Courtship by Proxy

"I'll be hiding behind the Ficus tree in the lobby while you do that," she groaned.

"How would you like to rent a tandem bike and ride between the piers instead of walking?" Kyle asked her.

They were sitting at one of the outside tables at Charley's Chili people watching and finishing their coffee.

"That would depend on who was in front and who was in back," she said.

"You would have to be in front of course. Do you think I would miss the opportunity to stare at your beautiful behind as you peddled me down the boardwalk?"

She slapped his arm and said, "I knew it! You want to be in back so I won't be able to see if you're helping with the peddling. Plus, what about my desire to stare at your hunky behind?"

"Marriage is all about compromise I hear. How about if you steer one direction and then we'll switch and I'll be in front on the way back?"

"No way. You're not going to put me in a position to watch nothing but your gorgeous butt right before we have to get into a car to go visit our mothers. I can pretty much guarantee that sitting behind you, thinking of your body as the bicycle seat further stimulates me will cause me to have at least one orgasm. I'd rather get those out of the way early so I have a chance to recover."

Kyle almost choked on his coffee and Karen didn't understand his reaction until she saw their server standing behind her chair listening to her. Kyle didn't know which of the women turned a brighter shade of red.

Karen stood up, took Kyle's hand and started walking towards one of the bike rentals.

"You could have told me that someone was standing behind me," she pouted.

"I never had a chance," he apologized. "And I was taught not to interrupt another person while they are talking."

"You just ought to be really glad that I love you Kyle Mason. It seems like all I have done since we became engaged is embarrass myself."

"Think of them as 'humbling' life experiences," he told her.

"You loving me after all I did to us is humbling enough for me. The rest is just embarrassing. Come on, let's go ride a bike and see if I can manage not to do anything else along the way."

Karen was able to restrain herself until they had almost reached the Balboa pier, but once there she had to excuse herself to visit the restroom and dry things off. Taking the lead seat on the return trip, she barely touched the seat, trying to stand as much as possible as she peddled. Kyle didn't mind because the view this afforded him was very pleasing.

While returning the bike rental Kyle asked her, "Have you ever tried a 'tractor seat' on a bike?"

"No," she said. "Why, what's that?"

"It's a larger, broader seat similar to the kind found on tractors. It allows for greater comfort over longer periods of riding time and is most often found on beach cruiser bikes and things like that. I'll see if I can spot one and point it out to you. You might find it less stimulating because your weight would be distributed more to your butt and outer thighs."

"That might help if my stimulation was purely physical, it won't impact my wanton and continuous desire for your body. Any suggestions there?"

"My preferred therapy would be prolonged desensitizing exercises. Let's go see our mothers and then I'll demonstrate my therapeutic techniques."

"Okay, but if I claim to stub my toe in the presence of our mothers, work with me," she giggled.

Driving to the neighborhood where their mothers both still lived, Kyle asked Karen which house they should target first.

"Let's go to mine, and then ask your mom to come over and join us there. It will be easier to tell them all at the same time."

"Works for me," he said.

Within a few minutes he had parked in front of Karen's aunt and mom's house. Kyle called his mom from his cell phone and asked her to come over and join him and Karen for an announcement. Kyle and Karen had barely gotten out of the car when his mom ran between her house and the neighbor's, beating them to the door easily.

Karen's aunt and mom were surprised by Kyle's mom suddenly appearing at their door, but even more surprised to see Karen and Kyle walking up the drive.

"What a wonderful surprise," said Karen's mom. "It's good to see you both together after all these years. I didn't think we would ever get you two to visit us at the same time. I assume we owe this honor to you both being in town for your class reunion?"

Karen hugged her mom and aunt and then hugged Kyle's mom as well. Kyle did the same, and when all the pleasantries were completed Karen asked them all to take seats in the living room. She and Kyle had agreed to avoid any physical contact that might give away the intimacy that they now shared, and Karen kept her left hand in her pocket, even during the hugs.

When everyone but her and Kyle were seated, Karen got a serious look on her face and said, "Mom, Aunt Kelly, Mrs. Mason – I want to ask all of you a big favor." Kyle stood to the side with a blank expression on his face.

"Anything Karen," her mom replied and her aunt and Kyle's mom nodded their agreement.

"Well, I know it's going to be a real burden, but I don't know who else to turn to," Karen faked a sob.

Her mom started to stand but Karen motioned for her to remain seated. "I might as well just spit it out and get it over with." She stepped over next to Kyle and he placed his arm around her.

"Would you all please help me plan my wedding?" She held up her engagement ring for them to see and flew into Kyle's arms as the two mothers and one aunt sat in stunned silence.

Kyle's mom was the first to speak. "Kyle Mason, if I could I would ground you for a year. Just yesterday you were trying to convince me that there was no hope for you and Karen and now you pull this. I hope you are cursed with a son just like you."

Kyle and Karen both laughed. Karen's mom and aunt seemed to find their legs at the same time when they jumped in unison to embrace Kyle and Karen as a couple.

"So tell us about the proposal!" her aunt said.

Karen proceeded to tell them all how Kyle had reserved the entire outer deck at the Orange Hill restaurant, providing the most romantic setting she could imagine and then how he got down on one knee and proposed.

Tears were flowing freely from all the women when Kyle interrupted them. "Karen, you better tell them the bad news."

Gasps came from the three women. "What bad news?" Kyle's mother asked.

"Karen looked at Kyle then turned and answered the question, "Uncle Mike has offered, and Kyle and I would like to accept, a White House wedding."

"Oh if he wasn't President I swear I would shoot that man," Kyle's mom said. Everyone else burst out in laughter

"We know it will be inconvenient for everyone to travel to DC, but weigh that against the hassle of having the Secret Service taking over your plans for the wedding if it was held anywhere else," Karen told them. "Plus you'll have an entire staff of White House social secretaries at you service to make all the arrangements we decide upon."

"Do you have a date in mind?" Karen's mom asked.

Karen blushed and said, "The sooner the better, unless you want your grandchild conceived out of wedlock."

"Well, that answers that," her aunt added with a chuckle. "Are you going back to Virginia on Sunday or will you be staying longer now?"

"Kyle and I will figure things out, but we'll both probably return to Virginia within a week or two to get me packed and ready to relocate out here. This brings up another favor we need to ask of you all. Kyle's apartment doesn't allow animals so we were hoping that we could leave Flipper with you until we find a new home."

"He can stay with me," Kyle's mom offered.

"No, he can stay here," countered Karen's mom.

"What did I tell you?" Karen whispered in Kyle's ear.

"We would really like to stay longer," Karen said, "but the reunion is tonight and Kyle and I wanted to drive around some neighborhoods we are considering for a future home. Can you all join us for dinner tomorrow night and we can discuss the wedding further?"

"Why don't you and Kyle come over to my house for dinner tomorrow and we can all eat there?" offered his mom.

"On one condition," Karen said. "You have to let me make your tuna casserole for Kyle. I was going to make it for him earlier this week but our plans got changed."

"Was that Wednesday's dinner?" he asked her.

She smiled and nodded.

"I'll make certain that I have everything needed for the recipe," his mom agreed.

Karen was out of her clothes and crawling under the fresh linens on their bed before Kyle had finished removing his shoes.

"You are nothing if not enthusiastic," he teased her.

"There are better uses for your mouth right now than speaking, so get with it hunk."

Kyle didn't require further coaxing. He joined her in the bed and immediately dove his face between her legs to taste and smell the arousal she had been hinting of all morning. He began his desensitizing therapy by continuously bringing her to the verge of an orgasm with his mouth, and then backing off until she had calmed down, whereupon he would start over with his ministrations. After almost an hour of 'therapy', he sensed that she was ready to erupt, and expected that her orgasm would entail her once again squirting, so he picked her up, carried her into the bathroom and set her on the vanity counter. Kneeling before her, he allowed her to finally achieve her release.

"Wow," he said when he went to move back from her. "Your juices sure made the floor slippery. You should wait there until I can clean this up some."

"Oh I'm not going anywhere for a while," she said with a grin. She sat on the counter with her back against the mirror the palms of her feet planted on either side of her hips at the edge. Arrayed around her were various bottles and lotions from her toiletry bag that had become scattered when Kyle set her on the counter.

"Make sure that you have solid footing though, because you're going to need it." Kyle was pushing a hand towel around the floor with his foot when he saw her hold up a small clear bottle of personal lubricant. "This seems like the perfect position for me to complete my defloration process. All I need is a willing partner," she teased.

"I think you're right," she said. "Relaxation is the key."

"Hey, I was perfectly relaxed," Kyle said.

"Good," she countered. "Let me go buy a cucumber and we'll see how long you stay relaxed."

"Touché," he laughed.

She snuggled up next to him under the sheets. "We can snooze for a couple of hours before we have to go down to the reunion."

"I don't have a ticket," reminded her.

"Of course you do," she said. "I bought yours the same time I bought mine. I told you I was going to get you, and had planned this weekend as the culmination of my mission. I couldn't attend our reunion and announce our love to the world with you standing out in the hallway."

"One more thing for me to add to the description of my 'ideal' woman – 'persistence'."

"I trusted that you loved me and never wavered in my faith that if I could get myself whole, I would eventually get you. That we could have 'us'," she said. "In fact, I was so confident that I purposely avoided visiting places in this world or doing things that I knew I would want to share only with you. The first time I kissed a man was when you kissed me as Cammy. I've visited New York City dozens of times, but I've resisted doing things like going to the top of the Empire State Building or the Statue of Liberty until I could go there with you. The same is true of Paris and the Eiffel Tower, all the sights of Rome and so much more. Please start sharing life with me by accompanying me to our reunion."

"Karen, I have always loved you. My challenge over the years has been where to compartmentalize my love because I was never allowed to express it."

"I promise that you will never ever lack for opportunities to express your love for me again," she said as she kissed his ear. "And I promise that you will never ever doubt my love for you either."

"Do you want me to set an alarm?" he asked.

"Probably a good idea," she agreed. "How about setting it for 5:30pm?"

"Done," he said.

"Couldn't you find anything besides 'granny panties'?" Kyle asked as they both dressed.

Karen smiled at him over her shoulder and said, "I would prefer not to wear anything under my skirt, but then I know that I would be leaving droplets of my arousal all over the ballroom floor. As it is, I'm probably going to have to change before the evening is halfway over. The sight of you in those sexy tight slacks is going to make every woman there tonight moist, and I have the added pleasure of the image of you in those black satin boxers, so cut me a break."

"Just so I understand," he teases, "you buy me clothes that you say heighten your arousal, and as my reward, I get to see you wearing underwear suitable for my matron aunts? This is fair how?"

"I haven't seen where my persistent arousal has been viewed as detrimental by you so far," she said. "Don't you like being the beneficiary of the arousal that you cause in me?"

"You know full well that your arousal arouses me, which is another reason I need to 'thank' you for the tightness of these slacks. It looks to be an uncomfortable night for me."

"I'm sorry," she said with a grin, "but I've never had to buy slacks with consideration for such things. I'll try to do better in the future. You just remember that while I want us to act distant at first that is not a green light for you to entice any other women or make them think that you are available. Got it?"

"I had already planned to explain that the reason I was at the reunion stag, but not interested in any women was because I was gay. Will that work for you?"

"Well, that story would validate the reason that I used to give girls as to why they shouldn't date you in high school," she said straight faced.

"You used to tell them that I was gay so they wouldn't date me?" he asked with shock on his face.

"Gotcha," she giggled. "No, I usually just told them that if they dated you that they had better be able to hold their breath under water longer than I could. That generally did the trick."

Kyle chuckled and finished buttoning his shirt. "So how long will you keep 'us' a secret tonight?

"Only until dinner. I will be standing beside you from the moment we arrive, just not touching you..."

"Just like in high school," he said in a melancholy tone.

Karen ran to him, buried her face in his chest and said, "I regret the opportunities I lost for us more than you'll ever know Kyle. I never fooled anyone by the way I treated you except myself."

Kyle hugged her tight and said, "Okay, so what happens at dinner?"

"You and I will be seated next to each other, and when the Master of Ceremonies asks if anyone wants to make a toast, I will stand and proclaim my eternal and everlasting love for you and announce our engagement."

"If that's how you want to handle things, I'll go along," he said.

"Do you have another idea on how you would want to announce it?" she asked.

"I could get on one knee and propose to you again in front of or whole class," he offered.

Karen shook her head and said, "No thanks. I like the memory of your proposal just the way it is." Looking him up and down she said, "You look amazing."

"So do you," he told her. "Are you ready to go?"

"I was," she said. "Now you'll need to give me a minute while I change my underwear..."

Ten minutes later they were picking up their name badges from the reception table in the foyer outside the ballroom. Kyle dutifully followed behind Karen as she moved through the room receiving warm greetings from everyone who saw her. Kyle was greeted as an afterthought by most people who saw him as Karen's escort for the evening and nothing more. Karen had the strap of her small purse wrapped around the fingers of her left hand, both to hide her ring from view, but also as an excuse not to use her left arm for returning the hugs bestowed upon her.

Kyle asked Karen if she would like anything to drink. She looked up at him, and Kyle thought for a moment that she was going to tell him, "I can get it myself", but instead she just nodded to him with a smile. "Whatever you're having will be fine with me. Thanks Kyle."

A couple standing near them witnessed this exchange and Kyle noticed some raised eyebrows. Apparently Karen's past treatment of him had been observed by more than just him, and her new attitude towards him was a surprise to some. This must be why Karen wanted her toast at dinner so badly. She wanted everyone to understand why she had treated Kyle the way she had, and to show their love had persevered in spite of it.

As people began finding seats at the tables for dinner, Karen headed for their spots and allowed Kyle to pull her chair out for her to sit. This action also drew the attention of several people in the room, and Kyle could hear mumbled conversations popping up at other tables. Kyle took his seat beside Karen and was just greeting the other people at their table when Karen made to stand up.

Kyle quickly stood and pulled her chair out for her asking, "Is everything alright?"

"Everything's fine Kyle. I'll be right back."

Karen walked to the podium where Bob Montrose was stationed as the Master of Ceremonies for the evening and was preparing his remarks for the dinner portion of the event. Karen handed something to Bob, kissed him of the cheek and returned to the table beside Kyle. Holding her chair for her once more, he waited for Karen to be seated and then resumed his position beside her.

Bob Montrose tapped the microphone on the podium to get everyone's attention. "Greetings fellow classmates, and thank all of you for joining us tonight. We will have a more formal program with games, opportunities for you all to share favorite memories, and of course song dedications and dancing after dinner. I would like to start our meal period by asking if anyone has a toast that they would like to share with everyone before dinner is served."

Before anyone else could attempt a response, Bob said "Yes, Karen Mayes please lead us in a toast of your choosing."

Kyle rose and pulled out Karen's chair so that she could stand. As she stood, he started to sit back down, but she grabbed his hand and stopped him. Holding his right hand in her left she raised her beer and began her toast.

"I would like to propose a toast to friendship. Friendship is what brings us all here tonight, and it is what made high school bearable for most of us. I was luckier than anyone else in high school, because I had the friendship of one boy, Kyle Mason, even when I did everything possible to push him away. I was not his friend, and shortly I will explain why, but as you can see here tonight, my friend never gave up on me."

She turned to Kyle and kissed Kyle on the lips. As the applause from their classmates subsided, Karen continued, "I think most of you in high school realized the fact that I tried to hide and ignore, which was that Kyle was everything to me. To all of you wonderful men who flattered me with your attention and sought dates with me during high school, I want to apologize once more for my rejection of your offers. There was never anything wrong with you, except that you weren't Kyle Mason. To all you women who sought Kyle's attention only to encounter my very real and serious threats of drowning or other bodily harm if you persisted, the situation hasn't changed," she said with a smile. "In fact it has only gotten more dangerous for you."