The Other Side of the Chat Window

Two AM is no time to be looking at your phone. But, there was Carol wearing her night clothes. A loose fitting white cotton long sleeve tee shirt and red flannel pajama bottoms. No socks, no bra. She had risen out of bed and was nestled comfortably on her small sectional couch in front of her warm gas lit fireplace. I think this is what they call doom scrolling, her inside voice reminded her, as her thumb rhythmically swiped up the screen of her phone over pictures, short videos, and other random posts of her social media posts.

Carol was single and 54 years old. Well, single in that her divorce was now five years ago and she liked to think that single was a better label than divorcee. But at this point in her life, it didn't matter much. She had a great job, a small group of friends from college that she remained close to, and a simple life. Finding romance at this point was something she considered a hopeless endeavor. Her divorce ended amicably enough, but she tried to convince herself that she didn't have the emotional capacity to invest that much into another serious relationship.

Twirling her wavy dirty blonde hair with one finger, she continued her mindless search, as her long legs were folded neatly under hips while she leaned up against the armrest of the couch. Her dark brown eyes were fixated on her phone but she was expressionless.

Carol was in good shape. The visits to the gym didn't happen as much as she liked but they did happen. More importantly, Carol walked. Everyday. She thought of herself as fit and she was right. At 5'7" her body was proportioned. Her chest measured 36 and she wore a c cup. She could fit comfortably into a size 10 dress and her legs were her best feature. Carol let her hand fall from twirling her hair to her hip. The cotton fabric of her pajama bottoms felt soft under her hand as it slid over the hip and down her thigh. The walking was helping she thought as she could feel the firm muscles under hand.

Was she still waking up or trying to fall back to sleep, Carol wasn't sure. She wasn't even sure what she was looking for on her phone or in general tonight.. These lonely nights didn't happen as often lately as they did immediately after the divorce. Tonight, however, there was more to her being awake than just loneliness. There was that familiar stirring, a restlessness inside her longing for the familiar climax she could bring herself to.

The vibrator was laying on the couch just past her bare feet. Oddly enough her pink toenails matched the color of the long smooth slender toy perfectly. Funny, I just painted them Carol thought as she formed a soft smile with her mouth. Not yet she told herself as she caught the laptop which was sitting closed on her coffee table out of the corner of her eye. There wasn't much of a sex life except for one man she dated occasionally. Ralph was more like a friend with benefits. That's what the kids called it these days, her smile grew. He was fun enough. More than that though, Ralph was comfortable, safe, predictable. Good and bad she thought, like everything. On nights like tonight, there would be some erotica, and maybe a video. Carol's sexual history was pretty 'plain vanilla. Her fantasies didn't extend much beyond a familiar scene making love to a stranger in a hotel room.

She closed the social media app and flipped through a few of her chat apps. Everyone was still asleep. Not surprising given the time. The only green light, however, was Steve's. Carol wasn't surprised and expected to see a message from him light up shortly. He was probably watching porn or on that chat site he always talks about. This was the time he usually did that sort of thing. When everyone in his house was asleep.

Carol had met Steve playing one of those online word puzzles two years ago. They started chatting and even though he was married, Carol liked his company. He did occasionally try to push the envelope in their chats but she kept him at bay.

Steve was very open about himself with her. He quickly shared intimate details about his life, especially his relationship with his wife. Steve told Carol how he felt lonely even though he was never alone. How he felt like a stranger in his own life. He opened up about his sexual preferences and desires even how he felt he had an addiction to pornography. For her part she was a wonderful listener. Carol never judged and often offered advice or empathy when it was warranted. She also shared about her divorce and the loneliness that ensued.

She did also make it abundantly clear their relationship was platonic. Carol was inherently cautious about an in-person meeting with someone she met online and had never done it nor was about to. She admitted to herself that there was a connection between the two but Carol had her boundaries and was sticking to them.

Steve adored Carol. Her non judgmental compassion warmed his heart. He knew he was a handful to be around. He was only online occasionally. Being married meant that there were certain times he could spend with Carol. He also knew what he had shared with Carol about his sexual interests. That included the fantasies he chatted about with partners online which extended beyond common male fantasies about multiple women and control. She was still friends with him and that meant a lot to him.

Over the years the two had become very close even though it was only online. Neither would ever admit there were any feelings beyond friendship although internally each of them had felt that familiar pang which came with young love. Or at least infatuation.

Her finger hovered over his name. Should she write to him? Would he think it was an invitation or an advance? Her mind sifted through various scenarios, all ending with her telling him no in some way. Suddenly, a message from Steve appeared on the screen.

"Are you awake?"

Carol smiled but still hesitated replying. If I ignore it he'll eventually go away. Instinctively, however, her other hand gently caressed her thigh and then slowly found its way up her body gliding over her curves and feeling the weight of her breasts before gently cupping her own neck.

"I am, and so are you," she replied.

Then she waited as she saw the three dots flicker on the screen indicating that he was typing.

"Did you read my last story?"

She had indeed read it. Steve had an incredible imagination and was just starting on his erotic writing journey. As he had put it several times, he couldn't hold back on his creativity any longer. He has put several story ideas together and shared them with Carol and a few of his other online friends from the chat site. Too nervous to do anything else with them for now, he was pleased with the feedback he was getting and yearned for more.

Secretly, Carol enjoyed his stories more than she let on to him. She never found any interest in pornography or erotica until after her divorce, but his stories brought out a desire in her that she felt escaped the boundaries of her control. She enjoyed them immensely and often read the stories without wearing a stitch of clothing and while enthusiastically using her pink vibrator. All of this was of course her secret. Not only to Steve but also to everyone in her life.

Growing up in a conservatively Catholic home, Carol Bennet attended public schools but was also no stranger to Sunday mass. She went on to attend a Catholic college and while there were the fair share of parties, partners and alcohol, she studied hard and became a successful business professional. Eventually finding what she thought was the love of her life, she married at 28 and had two wonderful children. By the age of 35, she had left her position at the bank and focused full-time on raising her kids who were now starting their adult lives after college.

After the divorce was final, Carol did some self reflecting and realized that most of her adult life was spent caring for others. There was no regret in that analysis, only a realization that she now needed to spend more time on her own well being. That is when exercise and book clubs became a part of her routine. So did the occasional night out where she eventually met Ralph. And yes, she examined her own sexuality which led her to accept the notion that feeling good outside the wedlock of marriage did not have to be accompanied by the guilt she carried when she was younger. The pink vibrator showed up on her doorstep in a plain brown box, a few days after this realization.

Soon after, Carol realized that the bedroom was not the only place for sex and self pleasure. She found that she really enjoyed being naked on her couch in her den, with the vibrator and at first fantasizing about a variety of men in her life. Eventually, she found herself reading Steve's stories the same way. Naked. On the couch. In the ebony of night where she felt a clandestine atmosphere to enjoy themes that were simply well outside anything her circle of friends and family would ever suspect she enjoyed.

"Yes," she typed slowly, nervously, excitedly, and then continued, "but let me switch to my laptop so I can type more easily."

"Ok," was Steve's quick reply.

Similarly sitting on his own couch, Steve was already naked as his house was empty this Saturday night. His wife was away with friends for the weekend. It was a common refrain for Steve. Home alone meant he could feed his desire to be naked and would remove all his clothes the moment he entered his house. As the evening wore on, Steve would turn his laptop on, log into the familiar chat sites and the chat apps. He especially kept a keen eye on Carol's status as he enjoyed her company even though there was no sexual talk or play with her. She was definitely different from his other on-line friends.

At 59 years old, his Italian complexion gave him a young healthy look. His round face was accented by deep brown eyes and framed with a full head of salt and pepper hair. He was healthy and exercised a lot. His body was in good shape but his age had its effect. The gym helped him shape a strong chest and his cycling contributed to his strong legs and glutes.

"Ok, I'm here,"' Carol's message appeared instantly on Steve's computer and a smile beamed across his face. Simultaneously, his hand found the thin skin of his hardening penis. This was what Steve did. He chatted in the nude and masturbated. Usually it was with the friends from the erotic chat site, but as was often the case when he was in one of "these" moods, he would do it with Carol without her knowing. She had an attractiveness to her that went beyond what he experienced with the other chat partners. For him it was her intellect and compassion. He respected her desire to keep things platonic and while occasionally trying to push the envelope, sliding in random innuendos and double entendre's, he mostly kept the chats non-sexual.

"It is really good to see you, Carol," Steve quickly responded.

"It's good to see you too, Steve, is she sleeping," Carol asked as her hand explored her body over the pajamas more thoroughly than before?

"She's away actually, with her friends for the weekend."

"Oh I see, one of those nights, what kind of trouble have you been getting into?"

"Nothing too bad actually, just really hoping to see you log on." While that wasn't completely true because he had been on the chat site and already had a few erotic encounters, Steve had always hoped to see Carol online when he was there.

"That's sweet Steve, and yes I read the story," she added with the delayed response to his original question as she slid her hand under her tee shirt and glided it over one breast, slowly flicking the hardening nipple with her thumb.

With one hand gently tickling his hardening penis, Steve felt delighted because he knew how sexual the story had been.

"I don't want you to say anything you don't want to, but can I ask you how much you liked it?"

Her hand found her other breast, and she let out a soft moan. Can I really go here with him, she asked herself? He is married, he is so sexual, I really can't do this with him. Another moan escaped her dry lips as she squeezed her breast in excitement.

"I don't know Steve, you're married."

"Yes, true, I know you have set these limits on what we can chat about, I'm just looking for some feedback. It's only my third story."

God, the more she resists, the hotter she is, he thought to himself, as the best description of what he was doing now was masturbating while thinking about Carol.

"I did like it, Steve, you are an incredible writer," Carol responded by typing quickly after a long pause. Almost as if she had flipped a coin and followed the choice made by the metal currency. As soon she hit enter, she instinctively made another move. This time it was to let her hand slide under her pajama bottoms and feel the soft fabric of her pink lace panties over her lips. She felt a spot of dampness which caused her to gasp a little. If he only knew she thought.

Steve, meanwhile, was enjoying the erection this seemingly innocent chat was creating. He truly adored Carol. His sexless marriage left him full of latent desire which ultimately led him online. There he found he could feed whatever desire he wanted to explore and with whomever he desired. Initially, there were many women, some older, some younger. He usually followed their lead and played in whatever way they wanted. As the years went on, he started to explore more of his interests, including some areas he would never explore in his real life. The only person he shared these explorations with was Carol.

She knew it all, the younger women, the extended family, the dom and submissive, even the bisexual scenes he played out online. The more she knew, he felt the more excited he was to chat with her even though their chat was strictly platonic.

Steve Cunningham had a complicated relationship with sex over the years. As a young teenager he was exposed to pornography by his older brother. It was at a relatively young age and it led him down a path of overexposure. That led to frequent visits to strip clubs and eventually hiring his first prostitute at 24. Then eventually online to an erotic chat site and all of it done in secret except for Carol.

"Good, I'm glad you did, I'm going to publish it tomorrow. We'll see what everyone else thinks." His hand stroking more intently now, the feedback from Carol heightened his arousal and was picturing her masturbating while reading his story. Her enjoying his creation, his words. Her pleasure was enhanced through a manifestation of something he wrote. The hardness of his erection felt familiar and comfortable in his hand.

If he only knew, she thought, as the tee shirt fell quietly to the floor beside her. Her breasts completely exposed to the warm air that filled her dimly lit den. Both effects being the result of the flickering fireplace. Carol loved teasing her own nipples and tonight was no exception. The tips of her forefinger and thumb fit nicely around them, and she would enjoy the feeling of the light pinch she gave herself as she pulled the nipple outward. She often wanted her lovers to do this but they were never committed to foreplay the way she wanted them to be. Not even Ralph. Switching hands, she let Steve's words hang out there, knowing he was waiting for her reply. I wonder if he has any idea what he's doing to me right now.

Steve waited. He had become an expert in prolonging the sensation of his erection with reaching orgasm or basically edging. She's probably going to sign off before things go too far. He started to log back into the chat site fully expecting to find relief from another partner.

"I'm sure they'll love it, Steve, it will bring some excitement to people who are longing for it."

Steve's eyes fixated on the word "longing." She's not starting to play with me, is she, his inner voice asked? Play it cool Steve, play it cool. It was like holding a live bird in your hand. Squeeze too hard, you can crush it, but if you don't apply any pressure it will fly away. He didn't want to crush the moment or let Carol fly away to bed.

"Well I was excited to write it Carol, so I hope so."

God, she thought, he masturbated while he wrote that damn thing, her mind started to imagine what he looked like at the computer, naked probably, stroking himself between extended periods of writing. Her hand slid around the waistband of her bottoms and in one motion slid them down her legs, leaving only her pink lace panties. She guided her fingers back up her thighs finding their lacey lower ends. Carol loved the feel of lace on her body and between her fingers. She tickled the fabric right where her upper thigh met her pelvis. The fact that her hand would occasionally brush against her moistening lips was not necessarily accidental nor was it intentional. It just happened and she let it. It felt good.

"So you are alone tonight, Steve," she asked?

Where in the world could this be going, she knows I am and she knows what that usually means. Steve's mind started to race again and then was interrupted by the now familiar refrain of 'play it cool, you ass!"

"Yes, I am, she's away with her friends for the weekend, and before you ask, yes I'm naked."

His answer was straightforward and matter of fact. He purposely didn't embelish. But he playfully added a question he had asked many times before. Her past answers were always the same and had come to expect the routine brush off non-answer.

"And what are you wearing Carol," Steve typed and hit send.

There were the blinking three dots, teasing him again.. He was stroking himself a little more intently now hoping that maybe this night would be different in some way with Carol. His fantasies had lately included masturbating with her on line, and then of course, maybe even meeting. They had at one point determined, not too long ago, that they lived all of 30 minutes away from each other.

"Well I sort of changed earlier, I was wearing the usual comfy PJ's, cotton tee and flannel PJ bottoms," she knowingly teased. Can I really do this with him, she then asked herself. Her internal thoughts continued, he's married, where is this going to go? God his imagination though, he's so nice too, and funny, she argued with herself. Can I simply say I'm donning a simple pair of pink lace panties? Her fingers continued to explore the fabric and placement of the panties, now even gliding underneath and directly sensing the still slightly damp lower lips.

"Changed how," Steve asked as Carol was arguing with herself.

Carol took a deep breath, she had never cybered with anyone, let alone Steve, but she was feeling the urge to push these boundaries tonight. To explore her curiosity about what Steve was really like as a sexual partner even if it only meant online. His written word had helped her imagination and masturbation many times before even though he had no idea they did so.

"Well now I'm in..." she hit enter accidentally, but took a deep breath. She couldn't explain the perspiration that was forming over her brow and above her upper lip. Nor could she explain the flushness she felt form over her face, her cheeks now felt beet red.

Steve sat silent. Keeping his hands as far away from the keyboard as humanly possible. Is this really happening, he asked himself as his hand found plenty to keep it busy while the stroking continued with more enthusiasm than before.

Carol put her hand back on the keyboard, her right pinky on the letter p, and her right middle finger on the i. Oh God, am I really going through with this, he will love it, but there is kind of no turning back. We've been good friends for so long. I know what he does online, and I am curious about what he's like sexually. Shit and I'm so horny right now. Fuck it.

Her fingers started typing without any further thought.

"Pink lace panties." Enter and send.

The words appeared on Steve's computer and hung there in the small chat window. He'd seen these words before from other women, or men pretending to be women, or men dressing as women. But not from Carol. These words at this time in this context meant something completely different to Steve then all those other times. It occurred to him that what he felt missing from those other sexual encounters was the intimacy formed from the friendship he and Carol shared before this moment. He had grown immensely fond of Carol. So much so that he trusted her with the intimate details of his online encounters while respecting her desires not to take things any further. But now, she was telling him all she had on was a pair of pink lace panties. He immediately stopped touching himself for fear he would reach orgasm way too soon and definitely wanted to make this last. If not only for himself, but also, if things were to get that far, for Carol.

Carol got a little nervous about how long it was taking Steve to respond. The flushness and redness on her face was starting to turn to pure embarrassment. So she started to type a retraction of sorts, 'no, just kidding, still flannel and cotton pj's.' Then she hit back space erasing that line, shit she thought to herself, can I say, 'well of course under the pj's which are now all flannel.' You idiot, Carol yelled at herself while seeing the three dots appear from Steve, just wait she finally concluded.

"If that's really all you have on, welcome to the party, princess!!!"

Carol laughed so hard that she knocked the laptop onto her pj's piled up on the floor next to her. That was exactly what she needed him to say. To break the tension, imaginary or not.

Meanwhile, all Steve saw was that Carol had logged off. Damn, he thought to himself, I must have rattled her. Squeezed too hard I guess, he continued as he went back to logging on to the chat site.

Then the next message from Carol appeared. "That was hysterical, Steve, thank you for making this a little easier."

"I thought you had had enough and left, welcome back, and I'm really glad you came back. What happened?"

"I laughed so hard, I knocked my laptop to the floor and it must have logged out of the chat."

"Is that all, whew!"

"Ha ha, yes."

"So, pink lace panties huh?"

"Lol, yes, pink lace panties, are you happy, that is what I'm wearing."

"Well yes, very happy, but what made you, I mean why the change?"

"I don't know, I just wanted to, I guess."

"Well I'm glad you did, how do you feel?"

"Good, great, I guess. Maybe a little silly, I don't know, is this what you do?"

"Well sort of. If I'm getting undressed I'm completely naked, but you must be quite a vision right now."

"Thank you, Steve. They are my favorite pair."

"Good, I bet they help you feel sexy, because you are." There he said it. He had wanted to tell what he thought of her for a long time but held back because of Carol's desire to remain platonic. He had more to say but wanted to ease her into this because he could still sense her apprehension even after the clothing admission.

God he is so sweet she thought, and he thinks I'm sexy. Should I keep going here, I want to so badly, I want to enjoy something like this with him. In his environment. But is it the right thing to do?

"I actually do feel sexy, Steve, and have been feeling this way all night, although you online chatters may have a different word for it, ha."

"Yes, we call it being horny," he replied quickly. His hand back attending to his erection and the online chat room shut down on his screen. His full attention was on Carol.

"Ha ha, well yes, I guess I am that."

"Have you been ummm you know?"

"You are going to actually have to say it Steve, I'm not letting you off that easily." Her sudden playfulness even surprised herself as her hand once again found the outline of her panties. This time not being shy about where her hand roamed around. Her lips were a little more puffy and there was a touch more dampness around the area.

Ok, Steve thought here we go. Go big or go home as they say. "Have you touched yourself tonight Carol?"

"Yes, I have Steve." It was a simple response and yet caused Carol's face to blush more than before. Did I really just tell him that she thought, as the message hung out there in the messaging window. God what am I doing. The internal battle between what she should or shouldn't do and what she wanted to do was being waged in full at this very moment. Carol's fingers had stopped teasing the outline of her panties and were now completely under the fabric teasing her soft outer lips. She had done this many times before, always alone and certainly never with Steve. To make matters even more intense for her, she was telling him about it. To say her mind was spinning would have been an understatement.

Oh my God, was all Steve could think. We are going there I guess, he continued. His hands lingering over the keyboard not sure what to say next. On the chat site this was easy for him. He would be enticing his partner to be more descriptive, to ask her what she would do if he was there. But with Carol it was different. She was new to online sexual encounters. He cared for her and wanted her to enjoy the experience. Were we past this being awkward yet? He asked himself. Can I ask the next logical question? But, before he could formulate a response, a message from Carol appeared.

"Have you, Steve?" Carol was a bit proud of herself albeit surprised at her forwardness.

Wow, Steve thought, she is diving right in.

"Yes a few times, and especially after you told me about those pink panties... lace right?"

Reality started to set in for Carol as the realization of what she was actually doing crept into her mind. He was touching himself thinking about me, she thought. Her hand found her naked breast. Pinching, cupping, and squeezing, playfully, but with purpose. Can I really do this with him and what exactly is 'this.' Do we just sit here and play with ourselves as we chat? Is he going to want a video call, I can't do that, or a voice call, maybe. Wait, what are you saying, this is crazy. Her hand abandoned her breast and she started typing.

Ok, here goes, I'm going to let him down easily. The words started to appear on her screen as her fingers quickly and deliberately tapped the keys on her keyboard. 'Steve, this could really be fun, but...'

And then, without warning of the usual three dots, another set of words appeared in the message application, and they were from Steve.

"I can't believe I just said that to you. Carol, you have to know that I only want to take things as far as you are willing to go. You are truly an amazing woman, and yes quite sexual to me. Not because we do this, we haven't after all. But because you are so intelligent and compassionate. Those are the things that I find most attractive about you. The fact that you only have pink panties on doesn't hurt either."

Steve's message put an immediate end to her typing. It was as if she had forgotten what she had wanted to say. She felt the warm air from the fireplace kiss her soft skin and became acutely aware of her nakedness in her own den. There was a sense of sensuality that she had not felt before. She could sense the aroma of the room as well. The vanilla scented candle that had been burning all night suddenly seemed to be burning brighter and emitting that sweet scent more powerfully than earlier that night. Her eyes gently closed as her hand reached down her abdomen and slowly slid under the lace panties. A soft moan accompanied her first real touch of herself as her finger found the slit between her swollen lips and pressed gently so that the penetration was slow enough to be enjoyable and yet firm enough to slide inside her.

She had never touched herself in that way before. In the past, masturbating to her was mostly a means to an end. She was to feel the sensation of an orgasm and without a steady lover, playing with herself was the only way to do that. Carol often felt a bit of shame when it was over. A sense of wrongdoing filled her mind and she felt the blood rush to her face. Not tonight, however. Tonight, or rather, this early morning, Steve was with her, albeit online. His words on the screen interrupted her thinking and put her in a warm place. It suddenly seemed comfortable and ok. He really likes me, she thought as her finger slid deeper inside her. Her breathing got heavier. Her other hand found her breast and let the roundness fill her palm as she cupped it sensually.

"Are you there, was that too much," Steve asked. He was nervous he had gone too far. Damn, he thought, she is going to bed I bet. Well done you dope.

Carol pulled herself away from her own enjoyment as she watched his last question appear on the screen. She then slowly brought her hands to the keyboard. There was more purpose to her actions this time, no hesitation as to what she might say. She wanted to be with Steve right now, intimately. Experience his sexuality as much as possible in that moment. While she had never even contemplated typing anything like this before to someone, her fingers moved as if it was the most logical thing she could do at the moment. The words came from deep inside her, from a place her desires were stored latently for so long but yearned to escape.

"Steve, should I join you in being naked? If I do, will you tell me exactly what you are doing?" The questions seemed innocent enough but were symbolic of a huge step forward for Carol. The room suddenly felt warmer than before. The thin layer of perspiration was evidence of that.

"Yes, please take those panties off, I'd like us to chat in the nude together. I feel so close to you right now." Instinctively, Steve responded with the request and continued. "I like to stroke myself slowly. Gently guiding my hand up and down my hard shaft. I like the feel of the erection in my hand so I take things slow. Every so often, I let my thumb and forefinger encircle my mushroom head and tease it from underneath, flick over it sort of." Steve wrote similar words to others many times, but there was a nervousness to his typing now. A nervousness that enhanced his excitement and his desire to be with, to play with, Carol.

Steve seemed to know exactly what to say, she thought to herself as her finger explored her vagina and played with the folds of her skin. At the same time, a deep, loud moan escaped her mouth. It was raw and came from a place within her reserved for her reactions to sexual pleasure. The sound would have woken anyone else in the house had they been there. When she caught her breath, she placed the laptop on the coffee table and stood up. She then slid her panties down her toned legs and slipped them past her feet.

Carol stood there for a moment and let the warm night air meet her newly exposed skin. Spreading her legs slightly, Carol could feel the sensation of the air meeting the cheeks of her defined ass, and between her legs on her neatly shaven pussy. She reached her hands up to her hair and ran her fingers through the locks, straightening and flipping them over her bare shoulders. She could feel the hair tickle the skin of her back as it landed. She inhaled deeply, slowly, setting her mind to be in the moment. Her hands reached to her neck and she clasped her fingers behind it. This caused her elbows to extend out, straighten her back and push her breasts out into the early morning air. Her nipples reacted as they hardened again quickly.

Carol then let her hands fall to her breasts again. She cupped them and let the weight of them fall into her hands. Her hands slid down slowly while she paid close attention to the feel of her body under her fingers, under her palms. She became acutely aware of how her hands felt on her and the softness of her skin as she reached around and cupped her ass in the same way she did her breasts. She slowly brought her hands around to her vagina and tickled her shaven pubic hair and now hyper sensitive pussy lips.

She looked down at her laptop. Steve seemed to be waiting patiently but did leave a few messages.

"Carol, are you there?"

"Did I go too far again?"

"Hello?"

Carol had been so caught up in herself that she had let Steve hang out there without a response to seemingly the most sexually provocative words he has said to her since they met.

Steve, meanwhile, stopped stroking and was in full worry mode again. Now I really did it, he thought. But, before his mind would spiral too far down the path of regret, Carol's next message appeared on the screen.

"Steve, I'm completely naked. I love this feeling. Being like this with you. But is it weird, being online, sexually? Is that ok, are we doing the right thing?" Carol couldn't help herself, as good as she was feeling, the doubt continued to creep in.

"I only want you to do what you are comfortable with. If I say something that makes you even a little uncomfortable we can stop. As a matter of fact, if you want to stop now we can."

"No, that's not what I meant, Steve. I mean that I've never done anything like this before, and I'm not sure I'm doing it right, am I being weird?"

"You're not, you are quite sexy, and I can't stop thinking about you naked right now on your couch."

"Well I'm not on my couch at the moment, I'm just standing here. I haven't sat down since I got up to take my panties off for you."

"Oh, ahem, thank you," was all Steve could muster right then as he had to concentrate on not exploding.

Carol smiled a little at Steve's response then replied, "I like being naked for you, but I think I want you to see me." She knew that was a big next step but she was feeling like she was ready. Maybe it was the candle, the hour of the night or morning more specifically, or maybe it was just Steve's company. Either way, she wanted to show her body to Steve. Her mind was spinning a bit out of control. She felt she needed a drink so she went to the kitchen to pour herself a glass of white wine.

But not before leaving Steve a note, "Be right back, I need some wine."

Steve smiled and let himself enjoy his erection some more.

"Ok, let me know when you are back," he said.

"I'm back Steve," Carol wrote after a few minutes, as she sat on her couch facing the laptop on the coffee table.

"Good. Well how does it feel, being naked like this chatting with me," he asked nervously.

"It feels really nice, Steve. I'm liking it more than I thought I would."

"I am too Carol, this feels really intimate. I mean, I've done this before with others, but this feels different, and a lot better."

Carol couldn't help but let a smile form with her lips. "So what is it that we do now, pretend to have sex?" She asked in a playful way.

Steve laughed out loud and messaged Carol a laughing emoji. "Well, I'm quite aroused as you can imagine, Carol, you have me in quite a state."

"Well, I kind of feel the same way, Steve. I've never done anything remotely like this."

"I know, and that makes me nervous. I don't want my 'freakiness' to come out and push you away."

"Well, you have shared a lot about your chats with me already. I know the things I've heard that I don't like, or at least not yet," Carol replied and ended the message with a laughing emoji.

"Ha, well that's good that at least one of us knows. Well let's start with this, which of my stories, if any, got you the most excited?"

Carol thought for a moment, her hand held the front of her neck loosely, and she could feel her bare arm grazing her breast. She continued to feel every touch, every sensation. It felt like the nerve endings around her body were hyper sensitive.

"My favorite was the one where two friends started chatting in the erotic chat room and didn't realize who they were in real life. It was kind of funny, but also quite intense when they finally did meet."

It was Steve's turn to be pensive. But while he thought he stroked himself slowly. It was one of those nights when his erection ebbed and flowed so to speak. He would get hard and then his erection would retract. It happened several times so far and it was quite soft at the moment. He did what he usually does, which is stroke just using his forefinger and thumb until more of his hand could fit around the hardened shaft. At 5" when erect, there wasn't much to play with when his penis was soft. He blushed a little thinking Carol would be expecting this great lover with a huge erection and toned body. All of which he was not. He just had a way with words.

"Did you find that you touched yourself sexually while you read it, Carol," he asked after deliberately letting her comment hang on the screen for a minute.

Carol saw that he had not responded quickly and panicked slightly. Was it not supposed to be funny, shoot, she told herself. Then, when his message finally appeared, she immediately felt relieved and found that her hand had slid between her thighs.

With one hand, she simply typed, "yes."

Steve took that response as an invitation to dig a little deeper, "was it the part when he slowly undressed her until she was completely naked in front of him?"

"Yes," she repeated and added, "because he was completely dressed."

"Carol, did you reach an orgasm," Steve asked with no further clarification to the question, intending on making her excited and nervous at the same time.

It worked. Carol felt more wetness between her legs than before but that sensation was mixed with nervousness of where this questioning was going.

She again typed with one hand, "yes, Steve."

"Were you touching yourself then the way you are now, Carol," Steve continued. The question was predictable, but for Carol it had raised the bar. Both what she wanted deep down but hesitant to admit at the same time. Her finger explored her labia and clitoris slowly and deliberately. She was getting more aroused by the minute.

"Yes," was all she could type as she let out another deep moan that ended with a bit of a whine as she often did during sex.

The invitation for Steve to continue was there. He didn't waste anymore time. "Carol, are you rubbing your wet clit with your finger right now, while chatting with me?"

"Oh God," she yelled in ecstasy as she pushed her finger deep inside her wet pussy. She noticed that her free hand was shaking over the keyboard. But she tried to type anyway.

"Y-e-s," was her response again, but it took a little longer to type.

"Am I making you very wet, Carol, do you want me to stop," he asked playfully.

Carol had to stop touching herself to answer. She brought both hands to the keyboard. The finger that was inside her was still wet as she fumbled her response, "No, yes, I mean yes, no, fuck Steve, I'm wet, yes, no, don't stop." Carol hit enter and leaned back on the couch. She lifted one leg up on the cushion so her legs were now spread. She brought her hand back down to where it was before and this time she added a second finger to the proceedings as she waited for Steve's next question.

It didn't come.

The chat window had a call feature. It was a function Carol knew was there but never used. Certainly never contemplated using it with Steve other than the passing thought earlier. Her computer buzzed and beeped with an incoming call from Steve and she instinctively answered it with her free hand.

"How are you doing, sweetie," he asked.

"Oh God," was her reply. She had never heard Steve's voice before but when she did, it sent shivers through her body. The fact that she now had two fingers inside her only intensified the sensation. That brief response was followed by audible heavy breathing and another loud moan.

"Mmmm Carol," Steve responded, "you sound absolutely delicious. If I could only be there with you now," he continued, "to watch you masturbate like this."

All Steve heard were more moans. He hung up.

Carol noticed and immediately stopped what she was doing. She suddenly felt the dampness around her two fingers and how totally exposed she was with her legs apart on the couch. If that was a video call, she thought, Steve would have basically had the same view of her as her gynecologist. She cupped her breast and squeezed gently if nothing more than to relieve some pent up tension. Her breathing was labored and there was a thin layer of perspiration covering her body. She could especially sense drips of sweat gliding down her back and the wetness around the nape of her neck along her hairline. There was something else noticeable once the call ended. The gray light piercing through the window in her den. Day had broken and the darkness that added to the early morning aura in her den had given way to light. Her half empty wine glass sat idle by the laptop and the clock on her screen read 5:12 AM. These factors started to lead her down the path of recognizing what was happening and what she had done with Steve. A nugget of regret entered her mind which mixed with her remaining levels of arousal like oil and water.

The laptop buzzed and chimed again. It was Steve calling again but this time the software asked if she wanted to accept a video call. Her breathing was a little less labored but then she focused on the word 'video' which completely turned things around. The nervousness from earlier reappeared. As did a certain level of excitement. Can I really just answer this the way I am right now. He is going to see me completely exposed. The thought fermented in her mind as the chiming computer offered a delightful sound track to the moment. Ironically, she reached for the enter button, which would accept the call using the same fingers that had just been inside her. She could see them visibly shaking as her fingers met the smooth plastic. The wetness caused her fingers to slightly glide along the elongated enter key. She started to press. There was much hesitation. It seemed that the key offered a bit of resistance.

But, then there was the nanosecond where the key's resistance gave way to her fingers' pressure; to her desire to completely expose herself to her new, or not so new love; to let Steve see her in total ecstasy. A few minutes earlier he would have seen darkness. But now, with the morning sunlight penetrating her windows, he could see everything he wanted to. Her naked body, her breasts resting comfortably on her torso, the hardened pink nipples, her sweaty face framed by hair that had wet ends clinging to her skin, and of course, her pussy. Her legs were spread wide enough so that he could partially see inside her puffy pink lips. He could also see her neatly trimmed pubic hair matted down by wetness. Wetness from her arousal and from the perspiration emitting from her body.

As soon as she accepted the call, the camera was on. She could see Steve's naked body fill the screen. Except of course for the small window in the right corner that showed her what Steve could see. Her eyes darted between both. At first, she noticed Steve's dark brown eyes, and his partially grey hair. His smoothly shaven face over his masculine body sprinkled with black and gray body hair. Steve was sitting on his couch facing the laptop sitting on his coffee table and because his room was also partially lit she noticed his erection supported by one of his hands.

"God, Carol, you are simply beautiful," Steve spoke softly and without hesitation. There was no cracking in his voice, and no indication that the words were anything but sincere. Carol felt the urge to sit up and mirror Steve's position but he stopped her. "Don't move Carol," he asked. "If I could draw or paint, I would do it right now. But I can't so I need you to hold still so I can take a picture with my mind. I don't ever want to forget what you look like right now!"

Carol let her two fingers find her wet vagina as she listened to Steve's caring words. They seemed so genuine and thoughtful. Yet they were spontaneous. She couldn't reconcile the two in her mind but she could sense the effect they had on her. As her fingers entered her pussy again, she looked right at Steve through the screen. She felt a tear slowly trickle down her cheek toward her chin. Could she say the words that were forming in her heart? "I," was all she could muster as a loud moan interrupted her speech. Her head tilted back, she closed her eyes, and her other hand squeezed her breast harder than at any other point that night. She wouldn't have believed it if she realized what else she was doing but her legs widened giving Steve a better view of her sex.

Steve continued to stroke himself. He was hard. So hard in fact that his erection was twitching in his hand. Pre-cum had started leaking out of the head and leaked onto his hand. "Oh Carol, I want nothing more than to be there with you right now," Steve blurted out, seemingly without thinking. Was it a request, an invitation? How should I respond? Carol's inner self reacted with questions as her body convulsed a little as she felt a tiny orgasm wash over her.

As soon as it subsided, Carol opened her eyes to see Steve stroking himself. The room was more lit than before as the sun started to make an appearance in the den. She noticed the vanilla scent of the candle and felt more sweat blanket her naked body. Without saying a word she started typing into the chat screen.

15 Seaview Ln, Rockland, use the front door.

She hit enter and laid back on the couch.

Steve spoke directly to her. His brown eyes stared right into the screen and seemed to penetrate the ether to look directly into Carol's eyes. "I want you to unlock your door and position yourself back the way you are. I will be there in 25 minutes." The words had a hardness to them. Specific instructions for her to follow. To leave herself vulnerable to him. Her insides stirred, and her fingers instinctively played with her outer lips again as she felt sweat and her pussy's wetness dripped down deeper between her legs. She never gave any thought to playing anally with anyone but that sensation, at that moment of wetness, lubricating the skin between her ass cheeks and eventually her anus, heightened her arousal. She watched the computer screen go dark as Steve logged off. She then moved to unlock her front door.

Steve entered the house as directed and found the den in the back of the house. The sun had completely broken the horizon and its light filled the room. Carol was positioned just as she had been on the video call. Streaks of that sunlight were drawn across her body accentuating her beautiful curves and the creamy paleness of her skin. Steve was speechless. He walked toward her slowly. The fabric of his navy blue suit moved rhythmically with his slow deliberate gait. The vanilla scent from the candle was a delightful greeting to his nose. As Steve approached the coffee table he reached for the half glass of wine and took a generous sip. He looked directly into Carol's eyes.

"You are gorgeous," he said as he stepped closer to her and brought the glass to her lips. He gently lifted her chin with one hand as he tilted the glass toward her with the other.

Carol felt a swarm of emotions and sensations. She immediately became more aware of her nakedness once Steve entered the room in his suit. His fingers gently lifting her chin toward the wine sent shivers through her whole body. Her entire naked body was there for Steve to touch, to fondle, to have his way with, and yet he chose to reach for her chin and nourish her with wine. The coolness of the wine touching her lips offered a lovely contrast to the heat that had built up inside her all morning.

Steve smiled as he laid the glass down on the table and slowly dropped to his knees. His cool hands glided over Carol's thighs which were glazed with her perspiration. He looked up at her, and said, "Carol, I simply love you. We've become so close over the past few years, and even tonight. You've shown me so much compassion and care that I can't be without you any longer. I want to satisfy you right now in every way you thought possible."

Carol couldn't hold back her emotion as a few tears streamed down her cheeks, as she reached for Steve's face and gently caressed his skin for the first time.

Steve moved his face between Carol's legs and began licking her swollen lips with his extended tongue. He didn't hold back. His tongue explored every exposed inch of Carol's sex as well as some parts that weren't yet exposed. When his tongue found her clit he began to flick the tip of it over her soft skin. Her moans were loud and consistent. Her fingers gripped the couch's pillows hard. Her mouth opened as she gasped for air between uncontrollable screams. Her orgasm flooded her body in waves as her hips gyrated and convulsed to and from Steve's loving mouth.

When she reached what she thought would be the peak of her ecstasy, she heard the buzzing of her vibrator and immediately felt the plastic toy touch her hyper sensative lips.

"HOLY FUCK!" Carol stopped trying to control herself, she completely let go as another wave swept through her. Steve slid the vibrator inside her and brought the tip of his tongue back to her clit.

"Oh... Oh... Oh..." her screams were even louder still and bracketed by whimpers and yelps.

Steve reached for her hand and kissed it softly, "hold this here while I get undressed, my love," he whispered as he stood up.

Carol could see dampness on Steve's chin while she became aware that she was fucking herself with her vibrator in front of her new lover. A few hours ago this would have never entered Carol's fantasies, nevermind reality.

Steve's erection was glistening, he must have cum at home and not cleaned up, she thought. She opened her legs as much as she could as she enjoyed the sensation of the vibrating toy inside her. She could not control her breathing as Steve, who was now naked, reached up and wiped away the remnants of her tears from her cheek.

"I love you, Carol," he stated confidently as his erection got closer to her, "and I want to make love to you all day long, if you will have me." All Carol could do is nod in agreement as she felt him pull the vibrator out of her wet pussy and turn it off. She then felt his erection glide up and down her wet lips as he guided himself inside her. Steve brought the vibrator up to their mouths and they both licked and sucked her juices off it as he began to thrust his cock deep inside her.

The simultaneous orgasms were a perfect end to the morning. The lovers laid on the couch, sweaty and out of breath as sunshine streamed through the room.

Carol's head rested peacefully on Steve's chest. His body hair comfortably tickled the skin of her face as her breasts folded nicely over his abdomen. Their legs were intertwined and the moistness of their sex blended together between her pussy and his retracted cock.

Without any prompting, Carol simply said, "Steve, I love you too," as she wiped another tear from her cheek. She felt his chest rise and fall as his hand moved to his face. While she did not know why, it was to also swipe away a tear of his own.

"I'm separated," Steve whispered as they both fell asleep in each other's arms.