CHAPTER – 22: Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner

Back at Kathy’s the girls were chatting quietly, and keeping an eye on the TV. Mark sat next to her, and pulled her in a cuddle. When I sat next to Sarah, she moved in, nestled against my body, and pulled my arm around her shoulders, letting me hold her.

“Something coming up on TV?” asked Mark.

“Tennis, in a few minutes,” Kathy answered.

Turning to me he asked, “Do you also play?”

From the discreet signal he sent, I knew he wanted me to move the subject to dinner plans for tonight after that innocent question about tennis.

“I used to. Not anymore, although I try to watch the Grand Slam tournaments as much as possible. Kathy is the player in the family. Say, Mark. Since the girls are being good, why don’t we take them out tonight to some place nice? And, it’s been awhile since I have seen Sarah, so...”

“Sure. What do you think girls?”

Kathy was the first to answer, “So, you two decided to really pamper us? That’s good, but we shouldn’t be too late. I have to start early tomorrow.”

Sarah agreed with Kathy, while she smiled at me and squeezed my hand.

“Where would you like to go?” I asked Sarah, but before she could answer, I directed another question to Mark. “Hey, Mark. Since you’re a salesman, you must know some nifty places to take your clients. Any suggestions for a good place where we can take the ladies?”

“There are several,” he replied with a grin. “I think we all visited a few of them, but Kathy knows most of them. Maybe we should let the girls talk about it and decide. How about it, Kathy?”

“Oohhh! What did we do to deserve this treatment?” Kathy cooed.

“Just being you,” Mark replied, coming up with the right kind of answer.

When Sarah looked expectantly at me. I responded, “As the man said. Just being you and the friend you are.”

After exchanging a look, Sarah let Kathy make the decision, and when Kathy voiced her first choice, Mark said, “Yes, it’s a great place. We visited it once, and I don’t remember if Sarah was there.”

When Sarah nodded in the negative, Kathy told Sarah it was an exclusive Italian restaurant, and explained their specialties.

Sarah agreed with Kathy’s choice, and didn’t hesitate to tease Kathy. “Sure, I love Italian. I hope you won’t have to spend several days on the court trying to burn off the calories.”

With a nonchalant tone, Kathy replied, “That won’t be a problem. I’m sure Mark would find ways for me to burn those calories.”

“Girls, come on. You don’t want to start that, do you?” Mark tried to interfere.

“No we don’t. Not until later,” quipped Sarah, but finished it with a little yelp when I playfully pinched one of her tight buns.

Now that the decision was made, Mark went to the phone to make reservations for dinner. While he was on the phone, the sports channel switched to the tennis game they had announced. When the names of the players were mentioned I didn’t recognize them, but my sister’s exclamation indicated she knew at least one of them.

When I directed a quizzical look at her, she said, “Oh, you’ll like this one. He’s an upcoming American player, and he’s amazing. Apart from being very entertaining. I think, in a few years he’ll really shake up the big names in the Grand Slam tournaments.”

I didn’t know at the time, but her words would prove to be prophetic. As she said, a few years later he won the Wimbledon title in a long and fiercely contested match.

“But, he’s not a serve-volley player. A baseline player,” she remarked pointedly.

“Baseline player? And you think he’ll shake up the big names?” I asked, receiving a nod, and a knowing smile.

I wasn’t convinced, but she seemed too sure that the player was good, perhaps too good. I was a serve-volley guy when I used to play, and most of the big names I managed to catch on the TV in the last several years were, more or less, serve-volley guys. If you had a good serve and were fast on your feet to get to the net, you could end the point quickly, without getting into a long rally from the baseline. The serve-volley game was fast paced, and more suited for a fast surface like grass, and it was exciting and saved energy and time.

After watching half an hour, I had to agree with her, grudgingly. The American player was unlike any baseline player I had seen. Not only did he have a powerful forehand with lots of topspin, but his backhand was also powerful, and deadly accurate. The other player was no slouch either. With a very fast and accurate first serve, fast on his feet, the guy was on the net immediately, and I was expecting him to put a lot of pressure on the American player. The most amazing part was that the American managed to return all those first serves as fast as he received them. His control of the racket was unbelievable, and he managed to put pressure on the serve-volley player, forcing him to make mistakes, and stealing the initiative.

By the time he was leading 5–3 in the first set, it became obvious that he would steal the match. I could see from his body language how unconcerned he was and how confident he looked. A few minutes later, he pulled a cross-court forehand shot that left me speechless; well, all of us speechless. Mark was the only one to collect himself and comment.

“Did you see how he ripped that shot?” he exclaimed, after letting out a low whistle.

By then, we were watching the slow motion replay action, which made it more spectacular. From the way the commentators were talking excitedly, it was obvious even they were impressed, and that was saying something, as they get to watch so many very good players and very good shots.

The American was caught a few feet inside the baseline, known as no-mans-land, a dangerous place to be, especially if your opponent goes for a very deep return. In this case, his opponent did go for the deep shot, and from the trajectory of the ball it was easy to see that it would land maybe a few inches inside the baseline. Normally, if you were quick enough, you’d backtrack as fast as you could, and try to return the ball after the bounce. Instead of that, this guy took two quick steps towards the ball, and caught it on his racket before it hit the court, as if he was playing a half-volley at the net. But, it was unlike any half-volley. It was a half-volley topspin forehand shot from almost the baseline, and he ripped it cross-court to the corner, scoring an amazing point.

That shot is probably going to make the ‘shot-of-the-day’ selection.

“What did you say his name was?” I asked Kathy.

“Andre Agassi. Now, do you believe what I said?” she asked with a satisfied smile on her face.

“Sure, Sis. If he plays like that, he’s going to give many players fits. I’ve never seen such racket control before. Well, not like that. I mean, come on. How many players could pull a topspin half-volley from just inside the baseline, and with such accuracy? His opponent has a good first serve, and yet, the ball returns as fast if not faster.”

“Exactly. He just needs to get seasoned in the Grand Slam tournaments, and you have a winner.”

The ringing of the telephone interrupted our conversation. With an annoyed expression, Kathy got up to answer the phone. Because the volume of the TV was set high, I didn’t get who was calling her. When she saw me looking at her, she motioned me to the phone, calling out “Dana.” After exchanging a few more words, Kathy put the handset down on the small table, while I made my way to the phone.

Picking up the handset, I greeted her. “Hi, Dana. How are you?”

“Fine, Mitch. How are you?”

“I’m OK.”

Suddenly, I felt guilty. I had been with another woman, Sarah. Now, Sarah knew who was calling me. On the other hand, Dana had no idea. I had put the questions I had about cheating, out of my mind, and now, they came back. Taking a deep breath to calm myself, I asked, “Where are you?”

“I’m at the airport. In a short while, I’ll take the shuttle service,” she replied.

“Overnight stay?” I asked.

“Yes, it is. But...”

“But?”

“Reina is here. She’s staying at the same hotel,” she replied.

Damn!

“Look, Dana. I think we can—”

“Mitch, honey? Don’t rush things, OK? I want to see you too, but I’m not going to make things more difficult, especially for the future. We’ve gone over that. You don’t need that kind of complication.”

“I know you mean well, Dana, but—”

She cut me off again. “Honey, I mean it. Let’s try to find a way to get together out of prying eyes. What are you doing tonight?”

That question made me feel more guilty about her and Sarah. As I formulated an answer, my mind came up with its own reply.

Nothing really. I was going to have dinner with Sarah, Kathy and Mark. I was hoping I would get to fuck Sarah’s brains out, and get my own brains fucked out in the process.

It wasn’t just a hope, it was almost a certainty, since Sarah indicated she wanted me to drop her at her place, and spend the night with her. I half turned, casually glancing at the couch where the girls were sitting, and as I expected all of them were watching me. Mark was the only one who wasn’t aware of my relationship with Dana, and he must have thought I was having a casual, friendly relationship with Sarah. I caught a look of surprise on his face, before he put on a neutral expression. Perhaps, there had been also disapproval in his expression. Although it made me more uncomfortable, I was also happy to receive that look. It meant he didn’t fuck around behind his women, which bode well for Kathy’s future with him. And as for me...

“Ummm... Kathy has her boyfriend and best friend here, and we were planning to go out for dinner. I sort of committed myself to it,” I replied, collecting myself.

“That’s all right. I understand. Is there something special going on?” she asked.

“Kind of. Her boyfriend has something arranged,” I replied, with a very low voice, so that the girls wouldn’t hear my end of the conversation.

While I was talking, I had an eye on the girls. They seemed to be discussing something quietly and were explaining something to Mark, too, while glancing at me now and then. It looked like they had caught earlier parts of my conversation, with the volume of the TV turned down.

From my tone of voice, Dana figured some surprise was in the works. She laughed, and said, “I gather that something is a surprise, and is going to have an impact on her.”

“Yes,” I replied, with a laugh.

Kathy called out, interrupting me.

“Just hold on a second, Dana.”

Blocking the mouthpiece with my palm, I looked at Kathy.

“Is Dana in town?” she asked.

When I nodded, she continued, “Why don’t you invite her to dinner with us?”

What? Kathy, are you out of your mind? What about Sarah, your best friend? What about Dana?

From the expression on my face she must have realized what I was thinking, because she said, “I think you should call her back later.”

“About what?” I asked, with an irritated tone, while I glanced at Sarah trying to gauge her reaction. She didn’t seem to be concerned at all, even after Kathy’s suggestion. On the contrary, she seemed to be excited about something, with an expectant look on her face.

“You should invite her,” Sarah said. Her tone was without any reservations except perhaps a trace of excitement. That really surprised me.

What the hell’s going on?

“Mitch, please. For once, listen to me. We’ll talk and you can decide what you want to do. But tell her you’ll call her in a while,” Kathy insisted.

With a sigh, I agreed. While talking to Dana I hadn’t paid attention to what the girls had been discussing, and I was curious what they were up to.

“Dana, something came up. Can I call you back, and where can I call you?”

“You can call me at the hotel,” she said. After a pause, she added, “Maybe I should call you back. I don’t know when I’ll be there, perhaps in half an hour or so. I think it will be easier if I call you. Does that give you enough time?”

“Yeah. It sure does. OK, I’ll wait for your call; otherwise I’ll try you in an hour. Love you,” I said.

“Love you too,” Dana replied, before closing the connection.

Putting the handset down, I started in Kathy’s direction, but she finished what she was telling to Mark and Sarah, and stood up, making her way to me. Pulling me by my arm, she steered us to my room, while Sarah and Mark continued to chat quietly, but animatedly.

In my room, Kathy sat down on the edge of the bed, before patting the spot next to her.

“Mitch, after last night I know it might be awkward to have Dana with us, and with Sarah, but... she was the first one who mentioned we should invite her.”

“Sarah did that?” I blurted out with an incredulous tone.

“Yes, she did. She doesn’t want to keep you from being with your girl because of dinner tonight. She told us what you two had was a casual, friendly thing, which I knew from our talk at the party, but...”

“But?”

“She’s curious about who stole your heart. Understandably so.”

“And you’re not?” I came back.

“I am, too. At first, I was reluctant, but I don’t really see any good reason why Dana shouldn’t join us for dinner tonight.”

“That might cover Sarah,” I replied, still a bit dazed by the revelation. “But what about Dana?”

“You weren’t planning to—”

“Look,” I cut her off quickly. “I wasn’t planning to hide what I did. You know I’m not like that, and these things have a way of catching up with you. I’m not going to risk that. The point is, I was hoping to have a chance to talk to her, and explain myself in private. Now, if she discovers the situation before I come clean... well, it’s not going to be nice at all. And I think, she might sense something is wrong and figure it out.”

“Yes, that might happen, and that’s also what worried me, but... Mitch, you mentioned how you two met, and it’s a very recent thing. Doesn’t that mean you two aren’t committed to each other, yet?”

Shit! That’s the question, isn’t it? Otherwise, why did I take Sarah up on her offer, without trying to resist her charms? I’d never done that before.

“That’s... complicated, Kathy. I can’t really get into that now. How come Sarah is so casual, especially right after last night? I don’t want to hurt her feelings, or Dana’s, and this idea has all the makings of a disaster.”

“Sarah isn’t in love with you, although she’s interested in you. She never tried to steal another girl’s man. And, she cares about friendship very much: mine and yours. As I said, she’s curious about this new girl of yours, and I am too. Look, this might be a bad idea, but I think it’s also a hurdle between you two. How you both handle the situation is going to tell each of you a lot of things about yourselves and your feelings. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a disaster, you know?”

“Maybe not, Kathy. You surprise me. I thought you’d be opposed to the idea, after seeing me involved with somebody. I didn’t think you’d want anything to rock the boat.”

“Bro, I don’t want to rock the boat, but I know Sarah, and I have a gut feeling about Dana. She just might surprise every one of us. Including you.”

“Why do you say that, Kathy?”

“To be blunt, I don’t see why any woman would seek a relationship with you. Not the way you were. I know you had a few casual things, but this is something else. You admitted that she knows your past, something you never talked to me about—No, don’t interrupt me. I’m not trying to make you feel guilty!—The point is, she seems to have accepted you. That puts her on a different plane from others.”

Sarah had more or less said the same thing about Dana, last night, when she was reminding me Kathy was my sister.

“Kathy, I want to see her, but I also want to come clean with her. I need time for that. I can’t rush it.”

“As you wish Mitch, but this is a good chance to get her to know us, and for you to see what she’s made off.”

“Kathy! I don’t need to test her to know who she is. What’s more, I am the guilty party here,” I replied, defensively. Then something else occurred to my mind. “Are you trying to wiggle out information again?”

“No, Mitch. I forgot to tell you. The cease-fire was on as of the moment I stepped in this room. I wasn’t trying anything,” she replied softly. “I wasn’t talking about testing her. You have to admit, this will give her a chance to see who you are and who we are. You two are at a very early stage in your relationship, and this problem is something you should address, now, instead of delaying it for later. Don’t you think? For both of you. Leaving it for later might make things harder.”

Kathy could sometimes be so logical, irrationally logical for a woman, that is. This was one of those times, catching me unprepared. What she said made sense, and... and I knew I had to face the music. Inviting her to dinner might complicate things, but was it going to make any difference if it happened some other time, when I told her? No, I didn’t think so. If Dana was going to get angry with me, she would. If she would get hurt, she would. There was no way I could prevent that.

“You could pick her up from the hotel, and maybe talk with her on the way here, or go someplace for a short while. There’s enough time until dinner,” she suggested, interrupting my train of thoughts.

Picking her up from the hotel was more tricky than she thought. She didn’t know that, but I knew, as well as Dana did. She...—I still couldn’t bring myself to speak her name, because it burned my tongue and lips—Reina was going to be there, and I didn’t want to risk a chance encounter. I was already in hot water up to my neck; there was no reason to make it more difficult than it already was.

“I don’t think that will work,” I said. After Dana’s words on the phone about Reina, I was pretty sure she didn’t want us to be seen by any of her colleagues.

“Why is that?” Kathy asked.

“That question isn’t relevant to my current problems, Kathy,” I replied. I was trying to come up with an answer, but I didn’t have a satisfactory one. What’s more, I didn’t want her looking in certain directions and figuring things out. Hearing my tone, Kathy decided not to pursue the matter further.

“I still think it would be nice to get her to join us tonight,” she said, softly. “Sarah wanted to talk to you. I’ll send her in.”

Damn! That’s what I need!

Well, that’s exactly what I need. Especially, after doing what I did last night and this morning!

Standing up, she held my chin with her hand, and said, “Sarah is a good friend, Mitch. I know that she loves you, but as a friend; you’ve known each other for a long time. And, in her own words, as a lover. I don’t have to remind you that she’s a nice girl. You can’t find a better friend.”

“I know, Kathy,” I replied, with a sigh. “I knew what I was getting myself into. To tell the truth, I don’t regret my decision, as strange as that might sound. I love Dana, but...”

Kathy let out a soft laugh, and said, “I think I know what you mean. After what I heard...”

She left it at that, but her knowing smile was enough. If I were a few years younger, I would have blushed, but still, it wasn’t easy to look into my sister’s eyes, when we both knew that she knew my history with Sarah—old and new. She ran her finger on my jaw, giving me an affectionate smile, before leaving the room.

I sat there thinking about what I should do. A few minutes later, Sarah walked in with a big smile on her face. Sitting next to me, she gave a soft, friendly kiss.

“So, your girl is in town?”

“Yes, she is.”

“Mitch, why don’t you take a rain check on dinner with us tonight, and be with her?”

“I can’t do that, Sarah,” I replied with a sincere tone.

I couldn’t. It wasn’t only because it was impolite to leave Sarah without an escort (especially after all we had shared), but there was also the surprise Mark was planning to spring on Kathy, although that wasn’t my main reason.

“Thank you, Mitch, but you shouldn’t miss out on the fun and being with your girl, and neither should she. You should invite her. I mean it,” she said with a serious tone, and from the sincere look in her eyes, I knew she meant every word she said.

“Sarah, with you there, I’m not going to miss any fun.”

Running her fingers along my arm, she continued. “Kathy mentioned that you want to talk to her, and explain. Knowing you, I should have known you wouldn’t keep it a secret from her. You aren’t that kind of guy. I’m sorry that I put you in this situation. I knew I was borrowing you last night, and I hope she would understand that, when you talk to her,” she said with a concerned tone.

“Sarah, please! You didn’t put me in any situation. I wanted and chose to be with you. I made my decision, not you. You offered us both something that we haven’t had before and I accepted it. I told you before; I will treasure it. I knew what I was getting myself into, so please, don’t talk like that,” I replied.

“I’ll help in any way I can, Mitch. You know that. And... I’m curious about her,” she said. Taking a pause, she urged me again. “Think about it. I think we can all have a great time.”

“Thank you, Sarah. I really don’t know what else to say except thank you... and I love you. I wish...” I said, but couldn’t continue. I really didn’t know what else to say. I had conflicting emotions... about her, and Dana. And, I knew I’ve felt something for her. I loved something in her, and partly, I was feeling guilty. Sarah wasn’t a one-night stand, or a plaything.

“Mitch, come on. Don’t feel guilty about last night. It was great, two friends getting together. I don’t have any regrets.”

“That’s another thing, Sarah. To be honest, I don’t regret it, and I know I would have done it again if I had another chance. Perhaps that’s why I feel guilty. You know you’re not a casual thing. Not like a one-night stand.”

“I know, Mitch,” she replied with a soft smile. “But, we’re friends, and we had friendly fun.”

Pulling her in my arms, I held her in a tight embrace, trying to make her understand what I felt. Kissing my neck, she ran her hands down my back trying to sooth me. For a moment, I wondered if I would have chased after Sarah, if the circumstances had been different. Perhaps I would have. Nobody would go wrong with a girl like her. She had all the qualities I looked for in a woman. Even though I wasn’t in love with her, and loved her differently, I knew she could grow on me, given time. Love could be a quick fire, burning bright and fast before dying a quick death, but friendship was long lasting, sometimes a lifetime. And, we had been friends for a long time...

I wonder what that means for... Dana, and I... and the future?

I didn’t even want to think about what that might mean for Reina and me... or about what we had had then, that summer, a few years ago.

Don’t go there! Not now!

Pulling herself from my embrace, she smiled, and said, “You should invite her, Mitch. We’ll take care of her, and you.”

Standing up she pulled me up to my feet, and hooking her arm in my arm, guided us to the living room. “Let’s join Kathy and Mark.”

Back in the living room, Mark and Kathy were watching the tennis match. I sat down on the couch, feeling confused and a bit stressed. My mind was busy trying to find a way to get to Dana, and talk with her. Sarah sat next to me, but instead of cuddling with me, she kept running her hand on my arm. I saw Mark watching us, but he didn’t have a judgmental expression on his face. On the contrary, he seemed to understand my situation, which led me to believe, Kathy had talked about the situation. He had a sympathetic look in his eyes that I took as a woman–trouble signal, and I returned a quick nod. For a moment I almost resented Kathy, but then realized she wouldn’t really do something that would hurt me, and I knew she would have a good reason for what she did. After all, Mark was her boyfriend, and she probably wanted us to be good friends, as future brothers-in-law.

He broke his silence, and said, “Mitch, don’t worry about the dinner. If your girlfriend joins us, I’m sure they can add an extra chair.”

I thought about what I wanted to do. I didn’t know how to proceed, but I knew I wanted Dana to join us, especially after the short discussion with Kathy. I had the beginnings of a plan floating in my mind...

“I think you can call them up and get them to add another guest to the list, perhaps at a later hour,” I said, coming to a decision.

Sarah squeezed my arm in support, and when I looked at her she smiled. I didn’t have to look at Kathy to know that she was grinning as well. Standing up, I took my cigarettes and walked to the kitchen table, trying to give shape to a plan. Checking my watch I saw that it was just past five o’clock and we had reservations at eight o’clock. We needed another hour.

“Does nine o’clock sound good for everybody?” I asked.

Even though they wanted to have an early night, the girls agreed to the change in plans to accommodate me. Mark went to the phone to make the new arrangements, changing the reservation time and the number of seats. I decided not to wait for Dana’s call but meet her at the hotel.

“I think I’ll go to her hotel. She may not have something suitable for the dinner, so I want to take her shopping before we went to dinner,” I said.

“Mitch, today is Sunday. Only a few shops, if any, will be open, and those will be closing by seven at the latest,” Kathy reminded.

“Damn! I forgot.”

“Do you know her size?” she asked.

“Ummm... She has almost the same build like you, but a bit taller and fuller on the... umm...”

“Upper part?” Kathy responded helpfully, but with a teasing smile.

When I nodded, Kathy turned to Sarah.

“I think I might have something suitable. Compared to Kathy, I have a slightly bigger build. Since I need to dress up, Mark can drive me back and I’ll pick some stuff for your girl, and Kathy will look in her things, as well. While you are getting your girl, we’ll make the arrangements. How about it?” Sarah said, eagerly.

“You sure you don’t mind?”

Laughing, Sarah said, “Why should I? A make over is the best way for girls to get to know each other,” making me laugh as well.

“I’d like to chose something suitable for her. Is she a brunette or a blonde?”

“She’s blonde; honey blonde hair, and blue, azure blue eyes.”

“Wow! She must be a looker, Mitch.”

“Ahh, Sarah. You are a looker, and you know it. Your gray eyes, the color of your hair, the cut...”

“Thank you, Mitch,” she said, before turning to Mark. “Come on, Mark. Let’s get going. You know we women need time to get dressed up.”

With that everybody was on their feet, Kathy going to her bedroom to look for suitable dresses, Mark to get his jacket and car keys, and Sarah to take her coat and purse.

“Thanks you guys,” I said, before heading to my room to take my coat and car keys. I checked my wallet for cash and credit cards, before leaving the house.

 

* * * * *

 

On the way to the hotel, I passed a few shopping malls to see whether there were any open. A few were. If Dana would be at the hotel early enough we could still try to do some shopping. After parking the car in the hotel’s parking space, I checked my watch. It hadn’t been too long since the telephone call, so I went to the reception desk to ask if Dana had arrived. She wasn’t there. Asking for an envelope and paper, I quickly scribbled a few lines to Dana, outlining the general plan and telling her I would be at the car park. I left the message with the desk clerk, after giving him instructions and some cash for his help, and then went out to my car to wait for Dana’s arrival.

About a quarter of an hour later, I saw the shuttle service pull up in front of the hotel, and saw Dana walk into the hotel with the rest of the airline crew. Reina was there, too, and my heart skipped a beat, but for some reason she didn’t affect me as much as she had when I saw her a few days ago, on the airplane. Still, I felt something tug at me, before she disappeared from my view. It was disconcerting to feel it again, and I had mixed-up feelings about her. But, with my more immediate concerns, and the feeling of guilt I had about Sarah, and Dana, I managed to put Reina at the back of my mind, and then lose her in the background noise.

I thought it wouldn’t take Dana long to register at the reception desk, change into something comfortable in her room and come out. If she had received my message, she would show up at the car park in ten minutes, tops. Stepping out of the car, I lit a cigarette, keeping my eyes on the front door of the hotel, but trying not to be seen. To my surprise, Dana walked out earlier than I expected, looking around to locate me. When I took a few steps away from between the cars, she saw me and headed in my direction at a brisk pace. After exchanging a brief kiss, I opened the door and let her in, before walking around to the driver’s side and getting into the car.

We had a more leisurely kiss in the car, but I was feeling a bit uptight, the guilt starting to stir up inside. Squelching it hard, I gave her a smile, and said, “As I wrote in the note, you’re invited to dinner, so I’m taking you shopping, if we can find an open place. If we can’t, Kathy and her friend are making arrangements at Kathy’s place.”

“Am I not imposing?” she asked, a bit breathless from rushing up, and excited about the upcoming dinner plan.

“Nope. You know Kathy wanted to meet you, and you also said you wanted to meet her.”

“Yes, I did, didn’t I? She and her friend don’t mind going to all that hassle?” she asked, then quickly added, “Stupid question. Given your history and what you told me about her, Kathy would have moved mountains to make this night happen.”

She was incredibly insightful, and I couldn’t help but laugh at how correct she had been in her assessment.

“You’re dangerous, Dana. I don’t know if this is a good idea. You and Kathy will be more than a handful for me,” I replied—mentally adding at the end, ‘and Sarah, too!’

“You don’t have to worry about it, Mitch. I think Kathy will have enough on her hands with her boyfriend, if her boyfriend is going to surprise her as much as you’ve implied. And me. Well, I’ll always be a handful for you,” she teased.

“I know. That’s what scares me,” I replied, but even though I was joking, it was how I felt at the moment. I guess, I must have sounded a bit strained and serious than I had intended, because she gave me a quizzical look.

“Let’s get going before the few remaining shops close. We have a reservation at an exclusive restaurant, and I want you dressed up. I’m sorry it’s on such a short notice, but I think Kathy and her friend will be able to help at home also,” I said.

“It’s OK. That will give us girls more chance to get to know each other,” Dana said, making me laugh.

“That’s exactly what the girls said,” I replied, and started the engine.

I drove to one of the big shopping malls that had been open on the way back to the hotel. After parking the car, we walked into the mall, looking for the ladies stores. Luckily there were two big stores still open, and we hurried inside.

“This is my treat, so please enjoy yourself.”

“Thank you, Mitch. It’s nice to be taken out for shopping even if it’s a bit rushed,” she replied softly, and kissed me. Then, with a twinkle in her eyes, she added, “This is not because you’ve done something bad, is it?”

When I heard that quip, I tensed involuntarily. Of course, she was just pulling my leg, but she was right on the target. Well, almost; I would have taken her out for shopping for dinner anyway, whether I had been a bad boy or not. She didn’t miss how I momentarily tensed up, and she knew something wasn’t right. However, she kept calm, and ran her hand on my arm, looking in my eyes.

Gathering myself, I said, “No, I’m doing this because I wanted to do it. The dinner was a last minute thing, and I didn’t think you’d have something with you.”

“I don’t usually carry something with me, unless I know I want to go out. For tonight, I didn’t bring anything with me. I thought if we went out together, it would be to a small, cozy place where I didn’t have to dress up.” She took a long pause, keeping her eyes on my face, then softening her look, she asked, “Is there something else you wanted to tell me?”

She knew me well, and could read me like an open book. When I took a deep breath, she squeezed my arm, trying to reassure me, without knowing for what she was assuring me. I felt my insides pulled in different directions. On one hand, I was moved by her trust, but it also increased the guilt I was having.

“Yes, there is, but can we postpone it to a bit later? I don’t want to spoil this for you. The shopping isn’t about what I’m going to tell you later. This is about wanting to take you shopping and to dinner.”

“Of course, Mitch. If that’s what you want,” she replied with the same gentle tone, without any hesitation.

Maybe this won’t be a total disaster.

In a very short time, she managed to find a dark blue dress that highlighted her blue eyes, and contrasted with her blonde hair. It had a low cut in the front that displayed the top of her breasts, and a long cut on the sides from the hem almost to her hips. It hugged her form, and displayed her legs beautifully when she walked. When she turned and walked, it became apparent she had to buy a G-string or a thong to go with that, or go without any panties, because of the cuts on the side and the way the dress hugged her body. Not only were the panty lines easily discernible, but the panty was visible through the cuts on the sides. When she went to the lingerie section, I used the telephone at the cashier’s desk, and called Kathy to inform her that we were shopping, and would be back home shortly. She asked what color Dana’s dress was, and I told her dark blue. From the way she asked, I knew she was going to inform Sarah, to let her know. I knew most women had this thing about wearing the same colors or styles with other women.

I went to the lingerie section, and Dana asked me to step into the dressing cabin to show what she chose. When I saw what she was wearing, my jaw dropped. She had a tiny thong that didn’t even cover her pubes, just barely her pussy lips. When she turned, I could see a string hiding between her ass cheeks. No bra, nothing else! My penis throbbed at the view. She looked back to see the effect she was having, and laughed when she saw the lump forming in my pants. Turning around she straightened her back a bit more, thrusting out her tits, which were already standing high and proud, full and firm, with little sag. Her nipples were erect. I wasn’t sure if it was from the cold or from getting the reaction she wanted.

“I guess I look OK, then?” she quipped.

“I guess...” I mumbled. Then collecting myself, I said, “More than OK, Dana. You look beautiful. Now, put on the dress, and let’s see how you look.”

“Do I really have to put on the dress? I’m pretty comfortable,” she teased.

“I’m sure you are, but I’m having a little problem here,” I retorted.

Looking at my crotch, she said, “I wouldn’t call it little. You want me to take care of it?” making my cock twitch with her teasing.

“I don’t think the sales girl would look favorably on something like that,” I replied calmly.

“Chicken,” she teased.

“That I am. What’s gotten into you, suddenly?”

“A long time ago, you did,” she came back with a giggle.

“God, you’re such a tease. Come on, woman, put on something and get decent,” I said, and did a hasty retreat.

A few minutes later, she walked out with the dress on and turned and walked back and forth, showing off the dress and her figure. Although the thong had very thin strings—more like dental floss—the dress was form-fitting tight, and they were still noticeable when you looked for panty lines. Dana saw them as well, when she stood in front of the mirror. Looking around to see if there were any people—the sales girl was temporarily away, and we were the only customers—she quickly reached to the side cuts, and pulled the thong down, and stepped out of them. This time the dress looked great. She walked to where I stood, swirling the thong on her finger. When she was a step away, she threw it at my face. I quickly grabbed it and put it into my pocket, trying not to get caught in a compromising situation.

Pulling her to my chest, I whispered, “If you get too excited, there’ll be a big wet spot on the dress. I think you might want to wear the thong.”

“Oh, I think I can handle that problem,” she said with a laugh.

“It’s your ball game,” I retorted.

“Yes, it is. I think I have my balls here,” she came back, while reaching down to my crotch to cup my painful erection.

The arrival of the sales girl, a 20-something, pretty looking brunette with big, hazel eyes, put an end to our tryst. However, Dana wasn’t finished with her teasing.

“Now that you’ve felt me up, can I have my thong, please?” she asked, loud enough that the sales girl heard her.

Reaching in my pocket, I pulled the little piece of cloth, and asked, “You mean this? Sure.”

The girl was trying to give us some space, but she understood what was going on, and had an amused smile on her lips.

At least, she’s open-minded. Must have seen worse things than this.

Dana took the thong, and swirling it on her finger she walked back to the dressing cabin, putting an exaggerated swing to her hips. I couldn’t help but laugh at her antics. I caught the girl checking my crotch discreetly, as she knew Dana was working me up. Giving her an embarrassed smile, I said, “I think we are finished here, but we’ll need shoes.”

“That won’t be a problem, we have a good selection. I’m sure we’ll find something for her,” she said. Then, with a sympathetic look, she asked, “Girlfriend?”

When I nodded, she continued, “She’s beautiful, and looks great in that outfit.” She glanced at my crotch, then said, “I guess you agree with me.”

God, what is it with women today?

“Yes, she’s beautiful,” I replied, without getting embarrassed or trying to hide my more than obvious lump.

Giving another glance at my crotch, she said, “Lucky you. And lucky girl. Not many boyfriends like to go out shopping with their girlfriends.”

We both knew the last comment had nothing to do with why Dana was a lucky girl. However, I decided to play ignorant, and said, “I don’t mind going shopping with her.”

“Well, she seems to know how to shop,” she came back with a knowing expression on her face.

Luckily, Dana came out before the girl could continue on the same subject. I got the impression she seemed to be able to judge customers with whom she could flirt or talk the way she did, and enjoyed doing it. To tell the truth, I didn’t really mind it that much, but it wasn’t something I was accustomed to—complete strangers flirting with me.

“Shoes?” I asked Dana, and got a nod. “The young lady mentioned they might have something for you,” I said nodding in the direction of the sales girl.

When Dana turned to her, the girl gave a friendly smile and said, “If you’ll follow me.”

Dana hooked her arm in my arm and we followed the girl to the shoe section. While we were walking, Dana whispered, “Was she flirting with you or teasing you?”

“I think both. What’s wrong with you women today?” I asked.

Laughing, she said, “It’s a woman thing. She saw how I was working you up, and it probably woke up the predator in her. After all, it’s harmless teasing and fun, and you’re quite a handsome guy. She probably didn’t want to miss out on flirting with you.”

“And you didn’t mind it?” I asked.

“I don’t have a claim on you, Mitch. Not yet anyway. And I’m not the jealous type. I understand harmless fun. Will you get jealous when men start to look? Especially tonight, when I wear that dress?”

“That dress is made to show off a woman, a beautiful woman. No, I’m not the jealous type, but you probably knew that.”

I suspected she would remember our talk about my past and my feelings about Reina, so she probably knew I wasn’t the jealous type. Nodding, she said, “Yes, I knew that. After the shoes, we’re finished here.” Giving me a loving look, she asked, “Can we go someplace and... talk?”

She hadn’t forgotten about my wanting to talk with her. With what happened since we walked into the mall, I realized she had managed to take my mind off from my guilt. In the light of what she said prior to her question, I suspected she was trying to put me at ease, and telling me she would be giving me a chance to explain myself, if I had slipped up in some way. Stopping us in the middle of the shop, I gathered her in my arms and kissed her; first hard, and then softly, trying to let her know how I felt about her, and she responded in kind. I was almost tempted to say ‘Thank you,’ but it wasn’t necessary. We managed to communicate without words. When we turned to follow the sales girl, we saw her watching us.

“You are a lovely couple,” she said, flashing a friendly smile, before turning and guiding us to the shoe section.

Going through their selection, Dana selected a few pairs to try and made her choice. Remembering she had only her purse with her, I asked if she wanted to get some make up material, and perhaps a purse or something, but she declined.

“I don’t really use make up, Mitch, and I don’t need another handbag or purse. I have enough at home; there are already two that I can use with this outfit. You’ve done enough.”

“Come on, Dana. A dress is incomplete without shoes, or handbag, or a purse. I know that much from my outings with Kathy.”

“Oh, my! Your sister taught you well. It’s a wonder other girls haven’t discovered this hidden treasure. I’m not promising anything, but I’ll have a look at what they have here. How about that?”

With a resigned sigh, I nodded my agreement.

“Honey, you’re trying too hard. You don’t need to.”

“Why? I enjoy this, and I enjoy it more when you enjoy yourself.”

“Sorry, honey. I didn’t realize I was depriving you. OK, I’ll take a serious look,” she replied, caressing my cheek fondly.

So, we followed the sales girl to look for a purse to go with the dress. Unfortunately, Dana wasn’t satisfied with what they had, and looking over the limited selection I had to agree with her. After all our purchases the girl was kind enough to give directions to another shop which had a bigger selection. While she was wrapping up our purchases, Dana didn’t hesitate to have a quick friendly chat with her, more like a woman–talk.

“He’s quite a catch, isn’t he?

“Oh, yes. You’re a very lucky girl. I wish my boyfriend was like him.”

“Next time you go shopping, don’t take ‘no’ for an answer, and reward him,” Dana said with a sympathetic tone.

“Reward him?”

“You know, a little bit of fun?” Dana answered, her meaning obvious.

“Oh, that. I’ll definitely try that,” the girl answered with a giggle. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, honey. I think your boyfriend is blind if he doesn’t notice you. You’re beautiful. Remind him of that,” Dana said pleasantly.

“Thank you, but I think you are very beautiful. And with that dress, you are going to turn some heads,” she returned Dana’s compliment.

At that point, I got into the conversation. “I hope not, otherwise I’ll have to call for protection,” I quipped.

Giving me a flashing look, Dana said, “Behave! I was just trying to impress the young lady, and you go and spoil it with something like that.”

Before I could defend myself, the girl laughed and replied, “Oh, you don’t have to on my account. I’m impressed. By both of you.”

When she finished wrapping our purchases, I paid, thanking her for her time and assistance.

“Have a great time,” she responded.

We left the shop in search of the store to buy a purse for Dana. After walking past several shops, we saw the one the sales girl mentioned, and walked in. With the assistance of the clerk, Dana found a small purse to her liking. At the cashier’s desk, I asked the clerk where we could get something to drink, and he gave directions to a small café at the southern entrance to the mall. After I paid, we walked to the cafe. Although I was calm, my heart was beating fast with each step of the way. Despite Dana’s efforts, I worried about her reaction when I told her what I did.

 

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