The Last To Know - What I Did While We Dated

by Bridy McAvoy

  “Yes. Although nothing happened that first meeting. Nor the second.”

  “…and his sons.”

  She shook her head, swallowing hard. “Nothing happened ’til after I met you.” Sam hung her head, obvious upset at the admission.

  I looked at her and watched as she slowly flushed, aware of what her confession meant. Aware, too, that the confession was entering more and more difficult ground. If it hadn’t been for her virginal act for those first ten months or so, everything up to press was just sexual history, the things that had made her the woman I’d fallen in love with. That act, though, threw these events into greater significance—the fact we hadn’t been exclusive, when I thought we had, even more so.

  I finished my beer. “Bed time, I think.”

  “Sure, honey.” I could sense the hope in her voice.

  “To sleep.”

  She pouted again, then slowly rose back to her feet. She raised her hands behind her head and turned her back, showing her hands holding the two ends of the ties that formed the halter neck. One quick tug and the dress would cascade down to her waist. I already knew she was braless. Despite my own resolve, my breath caught in my throat.

  She turned back to face me, her eyes sparkling with suppressed amusement. “You want me to put some music on?”

  I smiled at her. The memory of how she’d described dancing for Frank Bryant while fantasizing about appearing in a strip club had me hard as a rock.

  “No, honey, and you can leave the dress on for a moment.”

  “Why is that, honey?”

  “Because, I need to go pee, and you have me too hard to hit the bowl. I think I’d hit the ceiling.”

  “Let me solve that for you.”

  I chuckled—she was persistent, I’ll give her that. Her hands, though, were still behind her head. “Thanks, but no thanks.”

  “Then in that case…”

  Her hands pulled sharply outward, the halter neck unravelling as she pulled. She dropped the two ends and the dress fell away from her chest. Her breasts stood out, proud and firm, topped by the tight, hard nubs of her nipples. She arched her back, pushing them out even more and it took a lot of self-control not to jump to my feet and lunge for her. Smiling sweetly at me, her eyes really shining with amusement, she dropped her hands to her waist and eased the dress over her hips. When the dress hit the floor she was naked, except for her stockings and suspenders.

  “What happened to your panties?”

  “Was I ever wearing any?”

  I nodded. “Yep, you flashed them as you got out of the car at the restaurant, and again as we got back here.”

  “I didn’t think you noticed.”

  “Sam, I notice every time you flash them at me.” I almost added a comment about flashing them at other people, but bit it back—I didn’t want to upset her at this moment. A nude woman I could possibly cope with, but a nude woman crying—that was something else.

  She laughed then, a silvery sound that penetrated my heart like nothing else could. “You weren’t looking so I slipped them down while I was getting the beers.”

  “Ah.”

  “You really need to go pee?”

  I nodded.

  “Okay, I’ll be in the bedroom when you’re done.” She turned away and headed for the door, treating me to a deliberate view of her perfect little butt.

  “Sam?”

  “Yes, honey?” She leaned one hand on the door frame and looked over her shoulder. She was working her body for everything she could, trying to crack my armor. She was even pushing her butt out, her legs parted enough to let a glimpse of pussy show through if she bent down. Damn, she was hot, and she knew it.

  “Lose the stockings tonight.”

  “Oh… And there was me thinking about putting on that blue Merry Widow to sleep in, just for you.”

  “No. Put a T-shirt on.”

  “Maybe, maybe not.” She laughed again and disappeared into the bedroom.

  It took ages for my rock-hard cock to relax enough to allow me to pee without redecorating the bathroom. When I finally cleaned up and went into the bedroom, Sam was in bed, the sheet drawn modestly up over her body. It didn’t take an Einstein to know she was naked underneath it.

  “Aren’t you going to clean your teeth tonight?”

  She smiled and shook her head. “No, the morning will do. We’re on holiday, aren’t we? Slumming it, as it were.”

  Since this condo could only be described as a prime holiday rental—if she rented it out—her idea of slumming it and mine remained different.

  I didn’t make any show of undressing but I knew she was watching as I tossed my clothes aside and slid into the bed next to her, also naked.

  As I turned my head toward her, her lips met mine in a soft kiss.

  “Goodnight, darling.”

  I smiled at her and gave her a quick peck back. “Goodnight, Sam.”

  I knew what she wanted, and I knew I wanted it too—but sex wouldn’t make it right, despite what she thought. We needed to work through more of this first. Then we’d see.

  * * * *

  I woke up to the smell of toast cooking, and a nice, warm, Sam-shaped impression in the bed next to me. I could smell her scent on my arm. We’d obviously cuddled together during the night.

  “Morning, sleepy head.”

  “Morning.”

  “Coffee, eggs and toast ready in about five minutes, so time for you to climb out of the pit.”

  “Okay, okay, slave driver.”

  “Don’t go giving me ideas…slave.” Her silvery laugh tinkled in the air before she walked back into the kitchenette.

  I pulled myself out of bed, and put on last night’s boxers. She hadn’t given me time for a shower before breakfast, so I’d have one after and dress after that. As I walked through, Sam was just dishing up. I’d noticed she was still nude when she’d come back to the bedroom earlier. What I hadn’t expected was the drapes in the living room to be open. At least the ranch doors were closed.

  “Is this aggressive exhibitionist display a new thing, or something you do down here to give the neighbors a thrill?”

  She laughed, but didn’t answer, and handed me a plate, then filled my other hand with a coffee mug. Similarly loading up herself, she strolled over to the couch without answering, then sat down and started to eat. Rather than let the food go cold, I followed suit.

  We ate in companionable silence, then she carried the plates through to the sink.

  “I’m going to jump in the shower. Care to join me?”

  “A game of sardines is not my thing today.”

  “You’ll follow me then?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Okay, I’ll get the towels out for you.” Before she walked into the bathroom she paused and looked back over her shoulder at me. “What are we going to do today?”

  “I thought we’d nip out for a few bits and pieces. We really ought to buy a copy of the Gazette to make sure…”

  She winced. The whole thing about the local paper and their imminent exposure of her past was what had precipitated the whole confession.

  “…get some groceries, so we can eat in tonight. Some more beer too. Neither of us seem wine orientated at the moment.”

  She nodded. “Okay, what do you want to eat?”

  “Don’t know, honey. Don’t know. Then when we get back take the boat out again.”

  She smiled and nodded. Even I had noticed how sunny it was outside.

  “Fine. Now I know what to wear.”

  “Nothing provocative. We’re going into town, remember.”

  “I know. I’m not daft.” She chuckled. “Not that I won’t look sexy on the boat for you.”

  * * * *

  When Sam appeared from the bedroom, she had indeed covered up. A thin white T-shirt and a black wrap-over skirt seemed decent compared to some of her displays in the last twenty-four to thirty-six hours. The T-shirt, though, was semi-transparent and it was obvious she was wearing a black b
ikini underneath. It wasn’t an indecent one, but it was a halter-neck one I’d seen before. The cups were quite full, but they were connected by a three-inch silver ring rather than a strap. The side straps attached the same way, and I know the bottoms were similar. It was obvious she’d be wearing those under the skirt. I didn’t have to look, nor ask her to show me. From the look on her face, she would have either let me, or lifted the skirt to the sides to let me look.

  I shook my head and her face fell. “What’s wrong? I’m decent.”

  “Nothing. I love the look. You know that, and it’s sexy without being over the top.”

  “But…? I can sense there’s a but in there.”

  “Look, I’m pretty certain there’s no problem. Just think, though, what if Midstate went back on their word, and The Gazette has run with the story. The second you appear in public people will be pointing their fingers at you. Even worse, somebody will be snapping pictures.”

  “Ah.”

  “You want your picture in print like that next week while we’re trying to do damage limitation?”

  She shook her head. “If they print anyway, even if we took them to court and sued their asses off—both corporate and personal with Malcolm and Sarah—my career would be finished. Suing would take months, if not years.”

  “Sam, I never tell you what to wear, and you look fine for me. But, just for me, just this once—how about a thicker shirt?”

  She thought about it for a minute. How she dressed was something she was fiercely independent about. We’d had maybe four or five arguments in our married life prior to this point, and three of them had been down to me making comments about her choice of clothing. She had to appear conservative in dress at the library, although only two people I know of—up until two days ago—only one, me, knew about her choice of sexy underwear underneath the staid uniform. Outside of that, she liked to dress sexy and that was her business. Since I enjoyed the eye candy, and thought I gained all the benefits, I didn’t really object, except when I thought she’d gone over the top in front of other people. I’d learned my lesson about that. This time, though…

  I braced myself for an explosion, but it didn’t come. After a moment she nodded and I breathed a sigh of relief as she ducked back into the bedroom. Two minutes later she came back out in a colored T-shirt, one that wasn’t transparent.

  “Better?”

  I decided diplomacy was the better resort. “Sam, you looked great before. Let’s just keep it circumspect until we know there’s nothing gone public, okay?”

  She smiled, but it was tight, and didn’t reach her eyes. “Sure. But if this thicker shirt makes me sweat, you’ll catch it, buster.”

  “I always catch your clothes when you throw them to me.”

  She wagged her finger but smiled again, this time a more genuine one. I further improved her mood by holding her hand as we walked out to the car.

  First stop was a local shop to pick up a copy of The Gazette. Sam let me go into the shop by myself—just in case—and I have to say as I picked the paper up from the stand I was apprehensive. The front page was normal though, some silly thing about a town councilor being investigated for bribery over a new construction project. The main picture had an older, fat man puffing his chest out as he blustered at the reporters in front of him. Typical local paper fare.

  I paid for the paper and then stood just inside the doorway and quickly scanned the rest of the news section. The relief when I discovered nothing about my wife in the paper was palpable. The long conversation with Midstate, a very painful one, and the involvement of my boss and the company lawyers had been worth it.

  I guess I couldn’t hide that smile of relief as I walked back to the car. Sam was almost bouncing from excitement and frustration as I slid into the passenger seat. She grabbed the paper from my hands and scanned every page before turning to me. Her smile lit up the interior of the car and she leaned over and wrapped both arms around my neck.

  “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” Her effusive thanks were interspersed with kisses—on my forehead, my cheeks, my nose and eventually my lips. I kissed her back, and hugged her. She dropped her head to my chest as she relaxed into me with a muffled sob. After a moment I straightened my arms, lifting her back away from me.

  “What’s wrong?”

  She shook her head, biting her lip to stop her emotions welling up. After a moment she looked at me. “I don’t know what to say. Despite everything I’ve told you, all the hurt, you still took action to save me. I don’t know how to thank you.” She chuckled but it sounded thin and hollow. “Not in any way you’ll let me, at the moment.”

  I gently rubbed my thumb across her chin, then tilted her head so she couldn’t look away. “We can only work through this now if you tell me everything, however hurtful it is. Once we’ve got a solid footing of truth under us, we can rebuild. But not without.”

  “Okay.”

  “No more evasions, no more glossing over. Every bit. Understood?”

  She nodded, catching her bottom lip between her teeth, but I could see from the way she squared her shoulders she was back under control. “Come on, grocery shopping. I want to get you out on that boat where you can’t escape me.”

  I allowed her that small victory and we set off.

  * * * *

  Around an hour and a half later I finished putting the groceries away while Sam used the bathroom and then disappeared into the bedroom. I didn’t say anything, just waited until she reappeared in the black bikini, and this time she had the thin T-shirt over the top as a cover up. Since discovering The Gazette had, as agreed, withdrawn the story, both our moods had improved. I’d been a little anxious and, although Sam had tried to hide it, I guess she’d been even more nervous.

  I quickly changed into a T-shirt and shorts combo myself, and we filled a picnic box with a few snacks, and some sodas, and walked hand in hand to the dock. Five minutes later we had the boat running, untied and pulling away from the dock with Sam at the wheel. I didn’t know where she was heading, but she aimed for the middle of the lake. There were again very few boats on the water, although I did see a ranger’s boat pass to our left. Seeing as we were obeying the speed limits, he just waved. Sam waved back, and we parted ways.

  After about ten minutes we were somewhere near the center of the lake, and there didn’t seem to be another soul anywhere near us. Not even the fishermen were here in the middle of the lake with us. Sam cut the engine and allowed the boat to coast to a stop. The bow slowly swung as we stopped, pointing into the current and we began to drift, stern first, very slowly down the lake. She pulled the T-shirt over her head and then reached into the cooler and pulled out a couple of sodas, handed me one, and stood up. Before I could say anything, she’d nimbly stepped over the windshield and laid herself down on the wooden foredeck.

  “Time to work on my tan, I think.”

  She was lying head toward the bow, and she spread her legs apart, presenting me with a perfect view of the triangle at the top of her legs, although at least it was still covered.

  “And what am I supposed to do?”

  “Lie here with me. That would be good.”

  I shook my head as she looked back over her shoulder at me.

  “Why not?”

  “Not that much room.”

  “Plenty of room as long as we’re good friends.” Her face went serious for a moment. “As long as we are friends, that is?”

  I smiled, and she relaxed from her sudden anxiety attack. Seeing as I wasn’t going to join her, she sat up, then laid out again, head toward me this time and propped herself up on her elbows. This, of course, gave me a perfect view straight down her cleavage. Her actions reassured me—Sam was still trying to get me to make love to her. While she was still trying, I was happy to let her try.

  “Care to tell me about anything?”

  She frowned, then allowed her mouth to form that delectable little pout that she knew, under normal circumstances, I’d devour as I kiss
ed her better. “Are you intent on spoiling the afternoon?”

  “No, not spoiling, using. I’d like to make sure we’ve got all this behind us as soon as we can.”

  She grinned, and I realized she’d taken my words as a promise that we’d still be together. I thought the odds were better than even that she was right, provided she hadn’t crossed either of two lines. If she had, then all bets would be off.

  “Okay, I guess.”

  “Good, tell me about Max…”

  She bit her lip and then, after a minute, nodded.

  “…and the rest of his family.”

  This time she winced and shook her head. “Let me tell you about Max, and cover the rest of that subject after dinner. After all, I don’t want to find myself left out here in the middle of the lake.”

  I was shocked by that, then realized she was playing—well, at least half playing. The idea of me driving the boat away, leaving her in the water, hadn’t crossed my mind. It was my turn to pout and she giggled but quickly settled back into a serious mode again.

  Chapter Five – Max

  Two weeks after my experience with Roger was the first time I met Max. That was about two weeks before I met you.

  I had had an unsatisfactory date that Friday night, and had stayed by myself in the condo overnight. I was in a foul mood as I made myself some breakfast and tidied up the condo ready to head back to the house.

  It was getting toward late spring now, so it was quite warm and I had the ranch doors open airing the place when I heard a car pull up on the gravel. I thought nothing of it, thinking it was one of my neighbors coming to their place. Bear in mind, I hadn’t met any of them yet.

  I had my back to the doors when I heard someone knock on the glass. I spun around—he’d made me jump—and there stood Max. You’ve met him, and you know he’s now grey. There was a lot less grey in his hair then—not quite salt and pepper, more black than that, just a hint of grey showing at his temples and behind his ears. For a guy of his age, he was handsome in a rugged sort of way, and his tight T-shirt showed off his muscles.