An Alignment of the Stars

[This was my first story, which I posted a few years ago and which was deleted by a computer glitch last summer. A couple of people have asked that I repost it, so here it is.]

*

"So what do you think of the neighbors?" I asked. My parents' neighbors, to be perfectly accurate. Molly and I were house-sitting while my parents were in Europe, and I'd just taken her over to meet the Levines. We'd had a nice chat and they'd invited us to dinner the next night.

"I like them," Molly said. "They seem a little flashy for this neighborhood, though, don't you think?" Molly grew up in Manhattan and has a low opinion of my suburb of origin. "You know - Zeke has that sexy Bruce Willis thing going, and Angie could be Melanie Griffith's naughty younger sister. I mean, I hope I look half that good whenI'mforty. C'mon, though, if we're going over there tomorrow, you have to tell me - what's this big mystery you keep hinting around about?"

"I guess now is as good a time as any, but I'll need alcohol to do it," I said. "It's always embarrassing to have to remember what you were like as a teenager."

It was getting on toward the cocktail hour anyway, so we made some drinks, and I started telling her about that summer twelve years before, when the Levines moved in next door. It was right after my high school graduation, and even though Angie was ten years older than I was - a generation to an 18-year-old - I soon developed a serious case of the hots for her.

She liked to lounge out on their deck with her morning coffee and the paper, dressed in little running shorts and a thin tank top, braless. I'd watch her from my bedroom window, driven nuts by her nipples, which were perpetually erect under her filmy top. I'd create elaborate fantasies about how Zeke would be away on business, and I'd spot Angie being menaced by an intruder, so I'd rush over and beat the shit out of the guy, and she'd be so grateful she'd melt into my arms, and our clothes would fall away, and there would be the nipples, and . . .

"Poor baby," Molly said. "You must have jerked off alotthat summer, huh?"

"'Fraid so."

I told her about the parties the Levines started throwing every few weeks, and how my parents went to the first one but came home long before it ended, headed straight to their bedroom, and proceeded to have what I could tell was a pretty intense argument about something, though I couldn't hear what. They remained friendly enough with Angie and Zeke, but never went to another party.

I told her about the party a month or so later, when I was out in the yard a little after midnight having a cigarette and heard a noise coming from the Levines' garage. Their garage door faces our house and they hadn't closed it that night; their golden retriever was scratching at the inside door to be let in. As I watched, it opened, and there was Angie, the sex goddess of my fantasies, in red bikini panties and nothing else! I could hear music - some kind of smooth jazz - but none of the hubbub you'd expect from that many guests at that hour.

The door was only open for a moment, but the picture of how she looked that first time is still burned into my memory. Oh god, her breasts, for a start! By no means huge, but bigger than I'd imagined, with those thick, pink nipples standing right up. A slender waist, and slim hips, and, I could see as the door closed, a round, saucy little ass. Her hair was sort of messed up, the way it sometimes looked after she'd been jogging or playing tennis. I just stood there, blown away. And, though I hadn't noticed it happen, I was as hard as I'd ever been in my life.

"She was at the door in her underpants, and there were still guests there," Molly said.

"Uh huh."

"Stan Getz or something on the stereo, but no loud, drunken voices."

"Nope."

"I think I may have figured out the Levines' little secret."

"I'm sure you have," I said, "but that's because you're a mature, 29-year-old woman of the world. I was barely 18, so I wasn't surewhatwas going on. I mean, I knew Angie had been virtually naked with company in the house, and that there could really only be one plausible explanation, but it still didn't make sense. These were our next door neighbors; they werenicepeople. Nice people living next door didn't havesexparties."

"Nonetheless . . ."

"Yeah, well, there's more . . ."

I told her about the Saturday night at the end of August, just before I left for college, when I arrived home late from a movie and noticed a couple of unfamiliar cars in the Levines' driveway. I decided to stroll around and snoop a little before I went in.

I told her that when I got into our back yard, I could see what looked like two people making out on the Levines' deck, over in the shadows at the far end. I crept across, and peeked through the shrubbery that screened that end of the deck. There was just enough light to see that Zeke was in a chair facing away from me, and straddling him, bouncing up and down on him,fuckinghim, was Mrs. Danby from around the corner! Mrs. Danby, whose kids I'd baby-sat, and who always made sure there were cookies for me to take home afterward.

Her eyes were closed, and she was moaning. She had small, pointy breasts - a lot like Molly's, in fact - and they jiggled as she moved up and down on Zeke. I was so focused on the two of them that it was another minute before I realized thatMr. Danby was sitting completely bareassed a few feet beyond, watching them and stroking his penis.

I told Molly that just then Angie slipped out the sliding door onto the deck. She, too, was naked this time - no panties, no nothing - and where I'd expected a blond patch, she was hairless and smooth. She stepped up behind Mrs. Danby, caressed her shoulders for a moment, then reached down and began to stroke her breasts and pull gently on her nipples. "Oh god, yes, do it," Mrs. Danby moaned urgently, and she started to move faster. Angie, still fondling Mrs. Danby's breasts, leaned forward and stuck her tongue in her husband's mouth. He groaned and thrust harder into Mrs. Danby. "Oh baby, I'm coming," Mrs. Danby panted. "Yeah, now!" Zeke growled, as he spurted into her.

I told Molly that Angie then kissed Zeke and Mrs. Danby - long tongue-kisses - took Mr. Danby by the hand, and led him back inside. Mrs. Danby and Zeke continued to caress for a few more minutes, whispering to each other, then she climbed off. As she did, a large dollop of semen dripped out of her onto his thigh. Zeke stood, and though his erection was mostly gone, I could see that he was long and thick.

They went inside, and I went home, but not before leaving my own contribution to the fun right there in the bushes - it took about ten seconds from start to finish.

"Wow," Molly said, "that's quite the story.Veryhot - it even makesmynipples hard. But anyway, did that clear things up for you? Did you finally get it that those nice Levines next door were sex-crazed wife-swappers?"

"Yeah, I did. But I was still confused. I mean the Danbys, for god's sake. He was a speech therapist, and coached Little League, and she made cookies and volunteered three days a week at the Ronald McDonald House. And there she was, fucking Zeke's brains out while her husband watched and jerked off. I started to wonder what sort of secret lives other people in the neighborhood might be living."

"In this suburb? I'm sure that was as wild as it's ever been, except for maybe some plain old, garden-variety adultery. I don't know the Danbys, but I have to say I'm not surprised about Angie and Zeke. You get that vibe sometimes from people, that sex is an especially important part of their lives. The Levines have it. Now that I know about them, though, it's going to be a little weird having dinner over there tomorrow night. On the other hand, it might be a little bit of a turn-on, too. Who knows?"

Hmmm, I said to myself. You see, in accepting my parents' invitation to house-sit, I might have had just the teeniest ulterior motive . . .

*

First, some background. At that point, Molly and I had only been married for four years, but it's as true today as it was then: not counting the kids (who came later), we're each other's favorite people by far. She's smart and quick and funny, and takes shit from no one, but at the same time has a huge heart, all of which serves her well in her job teaching fifth grade.

She's 5' 4" tall, and slender, with light brown hair, huge, mischievous brown eyes, and freckles on her nose and on the upper curve of her sexy little breasts. In clothes she often looks boyish, but when they come off, she's like a little nymph, smooth and soft and not boyish at all, and in bed she's noisy and inventive. Almost better than the sex itself is afterward, when I lie beside her and run my fingertips over her body as our heart rates return to normal, tracing a meandering path from her softening nipples down across the slight rise of her belly to her mound, with its incredibly silky pubic hair, and then further, down between her thighs, to feel the warmth and wetness of our mingled juices oozing out of her.

Which was what I was doing one night a few months before the house-sitting vacation, when the thought came crashing out of nowhere: what if this was some other guy's come that I was feeling dripping out of her? What if I'd just watched my sweet Molly fucking another guy, watched her hungrily stuffing someone else's cock into her pussy? And what if I'd just been fucking the other guy's wife?

My first reaction was, Jesus, what am I thinking, what'swrongwith me; my second was a huge erection. My fingers started to get more purposeful down there between her legs, and before long, Molly had rolled onto her side and I was thrusting madly into her from behind.

"Where did that one come from?" she murmured afterward with a smile, as we caught our breath.

"Babe, there's something I have to ask you - what are your views on group sex?" We'd agreed early in the relationship that no subject would be taboo, no matter how off the wall.

"What?"

"No, listen. What if we were at some resort somewhere on a beach, say, and we meet an attractive couple, and hit it off with them, and do lots of stuff together for the week or so we're there? What if it's the last night, and we're never going to see them again, and we've had some drinks and are walking on the beach? And, what if we just kind of wind up with each other's spouses as we walk and we're all getting pretty affectionate, and someone suggests we find a place where we get more more comfortable? And what if we do? Can you imagine us doing anything like that?"

"Is this something you want us to do?" asked Molly. "How long has this been on your mind?"

"Honest to god," I told her, "tonight is the first time I ever thought of it, and I haven't a clue why. I don't know if I'd ever want to do it for real, I mean, it's hard to imagine how sex would be with people we're not in love with, but theideastill turns me on. Thing is, there'd have to be no chance it could screw things up between us, and I don't know how we could be sure of that."

She was quiet for a while as she thought about it. Finally, she said, "You know, I think we'd be O.K., you and I, if we ever felt like trying something like that. I think we're going to be O.K., whatever we decide to try, as long as we both feel right about it. As far as sex with other people goes, though, I'm not looking for it. I mean there have been times some guy has turned me on, but I've been more than satisfied with you and me. A lot of planets and stars would have to fall into alignment before I'd want to try it with other people."

"That's how I feel, too," I said, pulling her close, and that's how we left it, but over the next couple of months, my fantasy of Molly and the other guy kept coming back, and each time it did, I could see him a little more clearly. One day, I realized that he wasn't a stranger, after all. He was Zeke Levine. And as I was watching him with Molly, I was with Angie.

"It might be a little bit of a turn-on, too," she'd said. I certainly hoped so. It seemed as if the first couple of planets and stars might even have lined themselves up already.

*

Molly appeared from the bedroom. "I'm ready. Shall we mosey on over?" she said.

"Jeez, you look great!" I said. She grinned and pivoted like a model, hand on one hip. She was wearing smoky gray linen shorts that clung seductively to her ass and upper thighs, and a loose, creamy, silk top that rippled around her as she moved, alternately concealing and outlining the curves that lay beneath. No bra - in those days, she hardly ever wore one outside of work. She'd even put on lipstick, which made it a special occasion indeed.

I took her in my arms, and she snuggled in close. "You're going to knock them dead," I said. "Is everything O.K., though? You've seemed a bit distracted today."

"Everything's fine. I just had something I needed to work through. I'll tell you about it, but right now we really ought to head next door." She kissed me, and off we went.

*

"Hi Molly, hey Will, welcome, come on in," Zeke said, giving us each a quick hug - and Molly a peck on the cheek - as we stepped inside. "Angie'll be down in a second. It's so nice this evening, we thought we'd eat out on the deck. Let's go get settled out there and have a drink." I glanced at Molly, who surreptitiously raised an eyebrow at me.

We were gathered around the drinks cart when Angie arrived, looking pretty damned good herself, in a slinky, low-cut version of the tank tops she used to wear those mornings on the deck, and a gauzy, flowing skirt that was practically see-through with the sun behind her. "Hi guys!" she said, hugging Molly. "It's so nice to finally have you here for a meal! Will, you look handsomer every time I see you." She stepped up and kissed me lightly on the lips; simultaneously I felt the ever-so-delicate touch of her breasts and belly, triggering a rush of warmth to my groin. She looked into my eyes for an instant, then turned to Zeke, saying, "I can't believe it took us this long to meet Molly."

"I know. We just don't visit here much," I said. "In the winter, my parents come out to see us so they can ski, and in the summer, we're up at the lake cottage with them. The couple of holidays that we were here, I'd hoped to introduce you, but you guys were away."

"We'll have to make up for lost time," Zeke said, giving Molly his best Bruce Willis half-grin. She grinned back.

We chatted and drank, then Molly found out Zeke's brother also taught elementary school, so they started exchanging stories. Angie asked me if I would give her a hand making the salad, and we drifted into the kitchen.

"She's great!" Angie said, laying out veggies for me to slice. "You really seem to be enjoying each other." I assured her that we were. She turned to look at me, her green eyes serious. "I hope the two of you can give each other as much pleasure as Zeke has given me."

"That's a great thing to be able to wish someone," I said. "Thanks."

"Are you thinking about kids?"

"In another couple of years. Not yet."

"We decided not to, but that's just us." She frowned. "We both had pretty awful models for parenting."

We continued to talk as we worked, and at one point we discovered we'd all been in Belize the previous year. She told Zeke, and he went and got some pictures of their trip to show Molly. Angie, meanwhile, was moving around the kitchen getting dinner ready. Every so often she'd brush against me, or our arms would touch as she reached for something; each time, it made me even more aware of her physically.

Finally, dinner was served, and I started out to the deck with plates. As I got to the door, I saw that Molly and Zeke were sitting at the picnic table, still looking at snapshots. Zeke pointed at something in one he was holding, and Molly slid close to see. He, too, was in shorts, and I could see their bare legs touching as they laughed over the picture. Zeke began to gather up the pictures. She said something, and they laughed some more. She hadn't moved away.

Dinner was excellent, and we washed it down with a liberal amount of wine. The conversation flowed just as easily, and by the time we'd finished eating, an unusual warmth and intimacy had developed between us all. It was more than just sexual attraction, although there was clearly plenty of that. Over the course of the meal, we had discovered how similarly we felt about our marriages and how much we valued and practiced openness and trust as couples. And it felt as though a corresponding atmosphere of openness and trust had begun to flower among the four of us.

It had gotten dark, and was starting to get buggy, so we moved into the living room. Zeke and Angie took one sofa, and Molly and I sat on the facing one. We were all pretty loose. Molly asked them what I'd been like as a teenager.

"He was so cute," Angie said, smiling at me.

"And so horny," Zeke added. "He tried to hide it, but he really had a thing for Angie the first summer we lived here."

"It was that obvious?" I asked, with a rueful smile.

"Oh, yes!" they chorused, laughing.

"He told me about that - the incredibly hot older woman who moved in next door," Molly grinned. "He loved your nipples, especially."

"Great, Molly," I said, "tell them all my darkest secrets, why don't you?" I made a show of squinting at Angie's chest. "They seem just as nice as ever, though."

"Gee, thanks," Angie said. "You know, it's hard to believe that Zeke and I were younger then than you guys are now. Now I'mreallythe older woman."

"That was a wild summer," Zeke said, shaking his head.

"I heard a little about that, too," Molly said. Angie and Zeke exchanged a glance. They still seemed relaxed; I suddenly wasn't.

"Oh? What did you hear?" Angie asked with a half-smile.

"Will saw some stuff one night. Out there." Molly gestured toward the deck.

Angie and Zeke looked at each other again - a little longer this time - then settled back, and gazed over at us. They seemed to have decided something.

"Not only was that the summer we moved here," Zeke said slowly, "it was the summer we experimented with opening up our marriage. We did some swinging for a while."

Angie looked over at me. "That time on the deck. The Danbys, right?"

"Yes."

"You say you opened up your marriage for 'a while'," Molly said. "Then you stopped?"

Zeke looked at Angie. "We had those parties, what, five or six times?"

"About that."

"It was funny," Zeke said. "The times we did it were incredible. I can't tell you, Will, how erotic it was to see Angie with another guy - or woman, for that matter - and to be able to experience a new woman myself without having to cheat. But it ran its course; by fall, we'd had enough. We'd sown our wild oats and discovered we'd rather save all those urges and energies for each other."

"I wondered about that," Molly said. "Whether it runs out of steam, or turns into a routine, or what? Will and I talked about it a few months ago, about whether we could ever have sex with another couple, and at the time, it seemed like such an improbable idea."

"I bet it was Will's idea," Angie said, poking Zeke. "It's always the guy."

"I don't recall you dragging your feet," he replied, fending her off.

"Yeah, it was me," I said, "but what Zeke said makes sense. If we were ever to do it, it would be like sowing wild oats, but sowing them as a loving couple and sharing each other's excitement, until it was time to move on."

"Have you done it since?" Molly asked them.

"Funny you should ask," Angie said. "We haven't, since that fall 12 years ago. In fact, we hardly ever talk about it anymore, but last night, after you'd been over, it came up." She stopped, and looked at Zeke.