. I wiped away my desire and reminded myself that I needed to remain strong. Silence stretched for minutes. Then, without warning, Maria leaned over a...d whispered, "Your women sent me into your bed lover. They also told me you could not make love with me tonight because of this woman Dana Peel. That is all right lover, I understand. But they said to tell you that touching me would be acceptable."God! They could read me like a book.As I lay on my back, Maria started kissing my lips and neck. I. It's side door suddenly slid open and out flew her friend Donna and her little sister. The two pretty ladies landed -- plop -- on the grassy curb and waved good-bye as their playmates sped away then brushed themselves off and skipped merrily home.The sound of the van door slamming brought Mutzi from the backyard. He sniffed the air and was off like a shot, but Donna and her sister had a head start and reached their house before he could plead his case. The shepherd was heading home when he. "Mandy had been following the conversation with growing horror. It wasn't until the last exchange that she figured out they were yanking her chain."You guys are terrible," Mandy grumped.Bill and Susan started laughing and they all got out of the truck. Susan had perfected the slide, hop and fall technique of exiting the tall vehicle. She liked it when Bill helped her down because his hands on her gave her tingles but tonight she was focused on her daughters and their safety at this party. She. He tried to think the long silences were his chord strokes having an effect. Not that he particularly wanted to have an effect. It was just his way of saving face, of pretending the chord listener was not up in the belfry looking down like the Phantom of the Opera and seeing him for what he really was and for what he was really doing. And he was lying, but the chords said just get through it, you tried to explain, and explanations never get you anywhere, but stared at. You have to do it this.