10 comments/ 52525 views/ 2 favorites Simplicity (v2) By: coldsteel Welcome to Simplicity. This story of three couples is a work of fiction. Like all great fiction, it's based in fact. To those who might think they recognize themselves in the story, it's not you. To those who might think they know where to find Simplicity, it's not there. But it might be close by. Copyright © 2010. All rights reserved. Chapter 1, Scene 1 Seven years ago Ten minutes asleep, no more, when the pager erupted again. Wondering what he had done to anger the trauma gods, Patterson slipped on his clogs and hurried to the emergency room. Chaos in the ER. Two victims. According to the cop, a drunk strayed across the median.Head-on collision. The drunk guy was dead. The pair in the other car were here. He looked around. Forty-something guy, brown hair matted with blood from a scalp lac, sitting up and talking. On the other side of the curtain, lots of activity. He eyed the cop. "Driver side impact, door caved in." said the cop. Patterson nodded. Pushed his way to the gurney. Saw the woman. Dirty blond hair, breathing tube in her mouth. Wedding ring. Brown-haired's wife, Patterson guessed. He did a quick exam. Felt the crushed ribs on her left side. "She's got a punctured lung and needs a chest tube." Kat, the trauma nurse, simply nodded. No longer surprised by Patterson's diagnostic brilliance, she still marveled at it. Every other doc in the place needed blood tests, xrays and thirty minutes to figure stuff out. Patterson's brain was always ahead of the world. By the time she returned with the chest tube setup, Patterson was back on the other side of curtain. "Mr. Granger? My name's Patterson. We don't have much time. Your wife has severe internal bleeding and we need to operate immediately. Sign this consent for surgery." Paul Granger stared blankly at the surgeon. He was thinking about their thirteen year old daughter, and how much she needed her mom. "Erica. That's my wife." The conversation ended abruptly as Kat shouted from the other side of the curtain. "Her BP's dropping! We're gonna lose this lady!" Patterson pulled on a pair of gloves. Splashed some antiseptic on the woman. Slipped the tube under the crease of her left breast, relieving the pressure from the punctured lung. The woman's blood pressure came up, but not enough. "Call the OR," he barked "and tell them we're doing a ruptured spleen right now." Ten seconds later, they rolled to the waiting elevator and disappeared. Paul Granger wept. As Kat cleaned and dressed his lacerations, she murmured to Paul, "Your wife has the best doc in the city. If anyone can save her, Patterson will." Upstairs, Patterson was less sure. A red geyser erupted where Patterson's scalpel sliced into her belly. "Keep pumping blood into her," he shouted to the anesthesiologist. Pulverized spleen and lacerated left kidney. The kidney was broken but salvageable. The spleen went into the bucket. Finally told the scrub nurse to put some closing music on the CD player. Put the pieces back together while Jagger was wailing. As he pulled the bloodsoaked drapes off the woman, he took his first long look at his patient. Pretty lady, he thought to himself. Patterson found Paul Granger in the ICU waiting room. He walked over to Paul, still using the same irritating shorthand he used when speaking to the staff. "Bleeding stopped. With some luck and some help from the good Lord, she'll be here for a couple of weeks, and she'll come home fine." He pressed a short-range pager into his Paul's right hand. "The nurse'll beep you when she's tucked in and ready for visitors. Maybe an hour. If you haven't eaten, the restaurant'll open in five minutes." Patterson vanished down the hall. Still dazed, confused and a little angry,Granger wandered into the restaurant. Ordered scrambled eggs and four strips of bacon, extra crispy. Didn't think much of that guy's bedside manner. Cold fish, but then he seemed to know his stuff. That redheaded nurse—Katie? Kathy? Kat? --said as much. Granger was staring out the window, taking a long pull at the coffee, when he noticed the rising sun. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a digital camera, and snapped a photo. He wasn't going to lose Erica, not now. Today, he mused, damn well better be the first day of the rest of their lives. Chapter 1, Scene 2 Patterson finished up rounds and arrived home around 11 a.m.. Kat, who had just gotten out of the shower, has the hair dryer on when Pat came and kissed the back of her neck. Kat switched off the dryer. "Long night for both of us." She sniffed, wrinkling her nose. "You need to follow me through the shower." Pat agreed. He needed a shave as well. He stripped down and turned the hot water on high. He stepped out of the shower a few minutes later. His boss had always told him that a shower and a shave were worth four hours of sleep. Hearing a familiar buzzing sound from the bedroom, he was happy for the rest. Kat's robe was open as she lay near the edge if the bed. Her Hitachi Magic Wand was set on high, hard against her clit. "Pussy's hungry...,"she purred. Pat knelt by the side of the bed, pulling her butt to the very edge. He started in, licking her muscled inner thighs. Kat reached down with her free hand and pulled his head and mouth straight into her steaming cunt. "You weren't paying attention. I just told you that my pussy is hungry and she wants it right now." Pat thrust his tongue deep inside, drinking her juices and exploring every inch of the velvety surface. Kat moaned, her pleasure increasing as the tip of Pat's tongue swirled upward and started to flick at her clit, now fully swollen. She writhed, her hips grinding into Pat's mouth. She wanted to cum. Pat stood up, pushed a pillow under Kat's butt and pulled her feet up onto his shoulders. He dipped the tip of his 7" cock into her dripping pussy and then thrust hard—just the way she liked it—burying it so his balls slapped hard against her gorgeous ass. He teased her by pulling almost all the way out, letting the head of his cock slide up against her G-spot, and then began long deep strokes. Kat began to meet every stroke with her own pelvic thrusts. The nipples on Kat's 34Cs were eraser-hard. Pat pulled on them, first alternating and then together as Kat's pussy clamped down hard on his cock. Her breaths became quick and fair skin flushed deeply. She started to shake and scream. "Ohhhh...fuuucccckkkk meeee OHHHHHH...,"she yelled. Pat continued, pushing hard against her now quivering body, spasms of her climax rippling through his cock and balls. He was close too. As her first orgasm subsided, Pat pulled out, slipped Kat out of her robe and flipped her over, her magnificent ass facing him. He pulled Kat roughly onto his cock and fucked her hard. Kat reached over for the Wand, flipped the switch back on, and held it hard against her clit while Pat pushed hard against her cervix. She felt her second orgasm build. "I want to feel your cum explode inside me...NOW!" she screamed. Kat pushed the vibe close to Pat's balls, which started to pulsate cum deep into her cunt. Feeling his juices flowing inside her, Kat started to shake and came again, harder and hotter than her first. Pat held her by shoulders, pulling Kat hard onto his still rigid prick until she stopped quivering. Finally, he slipped out of her, crawled up onto the bed, and lay down beside her. He fell asleep stroking her clit. Kat looked over at the surgeon beside her, knowing that marriage between two trauma professionals would never work. They were just too much alike, both married to their jobs. She sighed, and began quietly humming the old Simon and Garfunkel tune about fifty ways to leave your lover. Chapter 2, Scene 1 Present day "Pat, you have get rid of the trauma call! It's killing you and it's destroying our marriage!" Patterson has just come home from another long Friday night on call. He didn't want to listen to Terri, his wife of five years, mostly because he knew she was right. Terri was, he reflected, just about always right. That's one of the reasons he proposed to her. Terri knew him better than he knew himself, and was smart enough to look after both of them. A stunning California blonde with a 36D-24-35 figure, she had also been at the front of the line when the brains were given out: her undergraduate degree was in physics and she did the crossword puzzles in pen. She was the youngest lab director at the medical center, Terri was also Kat's closest friend. Kat had introduced them after breaking off her affair with Pat, and Terri had fallen hard for the amazing surgeon. He was warm and funny. He had been, she reflected ruefully, a great lover. Past tense. The past few months were especially rough. Conversations had collapsed into paragraphs, then sentences. Sex had become mechanical or nonexistent. Mostly nonexistent. Terri wasn't angry as much as she was scared. This man she loved, this man she married was spiraling into the ground. His brilliance, his clinical skill and his dedication had become the stuff of legend not only in the city where he practiced but throughout the southeast. As a result calling Pat had become the solution to just about everyone's problem. And Pat, bless him, couldn't bring himself to say no to any patient in need. It was one of the things Terri loved about him but something had to change. Pat was in no shape to talk. He'd been at the hospital for almost 36 hours. He collapsed on the couch, put his feet up on the arm—she hated when he did that--and fell asleep within seconds. Terri sighed and threw a blanket over him. She scribbled a note saying she would be back in a few hours and headed to the fitness center. She needed to take her stress somewhere other than her home. Chapter 2 Scene 2 Thirty minutes on the elliptical, thirty minutes with the weights and thirty minutes in the ring with her pink gloves and a sparring partner helped. Terri stripped down, rinsed off and headed for the sauna where she ran into Kat who was just stepping in as well. Now the chief nursing officer, Kat had also become a breast cancer survivor after her mastectomy and with plastic surgery reconstruction scars to show for it. "How are you! You look terrific!" said Terri. It was true, Kat was radiant. Her run-in with cancer seemed to have energized her. She was slimmer, trimmer and seemed happier than she had been in many years. Terri noticed that redheaded Kat was sporting a light tan, unmarred by lines. Kat's previously wild red bush was now shaved smooth. "It's funny what a brush with cancer does to you," said Kat. "Rick and I make love every day, mostly because we have no clue what's going to happen tomorrow." Terri gave her a sad, faraway look. Kat continued, "Let's shower and get some lunch." They converged at a neighborhood restaurant, a little Italian place with fresh inexpensive food. "The past few months have been rough on both of us," said Terri. Kat listened sympathetically. "Pat's schedule got crazy after one of the other trauma surgeons moved out of state. The new guy is really talented but you know how Pat is—he worries about every patient until they leave the hospital and he's trying to coach the new guy." Kat asked, "When's the last time the two of you had some time for each other?" Terri sighed, "Months. Maybe a year. Things at work are so complicated that it's made our home time so complicated. Life seemed so much simpler when we got married. But that seems like a lifetime ago." Lunch arrived—fresh salads decorated with cheeses and croutons—and the women ate quietly, each lost in thought. They finished with cappuccinos. Kat sipped thoughtfully as Terri continued. "Our lives ought to be perfect. We're healthy, we have great jobs, Pat gets a zillion letters from grateful patients and families. But we're not happy. You're radiant! You're happy, Rick's happy..." Terri's voice trailed off. Kat said,"We've known each other a long time, Terri. I introduced you to Pat. I was maid of honor at your wedding." Terri nodded. Kat continued, "You two are a big part of my life, It meant so much to me to have you there with Rick during my surgery and to have you there during my chemo." Kat reached into her purse and extracted a plastic card. Proffering it to Terri, Kat continued, "It's time. This might be the most valuable card in the world. You have some decisions to make. I'm forbidden to tell you any more about it. But if you really want to simplify your lives, if you are committed to doing whatever it takes to recapture the magic with Pat, you'll follow the instructions to the letter." Terri was mystified. Kat drained her cup. "This journey is about trust and friendship. You'll get to choose as Rick and I did. Think it over." Kat headed off to begin her 3 p.m. shift. Chapter 2, Scene 3 Terri drove home more confused than when she left. What the hell was Kat talking about? What was with the card? Pat was still sprawled on the couch. She covered Pat with a soft throw from the back of the easy chair and watched him quietly. She knew that nothing would change unless she changed for both of them. She walked into the den. Set her purse down and stared at it. Finally pulled out the card. On one side, a sunrise scene that was familiar but she couldn't quite place. On the other side was a single word, in script: Simplicity,.along with a telephone number and an instruction to select option 7. She dialed the number, only to get a recording to the effect that the number she had dialed was "not working". She hung up, redialed and got the same message. Nonplussed, she remembered Kat saying to follow the instructions to the letter. She dialed once more, got the "not working" message and pressed "7". She heard a click, two rings and a woman answered. "Simplicity". Terri began, her voice tentative. "Hello? A friend gave me this card and told me to call." "My name is Emily, and we're so glad you called. Let me verify your name and your home number as it came up on Caller ID." Terri confirmed the information. "Would you tell me who gave you the card?" Terri named Kat. Emily continued, "Our system shows that you have Kat's last card. I just need a little more information so we can courier your packet to you. Let me get your full names, address, email, phone contacts and occupations." Terri started to give the information. As soon as she mentioned that her husband was a surgeon, she heard Emily gasp. "Terri,does your husband go by 'Pat' and does he work at County General Hospital?" Terri responded affirmatively. "W-w-would you mind holding on for just a m-m-moment?" said Emily. A few seconds later, another woman came on the line, her words vibrant and warm. "Terri, my name is Erica and we've never met. I was a patient of Pat's a long time ago. Knowing your husband and knowing that you got your card from Kat, I'm certain that Pat knows absolutely nothing about this call." Terri said nothing for a moment, and only then whispered, "Yes." Erica went on. "Tell me what happened and why Kat gave you the card. Leave nothing out. Please. It's important." Terri told her story. Erica remained quiet. When Terri had finished, Erica took a deep breath. "You were right to call instead of asking Pat. Monday, you'll get an envelope by courier. Please read it, think it over, and let's figure out how to get the two of you to join us. Knowing him, it might be easier to just keep him in the dark and let us explain when you get here. So I know, have you two ever been to a nude beach?" Terri was taken aback by the question, but something in Erica's voice made her tell the truth. Yes, they had been to Haulover Beach, just north of Miami a couple of years back. Liked it, too. Told her so. Erica said, "Although we've never met, I hope you'll trust me. Read what's in the packet, and call us back." Amy came back on the line, and Terri started to ask questions. Amy broke in, "Please, Mrs. Patterson, wait for the courier. It'll make much more sense. It always does. Call us back. You have the number." Terri went back out to the living room. Her day had gone from strange to stranger. What had Kat gotten her into, who was Erica, and what was Simplicity? The search engines came up dry. Whatever this "Simplicity" was about, it was pretty far off the grid. Shaking her head, she went back out to the living room. Pat was still fast asleep. Chapter 3, Scene 1 This Saturday, early morning Pat took overnight call again the following Friday night, and this time the trauma gods smiled—he had gotten five hours of sleep. He was behind, but not exhausted. As he pulled into the driveway at 8:30 a.m., he was surprised to see Terri in a beach hat and summer dress. She smiled and waved. As Pat shut down his car, Terri said, "Pat, we're going away tonight. I already spoke to your partner and he's happy that you're getting some R and R. I packed bags for both of us. There's coffee in a travel cup. We're taking my car. Just get in the passenger seat and let's go. Yes, your pager reaches where we're going. I checked." Pat started to ask questions, but thought better of it. "Okay, honey. You're driving." Pat clambered into the passenger seat of the big SUV. Terri had set the GPS. He dozed off as Pat drove north, past the outlet mall. He woke when the engine shut down, 90 minutes and as many miles later. The day had brightened into a clear blue sky. Pat asked, "Where are we?" Terri replied, "At a resort called 'Simplicity', and we have to go in and register. All you have to do is show them your driver's license and sign your name. In fact, my rules are that you not say anything for the next 15 minutes." "Terri, what's goi..." He stopped in midsentence. Kat, wearing only sandals, a hat and her smile, walked up to the passenger window, leaned in. "Welcome to Simplicity!". Terri turned to her husband. "Sweetie, be quiet, get your license and follow me." Chapter 3, Scene 2 The woman at the registration desk introduced herself as Beverly. She had to introduce herself, since wasn't wearing a name tag-- she was as naked as Kat--took their information and handed Terri a map of the property and shiny brass keys on two plastic bracelets. Kat had followed them in. "You won't need the map, Terri, just follow my yellow golf cart. Your condo is adjacent to ours." As Terri and Pat got back in their SUV, Pat started to speak. Terri shushed him. "You have another six minutes. Not a word until we're in the room." They followed Kat down a tree-lined road that opened onto a large complex of pools, tennis courts and a clubhouse ringed by three condominium buildings. Pat gestured to a building. They pulled into the parking space matching their unit, Red-105. Kat pointed Terri to their rental. "We own 107. But with such a pretty morning, we're all out poolside. Come join us when you get settled." Terri opened the hatch of the SUV and unloaded two small suitcases. Pat remained silent, processing the scene. Half a dozen couples, all nude, were strolling about. Terri called to him. "Honey, come on inside and get unpacked." Unpacking didn't take long. Terri had her toiletries, two large tubes of sunscreen, a little black dress, and a pair of sandals. Pat opened his suitcase, finding his Dopp kit, a collared shirt, linen slacks and loafers. Pat finally spoke. "Well, I guess you pack light going to a nude resort." Terri laughed. "That's what Kat said, too. We're here because both of us think you need a break. What I told you was true--the pager reaches out here. Only you won't have a belt to wear it on. Now ditch the clothes, grab a couple of towels and let's head for the pool." Simplicity (v2) Pat, a man smart enough not to question his beautiful and now nude wife, stripped down. Chapter 3 Scene 3 Hats, sunglasses, sandals and sunscreen in hand, they stepped outside. Pat and Terri looked at their map, now seeing that the complex was much larger than it initially appeared. There were three pools--a large one with a 15 foot waterfall at one end and a swim-up bar at the other, a smaller one set aside for quiet conversation, and a pool with a volleyball net strung across it. Pat scanned the deck and did a quick calculation--there were at least 300 lounge chairs set up. Although it was only 9 a.m., there were already a couple of dozen couples poolside including Kat and her husband Rick. Kat waved them over. "Pat, Terri, it's wonderful to have you two here! I used to greet people with 'how nice to see you!' but that doesn't sound quite right here in our little slice of paradise." Rick stood up and greeted them. Terri did a silent double-take. Rick was one of those smaller, wiry men, five and a half feet tall. He also sported one of the largest cocks she had ever seen, over 7" hanging. One reason why Kat's beaming, she thought wryly, she's getting that every day! Kat brought her back to reality. "After my cancer surgery, having my own body cut on and rearranged, we made it a point to be comfortable in our own skins. If you look around, you'll see lots of folks with scars." In fact, Pat had quickly seen the scars on several couples as they walked by, reading and translating the lines--gall bladder surgery, hysterectomy, vascular reconstruction. But each seemed oblivious to the scars. They were swimming, chatting, reading, or just napping in the warming sun. "Terri and I thought it might be good for you to see a few healthy happy naked people—not your pre-ops," Kat continued. Terri saw Pat's fatigue and looked around. "Pat's pretty tired. There were a couple of big cases last night. I need to get some sunscreen on him because inside of ten minutes, he's going to be asleep on the lounger under that big maple tree." Kat smiled inwardly. She remembered how tired Pat was when he got in after a long night, and knew that Terri was exactly right. Chapter 3 Scene 4 With Pat asleep in the shade, Kat and Terri stepped into the pool, perfectly warmed at 84 degrees. They swam a few lazy strokes and pulled themselves onto one of the in-pool benches. After some girl talk and a little laughter, Kat turned to Terri and said "I have a small confession to make. It was a great idea to get you two out here. But it wasn't completely my idea. The couple that bought the resort six years ago has been after me to get the two of you out here. In fact, here they come now." A man and a woman were strolling towards them. The movie-star handsome man had a broad smile, powerful chest and a small scar on his forehead. His grey hair accented his hazel eyes. Otherwise, he was completely smooth. His wife, a stunningly beautiful brunette with a deep tan, had a faded scar up and down her abdomen. And, Terri noted, a small scar under her left breast where she guessed a chest tube had once resided. "We've never met," the man said, "but you two are very important members of our extended family." He continued, "I'm Paul, this is my wife Erica, and your husband saved Erica's life." Erica told the story of her surgery and near-miraculous recovery -- and later of the settlement from the drunk driver's estate. "Paul and I understood the great gift we had been given. A chance to simplify our lives and live out our dreams. You know how some couples talk about cashing in and buying a bed-and-breakfast?" Erica waved at the complex and the guests who now filled the lounges. "We took the settlement, walked away from our jobs and built this place as a constant reminder to simplify and live for today." Paul chimed in, "I know this is a lot to absorb, but if not for Pat's dedication and skill, this place and this moment would never have come." Terri looked at Kat, who nodded. "I was the ED nurse the night Paul and Erica came in. Like every other trauma professional, I did my job and went on to the next patient. But when I went eyeball to eyeball with cancer, Paul and Erica materialized out of nowhere and made sure that I was okay. By that time, you and Pat were together." Erica continued, "Pat continued to touch our lives long after the crash, the surgery and my rehab. While I lay in the ICU, Paul spent hours and days in the waiting room. There were so many families whose loved ones were rescued by Pat and others on the trauma team. Each had a different story to tell, but each came to the same conclusion Paul did: once the trauma nightmare is over and everyone is home, we're going to change the way we live our lives." Terri nodded. As a manager at the hospital, she often heard such sentiments. "Rehabbing flesh and bone is easy compared to rehabbing the soul. The physical therapists and a personal trainer got my body into better shape than it was before the crash. But..." Erica paused. Paul picked up her thought. "It was an awful time. Erica tried so hard to pretend the crash never happened and to go back the way we were as if nothing had happened. But time never goes backwards, and we finally decided that we--both of us--had to recalibrate. Simplify." Kat broke in. "It's not that caregivers ignore the need to recalibrate. We just never give it the priority it deserves until we end up on the other end of the scalpel. Then we discover we're no different than our patients: fine one day, facing serious illness the next. After my breast cancer operation, I was just like Erica had been during the early stages of recovery--angry and afraid." Erica said,"Different from most folks, we had the means to change our lives. There was a large settlement after the crash. My disability insurance was the best on the market. We had retirement accounts that had done well. So Paul and I did what everyone else talked about. We decided to simplify our lives. And perhaps simplify the lives of a few others along the way. So let's talk about simplifying yours..." Chapter 3, Scene 4 Pat woke up a few minutes before 1 p.m., a little disoriented seeing dozens of naked strangers. He saw his wife on the other side of the big pool, then remembered where he was. Rather than navigate the clutch of lounges and guests, he swam across. Getting out of the pool, He recognized Kat and her husband Rick and his wife. They were with another well-tanned and very fit couple who Pat vaguely recognized. As he got out of the pool, the woman handed him a towel. "Do I know you?" Pat asked. Kat, Rick and Terri started to laugh. The woman walked over to Pat, squared her shoulders and looked into his eyes. "You really don't remember, do you? I'm Erica Granger, and seven years ago you saved my life." Paul looked down and saw the now faded scars on her belly and under her left breast. He slipped into surgeon-mode. "Spleen, kidney, punctured lung..." He pieced together the story. The three couples moved to a nearby table and helped themselves to the buffet. While making their way through a salad, local cheeses and lemon sherbet with fresh berries, Paul and Erica retold the story of how they happened onto the property and decided to purchase and build out the resort. Pat, suddenly famished, listened quietly. Pat gazed out across the resort. More than two hundred people sunning, swimming, reading and napping. A hotly contested game in the volleyball pool. Three or four couples at the swim-up bar. Another dozen couples lunching at the restaurant. "No cell phones, no radios, no pagers, no TVs, no kids," remarked Pat, suddenly recalling what he didn't see in the condo. Paul turned to Erica. "I told you he was sharp." Pat looked again at the guests. "Each of the couples is here for a reason. Maybe the same reason." Erica fell silent. She knew that owed her life to Pat's deductive genius, but she had been too sick to understand just how brilliant he was. Now she was watching him in real time. "You don't just come here, you get invited here. Or maybe ordered here." Pat looked directly at his wife and then at Kat, who nodded. Pat continued. "Something happened to every couple here. Something that caused them to reset their priorities and reorder their lives." The final piece dropped into place. Pat turned once more to Paul and Erica. "You not only own this, and you're the index case. Then you invited a handful of couples, and you told each of them to 'pay it forward' They could invite one or two others--but only one or two--who they felt could strip off their clothes, strip off their past and simplify their lives." Terri smiled. Kat grinned. Erica simply gaped, amazed by Pat's insight. Paul simply said, "Bingo." Chapter 4, Scene 1 They ate, sunned, swam and then the men challenged the women to a game of water volleyball. The men were no match for Kat's athletic skills, Terri's natural grace and Erica's aggressive net game. Of course, they couldn't help being distracted by the bouncing breasts on the other side. By 3 p.m., all were hot, tired and ready for naps. Terri and Pat made their way back to 107. Terri had her first real look at the bathroom. There was a privacy wall next to the commode, a large double vanity. The shower was a show-stopper. Behind a walk around panel of clear glass there were four huge wall fixtures as well as a "rainforest" panel in the ceiling. Terri gratefully noted the hand-held sprayer which sat alongside a heated shaving mirror. Liquid soap and shampoo dispensers were close at hand. Finally, there was a large bench with plenty of safety handholds. Terri turned on the water and quickly adjusted both the flow and the temperature. Pat stepped in beside her. Terri started to soap and scrub his back. "Mmmmm," Pat sighed, "that feels great." Terri's hands soaped his chest, abdomen and then his cock and balls. He became hard within moments, reveling in the water and Terri's expert hands. His sighs of pleasure continued. Returning the favor, Pat told Terri to turn around. As she did, she saw a pair of handholds conveniently in front of her. Chuckling quietly, she grabbed the handholds and bent over as Pat soaped her back. "Don't want to slip on the soap," she said, a playful tone creeping into her voice. Her boxing workouts had strengthened her back, which tapered to gorgeous buttocks. She knew it was a feast for Pat's eyes, and she could feel his cock slapping against her. She spread her legs, reached between them and guided his cock into her cunt. As she felt the head slide inside, she started rotating her butt, spiraling her way down the shaft. "Oooohh, that's much better inside and out of the rain, don't you think?" Pat answered by grabbing the handholds above hers and grinding his cock even deeper inside her. Terri felt the walls of her cunt engorge around Pat's cock as she felt the pleasure building in her pelvis. Pat started a rhythm of five or six shallow thrusts followed by a deep one, each sequence building her closer to orgasm. She began to shudder, gyrating her hips to feel every inch of her husband's cock. It had been so long since Pat had cum that he couldn't hold back. His balls contracted and squeezed jet after jet of cum into Terri's cunt , their cries of pleasure echoing through the water still pouring down around and between them. Pat slipped out, and Terri sat on the bench, legs spread wide to let cooler water from the handspray wash the cum away. She had a big grin on her face. "Now that's more like it!" she exclaimed. "What a way to cap off an afternoon!" Pat felt great and even a little playful. "Ma'am, you do know that we surgeons used to be barbers. And it's my professional opinion that your bush is in need of a trim." Terri had noticed that Kat and Erica were completely shaved. She thought about the slinky dress she had brought for dinner and decided that she needed the same look. "Nope, no trim. You have to shave me smooth." "I was sort of hoping you'd say that!", said Pat as he lathered her up and started long strokes with the razor. "Easy there cowboy, my pussy just had a bit of a workout." And perhaps another workout after dinner, she hoped. After the long dry spell, more sex sounded like a great idea. Pat finished up, using the handspray to wash away the last of the soap and errant hairs. When he was satisfied that he had done a perfect shave, he stepped back to admire his work, completely missing the glint in Terri's eyes. "Turnabout is fair play," she said, picking up the razor. "Sit down and spread those thighs, mister." Fortunately for both of them, Terri did as good a job as he had done on her with nary a nick. They rinsed off once more, toweled dry and drifted into a two hour nap. Chapter 5, Scene 1 After waking up, they dressed and walked over to the Clubhouse where dinner was scheduled at 6:30 pm. Ever observant, Pat noticed that the women all wore club dresses with little jewelry and no high heels. The men sported collared shirts, comfortable slacks and either sandals or slip-on shoes. He turned to Terri and said, "I'll bet there's a dance floor". Terri laughed. "Right you are, Mr. Sherlock Holmes." Indeed, the tables were arranged around a large dance floor with a bandstand at the far corner of the room. A long two-sided buffet occupied one wall, and a traditional bar lined the other. Pat went to fetch a couple of glasses of white wine. Kat called out to Terri, "You guys are with us at table 14." Pat, Rick, Paul and their wives went to the buffet. Instead of giving in to one of the tempting main courses, Pat and Terri followed the others' lead with a selection of tapas and other small plates. It would keep the dinner conversation light. Besides, dancing on a full stomach didn't sound like a great idea. The six were deep into a debate over the quality (and lack thereof) of summer movies, bemoaning the endless stream of sequels when the band started warming up. A few moments later, Erica excused herself and walked up onto the bandstand. "Hey, everyone!" "Hey, you!" They responded in unison. Some sort of a tradition, Pat surmised. "Tonight we have two guests. All of you know about my car crash and the scar on my belly. Tonight, you get to meet the trauma surgeon who saved my life!" Pat reddened as a spotlight was trained on him. The fact that he got a standing ovation from everyone in the room made him more than a little uncomfortable. But that was nothing compared to what happened next. Erica continued, "And as you know, it's our tradition to invite guests out to start the dance, so let's give a big Simplicity welcome to Terri and Pat!" The applause resumed as the band struck up the Temptations tune, "My Girl". Pat, despite being a good dancer, always felt awkward out on the dance floor. Reminding himself that he had seen all these people naked a few hours earlier, he led Terri around the dance floor. Not exactly Travolta in "Saturday Night Fever", but okay. Besides, he felt his cock stirring holding Terri close. "You guys looked great out there!", said Paul, applauding as they sat down. The band continued with some slower tunes while they nibbled at fresh fruit cobblers and coffee. As the plates were cleared, the band kicked up the tempo and the volume. Kat turned to Terri. "Mind if I drag Pat back onto the dance floor? I think I can make him move a bit." Terri grinned. If anyone could loosen Pat up on the dance floor, it would be her. Besides, she wanted to talk to Rick for a few minutes. The band launched the intro to "Mustang Sally" and Kat pulled Pat to his feet. "Go on, handsome, I want to see Kat put you through your paces," said Terri. "Besides, I've got your man Rick here to keep me company." Within minutes, Kat had Pat shaking and shimmying across the floor. Dancing with the Stars, it wasn't. But she could see that the two of them were having a great time. Rick turned to Terri. "Are you okay with those two together?" Terri flashed a broad smile. "This is the best I've felt in months. It's the opposite of jealous. She's as devoted to you as I am to Pat. Rock on!" She threw her arms around Rick, hugged him and said, "Thanks so much for helping to make this happen." Delighted but a bit surprised at her gesture, Rick looked over Terri's shoulder at Erica and then over at Paul. Erica paused for a moment and then nodded. Paul said, "Rick and I are going to freshen up everyone's drinks." They walked over to the bar. Erica said to Terri, "Let's stretch our legs for a few minutes before the big finale." Terri glanced out to the dance floor for a moment, laughed when she saw Pat and Kat doing something that looked like a cross between disco and a seizure, and trailed Erica onto the patio. Chapter 5 Scene 2 Erica began, "From the beginning, we've wanted to make Simplicity a retreat where people could relax and make their own decisions about what feels right. There are few rules here at Simplicity, but the first and most unbreakable rule is that what happens here stays here. Part of the magic." Terri nodded, wondering where the conversation was going. Erica continued, "After the dance, Paul, Kat and Rick and I usually spend the rest of the evening together." Terri looked at her quizzically. Erica said, "Naked." Terri didn't quite process. Erica continued. "Relaxing and unwinding." Terri repeated, rolling the words around her mouth, "Naked. Relaxing. Unwinding. As in sex?" "Precisely," said Erica,"and it would mean so much to Paul and me if you and Pat would honor us by joining us this evening." Terri was understandably at a loss for words. Erica continued, "It's an invitation from the heart. You and Pat are so much part of who we are, and we want to share. If you decide no, this conversation never happened. But the four of us would be so happy if you would make it the six of us, just for tonight." Terri looked up at the star-filled sky. What Erica proposed was way out of her comfort zone. On the other hand, both she and Pat were having a better time than they'd had in months. "I'm not sure about this." Erica reached over to Terri and embraced her. "Don't think. Just feel." They heard the band start up again, and went back inside. Chapter 5 Scene 3 They found Pat and Kat regaling Paul and Rick with 'war stories' from the ER. Terri rolled her eyes at Erica, who burst out laughing. "You can take those two out of the trauma center, but you can't get the trauma center out of either of them!" Both Pat and Kat blushed furiously at the truth of the comment. The band started the finale with "Shout", and every table emptied onto the dance floor. Soon, everyone was bumping into everyone else, laughing and singing along. Next, they did an enthusiastic version of "Born to be Wild". After an enthusiastic round of applause for the band, a petite woman --Pat guessed her to be 55 years old--in a green dress stepped onto the stage. The band launched "Somebody to Love" by the Jefferson Airplane, and the lady in green outdid Grace Slick on her best days. The floor literally vibrated with 200 couples dancing as if no one was watching. The three couples found themselves dancing in a circle, belting out each chorus--hot, sweaty and happy. Everyone on the dance floor clapped wildly as the song ended. Terri held Pat close. It was Pat who spoke first. "Honey, it's been an amazing day. Thank you for bringing me here." Terri stood on her toes and kissed him hard. A moment or two later, the bandleader shouted into the mic, "Shower Time!" Chapter 5 Scene 4 Simplicity (v2) Terri and Pat followed the crowd outside, where huge outdoor showers had been set up and guests were stripping off their clothes, tossing them into plastic baskets conveniently marked with their condo number. Paul explained, "When we started the dances years ago, we realized that couples needed to cool off afterwards. It just made sense to make the showers a communal event—and now everyone looks forward to them as much as the dances." It certainly seemed that way. Many of the couples still seemed to be dancing as the cool water splashed over them. As the taps were turned off, guests helped themselves to the terrycloth robes that had been rolled out in large baskets. Pat found himself next to the songstress in the green dress, or more precisely the songstress who had previously been in the green dress, complimenting her on the performance. Terri was a few yards away, chatting with Kat and thanking her for the wonderful day when Erica walked up to them. Before Erica could speak, Terri reached up to hug her. Terri murmured to Erica, "Don't think, just feel." Erica smiled. Speaking just loudly enough for both Terri and Kat to hear, Erica said, "101. 15 minutes. Come as you are." Chapter 5 Scene 5 Pat picked up their basket of clothes and walked to their condo, holding Terri's hand. "Maybe I shouldn't have napped today. Even after the dancing, I'm not tired," said Pat. Terri said, "Well, that's a good thing since we've been invited to an after-party with Erica, Paul, Kat and Rick." Terri paused for a moment. "Pat, do you trust me?" Startled, Pat replied, "Absolutely. Implicitly. Forever." Terri went on. "Two things then. First, what happens in Simplicity stays in Simplicity. Second, remember how the day started? We're back to the 15 minute rule. Say nothing. Don't think. Just feel." They dropped the basket of clothes, brushed their teeth and walked the few steps to 101. Terri knocked on the door. Chapter 5 Scene 6. "Come on in, it's open." Terri and Pat went into Erica and Paul's condo. The lights were dim. Different from the noise of the band, a slowly pulsating instrumental throbbed in the background. "Do lock the door behind you, please. It's just us tonight." Erica's voice changed from clear to sultry. Their condo echoed the design of the clubhouse. A four foot perimeter around the room, with a small bar in one corner and a dining area off to the side. The far door led to the bathroom. Different from the clubhouse, though, was the absence of a dance floor. Instead, there was what seemed to be the largest platform bed that Terri or Pat had ever seen, 12 foot square. It was covered with a blue velveteen throw. Pillows were scattered around. Erica, Paul, Kat and Rick were naked and lying within easy reach of one another. Kat was stroking Rick's cock, which had grown to 8" fully erect. Paul was playing with Erica's nipples while she gently massaged her clit. "Get rid of those robes and come join us," Kat purred. Pat opened his mouth to say something, but was stopped by Terri. "Nope. You have nothing to say for five minutes." She pushed her husband down into the bed. The next twenty minutes seared into Pat's memory. Kat and Terri kneeled on his right and left arms, pinning him to the bed. Erica moved between his legs. Pat heard her say to Terri, " May I?" Terri must have nodded yes, because the next thing he felt was Erica's tongue licking his balls, up the underside of his cock, all the way to the tip. She then took his cock into her mouth and began to deep-throat him. Kat and Terri leaned forward . Terri began kissing Pat's neck while Kat played with his nipples, chest and belly. He began making incomprehensible, guttural sounds as the three women continued to pleasure him. Now that he was fully erect, Erica pulled his cock out her mouth with a satisfying pop and tugged on his balls. He felt blood rush to his cock . Straddling him, Erica guided his cock into her steaming pussy, herself moaning as she felt him slide all the way in. Kat and Terri switched, with Kat now kissing Pat full on the mouth while Terri sucked on his nipples. Erica was sliding up and down her husband's cock, tan breasts bouncing with each stroke. She felt her own pussy get very hot and sighed deeply. Erica felt Pat's cock stiffen inside her and dismounted. She grasped his balls again and pulled. She took Terri's hands to show her what she was doing. Pat moaned deeply. Holding his balls, Erica and Terri took turns stroking Pat's cock, which by this time was so engorged with blood that it had turned to deep shade of purple. Terri had never seen Pat so completely aroused. She took his cock in her mouth while Erica continued to tug on his balls, delaying his cum. Erica nudged Kat and began kissing and stroking his neck. Kat and Terri continued to stroke his cock as Erica kissed him deeply, sucking his tongue into her mouth. Pat arched his back, thrust his pelvis into the air and tried to scream as his cock fired spurts of cum into Terri's waiting mouth. His cock became exquisitely sensitive, and he begged the three women to stop. Erica shook her head. Kat and Terri continued to stroke him and suck him harder while Erica pulled at his equally erect nipples. The sensations were so intense that Pat started to cry from the pleasure. Eventually Erica relented and he settled back to some semblance of consciousness. Terri was overwhelmed with lust. She had just seen her husband explode with the most powerful orgasm of his life. Her pussy was dripping and she was furiously fingering her clit. She heard Rick's quiet voice behind her. "May I?" Terri looked at Pat, who had just enough presence of mind to say "Go for it, honey. I love you." Terri turned to face Rick. " Ohmigod, it's so big!" she gasped. Close up, it seemed even bigger. "Let's get you ready for it," said Rick as he buried his face in her cunt. Wet as she was, he quickly went to her clit, sucking on it and kneading it with his tongue. Terri groaned, playing with her own nipples as she became more and more aroused. He continued to eat her until her juices were flowing steadly. Rick pulled a pillow under Terri's hips and, kneeling in front of her, pulled her ankles onto his shoulders. He called to Kat, who reached over guiding her husband's cock into Terri's pussy. With each gentle stroke, he entered a little further. Terri's eyes glazed over as she too made sounds but no words. Terri's pussy had never been filled this way before. Her mind focused on the incredible warmth that filled her until she thought she would burst. As Rick slid in the last inch of his cock, Terri started to cum. Her body flushed as she gave herself to wave after wave of pleasure, each more delicious as Rick filled her cunt completely. Her orgasms fused one after the other, her eyelids fluttering non-stop. Pat pulled himself across the bed and started to suck on his wife's nipples while Rick fucked her. He kissed her and held her as each orgasm washed over her. What she felt she could not describe. Finally, she felt Rick breathe quickly, his back stiffening. He pulled his cock out of her, jets of cum landing on the throw. When she awoke a few moments later, Pat was curled up next to her, nuzzled into her shoulder. While her husband was fucking Terri, Kat slithered over to Paul. She needed some cock, and Paul was delighted to oblige. She sucked him for a few moments to get him completely hard, and then straddled him in her favorite position, reverse cowgirl. She loved to play with a man's balls while fucking him, and this was the best way to do it. As Erica had taught her, pulling on them slowed Paul's cum while intensifying the pleasure. She reached for her Magic Wand vibrator, switched it on, and pressed it into her clit. As she felt him near his own climax, she pushed the wand onto the base of his cock and his ball sac. He screamed with pleasure and they both orgasmed. The men were momentarily spent, so Erica took the Wand and pushed a red silicone dildo into her cunt. Flipping the switch onto high, she started to cum almost immediately, and kept cumming while the others cheered her on. After cool washcloths all around, the six pulled the throw off the bed and spread out on cool, fresh linen. They drifted in and out of sleep, occasionally rousing to kiss, caress or stroke the person next to them. Erica snuggled between Paul and Pat, all completely at peace. Terri spooned up against Pat. Rick was flat on his back with Kat on her side, her hand on his magnificent cock. Chapter 6, Scene 1 When Pat stirred he saw that they were alone in the giant bed. Sunlight filtered through the gauze curtains. He rolled over to face Terri and whispered in her ear. "Good morning, gorgeous. Did you sleep okay?" Terri buried her face in a pillow, started to stretch and suddenly sat bolt upright. "Holy shit! Was I dreaming or did we...?" Pat pulled her back down. "Yes, we did." Terri's brain re-ran the night. Erica riding Pat. Sucking and fucking Rick. The tangle of mouths, hands, cocks and cunts. She turned to Pat. "It all seems so strange." Pat smiled. "But wonderful. You were so beautiful with Rick's big cock inside you, cumming over and over." "You're not jealous?" asked Terri, recalling how terrific it felt. "Of what? We weren't cheating and everyone had a great time." Pat continued, "Besides, it's every guy's fantasy to have two women, and I seem to recall having three. Including my gorgeous wife." Terri laughed. "You were in sex heaven, dear. I've never seen you cum that hard." She looked around. "Where is everyone?" Pat spotted a Post-It note on the door. It read, "We're poolside—come join us for brunch!" They picked up their robes, wandered back to 107 to shower and headed out to the pool. Chapter 6 Scene 2 Terri and Pat strolled hand in hand out to the pool, sunscreen in hand and towels draped over their backs. Pat couldn't help noticing so many smiles. He whispered to Terri, "Looks like lots of folks had a good night last night." Terri quipped. "Yeah. Fucking their brains out." Her pussy was sore, but oh so pleasantly. They spotted Kat who waved them over to a picnic table on the patio shaded by a large yellow umbrella. Large bowls of fresh cut fruit in trays of ice were set adjacent to yogurt, bagels and cream cheese. "Good morning, you two!" said Paul. "Erica wondered if you were ever going to wake up. Owww..." Erica gave her husband a good-natured elbow while Pat grabbed a bagel and a large mug of coffee. Terri helped herself to the yogurt and fruit. Rick said, "You two looked so peaceful this morning." Kat wisecracked, "Sex'll do that, honey. You were snoring away until I woke you." They all laughed. Each took a section of the Sunday Times. Terri had the magazine open to the cryptic puzzle, finishing it in her usual 15 minutes. Every few minutes, Erica would peer over the Style section watching Terri's progress. Kat caught Erica looking and said," Yeah, she's always been like that. It's a sure sign of her evil, twisted mind. Why do you think she's my best friend?" Erica giggled. "Takes one to know one. C'mon ladies, let's swim." They left the men, who were having a spirited yet amicable debate over yet another bad call in major league baseball and the virtues of instant replay. Paul said, "Speaking of replays, Rick and I hope that you and Terri will come back to Simplicity." Pat looked around at the hundred or so couples, and then at the three women in the pool. Naked with their friends now seemed so normal. When he turned back to Paul, he was grinning from ear to ear. Chapter 6 Scene 3 The sun continued its descent into the late afternoon. Terri gently reminded her husband that tomorrow was a workday and there were a few chores left at home. Pat pouted. "Do I have to put my clothes on?" he asked plaintively. Paul called over to Kat, Rick and Erica. "Time to send these two back to reality." The six of them walked back to 107. Pat spotted the new brass plate on the door a moment before his wife. It read "Terri and Pat". They looked at each other, slightly mystified. They asked each other in unison, "What did you...?" "Nope. This is my doing." Erica spoke using the same vibrant voice that Terri had first heard on the phone a week and a lifetime ago. "None of us would be here if Pat and Kat hadn't been in the ER that night." Paul continued, "When we rearranged our priorities and built Simplicity, we also realized that lots of folks depended on you. This is our way of saying thanks. Those keys on your wrists—they're yours. As is 107. Whenever you want, whenever you can, drive up." Terri burst into tears as she went to hug Paul. Pat looked over at Kat and at Erica, and at their surgical scars. Rebalancing his life wasn't going to be easy, he thought, but if these women could figure it out, he could too.