Chapter 8
Cindy had one close friend who lived in the apartment house. Her name was Rose Elling, and she occupied the apartment directly upstairs.
On Monday morning, Rose dropped down to see her, and the information she brought was something Cindy had never expected to hear.
"Don? I don't believe it! It's some kind of sick joke."
"I hope so," Rose said as she sat opposite Cindy in the living room and twisted her hands in her lap. "I debated whether I ought to tell you, then I figured ... if it was me, I'd want to know what people were saying."
"But who started the story?" Cindy asked. "Do you know that?"
"I have a pretty good idea." A wise look came into Rose's eyes. "Ella?" "Mmmmmm."
"That dirty..."
"I know. But she has nothing against you, has she? I mean, she. has no reason to want to hurt you."
"As far as I know, she hasn't," Cindy admitted.
Rose's troubled eyes took on a tinge of pity. "Tina Carter does play around," she said. "Her husband caught her at it once before."
"I didn't know that."
"It's true. If ... well, if there was anything between Tina and your husband, you can be sure it was her fault. She probably threw herself at him."
"But ... the idea of Don running nude from her apartment ... That's kind of crazy, isn't it?"
"Not if her husband was after him. Honey, I'm sorry to even have to repeat a thing like this..."
"I understand, Rose. Thank you. I appreciate it."
After Rose left, Cindy thought long and hard about what the other woman had just told her, checking it in her memory against the way Don had acted last Saturday. He had been hot when she'd gotten home and had insisted on having sex right away. That meant, if he had been in Tina's apartment, he hadn't gotten what he had wanted-or, at least, he hadn't finished it. Perhaps Lee had walked in and caught them in the act.
Good Lord!
It was so unlike Don-or unlike her assumptions about him-that she could hardly believe it. Yet, why would Ella Crawford be spreading the story if it weren't true? The woman was an awful gossip, but Cindy had never heard of her making up anything she told. She wasn't really that malicious. And she had no reason to make up something that would hurt Cindy.
When everything was considered, the story was more apt to be true than false.
But that meant ...
It meant, very plainly, that Don wasn't the man she had thought he was. He wasn't so narrow-minded when it came to sex. He was just selfish! He was willing to grab his own pleasure wherever he could find it, but he wouldn't put himself out a bit to give pleasure to her.
Now the whole neighborhood was talking about what he had done, and she was the butt of the gossip. She colored, even though she was alone. How would she be able to show her face outdoors again?
Strangely, perhaps, the one emotion which she didn't feel was jealousy. How could she be jealous of Don when she had cheated on him with two-no, three men, and had wanted to do it with more?
She began to think further about the new situation in which she found herself. Don and Tina. And on that same morning, Saturday, she had met Lee in the garage and had thought what a good time she could have with him!
Well, why shouldn't she? If Don was playing around with Tina...
Better yet, why couldn't they work out the swap she had thought about before-Lee with her and Tina with Don, for a night or maybe an entire weekend?
The warmth which now suffused her wasn't from embarrassment. She was thinking about spending a night, or possibly two whole nights, in Lee Carter's arms. Oh, she would come enough times to make up for six months of bitter failure with Don!
But, would Lee go for a swap? He evidently was the jealous type, judging by the way he had chased Don out of the apartment last Saturday.
Well, what did she expect of a husband who caught his wife in another man's arms? He had to react that way. Now, if he had the opportunity to trade Tina for another woman-a younger woman who was very attractive, if Cindy did say so herself ...
Listen to her! She had become absolutely shameless.
Well, why not, considering how Don and the entire rest of the world apparently was playing around!
The time had arrived, she decided, to have a very frank talk with Don. He wouldn't shame her now.
But what if the story Ella Crawford had been spreading wasn't true, after all? What if Ella had been seeing things that weren't there?
Wait. There was a way to check it out.
She recalled what Don had been wearing Saturday morning, when she had left the apartment. And, yes, he was wearing another outfit when she arrived home. If he had been forced to flee naked from Tina's apartment, it wasn't-likely that his clothes had been returned. This meant Cindy wouldn't be able to find them in her own apartment.
She began a search.
She was ready to confront Don the moment he arrived home that evening.
"Honey, I was looking for your blue-and-white checkered sport shirt today and those tan pants you were wearing Saturday morning. What happened to them?" She watched him closely.
He blanched a little and looked away. "I don't know. They ought to be around here."
"Yes, they ought to be. But they aren't. I've looked everywhere."
He turned to her. "How come you were looking for them?"
So he believed that the best defense was an offense, hm? Well, she wouldn't be scared off.
"Just tell me where they are," she said, and her eyes let him know she knew-or strongly suspected-something she hadn't put into words.
He hesitated. He grew a little whiter. His eyes gave him away.
"Well, where are they, honey?" she persisted. "What are you getting at?" he asked. "I'm just asking a question. Are you going to answer it or not?"
He could have made further attempts to evade the issue. He could even have concocted a story. But Don was a realist when things came down to the crunch. Cindy obviously had heard something from someone, probably a neighbor who had seen him run naked across the court.
He sank into a chair and stared down at the carpet. "All right," he said. "Let's have it. Tell me what's really on your mind."
"You know what :t is, don't you?"
"I suppose so."
She took a chair opposite him. He still didn't look at her.
"Are you in love with Tina?" she asked straight out. He looked up. "Don't be silly!" he replied vehemently.
"It was just fun and games then, hm?" Her expression seemed surprisingly mild, almost as if she wasn't angry with him.
He said, "Well ... yes ... I suppose so. I got carried away. I'm sorry."
"Don't be."
"What?"
"Don't be sorry."
He stared in amazement. "I thought you'd be mad as hell. I thought ... you might want to ... leave me..." "Is that what you want-for me to leave?"
"Of course not," he said quickly.
"Then it isn't necessary-provided we can reach an understanding."
"What kind of understanding?" he mumbled, thoroughly perplexed.
She jumped up and said brightly, "Let's have dinner first. Then we can talk about it."
He watched her move into the kitchen.
My God, of all the crazy ways to react!
She had worked out something cute that she was going to fling at him-some way to get revenge and have him under her thumb for a while. Women were like that.
Well, what could he do? She had him by the balls.
He wanted to talk the thing out right now, but he decided it would be better if he didn't push her. Let her play out her string, then he would see what he could do about it.
At least, she wasn't going to walk out. He really didn't want her to do that. He loved her. What had happened with Tina hadn't meant anything. It was just, as Cindy had said, fun and games.
But he certainly was surprised that she looked at it in that light.
He hardly tasted the food that she served, and a couple of times during dinner he tried to prompt her to talk about Topic A. But she wouldn't be induced.
The thing that really got him was that she seemed so composed and sure of herself. Whatever she had worked out to spring on him had to be a dandy.
He became more and more apprehensive. If his digestion worked at all on this dinner, it was going to be amazing. Already he was getting heartburn, and he hadn't even finished eating.
Finally the meal did end, and they moved into the living room to ... relax? As if he could!
"Well, shall we talk now?" Cindy asked as she sat down.
"I wish you would." He sat opposite her.
"Oh, it isn't just me." She was looking down, arranging her skirt, speaking matter-of-factly. "We have to talk together. We have to agree on something."
"On what?"
"On a principle. You've heard that what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. Well, that can be tumtd around the other way."
He squinted. "What are you getting at?"
"That you aren't the only one who ... would like to ... play around a little." She wasn't looking at him, and the rapid beating of her heart belied the casual tone she used.
"Cindy! You can't mean that."
She lifted her gaze slowly to his. "Yes. I do." He could tell that hs meant it. Good Lord!
He struggled for words: "Cindy ... it's different for men than for women." He hesitated, then exploded, "Damn it, aren't you satisfied?"
"No, Don. I'm not. You don't satisfy me sexually."
The very air seemed charged with explosive power, as if one more word, no matter what it was, would blow the room sky high.
Cindy was afraid she might have said too much or said it too directly. She knew what a fragile thing male pride was. But she also knew that she had to press the advantage which she held at this moment or she might never get what she desperately needed.
Don just stared at her. He was, at the moment, too shocked to speak.
She smiled gently and, when she spoke, her voice was a caress: "I don't mean that I don't love you. I love you very much. That's why I said what I did. We have to understand each other."
"I've ... I've ... never satisfied you?" he asked.
"You have sometimes. Partially. But I know I can feel more. Lately I haven't been having a release at all."
"For God's sake..." he murmured and continued to stare.
"So..." She looked down and went on, as casually as she could, "I've been thinking that it might be interesting ... that is, it might be good for both of us if ... if v.e could work out some way..."
Oh,God, she was making a botch of it!
"Cindy, what in the world are you getting at?"
She looked at him directly and forced herself to say, "I'm talking about a swap. Maybe with the Carters. Lots of people are swapping these days. Just the other day I was reading..."
"Do you mean ... exchange husbands and wives?" Don seemed astounded.
"Yes. You spend a night with Tina, and I'll ... sleep with Lee. That is, if they will go for it."
Of all the possible responses he might have anticipated from Cindy, this would have seemed the least-likely-if he had considered it at all.
Now the shocking portent of it got through to him, and he drew himself up in righteous wrath: "Cindy! That's the most disgraceful thing..."
She wouldn't let him continue. She was damned if she would take this stuff, now that she knew he was an adulterer.
"Oh, don't give me that!" she said firmly. "We've swept sex under the rug long enough. Now it's out and we're going to talk about it. I want to have some fun with other men, Don," she continued daringly, "and you must want to play with other women, or you wouldn't have gotten caught in Tina's apartment when her husband came home. All right! Let's do it. And swapping's the perfect answer, it seems to me."
That thrust took the air out of his balloon for the moment.
"There's nothing about swapping," she went on, "that's any worse than just stepping out. As a matter-of-fact, swapping's more honest and safer. Why don't you talk with Tina about it?"
It was still difficult for him to believe he was hearing her correctly. This couldn't be his sweet little bride talking like this.
"If you'd rather that I went to Tina with it..." Cindy continued.
"Good Lord, no!" he exclaimed.
"Then you have a talk with her." Cindy smiled. "Tell her I'm all in favor of the idea, and see if she can get Lee interested."
It was fantastic!
He had no doubt that she really was serious. Her tone, expression and earnest manner weren't subject to any other interpretation.
As for his very personal reaction, he was deflated, of course, by her statement that he didn't satisfy her sexually. However, he principally blamed her for this, rather than himself. He'd had no trouble taking care of other women. (Look at Tina!) The swap idea shocked him, but beyond the shock there was a promise of great good times.
The thought of Cindy doing it with another man with Lee Carter, perhaps-gave him a very funny sensation. He was a little surprised that he didn't dislike it altogether, but the truth was that he didn't. It was a mixed feeling, and he wasn't quite sure what the mixture was.
Cindy stood up, smiling. She was relieved now that everything was out, and she was confident that Don would do as she had asked. She could always tighten the screws on him if he didn't.
She believed that something else was required at this moment to reassure him and to keep their relationship from rocketing downhill, now that she had been brutally frank.
"Let's go to bed, honey," she invited.
Again he was nonplussed. "But you said you didn't get any satisfaction..."
"I didn't say I didn't get any." She moved up to him, smiling warmly, and pressed herself against his manly form. "Sometimes it's all right. Sometimes we miss. But I won't care tonight. Tonight I would just like to please you."
How could he turn down that invitation?
Ten minutes later, they were in bed. Cindy was on her back, totally nude, and Don was on his knees beside her. He still wore his briefs.
The lamp was burning beside the bed.
It was Don's own idea to keep the lamp on that evening. He wanted to watch her as he gave her his meat. And he was going to try his level best to give her a good orgasm, if that was possible.
He rubbed his hands upward along her supple sides and captured the large, rounded tits which thrust up at him. He squeezed them, forcing the erect nipples higher than ever, and he bent to lick first one thick pink tip, then the other.
"Oooh, that's nice!" Cindy said to encourage him.
He was getting very hot, however, and it was doubtful that he could continue this for long.
He kissed down her front to her naval and dipped the tip of his tongue into that tiny cup. Cindy had a tremendous urge to push his head farther, to try and make him eat her pussy tonight.
But she knew he wouldn't. And it would only complicate their relationship at a delicate time to try to get him to do it.
So, instead he reached for the front of his knit briefs, which were badly out of shape from the pressing of his urgent rod inside.
"Oooh, let's get this big thing out!" she exclaimed provocatively.
He let her snake into the briefs with her fingers, grip his prick, and pull it through the opening. Once it was unfettered, the organ immediately stiffened out to its full length and became granite hard.
Cindy rolled its foreskin back and palmed the moist, plushy head. That surface was the only part of the cock which wasn't iron-like.
She had a giddy urge to take the head of his penis in her mouth. Wouldn't that shock him! Also, it would tip him off that she had been with another man, she feared. She never wanted him to find out that.
Now his pecker was in the open, Don wasn't about to spend any more time feeling her. He didn't realize that it was his hastiness, both at this stage and after he was inside her, which kept her from attaining a full, blissful climax. Perhaps tonight they were on frank enough terms so that she could have explained to him what he was doing wrong and he would have taken the advice, but somehow she didn't want to do it.
She was thinking of the swaps which lay ahead.
She wanted to swap with the Carters-and with others, she believed.
He climbed on top of her, leaving his briefs on and letting his rigid prick protrude through the ,front of them. He positioned himself above her split, blonde-haired loins.
"Give me a good one, baby!" she exclaimed.
He grasped his tool in his hand, tilted it downward, and let it slide into her as far as it would go. He experienced the familiar scalp-lifting sensation which comes to the owner of a very rigid dick when he slides it into a tight, slick pussy.
He didn't slide it all the way. Cindy wasn't yet open or lathered enough. He drew back, plunged again, withdrew, and plunged a third time.
Easy ... easy! she wanted to tell him. But she held her tongue.
She thought of the swap coming up. She imagined that Don was Lee.
Don screwed her in his usual fashion, though he bore down a little harder, thinking that this would help. It didn't. In fact, it made matters worse, because he slid even farther off the button of her clitoris, which made it impossible for her to get the full, rich sensation she needed.
He went fast. She moved with him. He gazed at her face, hoping to read an indication there of how he was doing. She realized this and so she made faces which suggested intense passion. And she socked her cunt to him hard.
He came, jerking and spurting.
She forced a sigh.
"Did you get there?" he asked urgently, breathing hard. "Tell me the truth."
She was prompted to lie, then decided that would be a mistake.
"Almost, darling," she said, softening the truth as much as she could. She smiled at him. "It's all right." "Jesus, Cindy!" he wailed.
"Shhhh." She held his face between her hands and kissed it.
What did she care that she didn't make the grade tonight. She would make it with Lee, sure enough. Ooh, that Lee! If he wasn't a terrific stud she would certainly miss her guess!
Don was disconsolate as he climbed off his wife. He had achieved great physical satisfaction himself, but the fact that he hadn't brought her equal pleasure took the edge off the whole thing.
He was inclined to blame her, but now there was a germ of doubt about his own ability.
This doubt further fired his illicit urge to go ahead with the swap scheme.
All right! He WOULD have a talk with Tina. What harm could it do?
He thought again of Cindy with Lee.
Yes. He would go through with it.