Free Spirits

Elise walked the few steps over to him and cuddled him.

"Oh you poor baby," she purred, "I'm so sorry for you."

"Thank you but I don't need your sympathy. I was quite happy until I saw you on the beach. I didn't know who you were, that you were rich, or that we'd hit it off so well together. I just noticed that you seemed lonely, just like me, and figured it was better to be lonely together rather than separately. The last week has been the most joyous and fulfilling of my life. Regardless of what happens in the future, I will always be grateful for that and will always remember you."

Elise detected the wall of defence he was erecting, as though he was under attack and had to justify his very existence. He certainly had a strong feeling of inadequacy and insecurity and was probably preparing himself mentally for the worst after many years of rebuffs. She was ambivalent about whether or not she wanted him in her life permanently, but now she realized that maybe he could be harder to lose, if she chose to, than she had expected simply because if she chose to move on with her life without him, she may feel guilty about cutting him free as he had nothing and nobody else. She decided to play it tentatively in the meantime and resumed her seat facing him.

"Well, I was going to ask you if you wanted to return to your home and life as it was or if you would like to try us together for a while longer, but that first option obviously won't be very attractive as there is really no home for you to go to. So that simply means there's a yes or no question: do you want to come home with me, darling?"

As a loner, Lionel had always prided himself on being independent and on not requiring other people in his life with whom to identify and share his time. Yet he realized that during the past week he and Elise had become co-dependent to a large extent. He was aware of this happening gradually and had noticed the subtle changes occurring, finding he was thinking more of 'we' than of 'I' and, for possibly the first time in his life, was considering another person when he made decisions. He felt pleased with these changes. Now here was the love of his life asking whether he wanted to return to his old life of nothing or whether he wanted to remain with her in a loving partnership and fit into her world. Really, he thought, was there any choice? Yes, he realized after a few seconds thought, there was. It boiled down to what price freedom?

"I've always treasured my freedom and have staunchly resisted the temptation to settle down with anyone, cultivating my brusque and possibly unfriendly behavior to reduce the chances of this. However, since meeting you I find I've changed, probably for the better. Certainly you have made my life far more enjoyable than at any stage in the past, and I thank you for that. I know I'm a very poor catch in the pool of men available to you and I know you could have anyone you chose simply by crooking your finger to him, and I'm amazed that you even allowed me to speak to you on the beach that first day, but if you're willing to have me tag along, I'm certainly willing to tag along with you, at least for a while. No commitments, no promises except that I will be honest with you and will never tell you anything but the truth as I see and feel it."

Elise listened carefully to Lionel's reply, hoping against hope that he would accept her offer so that she would not have to return alone to an empty home with an empty heart. She was overjoyed at his response, realizing it was the best possible outcome she could hope for. However, she appreciated its conditional nature and knew instinctively that she would lose Lionel if she showed any tendency to clip his wings or feel that she owned him. She may have the independence provided by almost unlimited money, but he was just as entitled to be free to do as he pleased as she was. She had always felt she was fancy free, but Lionel had taught her a few things this week, most importantly that you could be fancy free without a fortune to fall back on. In that moment she almost envied him his freedom. She moved to him and knelt in front of him and took his hands in hers.

"Darling Lionel, I love you dearly and thank you sincerely for offering to come home with me. I thank you for your openness and your honesty and promise you the same for as long as we both choose to stay together. I love you and, whatever the future holds for us, I look forward to sharing our lives together for as long as we both choose. Thank you, darling."

Lionel was a little overcome with the emotion of the whole event. He had been fully prepared for her to reject him out of hand once she found out he was a penniless bum with no home or job. Her final speech had moved him a great deal. He freed his hands, slipped onto the floor facing Elise as she knelt, and embraced her, as she embraced him, hugging and kissing together for many minutes. They then stood and walked onto the deck, watching the final arc of the sun slide beneath the horizon before slowly and sensuously stripping each other and entering the tepid pool, where they continued their love making.

Elise's house was a mansion compared with the shacks Lionel had lived in all his life. She even had a maid, Elga, to do most of the manual work inside the house, working mornings, and a gardener arrived once a week for a day to keep the outside tidy, swimming pool clean, lawns trimmed and gardens weeded. Elise wouldn't hear of Lionel doing this work himself, telling him he was worth far more than that and that the perfect work would come to him if he just waited. In the meantime, most afternoons they were alone in the house so could swim naked in the large pool, sunbathe together and make love when the mood took them. It was, in short, an extension of the blissful lives they had lived at the beach.

With their love for each other, they both felt more secure in themselves and this was reflected in their relationships with others. Both found they were better able to make friends and talk with strangers even when the other partner wasn't present. It was this ability that led to Lionel meeting Mark, the manager of a business selling home appliances. Their conversation had eventually came around to the point where Mark asked Lionel what he did for a living and on being told he was currently jobless, offered him a job on commission demonstrating and selling home appliances in prospective purchasers' homes.

Lionel considered this offer for a few moments, knowing that he would be travelling and able to work his own hours, yet could return each evening to Elise. He balanced this against the loss of afternoon love making sessions, but then realized that, as he could work his own hours, he could schedule these in as well if he wanted. He accepted the offer.

Elise was really pleased that Lionel had found some work that he thought he would like. She had been concerned with him staying at home, even though she appreciated the opportunity to be together with him each afternoon. She knew a man needed more than just that. She had also felt hemmed in by his constant presence, unable to be as fancy free as she liked and to do things on the spur of the moment. It was almost as though they were married and had some duty to each other never to let the other out of their sight.

For the first few days Lionel was very happy in his work, meeting many people each day. He soon found he had a flair for selling, which surprised him due to his earlier shyness with strangers, and it wasn't long until he was making several sales each day. Some of the people, mainly women due to calling during daytime, appeared to be very lonely and he found himself often sitting with a coffee chatting to some young woman who confessed to being trapped in a loveless relationship and had no idea what to do or how to deal with her problems.

About the fourth time he was in such a situation he had a feeling that he'd been set up. The woman who answered the door was very attractive, probably mid-twenties, well made up, as though going out for dinner at an expensive restaurant, and wore only a short housecoat with no sign of anything underneath. She introduced herself as Yvonne, explaining she was of European ancestry which, she said, was evident in her name and her demeanor. Lionel brought in the automatic vacuum cleaner he had been asked to demonstrate and began setting it up, kneeling on the carpeted floor. As he did so, she sat in a chair opposite him with her knees towards him and her legs slightly apart, meaning that every time he tried to meet her eyes to convey sincerity in what he was saying, he saw another single eye winking at him from beneath the high hem of her coat. Being a normal, heterosexual, red-blooded, male he was distracted by this but eventually managed to assemble and program the cleaner and set it in motion.

Once it was moving around the room, approaching pieces of furniture and walls as it constructed an image of its space, Yvonne stood and approached him.

"Would it be better if we left the machine to do its thing while we did ours?" she asked provocatively.

"Um, yes, quite possibly. Maybe we could have a coffee and watch it from the kitchen," he suggested.

"I'm sure it can work perfectly well on its own. I have a little problem I'd like your advice on through here if you'd like to come with me please."

She led him down a short passage and into what was obviously her bedroom. By this stage Lionel was wondering what he was in for and all he wanted to do was to pack up the machine and leave. That wasn't an option that Yvonne offered. Once they were in the bedroom she closed the door quietly and walked towards him, untying the belt of her housecoat as she approached.

"The little problem I have is that my husband is never home and I have a high libido which needs regular and frequent servicing," she said huskily, "I was wondering if you'd be available for such an onerous task both today and in the future if you're willing."

Lionel did not have the will to keep looking into her eyes and let his gaze wander down her beautiful body, taking in her flawless skin, firm breasts topped with red, pert nipples, a narrow waist and broad hips with a neatly shaved pussy between the tops of her toned thighs. He felt his penis begin to harden rapidly, tenting his trousers. Then she was pressing against him, her skin rubbing against his clothing, his hard penis pressing against her naked mound with only his clothing between them, her lips lifting towards his as she stood on tip toes to kiss him on the mouth, her arms encircling him and pulling them closer. He felt her tongue lick his lips and gently push them apart as she introduced it to his mouth. Without thinking he reciprocated and they were immediately French kissing as his arms wrapped around her, seemingly of their own accord.

Once he was holding her, she freed her arms and began undressing him hurriedly, removing tie and shirt, loosening his belt, undoing button and zip on his trousers, which he felt pool around his ankles, then she placed her hand inside his shorts and firmly grasped his now rigid penis.

"Oooohhh, your cock feels wonderful," she said, then moved away a fraction, "Let me see him."

She did more than see him, she dropped her housecoat off her shoulders, knelt in front of him and engulfed his penis with her mouth, licking, sucking and deep throating him for a few seconds while cupping then squeezing his balls.

"Delightful, darling," she announced as she pulled his shorts down around his ankles, "Lift your feet one at a time."

Lionel did and they were quickly standing naked in front of each other, caressing each other longingly. All thoughts of leaving had gone and Lionel knew that he was in for an amazing experience. He thought briefly of Elise, mentally asking forgiveness and being 'told' that it was fine, they weren't married, and even if they were, this would still be fine. Needless to say, he believed this 'communication'.

The two lovers were very quickly entangled in each other's limbs lying on the bed. Both were busily caressing and stimulating the other, feeling pussy juice and precum flowing freely as Lionel sucked and nibbled Yvonne's nipples. After only a few moments both were ready to consummate the relationship and Yvonne spread herself on her back, knees bent and wide apart offering her gaping, sopping pussy for Lionel's urgent attention.

"Put your cock in my cunt, lover," she moaned.

Lionel did, pressing the head against her opening and then in a single thrust entering her fully until he was pressed firmly against the end of her vagina, her clit being squeezed deliciously between their pubic bones. Yvonne had her eyes closed as she felt the wonderful pressure inside her. She felt filled, complete again as a woman, something she rarely felt with her busy husband. They began moving together, Lionel thrusting hard, Yvonne moving her hips in time, wriggling to increase the stimulation she gave and received, Lionel using his fingers to tweak, squeeze and massage her engorged nipples.

It couldn't last for long at this pace. A few moments later Yvonne was gasping incoherently, her head rolling from side to side as Lionel fought to hold back his orgasm for a few more seconds. Then it happened.

"AAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!!! YES, OOOHHHHH, YESSSSSS!! OOOOHHHH FUCK MEEEEEEEEE!!" screamed Yvonne.

Lionel came hard, squirting what felt like gallons of cum into her vagina as he pressed fully inside her and struggled to hold on as she rolled, bucked and twisted in her amazing orgasm.

Slowly they both came down from their highs and lay panting together, recovering slowly from their exertions. Yvonne was the first to speak.

"What a man; what a lover. Thank you darling. I so needed that."

"Mmmm, you were wonderful, Yvonne, just wonderful. Thank you. That was fantastic. Thank you."

They kissed for a long time then parted. Yvonne led him to the bathroom where they showered together and dried each other, then he dressed while Yvonne remained naked.

"I wonder how the machine went," she said, "Regardless, I'll bet we had more fun." She grinned at him, seeming to be far more relaxed and happy than when he had arrived.

The machine had finished cleaning the lounge and was moving back and forth in the hallway. They carefully stepped over it and went to the kitchen for a glass of water.

"Well, I'm certainly going to buy that machine," said Yvonne.

Immediately Lionel returned to business mode and prepared the paperwork for the machine, account and warranty, then she escorted him to the front door.

"Now I think you said that the machine needed weekly inspections, didn't you?" she asked with a grin.

"Yes, at least for the next little while. Will the same time and day next week suit you?"

"Yes, darling Lionel, I'll look forward to your visit then. 'Bye, honey."

She reached up and gave Lionel a sloppy kiss then opened the door for him, standing behind it so any onlookers wouldn't see her nakedness.

"'Bye, Yvonne," replied Lionel as he walked jauntily down the path to his car.

He drove away and visited a café where he sat with a coffee and bagel for a long time. In his post-orgasmic low he cursed himself for being unfaithful to Elise. Why had he done that? He should have, could have easily walked away at the start. Yet, he'd enjoyed it immensely, he told himself, and he'd made no vow of faithfulness to Elise; it wasn't that they were married or anything. Yes, but she'd taken him in, he'd been nothing, had nothing, all he was he owed to her. No he didn't, he debated with himself, he was his own man, Elise had come into his life but she wasn't the reason for it, she didn't own him.

At the end of half an hour of internal debate he was no further ahead. He had decided only two things: firstly, he had made a vow of honesty so would tell Elise about today's encounter with Yvonne and secondly, he would keep his appointment with Yvonne next week. And yet . . . He still didn't feel good about either of these decisions. The first was a show of independence, he realized, effectively a thumbing his nose at their relationship despite what Elise had done for him, yet he had promised to tell her the truth; was he therefore bound to tell her the whole truth instead of simply ignoring some parts of it? Yes, he decided, he was. The second decision also exercised his independence and in effect said that although he loved Elise dearly and wished to remain with her, yet he valued his independence and would seek his pleasure wherever he could find it, regardless of whether this would hurt her or not. He decided that how she responded to his behavior was her decision, not his, and therefore he could not control that.

His mind having been sorted, he decided to drive home and face Elise immediately while his resolve was still strong. He pulled up outside the gate and walked up the path, using his key to open the front door. As he walked down the hallway to their bedroom he noticed several articles of clothing on the floor, which he thought was very uncharacteristic of Elise. He picked them up and found them to be warm. Must have been drying in the sun, he thought. He called for Elise but there was no reply.

Puzzled, Lionel walked to the kitchen and noticed the back door was wide open, so concluded she must be around somewhere. It was afternoon so Elga wasn't around but it was Tuesday, so the gardener should have been tending the gardens, yet although the wheelbarrow was out and a rake lay on the lawn, there was no sign of him or of Elise. Worried he headed to the pool house, a small shelter alongside the pool facing away from the main house. As he approached on the lawn he heard a sound so he stopped. The sound came again; a soft moaning sound and then there was a louder, rhythmic thumping. He recognized what it was after a few seconds.

He carefully went to the window and looked through. There he saw his darling Elise, back towards him, squatting astride the gardener's hips as he lay on his back on a foam pad. She had her head tilted back and was moaning as she thrust back and forth above the gardener, obviously enjoying him plowing a different furrow. Lionel was transfixed. He knew he shouldn't just keep on watching but had no idea what else to do. Should he sneak away and pretend nothing had happened? No, that level of pretence wouldn't be possible. Should he enter and confront the lovers immediately? No, what good could that achieve? Should he look away to preserve their privacy? Yes, he should, but could he? No he could not. So he continued watching as his beloved Elise began panting and the gardener thrust even harder into her beautiful vagina. Then he watched as the gardener closed his eyes and with a cry spurted his juices deep inside his darling. It was hard to watch but impossible to look away. As the gardener lay still and tense, injecting his potent sperm into his beloved, Elise gave a scream which Lionel knew only too well and her body convulsed for a few seconds before she collapsed limply onto the body of the gardener. It was only then that Lionel realized his penis was hard enough to break concrete.

Lionel quietly walked around the corner of the pool house and sat on a seat, unseen by the lovers who both still had their eyes closed. He heard their breathing slow and steady, then Elise opened her eyes and looked straight at him. He would have expected a scene, a scream, ranting and raving, apologies, begging for forgiveness, but there was none of that.

"Hello, darling, you're home early," she said quietly.

The gardener opened his eyes and saw Lionel sitting there also.

"Hi, we haven't met, I'm Jim. I'm guessing you're Lionel."

What does one say in a situation like this? "Hi, Jim, pleased to meet you."