Remember Me?

"That's understandable," I said.

I didn't expect Linda to continue, but after a short pause, she said, "Eddie Fucking Clayton. Excuse the language, but you've got no idea what he did to me."

"No idea," I said, shaking my head, and Linda went on with, "We got married when we were twenty-four. Then, thirteen years later, he left me for another man!"

I felt my face falling, and I said, "Oh my God!"

I could see from the look on Linda's face that she was surprised at my response, and she looked at me like I was some kind of dickhead, mocking her by over-reacting to her misfortune. She shook her head, and began to look irritated, but I said, "You're not going to believe this, but Wendy left me for a woman. I think I know just how you feel."

Linda shook her head again, and said, with a kind of wondering amazement, "So, you do know what it's like." Her eyes widened, and she stiffened in her seat, and said, "Gutted, you feel gutted, don't you?"

"That's the word," I said, "That's the exact word for how I felt, too."

"And you wonder," Linda said, almost like she was reciting something that had gone through her mind many times, "You wonder if it was something you did, if you made them change. If you're lacking in something. If it was your fault."

"I know," I said, surprised that Linda was almost quoting, word for word, thoughts that had gone through my own head over the past months. She was now turned in her chair, facing me, and I aw all kinds of emotions on her face, all at once, anger, pain, shame, sympathy for me, all kinds of expressions, and she reached over with her right hand, placing it on the cuff of my left sleeve on the table, resting it there, and she looked at my face, shaking her head, and said, "I can't believe it's happened to you, too. It must be something in the water." She smiled, ruefully, and added. "We had two kids, and thirteen years, and he leaves me for a bloke!" She looked at her hand, resting on my sleeve, and took it way abruptly, like she had momentarily forgotten herself, but I was silent for a moment, thinking of the times Eddie Clayton had called me a "poofter" and a "queer" when we were at school. What a prick! I thought.

"Anyway," Linda said, patting the table for emphasis, "Forget them. We're here to enjoy ourselves. I've hardly been out for months, so Eddie's not going to spoil it for me tonight." By now, the DJ had started to play some music, and a few couples were already dancing. He had put on a slow song, and Linda looked over towards the dance floor, and after a moment's thoughtful pause, she said, "Do you, umm, dance, Kevin?"

"A little," I said, and I have to admit the thought of holding this pretty lady in my arms was rather appealing, but before I answered, Linda said, with a slightly playful note in her voice, "So, I don't suppose a dance is out of the question, then?"

"I would like that very much," I answered, smiling, because I just couldn't help it. We got up and went to the floor, and we started to slow-dance to the music. Linda's curvy body felt good in my arms, but I maintained the correct stance, not wanting to take any liberties. After a few moments, Linda said, "You dance pretty well."

"I took lessons," I said, looking into her pretty eyes, "When Wendy and I first got married, we took dancing lessons together. You know what it's like. We couldn't keep our hands off each other, so it was a good excuse to maul each other in public."

"Are you serious?" Linda asked, like she thought I was pulling her leg.

"Only half," I said, and then, because it was true, I added, "You dance pretty well yourself. Have you had lessons?"

"I used to teach dancing," Linda answered, with a hint of pride, "It was the second job I ever had, when I was twenty-two." Her smile was now happy, and for a brief moment, I had a lump in my throat, as I slow-danced with such an elegant, pretty and stylish woman, someone I could truthfully claim to have known since kindergarten, but had never really known at all. We danced for two songs, and by now we had moved around on the floor, to the doors leading onto the balcony, and Linda looked out and said, "Do you want to go outside? Maybe get some air?"

"Come on," I said, and we walked onto the balcony, with Linda on my right, and we looked over towards our old school, two hundred yards up the street.

"You can see the school from up here," Linda said, looking over. She went quiet for a moment and said, "Twenty years is a long time."

"Tell me about it," I said, keeping my tone light. We were both leaning on the balcony, and Linda moved closer and turned so she was now resting with her back against the railing, looking at me.

"I was a bitch to you at school, wasn't I?" she said, a little more serious.

I didn't answer, and Linda smiled, and said, "Come on, Kevin, you can say it. I was, wasn't I?"

"That was along time ago," I said, shrugging my shoulders, "We were all just kids back then."

"I know," she continued, "But I was still a bitch. And then when I got over myself a bit towards the end, and tried to talk to you, I couldn't get a conversation out of you." I was surprised she even remembered, but she went on again, with, "I guess I couldn't blame you."

"Well, I'm talking to you now," I said, smiling at her, enjoying the moment with her, even if she was just going over long-forgotten crap from the past. Linda tilted her head, and looked me up and down, and said, "Do you want to dance again?"

"I like the sound of that," I said, and I turned towards the door to go back inside, but Linda took my left hand in her right hand, and stopped me. "No. Out here," she said, her smile now slightly mischievous, "Let's do it out here. I like it out here."

We took each other in the waltzing position on the balcony, and we began dancing to the music playing inside. Once again, I thought to myself that I could have missed out on this if I had stayed away, as I had first planned, but Linda interrupted my thoughts as we danced.

"We're a pair of tragics, aren't we?" Linda said, but her tone didn't sound tragic. She looked up at me for my response.

"Depends how you look at it," I said, but I added, "But, yeah, it is pretty sad." Somehow my tone didn't match what I was saying, either.

"Eddie was always a handful," Linda said, staring into space as we danced, "but when I married him, I thought I could change him."

"And did you?" I asked, looking down at her.

"Well, considering he turned gay on me," Linda started, and she pulled a face like a little kid waiting for a balloon to pop, and added, "I hope not," finishing with a quick giggle.

"I doubt if it was you," I said, and I wasn't sure if I should continue, but I added, "Look at your reflection in the window over there," and I turned her gently, so she could see herself reflected in the double glass doors leading into the function room, and I said, "Somehow, I just don't think someone like you could turn a guy off women." Linda smiled at me, but she didn't answer straight away.

"You know how I said you hadn't changed much?" she asked. I nodded, and answered, "Yeah," as I smiled back at her.

"Well, you have changed," she started, as we kept on dancing to the music coming from inside the function room, "I hardly knew you at school, and I was just a nasty bitch, anyway, but then in Year 12, I'd hear you talking to your friends a couple of times, and I realised you sounded like a funny, interesting kind of guy." She looked up at me, and went on with, "I tried to talk to you, but you wouldn't talk to me." She swallowed, and continued with, "I guess I knew it was my fault for being such a turd in the first place, and then when we finished school, I never saw you again."

Linda pulled me in a little closer, holding me a little tighter, still dancing, and she said, "And then, twenty years later, you pop up out of nowhere, and you're tall, and you've got style, and confidence, and you're dressed in a smart suit, and it turns out you really are this smart, funny, interesting kind of guy."

"Come on," I said, unable to keep from smiling, "You're giving me a big head."

Linda relaxed her right arm, still swaying with the music, and pulled me in even closer. I felt my desire for this pretty woman rising inside me, and she said, "I haven't held a man in my arms for nearly a year." I had no answer for that, so she went on with, "Where are you staying at the moment?"

"Here in the hotel," I said. The thought that this could end with me taking her back to my room crossed my mind, but I dismissed it as wishful thinking.

"That's not far away," she said, now smiling, looking me in the eyes again. She looked down at the ground for a moment, and then back up at me, and she said, "Do you think you'd like to show me what your room looks like?"

"I could describe it for you," I said, and I moved my left hand to her back, so we were now holding each other, just standing in the half light of the balcony, as the music played inside, and I couldn't believe this was happening.

"I think I should see it first hand," Linda said, with a mischievous look on her face.

"I don't think I could describe it properly anyway," I answered, "so that might be a better idea."

Linda reached up, and put her right hand behind my head, pulling me towards her and kissing me on the mouth. Her kiss was warm and gentle, and it was certainly sexy, but it was also brief. It was more than enough to make me want more, and after breaking the kiss, she sighed, and in a breathy voice, she said, "I haven't done that for a long time, either." She kissed me again, holding the kiss a little longer this time, and then she said, "You've got me so I don't know if I'm trying to seduce you, or if you've already seduced me, Kevin," and she paused to swallow, and said, "but if you're any kind of gentleman, I think now would be a good time for you to take me to your room."

I still couldn't believe this was happening, but Linda and I walked back into the function room, to the bar, where I bought a bottle of champagne, and asked for two glasses. As Linda and I were leaving the function room, with the champagne in my hand, my friend Warren caught my eye from across the room, and he looked at Linda and shook his head at me in disbelief. We walked past the reception desk, and down the hall to my room, talking quietly, and smiling at the things we said to each other.

We found my room, and I unlocked the door and let Linda walk in ahead of me. She put her handbag on the side table, and took the champagne from me, without speaking, and she placed it, along with the glasses, on the table as well. She turned to face me, and leaned back with her hands against the table behind her, and for a few exciting moments, I looked at her, standing there, looking beautiful in that red dress, with her strawberry blonde hair, framing her lovely face, smiling, waiting for me to make a move. A lump came to my throat, as I took in what I saw, and as much as I wanted this woman, and as much as she had triggered a yearning desire in me, I was savouring that incredible moment.

"What are you looking at?" Linda said, smiling because she knew anyway.

"You and I are old enough to say what we think," I started, "so I'll tell you what I'm looking at. I'm looking at you, because you are absolutely beautiful, and I can't believe this is happening."

"Come on," Linda smiled, "now you're giving me a big head."

"No," I said, my voice reflecting the dryness of my throat, "Your head is perfect." I had to swallow before I could speak again.

"So," Linda said, cocking her head, with that amazing, mischievous, girlish smile of hers, "Are you disrobing me with your eyes?" It was as though she would be happy for me to do just that.

"Not yet," I answered, "You look so good with your clothes on, I haven't got that far. I like the idea of undressing you, though." Linda walked the few steps across to room to me, and placed her arms around my waist, holding my gaze, and she said, "Well, I'll need to be within arm's reach for that, won't I?"

I put my arms around Linda's shoulders, pulling her to me, kissing her, hot and hard on the mouth, holding the kiss, as the excitement washed through me, and as we broke the kiss, she reached behind herself, and moved my right hand to the zipper on her dress. Very gently, I unzipped her dress, feeling it loosen around her, and I placed the palm of my right hand on the smooth skin on the small of her back.

Linda responded by kissing me again, without speaking, and this time her tongue ventured forth a little, tentatively exploring my mouth. She broke the kiss, and I felt her warm breath on my face, as she sighed gently, and the very taste of her breath excited me even more. "Can we go and sit on the bed?" she whispered.

"Okay," I said, smiling, feeling a sense of wonder that fate had given me this moment.

"I'm a little self-conscious about taking off my dress," Linda said, "I'm not twenty years old any more, if you know what I mean." I wanted to tell her how beautiful her body was, and how it wouldn't matter to me if she wasn't perfect without her clothes on, but I didn't think she'd want to hear that. "Would you like me to look the other way?" I asked.

"What are you trying to do to me?" Linda giggled, "Don't you think I want you enough as it is?" She shook her head playfully, and said, "And now you want to show me you're caring and considerate as well? That's not fair. You'll have me writing your name all over my pencil case like a sixteen year old if this keeps up."

"What if you just turn your back to me?" I suggested, "Although I really don't think you've got anything to be ashamed of under that dress." I looked down at her creamy, smooth breasts, and back at her eyes.

Linda started to walk backwards towards the bed, with her arms around my waist, pulling me with her, making eye contact, and as her loosened dress fell slightly at the front, I saw she had a red lace bra underneath. "I've thrown myself at you shamelessly tonight," she said, quietly, "and you're still making me feel special. Are you always like this?"

"What you see is what you get," I said.

"And I like what I see," Linda answered. "So, I think you should help me get undressed, so I can take you to bed for a while." She pulled my face down for another soft and sexy kiss, and she said, "But you better be careful 'cause after we finish, I might drug you and hide you in my basement, so I can keep you all to myself."

"Have you got a basement?" I asked.

"No, that's where the plan falls down," she answered, "but I'm good at improvising, so watch out," and then she added, "Now, can you help me out with this dress?"

Very gently, I peeled Linda's dress away from her shoulders, and slipped it down at the front, exposing her red lace bra again. Her breasts were not large, but round and beautifully shaped, and her skin was smooth and fair. She stepped out of her dress, and placed it neatly on a chair beside the bed, slipped off her panty hose, and then she turned to look at me, standing now in just her red lace bra and matching bikini pants. I could see no reason for her to be ashamed of her unclothed body, because her curvy figure was still remarkably tidy, with only a few faint stretchmarks from bearing her children. I could also tell, though, that Linda felt a little uncomfortable standing there, practically naked, in front of me, and in a quiet voice, I said, "I'm glad you let me see you like that," as she looked up to make eye contact, "because you look so beautiful, I'm getting a lump in my throat."

"Have I given you any other lumps I should know about?" she asked, with that playful note in her voice again.

"We'll get to that," I replied, as she began to slip my jacket off. "You're starting to look a little overdressed," she said, and she placed my jacket neatly on the back of the chair as well. "If we go back to the reunion, we don't want them seeing our clothes all wrinkly, and getting ideas about what we've been up to," she said, as she smoothed out my jacket.

"Let 'em talk," I said, watching her, and then letting her remove my tie and unbutton my shirt, "I haven't seen any of them for twenty years, anyway."

"But I've got to live here," Linda replied, as she placed my shirt on the chair as well.

She turned back to me, and I took her by the shoulders and kissed her pretty mouth again, and as I broke the kiss, I said, "It's none of their business anyway."

With her face close to mine, Linda said, "And speaking of business, you and I have something to attend to." She lifted back the covers and slipped underneath, pulling them back over herself, and she said, "Are you going to join me?" I walked around to the opposite side of the bed and slipped off my trousers, before climbing in the bed, on Linda's left.

For a brief moment, I felt that butterflies in the stomach feeling, as Linda and I turned to face each other. Then, for one or two long seconds, we looked at each other, without speaking, as though we were each waiting for the other to make a move. Linda giggled, and "We've come this far, and suddenly I don't know what to do next. I must be out of practice." I slipped my right arm under her left shoulder, and rolled her over onto myself, as I lay on my back, so she was now lying half on top of me, on my right side. Our faces were close, and I said, "We're probably both a little out of practice, so we'll just have to feel our way through, won't we?"

"My two girls are sleeping over at my sister's place, so I'm a free agent, all night," Linda whispered, and she bit her lip for a moment, and swallowed, and then said, "And I like the idea of feeling our way round." With another girlish giggle, she said, "What would you like to feel first?"

I slipped my right hand around behind her, to unclip her bra, but after a couple of futile fumbles, Linda whispered in my right ear, "What is it with men and bra's?" and she reached around with her own right hand, and unclipped it in one movement. She raised her eyebrows at me, in triumph, as her bra loosened at the front, and I slipped her right arm out of her bra strap. Linda lifted herself a little, to allow me to slip her sexy red lace bra right off, and I tossed it on the floor to my left. For a moment or two, I took in the sight of her rounded, creamy, smooth-skinned breasts, with their light pink nipples and areola, and I gently moved my left hand under her, to fondle her right nipple with my thumb.

Linda looked at what I was doing, and said nothing for a moment, but as I gently stroked her nipple, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and kissed me, long, and deep, and she sighed the words, "I'm sensitive there, and that is so nice." She moved herself to a better position, and kissed me, with an open mouth this time, accompanied by some gentle, but incredibly sexy tongue action, as I gently fondled her nipple, and I brought my right hand around to caress the small of her back. Linda brought her right leg over, between my legs, so our pelvises were pressed together, even though she still had her panties on and, and I was still wearing my underpants, and as my rampant cock pressed against her right hip, she said, with our mouths almost touching, "And I'm not the only one getting excited."

I continued to gently caress Linda's nipple with my left thumb, and I moved my right hand down to her bottom, caressing her there through her lace panties, as she kissed me passionately on the mouth. I moved my hand a little further down, to the crotch of her panties, and I felt the warmth from her pussy through the material. Linda broke the hot, sexy kiss and whispered, "Let me take them off."