Tamara is star-struck by Bernie's mom Joyce

"Free to Masturbate?" Tamara Rubin said over the phone, her voice rising with excitement. "Your mom is the Joyce Bernstein who wrote Free to Masturbate?"

"Uh-huh, that's my mom," Bernie said. "She does Women's Pleasure Groups too."

"Oh yeah I heard about that!" Tamara said. "There was an article in a magazine at the Women's Center. Like, women all masturbating together? She's still doing those?"

"Uh-huh," Bernie said. "I mean, her co-founder Betty leads more of them, but Mom still does one every couple of months."

Some of the money from Joyce's surprise bestseller - pitched as an "abstinence" textbook that students would actually enjoy - had gone into improving her house to make it better for hosting her workshops. Wider doors on the ground floor, a larger, roll-in shower with wall grips, and a pool and spa with accessibility features.

Gary lay on the bed beside Bernie, snuggled up nude behind her on her bed as Bernie talked with Tamara. He'd had a nice chat with Tamara earlier, where she had laughed at her mom trying to set her up with "Gary the boy toy". He smiled. Much as he'd imagined making it with Tamara, after Sonia had teased Gary about her daughter loving anal, he would be happy whether or not she wanted to give him a try. As long as Bernie was happy, he could roll with whatever.

Bernie and Tamara arranged a visit to Joyce's house during Tamara's next trip home from college, leaving the details open other than finding time where Bernie's mom wasn't going to be away or busy.

"Sure," Tamara said. "Your mom keeps a nudist household? I shoulda guessed. That's fine."

Bernie and Tamara sketched in the rest of the plan, then Bernie handed the phone over to Gary.

"I hope you have a good time when you visit," Gary told Tamara. "I know your mom was really trying to sell me as a stud or something, but..."

"Haha yeah," Tamara said. "Being Bernie's boyfriend is kind of a bigger recommendation than being Mom's part-time lover. Anyway Mom says I have to meet you. So if nothing else, we can get coffee and you can tell me all of Mom's naughty secrets that she didn't share. If there are any."

Gary laughed. "Yeah, your mom's pretty out front. So is Joyce Bernstein."

"And so am I!" Bernie chimed in.

They said goodbye and left the details for later.

And then there was kissing, soft and gentle, and giggles as Gary and Bernie held each other. Things trailed off into a nap with Gary and Bernie snuggled close together, nude without covers on the warm afternoon.