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view this gem of creative thinking.
Claire waited with studied patience. When Emma still did not
elaborate on said gem of creative thinking, Claire lost patience.
Let's hear your deepest, wickedest desire, she urged. The toys and
the play-acting, the movie camera and the lingerie; this is all regular stuff.
Tell me what you really want to do. I'll tell you if I'm minx enough to do
it with you.
Emma hesitated so long Claire wondered if she would ever get a reply.
"Well, what I'd like to do," said Emma cautiously, yet to be convinced
of Claire's openness. She began again. "What I'd really like to do, since
you ask... is... is. Watch while a sexy looking woman makes love to
you." There, she had said it. In a bit of a rush perhaps, but still
intelligible. Emma waited uncertainly as Claire considered.
"And this other woman," said Claire thoughtfully, "would you like to
watch while I made love to her?"
"Oh yes," replied Emma warmly, "I'd like that very much."
Claire put down her pen, staring hard at Emma.
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"So would I," she said.
"You would?" Emma said, surprised. "What about this thing about us
having no other lovers?"
"That's right," said Claire, "I don't want us having affairs with other
people. But this would be different. We would choose the woman
together and enjoy the experience together. It would broaden the scope
of our relationship, allowing us to explore a voyeuristic streak I think we
both share."
"Oh," said Emma, enlightened, "what you meant was we shouldn't do
any private adventuring, I see. But collectively, it's OK."
"I wouldn't have put it quite that way myself, Emma, but I suppose
that is what it amounts to. Like our other schemes for enhancing
playtime, I think it would be very exciting to have another woman in bed
with us."
"Is that why you objected to Kate, Claire? Because we didn't choose
her together? I could have asked her if - "
"I didn't want to sleep with Kate," cut in Claire, "but this idea, I like.
What do we do now - go to more pubs and clubs?"
Emma shook her head.
"No, that would take for ever. Magazines and newspapers. We'll go
through the personal columns -"
"Advertisements!" cried Claire, horrified. "You want us to reply to
adverts? Oh Emma, no. Isn't that all rather tacky and sleazy?"
"Yes it is, but it is also eminently practical. Just think how many dry
white wines you're going to have to sip, waiting to run into a woman or
women, that might want to do this with us."
"Women?" queried Claire.
"Yes, couples quite often look for other couples. Face it, darling, we're
a minority to start off with. What we have in mind is a minority interest
within that small group. Probability just isn't on our side. We need to be
pragmatic if we genuinely want to do this.
"Yes, I can see that now," said Claire, thinking and reaching a decision
in rapid succession. "Well, I vote we do it. Phone or letter?"
"Letter," replied Emma. "We can come up with a general reply,
customize it a bit so that it looks individual, then print off whatever we
need when the time comes."
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Claire added Magazines/papers personal ads to her list, then sat
back happy. Her eyes sparkled: a kitten contemplating cream.
134
20
Applied Vulcan Philosophy
"Sorry I'm late," said Jessica, dropping heavily into a chair at Gretta's
Austrian Patisserie. "James has had two bereavements and an unplanned
pregnancy. It plays havoc with your schedule."
She pulled off her hat, trying ineffectually to tame her hair in the
expanse of faux antique mirror. Giving up, she turned to Claire and
demanded,
"OK, Claire, it's been a nightmare getting here, now spill the beans.
What's new your side of the ring road? Make it good now, I'm in no
mood for second rate tittle-tattle."
"Well, there's a plan for a new supermarket down by the football
stadium, and the swimming baths are to undergo a major refit. Oh, and
they're still hunting the Night Bus Mugger."
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"Yes, very amusing, said Jessica. "Now tell me something I won't
read in the evening paper. How's the lovely Emma, for instance?"
"Still lovely," said Claire, skittishly.
"Behave will you," Jessica said, rubbing her temples, "I can't stand
difficult kids at the best of times, and definitely not today."
"Sorry, Jessica. But really, it's a revelation. Finally I've found someone
with whom I can be truly happy."
Claire beamed at Jessica.
"I'm so pleased for you," Jessica replied encouragingly. "Has she met
your folks yet?"
"No. I don't see the point of it," Claire replied, her smile fading fast.
"She's offered for us to go down to Oxfordshire to visit her mum and
brother, but I don't see much point in that either. We are having a
relationship. It's private. I'm not looking for any kind of communal
blessing or recognition. I won't behave as though there has been a
seismic upheaval in my life, just because there's been one in my heart.
Let's not make this a drama."
Claire looked defiantly at her friend, daring her to argue.
How is your library coming along?" Jessica asked in a
characteristically rapid change of subject. Claire looked at her blankly.
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