On the way down for dinner, Ben gave a wave to Gerd. He was, surprisingly enough, behind the desk in the reception office. Christine was supervising and waitressing in the dining room. After dinner, Ben went to the Lounge for coffee and celebratory cognac after a day well spent.
Christine, making her rounds, joined him briefly. Sitting down quite close to Ben, she explained that two of her staff were absent and that she was rushed today. Ben silently offered her the balloon with cognac. After a furtive look, if anybody watched, Christine took a healthy sip.
With a sigh of relief, she said, “You do know what a woman in need needs.” But then she got up, “I better relieve Gerd in the reception. He wants to go out again.” Christine lowered her voice, “It’s just as well that I have never missed him going to bed!”
Back in his room, Ben checked his mail and replied to one from his sponsors in Germany. When he finished, a text from Christine had arrived that invited exchange:
To Ben: - “Sorry, Ben, (Am I?) for messing up your sex-life. E. is desperately needed tomorrow, Friday, all day. Also, Saturday. E. will manage Hotel. I have a date!! Need all arvo to pretty up! Until next week, for you and E., the Ipad will have to substitute for whatever. Sorry!? C.”
To Christine: - “Hah! Christine as a sorry BOSS?! And why am I rather pleased that C. isn’t all that sorry? Her ‘date’ and need to ‘pretty up’ could require lengthy texting! My texting E. is, I fear, third-party censored. Hardly a substitute for your ‘whatever’. It’s like taking a sleeping tablet instead of Viagra. B.”
To Ben: - “For a man, Ben, that (I have heard!!) doesn’t need Viagra, you moan unconvincingly. At least you understood my sorry message. As a teacher, you should not misspell (t)exting. And who is afraid of the bogeyman Censor? Not I nor E.!!! Want to hear about my date and how I’ll pretty- up? C.”
To Christine: - “Thrilled, excited about sexting with both of you. Hope getting often and hotly sexted back, by C. and E. in competition! I know E. has never sexted. Have you? Does it turn you on? Especially among us three!! Tell me about this date and how and why you will ‘pretty up’? B.”
To Ben: - “Neither C. nor E. have ever sexted. Both are willing to lose their sexting virginity with the right partner! Your question on my ‘date’ is a challenge for a sexting beginner like me. C.”
To Christine: - “How come? B.”
To Ben: - “I’m accompanying a man on a family outing. I’ll have to be at my best behaviour. I fancy that man somewhat. I call our outing ‘my date’ and prepare for it as if something naughty-date-like might happen. But it won’t! So, nothing real to sext about, is there? C.”
To Christine: - “If there isn’t, why am I getting excited? Tell me about how you will ‘pretty up and prepare’ for your non-date this Saturday? B.”
To Ben: - “I’ll first have a long warm bath to collect my thoughts, keeping my fingers in check!! It will remind me to restore the sexy trim on my too-long neglected bush. A labour of love since E. and I reached for the razor (Ask E. about the details.). I’ll use no perfume; all my lovers must love my natural smell. The dress is a difficult choice. I would like to wear the silver-grey knit-fabric one that I slip on, skin-tight, like a stocking. I’ve never worn it going out, would not wear it going out with Gerd! And now I can’t. Much too sexy for a family outing. It barely allows the sheerest of panties underneath without spoiling its magic!
I will have to wear a modest summer dress. I like it for immodest reasons. The almost see-through fabric and loose cut have tempted me occasionally on hot days to wear it naked underneath, among people, out on the terraces.
For a date where everything could happen, it would be just the dress. A short zip unzipped, and the dress would slide from my shoulders to the ground, revealing all of me!
For our outing, with my secret date, I regretfully need to compromise. But I’ll wear my sexiest underwear. (I know it’s his fetish. Pity, he won’t see!) Oh, yes; I’ll also wear the highest-heel shoes. It will give my rather nice bottom (I’ve been told) a sexy sway.
So, all this just to please my dirty mind. Wait a second – sexting it to you could inflame yours?? C.”
To Christine: - “Indeed, it could have consequences beyond just sexting? Aren’t you, the driver? After being so well-behaved during dinner, won’t you drive your date home in your car? All sorts of things could happen then. B.”
To Ben: - “Home is out for misbehaving. Car will be tempting, but it’s only sporty to drive. In parking, it’s not suitable for what you seem to have in mind!? My car only allows - maybe - a few kisses and clumsy groping across centre-hump and gearstick? It may just whet the appetite for more harmless sexting. For now, Good Night and Sweet Dreams. C.”
To Christine: - “P.S. Next time you slip into your silver-grey dress, take a selfie on your Ipad and post it to me! I love sexy-tall women in slinky dresses, especially when naked underneath. B.”
On Friday morning at breakfast, while she poured Ben’s coffee, Erika whispered, “Christine told me she has started sexting with you. She is naughty! I haven’t read it yet.”
It put Ben on tenterhooks for the rest of the day. He worked till mid-afternoon on the material he needed to prepare for his coming guest-lecturer-ship. He regularly checked for arriving mail. Then he went to visit father and Helen to tell them about the arrangement for tomorrow’s outing.
Christine gave him a wave and broad smile on returning to the hotel as he passed the reception. And now, at last, Erika’s message was on his Pad. It read:
To Ben: - “Sorry, I was rushed all day. It gave me time to think about what to say. So: Wow! C.&B. have moved quickly from T to S, on to N! Am all stirred-up about their Next. But, much more so about ours, next week. I will be your hot, jealous, but not greatly surprised, E.”