A Closing Celebration - Friday

"I insist," Nick was adamant, "or we're leaving."

Barb shot Nick a glance, and he laughed.

"We're NOT leaving!" Barb said quickly.

Kim and I shook our heads and laughed. The waiter smiled patiently.

"Okay, okay, but we're buying dinner," I relented.

Nick nodded at the waiter to open the bottle. Barb leaned toward Kim and whispered a question.

"Should I ask what that is going to cost?"

"No, you should not."

Kim whispered back with a smile and softly patted Barb's hand.,

"Sometimes you need to let boys be boys."

The waiter looked frustrated as he struggled with the cork. The characteristic popping sound was noticeably absent when he finally pulled it out of the bottle. The waiter's face dropped.

"Oh my," Kim said softly.

The confused look reappeared on Barb's face as she looked from the waiter to Kim.

"What's the matter?"

"It went bad."

The waiter picked up a glass, poured a small amount into it, and held it to the light. The waiter, Kim, and I all shook our heads in unison. Nick looked disappointed, and Barb unsure. The waiter brought the glass to his mouth.

"Don't bother," I stopped him, "it's bad; you don't want that taste in your mouth."

"Please accept our apologies," the waiter said. It appears we cannot serve you this wine. We have a 2005, if that is acceptable, sir."

The waiter looked deeply apologetic, and Nick now looked unsure of himself."

"Yes, that would be fine," I said quickly, "thank you."

With a slight nod of understanding, the waiter gracefully took the bottle and glass from the table, whisking them away with a practiced flourish. Nick sighed in disappointment, furrowing his brow as he contemplated the unexpected events. Barb, her vibrant eyes wide with surprise, echoed his sentiments, her voice laced with disbelief and curiosity.

"How can that happen?"

Kim, ever the knowledgeable one in the group, stepped into the conversation, her calm demeanor reassuring. With a gentle smile, she explained the many factors that could lead to champagne and wine going bad -- from improper storage conditions to exposure to light and temperature fluctuations. Kim's hand remained on Barb's, and Barb didn't mind. I told Nick that the 2005 was as good of a vintage as the 95, and he would save a few hard-earned pennies as well. The waiter returned, the cork popped as it should, and four glasses were poured. I ordered the truffle bruschetta and carpaccio as appetizers, and we toasted our new house.

Following the toast, we sipped the delectable champagne. The bubbles danced on our tongues, creating a symphony of flavors. As we savored the taste, conversations flowed effortlessly, ranging from lighthearted anecdotes to thoughtful reflections. The atmosphere was convivial and relaxed.

Suddenly, Barb's demeanor shifted. Her face was solemn, and everyone's attention turned to her. With a newfound seriousness, she turned to Kim, her eyes filled with determination. The champagne glasses were temporarily forgotten as the room fell silent in anticipation of what Barb had to say.

-- Favorite Crime --

Kim had been gently caressing Barb's hand almost since they sat down. Barb pulled her hand out and gripped Kim instead. It was not a tender embrace.

"So, Kim... You're a lovely woman, but what gives you the right to sleep with my husband.."

Nick and I nearly spit out our champagne, but Kim never flinched. This reminded me of what Kim did to Charli that day in the kitchen. Kim slowly set her glass down and put her other hand on Barb's.

"I have never slept with your husband."

"Don't lie to me; I know you had sex with Nick more than once."

"Oh, yeah, I fucked him a few times, yes, but I never slept with him."

"Don't try to be funny, you know what I meant. What gives you the right to insert yourself into someone's marriage like that?"

"Well, he gave me the right. It's really quite simple."

"But..., still..., he's married. Do you always fuck married men? Does Brad know you fucked your real estate agent?"

"Honestly, Barb, I didn't know he was married then. I generally try not to get involved with a married person unless their partner also participates."

Kim maintained eye contact with Barb as she spoke in a calm, soft tone. She caressed Barb's hand as before, then turned to me.

"And as for Brad, he knows about every person I choose to have sex with, as I know everyone he's fucked."

Barb's face had lost its stern look, and she seemed unsure of herself. Kim turned back to Barb and paused momentarily to allow her to respond. When she didn't, she made a statement that almost caused Nick to choke on his wine. I then thought how lucky we were in our secluded alcove.

"Quite frankly, Barb, sex with your husband was fantastic. He is an amazing lover, and you are a lucky woman to have him in your bed every night."

So, Nick must have told Barb about us, and I was curious about how much he shared. He had told us Barb was interested in sexual exploration, and this might be the start of it. But if Barb was trying to play some game, she failed. She was clearly unnerved by Kim's response. Nick started to say something, but I stopped him. I wanted to see this play out without our male interference.

"But..., ah..., fuck..., how did this happen?"

Kim caressed Barb's hand and leaned in with a smile.

"Well, the first time was because I thought he was cute and a subtle flirter. He didn't drool over my breasts like so many others. He was quite debonair. So I selected him to pleasure me that night."

"Wait? I don't understand. You selected him? He didn't pick you up."

"Oh, he may have thought he picked me up. Men frequently mistake the female selection process for their ability to seduce a woman. The male ego is such a fragile thing. But you and I know better. It's common among all mammals; the males show off until a female selects them for sex. We're really no different than the mountain gorillas or the whitetail deer out in the swamps around here. We just dress better. I count Nick as one of my better selections. He's a caring and thorough lover. And one hell of a real estate agent as well."

I never sensed any anger in Barb, even at the start. I was sure she was trying to bait and tease Kim, much like Kim did to Charli. But Kim is not Charle. Like everyone else who had ever talked to Kim so intimately, Barb seemed to melt in response to Kim's attention. Barb's face had softened, and so had her voice. She glanced over to her husband.

"Nick is the most caring person I know. When we started dating, he never tried to get into my pants or even kiss me. I kissed him first. That's what attracted me to him. But after the first time we made love, I was hooked. That's why I chose..., um..., selected him."

"See, you know what I'm talking about. It was a close call that night at the casino; there were several good prospects, but Nick was the absolute best choice. After we brought him to our room and he fucked me silly, I knew I had to fuck him again. Not because Nick's a good guy, I've fucked lots of good guys, but because he has such a lovely, huge cock. He makes me cum buckets every time he stuffs that thing inside me.

Kim's fingers gently stroked Barb's forearm, causing goosebumps as they glided over her soft skin. The women leaned in slightly toward each other. Kim brandished a soft, sweet smile, but Barb's face displayed a mixture of confusion and intrigue.

"We? What do you mean? We brought him to our room?"

"Brad was with us. He watched as I gave my body to your husband. After Nick left, we fucked until dawn."

Barb's gaze shifted between me and her husband, Nick. In that brief moment, a thousand emotions flickered across her face. The uncertainty, fear, and resignation mingled in an emotional display. With a heavy sigh, Barb lowered her head, and her shoulders drooped slightly. The weight of the situation seemed to press down on her, leaving her visibly burdened. But in that moment of vulnerability, Barb's eyes found Kim, and with gentle determination, she reached out and took Kim's hand in hers. The soft caress of her thumb against Kim's skin conveyed a wordless message of understanding.

"Kim, I'm sorry. I tried to play a stupid game with you. I can't explain why. It's just..., I don't know, but I've changed in the last year. And now you're here. I..., I..., Fuck, I don't know how to say any of this."

Barb looked flustered and frustrated, and then Kim clasped Barb's hands in hers. Nick and I watched in amazement as Barb's whole body relaxed as Kim stared into her blue eyes.

"Sometimes, when you don't know where to start, it's best to start at the beginning."

Barb sighed and smiled.

"Alright. I've never told anyone this, but..., about a year ago, I suspected Nick was cheating on me. He started working more at night and his clothes sometimes smelled of woman's perfume. The weird thing was I didn't freak out. I had always imagined I'd be furious if I ever caught him cheating on me. I've consoled several of my girlfriends when their husbands or boyfriends cheated on them. And I can't tell you how many wine-filled nights we plotted how we would castrate those bastards. But when I first suspected him of being unfaithful, I didn't get angry or run crying to my girlfriends. The more I thought about it, the more I realized I was okay with it. Strangely, it made me excited to think about him with another woman. I also took stock of our relationship. Neither of us denied the other sex when we wanted it, but our sex life had become stagnant and less frequent. I had let myself go a little and was not the hot young thing he married. I started exercising, lost weight, and did things to attract Nick to me once again, and the frequency of our lovemaking increased. But at the same time, I did not confront him or complain when he stayed out late. I encouraged and supported him in working odd hours. Then, when he was out late, I fantasized about who he was with and what they were doing. These fantasies quickly became erotic, and I would get so horny at the thought of him fucking someone else I'd masturbate until I heard his car in the driveway. I'd feign sleep until he was out of the shower, and then we had fantastic sex."

Barb paused and took a sip of her champagne. Kim's eyes never left Barb's, and she maintained a soft, friendly smile, intent on listening to a friend. Nick and I sat silent and waited to hear more.

"The night I discovered with certainty that Nick had been fucking around was the night I first tasted another woman on him. Nick was out much later than he had told me he would be. The kids were in bed, and the fantasies grew in proportion with each passing hour. I started in our bedroom but ended up in the living room. I was so horny I gave no thought that our teenagers might walk in on their mother, in a see-through babydoll, and masturbating. I came dozens of times, but I wasn't satisfied. I needed more than my dildo. Then Nick came home and found me waiting for him on the couch. He wanted to shower first, but I wouldn't let him. I told him to drop his pants, and I started to suck that big, beautiful cock of his."

"He does have a big, beautiful cock, doesn't he?" Kim purred as she interrupted Barb.

"Yes, he does. It was sticky and wet when I took it out of his pants. When I slid my lips down that shaft, I tasted another woman. I looked into Nick's eyes, and something snapped in me. I went nuts and licked every bit of her from his cock and balls. It was like my libido went supernova. I came just from sucking his cock. The thought of his cock..., MY cock, inside another woman, drove me wild. And when he fucked me, my body was on fire, and I had the most intense orgasms of my life. I didn't even care when..., ah..., I just didn't care.

So, I guess I'm trying to say I am okay that you had sex with him. I'm okay when he has sex with others as long as he tells me about it. Honestly, it fuels some explosive orgasms for me. I've tasted at least 3 different women on him since that night, but I have tasted that first woman the most. I've told Nick I want to meet her, but she remains a mystery. The most surprising thing is that I have never considered being with another woman. I never have. But I long to be with this woman, fantasizing about her being my first. I get so turned on thinking about laying between her legs and tasting the source."

Barb took a long drink of champagne, and her face showed she had more to say; what she did have to say startled even me.

"I was drawn to you the first time we met. No, that's not right, I was..., fuck..., my words fail me. Sorry. What I am trying to say is that I am attracted to you. I have never been attracted to another woman. This is nothing against Brad, he's a hunk, and I wouldn't turn him down. But there was something about you. You've been on my mind since our last dinner here. I apologize for coming off as angry earlier. I tried to tease and flirt with you but did a bad job. I'm not used to flirting with people, especially women. I'm out of practice."

Nick looked at his wife with interest as Barb's excitement grew with each word she spoke. Kim listened intently, keeping her eyes on Barb even as she dropped one of her hands to her lap. I wondered what the evening had in store for us.

"I'm sorry, here I am rambling on, acting like a stupid school girl... I've never told anyone this before, not even Nick. But It feels so right to..., "

Kim lifted her hand from her lap and tenderly pressed two fingers to Barb's lips. Kim's fingers glistened with moisture. Barb's eyes widened when Kim slid them between her lips. Kim's other hand softly caressed Barb's arm. Barb's eyes closed as she suckled on Kim's fingers; her body visibly quivered.

"Shhh, I'm flattered and excited about getting to know you better, too."

Nick couldn't contain himself anymore and whispered to me, "Fuck, this is hot." I shushed him, whispering back, "Shut the fuck up and let it happen."

Barb pulled her head back slightly; her tongue swirled around Kim's fingers as they slid from her lips. She looked into Kim's eyes, her voice trembling."

"It was you!"

Barb was flushed and breathing more heavily. Kim maintained her calm, sweet demeanor.

"Yes, It was, and I'd love for you to taste the source."

"Oh my god! I..."

Barb dropped her head when the wait staff arrived with our appetizers. Then she lifted it to say something, and Kim gently placed her two fingers on Barb's lips again.

"Hold that thought, we have plenty of time to discuss this. Let's take time to enjoy this delicious-looking food."

As the waiter topped off our glasses, we realized we needed more time to decide what to order for dinner. We gave the waiter a heads-up, and he nodded and vanished around the corner, giving us some space to chat.

As we munched on the tasty appetizers and sipped the last of the bubbly, our conversation turned from deep thoughts to more everyday stuff. Nick and I discussed funny stories and plans for the weekend while Kim and Barb moved closer and whispered. From what few words I picked up, it sounded like they were talking about sex. I was thankful for the privacy our table offered us. The place had a cozy vibe, with dim lights and a low hum of chatter in the background.

We were about to decide what to drink when the waiter showed up again, right on time. He handed us the wine list, which was a little small, but it had some excellent choices. I looked through it and tried to find something that would go well with our food.

Nick and I had steak, so I suggested the 2008 Clarendon Hills Syrah. It's got a rich, dark fruit flavor and velvety tannins that would go great with grilled meat. The ladies had salmon, so we picked a crisp and refreshing Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. Its citrusy notes would perfectly balance out the richness of the fish.

After we'd made our choices, we gave the wine list back to the waiter, and he told the sommelier what we wanted. A few minutes later, the sommelier came to our table with the two bottles. He was very handsome and drew the immediate attention of our wives. We all heard Barb say, not very softly, that she'd liked to drink from his bottle. Kim added that he looked like he had a magnum. The women giggled, and the sommelier simply nodded and smiled. He opened them up and poured us all a little taste to try, just to make sure we liked them.

As we sipped the tantalizingly delicious wines, we raised our glasses to toast the delightful evening. The combination of good food, fine wine, and excellent company created an atmosphere of contentment and camaraderie, making the evening truly memorable.

After the waiter presented the wine with a flourish, Kim turned her attention to Barb. Inquiring about her children, Kim delicately weaved a question into the conversation regarding their whereabouts. Barb told us that Sara had gone with some others to a friend's cabin on Indian Lake, near Manistiqe, for a weekend-long graduation party. Chad and a friend were somewhere on the Whitefish River trout fishing. Nick added that this was the first weekend they had to themselves in months.

Moments later, Kim's demeanor abruptly shifted. She turned to me, her eyes wide with urgency and concern. Grasping my arm tightly, she asked if I had confirmed the hotel arrangements for my upcoming business trip. Reacting to the gravity of the situation, I fumbled for my phone and apologized profusely to everyone for forgetting to make an important call. I excused myself from the table and walked quickly to the lobby. Surprise and confusion filled Nick and Barb's faces. In truth, Kim's over-the-top conduct and questions were her signal to get a room. She was covertly telling me she wanted to spend the night with Nick and his wife. She didn't want to be premature and come right out and say it; a lot can happen throughout the dinner. But we wanted to be prepared.

On my way to the front desk, I considered inviting them to our rental on M'35. But then, this would make for a special night, and we wouldn't need to clean up after ourselves. Luckily, they had several fine rooms available, and I chose the Nelson Ludington suite for the night. The hotel manager, a cute blonde with a strangely deep voice, offered to let me have the suite until Sunday for a little more than I was about to pay for a single night. She explained they had low occupancy; every room helped justify keeping staff on the clock. I accepted her offer and thought it might allow us to play all weekend. I also ordered their last two bottles of Silver Oak Cabernet and a case of bottled water. I asked that the water be taken to the room and refrigerated but to hold onto the wine until I asked for it to be delivered. I wanted to reserve it before someone else bought it. She noted my request and told me they would send someone to cook our breakfast in the room if we wished. For a slight upcharge, of course. I thanked her and headed back to our table.

I returned just as our entrees were being served. I apologized again and sat down as the waiter placed our plates on the table. Kim looked anxious, and I told her everything was taken care of. She smiled and sat back in her chair. The waiter topped off our wine, asked if we needed anything else, and excused himself. Our conversation slowed in the secluded corner of the restaurant as we all enjoyed our dinner.

That is until Barbb asked us questions about our lifestyle. She wanted to know more as she and Nick appeared to be headed down that road. But she could think of a thousand ways it could spiral out of control.

"So, how do you balance your relationship with each other while having an active sex life with other people?"

-- You're Real --

Kim and I took turns explaining our beliefs as best as possible. First, we do not consider sex as something confined and restricted to marriage. If you accept the notion that people do not have to be married to engage in sex, then you must accept that all sex outside of marriage is okay. Marriage, or any relationship between two people, is so much more than sex, just as it is so much more than any of the thousand things that make people want to be together. Second, we considered sex the same as any other recreational activity. Why do people run, bike, or climb mountains? They do it for the rush of endorphins. It makes them feel good. We like to do all those things, too, but we think having sex and orgasms is a more intense and better way to get that rush. Doing it with others adds diversity and excitement to our sexual experiences. But the most important requirement was trust. We trust each other implicitly and share everything. We must trust our partners' choices and trust that they will not do anything that will damage our relationship. We are not afraid to tell each other if we think they are making a poor choice or if we should rethink our actions. Lastly, we are not perfect, and we've made mistakes, but we talk through them and learn from them.