Ralph stood before the full-length mirror dressed only in his underpants. He caressed his cheek with the lace panties he'd taken from the laundry basket. He felt deliciously naughty. The light gauzy material snagged against his overnight stubble reminding him of the difference between man and woman, male and female, masculine and feminine, the harshness of his own form in stark contrast to the softness of the female. Such beauty was to be found in femininity, it was easy to be smitten and fall under its powerful spell. He opened out the garment and noticed the faint discolouration in the gusset. His cock responded with a gentle awakening, a fluttering, like a fledgling bird stirring in the nest for the very first time. He brought the material to his nose and breathed. He could smell a familiar muskiness, and the faint odour of urine. Its association with a certain part of the female anatomy stiffened him rapidly.
Suddenly he was aware of being watched...
He sensed her move up close behind him, a tall woman with her dark hair cut in a neat bob coming into view over his shoulder. The morning sunlight through the half-open curtains illuminated the occasional thread of silver - an attribute that she felt comfortable with and enhanced her air of authority.
"If you like them so much, why don't you try them on? I'm sure they'll suit you."
His heart beat wildly. She was making him feel like a schoolboy who had been caught red-handed raiding the tuck cupboard. Julia smiled in a gently-mocking gesture. She was standing nonchalantly in smart grey slacks and a red roll-neck sweater, feet apart with one arm folded across supporting the elbow of the other. Blue smoke curled from the cigarette in her hand. Ralph fidgeted nervously from foot to foot and continued watching her in the mirror. He felt exposed and vulnerable and blushed hotly. He wondered whether he had heard her correctly just now.
"Oh God, Julia... I don't know what to say. What must you think of me?"
"It's all right, Ralph... I've suspected for some time. There's really no need to feel bad."
"P-Please don't say anything to Becky."
"Why should I? There's nothing to tell. It really is no big deal... as long as we keep this between ourselves everything will be fine." She took a long slow drag, holding the smoke down in her lungs while she contemplated the spectacle before her. When she spoke again grey puffs emitted from her mouth in syllabic draughts: "Most men have a fetish about something or other. Women's underwear must come somewhere near the top of their list. Anyway, I wouldn't want to upset the apple cart. The last thing I want is to cause misery to my own daughter and ruin a lovely relationship - one that in many ways has become a harmonious marriage, a perfect marriage.
"I know how much you love each other and I wouldn't want to jeopardise that. However, my discretion comes at a price, quite a small price considering how damaging your affliction could be to your marriage; but if I read you correctly I think you'll be more than happy to pay what I ask to keep things amicable. To be honest, Ralph; knowing what I know now, I think we could have enormous fun together, and without causing anybody any hurt. I'll be very discreet as long as you are a good boy for me."
She had a clever way of putting things. Her assurance somehow veiled a threat, yet she wasn't at all threatening.
"What did you have in mind?" Ralph was trembling now.
"You can put those on, that will be a start. I'm sure you will love the feel of lace around your bottom... and against your cock, even more. I know you want to anyway, so why deny yourself the pleasure."
"I couldn't, Julia. I'd feel stupid. You want to humiliate me, don't you?"
"Haven't you done that already?"
"You've had your pound of flesh catching me out, Julia. Don't put me through anymore. Why don't we just leave it at that?"
"Oh, I couldn't possibly... this is far too good an opportunity to let slip. They are so few and far between one must grab them while one can in life. Don't worry, I'm not going to laugh at you... there's only you and me in the house and we're unlikely to be disturbed this morning. We're completely alone, dear. No one else will suspect a thing."
"I just couldn't, not in front of you. Can we just forget about this? I won't do anything like it again, Julia... I promise."
"Hmm, grovelling to me... I quite like it... quite a turn-on actually. Oh come on, Ralph... it was easy to see how you reacted just now. You were lost in your own sweet world before I interrupted you. You were sniffing them, weren't you? I bet you were, you naughty little perv," Julia chuckled.
Ralph felt himself blushing again. "No." He looked down towards his feet; the bulge in his underpants was betraying him in the most embarrassing way. His hands moved to hide his shame.
"You little fibber, Ralphy! Look at you. Something has got your pecker up, hasn't it? Were you hoping for some residue of a woman's odour, her feminine allure -- essence of pussy, perhaps?" Julia smiled slyly
Ralph began to feel like a bumbling idiot. "I-I..."
"You what..? Oh Ralphy, you're such a sham, you really are. Why are you being so coy? Admit it... those panties have given you a nice big stiffy and I understand... I really do! I just want a slice of the action, that's all. Wicked, aren't I?" Julia smiled again, lifting the tension. She indicated the panties in Ralph's hand. "I see you've picked out my favourite pair by the way. You have excellent taste, dear."
"Oh God..!"
"Perhaps you need some encouragement to obey me?" Julia took one more drag before stubbing out her cigarette in the cut-glass ashtray on the chest-of-drawers. She unbuckled the shiny thin black plastic belt of her smart grey slacks and slid it from her waist, coiling it like a snake in her hands. "Come on now, Ralphy... Be a good boy for Mummy; put those pretty pink panties on. Are you a man or a mouse?"
Something was telling Ralph it might well be in his interest to play along with Julia, and most probably sheer stupidity not to. He decided he would submit to his mother-in-law's wishes completely. Whatever she had in mind, whatever she wanted to submit him to, he would go along with her, and although his heart beat wildly with apprehension and uncertainty of what lay ahead, a strange electricity seemed to empower him with curious devilment.
(...to be continued...)