Channel: Private Pleasures Part 17

"Carla's invited me into her fantasy tonight," Nora told him. "You can come too. According to the concierge, appropriate costumes are in the closet." She grinned. The sadness was now gone from her face. "Shall we look?" She got off of the bed and, walking across the room, opened the closet door.

The two costumes had been set on the rod, directly in the center of the closet. For Nora there was a short, ragged-edged black skirt, a red sash, and a low-cut, short-sleeved white blouse. A drawstring bag hung from the hanger with the blouse. Nora pulled the costume out, laid it on the bed, and undoing the bag, dumped its contents in the center of the bed. There were several bangle bracelets, and a pair of large gold hoop earrings. She smiled. Right out of an old Errol Flynn swashbuckler movie. She drew the other costume out, and almost laughed. It consisted of a loincloth, a beautiful gold dog collar studded with pearls and colored gemstones and lined with lamb's wool, and finally a red leather leash.

"Oh, my," Nora said, and she giggled.

"Your friend lacks subtlety," Kyle said, but he was grinning.

"Quick shower," Nora said, "and then off to Pirate World, Mr. Gorgeous."

"You go first," he said.

She c.o.c.ked her head to one side questioningly.

"If I get in that shower with you, Nora, you know what's going to happen," Kyle said. "I can never get enough of you, Red."

She nodded. "Haven't you had enough this evening?"

"Nope," he told her with a grin.

Nora didn't question him any further. She pinned her long red hair up, and showered alone. When she had finished she came back into the bedroom to dress while he saw to his ablutions. No bra, she thought. Pirate wenches didn't have bras. She pulled the white peasant-style blouse on over her head. The scooped neck was very low-cut, and her t.i.ts were practically spilling out of the garment. She took the ragged black skirt and drew it on. It was barely thigh high, but it did cover the places it should cover. Just. A thong was the only kind of underpants she could wear, and she hated thongs. So, no underpants. She picked up the red silk sash and wrapped it about her waist several times, leaving enough of the cloth hanging to give her a dashing look. She slipped the bangles on both of her arms, and affixed the gold hoops into her ears. She was surprised there were no shoes, but The Channel did everything right, so she wasn't concerned.

"Well, that's certainly a come-and-f.u.c.k-me-outfit," Kyle growled, coming from the bathroom. Then he grinned. "I like it." He slid his hand beneath her skirt, chuckling.

"Keep away," she warned him, slapping at his big warm hand. Then she sat down at her dressing table and brushed out her hair.

"Put it in a single braid," he said. "It's apt to get rough in your friend's world. You don't need hair in your face obscuring your vision."

"You do it," Nora said. "It'll be easier." She sat quietly as he plaited her hair into a long thick braid, slipping a small elastic band on the end of the hair. "You better hurry and dress, Mr. Gorgeous."

He slipped the loincloth on. It was made of soft, almost leatherlike fabric. The front and back pieces were held together by a thin, delicate chain that lay against his narrow hips. He held out the gold collar to her. "You do this," he said low.

Nora stood up and, standing in front of him, put the collar about his neck. It clicked shut. "Are you comfortable? It isn't too tight, is it?" She snapped the dog chain to the loop on the collar.

"It fits perfectly," he told her, and pulled her against him. His mouth seared hers in a hot kiss, his tongue pushing into her mouth to tease her tongue. When he let her go he said softly, "Remember that I love you, Red, whatever you may think about it."

They walked to the elevator, and when the doors opened up, they stepped in together. The chain from his collar hung loosely in her hand. They pressed the b.u.t.ton, and the elevator doors closed. When they opened a few seconds later and they stepped out, they found themselves in a large cave. But the cave's opening was directly ahead of them, and beyond it were a beach and the blue sea. They stepped out into a moonlit night. A long boat was just being pulled up onto the sand, and there were figures climbing out of it.

"Nora!" Carla's voice was calling to her, and a figure broke away from the group and ran toward her. She was dressed in tight black shorts, a white peasant's blouse, and a bright gold sash encircling a very tiny un-Carla-like waist. There was a red bandanna on her head, beneath which a tangle of black curls poured forth. There was a dagger at her waist, and gold hoops danced from her ears. She enveloped Nora in a bear hug. "I've been scared you were lost forever," she said, hugging her best friend. "I mean, you look so fragile and frail in the nursing home, Nora."

"I heard you earlier," Nora said. "When you told me not to wear my boys out."

"You heard me?" Carla squealed.

"In my head. Softly," Nora explained. "Now tell me what's going on."

"I will, but let's go to the Mermaid for a drink." She turned. "All of you go back to the ship. Except Caleb Snow. I've got business, and Morgan's vessel is in the harbor. The last time you met up with his crew, it cost me a fortune to get the governor to let you out after the fight between you. Good thing the governor is open to a bribe."

"Aww, Captain," one of the men began to whine.

Carla's hand went to her waist, and she pulled a small coiled whip off of her sash. Flicking it out, she smiled. "Are you looking for a taste of my whip, Hawkins?"

"No, Captain," the man said, moving back. "We're going!"

"Swim for it," Carla commanded her men. "Caleb and I will need the boat to get back." And she laughed as her men, grumbling, waded back into the sea. "You can never be soft with them," Carla said, turning back to Nora. "Now, to the Mermaid!"

The inn was directly on the beach. They walked past the palm trees, reaching the Mermaid quickly. As they entered, Carla was greeted by many there. She grinned and waved, calling out to those men she knew. The landlord hurried up to her.

"Captain Raven, 'tis good to see you again! Let me show you to a table!" He began to push a path for them through the crowd. "Here's a nice one by the hearth," he said, glaring at the people who were already sitting there. Seeing Carla, they quickly vacated the s.p.a.ce. "What will it be, Captain? Grog? Rum?"

"Rum, four of 'em," Carla said, and the landlord scurried away. Carla turned and looked at Kyle. "My, my, Nora, isn't he nice?" She stood in front of him, and slowly slid her hands up his oiled chest.

"This is Kyle," Nora said dryly.

"I want him," Carla said. "Just for a few minutes." She drew her dagger from her sash, and slipping the point carefully into one of the delicate gold links, she snapped the chain on one side of his loincloth. The loincloth dropped away. "I didn't cut you, did I?" she asked sweetly as she began to fondle his p.e.n.i.s, cupping his b.a.l.l.s in her palm.

"No," he replied. His eyes never left hers. "Your companion doesn't look too pleased, however, Captain."

Carla turned away for a moment. "This is Caleb Snow, my first mate, Nora. You can play with him if you like while I play with your Kyle." She turned back again to Kyle. "I like it from behind," she said wickedly. "In my cunny, not my a.r.s.e." She pressed herself against him, murmuring as he opened her shorts and pulled them down.

"Do you?" he drawled, his hand sliding between her legs, and grinned at the heat she was already generating there.

Caleb Snow sat down at the table, pulling Nora into his lap. His hand plunged down into her blouse. He fondled her roughly. "You've got nice t.i.ts, la.s.s," he said. He was a huge man. He had dwarfed them all, including Kyle, who she knew stood two inches over six feet. His bare chest was like a barrel, and his arms were muscled and brawny. He had auburn hair and a short auburn beard. His eyes were very blue. Pushing her back, he pulled her blouse open, and began to suck on her b.r.e.a.s.t.s as he held her firmly. His other hand moved beneath her skirt to finger her c.l.i.t.

"You're a bold man," Nora said. The mouth on her nipple was tugging hard. The finger beneath her skirt was beginning to send ripples of excited l.u.s.t through her body. Carla certainly had a fine fantasy lover. She could feel herself getting creamy.

"Faint heart never won fair maiden," he growled at her, dumping her suddenly from his lap. "On your knees, la.s.s. You know what I'll be wanting, and when I tells you to stop, you stop and we'll go for a little ride."

Nora slipped on her knees beneath his spread legs. She took his c.o.c.k from his britches, and began to lick at it. When it began to show signs of life she took him into her mouth and sucked as hard on him as he had on her nipples. She heard him sigh, and after a few minutes, during which time he burgeoned to the point that her lips were spread so wide her cheeks began to hurt, he groaned at her to cease, pulling her up. She stared down at his p.e.n.i.s. It was huge. She had never seen one so big.

"Come on now, la.s.s, and ride a c.o.c.k horse," he said with a wicked leer.

"You'll split me open with that d.i.c.k of yours," Nora said, backing away.

"Nah, I won't," he promised, reaching out to quickly grab her. He lifted the startled woman up over the long, thick hard flesh, and lowered her onto his peg. "Open wide now, la.s.s. Legs about me waist."

She was amazed that he didn't kill her, but the monstrous c.o.c.k slipped easily into her c.u.n.t. She felt him stretching the walls of her v.a.g.i.n.a, but it didn't hurt at all. And then the head of his p.e.n.i.s touched that most sensitive spot, and Nora screamed with her rising pleasure. His hands fit themselves neatly around her waist, and he began to jog her up and down on his length all the while singing the children's nursery rhyme: Ride a c.o.c.khorse to Banbury Cross, to see a fine lady upon her fine horse.

With rings on her fingers, and bells on her toes, She will make music wherever she goes.

And he laughed a thunderous rumbling laughter as he plunged his c.o.c.k up and down within her. "You're making grand music, la.s.s!" he told her. "Lean back, and I'll go deeper."

Half conscious with her pleasure, Nora leaned back, his big hands bracing her. She felt him slide deeper and deeper within her. "Oh, my G.o.d!" she moaned, and after a few moments she climaxed as a hot wave of delight swept over her.

"Isn't he good?" Carla's voice was penetrating Nora's brain. "So is your Kyle. After I came, the naughty fellow ran right up my a.r.s.e hole, and gave me quite another thrill. Caleb is too big to a.s.s f.u.c.k me. I always have to get one of the other men to do it. How did your Kyle know that I wanted that?"

"He's very intuitive," Nora said, coming to herself again as Caleb lifted her off his lap. "You are a talented man," she said, and kissed his rough cheek. "Move over!" She sat down next to him and took a deep swig of the mug of rum in front of her. "We must have given the innkeeper quite a show, but I didn't notice. Did you?" She fixed her blouse, pulling it back up again and tying the strings.

"I was bent over the table," Carla said. "I never saw a thing," she laughed.

"Well," Nora replied, "now that we've all been properly introduced, let our lads recover, and you tell me what is happening in the other reality. How long have I been gone? How are the kids? Is Jeff beginning to cave?"

"The kids and your mom are fine, but I'm having a h.e.l.luva time keeping them from a vigil at your bedside. You're at Sh.o.r.ecrest now. You've been gone two months. It's already the end of February."

"Time seems to have no meaning here," Nora remarked. "Jeff?"

"Hard as nails," Carla responded. "He and Heidi are coming to the house on the weekends. He had all your clothing packed up and put in the cellar because they're in the master bedroom."

"He's moved into my house with his girlfriend?" Nora was astounded.

"Just the weekends," Carla a.s.sured her. "He says he doesn't want to leave the house untenanted all winter. He's had Kramer go back into court to try and get the judge to let him sell the house come spring as he intended. Kramer told Rick that your forty percent will be put in the bank for you. Rick has spoken to the judge, and she isn't happy with the suggestion, but she also knows Jeff is on the hook for the co-op. Rick says she is sympathetic to you, but she also plays fair. Nora, if you stay here much longer, your health insurance is going to run out for the nursing home. They will have to draw on the moneys you get from the house. You've got to do something now! Oh, yeah, and Heidi isn't happy at all. I ran into her at the wine shop the other day."

Nora was silent for a long few moments, and then she said, "How unhappy is she?"

"I think she's really in love with Jeff, though why I can't imagine. But he's a lot older than she is, and this divorce is starting to stress him now too."

"Then why won't he give in?" Nora said.

"If the judge gives him the go-ahead, you've lost," Carla replied.

"Tell me about Heidi, Carla. What did she say to you? How did she act? And why did she even talk to you?" Nora wondered.

"I think she talked to me because I was a friendly face. I saw her wandering around the wine store, and she looked kinda beat. Our eyes met, and I couldn't help myself. I smiled at her. The next thing I knew she was yakking at me. I listened, and nodded a lot."

"What did she say?" Nora asked, and slapped Caleb Snow's hand off her thigh.

"Oh, how she hates to come out every weekend when everything is so exciting in the city in the winter. And Jeff goes to bed so early out here. She's stuck in the den watching television all night. She is sooooo bored. And he forgets his v.i.a.g.r.a every weekend, and she is beginning to think it's deliberate." Carla giggled. "Jeff taking v.i.a.g.r.a! It boggles the mind, doesn't it?"

"If she's bored, you should introduce her to The Channel, Carla," Nora said softly.

"Are you crazy?" Carla almost shouted.

"No, I'm not. Hear me out. It isn't Jeff who's beginning to crack over this divorce. It's Heidi. You know I don't care if he marries her or not. I just want my house. But now if the judge rules in his favor regarding the sale, I could lose the house. He's not caving, but Heidi is. That's why he's had Kramer go to the judge. Get Rick to ask the judge to wait another month for me to show signs of recovery. Have Rick say if I haven't woken up by then, he'll agree to the sale of the house as my caretaker.

"Heidi will have to wait another month. The young aren't good at waiting. They always want everything now. Tell Heidi that since she's so bored you'll let her in on a little secret, but Jeff can't know. Explain to her that The Channel is a place where all her fantasies can come true. Tell her you know she won't believe you, but to call Suburban Cable and order it when Jeff goes to bed. Warn her, though, that if Jeff is around, it won't work. And then tell her that if she tries it and doesn't like it, you'll work on Rick to agree to sell the house sooner. That's the bait that will hook our little fish."

"Why do you want her to know about The Channel?" Carla asked, curious.

"Because like the rest of us she'll have great s.e.x here, and when she does, do you really believe she'll want to stay with Jeff? Why would she need him then?" Nora answered her best friend.

"You could be right, but what if you aren't?" Carla played devil's advocate.

"Then I lose," Nora said, "but I have to give it my best shot, Carla. I don't want my kids coming home to some d.i.n.ky one-bedroom apartment, if I can even afford that. I don't want to leave Egret Pointe. It's my home."

"Okay, I'll do it," Carla said. "It just might work. Jeff hasn't looked too good of late. He's a little paunchy, and you know he never was paunchy. And he's got dark circles under his eyes too. You're getting to him, alright. He just won't give in. Yeah, on reflection I think Heidi is the weak link in this situation. It'll be a few days, though. It's just Wednesday night."

"I've waited this long," Nora said. "I can wait a little while longer."

Chapter Nine.

"No way!" Heidi Millar said. "Way!" Carla Johnson told her.

They were standing in a corner of the Egret Pointe Wine Shoppe. All around them were wine-racked shelves holding bottles of everything from Long Island, upstate New York, and California vintages to wines from Chile, Australia, and Germany, as well as the finest French Burgundies, Bordeaux, Merlots, and Chardonnays available. There was a popular California table wine known locally as Two-Buck Chuck, and an Opici California Barbarone that retailed for fifteen dollars a gallon jug. There was something for everyone at the Egret Pointe Wine Shoppe.

"It's not possible," the younger woman said. "You must be hallucinating. What the h.e.l.l do you people smoke out here?" Her blond hair was darker than it had been in June. She obviously wasn't keeping it up for whatever reason.

"Look, I don't pretend to understand it," Carla said low. "All I know is that it works. The Channel offers you whatever fantasy you want. Just think about it, turn on the television, and it's there. You're there. I am not nuts, and this is the best-kept secret among the women here. We can't all be hallucinating, and incidentally I don't smoke anything. Never started."

Heidi's grey eyes were thoughtful, curious. "What's your fantasy?" she murmured.

"I'm Captain Raven, the pirate queen," Carla responded.

Heidi snickered. She couldn't help it. "You're kidding, right?"

Carla smiled a slow, wicked smile. "Darling," she said, "my first mate has a fourteen-inch d.i.c.k that's two and a half inches in circ.u.mference, and hits my G-spot seven times out of ten. No, I'm not kidding."

"Fourteen inches?" Heidi's voice was awed. "You measured?"

"Yep," Carla drawled. "Look, so you're not into pirate fantasies. I've got one friend who does the penthouse, hot lover, and hot ma.s.seur thing. She enjoys threesomes. Another who puts herself in the forefront of carving out the nation of Israel. She made her partner a younger version of her husband. She's not a woman who would ever think of another man. One gal I know likes to do other women. She wouldn't do it in her own reality. The Channel lets you be anything you want to be, and do anything you want to do. Don't you have a fantasy you want to live out? You can't be just about marrying Jeff Buckley, honey. There must be something naughty or wonderful that you want to do, and without him. That's the great thing about The Channel, and that's why no men are aware of it. It's all about women and their desires, their needs. Sort of like a grown-up tree house club. And No Boys Allowed. Except the ones we create in our imaginations."

"And you get it by just calling the cable company and asking for it?" Heidi's look was thoughtful.

"Yeah," Carla said. Easy, now. She's hooked. Reel her in slowly.

"Does it show up on the cable bill? Jeff goes over everything," Heidi explained.

"Shows up as a movie," Carla told her.

"You've been pulling my leg, right?" Heidi said suddenly. "I mean you're Nora's best friend, Jeff says. This is a joke, right? Why would you be nice to me?"

"Listen, honey," Carla told the girl, "no one is mad at you. Jeff and Nora haven't had a marriage in years. One day one of them was going to decide it was divorce time. None of us ever really liked Jeff. We put up with him for Nora's sake on the rare occasions he showed up. Yeah, Nora's my best friend. I don't deny it. But even she doesn't hold you responsible for what's happened, although you really should have kept your mouth shut at J. J.'s graduation party, but that's in the past.

"You're stuck out here every weekend until Jeff puts the house on the market. You're bored. Jeff bring his v.i.a.g.r.a this time?" she queried, and wisely refrained from grinning when Heidi shook her head in the negative. "So he's probably going to hit the sack early again tonight. And there you are watching The District. Rick will be snoozing early too. Men are like bears in winter. They like to hibernate. As for me, I'll be downstairs in my sewing and crafts room in the cellar. Or at least my body will. The body I possess in The Channel will be getting its little self f.u.c.ked to pieces by that nice fourteen-inch d.i.c.k that Caleb Snow possesses, and wields so skillfully."

"I still think you're kidding," Heidi said, but she sounded less convinced than she had earlier.

"Look, call the cable company, and ask for The Channel. If I'm joking, they won't know what you're talking about," Carla said. "But if they tell you you've got it from eight p.m. on, then you know I'm not joking."

"It could be something totally different than you say it is. Pets. Or decorating." Heidi shifted her weight nervously.

"And it could be just what I've told you, which it is. If it isn't, and you're unhappy, I'll talk to Rick about letting Jeff put the house on the market sooner. That's fair, isn't it?" Carla gave her companion a little smile.

"I could say I got it and didn't like it, and you'd never know," Heidi replied.

"I don't believe you'd do that," Carla responded. "I think you'd play fair."

Heidi nodded. "Yes, I would. Besides, I really am curious to see if this channel of yours exists."

"What's your fantasy?" Carla probed gently, casually reaching for a bottle of red wine from Long Island.