Nicole and Patty had been friends since the second grade and knew most of each other's secrets, though they couldn't be more different in looks or personality. Patty was brash and impulsive, tall and thin with long blond hair and a fondness for short skirts and tight blouses. Nicole was shorter with hair that had turned a beautiful silver when she was only twenty-three, and lately worn in long braided dreadlocks. She was more likely to wear pearls and cashmere sweaters and think things through.
Usually, that is.
Patty had just gone through a bad divorce from her husband Danny after twelve years together. They got married right out of high school and he was the only man she'd ever had sex with, "not counting handjobs and blowjobs of course." The two women had gotten together last weekend at Patty's house while Jeff was still out of town on a two-week business trip. It was a warm summer night of lightly seasoned pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, and too much red wine and gourmet chocolate.
By her third glass Patty abruptly turned the conversation to sex.
"I'm so horny I could fuck the mailman," she blurted out as she reached for the bottle.
Nicole laughed so hard she almost gurgled the expensive Merlot through her nose.
It didn't take long before Patty was bold enough (and drunk enough) to start talking about sex with her ex-husband, which she described in vivid detail.
"Were you ever attracted to anybody else?" Nicole asked.
"Like to really have sex with them? Hmmm, only a couple. A guy Danny worked with who was always flirting with me. And Danny's nephew is really hot, I'd do him in a second! Is that terrible?"
Nicole laughed, then looked down at her wine and said, "Not as bad as me." She looked up.
"I always kind of had a thing for David. And I think he knows it. How terrible is that!"
"Julie's David!?" Patty gasped, referring to Nicole's older sister. "Oh honey, he is definitely a hottie. I saw him in Speedos once –".
"-- I love those Speedos!" And they burst out laughing again.
They went on like that for several minutes as only old girlfriends can, reviewing all the men they had ever known or seen, from grade school teachers to Hollywood actors to middle-aged men right in the neighborhood, mercilessly ranking each one and deciding who was most doable. Then Patty edged closer to Nicole and started in on her quietly, asking her how often she and Jeff did it, and how many positions they had tried.
"Have you ever thought about a threesome?" she asked innocently.
"You mean another girl?!" Nicole answered laughing, "No way!"
Nicole had wondered over the years if Patty might be just a little bi-curious. Nicole definitely was not. Except, she admitted to herself, when she was around Patty. If only Patty could elicit those kinds of thoughts and feelings, did that mean was she bi or not? Was there such a thing as a bi-virgin?
But Patty looked a little hurt now so Nicole added in a mock sexy voice, "Oh, but sweetie, if I ever did it would SO be with you."
Now it was Patty who gagged on her wine and they both laughed and giggled.
"That's not what I meant," Patty said finally. "Sometimes, I don't know, I think I'd just like to watch."
"Ugh, not porno!" Nicole gasped.
"God no!" Patty replied. "I guess I've just always been curious to see how somebody else does it, since I was only ever with Danny. But real people who are, you know... really in love. And hot, of course. Like you guys."
The idea hung in the air for a few moments without either one speaking. But as their inhibitions dissolved a little more with each glass of wine, they slowly hatched a daring plan – when Jeff got home from his trip Nicole would secretly set up a webcam so Patty could watch them make love.
"Sex after two weeks away," Patty squealed, "I'm so excited!"
Secretly, so was Nicole.
Five days later she was ready but nervous. Her old laptop didn't have a built-in camera so Patty helped her set up a USB camera with a long cord. Nicole wasn't much of a computer person but after a few practice sessions with Skype she got the hang of it. Patty even showed her how to use her cell phone's wireless headset as the microphone – "so I can hear everything!" she said wickedly. Nicole's long dreads would hide the earpiece perfectly.
Then she worked out a good place to hide the camera, in a potted plant next to the small desk at the corner of their bedroom. She shuffled some of the family photos around to hide it even more, pictures of Jeff, her and Jeff, her sister Julie in a bikini at the beach with David (shirtless, she noticed again). Patty approved of the angle, taking in both the bed and its reflection in the nearby full-length mirror.
Everything was ready when Jeff got home from the airport that afternoon.
He was in the shower now and Nicole had changed into a flimsy pink teddy that tied across her full breasts and exposed her firm tanned belly above a white thong. She put her earpiece in place. She was so nervous! She knew she only had about five minutes to set up to make the call to Patty's computer.
Two glasses of white wine rested on the desk. She grabbed hers and downed it in one long gulp, then refilled it from the bottle chilling in an ice bucket.
She sat down at her laptop and started up Skype, but as she fumbled around trying to connect to Patty suddenly a message popped up. The screen name said "LoveMonkey" was trying to connect to her. Thinking Patty changed her name to be funny,
Nicole clicked "Ok."
"Hey Nicole, you finally got Skype, that's great!"
On the screen was a live image of David. He was at work, his blue tie loose around his white collar, that rugged face staring back at her. God he looked good! But why was he calling now, of all times!
"David, hi!" she finally managed to say. "I just got it a few days ago, for uh, Jeff. You know, he travels a lot. I'm still kind not quite sure how to use it I guess. I didn't even know it was you calling."
She suddenly realized what she was barely wearing and shot a panicked glance at her own live camera image. Luckily it only showed her head and neck with a little cleavage, which she realized had just flushed a bright pink. "That was close!" she thought.
She leaned toward the camera to hide her chest. Her bare bottom rose slightly off the cool leather seat and she felt slightly naughty talking to him like this.
"Yeah Skype is great," David said, "Julie and I use it all the time." What does that mean, she wondered?
"So Jeff's out of town now?" he asked suggestively. Or did she just imagine that part?