Best Laid Plans of Wives 'n Friends

Author's Notes:

This is a departure for me. For the first time, I'm submitting a story complete. This is intended to be a true short story, but I've never written one. My understanding is that they're maybe the hardest pieces to write because of the need to fit all the components in fewer words. After having written this, I have to say that I agree. Was I successful? I guess my readers will be the judge of that.

This story is one that I'd started writing for a longer format, but I wanted to see if I could even write a short story. So, I reworked what I'd written, eliminating a bunch of back story and other events to focus on the main conflict. It's about a man who, through an odd set of circumstances, sleeps with his wife's best friend. I'm posting it in the Loving Wives category at my own peril, because I don't think there's a better spot for it. But, knowing the enthusiastic readership of that genre, I fully expect that it will not be received to universal acclaim. It ends up somewhere in the vast space between RAAC and BTB, so it will likely please and satisfy no one.

Standard disclaimer: Please, if you like the story, or if you don't like the story, take a moment to comment. It's especially helpful if you have something constructive to add. It helps me quite a bit to see the story through others' eyes.

Finally, as always, all sexual activity takes place between adults.

—MB

*****

"But Mouse, you are not alone,

In proving foresight may be vain:

The best laid schemes of mice and men

Go often askew,

And leave us nothing but grief and pain,

For promised joy!"

"To a Mouse" - Robert Burns

*****

Evan listened to her even breathing, the only sound that competed in the stillness of the night with the ticking of the grandfather clock downstairs. The moonlight filtering through the window sheers reflected from her skin and hair, making her seem to glow like an angel. He knew that she was really only a devilish temptation with an angel's face. I'm probably going to hell, he thought.

His post-orgasmic euphoria had faded in the, looking at the time again, now two hours since they'd finished. The satisfaction of knowing he'd pleasured her well now forgotten with the echoes of her cries fallen silent. Instead, a weariness settled over him. More than simply a weariness of the body, it was also a weariness of the spirit. And yet, despite this fatigue, he was having trouble falling asleep. He wondered if Lexi had taken another step tonight. And once again, he found himself wondering how they'd gotten to this place and hating himself for lacking the self-control to stop.

Lexi wasn't in his arms tonight; Jenna was. Lexi was his wife; Jenna was her best friend. Some friend she is. What kind of friend seduces her best friend's husband? Then again, what kind of wife would put her best friend up to it?

That was the part the still fried his circuits. He couldn't fathom what had possessed his wife to go along when her evil circle of ne'er-do-wells at the country club had suggested she have an affair. They had too much time and money on their hands, with too little monitoring by their husbands, as far as he was concerned. In light of the stories he'd heard of their exploits, maybe he shouldn't have been surprised after all. Still, he'd always thought theirs was a marriage for the ages. That she was even remotely unhappy had caught him off-guard.

Jenna said she loved me tonight, he remembered. Sure, it might have just been sex talk. She had been quite vigorously riding his cock at the time. But, somehow, he'd expected it to happen sometime soon anyway. There was a reason she was in his bed, as she'd been for the better part of a week now, and it couldn't be simply attributed to a physical need within her. Jenna was a lot of things, but she wasn't reckless. If she slept with a man, it was because she felt something for him. He knew that much about her.

Do I love her back? he wondered.

Physically, she was as close to perfect as he could imagine. Now a 36-year old, her two marriages had both ended in heartbreak. Her first, as a 23-year old trophy wife to a wealthy 76-year old oil baron with a bad heart, had lasted less than a year before he passed, just long enough for him to change his will. At 29, she married an even wealthier 25-year old tech entrepreneur, who spent the three years of their marriage having a series of affairs. Without a prenup in place, her second ex-husband learned a valuable lesson in family law, while she'd learned an equally valuable lesson about commitment—not to make them. Now, she used her husbands' money to enhance what gifts God had graced her with at birth.

Her implants hadn't impacted the sensitivity of her nipples, fortunately. He'd found that she loved it when he pinched them, especially when he took her from behind. Equally fortunate, her breasts hadn't been expanded to a size that wouldn't fit in Evan's hands. To be fair, though, he had big hands.

He remembered the ecstasy on her face as she tangled her fingers in her blonde locks while she rode him cowgirl earlier. The beautiful blue eyes that he loved to see so much had disappeared behind clenched lids each time she fell into orgasm. The thought was making him hard again, and despite his fatigue, he was tempted to roll her over and slide into her once again.

Instead, he eased from under her arm and went downstairs for a bottle of water. As he sipped, he pulled up the app and noted that Lexi, or at her phone at least, was still at Morgan's house. Morgan Shaw, co-conspirator, was a key character in Lexi's new-found interest in an affair. The younger woman had an agreement with her husband. If he was out of town, then she was a free-agent. And Davin Shaw traveled for business a lot. Thus, unlike Lexi, she had a steady stream of strange bedmates, with the full knowledge of her husband. According to Jenna, jealousy about that was at the heart of Lexi's problems.

I'm sure it's merely a coincidence that Lexi launched her plan while Davin is on a trip to Thailand for the next two weeks, Evan sarcastically thought.

He finished his water, tossing the bottle in the recycling bin. Before heading back upstairs, he checked the burner phone that his wife had given Jenna for any messages. He had to smile a bit when he saw the latest message from his wife.

You covered the camera! Need video for this 2 work.

Of course we covered the camera, he thought. No sense in giving his wife the evidence she wanted. He smirked as he typed in response:

Sry. Will b mor careful nxt tim.

He was still shaking his head as he reviewed the absurdity of the series of events that had led to tonight, and apparently, were going to continue.

Only two weeks ago, Jenna had asked him to meet her for an early dinner at a bar and grill near his office. When he arrived, she conveyed to him the bizarre plan that his wife had concocted with the help of her friends. She wanted to have an affair, Jenna told him, one of those 'it's just sex' kinds of things. But Lexi knew that she'd never get Evan's approval or permission, nor was she willing to offer up an exchange by swapping partners with another couple or bringing another woman to their bed. Despite those limitations, what really held her back from attempting it was their prenuptial agreement.

That damn prenup. They'd both poo-pooed it at the time. The funny thing was, it was her family that insisted on it. Evan didn't come from money, and her parents had been skeptical of their relationship from the beginning. Thus, they'd insisted that he sign an agreement before wedding Lexi, which really pissed him off. He'd thought it an unnecessary act of poor faith. But since he'd had no intentions of divorcing her, and wasn't interested in her family's wealth anyway, he'd acquiesced. The one thing that he'd been adamant about, though, was that there would be hell to pay when it came to adultery. He could stomach the idea of being punished if he somehow screwed up, but he was very firm that he would not sign away his rights in all the other eventualities that the agreement covered without a serious concession on their part if Lexi turned out to be an adulteress. He kind of thought the whole thing was an insult to his honor anyway, so he made sure that if his future wife's honor were lacking, he'd be compensated for his injury.

Essentially, the agreement said that in cases of adultery, the guilty party would forfeit any rights to contest property division or custody of any children, or to pursue maintenance after the ensuing divorce. Laid out in plain terms, the guilty party would receive 25% of the marital assets held in joint, the wounded party the remaining 75%, and the divorce would be executed swiftly. If Lexi was the one that cheated, however, there was an additional stipulation that her trust fund and any inherited funds would be subject to a 50:50 division. It was an enormous risk that her family had taken, and he'd been certain that they'd balk at including such a clause. However, in their certainty that he'd be the one to screw up, they included it and Lexi signed it.

Thus, she had a tremendous amount to lose if she was caught cheating. So, in a stroke of genius—or madness, depending on your perspective—she'd hatched a plan whereby Evan would be enticed into an affair, which Lexi would document, and then she'd be free to pursue her plans without fear.

Both Jenna and Arianna, Lexi's younger sister, had blasted her for what she planned to do to Evan. Lexi hadn't been surprised at their objections, since she knew that each harbored feelings for Evan. Not that they'd ever act on them, but they were there nonetheless. That was part of the reason she'd told them of her plans. She needed an accomplice, someone who could reasonably be expected to seduce Evan without trying to take him from her. More importantly, she needed someone who would help her gather the evidence that would set her free.

For several days, together and separately, they'd attempted to talk Lexi out of it. In the end, though, it became apparent that she was going to go through with her plans, with or without them. Jenna, upon that realization, was the first to seize the opportunity to make the attempt. Arianna was forced to accept the role of alibi for Lexi, who planned to tell her husband that she'd be staying with her sister for a week to catch up.

Perhaps feeling guilty over what she was planning on doing in the week before she left, Lexi had attempted to wear Evan's manhood down to a nub. This, after neglecting him for more than a month prior. Even if he hadn't known what she was trying to do, Evan would have been suspicious. Fortunately for him, he'd had a major deal closing this week, which provided a welcome distraction during the day. At night, she was so focused on alleviating her guilt that she didn't notice the looks her husband was giving her. In the business world, he had could be cold and dispassionate; at home, he didn't have the luxury of divorcing himself from the situation.

It would have been easier if he didn't love her so much, or if he no longer found her attractive. That wasn't the case, though. He still enjoyed her body as much as he ever did, and knowing why she was planning her betrayal, he did his best to remind her how good he could be for her.

She left early on a Friday morning. In her excitement to get going, she barely paused to kiss her husband goodbye. Evan had remained standing at the front door with tears in his eyes, even after she was long gone, wondering if this was what crash-test dummies felt like.

Right up until Jenna drove into his driveway.

She marched up the walkway dragging a large suitcase and a makeup bag. Evan watched her progress, thinking to himself, my marriage shouldn't be like this; this shouldn't be happening. Without a word, Jenna paused long enough to kiss Evan's cheek, then moved herself into one of the guest rooms.

When Evan closed the door behind her, it felt like he was closing a chapter in the book of his life.

This week had been emotionally draining for Evan. No matter how sexy he found Jenna, he was struggling to overcome his guilt over her presence in his house. Despite her assertions that she had no intention of getting Lexi the evidence that she needed to go through with her plan, Evan had refused to do anything with Jenna until she pointed out two key facts.

First, the disrespect involved in even coming up with this plan in the first place was a kind of emotional adultery anyway. After all, if she was still the same woman he'd loved and married for more than 26 years, would she really be doing this? More importantly, the second point was that she seemed determined to follow through with her affair. It seemed unlikely that she was going to refrain from the attempt forever, just because she couldn't get evidence. Lexi could be impulsive and headstrong even in the best of times; in the midst of an apparent mid-life crisis, there was no telling what she was going to do.

Evan smiled when he thought back to how Jenna had finally convinced him. "Even if she doesn't go through with it, she wants to. Why should you wait around here knowing that's what's going on without having a little fun of your own? Don't you think we should teach her a lesson? I mean, how crazy do you think she's going to be hearing about how we're doing this or that, but for some reason, I can't get the documentation she needs?"

Jenna had an evil smile at times.

His first time together with Jenna harkened back to his first stolen assignations as a teen in his parents' house. Following the dinner and dancing date that Jenna and Lexi had agreed would provide a chance for his seducer to work her magic on him, the circumstantial couple had begun first making out on the couch. But like horny teens stealing time while their parents were distracted, they'd quickly rounded the bases. And just like horny teens, they hadn't bothered with any protection.

We never even talked about it, he mused, thinking about it now. I wonder if Jenna wants kids. Do I want any more kids?

The conversation between the supposed co-conspirators the next day would have been humorous, if the seriousness of the subject matter hadn't been so great. Jenna sent a series of texts with a good news-bad news message. The good news was that she'd coerced (supposedly) Evan into sleeping with her; the bad news was that they hadn't made it in front of the camera that Lexi had set up in their bedroom.

The phone rang moments later. Evan listened to the entire conversation on the speakerphone, despite Jenna's assurance to her friend that she was alone.

Unsurprisingly, Lexi was both pleased and shocked at this turn of events. "I can't believe he actually went through with it," she said. "I really thought he'd put you off for longer."

"What can I say? I'm irresistible," joked Jenna.

"You wore that tiny bikini all afternoon, didn't you? He always loves seeing you in it. He tries his best not to look, but you and I both know he can't help himself." Evan blushed at hearing that. Not because it wasn't true, but because it was. He just thought he was better at hiding the glances.

Giggling, Jenna said, "Between the bikini, the sun, and the beer I kept feeding him, I think his defenses were down. With you out of town, he was easier pickings than I thought he'd be."

"So...?"

"So, what?"

"How was it? Was he as good as you dreamt he'd be?" That was a surprise twist in the conversation. From the color in Jenna's cheeks, she hadn't expected that bit of trivia to reach his ears. Evan grinned and leaned in to hear her response.

She might have been embarrassed, but she wasn't shy about it. Looking him right in the eyes, she said, "He was the best I've ever had." Then, just to tweak his wife a little more, she added, "Of course, I'll need to do it a few more times to verify. I'm willing to make that sacrifice for my bestie, though."

Lexi snorted into the phone. "Big sacrifice. We both know you've lusted after my husband for years. Just don't get too attached," she warned. "When this is all over, you're cut off forever."

"Well, then, I guess I'll have to get as much as I can now," Jenna replied, winking at Evan.

"Just make sure you get him in front of the camera next time. It's bad enough that I know Evan is sleeping with my best friend. If I'm not getting the evidence I need, though? That just makes it that much worse."

"Are you sure that you're still wanting to do this?" asked Jenna. "Because if you say the word, I'll leave him alone and we can forget the whole thing."

Lexi sighed. "It's harder than I thought it'd be. But I need to do this. I just need this one thing and when it's over, it's over. So, keep doing what you're doing."

Jenna looked at Evan with concern and asked, "Any, uh, 'progress' on your end?" The pain on his face when his wife began to excitedly explain how much fun she was having flirting with other men hurt Jenna's heart. When Lexi progressed to talking about how close she'd been to accepting an offer from one of Morgan's regulars to go back to his place, Evan quietly left the room. Jenna watched him leave, more determined than ever to repay her friend's callousness in kind.

Evan reentered his bedroom, glancing over to where Jenna's blouse lay atop Lexi's dresser. She'd seemingly 'carelessly' discarded the top in her haste to disrobe for Evan. In reality, she'd purposefully directed her throw to block the view of the camera that his wife had installed amid the myriad perfumes and body lotions that consumed so much of the real estate.

He wondered anew whether the camera had audio capabilities. He hadn't wanted to get close enough to examine the camera, thus giving away the game. Jenna seemed to think that it did, and she poured it on as she praised his efforts. She has a foul mouth in bed, he mused. Either she was putting on a good show for Lexi's benefit, or she was just an especially vocal lover.

Evan wasn't sure if he preferred the audio being available to his wife or not. Even without the video, she might be able to convince a judge of his affair. Of course, he could argue that Jenna, being a good friend, had clued him in to his wife's plan and the recording was just the two of them pretending to have sex to make his wife jealous enough to stop her game.

Gently, he slid into bed beside his friend and lover. She must have sensed his presence, because an arm slowly moved to lay across his belly and chest. Otherwise, Jenna slept the sleep of the sated. In the pale moonlight, he could see that she still had the ghost of a smile on her lips. Finally, thankfully, he drifted off to sleep.

Breakfast was accompanied by another interesting conversation between Jenna and Lexi. Evan once again sat in silence, eating a delicious egg white-and-prosciutto omelet, courtesy of Jenna's superior cooking skills, listening as the situation degenerated further.

"Good morning, Lexi."

"Don't 'good morning' me. You did that on purpose!" Lexi accused.

Jenna feigned confusion. "Did what?"

"You know what. You covered the camera on purpose!"

"I told you I was sorry," replied Jenna. Evan had made sure she knew of the text exchange when they woke up.

"That's not good enough. I...I don't want you sleeping with Evan anymore." Jenna and Evan looked at each other in surprise.

"Oh? Why not?"

"Because I don't think you're helping me!" blurted Lexi.

"Why would you say that?" asked Jenna, apparently aghast at the accusation. "I'm only doing what you asked me to do."