Angelic Empath

The food was indeed excellent. The wine and conversation flowed, Jackie became a little tipsy as the evening wore on. When she was being conspiratorial she leaned into him, her hand on his thigh. It was just like old times.

Eventually it was time for them to leave. As they waited for their coats, one of the faces Martin recognised excused himself from the group he was with at the bar and came over.

"Martin, so good to see you looking so well, how's retirement?"

"Hi Gary, nice to see you. I'm fine thanks and really enjoying my time being my own. Also being completely out of the world of IT. Well as much as one can be nowadays. This is my wife Jackie, Jackie, this is Gary, he was my senior infrastructure architect. Have you two met before?"

"I don't think so." said Jackie.

"No, we haven't been introduced before. I'd have remembered." said Gary, ever the charmer, "I've heard your name though, a former credit control manager, Jackie Howard wasn't it, back then? You'd left before I started."

Gary looked at Martin, "I'm afraid I've got a foot in two camps. I know Jackie's ex, Mike. He's sort of a friend. Only because he throws some very wild parties." he gave Jackie a knowing look, "Anyway, great to see you Martin, I'd better be getting back. I'll tell everyone on Monday I've seen you and how well you look."

Jackie was bright red, Martin held out Jackie's coat for her to put her arms in.

"I won't bother, I'm too hot as it is, just put it over my shoulders."

Their taxi arrived.

Gary rejoined his group and said something to one of the men, they both looked across at Martin and Jackie leaving, they clinked their glasses and laughed.

Jackie was very unsteady on her feet. He helped her to the taxi. They set off, Jackie was very animated and funny, she even leant in for a kiss, a proper kiss!

After they arrived home Martin paid the taxi and helped Jackie get her key in the lock. Once inside he kissed her. She responded, one arm around him, inside his jacket, her other hand on the front of his trousers, squeezing his thickening manhood. Martin's hand cupped her breast, she moaned with pleasure and pressed herself harder against him.

Gunther whined. Their kiss broke. Jackie giggled.

"Oh, I'd better let him out." said Martin.

"You do that, I'll be upstairs waiting for you, don't be long."

"Can you climb the stairs OK, I don't want you falling."

"I'll be fine."

Martin couldn't believe the change in her. He watched as she went up the stairs on all fours, like a child, hands on the steps in front. He held his breath once she reached the top and stood up. She didn't teeter backwards, he was poised to run to catch her. She entered the bedroom.

He let Gunther out to pee then he let him back in, locked the door, turned off the downstairs lights and went upstairs.

He was so aroused as he entered the bedroom. Jackie was flat on her back on the bed, she was asleep.

"Jackie?" there was no reply.

He shook her gently, she just grunted. She was out for the night.

"Ah, well. At least we've broken the ice, perhaps the Ice Queen has melted." he murmured.

He closed the curtains, cleaned his teeth and then undressed Jackie.

Getting her out of the gown was not easy, it was tight-fitting. He did his best at removing her makeup, he'd watched her do it plenty of times. He probably used too many pads and not enough micellar water. Anyhow, he got most of it off.

Her underwear was easy to remove. He could see from the fresh secretions in her knickers that she had been very aroused. He gently ran his finger along her cleft, her slick labia parting easily. She was still very, very wet.

"So much for not getting lubricated enough for penetration." he thought.

He dropped her underwear in the hamper and manoeuvred her into as comfortable looking a position as he could manage. He looked at the curve of her bum, still red in places from the hot bath, surely not? Perhaps it was the sequins? They did feel a bit scratchy as he removed the dress.

Despite his raging erection he was not going to take advantage of a comatose wife. He covered her with the duvet.

He turned off the lights and lay down next to her. The events of the day were in his thoughts but the meal and the alcohol caused him to fall asleep.

He had vivid dreams that night. Various times in the night they woke him up. Sometimes feeling troubled. When he finally awoke, he could only remember snippets.

One particularly troubling snippet was that he was in bed with Diane, their bodies entwined. She was still sleeping, he went to the window. Jackie was starting her car and driving away in tears. He ran downstairs. The front door was wide open. Jackie must have come in and found him in bed with Diane then rushed out and driven away, crying.

Deep down he knew this was just his brain, processing and filing away information. That's what he believed anyway. With a wry smile he wished he could remember the events leading up to becoming asleep in bed entwined with Diane, it might all have been worth it!

Jackie was asleep next to him, her back to him. He spooned his big body close to her, his arm over her, cupping a breast. He was careful not to let the weight of his arm rest on her. Her breast felt good in his hand, he did not move. He just lay there, enjoying the warmth of the moment.

Jackie stirred, moved out from under his arm and went to the en-suite, closing the door. He heard the tinkling of her pee, followed by the unrolling of the toilet roll holder, then the flush and the tap briefly running. She came back to bed.

Instead of resuming the position they were in, she picked up a magazine and then arranged her pillows so that she could sit up in bed. She got into bed, pulled the duvet over her breasts and clamped down her elbows either side to hold it tightly in place as she read her magazine.

"The Ice Queen returneth." said Martin quietly.

"What?"

"Good morning." said Martin, I said, "Would you like a cup of tea?"

"Yes please." replied the Ice Queen.

Martin got out of bed, put on his dressing gown and went downstairs. Gunther was lying down on his side, one eye following Martin.

If it was too early, Gunther wouldn't move. He thought it wasn't too early, so he stood up and shook himself. Then he pushed his front paws out in front of him, as far as they would go, his arse in the air. Then he raised himself as high as he could on his front legs and stretched each back leg as far back as it would go. Always the left leg, followed by the right.

This behaviour fascinated Martin, how do they know? How do they know you need to stretch before exercise? He looked at the clock and put the kettle on. He got Jackie's mug and put a teabag in, then he put instant coffee in his mug and wondered if Diane was awake yet.

"WHAT? Why did I just think that?" He looked at his hand, the one that had held Diane's, "What on earth happened yesterday?" As he thought of that moment, a peaceful warmth enveloped him. Then reality returned, "Get a grip man."

The kettle boiled, he made the drinks. Before taking them upstairs he let Gunther out to pee and let him back in when he'd finished. The dog went back to his bed and lay down with a sigh. He knew the morning routine.

Martin carried the drinks upstairs. He put his on his bedside table, then he took Jackie's round to her side and put it on the mat on her table. Leaning over her to kiss her, he received the perfunctory kiss in return. He arranged his pillows, dropped his dressing gown and got into bed next to her.

"What do you remember about last night?" he asked, "You were a bit tipsy when we got back."

As far as Jackie is concerned she never gets anywhere near drunk, so she will claim she remembers everything, even if she does not.

"Everything."

Martin knew she didn't, he felt like saying, "Even the blow-job in the taxi?" but, that would be unhelpful. Funny, but unhelpful. Instead, he asked, "What about as we walked in the door?"

"What about it?"

"What happened?"

"We got back, I went upstairs, you let Gunther out and then locked up."

"Not quite, we kissed, passionately. You embraced me, you felt me, held my erection through my trousers. I held your breast you pushed yourself against me.

You told me to hurry up letting Gunther out, you'd be in the bedroom waiting for me."

Jackie was silent.

"When I came up you had passed out. I got ready for bed. I removed your makeup then I removed your clothes. You were very aroused. I've never known your pussy to be so wet."

"You didn't?" asked Jackie concernedly.

"No, I didn't. It was obvious from the state of your knickers, I also felt your pussy, to make sure. You definitely were very wet. They're over there in the hamper if you don't believe me."

Jackie was again silent.

"Come on Jackie, tell me, what's going on? This really isn't fair. Last night you were all over me. You were more lubricated and ready than I've ever known. I know that might not always be the case, but it's not like you've dried up. Your kiss was passionate, it blew me away.

You try to come across like you're past it now, entering a different phase in your life. But then you wear gorgeous, expensive underwear. You let me see you wearing it. You let me get aroused, but no, not allowed. I get no response to any advance I make."

The floodgates were open now, Martin couldn't have stopped, even if he wanted to.

"I saw you in the bath, you still trim your pussy? Not for me that's for sure, so who? Yourself? Why? Why go to that trouble? Why do you care? Who else sees it besides me? The ladies at the golf club when you take a shower there? Why do you care what they think? Tell me, why do you trim yourself?"

Tears started to fall down Jackie's face, but she remained silent.

"You say your libido is affected, so how come you still masturbate? How come you buy new sex toys? You're lying to me."

No reply.

"Look, whatever the reason, whatever is going on, you've got to tell me. I won't go on like this, I won't. I love you. Sometimes I wish I didn't, then it would be so easy to rid myself of this pain. Yes pain, I'm hurting Jackie. Talk to me!"

Jackie just sat there, saying nothing, tears still falling.

Martin became angry, "Oh fuck this!"

He got up and grabbed clean underwear, socks, shorts and a tee shirt. Then he went downstairs, naked.

Jackie picked up her phone, dialled and waited for the voicemail to kick in, "He knows. Well, he doesn't know, but he knows." she hung up.

Martin dressed downstairs and left for the dog walk, it was half past eight.

At eight o'clock that morning Diane woke up. She had also experienced very vivid dreams, REM sleep had just left her, the memory still strong. Of Martin inside her, in the woods. She had her back to a tree, she was still wearing her coat, but her skirt was around her waist. Martin had torn her knickers off.

With her legs wrapped around his waist she felt she was too old for these gymnastics, but he was carrying her. The backs of her thighs were supported by his strong hands. She was biting his lip as he fucked her. His girth stretched her she could feel every inch of him. She wanted him, needed him. Then the noise of the town outside intruded and woke her, the dream faded.

She was so turned on, she had to finish it. She leaned over to her bottom bedside table drawer and took out her trusted friend. Shaped like she imagined him to be, she took him in her mouth, lubricating him with her saliva. She lay back and opened her legs. Her pussy was trimmed, for Josh, he liked her that way. She had a very pretty pussy. What the men that had said that meant, she had no idea. She just took it to mean there was nothing unusual.

Tracing a finger through her wetness, she spread her lips ready for his insertion. She felt him at her entrance, his brown eyes were gazing into hers, she guided him inside her, feeling herself stretching to accommodate him. He closed his eyes, his face was serene, no more pain, he was lost within her.

She humped herself against him, meeting him, thrust for thrust. He was inside her, she was taking all of him. He kissed her, she felt powerless. His powerful body over her, but not crushing her, just penetrating her, over and over, the base of his cock stimulating her clit. The orgasm was intense, it left her breathless.

She lay there with her arms and legs outstretched and wondered if Martin was awake. That thought made her feel so warm and excited to see him again.

That was the exact same moment when he'd wondered the exact same thing about her. Diane looked at the hand she'd held out to Martin, remembering the jolt she'd felt as their hands touched.

She used a cleansing wipe on the dildo and put it back in the drawer. A few minutes passed, and then she had a very powerful, disturbing feeling that Martin needed her. He was hurting, badly. She couldn't explain it, yet she couldn't shake it. It kept growing stronger. She knew she had to go to him.

Calling at his house was out of the question. She didn't know the number for a start. That wouldn't be too difficult, now she had a name, but what would she say?

After pacing up and down her bedroom she quickly dressed, going commando under her jeans, braless under her cashmere. Pulling on her boots she knew she had to go to the woods. Having only ever driven past them, she wasn't sure of where to get in. She decided to just let this feeling inside guide her.

At the same time Martin was leaving his house. As he stepped into the lane, Jackie's phone rang, he obviously didn't hear it.

Jackie looked at her phone, "No Caller ID".

"Hi Mike."

"What do you mean he knows? What are you playing at? We said we wouldn't call each other."

"He doesn't know the details, but he's worked it out. I'm going to have to tell him, your hold over me is over."

"So you'll tell him about us?" sneered Mike, "Your marriage will definitely be over if I tell him all we did. Especially if I let him know about Jake as well."

"Why the hushed tones Mike, have you gone downstairs to make this call? Is Pam still in bed?"

No reply.

"It seems the tables are turned Mike, I'm the one with a hold over you. I'm going to tell Martin and that means you're now powerless.

If you ever contact me again, I'll make sure Pam knows everything and I mean everything.

You're a control freak, she'll have worked that out for herself by now, the BDSM says it all. Surely you do that with her as well?

If I tell her that you blackmailed me after your mate told you that Jake was shagging me, she'll believe me. If I also tell her that you wanted me as a sexual slave, she'll believe me. That you'd threatened to destroy my marriage if you saw any evidence of sexual activity with Martin, she'll totally believe that too.

I only wish I could say the sex with you and what you subjected me to was horrible. It wasn't, I loved all of it. That's all you can take away from this Mike. You'll never have me again.

Oh, and I'd think twice before approaching Martin, if you're thinking of making sure he knows every sordid detail. He's so angry, even just suspecting. Chances are he'd beat you to a pulp knowing all that.

The size of him compared to you. He might still do that anyway, so I'd avoid him, if you can."

She hung up, her hand shaking.

Mike just stared at his phone, his face contorted in fury, "Bitch!"

He knew she was right, he had to stay out of Martin's way.

Martin had reached the start of the two footpaths. He considered going the old route and decided he would do that. Life was far less complicated going that way. His hands were on the stile, he was about to climb when his chin fell to his chest. He couldn't go that way. There was something inside him now that wouldn't let him. He turned, climbed over the other stile and headed for the woods, he was being drawn there.

A sense of impending doom for his marriage filled his thoughts. Then, in the middle of that dark, swirling maelstrom; a tiny pinprick of light was born and started struggling to reach the surface.

Diane was walking briskly along the pavement, she'd left her car behind. She could see the woods ahead of her on her side of the road. Over the low, stone wall to her left she could see the small river running parallel to the road. The sense that Martin was hurting was growing stronger.

"There must be a footbridge over it, that'll be where the dog bathes, then he walks back home this way. If there's a bridge that leads into the woods, that's where I'll go in."

There was, Diane walked over a stone packhorse bridge, covered in lichen. On the other side there was a small beach of pebbles leading into the crystal clear water. It looked knee-deep. The narrow lane she was on continued to follow the river.

To the left was a self-closing wooden gate. Behind the gate was a Woodland Trust sign, with the usual no fires or camping rules. Next to it another brightly coloured board with the various trails, habitats, and wildlife to be found in the woods. Diane studied it, trying to work out which path he'd take.

Martin was just entering the woods, much higher up than Diane. The struggling pinprick of light was getting stronger, brighter, gaining energy and moving towards the surface. It was pushing away the darkness.

Martin was in absolute despair and turmoil. He could feel the wife he loved fading away from him, receding, like that darkness in his mind.

His thoughts were being filled with the other woman, Diane. Not really the other woman, their relationship was innocent. She was drawing him, attracting him to her and away from his beloved. She gave him hope, hope that he could still be truly happy.

He didn't want her, not yet, not now, not right now. He was fooling himself, he did want her. At the same time he had to give Jackie a chance, he wanted to think about Jackie. He tried his hardest to think about Jackie.

The pinprick of light made it to the surface, it exploded in his mind like a supernova. It banished the darkness, Jackie receded away with it. No, not yet!

Diane's beautiful, smiling face was then foremost in his mind. He put his hands to his temples and screamed, a guttural, primal roar. All of his anguish transformed into sound energy and released into the woodland.

Roosting birds took to the air all around. Pigeon's wings clapping as they strove to become airborne. The trees did their job, they absorbed Martin's pain.

They'd heard it all before. The sound bouncing from trunk to trunk, dissipating amongst their branches, twigs and new leaves. To them, it was just another relatively minor event in the history of this ancient woodland. The history they had watched over, some of them for centuries.

But not all the soundwaves were intercepted by the trees. Some found a clear pathway between the trunks. Some were only slightly diverted, glancing off as they continued to fan out. The few that were able to make it through made it all the way down to Diane.

By the time it reached her the sound was somewhat muffled and distorted. It still chilled her to the bone. It sounded like a mortally wounded howling animal, from somewhere up there. A bear with its leg caught in a cruel, metal jaw. There was only one path that led in the direction from which that howl came.

"Martin?... Martin!" she almost screamed his name. Somehow, deep inside she knew it was him. She set off climbing. The Trust had made the path safer. Using wooden sleepers with wire mesh for grip where it was boggy. Sometimes using them to make terraces, making the climb less steep. She forced herself to keep going.

Gasping for breath she could now see him. Still way up ahead, sat on a fallen, mossy tree-trunk. His head was in his hands. The big, black dog's head in his lap. She made it to the top.

Martin heard her footsteps approaching, he didn't need to look up, he knew it would be her. Gunther growled.