“How could I turn down an invitation from such a gorgeous pair?” I smiled back, flirting on instinct. I realized that we were standing in the middle of the bar, visibly making googley eyes at each other, and decided we needed to head back somewhere a little more discreet.
“Shall we get a booth?” I ventured, gesturing to the leather-lined banquettes that filled the space behind me. “Wouldn’t want to be too conspicuous.”
Ian laughed, sliding his hand round Paula’s waist as we made our way over to the quieter seats. They had an easy, comfortable chemistry, the kind that every couple secretly strived for. And they made a good-looking pair, too, even better than in their pictures- Paula was petite and curvy, and I could already see a couple of the regulars glancing at her appreciatively across the bar. Back off, fellas, she’s mine, I thought before I had a chance to stop myself, and grinned at my possessiveness. Yeah, I was definitely into this chick.
Paula and I sat down while Ian set off in search of drinks. I caught her eye across the table, and we both laughed, clearly a little nervous.
“So…have you and Ian ever done this before?” I offered, trying to assuage the strange feeling that had come across me. It was that same first-date nervousness I got with guys, but it was odd feeling it directed at a woman. Especially considering the fact that her husband was just across the room.
She shook her head. “No. We’ve been talking about it for a long time, but it was never really anything other than just an idle fantasy. Then we put that ad up on Craigslist, and you responded, and it was just too perfect an opportunity to pass up, you know?”
“I do,” I nodded, sipping my wine. God, she was beautiful. It was hard to take my eyes off her. Her voice was so soft and so sweet, and it was all I could do not to lean across the table, take her head in my hands, and kiss her right there and then, but I decided that might be a little bit over the top considering the fact that we barely knew each other yet.
“So…you said that you were bi-curious?” She added shyly.
“Yeah, in the last year or so I’ve been noticing myself checking out women a lot more and…you know…kind of wondering what it would be like to be with a girl instead of a guy? I don’t know how to explain it, because it seems kind of weird to put it like that, but I’ve been straight my whole life and now I’m just trying to figure out if maybe I wasn’t entirely truthful with myself that whole time.” I rambled, not quite sure how to answer the question. I turned it on her. “What about you? Have you ever been with a woman?”
She nodded, biting her lip. “A couple of times. Ian and I lived a long way away when we were in college, and we sort of gave each other free rein to experiment with other people, and we did. I ended up hooking up with a couple of my sorority sisters.”
“Really?” My eyebrows vanished into my hairline.
“Yeah, I know it’s kind of a cliché, but there it is. I really enjoyed it, but I hadn’t really considered the possibility of being with a woman again once Ian and I were living together. Until now, obviously.” She shrugged, just as Ian returned with our drinks.
“So, what have you two been talking about?” He asked, sliding in next to his wife and throwing his arm around her. It wasn’t a possessive move, but rather an affectionate one, the sort of thing that made me want to tug his cheeks for being so gosh-darn cute.
“Oh, we were just chatting about girls.” Paula replied nonchalantly, taking a sip of her cocktail.
“Did you tell Melanie that you used to date your sorority sisters? And somehow you chose not to make millions off it as a porno?” Ian turned to me, grinning widely. Paula slapped him on the arm.
“Don’t be gross.”
“Sorry, sorry,” he pulled a guilty face at me, and I laughed. They had a wonderful, easy energy, and I knew my mind was made up. I wanted to be with them.
“So, I kind of want to skip by the niceties and ask what you guys were actually looking for here?” I asked, the wine making me brave. I figured it was best to get things out on the table now, as opposed to working through a bunch of confusion later on. They exchanged a glance before Paula replied.
“We’re not just looking for someone to hook up with, though that is obviously part of the deal. We were actually looking for someone else to bring into our relationship, if only just for a little bit- have you heard of polyamory?”
“Like getting married to a bunch of people?” I asked, my eyebrows raised.
“No, that’s polygamy. I mean like being in a relationship with more than one person at a time.” She replied, smiling warmly. So they wanted me to date them, not just have a threesome with them? The idea was shockingly new, and kind of surprising, but something about it sounded…right. As if a piece of my brain had clicked into place.
“If that’s not something you want, that’s okay too,” Ian quickly added. “We can figure something out.”
“No, no, it’s…” I thought for a minute, my mind going over what had just been offered. “So, it would be kind of like a three-way relationship? We would all be dating each other, but we’d be exclusive?”
“Yes, exactly,” Paula nodded, her green eyes boring into mine. “Obviously, if it doesn’t work out, we just split up and go our separate ways. Just like regular dating except there would be an extra person involved.”
“Huh.” I went over my options again, glancing at the pair sitting before me. So, I had the option of walking away, and having to go back on to the merry-go-round of sex with strangers and strings of bad dates, or I could satisfy the part of me that wants to hook up with multiple people and be in an actual relationship at the same time? The answer was obvious.
“Yeah. Yeah, I like that idea. A lot.” I nodded, my heart pounding even as the words came out of my mouth.
Ian and Paula exchanged a triumphant look, before Paula leaned over the table and took my hand in hers. “We can take this as slow as we all want- there’s no need to rush into anything. Whatever pace you’re comfortable with, that’s the pace we’ll go at.”
“Cool,” I breathed, my body all too aware of the way her finger was grazing my knuckle, sending shivers through my whole body. I couldn’t believe what I had just gotten myself into, but it all made so much sense. I hadn’t been satisfied in normal relationships because I had this compulsion to sleep with different people, but I enjoyed the comfort and warmth of really knowing someone well enough to settle down with them. I had no idea why this option had never crossed my mind before- it was sort of perfect for me. I looked back into Paula’s green eyes, and grinned. Yeah, this was the start of something good. I could feel it.
“So…maybe we could go out on our first official date at some point soon?” Ian asked, his blue eyes excited. “Actually get to know each other a bit past the Craigslist ad.”
“Sure, sounds great,” I nodded. “When would be good for you?”
Suddenly, I felt Paula’s hand on my bare thigh. “How about right now?” Her tone was serious, sensual, sexy, and it was all I could do not to let out a small moan as I felt her caress my bare skin.
I nodded, trying to keep my gaze steady, glad that the tables came with long tablecloths. “Yeah, I don’t see why not,” I replied. Ian looked between us, confused, until he glanced under the table to see his wife’s hand creeping towards my panties. His eyes widened, then jumped back to my face to watch my reaction. I shifted forward in my seat a little, opening my legs to allow her easier access to my pussy. I gasped as I felt her hook her perfectly manicured nails round the cotton of my panties, easing them down just far enough that she could dip her fingers into my wetness.
I let out a moan as I felt her fingers graze my pussy lips, caressing the outside of my now-aching flesh. I looked up at her, forcing myself to meet her gaze, and my body practically convulsed- her eyes were sharper now, more focused, as she watched my face carefully, reading for every tiny, imperceptible reaction. My eyes flicked over to Ian, and the sudden realization that he was getting off on this just as much as we were
sent another jolt down to my cunt. It didn’t feel like he was exploiting us, or using us for whatever weird fetish he wanted fulfilled; he was just fascinated, obsessed with the way his wife’s fingers were turning me on. My mouth opened a little, my lips parting just enough to let out a groan, loud enough for both of them to hear. Paula tore her eyes away from me for the first time at the sound, glancing at Ian triumphantly.
The rain had started to pitter-patter on the window, covering up the sounds of the carnal deviancy that was taking place just under the table. I was surprised no-one had noticed us yet, but Paula was the queen of discreet- her face had barely changed expression, and anyone looking over at us would assume they had just caught us in a moment of ponderous silence. In that moment, I felt her fingers push inside me, testing me, as her thumb caressed my clit, and I struggled to stifle my gasp of pleasure. Even though it didn’t feel that much different than when my ex-boyfriends and hook-ups had done it, there was something about knowing that it was her - about her understanding of the way my body worked, the softness and deftness of her touch, that made it all the hotter. Trying to keep my upper body still, I rocked my hips slowly against her as she slid her fingers in and out of my slit. It was electrifying, a brand-new, utterly erotic sensation - better than anything I’d been able to imagine in the time I got alone with my vibrator. If this is what being with a woman was like, I didn’t know why I’d waited so long to try it.
The knowledge, too, that we were being observed by Ian, added to the intoxication of knowing that we could be discovered at any moment, was causing a pressure to build between my legs. Paula’s thumb became more insistent against my clitoris, and I bit my lip, hard, to stifle the cry that I wanted to let out. Moving my hips even harder against her, I felt my orgasm building deep inside me, a release unlike anything I’d ever felt before - and then it came, holding the peak for a moment before the climax burst all over my body. I allowed myself to let out a heavy breath, feeling my pussy clench around her fingers again and again and again as my eyes flew open and I looked at them both - my girlfriend and my boyfriend, for all intents and purposes. As she pulled her fingers out of me, I let out a giggle at the ridiculous brilliance of the situation. It was so obvious to me now that it had been put in front of me, but this is what I had been looking for.
As I caught my breath back, Ian began to speak. “Well, as brilliant as that just was, I think we should probably try and keep things relatively g-rated for this evening. Give ourselves time to think everything over before we jump into something we don’t know if we can handle.”
I nodded, exchanging a wicked look with Paula. I was in no rush to jump into bed with them - I actually wanted to get to know them a bit first. “So, when do you guys want to meet up again?”
“That’s a good question. When works for you?” Ian replied. “And do you want it to be somewhere a bit more discreet than this? I mean, if we’re actually dating now, that is.”
“Ian, your wife just had her fingers inside me at this very table. I think it’s safe to say we’re past being just friends.” I grinned, stunned at my own audaciousness.
Ian nodded, conceding my point. “You make a fair argument, Mel. So, when and where is the question?”
“How about we go out for dinner? This time next week? I got a freelance writing gig doing restaurant reviews for an online magazine, so I can get us in somewhere nice.” Paula interjected.
I cocked my head at her. “You write for a living? You’re just full of surprises.”
“It’s how I got so good with my hands.” She waggled her fingers in front of me, and I blushed.
“Can’t argue with that.”
“So, next week, then? We can text you then when’s and the where’s and stuff. Is dinner okay?” Ian asked, taking another sip of his drink.
“That sounds awesome. And, if you don’t mind, I’ll probably have to head off soon - I called up a taxi for this time in case you turned out to be a pair of creeps.” I replied, standing up and gathering my coat. “Not that you were, of course,” I added quickly. “I had an awesome time. I’m looking forward to seeing you again - both of you.”
“Us too,” smiled Paula, squeezing my hand again.
And with that, I walked out of the room, my mind spinning with the possibilities of what I’d just got myself into. I couldn’t wait to see where it was headed.
3
By the time Saturday night came around again, I was nervous and excited to see where the evening would lead. We had spent the week exchanging messages; talking about jobs, and childhoods, and past lovers. It felt good to be able to have both a male and female perspective on matters, as I felt myself growing genuinely fond of the two of them - what had started out as just a flicker of chemistry in that bar had grown into something that made me feel warm inside. It helped, too, that there had been more than a few slightly risqué photos shared over the week - shirtless shots of Ian (who had proved himself a lot more buff than I thought he would be), saucy cleavage pictures from Paula. It was clear the two of them were genuinely into me, and that was a pretty thrilling prospect. It felt different that the start of my other relationships, and not just because there were more people involved this time around, but because I felt a genuine connection with these two people. Who cared if they were married and I was planning to date them both? What we had was making me happy.
So I arrived at the French restaurant Paula had picked out for us - she worked as a food critic for a bunch of mid-profile newspapers and magazines, and what that meant for me was a bunch of awesome dates being pampered at posh restaurants (or so she’d promised me). She was delighted when she’d found out that I liked Indian food, because Ian hated it and now she would have someone to take out to all her favorite curry houses. I felt a kinship with Paula that I hadn’t felt with any woman before; more than friendship, more than just attraction, somewhere comfortably in the middle of the two. It was pleasing.
Paula and Ian were already there when I arrived, their faces cracking into big grins when they saw me. Paula immediately waved me over, and handed me a menu.
“Great to see you, Mel,” she whispered, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek before she straightened up. Ian gently touched my elbow by way of greeting, and the simple acts of affection were dizzying. No one who had caught our greeting would have thought anything of it, but I knew what it meant, and that was what mattered. I opened my menu and cast a big grin at them.
“So, what are we eating?”
Paula returned her gaze to her menu, and frowned slightly. “I don’t know. I’m a sucker for French Onion Soup but then I always feel like I should try and stretch a bit out of my comfort zone if I’m reviewing, you know?”
“Why don’t we all order something different, and we can try each other’s food? Then you get a sense of what the whole menu is like,” I offered, scanning the menu. It all looked great to me.
“Sounds good,” Paula smiled. “I can never pick just one thing, anyway. So, shall we order?”
Within half an hour, the table was heaving with food and drink; a bottle of the house red (because, as Ian had pointed out, there was no way you could eat French food and not drink the house red), Beef Bourginon, duck confit with lardons, Laura’s onion soup, as well as a sharing platter of charcuterie. I really didn’t know what any of the food was, but as we all started sampling the various dishes, I couldn’t care less. I suddenly realized I was ravenous; I had been too nervous to eat before I’d left the house.
“So,” Ian mumbled through a mouthful of bread, “Been up to anything this week?”
I shook my head. “Not really. Just stuck at work, watching the world pass by and secretly looking up new jobs on my computer whenever I get a second.”
“So what exactly is it that you do? You were pretty vague in the email,” Paula asked, a spoonful of soup paused on the way to her mouth.
I rolled my eyes. “That’s because I hate it. I’m a data-sharing manager, which is essentially code for “boring bo
ring boring”. You don’t want to hear about it. Anyway, I’ll be leaving as soon as I get a job anywhere else.”
“And where were you thinking of working?” Ian asked.
“Are you trying to feel out my prospects as a potential partner?” I teased. “I’m looking at going into fashion design. I minored in fashion at college, and I still knock things out on my sewing machine from time to time, so I thought “fuck it, I’m over thirty, I should be doing the things I actually want to do by now”. As soon as my savings are stable enough, I’m out.”
“Fashion, huh?” Paula nodded. “I’ll happily be your model for new clothes. I love fashion, but I don’t get the chance to indulge in it since I moved into food writing.”
I grinned. The chemistry between us was so easy and comfortable, with a little heat underneath it so things wouldn’t get too friendly. I was having a great time. Then Ian spoke.
“Have you…spoken to anyone about us?”
I glanced up at him, wary. “No. Why? Should I have?”
Ian shook his head. “No, no, it’s not that we’re trying to push you to tell everyone you know or whatever. We were just curious. Considering that it’s your first time in a relationship like this, and you’re the one coming in, we wanted to be sure that you didn’t have any doubts or worries you wanted to share with us.”
I thought for a moment. “I mean, I guess if there’s one thing I’m not totally sure of, it’s how our…” I leant in close, and they copied me “…sex life is going to work.”
Paula smiled, obviously remembering the way she fingered me under the table only last week. “In what way?”
“I mean; do I sleep with you together? At the same time? Or do we split off and do it individually? I went online and looked this kind of stuff up, but all the sites I found were just like “talk to your partners about it”. So here I am.” I gestured to the two of them.
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