The 80/20 Solution Ch. 05-06

"Well, summer is coming up. And to use the old cliché, I want to go to the beach but Rod wants to go to the mountains. Maybe we can get to the point where vacations could be part of the equation; or other out of town trips. Things like that."

"Ah, that could be interesting." Wendy added. "But I agree that it is way too early to go there. Let's refresh drinks and talk about the how that you have in mind. I know you well enough to know that you have a plan. I'm ready to hear it."

Once again the ladies stretched and wandered into the kitchen. But this time, coffee was the preferred drink. Nikki pulled Emily aside and quietly asked, "Do you really think that this can happen like you described?"

Emily put her arms around Nikki's neck and responded, "Honey, I can't guarantee anything, but I think that if we approach this slowly and carefully, it might happen. Are you scared, excited, or what?"

"Both, I guess. I just feel that Jim would jump at the chance to get into Paula's pants. That might bother me if that was all it was; but if I got to spend time with Jordan, I would be a happy woman."

"I know, I kind of feel the same way about Rod and Jay."

They reassembled in the den with their coffee and Emily began again.

"Before, I layout the plan, I need to remind everyone that we must have unanimous agreement on the concept, the rules, and the plan. Otherwise, we run a serious risk of ruining things for all of us. Does anyone have any problem at all about what we have covered so far?"

There were no dissenting votes or comments.

"So let's talk about a plan. There are two things that have to happen. One, while we each know that we have an attraction, we really don't know how we or they will perform in bed. We each have to acknowledge that fact and accept we still want to find out. Two, we each have to look at the woman who will be sleeping with our husband and be able to honestly feel and say "Good luck, honey. Enjoy." If we can't each feel that honestly, the seeds are there for future problems. If we agree, then we can go on.

Each woman took a few moments and looked inside herself and then discretely looked at the woman who would replace her in her husband's bed.

Then each turned back to Emily and said, "Go on."

"As I see it we can start this weekend or next or whenever we are ready. It is up to us. But I would suggest that we start by setting the ground work in place by telling our husbands that we are going to be tied up Saturday afternoon. After that we will go through 4 steps. At each one, if anyone wants to call it off, it's off. No foul, no penalty, as they say."

She then took them step by step through a plan which would end up with each woman with her part- time husband. Once she laid it all out, there were a couple of easily addressed questions but they all agreed that it was a big GO. Emily reminded them that the first check point is Friday night. Everyone agreed and they spent the next few minutes chatting about miscellaneous matters and then they began gathering their things and started to head for home.

When Wendy finally left, Emily plopped down on the sofa absorbed in her thoughts. Ten minutes later, Rod entered the house from the garage. She smiled at him and he returned the greeting. If she showed any strain or apprehension, he didn't appear notice it. He went to take a quick shower while Emily reflected on the evening.

On the whole, she felt good. She had presented the idea and plan carefully as she had wanted to. The three women seemed excited about the adventure. But it was Tuesday and there were still three days for cold feet to get in the way. Actually, she doubted that any of the girls would cool off; they all seemed too excited about getting guilt-free time with their chosen lover. But there was a chance that someone would cool off. Then there were the guys. She didn't for a minute think that they wouldn't want a sexy date with the girls, but to make it an open, on-going thing might cause some discomfort.

She reviewed her plan and tried to figure out where the problem spots might crop up. She finally decided that Saturday night was the really critical time. If that went well, then it would be Monday night or Tuesday when problems might crop up. If problems surfaced Saturday, then the whole game plan would have to change.

She became aware that the shower had stopped; so with a deep breath she started to the bedroom. She intended to give Rod the ride of his life tonight because he would unknowingly be saving himself for Saturday for the rest of the week.

6. The Plan

Wednesday and Thursday went by quickly for Emily. She finished up two reports and they were replaced with requests for two new projects. She always felt exhilarated at the start of new projects. They allowed her to clear out the thoughts of the previous ones and focus on the new issues and new problems. She was also aware that she felt the same exhilaration because she was about to start a new project in her personal life. Sandra had a tutoring job Thursday so they settled on Friday for lunch. Emily knew that Friday she would not be able to focus very much on work, so a longer lunch would help her prepare herself for the upcoming evening.

Friday morning went by quickly and at 11:30 she was stepping into Sandra's car for lunch. They kissed each other's cheek in greeting and Sandra drove her car toward a Chinese restaurant that both girls wanted to try. Lunch went smoothly as they continued to explore each other's life. The more they learned, the more comfortable they each felt in their growing friendship.

Emily got back to her office at 2:00 and she started her wind down process for the week. At 3:00 she called Wendy, Paula, and Nikki to see if everything was still go. Each woman reported positively and stated their husband seemed to be in good shape for their regular Friday night get together. There were a few minor details to resolve. But when Emily finally left her office at 4:30, everything seemed to be pointed in the right direction.

She took a quick shower and dressed for the evening before Rod got home. She decided on a simple skirt and blouse with her new "Jay" panties. She debated about wearing a bra but decided that she ought to since she normally wore one. They key for tonight was to make it as normal as possible. Even though the relationships had changed drastically after the scavenger hunt, this first Friday needed to be no more that a gradual continuation of what they normally did. If there were radical changes, someone might easily get cold feet quickly. It would also be the first time she and the others had seen their "guy" and they need to insure that there wasn't a rejection or pulling back by their guy. She couldn't imagine Jay pulling back but then, you never know. All of these thoughts ran through her head as she dressed. She has finally decided on a very thin and light bra that she always felt sexy in. While not visible, it helped her develop the sensual feeling she wanted to feel tonight. She also wanted for Jay to see it before the evening was over, but that would be for later.

Rod finally got home at 6:00 apologizing for running late. He jumped in the shower and dressed while Emily gathered her contribution to the evening's meal. They had long ago settled on the pattern, that the host would provide the main course, usually something on the grill, and the guests would provide the salad, side dishes, and the like. Each couple also brought a bottle of wine or some other drink. Frequently, they tried out a new or unusual wine. It was usually left to Jordan and now Nikki to create the dessert. For tonight, Emily had decided on a pasta and artichoke side that one of her favorite restaurants served. It was simple and could be easily microwaved to warm it up if desired or could be eaten cold. She always left the wine selection to Rod. For whatever reason, tonight Rod had chosen a new beer he had heard about. He had two six-packs, so each guy could have three if they wanted.

At 6:45, Rod presented himself. Emily kissed him tenderly and they left for their Friday night with friends as they had come to call it. Since Jay and Paula were hosting tonight, they would have to drive. The trip only took about five minutes; so they were standing at the door right at 7:00. They knew that the others were already there because of the cars parked in front.

Their knock was answered by Paula who quickly gave each a hug and kiss. As they entered, Paula quietly said that Jay was running a little late from work but should be there within thirty minutes or so. She saw the slight frown developing on Emily's face. Rod passed on into the den to greet the others; Emily stayed near the door and looked at Paula.

"Problem?"

"No, nothing like that. They threw an impromptu going away party for one of the office girls who is moving. Since she works for Jay, he felt that he needed to stay for a while. He said he would be here by 7:30. He seems fine and said that he is looking forward to tonight."

Emily let out a sigh of relief, "I'm glad that it isn't cold feet."

"Oh, I think that you will find him quite warm later." She lowered her voice although there wasn't anyone near enough to hear them. "He should be primed and ready for you. He hasn't touched me since Wednesday morning. I think that he will be ready for the weekend."

Emily's smile came back at that thought. Paula took her arm and led her into the interior of the house. Jordan and Nikki were already in the kitchen preparing the evening buffet. Jordan was also subbing for Jay at the grill. Rod had successfully located Wendy and was seated next to her as they watched the sports on the news. Jim was at the bar pouring wine for Paula and one of Rod's beers for himself. He poured another glass of wine for Emily and held it out for her.

Emily took her wine and settled on the love seat. With Jay not there yet, it gave her time to observe each couple a little better. On the surface, everything looked like every other Friday night. However, tonight Emily could see some subtle changes. She noticed that Wendy was sitting right next to Rod. Her arm was resting on the back of the chair and her fingers were playing with the hair on his neck. Emily tried to remember if she had seen this before. The whole image was a simple intimate picture where previously their activities had been both more bold and blatant but also more secretive.

She could see Jordan and Nikki dance around each other in the kitchen preparing things. Each time they passed each other, one or the other's fingers would touch the other; sometimes on the back, sometimes on the ass, or anywhere else that was convenient. Jim had taken Paula's hand and led her to a large side chair. He sat down and pulled Paula to sit on his lap.

In total, everyone seemed much more comfortable with each other. There didn't seem to be a need to hide touches or caresses. There did not appear to be a need to hide little intimate things with overly large distractions. Wendy had worn one of her peasant blouses but allowed it to gape open so that Rod had an open invitation to look at his pleasure. Emily hoped that she would find this same comfort level with Jay when he arrived.

She didn't have to wait long. She heard the key in the front door at the same time Paula did. Paula started to get up but Emily just waved her to stay seated and she went to the door. When Jay opened the door, his first sight was Emily with a big smile on her face. Quickly, his smile matched hers.

"Hi, glad you could make it." She said softly.

"Sorry, I was late. A work thing came up and I had to stay. You look beautiful tonight. I've been looking forward to seeing you all week."

"Me too." She stepped forward and gave him a soft kiss on the lips, very different than the usual kiss on cheek greetings they all shared.

Jay looked at her for a moment, then moved in and gave her a kiss on the lips that lasted several seconds more than a greeting kiss would have been.

She hooked her arm in his and led him into the den. Paula, waved to her husband and said,"Hi honey." but made no effort to get up. Jay nodded the greeting to his wife with a smile. Emily led him to the bar and asked for his preference. He chose the beer and let his beautiful woman lead him to the love seat. By the time he took his first sip of beer, they were sitting with their hips and thighs touching and his arm draped across the back of the seat with his fingers resting on her shoulder.

"Paula said that you had a going away party for one of your girls?"

"Yes, the other girls in the office kind of sprung it this afternoon. I needed to be there but actually, I wanted to be there to see this one off. She does good work but frankly, she causes more problems in the office with her mouth than she is worth. I'm glad to see her go. Enough of that, how has your week been."

Since Emily wasn't about to go into the details that really interested her, she dribbled off on the two new projects she had started. Fortunately, her distractive discussion was cut short when Jordan announced that the buffet was ready. Emily took Jay's hand and led him to the table. One by one, the other couples joined them. Each took a plate and started building their dinner. Undetected by the men, Emily made eye contact with each of the other three women and received a nod and a smile from each one. She smiled to herself as she recognized that all four women were now secure that the men were showing no signs of remorse or regret for the previous weekend. So they would move on to the next stage of the evening.

She and Jay returned to the love seat and started their meal. The others followed likewise and there was little conversation as each person savored the company and the food. When they had finished, Emily took their plates to the kitchen and put them in the sink. Then she took Jay's hand and pulled him up and said, "Come show me the garden you built last weekend before it gets too dark." They exited the door onto the patio and out into the garden. The area that Jay was going to show her was at the back of the yard.

Once there, they looked at the plot for a moment and then Jay turned her willing body toward him and pulled her close to his chest. His lips found hers and started a gentle but passionate kiss. Her lips opened and his tongue sought hers in its resting place. It wasn't difficult to find. Her arms were around his neck and she relished the feel of his lips, his body against hers, and his arms around her upper torso. She especially liked his hands which found their way down to cup her ass cheeks.

"I'm wearing the new panties you bought me." She could feel the bulge in his pants enlarge.

"Damn, since I didn't get home in time to shower and change, I didn't get a chance to put mine on."

"That's OK, the next time I see you, you can wear them. How is that?" She almost slipped and said tomorrow.

"Deal. Do you like those, are they comfortable?"

"Why don't you check for yourself?" Her hands started slowly pulling her skirt up until his hands rested half on the panty and half on the bare cheek below the high cut bottom.

"It feels like they fit nicely." His hand moved over the cheeks caressing both the panty and the bare portions. "They feel like they would be comfortable to me." The hands continued their movement. Inside, she was melting from the touch.

"I've got something else for you to check." She removed her hands from around his neck and moved to open the top three buttons on her blouse. His hands left her rear and moved up her rib cage until they were resting on the sides of her covered breasts. She finished unbuttoning her blouse and opened it. "Remember these?" she teased.

"How could I forget?"

His fingers covered the lacy mounds and he could feel the nipples swelling just like they had the week before. All week he had been trying to figure out a way to be alone with Emily for several hours but everything worked against this. He continued to gently caress her mounds while he felt Emily's hands drop to cup his now fully erect cock. His mind remembered the feeling of her lips and mouth on his member last week. In hopes of getting a second installment, he had refrained from sexual contact with Paula for most of the week and he was primed to have his release.

Finally, Emily pulled her hands away from his crotch and started buttoning up her blouse. She kissed him while she did this. In spite of her burning desires, the women had agreed that each couple could have the back yard for up to 30 minutes to inflame their ardent partners but that they would only tease and not grant them direct access to their treasures. This was about building excitement for the next stage.

When she had buttoned her blouse up, she asked, "What are your plans for the weekend?"

"Not much, really. I had thought we might go run errands tomorrow but Paula says that she has a spa appointment from 11:00 until 4:00, so I guess I'll just hang around the house."

"Why don't you come over about noon and I'll make us some lunch."

Jay's pulse started pounding as the answer to his earlier question was placed right in front of him. "Sure, but what about Rod?"

"Rod is going out to his boat to work on it tomorrow. He'll be gone most of the day. I'd like to make you lunch." She kissed him with her tongue to emphasize her point.

"That sounds great. About noon, you said?" he stuttered in excitement.

"Yes about then. I have to run to the store in morning. I should be back before then." Emily reinforced the thought with another kiss.

"I'll be there."

"Don't forget your new panties. Now we better get back inside before someone comes looking for us." She took his hand and led him back towards the house.

She knew that no one was going to come looking for them but three women were going to be awaiting her return eagerly. She felt their eyes on her when they entered. She smiled and gave a nod that was their signal that everything was still "go". The three observers all smiled and returned their attention to their partner. Emily and Jay went to the bar and refilled their drinks and returned to the love seat and their former position except that now Emily had her hand on his thigh. They started talking about a variety of meaningless subjects, neither of them paying much attention to the words but relishing the contact and the prospect for Saturday.

A short while later, Nikki and Jordan went out back to cool off. Emily smiled inside as she realized that everything was going as smoothly as she had hoped. She and Jay stopped talking after a few minutes so she rested her head on his shoulder. His arm went around her shoulders and he held her comfortably. They just sat quietly and watched the others. It did seem that tonight everyone was less animated and more quiet than usual, especially Jim and Paula who hadn't gotten nearly as animated as they usually did. Wendy was also a lot quieter than usual. She and Rod had found a ball game to watch and she had snuggled up close to Rod. They occasionally roused when something happened on the screen but quickly settled down again.

After about 20 minutes, Nikki and Jordan returned. Once again there was a nod and a smile. Emily said to herself, "Two down, two to go."

Paula and Jim didn't wait long before they adjourned to the back yard. Emily felt that if anyone was going to expand the plan for this part of the evening, it would be Paula. Jordan and Nikki had returned to the kitchen but she saw Nikki lean into Jordan's back with her arms around his waist. She couldn't be sure if she was just holding him in a hug or if she was fondling his rigid pole, but either way Nikki was giving Jordan a gentle and loving hug. This caused Emily to smile.

Finally having used the full 30 minutes that they had agreed to, Paula led a sedate Jim back into the house. Paula looked at Emily, smiled and nodded her head, and then casually licked her lips. No wonder Jim was walking in a trance-like state. Emily wondered if he was going to be up, literally, for their time together tomorrow. But that had been Paula's decision so she would have to live with the consequences or the lack thereof.