That Most Decadent Summer

****

Time moved on. Kevin and Amanda married, I met Charles and we married, both couples had children and we lived our lives. We drifted apart, both us couples, Charles felt Kevin was a little flash and rather coarse, and Amanda and me as individuals.

Oddly, in some ways I always thought, Amanda and I never had sex together alone, if that makes sense. We had another session with Kevin a few weeks later, which was fine, but a further one went wrong when jealousy reared its head: it can be awfully difficult watching a man you fancy like hell shag another woman, even if she is your best friend and you will get to fuck her shortly. Our final 'involvement' was on holiday in Switzerland when we got drunk and ended up in bed with a ski instructor. The next morning we thought it had gone rather well, so we repeated it on the next two nights. That was the end of my adventures into threesomes and largely into girls as well. I did have a couple of one to one flings, but to be honest, I actually got bored with it. In any case Charles was now in the picture and was absorbing my sexual curiosity and fulfilling my sexual needs.

It was years before Amanda and started to see each other again. It was when she and Kevin were in the throes of parting. They did that a couple of times, before having a final break and then starting divorce proceedings.

I was surprised how easily we got on after all those years. It wasn't long before she was telling me how awful her marriage was and I was sympathising and telling her how I sometimes wondered whether I was really married, so often was Charles away or at work.

Not once did we bring up our sexually involved past. It really was a classic 'swept under the carpet' issue and, mixing metaphors dreadfully, a topic that simply 'never reared its head;' in fact we had never really talked about it, even when we were involved.

She and Kevin had started a business together, which was involved with marketing and promotions within the oil and gas industry. It was aligned to his original oilfield laboratory business, but was run by Amanda and had become very successful, probably adding more to the already bulging family coffers than the original business. Hence, when they divorced she sold him her part of the business and walked away a very wealthy lady indeed.

Wealthy, but bored and lonely, a set of conditions I completely understood, for they were so close to mine.

I guess it was because we were both a little worried about becoming fully paid up members of the 'ladies who lunch' club that we started the business.

That was some two years ago now, two years before this summer of decadence.

This started at Amanda's daughter's birthday party, she was thirteen. Whilst none of us were Jewish, she and Kevin had we lived in a Jewish area and we all had numerous friends of that faith. As a result, the age of thirteen took on more importance than in most gentile communities. So it was a biggish party, held at Amanda's parents' house.

Inevitably, Charles couldn't make it so I had to go alone, something that was becoming relationship damaging and possibly beginning to ruin it.

Amanda had been telling me recently that she had been seeing more of Kevin. After the breakup and then the divorce, she totally refused to see him at all. Due to issues and situations affecting their daughter, she had recently relented and they had met several times. At first, it was, she had told, me very frosty. After a few meetings, though, she confided that things got easier.

"Do you know, Clare," she told me one Monday after there had been something on at Sara's school during the weekend. "I'm sure the bastard was trying it on with me."

Over the next few months she reported that he was becoming more and familiar with her when they were alone.

"Are you tempted?" I asked one day when we were having lunch in a local Italian.

"In a way, yes I am," she surprisingly told me.

"Do you think you will?"

"What, have sex with him?" she asked.

For some reason I was finding the situation rather exciting.

"Yes, do you think you will?"

"I sometimes think it might be nice, for he always was good in bed," she said, not adding as she might, 'But then you would know that.' Instead she went on. "And after all you know my situation Clare."

As well I did, for although we didn't talk that intimately I was aware of her lack of men friends and thus sex. Amanda had reached the conclusion that she didn't want another long-term partner until Sara was 'off her hands.' That, she felt, was when she went to university at nineteen. "I just don't want her having a series of 'uncles' and I can't stand the lies and subterfuge of affairs," she had explained one day over lunch.

I'd asked whether she felt she could have more. As I put it "casual affairs?"

She had replied. "What you mean, casual, no commitment sex?"

"Yes, I suppose I do and I hear it's quite fashionable nowadays."

"I have thought about it?"

"And?"

"I'm not sure I'm ready for a fuckbuddy," she laughed. "Why have you tried it?"

I think I may even have blushed when I hurriedly said I hadn't. That was true, for so far I had only been unfaithful to Charles once and that was years ago, not long after our marriage. The blush was caused because recently I had thought about a, as she termed it, fuckbuddy quite a lot. For me and my circumstances a sex with no commitment affair had some strong appeal.

"But you'd like to," Amanda said smiling.

"It has some appeal, but I doubt that I would have the nerve."

"I'm not sure I could cope with the continual feeling of guilt," Amanda said sipping her Frascati.

"Guilt, but you're single."

"Yes I know, but I find it hard to have sex without some form of emotional involvement and commitment."

"And you don't want that?"

"No and that's my classic Catch twenty two isn't it?"

"Yes I suppose it is, so what will you do?"

"Keep my knickers on I suppose and take lots of cold showers," she said laughing.

"Is it difficult, Mands?" I asked.

"It can be, sometimes I get so frustrated I could walk out of my apartment and fuck the first decent looking guy I see."

"Oh dear be careful, luv," I said softly, unthinkingly reaching across the table and touching the backs of her fingers with my fingertips. Our eyes met again. We held each others gaze. I think we were both thinking the same thing, but neither had the pluck or whatever was needed to say 'There is another option.'

****

At the party, which took place just a week or so after that lunch, Amanda was busy so we didn't have much chance to chat. Although I knew some of the people there, it was very much a family do, so I was a little left out. I drifted from group to group chatting and laughing until after a couple of hours I found myself in a small group including Kevin on the patio. It was a warm evening and there were numerous smokers around, I even had a couple of cigarettes.

The start of summer when we have warm evenings and we can eat and drink outside, is always a special time in England, where the weather is so unpredictable. This summer, so far, it had been very pleasant, so it was nice to be outside on this June evening. There was a friendly atmosphere and the women looked fabulous in their glamorous dresses and the men handsome in their open neck shirts and chinos, some wearing jackets and others sweaters. As usual in the social circle in that wealthy London suburb, the dresses tended to be thin and low cut and there was oodles of female flesh on show, creating a generally highly charged atmosphere. Sex was in the air everywhere!

I found myself next to Kevin. He seemed to be focusing more and more on me, which in some ways I didn't mind. It helped me out as I was on my own and I didn't know that many people and, to be truthful, I was flattered that he should show such interest.

As it goes at such events the others moved on and Kevin and I were by ourselves.

"How are things?" He asked.

"Fine," I smiled back.

"Really?"

"Yes, of course. Anyway how do you mean?"

"Whatever way you wish," he said with that somehow knowing smile that I had always found quite attractive on his face.

I smiled at him and swept the thick lock of strawberry blonde hair that tends to fall down my forehead back on top of my head. "I don't wish any way. Why would I?"

"Well you're here alone on a Sunday aren't you?"

"So?"

"Charles too busy?"

"As always."

"He should be careful," he said moving a little closer and sipping his drink.

"What do you mean?" I asked, rather stupidly innocently.

"You know what I mean."

"I don't," I replied, quite enjoying the verbal bantering. I swept the hair away from my forehead again. Maybe that was a sign of flirting, I tended to do it more when in such circumstances.

"Keep leaving you alone."

"That's work, he's very busy as you know."

"I know that, but he should get more balance."

"He tries Kevin, but it's difficult with his job."

"Yes I know that, but if he keeps leaving you alone, someone else will pinch you."

"Don't be silly, we're very happy."

"Yeah ok," he said.

We got interrupted then and I wasn't alone with him until near the end of the party.

"Maybe we could arrange lunch?" He said just as we were all leaving.

I smiled a non-commital reply. He put his head near to my ear and whispered. "Or dinner."

"Kevin, I'm married and you are my best friend's ex. Best to leave well alone."

"So did you enjoy the party?" Amanda asked when we had a drink after work in the agency on the Tuesday, as she'd had the Monday off to clear up.

"Yes it was fine, were you happy with it?"

"Yes I was."

"Kevin seemed very friendly," she said, with a smile.

"With me?" I asked, feeling a little guilty, even though nothing had happened.

"No I meant with me, was he to you too?"

I fumbled a bit. "Er no, well he was fine, friendly, but nice."

"He came on quite strong with me again," Amanda said.

"So what will you do?"

"I couldn't go back, but at times I am so tempted."

We were sitting in my office, which was furnished more like a sitting room than a working one. It had a seating area with a sofa and two easy chairs arranged round a coffee table. She was sitting one end of the sofa. We were both wearing jeans; I was in a low cut tee shirt and Amanda in a button up shirt.

"Another?" I asked holding up my empty glass.

"Please."

I went to the fridge which was behind the sofa and pulled out a fresh bottle of Chablis.

"Fuck," I said as the cork broke.

"Here let me," Amanda said getting up and moving round the back of the sofa to where I was holding the bottle. She smiled.

"At least there are some advantages to being divorced," she said fiddling the corkscrew so it bored into the broken cork. Looking at me, she went on. "Not many, but some."

We were standing close as she said that and as the cork popped out.

"Clever thing," I said holding my glass out.

"Maybe at getting corks out, but not with my life which just seems to go from one trauma to another."

"Kevin you mean?"

"Well yes him, men in general, relationships and all that."

We still hadn't moved, but she had poured the wine. We were still standing close, very close, perhaps too close, so close I could smell her perfume and see the highlighter round her eyes.

"I'm sorry," I said, not really knowing why.

"For what, Clare?"

"Your Catch twenty two, I suppose."

"Yes it is a pain, but there you go, no easy way out is there?" She said softly.

"No I suppose not. Not an easy way?"

"Huh?" She said looking right into my eyes.

"Not easy, but there is another way Mands," I whispered, brushing that thick lock of hair away from my eyes as she stared into them

I was tingling all over. I was so excited; I had never felt like this before. I had never fancied a woman, maybe anyone, as much as I was fancying my best friend right then. I saw a small smile form on her lovely lips, she half closed her eyes and then licked her upper lip in what was the most sexually provocative gesture I had ever seen.

"Yes Clare, I suppose there is, isn't there."

"Oh Mandy," I whispered.

"Yes Clare," she said quietly as, without anything further being said, we both reached out with our hands and interlocked our fingers.

"Oh my God," she groaned. "Are you sure about this Clare?"

"Yes Mandy, yes I think I am. Are you ok?"

"Oh yes Clare I am very ok about it."

Then we kissed. We fell into each others arms and squirmed our bodies together, my small breasts being completely engulfed by hers, that felt wonderful.

It went on for some time. We kissed, we tongued each other and we sucked on the other's lips. We ground our bodies together and then totally involuntarily I slid my hand between us and cupped Amanda's left breast. God was that lovely? Her shirt was out of the waist of her jeans so it was as easy as it was inevitable that my hand slipped inside, onto her bare waist and upwards to her bra covered breast.

"Oh yes," she groaned grinding her mound against mine. "But Not here Clare, not in the office, it's too sordid."

She was right.

"Come home with me, there's no one there."

I poured us both a glass of wine as I waited for her to arrive. The drive from Camden had only taken ten minutes, but it was the most nervous ten minutes I could remember, since probably when I was about to lose my virginity. At last I saw her car pull into our driveway. I opened the door. We didn't speak, there was no need, we both knew what was going to happen and we were both as nervous as hell. I beckoned her into the living room. She smiled.

"Are you sure Clare?" she said softly glancing at the stairs.

I held my hand out. "Of course."

We walked up the stairs hand in hand, our shoulders brushing together and my arm touching her breasts. Again we didn't speak. We continued in silence as I led her into the main guest bedroom; I didn't feel shagging my best female friend was appropriate for the marital bed. We stood staring at each other alongside the bed. Her fingers, shaking a little, went to the top button of her shirt. She undid it. What an extraordinarily erotic moment that was. I stared mesmerised as one by one she undid them and let the sides fall apart so that they were caught on the apex of each breast. She was wearing a white net bra that was totally see-through. I could see all of her large round areolas and bloated nipples. She smiled again and raised her eyebrows in an obvious gesture of invitation. I didn't hesitate. Why would I? I wanted to show her my body. I quickly peeled the tee shirt up my body and over my head. I loved the intake of breath as she saw my chest. I was also wearing a white bra, but not see-through.

As if synchronised, we both reached behind our backs and unclipped our bras at the same time. We removed them. Her breasts were larger, fuller, more rounded and altogether bigger than I had remembered all those years ago. Bigger, but just as lovely and every bit as erotic.

"Oh Amanda," I croaked, breaking the silence.

"Oh Clare," she replied running her gaze over my boobs as I did the same to her. Our fingers were fiddling with our belts and zips. Rather unladylike and momentarily spoiling the erotic mood, we slid out jeans off. She was wearing dark, knee-length pop socks, my feet were bare. She was wearing a white, lacy thong, I was wearing white mini shorts.

We moved closer together and again slid into each other's arms and kissed. We lay on the bed, firstly on our sides as we continued kissing and started caressing the other's breasts and bottom, but then Amanda turned onto her back. Instinctively I think, I rolled on top of her. We both watched as my tits vanished into hers, but then we kissed again, deeper, longer and even more passionately. Amanda opened her legs and I slid between them. For some reason, we were still wearing our panties, but I knew that was simply a temporary situation as I, again instinctively, started to move slowly.

"Yes," she moaned into my ear. "Oh yes Clare," she went on as my movements became more exaggerated. Up and down I slowly slid my mound against hers.

"Nice?" I whispered.

"Yes, but stop a moment."

"What, why?" I asked, smiling as I saw her lifting herself up and pushing her panties down her legs. As I fiddled them past her knees she started to pull mine down. I got back between her opened legs. She widened them and raised her knees, giving me even more room. Her hands were on my bum, they were squeezing and pinching as I dry fucked her. It didn't take very long, for both of us, but particularly Amanda.

"Oh God, Clare, I'm sorry, I'm sorry she moaned as she started to cum."

"Don't worry baby," I soothed raising my torso a little so I could squeeze her breasts and pinch her nipple. That seemed to send her over the top.

"Oh fuck, oh fuck yes, I'm cumming, you've done me, you've made me cum. God it's so good. Thank you, thank my darling," she gushed as her body stiffened and convulsed and she tried to kiss me very deeply, but her body was out of control and we couldn't maintain mouth contact.

****

"I said no."

"I know you did, but I wasn't convinced you really meant it," Kevin said when I opened the door to him a week or so later.

He'd arrived unannounced and told me he'd come to take me out to lunch. I couldn't leave him on the doorstep so I invited him in.

"That is unless, of course Clare, you would like to rustle up something."

"Why should I?" I replied thinking that just a week ago his ex wife had been standing right where he was in the lounge. She had, though, been wearing one of my dressing gowns when we came downstairs to make some tea after making exquisite love.

"Old times sake, perhaps?" He smiled. "Maybe for the future even."

"What do you mean?"

"I told you that at Sara's party."

"Look Kevin, I am a married woman."

"Well sort of you are."

"I'm happily married, I don't want any complications in my life."

"I might be a very useful and highly interesting complication, if you let me," he said moving closer and taking my hand in his. "Be truthful Clare, you aren't at all happy are you?"

"I am," I persisted, but even I could hear the lack of conviction. He squeezed my hand and smiling said. "I don't believe you, convince me."

I pulled on my hand, but he didn't let go, I probably stopped trying.

"Hard isn't it?" He asked, making me smile at the possible double entendre.

"Is it?" I smiled back adding rather foolishly in some ways. "I wouldn't know."

He got what I meant.

"Naughty. I meant convincing me. It must be terrible for you Clare, the sod being away so much, leaving you, making you lonely and alone," he said softly, sounding really considerate. As he added. "It is, it must be Clare."

That got to me and I felt as if I might start to cry.

"No it's ok, you'd better go now, Kevin."

"No lunch then?"

"No, Charles and the kids will be here soon," I said lying, for they wouldn't be home until the evening.

He turned and I followed him to the front door. He opened it and said as he turned to face me.

"Pity Clare, it could have been fun."

We were standing quite close to each other in the hallway. I smiled and said

"So can lots of things Kevin," as I pushed the lock of hair away from my forehead. "But cheating on my husband isn't my idea of fun."

He smiled. "Who said anything about cheating, I was only offering lunch."

"Yeah right and pigs might fly," I responded.

Grinning he went out through the doorway and walked down the three steps to the path. Turning his head, he looked right into my eyes as he said. "I'll call you later," and then swaggered down the pathway to his black Rangerover Sport parked illegally right outside the house.

I didn't mention his visit to Amanda or Charles. Whilst I felt a tinge of guilt about seeing him, although I was not in any way to blame, I also had tingles of excitement about the illicit nature of seeing a man who clearly wanted to shag me; well shag me again was the truth of the situation.