Ann: The Married Years Ch. 55

© 2022, All rights reserved -- mimaster

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The silence was driving Neil crazy. He wanted to turn the radio on just for the noise, but he didn't want to disturb Ann, who was lost in thought. She was staring out the passenger window into the darkness. The only sound, besides the engine purring and the hum of the tires on pavement, was her occasional sigh. And that was driving him crazier.

When she let out another one, he caved and flicked on the stereo, keeping the volume low. She noticed, but she didn't say anything. Instead she sighed again a few minutes later, and he turned the radio up to drown that annoying sound out.

That made her turn, which made him turn, their eyes connecting. He could see the tear running down her cheek, which brought an odd smile to his face.

"It's not funny, Neil. I can't help how I feel."

"Nobody died, babe," he replied, running his hand along her bare thigh.

"I'm not so sure about that," she responded, turning to look out the window again, as if she was searching for something.

"Anna, this was bound to happen eventually."

"I'm Ann. There's no Anna tonight."

He looked at her, sitting with her legs crossed in the passenger seat as they drove down the twisting four-lane highway that led to the interstate. Her arms were folded, covering her ample chest. She was naked except for her stylish heels, but she might as well have been dressed.

He still noted her lack of attire, saying, "Could have fooled me. You're certainly dressed like Anna."

She shrugged and said, "I don't know what to tell you. Everything changed tonight."

"Babe, nothing changed other than the outcome, and everyone knows that's something that can't be controlled. To be honest, we've been lucky the last few years things were so lopsided. From a normal fan standpoint, you have to admit it was a much better game."

"I'm not a normal fan, Neil. I'm a Super Bowl slut. Period. And tonight... I don't know. I'm beginning to wonder if the party has run its course."

They were returning from Barry and Carol's house from their annual Super Bowl party. And while it was still an incredibly fun evening, filled with great friends and good food, the atmosphere had turned out most certainly different.

First, the Cowboys were back in the game, which meant Martina got to be the star of the show once again. No one said anything when she showed up in her authentic Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader outfit, which had become her customary attire three of the past four years. Yet the were some very annoyed glances and eye rolls shot her direction during the early part of the party.

Those came mostly from the notion that she herself had come up with the idea that if there were one Super Bowl slut that was the sole fan of a particular team, she'd get to be the center of attention. With Martina getting to have that honor so often, it was beginning to cause some minor jealousy among the women, including those that weren't part of that select group.

Secondly, while the game had turned into an exciting one, it was low scoring compared to most of the previous games. The Pittsburgh Steelers were the opponent, and late in the fourth quarter it was just a three point difference. Dallas scored a touchdown with under four minutes left to seal the victory, and the final score ended 27-17.

The Cowboys scored a total of just five times, and with there being so many girls as part of the naughty band of sluts, it left limited opportunities for them to strip, drink shots, and most importantly, perform some kind of oral sex act. Other than Martina, each slut had just one chance to shine, as Ann liked to think of it.

It took until partway through the third quarter before the group was completely naked. And with the way Dallas, the designated home team for the party, was spreading out the scoring, the obligatory shots of Jack Daniels weren't having their normal accumulating effect.

Yet Neil figured Ann's melancholy attitude stemmed from not feeling the way she had the previous year when the 49ers scored forty-nine points, and she was the star of the party. After all, not only did she get to perform a sexual favor for every San Francisco score during the party, she got the ultimate ending. She sucked off every man that attended at the end of the game, wearing their cum home. And just before they'd left, she'd gotten to have a threesome at the first unofficial after party, actually fucking Neil while she deep throated Maritina's husband Alphonso. Anything compared to that night was bound to be a letdown. He said as much.

"Anna, you can't compare year to year. Each party is bound to be different."

"This isn't about me, Neil."

"Are you sure? We can make a stop at the gas station if you want."

He was referring to how he'd ended her night previous year. She'd teased a convenience store attendant on the way to the party, showing off her sexy body in the custom designed see-through dress she'd worn. She'd even gotten their gas for free because of it. Neil didn't forget that, and on the trip home, he told to her go into the store, naked and covered in cum, and pay for the gas by sucking off that same attendant. It was a perverse thrill, because he'd made her do it; something that she got off on, and it made the night even more memorable.

She recognized his attempt to inject some levity, and perhaps ignite a sexual spark in her, but she saw through it. "That would be staged. You know it wouldn't be the same, and I've already told you I'm Ann. Stop calling me Anna. I'm not in the mood."

He sensed there was more to her attitude than just the noticeable difference in atmosphere at the party, but that seemed like the logical place to start.

"Are you sure this isn't about tonight?"

"Well obviously that's part of it. I sucked one cock, tonight. One, Neil. I could have done that at home."

"I get that. And yet just five years ago sucking that one cock at a party would have seemed like an impossibility."

"I'm well aware of how the party has progressed. I don't need to be patronized."

"I'm not trying to upset you, Ann," he said, griping internally that he'd had to cave and accept that while she looked like she was ready to fuck, like every other year they left the party, her mind was obviously elsewhere. Sex seemed to be the furthest thing from her mind. "I'm just trying to understand what you're feeling."

"I... I feel lost right now."

"This sounds like a much deeper conversation we're about to have. Out with it. What's going on in your mind?"

"Look, the way this party went certainly has me feeling different tonight, especially if I were comparing it to last year. But it's really not about me as much as you want to make it out to be. I knew going in that there was no way it would live up to what I got to do that night. The truth is, I've already come to terms that a night like that will never happen again. I'm actually okay with that."

"You are?"

"Neil, the fact that you even let me do it once is amazing. I sucked off a dozen different men. Some more than once. I got covered in cum. I was a real slut. You allowed me to live that out. I have no reason to complain. Besides, did you see Martina tonight?"

"Of course."

"I mean did you really watch her."

"I don't understand."

"She saw the looks, Neil. Some of the women were pretty blatant about their contempt early on. As soon as she came out in that fucking outfit, they let her know how they felt about her changing the rules on her own to suit her personal sexual gratification. But what was she supposed to do after what I did last year being the center of all that cock. I'm sure she felt obligated to wear it again because she made such a big deal out of it the other two years. And she's certainly happy that the Cowboys won the game. But if you watched her tonight, she was having anything but a good time. She was going through the motions. I think if she were honest about it, she would have rather just been one of the sluts tonight."

"Are you saying she didn't want to be the center of attention?"

"Yeah. I am. It was like watching a bad rerun. We all knew what was going to happen. You said it yourself. The game was more exciting than what we were doing. I mean, fuck... I'm sober. Yeah, I eventually had five shots of whiskey, but because I drank them over four hours I don't feel a buzz at all."

"You sound like you like being drunk."

"I said buzzed. I... you know, we'll talk about that in a minute. I don't want to get sidetracked."

That confirmed to him that more than just the party was bothering her. But it was very unlike her to stay on point. She had a tendency to drift between subjects, which sometimes made it hard to follow her train of thought. That she wanted to stay focused was a good sign, at least in that he'd likely get to the bottom of her fears or concerns before the night was over. He may not like where she went with her thoughts, but he couldn't deal with them at all if she didn't talk to him.

"Okay. What's going on."

"Tonight was the first night that it felt predictable. We've all been there and done it. There are too many sluts, so it dilutes the fun that we... that I can have. They've all seen us naked. They've all seen us suck cock and eat pussy. The only one that really gets a thrill now is whoever gets to be the hostess and they get to get naked too. Thank God Carol put an end to the pledges this year. But that's not enough. She's got to come up with something to bring a spark back. Did you see how quickly everyone left? Martina couldn't get out of there fast enough."

"Well, I certainly noticed we didn't stay for the after party. I thought I'd be fucking you before we left."

"It was just the four of us. You know I love Barry and Carol, but I wasn't into having sex in front of them just for the sake of salvaging a night that was already over. And I talked to Carol. She's upset. She wasn't feeling it either. I'm sure she's feeling like the party was a failure, and somehow it's her fault."

"Do you?"

"No. I just think it's one of those things, you know. What was fun at one time suddenly isn't anymore. It's hard to have to try and always top the previous year."

"I can't believe that's even a thought. Maybe I'm just an idiot. Maybe it's foolish to think that watching a half-dozen gorgeous women gradually get naked over the course of four hours is somewhat entertaining. I must be out of my mind to think that the random chance of getting a blowjob from one of those women is something to look forward to, even like tonight when I didn't win."

"Stop it, Neil. I don't need your fucking sarcasm. You know it felt different. It wasn't just me that sensed the shift tonight. Carol must be a mess right now. She said she's going to have to reevaluate the rules to make things more exciting. She knows this one was a dud... and a big part of that was Martina. If the main attraction isn't engaged, and she wasn't, then there's no way tonight was going to be fun. And for me, it wasn't. I can't believe it was for you."

"What can I say? I actually get excited when I see you stripping in front of all those people. It excites me to know I'm married to the hottest woman in a room full of hot women."

"Your Playboy teacher fantasy?" she smirked, recalling his story about the elementary teacher that was featured in a pictorial article, and how she found a love for being a stripper after entering and winning an amateur contest in Las Vegas. It had such a profound impact on her that she changed careers. The impact on Neil was just as formative. He'd confessed to jacking off countless times to that particular issue of the magazine.

"Maybe. I never connected the two, but I'm not going to lie... it gets me hard watching you. I love that you're an exhibitionist, and I love showing you off. As for the party, all I can say is give Carol time. None of us should be judging the parties on this one night. We should take stock of all of them and give her a chance to reset. We should never make decisions when we're in a poor frame of mind."

"You're in a poor frame of mind?"

"No. I was speaking collectively. Like I said, I had fun. But I'm not one of the sluts, so my perspective is going to be different. All I'm saying is don't give up on it yet. Carol certainly deserves the chance to make it better."

"Yeah. I guess you're right about that."

"Okay, so what else is bothering you?"

"A lot of things, honestly."

"Such as?"

"I hate your job."

He knew it was coming. It happened every time he switched from first shift to second. It was his shift change weekend, and while he'd always take the Monday after the Super Bowl as a vacation day, that wasn't enough to dissuade her hatred for him being on second shift. No matter what incredible things she'd come up with over the years to make it special for the two of them, it was horrible on their personal life. And that fact became magnified when their son Owen came along.

"I know you do, babe."

"Neil, stop fucking sweet talking me. I'm pissed right now."

"I can see that."

"I hate your fucking job, okay. I hate that we always have a make sacrifices because you work such stupid fucking shifts. I hate that our son is suddenly taking the concept of being a terrible two to an entirely ridiculous fucking level. I'm not sure I'm going to survive this month. I'm dead fucking serious."

"You must be. That's four f-bombs in one breath. That's a lot, even for you."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean!" she snapped, her anger actually rising.

He reached for the radio, turning it off. Then he gave her a very nasty look that froze her.

"You might want to simmer down, Anna Renee. You're not wearing anything for me to rip off of you right now. I don't think we want to explore how that works out."

She knew what he meant. Whenever she was being bratty, he'd sometimes have to check her behavior. It almost always led to him ripping off a cheap shirt she'd wear, before the two of them engaged in some rough, yet incredible sex. His warning was telling her she might be in for the punishment her actions were leading toward, but not the orgasms that always went along with it.

He narrowed his eyebrows. "If you want to stop acting like a cunt and talk to me, I'm willing to listen. Otherwise it might be best for us just to be quiet the rest of the way home. I'll leave it up to you. Make a choice. What's it going to be?"

Undeterred, she griped, "I'm tired of it. All of it. I hate living here."

"Where the hell is that coming from? You've never said anything like that before."

"I just... I really hate your job."

"Those two things have nothing to do with each other. I know you hate when I work second shift."

"No. I hate your job. I hate it!"

"Ann, I don't... I don't understand where all this vitriol is coming from."

"Duh! Your fucking job!" He reached over and grabbed a nipple, twisting and squeezing it. But there was nothing sexual about it. "OW! OW! OW! OW! OW!"

"Stop being a cunt!" he growled.

"OKAY! OKAY! LET GO!"

He did, fuming that he'd gone where he did. She was deliberately pushing his buttons, and it saddened him. He let out a long, exasperated sigh. "I'll be dropping you off at the house. I'm not going to be home tonight."

"What? Because we're having a fight!?"

"You're picking a fight. And I bought into it. I just did something to you in anger. That's not happening again. Ever! I don't want to be around you right now."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying you're the most beautiful woman in the world. You're naked. And yet, as much as I love you, I've never been less attracted to you than I am right now. You hate my job? Fine. I hate this ugly side of you."

They drove in silence for forty minutes. That is with the exception of her sniffling. She'd teared up, the drops rolling down her cheeks. But she fought off the urge to bawl, even though she could feel herself teetering on the edge of losing it. She wasn't going to let him see her like that. It was foolish, but her pride hit her in strange ways at times.

They were almost to the development, pulling around the corner when she said, "Neil. Please don't leave me alone tonight. I can't take it."

"And I can't take you in bitch mode. It's better I not be home. You know that."

She grabbed his arm, holding it. He actually recoiled, and the waterworks were about to start. That made him want to be around that even less. This was a self-inflicted wound on her part as far as he was concerned. His mind was made up.

"Please. I'm not going to make it through the night. I already feel alone."

"Stop with the drama, Ann. I don't know what the hell is going on inside that pretty head of yours, but I tried to be there for you. Now I'm not going to be."

"Please don't say that. That scares me. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Jesus. Get ahold of yourself. I'm not leaving you. I'm just not going to be home tonight."

"Where are you going to go?"

"You don't need to know. I'll have my cell with me."

"Oh God. I've fucked everything up. I'm such an idiot. I'm such a fucking idiot."

Her lower lip trembled, her eyes welling up. Yet she still fought to control her emotions. He wasn't sure what was going on. It didn't feel right to him. She was off kilter, and there was a lot bubbling beneath the surface she wasn't totally letting on to. She'd likely touched on a couple of them. His job. Owen becoming more of a handful. The assertion that she felt alone had him concerned. He wanted no part of a fight, or any more of her ugly behavior. But he wasn't going to abandon her without knowing what the root cause of all this was. He had to make a split second decision.

Stopping the car at the entrance to the development at the bottom of the hill, he motioned for her to open her door.

"Get out."

"Wh... what?"

"Get out... of... the car."

"Why?"

"If you want me to stay home tonight, get out of the car."

She opened the door, nervous about getting out. After all, it was the end of January, and it was one in the morning. It was damn cold out, and she was completely naked.

"Baby?" she pleaded.

"Don't you dare sweet talk me. You didn't want me doing it to you. You need to cool off, so you're walking the rest of the way. And you're taking the streets. No shortcuts, and no running. I'll open the garage when I see you, and I'll have your robe waiting for you. While you're walking home, you need to think about what you need to tell me. I'm preparing for this to be a long night. We're talking this out. And don't worry about Owen. He's not going to be home tomorrow."

"He's not?"

"No. It was going to be a surprise."

"I fucked that up too."

"Yeah, you kinda did. Now get the fuck out, Ann. You're wasting my time."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

He was looking out the front door, waiting for her to round the corner at the top of the hill. He'd been inside for several minutes, trying to decide what to do with her once she got home. In truth, he wasn't in the mood for sex anymore himself. She'd killed whatever excitement he'd had when they left the party.

But he also wasn't in the mood to punish her. He'd threatened her with the idea of her becoming Anna Renee, but that was more to wake her up and get her to recognize how she was acting. And since that persona also always ended up in a sexual encounter, that didn't appeal to him either. What did was figuring out where all her angst was rising from.

He saw her, and a smile appeared. He knew she was cold, but she wasn't about to show it. At least not while she was out in public like she was. There wasn't anyone around to see her, but she was strutting down the hill toward their driveway like she was on display. It reminded him of her leaving the theater the night they'd watched a play. She'd been challenged by his most recent portrayal of James Bond, asked to create a distraction, and she did so by walking through a crowd of hundreds of people dressed just like she was as she approached her house.