I had not expected the ship to be as huge as it was, dwarfing its surroundings. As I walked along the gangway I met him for the first time. I bumped into him when he turned to wave to someone on the pier. He bent down and picked up the purse I had dropped when we collided. There was a warm, friendly smile on his face as he apologized.

He looked at me appraisingly, with a look in his eyes that caused a slight sexual tingling. His deep voice had a quality of authority, but also of tenderness. I met him again about an hour later in an elevator and we exchanged a few words before he arrived at his deck. Again I felt a certain magnetism looking at and talking to him, and I was sure that he found me interesting also.

I was surprised and very delighted to see him seated at my dinner table, although at opposite ends. Now I was more that intrigued, I had to get to know this gentleman. It happened shortly after dinner.
"May I have the pleasure of a dance with a beautiful, vivacious lady?" his voice asked me. He was standing at my side and I again bumped into him as I turned, making both of us laugh.

He turned out to be an excellent, smooth dancer, I even enjoyed that he held me closer than one would normally hold a lady one just met. But I enjoyed it. In fact, I could easily see myself following him to his cabin, which I did when he asked me in his suave, quiet way.

"Do you prefer wine or a mixed drink? I can serve you either, I have a fully equipped bar in my stateroom." I had assumed that I would eventually wind up in his cabin or stateroom, but it happened much quicker than I had thought. And I was amazed at my willingness, or rather eagerness to follow him.
The wine was excellent, a Moselle Spaetlese, the smoothest I ever have tasted. Brian had introduced himself while we were dancing and now he told me who he actually was, a member of the Diplomatic Corps, he explained, without going further than that. We talked a bit about our lives, giving me time to get adjusted to the fast pace of events.

"That I am on this cruise is due to some unusual circumstances," I told him. Then I added," my husband, Karl, is a minister and just could not get away, but he wanted me to take the cruise I had wanted to do for a long time, and so, here I am,"

"I am still single," he told me, "In fact, I normally fly, but I wanted to take a leisurely cruise and maybe even meet a lady who would be willing to put up with me for a lifetime. And instead I meet a most attractive lady who is married to a preacher. Well, I enjoy whatever fates present me with. And I am looking forward to spend as much time with you as you allow."

I knew then that I could not, and would not, resist him, and as it turned out, I was more assisting than resisting.

His arm reached around me and drew me close. I closed my eyes and parted my lips, ready for the kiss that was coming. As he put his lips to mine his tongue searched for mine, then offered itself to me to be sucked on like a lollipop. I loved the taste of him, male and sweet mixed together.

His right hand ran circles on my back and I was glad not wearing a bra that night. Right there and then I made a resolution, no bra and no panties for the rest of the cruise. I was certain it would please him. With no bra between us it felt as if he played with my nipples when I rubbed against Brian's broad chest.
When I broke the kiss he looked at me questioningly and it took all my willpower not to melt into his arms again. But I had to say something to him.

"Listen carefully, Brian," I started. "First I want you to know that breaking the spell was one of the most difficult things I ever did in my life. I want you to know, and me to know, that I will walk into your arms and into your bed, with both eyes open, and not by accident, or being drunk. I want to be able to look into my face in the mirror in the morning feeling right about myself and not cheap or guilty."

"I expected no less from you," answered Brian," I know also that you will tell your husband what you did. You value honesty too highly to act otherwise."

There was a small voice in my brain warning me of hell but I told it to shut up. I put my hands on either side of his head and drew him closer until our lips met again. My lips found his, and I let them tell him that I wanted him, that I needed him tonight and every night thereafter till the end of the cruise. I moved as close as I could and let my body talk to him.

Smiling at me he moved me away and I wondered what he had in mind.

"Stand in front of me, it is time for inspection," he commanded, imitating a drill sergeant's stern tone. "Take the hem of your skirt, look at me and smile at me while you lift your skirt slowly until I say STOP. I want you to enjoy your embarrassment."

After he made me stop he ogled me, especially inspecting my lacy panties. When he was satisfied he hooked his fingers into my panties' waistband and rolled them down very, very slowly. It was true that I was a bit embarrassed, but that also gave my arousal another kick.

"Now turn slowly," was his next command, "I want to enjoy the sight of your lovely ass." He had me stand for about fifteen seconds before he told me to remove my panties. I knew that bending down would put my pussy right in his face and mow I was really embarrassed. He had a clear look at my pussy, enjoying every second of my embarrassment.

"Turn again to face me; I am going to undress you so I can enjoy every bit of you, you lovely and lovable woman. But first I want to see that pretty pussy from the front." I was glad I had started to shave my pussy a month ago. He obviously enjoyed the sight. Standing in front of him, displaying myself, gave me a rush and my arousal went up two more notches. I was amazed at myself.

"Inspection is over; you passed with straight "As". Lower your skirt and get ready for your reward."

Brian stood and embraced me, kissed my neck while his left hand went to work on the zipper of my skirt. He pushed my skirt down over my hips, letting it fall to the floor. Then he bent down so he could lift me, cradled in his strong arms. He stepped back and sat back down on the couch, holding me tight on his lap.

I felt myself shivering slightly as I molded myself close against him, feeling his strong body next to mine. He startled me when he pushed my shoulders back after a few minutes of cuddling. He took his time unbuttoning my blouse, kissing the bare flesh as it came into view. My need started building fast and he tormented me with his slowness.

I felt my nipples harden as he deliberately brushed the back of his hand across them. I inhaled deeply when he opened the last button, exposing my tits to the air. Was I ever glad not to wear a bra anymore. This time he did not hesitate, his lips closed over my right nipple at once and he sucked on it, and then just worked it with his tongue.

Little bolt of lightning shot through me as he worked his magic on my sensitive right nipple. There were many more lightning bolts, making me quiver, when he sucked a good part of my tit in his mouth. He let his tongue dance over my skin and I felt goose bumps crawling over my chest.

After he had his fill he picked me up and carried me to hid bed. As he put me down he made a demand.

"Lie still and don't move, I want to look at you. You are so sweet and sexy, so desirable, and so lovable, . … and so sexy. I want to remember you always like that. I closed my eyes then. I felt both wanted as well as slightly sluttish. And I loved the feeling, I was the New Woman.

Several seconds later I felt feathery kisses caressing my forehead. Next a wet tongue traced the edge of my earlobe, making me shiver. When the tongue entered my ear I shrieked. I could not lie still any longer. He sternly told me again to lie still. I tried, but still my body was shaking. My breathing became heavier now but I kept myself in check as well as I could.

Brian went to the end of the bed where he took hold of both ankles and pulled me toward him till my ass was at the edge of the bed. I closed my eyes again, knowing that a tender and strong, and determined man was going to take what was offered to him. He opened my legs as I had hoped and then bent my knees up to my chest. I was exposed for him. I was his to do with as he pleased.

Brian must have bent down because he was blowing puffs of air on the skin of my tummy giving me goose bumps. Suddenly he stuck his tongue in my navel. I jumped.

"I told you to lie still so you can enjoy my ministrations in peace," he reminded me again in a mock serious tone. His little speech was followed by an almost inaudible giggle. .

By now my arousal had reached a fever pitch. I needed release.

"Hurry, lover," I almost screamed at Brian. But he was not to be hurried.

My belly quivered in anticipation as I felt his lips just inches above my clean shaved pussy. I knew what was going to happen next, but it was not to be.

The lips started kissing their way down the inside of my thigh, down my leg till they arrived at my feet. There they started with the little toe and then visited the remainder, each receiving a warm, wet kiss, except for the big toe. This he greedily sucked inside his mouth, suckling it as if it was a teat.

I had known that I had been getting closer and closer to the edge, but I had not realized how dangerously close I was.  I exploded into a glorious orgasm. Brian told me later that I cried out and almost jumped off the bed as I convulsed, that my hands tore at the sheets, and that then my body stretched out and stiffened before collapsing as if I had run a marathon.

I do know that I was slightly hoarse when I came back to our world, covered in a light coat of perspiration, trying to focus my eyes. They didn't obey me for quite a while. Then I noticed that my muscles ached and that I felt pinned to the bed like an insect in a display case.

Then I noticed Brian staring at me as if I was the sphinx. He looked concerned.

"My god," I stuttered. "What did you do to me? I never in my life had an orgasm like that. Do you have special powers that make a woman have a climax without having sex?"

"Hush," he answered. "Close your ryes again and wait for me to get undressed so I can join you, Lovely,"

"No way, I shouted, jumping off the bed. "You are not going to deprive me of what I wanted to do before you robbed me of my panties. And by the way, you can keep them as a souvenir; I won't need them anymore on this cruise….Now stand at attention while your doxy gets you naked, and some. And close your mouth, it is still open."

I stepped up to him and kissed him, removing his tie at the same time. I had stepped back to undo the upper buttons of his shirt. Then I remembered those silly cuff links. It took only a sight push to make him fall backwards on the bed.

"Any concealed weapons on you?" I mocked him.

"Just one, Ma'am," he smiled back at me. "You will have to do a strip search to find it."

I raised his legs and removed his shoes and socks.

"My goodness, do I have to do everything?" I muttered to myself, just loud enough for Brian to hear. "Oh, well, that's why men need wives." Once his pants were off I pulled him off the bed and removed his shirt.

"Stand at attention for inspection," I ordered.

He straightened and threw out his chest at once.

"Not you, soldier, I am talking to the Sergeant." His boxers gone I found the Sergeant at attention as I had ordered. I had to get up close to really admire his prick. It jumped as I touched it.

I looked up at Brian and told him how beautiful his prick was.

"Yours is only the second penis in my life," I told Brian. "And what comes next is a first time for me, so you must correct me if I do something wrong.  I was glad that my girlfriends had been so graphic when they talked after the party.

The moment I took his dick in my mouth I was hooked. I loved the feel. The texture of his skin, the reaction I got from the dick as well as from his owner. It did not take me long to realize how much power I had over my man. And I enjoyed that he loved what I was doing to him. I made up my mind that I was going to catch up as I let my lips glide over his shaft.

I promised myself to use Brian as my test subject over the next few days. He was breathing faster now and making small noises. Then he said something that made me tingle with pleasure.

"Oh god, woman, you are terrific, don't stop."

I tried again what my girl friends had called a deep throat. This time I tried to just swallow his prick and I could actually get more of it in my mouth. I could physically feel his pleasure when I did it again. Next I tried to suppress my gag reflex and I could hold his prick for several seconds.

He lasted a few minutes longer, but then I felt the end coming. Suddenly he tried to withdraw, but I didn't let him. I wanted him all the way; I wanted him to shoot into my mouth. I wanted to taste him. He cried out loud when he exploded, and I had to swallow hard to keep up with him.

When I let him go with a little plop sound he sank down on the bed exhausted. I congratulated my self and I was proud. I knew I had done well on my first blowjob. I had enjoyed giving pleasure to a special man, and I had enjoyed the power over him it had given me.

He rested for a bit and then got up and took me in his arms, just holding me tight. I could feel his heartbeat. He must have held me for several minutes before he released me.

"Step back and sit on the bed and then lean back," Brian told me.

He lifted my legs as before and then parted them and pushed my knees up to my chest. He bent down and started to lick and kiss my pussy lips. Then he pulled them apart to gain access to my pussy. He hissed, he sucked, and he licked every inch. I felt my juices flowing, drenching his face as I climbed to another climax. I was moaning loudly.

And suddenly an earthquake shook me; lightning bolts of iridescent colors were blinding me. I shrieked. I flailed my arms, my fists pounded the bed, and then I was lost in a pitch black tunnel. When I finally emerged, Brian was holding me in his arms, talking soothingly to me.

"Brian, what happened to me? This is the second time tonight.  And I can still feel some butterflies flutter in my pussy like I was going to have some aftershocks. What did you do to me?"

"I didn't do anything special, I just love to eat pussy, and yours is so sweet that I will beg for it until the end of the cruise," Brian explained.

"Lover let me tell you first that I never had sex except with my husband about once a month. But not like this. I love Karl and I enjoyed being a dutiful wife and giving him pleasure, but I didn't know that I could be pleasured also," I told Brian.

"Then you have a lot of catching up to do and I will teach you a bit more about loving sex till we get to Singapore, if you allow me," Brian said with a huge grin on his face. "Let's move to the couch and I will pour us another glass of wine. Anyway, you wanted to tell me how you landed on this cruise."

Brian handed me my glass and I took a sip, and then started.

"I was brought up in a home where the Bible was read daily and where my father ruled just as my husband, honest, and convinced that they lived according to the right laws, the commands of The Book. And the Book was taken literally. And I have to tell you also that I changed my name at the party I will be telling about,

About five months ago Karl and I were invited to a party and I asked Karl if I could buy a new dress.

He refused. I begged, but he did not give in and so we had a few words. I remember catching him as he was leaving for his office and we had a short conversation.

"Karl, in your church you preach understanding another human's needs. It is time you understood your wife's needs," I blurted out.

"I understand you needs well, woman, maybe too well," he replied. "I did let you buy a new dress just three years ago and now you want another one. Maybe you should read the scripture more often, where it says, 'The thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenty; but the thoughts of everyone who is hasty only to poverty.' Proverbs 21:5."

"Karl, you already have plenty. The quarter million dollars in the bank is already 'plenty' in my opinion. How much more 'plenty do you want Providence provide you?" I mocked him. Then I added a shocker.

"Karl, a woman's needs are not all material, like wanting another dress. And like you, I have a quote for you. 'Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favor of the Lord. --Proverbs 18:22. There are several needs I have and we will have to talk about them soon," I told him.

"I am a busy man and I do not have the time right now to get into another of those discussions. The Book is quite clear about those issues, but I will tell you again what it says in case you conveniently forgot. Let me quote for you, 'Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.' Genesis 3:16."

I looked him straight in the eye and my voice rose in pitch.

"I have heard all this before from you, but the fact is that I am not getting younger and life is passing me by. I have a certain dress in mind and I really want it. I should not have to beg for it. Please remember, I am the wife that you promised to cherish."

"Emma, you know that this is my inheritance money I brought with me into our marriage and I have no intention to squander any of it on frivolous requests. It will be used for my nephew's seminary education."

I was boiling inside, but I kept quiet.

My brother and my identical twin sister had long ago freed themselves and stood on their own feet. It was only natural that Jacob changed his name to Bob. He lived only eighty miles away and visited or phoned often.

My sister now called herself Mary-Lou. She had risen to become the Pacific Rim manager of a global advertising agency working out of her office in Singapore. Being twins I and Mary-Lou were very close, understanding each other on a gut level.

The matter of a new dress kept me awake that night. My anger over Karl's refusal made me do something that for a long time had been simmering in a far back corner of my mind. I took stock of my life.

I compared mine to my sister's and decided that there had to be a change. But I was afraid also, the teachings of my parents and my Church were strongly ingrained in me and I wondered if I ever would be able to think for myself. But the other picture also pulled me strongly. The one where I saw myself as a butterfly, rising into the sunshine with wings spread, flashing iridescent colors.

Then I thought of the party we had been invited to. It was only a week away. Maybe I could borrow the money for the dress from my brother?

It was long after midnight when I made up my mind that the butterfly was more pleasing than being a wife under my husbands thumb. It was a momentous decision I had made and I was proud of myself. I am the New Woman I told myself over and over. No matter what he says, I will have a life of my own. I decided to tell my brother and my sister in the morning.

"Right on," said my brother, "any way I can help, Sis. I will see you after work tonight with as much cash as you want."

My sister was ecstatic. "It is time you come to your senses. Buy your dress, then buy some red nail polish for your nails and your toes, have your hair done and enjoy the party. One more thing, change your name. Maybe Betty-Lou? I would like that."

"Emma," my friends greeted me. "You are beautiful. I am glad Karl finally let you join the rest of the world. Did you leave him home?"

I did not answer that question, it was not necessary, everyone knew about preachers and they assumed that he would be joining us later.

Donna, Louise, and Nellie crowded me. "Tell us what happened. Did you run into a make-over fairy?"

"That is not all," I announced, speaking slowly to emphasize the importance of my decision. "I also changed my name. From now on I will be Betty-Lou."

"What did Karl say to this sexy dress, and the nail polish, and the way you did your hair? And a name change to boot?" they wanted to know.

"He doesn't know yet," I told my astonished friends. "I don't think he will say anything in your presence. He might even be ashamed to be married to such a hussy. I need a drink or two before he gets here."

When he arrived and entered the party room he froze for a moment when he saw me, his wife, the New Woman. But, as I had predicted, Karl held himself in check. His feelings showed only when he greeted me without any warmth.

I smiled as I stood in font of him, striking a provocative pose.

"How do you like the new me, the New Woman. Last week I decided hat I was going to leave the nineteenth century and enter the twenty-first century. What do you think? Do I look more modern?"

He did not answer, just turned to Nellie and asked fort a glass of wine. When I asked him to dance with me he claimed he was too tired. Instead he watched me laughing, having another drink, and then another. He sat silently with his glass of wine watching me flirting and dancing with the other three husbands.

When I felt I had to rest up for a while I joined Karl on the couch, sitting down next to him. I made some small talk for a few minutes until Louise called me.

"Betty-Lou, we want you and Karl to come here, we want to take some pictures."

He was reluctant at first but finally relented and let me pull him up. As we walked over to the rest of the party he heard it again. And this time there was no mistake. Someone who directed the scene called me Betty-Lou.

"Nellie, you and your hubby stand right here. Betty-Lou, you and Karl will stand in the center,"

He was quiet until we were seated again next to each other on the couch. He stared at me as if I had just dropped down out of a cloud. I knew at once what the problem was and explained.

"With all the goings on I forgot to tell you that the New Woman also has a new name. Emma belongs to a time long ago. Now I am Betty-Lou. I hope you like my new name. Everybody liked it so much more than Emma. It is much prettier, don't you agree?"

He was quiet for a while and then said curtly, "we will talk at home."

I was not looking forward to the next argument, but I decided to toughen it out. I guess I had reached the breaking point. I loved Karl, he was an honest man who truly tried his best to understand and help his fellow man. He truly found a calling to the ministry, but he took everything in the Bible quite literally.

He excused himself soon after. The other three husbands also left around midnight, the poor guys had to go to work the next day. So it was just us four girls. We swapped husband stories, some of them getting quite frank. Then followed stories about past lovers.

By this time I was getting drunk, nodding odd from time to time until someone proposed a dare. "Let's take turns and take some scandalous pictures." The next time I came to the surface, so to speak. Nellie was twirling her bra and Louise was clicking away with her camera. Then another girl stripped.

My head throbbed when I woke the next morning on the couch in the living room. I was nude, covered with a blanket. I smelled coffee, found my clothes neatly folded on a chair next to the couch. My crazy friends greeted me with a whoopee, almost splitting my head.

Two cups of coffee and some aspirin later I asked what happened after I passed out drunk. Nothing much, they giggled, we all took a few pictures, looked at them on the computer and then wiped the memory. I was glad I did not participate, or did I? I did not find out, they just laughed and told me that I was drunk.

Louise drove me home. When Karl came in for lunch I told him what had happened after he had left. He was furious when I told him about the pictures that were taken and that they were rather 'revealing'.

"Did you pose also?" he wanted to know.

"I was passed out on the couch most of the time," I answered him. "I don't think so."

"You mean to tell me that there is a possibility that my wife behaved like a cheap harlot?" he barked at me.

I let him rant and rave for a while before I stopped him.

"Karl, is there any reason why you did not compliment me on my looks last night? Everyone else did."

He opened his mouth but there was no sound. He could not think of a good answer. So I continued,

"From now on your wife will wear nice clothes, she will wear some makeup, some jewelry. I have looked like a second hand lady for too long. And if you can't provide the necessary money for my clothes, my hair salon visits and so on, this minister's wife will get a job. "

I was not yet finished but I let him stew for a while longer before I dropped the next bomb shell. I wanted to get it all out in the open at one time. I got up and stepped in front of him, putting my hands on my hips as a signal that I was serious.

"There is one more item, Karl, and it is important. I want to go on a cruise with you, to the Mediterranean maybe, or to Hawaii, it doesn't matter. You and I need some quality time together. I love you and don't want to lose you completely to the Church."

Karl's reaction surprised me. He did not explode with anger, he did not jump up and stalk out of the room. He just stared at me and then his facial muscles relaxed a bit. He stood op, put his hands on my shoulder before he spoke.

"I am not sure at the moment how I feel about the issues you raised, except for the cruise request; I will absolutely not allow this frivolous waste of time and money. At any rate I am needed here. Please let me have this afternoon to put my thoughts in order and we will talk again tonight. Right now I only know that I love you."

He hugged me hard and then disappeared into his study where he stayed all afternoon. During dinner we made only small talk. We hardly had finished dinner when he had to leave on an emergency.

This gave me the opportunity to call my brother.

"Bob, dear brother," I started, "the party was great fun. I danced all night with whoever was available. Karl obviously felt very uncomfortable watching his wife in a revealing, sexy dress. Then, to top that off, he was shocked with my changing my name also. And here is a real shocker for you.

The guys all went home about midnight and we four girls got a little more than tipsy. I really was drunk, not being used to the alcohol, and sort of drifted in and out. I remember everyone stripping and taken pictures. Problem is, I don't know if I joined the fun. When I told Karl about this he was furious.

I think he will accept the fact that I am the New Woman. But he was adamant about going on a cruise. At least I won one round."

"Would you go by yourself if he gave you the money, and where would you go?" asked Bob. I had not thought about this so far, but now that he asked I gave him a quick answer,

"I will book on any cruise that stops in Singapore. I have not seen Mary-Lou for ages. Sounds OK to you? In fact I am going to call her right now. We are exactly twelve hours apart, so now is a good time."

Mary-Lou got all excited and I had to calm her down, after all there was only a very remote chance that I would be able to get to Singapore.

I felt proud that I had had the guts to finally stand up to my stern husband and that he agreed to everything. Except for us taking a cruise. But matters changed about one month later, when Mary-Lou phoned with some unexpected news.

"Sis, sit down," she told me in an excited voice. "You can come and visit. Uncle Bert passed away recently and left the three of us twelve thousand dollars each. We are rich. The probate court said it will take up to three months for all the paperwork."

"Hold it right here," I interrupted her, "I never heard of this Uncle Bert."

"Neither did I. It his was a complete surprise to me," she explained. "But I found out why he was never talked about. He was an illegitimate child. In another month or two you can book your cruise with a layover in Singapore. I can hardly wait to see you."

Two weeks later another bomb dropped, it was a huge one. I noticed right away that something terrible must have happened, Karl was absolutely white in his face. He asked me to sit down next to him on the couch and then wordlessly pulled an envelope from his jacket pocket. He opened it and pulled three glossy 8x10 photos from the envelope and handed them to me.

I almost fainted. I was looking at myself, nude, in suggestive poses. I was speechless.

"This just arrived in the mail. They want fifteen thousand in cash to keep the photos from circulating in the congregation. I will pay them Monday night at the park entrance. The letter says that there will be a new red Chevy Corvette with a window part way down. The money should be in a sealed manila envelope, which I should throw into the car through the window.

He turned to me, put his arms around me and hugged me. His voice was steady, belying his emotions.

"I believe you that you did not know, but could have taken the dare, drunk as you were. We will not talk about it any further." He kept holding me tight for a few minutes before he released me. He looked at me and smiled ad he put the photos back in his jacket pocket. He started talking again.

"I want to tell you that the blackmail money will be well spent. Whoever sent these pictures opened my eyes. I will keep the pictures. How could I have forgotten how beautiful and how sexy my wife is?"

After dinner we sat on the couch and talked about the future, a future that definitely contained a long ocean cruise. I desperately wanted to call my brother and my sister to tell them what had happened, but I did not want to break the spell.

"I will make changes in my life so I can participate in your, Karl said with a smile on his face. You shocked me at the party but now I enjoy seeing you dressed the way you dress, even if it is quite daring at times."

The next morning I could hardly wait for Karl to leave so I could call my sister. She did mot sound as surprised as I expected, but was so happy with the way everything had turned out.

After Mary-Lou I called Bob and told him about the blackmail and how Karl had taken it.

"So what you thought might be loud and long brouhaha actually became a blessing, right?" Bob laughed. "Is it not strange how everything falls into place sometimes? You wanted money for your cruise and inherited twelve thousand dollars, to which I will add another three thousand as spending money. And Karl found a sweet, lovable, and sexy new wife whose brain has been pickled by all the alcohol she has consumed.

I will not fault you for not being able to tell two identical twins apart in photographs. But at least you should have remembered my new red Chevy Corvette in which wee drove to Crystal Falls two months ago."