Fringe Bennies

I had been working at a small insurance company for several years -- well, since my husband died. He was way too young -- it was sad, sudden and unexpected, and after a month of grieving I knew that I had to get a steady job to generate some revenue. Until then I'd been selling real estate, and that was a hit-and-miss proposition. You were always subject to the whims of the market and the economy, and it simply wasn't a steady income in my area.

As luck would have it, a friend of mine heard about an opening at an independent agency owned by a husband and wife who were very successful. There were eight of us in the office including them, so over time, they all became like family to me.

Once a quarter Monica and David had an office party for everyone. It was a chance just to unwind and relax. They had a huge home, and in the winter we'd bundle up and sit around their outdoor fire pit, cooking marshmallows, making s'mores, and sipping some hot, spicy rum concoction that David whipped up. When the weather was warm, we'd have a swimming party at their pool, which had both a water slide and a diving board. David would fire up the grill and Monica would keep the drinks flowing.

I liked being around the two of them -- in many ways, they reminded me of my own marriage way back when. David was always attentive to his wife, and very affectionate toward her. I'd tried dating a little in the last year or so, but I never could find the right guy. Maybe I was being too picky, holding out for a relationship like Monica and David had.

When it came time for our summer party, Monica sent out an email to everyone in the office, and we gathered at their house for an afternoon of fun by the pool. It was the standard fare: swimming, splashing, eating, and drinking. As the afternoon waned, people began to say their goodbyes and leave, and I suddenly discovered that I was the last one there. I had an oversized shirt that I used as a cover-up, so I put it on over my one-piece bathing suit and pulled my black, shoulder-length hair out from the collar. I shook my head -- after being in and out of the pool so much, I knew that I looked a fright. With everyone gone it was nothing to worry about, though, so I began gathering plates and glasses to help out.

David was in the kitchen when I walked in, and he scolded me playfully for helping out. "You're our guest -- you're not supposed to be cleaning up!"

"It's no trouble at all, and it's the least that I can do. You two throw such fun parties, and never let anyone lift a finger to help out." I stacked the dishes beside the sink and then headed back out to get another load.

Before I got out of the kitchen, I heard Monica say, "Now that everyone's gone, I thought I'd get a little sun!"

I turned and saw that the modest one-piece that she always wore had been replaced with a skimpy, sky-blue string bikini. The top had triangles that seemed to struggle to cover her breasts, and the bottom was just a couple of small pieces of cloth held on with strings tied at the sides.

David let out a whistle, and I just stood there staring for a moment. Finally I said, "Wow, Monica, you're beautiful." As soon as I said it, I realized how dumb it sounded. I quickly added, "I mean, that suit... I've always seen you in a one-piece. If I had a body like yours, I'd only wear suits like that!"

She laughed. "Well, I try to have a little modesty and decorum in front of the entire office, but I did want to get a little sun today. Hey -- why don't you borrow one of my bikinis and let's lay out and work on our tans? We'll leave David here to clean up."

I glanced over at the clock on the microwave, and even though it was only late afternoon, I didn't want to overstay my welcome. "Oh, I should probably head home, but I appreciate the..."

"Nonsense!" Monica said with a smile. She stepped over, took my hand, and pulled me through a doorway and into the hall.

I'd never been anywhere but their den and kitchen, and entryway of course, but the house was considerably larger than I expected. We followed the hallway around a turn to the right, and then we were in their bedroom. It was huge, with a sitting area, bar, and fireplace. The bed was big, probably a California king, with heavy wooden bedposts at the four corners.

"Come on, get out of that suit while I find you one to sun in." She began rifling through the drawer of a chest that matched the bed.

I stood there for a minute, not sure what to do. No one had seen me naked since my husband, and even though it was a friend, I was a little self-conscious. Monica held up a black top, glanced back at me, and shook her head. "No, let's get you something lighter."

It took me a moment, but I slowly peeled off my cover and tossed it to the edge of the bed. I then slipped one strap of the bathing suit over my shoulder and reached for the other one. I must have hesitated longer than I thought, because Monica had already selected a white bikini and brought it over to me. "Let's get you in this thing, and get back out to the pool!" she said.

The scene seemed frozen in time. I was standing there with one strap off my shoulder, grasping the other one, and she was standing in front of me holding the bathing suit. I have no idea how long we were there like that, but she finally said, "Oh, I'm sorry! Do you want me to leave? I'm acting so insensitive!"

"No, no, you're all right," I said. "I'm just being a little overly shy. Forgive me." I pulled the strap down, and then slid the suit down my body until it was at my feet. I stepped out of it and gave Monica a faint smile. I don't know if I've ever felt that naked in my entire life.

"This should fit fine," she said very matter-of-factly. "Your breasts are a little bigger than mine, and you've got a little more in the hips like I wish I had, but I think it will work." She handed me the bottoms.

When I got them on, they felt as if they weren't fitting properly -- like they were a couple of sizes too small. I looked across the room to the mirror on the dressing table and saw that it wasn't the size, it was the design. They were made to show a lot of skin. The back was barely wide enough to cover my crack. I decided not to worry about it, since Monica had already seen everything. She held out the top and I put my arms through it, and she stepped around to fasten it. If the bottoms felt tight, the top felt even tighter. For some reason, my nipples had become rock-hard, and were clearly visible against the thin fabric of the top.

Monica stepped back, smiled, and said, "Wow, lady, you look hot! Now let's go lie out and soak up some rays."

I followed her back down the hall and into the kitchen. When we walked in, David said, "Oh my -- don't you two look great! Are you sure that you don't need a pool boy to attend to you?"

Monica just laughed. "No, we need a butler in here to keep cleaning up from the party." She waved her hand playfully as if to dismiss him. "If we desire anything, we'll summon you."

I felt just as naked as I had in the bedroom, and I couldn't bring myself to look at David. I managed a smile and just kept following Monica outside. She pulled two lounge chairs side-by-side, and we each lie down. I closed my eyes; the sun on my skin felt great -- and there was a lot of it showing.

After a few minutes had gone by, I heard footsteps and looked back to see David approaching. He pulled a chair over beside Monica, and said, "Didn't you two forget something?" He held up a tube of sunscreen. "You probably put some on earlier, but there are now a few parts of you showing that haven't been protected."

"Oh, wow, thanks!" Monica said. "I slathered up with it good before the party, but that was pre-bikini. Rub it on me, and then I'll help our guest with hers."

Monica turned over onto her stomach, and he squirted a glob of it onto her back. She suddenly squealed and said, "Hey, be careful, that's cold! Where did you have that, in the freezer?"

He laughed. "No, just on the counter in the kitchen. Sorry; it'll warm up, though." David spread the lotion out with his hands, slowly rubbing it all over her back and arms. He went under the back of the swimsuit and over her shoulders, even lifting her hair to do her neck. It was a deliberate, almost sensual massage. "Let me get your legs," he said as he put a line of sunscreen down the back of each thigh. He put both hands on her left leg and coated it with the lotion from the hip down to the heel. He seemed to be spending some special attention to her hips, rubbing up under the suit. From my vantage point I couldn't be sure, but it looked like he might be even massaging between her legs. She had her eyes closed and was lying there just seeming to enjoy it. David repeated the procedure with her right leg, spending just as much time around her bottom, before he gave it a playful pop and said, "Okay, turn over!"

She rose on her elbows and flipped, and I noticed that she locked eyes with David for just a little bit longer than necessary. She also had a hint of a playful smile on her face that I was sure meant something. Monica lay back, and David went to work again. He squirted sunscreen on her stomach, then gathered a little in each hand and rubbed it into her arms. He then did her neck, her chest, and although I was keeping my eyes closed, I couldn't help but open them a slit to see him rubbing her breasts underneath her top. He massaged it into her stomach, and let his hands drift down past the edge of her swimsuit bottom.

Repeating his actions when she was on her back, he traced a line of sunscreen along each leg and began to rub it in, starting with her toes and the tops of her feet. He worked his way up her legs, slowly massaging both at the same time, and finally reached her swimsuit.

I was watching as intently as I could with my eyes opened in slits, trying not to appear to be watching them. I couldn't tell what was happening, but Monica was definitely shifting around in her lounge some. I saw David glance over at me as if he was trying to gauge whether or not I was paying attention, and I then heard Monica inhale sharply, and then relax. If I didn't know better, I'd say that she had a little orgasm... and with everything that had been going over there, even though I couldn't see it, I'm pretty sure that she did.

"Okay, that's it!" David said. "Unless you'd like me to take care of our guest, that is."

Monica sighed, sat up, and grabbed the bottle from his hand. "I think that you've done enough, mister -- get back to your cleaning detail, and I'll take care of this." She watched him walk away, smiling all the time, and then finally looked down at me. "Okay, turn over, and let's get some UV protection on you."

I complied and turned onto my tummy, and felt her hands rubbing the sunscreen lotion on my back. "Unlike my husband, I'm not going to squirt this directly on you -- it's cold! I'm putting it on my hands first to warm it up." She did my shoulders, and then I heard her put another squirt on her hands and she started on my legs. It was very brisk and clinical, just like a friend would do.

"All right, let's get the front half and we're done." She did my belly, arms, and shoulders, and started on my legs.

"It looked like David gave you a pretty thorough rubdown!" I said with a laugh. I don't know why I said it, but I just did.

"Oh, you noticed, did you?" She giggled. "Well, that man can be a bit of a scamp at times. I hope that we didn't embarrass you or make you uncomfortable."

I shook my head. "Not at all. It made me wish that I had someone like David. You two are really lucky to have each other."

As she rubbed my feet, ankles, and calves, she said, "It's none of my business, but I know that you lost your hubby some time ago. Have you thought of looking around some?"

I took a deep breath, and let it out slowly, trying to figure out how I wanted to answer her. Finally, I said, "I've tried, but I'm afraid that it's been a parade of guys that I just didn't gel with. Maybe my standards are too high -- you guys remind me of the way things used to be."

"So no one to get out that sexual tension with, huh?" She'd stopped rubbing and was sitting on the edge of her lounge. "No one to scratch that itch?"

I hesitated a minute, and finally said, "Just Bob."

"Ah, so there is someone. Tell me all about Bob!" Monica said with a laugh.

"Well, it's actually B.O.B. -- Battery Operated Boyfriend." I couldn't believe that I was sharing my most intimate secrets with her.

Monica howled. "Bob... I love it! Believe me, Bob lives at my house as well, but we usually incorporate him -- it -- into our playtime. Unless David's away on a business trip and I need a little release."

"Bob's fine," I said, closing my eyes, "but sometimes some human contact would be nice."

"Sometimes it's not just nice, it's necessary!" Monica began rubbing the sunscreen into my thighs.

I could feel the sun warming my skin, and the sensation of the cool lotion was delightful. When she reached the top of my thighs, I felt her going in between them very close to the bathing suit, and I thought that she was going to brush my privates, but she simply withdrew her hand, and I heard her stand up. "There -- we're covered! I think that I'm going to stick my head inside and order a couple of margaritas for us."

I'd already turned over by the time she returned, trying to keep an even exposure to the sun.

"David will bring them out in a little while after he finishes cleaning up," she said, and I heard her lie down on her lounge chair.

I don't know how long we were there. The sun felt wonderfully warm on my back, and I could smell the relaxing aroma of sunscreen toasting on my skin. I flipped over again, trying to remember to do that every few minutes. I heard Monica doing the same. We weren't talking, though, just relaxing, and I think that I might have even snoozed off a couple of times.

I was finally brought back to reality by David's voice. "Okay, you two, time to take a break. You don't want to overdo it." He had walked over to one of the poolside tables and put down a tray with three frozen margaritas on it. He pulled out the two chairs there, and then grabbed another that was nearby. "Come get under the umbrella for a while."

I moaned. "But this feels so good!" I whined, and then laughed. "I guess you're right, though." Monica and I stood up at the same time and walked over to join David in the shade.

He was wearing swim trunks with no shirt, and while he wasn't some deeply cut muscle man, he had a very nice build.

When I took a sip of my drink, I winced a little bit at the taste of tequila. "Wow, how strong did you make these?"

Monica just laughed and said, "David makes a killer margarita -- they're lethal... but delicious!"

"I'll say. I just need to be careful; I had a couple of drinks at the party, and I still have to drive home."

"That's not a problem," she said. "We have a couple of extra rooms. You can crash here if you need to. We'd love to have the company."

We sipped our drinks and talked for the next half-hour, and when we'd all slurped up the last bit of the green, iced goodness, David stood up and said, "One more round, coming up!"

I noticed that his eyes met Monica's, and something passed between them. At least I thought that it did -- but it could have been the tequila. I had a very pleasant, relaxed feeling.

Monica reached over and pulled David's empty chair over next to her, and patted the seat. "C'mon over here, and let's have a little girl talk."

I looked at her questioningly, but she just smiled back. I stood up and took the chair beside her. I sat there for a minute, and she was simply looking at me, still smiling. "What?" I finally asked.

She took a deep breath and let it out in a sigh, her smile never fading. "This is kind of sticky to bring up, and there's no easy way to approach it. So I guess that I'll just say it and get it out there."

"What in the world are you talking about?" I asked.

Monica leaned over, her lips just a few inches from my ear, and whispered, "Would you be interested in joining David and me in the bedroom?"

My mind was suddenly racing at light speed -- what was she suggesting? Was she actually asking me what I thought? I didn't say anything; I just sat there frozen.

"We both really like you, and I was just telling David that you didn't have anyone to help out with intimate needs. We'd like you to come with us for a little harmless playtime -- no requirements, no expectations, and no pressure. Just some fun, relaxation, and hopefully a little pleasure along the way." She sat back, waiting for my response.

"Why, Monica, I... I don't know what to say... I've never..."

She reached out and put her hand on my thigh, and leaned in again. "It's not a regular thing for us, but on occasion, when we find someone that we especially like, well, we like to play a little."

I shook my head, trying to come back to reality. I was silent for a moment, soaking it all in, and finally asked, "So, are we talking about me and David... me and you... I..."

Monica gently put her index finger on my lips. "As I said, no requirements, expectations, or pressure. Maybe we all just lounge in bed and touch each other's bodies, and spend some time cuddling. Maybe you lie back and enjoy watching David and I pleasure each other. Or, well, maybe more. Whatever you're comfortable with."

I had never been with a woman before, but I can't say that some degree of curiosity hadn't occasionally crossed my mind. It was doing so now, in fact, sitting next to Monica with both of us in skimpy bathing suits, having such an unexpected, extreme discussion. And David was certainly handsome; I'd secretly checked him out any number of times. Still, this sudden development for the afternoon was freaking me out. I didn't know what to say.

David came walking out with three more drinks and set the tray on the table. He handed Monica a drink, and when their eyes met I knew that he was up to speed. They must have talked when she first went in to ask him to make margaritas. He handed me my drink and smiled sweetly. "So, I guess your head is going in about a dozen different directions right now?" He grabbed the empty chair, and pulled it over beside me.

He was so matter-of-fact and pleasant that I had to laugh. "Well, at least that many. This whole thing has caught me off guard!" I knew that I was blushing as I spoke, sitting between two people who apparently wanted to be intimate with me.

"Look, Monica's probably already assured you that this is a very loose thing -- there's nothing that you have to do, or not do for that matter. You're in charge." He took a sip of his margarita to let that sink in, then posed the more definitive question, "So, are you interested in just seeing where it all goes?"

I looked at both my friends, first David and then Monica, then took a sip of my drink, and slowly nodded my head. I mean, why not play a little bit and see what happens?

"Great," Monica said. "So why don't we finish our drinks out here, and then retire to the bedroom?"

"Sounds perfect to me," David added. "We're in no hurry -- we have the rest of the day."

I was looking down into my drink, stirring it with my straw, just thinking about what was happening.

Monica leaned in toward me. "You okay?"

"Just nervous, I guess. I mean, it's been an awfully long time." I glanced from one of them to the other. "And you guys are just beautiful. What if I'm not up to par with..."

"Yeah, right!" Monica said, and laughed. "Remember, dear, I've already had a peek, and what I saw in the bedroom is what started giving me these naughty thoughts!"

David leaned up in his chair. "What? You mean you've already had a preview? That's hardly fair!" He feigned insult for a second. "Okay, then, I guess that it's only proper that I get the first kiss of the afternoon." He stared at me, his eyes playful and inviting.