A Clean Break

They rounded a corner, and the area was dark. Saul pulled her into himself, cupped her ass and kissed her, long and hard. A second kiss was softer and more sensual. Marian was so needy by this time. She knew that she needed a man. And Saul was a man, for sure.

She stepped back from him. He said, "Let's got to my place. It's just around the corner."

Marian's purse was inside. She told Saul that she needed to get it. He walked her back into the bar.

Her three friends were at the table, each with a man. One, Joanie, handed Marian the purse, smiling.

Marian turned to Saul. She said, "I can't do this right now. I....you know I'm married. My ring. And he left me. But right now, I can't go with you."

He said, "I understand. Here's my number." He handed her a card. She opened her purse and took out a small pad and pen. She wrote her number down for him. Then she patted his arm and walked away, out the door.

By that time Marian was okay to drive, and she got home. She went inside and immediately stripped, lay on the bed and got herself off. Three times. Then she showered and slept.

Marian took stock of her life and situation the next morning. She was a woman who liked sex. With real live men, way more than with herself or her vibrator. The night before had been a revelation. She had been so close, and she hadn't panicked. She knew that if she had gone with Saul, she'd have had a great time. Yet she'd shied away. Not like with Jed, though.

One other thing she knew. If she got into such a situation again - if she put herself in such a situation - she'd get fucked. She needed to decide some things.

She decided to give it a few more weeks, and then maybe call Saul.

-----------------

Arnie registered his RV in California. He set it up on the lot he bought. There was a well, but no septic. He was also well into the math hobby. In fact, it was more than a hobby. He had written a paper and submitted it to an academic publication. He was waiting for word on that. He had also hired a contractor to do a septic on the lot. He intended, eventually, to build there.

One Friday - the same Friday that Marian met Saul - Arnie went to town to eat at a diner. He was tired of frozen pizza and of his own bad cooking. He rode his motorcycle into the village.

He went into the diner and ordered a cheeseburger and fries, with a vanilla shake. He was in great shape now, from his exercise regimen and from some brush clearing he was doing on the lot. He loved the place.

He was wearing jeans, sneakers and a muscle T-shirt. His hair was gone. He'd shaved his head and liked the look. He had a mustache and goatee. There was no gray. As he went inside the diner, he saw himself in the window and realized that he looked hot. Like some roughneck.

The waitress, a blond in her late thirties named Claire, also realized that. She gave him a big smile when he gave her his order. She gave him the same big smile each time she refilled his water glass. He smiled back and introduced himself.

She said, "You have that RV on a place outside of town. I see it on my way home and back."

"Yeah. I'm slowly taming the place."

"Well, I love the RV. Are you....intending to settle there?"

He said, "Claire, I'm Arnie. And, yes, I do intend to build something. Haven't decided what."

Arnie was interested in Claire. He hadn't had any female companionship since he left Virginia.

Claire said, "I'm off tomorrow. Maybe I could stop by and see what you're doing?

"Sure. Any time. Maybe I can get you lunch, since you got me mine today."

"Okay. That sounds good. Noon?"

"Yes. I look forward to it."

Arnie left her a ten for a tip before he paid up.

He drove back to the lot, and stared at himself in the mirror on the back of the bedroom closet. That woman, Claire, had liked what she'd seen. That was something that hadn't happened to him since....since.....ever. He got a hard on. She was a good-looking woman, slim but with a nice chest and a good smile.

He looked forward to Saturday's lunch. But he went back outside and cut some more weedy brush off the property. He had a big pile, and he burned it.

Later, he went into town and got some sandwich stuff for tomorrow's lunch. Ham, cheese, some good hamburger rolls, lettuce and tomato.

As he fell asleep, he again got hard. But he didn't give in to temptation. Saving his ammo in case it was needed.

Arnie worked until eleven the next morning, then showered up. He was sitting in a chair outside his RV when Claire pulled up in a hooptie Chevy sedan. She waved and got out. She wore light blue shorts, and a T-shirt. Sturdy sneakers.

Arnie stood as she approached. He didn't know how to greet her. She decided for him when she gave him a hug. A hug for greeting, not more.

He offered her something to drink and she took a Ginger Ale. He had a seltzer. They sat and he said, "Tell me about yourself. You're the best-looking waitress I ever saw."

She actually blushed. She said, "I'm divorced. I have a son in middle school. We get by, you know. By the way, thanks for the tip."

"You earned it by brightening my day. Not so many of those for a while. Bright days."

"Why?"

He explained his situation, about being married and taking off after his wife cheated. As he spoke, he became a little emotional.

She said, "You loved her." A statement, not a question.

"Yep. But she did me wrong anyway."

Claire said, "I'm sorry about that. Sorta the same thing happened to me. But Billy left me, not me leaving him. He cheated. Then he left. Five years ago. Todd was seven."

Arnie smiled at her and said, "Love is fucked up, eh?"

"Maybe it doesn't always have to be. My sister's doing okay with her man."

"Hit or miss. Would you like a sandwich?"

"Can you show me around the place first?"

So, he did. The well, the cleared area, a place where he thought he might build something permanent.

Then he took her inside and they made sandwiches, and ate.

When they were finished, she said she had to go take Todd to a school party. She gave him another hug as she was leaving, and he asked her out for the next Friday. But she had to work. So, they settled on Saturday, dinner.

Arnie really liked Claire, but he knew that he had to be careful with her. He'd been burned so bad. She was a nice-looking woman, and out of his league. Well, out of what had been his league. Once. A while ago. Now, maybe he needed to try out for a new league.

Their date Saturday night went well. Arnie took her to a restaurant in the next town over, suggested by a neighbor. She wore a nice dress, and he wore a sports coat and tie. They each had salmon. They split a half bottle of white wine. Tiramisu for dessert. It seemed that they liked the same food.

He drove her home at about ten pm. She lived in a small bungalow that she rented, maybe four miles past his place. He got out and walked her to her door. She hesitated. He hesitated.

She said, "Todd is on a sleepover." She was holding her key. She opened the door and stepped back. Arnie went inside.

He turned to her, and she shoved him, not so gently, into a wall by the door. She plastered herself to him and kissed him with tongue.

Arnie had a moment's doubt. He was still married. But his wife wasn't faithful. Why should he be?

Arnie picked Claire up and carried her to her bedroom. The door had been left open. The bed was turned down.

Claire kissed him and he put her on the bed. She got on her knees and started taking off her dress. Arnie had his clothes off in record time. But Claire was naked first. Later, he thought that she must have dressed in clothes that came off easily.

But right then, he was thrilled by the sight before him. She was blond all over. He dropped to his knees and tasted her. Then he used his tongue to find her clit and licked her until she came. She didn't hesitate one bit. She slid back onto the bed, spread and pulled him onto herself.

Arnie entered her slowly, and picked up his pace when he found a good angle. He was fully into this sex, and she was as well. She had another orgasm, that he could feel around him. He held off some after that, but not long. He came inside her, as she clutched him and moaned out another orgasm.

They lay side by side for some time, not speaking.

Then he turned to her and said, "Thanks."

She smiled at him. She said, "No thanks needed. We both needed it. You were great. When can you do it again?"

"Give me five minutes."

It didn't take that long. Claire stroked him hard and rode him from above for quite a while. This second time was less frantic, but satisfying. Then they slept.

In the morning, they had another round, showered and ate doughnuts. Then he went home, and she picked up her son.

Sunday Claire brought Todd over to see Arnie's place, after church. She brought a picnic. Arnie and Todd got along well. Todd was almost as tall as Arnie. They chopped some wood, and Todd looked at Arnie's motorcycle. It was a nice afternoon. No sex, of course.

-----------------

Marian waited a week before she called Saul. During that week she found out that Arnie had sold the business. She asked Saul to lunch. They met at a coffee shop and ate sandwiches. She again liked what she saw, and so did he.

Saul said that he was thirty-nine, divorced, and had a daughter who lived in California with his ex. He worked as a lawyer doing research for various appeals. Work he could do from home.

Marian told him a short version of her story. She ended with her finding out that Arnie had sold up.

He asked, "Does that mean...well, what if you find him?"

"If I find him soon, I'll try to get him back home. I love him, and I did him bad."

He nodded.

Marian added, "But, Saul, soon I'll need some physical contact. Fairly soon." She blushed.

"You can have that any time you want."

"Oh, I want. But I need to...I owe him something. If I don't find him soon, I'll see you. All of you, I hope."

"Close up and personal." His eyebrows went up and down like Groucho.

They laughed.

Marian thought a lot about her nice lunch. She decided to ask Saul out for Friday night. She simply needed it. It was Monday. The next morning, she called him and made the invitation. He accepted.

On Wednesday at lunch Jeanette called. Discrete had a hit on the RV. It was registered in California, to A.L. Branch. There was an address outside San Diego. A Google of the place showed an empty four-acre lot. Jeanette thought Arnie had put his RV on it. She had checked ownership and found out that he bought the land, at a hefty price.

Marian sprang into action. She texted Saul that she had found Arnie, and was going to see if she could salvage anything of her marriage. She also texted that he shouldn't give up quite yet.

Then she got a flight Thursday morning to San Diego.

-------------------

At ten am, Pacific, Marian pulled up to Arnie's RV in her rental sedan. She got out and looked around. She heard some noise from a ways away. Chopping. She walked toward the sound.

She saw a man chopping wood. He had not noticed her yet. It took her a second to realize that it was Arnie. When she did, she was flabbergasted. He was bare chested, bare headed, wearing shorts and boots. He looked like some movie star. Tan and cut.

She walked up on him, until he stopped and looked her way. She gave him a small wave, like Queen Elizabeth.

----------------

Arnie was chopping up a tree he'd cut the day before. It was a big job and he'd been at it all morning. He was in great shape now, and could just keep going.

But.....but....he turned and there was Marian. She gave a small wave and stared at him. She looked good, in shorts and a button-up blue blouse. Sandals, though. Not suited for the terrain, but good-looking anyway.

Arnie waved back to her, the same tentative way she'd done him.

He hesitated for several seconds. Then he thought to himself that it was time to get this over and done. He'd been with Claire for a total of three nights, now. He liked her a lot. But he couldn't commit until he came to terms with his failed marriage. So, he walked toward his wife.

------------------

Marian saw Arnie's hesitation. Then she saw him make a decision, and walk to her. He was never able to hide what he was thinking so well. He looked determined. He also looked hot. Not like the old Arnie. When she made the trip, she was ambivalent about getting back with him. He had left so quickly and finally. And she had a viable alternative directly at hand. Now....she at least wanted him to fuck her. When she realized that those were her thoughts, she chastised herself. What a slut! What if she had seen the old Arnie? She knew the answer to that question.

Arnie was becoming aware that Marian was staring at him with actual lust. He hadn't gotten used to being an object of female lust. Maybe once, when he was young. Not for years, though. Now, his wife clearly wanted to take him to bed. He paused. She looked good. He thought, 'Shit!'

Marian saw all that pass over his face. He was ten feet away now. She gave him a lewd smile. She turned and walked toward the door to his RV. She waved her hand at him as she did that. She was sure he'd follow.

She was right. Arnie followed her into the RV. The space inside was limited. She ran her hand over his chest and said, "Geez, Arnie, you've changed."

He looked at her hand on his chest and said nothing. He had had sex twice in the last week, and so wasn't as deprived as he might have been.

Marian, on the other hand, was primed and ready. Needy. And that fact - her desperation - swayed him. He saw it and it made him hard.

She saw that. But he said, "Why did you....?"

She dropped to her knees and said, "Fuck first, ask questions later." She undid his pants and dropped them, and his boxers, to the floor.

His hard cock sprang out from his, now, hard stomach. Marian was flushed and immediately started sucking him off, and licking his balls. He grabbed her head, shoved himself all the way down her throat. In and out.

She stood up and said, "I need you to fuck me now." Her blouse was gone, her shorts followed, panties. No bra.

She lay on the unmade bed, spread her legs and beckoned him. So, he fucked her. Hard and fast. He was startled that she had an almost immediate orgasm. He pushed on, savoring her reaction. Much different than when they lived as man and wife. Marian had two more spasms before Arnie seeded her.

It was nice for him. But fantastic for her.

Arnie rose off the bed, and made some coffee as Marian watched. She was still fascinated by his transformation.

She asked, "Why did you shave your head?"

"I wanted to."

"Oh. Well, it suits you. Suits you like you are now."

"Why did you go off and fuck your boss?"

"I didn't."

"Get out!" This was said with true heat. Arnie meant it with all his heart.

Marian sprang off the bed. She said, "I have proof. I backed out at the last minute. I ran from him. I hired your detectives to get proof."

Arnie stared at her. Glared at her. His hands were clinched into fists.

Marian dressed, went to her car. She came back and tossed an envelope down on the small table.

Arnie opened it. He saw the attestation from and report from the detectives. He read it and looked at the photos, which had times stamped on them.

He sat down on a small chair, and stared into space.

After maybe five minutes with Arnie immobile and basically unresponsive, Marian said, "Arnie? Arnie? Are you okay?"

"No." That was all. Flat voice.

She waited him out.

It took some time. But finally, he looked at her and asked, "Why did you make the date plan to start with? Why lie to me? Why not discuss whatever caused it?"

Marian had expected something like this. She had spent a lot of time thinking about these questions. She'd gone to a therapist.

She said, "I went to therapy to find out why I was such a bitch. I.....I concluded that it was because....because I'm a narcissistic bitch. My therapist agreed. But she said she'd seen worse."

Arnie looked strained. "That doesn't.....had you lied and fucked other guys before?"

"No."

"Why then? What changed?"

"Maybe it was because the twins were gone. I felt old. We were a little stale."

"You could have talked to me about it."

"Well, Jed was after me from the start. From day one. And...you know, I liked him. So, I never mentioned it to you. My bad."

"Why did you back out?"

"I had a panic attack. Sort of a least. I was...disgusted with myself. I actually got ill from it."

"Guilt?"

"It seems so. Guilt for betraying the man I love." She started crying.

He watched her. He never moved. He felt detached. Finally, she wound down.

She looked at him and said, "You weren't like me. Not desperate. You've been getting some."

"Yes. A nice woman. Just the last weeks. Saturdays. I like her. And, you betrayed me."

"Sounds like you feel guilty."

"No. Even if you didn't fuck the guy, you know you wronged me. After all these years. No talk, No trying to work stuff out. Lies." He was calm when he said this. That scared Marian.

She said, "Come home. I want you back. The kids will be back for the summer. They miss you."

He smiled. "It would be nice to spend time with them. But it's complicated. I like this place. I like Claire and her son."

Marian gasped. She couldn't help it. She never thought that Arnie would get another woman. But this Arnie could hardly have avoided that. Still, when she thought about it, she realized that she had been pursued sexually and had denied herself. Then she recalled Saul, and what she would have been doing with him if she hadn't found Arnie just when she did. She...couldn't blame him.

She said, "I want you back. I'll never do anything like this again, I swear it. You...I love you, Arnie."

He was touched. He realized that he had a lot of feeling left for her.

He said, "If you'd come here and found the same old short, pudgy husband, would you be saying all this? Would we have fucked?"

She looked down. Then she said, "Maybe we wouldn't have fucked like that. But I would still want you back."

He nodded. He said, "I have to think, Marian. You can stick around. Maybe we can fly back next week. But, even if we do, I have no guarantees. I mean, no trust, really."

"The bed's big enough for us both."

They had a walk around the property, and he explained his plans for the building, which had taken shape.

Marian saw how excited he was. She was unsettled. He had been planning a new life, with a new woman, probably. She wondered about her - Claire.

The two of them had a dinner from his freezer. They were sitting outside when a car pulled up. Arnie saw that it was Claire. Marian saw that it was a nice-looking blond woman and assumed that it was Claire.

Claire saw Arnie with a nice-looking woman, and she assumed that it was his wife.

She got out of the car anyway. She walked up to the two, who were now standing.

Arnie said, "Claire, this is my wife, Marian. Marian, my friend, Claire."

The two women looked at each other, and then Claire reached out to shake hands. Marian shook, and said, "Well, a little awkward." She turned to Arnie and said, "I don't blame you."

Claire thought about what she could say. She thought that she'd just gotten a sort of compliment from Marian. But she held her tongue.

Arnie said, "Want something to drink, Claire. We've opened some Chardonnay."

Claire said, "Arnie, I don't want to cause you to be uncomfortable. I mean..."

He said, "It's okay. We're all adults here. I wish you'd stay."

"Okay. Wine would be nice." She pulled up a chair.

Marian was a little annoyed, but also curious. This was, in some sense, her competition. Arnie poured the wine.

He said, "Marian, Claire and I have become friends. And, I've told her about my problems and why I'm here."