046

Stan swung around so I could grab the tow rope and he slowly pulled out the slack. I got myself into position once more and gave the signal. I was back on my feet again and being towed. This time I started some slow turns behind the boat and since there was no one else in the water, Stan could keep going in pretty straight lines. I grew more confident and started making larger turns, even going over the wake wave several times without issue. I went for about twenty minutes, and my legs and arms started getting a little tired. I didn't know how to signal them I was ready to stop, when I realized all I had to do was release the rope. I dropped it and Stan immediately turned back to me.

They got close enough to speak and asked if I was alright.

"Just getting tired," I said. "I wanted to stop."

"Kathy, do you want to go again?" Stan asked.

"No, I'm good. We've probably all had enough sun for the day."

"It is pretty late. We'll get back maybe twenty minutes before our dinner reservations, but it's nothing a couple drinks can't fix," Stan said.

I handed up the skis, and Tanner helped me into the boat while Stan brought the tow rope in. Everybody lost their floatation vests and they were stowed away. Kathy gave Stan and Tanner another beer and she gave me a water, taking one for herself. On the way back, Stan worked with Tanner in driving the boat. Kathy and I had a seat in the front.

Kathy handed me the tanning lotion and said, "You need to put more lotion on. It probably washed off in the water."

I smeared it all over my front as well as I could without removing my suit. I handed it back to her and asked if she could put some on my back. She dutifully smeared it all over my back, pausing before putting it on my buttocks. "Go ahead," I said. "You're husbands already felt them up." Kathy laughed and spread lotion on my buns. She asked if I'd put some on her as well. I put lotion all over her back and butt, doing a thorough, though not unprofessional job of it. She had a nice ass and it was a lot less hairy than Stan's. I handed the lotion back to her, but I couldn't watch when she spread it all over her front. I felt like a voyeur, though I could see Stan and Tanner didn't have the same compunctions I did. They watched with interest. I could almost tell where she was spreading the lotion by watching their eyes.

I heard Stan ask Tanner if he wanted to play poker with a few of the guys tomorrow night.

"I don't know, Stan. It's my honeymoon. I've already skipped out on Brooke once to play golf. I don't think I should."

I spoke up, "Go ahead, Tanner. I don't want to stand in the way of you're getting together with the guys once in awhile." I felt a knot in my stomach as I said it, knowing I was doing it to free up time for another task my blackmailer was imposing. "Kathy can hang with me while you boys play your games."

"As long as you don't use it as another excuse to get stinking drunk, Mrs. Mason."

"No," I said, "I promise I won't be getting drunk." Although what I'd be doing would likely be a thousand times worse, I thought.

"If you're sure it's okay."

"Yeah, I'm sure. Have fun."

"I'm warning you, Tanner," Stan said. "I won't be as big a patsy playing poker as I was playing golf. I minored in poker in college and I've kept my skills up with a Thursday night poker game every week for four years."

"Bring it on, buddy," Tanner replied. "With Brooke wanting to remain a virgin until our wedding, I've been playing three times a week for the last six months."

I'd wondered what Tanner did when he wasn't with me. Playing poker, huh. Interesting.

"Once you fellows are done playing for money, maybe you'd like to make it a little more interesting," Kathy said, "and play strip poker on Friday night?"

"Brooke?" Tanner asked.

I thought about it. Both Kathy and Stan had seen me topless, and for all practical intents and purposes, in today's swimsuit, bottomless as well. I'd put lotion on both their naked asses and they'd done the same to my almost naked one, if a single string thong could be said to be clothing. I'd played poker with my teammates while on road trips in college, and while not an expert by any means, I could probably hold my own depending on the luck of the cards.

I finally said, "I'm not sure. Let me think about it. I'm not exactly comfortable with it, but there's not much more I can show to anyone here. We'll see how I feel in a couple days."

"It's up to you," Tanner said. "I'll do whatever you think is best."

"We'll be at Gordon's in about fifteen minutes," Stan said. "Probably good to bust out the good clothes."

I went into the dry well and found our clothes. I handed the Wrights their bag and handed Tanner his things from our bag. He put on underwear, some Dockers, a short sleeve dress shirt. I had a wrap around skirt to pull over my suit and a loose blouse to go over the top of my suit. Kathy put on a matching lace bra and panties, and a sexy dress. She took the wheel of the boat so Stan could put on his jeans and polo shirt. We all wore sandals. As advertised, we got there about twenty minutes before our appointment, Tanner tying us up at the dock. They had a firepit with a nice fire burning and several cozy chairs around it. We gave our names to the waitress and everyone got a drink and we sat around the fire sipping our drinks, waiting to be called.

All the sun and exercise this afternoon left me feeling slightly lethargic. I'm sure the texts from my blackmailer weren't helping either. I knew he would force me to do something else I didn't want to tomorrow night and I was dreading what it might be. I felt tired thinking of it. I was fighting a losing battle to maintain any semblance of dignity and modesty and wondered if there was anything I could do to regain control of my life. The longer it went on, the less likely it seemed. Everything I was being forced to do would make me look worse and worse in Tanner's mind and I despaired if my marriage could survive. I was lost in my own thoughts and didn't notice when our names were called. Tanner had to poke my arm before I responded.

"Are you okay?" Tanner asked. "It seems as if you've been in your own little world for almost a week."

I smiled up at him as he helped me to my feet. "I think the sun must have gotten to me a little today. I'm a little tired is all. I'll be fine."

I held onto his arm as we went into the restaurant and made a point of trying to remain engaged in the conversation going on around me. I smiled and laughed in all the appropriate places, made pithy comments when it was called for, and generally tried to fit in. The food was excellent. Tanner started with coconut crusted crab cakes followed by the swordfish filet, and I had the panzanella salad followed by the Thai green seafood curry. Stan had the seafood salpicon followed by the surf and turf and Kathy had the chicken Cobb salad with the grilled lamb chops. I was glad Tanner skipped the asparagus. I remembered Taylor or Tiffany telling me to stay away from oral sex after a man had eaten asparagus. I wanted to be extra special nice to him given I was going to participating in another act of betrayal tomorrow night. No matter what happened the last few times we had sex, he didn't deserve what I going to do.