Branching Out Ch. 01

I woke very suddenly with the feeling of the warm sun caressing my face. I realized that my wife was not caressing me, nor was she anywhere near me. For her, that is extremely odd. She loves sleeping next to me and loves to cuddle. On more than one occasion, we've been late for work because the cuddling has become a little bit more "intimate". I am sure that many people would envy the passion we still have after 20 happy years of marriage.

I just threw on a robe and went outside to find her exactly where I thought I would, in a deck chair enjoying the early morning sun before it turned blistering hot. My wife loves the sun, but is sensible about it. She doesn't risk burning her beautiful, olive-toned skin. No one in their right mind would believe she's in her early 40's - 41 to be precise - but she is.

I leaned over to kiss her good morning and was greeted by a PDA that would embarrass kids half our age, our daughter included. She's constantly teasing us by telling us to "get a room" but we both know she thinks it's wonderful that her parents are still so much in love. Most of her friends are children of divorce. I could never imagine my life without this amazing woman at my side. Everything I am, I owe at least 50% of that to her.

There is that old cliché "the wind beneath my wings" and I'm sure it is a hoary old cliché in most cases. Not in mine. The day I became half of our whole changed my life for the better and forever.

"You're going to get us in trouble," I chided her, although I was only half-serious.

She stuck out her tongue playfully and laughed. "How?" She grinned. "I don't know how you can forget, because you're the one that bought it, but we own this lovely little piece of property. We could have sex right on the beach and no one could complain - we might even attract an audience," she teased.

She was right, she always is. It can be exasperating, but what's life without a few challenges? For our 20th birthday a few weeks back, I bought this lovely little - let's call it a villa - in Cabo. There are a few more surprises that go along with it, but before we get there, I should perhaps fill you in on our backstory.

My name is Brad Kean and some of you may have heard of me. I was a professional football player who got hit hard in a championship game and one of my knees blew out. Fortunately, I had a backup plan and I am now a very successful attorney who specializes in athletes. Being a former pro myself, I know the pitfalls and my clients tend to be very grateful to me for looking out for their best interests.

I first met my wife when I was 16 and she was 18 - yes, math wizards, I married an "older woman". At the time, Jeana was dating Riley, my older brother. It was nothing serious, she had dated some real users before dating him and he treated her like a queen, which she liked.

The first time I met her was the first time I ever felt jealous. My brother is a decent guy, but he's not the brightest bulb in the package. I couldn't see what she saw in Riley and I got a bit sulky. Of course Jeana Thomas - yes,that Jeana Thomas - was far, far out of my league. How would a high-school senior ever manage to attract the daughter of one of our city's most prominent families? Jeana was born with a solid platinum spoon in her mouth, she bypassed silver and gold. No matter what she chose to do, she was destined for greatness because she had enough money to back up any plan. The fact that she chose to design swimwear is part of our story as well.

Riley ended up having to work one night and Jeana had really gone all out for one of their dates. I was dating this nice girl named Kelly, but she was inuber-bitch mode that night and had stormed out. "Her loss," Jeana said to me. "Any girl who treats a hunk like you that way deserves to be single!"

Jeana and I had barely exchanged more than a handful of words before that night. I didn't even think she knew I was alive, save for being Riley's 5-years younger brother. "You think I'm a hunk?" I asked in amazement. "Since when?"

"Since always," Jeana smiled at me as she sat beside me on my parent's overpriced leather sofa. "When you were in the 10th Grade, I told a couple of my girlfriends to try and snag you. I even considered making a play for you myself, but you know how it is in high school - status, right? Seniors don't date juniors. Anyway, I think you're even better looking than your brother and you're going to get better with age - trust me!" She kissed me on the cheek and to use yet another hoary old cliché, I didn't want to wash my face for a year.

"Hey!" Jeana piped up merrily. "I've got an idea! Do you have a nice suit?"

"A few of them, yes," I answered. "My family goes out a fair bit and I like the way a suit looks on me. Why do you ask?"

"Go upstairs, grab a quick shower and change into your nicest suit," Jeana said to me with a smile that would have convinced any sane man to do as she asked. "You're taking me to dinner."

"Huh?"

"Don't sit there with your mouth open, it makes you look like a dope," Jeana told me. From Day One, she was always trying to improve me. "Your date cancelled, my date cancelled and I donot plan on sitting around on a Friday night watching television. We have an 8 PM reservation at one of the swankiest restaurants in town and I intend to keep it. Your brother wasn't too thrilled about taking me, I'm still not sure the rat didn't arrange to have to work to get out of it. I don't know why, save for drinks, the entire meal is complimentary, they owe my daddy a favor. What do you say, sport? A free meal at a 5-star restaurant with a hot brunette on your arm - does that sound good to you?"

I practically ran up the stairs and had the quickest shower of my life. There is still a part of me that wonders why I didn't consider, not even for a second, that I was essentially poaching my brother's girlfriend. Perhaps because she had asked me out?Whatever! I did not care then and despite years of examining that night in my head, the only conclusion I've arrived at is - it really was destiny, just like in those romantic comedies Jeana and I both love.

When I went back downstairs, I almost felt my eyes bug out, like in one of those old Tex Avery cartoons. I don't know where she had hidden it - it's one of the "mysteries" of our courtship - but Jeana was wearing a slinky black dress with two side slits, her hair and makeup now impeccable and on her feet were the sexiest black high heels I had ever seen. She looked like a goddess and I felt like an oaf. I must have said something because she took my hand and we both went over to the full-length mirror that was on our hall closet. "Take a good look, sport," she said to me as she stood at my side. "Do you see an oaf in that mirror? We look good together, like a real couple." She was right. At 6'4", I was buff and tanned and looked great. By my side, she came up to my shoulders and if she kept smiling at me like that, I would have offered to buy her a new Corvette (which she didn't need, she owned 3). I was completely under her spell even then and if she had told me she was a sorceress and I was her slave, I would have answered "Yes, mistress". Things have changed a bit since then as you will discover throughout this story.

She threw the keys to me and we walked outside into the beautiful night air. There stood a vintage 1965 Shelby Cobra in metallic blue. I almost felt like looking around to see if my Fairy Godmother was standing behind me. "You're going to letme drivethat?" I asked with my heart racing. She just nodded and stood at the passenger door, waiting for me to open it. Jeana was and is a stickler for manners, luckily, so are my folks. She slid in the seat and I got a good look at those incredible legs of hers for the first time. I had to make a mental note to behave myself, because I was having thoughts about my brother's girlfriend that a 17-year old shouldn't be having. The restaurant was only about 15 minutes away but part of me wished it was hours. Driving this classic car was a dream and the only thing better was the sexy brunette sitting beside me.

Dinner was wonderful, a full 7-course meal and they even comped the wine. I was about to tell the Maître D' that I couldn't drink, but a quick signal from Jeana made me rethink that. She didn't want any problems that night and I had enjoyed wine at home. Of course, it was like moonshine compared to this wine, which I later learned retailed for over $200 a bottle. The food and drink were wonderful, but Jeana outshone every component of that evening. She was charming, funny and so sexy and I was already in love. It was an awful thing to do to my brother, but in a matter of a few hours, I had fallen in love with his girl.

We drove home - we sobered up with dessert - after about 4 amazing hours. I can still remember things down to the smallest detail. Jeana says things like that are what she adores about me. However, when we pulled into my driveway, I don't think she adored me at that moment. I know she didn't because she was scowling.

"You aren't going to kiss me goodnight?" She looked at me and her dark eyes were almost burning.

"I can't," I said to her, shaking my head. I was at a loss for words, so I just spoke from the heart. "Jeana, you may well be the most amazing woman I've ever known. Scratch that - youare. You're incredible to look at, but you are also smart, funny and sexy. Every part of me wants to kiss you, but I can't do it - you're Riley's girl and you belong to him." That may have been one of the dumbest things I had ever said in my 17 years of life.

"I am Riley's girl, yes, but I don't belong toanyone, Brad Kean!" She fumed. To prove it, she actually lunged towards me and kissed me as hard as anyone has ever kissed me. That few minutes of that night is the only part I don't remember. My mind was a total blank. I saw rockets and fireworks and I thank God I was in great shape, because my now-wife's kiss could steal a man's soul.

When I regained my senses, she was saying something to me. It took me a few minutes to understand what she was saying to me.

"Brad? Did you hear me?"

I wiped the goofy grin from my face and looked her in the eyes. She was smiling and I had already completely excused her for - in total honesty - cheating on my older brother.

"Okay sport, now focus," Jeana smiled playfully. "I asked you if I was right and if next Friday is your 18th birthday?"

"Um, oh yeah, yes, you are and yes, it is."

"Good." The second time Jeana kissed me, it was just a quick peck on the lips. "Don't make any plans, I'm bringing you a very special present." She got in the car and sped away. I think I stood in the driveway for about ten minutes before going inside. My mother says that she had never seen me look so happy and she asked me about 10 questions before giving up. I remained tight-lipped about my evening with Riley's girlfriend and never once did I suffer from a guilty conscience. Even when Riley arrived home and asked me about Jeana, I didn't offer up much. I told him that she didn't seem too pissed and omitted the middle.

The day before my birthday, my brother whacked me over the head with the newspaper. "What thefuck was that for?" I said, jumping up to confront him. He might have been older, but I was taller and stronger and could have beaten the shit out of him if I had wanted to. My parents wanted to know what all the commotion was about. "Ask HIM!" I sputtered. "I was just sitting here, minding my own business."

"You told me Jeana wasn't pissed about my having to cancel our date last week," Riley glared at me. "Bullshit! She just called and broke up with me!"

"That is yourown fault," Mom smiled and looked over at me as if she knew. "You were starting to take her for granted. Just because you're good looking, it never means you can take a woman for granted. Looks fade, character lasts."

I suppose it was a little petty, but I was thrilled. My older brother had all of the money and he was in university. All the girls I knew, including Kelly, were pining to go out with my brother. Jeana wasn't cut from the same cloth. She wasn't impressed by the same things the other girls were and that made sense. Anything my brother could do, she could do better. When I woke up the following morning, I couldn't wait to see what my birthday present from her was going to be. I hadn't even been out of bed for five minutes when she called and told me that she'd meet me at another classy restaurant at 6 and that I wasn't to be late. If Jeana had told me to wait all day for her, I would have. The family wasn't celebrating my birthday until the following day, so all was in the clear. I went through the rest of the day in a daze, hardly able to contain myself. When 4 PM arrived, I spent time in the shower, shaved and found my best suit. I figured that Jeana liked a guy who wasn't afraid to dress nicely and I never had been averse to "classing it up".

"Oh-my-GOD!"

Those were the first words out of my mouth when Jeana showed up at Baton Rouge. If I had thought her irresistible the previous week, now she had gone into a whole new stratosphere. She was wearing a slinky silver lame dress and matching silver stiletto heels. It clung to her like a second skin and her entire face was glowing. She threw her arms around me and kissed me with even more passion than the first time. "I'm allowed to do that, now," she grinned as she took my hand. "I'm single again."

"Yeah, I heard," I said to her as she took me inside the restaurant. "I'm sorry to hear you and Riley broke up, he's pissed at me. Are you sure you can't work it out?"

Jeana shook her head and led me to our table. "I traded up," she grinned as she slid into the booth and showed off legs that seemed to go on forever. Would you believe that I was so obtuse I didn't quite get what she was talking about?

"He's a very lucky guy," I said to her as I waited for our waiter. My heart was all the way down in my feet because I knew that my opportunities to see Jeana again would be almost nil now that she and my brother were kaput.

"Yes,you are," Jeana said to me, making me sit up and take notice.

"Huh? Me? You've got to be kidding! Why me? I'm younger than you. What about Riley? We can't ..." I sputtered as I foolishly tried to talk myself out of the greatest girlfriend a man could ever hope to have.

"Calm down, sport," Jeana said to me with a small laugh. "I don't care that you're younger than me. Didn't you feel it last week? We were perfect together, that was the best date of my life. Riley is a nice enough guy, he just isn'tmy guy, you know -the guy. I think that guy is you."

Instead of jumping for joy, I foolishly tried to convince her otherwise. "I don't understand? Why me? You're so gorgeous that you could have any man that you wanted. I'm just a high school jock - nothing special."

Wisely, Jeana wasn't having it. "You're sweet and kind and funny and you listened to every word I said last week - even when I was complaining about your older brother. As for being a jock - you get Straight-A's, I checked - and the pros are scouting you. You have a great future and I want to be a part of it. Also ..." Jeana dropped her voice to a low and throaty purr "... I really,really want tofuck you."

I shared a wonderful meal and a few nice glasses of wine with Jeana and knew no matter what she did next, I was putty in her hands. The world has always seemed to bend over backwards to please her, it did then and does now. No one bothered to check either of our IDs, even though the drinking age where we live is 21. We were never without attention and they fawned over us like we were Hollywood royalty. I remember every bite of the Chateaubriand were shared and we indulged ourselves with desserts. Jeana made me feel like I was the only man on earth who mattered and if I hadn't already been nuts about her, her treatment of this socially awkward jock would have sealed the deal. We left the restaurant giddy and happy. I never wanted the night to end, but it was nearing midnight and the restaurant was closing. Jeana summoned a taxi to take us home - or so I thought. Yeah, you all see it coming, but I was that obtuse.

She told the driver to take us to one of the most exclusive hotels in town as she slid in the back. Being besotted with her, I saw those long legs and for the first time, I noticed the garter belt. "You'll see a lot more than that very soon, Brad," she said in a whisper, although I'm sure that the cabbie heard. By then, even thick-as-a-plank me was starting to figure things out. I'm still surprised I was soaking wet, because I was terrified for what I knew was coming. Don't get me wrong - Iwanted it, but I was scared because ...

... yes, really. I'd only dated a few girls and I hadn't gone that far with Kelly. My parents instilled good values in me - I treated women with respect and never pressed the issue. Sitting beside Jeana in the taxi, I realized that sometimes, virtue really is its own reward and the good guys do come out on top every so often.

The hotel room blew my mind. I kept forgetting justhow rich the Thomas family was. I hadn't paid for a thing and felt a bit guilty about that. I turned around to say something to Jeana, probably a "thank you", but the words never made it out of my mouth.

Aside from expensive stockings, garter belt and high heels, Jeana was totally naked. She hadn't worn anything under the dress. I thanked God I hadn't known that at dinner or I never would have managed to keep a bite down. She walked towards me, her high heels clicking on the expensive marble floors and threw her arms around my neck. That kiss is seared in my mind for all eternity. "Happy birthday, sport," she said sensually when she let go of me. "Here's to the first of what I hope will be many more." She moved towards the bed and I noticed a bucket with champagne in it. "We'll drink that - later," Jeana said to me. "When we have more to celebrate."

I knew that I couldn't act the cocksure athlete, Jeana would have seen right through the façade. Even that first time, I wanted to be totally honest with her. "Jeana, I have to tell you that I've never ..."

She was lying on her stomach and looking at me with a small, delicious smile. "I know," she answered. "After tonight, you won't be able to say that. I've had lovers - but no more, not after tonight. I know it's crazy - we may both be crazy - but I honestly do think this was meant to be." She pointed a finger at me and smiled. "Now sport, are you waiting for an engraved invitation? You have a nude woman here who wants to make love to her boyfriend - STRIP!"

Now, I would probably do it with more finesse, but at 18, most guys lack polish. I got out of my clothes as fast as I could and that's when I learned something. "Oh-my-GOD!" Jeana blurted out.

That isnot something anyone wants to hear their first time with a new partner. "What?!" I said, now thoroughly terrified something awful had happened. I was about to run over to the bed but Jeana sensed my confusion and waved me back.

"It's not something bad sport, far from it," Jeana grinned from ear to ear. "Your cock - is that all reallyyou?" I was a bit confused at her question, but I nodded. It was at that moment I learned that I am a bit larger than a lot of guys. Okay, you would think I might know that after all the showers I'd had, but honestly - most men try to avoid checking out the other guys. I honestly had no idea until Jeana explained I was the biggest guy she had ever been with (and of course, you can just bet it thrilled me to know that included my older brother)

Jeana was very gentle and patient with me. She had me get on my back and she straddled me and gave me a great massage. With her manicured fingernails running along my shoulders and spine, I was in heaven. Honestly, if that was all we had done that night, I would have been happy (yeah, I know - she wouldn't have been) but it wasn't all we did. When she had me roll over, I sawthe look in her eyes that I have seen multitudes of times since.