Interlude (4 page)

“Allow me.” Karen said in a joking, snooty
accent. She grasped the side of the tub and stepped out, the soapy
water running down her body in bubbly little rivulets. Cal reached
out to caress her naked thigh as she stood up. Returning with the
opener, she struggled with the bottle.

“It's so much easier to do this with clothes
on!” She joked, while struggling to find a position of leverage on
her slippery, wet body. Cal motioned to assist as she sat back down
in the hot bath. With a “pop” the champagne bubbled over slightly
before Cal could catch it with a glass. Handing the fizzing drink
over to her, he then reached around to fill his own. Karen held her
glass up in anticipation of a toast. Clearing his throat, Cal made
up something off the top of his head.

“Here's to broken marriages and mended
souls”. He said, with a sincerity he didn't expect.

For the first time, he finally felt it. He
finally recognized how much this all meant to him. This wasn't some
online hookup, it was something real. Something that he needed deep
down inside him. The feeling of being needed, wanted, was so absent
from his life, that it hit him like every opiate known to man being
pumped into his veins. His defensive ramparts melted away, allowing
him to feel this full range of emotions. Realizing the gravity of
what he had just said, the way he had said it, he looked up to see
Karen giving him a strange look. Being in a bad marriage can mess
with how you read women. Cal now struggled to find something quick
to say to diffuse the tension. As he did so, he saw Karen's eyes
well up, a small tear tracing down her cheek. Cal's brushed away
the tear with his thumb, while gently rubbing her leg in
solace.

“Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way,”
Cal stumbled over his words.

“I know we've always talked about how bad
your marriage is, but I didn't know it was this bad.” She said, her
hand finding his in the soapy water. She smiled quickly in a vain
attempt at damage control. She didn't want her girly emotions
ruining their weekend! Cal climbed over her legs and lay down next
to her, their bodies pushed together by the sides of the tub as she
moved to allow him by her side. She placed her head on his
shoulders, reveling in his kindness and his emotion. She too had
felt something. A connection that seemed too strong to be from lust
alone. Although Cal was quite a sight! She wondered at the depths
his troubled emotions ran. She had always considered his belly
aching about Alice to be a release of sorts. She now saw the full
width and breadth of what they had done, and who they had both
become. Her place in this tryst, this act of infidelity took on a
whole new light. She regarded his body, those tight legs pushed up
against her. His hair still tousled from their rough, fulfilling
sexual adventure. Only then did she notice the marks under his
arms.

“Oh shit!” Karen gasped quietly, her hand
held over her mouth. Lost in their moment, she had carved very neat
and parallel tracks down his sides with her nails. Cal, recognizing
her touch at his side, looked under his arm and managed a stifled
laugh. He had a look that portrayed equal amounts of anxiety and
pride in his new battle wounds.

“I'm so sorry! What if your wife sees those!
Oh my god..!” Karen said, winding up in a ball of tension that Cal
took to calming with his hands. Moving under her, she took position
on top of his lap while he gently rubbed her shoulders. The slight
pain on his sides a new mark of pride to Cal. He could feel her
tension ease as his hands worked on her shoulders and neck, her
skin a wonderful landscape of olive tan and the freckle.

“I can't remember the last time Alice saw me
in anything less than a t shirt and boxers. I think we're both
safe.” He said soothingly. His hands began to move from her
shoulders. Making their way over her body, they came to rest at her
waist. Cal's hands were gently feeling her ab muscles in
admiration.

“I guess Yoga is doing wonders for you!” Cal
said as he caressed her waist.

She managed a quiet giggle as her hands found
his. She slowly pushed them down, deeper into the water, down to
her waiting womanhood. Their bodies making a squeaking sound as
they both moved about in the tub. Cal's hands, guided by Karen's,
began their own exploration. As Karen moaned quietly, Cal probed
her depths. He began in a slow thoughtful pattern, moving his hands
over all the right areas. He could feel Karen squirming on his lap,
his own arousal now pressing against her leg. She moved to free his
manhood, as she raised herself out of the water. Cal, sensing her
intentions, struggled to block her.

“Whoa wait! I don't have any party clothes
on!” Cal said, trying to regain control of his mind before his
emotions took over again.

“It’s okay. I got the shot a few weeks ago.
I'm good to go.” Karen said breathlessly. As Cal's arms slid away,
Karen pressed down on his lap, his shaft penetrating deep inside
her. She could feel him, every inch of him! As his manhood filled
her she let escape a quivering gasp of pleasure that was chorused
by Cal's own soft moan.

They both fell back into a chorus of grunts
and squeaks, peppered by the occasional splash of water from the
tub. Karen found her release on top of him, using him like some
piece of machinery, or playground equipment! She climaxed in an
uninhibited set of screams as Cal guided her with his hands upon
her arms. Finally exhausted, Cal slumped in the tub as Karen stayed
atop his lap. She didn't want to lose the feeling of him inside
her. They both sat enjoying the silence, interrupted only by the
occasional bubble from the tub. Cal's head rested on her shoulder,
his stubbled chin a welcome sensation to Karen. She reached back to
caress his hair, the back of her hand bringing them together in a
slow, gentle kiss.

“I want to take you shooting tomorrow.” She
said

Chapter 2

“Hmm?” Cal had been so lost in all of her
sensations he wasn't sure he heard right. “You mean, like, with
guns?” He said.

“Yes silly!” She said. She was worried that
he maybe didn't like them for some other reason.

“I've never shot a gun before.” He said
timidly.

“It’s tons of fun! We have to get up early
though. The range gets busy after about 11 o’clock.” She had turned
to face him, her legs straddling his torso in the, now cool, bath
water.

“Oh okay. I can't argue with that
enthusiasm!” He said. She placed a big, wet kiss on his lips, her
teeth taking his bottom lip hostage as they parted.

Cal and Karen slept in an exhausted pile.
Their active lovemaking left them a pliable mass of soft skin and
sleep-fueled groping. Cal was momentarily disoriented when the
wakeup call stirred them both. He took his time watching her wake
as the morning sun warmed her body. “It's going to be hot today,”
Cal thought to himself as he ordered them breakfast. The service
cart making its way over the tile woke Karen the rest of the way.
He regarded her with his own sleepy yawn as she stretched her long
arms, the comforter barely covering her breasts. She ran her hand
through her hair. The same hair that Cal had been entangled in last
night as they slept. He brought over a mug of coffee to her.

“A cream and sugar girl, I presume?” Cal
said, handing her the cup.

“You presume correctly my love.” She said,
trying to manage holding up the comforter with her arms as she
sipped lightly, the coffee cup warming her hands.

The morning went by quick as they both
figured out what to wear to the range. Cal decided on a polo shirt
and his default khakis. Karen stepped out of the bathroom looking
like she was ready to either ride a horse, or shoot a horse! Cal
observed her choice of clothes; dark brown boots that hugged her
shapely calves, tan trousers that looked like they were painted on,
the presence of her thong creating a telltale pattern he followed
until he glanced at her top. She was wearing a light blue wrap top
that pulled her lovely breasts together into a delicious valley.
Lost in her looks, Cal suddenly felt under dressed for this
outing.” How can you under dress for shooting a gun?” He thought,
as Karen strolled over to him. Touching his waist, she fumbled with
her purse as a text message pinged to her phone.

“We best get going. I have to talk with the
range master about some business stuff.” She said.

He still felt way out of his element. His
parents had never raised him to hate guns, but then again, they
also never really mentioned guns.

“Let's take my car. I don't want to have to
shout directions to you at the last minute.”

“Uh, sure.” Cal said. He only now remembered
how Karen had come from money. Her dad owning the insurance firm
she ran until passing away some years ago. He was apprehensive
about the thought of her having more money than him, but he already
knew that she did. She lived in Montecito. He lived in a tract home
in Atascadero! Of course she had more money than him. He would just
have to get over it.

They made their way to the parking enclave by
the lobby. Karen split off to go talk to the manager about
something, as Cal looked at the nearly vacant parking lot. There
was his car; a 2005 Honda Accord with most of the glossiness still
intact, an aging BMW, and a brand new Mercedes SUV. The Santa
Barbara license plate frame told him all he needed to know. Well,
at least he had his answer! He heard Karen's boots clip clopping up
behind him. She reached around to give him a strong hug, her hands
resting on his belt as she leaned in to whisper in his ear.

“I had the manager split our bill. I figured
we should go Dutch.” She said. Cal twisted around to protest. She
placed her finger over his lips and shushed him quietly, her eyes
looking up at his with an indescribable mix of control and passion.
“It's already done. I needed this just as much as you. I know how
expensive this place can be too.” she said. Cal was slightly
relieved in spite of himself. The bill for this little get together
would have been almost impossible to hide from Alice. She reached
into her purse to fish out her keys, the Mercedes making a quiet
“bleep bleep” noise as she pushed the disarm button.

“Well, off we go!” She said, patting him on
his ass as she strode confidently to the SUV.

The drive up to the range had been bumpy. He
and Karen talked and laughed occasionally as the car made its way
up the twisting mountain road. Packed into the Gibraltar Mountains,
the range looked like something that should be in a country club.
Cal had seen shooting ranges on TV and in cop movies, but this
place was definitely for the wine and cheese crowd. The range
spilled out in a fanning pattern from the main clubhouse. The
seemingly humble red building housed the opulent club house and gun
safes. He followed Karen into the lobby, feeling more
self-conscious than he wanted to admit. Karen showed her ID, and
then the attendant gave her a key card. She strolled over to a
wall-mounted safe with her full name engraved on a slab of thick
brass. Sliding the key, she then entered a long code that she
struggled to remember, biting her lip in concentration as she
finished the last digits. She opened the safe, revealing a rifle,
two shotguns and a variety of handguns. Cal watched her transform.
The timid little kitten from the evening before had changed into a
confident, sure-footed cat. She expertly removed two handguns, both
semi-automatics, and closed the safe again. She regarded Cal with a
questioning look as he watched her load both weapons.

“Are you sure this isn't too weird for you?”'
She asked again. Her eyebrows furrowed during the tense pause.

“No really it's cool. It's just strange to
see you handle guns so easily. Do all insurance reps do this?” Cal
asked jokingly.

“Only the ones who have difficult clients.”
she smiled as her fingers slid one brass cartridge after another
into the magazines.

Over at the pistol range, Karen hung two
paper targets and reeled them to the back wall. They were the only
ones there, beating the noon rush by hours. She handed Cal a set of
shooting glasses with amber lenses, and hearing protectors that
looked like a DJ's headphones. She put her safety gear on, looking
like some kind of sexy secret agent as she slammed a magazine into
the one of the guns. She handed over the gun, holding his attention
by not releasing the gun to him. She rattled out the usual spiel
you hear about guns; don’t point it at anyone, don't look down the
barrel, don't shoot your foot etc. Releasing the gun into his hand,
he took his best cop show-shooting stance and prepared to fire. He
could feel Karen's hands upon his hips as she moved him around into
a more ideal shooting stance. Her feet gently kicked his out wider,
while her nails held his waist. She squeezed her hands, playfully
digging her nails into his sides. With his new lower stance, Karen
could speak instructions into his ear while she coached him.

“I am so going to fuck you before we leave
here!” She whispered fiercely into his ear. Cal did his best to
maintain his stance, as Karen's hands dipped lower to feel his
growing bulge over the pants.

“You are giving me the most confused boner
right now!” He whispered back over his shoulder.

“You can fire when ready.” She said in a
breathy voice.

Cal spent the next hour managing to damage
his masculinity more than the paper targets. Karen giggled
uncontrollably as Cal shot round after round into the backdrop, the
sidewall, and even Karen's own target in the next isle! She
continually coached him on his stance while taking the opportunity
to grope him in the otherwise quiet shooting range. Cal watched as
Karen easily put every shot in a tight grouping, all while sporting
a pose that made her look like one of Charlie's Angels.

“You're not helping, you know.” Cal said over
his shoulder as she raked her fingers across his back. He shuddered
at her touch, penetrating through to his skin, to his very being!
Just then, she abruptly stopped, backing away as if she committed
some crime. Turning, Cal noticed an older gentleman with silver
hair strolling toward them. He instantly put Cal at ease, him also
being dressed in a polo shirt and khakis. What was with people at
this range? They resembled the staff at a golf course more than a
gun club. He gave a quick nod to Cal as he swooped in on Karen with
a bear hug embrace. Karen grabbed him back, wriggling back and
forth like they were long separated family at a reunion. Karen
broke the hug to introduce them both.