James and Nora and Adrian Ch. 01

"Yes," she whispered.

"Were you thinking about having sex with him even when we were meeting with him?"

"Yes," she said. "I was wondering what it might be like with him."

After we made love with that fantasy in our heads, Nora said she wanted to tell me more about her prior interactions with Benton. "On several occasions, in meetings in which he and I were involved at the firm, and at least twice when he and his wife were at gallery openings that we also attended, I was aware of him watching me intently, of seeming to go out of his way to be near me but never speaking more than casual greetings."

Once, though, she said she had responded to his attention. At an event while he was standing in a group and she was sitting nearby she felt him eyeing her and that she had intentionally shifted her legs several times just to tease him. And she had looked him in the eyes as she did so. As she prepared to rise, she had swung her legs out into the aisle, opening them a bit to provide a view higher up her legs.

Nora reflected on this. "I suspect this forwardness on my part might have led him, obviously already interested, to conclude that I might be a willing, maybe enthusiastic partner. James, I should have mentioned this at the time, but I assumed it would mean nothing really, except to give me a thrill because it was so uncharacteristic of me."

But now, if Nora and I went ahead with this arrangement, Benton would get to see, and touch, everything he might have hoped for then.

Then Nora hesitantly described a fantasy she had recently about her being used by a handsome older man whom she has desired for a long time. "When he finally expressed his interest in me I was overwhelmed by a desire to submit and to do anything he asked to give him pleasure. He treated me like a plaything and I accepted it. For example, I repeatedly offered to let him fuck me in the ass, something I have never let anyone do. I offered to give it up to him because he told me it would give him such pleasure and I wanted to please him. And after the first time whenever I met with him he demanded to take me in this way. I also fantasized that he told me to have sex with several of his friends, and I did so for his pleasure."

Finally Nora admitted, "James, the reason I have been afraid to share this fantasy with you is because the man in the fantasy was Adrian Benton. Now, it frightens me to think about being with him. Would he be that demanding, even cruel?, That would be very unlike how he appears in all that we have seen and heard from him. But who knows, really. And how would I react. Would I be so submissive. I don't know what to think. I assume Friday night will make things clearer.

"What about you James?" Nora asked next. "There are so many things to consider. If we do this, how will you feel about me — at first, and then as time goes by? How will I feel about you? Is the sexual part of the relationship, mine with him that is, a major reservation for you? It would certainly be a big step in our relationship. Will it make you highly jealous. Could you stand it. Would it excite you to watch us. Might you even feel enthusiastic about it. Do you like, really, the idea of me having sex with an attractive man in front of you. Could you stand it if I was away with him for a week end. If you would like to watch, how would you want to participate beyond that, if at all. These are all questions that concern me and I suspect you can't really answer them at this point."

I told Nora that I felt trepidation and uncertainty. But also excitement, that if it worked with Benton the first time, later we both might come to anticipate pleasure and excitement from each next step. And I told her again that I had a strong and loving desire to support her in fulfilling her sexual wants and needs. I realized that my response implied that a decision to go ahead largely would be up to her.

After more discussion on Sunday, I left a note in Benton's office on Monday, a tentative yes on his proposal and agreement that we would see him on Friday.

Adrian called me that afternoon just to express his pleasure at our response and that he looked forward to seeing us again. That evening, Nora told me that Adrian had also called her to express his pleasure. In his conversation with Nora he had said he had a special request of her, that it might indicate tentatively her feelings and a way for him to better understand how she would respond to his desires.

He said it would give him great pleasure if on Friday evening she would wear a blouse and a skirt each with buttons down the front— no bra and only a garter belt with sheer black stockings but nothing else underneath. Benton asked her if she minded doing so. She said that she did not if it was important to him. He asked if it excited her to think about coming to his apartment like that, and she said she thought she would be excited. "Why do you feel that way Nora," he had asked.

"Because I have already thought in the past of what it would be like to be with you sexually," she said.

Adrian immediately told her that he found this extremely promising — and very provocative.

During the next several days Nora came to think of this conversation as a sort of test from Adrian, perhaps as a portent of things to come, and it increased her interest. Adrian had also suggested that she show me how she was dressed as we were preparing for next Friday evening and to tell me why. She had told him she would consider that. I suspected that for both Adrian and Nora, this conversation made each feel that it was the two of them who would primarily determine the nature of any sexual relationship that might soon begin.

Later we were to learn much more about Adrian's personality and his needs and interests regarding Nora. Happily they did not accord closely with Nora's fantasy that she had been reluctant to share with me.

Ch.4: A sexual beginning with Adrian Benton

On that Friday night in late February, I watched Nora dress for our first evening with Adrian Benton. She appeared calm and thoughtful. Watching her prepare herself for an evening out was an act I always enjoyed any time and this was a very special outing. Nora was a tasteful dresser, always stylish and often elegant, sometimes just on the edge of daring, but never over. This night, after her bath, she first put on a red garter belt and sheer black stocking but with no panties before adding a long black skirt with buttons down the front. And then, with no bra underneath, she put on a fine grey cashmere sweater, again with buttons from her neck to her waist. Her nipples were very apparent under that smooth sweater.

Nora told me later that she had planned to mention to me Adrian's phone call request to her about what he hoped she would wear but that she decided it would make the evening more interesting for us all if she did not. She made no comment on her choices and I did not inquire. I dressed in grey slacks, a white linen shirt and a black sweater, a conservative combination that I wore frequently and seemed to suit me.

At 8:00 Nora and I arrived at Adrian Benton's elegant 1898 residence in the Gold Coast area, a block from Lake Shore Drive. He was dressed very casually in slacks and sweater. At 51, Adrian Benton was a very distinguished looking man with a few touches of grey in his dark hair, vivid blue eyes, probably six feet tall, maybe about 180, very trim. He seemed relaxed but, at the same time, very alive. Benton complimented Nora on how beautiful she looked and how much he liked her sweater and skirt. He showed us around the house, describing several of the photos and other art that he thought would be especially interesting to Nora. Over dinner of French onion soup, filet mignon with asparagus, and a bottle of a fine burgandy, we engaged in comfortable conversation about several art-related legal cases Benton was involved in, his upcoming travel plans to Japan and ours to Puerto Rico, and we exchanged opinions on several new shows at art galleries around town.

After dinner, Benton told us more about his own life than was in the career-oriented profile on the firm's web site. He said he was born and raised in a small Illinois town near Springfield. His father was a Methodist minister. Benton early on became an avid user of the town's decent library, especially history, biography and American and British novels, especially of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In high school he was a leader in school government but never interested in athletics. He learned to draw and won a number of regional competitions for his portraits and outdoor scenes.

With his high grades and art recognition he won a good scholarship at the University of Illinois where he majored in history, was again active in student government, and grew socially, including through friendships with men and women from Chicago and other cities whose experiences were much more varied and sophisticated than his own. By taking a series of studio art classes, especially in painting and photography, he encountered another vey different group of students. As his skills improved he supplemented his scholarship through money earned from portraits, both paintings and photographs, of friends, faculty members and university staff, both male and female. He mentioned especially meaningful personal relationships he developed with the wives of some faculty and administrators. He told us he would show us photographs of some these if we came to know him better.

Benton then went to law school at Northwestern, finished fifth in this class, had internships at two large Chicago firms, and accepted a position at Belknap and Smithers. By age 48 he had become the senior partner. Just two years later, finding he was no longer enjoying the responsibility and long hours, he resigned his leadership role and became simply "of counsel" to the firm. He retained as clients several mid size non-profits and a few individuals who shared his strong interest in the arts. His earnings at the firm, especially during his ten years as an equity partner, along with sound investments, provided all the resources he would ever need.

Benton said he had married his second wife Janet, now 36, seven years ago, and that they have been very happy together, very compatible and supportive of one another. He told us again that they had an open marriage and were very comfortable in outside sexual relationships, some of which they shared.

Adrian Benton then served us each an after dinner cognac and asked Nora and I to sit together on one of two facing loveseats in a small room off the dining room. The lights were dimmed. Adrian sat down on the couch opposite us and began by saying, "Nora and James, I want you to describe as best you can your sexual life together, both as it has been and as it is now, and what you might want it to be."

I responded first, "Adrian, we have been talking about this since your proposal of a week ago.We feel we have had generally a very satisfying, at times very exciting, sexual relationship since we met five years ago. We recognize though that perhaps the level of excitement, and even the satisfaction, may have slowed a bit, and we take this not to be surprising." I explained that we had begun to discuss how to capture a higher degree of sexual pleasure and adventure and to maintain that in the years ahead. I added, "In the past year or so we have begun to fantasize and role play more frequently about sexual situations that we really have not expected to experience in reality."

Nora looked at me, then at Adrian. "James and I have discussed where we are now as part of how we might respond to your request to make love to me and how we might perhaps later consider the broader potential experiences implied in your proposal. I have nothing at this point to add to James comments about our present sexual relationship. I agree with him. I am interested in learning more about your interests and more than willing to see where we might go together this evening."

Adrian said that this sounded very promising to him. Then asked us to describe our fantasies, especially those that Nora has most enjoyed. "Could you do that for me Nora? To describe them where both James and I can hear you. I should say to both of you that l have found that many men and women when challenged enjoy talking about their fantasies once they get started. And I do not find this surprising because I also have noticed that people often are highly stimulated by voicing, in sexual situations, what are thinking and wanting and feeling. But sometimes they need to be encouraged. Perhaps we can explore that possibility later," he said, looking at Nora.

I was taken aback by his request and intrigued as Nora began to discuss her fantasies. "Adrian," she explained, "I have enjoyed it most when James and I have fantasized together about me having other partners, sometimes multiple partners, often with strangers, with minority men, with women, even for an audience. I have usually but not always shared my fantasies with James when we are together but I also fantasize when alone and I do not always share those."

"Why don't you share some fantasies with James," Adrian asked. "When I don't want to embarrass myself or James. Perhaps when I am out of control or if I am overly submissive. I don't ever want to lose James' respect."

Nora looked directly at me, then at Adrian, as she described a particular fantasy. "Adrian, not long ago you were in a fantasy James and I shared. You were making love to me and I was very excited by thinking about that. It was one of my most pleasurable fantasies recently. I'm sure the fantasy arose because I had noticed that you often have been watching me closely; and I have interpreted that not just interest but mainly as desire." She did not mention her own more recent fantasy about a submissive relationship with him.

Nora went on, "James and I have often fantasized of him being with other women while I watch or participate. But more frequently these have been of James watching me with other men. We have imagined changing partners with other couples, having exhibitionist and voyeur experiences on our travels, having sex in back of a taxi or limo while in the city, and being in an audience watching others have sex. We have had a few mild sexual adventures ourselves, but none have involved actual sex with others."

Adrian responded, "Well, then, how do you feel about the possibility of making some of your fantasies real, some with me, perhaps others with other partners. Does that possibility excite either or both of you?" We both nodded positively.

Adrian then asked Nora, "Nora how would you feel if James offered you to someone else and then asked you to perform particular sexual acts with that person?"

"I would not mind being asked and encouraged by my husband, but I would not want to be directed. I would like to be supported if I chose to be with someone else."

I said, "While it might make me nervous and very jealous sometimes, I believe I will enjoy encouraging Nora to make love to someone else who she told me she was strongly attracted to. I deeply desire for her to feel intense sexual pleasure and high excitement. I hope for that for both of us and for more sexual adventures, perhaps more edgy ones, as time goes by."

Nora told us that she could not in advance fully anticipate her interest, enjoyment, or where she would draw lines on what she would engage in or with whom. She hoped that she will learn to know herself better through new sexual experiences.

Nora then asked Adrian to say more about the "further opportunities and adventures" he had referred to in our first meeting. She said we are both interested. Adrian responded. "I do not want to be highly descriptive at this point. In my experience there are some people in any group of attractive and sophisticated people who have desires beyond a monogamous relationship that they want to gratify. Various avenues are available to facilitate sexual activities between and among individuals, couples and groups who share certain sexual interests and seek opportunities to express them. This can be done through exclusive clubs or networks which arrange for sexual activities in a variety of settings and configurations. Most of these require arrangements to be made in advance, perhaps by bringing a group of people together but without particular partners being chosen in advance. There are many variations."

Complete privacy protection is guaranteed and I have enough experience to point you

"Some opportunities are by invitation only. Sometimes, for the more adventuresome, the activities are not fully revealed in advance."

Adrian said he would provide one example. "Carefully selected attractive couples, perhaps a dozen in all, could be invited from a larger number of applicant to spend several days together. Perhaps there would be ten couples in all, none from the same city and none from the area near the remote lodge where they would come together to participate in a sequence of sexual activities over several days. The activities might include, for example, erotic photos and videos being shown to the whole group after dinner as a way to stimulate immediate excitement at the initial gathering. Later, each couple would be paired with one other couple to spend the the night in a private suite in whatever activity they might enjoy together. Or perhaps it would be fur couples choosing their own partners during the course of the evening.

"Another grouping might be for each partner in a couple to be assigned to spend time alone with a member of the opposite sex chosen at random by the organizers. Later all couples would be brought together before a stage to watch one or two couples from the group have sex in front of the others. Volunteers would be encouraged but if there are none from the group, two very desirable young couples arranged for in advance by the sponsors would have sex before the guests. Finally, perhaps all the participating guest couples would be brought together in the same large and nearly darkened room to seek whatever partners and activities that might develop."

Adrian noted that this was just one example and there were many others to suit the interests of individuals or couples. Introductions can be arranged for just one couple to another, for example, for swapping or a foursome. He said he could describe others later if Nora and I were intrigued.

Adrian then asked, "Are the two of you both open to an initial experience with me here tonight? I encourage you not to feel pressured. We will only do what you felt comfortable with." We both nodded positively. Nora told Adrian again that we had already fantasized about something like this happening long before he had proposed this and that she had enjoyed it — and that she recalled that I had too.

"Let's then explore how fantasy relates to reality. I would love it, James, if you and Nora would kiss and hold each other for as long as you two wish while I watch. And then, if Nora is willing, I would like for you James to begin to unbutton her blouse so that I can see her breasts and watch you fondle them."

As I turned and began to kiss her, Nora whispered, "Go ahead James, I am ready for this." I slowly unbuttoned her sweater, gradually revealing her pale breasts and pink nipples set against the soft grey of her sweater.

"You have very beautiful breasts, Nora. Just as I expected," Adrian said. "James, could you cup Nora's breasts and brush her nipples while I watch?"

I did so, kissing her nipples as well. I kissed her neck and her lips as I began to unbutton Nora's skirt. After a few buttons were undone I said to Nora," Nora, tell us what you are thinking right now."

Nora answered," I am picturing you undoing the rest of the buttons on my skirt and that I am holding my legs together until you ask me out loud to very very slowly open my legs to show Adrian how sexy I look in this red garter belt and dark stockings. I am wondering what he would be feeling as he sees how wet my sex already is. "