by Sean Geist
“So, do you think you'll want a second date?” I asked.
She paused for a moment. Her hesitation froze me for a moment. Did she not really like spending time with me? Was she embarrassed by the age difference?
“Don't look so worried, Peter,” she said. “You really have to have more confidence in yourself. Low self-esteem is not sexy.”
“Come on, Angie. You are way out of my league.”
“Let me be the judge of that.”
“Okay.”
“So are you asking me out on another date?”
Now it was my turn to hesitate. I didn't know if I wanted to plan another outing. I really enjoyed the afternoon, even if it didn't end to my complete satisfaction.
“How about if we leave it open.”
“What does that mean?”
“I had a great time and it sounded like you had a great time.”
“Yes. Yes I did.”
“So, how about we just keep our options open.”
“Are you mad? Are you pissed I didn't have a condom?”
“No! I just need time to get used to dating other women.”
“Guess I'll have to live with that, but I'm not going to wait around for you, Peter.”
“I would hope not, you know I'm happily married.”
“I might question how happily.”
“I'm working on it.”
We kissed again and exchanged phone numbers. I told her to call me anytime and she told me to feel free to stop in at the bar whenever.
On the way home I thought about everything that had happened on my date. The game, the conversation, the sex. I wasn't sure how much I was going to be able to admit to Robin. I hoped she wouldn't ask.
Chapter 5
“So, did you fuck her?”
I was shocked by the abruptness of my wife's question. We were sitting outside a small cafe in downtown Sedona watching the tourists stream past when Robin decided to start interrogating me about my date with Angie.
“Excuse me?” I said. At the time we were both eating salads and talking about how construction was going at the spa.
I drove up to Sedona that following Saturday morning and met Robin at the site. The Sedona Spirit Rejuvenation Spa and Fitness Center was located on the grounds of a timeshare resort tucked in amongst the pines just a few miles south of the village. The work was still in the early stages, with bare concrete floors, exposed wiring and a maze work of wooden studs waiting for drywall. Robin showed me were the various massage and aroma therapy rooms would be, where they would put the few exercise machines and free weights, and where the larger rooms for classes like yoga would be. I also saw the construction crew digging into the floor for in-ground hot tubs and sauna baths.
After the tour, we drove into town for lunch, and questioning.
“I think it's a simple question,” Robin said, looking over her salad. She took another bite.
“I'm guessing that you're talking about Angie.”
“Was that her name?” Robin was playing coy. At times I thought it was cute. This wasn't one of those times.
“Yes.”
“So..”
“You want me to just tell you if we fucked? You don't want to know what else we did?”
Robin took her time, chewing her food. I watched and waited for a answer. She swallowed and said, “Okay, you've been waiting to tell me the story, so go ahead. Tell me what you did on your date.”
“Look Robin, if you don't want to know, I won't tell you. Do you really want to know.”
I had thought Robin wanted to be kept out of my dating details. It looked like she couldn't control her curiosity.
“Peter, if I didn't want to know I wouldn't ask.”
“Okay, first we met at the ballpark. I bought the tickets, she bought the food and drinks.”
I proceeded to tell Robin about the game, who won and how I had a good time. She seemed to have calmed down and was interested in how the date went. I told her about the kiss we shared outside the stadium gate. I noticed her pupils dilate when I mentioned that detail. I stopped talking.
“Why did you stop?” Robin asked.
“You seemed to be bothered when I told you I kissed her.”
“Yeah, I was picturing your lips, locked on hers. It kinda bothers me.”
“You really want me to go on then?”
“Yes, go on. I want to know, it's been killing me these last few days.”
I told her about the drive home, leaving out some of the minor physical contact, and how she invited me up to her apartment.
“What a slut,” Robin said, under her breath.
“Uhm, excuse me?”
“Oh, nothing, go on.”
“Do you want me to continue? You seem to be getting bothered.”
“Yes, go on. I'm just feeling a little jealous, that's all.”
“Now you know how I feel when I see you and Scott fucking.”
“But I thought you said it got you excited and aroused.”
“It does now, but it didn't at first. It took me a little time. Still not sure I'm cool with your emotional attachment to him.”
“Sorry, I can't stop how I feel. Do you love Angie.”
That was an easy question to answer. “Nope.”
“You seem certain.”
“I am. I like her. She's nice. She's smart. And she's very pretty.”
As I went on describing Angie, the concern on Robin's face increased. I couldn't tell if this was good or bad.
“Eventually I left her apartment so she could get ready for work.”
“That's it then. You just took her to the ballpark, had a glass of water at her apartment, and left. Nothing else?”
I still could not tell how much detail Robin wanted. When we came to our marital arrangement she had told me she didn't want details. At the same time we both agreed to not lie to each other. Maybe she had discovered she was turned on by the details, like I was. Maybe that little bit of jealously was arousing her. I decided to see how turned on I could get her, to see if I could push the right buttons to get her wet.
“Well, we did make out a little.”
Robin's eyes went wide, but she remained silent.
“We kissed. It was awkward at first. She was the first woman I've kissed on the lips since we've been married.” I watched Robin's reactions as I spoke. She was fidgeting in her seat, moving her butt against the wire mesh chair. She kept moving her hands from on the table, to her lap, and back. I half expected her to start rubbing her sex through the jeans she wore.
“Then, we started petting. Moving our hands across each other's bodies. Over our clothes at first, but then we took them off.
“It was odd. Her body is so much... more... curvy then you.”
“You mean her tits are bigger.”
“Yeah. Does that bother you?”
She mulled over her answer. “Kinda.”
“It shouldn't. I love your tits just the way they are.”
“But you also like hers.”
“Yes. Just like you love Scott's cock.”
Robin smiled. “Okay, you made your point, move on.”
“Things were getting hot and heavy, so we moved to her bedroom.”
Robin's face went from coolness to concern before I finished my sentence. “So you did fuck her.”
“I didn't say that, yet.”
“YET!”
“Robin, calm down.”
She lowered her voice, but she didn't calm down. “How can I calm down, when you're telling me you fucked another woman.”
“Well for one thing, you're one to talk, with your lover and all. Two, you asked me to tell you about my date. And three, I didn't say I fucked her.”
“You've been hinting at it.”
I figured she wasn't going to get turned on by the thought of me fucking Angie, so I decided to end the teasing.
“I was just kidding around. Angie and I didn't fuck.” I left out the part about not having a condom – kept it simple.
“So what did you do in the bedroom.” Robin was getting nervous, like she wanted to know, but didn't. The jealousy was eating away at her. It hurt me, to see the pain, but also to understand how hypocritical she was acting. She was sleeping with another man, a man she professed to love. How could she really get upset about me just fucking another woman?
“You really want to know?”
“Yes, tell me.”
“You won't get mad?”
“I can't promise, but I'll try not to.”
“Okay. We got naked, or mostly naked and rolled around on the bed.” I was going to try and make this as quick and clinical as possible. “She stroked my penis a little. I performed cunnilingus until she came. Then we got dressed and I went home.”
“Really, you didn't fuck her?”
“Honestly, Robin, I didn't fuck her,” I said, adding “I might have wanted to, but I didn't”
I looked at her. The pained expression she wore slowly turned to relief. She didn't ask any followup questions.
“Well, I'm done eating. Want to head back home?”
“So, you're getting rid of me already? I thought I was staying the night?”
“I meant home to my apartment. I hoped you'd consider it your home-away-from home.”
“Okay then, let's head home.” I paid the bill and we went back to Robin's apartment in Camp Verde.
***
Robin had moved into a small studio style apartment on the east side of town, away from the freeway, near the Verde river. It was an open floor plan with a kitchen area on one side, living area on another, with a loft for a bedroom and master bath.
It was a nice little place, with an excellent view of the water out of the plate glass window that took up half of one wall. It was expensive as hell, but seemed worth it.
“Maybe I will quit my job and move up here with you,” I said later that evening as we sat on the couch looking out at the forest stretched out before us. I thought I saw a few deer moving along just a few yards away. It looked peaceful, a definite break from the urban sprawl of Phoenix.
“That would be wonderful,” Robin said, “but you'd die of boredom.”
“I could open my own practice.”
“There are already four veterinarian centers here, if you count the horse doctor.”
“I might be able to get a job at one of the clinics.”
“You'd have to wait for someone else to quit, I think.”
“You just don't want me up here, butting into your bachelorette lifestyle.” I was joking, kinda.
“Peter, you might not believe it, but there's nothing in the world I want more then to be living with you. I'm not trying to brush you off.”
“I know, I'm just teasing you.”
“I checked around and no one was hiring. There's barely enough clients to keep the few places here open. In fact I think one of the clinics is getting ready to close.”
“It was just wishful thinking. Besides, I'd miss the city. I love visiting nature, but I always feel better in the city.”
“So do I,” Robin said.
We talked a bit more about how much Robin missed me, and living in Phoenix, until Robin got up and made us a small grilled-chicken salad for dinner. We shared a bottle of Chardonnay. I helped her clear the table and wash the dishes. As I was drying, Robin poured us two small glasses of port for dessert.
We took them with us, up into the loft, where we made love. It was a simple thing, but so important. We lay together, side by side, kissing and caressing. Getting to know each other again, after almost a month apart. I so missed the feel of my wife, her skin, her hair, her small pebbly nipples. I glorified in her scent, the floral sweetness of her perfume, the musky aroma of her sex. Her taste, a divinely tangy mix of sweat and arousal.
I brought her to climax with my tongue and again with my cock. And even though I had to wear a condom, I felt as if I were in heaven.
After our lovemaking, we laid together, my arms around her bare torso, her back against my chest, my now deflated cock resting between us.
It felt so right. The two of us together, the rest of the world - Sedona, Phoenix, Scott, Angie – a distant buzz. We fell asleep in each other's arms.
***
I awoke to the smell of bacon. I really was in heaven.
After a quick shower, I joined Robin downstairs. She was dishing out scrambled eggs when I came up behind. I slipped my arms around her and started giving her little kisses on her neck. She was wearing a fluffy robe, I, a towel around my waist.
I slipped one hand inside her robe and fondled her breast.
She moaned a bit before putting a stop to it. “Let's eat first, you insatiable man.”
“I guess I do need to get my strength back after last night.”
Over breakfast, I brought up the plans for our next get-together. “So, I was wondering what you might want to do for your upcoming birthday. I know it's still a few weeks off but I was thinking, maybe a trip to the Grand Canyon, or maybe -”
Robin put her fork down and looked at me across the table. Something was up, and I didn't think I was going to like it.
“What's wrong Robin, you forget your birthday?”
“I – I thought I told you. Scott and I are going to Seattle.”
I was hoping to get through the weekend without Scott coming up. Well, I didn't.
“Uhm, no, you didn't tell me.”
“It's kinda a birthday/business trip.”
“And you didn't think to tell me, your husband, about it.”
“I thought I did.”
“No, you didn't”
Robin furrowed her brow, the sunny disposition of a moment ago turned cloudy. “Is this going to be a problem?”
I wanted to scream, Yes, it would be a problem, and in hindsight, maybe I should have. Having a lover was bad enough, but when he started monopolizing my wife's time, that was a whole other shade of wrong.
“I really wanted to celebrate your birthday with you.”
“I know. It's just there's this convention in Seattle, spa owners and managers. It's a great chance to meet people, see some interesting equipment, learn -”
“Robin, you don't need to sell me on it. I know, you want to go. I'm just telling you, I wanted to celebrate your birthday with you.”
“I know, Peter,” my wife said, concern returning to her voice. “We can go out the week after, I'll come down to Phoenix and let you take me to Christopher's at the Biltmore.”
“It's not the same,” I said, putting a fork-full of quickly cooling eggs into my mouth. “It's just not the same.”
I was losing my fucking mind. Why couldn't I stand up for myself? There was a line between being an understanding and adventurous husband, and being a fucking pushover, and I had tripped over that line. I felt silly for having been concerned about Robin's feelings over my own affairs. I felt like a fool.
Then I thought, maybe Robin was waiting for me to say something. Maybe she wanted me to force her to make a decision, between Scott and me. But then a darkness settled over my already dim situation.
What if she choose Scott. I mean, what the hell did I have to offer. I was an average man, in an average job, in an average city. My rival was a rich business owner, who travelled the country and was able to offer all that glamour to Robin. She's be stupid to give that up.
So I kept quiet and ate my bitter breakfast. We finished the meal in silence.
After we cleaned up, we went to church. I don't remember the sermon, something about forgiveness, I'm sure. I had never been much of a religious man. I went to church out of habit. I believed that there was a God of some kind, a Creator, a force for good, but a lot of the dogma surrounding religion I could give or take, like most people.
But today, I prayed for guidance, and it helped. I was able to come to the conclusion that I just needed to settle down. If Robin didn't love me, she would have left me.
I still loved my wife. I just hated having to split her time with another man. To lose
her completely would be to lose a piece of myself, and I didn't doubt if I insisted she choose, it would not be to my benefit.
I could have been wrong, but I didn't feel like taking that chance.
We had a light lunch at Robin's apartment; I still had a hard time calling it home. We watched a movie and snuggled on the couch. We made love again, and it felt so sweet. It was moments like this that reminded me why I loved my wife and why I would always want her to be part of my life.
Chapter 6
“That's a healthy looking pussy you have there, Miss Walker,” I said, without thinking. Miss Walker was a client, her pussy's name was Twinkles. It was a small, white, long haired mix, and she was very healthy.
“Pardon me?” Miss Walker said. Her head was down, her eyes glued to her smartphone. “Did you say something?”
“Just that your cat is looking fine.” I stroked my fingers through Twinkle's soft, fine fur. “My assistant is getting her rabies booster ready. If you want to see the receptionist, he'll have your bill. I'll bring Twinkles out in a moment.”
It was only Thursday afternoon, but Miss Walker and Twinkles were my last clients for the week. I had scheduled an extended weekend before Robin told me she was spending her birthday with Scott.
After giving Twinkles her shot and handing her over to her owner, I had nothing to do until Tuesday. In the past, I might have hopped a quick flight to Vegas, but I still had a bad taste in my mouth from my last trip there, just three and a half months ago. Plus, a solo trip to Vegas is just sad on its face, so I figured I'd just head home, watch a little Netflix, or catch up on my reading. I was going to have a very boring weekend while my wife was celebrating her 35th birthday with Scott.
I still wasn't sure how I had arrived at this point. I didn't mind my wife's infidelity so much as I minded being left out of her life. I wanted Robin to enjoy her sexual freedom, but I wanted to be a part of it. It was her emotional attraction to Scott that I was having trouble with.
I was about to log off my PC and head out when I noticed I had a new e-mail message waiting. When I saw who it was from, all thoughts of Scott and Robin faded to the background. The e-mail's subject was 'In Phoenix for the Weekend' and the sender was Kelly Cho.
