A Limited Partnership

I looked over at Kelli. She was laying completely flat, her gorgeous chest heaving from exertion, a thin sheen of sweat on her forehead. Her lovely blond locks were a little mussed, but she still was a stunning creature, even more so because she had been mine.

I didn't have to say much in that moment, because there really wasn't much to say, but we were both thinking it. This wasn't love, but it definitely was a strong bond now, something that would be a source of release and comfort for both of us. We were friends, lovers, but still had our own separate worlds holding us back. I had a marriage, a job, and a reputation. She had school, parents, and a reputation. Though we had a sumptuous partnership, it could never go farther than the discreet meetings like the ones we had just had. But that was okay.

She understood, and didn't take anything the wrong way. I was her lover, her man that she had wanted to possess her body for a time, and she was my comfort in a bad marriage, that someone who could fill that empty spot in need of encouragement, affirmation, and affection. She was my reminder that I was still young, full of vitality, and had needs just like anyone and anything else. Sure, I could have divorced Maureen, and maybe tried something with her. But life is like that, and so are people: a little afraid of change. I liked our arrangement, and for the time before sweet Kelli headed off to college that fall, we made the most of it.