James Barton: The family gets it on

"Careful, Tom, looks like you've got a load on already!" Vicki chirped, and the others laughed as Tom recovered and went to the door.

He found Greg standing there, dressed in white pants, sandals and a white calypso shirt that was opened to the waist.

"Good evening," he said as he entered, and glanced at the trio sitting at the bar. Vicki's mouth dropped open and Chuck stared at Greg – the Wards had neglected to mention the fact that their summer neighbors were black.

"Ah… Chuck, Vicki… this is Greg, our next-door nigger," Tom said, and felt himself go cold as he realized what he had just said. Linda glared at him, her face a bright crimson beneath her tan, and Vicki caught her breath at Tom's remark.

Chuck extended his hand and found it engulfed in both of Greg's as the black man smiled warmly and remarked, "Pay no mind to him." He gestured with his head to Tom. "You know how these rich honkies are." They all laughed, relieving the tension.

The five people shared a quick drink, and during the course of the brief conversation between Chuck and Greg, Tom glanced toward Linda, who had just whispered something in Vicki's ear. Vicki's eyes widened and Tom could have sworn she mouthed the word "fourteen". But he couldn't be sure – his head was a little fuzzy and he knew he would have to taper off if he expected to get home that evening without being carried.

"Listen," Greg said, turning to Tom, "why don't we go on over to my place… Lisa has some hors d'oeuvres on ice and I've got some wine I've been saving for a special occasion."

The others agreed, and arm in arm they crossed the narrow expanse of lawn that separated the Wards' cottage from its neighbor. Greg opened the door and stood aside as they entered, a broad smile on his face.

Tom and Linda walked into the living room and stopped in their tracks as Chuck and Vicki did the same. They looked around the room, a look of surprise on their faces.

"Good Lord…" Tom said just above a whisper.

"Is it real?" Linda questioned.

"Fantastic!" Vicki exclaimed.

"Early Harem…" Chuck put in as Greg closed the door.

The two couples stood transfixed as Greg walked to a big tape deck and pressed a button. The room was filled with the plaintive sounds of a classical guitar, and Tom recognized the artist as Segovia. The room was devoid of furniture and the wall directly to their left was covered by antique mirror squares. Red lamps hung from the ceiling in three corners of the room and the entire atmosphere was one of sensuous warmth. The carpet underfoot was a deep, fur-like material, and in the center of the room – arranged in a circle – were six pillows of gigantic proportions. In the center of the pillow group sat a tall bronze hookah with a cut-glass body and several hoses that hung from receptacles at its neck. A light cube, two-feet square sat beneath the tape deck, and it seemed that the changing colors oozed from its opaque surfaces in tempo with the music. The arched doorway that led to the kitchen was beaded, as were the three windows of the room. As the light from the cube changed in intensity, the brighter rays were captured in the cut beads and sparkled like an electric fire along their many faceted surfaces.

"Like it?" Greg asked as he turned from the tape recorder.

"Jesus…" Tom said, "it's unreal…"

Greg laughed. "We call it our play room… it has a relaxing effect – lets a person shed his or her inhibitions… if you know what I mean." He gestured toward the pillows. "Sit down… take off your shoes and kick back… I'll give Lisa a hand," and he pushed through the beaded curtain and left them alone.

"What kinda party'd you say this was?" Chuck asked suspiciously.

"Oh, come on, you two… relax!" Linda said, and slipped out of her sandals and chose a pillow.

Tom looked at his friend and shrugged. "Might as well," he said, and kicked off his shoes and sat, his eyes on Vicki as she slid down on a pillow to his right and her exposed navel seemed like another eye in the dim, red light.

Chuck sat beside Linda and leaned forward to examine the hookah. "Hey…" he said, "it's real!"

Linda giggled and rubbed his thigh. "Did you think it was there just for effect?"

Vicki leaned back and her hand touched Tom's. "This is gonna be nice, Tom… I've always…"

Then they all looked up as the beads parted and Lisa entered carrying a tray. Chuck blinked in disbelief as the breathtakingly beautiful woman set the tray beside the hookah, then turned and kissed him squarely on the mouth.

"Welcome to our home…" she said in a husky tone, then turned and kissed Tom.

Linda could not believe her eyes as Lisa moved to Vicki, cupped her chin in her hand and kissed her fully on the mouth. Then, Lisa took Linda's hand and bent to kiss her. Linda felt her soft, warm lips close over her own and just the tip of her tongue came forth in a teasing, arousing manner. As their lips parted, Lisa told her, "I'm so happy you decided to come, Linda…" and she straightened as Greg entered carrying a tray wit a carafe of ruby liquid and six, long-stemmed wine gasses.

Both Tom and Chuck had difficulty tearing their eyes away from the lovely black woman as she sat between them and crossed her long, bare legs. She was wearing a short, belted kimono that was either silver or white, but with the red hue from the lamps it was difficult to tell. The garment was open to the waist and as she leaned forward to take a glass of wine from Greg, Tom saw her well developed tits exposed, and he swallowed thickly.

All watched in silence as Greg poured and passed the glasses about. When they each had one, he raised his glass and toasted, "To good friends… to warmth… to love…" and he glanced about at each of them. "And to the fulfillment of desires."

They dank, then Chuck asked, "Ah… what kind of wine did you say this was, Greg?"

He smiled and tasted his again. "Burgundy… electric burgundy."

Lisa passed the cubed hors d'oeuvres, and as Tom tasted one, he found it sweet, yet somehow acrid in taste. He washed it down with wine and found that the taste somehow changed when mixed with alcohol.

"Do you like them?" Lisa asked as she saw Tom reach for another.

"Different… what is it?"

She smiled and replied, "Mead, cannabis and sesame…"

Tom heard, but it didn't register as he felt quite relaxed and at the same time lifted by the overall atmosphere of the room.

Lisa stood and walked to the tape deck, and though she didn't change the tape, it was as though she had switched in another channel and the sounds that came from behind – or melded with – the guitar were disturbingly familiar. Small animal-like mews came from the speakers, and below that, the sound of two people breathing heavily.

She sat again and smiled as she said, "Greg and I believe in the adage, 'if it feels good, do it', and we like to share this with our friends." She looked at Tom and asked, "Do you like me?"

Tom blushed as he looked toward Linda. "Ah… yes… you're quite beautiful."

She kissed him lightly, then faced Chuck, "And you, Chuck – do you think me beautiful, too?"

He swallowed thickly and nodded.

Lisa smiled. "Would you both like to make love with me?"

Vicki expelled her breath and Lisa looked toward her. "Is that such an unusual question? We women know that the first thing a man thinks about when he sees a beautiful woman is making love to her… but we have the option, no? I believe that people should be honest… if they desire each other and both parties are willing, they should do that…" She stood and beckoned to Vicki and Linda. "Come, I have other robes – perhaps you'll find them more comfortable than the clothes you're wearing." And like two children, the women stood and followed Lisa from the room.