After the meal, they were watching television and Sally mentioned casually that she could have gone with Ray, after all, as Cynthia Hearldson had changed her piano lesson to Tuesday.
«Oh, yeah?» he said absently, «well, it was hotter than hell in Knoxville. Seems like this weather ought to break pretty soon. Say, honey, what's this spot on the rug here?»
«Oh! I-I fixed myself a drink this afternoon and spilled some of it,» she explained.
«Drinking alone, and in the afternoon?» he teased, but frowned slightly.
«Only a cola, silly.»
Speaking of drinks, Ray thought, he had had a tiring day and wouldn't mind one right now. Sally was curled up so comfortably on the couch that instead of asking her he went to the kitchen himself. It seemed to him that the level of the bourbon bottle was down somewhat from what it had been the other day … but no doubt he was mistaken … of course, if Sally wanted a drink now and then there was no reason why she shouldn't take one, yet it was not characteristic of his wife to drink or to fib. Since he knew that Sally did not really care for hard liquor, the thought crossed Ray's mind as he brought out the ice cubes that maybe someone else had been here. No, he dismissed the idea … she would have mentioned any callers.
Nevertheless, his wife surprised him by reaching eagerly for his glass when he carried it in and she proceeded to swallow a hefty slug of it. «Just what I needed to pick me up,» Sally confessed, «I-I'm not feeling so well this evening.»
«Have a hard day, darling?» he questioned indulgently.
«Not really. I just feel sort of … strung out.»
«Probably worrying about the loan. It's making us both tense … I wish to hell we'd hear something pretty soon.»
«Oh, Ray,» his wife got up from her sitting position and moved over next to him on the couch, placing her cheek against the flat hardness of his chest, «I'm sure we will hear something soon, and that it will be favorable. I … I just feel it!»
The close intimate presence of his wife against his body could not fail to stimulate Ray sexually and his hand came down to stroke her soft brown hair and slip under the neckline of her dress. Immediately a tremendous wave of guilt at her deception swept over Sally and her whole body seemed to freeze and grow rigid with fear. Ray must never, never find out what she had done! The knowledge would destroy him and her along with him … shivering slightly, she allowed him to work his warm fingers under her bra strap, to push it down over her shoulder so that he could dip his hand, unhindered, into the thin nylon cup of her brassiere and fasten his palm over her full vibrant breast. Cold terror gripped her. If they made love tonight she was sure somehow that Ray would know it was not her first time today. She still felt so stretched and sore down there … and she still carried within her secret parts the sticky semen of Ray's boss and of … oh, God … of the big German Shepherd. Tears welled up in her long-lashed gray eyes as she realized fully to what depths of depravity she had sunk … but for good cause, for her husband's sake.
«I'm sorry, darling,» she whispered as Ray's fingers fastened over her sensitive, abused nipple, «I-I just don't feel up to … to romance this evening. I really would love it, if I just felt better.»
Her husband sighed and gradually withdrew his hand from her dress, leaving her breast tingling with the excitement his palpating fingers had aroused. Oh, she did want to … she really truly wanted Ray to make love to her … to fuck as she had been fucked today … but she didn't dare let him. Not now.