Storiesonline.net ------- Gary's Gauntlet by Shrink42 Copyright© 2004 by Shrink42 ------- Description: He couldn't deal with her weight, and he abused her. It was only after she left that he realized what he had lost. He wanted her back and she gave him a chance. But the price! Follow-on to 'Redemption.' Codes: MF rom humil ------- ------- Author's note: This story is a follow-on to 'Redemption.' The essential background from 'Redemption' will only be summarized here. To fully understand the characters in this story, at least read from the last half of Chapter 24 of 'Redemption, ' through at least the first part of Chapter 29. ------- Chapter 1 Gary Blum could not believe the mess he had made of his life. The night he returned from the company Christmas party to discover his wife Kirstin gone, Gary had felt a sense of relief. He was free to do what he wanted. He could finally connect with the hot woman at work who had been teasing him for years. She had the body of a model, and he had dreamed of caressing those tight, sleek curves. This would be the first time he had broken his marriage vows, but he was ready. The first disruption to Gary's little fantasy happened immediately when he forgetfully went to check on the kids and found the empty beds. The love he felt for Sean, 8, and Courtney, 6 was genuine. As a father, he did very well, honestly enjoying the time he spent with them. With a mental shrug, he pushed thoughts of the kids from his mind. His life was about to change, and he wanted to enjoy it. Dreams of a new life with his slinky new love lasted only until that Monday. While in a stall in the men's room at work, he overheard two co-workers bantering as they walked in. They were talking about his new woman! She apparently had worked her way through most of the good-looking men in the place already. Gary was to be one of the last of her conquests. His dream fizzled at that moment. Like a bucket of cold water, realization of what he had done jolted him. ------- Kirstin was a blond bombshell when they married. She was never slender, but with her impressive mammaries, the extra weight worked well to make her sexy and desirable. After their first child, Kirstin worked hard, with Gary's support, to get back to her wedding weight. After the second, she was not successful, and the pounds kept accumulating until she was carrying at least forty extra. The couple's early years had been loving. They both liked the sex, neither realizing how unimaginative it was, nor how one-sided the pleasure was in Gary's favor. Both worked hard at parenting, although neither considered it a chore. Gary had an excellent relationship with Helga and Alfred, Kirstin's parents, and with Karina, her younger sister who lived with her parents. Relations with Gary's mother were a different story. She was a huge woman with a nasty, domineering personality. It was Kirstin who made Gary keep at least minimal contact with his parents, though he insisted it never be alone. Those childhood scars left by his mother began to affect Gary as Kirstin's weight grew. Though both happy, loving women, Helga and Karina were heavy, also. Helga was a very strong, controlling person, just without the nasty temperment of Gary's mother. Visions of his wife turning into his mother, even if totally irrational, troubled Gary more and more. The prospect of spending the rest of his life with a large, domineering wife panicked him. Over the last three years, he had gradually forgotten the love he had for Kirstin, and seemed to think only about her weight. As with much abuse, it increased gradually, never reaching the point of striking her. The belittlement, the virtual imprisonment, and the withdrawal of affection were as devastating to Kirstin as physical abuse. In the midst of her depression over her treatment, food was one of her few comforts, and she could never mount a serious weight-loss attempt. When Gary left her at home with an angry blast about her appearance, after she had spent hours of nervous preparation for the Christmas party, Kirstin fled with the children to a local shelter. Because of the flood of holiday cases, she was taken with two other women to the home of Dex Madison, a long-term supporter of battered women. Dex was already harboring Megan Shaughnessy, a woman who worked for one of his clients. Megan had been severely beaten by her locally prominent husband, and had escaped to be rescued by Dex. Morgan, Megan's twenty-one-year-old daughter was staying with Dex and her mother. Morgan, a psychology major, had taken the lead roll in working with the women sheltered at Dex's, whose ranks grew to seven by Christmas day. ------- The very night he discovered his foolishness in lusting after his co-worker, Gary went out and spent a bundle on Christmas presents for Kirstin and the kids. The problem was, he did not know how to get them to her. The best he could do was call Kirstin's parents and ask them to help. Actually, he would be asking Helga, Kirstin's mother. Her father, Albert, was a non-factor, except that he was big and strong and very protective of his daughter. Taking the chicken way out, he called a courier service and had them deliver the packages to Helga, along with a note. The remaining work days that Christmas week were pure agony, and Christmas Day alone was even worse. Finally, Christmas night, he could stand it no longer and called Helga. "I'm not telling you where Kirstin is!" Helga insisted as soon as he identified himself. "No, I wouldn't expect you to. Helga, I have been a complete fool. I still love your daughter with all my heart. I have probably lost her forever, but if there is any way to get her back, I would do anything. Could you get that message to her." "I don't know, Gary. It might be better to just let her get on with her life." Gary's sigh of resignation carried clearly over the phone. "Yes, it probably would be better for her." ------- Over the next week and a half, Gary resigned himself to the loss of his family. That is not to say he accepted it. Instead of sleep, he endured fitful periods of dozing, unable to rid his mind of visions of Kirstin and the children - mostly of Kirstin. In his dreams, he saw her body, and he was not repulsed. He saw her smile and he felt her strength and her love. When he would rouse to full wakefulness, the feeling of loss would be like a physical blow. When images of the things he had done to her came to his dreams, he could not believe he had done them. When he awoke those times, he was nauseous. Over and over, day and night he was haunted by the questions: how could he have abused her? how could he forget what a treasure she was? was there any chance of getting her back? On the Sunday night after New Year's, he sat staring at the TV with no idea of what was showing. He was unshaven, and empty beer cans surrounded his chair. The doorbell rang, jarring him from his reverie. Seeing no one at the door, he looked down and noticed an envelope. He immediately recognized Kirstin's writing. Almost in a frenzy, Gary opened the letter, barely able to control his hands. When he had read it, he collapsed into his chair. Kirstin had offered him a chance for reconciliation. But the conditions! They were outrageous! How could she be so cruel? Kirstin wrote that to get to her, he had to run a gauntlet. He must meet with four groups of people and convince them to recommend that she go back to him. He had to answer all of their questions honestly and completely, no matter how intimate. He had to listen to their stories. Their stories? That must mean there would be women in the group, and the last condition made the whole thing impossible. At the very end of the letter, Kirstin said he must meet each group at the door naked, and remain naked through the whole meeting. To rub it in, the last sentence said 'You are not allowed to cover yourself. It must remain in full view at all times.' He shuddered because he knew just what she meant. There was no mention of who would contact him, or when. It did not really matter, though, because there was no way he could do it. Kirstin and his teammates in various locker rooms were the only ones to see him naked. He could not imagine exposing himself to strange women. All through the following week, Gary alternated between sorrow at his loss, anger at Kirstin's unreasonable demands, and depression because he could not comply to get her back. It was clear she was trying to punish him and humiliate him. He did not need to be naked to convince people she should take him back. Why was she doing this? Day after day, he mulled over the same questions and ran the same gamut of emotions. But day by day, the answers began to change. Yes, she was trying to humiliate him, but what had he done to her for the last few years? Yes, she was trying to punish him, but didn't he deserve it? She was in control. She had the right to make him do anything, but could he do it? Concentrating on work occupied his mind for part of each day, but it was never long between thoughts of Kirstin. At night, nothing could keep her from his thoughts. When Saturday came, he was ready to do anything to have her back. Without work, the weekend seemed to take months. Finally, Sunday evening, the phone rang. "Gary, are you ready to meet with Kirstin's friends?" "Wh... who is this?" "You will meet me tomorrow night, if you decide you want Kirstin back." "Oh, I want her back, but... Will I have to... ?" "Absolutely. She is adamant about that. She wants it right out in the open all the time." "But why? I'm sorry for the mess I made of things. It will never happen again. That would be so humiliating!" There was a pleading tone in Gary's voice, now. "Gary, you've had a week to think about this. That's longer than we had planned, but other things happened around here. Kirstin says you're pretty smart. You know exactly why, don't you?" Gary mumbled his agreement. "I've only known Kirstin for two weeks, but she is one of the most delightful, one of the strongest people I have ever met. She is a treasure." "Believe me, I know that. I have been beating myself up ever since she left." "Well, if you manage to convince us, and Kirstin comes back, your marriage will be different. Much better, I'm sure, but different. You will have a new Kirstin, and she will knock your socks off!" Gary gave a small groan, then asked "But why naked?" "I will explain that tomorrow night. Are we on?" Gary felt like a man confessing to murder. He took a deep breath and said "What time?" "Goody!" Morgan purposely let a teasing tone creep in. "We'll be there at seven. I am REALLY looking forward to seeing what she is so anxious to get back to." That carefully rehearsed shot almost made Gary swoon with its suggestive tone. ------- Monday at work, Gary almost got himself fired, Shortly after lunch, he finally declared himself sick and left. The problem was, that left him several hours of agonizing waiting with nothing to fill them but worry and dread. Worst of all, since the call the night before, he had been sprouting a hardon every time he thought of the suggestive tone the woman had used. Before that call, he had known it would be humiliating being naked, but there were no real identities to the people, and he had somehow pictured the meeting as rather formal - clinical, even. Now, there was a voice, a young, sexy voice, that expressed eagerness to see him. He knew exactly what she talked about seeing, too. Just thinking about the unknown woman with the teasing voice staring at his cock had Gary hard as stone. Almost unconsciously, he started stroking himself through the work slacks he still had on. Before he realized what was happening, he was spurting into his underwear. Stunned and alarmed, he frantically unbuckled his slacks and pushed them off before they got stained. Hurrying to the bathroom, he removed his shorts, rinsed them out, and wiped his crotch with a wet rag. Gary sat down heavily on the toilet seat and held his head in his hands. How had he gotten himself into this mess? How could he face these people? Four groups of them! Who were they? He thought he knew all of Kirstin's friends, and there weren't many. She didn't go out much, and with a moan, he realized that was because he had not let her go out. How could he have done that to her? Out of all the questions pummeling Gary's mind, the worst was 'How could he face them naked?' What if he got hard in front of them? Kirstin had warned him not to cover up, but she couldn't mean to let them see his hardon, could she? Was she that angry at him? Of course she was, he had to admit to himself. He had treated her like shit for years. As it got later, Gary was unable to even think about food. He had undressed after his accidental ejaculation, and stayed that way, thinking it might help him get used to it. He did find he had to turn up the thermostat a little to stay comfortable. About 6:15, he got in the shower. The first come had been an accident. It wasn't until he stood under the hot shower spray that Gary thought about masturbating to help prevent an erection while the people were there. Feeling an ironic sense of relief that he could at least avoid the ultimate embarrassment by jerking off, he went at it with a vengeance. Because of his high emotional level, it was once again a short ride, leading to another sizable deposit. Even after his second climax in a couple of hours, Gary felt his penis stiffening as he dried himself off, thinking again about the teasing voice on the phone. Almost in disbelief, he sat on the toilet and started stroking himself again. His cock did indeed swell to erection, although it was very tender to the touch, and his balls were too sore to go near. Using light touches in just the right places, he got to the place where the arousal overcame the tenderness. Finally able to stroke with some intensity, he was able to generate three small spurts from his overworked equipment. By now, it was 6:45, and Gary stepped back into the shower to rinse off. He did not shave after either shower, afraid his trembling hands would cause cuts. The sound of the doorbell at exactly 7:00 felt like a blow to the head, so tense was he. He had just enough awareness to stand back as he opened the door, denying the neighbors a look at the strange sight. "Hi, Gary. I'm Morgan Shaughnessy. I talked to you on the phone, and I'll be calling you for all the visits. This is Sandie Kasten and her son Eric. Gary was unable to react for a handshake, but this had been anticipated, and no one made a comment. Morgan walked to the dining room and brought an armless straight-backed chair to the living room. She set it just a few feet from the sofa, then she and the Kastens sat on the sofa and motioned for Gary to sit on the chair. The positioning had all been worked out. He was actually higher than the guests, but his cock was high enough for very thorough examination by those on the sofa. Eric, the least interested in staring at it, was to the side a bit, with Sandie in the middle. Both women had very good views. Since they had to look up to see his face, it was only natural for much of their gaze to rest on his crotch. Once again, it was all carefully and deviously planned. Guessing that Gary was not yet capable of speech, Morgan started right in, making sure to set the humiliating tone. "You're aware or Kirstin's requirement to keep it in plain sight, right? Good, that's better." "You're probably wondering who we are and why we're here." She proceeded to tell him about the abused women at Dex's house. "We have all fallen in love with Kirstin. She is a force. Frankly, we think she is crazy to want to get back with you, but we will help her all we can. In abuse cases, one more chance almost never works, but she wants to try." "Our job is to recommend to her whether or not to get back with you. Your job is to convince us to recommend that she should. All the people who will visit you will talk to each other, so if anything you say doesn't ring true, we will know it, and you will get divorce papers." "Now, there is a chance you won't want Kirstin back. While she has been gone, she has not been unfaithful to you in the strictest sense. In other words, she has not had intercourse with anyone. However, she has done most everything else, things that you would never do with her. If you can't live with that, tell me now and we can all get on with our lives. Shall we proceed, or do you want us to leave?" For the first time, Gary had to say something. "G... go ahead," was all he could get out. "OK. That's good, I guess. That's what Kirstin wants, so we're happy to do it for her. First you're going to hear Sandie and Eric's story. I don't really have a story, but my mother does. She'll be here in another group." Sandie told her story, with Eric adding some details, especially when his mother lost her composure. When Sandie and Eric had finished, Gary was visibly shaken, enough to temporarily push his nakedness from the front of his consciousness. Sensing his shock, Morgan was relatively gentle as she told him "Now, Gary, you have to tell us Kirstin's story. Don't leave anything out because we will know." For nearly an hour, he told of things he had done to his wife. At first, it took a lot of prompting, but as they went along, he talked more spontaneously. Most of the time, he was unable to look at the others as he spoke. Several times, his eyes were moist. When he ran out of things to tell, Morgan spoke again. "Gary, can you convince us to recommend that Kirstin come back to you? Can you explain why you did all those things?" Gary spent several minutes explaining that he realized what a fool he had been, and that he could not even understand how or why he had changed the way he had. She kept probing for the reasons for the change, but he could offer nothing specific. After the third try, Morgan picked up her purse and told him "Gary, if you can't be honest with us we might as well leave and forget the rest of these meetings. I'm sorry for Kirstin's sake that it's over." As she stood, he protested, "No, wait! I'll tell you." He proceeded to describe a woman at work who had started coming on to him about the time of he started in on Kirstin. She was very attractive and sexy. Gary had been her particular target. Seeing her svelte form every day and going home to an expanding Kirstin wore at him. "And?" He was about to protest that that was all, but her look told him it was a bad tactic. He told her of his strong aversion to obesity, stemming from a mean, very overweight mother. Kirstin's mother was also heavy, and he was afraid she was heading in that direction. "And?" He just continued talking this time, telling how a group of guys he hung out with had begun riding him with vulgar comments about making love to his fat wife. "So that was the justification for abusing her?" "There was no justification, there can't be! I don't even have an excuse, except for stupidity." "What about the woman at work?" "I had a hotel reserved for us just after Kirstin left, but I heard two guys in the men's room joking about being with her. It hit me what a fool I was. Now when I see her, I feel only disgust, and I have not been with my old buddies since. "What conditions would you put on Kirstin before getting back together?" "None." "Well, I can guarantee she'll hve some for you. What if she gets even heavier? How could you love her then?" "You know Kirstin. She is hard not to love. We were so good together until I lost my mind. I want that back so much I can ignore the weight. She's still sexy the way she is now. She and the kids have left this huge hole in me." "OK, Gary, let's change subjects here. Tell us about your love life." "Wh... what do you mean?" "You know, describe a session of making love between you two." "Oh, no. You can't mean... I couldn't tell you..." "Gary, it seems that you are not a very accomplished lover, would you agree?" "Wait a minute! How can you say that?" "Well, for example, how many orgasms does she usually have when you make love?" "How many? Well, sometimes she has one, but not usually." "Why not?" "I guess... well, I can't keep going long enough." "So you don't get her off first?" "No, I, uh, never thougt..." "I see. You always come, but she rarely does, is that right?" "Um, yeah." Gary was hanging his head with that response. "I understand you've never gone down on her." "Uh, no." "Why not?" "It's, uh, just that I, uh..." "You mean it's too disgusting? She goes down on you, though, right?" Gary did not respond, just kept his head down. Eric entered the conversation at that point. "It's too bad you never licked her pussy, Gary. She really loves it." "Whaaaat? How do you know that?" "Because I gave her her first one. And all the time, she wished it had been you." To Gary's total shock, Eric described in detail his encounters with Kirstin. As he talked, a reaction other than shock was evident, and Gary suddenly crossed his legs. "Gary!" Morgan admonished him. "You know the rules. Open up!" "But I'm... I can't let you see..." "Shall we just leave, then?" "Oh, God, no, I... Please!" "Kirstin's rules, not mine." Blushing and shaking, Gary got his legs spread apart once again. His cock was at about half mast. As Eric continued with his story, it rose to full stiffness. When Eric finished, Morgan told Gary playfully, "We came here to discuss your manhood, Gary, but not that aspect of it." She pointed at his erection, almost touching it. "The way you treated Kirstin, we're not sure you have any other kind of manhood. Tomorrow night. Same time." As the three filed out the door, Gary just sat in disbelief and abject shame. ------- Looking back at that week after it was over, the only description Gary could think of was 'surreal.' It all had a dream-like, or nightmarish, quality to it, yet every detail was permanently stamped on his memory. When he opened the door Tuesday night, two women and a man stepped in. The taller woman with her arm in a sling introduced herself as Megan Shaughnessy, Morgan's mother. The other two were Tracy and Stan O'Connor. They each explained how they had come to know Kirstin, although the O'Connors did not divulge that Kirstin was currently staying with them. From the first moment, Tracy looked at Gary with an appraising, mischievous stare. Gary thought she looked overweight, but she still had an overall sexiness to her. She wore an extremely short mini-skirt that her chunky thighs did not really justify, and a scoop-necked pullover that her very nice cleavage did justify. As it turned out, although Tracey seemed to make a point of opening her legs, Gary could not see far up her skirt because he was sitting slightly higher. Tracey probably could have arranged to give him a panty shot somehow, for that was the plan. She would have had to be so obvious, though, that she could not bring herself to do it. What she could do easily and naturally was bend over slightly for some nice down-blouse views. The pattern of the meeting was identical to the night before, except that there was not one obvious leader, as Morgan had been. Also, no one had the intimate details Eric shared, either. As the group stood up to leave, Tracey hung back, stood close to Gary, and told him "Gary, Kirstin and I became almost like sisters, instantly. I love her to death. If you guys get back together, I think we will all become close friends." That thought disturbed Gary, considering how much of him she had seen. "I can see why Kirstin wants you back, but I feel a little cheated." At Gary's puzzled look, Tracey giggled and told him "I didn't get to see this," and she cupped his whole package in two hands, "in it's full glory like last night's crew did." Of course, that was all it took. Gary had felt huge relief that he had stayed soft through the whole time. Now, his guard was down, Tracey was cheating, and suddenly, it almost leaped to fullness. The touch, combined with the realization of how his intimate details were being talked about overwhelmed him. Tracy stared at it unashamedly, and gave it a couple of gentle strokes. Then, she kissed him quickly and hurried to leave with the others. As the door closed, Gary stood motionless like some kind of fertility idol. No sooner had the door closed, though, than it opened again and Morgan stepped in carrying a small bag. "Oh, I see Tracey succeeded. Did the talking get to you like last night, or did she have to take matters in hand?" Morgan asked with a giggle. Gary was totally unresponsive, so she continued in a teasing voice. "She was a very determined lady. When she heard how Sandie and I got to see it hard for so long, she was practically bouncing in her chair. I hope for her sake that she got a good, long look. Did she?" "N... no. Just n... now?" "Too bad for her. She wasn't sure she could actually wear that skirt. She almost chickened out." When Morgan had taken off her jacket, she had just kept on going. She wasn't doing it like a tease, she just undressed quickly. When he finally realized what she was doing, he objected. "Morgan, what..." "Oh, I'm staying the night, and clothes won't be appropriate for what we're going to do." "Morgan, I... I don't think... Look, I've screwed up enough already. I won't make it worse by sleeping with someone else." "Right answer, but yes you will. Believe me, it took a while for Kirstin to talk me into this. She has come to realize that you are not a good lover. She could teach you herself, but she's not sure you are teachable. So, my job is to find out if you are, and teach you as much as I can. In other words, I will recommend to Kirstin whether the sex will be worth coming back for, or not." "But I never cheated on her. I came close, but I didn't. And you said she hasn't gone all the way with anyone else." "That's right. I told her that many times, but I think you know how stubborn she can be. She has two concerns about sex: can you become a good lover, and will you be a good lover for her?" "I want to be a good lover for her. I... I guess I didn't think I was being a bad one. But this seems like cheating!" "Here." Morgan walked over to her bag, bent over, and pulled out a letter. Of course, she faced directly away from him, spread her legs, and bent from the waist, generating a small groan from him. "Gary," the letter said, "As of right now, we are no longer a couple. I want us to be together again, but not like before. Many things have to change. Neither of us have been good lovers, even though we enjoyed each other in the past. I have been exposed to some of what really good sex can be, and I won't settle for anything else." "I am giving you a chance to learn and practice with Morgan. I will not consider this cheating. If you decide you would rather have Morgan than me, then you do not love me enough for me to come back. That is not what I want, but I do not want you chasing other women if I come back to you." It was signed just 'Kirstin, ' and he had no doubt it was her writing. Morgan had watched his expressions as he read. "Guess you don't know your wife like you think you did, huh?" "I... I guess I don't know her at all. 'Fraid I didn't try very hard. She sounds like someone I really want to get to know." "Even if she is a lot different - a lot stronger - than the woman who walked out?" "Especially if she is!" At that moment, Morgan felt a surge of joy for her new friend Kirstin. She knew this troubled couple would make it. Gary had been rebelling against any resemblance to the harridan his mother was, yet he truly longed for a strong, equal partner. There was no doubt the new Kirstin would be that partner. Morgan had been angry with Gary since she first met Kirstin. Their meeting last night had made him seem more human and less of an ogre, but her feelings about abuse were so strong that she still could not manage to 'like' him. Nevertheless, Kirstin had asked her to do this. Besides, Gary was a legitimate hunk with a decent-sized cock that was already at attention and beckoning her. Since she had ceded her place in Dex's bed to Elise, she had had only a few liaisons with Eric, and she was beyond horny. Morgan went over to her bag again, making sure the display was just as good as before. Gary was not able to see what she had in her hand when she came back and guided him to the chair he had used during the meeting. Sitting him down, she knelt in front of him and tore open the condom packet. As she began putting it on him, she explained. "I have not had time to get on the pill. Three weeks ago, I was a virgin, pretending to be a lesbian. In between, I have learned from a true expert. I am going to pass on as much as I can in one night. But first, I'm so horny I'm about to fall apart, so we're going to take care of that, first." "Morgan, really, I don't think this is a good idea." "Do you want her back or not." "Yes, but..." "Was her letter clear?" To that, he just moaned, and the moan got louder as she straddled him and worked herself down on his staff. "Gary, the rule you are going to operate under for the rest of your life is 'the woman always comes first.' I am adding to that rule 'at least as often as the man.' Got that? How are you going to live by that rule right now?" Morgan desperately wanted to forget everything else and just slam up and down on him, but she was just able to control herself and remember that this was for Kirstin, not just for herself. Forcing herself to hold still on his cock, Morgan moved her breasts right up to his face and jiggled them, certain that he would get the hint. When he did not, she remembered the discussion in bed with Kirstin and Dex. Kirstin had mentioned she suspected a 'tit phobia' because of the way Gary's mother used to smash his face between her gigantic mammaries when he was younger. Those hugs were probably more possessive and commanding than affectionate. "Fuck it!" Morgan burst out. She thrust one hand into her crotch and immediately began rubbing her clit while bracing herself on Gary's shoulder with the other hand. He sat transfixed, hands hanging limply at his sides as she took herself higher and higher. After a few minutes, she came, jerking so hard she almost fell off of him. Though weak from the impact, she forced herself to start moving against him. The increased stimulation extended her tremors, and soon she did not have to force herself at all. When Morgan began moving, Gary came out of his stupor and started to thrust back against her. This was the first time in his life with a condom on and he had jerked off twice just before the group arrived. He had far enough to go that he finally started to notice the sexy body on his lap. Almost in fear, he brought his hands to her hips, eliciting a 'yesssss' from her. Thus encouraged, he held her more firmly and stated pushing and pulling to aid her motions. She quickly shifted from up and down motion to back and forth against him. The rest of the ride took three or four minutes. Still ill at ease with the strange situation, the strange partner, and significant feelings of guilt, Gary nevertheless came hard, his whole body flexing violently, even though the ejected volume was predictably modest. Through his mental haze, he noticed that Morgan seemed to enjoy a small climax as he was coming. Morgan rested her head on Gary's shoulder as they both recovered. Then, she told him "That was not in my plan, Gary. I just needed it badly, and I think it broke the ice between us, didn't it? I see from your eyes that you are feeling pretty guilty. That's a good thing. Just remember what Kirstin wants from this. She wants you to learn so you can treat her better. Say, have you two ever done it this way?" At his sheepish negative head shake, she encouraged him. Don't feel bad about it - think how much fun it will be in the future, OK? Let's get a shower." It turned out Kirstin and Gary had not showered together since early in their marriage. Morgan made him wash every inch of her, repeatedly. She had to cajole and finally order him to do a decent job on her tits, her pussy, and her ass. When it was her turn, she showed no such hesitation, and made it as stimulating as she knew how. With Gary following docilely along, they went to the kitchen for a snack and a drink. He had cleaned up, but the refrigerator's contents were rather scary. They settled for a glass of wine each. When they reached the bedroom, Morgan asked if there were any clean sheets, already guessing the answer. She had discussed all this with Kirstin, of course. "Well, let's use the guest room bed. We won't need all this space, anyway." In bed, both still naked, Morgan pushed herself up against him, and asked, "Gary, what do you think of my body?" "It's... it's beatiful. I mean, I really like it." "How about sexy?" "Yeah, it really is." "Then why didn't you say that?" "I... look, Morgan, I am feeling pretty guilty about all this." "Are you afraid you'll start preferring my body to Kirstin's?" Letting out an explosive sigh, Gary admitted it. "Is she not sexy any more?" "God, I don't want to talk about her that way." "What way? Sexy, or non-sexy?" "She's my wife. She's..." "So she's not sexy any more? She doesn't excite you?" "Look, I shouldn't think of her like some slut?" "Why not?" "Whaaat? She's not that kind of girl." "She damn sure is! She is one highly sexed lady who is practically bursting because it's all pent up. Tell me. Would you have done things with that whore from work that you wouldn't do with Kirstin?" "Well, sure, I..." "Why? Why wouldn't you do them with Kirstin?" He had no answer for that. "Look, Gary, a slut is a woman who enjoys sex. I am definitely one. So is Kirstin. Boy, does she enjoy it. If it didn't seem like it to you, it's your own damn fault for not making it good for her. Being a slut is not a bad thing. A whore is a slut who doesn't care who she enjoys it with. Kirstin would like nothing more than to be your own private slut." "She would?" "That's why I'm here. I'm afraid you have this attitude that sex is something you do TO Kirstin. That's so wrong! It's something you do together and both enjoy. It's supposed to make you closer, but it hasn't done that, has it?" "OK. We need to have an honest talk about her weight. You said she's hard not to love, and I believe you do love her. But it's hard for you to see her as sexy with the extra fat, isn't it? Do you want her to lose weight?" "I said I wanted her back no matter what. I meant it." "That's not what I asked. Do you want her to lose the weight?" "Yes." "What do you think is the best way to get her to do that?" "She has to want to." "Gold Star! Do you think the way you treated her made her want to lose the weight?" "Um, apparently not." "Can you imagine why not?" There was a long pause after that question. "Maybe it was her way of getting back at me for the abuse?" "How did a genius like you get into this mess, anyway? The next answer should be simple. What's the best way to make her want to lose weight." "Make her feel good about herself? I don't know," Gary complained. "I'm confused about this." "I'll say. I know this from painful personal experience, 'cause I'm losing weight pretty fast. It's all about self-image. The better it is, the better I want it to be. If you make Kirstin feel sexy, she'll want to make sure she looks that way. She will be so thrilled by your reaction, she'll do anything to get more of it. Other people's reactions, too, so you should celebrate that and not get jealous." "I don't know if you picked up on it, but Kirstin spent a lot of her time at Dex's naked. Any idea why?" When she got no response, she went on. "She had this huge need to be accepted and appreciated for who she was and how she looked. When everyone treated her nicely and didn't seem to even notice, it's like a whole new Kirstin emerged. And let me tell you, she is an awesome woman." "Even with men there?" "Yup. 'Course it was just Dex, Eric, and Patrick, my grandfather. I think she would have done the same thing if there were men walking in and out all the time. She was so desperate." Gary's eyes got moist before he spoke again. "And I did that to her?" "Gary, I know a little of what you grew up with. It's not all your fault, but it's up to you to get over it. Your marriage depends on it. And that brings up the next subject." "Most men," Morgan continued, "are naturally tit men. You, however, seem to have a tit phobia." "Huh?" "Your wife has an absolutely awesome set. Any centerfold would kill to have them. Yet, you don't pay them much attention at all. I'm assuming it's because of your mother, right?" Morgan could feel him stiffen at the mention of his mother, and knew she was right. "As she got heavier, what do you think was the one part of her Kirstin was still proud of?" Gary's expression gave her the answer. "And what part were you least interested in?" "God, what a disaster!" he groaned. "The big question is, can you get over it? Can you start worshipping those beautiful things like they deserve?" "Morgan, I don't know. But by God, I'll fake it if I have to. I had no idea!" "I know you didn't. If you fake it, I think before long you won't have to. Just keep telling yourself 'These are not my mother's smothering jugs. These are the envy of every man who sees them.'" "But I don't want other men thinking of her that way." "Why not? She does!" "You're kidding!" "Hell, no. The fondest dream of any woman, if she's honest about it, is to leave a trail of hardons as she walks across the room or down the street. Kirstin won't do anything about it to anyone but you. You will be the sole beneficiary of her improved self-image." "You want me to encourage her to show herself off?" "For a while, that may be necessary. More likely, you'll just have to bite your tongue and be sure not to discourage it. Tell me, what can you say when the guys at work razz you about making love to your fat wife?" "Well, I try to stay away from them, now." "You have to work with them. Instead of avoiding them, make them jealous." "How?" "Remember, I said every man is naturally a tit man? Well, how about something like 'Man, I spent half the night lost in those awesome boobs! It was unbelievable!'" "But wouldn't that be disrespectful to her?" "Then talk it over with her first." "But that's pretty embarrassing." "Bullshit! She's you wife. You've got to start talking about everything, or she'll be leaving again. She'll be excited that the guys are talking about her. If you tell them positive things about her, she'll be over the moon." "Boy, do I have a lot to learn, huh?" "Yup! Let's get started." Morgan threw back the covers, lay on her back, and spread her legs. "Let's do this lesson first. If you flunk it, it's all over and we can save some time." It took quite a while to get past Gary's aversion to putting his mouth on her pussy. Unfortunately, his ugly, mean mother seemed to have colored his feelings about a woman's body in general. Morgan several times had to use the 'fake it til you like it' mantra. By the time he had brought her to three orgasms, he was almost suffering lockjaw. He had, however, found that her responses were very satisfying to his ego. He had to remind her about the condom when she became desperate to have him in her. When she was able to think, Morgan concluded that he was indeed teachable. After napping for a while, Morgan went back into teaching mode. "You said you liked my body, Gary. How do you think you should let me know that?" "By telling you?" "Of course, I'll take compliments. Ever owned a cat?" "My parents always had them, why?" "What do cats want most from people, besides food?" "Uh, petting. Oh!" "Yup. Women are like cats. We love to be touched. Not just for arousal, but to say 'You are so sexy I can't keep my hands off of you.' If your touch is to tell her 'You're mine, and I'm not letting you go, ' she'll probably love that, too. Other than her boobs and her face, what else about Kirstin is really beautiful?" Gary thought only for a moment before answering "Her skin! It's incredibly smooth!" "So?" "I, uh, should touch it as much as I can?" "Another Gold Star! Tell and touch. Believe me, it will work. Speaking of working, any chance of reviving this?" ------- Chapter 2 The next day at work, the reason for Gary's condition was obvious. When some of the old gang teased him, he didn't respond except with a goofy grin that took no acting at all. He was not about to say anything about Kirstin until he had talked it over with her. When the teasing quickly died out, he mentally thanked Morgan for her advice. It would be inaccurate to say Gary was relaxed for the arrival of Wednesday's group, but he was at least far more functional than the first two nights. He had not jerked off beforehand, because he thought the previous night's and that morning's sex would keep him in control. Besides which, he was pretty tender. He was shocked to see such a young girl walk in, eyes openly fixed on his penis. When she dropped the long coat she wore, he instantly regretted skipping the masturbation. Jessica wore short, tight, shorts and an equally tight tube top. Obviously reciting a rehearsed line, she told him, "Hi, Mr. Blum, I'm Jessica. I figured it would be quite warm in here, what with you naked, and all." Gary wondered how they could expose such a young girl to his nudity. The earlier mistake of not masturbating was compounded by the mistake of giving Jessica a good looking over. Her legs were perfectly shaped and seemed five feet long. Her shorts were skin tight and showed the bottoms of her ass cheeks when she turned away and bent over to lay her coat on a chair. Her torso was slender and her tits quite small. The nipples, however, were large and clearly protruding through the stretchy tight fabric of the brief top. Feeling a warmth and a twitch in his cock, Gary hurriedly turned to meet Jessica's mother Carol Jensen, and Dex Madison, who he knew had hosted Kirstin and the other abused women. Thinking of his wife as one of the abused women gave him a mental jolt that counteracted the beginnings of arousal he had felt earlier. He looked briefly at Carol's outfit. She also had on a tank top, just as tight and braless as her daughter's but covering all but a narrow strip of her tummy. Her skirt was very short, and it was obvious where Jessica got her legs. Gary's relief at regaining control of his penis was short-lived, though. As they all sat down, he made the mistake of looking at Jessica's crotch. Her legs were slightly spread, and the tight shorts hugged her slit lovingly, displaying the puffy lips clearly. Already alarmed at his redirected blood flow, Gary next looked at Carol, unfortunately at her crotch rather than her face. Her short skirt had a slit all the way up to the waistband. Instead of running up the side, the slit was almost straight up the front. One leg was bare all the way up. She was wearing a sheer pink thong, most of which was visible. The final touch of a few pussy hairs escaping out the side was the last straw. His war-weary cock was back at attention before he realized it. There was barely time for Gary to close his legs and hunch over to hide his erection when Jessica spoke up. "Mr. Blum, remember the rules." Because of Jessica, Gary was barely able to comply, feeling almost sick to his stomach as he exposed himself. It took a while before he could even breath. Then, his reaction even surprised him as he quipped "It's Gary. I think first names are appropriate when you're staring at my hard cock." Both mother and daughter giggled at that. "I assume the twisted skirt and obscene shorts are all on purpose, right?" "Do you think it's unfair?" Carol asked him. Dropping his head in his hands for a moment, Gary replied "No, I guess I deserve anything she can dish out. You must be really good friends to put on a tease like that." "Kirstin is an instant friend kind of a person," Carol explained. "It's like if one of us women can put her life back together, it's a win for all of us. Besides, as Morgan probably explained, your reaction is important to us." Getting no reply, Carol launched into their story, calling on Jessica several times. When they were finished, Gary felt the same mix of sympathy for what had happened to them and disgust that he was lumped with men like that. The retelling of his story was similar to the first two days. The discussion of Gary's sexual performance was, mercifully for him, much shorter than before. Dex took up the time, however, by telling in detail about Kirstin's actions. Predictably, that retelling got him hard again. As the trio walked out the door, Gary heaved a sigh of relief, which ended before he could breathe in again. Carol came back through the door with a small case in one hand and a grocery bag in the other arm. She set both down carefully and handed him two envelopes. "Read the one from Kirstin first," she told him. "Gary," the letter started, "as you heard, Carol has had a shitty time with sex. You get to start turning around her feelings about it. I know you had just one night with Morgan, but it sounds like she taught you a lot. I want Carol to leave in the morning in love with you and anxious to find a man of her own. Consider helping Carol part of you penance. She is a nice person, so maybe it will be more reward than punishment." This time, he noticed that she didn't start with 'Dear' nor end with 'Love, ' disturbing him a little. The letter from Morgan said "Just remember everything we did. Do everything you can to make her feel special. The massage would be a great starter - take it all the way. Cowgirl would be a good choice for the first fuck, too. And remember - touch, touch, touch. Oh, she is on the pill and tested clean. No condom needed or wanted." As Gary looked over at Carol with a questioning look, she said "Morgan told me you didn't even have a decent snack in the house, so..." "Haven't had much of an appetite lately," he explained. "Bet you hardly know how to shop, either." "Guilty," he admitted. Thinking of the admonitions in the letters, he told her. "After being teased by you all evening, I would love to see the rest of you as we enjoy the food." Carol spread her arms slightly, a teasing grin not completely masking the fear in her eyes. "You'll have to unwrap it yourself, then." She quivered as he stepped up to her, and he felt a wave of sympathy. "Carol, if you don't want to do this, we'll just have to explain it to Kirstin. I feel like you're forcing yourself for her." "No, absolutely not. I want this, it's just that I'm still kind of afraid." "And I'm not an expert lover, either, as I'm sure you've heard. Are you angry at me for what I did to Kirstin?" "A little, yeah. But I believe you genuinely want to make it right. Besides being scared, I feel like I'm cheating on my friend." "Think how I feel!" Gary told her. "But she is calling the shots and she seems to want us to do this." "Do you, uh, wish it was Jessica instead?" Carol asked, looking at the floor. Somehow, Gary was inspired to say the right words. "You really have been beaten down, haven't you?" She nodded through some tears that were pooling. "I'm privileged to try to help you. I just hope I can." Also inspired was his cock, which rose again after shrinking toward the end of the meeting. Carol's lowered gaze fell right on it, and the physical validation of his words brought tingles to several parts of her body. She raised her moist eyes to him and held out her arms as an invitation to undress her. Morgan's admonition to 'touch, touch, touch' was fresh in his mind, and he kept both hands on her waist as he searched for the closure of her skirt. As seemed to be happening more and more, he felt a sharp pang of sadness and guilt at how long it had been since he undressed Kirstin. When he found the fastening of the wrap-around, he tossed it aside with a flourish. Gary had thrown in that little dramatic gesture mostly to erase the pangs he had felt. Any lift how got from it ended quickly when he saw Carol trembling, and the look of fear on her face. He hurried over to grab the skirt, and awkwardly tried to put it back on her. He almost had it fastened when she stopped him. "N... no, Gary. Leave it off. I'm OK." "You don't look OK." "It's just... he used to make fun of my bottom - made me keep it covered." "Then I sure don't want to do that to you. I'm through making women feel bad." "I know you are. You and Kirstin are going to be fine. I... I want to be bare-bottomed with you. I know nothing bad will happen and I think you will like it. It will help me get over it. Take the panties of, too, please." "My pleasure." He made sure to run his hands over her thighs and ass cheeks before grabbing the strings that served as waistband for the thong and pulling it down and off. Carol looked like she would fall over as she stepped out of the thong and he could see that flash of fear again. She recovered though, looked at him with a determined expression and did a slow pirouette. When she turned back to him, she tried with obvious difficulty to adopt a teasing tone. "Well, it didn't go down, so at least I didn't turn you off." "Carol, I'm sorry you haven't had many compliments lately, but you don't have to fish for them from me. You look sexy as hell!" With the tight top, bare lower body, and low-heeled sandal pumps, she did look good. Her legs were long and nicely shaped, showing only modest extra weight in the upper thighs and butt. She walked over to the grocery bag and did the straight-legged bend-over with her ass toward him. He was sure he saw her shudder as she did it. It made her ass look even better. Gary let out a spontaneous whistle, and when she straightened up and turned around, she could not hide the grin. "Let's eat these snacks I brought. I'll bet you didn't have much of a supper, did you?" "Good guess." Gary found himself liking this woman more and more. That train of thought, however, brought him to the fact that she had been abused, and he himself was an abuser. It took a moment before he could speak again. "Can I talk you out of your top, too, Carol?" Her face fell, and she said, "He... he wanted me to keep them covered. Said they weren't worth looking at." "Well I disagree. I can't wait to see them." Taking control a little, he took the bag from her and set it down. Then he grabbed her top at its hem and began pulling it up. She raised her arms in cooperation, but he saw the fear and uncertainty in her eyes before he pulled it up over her face. Surprising himself with the compassion he felt, he tossed the top away and quickly bent and kissed each nipple, causing her to hiss. "Just lovely," he said. "But th... they're so small, and Kirstin's are so nice and big," she told him in a pleading voice. When she saw a look of regret on his face, she said "Ohhh. Mine aren't threatening, are they? No scary memories?" Somehow managing to work up a chuckle, he replied "I guess I should assume you all know every single thing about me." "Does that upset you?" "I don't have any right to be upset. I deserve it. And this," as he indicated his nakedness. "I can't believe I was such an idiot." Shaking his head to get out of his dour mood, he suggested "Tell you what. Let's get the snack ready on a tray. Then we'll take a shower and enjoy it in bed. Does that sound good to you?" "It sounds perfect." Her eyes shone as she stepped right up and kissed him. She still had the shoes on, so she hardly had to reach up. She nodded toward the bag and walked toward the kitchen. He grabbed the bag and hurried so as not miss a step of her bare ass moving seductively in front of him. As Gary stood near Carol, watching her get a tray ready, he berated himself for never worrying about Kirstin's feelings the way he was about Carol's. He did not stop thinking about Carol, though, and remembering her concern about her ass and her breasts, he kept touching and caressing her ass while she worked. In the shower, he spent a disproportionate amount of time on her breasts, and she obviously noticed. Sitting in bed, naked, and enjoying the snack and the intimacy was a revelation for both Carol and Gary. For Carol, it was one more new sensation that highlighted all that she had missed in her marriage. Like most things involving men, it was difficult for her, but still appealing. The expectation of being hurt or put down was always at the back of her consciousness. For Gary, it took several minutes, but he realized that he was with a woman in a highly erotic situation, they had not yet had sex, at the moment he was not hard, and they were talking! Of course, the realization was followed by sadness that he was discovering this with a stranger, not with his wife. Each of them noticed the mood of the other, and they talked about it as they ate. When the food was gone and they were sipping wine, Carol leaned against him and lifted his arm around her. Without thinking, he used the hand around her to absently caress her breast and tweak her nipple. After a few more sips and some more conversation, Carol said, with a catch in her voice, "This is how it should be, isn't it?" Caught by the unintended accusation behind her words, Gary was unable to speak for a moment. "This is how it will be from now on," he said almost grimly. She slipped her free hand between his legs and began playing gently with him, mimicking his own actions. He did not even harden until they had finished their wine, and simultaneously turned to each other for a kiss. Setting the glasses aside, Gary turned to her and began kissing down her body, leaving no doubt about his destination. Only once, from Dex, had Carol experienced a mouth on her pussy, and only the previous night had Gary ever done it. He immediately noticed the difference in the smell, taste and feel of Carol from Morgan. It first brought moisture to his eyes, then anger at himself to realize he could not bring up in his mind the smell and taste of his own wife. He could hardly identify the differences between her pussy and Carol's. Trying for her sake to put aside his inner turmoil, Gary focused on what he had learned the night before. For her part, the newness increased Carol's arousal, and she came twice on his mouth before she was too tender to take any more. Although almost limp from her exertions, Carol wanted very badly to get to the main event. She still felt guilt over what she considered betrayal of her friend, but the arousal now overwhelmed the guilt. She also felt some fear, realizing that Gary's cock, though fairly average, was quite a bit larger than her husband's. Morgan's suggestion of cowgirl for their first time was perfect. Carol had never been allowed to do it that way, but the feeling of being in charge of the penetration eased her mind considerably. The entry was not at all painful. She had, after all, given birth. The feeling of greater fullness was wonderful, and the fact that he was immediately playing with her nipples made her feel sexier than she could remember. Just the knowledge that what she thought of as her Plain Jane body was giving him pleasure was very erotic. Once she told Gary she was comfortable, she started moving against him, and he began pushing back strongly. Whether because of the new excitement of the situation, or because she was still at a high level from her first two orgasms, she came atop him in a surprisingly short time. Gary, affected by all the activity the last three days, did not come with her. Instead, he pulled her down on top of himself and dragged the covers over them. He did not know how this position had thrilled Carol her night with Dex, but she remembered. When he began caressing down her back and over her ass, she could not help herself, and began crying softly. Alarmed at her tears, Gary asked her what was wrong. She assured him nothing was wrong, except for what she had missed all those years. Her words once again indicted him, for Kirstin had missed the same things since he had lost his mind. Gary was able to come a little later that night, and again in the morning. In between, he and Carol shared a lot of simple intimacies. ------- In the morning, Carol dug out another letter and handed it to him. It instructed him to take Friday off from work. It told him to get home right after work that day, Thursday, and shower, but not to masturbate. His guests would be there when he was done showering. Carol stayed behind when he went to work and did a very thorough house-cleaning. The sendoff she gave him once again made him nostalgic for the tenderness he and Kirstin once shared. He was less exhausted at work than he had been, but no less distracted. All of the things he had done with Morgan and with Carol kept running through his mind. He remembered them fondly, but also with a combination of guilt and longing. He felt guilty about betraying his wife, and he longed to be able to share the same intimacies with her. There was no problem getting Friday off, and he got home at the usual time Thursday afternoon. He thought about grabbing something to eat, but instead, undressed immediately and showered. He had barely hung up the towel from showering when the doorbell rang. Looking through the class, he saw Helga, Alfred, and Karina and almost fainted. This was just too much! The other groups had been strangers when they walked in, and he would probably not see most of them again. Exposing himself had been humiliating, but nothing like this would be. He knew and liked these people. He had spent many, many hours with them. Right now, they probably hated him for what he had done to Kirstin. Opening the door the them seemed beyond his power and he was very near to giving up everything right then. Few military campaigns were better planned than the gauntlet Kirstin had set up for Gary. Helga had a key, and while Gary was still standing in shock, she unlocked the door and they walked in. No one said anything as Helga bustled into the room. Alfred gave Gary a hard look and nodded as he walked past. Karina openly stared at his limp penis and blushed heavily as she entered last. Gary had no way of knowing the drama that had occurred at Alfred and Helga's home the night before. Kirstin already knew from Morgan that things had gone well. She was more determined than every to get back with Gary. Her family was at first against it, but sensing her love and determination, pledged to help her all they could. The real drama was the battle over what that help would involve. The first evidence of the extent of that help came very quickly. Helga walked over to a chair in the corner of the living room and took off her long coat. Underneath was nothing but skin. She turned to face Gary and walked up to him. Through his complete shock, he was still able to noticed that her usual confidence was not diminished a bit by her nakedness. "Gary, I think this is what you are afraid of. You worry that Kirstin will look just like me. Well, you may be right. I want you to look at me while we talk. If you can't grow old with this, then you'd better get a divorce right now. Maybe she will keep herself thinner, I don't know. I think you've figured out that you can't make her lose weight." "My Alfred doesn't mind how big I am, but I know not all men feel that way. You should not get back with Kirstin now, then leave her later if she looks like me. You look at me real good! Not just my face! You look at every lump and every roll and every wart. If you are too digusted, then we will leave and it's over. Better now than in twenty years." Minimal speech capability had returned, and Gary stammered out "H... Helga, how c... can you... ?" "Oh, it's not so hard. Our parents came from the old country where bodies were not so secret. This," and she first spread her arms, the slapped her ass, rubbed her belly and bounced her breasts, "is just me. It's not so precious to keep hidden." "Gary, I love my daughter, I love my grandchildren, and I love you. I want us all to be happy together again, only happier than before. If hanging my boobs out for you helps, it's an easy decision for me. It took a while to convince Kirstin, but she finally agreed. I think she's afraid it would scare you off. Now, let's sit down and talk." All of the conversations the last few days had seemed unreal to Gary, but this one made them all seem mundane. Helga made him retell all the reasons he had given the other groups and would not let him hide any of his feelings about weight. This time, he could not control his emotions when he finished. He put his head in his hands and could not hold back the tears. "God, I hurt her so much. I hurt all of you. Can you ever forgive me?" "You are forgiven. Can you love Kirstin if she looks like me? "I love her no matter what!" Helga just nudged Alfred and he stood up. She reached across and pulled a surprised Gary next to herself on the sofa. When he was seated, she pulled his head between her bare breasts and stroked his hair. He felt like a little boy, but he also felt wanted and secure. "You're forgiven, Gary, you've got some other things to get over. These are not your mother's boobs. Kirstin's are not your mother's boobs. You should not be afraid of them. Alfred worships these every night. Kirstin is dying for you to do that. We are not mean women, Gary. We will not make your life hard." "I... I know, Helga. I didn't even realize how much they bothered me. I am learning to enjoy them like I should." "Well, you will get more chance to enjoy them tonight." "Huh?" At this point, Alfred spoke up, to Gary's disbelief. "Karina is spending the night with you. You are going to help her heal. She had a very bad experience many years ago and has wanted nothing to do with men. But you are her good friend, and you are going to show her sex can be good." "Whaaat? But I already feel terrible about cheating on Kirstin. And with her sister? We... we will see each other all the time! I mean..." "You don't want to be with me?" Karina asked. She and Gary were indeed very good friends, something Kirstin strongly encouraged. Karina was sharp-witted and sharp-tongued, and they had always teased each other mercilessly, but all in good fun. The reason for the noticeable darkness behind Karina's upfront ebullience was something Gary had never been told about. "Oh, yes, I would love to be with you, but what about Kirstin? What about afterward? Won't it come between you and Kirstin?" Alfred let loose with a rumbling laugh. "You sound just like us last night. We gave Kirstin all the reasons this should not happen. Even Helga could not win that argument. Gary, you are seeing how much love your wife has. See what she will do for her sister?" His head still nestled in his mother-in-law's bosom, Gary just nodded, unable to come up with appropriate words. Sensing it was time to separate, he sat up. "Your mother never held you like that just to be loving, did she?" Helga asked. "Not that I can remember." "We will leave now," Alfred said. "You have dinner reservations all set up, and Karina can't wait to go dancing." Gary was going to wait for Helga to don her coat before hugging her, but she was having none of that. As they hugged, she felt quite solid, not the loose fat that Kirstin had acquired. He was greatly embarrassed but felt love for the woman he had secretly feared all those years, but apparently never really knew. As the door closed behind the older couple, Gary just stood there, too overcome by emotion to move. Karina came over and put her arm around him and rested her head on his shoulder. "She's some kinda woman, isn't she?" She asked. "I never knew." "You were afraid of her, weren't you?" "A little, I guess. I was as stupid about that as a lot of other things. Well, I think I'll go put some clothes on," Gary said as he roused himself a bit. Tightening her arm around him a bit, Karina ran the back of her hand over his cheek. "I think you need to shave for when we dance cheek to cheek." "I can do that with pants on." "Nah, stay the way you are. I wanna watch." He looked over at her, and it was not her usual teasing twinkle that he saw. It was more of a little girl's pleading. Normally, he would have refused on principle as part of their banter. This time, when she started towing him toward the bathroom, he just went along. Karina leaned against the counter right next to the sink where Gary set his shaving gear. She was quiet for a moment as he lathered up, then "This is so nice! I used to sit in the bathroom and watch Daddy shave. 'Course I never got to see this." She reach over and gently grasped his soft shaft. He was just about to start a stroke with the razor when she did it, and barely avoided taking a gouge out of his face. When she just held it still, he hazarded a few more strokes to finish up, then rinsed and put on lotion. "Hmmmm. Great smell," Karina said as she brought her other hand to his face to test the smoothness. Then, still holding his penis, she stretched up a little and kissed him. Because of his misgivings about his night with her, he did not get hard in her hand. Dropping her other hand she cradled all of him and said "Guys are really secretive about these, aren't they?" "Wh... what do you mean?" "Well, naked women are all over the movies, but you hardly see any cocks." "Depends what kind of movies." "Yeah, I guess." Then a pause. "I like this, Gary. It's just so... intimate." "Are you sure you want to go through with tonight, Karina?" "Doesn't matter. Kirstin's orders. Actually, I'd rather jump in bed right now, but Kirstin said we had to do the date and make it good." She was quiet for a while, then told him "This is my first dte, you know." That news astounded Gary. Karina was just a little more than a year younger than Kirstin. She looked very much like Kirstin, but was not as heavy. He knew something bad happened when she was quite young, but he had never heard the story. Trying to think of something to say, he told her "Well, I don't think many girls' first dates start like this!" After her giggles stopped, he continued, "I think I should pull up to the door to pick you up properly." "Oh, no, this is wonderful. I've always been so... so curious. I still couldn't go on a date with anyone but you." "Really?" "I've always been in love with you. I've been jealous of Kirstin since she met you." "But you hardly spoke to me then." "It... it was because of what happened. I could hardly talk to guys. Still can't." For a brief moment, Gary thought about how weird the conversation and the setting were, but he was genuinely concerned about his sister-in-law. "Does Kirstin know how you feel about me?" When she nodded, he asked "Then why did she set this up?" "You, know, Kirstin gets her own ideas. At first, we were afraid this whole business had made her a little crazy, but she has changed so much since she left! I know one thing. She blames herself for what happened to me. It wasn't really her fault - she just got caught in a traffic jam. For all these years, she has tried to make it up to me, even if she doesn't have to." "But won't tonight just make it worse for you?" "I really don't know, Gary. But I know I am finally ready to make love for the first time. If I get past this, maybe I can find someone of my own. Don't worry, I would never try to steal you from my sister." "After the way I treated Kirstin, how can you trust me to get you past your fear?" "It's you or nobody, Gary. We've all tried to get Daddy to help me, but he won't even talk about it. We don't think that was the real Gary these last few years. We think he's back, now. You had your own fears to get past." Having thought he knew Karina, Gary was amazed at both the seriousness and the perceptiveness she was showing. He was just as amazed by her almost childlike curiosity. She followed him to the bedroom and watched raptly as he dressed, blushing occasionally when he looked at her. Gary insisted Karina wait in the house for him to come and pick her up. He sat in the car for a few minutes to warm it up, then came to the front door. The dinner was in a nice setting, and their conversation flowed freely. Their first dance was a little formal, but it was Karina who said "Considering what we'll be doing later, don't you think some close dancing would be OK?" Taking charge, she molded herself as close to him as physically possible. She made sure to keep her hip and thigh pressed right into his crotch, and openly ground her pussy against his thigh. The mischievous twinkle was definitely back in her eyes when she felt him swell against her. Both of them kept their liquid input to a couple glasses of wine, Gary because he was driving, and Karina because she wanted to remember everything in detail. They danced for about an hour, and she was the one who insisted it was time to go home. In the car on the way home, the reality of what she was about to do must have caught up with Karina, for she hardly said a word. Once again finding unsuspected reservoirs of sympathy and tenderness within himself, Gary reached over to take her hand and held it in silence as he drove. When they entered the house, Karina's fear seemed to have increased. When their coats were hung, Gary hugged her close and said nothing for a while. She did not cry, but he could feel a few involuntary shudders run through her. He nearly called the whole thing off, but she had made it clear that she wanted it. "Honey, what would make this less scary for you? I would like for us to shower together before we get in bed. Do you want to do that?" "No, that's too much. I don't like how I look. C... can we have it dark in the bedroom?" "Sure. Anything that will help. Do you want to get ready first?" "No, you get in bed and wait for me. I promise I won't chicken out," she told him. After showering, Gary made sure there were condoms in the nightstand drawer, and picked up a magazine to read while he waited. He called out for Karina that he was done. The master bath was quite open to the sleeping area, but she could be out of sight from the bed as she showered and worked at the sink. After quite a while, she called out for him to turn off the light. In the near-darkness, he could see that she was naked as she sprinted to the bed and dove under the covers. She lay as far away from him as she could, and he thought he could feel her shaking. "That took a lot of guts for you, didn't it?" he asked. "Y... yeah. 'Bout like when you opened the door that first night, huh?" It was a relief to hear some humor from her. Wanting to move things along without causing her to panic, Gary moved over so he could reach her mouth with his, but was careful not to touch her anywhere else. He started with a very gentle kiss and repeated it several times until he felt her try to keep contact. Then, he ventured his tongue out enough to trace her lips lightly. At first, she jerked as if frightened by the unaccustomed touch, but to her credit, she kept contact and used her own tongue tentatively. The kissing kept up for well over five minutes, stepping up in intensity all along. Breaking from one full-fledged French, Karina threw her arms around his neck and pulled him down onto herself. The blankets were still bunched up between them, but Gary did not want to make a single move that might spook her. He held himself still, trying to support some of his weight. Apparently, Karina was getting over her nerves rather quickly. She had been on her back, but she turned toward Gary, pushing him over onto his side. Pulling the blankets from between them, she said "I want to feel you against me." With a few more wriggles, their bodies were face to face and pressed together. "Hmmmm" was all she said as their lips met again. The last two nights, Gary had enjoyed holding two other feminine bodies. Morgan's had been solid, but with a luxurious cushioning layer. Carol's had been slim, with little padding. Now, there was softness everywhere against his front. Once again, he suffered pangs of guilt and sadness that he had stupidly denied himself the pleasure of holding Kirstin like that for so long. "Can you stand the feeling?" she asked in a frightened tone. "Stand it? I love it!" "Really? With all this fat? I haven't had any reason to worry about my weight, I guess." "I wasn't thinking about fat right now. I was thinking about softness and smooth skin." For a while, they just hugged, and he began running his hand up and down her back. When he first touched her ass, she jerked again, but seeming to realize the foolishness of her reaction, she snuggled even closer to encourage him. Very slowly, he worked his hand around to her front and between her breast and his chest. When she felt the touch on her nipple she rolled slightly more to her back to give him better access. He, in turn, rolled her right onto her back, kept the hand on her breast, and took the other nipple in his mouth. Her moans started immediately, and soon she was panting and writhing. Her breath started to become ragged just from the stimulation of her nipples, and Gary knew he could take her over quickly. Causing her to moan briefly in frustration, he took his hand from her breast, moved his mouth to that one, and used his other hand on the one abandoned by his mouth. He placed his free hand right on her pussy and sought out her clit. When his finger contacted her button, Karina went off like a rocket, her hips bouncing so wildly he could hardly keep contact with it. The best he could do was to cup the whole area and keep a moving pressure. It was enough for her, and her orgasm went on and on. As soon as her twitches came less frequently, Gary threw back the covers and moved to the foot of the bed. He parted her legs with both hands and began licking her labia with long strokes. At first she did not notice just what he was doing because of her semi-conscious condition. When she became aware, she started to object, but remembered the discussions with Morgan. She had fantasized all the previous night about him licking her, and now he was doing it. Despite her intensive come, Gary was able to work her back up quickly. He felt definite pride in his newfound ability to sense when his partner was getting close. One more time, there was a stab of guilt that he never even tried to tell how Kirstin was doing. That thought did not derail from his purpose, and after he began seriously flailing her clit with his tongue, she exploded yet again. Gary kept her going until it seemed like she was asleep, then crawled up beside her. He reached his arm over her and laid his head right on her breast. It was several minutes before she began running her fingers through his hair, then told him "I had no idea it could feel that good. Now I want you in me." "How about if you get on top so you can control things?" "Can't move that much. I know you'll be gentle." "I need to get a condom." "Don't need it. I'm safe today." "Do you really want to take a chance on a baby?" "Wouldn't be so bad. Sean and Courtney are great kids." Gary was almost ashamed that that little conversation brought his cock, which had shrunk, back to full erection. At that point, his feelings of guilt and betrayal, and his concern for the effect on Karina were overwhelmed by desire. Moving quickly atop her, he did ask one more time, "Are you sure you want this?" In lieu of an answer, she spread her legs wide and took hold of his cock, pulling it toward her entrance. She did not let go until the head had eased past her opening. Then, she grabbed his ass with both hands and gave a few light tugs before he took over and began stroking into her. Progress was rather slow because she was very tight, but she was heavily lubricated and she did not seem to feel any discomfort. He tried to see her face in the dark, but he could not make out her expression. Bracing himself with his arms, he started kissing her as he moved in and out. Her response told him she was alright, and as soon as he felt their pubic bones bumping, he increased the pace. Morgan had showed him how to use rotating motions and how to change the angle of his stroke, and he had enough control of his thinking to try those motions. When a particular approach angle brought a hiss from her, he stayed with it. During the past week, Gary's cock had gotten more workout than in a typical month. The tenderness was not unbearable and it kept his arousal from building too fast. He was experiencing that unique sensation of wonderful stimulation without the urgent need to ejaculate. The smooth softness of her belly beneath him; the movement of her stiff nipples against his chest; her hands scrabbling almost spastically over his back; the warm, slipery snugness welcoming each thrust of his manhood; all those incredible sensations washed over him. He thought of how much Karina felt like his wife, and hoped desperately that he would have the chance to be like this again with Kirstin. He knew he would treasure it for the gift it was should he be so fortunate. For her part, Karina felt years of dread and shame being flaked away stroke by stroke as Gary moved inside her. The pain of the harsh, dry, ripping feeling of her first attacker violating her was becoming dimmer with each delicious plunge. The sensations lifted her away from the scene of the three supposed friends abusing her young body on the grass. The weeks and months of police and lawyers faded as her arousal climbed to unbelievable heights. The image of Kirstin's face, guilt-ridden for all the years because of her unavoidable tardiness finally changed to a teary smile as she felt herself soar into the nirvana of an unbelievable climax. Gary could sense that something more than just incredible sex was happening to his sister-in-law. When she went into paroxysms, he was still in control and, almost out of respect for whatever was happening to her, held himself back from his own come. While she was still shaking, he very carefully rolled them over so she was atop him with his cock still embedded. He managed to get a couple of pillows behind him and the covers over them before she finally became limp. When Karina's uncontrolled sobbing began, Gary somehow knew it was not for sorrow and did nothing but hold her close. He kept up small motions of his hips to try to maintain his erection within her, sensing that would be a positive sensation for her. He was not sure just how long she cried, but his chest and the surrounding bedclothes were thoroughly soaked before she raised up to grab some tissue from the nightstand to blow her nose. Not wanting to let the closeness end, Gary resisted her attempts to get off of him, assuring her she was not too heavy at all. With comforting words and many caresses, he convinced her to talk, and the whole story poured out of her. The family had protected the secret so fiercely he had never heard anything before, though he had suspected something very bad had happened to Karina. It gave him a new perspective on Kirstin, the things she had to live with, and the reasons for her strong bond to her sister and to her parents. Though still very timid about her body, Karina did get up and shower with Gary, and even stayed naked as together they changed the sheets. He worked very hard to reassure her of her desirability and to caress and fondle her at every opportunity. Back in bed, Karina changed from fearful and tentative to deprived and inquisitive. It was as if she felt the need to make up for all the years of emptiness in one night. Gary was glad he had not come the first time. He was able to maintain an erection for quite a while longer, but he was afraid that one come would end his usefulness. And it was a very long night! She either did not feel the need for sleep, or was reluctant to let sleep interfere with her newfound pleasure. It was doubtful they got an aggregate four hours, and that was in several shorter sessions. As he was drifting off for their last pre-dawn nap, Gary once again thought about what the night with Karina meant. Even after hearing her story, it was hard to believe his wife had required that he do this. He felt a new kind of love for Karina, surpassing the closeness they had already shared as very good friends. He sensed her feelings for him had deepened, as well. There was no doubt he had helped erase some long-standing fears, but was she just set up for a broken heart? His own heart was still with Kirstin, now more so than ever. Would he now come between the sisters? ------- Chapter 3 Gary was still grumpy. He couldn't figure out why Karina had insisted on waking him up so early. They both had the day off from work, and he sure could have used the sleep. Another shower and shave improved his appearance and his fragrance, but not his mood. Then, when he started to pull on his underwear, she told him it was Kirstin's order for him to stay naked for a while longer. He sat quietly on the edge of the bed and watched her dress, remembering the sensations and the emotions they had shared the night before. A sense of wonder and contentment swept over him, but he still wished he was back in bed. She left the bedroom and he got up to follow. As he stepped through the door, a flying six-year-old hit him full in the chest, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. "Daddy, Daddy, I'm so happy to see you!" Courtney shouted into his ear, kissing him noisily on the cheek. "Mommy says you're going to be our Daddy again. She says you're never going to fight with her any more. Is that right, Daddy?" There was no way to fight back the tears after that, and Gary just let them flow. Over his daughter's shoulder, he saw Kirstin standing, holding Sean's hand, her tears flowing as heavily as his own. "That's right, Baby," he spoke softly into Courtney's ear. "Never again. I promise. I'm so sorry, Baby. Will you forgive me?" "I love you, Daddy!" was the girl's only reply. Of course, that did nothing to stop the flow of tears. Father and daughter hugged as he rocked her back and forth gently. Gary had not even thought about his state of dress, but Courtney soon changed that. With a six-year-old's typical attention span, she jumped down from Gary's arms and landed in front of him, her face just above his penis. Then, with a six-year-old's typical openness, she told him "Daddy, yours is big and hairy like Uncle Dex's. It's not cute like Sean's." The resulting laughter from the two women did nothing to ease Gary's massive embarrassment. He started to turn away toward the bedroom, but Kirstin was on him like a cat, turning him back toward herself and hugging him tightly. She whispered in his ear "I think it's cute, and I can't wait to get re-acquainted with it." "Kirstin, I'm so..." "No, Honey. This has been a nice reunion. Let's not go getting all mushy. Come on." She pulled him into the bedroom and started to undress. Meanwhile, Karina had taken the children with her to the kitchen. "Carol told me how you two sat naked in bed and ate your snack. That was the one thing I was most jealous about all week. Well, we're having naked breakfast in bed." "Do you think Courtney should see me like this?" "Sure, why not? We've got some changes in attitude to make. It's fine." When Karina and the kids brought in breakfast on a tray a little later, husband and wife were sitting up against the headboard, embracing and kissing. Kirstin had sternly forbidden any apologies right then, and he was so grateful to be back in her arms, he gave up trying. Karina was taking the kids with her and they said their goodbyes and left. Conversation was light as they ate, and Gary decided not to comment on the uncharacteristic fare Kirstin was eating. When they had sipped the last of their coffee, he took the tray and set it on the floor. Turning back to her, he immediately cupped a breast in his hand and sucked the nipple into his mouth. After he extracted a little moan from her, he pulled away and told her "I've been such an idiot to ignore these beauties! Never again," and he went back to sucking. "Ohhh, I love that! But I need you in me. Now!" She pulled at him to bring him on top of herself. "Ah, ah! I'm operating under new rules, now, Honey." Without another word, he dove toward her crotch, spreading her legs to get his face on her. "Gary, no! I need to shower!" "We'll do that later." She was still somewhat upright, so he pulled her down flat on her back, then gave her pussy his full attention. As he licked, sucked, and poked, he mentally thanked Morgan for her lesson, and all three other women for the chance to practice. It still took an effort of will for the first few strokes, but once she started to react, his reservations disappeared. He loved what his ministrations did to her, and that was enough. When Kirstin came, he wanted to continue and get her off again, but her patience was too stretched for that. She grabbed his head and pulled him up for a kiss, then took hold of his cock and jammed it into herself. "Hard! Fast!" she grunted out as she matched her actions to her plea. "Pretty worn out, Honey," he gasped out, but she just used her hands to slam him into herself with more force. "Slow and tender later," she gasped in response. She wrapped her heavy thighs around his and scissored her whole body to match each of his thrusts. As worn out as his cock was, the sheer thrill of being back where he knew he belonged was getting to him. For the first time in their marriage, he fought hard to control his own arousal, determined to make this reunion fuck their best ever. And it was a fuck - a mutual expression of lust and need. The expressions of love would come later. It had not been a cavalier decision for Kirstin to throw her husband into the arms of the three other women. She knew the risks, even without friends and family reminding her over and over. Right then, she knew she had been right. What he was giving her was what she had longed for her whole marriage. The weeks of separation, the thrill of the reunion, the obvious difference in him, his newfound skill and interest, and the remaining sensations from her first come combined to send her soaring. She could honestly say afterward that it was the best orgasm of her life, although how she remembered anything in her barely-conscious state was a miracle in itself. The intensity of her climax was beyond anything Gary had ever experienced, and enough to make a statue come. He was weary, but not dead, and the spasms of her internal muscles took him over the edge. He spurted only a few times, and the amount was small, but it was still as memorable for him as for her. When he was done, she was still convulsing and kept on, seemingly for minutes longer. Neither partner had much control of their bodies when it was over. Gary sleepily tried to roll to the side, but she objected. "Stay there. Forever." "Heavy!" "Not!" In concession, he slid down a little so his head was between her breasts. His already-shrinking cock left a trail on her thighs, but neither of them noticed. He rested both elbows on the bed beside her, hoping to ease the pressure a little and quickly fell asleep. When he awoke an indeterminate time later, he was on his side with his head still securely cradled in 'tit heaven.' He had no idea how he got there and did not care a whole lot. He also did not know if she was awake, but could not resist kissing and licking the silky skin of the mound by his face. A contented hum told him she was awake. "Can we take one of those sexy showers now? I've been jealous of them, too." The shower was perfect, especially without the guilt pangs he had endured with the other women. Kirstin would not even consider clothes, and they walked naked to the kitchen to prepare lunch, which was already overdue. Afterward, they sat on the family room sofa and cuddled. "There are some things I want, Gary." "Name them." "First, can I have my car back?" That request was a painful reminder of just how badly he had treated her. He could not speak, and just nodded. "I want a health club membership." Again he nodded. "Later, we'll get some stuff at home, but the club would be good for me now." Kirstin stood up quickly and hurried to the bedroom. When she returned, she held up some capri pants, a tube top, a thong panty, and a pair of heeled sandals. She made a point of holding the pants so he could see the size. "I want your promise to take me to the company picnic wearing just these." His eyes got big and he blurted out "But they're so small! You can't fit..." "By then I will." "Kirstin, you don't have to lose weight for me." "No, I have to lose it for me. I've lost seven already, and I've just begun. We're starting a whole new life together, and I'm not going to live it fat! I will fit these well before the party. Will you take me?" "God, yes!" He stared at her thoughtfully for a moment, then stood and cupped a breast in each hand. "These won't get too much smaller, will they?" That was apparently a very welcome response, for she threw the clothes aside and tackled him back onto the sofa. She pulled his face between her breasts and rocked back and forth in contentment. His mind flashed back to Helga hugging him that same way, and it was a good memory. When the cuddling ended, he asked "Can I get a promise from you, too?" She nodded with a puzzled expression. "Pick a day of the week." When she said Tuesday, he asked her "Will you promise to come right up to my office every Tuesday and pick me up for lunch?" With a broad smile, she answered "Yes! I'd love it!" She paused a moment, then asked "Can we wait a couple months before we start?" "Nope!" "But I'll look a lot better, then." "That's the point. I'm proud of you right now, and I want everyone at work to know it." The aftermath of that statement would have justified another shower, but they stayed cuddled together on the sofa. When their panting eased, Gary could not hold out any longer on the big question troubling him, and he asked her "Why?" She knew what he meant. "Well, part of it was a little guilt over what I had done." "But Morgan said you didn't have sex." "Technically, no. Mostly, though, I did it for this." At his puzzled look, she explained "I wanted the kind of loving we've had today, and I didn't know if I could get it from you myself." "Another thing. When I heard about the woman from work, it hit me that I wasn't doing my part to keep you. I also thought it would be the one chance for you to do some comparing, sort of see what you might be missing." "Weren't you afraid you were taking an awful risk?" "What would I have lost? I was headed for divorce, remember." That hit Gary so hard he had to fight back tears. "You aren't going to dump me for one of them, are you?" she asked half seriously. "Not a chance. I felt guilty all the time I was with them. It kept hitting me that I was doing things I had never done for you, and it hurt." "Tell me how you feel about the three women." "Morgan is unbelievable. She's super sexy, and she's brilliant." "But you didn't fall in love with her?" "No, nor she with me. Carol is a nice lady that I felt good about helping, but there's no chemistry there, either. I worry about Karina." "You love her, don't you?" "Yes, I do. She's so much like you, how could I not. I still can't believe you wanted me with her." "She made love and enjoyed it, didn't she?" "Definitely. But what now? It won't happen again, and how will that make her feel?" "Who says it won't happen again?" "Kirstin!" "Doesn't every man dream about a threesome? You mean you wouldn't want both of us around all the time?" "Karina deserves better than being second string. She should have a man all her own." Gary made that comment without even thinking of Kirstin's reaction. He was thus startled when she dove on top of him, hugged hard enough to injure him, and started bawling for all she was worth. It took quite a while for her to calm down, and he asked her why she had broken down. "That was the Gary I always dreamed about. It made me so happy!" When he looked puzzled, she continued. "You let me know exactly where I stood, and you showed how much you can care about someone you love." This time, it was Gary who teared up, but he was still able to talk. "I'm so sorry I stopped caring about you that way, Honey. It will never happen again, I promise!" They both knew Gary didn't have another bout of sex in him, so they just snuggled a while longer. When conversation resumed, Kirstin told him some more things she wanted: an enclosed hot tub; their walkout basement completed with a kitchenette and at least two bedrooms; his okay for her to volunteer at the shelter; his agreement to take in battered women, even if they had kids. He readily agreed to all of her requests. "Just make sure you keep the third week in June open," he told her. "Why?" He just looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Oh, of course. Our tenth. Why the whole week?" "Thought we'd celebrate in Mexico. One of those clothing optional resorts." "You're kidding!" "I heard my wife needs people to see her naked." "Not just any people. I... I don't think I'm ready for that." "Oh, well. There are plenty of places where they keep their clothes on." "Careful, Buster, or I might just call your bluff." ------- In late afternoon, she told him "I think there's time for a nice massage before we have to get ready to go." "Love to. Go where?" "To the O'Connors for dinner." He stood with a shocked look and objected "They... they were here when..." "Yup. They saw all of you, and Tracy got an extra treat. Don't worry about it. I've been staying with them and they are wonderful people. They are ready to accept you as a friend, too." He let out a gurgling moan, but there was no point in objecting. After a sensuous massage where Gary was actually able to get it up again, they cleaned up and dressed. ------- The first stop was at her parents' to pick up the kids. Alfred was not home yet, but Helga answered the door. Gary took the initiative and stepped in to grab her in a hug. He spoke softly into her ear. "If Kirstin is just like you, I'll be a lucky man. Thank you for your wonderful daughter!" Karina was watching them with an indecipherable look on her face. He turned toward her and opened his arms, an invitation she accepted enthusiastically. "Are you OK?" he asked. "Much better than that," she assured him. "It was wonderful! Thank you so much!" Not sure if it was the right time, he went ahead anyway. "You know it can't happen again, don't you?" "Mmmm. Yes, I knew that before. But it was still wonderful and I'll never forget it." ------- It was Tracy who opened the door at the O'Connors', and her greeting was predictably cheeky. "Hey, Kirstin, your man looks good with clothes on, too!" The last week had changed Gary in ways he didn't realize himself, as witnessed by his next action. He stepped up to Tracy, bent her over backward, and laid a toe-curling kiss on her. When after about twenty seconds he let her up, he told her "If you play with my cock, you'd better mean it." Stan was standing a couple of steps back, unbeknownst to Gary, and started to laugh uproariously. Gary was still holding the weak-kneed Tracy and looked at Stan sheepishly. "In all these years, I haven't figured out how to get her speechless," Stan said between guffaws, "and you figured it out first try. You're going to be fine with this blonde bombshell here." With that, he wrapped Kirstin in a much less dramatic hug. Tracy, meanwhile, was just staring at Gary, wide-eyed and slack-jawed. When Stan released Kirstin, Tracy still hadn't moved. "Earth to Tracy!" Kirstin said through her giggles. "You had your chance at him the other night. Sorry, no do-overs!" Tracy shook her head a little and managed to squeak out "I'd w... want him back, too." Then, she started to walk unsteadily away. When she looked at Stan, she blushed crimson and covered her face with her hands. Stan laughed again at her discomfiture and patted her on the behind as she passed. As she went through the door to the kitchen, she threw an awed glance over her shoulder at Gary. Stan stuck out his hand, and Gary reacted rather tentatively. "Come on, Gary. Let's forget everything else and start fresh. I'm happy to be your friend. I wouldn't have had the guts to do what you did." Gripping Stan's hand more firmly, Gary answered "I doubt you'd ever screw up like I did." "Hope to Hell not. Tracy wouldn't be that easy on me." "Easy!" "Hey, she's Irish. Swedes don't know from anger. Tracy'd probably castrate me." The ensuing laugh certified a new male bond. After a congenial meal, and after getting the kids down, Tracy said "Hey, they finished our hot tub today. I don't know what Dex has on that contractor. He sure finished in a hurry." She led them to the new room attached to the house. As they stood admiring it, Tracy spoke again. "Sorry I didn't tell you to bring suits. Maybe we can find some that will work." Stan spun around and went out to the powder room. He returned with a towel and hung it on the doorknob of the hot tub room, causing Tracy to gasp and Kirstin to giggle. "You guys can just undress in there," he said as he pulled a very reluctant Tracy toward the master bedroom. "We'll be back in a few minutes." Seeing Gary's puzzlement, Kirstin explained. "At Dex's house, a towel on the doorknob means anyone can come in, but no suits." "You mean... but..." "Hey, they've seen you and they've seen me. Now it's our turn. Goody!" In a more serious tone she added "I think this is Stan's way of letting you know that despite what happened, we're all on equal footing." She dragged him into the room and was naked in a few seconds. He managed to shake off his surprise and join her without much delay. It turned out to be over ten minutes before their hosts walked into the room in robes, carrying two more robes and a stack of towels. From Tracy's crimson face and the nervous looks she sent Gary's way, they could guess there had been some heavy-duty convincing going on. Stan dropped his robe quite casually and stepped in. What followed could not have been predicted based on Tracy's personality and behavior. She covered her face and burst into tears. Stan jumped to her side instantly, and told the others "Sorry, guys. I guess this wasn't a good idea. Come on, Tracy, let's go. I'm sorry I upset you." Tracy resisted Stan's tug and shook off his hand. "Thanks for looking out for me, Honey, but you were right. Fair's fair," and she dropped her robe. "Look at me, everyone," she said, straining to keep her hands at her sides, then turning a slow circle. "I was plenty happy to tease Gary when he was naked, but didn't want to do it myself. So, here it all is!" "Tracy, you didn't have to do that!" Kirstin told her. "Yes, I did! And not just because of fairness, either. I need to get out in the open what I've been working so hard to hide. Gary, I'm sorry you have to look at this. Stan, Honey, I hope you're not too ashamed of me." Tracy had enough extra weight that it could not be just padding. She had a definite protruding belly, and her large breasts hung down quite a bit. There were definite creases and folds at the sides of her breasts, and along her sides and back. Her ass had lost its pleasing smoothnes and showed cellulite dimples, as did her generous thighs. "Darling, I've never been ashamed of you," Stan told her. "You know that!" "Yes, I know it, and I love you for it. But I guess I have been complacent. Life is so good I didn't think I had to change anything. I made my handsome stud make love to all this blubber without even thinking about changing. Well, I won't have my house guest show me up! I'm losing right along with Kirstin, so take a good look, Gary, 'cause this is the last time you'll see a lot of me." Gary was moved by his new friends' willingness to show themselves in order to make him feel accepted - to remove the stigma from his ordeal. Unfortunately, hearing of Stan's loving attitude toward his overweight wife just made Gary feel more ashamed of himself for his terrible treatment of Kirstin. Stan must have read his face. "Hey, don't be beating yourself up, Gary. You've done enough of that. From the way these two have been sweating and grunting with my weight set, I'm betting weight will never be a problem for either of them again." "Oh, it will always be a problem," Kirstin piped up. "Sugar is like alcohol, you know, and a 'normal' American diet is designed to build fat. I know I'm never going to let it defeat me again." "Sound like you've done some research," Stan commented. "Found a wonderful nutritionist who has helped a lot," Kirstin replied. "On a different subject," Gary interjected, "Kirstin wants to fix up our home to take in battered women. Looks like you'll have room for another, now." "Yeah, but I hate to see Kirstin leave," Tracy said with feeling. "Couldn't you batch it for another week or two?" It was good to hear that she was past her nervousness enough to joke a little. Gary, however, responded in a serious tone, reaching out and pulling his wife close. "I'm afraid it's like I've been batching it at home for a few years, now. I'm not spending a minute more away from my bombshell than I have to." ------- Somehow, Gary was not surprised when Kirstin announced that dinner the next night was at Dex's. Everyone that had visited him was there, and the way they greeted Kirstin and then greeted him left him unable to speak. Just like at the O'Connors, the hot tub room had a towel firmly tied to the doorknob. Person after person made a point of inviting Gary to join them in the tub. It was a touching effort to make him feel an equal, not the offender. During the evening, Gary made a point of talking privately to Morgan and Carol. He asked if they had any regrets about their nights together and made sure they had no expectations of a repeat. Morgan was jovial and relaxed. Carol was subdued, and it was apparent she would not have turned down another chance. She did, however, reaffirm her resolve never to do anything to hurt Kirstin. ------- Long into the wee hours of Sunday, Gary tossed in the bed, trying not to disturb Kirstin, who was sleeping peacefully beside him. As incredible as the last month and the last week had been, the last two nights were even more so. Hating to admit it to himself, he had never been much for caring about other people. Oh, he had thought he was, but compared to the actions of his new friends, his idea of caring seemed shallow and trivial. His four-night 'gauntlet' had been incredibly difficult for him. But he realized that it took a real effort from his visitors, as well. Because of their own previous abuse, or their commitment to help abusers, they had every reason to hate him. Yet, every one of them went out of their way to make him feel accepted, even to the extent of exposing themselves willingly. He knew their love for Kirstin was the reason, but he felt there was genuine care for him, as well. And Helga! Who would have thought her capable of such a move? More than any of the others, she had a right to hate him. Why had he not seen what she was really like before? He knew the answer as soon as he posed the question. He had assumed all mothers were like his own, regardless of the fact that Helga was always good to him. In fact, he had been guilty of viewing everyone through his own lens, which was too often shit-colored. He was particularly guilty with Kirstin. With his new understanding of caring, he decided he very much liked the feeling of caring for someone. Karina, always his close friend, was someone he cared for now in a new way. Having finally learned what had happened to her, he felt a strong desire, almost a need, to try to make it right. As yet, he could think of no way to accomplish that. More than anyone else, of course, he cared about Kirstin. When Karina told him her story, it was the first time he realized that his wife had been carrying a demon of her own ever since. In must have been painful to her every time she saw her sister still single and completely uninterested in men. As he thought more about it, he could recall how eager Kirstin always was for he and Karina to do things together. It did not take a lot of thought to arrive at the ideal solution for both Karina and Kirstin. Karina needed to find a man and get married. Perhaps Kirstin's forcing him into bed with Karina could be an important first stept toward that. ------- Tuesday at 11:30, Kirstin showed up at Gary's office as promised. It had been some time since she had been there, and she felt more self-conscious than she had walking around naked at Dex's. She took that feeling as proof of how important the acceptance of others was. Gary had told her everything about the the hazing he took from his co-workers because of her weight, and she worried how she would react if she encountered one of the jerks. Among her various emotions as she picked up a visitor's badge, Kirstin felt tremendous pride that Gary had insisted they start their lunches immediately, before she lost her weight. She also felt tremendous determination to be rid of self-consciousness over her weight forever. At Dex's she had felt acceptance and appreciation, and could not get enough of it. In the real world, she knew, that could only happen if she looked good. Gary had apparently been watching for her and he stepped into the hall as she approached to give her a brief but warm hug and kiss, right out in the open. That move was almost enough to buckle her knees. Thrilled by his gesture, but wanting to push him a little more, Kirstin asked "Sweetie, what do you usually do for lunch?" "I usually go to the company cafeteria with Sig." "Sig?" "Sig Torvold. He's fairly new, and a good guy. Since I stopped hanging around with those jerks..." "Could I just join you and Sig?" "Well, sure, but wouldn't you like to go somewhere nicer?" "What'd I like is to know more about your life. You know, we've been sort of strangers." That comment stung Gary, but he agreed and went to find Sig. The conversation on the way to the cafeteria was mostly just introductions, and in line, they discussed the food choices. When they found a table, Kirstin fell into her playful mode immediately. "Sig, isn't America wonderful? A Swede and a Norwegian can sit and share a friendly meal." With a chuckle, he replied "I was hoping with your complexion that you were Norwegian, too. We know, though, that some of our good genes were left across the border when we stomped the Swedes." That made Gary laugh and Kirstin glower in mock anger. "Well, have you and Mrs. Torvold got your genes in any little Norwegians running around the house?" Sig almost spit out the mouthful of water he had just taken, then took a while for his laughter to subside. "Kirstin, I have to hand it to you. That is just about the most clever phrasing ever for the inevitable first female question." With a mock pout, Kirstin asked "That obvious, huh?" She looked steadily at sig, then "Well?" Sig laughed again, and turning to Gary, said "Persistent, too. I like that." "You don't know the half of it." Gary's gibe ended with an "Oof!" as Kirstin planted an elbow in his ribs. "Kirstin, I am twenty-nine and totally unattached. Four years of college under ROTC, four years active, and two years working on my MBA got me to this place. I didn't have a whole lot of time for dating, and never met anyone all that interesting." "Must be a long string of frustrated girls out there," Kirstin muttered almost under her breath. "I heard that. Nothing like my brother, Alex. He's several years older, and he finally married. He looks like a movie star, and talk about frustrated women! Boy, did he get it right when he finally decided, though!" "Sounds like you're a little jealous." "I'm afraid there aren't many Shannons out there. Well, enough about me. You look like you're working pretty seriously at your eating." Without intending to, they ended up telling Sig all about their recent troubles. Before she left, Kirstin told Gary "Sig's to good of a catch to be walking around loose for long." "Melanie's been working her ass off since he got here, trying to get together with him." "Melanie?" "The one I, uh, almost..." "Oh, that one. Has she been successful?" "Nope. Apparently Sig is a lot smarter about women than I am." "Was, Honey. You're learning fast." ------- The next Tuesday, Gary was not watching for Kirstin's arrival and was startled by subdued giggling coming up the hall. Before he could get out to the hall, Kirstin, Karina, and Tracy all walked into the office. At his questioning look, Kirstin explained. "Karina doesn't work until 2:00 on Tuesdays. We all went to the health club together, and thought you might like lunch with the future Swedish Bikini Team." "I'm the honorary Swede," Tracy quipped. As they all laughed, Gary had a thought, and whispered in Kirstin's ear to wait in his office for a minute. He then hurried to Sig's office. "Hey, Sig. Please don't think I'm trying to set you up, or anything. Kirstin's here with two friends this time. One is married, but the other is her sister Karina. She is just starting to get over a really bad experience when she was a kid. She has a tough time around men. Would you consider joining us for lunch. I don't think I can handle the whole crew alone." Sig did join them, and they decided the cafeteria was just fine. Secretly, it did Kirstin a world of good for Gary to be with her in front of his coworkers. After brief introductions, they headed off down the hall. As they walked, Sig happened to be next to Karina, talking, when an attractive woman walked by with a deadly expression on her face. As soon as she was out of sight around a corner, the two men burst out laughing. When Kirstin asked what was so funny, Gary just said "Melanie." "She's been chasing me so hard, it's the company joke." Sig explained. "So why have you been running?" Kirstin asked, "she's a real looker." Sig stopped walking and looked at Kirstin for a moment. "Let's get our food, then we'll talk." Kirstin, of course, didn't forget, and when they were seated, she asked Sig to explain. "My brother Alex kept telling me he was waiting until he found a 'whole' woman. I never knew exactly what he meant, but when he found Shannon, it was obvious what he meant." "So she was a beauty queen with brains and all?" Kirstin asked. "Well, when he met her, she weighed about 200. In fact, that's how they met. He trained her and helped her back to her ideal weight." Sig gave them a short version of Shannon's story. "So, if she had that addiction and everything, how come he thought she was his 'whole' woman." "I guess it was the strength to get over the problems that won his heart. That, and right away she was busy helping someone else, before she even reached her own goals." After that, the conversation lightened. Karina was remarkably relaxed, and talked quite easily with Sig. Before they left the cafeteria, Sig asked "So, why are you all three here together today?" "We were at the health club together. We all, as you can see, have some weight to lose. Your story about Shannon is a real inspiration. We're all determined to do just what she did." After a brief thoughtful look, Sig said "Why don't all of you come back next week again. I think I can get Shannon to join us." ------- The following Tuesday, Shannon was there. She showed them her ever-present before and after pictures, and generally encouraged them. It was obvious that all three left with renewed enthusiasm for their efforts. After the women were gone, Gary came into Sig's office. Hesitantly, he started to speak. "Sig, I wonder if..." "Yes, I'd love to," Sig cut him off. "Huh?" "You were going to ask if I would take Karina out, weren't you?" "How did you know?" "I could tell you cared about her in a special way. You just seemed protective of her. Frankly, I am impressed with her. I see a lot of Shannon there. I'm going to call her this evening." Gary decided it would be best not to mention the pending date to Kirstin. If it somehow did not happen, he did not want any shattered hopes lying around. As it turned out, Kirstin answered the phone later in the evening, and Gary could hear the excited female voice of the caller from across the room. After only getting a few words in, Kirstin held the phone toward Gary. "Gary, PLEASE, PLEASE tell me you didn't put him up to this." "Karina, I am going to be completely honest with you." He could almost hear the tension from the other end of the line. "I went to his office intending to ask him to take you out as a favor." "Oh, God, no! I knew it! This is just a mercy date!" "Wait a minute! Wait a minute! Karina, Honey, I never got a chance to ask. He knew what I was going to ask, and was already planning to call you. He said some very nice things about you." "You're just saying that to make me feel better!" "Karina, I'm not. Remember. Now, I know. Would I do that to you?" There was a long pause and some ragged breathing, and she finally said "No, I don't think you would. Thank you for thinking of asking. Put Kirstin back on." Guessing the probable duration of the call, Gary went to bed. He had actually fallen asleep when Kirstin crawled in next to him. She pulled herself tight to him, then started crying. He didn't bother to ask what was the matter, knowing she would be talking soon. "I'm so happy for her! He's perfect! But I'm so afraid it's not going to happen." "You need it as much as she does, don't you, Baby?" He asked her. She raised her head in surprise. "You've alwasy felt it was your fault she's alone, haven't you?" "Wh... when did you get that idea?" "The night with Karina. She told me the whole story." "She wasn't supposed to tell anyone, ever." "I'm glad she did. I learned some important things about my wife that night. You've always felt a little guilty having a husband and children when she doesn't, haven't you." Again, the surprised look. "It made you almost afraid to be too happy, didn't it?" "Oh, God, Gary!" "Look, things are looking better for us right now, but let's not take any chances. How about we both find someone to talk to?" "You mean a shrink? You always made fun of that," she reminded him. "Well, let's just say I've had an attitude change about a lot of things. Hanging my dick out in front of a bunch of strangers who are angry at me tends to change my attitudes." ------- It took less than two weeks for Karina and Sig to become an item. The Tuesday lunches became the two couples, and they always went to the cafeteria. Both sisters enjoyed the sense of claiming their men in front of their coworkers, and both men were happy to show off their women. It turned out that Norwegian was better than a lot of the alternatives, as far as Helga and Alfred were concerned. Having their daughter potentially keep a Scandinavian surname was something to be happy about. Having her find a man after the years of heartache and isolation was more joy than most parents get to experience. Kirstin was so thrilled about her sister's man she could hardly stand it. Yet, Gary could sense a tension that lingered. He deduced that she was still afraid it was too good to be true. On a Friday night three months later, Kirstin's eardrum was nearly shattered by a shriek from Karina on the phone. Kirstin's tension was definitely shattered by the news of her sister's engagement. When she hung up the phone after that call, Kirstin literally dragged Gary to bed. Since their reconciliation, Gary could not have imagined any better sex, but Kirstin showed him he really had no idea. The release of her guilt and her tension translated into pure libido, and he finally understood the expression 'fucked his brains out.' When the kids' mid-morning pleas for breakfast finally got them out of bed, they wandered through the day in a fog, only to rerun the passions again that night. ------- Gary and Sig stood together at the company picnic, not quite sure whether to hide from embarrassment or strut with pride. Their wives were doing a more than adequate impression of the Swedish Bikini Team. Karina had acquired an outfit identical to her sister's, and had with great difficulty worked up the courage to wear it. Once over her initial shyness, she joined Kirstin as the undeniable main attraction of the picnic. The sisters were not purposely doing anything suggestive, but a beautiful woman who is obviously happy is just naturally sexy. Even the wary wives could not hold a grudge after meeting them, which practically all of them did. Gary had pointed out the men who had been hardest on him about her weight, and she made it a special point to meet and greet those families. Both sisters and their fast friend Tracy and taken their exercise and weight reduction very seriously. Kirstin looked the best of her life, even better than her High School days. A lot had happened since Gary's surreal week of punishment and renewal. As an act of personal penance, he had joined Kirstin in volunteering at the battered women's shelter. After a single shift, it was no longer penance, but something that gave him more satisfaction than he could ever have expected. A judicious re-mortgage of their home allowed them to create a very nice apartment in the walkout level. It had been occupied almost non-stop since its completion. Gary took it as his personal mission to show their guests that there really were good, caring men. He freely told the story of his own period as an abuser, and showed by his actions that it was in the past. Karina and Sig had insisted on Kirstin and Gary joining them for the last three days of their honeymoon in Mexico. The resort had a separate nude beach area, which Karina could not work up the nerve to visit. When Kirstin and Gary stayed on for some time of their own after the newlyweds left, they tried the nude beach once. Somewhat to his surprise, she did not want to go back again. She explained that baring herself to strangers was more disturbing than satisfying. Appreciation of her body from someone she knew and cared about was wonderful, but the lust of strangers was not. Skinny-dipping in their hot tub with good friends was all the nudity she was interested in from then on. For Gary, his wife's remarks lifted a lot of guilt. It was his fault she had so desperately sought acceptance of her body. He was the one who had ridiculed her and made her feel so unappealing she was willing to parade naked for scraps of approval. Finally, she was secure enough with her looks that extreme measures were no longer necessary. His shame over having done that to her would always be remembered, but it no longer posed a threat to their future. ------- The End ------- Posted: 2004-05-12 Last Modified: 2004-05-16 / 12:00:00 am ------- http://storiesonline.net/ -------