Kinky Confessions

“I think they’re amazing,” I said. “I love how you’ve captured the shy girl, the confident woman, and the radiant older woman. Did you intend to do that?”

“Oh my goodness! Paul, dear… yes! I said I wanted to show time and

beauty. The modern Sayuri isn’t perky and slim like the girl—and don’t tell Wren this, but I had to fudge her body a bit to make it look younger—but the older Sayuri has… I dunno… an inner beauty. It shines through everything, even time.”

“Well, you nailed it,” I said. “And I think I just figured out why.”

“Oh?” she teased. “Two in one night?”

“Be nice,” I shot back, friendly rather than petulant. “No, I just realized that you love your subjects. Not romantic love, but you clearly love them.

That comes through in your art. And you make your viewers love them too.”

“I suppose you’re right,” she said after a moment. “I never really thought about it. I just sculpt them how I see them in my head.”

“It’s why the Replicant works as well as it does. Yeah, you see the guy’s pain and heartbreak, but you really feel for him. He makes you think about hope, what might’ve been… if only he weren’t dying.”

“If you say so. You know this stuff better than I do. I’m just an artist.”

“I don’t think you’re ‘just’ anything. You’re amazing. And seeing these sketches makes me love you even more.”

“Really? Why? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining, but… why?

What’s so special about these?”

“It isn’t the sketches. It’s the way you see the world. I think you’re a lot more like Laurence than you realize. You’re pretty positive. At least, you are in your art.”

“If you say so,” she repeated, unconvinced.

“I say so.” I leaned in to kiss her, and we both lingered over it.

“Mmm, nice,” she said when we finally pulled apart. “And I just thought of something. Wait here. I’ll be right back.” She hopped up and scampered upstairs. She returned a minute later and tossed a sketchbook on the bed in front of me. “Oh, one more thing.” She dashed off but then stuck her head back in. “No peeking.” She shot a glance at the sketchbook, in case I hadn’t understood. Then she ran downstairs and returned with a bottle of wine and two glasses. “Ugh! I always do that, forget the corkscrew.”

I did my best not to chuckle as she set the bottle and glasses on the nightstand and disappeared again.

“Maybe I can’t plan things!” she called back as she ran down the stairs a second time. She gave me a breathless grin when she returned. “Wren and Trip looked at me like I’m crazy.”

“You sort of are.”

“Maybe, but I’m your crazy. I also have a corkscrew, so you’d better watch out!”

I held out my hand and she gave it to me. “What’s the occasion?” I asked as I carefully cut the foil from the top of the bottle.

“You’ll see.” She closed the bedroom door and untied the belt on her dress.

“Oh?”

She grinned. “I like being a nudist with you. Now it doesn’t seem weird to take my clothes off. Besides, you get this look in your eye…”

“It’s called ‘lust.’”

She ignored me and made an effort to toss her dress at the hamper. She missed, but at least she’d tried. She distracted me by changing the subject.

“Oh my gosh, I don’t know what I’d do without push-up bras.” She reached back and unclasped hers. “Even Terri makes me feel inadequate, and she’s my size. Sometimes I hate being so small. At least I’m bigger than some. Like Linda, Jody’s girlfriend. I don’t think hers even qualify as mosquito bites.”

“Yours aren’t small,” I said. “And you know how I feel—”

“I know. ‘Can you touch ’em?’ I get it.”

“Besides, I like you for more than your perky boobs.”

“You really think they’re perky?”

“Oh, please. You know they are. I see you check ’em every week to see if they sag. And for the record, they don’t. Now, are you going to take off your panties too?”

“I was planning on it. But what about you, Mr. Nudist?”

“I thought you’d never ask.” I stood and unbuttoned my khakis. I made a point to toss them in front of the hamper, where they landed on her dress.

She noticed and grinned. She added her panties to the growing pile and waited for me to finish undressing.

“You’re probably wondering what I’m up to…,” she ventured.

“Yes and no. I’m curious, but I don’t really care as long as you’re nude.”

“Have a seat and I’ll show you.” She waited for me to scoot to the center of the bed. She sat next to me seiza-style before she changed her mind and sat cross-legged instead. “I know you like to look,” she said as she drew my eyes to where her shaved labia parted slightly. “And I like to show you. I still feel a little weird about this, but only ’cause it makes me feel vulnerable. But… I like feeling vulnerable around you. It makes me all warm and tingly. Well,

even more warm and tingly than usual. Oh my gosh, I’m chattering, aren’t I?

“I don’t know why,” she continued. “I’m not nervous. Never mind, you don’t really care. You think I’m cute no matter what.”

“Guilty as charged,” I said.

“Okay, so… what I want to show you. Hey, don’t we need wine or something? I went back for the corkscrew and everything.”