[MarvHarvey]

Christine's Problem: Chapter 1 Part 2

Discussion had rolled around to the things they wanted to do themselves - no one saying out loud that for Chrissy it might be with the rest of her life.

One big topic we got into was the camping and canoeing trips that she wanted to do, the wilderness places she wanted to see and feel. Jules was all in for whatever she wanted - and I was certain he was serious, not just feeding her angst of the moment. He would do anything for her and with her. Of course it must be said that this was Jules who was born and bred a city boy, where a park without a swing set was a forest, and a path where you couldn't see cars or buildings was a wilderness. Allie and I were their usual partners in this kind of thing - and we were on board in an instant.

We were well into that second bottle of wine when I noticed Chris throw a meaningful glance at Julian. I think he gave a tiny nod in return.

"OK. Now I know Marv has been wondering what else I was going to drop on you today - weren't you Marv?"

"Hey Chris, you know me as well as I know you." And I grinned at her.

"Maybe," she said, with a funny little smirk. "And maybe not."

She paused, looked at Allie and at me, and went on. "What all this has done is kick Jules and I into making some decisions and moving forward, and not just the wedding and the bucket lists, but some very important parts of our bucket lists." She glanced at Jules and he smiled back at her. She drew a deep breath. "Marv what you don't know about me is that there are some wild and wacky things on my bucket list! I am a kinky and perverted woman, and I want to do some...hot...stuff."

I didn't react very much at all. What should I show? I smiled a huge smile and said: "you must be if you are related to me, and it couldn't happen to a nicer person. Chris you know I don't care - you are still and always my best friend. I already said I would help you with your bucket list, and in fact it will help Allie and me to jump-start having more fun in our lives - we have been consumed with work the last couple of years."

"Well, that's good, because I really am, and I need your help with a few things on my secret bucket list - maybe I should call it my secret pervy list."

"You know I will help as much as I can, Chris." As I scanned everyone I saw that Allie was looking right at me with a secret smile in her eyes, and she didn't need to nod. "What do you need me to do? Do you want me to tie you up and tickle you silly - we did something close to that when we were kids!" I looked at Jules to be sure he knew I was teasing. But the look on his face told me to expect more. "This is moving on some from talking about canoe trips! What is it Chrissy?" I began to realize that there was some kind of surprise coming.

"Well, there are lots of things," she grinned at me, then at Allie, then went on in a clear voice. "Since I was about 12 I wanted to watch a man work and sweat in the hot sun, the hot hot sun. Since I was about 12. I saw uncle Luke at the farm, chopping wood with his shirt off, and you know what a big muscular man he was. And I want to watch a naked man splitting firewood working and sweating. And...I...I want to supervise...with a whip." Allie and I both reacted with a bit of surprise, but Julian clearly knew this was coming.

Allie had it figured before I did. "That's a hot image, no pun intended," she laughed.

I was a bit surprised, but only a bit. After all Chrissy and I are a lot alike. "Wow! Chris that's really something," I added. I noticed Allie giving me an odd look and a tiny, loving, smile that at any other time would be hot as hell. The way she blinked at me meant she was saying 'yes' to something.

I charged onward: "are you just going to ask Uncle Luke and Aunt Gina to use their farm for a day or two?" When motivated, she would do almost anything and this might not be out of the question.

Christine laughed and shook her head at my remark, and continued: "but it's more, Marv. You see, we have made city boy here into a competent camper and canoeist, he isn't much danger to others any more, and not often to himself. But I...there are some things I...." She paused and looked at me, then looked down.

Then I understood Allie's smile. "Chris. Do you want me to do that? Are you hoping I will volunteer?"