Forgive and Forget?

"Rob?"

"What... sorry... you look... just.... stunning."

Chris giggled and blushed at the compliment, "Thank you, so are we going?"

"Oh yeah right... yes." He stammered again still unsure as to what he was doing.

Closing her door, she took his arm and allowed him to lead her out to his car.

"Where are you taking me?" Chris asked as she slipped into the passenger seat.

"I err.... I took the liberty of booking a little Italian restaurant I like. I hope that's ok?"

"It sounds perfect." Her smile sent a shiver of desire through him.

The food was a delight and Rob found himself enjoying her company as they dined. So much so that thoughts of Stephanie were again pushed aside, at least for the evening.

Dropping her off at her home a couple of hours later Chris unfastened her seatbelt and leant across to kiss his cheek.

"I do hope we can do this again sometime." Biting her bottom lip, she asked him hopefully.

"I'd like that." Rob told her honestly before saying goodbye and, with another chaste kiss on the cheek, making his way home.

He wasn't looking for any sort of relationship and, without saying it to her, wanted to keep things as informal as possible. However, he did call Christine after a few days and arranged to have dinner with her again that coming Saturday.

This time he let Chris choose the restaurant and she went for one of her favourites, a Chinese.

If anything, their second date went even better than the first and Rob again found himself, albeit for just a few hours, able to ignore his latent feelings for his ex-wife. Even when she came up as the topic of conversation.

"So, how come you're single?" Christine enquired over coffee, "I'd have expected a man like you to have been snapped up ages ago."

"I was married. I've been divorced for over a year now."

"Oh, what happened? If you don't mind me asking."

Rob thought about it for a moment, he was usually reluctant to tell the story to people he barely knew.

"She cheated on me with her boss." He decided to be straight with her and not hide his past, "I found out and... well that's about it."

"Stupid girl if you ask me." Chris stroked her fingers lightly up his arm.

"I suppose you could say that."

"And now?" She continued gazing rather disconcertingly into his eyes, "What are your plans for the future?"

At the back of his mind an alarm bell started ringing but, rather foolishly, he silenced it.

Deciding to continue being completely honest he told her, "None really. Just grow the business and enjoy what little free time I have."

"No girlfriend or anything?"

He shook his head, "I'm not sure I'm ready for another relationship."

She seemed to accept his answers for the moment and, still eyeing him like he was her prey, she finished her coffee.

"Shall we go?" Putting her cup down Chris tipped her head to the side and enquired.

"Sure."

Settling the bill, they left the restaurant so he could drive her home.

"Do you want to come in?" He had just pulled up outside of her house when she surprised him with her invitation.

"Oh, I err... I guess... I could. That is if you're sure?"

She smiled suggestively, "Oh, I'm very sure."

Following his date into the house Rob couldn't help but admire the inviting sway of her hips and wondered exactly what she had planned for him. The way she had said 'I'm very sure' had been dripping with inference. He hadn't been with anyone since his arrangement with Amber had ended and he felt more than a little nervous.

"Would you like another coffee or..." Chris turned and faced him, slipping her arms about his neck, "... we could have it later. If you would prefer."

He swallowed apprehensively. She was clearly proposing that they sleep together and it took him a little by surprise. Amber had simply been a colleague with benefits and he had no worries over a relationship developing, this however was already starting to feel like something totally different.

"I... err I... I'm... umm I suppose we..."

She pulled his lips to hers, kissing him ardently and interrupting his stammered response. Her fingers sliding through his hair, stroking his face and neck, while she pressed her firm body against him.

"Good. Because I want you right now." She giggled breathlessly, freeing his mouth for a moment.

Unable to resist he slipped his own arms around her, pulling her back against him taking his turn to kiss her. For several long seconds their tongues duelled for dominance while her hands held his face to keep his lips pressed to hers.

"Shall we take this upstairs?" Chris whispered huskily when she finally allowed herself to pull away from him, "I'm so bloody horny."

Breathless Rob could do nothing but grin, "Mmhhmm... sure, just lead the way."

With a sexy little giggle, she wriggled fully out of his arms and, taking his hand she flashed her big brown eyes at him and led him towards the stairs.

Up in the bedroom they hurriedly undressed each other; his fingers starting to tug down the zipper on her dress while hers fumbled at his shirt buttons before reaching for his trousers. Finally, after he had peeled away all of her garments and wearing only her hold-up stockings she slipped her hand into his boxer shorts, reaching for his hard cock.

"Oh fuck, that feels very nice." She sighed and kissed him again.

"Aaahhh.... shit!" Rob could only groan softly in response, closing his eyes when her fingers tightened around his tumescent manhood.

Still stroking his solid length Chris dropped to her knees, drawing his shorts over his hips so his hardness sprang free in front of her face.

"Mmmmmmmmmm!" Flicking her tongue around the swollen crown she looked up at him.

"Jesus... that feels... so fucking... good." Staring back down at her it was all he could manage to gasp.

"Muuurmmmmmm..... guuurgggggggggggg!"

Without a pause she slid her mouth down over his prick and began to suck, using her tongue on the head while her lips tightened around the shaft.

Standing over her, moaning with pleasure, Rob's fingers gripped her hair, using it to guide her movements so her soft lips caressed back and forth on the first few inches of his iron hard meat. He held her on his erection for the next few minutes, luxuriating in the feeling she was creating in him until, tipping his head back, he exhaled noisily.

"Oh fuck... stop Chris, stop.... you'll make me cum if you keep that up."

"Well, we don't want that do we."

Chuckling she pulled off of his dick and, wiggling her fingers invitingly at him, lay back on the bed.

"I err... I don't have a condom. I wasn't expecting to be...." Looming over her he told her regrettably, his spit coated cock standing out like a glistening spear from his groin.

Chris giggled and rolled over, reaching into her bedside table to retrieve a foil packet.

"Here, help yourself." Smiling she threw it to him and spread her legs blatantly, "But hurry, I want you."

Grinning like a Cheshire cat he ripped the prophylactic open and quickly rolled the latex sheath over his erection. Then lowering himself between her stockinged thighs while she drew her knees back and opened her stockinged thighs even wider.

"Oh yes, fuck me Rob... I want you inside me." Looking up into his eyes Chris whispered throatily as his cockhead nudged between her wet labia and probed her entrance.

"Fuck.... that... that feels so good Chris."

Slowly pushing himself into her, inch by hard inch, he couldn't help but groan with pleasure at the feel of her velvet soft walls caressing his aching length.

Sheathing his erection in her, he paused savouring the wet warmth surrounding his manhood, and then drew back until he had withdrawn almost all of his eight inches from her sex.

"Nooooo... put it back in."

He grinned down at her before driving his hard cock all the way back into her well lubricated and welcoming pussy with a single firm stroke.

"Oh God... it's... so.... fucking.... big!"

Crying out with delight her hands reached for him, her red painted fingernails digging into his skin, pulling him to her as he began to fuck her forcefully.

Thrusting steadily, he pumped his engorged prick into her moist slit, while she moaned loudly beneath him. Her manicured nails clawing at his biceps while her creamy juices foamed out around the base of his erection every time he bottomed out inside her.

"Yes... yes, don't stop.... don't... fucking... stop... I'm gonna cum."

Rob could feel his own apex rapidly approaching and tried hard to resist the urge to come, wanting to take Christine over the top first.

Writhing beneath him she wrapped her right leg over his while he pushed her left back with his arm, spreading her wider as he plunged relentlessly into her tight sheath.

"Shit... shit.... shit!"

Grunting out curse after curse he teetered on the brink, barely able to hold himself in check.

"Oh fuck... Rob... oh Rob... Oh yessssssssssssssssssssssss!"

Her final word came out as a long wail of pleasure when she climaxed, her body jerking and undulating almost uncontrollably under him as he plunged into her hot wetness again and again, his own release boiling up his shaft.

"Aaaaahhhhh.... Fuck... fuck... I'm gonna.... aaaahhhhhhhhhh!"

With one final thrust he buried every pulsing inch of his spasming manhood inside her and emptied his aching balls into the thin latex sheath.

Slowly, coming down and gasping for breath, he rolled off of her and onto his side so he could pull her against him.

"Fucking hell that was.... incredible."

Chris snuggled into him, her head resting on his shoulder, "Mmmmm, yes you were."

As they lay there, holding each other and waiting for sleep, Rob wondered just what he might be letting himself in for with Christine Pullen.

They made love again the following morning, this time it was slower, more sensual, and Rob brought her to three more mind-blowing orgasms before he again spilled his man cream into the condom.

After a late breakfast and a shower, he managed to extricate himself from her clutches despite her pleading with him to stay. After promising faithfully to call her later that day, he eventually escaped and headed home.

As he drove he thought about the girl he had just left.

Their two dates, the sex, last night and then again that morning, had all been near perfect and he struggled to find fault with any of it. However, he found her intensity a little disturbing.

It had only been their second date and yet she had virtually dragged him to her bed and then, that morning, her insistence that he spend the day with her had been more than a little unsettling.

She clearly wanted something more than just a casual fling and he wasn't certain that he could provide it.

Pulling up outside his flat he dismissed the negative thoughts from his mind, concluding that he was reading too much into it. He decided that she clearly liked him and he should just calm down and enjoy it, whatever it was.

For the next three months he did exactly that and tried to keep things relaxed and fairly low-key with Chris while she, on the other hand, constantly pushed him for more and more commitment.

First she insisted they were exclusive; not that he minded that. Then she suggested he leave a spare toothbrush and some clothes at her house. No sooner had he acquiesced to that request than she wanted to do the same at his small flat.

Then it was the week-ends; Chris wanting the two of them to spend them together, from Friday to Monday, being a couple and doing whatever it is that couples do.

Rather than being relaxing things between them gradually became more and more stressful. Their time together simply ending up a constant battle of wills between them, with Rob resisting every attempt she made to get him to agree to a more long-term committed relationship.

When she wasn't badgering him Chris could be a lot of fun, and the sex was great, but slowly he began to tire of her continual attempts to push him into something he knew he wasn't ready for and wasn't sure he ever would be.

Amber had been a casual arrangement that suited them both with no suggestion of anything more but Chris was different. She was obviously looking for something permanent. He liked her a lot, he knew that for certain, but it wasn't love and he felt guilty that he couldn't give her what she deserved when he still loved his former wife.

It was then that he realised it.

He wasn't considering his feelings for his ex-wife in the past tense but in the present and he knew from that moment that he could never move on until he dealt with them. The hooker in the hotel all those months ago had told him he would need to forgive and forget before he could get on with his life but he wasn't sure that he could.

Unfortunately, Chris chose to press him for more of a commitment while he was still dealing with the recent revelations about his feelings.

They had gone to dinner, much like they did most Saturday evenings, and Rob had every expectation of going back to her place for a night of passionate sex.

Everything seemed to be perfectly normal and they ate their meal, discussing work and what they might do the next day until, swallowing her last mouthful, Chris put down her knife and fork.

"Rob." She looked at him questioningly now that they had finished their main course, "Where are we?"

"What do you mean, where are we? We're in Angelo's."

"No silly I meant me and you. Where are we with our relationship." Her pout told him she wasn't entirely happy with his attempt at a flippant answer.

He shrugged not wanting to get into an argument, "We're here, enjoying each other and keeping it fun."

"I want more than to just have fun Rob." Chris frowned at him unhappily, "I'm not getting any younger and I want a husband, a couple of children, the whole package."

"I know you do."

"Is that all you've got to say? You know?"

"What do you want from me Chris?" He asked already sure of her answer and knowing what his reply would be.

"A ring. Preferably a gold one."

Rob groaned inwardly. He had known that this was going to occur at some point.

"That's not going to happen babe." He told her with complete honesty, "I don't want to get married again, at least not for the foreseeable future."

She gave him a long hard look as if trying to read his mind, picking up her wine glass and taking a mouthful.

"Will you take me home please." She stated simply once she was done.

When Rob had paid the bill they left the restaurant and drove back to her house in silence. He thought about starting a conversation several times during the journey but realised he had nothing more he could say to her.

Chris waited until he had parked and then released her seat belt and turned to him.

"Goodbye Rob, I hope you find what you want but it obviously isn't me."

"Christine....." He went to speak but he knew it was pointless.

She turned and gazed at him for a moment, "Christine! That's all you have to say?"

He shrugged and with that Chris was gone from his car and his life.

She didn't even look back, leaving him alone again to start the car and made his way back to his flat.

The question of his feelings for Steph were foremost in his mind and he wondered how to deal with the fact he was still in love with his ex-wife. It had been eighteen months since their divorce had been finalised and he had had any contact with her. He didn't even know where she was living now.

'Was she still living in their old flat?'

'Was she still fucking Clayton Henderson?'

'Had she met someone and remarried?'

There were dozens of questions filling his head that he had no answer to and he wasn't even sure that he wanted to have them. It was easier to live with his self-imposed misery than to contemplate what Stephanie was doing with her life.

Almost with a sense of relief he threw himself into his work, he wasn't expecting Chris to call and he wasn't disappointed. Going back into the office on Monday he was very surprised to find that she hadn't cancelled her contract with him although he was grateful that she appointed a project manager to liaise with him in place of her.

Finishing up a busy week at six o'clock on the Friday, and with nothing else to do, he decided to have a drink or two before heading home. He had no plans for the week-end and, at the back of his mind, he thought that maybe he might even get lucky and find someone to take his mind off of his ex-wife, off of his break up with Chris Pullen, and off of his melancholy.

The pub was fairly empty when he walked in which, considering the mood he was in, was probably a good thing. Choosing a vacant stool at the end of the bar with no one near it he sat down and ordered himself a pint.

Staring at nothing he was lost in his thoughts and was barely aware of a figure sliding onto the seat next to him.

"Hello Rob, how are you?"

Jerking around he found himself staring at Margaret Franscombe, his former mother-in-law.

"Margaret? What are you doing here?" He eventually managed to splutter, a look of incredulity on his face.

She gave him a friendly smile, "Looking for you, actually."

"Why? What's happened? Is Steph alright?"

"I wanted to talk to you. If you don't mind that is?" Ignoring his question's, she continued on.

Wondering what she could want he took a mouthful of beer and considered what he should say. On the one hand he was curious about her motives but, on the other, he wasn't sure he wanted to go where she might take him.

"No, I guess that'll be ok, you go ahead." His inquisitiveness finally won out.

"It's about Steph." Her voice was hesitant.

Rob felt his stomach tighten.

"What about her?" He asked apprehensively.

Margaret swallowed nervously, "You have to understand Rob, I'm her mother and I'm worried about her."

"Did she send you?"

She shook her head, "No. She'd have a hissy fit if she knew I was here, talking to you."

"So?"

"She... she's lost Rob, totally lost. I thought she'd get over it after a while but the divorce, losing you, it's destroyed her completely. She's so unhappy and I don't know what to do." The last few words came out as barely more than a whisper.

"What do you want from me? She brought this on herself when she started fucking Clayton Henderson."

Margaret nodded, "I know she did and I told her that. But did you know that he coerced her and she only took that job with him for you?"

"For me? She never told me that."

"You were struggling to get your business off the ground and she wanted to support you." She continued hesitantly, "Then, when Henderson found out why she had accepted the position he threatened to terminate her contract, saying he would just find her probation period unsatisfactory if she didn't agree to sleep with him."

Rob sat back, trying to take in everything his former mother-in-law had just told him, his mind whirling with the answers it gave him and all the new questions it provoked.

'Why hadn't she spoken to him about her concerns?'

"He had blackmailed her, hadn't he?'

'But she had told him she enjoyed the sex with her boss.'

"So, what do you want from me?" He finally asked again, fairly certain of what she would say.

"Could you talk to her Rob. To make peace and see if she can find some closure so she can move on with her life." She grasped his hand, her eyes pleading with him, "She's really depressed and I'm worried she's going to do something stupid."

"I don't know. She really hurt me Margaret. I'm not sure there's anything I can say to her."

"Please Rob. Just come round to the house and talk to her. Please."

"She's back living with you?" He was genuinely surprised. "What happened? Why did she give up the house?"