John and Jane had breakfast together on Saturday morning, before he left to drive over to Shepherd’s Bush and pick up Denise. Her husband was still asleep and so she used the opportunity to have a heart to heart talk with her cousin.

‘I hope you have a good time in Brighton this weekend John.’

‘I’ll do my best.’

‘Have you got everything you might need?’

‘I believe so,’ he answered sounding a little puzzled.

‘How about these?’ she said passing him a box of condoms.

He blushed.

‘Actually Denise wants us to sleep in separate beds,’ he replied.

‘Well in that case it will be up to you to change her mind then. It would be a shame if you both passed up such an opportunity of getting to know one another.’

‘Yes I suppose so, Jane, but I don't want to pressurise her into sleeping with me if she does not want to.’

‘No, of course not, but I suspect that deep down, she does want to, but will need a little bit of re-assurance to recognise that fact.’

‘I hope you're right. We’ll just have to see what happens,’ he said, putting the box into his pocket.

He arrived at Shepherd’s Bush about forty-five minutes later. Denise was packed and her suitcase was standing in the hall, but Samantha informed him that she was just putting the finishing touches to her makeup. He loaded her case into the boot, noting with bemusement, that it was somewhat larger than his own, and then returned to wait for her. A few minutes later Denise appeared wearing her light blue summer dress with bare legs in white open-toed sandals. Her handbag and jewellery had been chosen with care. As usual, her hair and makeup were immaculate. Her fingernails and toe nails were painted deep red, to match her lipstick. In spite of his determination to play things cool, John could not stop himself from complimenting her on her appearance.

‘You look really lovely this morning Denise.’

‘Thank you, kind sir,’ she said smiling and then gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. She had then to rub off the lipstick mark, with a tissue.

‘I’ll see you tomorrow night, Denise, and I hope you both have a good time,’ said Samantha.

‘I'm sure we will,’ said John, taking Denise’s free hand and leading her to his car, and then opening the passenger door for her.

Denise turned to smile and say goodbye to her friend. She then carefully manoeuvred herself into the seat so as not to crease her dress. Samantha looked wistfully at them and waved as they drove off.

The couple chatted together quite happily during the two hour drive, talking about their respective jobs and housemates, the late July weather, the countryside they were passing through and finally, what they planned to do over the weekend. Neither of them had visited Brighton before and were both looking forward to exploring the town and enjoying the break from their usual routines. They were also both a little nervous about the forthcoming weekend, but were doing their best not to show it.

They arrived and, remarkably, had found somewhere to park near to their hotel by midday. Since their room would not be available until 3.00 pm, they left their luggage in the car boot and went for a walk along the seafront. Later they found their way to ‘The Lanes’, an area of narrow passages, looking for somewhere to have lunch. They settled upon an attractive bistro with tables outside in a small square, surrounded by eighteenth century fishermen’s cottages, now converted into fashionable shops. They ate pannini and drank coffee and afterwards strolled around the shops for half an hour. So far, all seemed to be going well: their conversation had been relaxed and friendly with no awkwardness between them.

They returned to the car just as the three hours they had paid for was about to expire and a traffic warden was hovering a few yards away and so they drove to the hotel. John deposited her at the front entrance so that she could check in, whilst he found the entrance to their car park. There were two desk clerks, a young man and a young woman. The man was engaged at a computer screen when she arrived, so Denise gravitated towards the other, but as soon as he noticed her, he leapt up from his seat anxious to serve her, knocking his chair over in the process. He blushed and his colleague smiled as she saw what had happened, and rolled her eyes so that only Denise could see as if to say ‘Men!’. Denise handed over the gift voucher for the room, and felt a frisson of pleasure as he referred to her as ‘Madame’ and showed by his demeanour that he admired her.

There was only one slightly awkward moment, however: although there was no further charge for the room, the hotel asked for the production of a credit card in case there was any use of the minibar, telephone, or room service. Denise had no credit card and Denis’s bank card, which showed the initials D.A. Symons, was not acceptable. Just at that moment, John emerged from the lift bringing him from the car park, with both of their cases, and he saved the day.

Their room was on the ninth floor and luxurious with its en-suite bathroom, two queen sized beds and a nice view of the sea and the Palace Pier.

‘Which bed would you prefer?’ asked John, sounding a little embarrassed as he asked.

‘The one closest to the dressing table, please’ answered Denise.

He put her case on a rack next to her bed and his own next to the other. She proceeded to hang her dresses in the wardrobe and transfer her underwear to the drawers and cosmetics on the dressing table.

‘Shall we go out and have a walk on the pier when you're finished?’ he asked.

‘Ok, that will be nice, but I'd like to be back here by 6.30 pm. I'll need a bit of time to get myself ready if we are going out to dinner and then on to a night club,’ she replied.

After an hour or so of sampling the various sights and entertainments on the Palace Pier, they sat down and watched some fishermen land some fish. To Denise this was about as interesting as watching paint dry or a football match, but John seemed to be interested in the proceedings.

‘Why don’t I go back to the hotel now and have the first shower. You can join me in about forty-five minutes?’ suggested Denise after ten minutes.

‘That’s ok, I’ll walk with you back to the hotel,’ he replied.

‘John I don’t think I need an escort on Brighton seafront in broad daylight; you stay here for a while and let me have some time to get myself changed. I suggest you should come back around 7.00 pm.’

‘Alright, if you are sure.’

‘Thanks,’ she said, momentarily touching his hand. ‘I’ll see you later.’

When John returned to the room, he found that Denise had already showered and changed into the blue-grey lingerie set that he had given her for her birthday the previous week, and was just attaching the stockings to the suspenders. They both blushed slightly as he had never seen her half dressed before. She felt herself slightly exposed and vulnerable without her dress and makeup.

‘That colour really suits you,’ he said. ‘I can’t take the credit for choosing it though; it was Samantha’s suggestion, I would not have known what to get you.’

‘Well thank you for the compliment, and indeed for buying them for me, even if the colour scheme was your cousin’s idea.’

He looked a little awkward so Denise broke the silence.

‘This is the first time I have worn them. I've also got a brand new dress to wear tonight as well. You see, I’ve been saving them up especially for your benefit,’ she said a little hesitantly.

‘I am truly honoured,’ he answered.

‘So you should be,’ she answered, regaining her confidence and smiling. ‘So let us finish getting ourselves ready and go out and get something to eat.’

Whilst John was showering, Denise put on her makeup and her grandmother’s sapphire necklace and inserted the pendant earrings. Finally, she put on her new blue silk dress and a pair of high heels, and admired herself in the mirror. Once again she was satisfied with the way she looked.

She did not say anything when John emerged from the bathroom having showered and changed, but she could see the look of admiration on his face.

‘My goodness, you do look lovely in that outfit’.

‘Yes, I believe I do,’ she said smiling, ‘but thanks for mentioning it, all the same. Now let me help you with your tie and let’s go out and get some dinner.’

Denise loved Asian food, whereas John was not very adventurous in his eating habits. When he asked where she wanted to have dinner, she mentioned a Mongolian restaurant in Middle Street, which she had found on the Internet.

‘It is just off the Sea Front and not far from our hotel, she said encouragingly. He looked somewhat alarmed by the prospect, but agreed that they would at least have a look at it.

‘From the description it sounds as if it is fairly informal and has had very good reviews. It is a buffet so you'll be able to choose exactly what you want to eat,’ she said as they approached the restaurant.

‘It is more likely to be a question of avoiding what I don’t want to eat. However, it is your birthday treat, and I'm sure that I'll enjoy myself as I am with such a lovely companion,’ he replied.

Denise coloured a little, but was quite pleased with the compliment.

‘Shall we go inside then?’ she asked.

They were shown to a table, and then went up to the serving table and selected their dishes. John was rather conservative in his choice of food and only half-filled his plate with items he could readily recognise. Denise, on the other hand, piled her plate high with a full range of what was on offer.

‘You seem to have a healthy appetite this evening Denise’.

‘Some of this is for you to try. I want to persuade you to be a bit more adventurous. I'll try each item first, and unless it is awful I will then expect you to try some.’

They had a happy meal together, with Denise periodically feeding him morsels from her plate and then laughing at his reaction. By the end they had both eaten well, and John even admitted that he'd enjoyed most of the food.

‘Thank you for the meal, that was good fun,’ she said as they were leaving.

‘No, thank you for persuading me to go there. The next time I am in Outer Mongolia, I'll know exactly what to order,’ he replied, with a smile.

It was only 9.00 pm when they left the restaurant, far too early to go to a night club. The sun was beginning to set and so Denise suggested they should go for another walk along the seafront for an hour. She wanted to raise a matter that had been on her mind for the whole of the previous week.

‘John, I've been having a great time so far this weekend, and you're such a lovely guy that I don't want to lead you on.’

He sighed.

‘I know, but I've already agreed that we'll be sleeping in separate beds tonight.’

‘It isn't just that. I enjoy your company and I love the way you treat me when we go out together, but you must realise that ultimately this relationship is going nowhere.’

‘Does it have to be going anywhere?’ he asked in reply. ‘Denise, I'm under no illusions about you and I realise that it all must come to an end in September, but in the meanwhile can’t we just be friends for the summer?’

‘’Yes of course we can be friends, but there is also nearly seven years difference in our respective ages. Wouldn't you be better off finding yourself a girlfriend in her twenties where there might be some long-term future to the relationship?’

He turned to look in her eyes.

‘Denise, believe me I've thought about all the difficulties and complications in going out with you, but you make me feel good about myself and give me more confidence than any other woman I've known. As I said before , I enjoy being in the company of someone as lovely as you are.’

‘John, if we do continue to see one another, there'ill come a day when it will be time for one of us to say goodbye. When that happens there must be no sorrow or recriminations on either part’.

‘Yes, I understand that.’

Denise hesitated.

‘In that case I'll be happy to be your girlfriend for the summer, but I also hope you soon find someone more suitable to go out with.’

‘We’ll just have to see,’ he said and leaned across to take her hand.

Denise smiled gently and left her hand within his grasp for a while, and they watched the last rays of the sun disappear below the horizon. She then lifted his arm around her shoulder, and snuggled up close to him. He looked into her eyes, and she did her best to answer him with a look that said , ‘come on then, kiss me!’

Eventually he got the message and plucked up courage to do so. She responded and a tide of pleasure went through her body, but there were no embarrassing physical stirrings between her legs.

‘Thank you Alison and your Aldactone’, she thought to herself.

For the second Saturday night running Denise had a great time on the dance floor, but this time she was not part of a group of girls, but had her own dance partner, who was going to look after her for the evening. She did however wish he could have been a little more adventurous as a dancer, but then she remembered how shy and awkward Denis had always been on the dance floor, and so forgave him. John, on the other hand, was proud to be in the company of such an attractive partner and noticed the envious glances from several other male dancers.

They stayed dancing until about 1.30 am and then walked back to the hotel, arm in arm, chattering happily with one another. Once they got back to their room, Denise turned to her escort.

‘Thank you for a lovely evening, I have really enjoyed myself.’

‘Me too.’

They shared one more lingering kiss before Denise went over to the dressing table and began to get herself undressed and take off her jewellery, whilst John had another quick shower. By the time Denise emerged from her shower and put on her nightdress, John was already in his bed. She started to brush her hair.

‘Do you mind me watching you brush your hair? You look so nice.’

She got up and sat on the edge of his bed.

‘No; of course not, she replied.

She continued to brush it for a minute or so.

‘Would you like to help me to deal with it?’ she asked tentatively

‘If I may,’ he replied, equally nervously.

She handed him the brush and he gently continued to brush it and stroke it with his spare hand. After a while he put it into a loose plait, following her instructions. She was now ready for bed and there was an awkward pause in the conversation. Eventually Denise broke the silence.

‘I think I'd like to exercise the traditional female prerogative and change my mind about the sleeping arrangements, if you don't object.’

‘You would like me to move to the other bed?’ he asked.

‘No, I think I'd like to join you in this one - if I may,’ she replied.

He held out his arms and they snuggled up to one another.

John was not a virgin, but he had never been under the thrall of a woman before. Denise was, but nevertheless she seemed to know instinctively what was necessary for them both to reach their own personal fulfilment. With John it took the form of a physical action, a culmination, whereas with Denise it was rather an internal sense of well-being as she pleasured him and afterwards enjoyed his caresses. The fact that she had unused plumbing tucked out of the way was an irrelevance, almost an embarrassment. As a young man, she had never considered herself to be gay — she was if anything asexual. However, now she had adopted, and indeed embraced, the female role. There was not the slightest doubt in her mind that, in spite of all the confusion over her gender identity, the impermanence of their relationship, and the problems that might lay ahead, there was nowhere she would rather be at that moment, than in the arms of this man.

(Next time At last Denise has a clear idea of what she wants from life.)