Compromise

The events in this story occur over a long period of time. I have taken the opportunity to condense the timing of the actual events to decrease the length of an already long story.

I'm a wife and mother. I've been married to Chance for twenty-seven years. I've been a great wife and even greater mother all those years. I know that because Chance and my daughters tell me so. We have two beautiful daughters who are both out of college and pursuing careers and love independently now.

Chance and I still have a vigorous and satisfying sex life. I won't share the details here but if you ask Chance, he'll confirm my statement. I've never had even a hint that I might consider sex with another man and I'm confident Chance has never entertained sex with another woman. Actually, he may have entertained sex with another woman but I'm sure he never acted on it. We are popular in our community and regular volunteers at church functions.

Every Sunday, up to forty-eight Sundays a year, we attend services and volunteer to help before and after. Chance leads a pre-service group discussion addressing the topic of the homily that week and I work in the kitchen providing coffee, tea, juice, and pastries after the service.

Even with all that history and philosophical guidance, something unsettling happened to me on a Sunday several months ago. I was working in the church kitchen when an unusually attractive man walked by the serving counter between the kitchen and the church basement dining room. My body reacted in a way that I hadn't felt since I first saw Chance in the student union at college.

When I recovered, I inquired about the mysterious gentleman. One of the other women told me he was a new member of the church, having moved into town less than a month ago. He was volunteering to deliver food and drink to the church members after the service. She had no idea of his marital status or his history before he arrived in town.

Sex with Chance that night was considerably more adventurous and energetic than usual. Chance had to notice, but he didn't mention it. I'm ashamed to admit that I had visions of the stranger's face twice while I was in the throws of orgasm with Chance suspended above me.

The following Sunday, I spotted him in the basement before the service arranging tables, chairs, and setting places for after the service. The sudden reaction of the previous week did not repeat. Instead, it was replaced by a continuous tingling between my legs. I had to replace my panties as soon as I got home.

I could not explain why I had the experiences I did by simply seeing the handsome man. It disturbed me. I thought about it constantly without a resolution. I told myself that I was acting like a love-struck teenager, but I went out of my way the next Sunday to meet him. It was an unadvised thing to do but I rationalized that it was the only way to control my reactions to him.

His name was Curt. He had moved from the city seven weeks earlier and transferred his church membership to our parish. He wasn't wearing a ring. My emotions soared with that small fact, knowledge of which made my problem worse instead of calming me.

Over the next couple of weeks, I sought out his company after church and for the next two Sundays we sat across a table from each other and shared coffee. The following Thursday, I met him for lunch at a local deli restaurant.

My fascination with him was becoming uncontrollable and I needed to talk with Chance about him. I had no idea how to start the discussion, and it was going to be the most difficult conversation we'd ever had.

The following Sunday, Curt unknowingly forced the conversation I had to have with Chance. Chance and I were sitting at one of the basement tables after most of the parishioners had left, finishing the last of the coffee. Curt joined us. He introduced himself to Chance and me as if we hadn't met. After a few minutes, he excused himself and left. The forced casualness of his appearance worried me and I realized that I had to talk with Chance about Curt sooner rather than later.

After church that Sunday, I was overcome with guilt about how I was reacting to Curt. I had decided that I wanted to fuck him, and I couldn't do that without telling Chance, and telling Chance had enormous risks to the relationship I had with him. A relationship I wanted to continue as much as I wanted to fuck Curt. That afternoon, during halftime of Chance's favorite team's game, I said, "Chance, I have something I have to talk to you about."

Chance muted the commercials during the halftime and turned to face me. "Ericka, it has to be important, and I suspect it has something to do with your strange attitude since we got home."

"He suspects," I thought. "That wasn't the first time I'd met Curt," I managed to say.

"That explains the uncomfortable feelings between the two of you while he was sitting at the table," he said. "Should I be worried?"

"Not yet," I responded too quickly.

"Sounds serious," Chance commented and turned off the television.

"Curt showed up at church about a month ago," I started. "The first time I saw him; I had an unexpected reaction." I had Chance's full attention. "Damn," I said. "I feel like an oversexed teenager. I don't know how to say this."

"You had a sexual reaction," offered Chance.

"Not in the usual sense," I deflected. "My body just felt odd."

"You got wet?" he asked.

"Not that time," I admitted.

"So, you met him again and you got wet," Chance speculated.

"Something like that," I agreed. "We've talked a few times, always in public, and I've developed strong emotions about him."

"You want to fuck him," stated Chance.

"Yes and no," I said. "My body is reacting and leading me in that direction but common sense and my love and respect for you is screaming at me to not to."

"And you want my opinion about it?" Chance asked.

"And your guidance," I added.

"Ericka, I suspect you're hoping that I'll understand and tell you that it's all right with me, but I'm sorry to disappoint you. I don't think it's a good idea and you should distance yourself from Curt as soon and as fast as you can."

"That's difficult," I admitted.

"I understand," Chance said. "You and I have an incredible relationship and a shared life together with tremendous promise for the future. One of the pillars of that relationship is trust. I trust that you, when confronted with temptation will walk away from it and I believe that you have the same trust in me."

"Have you ever been faced with temptation?" I asked.

"In the sprit of this moment, I have," said Chance. "It never rose to the level you describe but I've avoided anything that endangers what I have with you every time."

I was silent for some time considering what Chance said. "Thank you," said. "You've helped to make the right decision."

"You're welcome," Chance repeated. He kissed me and turned on the television just as the third quarter of the game was starting.

I did know what I had to do. I needed to involve Chance in a relationship he couldn't resist and walk away from. If he wanted to fuck someone else, he'd have to approve me fucking Curt. The question was, how in hell was I going to engineer that? Meanwhile, I needed to keep my relationship with Curt at just beyond arm's length. Keep his interest high and his opportunities low.

The following Sunday, I met Lilly. I have no idea whether it was coincidental or fate but there she was, and I had an answer to my problem with Chance.

The usual routine on Sundays was that the half dozen volunteers that served the congregation coffee and pastries after the service would leave the sanctuary after the homily and head downstairs to prepare. That Sunday, Lilly and I were alone in the kitchen waiting for the parishioners. We leaned against the counter and began to share experiences. I hadn't spent time with Lilly before, but I was aware of her participation in the volunteer group.

Lilly is one of the most beautiful women I've ever met. She has the face of an angel with golden hair and perfect skin unblemished by cosmetics. Her body is equally impressive, without modification or attention getting clothing. If I were a guy, I'd fall all over myself just to get close to her. She was the perfect woman to tempt Chance. But how was I going to engineer it?

Lilly is also an unusually open individual. She has no problem talking about subjects that the rest of us find uncomfortable. Within a few minutes, Lilly was recounting her move to our area seven months ago and her inability to adjust to many of the changes it brought into her life. Her most challenging problem? Sex. She was frustrated by her inability to have sex to the level she desired and that there were no candidates that were promising.

I told her that I understood her frustration without mentioning my obsession with Curt. I also told her that there was someone she would find more that acceptable and all she had to do was wait. The opportunity would become obvious with time.

An hour later, most of the congregation had finished socializing and left for home. Chance was sitting at a table with two other volunteers finishing their last mugs of coffee. I found Lilly and pointed out Chance to her. I told her that he was exactly what she was looking for, gentle, compassionate, and terrific in bed. I wasn't specific about that last attribute, but she assumed I had personal experience, and I let her believe it.

I told her his name was Chance and that he had a strong moral character. If she were serious, she'd have to be persistent in her quest to bed him. "Don't give up," I suggested. "He's worth the effort and he will eventually be what you want him to be." We exchanged contact information since I thought I might need hers.

I was distracted for a few minutes while I put some of the leftovers in the kitchen refrigerator. When I turned around, Lilly was gone. I spotted her a few moments later standing next to Chance and pulling out a chair to sit along side him. I watched from the shadows as the other men left, and Lilly engaged in conversation with Chance that included a significant amount of touching on Lilly's part.

I went upstairs and out to our car to wait for Chance. It was our usual routine, one of us waiting in the car until we were both ready to leave. Chance arrived about fifteen minutes later, without Lilly. I started the car and drove home. On the ride home, Chance asked, "Do you know that woman?"

"Which woman?" I asked.

"She said her name was Lilly," Chance told me, "and she sat down to talk with me."

"I know of her," I said. "She's a relatively new volunteer for the after the service coffee and pastry."

"You didn't meet with her?" Chance asked.

"Only about what we do in the kitchen," I said with my fingers crossed. "Why?"

"It just seems strange that she singled me out," shared Chance.

"For what?" I asked.

"I don't know exactly," Chance said. "I think she may have something beyond just friendship in mind."

"Well, you are a good-looking man," I reminded him. "I can understand she might be attracted to you."

"I'm aware of that," Chance agreed. "That's one of the reasons I'm always on guard around women because I value my relationship with you. I don't want to attract other women."

"But it does happen," I stated. "And, if I recall correctly, you've always been able to avoid entanglements when it does."

"That's true," agreed Chance. "But Lilly seems more determined than most."

"How long did you talk to her?" I asked.

"About twenty minutes," revealed Chance.

"That seems like a long time if you're trying not to get involved."

"I know," Chance concurred. "But she was very touchy, and she held my arm or hand every time I moved to leave. For some reason, I didn't want to be rude to her."

"That's another reason women find you attractive," I said.

Chance came home in a strange mood on Wednesday. "Are you okay?" I asked.

"I don't know," he said. "I got a text from that woman this afternoon."

"Lilly?" I asked.

"That's her," Chance agreed. "How did she get my number?" he asked.

"Because I gave it to her," I thought. "It seems that she's persistent and inquisitive," I ventured.

"But why me?" asked Chance.

"We've been over that," I said. "You're attractive and it's bound to happen."

"But I usually don't have a problem dissuading them," he moaned.

"Proof that Lilly's persistent," I said. "Why did she text you?"

"She said she enjoyed our conversation last Sunday and wondered if I was available to have lunch sometime this week."

"Wow," I exclaimed. "Persistent with a capital P. What did you tell her?"

"Nothing. I didn't respond," Chance shared.

"That might have worked with other women," I said. "But somehow, I think that it will only make Lilly more persistent."

Later, we were catching up on recent episodes of a Netflix series when Chance's phone pinged. He picked it up to see what it was. "Shit," he muttered.

"What?"

"It's Lilly texting again."

"What does she want?" I asked.

"I'm not interested in whatever she has to say," he stated.

"Give it to me," I suggested. "I'll look."

I looked at his phone for a few moments. "What's it say?" he asked.

"I thought you weren't interested," I responded.

"You read it. Now I'm curious," he told me.

I looked at the message. "She says, 'You didn't respond to my previous text. I hope I didn't upset you. If I did, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. What can I do to make it right?' Wow. Persistent and sensitive too," I commented.

"Shit. Now what should I do?" he asked.

"You respond to her," I said. "And be nice. There's nothing wrong with you having her as a friend. Men can have women as friends and, maybe, all she needs is a friend."

"You think that's possible?" Chance asked.

"I do," I said. "Friendships can be personal without being romantic or sexual, even between a man and a woman."

"I don't know what to say to her," Chance wondered.

"Do you want me to respond?"

"No. I'll handle it. Give me the phone." He took the phone and left the room.

I paused the television and waited. Chance returned about ten minutes later. "What did you tell her?" I asked.

"I told her I'd be delighted to have lunch with her tomorrow," he informed me.

I almost fist pumped.

Thursday, when Chance came home from work, I asked him, "How was lunch?"

"Disturbing and amazing," described Chance.

"Sit down and tell me about it," I suggested. We sat at the kitchen table. "Start with disturbing,"

"Lilly is almost impossible to not to be seen with," Chance said.

"You wanted to hide her?" I asked mystified.

"I didn't want to draw attention to us," he explained. "I was concerned I would be seen with another woman at lunch, and it would start rumors about our relationship."

"Chance, our relationship is solid. Rumors are not a concern, and with Lilly's beauty she will attract attention wherever she is," I explained.

"That wasn't my only concern," added Chance. "All through lunch, her body language was screaming that she was thinking about something more. You know, those little things women know how to do, like touching and facial expressions that signal interest in someone. In addition, the top three buttons of her blouse were undone. I could see part of her bra and she played with the fourth button all through lunch when she wasn't wrapping her hair around her fingers."

"I didn't know you were so sensitive to a woman's body language," I said.

"Well, I am," Chance said.

"Lilly had an effect on you?"

"She did," he admitted.

"Are you willing to share what the effect was?" I pushed.

"I'm ashamed to admit it," Chance danced around my question.

"You had an erection," I stated.

Chance hung his head. "I did," he confirmed.

"What's the problem?" I asked. "You're a man and men have erections."

"Not with a woman not his wife," Chance insisted.

"If that was true, nobody would ever get married," I said. "It's a human reaction. It happens to women too."

"With you?" he asked.

"It has," I said.

"You get an erection?"

"No. I get wet," I explained. "It's why the human race hasn't gone extinct."

"Curt?" Chance asked.

"For one," I admitted. "It seems were both in the same boat."

"What do we do?" he asked.

"We continue to have friendships," I stated.

"What if the feelings are something more?" Chance asked.

"You want to fuck her?" I asked.

"It did cross my mind," he confessed.

"Another human reaction," I explained. "It seems that our boat has just gotten bigger."

"You want to fuck Curt?" he asked.

"It has crossed my mind," I admitted.

"But you haven't told him?"

"No and I assume you haven't told Lilly," I surmised.

"I haven't," he confirmed. "What should we do?"

"We could continue to have friends," I repeated.

"And unsatisfied feelings," he added.

"There is another option," I offered.

"What?"

"How badly do you want to fuck Lilly?" I asked.

"I'm concerned that it will happen despite how hard I try to avoid it," Chance said. "How about Curt?"

"I would like to fuck him and I'm not trying to avoid it," I confessed.

"So, do we go ahead, get laid, and go on with our lives?" asked Chance.

"That is option two," I confirmed. "But our lives will not be the same. Lilly and Curt will probably be part of it going forward."

"So, we go ahead with full knowledge and permission from each other?"

"It seems so," I agreed," but there's still something illicit about it."

"I'm clueless," Chance stated.

"We're approaching this as a team so there's no concern on our part. That's not the case with Lilly or Curt. They could still feel that there's something improper about it and it would affect the relationship."

"You're probably right," Chance conceded. "How do we handle that?"

"I think we have to get everybody together and explain the situation, so we don't have any misunderstandings."

"All four of us in the same room?" Chance asked.

"That would be ideal," I agreed.

"How?"

"I'll invite Curt to dinner here and you invite Lilly. Meanwhile, we solidify the relationships."

"Have sex?" asked Chance.

"If it gets that far before we have dinner together," I confirmed. "Actually, that may be the best way to set the stage for having dinner together. I'm imagining a post coital pillow talk where I ask Curt to come to dinner with me and my husband."

Chance laughed. "I'd like to see his face when you tell him."

"You just have to watch Lilly's face," I laughed.

"I can't believe we're plotting to have extramarital affairs and were laughing about it," Chance shared.

"Is there a better way to approach it?" I asked.

"Not that I can think of," Chance said. "It does speak well for the strength our relationship," he observed.

"Now that you mention it, are you as horny as I am?"

I took his hand and led him to our bedroom. We never had dinner that evening.

Later, we took a shower and made Saturday night reservations for two hotel rooms in different hotels on the same block in midtown. Then I texted Curt and hinted that I really wanted our relationship to expand into more personal areas and suggested dinner and more on Saturday. Curt's response arrived about ten minutes later. "I can make that happen," he texted. "Condom?"

"Condoms," I replied and suggested a five o'clock dinner in the restaurant inside the hotel.

Chance's invitation to Lilly was shorter. Her response was almost immediate. "Done," she texted. "Panties?"

Chance texted back, "Let me."

With that settled, we went back to bed.

Saturday was a tension filled day with both Chance and I anticipating dinner and more that afternoon. We also limited our interaction with each other to ensure adequate resources for the evening and that added to the tension.

After checking in and getting a room key card, I left my overnight bag with toiletries, clean underwear, and a change of clothing in the room. I walked into the restaurant at five minutes to five and Curt was already there, sitting at the bar. I gave him a hug and a kiss on his cheek as we waited for a table. We were seated on the side of the room where we could sit on the same side of the table. We ordered drinks and casually, as if it was something we'd done for years, Curt rested his hand on my thigh. My reaction didn't surprise me, but it was stronger than I expected.

It didn't feel like we rushed dinner, but we were on the elevator on the way to the eighteenth floor at ten after six. I used the key card, pushed open the door to the room, and held it for Curt to step inside. The room was overlarge with a king-sized bed, a bathroom with a whirlpool tub, a large all-glass shower, and an excellent view of the rest of the city.

Curt paused as I let the door close and took in the spender of the room. He turned to face me, stepped towards me, put his hands on my hips, and kissed me. "Wow," he said.

"The kiss or the room?" I asked.

"The company," Curt clarified.

"Are you sure you've never done this before?" I asked.

"It's the first time with you," Curt replied.

I curled my body tighter to him. He held me close, and we kissed again. His hands wandered around on my back and drifted down. I wiggled my hips against him while he stroked my ass and pulled me tighter to him. Curt's hand dragged up my spine to the top of my dress where he gripped the zipper and began to slowly drag it open down my back.

I moaned into his mouth and shoved a hand between our bodies and pressed against his groin. I discovered a cramped erection challenging the confinement in his trousers. I slipped to my knees in front of him, my dress hanging off my shoulders and flowing open in the back.

I worked desperately on his belt and then the button and zipper on his pants. I pushed his pants down to his thighs. His erection tented his boxer shorts until I pushed them down too. His erection bounced eagerly just inches from my face. I took hold of it with my hand, steadied it, and encased it with my mouth.

"Jezzz, Ericka," Curt moaned.

We struggled backward, Curt taking small steps and me following on my knees with his erection in my mouth, until he reached the bed and fell backward. I was on my knees at the side of the bed and between his legs. I tried to hold his erection in my hand, but my dress had fallen forward and was binding my arms. I pulled my arms from the sleeves of my dress and let if fall in front of me revealing my breasts in my black bra without losing my oral connection to his erection. I was having a wonderful time running my tongue over the tip of his cock and sucking the tiny portions of slightly salty emissions. Without warning, Curt's hips bucked, and a blast of sperm infused semen erupted into my mouth.

Startled, I skipped a beat and then intensified my efforts as his erection pulsed a half a dozen more times into my mouth. I released his erection with an audible pop, looked into his eyes, and swallowed.

Curt pulled me up on top of him. "Ericka, I'm so sorry," he exclaimed.

"For what?" I asked while still licking my lips.

"I couldn't help it," Curt confessed. "I spoiled everything."

"Curt," I said. "You didn't spoil anything. You started something. Don't think for a minute that we're done here." I stood up, kicked off my shoes, and pushed my dress down off my body. Then I went to work pulling off his shoes, pants, and underwear. Curt sat up on the bed and smiled at me. He removed his shirt and waited while I removed my bra and panties.

I stood naked in front of him. He reached out his arms and I happily climbed between his arms, and we fell back on the bed with me on top of him, both of us naked. We hugged and kissed. Curt rolled us over and began to kiss down my body. He lingered at my breasts, sucking gently on my nipples and then continued until he was searching for my clitoris with his tongue.

A few minutes later, my orgasm dispelled any doubt about where we were headed. Curt didn't let my orgasm disturb his efforts. He added two fingers inside my vagina to his sucking on my clitoris. By the time of my second orgasm, Curt's erection had returned.

He abandoned my clitoris and slowly kissed his way back up my body. He lingered again at my nipples and then, with another upward shift of his body, he kissed me. I could taste myself on his lips and tongue. He erection slid between my labia and became trapped between our abdomens.

"Ericka?" he whispered.

"What?" I asked.

"Ready?" he asked and shifted his hips.

I smiled and kissed him. "Please," I whispered. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.

Curt began to shift around to position his erection. I used one hand to guide him, and he slid inside me. I raised my hips to draw him inside me, and he pushed until our pubic hair became entangled. I exhaled like a leaking balloon, and he began to move inside me.

I matched his rhythm, emptied my mind, and released my body. A sense of euphoria surrounded me. My body began to respond and then, like a long-distance runner breaching his performance wall, it passed, and I knew I could let Curt fuck me forever.

I don't know how long we coupled like that, but I began to feel Curt's erection inside me begin to change. I knew he was approaching another orgasm. I began to flex and squeeze my vagina in response and to prime my own orgasm.

A few minutes later, we erupted together. Our bodies trembled and we shook the bed. Thirty seconds later we were lying next to each other on the bed, gasping for breath and I was leaking milky fluids. I rolled partially on top of Curt, my leg over his legs, my arm over his chest and my breast crushed against his ribs. "I've waited too long for that," I whispered.

"The wait is over," Curt repeated. "Do we wait again?"

"About an hour," I suggested.

"So long?"

"I need to pee and take a shower," I shared.

"Is that something you do alone?" Curt asked.

"You want to watch me pee?" I asked.

"I was referring to taking a shower," Curt laughed.

I rolled off my side of the bed. "I'm heading for the bathroom. Come in whenever you're ready," I offered.

I had just sat on the toilet to pee when Curt entered the bathroom. "Don't let me bother you," he said as he started the shower to let it warm. I peed, dried, and joined Curt at the entrance to the shower. When he was satisfied with the temperature of the water, he held the door for me, and I stepped in. He followed, and acting as if he always showered with a woman, he took a plush washcloth from a nearby rack, filled it lavishly with body gel from the dispenser on the wall, and began to wash my back. Trying not to get too giddy from the wonderful feeling of his hands on my body as he washed me, I turned around when he reached my waist.

He seemed undecided whether to wash my breasts or my pussy next. He chose my breasts. He spread warm body wash on my breasts, lifting each of them separately to wash underneath them. My pussy followed. I spread my legs to make it easier for him and more pleasurable for me.

I took the washcloth from him, added a significant amount of body wash, and washed his body starting with his penis and testicles. Somehow, we finished the shower without having sex, but it was a close call. Dry and back in bed, we made slow, delicious love without haste or inhibition.

Curt was spooned behind me after our latest foray into sexual satisfaction when he raised up, leaned over me, and looked at the clock on the nightstand. "It's almost eleven thirty," he stated.

"Who cares?" I asked. "We've got all night."

"I have to get home," he said as he hastily started to get dressed. "What's going on?" I asked.

"Inge expects me to be home," he told me.

"Inge? Who's Inge?" I asked.

"My wife," Curt said. "I told her I'd be late but not this late."

"You're married?" I asked incredulously.

"I am," he confirmed as he headed for the door. "See you in church tomorrow," he promised, and he was gone. Not even a goodbye kiss.

I didn't know whether to scream or cry. I had been fucking a married man. Then I thought about it. How could I be angry when I was a married woman? I didn't know he was married, and I tried to remember if he knew I was married. It was more than possible that he didn't. I concluded that we each thought we were having a mutually beneficial, and uncomplicated, fuck.

I took a long, slow, hot shower, dressed and checked out of the hotel. At home, I tucked into bed, turned over and tried to sleep alone for the first time in years.

Someone entered the front door about a half hour later. Chance came into the bedroom, got undressed, and slipped into bed before he knew that I was there. His leg touched my leg. "What? Who? Ericka? Why are you here?" he asked.

"Curt had to go home," I said deadpanned. "He's married."

Chance began to laugh. "That's exactly what happened to me," He told me.

"Lilly's married?" I asked.

"She is," he confirmed. "And she had to get home."

"Don't we look foolish?" I laughed.

We hugged, kissed, and fucked ourselves to sleep.

i woke somewhat sober at six am Sunday morning. I poked Chance in the shoulder. He rolled on his side to look at me. "Neither of us expected to be here this morning," I stated.

"True," Chance agreed. "But I had to be somewhere, here's where I would choose to be."

I kissed him. "Me too," I echoed. "Breakfast?"

"Where?" Chance asked.

"My hotel or yours?" I asked facetiously.

"I'm not inclined to go to either given the results of last evening. I think someplace like Waffle House is more appropriate," he suggested.

"Done," I said. "Twenty minutes," I said as I jumped out of the bed.

Waffle House was unusually vacant. We sat a table in a corner and ordered. Our meals were delivered quickly. We leaned towards each other over the table. "Well, what do we do now?" I asked quietly.

"Despite the surprise last eventing, I think I still have a solid relationship with Lilly," Chance observed.

"I agree," I added. "I think my relationship with Curt is similarly solid."

"So, do we continue the relationships as if nothing has changed?" Chance whispered.

"I'd like to," I conceded. "But I don't think we can ignore the fact that we're all married."

"Does Curt know you're married? Chance asked. "I don't think Lilly knows that I am."

"It won't stay that way for long," I speculated. "Then they'll have the same problem we have."

"What are you thinking?"

"I think we'll have to include their spouses," I suggested.

"Is that feasible?" Chance asked.

"I wonder if Inge knows what Curt and I are up to," I mulled. "If so, I think he'll be able to convince her to at least consider it."

"Inge?" asked Chance.

"Curt's wife," I explained.

"I didn't get Lilly's husband's name," Chance revealed. "So, do we all get together to discuss how to approach it?" he asked.

"Without their spouses?" I asked.

"I think that's the first step," Chance confirmed.

"Let me deal with it," I said. "I may have to tell Lilly that I'm your wife."

"I don't know it that would be more difficult for you or for her," Chance said.

"Either way, it has to be done," I said. "Finish up, we have to get to church."

Chance and I got to church in time for him to hold his early discussion session. I waited in the kitchen downstairs hoping to see either Lilly or Curt without success. Chance and I met in the narthex and sat together in the sanctuary. I looked for either Lilly or Curt. I did notice Lilly in a pew on the opposite side of the room. When I got up after the homily to go downstairs and prepare for the after service, Lilly was in front of me.

We did what was necessary in the kitchen with time to spare. I caught up to Lilly and walked her to the back of the kitchen. I decided to be direct. "Did you enjoy your time with Chance last night?" I asked her.

"What?" she stumbled. "What are you talking about?"

"You know, Chance had no idea that you were married," I continued.

"How could you know that?" Lilly asked.

"I'm his wife," I said calmly.

She hyperventilated. "Fuck," she exclaimed.

"Don't worry," I calmed her. "I'm not upset with either of you."

She continued to struggle with words. "Why?"

"I knew where he was, what he was doing, and with who," I told her.

"Oh my God," Lilly said.

"How did your husband take it?" I asked.

"He doesn't know," she confessed.

"That could be a problem," I suggested.

"Why?"

"I was considering inviting both of you and Curt and Inge to dinner next weekend," I explained.

"Who's Curt and Inge?"

The guy I was with last night and his wife," I said simply.

"Wait. You were with Curt while I was with Chance, and you're married to each other?" she asked.

"It's an equitable arrangement," I described.

"And Inge knows?" she asked.

"Not yet," I told her.

"So, you're seeing Curt, Chance is seeing me, you two are married to each other, we're both married. and neither of our spouses know about it. Do I have that right?"

"Perfectly," I told her.

"And now you want to have all of us to dinner at your place next weekend?"

"It seems the best way for all of us to get on the same page and remove any blame, guilt, or remorse." I suggested.

"That's not a lot of time to consider the consequences. I don't know how to even start to talk to Ryan," Lilly worried.

"Look, I understand," I said. "What do you say you join us this evening at our house to formulate a plan?"

"A plan?"

"Yes. How to include Ryan and Inge in the extracurricular activities and allow you and Chance, and me and Curt, to continue to be together," I explained. I gave her our address and suggested that she come by about seven in the evening.

I caught up with Curt after the coffee and pastry gathering with the congregation and gave him the same options, seven pm at our house.

I brought Chance up to date on the ride home. "I know," he said. "Lilly told me."

"Was she upset?" I asked.

"Not that I could see," Chance said. "She did want to confirm that you and I were married. Otherwise, I think she'll be there tonight."

Our doorbell rang a few minutes after seven. I opened the door and both Curt and Lilly were standing on the porch. I invited them in. Chance greeted them and offered them something to drink. They accepted his offer, and we settled in the living room. Curt and Lilly shared the sofa while Chance and I sat in chairs facing them.

"Before we start," I said, "you both understand why we're here?"

Both Lilly and Curt nodded. Lilly added, "We do."

"Is there anything about it that you have questions about?" I asked.

"Curt and I have been talking, and we do have a couple of questions. First, we feel that we've been set up somehow and we're in a situation not of our creation."

"Let me address that now," I suggested. "I can understand how you might feel that way. I might if our roles were reversed but let me assure you that Chance and I did not collaborate in any way. When I first met Curt, I had a physical reaction, and I wanted to pursue it further. Independently of me, Chance fixated on you Lilly. Neither of us would pursue a relationship with others without first discussing it with each other. That's what happened here. The only time we collaborated was last Saturday night when we booked separate rooms in separate hotels and asked both of you to dinner. Anything else was coincidental."

"Physical reaction?" asked Curt.

"My panties got wet." I told him.

"Oh. My apologies. I didn't mean to embarrass you."

"No offense and no embarrassment," I said. 'We're here to be factual."

"A second?" asked Lilly.

"Go ahead," I requested.

"What's done is done," Lilly started. "Neither of us can imagine confessing to our spouses without a serious, even relationship ending, reaction."

"That's not a very appealing prospect," I stated.

"It isn't," agreed Lilly. "There's children involved.

"Does anybody have any idea how we can resolve things?" I asked.

"We could just end things," suggested Curt. "Walk away like it never happened, tell no one and get on with our lives."

"Does anyone think that is a real option?" I asked. "Not I for one. I was hesitant at first, but it was better than I expected. Chance and I discussed it in advance and that helped a lot. I did happen. It was real and I don't think I can just forget it happened. I can imagine trying to connect with Curt again sometime in the future. How do the rest of you feel?"

Lilly looked at Chance. "Chance did leave an impression on me. Your scenario seems possible to me."

"Even if I never see you again after tonight, Ericka," said Curt. "I'm sure that I'll dream about you often."

"And if you talk in your sleep?" I asked.

Curt laughed nervously. "That could be a problem," he admitted.

Chance raised his hand. "The floor is yours," I said.

"If we assume that we all want to continue things as they are, and I think that's a safe assumption, We're all in the same boat, so to speak, and we have two choices, build more boats or make the boat bigger. In the first case, I think we must encourage your spouses to develop sexual relationships of their own. With things equalized I think suitable compromises would be possible."

"Wouldn't that just make the situation worse?" asked Lilly. "What if Ryan takes up with a woman and she's also married. That doesn't solve the problem. I makes it larger."

"Lilly's right," agreed Chance. "It just adds people to the situation. Who knows where it could end? Alternatively, Ryan and Inge could connect with each other but that doesn't include the rest of us. It seems we'd have a different problem to solve. So, we have to make the boat larger by adding Inge and Ryan to the four of us, and I think there's only one viable combination. Ericka with Ryan and me with Inge," suggested Chance. "That completes the circle, so to speak. It also gives Lilly and Curt to get to know each other better and makes it easier to reveal all to each other."

"What do you think, Lilly?" asked Ericka. "Does Curt ring any bells for you?"

"Not sitting here," Lilly stated. "But there is energy between me and Chance. Chance has energy for you as does Curt. Given the strong connections, I have to believe something similar could exist between me and Curt.

"What about you, Curt? Is Lilly on your must have list?"

"Lilly's logic is sound but I'm not sure I like it," he said. "While it does seem to level things since Ryan would be with Ericka, and my wife would be with Chance while Lilly and I explore the possibilities with each other. The whole thing is circular, everybody's cheating on someone, and the guilt is shared."

"That's one way to look at it," Chance suggested. "I prefer the think that everyone is happily having great sex with three partners."

"Okay," conceded Curt. "It seems were throwing fuel on an already blazing fire, but I have to admit it may work. Now, how do we make it happen?"

"It's simple," I interjected. "You're all, including your spouses, invited to dinner here a week from Saturday."

"How does that help?" asked Curt.

"It allows Chance and I to meet Inge and Ryan and begin the process of getting to know them better," Ericka explained.

"I get that," agreed Curt, "but what's the reason we'd all be invited to you house for dinner in the first place?"

"It's quite simple. The four of us volunteer on Sundays at the church. We've gotten to know each other, and it seems reasonable that I'd invite you all to dinner so we could meet your spouses. In other words, it's a perfectly normal social event without strings or ulterior motives," I detailed.

"At least as far as Ryan and Inge are concerned," added Chance.

"Curt, you and Lilly, need to start the ball rolling by talking us up at home. You know, how nice we are and how much you enjoy working with us on Sunday's. Don't overdo it. Just the usual casual banter you might have when meeting someone new," I continued. "I'll wait until after Sunday to send the invitations."

Everyone parted that evening with a plan and hope that Ryan and Lilly would get what they wanted and escape the potential problems at home without serious consequences.

Chance and I had a normal week without feedback from either Curt or Lilly. "You know," commented Chance one evening, "This crazy plan has almost no chance of working."

"Really?" I asked. "Why not?"

"The whole thing depends on six people all wanting to have sex with each other. It just seems unlikely," Chance explained.

"And, if by some miracle it does work, what's your consequence for not believing?" asked Ericka.

"You get to fuck Curt and Ryan as often as you like."

"And you get to fuck Lilly and Inge just as often," I asserted. "Doesn't seem like much of a consequence."

Sunday, I spotted Curt sitting in a pew next to an attractive Nordic looking woman who I assumed was Inge. I also spied Lilly sitting alone in the row behind him.

Attendance that Sunday morning was unusually large and the volunteers worked overtime. When there were just a few stragglers at tables, Curt waved Chance over to the table he was sitting at with Inge. Chance sat down and Curt introduced him. "Inge, this is Chance, the fellow I was telling you about."

Inge put out her hand. "Nice to meet you," she said. "Curt has only good things to say about you and Ericka."

Chance shook her hand noticing her particularly soft skin and gentle touch. "I'm sure I don't deserve it," he responded." He looked around and waved me towards the table. "There's Ericka. She really deserves all the credit." I sat at the table. "Ericka, this is Inge, Curt's better half."

I shook hands with Inge. She seemed impressed by my appearance. She glanced at Curt and relaxed at his seemingly disinterested attention. "Curt's quite a catch," I said. "We couldn't manage Sunday mornings without him. You should volunteer too. We could use the extra help."

Inge diplomatically declined my offer without actually saying so. "Curt's mentioned you too," said Inge. He tells me you work together like a well-oiled machine. He's also mentioned someone else."

"That would be Lilly," I concluded. "She's the glue that keeps everything running smoothly. She's always nearby when you need her. I looked around the room. "I don't see her anywhere."

"There she is," commented Chance as Lilly entered the room from the hallway. He waved at her. She noticed and started towards our table. She stood next to Chance as he introduced her to Inge. They shook hands and Lilly sat down.

Inge looked at each of them. "So, you guys are the Fab Four," she said.

"I looked at Curt. "Did you tell her that?"

"No. She just came up with that right now," Curt revealed.

Inge laughed. "From what Curt's told me the church wouldn't exist without the four of you."

"I don't know about that," I said. "They certainly wouldn't eat as well. However, we could always use a fifth," I added.

"Or a sixth," said Chance looking at Lilly."

The custodian started blinking the lights. It was time for us to leave so he could lock up.

I sent the dinner invitations by email the next day, Saturday at six.

Curt and Inge responded positively on Tuesday. It wasn't until Thursday that Lilly responded that she and her husband Ryan would also come to dinner Saturday evening.

Chance and I were busy Saturday afternoon preparing for the dinner party. I prepared a Caeser's salad, two main courses of baked Mahi-Mahi and Chicken Piccata, and homemade bread pudding with vanilla sauce for dessert. Chance premixed pitchers of Cosmopolitans and Margaritas, light on Vodka and Tequella so that inebriation wasn't a factor in the evening's activities.

With everything under control by four in the afternoon, we headed for the shower together. As usual, sharing a shower led to sharing other things. We interrupted the shower to explore the possibilities in our bedroom and finished the showers forty-five minutes later. Despite the delay, we were freshly showered, fully dressed, and ready for guests in fifteen minutes.

Curt and Inge arrived a few minutes early. Chance met them at the door and I joined them from the kitchen. I gave Curt a chaste hug and Chance held Inge's hand in both of his hands for slightly longer than necessary. I excused myself to attend to the dinner and the rest followed me into the kitchen. Chance offered us drinks and poured Inge a Cosmopolitan and Curt a Margarita. Inge and I were talking about the details of the meal while Chance and Curt wandered back into the living room.

Lilly and Ryan were stylishly late. Chance answered the door, Inge introduced Ryan and Chance shook his hand expressing his delight in finally meeting him. Inge and I arrived from the kitchen and completed the introductions. I hugged Lilly and held Ryan's hand while we exchanged socially acceptable comments. I released his hand as if I was reluctant to do so, hoping he understood the message.

Chance collected the drinks and glasses from the kitchen, poured and topped off the drinks, and we settled on the sofa and chairs in the living room to exchange stories. Twenty minutes later, I invited everyone to find seats around the dining room table.

The table was set with an ironed beige tablecloth, silver rimmed plates, spotless silverware, and matching cloth napkins. Each place setting included a water goblet and a white wine glass. Curt and Inge choose seats on one side of the table, Lilly and Ryan on the opposite side. Seats at the ends of the table were left for Chance and me. I took the seat closest to the kitchen.

I brought out the food with spoons for family style serving while Chance poured a chilled Sauvignon Blanc wine. Dinner was a hit with everyone. We girls opted for the fish and the men for the chicken. By the time we finished dessert it was almost nine o'clock and we were deep into the third bottle of wine.

Chance was at right angles and between both Inge and Lilly. He has a habit of flirting with women and that night was no exception. He gave Lilly his attention when she spoke and twice that attention to Inge when she spoke. He was expressive when he talked touching them frequently as he made a point.

After dinner we retired to the living room and returned to cosmopolitans, margaritas, and conversation. Inge sat on the sofa next to Curt. Chance sat next to her. He exploited every advantage he had to complement her, listen to her, and to touch her. From my seat on a chair opposite them I could see Inge's body relax as the minutes passed.

I was doing what I could with Ryan without sharing a seat with him. Near ten thirty, Lilly suggested that it was time for her and Ryan to leave. I walked them to the door and hugged Lilly. Ryan was unsure about what liberties he could take with me as a good night gesture until I held out my arms as if to hug him too.

He got the message and I got a hug from him. I pulled him just a wee bit too close as I hugged him and nibbled his ear lobe just a touch before letting him go. I could see he was surprised and unsure how to respond when Lilly took his arm and led him to their car.

Shortly thereafter, Curt and Inge got ready to leave. I led Curt into the driveway before hugging him. That allowed Chance and Inge a moment alone behind us. Chance held both her hands in his and thanked her for coming. "I really enjoyed myself," said Inge.

"Maybe we can get together again," suggested Chance.

"I'd like that," agreed Inge. She gave him a hug and a light kiss on his lips before they followed us outside.

Chance and I stood in the driveway and waved as Curt and Inge backed out of the driveway and drove down the street.

We worked together to clean up the house and kitchen and preserve what food we could before heading for the bedroom with the last bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. We sat naked in the bed up against headboard and passed the bottle of wine back and forth between us. The empty bottle ended on the floor and Chance ended up inside me.

As we lay alongside each other after sex and before sleep, I complemented Chance on his approach to Inge. "It was working, wasn't it?" he asked.

"It certainly was," I commented. "I wouldn't be surprised if her panties weren't wet by the time they left."

"Really?" Chance asked as if he was surprised at my comment. "That would explain why she suggested that we get together again and she kissed me," he offered.

"She kissed you?" I asked actually surprised.

"Just a quick kiss like you might give your brother, not anything suggestive," explained Chance.

"Donkey dust," I said. "You knew her for less than five hours and she kissed you. That's a suggestive message if I've ever heard of one.

Sunday morning, we woke early, traded body fluids again, showered, and headed for church. I spotted Curt, Inge, Lilly, and Ryan sitting together during the service. Later, after coffee and cake the six of us were sitting around a circular table finishing the coffee and nibbling on the left-over cookies. I watched, curious and admiring how Inge finagled a seat next to Chance.

Inge was the first to express her thanks for the dinner party the night before. "What do you think, Chance, do you think we could get together again sometime soon?" she asked.

Her question pretty much sealed my opinion of Chance's chances after last night. I took advantage of the opening created by Inge's question to ask Ryan if he would be in favor of another dinner party.

In a few minutes, we had a six-way consensus in favor of another dinner party. "I'll set something up as our place," offered Inge. "I'll let you know when," she added.

The custodian chased us out again. Lilly and Ryan left quickly. I stopped to talk to Curt, leaving Chance and Inge to plan for the next weekend. Curt, after ensuring that Inge was beyond hearing him, shared that Inge gushed how impressed she was with Chance on the way home and that she was insanely sexual that night and again this morning before church. "I've never seen her so expressive about another man," he commented.

"How do you feel about that?" I asked him.

"You mean, how do I feel about her fucking Chance?" Curt asked. "I'm ambivalent about it but I think I'll have to approve if you do."

I gave him a quick kiss. "I think you know my position of that subject," I told him.

Curt and I watched Inge and Chance for a moment, and when they stopped hugging, we approached them and headed for home. Chance confirmed Inge's intention on the way home and I shared that Curt was ninety percent on board about Inge driven by his desire to bed me again.

Inge didn't let any grass to grow under her feet. Sunday afternoon we had an invitation to dinner with Curt and her on Friday evening. I checked with Lilly and she and Ryan were also invited. Chance and I were convinced that we could seal the deals between him and Inge and me and Ryan after dinner Friday night.

I got a phone call from Lilly Wednesday night. Ryan's father was in the hospital and they were leaving in the morning to drive to Springfield to be with his mother until the situation with his father was resolved. They were unable to attend dinner with Inge and Curt on Friday evening. Inge called a short time later to confirm Lilly's and Ryan's cancellation and to confirm that we would still be there. I asked Chance and he nodded with a broad smile.

After telling Inge that we'd still be there, Chance and I discussed the opportunities the absence of Lilly and Ryan would create. We agreed that Chance should move forward with Inge and I would "settle" for time alone with Curt. Chance laughed. "I can only imagine what that would involve," he said.

A road construction detour on our drive Friday to Inge's and Curt's caused us to be a few minutes late. Inge greeted me the door with a huge hug. Chance got the same treatment but prolonged and included something whispered in his ear. Curt had drinks ready and we settled in the living room. We shared what little we knew about Ryan's father's condition and Inge led us to the dining room table. Curt had removed the center leaves so that the table was smaller and almost circular so we could sit closer together.

Inge had a number of small dishes that we shared with wine. She admitted that she wasn't the chef. He was a friend with a Spanish restaurant and he had prepared and sent over the selections.

After dinner, we helped Inge clear the table and we sat down to play a card game. With a smile and a small giggle, Inge explained that the game did not include removing our clothing, although Curt ensured the wine and other adult beverages were plentiful. Chance took every opportunity to complement and otherwise convince Inge that he was an amazing gentleman.

We weren't drunk but we were relaxed and suggestable when we moved back to the living room. Inge and Curt hung back to whisper to each other and joined Chance and I seconds later. We sat on the sofa. Inge and Curt sat on chairs opposite us. Inge seemed unsettled. "Are you all right?" I asked her.

"I'm fine," she confirmed. "I'm just a little curious about something and I don't know how to ask you."

"Inge, I know we haven't known each other very long but I consider you a friend. Ask me what you have to ask. I promise I won't misinterpret what you say."

"Thanks.... I've noticed that you and Curt seem comfortable with each other. Do you find him attractive?"

"Curt?" I echoed. "Yeah. He's attractive. Does that make you uncomfortable?"

"No. Curt is attractive and there's no reason you wouldn't be attracted to him," Inge said.

"Inge," I said. "I've noticed that you seem attracted to Chance too. Are you suggesting something more?"

"Possibly," Inge committed. "Would you consider spending some time alone with Curt?"

"Are you suggesting that I fuck Curt and you fuck Chance?" I asked putting the obvious up for a decision.

Inge was without words for a moment. "She is," said Curt softly.

Inge found her voice. "I am," she admitted. "I know it's an unusual suggestion especially the short time that we've known each other, but I am attracted to Chance and I can't explain it."

"No explanation is necessary," I assured her. "I was the same way with Chance when I first met him and you're not the first one feel that way.

"It's not him," Inge tried to explain. "It's the way I react to him."

"I get it," I said. "How do you propose we go about it?"

"Trading our husbands?" asked Inge.

"Not trading. Loaning," I corrected.

"I hadn't thought that far," confessed Inge.

"Let me make a suggestion," I offered. I stood up, walked over to Curt, and sat in his lap.

"Oh," mumbled Inge. After a few moments, she stood up and sat in Chance's lap on the sofa.

"Is this what you want?" I asked her, "or we're you thinking something more private?"

Inge looked at Curt. "Something more private," she stated.

"How long?" I asked.

"How long?"

"Minutes, hours, longer?" I asked.

"Oh. Longer would be nice."

"All night or all weekend?" I asked.

"Oh. Now?" Inge mumbles. "All night would be okay," she suggested.

"Separate bedrooms or separate homes?" I asked.

"Oh. Is separate homes a possibility?" Inge asked.

"It is," I explained. "Chance can drive you to our place and I'll stay here with Curt. Call sometime tomorrow and we'll figure out how to get together again."

There were some awkward moments as Chance led Inge to the car and Curt and I waved goodbye.

>

I was stressed and nervous as Chance drove us to his house. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Chance," I said. "I need to explain to you why I'm doing this. A couple of months ago, I realized that Curt was seeing another woman."

"How could you know?" Chance asked.

"A wife always knows," I said. "He was different in ways I couldn't explain. The way he held me, the way he kissed me, and way he made love to me. There were subtle differences that only experience with another woman could explain."

"That's not very much," Chance said.

"It was enough," I insisted. "You're not a woman. You don't experience relationships the same way we do. That's not a criticism. It's reality. We're genetically different when it comes to sex. We need men to protect us and our babies more than you need women. Anyway, I was furious. Not jealous. Furious. I wanted to destroy him. I was going to confront him and, if he was dishonest and not contrite enough, I was going to kick his cheating ass out of the house."

"That's a pretty serious response," Chance commented.

"It was and it didn't last long," I told him. "The more I thought about it, the less angry I got. I loved him. I had a real life with him. But I couldn't ignore it. So, instead of burning down the house, I decided to get even. If he could fuck around, then I could fuck around and tell him about it."

"Still not a comfortable situation," Chance suggested.

"True and I had no idea how to go about it," I said. "I thought of everything, hanging out in the pub to Tinder. Nothing seemed reasonable and all had the possibility of being public. I wanted Curt to know but nobody else."

"Sounds reasonable," Chance said.

"I was at a dead end and almost ready to just pretend it hadn't happened and go on without saying or doing anything. Then Ericka invited us to that infernal dinner and I met you."

"Me?"

"Yeah. You. You were so nice to me and I responded in a way I never expected. This is embarrassing. I had a physical reaction," I confessed.

"Physical reaction?"

"Okay. My panties got wet," I said.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to embarrass you," Chance said contritely.

"It's okay," I said. "They're wet right now."

"Oh. So, I'm your get even partner?" Chance asked.

"I know it looks that way but that's not the case. I want to be with you for me, not to spite Curt. I'd be here with you right now even if Curt hadn't strayed," I insisted. "Otherwise, why would I be willing to leave him at home with Ericka?"

"Makes sense," Chance commented.

"That leads to another question," I stated. "Why would Ericka agree so easily to stay with Curt?"

Chance pulled into his driveway and turned off the car. "That's a long story that you should hear," he said.

"Why?"

"Because you're involved," He told me.

Over the next ten minutes, Chance told me about Ericka and him. He explained that they had both been very active sexually when in college and they had an agreement after they married. They pledged themselves to each other but if either of them had a physical reaction to someone they would discuss it with each other and, with a suitable quid pro quo, they would pursue it.

"Sounds like an open marriage," I concluded.

"Not exactly," countered Chance. An open marriage is a free use agreement. Ours is a limited opportunity agreement that only allows engagement with the full knowledge and participation of the other partner. And, in all the years we've been married, its only happened twice. The first was a couple of years ago when Ericka got interested in a younger fellow in, of all places, a hardware store. She discussed the possibility with me and since there was no appropriate mate available, she fixed me up with a lusty girl friend of hers."

"How did that work out?" I asked.

"It didn't. Ericka was disappointed and didn't continue the relationship. I wasn't as unhappy as Ericka and, to this day, every time I meet with her girl friend I have visions of what might have been."

"And the second?" I asked.

"A couple of months ago. Ericka met someone who, as you described it, produced a physical reaction. She brought it my attention and I shared that I had experienced a physical reaction with a woman I had met and planned to discuss it with her. Without the need for compensating relationships, we pursued our interests.

"We booked rooms in separate hotels on the same Saturday night. Ericka was deep into a long promising night when her partner asked what time it was. His reaction was to leap out of bed, dress, and run out of the room explaining that his wife expected him home and he had to get moving."

"Wait. Curt came home late one Saturday night. Was Ericka fucking Curt?" I asked.

"Just that once," I revealed. "That explains why neither Curt nor Ericka were unhappy to stay together while we came here," I added.

"To continue, that's exactly the same thing that was happening to me a few blocks away. My partner was rushing out of the room to be with her husband. Shocked and disappointed, I headed home. Ericka was already there and we exchanged our experiences.

"To make matters clear, neither of us would have pursued sexual relationships if we had known our partners were married. We also were concerned that we had put two other marriages in danger and we needed to make it right if we could."

"One of those marriages was Curt's and mine," I said. "Who was the other one?" I asked.

"We'll come back to that in a moment," I promised. "Ericka and I managed to get all four of us together to discuss the problems and pursue solutions. We discussed a number of unworkable solutions and settled on one that had a slim potential of working."

"Let me guess," I said. "Curt is fucking Ericka and, if you fuck me, then the threat is neutralized and we can work it out reasonably."

"Almost," I agreed. "Me having a relationship with you was only half of the problem."

"Right, there's still the issue of your paramour's husband. Wait! There are six people involved and there were six of us at dinner. You were fucking Lilly and Ryan didn't know."

"You should have been a detective," I suggested. "And the solution was that Ericka has to somehow bed Ryan. Only that combination puts all of us in the same boat with the same problem and gives us the opportunity to plug the leaks in our relationships together."

"So, you brought me here to save Curt's ass?" I asked.

"That was the original plan," I agreed. "We hoped to save your marriage if you both had engaged in the same improper conduct. However, that was before I met you and I had a physical response. After that, I was prepared to negotiate with Ericka, Curt, and you for exactly what is happening tonight. And, assuming that you don't insist that I take you back home immediately, that is exactly what I want to continue."

I was overwhelmed with Chance's revelations. We had gotten here in a roundabout manner but it seemed that it was going to happen anyway. If Chance had suggested that I spend the night with him while Ericka spent the night with Curt under different circumstances, I would have jumped at the chance. "Let's go inside," I suggested.

In the living room, Chance asked me if I would like something to drink. I was alone in an empty house with a man I was preparing to get physical with. I was trembling with tension, trepidation, and temptation, never having done anything like this before. "No thank you," I said thinking that alcohol wouldn't help and I didn't want any excuses for what I was about to do.

"Even water?" asked Chance.

I smiled. He knew and he was being perfect Chance, sensitive and caring. He turned on a light in the dining area that provided minimum illumination in the living room and stood in front of me. I wanted to kiss him but I was frozen with uncertainty. "Don't move," Chance told me. He moved to a nearby cabinet and fiddled with some equipment. Suddenly, the room filled with calming music.

Chance came back to me, raised my right hand in his left hand, put his right hand around my waist, and waited. I listened to the music, felt Chance in front of me, and realized that he was asking me to dance. We started slowly and stayed that way. We moved in tiny steps around the living room. By the third track of music, I was feeling comfortable and by the fourth track, romantic. I moved my left hand from his shoulder to his waist and rested my head on his shoulder.

Chance's right hand began to wander up and down my spine. I put both hands behind his neck and his left hand joined his other hand stroking up and down my back. I was floating in the feeling of his gentle touch. Except for the times his hands bumped over my bra strap, it couldn't have been more perfect.

I whispered in his ear, "Unhook my bra."

Chance kissed the top of my head and moved his hands to my bra strap. After of few moments of futile attempts, I could feel Chance becoming frustrated trying to unhook my bra through the material of my dress. I held the top of the zipper on the back of my dress between my fingers and whispered, 'Unzip my dress."

He pulled the zipper down my back well beyond what was necessary to allow him access to the clasps on my bra. He only stopped when the zipper ended at the small dimple at the end of my spine. Unhindered by the material of my dress, Chance easily unhooked the four clasps of my bra allowing his hands to move freely the length of my back.

We were no longer dancing in the dim light of the living room. We were barely swaying with the music. I was lost in the sensation of Chance's bare hands slowly wandering over the bare skin of my back. I turned my head and kissed his neck. He kissed the top of my head again. I looked up, our eyes met, and he kissed my forehead. I tilted my head back and pushed my body up on my toes. Chance leaned back, bent over, and we kissed.

He bent his knees slightly to improve our kiss. I pushed my hands up between us and started to unbutton his shirt. Chance broke our kiss, stepped back a step, and finished removing his shirt. I pulled my dress from my arms and it fell around my waist.

My bra fell on the floor between us. Chance watched as I pushed my dress over my hips and let it fall on the floor. I kicked off my shoes and stepped out of my dress. Wearing only my panties, I moved closer to Chance and unbuckled his belt. He finished unbuttoning and unzipping his trousers and pushed them down to his calves. I bent down and pulled his trousers off his bare feet. Somehow, I had missed him removing his shoes.

We looked into each other's eyes. My breasts were heaving up and down with my heavy breathing. Chance's eyes never left mine. I stepped closer to him. He lifted me off my feet with his hands under my cheeks. We kissed. My mouth opened and I pushed my tongue against his lips. His mouth opened and our tongues caressed each other. I wrapped my legs around his waist.

One at a time, Chance's hands slid under my panties. My eyes rolled back in my head with the feeling of his fingers gripping my ass. I pushed my hand between us and under the waistband of his brief underwear. "Not here," he whispered in my ear.

Chance led me to his bedroom. We stood next to the bed facing each other. Without prompting, I pushed my panties down my legs and kicked them across the room. Chance raised an eyebrow in response.

I reached out, grabbed the sides of his briefs, and pulled them down. I knelt down and completed removing his underwear and tossed it in the general direction of my panties. When I looked up, his erection was swaying not two inches in front of my face. I steadied it with one hand, leaned forward, and kissed the tip of it.

Something unexpected flashed through my body. I didn't recognize it and I couldn't explain it. It was similar to an orgasm but unlike any orgasm I was familiar with. It started with my lips and ran down my spine to my hips and spread throughout my groin where it ended with a dampness between my legs.

I shook it off and wrapped my lips around the head of Chance's erection.

It happened again, only this time it started with my teeth, detoured to rattle my brain before racing down my spine, circled my vagina and tickled my toes. The dampness between my legs threatened to flow slowly down the inside of my thigh. I was shaking like an aspen leaf in a light breeze.

Chance touched my shoulders, drew me to my feet, and held me in his arms. I snuggled up against him while my nervous tension dissolved. That's what it had to be. I didn't want it to be an orgasm. That meant I was out of control because I'd never done anything like this before and I was over stimulated with a hair trigger. I couldn't just fold with Chance's first touch. I needed to be present in what was happening. I needed to be awake, alert, and contributing to what was happening.

Chance held me for a long time. Eventually he led me to the bed and helped me slide into the center of the bed. He knelt alongside me and our eyes met. His head moved towards me. I closed my eyes and waited for his kiss.

He kissed my breast. An orgasm rippled through my body. A real, identifiable orgasm. I knew exactly where I was and why I was there and a real orgasm was confirmation.

Chance mounded my breast with his hands and kissed my nipple. My orgasm continued like white noise, always in the background and never gone.

Chance's tongue drew small circles around my nipple and he sucked it between his lips. I could feel his teeth on the surface of my nipple. I was lost. Chance had found me. I was his.

I pushed his body on top of mine and spread my legs. I shifted my hips up as he slid inside me for the first time. Air escaped from my lungs and whistled between my teeth. I hadn't realized that I was holding my breath.

Chance moved slowly and deeply inside me. My orgasm ebbed and flowed with his movements. A short time later, Chance arched his back and pushed hard into me. I pushed back, wrapped my arms and legs around his body and he erupted. One, two, three,... four.... five..... six times. My orgasm collapsed and I cried.

Three hours later, Chance and I were on the same page, equally contributing to our mutual satisfaction. Four hours later, we were asleep in each other's arms. I woke with the dim light of early Saturday morning. Chance was lying alongside me, his head resting on one arm and hand and his other hand slowly tracing small circles around my nipple. I rolled on top of him and said, "Good morning," as I slid down on his erection. Our orgasms were like punctuation at the end of a long night of sexual excesses.

We showered together and Chance left while I washed my hair. He was waiting for me naked in the bed as I walked into the bedroom naked with a towel wrapped around my head to absorb the excess moisture. "I called Ericka," he informed me. "Breakfast at the Main Street Diner at nine?" he asked.

I looked at the clock on the dresser. "Perfect," I commented. I slid onto the bed beside him and he entered me again. It wasn't a passionate connection or a playful fuck. I was more like a long "so long" hug or cheek kiss with a promise to meet again.

I dried my hair a few minutes later and we got dressed. I screwed up my expression as I held my panties in my hand. "I can't wear these," I complained.

"Then don't," suggested Chance. "Nobody will notice and we won't tell. No one will care."

I tossed my stained panties in the clothes hamper in the bathroom. I picked up my bra and started to put it on. "Why not no bra too?" questioned Chance. "You know, no panties, no bra for consistency."

"Not going to happen," I stated. I lifted my breasts in both hands. "With these babies everyone will notice."

Ericka and Curt were waiting for us in the diner. I kissed Ericka, slid into the booth next to Curt, and kissed him. I nodded in Ericka's direction and whispered in Curt's ear, "No bra?"

He nodded his agreement. "No panties either?" I asked further.

"I'm not allowed to comment," he whispered.

After breakfast, I hugged and kissed Chance and Ericka in the parking lot and rode home with Curt. At home, it took Curt thirty seconds to discover my absence of panties. The result was foreordained. I discovered that our bed was neatly made with clean sheets. I made a mental note to apologize to Ericka that I hadn't left her bed in a similar condition.

Curt and I reconnected, multiple times during the day and I skipped church on Sunday, too tender to walk normally.

>

Ericka and I celebrated our reunion in the only way we knew how, in bed. Despite her intense Friday night and all-day Saturday, she attended church Sunday morning and performed her volunteer duties admirably.

Within a week, with help from Lilly and Inge, Ericka connected with Ryan. His reaction was unexpectedly positive and we began to organize around a six individual personal arrangement. We grew closer to each other with each passing month. We spent evenings, weekends, and sometimes whole weeks in various combinations.

Initially, finding enough time to be together was a problem. Most of us had regular jobs with minimal paid time off and management that expected actual attendance in the office. Currently, all three women went to work for Curt who has his own business and a liberal time off policy and I had my work at home with my consulting agency that I could schedule around my contract responsibilities.

Ryan was the only one of us to continue to not have enough free time. He had three weeks' vacation and ten days paid personal time off. He did manage to arrange for unpaid time off and having the corporate calendar marked him as "on assignment." However, his immediate supervisor, who happens to be the owner of the company, was incessantly asking him about what required so much time off. Ryan has been unresponsive or obscurely informative, but he's concerned that it won't work much longer. His boss is an intelligent person and he's been asking questions that will eventually lead him to some accurate conclusions. Ryan recently wondered if the group would consider increasing the number of participants to eight.

Also, Chance is working hard at satisfying the consequences of his dubious prediction.