"hai, hai, hai" from the waitress, so Gwendolyn's Japanese must have been understandable.
"Where did you meet Kazuko?"
"In Tokyo."
"You went to college in Japan?"
"One semester junior year," she said. "My Japanese is rusty, but I retain enough to order our meal."
"Did you do that to impress me?"
"Maybe a little, but I never get to practice it, so when I can, it becomes one of my simple joys."
The waitress came back with tea and hot towels for our hands.
I asked Gwendolyn about Japan. "I'd like to go back some time," she said eventually.
"I'd like to go sometime, too. I would love spending a few days at the Nihan Ki-in."
Gwendolyn raised an eyebrow. "You play go?"
"A boyfriend taught me in college." I paused. "The same boyfriend who taught me about the joy of sushi."
"Have you played since?"
"A little." I smiled. "Kazuko taught you go?"
"No," she said. "Another girl. Once she taught me, we would place wagers on the games." Gwendolyn smiled. "I would very much enjoy placing similar wagers with you."
"I bet I can guess the nature of the wagers." I paused. "I'll play you for a foot massage."
"Deal."
Our conversation took another awkward silence. I look at her for a minute then set my hand on the table, palm up. She looked down at it, then reach over and began caressing my fingers. We sat quietly like that for several minutes, Gwendolyn gently caressing my hand, until the food began to arrive. She squeezed my hand for a moment and pulled away.
Dinner was lovely. She had ordered my favorites, her favorites, and a few things I hadn't had before. Everything was good, except the eel. I refused to touch it.
"So not adventurous?" she asked.
"I've had it before. I don't like eating rubber. I don't eat calamari, either."
We finished our meal, then sat quietly and finished our tea. We'd run out conversation again, but when I offered my hand, Gwendolyn accepted the offer to touch me.
I liked her touch and was hungry for more. I wanted to know if she could affect me the way Moira had. I was having a very nice time, but I wasn't feeling swept away like I had with Moira. Dancing could change that.
Finally Gwendolyn paid the bill, and we got up. She led me out the door after settling my pashmina for me. She caressed my neck and shoulders in the process, and I wanted to lean against her.
"You're not acting like a straight girl," she said once we stepped outside.
"I'm sorry," I said.
"Don't be," she replied. "Are you trying to seduce me?"
"No. I am trying to have a nice time though. And offering what I can to help you have a nice time, too. I don't know what you like, so I don't know what to offer."
This time she led me to my door and opened it for me. I caressed her cheek before settling in. She closed the door and climbed in on her side.
Before starting the car she turned to me. "You are inviting a lot more touch than I thought I could expect."
"You're not a toucher? Am I driving you crazy?"
"You're driving me crazy all right," she said, looking me up and down.
"Go slow, but you haven't hit my limits yet," I told her. I paused. "Naked isn't in the cards, so if that's your goal, you'll be disappointed."
"I can be very good," she said. "No one has ever complained."
"Gwendolyn, you didn't pay what you did because you wanted someone who would fall into bed on command. You knew I was straight, and you paid an outrageous amount of money anyway. I believe you would be deeply disappointed if I let you take me to bed."
"Is that the only reason you're saying no?"
"Of course not. But if that's what you really wanted, you should have bid on Bonnie."
She didn't say anything right away. "I have well-developed habits. They aren't necessarily the habits I want to have. Will you forgive me?"
"Of course," I said. "I am just deeply afraid of disappointing you. I can fend off your advances." I paused. "But is that how you want to spend the time together?"
"No, it's not. If I don't knock it off, will you please yell at
"Where did you meet Kazuko?"
"In Tokyo."
"You went to college in Japan?"
"One semester junior year," she said. "My Japanese is rusty, but I retain enough to order our meal."
"Did you do that to impress me?"
"Maybe a little, but I never get to practice it, so when I can, it becomes one of my simple joys."
The waitress came back with tea and hot towels for our hands.
I asked Gwendolyn about Japan. "I'd like to go back some time," she said eventually.
"I'd like to go sometime, too. I would love spending a few days at the Nihan Ki-in."
Gwendolyn raised an eyebrow. "You play go?"
"A boyfriend taught me in college." I paused. "The same boyfriend who taught me about the joy of sushi."
"Have you played since?"
"A little." I smiled. "Kazuko taught you go?"
"No," she said. "Another girl. Once she taught me, we would place wagers on the games." Gwendolyn smiled. "I would very much enjoy placing similar wagers with you."
"I bet I can guess the nature of the wagers." I paused. "I'll play you for a foot massage."
"Deal."
Our conversation took another awkward silence. I look at her for a minute then set my hand on the table, palm up. She looked down at it, then reach over and began caressing my fingers. We sat quietly like that for several minutes, Gwendolyn gently caressing my hand, until the food began to arrive. She squeezed my hand for a moment and pulled away.
Dinner was lovely. She had ordered my favorites, her favorites, and a few things I hadn't had before. Everything was good, except the eel. I refused to touch it.
"So not adventurous?" she asked.
"I've had it before. I don't like eating rubber. I don't eat calamari, either."
We finished our meal, then sat quietly and finished our tea. We'd run out conversation again, but when I offered my hand, Gwendolyn accepted the offer to touch me.
I liked her touch and was hungry for more. I wanted to know if she could affect me the way Moira had. I was having a very nice time, but I wasn't feeling swept away like I had with Moira. Dancing could change that.
Finally Gwendolyn paid the bill, and we got up. She led me out the door after settling my pashmina for me. She caressed my neck and shoulders in the process, and I wanted to lean against her.
"You're not acting like a straight girl," she said once we stepped outside.
"I'm sorry," I said.
"Don't be," she replied. "Are you trying to seduce me?"
"No. I am trying to have a nice time though. And offering what I can to help you have a nice time, too. I don't know what you like, so I don't know what to offer."
This time she led me to my door and opened it for me. I caressed her cheek before settling in. She closed the door and climbed in on her side.
Before starting the car she turned to me. "You are inviting a lot more touch than I thought I could expect."
"You're not a toucher? Am I driving you crazy?"
"You're driving me crazy all right," she said, looking me up and down.
"Go slow, but you haven't hit my limits yet," I told her. I paused. "Naked isn't in the cards, so if that's your goal, you'll be disappointed."
"I can be very good," she said. "No one has ever complained."
"Gwendolyn, you didn't pay what you did because you wanted someone who would fall into bed on command. You knew I was straight, and you paid an outrageous amount of money anyway. I believe you would be deeply disappointed if I let you take me to bed."
"Is that the only reason you're saying no?"
"Of course not. But if that's what you really wanted, you should have bid on Bonnie."
She didn't say anything right away. "I have well-developed habits. They aren't necessarily the habits I want to have. Will you forgive me?"
"Of course," I said. "I am just deeply afraid of disappointing you. I can fend off your advances." I paused. "But is that how you want to spend the time together?"
"No, it's not. If I don't knock it off, will you please yell at
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