still come to the booths, what's that about?"

"Do I like watching a woman masturbate, even if it is an act? Yes, I suppose I do and that worked for years. Then I started showing my body mods to hopefully get the confessional girls more into me. And I discovered, I just liked being watched. Maybe you have not given that a chance."

"Tom, you are a clean, good looking guy with a nice body, with or without the ink and metal. Most of the guys on the other side are nothing like you. Usually they are pathetically comical or outright disgusting. And when they make eye contact, ecccchhh!"

"So when they do, just close your eyes in ecstasy and let them think you are now fantasizing about them."

"Shit, this is all the same stuff that Ash tells me. I may owe you an apology, it's possible this was a waste of time."

"I'm sorry, I'm trying my best over here. And since we are being so damn honest, I have to tell you that I know you are completely unavailable, but I am developing a crush on you. And it has nothing to do with sex."

"Tom, let's try one more thing. Will you take your clothes off for me?"

Without waiting for an answer, She begins unbuttoning her blouse and steps out of her skirt.

I sit there dumbfounded.

"Sorry, I better explain. You're sweet but no, your proclamation of love did not smack me straight. I think I am kind of digging you too, but as you so accurately stated, nothing in my chemistry finds you attractive below the neck. Above it, you are a knockout. I could fuck your brain all day long, but that's called friendship. Will you help me with a little show and tell?"

She shamelessly walks over to their bed, sits down and unties her sandals.

I move to the chair opposite the bed and take off my shoes, socks, slacks and shirt, laying them on the coffee table. As she watches me, she unties her hair and shakes it free.

"Now what?"

"Now do what you did this afternoon, but let me do what I did not do. I think I can do it now, I trust you. I want you to become my customer template."

"You know that I now know you, have professed love for you which is completely unrequited and this could qualify as the biggest tease in history?"

"Yes, I am counting on that. I am going to cling to it when those other men are ogling me and I am hoping that it will sour you on ever going into a confessional again -- because we haven't even gotten to that broken part of you yet. .................... You want any lube?"

"Damn Gina, the surprises never end with you. Yeah, what do you have?"

She reaches up to the bedside table and pulls open a drawer....." Astroglide or KY?"

"KY please." She throws me a tube, fluffs up three pillows and piles them up against the headboard, gets off the bed and walks back to me. "Okay, I am going to just do myself while you watch. And you have to do the same, just like it was supposed to be this afternoon. Can you do that?"

"Yeah, I think I can pull it off."

Gina begins the playbook, just like this afternoon, but this time it is not glassy eyed, this time, it is Gina and she is playing me like a violin.......

"Damn, wait a second." She runs across the room to the stereo and starts looking through the CD's. Finding what she was looking for, she slides it into the player and heads back. Al Green fills the room with "Love and Happiness".

"So that was your music today."

"Yeah, they give me leeway because there are so few customers."

"Well, I loved it."

"Then keep loving it." She begins dancing in front of me, about the same distance as she would be in a booth. This time, her body radiates sexuality. While I know for a fact that it is not directed at me, it is charged with eroticism and fills me with desire.

I laugh out loud and she stops for a moment, unsure of my laughter ...... "Go on Gina, you got this", motioning to my completely erect, untouched penis.

She laughs back and something clicks inside as her movements become even more sensual as she leans her head back and she sucks the fingers of one hand while the other begins pinching and pulling on her nipples.

Widening her stance, she squats, her labia opening, the flames rippling up over her mons. Bringing her spit covered fingers down, she rubs them between her lips, now spreading her inner labia open as well. She begins squatting in rhythm to Al and the band as her clit and hood rise between her two fingers.

I am sitting there mesmerized and on the verge of coming even though I have not touched myself at all.

"C'mon Tom, get in the game." She shouts as this CD shuffle moves to "Take Me To The River" which is where I lost it last time. "You said the trick is to make it last. Let's see you make it last."

She goes to Playbook #2, climbing on the bed on her hands and knees, showing me the same view as 4 or 5 hours ago, but this time it is wet and glistening with Gina's arousal. She reaches under herself and begins alternately fingering herself and spreading her lips wide open. I tentatively stroke my cock, trying to think about rush hour traffic, worn tires, lawnmowers, rusty cans, anything but the woman in front of me. I promised I would hang with her through this.

I have lost track of how much Al Green we have gotten through by now. I am raging with desire for this woman and her endurance is now a challenge for me as well. Her cunt is dripping and she is working two fingers in and out of herself.

She is no longer on all fours. She is still on her knees, but her shoulders are down on the bed, head pushed to one side as one arm is folded under her, the hand pulling on her nipples as the other hooks two finger up into her vestibule, stroking her G spot. She is grunting loudly.

I am staring into her cunt and stroking myself hard. Unaware, I have risen from the chair and am leaning forward peering at her, but waiting for her moment of pleasure to hit first.

"Don't come without facing him! You need to look at him to take control, to mark him."

Gina immediately jumps up and I fall back in the chair. Standing in the doorway is Ash. She walks towards us, tossing her shoulder bag onto the kitchen table and dragging one of it's chairs over to the area by us.

"Go ahead, you can continue." The three of us just look back and forth at each other and the two of them start laughing. I don't know what the hell is going on.

"I got off early. Sorry to surprise the two of you, but you do seem to be entertaining yourselves. And my girl is actually wet in front of a man. Will wonders never cease?"

Ash looks me up and down. "You know she's mine, right?"

"Yes, Ash, he knows."

"I want to hear him say it." From the outside, anyone else might think that Ash was the dominant one here, but I can also hear how frightened she is. I truly know because I am falling in love with her woman and I would feel the same way. Gina is about as remarkable as they come.

"Yes, Ash. I know. Gina has made it abundantly clear that she has no use for men, as she put it, from the neck down. And trust me, I feel your pain."

Ash cocks her head and gives me a smile. In a night filled with witty hints, dropped double entendres and metaphors scattered like fall leaves, she hears me loud and clear and knows that I understand what it is like to care for her lover.

"What's your name again, something Davies..........oh yeah, Tom, Tom Davies."

"Okay Tom Davies, what's your trick? I have been trying to get this lovely woman to let herself go in the booths for two months and gotten nowhere. You show up and she's about to squirt across the bed on you."

"Ash, I think he might be you with a cock! He gave me the same instructions. He really likes doing it in front of others. I don't even think he fully knew it until today. In fact just now when it was about watching me, he almost blew his load, when the attention wasn't on him."

Gina's summations were spot on and I had barely put together the first one and had not even considered the second until she mentioned it.

Ash stands up and walks over to me.

"Makes sense to me. Fuck, Mr Tom, you are a bit of a freak aren't you? Is that Horiyoshi III down there on your thighs and maybe up on your chest? That man is a master, Hai?"

Ash pulls off her t shirt, exposing a chiseled upper torso to go with her arms (stone workers can be as hard as their canvases). Each breast has a large mum tattooed on it with barbell piercings through the nipples.

She has the classic 'river'. An open space, the width of her sternum, running from her neck to her navel, Wind bars frame the river in perfect uplifted symmetry. Everything else is covered in what looks like a full body suit.

She kneels down next to my chair and lifts her breast up, next to my shoulder where my first Horiyoshi piece sits, a chrysanthemum like hers. While the coloring is different, they quite obviously came from the same hand.

"And what do we have down here?" She casually moves my hand and cock out of the way to inspect the carp, kintaro, wind and water on my right thigh.

Then, lifting my cock she inspects my genital piercings and turns to Gina. "You didn't mention these............."

"Damn Ash, I can never remember what they are called. And they are on a dick for Christ's sake. That might interest you, but not me."