They took a break from shopping for furniture and stopped by Ruby Tuesday’s. Both settled for chocolate malts instead of alcohol. Helena insisted that they could make alcohol on Alpha, but she’d spent five years without any chocolate, and had a lot of time to make up. Melissa had embraced her pregnancy with the fanaticism of the converted, buying and reading a stack of books on pregnancy and parenthood, including a book on raising a responsible teen. Helena had laughed and told her that was a bit premature, but Melissa had countered that if her children were anything like she had been, it was best to get a head start. She also hadn’t had any alcohol since she had tested pregnant.
It was so good to be together again, to be able to laugh with each other and tease each other and even fight with each other. The two women couldn’t have been any happier. They had sent the men surfing this morning. Melissa was almost tempted to go with them, but she wanted Helena’s help with choosing the furniture, so they had been off on a power-shopping excursion.
The weekday lunch rush was easing and a trio of businessmen sitting across the restaurant caught Melissa’s eye. She licked her lips and gave them a long look-over, then smiled, her lips parted.
“What are you doing?” Helena asked quietly, trying not to look in the direction of the three young men who were practically drooling over the look Melissa gave them.
“Just checking out the scenery. That middle one keeps looking us both over. He’s fantasizing about doing us both right now.”
“Mel, you’re married.”
“Yes, I am. But even if I buy the perfect dress in the morning, doesn’t mean I can’t window shop in the afternoon. Come on, Helena, I’m not dead or anything.” She smiled wickedly. “And the guy over there with the hard-on doesn’t even have a clue that I’m pregnant. What a turn-on.” She moved her lips just a bit, as if subtly blowing him a kiss. “Check him out Cake. He’s really paying more attention to you.”
Helena glanced at the other table in spite of herself and the young man lifted his glass and smiled at her. He had dark hair and dark skin, was tall and slender and at least ten years younger than her. In spite of herself she smiled slightly. Then she blushed and looked back at her nearly empty milkshake glass.
“See, that wasn’t so difficult, was it?”
Helena smiled. “It’s so different from Alpha. I’m still having a hard time getting used to it.”
“How do you mean? People were still people there.”
“Yes, of course, but we were so close together. Everyone knew everything about everyone. If I’d looked at someone like that in the cafeteria, three people would have told John about it before shift change.”
Melissa chuckled. “I guess you’re right. But here, those guys will never know our names, and never see us again. So there’s no harm done in some simple flirting.”
“Unless they turn out to be part of the space program…”
“In which case, you blame it on your rebel sister who has no political ties to bind her.”
“Well, I’ve done that before,” Helena said with a fond smile. “Remember those brothers we were dating in college?”
“Ah yes, Jake and um...”
“Charlie,” Helena prompted.
“Yeah, that’s right. Man, they wanted us so bad. Remember they asked us to rent that little beach house with them?”
“The one bedroom one with the king size bed. I remember. I also remember the night you posed as me and went out with Jake and gave him the screwing of his life, so that he wandered around for weeks asking me to do it again!”
“Well, he wasn’t getting any action out of you. You weren’t screwing anyone at the time as I recall.”
“I didn’t love him. I wasn’t even sure I liked him, and you wanted both of them!”
“Well, Jake was better than whats-his-name—“
“Charlie,” Helena supplied.
“Seems to me you weren’t that selective by the time you met John.”
Helena practically sputtered. “I – was—“
“Yeah, yeah, I know. Soulmates, love at first sight, yadda, yadda. Helena you had a bad case of lust and needed a good lay. You just happened to pick a keeper.”
“That’s not true!”
“Which part?”
“My life was perfectly fine before I met John.”
“But it’s better now right?”
“Well, of course—“ Helena could see this was an argument she wasn’t going to win. For all that Melissa did seem attached to Alan, she simply didn’t believe in love at first sight, and nothing Helena said was going to change her mind.
The waitress arrived and they paid the bill. Melissa leaned forward and said softly, “show’em some thigh Cake, they’re still watching.”
“Mel!”
Melissa slid from the booth allowing the skirt of her sundress to move up almost to her pantyline. She stood and waited for her sister. Helena slid out of her side of the booth easily, then dropped her purse and bent down to pick it up, her own skirt riding up her thigh. She stood and locked arms with her twin and they barely made it out of the restaurant before they exploded into giggles.
They moved further into the mall, strolling by shops and peering at displays, Helena was feeling sinfully rich just to see all the items available. She didn’t resist when Melissa pulled her into Veronica’s Secret. She was enjoying the luxury of being able to buy new underwear whenever she wished after five long years on Alpha. The two of them browsed contently for a while, then Mel nudged her and pointed at a display. It was a maroon satin gown with a stretch lace panel across the front and a slit up the left side. The straps were satin ribbons that tied at the shoulders. Helena considered it. It was different from anything she had.
“It’s not exactly your type or mine.”
“That’s the beauty of it. I think we should each get one.”
“Whatever for?”
“To do something a little different.”
“What did you have in mind?”
“Oh, I’ was thinking of that fantasy of Jake’s.”
“Jake and Charlie are probably fat and bald now,” Helena said with a laugh, deliberately misunderstanding her.”
“Not with Jake and Charlie,” Melissa said, nudging her sister. “We have much better candidates now.”
“Mel, they wanted us…”
“At the same time, in the same bed. Oh, I’m not suggesting anything really kinky. They’re our own husbands, and I’m not suggesting switching or anything.”
“Or confusing them?” Helena asked, motioning at the negligees.
“I don’t think we can. I think they’ll know. You said John had no problem telling you from Maya. Besides, it’s the seduction that counts. The first time one of them hesitates, I’ll drag Alan off to the spare bedroom.”
Helena hesitated.
“It’d be fun, you know it would.”
“You are so wicked.” Then Helena laughed and hugged her. “I’m so glad to be home with my evil twin sister.” She turned to the sales clerk. “We’ll take two of these.”
They made a brief stop at the linen store and purchased pale pink satin sheets that contrasted nicely with the maroon nightgowns.
“So much for buying furniture.” Helena laughed as they got in the car.
“I never saw anything I liked.”
“We’ll try again tomorrow.”
“You’ll go with me again?”
“Assuming we’re both still married tomorrow, and you still need to buy furniture for the new house,” she said. “You realize,” she added. “They’ll probably come home sunburned, and waterlogged and not in the mood at all.”
“Wanna bet?”
The men had told them they would be home by late afternoon and they would all go out to dinner. When the GTO pulled into the driveway Helena and Melissa were both attired in their new negligees, hair swept up and curled, nails polished, and makeup applied.
John and Alan were both laughing as they walked in the door continuing a conversation from their drive. They noticed the women sitting at the bar in the den at the same time. They took in the gowns, clear sandals and hairdos and exchanged a look with each other.
“Helena,” John said, a warning tone in his voice.
“We’re not trying to trick you, John.”
“It was my idea,” Melissa added.
“Why am I not surprised,” Alan said with a grin. He took in the lacey panels, allowing a fine view of the women’s chests, leaving very little to the imagination.
“We just wanted to ask you two to fulfill one of our teenage fantasies,” Melissa said, her eyes wide, and voice innocent. She glanced at Helena who managed not to laugh.
“Which would be?” John asked.
“For the men we love to do us at the same time, in the same bed.” Melissa licked her lips and managed a seductive look at her husband.
Helena stood and approached her husband. “It will become more difficult once Melissa—and I—have babies. And we’ll be leaving for Houston in another month, and Alan and Melissa are planning to go to Australia to visit his folks soon. If we don’t do it now, there may never be another opportunity.” She used her sister’s flirting expressions on John, and was surprised to see them working. She definitely had his attention.
Alan took his brother-in-law’s arm and gave a tug. “Ladies, please excuse us for a moment.”
He pulled John out the door and Helena blew her husband a kiss. He was definitely interested, and she sat beside Melissa with a laugh as the door closed.
“I told you it would be fun.”
“You think they’re going to take us up on it?”
“I think they are.”
In the kitchen Alan pulled two beers from the fridge and handed one to John.
“What’s gotten into them?” John said with surprise.
“My dear wife, undoubtedly.”
“So, shall we call their bluff?”
“Well, Melissa’s not bluffing. For her it’s a win-win situation. She enjoys the reactions she gets from others to something this unorthodox, and if we take her up on it she’ll enjoy that too.”
“And if we turn her down?”
“Well, she knows she’s got my attention, and that we’ll have a great evening one way or another. She isn’t making a play for you,” he reassured John.
“I don’t think Helena would allow that.”
“Of course not. Look, I think it’d be best if I just pick up her little arse and take her to bed and get her mind off of this.”
“Perhaps one of them will call a halt to it.”
“I expect Mel has Helena all talked into it. And Mel will take it all the way to the cigarette afterwards if the rest of us let her.”
“She still smoking?” John said with a grin.
“No, she says it’s bad for the baby. She hasn’t had a cigarette since we’ve been back.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ll take care of this, John. Don’t worry.”
John nodded, glad that Melissa was Alan’s wife, not his.
The men joined their wives in the living room again and Alan walked straight over to Melissa and kissed her. “You’re being very naughty, scaring John that way.” He glanced at John who was standing by Helena and winked at the two of them.
“And what are you going to do about it flyboy?”
Alan leaned forward and placed his hands on her waist, kissed her softly again then moved his hands down over her rear to her thighs. He quickly caught her up in a fireman’s carry and plucked her off the bar stool. Melissa shrieked, startled. Alan turned to face his friends. “I know we were planning to go out, but how about Melissa and I pick up some chinese in about an hour or so.”
“Alan! Put me down!” She squirmed and her husband responded by patting her conveniently placed bottom. She couldn’t help but giggle.
“That sounds fine, Alan.” Helena managed to say before she began to laugh. “No hurry.”
“Right then,” he said, and turned and headed for the spare bedroom. “Come on, love. I think we need to review a few rules regarding marital bliss.” Melissa responded by reaching down and pinching her husband’s bottom. As they left the room she looked up and winked at her twin.
John placed his arm around Helena and relaxed slightly. “I—um, need a shower.” He leaned down and kissed her neck. “Meet me in bed in a few minutes?” he asked.
“With pleasure, darling,” Helena said with a smile.
When John finished his shower and walked into the bedroom Helena was sitting on the bed waiting for him. She looked happy and relaxed, and absolutely beautiful. They did look a lot alike, John had noticed but he’d had no trouble telling which one was Helena, just from the way had she moved her body. The woman on the bed was definitely his wife, even though he felt a bit of caution that Melissa might try a switch just to see what he would do. Helena had drawn the drapes against the afternoon sun and lit a number of candles around the room, giving the bed a soft glow with the shiny satin sheets. Helena sat with her back against the headboard, knees drawn up, toes just peeking out from under the hem of her gown, her arms hugging her knees. She smiled in welcome and held out her hand. John took it, leaned over it and kissed it, rubbing her palm with his thumb.
John sat beside Helena and she leaned toward him. She kissed him lightly and trailed kisses across his cheek to his earlobe. Her tongue tickled his ear and she spoke softly into his ear. “John, I want you so bad.”
He remembered one of the first times he had visited her here and she had taken him out to the patio and made love to him in the rocking chair. Helena did have a wilder side that she seldom let loose around anyone but him. Alan wasn’t completely right. Helena had a hand in this idea too. Helena’s hands rested lightly on his shoulders, and she moved one hand up to caress his cheek. “I love you, Helena,” he murmured into her ear.
Helena’s hands roamed over his body as he lay down next to her. She coaxed and stimulated him and encouraged his touch. Helena’s breath was already coming rapidly, and John made sure he was satisfying her. He reached down to caress her wet and sensitive area, stimulating her as he entered her.
She clutched at him, moving her hands down his back and straining against him, “John, deeper, oh, please,” she moaned. He pressed harder and deeper in response and Helena cried out with pleasure. John looked into his wife’s eyes as he reached his own peak and they smiled at each other. John rolled off of her and pulled her against him, nuzzling her neck. John kissed his wife behind the ear and closed his eyes feeling completely relaxed. He didn’t even realized when he drifted off to sleep.
Alan opened the bedroom door and deposited Melissa on the bed. She bounced on the pink satin sheets and looked up at him with amusement. “Are you going to ‘discipline’ me now?” she asked. She well knew he didn’t care for the kinkier forms of sex and was glad of it.
“I should spank you’re desirable little arse,” he threatened, but he was smiling too. He leaned down and kissed her. “But first, I need a shower to wash off the salt. Then I intend to come back and keep you too busy to dream up any more schemes like this. Think you can behave until I get back?”
She bit her bottom lip pensively. Mischief in her eyes. “Perhaps I should do pennance by scrubbing your back.”
Alan grinned. “Not a bad idea.” He reached for the ties on the shoulders of her negligee and she sat up, eager to join him in the shower.
When John opened his eyes again the candles had burned low and the curtains were no longer blocking light. Helena lay next to him, watching him with a soft smile.
“Mmm,” he said, “I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”
“Mel and Alan have gone to get the Chinese takeout. They’ll be back in about half an hour.”
“Half an hour?” he smiled and pulled her to him. He preferred having her all to himself. She melted into his arms with an eager sigh and he knew she was willing. She pushed him back onto the bed and straddled him. Her hands played with his nipples, his abdomen, and moved down to caress and fondle his most private parts. He moaned and reached for her, but she leaned forward and kissed his fingertips.
“My turn,” she said. He nodded and relaxed, allowing her to lead them to climax. She set a leisurely rhythm and brought him to a peak that had him lying moaning and breathless beneath her. When she was finished she settled in his arms again and he held her gently.
“I’m sorry.” Helena said softly.
“For what?”
“Mel’s… idea. I probably shouldn’t have encouraged her. But you’ll find that I’m really the weaker twin and usually end up going along with whatever Melissa plans.”
John thought about that statement. Helena was one of the most strong-willed individuals he knew. If she had not been, she would never have survived their experiences on Alpha. “Darling, if you’re the weaker twin, I sure pity Alan.”
She laughed. “He seems to think he’s the luckiest man in the world. I’m glad she’s found someone to love her so much and give her a little balance.”
“We aren’t going go through that again, are we?”
“No. I don’t think Alan will let her, but once she’s had the experience, she seldom asks for a repeat.” She paused, running her hand down his chest. “There’s something I want to tell you before they get back.”
“What?”
“I haven’t even told Melissa yet.”
“Then it must really be a secret. You two seem to almost share each other’s thoughts.”
Helena smiled. She and John had not spent much time around Melissa until recently. It had allowed their relationship to be very different from any other relationship she’d ever had. She had always depended on Melissa’s impressions of the men she dated before she met John.
She propped herself on one elbow. She wanted to watch his face. “I took a pregnancy test this morning. We’re going to have a baby.”
She watched the smile grow on his face. “Really?”
“Really,” she said quietly.
“That’s… that’s wonderful!” He hugged her close. He could tell she was bursting with happiness.
In another part of the house a door slammed more loudly than necessary. Alan was obviously alerting them to their return. It was time to celebrate and share the good news with the rest of the family. He whispered in her ear, “I love you, Helena.” And heard her gentle laugh in reply. Life just didn’t get better than this.
Maureen J. Long
3-26-2000