4. Lewis and Clark
By Gavin Trevain

K rips open the envelope as soon as she bursts through the door.

It is addressed simply 'K' and has obviously been hand-delivered.  Inside is
something that has been generated on a laser printer.  It reads: "This coupon
entitles the bearer to one romantic evening including dinner a deux.  Saturday.
6:00 p.m.  Semi-formal."

K smiles as she picks up the telephone and dials a number.

"Hello!" the baritone booms.

"Hello yourself!"

"Ah!  Your voice sounds familiar, even friendly, but I can't quite place it."

"Perhaps it's a voice from your past and a name you might find in your little
black book."

"Let me check."  The phone goes silent for a moment before the voice returns.
"Non, mademoiselle, I regret there is only one page in my book and, alas, it has
but one name."

"For your sake you better pray it is the right name," she warns.

"Harriet Ernestine Lolita Lalonde."

"Hell is where you'll surely be headed, my fine-feathered friend."

"Actually," he intones, "I've always thought of myself more as a huckleberry
friend."

K laughs as she picks up on his allusion to the song from the famous 1961 movie.
"Well, I'm not really sure if you're quite as good looking as George Peppard to
qualify as a huckleberry friend."

"I didn't realize that that was a prerequisite but I have to admit you're
certainly as pretty as Audrey Hepburn, especially when you're wearing a
sleepmask like she did in the movie."

"But not as petite."

"Petite women have never interested me."

"Before you get into really hot water," she submits, "I'd like you to know that
I've received an unsigned invitation from what I must presume is a secret
admirer."

"Oh!  And what is the admirer inviting you to?"

"Something about a romantic evening with a dinner for two," she advises.
"Should I take him up on it?"

"If it's unsigned, how can you be sure it's a he?"

K chuckles again.  "Boy, you're in big trouble now!"

"That seems to be my middle name."

"Would you have any notion where this romantic dinner is to take place?"

"Wouldn't it me more fun if that were a mystery to the invitee?" he challenges.

K thinks about it for a moment but is still not quite sure what he has in mind.
"Might one presume that the romantic evening includes some activities other than
dinner?"

"One can never tell," he asserts.  "But life is always full of possibilities."

"You're being very mysterious."

"You can just call me 'Hercule.'"

"Or, if you call me 'Betty' I can call you 'Al'!" she nominates.

"If I can be your bodyguard," J laughs, "can I pick you up at six, Betty?"

"I think that will be fine, Jughead."

It takes a while for J to get up off the floor.

***

"My, don't we look divine?" says the well-dressed man at her door.

"Thank you," K glows.  "And you don't look so bad yourself."

"I think the Divine Miss K deserves a divine accretion to her accoutrements," he
promulgates, producing a rose corsage from the hand held behind his back.

"Oh!  It's beautiful J," she oozes.  "Thank you so much!"

"Please put it on, K."

"Is this a special occasion?" she asks, wondering if she's missed something.

"It's always a special occasion when I'm with you."

"Aren't we being charming?"

"Can't help it, I guess," he maintains.  "Besides, this is our first date of the
New Year and I just wanted to get off to a good start."

"You're not doing too badly so far," she affirms.  "I'm glad this is the long
weekend.  I've been looking forward to tonight to get a break from studying."

"Yeah," he agrees.  "Isn't it amazing how quickly you get back into the grind?"

They walk out on to Bay State Road till they get to the lot where J has his
Expedition parked.  J opens the passenger door and gives her a hand up.  After
getting in the other side J puts the key into the ignition but doesn't crank it.

K looks at him quizzically as she sees him reach into his coat pocket.  "In
order to make this date a little more romantic," he states, "I'd like you to
wear a blindfold tonight whenever we're driving somewhere."

"And why is that?" K inquires innocently, trying to keep the quiver out of her
voice.

"I think it will make for a more enjoyable, enigmatic evening if you don't know
where I will be taking you," he posits, placing a square silk scarf fashioned in
a small rectangle onto a much thicker black scarf already folded in a band.

"O.K.," K accedes, as she turns her head toward the passenger window.  She feels
the sensuous silk pad against her eyes as the band of the thicker scarf
surrounds her ears.  K feels the scarf being tied behind her head with a double
knot as she drifts into delightful darkness.

"To make this a little more interesting," J suggests, as he views his
blindfolded companion, "I'd like to see if you can figure out where we are when
we get there."

"Considering how well I know the city, that's going to be extremely
challenging."

K's heart rate is accelerating long before the Expedition exits the lot.  K
finds the experience exciting since this is the first time she has been
blindfolded to go on a date.  She correctly deduces the first main street they
come to but J offers no confirmation of her guess.  After a few minutes K
settles back comfortably and forgets trying to figure out where they are going.
She relaxes and focuses on the music from the CD player that is punctuated by
the occasional small talk J engages in.

J had contemplated Aujourd'hui at the Four Seasons Hotel but felt that would
have been a little too stuffy and imposing for K.  He had debated between
Aquitaine and Truc but decided to leave them open for later dates.  Instead, he
had selected what he felt was the most romantic French restaurant in the city
and made reservations for 6:45.  It would not take that long to get to their
destination which was right in the Back Bay area but he was going to enjoy
driving K around a little while to disorient her.

Eventually J looks at his watch and tries to find some parking between Exeter
and Fairfield streets.  As he parks the vehicle, he leans over and gives her a
soft kiss.

The kiss is totally unexpected and catches K by surprise.  "Hmmm..." she
murmurs, "are we there now?"

"The question is where do you think we are?"

"We're on a street since you haven't driven into a lot."

"Very observant," he teases, "but which part of town do you think we're in?"

"Since you've been driving me around for so long I haven't got a clue.  I can't
tell whether or not you've been driving around in circles.  As a wild guess I'll
say we're somewhere near Kenmore Square."

"Afraid not," he tenders, "but if you had to guess whether we were going to eat
American, Cajun, French or Italian, what would you say?"

"Italian?"

"What would be your second guess?"

"French?" K ventures, only now picking up on the clue in the invitation.

"Oui!"  J kisses her again before untying her blindfold.  The couple heads into
Chanterelle Bistro, a cozy concern on Newbury Street.

"I love it!" K remarks as she enters the small establishment down from street
level that seems to have a warm feeling generated by the oak paneling and soft
yellow lighting.

"I'm glad you like it," J voices.  "It's very quiet and comfortable and there
are not too many tables."

They take their time making their choices as J explains some of the menu items.
J orders in French, which surprises K.  "You seem to speak French fluently," she
observes.

"Oh!  Didn't I tell you that I took a couple of semesters in Paris?"

"No," she states, "but I can see that your education has paid off handsomely."

"Thank you," he accepts graciously, not bothering to go into the details.
Suffice to say his continental education had not been limited solely to the
halls of academia or exclusively to intellectual pursuits.  He had no plans to
ever tell K but, over the course of time, she would be enriched by his erudition
through his edification.

K drinks in the ambience as her gaze wanders to the Impressionist prints that
decorate this tiny bistro.  "This is definitely a very romantic restaurant, J,"
she enthuses, as she sips her French wine.  "Is Chanterelle a place or someone's
name?"

"As far as I know," J responds, "I think it just means 'mushroom.'"

"It definitely sounds a lot nicer in French."

"Speaking of languages, how are things in the College of Communication?"

"You're very astute to think about film as a language and I do agree that every
form of artistic expression has its own language," K propounds.  "It's hard work
but I do enjoy film so much."

"Any thoughts yet about what you'd like to do when you graduate this spring?"

"The collaborative aspect of film-making really intrigues me," K effervesces,
"because you have to draw on the artistic and technical talents of so many
people.  I think editing appeals to me the most because it holds a challenge for
me."

"I've known from the beginning that you're a people person," J compliments her.
"In fact, as a 'TF' person, I would have pictured you more in a care-giving
career."

"What's a 'TF' person?"

"Touchy-feely - someone who cares about people."

"I would probably classify you the same way," K reciprocates, "so I'd like to
know why you want to head for the rat race with an MBA."

J pauses as their first course of potages arrives.  "I was originally bent on
medicine but I found that I liked the details of administration a lot.  Since
B.U. has one of the few MBA programs with a health care management specialty I
chose to come here."

"So how come you didn't pick that as your major?"

"I think I have a good head for business just like my dad," J reflects, "and as
I progressed, I think I found that I had a flair for marketing."

"I'd have to agree that you are pretty persuasive," promulgates K as she sips
her soup.

"Not to mention, charming as well?" J entreats.

"You do have the occasional moment," K chides, "especially when you're not full
of yourself."

"Ouch!  That hurts," whimpers J, as he feigns a stab to his heart.

"Actually, this would qualify as one of those moments," K assuages, delighting
in their conversation which she finds is private as the tables are not clustered
together.

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself," J remarks, as their salads are served.

"This is good!" K states as she samples her spinach salad.

J savors the mild vinaigrette on the leaves of his salade d'epinards as well,
before moving on to the red peppers and potato cubes.  "What I like about this
place is that it serves good French food without going overboard trying to be
fanciful."

"I have to agree with you so far," K says, as she swallows the sautéed
saprophytes.

Eventually their entrees emerge and prove equally appetizing.  K had chosen the
crepes forestieres, the name implying that the fungi were foraged by foresters.
J had selected the tournedos au poivre, which consisted of two medallions of
filet cooked rare and topped with a mass of Dijon mustard.

"Ooh!  This is delicious," K bubbles as she chomps on the sautéed chicken in the
rich mushroom sauce.

The conversation continues cordially, as J likes the zing that the mustard adds
to his steak.  They talk about their dreams and aspirations; both fully engaged
and open with each other, oblivious to the low jazz and other prattle permeating
the place.  They also pause a moment to reflect on the dreams of another man - a
man recognized by Link magazine of India as one of the sixteen world leaders who
contributed most to the advancement of freedom in 1959.

"I hope you've saved enough room for your chocolate crème brulee," J remarks as
he views his crepes maison smothered in a scrumptious raspberry sauce.

"I think you might have to carry me out of here when I'm done," K entreats.

"Me and which army?"  The remark almost results in a pitched fork.

***
Back in the van J fingers the fabric as he gazes at K.  "Si'l vous plait, K?"

"Since you said it so nicely to me, oui."  K surrenders once again to the
blackness of the blindfold and wonders what lies ahead.  She knows she can trust
J and finds that being blindfolded turns what might have been just an ordinary
drive into a thrilling adventure.  After a while K realizes they must be on a
highway as they are encountering fewer traffic lights.  Without any visual cues
K finds it is impossible to tell in which direction they are headed.  She loses
track of time and once again gets lost in the music.  She is suddenly startled
by a soft kiss on her lips.

"Are we there?" K inquires.

"Not yet.  It's just a red light but I couldn't resist your lips."

K smiles to herself but says nothing.  Even the red traffic light does not
penetrate her thick blindfold.  She discerns that they seem to be going slower
and that they are probably nearing their destination.

J notices the pay lot nearby but drives around a little past Bristol Street and
is rewarded by an open spot.  "Guess where?" he asks after planting a lingering
smack on her mouth.

K has no idea and is tempted to say Brookline but changes her mind.
"Cambridge?"

J is flabbergasted.  "Have you been peeking?"

"You mean I'm right?"  K utters, genuinely surprised.

"Well I'm very impressed," J remarks.  "How did you figure it out?"

"Blindfold Blizzard Bunnies do not divulge their marvelous, magical, mystical
methods."  It is a totally lucky guess but she isn't going to admit that to J.
Even though she can't see the look on his face she knows he is freaking out.

"Any guess as to what we're going to do here?"

"Are we going to the library to study?"

"Not likely."

"Ice-skating?"

"Last guess."

"Ice-fishing or maybe a late movie?"

"Wrong on all counts so you'll have to give me three really good kisses before I
remove your blindfold."

"It's a dirty job but I suppose someone has to do it," K states as she removes
her seatbelt and searches for his mouth.  K feels the warmth of his embrace and
the softness of his lips as she kisses him deeply.  She kisses him again, a
little less intensely.  Opening a little wider for the third smooch she engages
in the dueling tongues or 'Zorro' kiss.

J enjoys the parry and thrust of the last osculation before untying the scarf.
"Beaux yeux," he whispers, as he gazes at her.

"Meaning?"

"I just said you had beautiful eyes.  It can also mean facial beauty."

"Merci!" K says shyly.

The couple saunters into Kendall Café Alehouse & Grill on Cardinal Madeiros
Avenue.  After they take their seats and order some refreshments, K notices that
it seems a lot quieter than most rock clubs.  For one thing there are only about
forty people in the room, which doesn't look like it can hold too many more.
For another, the live band does not appear to sound too loud.

Almost as if reading her mind J volunteers, "They don't allow large amplifiers
or bass drums here."

"How come?"

"I think it's because the club is so close to a residential area," J postulates.

"It's a refreshing change," K ponders, "from all those clubs where they turn up
the bass so high they drown out the music."

"Yeah, it's unfortunate that they do that at some rock shows, too.  A while back
I walked out of a Bryan Adams concert for just that reason."

"Who did you go with?"

"Probably Harriet," J laughs.

K, seeing that the inquisition is not proceeding too well, turns to other
topics.  She starts to relax even more as the evening progresses and continues
to be disarmed by J whose attention is focused entirely on her.  Enraptured by
his eyes and his low drawl, which showers her like summer rain on a sunshade,
she thirsts for the torridity of his touch.

J gets a touch of the growlies and orders some munchies.  They enjoy the Cajun
salsa and chips and their company.  Shortly after midnight they head out again.

***

In the vehicle K is a little nervous as J reaches for the blindfold.  "So where
are you taking me now?"

"According to the rules, I cannot divulge that information," J remarks
ostentatiously, as he places the padded scarf over her eyes and secures her
blindfold with a double knot.

"No hints?" queries K, who is now enveloped in darkness again.

"I sense that you're a little apprehensive," J speaks sincerely, "but how have
you enjoyed the date so far?"

"It's been fabulous," K concedes, "so I'm not sure why I'm nervous."

"If you'd like I can remove your blindfold and take you home," J offers, "but
then you will never get to find out where I'm taking you."

"If you were any other guy I'd worry about being taken advantage of."

"I know that is a cause for concern for women everywhere since date rape
constitutes eighty percent of all reported rapes," J comments, "but I think
you've known me long enough to know that I wouldn't force you to do anything
that you were uncomfortable with."

"I do trust you, J," K says, "and I believe you wouldn't intentionally hurt me."

"So are you O.K. with continuing on the mystery date?"

"Yeah," she responds.  "It was just a twinge of uncertainty but it's gone now.
I'm having a great evening with you and I don't want you to take my blindfold
off, at least not until you're ready."

J leans over to kiss her tenderly.  "Are you sure?"

K smiles, feeling reassured.  "I'm sure.  It's tremendously exciting not knowing
where you are taking me."

"Hold that thought," J advises, as he cranks up the 5.4 liter SEFI Triton V-8.

They drive a long time and once again K loosens up.  She imagines that they must
be in the heart of the city, as they seem to be stopping more frequently.

After several turns K notices that they are turning and slowing down.  She feels
a blast of cool January air on her left cheek and hears a mechanical whirring
sound.  She hears a click and then notices the absence of wind against her face.
She senses the car turning slowly in circles.  She feels the SUV is going up and
correctly deduces that they are in a parking structure.  The brief tinge of
panic returns but only for an instant and then it is gone.  Finally, the vehicle
pulls to a stop and she feels the icy blast again, this time on both cheeks.
She waits for J to turn off the engine but he doesn't.

"You've brought me to some sort of garage and I'm guessing we might be
downtown."

"Close enough on the location and absolutely correct about the edifice."

"But I have no idea why," K utters, realizing he has made no move to untie her
blindfold.

"We're here to do something 'en plein air' as the French might say."

"Does that mean what it sounds like in English?" K asks.

"In the open air is what it translates to," J agrees.

"Do I have to be blindfolded to do whatever it is we're going to do?" K
inquires.

"You can be but I'm going to take off your blindfold as soon as I help you out."

K hears his door open and slam before yelling, "Don't leave me this way!"  She
hears the passenger door open and feels his strong hands swing her legs around
for her to step onto the running board.  She toddles uncertainly on to what she
guesses must be asphalt or concrete under her feet.  Suddenly she feels his arms
around her and his lips on hers as she capitulates to a lingering kiss.  K
blinks as her blindfold is removed.

"Ordinarily, one wouldn't think that the roof of a parking lot is the least bit
romantic," J explains, "but I have brought you here to have just one dance."

"Well," ponders K, as she stands before him under the sky, "we are alone, at
least for now, and I never would have guessed a dance was what you had in mind."

J reenters the sports utility and flips to a slow dance number on the 6-disc CD
changer, cranking up the volume.  They dance a single slow dance ending with an
exhausting kiss that takes K's breath away.

K smiles at him longingly.  "This is unbelievably romantic."

"I aim to please," J accedes, as he removes the scarves from his pocket.  "It's
almost a shame to have to cover your beaux yeux again, but that is the
arrangement."

K sighs in mock resignation as she submits to the sensuous silken scarves again.
She feels him guiding her as she gingerly steps back into the vehicle and seats
herself.

"Home, James?" she questions, after receiving a soft peck.

"You know better than to ask," he chides.  "Besides, you look so beautiful I
might just keep you blindfolded and drive you around all night."

"Promises, promises!" K teases.

J laughs as he sees her engaging smile.  He is obviously not the only one who is
enjoying this evening.

K ends up being right for the third time as J drives back to his place.

***

In his apartment K starts to unwind some more with the soft music as J lights
some potpourri and apple cinnamon candles.

"I want to thank you, J," she says, "for an incredibly romantic evening.  It's
been better than I imagined it could be."

"Actually," J hesitates a little, "I have an idea for making it a little more
romantic."

"What do you have in mind?" K queries curiously.

"I think we're reaching a point in our relationship when it seems right that we
could get a little more physical."

The obvious thought enters K's mind and she thinks a moment before responding.
"I'm not sure I know what you're thinking but if you're thinking about having
sex, I wouldn't be comfortable with that."

"I would never ever want to have sex with you," J states earnestly.

"Excuse me?"  The shock in her voice is clearly evident.

"If and when our relationship gets to that stage, I would want to make love to
you, passionately and with every fiber of my being.  That's different to me from
having sex.  Since you are very honest I feel I should be honest, too.  I find
you very attractive and I enjoy every moment I spend with you.  I like you a lot
but I'm not in love with you, at least, not right now.  I may be one of the few
exceptions to the rule, but I think two people should be in love before they
make love."

"I'm glad you're being straightforward," she responds, "and since you've brought
up the subject I'd like to be as open and honest as I can, too."

Noticing that she pauses, J interjects, "Go ahead."

"I admire you a lot and I like the way you treat me and take care of me when I'm
with you.  I like you and think you're a great friend.  You seem to be the sort
of person I could see myself falling in love with, though I'm definitely not at
that point."

She pauses again and J waits for her to continue.  "I don't know what your
expectations of this relationship are but I have to say that I believe in
waiting until marriage.  I don't know exactly how to say this but no fungi have
forayed into my forest."

J doubles up at this description.

K gives him a hard look.  "I was being serious."

"I'm not laughing at you," J assures her.  "It was just the way you put it."

"Hey!  It's not easy for me to volunteer that I'm a virgin."

"Since we're being truthful," J deadpans, "my toadstool has traversed the
timberland."

"How many woods has your woody wandered into?" K retorts.

"Woody would tell you how many woods he's wandered into if only he could."

K and J roll on the floor in a convulsion of chortling that continues until
their cheeks are covered in tears.

J rubs his aching jaw before speaking again.  "I was going to suggest that we
play a game that I invented called 'Lewis and Clark.'"

"Do you mean 'Lois and Clark?'"

"I'm sorry to disappoint you but I don't have any tights in my closet."

"And you're not faster than a speeding bullet?"

"I'm not which makes you a lucky girl," J chuckles.  "I was referring to
Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, who set out explore the west in 1804."

"If I remember my American history correctly didn't they actually form the Corps
of Discovery in 1803?"

"Yes, Thomas Jefferson did get Congress to approve the Corps in 1803, and the
group did travel from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Fort Mandan, North Dakota that
year.  However, the group that made the expedition from Fort Mandan to Fort
Clatsop, Oregon is generally thought of as the Permanent Party."

"So it wasn't the same group on both phases of the expedition?"

"At Fort Mandan, two members of the initial group, Moses Reed and John Newman,
were dropped for desertion and mutiny.  Newman also received a hundred lashes on
his bare back.  Fortunately, two French-Canadian fur traders, Jean Baptiste
LePage and Toussaint Charbonneau were added as interpreters."

"Wasn't there also a woman in the party?"

"Maybe you're thinking of Sacagawea, the Shoshone Indian wife of Charbonneau
who, at the age of sixteen, was carrying a child on her back during the
journey."

"Is this the person on a postage stamp?"

"Our country honored this remarkable woman with her likeness on a stamp in 1994,
and she was one of the people depicted on the Lewis and Clark Expedition stamp
issued forty years earlier."

"Why was she remarkable?" K queries.

"She was kidnapped by the rival Hidatsa tribe in North Dakota and afterwards
sold to Charbonneau.  When she joined the expedition she acted not only as an
interpreter and a negotiator but she was also responsible for guiding the group
back through the Rockies."

"History has obviously never given women enough credit," K opines, "and men's
sense of direction hasn't improved much either."

"You've got that right," J laughs.  "What is even more noteworthy is her courage
and her indomitable spirit that took her from the status of a slave to an equal.
Clark was quite fond of her and even named a river in her honor and a rock
column (Pomp's Tower) near the Yellowstone River after her son."

"Isn't there a lot of controversy about her life after the expedition?"

"If you believe Clark she died when she was around my age, 25, but if you
believe the Shoshone spoken tradition she lived to be 96."

"I'd like to believe the Native version."

"I would, too, and since we know now that Clark was wrong when he wrote that
Patrick Gass was dead, I hope that he was also wrong about Sacagawea's death."

"So what does all this have to do with your game?" K asks.

"I digressed again, didn't I?"

"Uh, huh," she nods.  "But you always delight me with your dissertations."

"Well, our game has to do with exploration, also," J announces.

K listens to his explanation.  "To begin with, turn off all the lights."

J returns with the room now lit only by candlelight.  "I assume you'd like to
play."

"There is another condition."

"What would that be?" J inquires.

"I think that the map of the expedition needs to be charted.  Assuming that
one's head is Michigan and one's feet are the Keys, then exploration tonight
must be limited to north of Tennessee.  Just as Lewis and Clark marked their map
'Unknown', Tennessee will remain unknown until I marry."

"So if I've got this right," J states, picturing the map in his head, "Michigan,
Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky are suitable for exploration.  What about
states south of Tennessee?"

"Only north of Tennessee tonight," K affirms, "although travel to Florida may be
possible, and even welcome, at another time.  Marching into Mississippi, Alabama
and Georgia must always be treated with extreme caution.  Do you accept this
condition, William?"

"Yes, Meriwether, I do."

"Where is the equipment for the expedition, Mr. Clark?"

"Right here, Mr., I mean, Miss Lewis," says J, returning quickly after
retrieving something from the foyer.

K enters a world of darkness as the same blindfold is applied to her eyes for a
fifth time.  She smiles as she looks forward to the game.  She has been dying to
get physically closer to J all evening and now she has the opportunity.  "Do you
want to get undressed or do you want me to do it?"

"It's the prerogative of the lady."

K extends her hands in front of her, reaching for the lapels of his coat.  She
walks behind him and pulls the coat off, placing it neatly folded on the couch.
She reaches for the knot of his tie and pulls it down a little before undoing
the loop.  Her fingers search for the neck button of his lightly starched dress
shirt.  Slowly she undoes the other six buttons on his torso.  She is about to
pull off his shirt when she remembers his cuffs.  She can't remember if his
shirt had French cuffs.  Her fingers trail down his arms to his wrists and she
discovers that he has links on tonight.  Deliberately, she pops each link and
places the tie and links on the coat.  Returning to J, she wanders behind him
and pulls off his shirt, which she folds in two and also deposits on the couch.

"Your fifteen minutes starts now," J advises.  "Remember, no lip kissing and no
talking."

K begins by placing her hands on his cheeks and feels the outline and texture of
his face.  She toys with the hair of his sideburns and moves her fingers on the
hair above his ears to the hair behind his head.  With her fingers facing
towards her, she moves them upward through his hair to the top of his head.  At
the top of his head she makes a teepee with her fingertips and gently trails the
fingertips of each hand down to his ears.  She continues with this motion until
she explores the entire surface of his scalp.

She brings her hands down slowly, sensuously to the back of his neck, over his
shoulders, down his arms and forearms till she reaches his hands.  She takes his
left hand with both of hers and massages it the same way that he had done to her
early that Christmas morning.  After a couple of minutes she moves her attention
to his right hand.

Now, a little more adventurously, she places her palms on his abdomen, impressed
with the smoothness and firmness of his muscle tone.  She presses more firmly
with the surface of each hand and moves each in an upward motion, arcing in
opposing directions.  Gingerly she explores his chest with her hands and
discovers that he does not appear to have any hair.  She moves closer to him,
her arms encircling his body in a hug, as her lips search for his nipples.  She
grasps his left nipple tenderly with her lips before washing it with her tongue.
She gives his right nipple the same treatment.

K moves behind him running her palms in an upward motion across the surface of
his back.  She enjoys the solidness and silkiness of the touch.  She moves
closer to him as her hands explore his pectoral area again.  She bends down till
her chin touches his belt.  She kisses his spine and then trails her tongue
upward.  She kisses his neck using only her lips, while her hands wander
aimlessly across his midsection.  She joins her hands to clasp him firmly as her
tongue hunts for and finds his left lobe.  Her tongue darts like that of a
chameleon's against his outer ear.  Still holding her body firmly against his
she seeks his right ear and gives it the same attention.

She moves around to face him again and draws her face to his belly.  She uses
her lips and tongue around his navel as her fingernails leave marks on his back.
Her face moves upward, alternating with her lips and tongue until she reaches
his neck.  Grasping his biceps firmly, her lips land feather-soft kisses on his
neck and trek toward his cheek.

"Time," announces J.  "As much as I'd like you to go on, I think it's my turn to
explore."

K hears him step behind her and feels the knots of her blindfold being untied.
She takes the scarf and pad combination from J, smoothes out the band and steps
behind him.  For the first time in her life, she blindfolds J.

"Can you see anything?" she asks as she steps in front of him.

"Not a thing," J responds honestly.

She admires the sight of his upper body before asking, "Would you like me to
undress?"

"I'd like to try myself," J replies.

"Before you do serious damage to me, let me take off the corsage first."

This sounds like a good idea to J.  He senses her standing in front of him again
and moves his hands forward until he is touching her.  He edges closer until his
fingers find the zipper of her ruby red dress.  He pulls the zipper down and
without too much difficulty lifts the dress over her head and places it on the
couch.  The challenge he has now is to determine whether she is wearing a front
clasp bra.  He guesses to himself and walks behind her, his hands finding the
middle of her back.  Inserting his fingers between the band he is rewarded by
finding the hooks and he undoes her brassiere.  He moves the straps over each of
her shoulders, releasing her breasts.  He nonchalantly tosses the undergarment
toward the couch. It surprises K that it gets to its destination.

"I guess your fifteen minutes begins now," K whispers tautly.

J remains silent as he stands behind her, his right arm draped over her
midsection as his left hand caresses her neck and left shoulder.  He uses his
left hand to move her long hair aside as he expels his warm breath on the back
of her neck.  He moves both hands to the back of her neck and firmly massages
her shoulders for a couple of minutes.  He applies medium firm pressure to her
upper back, reducing the pressure as he reaches the waistband of her pantyhose.
Then he turns his attention to each of her arms, kneading them firmly and
reducing the pressure as his hands move toward each wrist.  Simultaneously he
massages each hand, using only the pressure of his thumbs, first on the palms
and then on the backs of her hands.

Moving closer, he encircles her with his arms and begins kissing her neck using
only his lips.  His hands gently cup her full breasts as his tongue joins the
fray on K's neck.  The backs of his hands crisscross her bosom as his mouth
kisses her shoulder blades.  Tenderly his hands traverse her belly as he plants
butter-soft kisses on her shoulders.

Holding her waist he orients himself so he is facing K.  He kneels in front of
her clasping her right hand as he takes each finger and bathes it with his
mouth.  He does not ignore her left hand as he gives it the same treatment.

J draws himself up and bends his head forward until the top of his head touches
her belly.  His hands caress her back in wide arcs as his hair travels upward
from her navel to brush the underside of her breasts.  His hair continues to
sweep her breasts in a zigzag motion.  Firmly grasping her lower back, his
tongue searches for her boobs.  His tongue twirls torridly around her right
nipple before traveling to her left one.  Eventually, he takes her left nipple
in his mouth and performs a suction kiss, returning to give its partner the same
consideration.  His hands gently caress her back as his lips languidly form
circles on each of her opulent orbs.

"Time!" K whispers breathlessly.

"I guess it's on to Phase II," J announces.  "But could I get a sip of Coke
first?"

K complies, as she takes a sip of her own drink.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it," K responds.  "And, since you're already blindfolded, I get
to be the explorer this time."

K stands and stares at J, suddenly feeling emboldened.  Since J can't see her, K
realizes this phase of the game adds an element of surprise for the person being
explored.  She uses her hands on his back and her mouth on his belly, gently at
first.  Then she steps back a little and does not touch him for a few seconds.
She notices the lines of his body that she examines without embarrassment or
self-consciousness.  She darts her hands, alternately to his chest and back and
then alters the firmness of her touch.

She pauses again and then experiments to see if it is true that most men have
very little feeling in their nipples.  She uses her tongue to wash each nipple
before gently biting his left one.  She receives her answer as she notices that
J flinches slightly.  Undaunted, she uses the same pressure on his right nipple.

K steps around him and throws her hair forward lashing his bare back.  Using her
fingers she trails the ends of her tresses delicately over the back of his neck
and shoulders, and continues to sweep the entire surface of his back.  She forms
a loop of hair over one of his wrists, gliding the loop up to his elbow.  She
repeats the process with his other hand.  She uses her teeth to gently nibble
his neck and shoulders.

She moves around to face him again and uses her eyelashes to butterfly kiss his
cheeks.  Her fingernails graze his chest to his belt before moving to his back.
She lip kisses him gently from his neck to his belly button.  She inserts her
tongue into his navel, presumably to remove any lint.  She massages his neck and
shoulders as she mouth kisses his pectoral region.  She alternates between her
fingernails and fingertips on his back as her tongue dances on his neck and
chin.

"Time!" K announces as they both catch their breaths.  K moves behind J to untie
his blindfold.

J turns around to look at K, who feels a trace of embarrassment at having her
half-naked body exposed to him for the first time.  It passes quickly as she
sees the reverence in J's eyes as she hands him the blindfold.  J blindfolds her
again and becomes aware of the change in her breathing.

Encased again in the lightlessness of the blindfold, K finds she is not as
self-conscious.  Now it is her turn to experience the sensation of surprise and
mystery, as she will not be aware of when and where she will be caressed and
kissed.

J takes his time drinking in the stunning silhouette of her voluptuous body.  He
notices the purple bikini panties under her nightshade pantyhose, the curvature
of her womanly hips and her sumptuous spheres, a sight more beautiful than he
had imagined.

Robustly he steps forward, bending his knees slightly so that the first part of
their bodies to touch is their nipples.  He embraces her in a bear hug crushing
her breasts against his chest and feels the air discharge from her lungs.  His
hands take the ends of her hair and trail them along the nape of her neck as his
lips softly kiss her cheeks.

He takes her right hand in his as he starts kissing it with his lips, moving up
to her shoulder.  He does the same with her left hand before his tongue moves to
her belly button.  His tongue traces circles around her navel as his hands
soothe her lower back.

He steps behind her and pauses before massaging her shoulders and neck.  He
traces her back with his fingertips and finds five tension knots, memorizing the
location of each one.  Using only the thumb of his right hand he presses firmly
for seven seconds against each one before releasing.  He repeats the fingertip
feel to find two large knots still remain.  Seeing they are near bone, he uses
the pressure of four fingers in an oval orbit to relieve the tension.  He
tenderly traces the arch of her spine four times with a single finger,
alternating between upward and downward motions.  He grasps her shoulders firmly
as he smothers her neck with soft kisses.  His tongue languidly laps her lobes
while his hands caress her bust.

Moving around to face her again he sweeps his palms across her belly toward her
navel.  He continues with gliding, arcing strokes over her chest to her neck.
His lips move to her breasts as his fingernails scrape her back.  His tongue
tenderly laps her nipples, which rise to meet it.  He pauses before blowing on
each one and taking it with his lips.  Kissing her breasts again leaves no doubt
in his mind that K does not fall into the fifty percent of women who experience
minimal sensation in their mammary glands.

Finally he draws K very close and kisses her warmly on her lips.  "That ends our
game, K, and I want to thank you for playing.  But I don't want our date to end
just yet.  If you don't mind, I'd like you to leave your blindfold on a little
longer."

Catching her breath, K consents, "I don't mind."  She allows J to lead her and
seat her on the couch.

J puts his arms around her and kisses her passionately.  "I just want to say
that you are more beautiful than I imagined."

"My butt is too big," she protests.  "Besides, I bet you say that to all the
girls."

"Don't put yourself down," he admonishes, "because you are beautiful both on the
inside and outside."

"Charmer!" K exclaims, as she snuggles into the crook of his shoulder.

"I meant it," J states genuinely.  "And I hope you enjoyed our game."

"Very much," K admits, thinking that this has been such a sensual, enjoyable and
exciting exercise to get physically and emotionally closer.  "I'm sure those
guys would have enjoyed it, too."

"Who?"

"Lewis and Clark."

************************************************************************

Author's Note:

Readers of this story may make a copy for their personal use.  The author's
permission is required for any other use or dissemination of this story in any
form, any such use acknowledging me as the author of the work.  Author's E-mail
address: trevain@home.com
************************************************************************
A Tale of Three Cities  Trevain  (1999-03-24)