Lyon's Den Ch. 10

Mary's hesitation in answering the question made Daniel tighten his embrace and whisper in her ear, "You don't have to decide now. I know I may be rushing things and I don't want you to feel pressured into anything."

"I don't feel pressured," said Mary immediately, not wanting him to misunderstand her silence as indecision. "You may want to rescind your offer after I tell you what happened day."

"Why? What did you do? Did you commit a felony?"

Laughing, she said, "No."

"Did you commit a misdemeanor?"

"No." Mary swatted his hands folded across her stomach. "Stop asking questions and I'll tell you."

Daniel rested his lips on her neck, and said, "I'm all ears."

"Doesn't feel like it." She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before continuing, "After we talked this morning, I was too excited about my generous salary, thank you very much, to stay home and putter around the house. I felt like I should get to work on the portrait."

Mary proceeded to tell him about the contractors' L.E.D. lighting argument and how she resolved it.

"Sounds like a wise decision," said Daniel, as his hands began to wander.

"After they left I was going to lock the door, but I saw Jennifer coming, and she was crying."

This got Daniel's attention. The wandering hands stopped in place.

Continuing on, Mary summarized the couple's argument over the nonexistent website. Daniel sighed and rolled onto his back.

She turned over to see his face. "You knew it was faked, didn't you?"

Daniel stared at the ceiling. "I did. I told Bruce it was a bad idea, but he insisted she wouldn't find out."

He shook his head sadly, and said, "I didn't expect him to be the one foolish enough to tell her."

"Why would you do that? It sounds like a terrible idea."

"Because I felt responsible for bringing them together. They are so opposite, I never thought for a minute they'd fall for each other. I was surprised when Bruce came out of his prudish shell, or maybe it's more accurate to say Jenifer yanked him out. Then I was shocked when she accepted his marriage proposal. He doesn't want to be in the porn business, but Jenifer wants to hold on to her independence, and the only way she knows how to survive is by exploiting her body. Bruce's plan was to eventually get her involved with something less risqué. It had some merit, and I thought we could control it long enough for her to stop on her own."

"You mean control her. Really bad idea."

Daniel sat up. "I should call him."

"Wait, I'm not done telling you what happened," said Mary, pausing to gather her thoughts. "Jenifer wanted to leave when she found out you weren't here. I thought she was too upset to drive, so I convinced her to stay, and we went back to my studio so I could paint."

Because Mary couldn't continue while looking at Daniel, she lay on her back and closed her eyes. "To make a long story short, while I was painting, Jenifer came on to me... and I... I liked it. But then Bruce showed up and interrupted. He figured out what was about to happen and they started arguing again, but they seemed to kiss and make up. So I kissed them both and they left the studio. I heard the front door bell ring and thought they'd left. But..." She swallowed hard to clear the lump in her throat, "only Bruce left."

Mary stopped there, knowing Daniel could fill in the climax of the story. The silence that followed caused her heart to pound. She opened her eyes to witness his reaction. His expression was an unreadable mask as he stared at the wall.

Putting her hand on his arm, she said, "Tell me what you're thinking."

"I'm feeling a little foolish for asking you to be monogamous."

Sitting up, she threw her arms around him and hugged. "No, don't! I want to. I want to pursue a relationship with you."

He gave her a weak smile. "Did you enjoy it?"

Mary rested her forehead on his shoulder, as her face warmed. "To be honest, I did."

Twisting in her embrace, Daniel lowered her to the bed and lay on top. While combing his fingers through her hair, he said, "I've never been monogamous. But I offered it because I thought that's what you wanted to hear. If you want to have an open relationship I'd be fine with it as long as we agree on certain boundaries."

Wrinkling her brow, she said, "Really? You wouldn't be jealous? I don't think I could be so indifferent about sharing your affection."

"Well, let me ask you this, after your dalliance with Jenifer do you feel differently about having relations with me?"

"No... I guess I see your point. Physical pleasure doesn't always equal romantic involvement, is that it?"

Daniel kissed her and smiled. "It can work as long as we don't keep secrets. Trust is the key. If either one of us is uncomfortable we need to be honest about it."

"That's probably why Bruce was so upset that Jenifer didn't get his consent to be with me. She broke that rule."

Daniel nodded his head, "Yes, I'm sure that's true, among other things."

"He really wants a family, but Jenifer doesn't want kids."

Turning on his side, Daniel said, "When you consider her childhood, I understand her reluctance. I think she's afraid of being a bad mother more than anything." Supporting his head on his forearm, he casually circled Mary's nipple with his finger. "I wonder if part of her attraction to you is because you were such a good mother. You would be a great role model for her."

Mary rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah, great role models always have sex with their protégée."

"Don't you see? Now you're someone she can relate to. You don't condemn her for her past. Part of seducing you may have been her subconscious way of getting your approval and making you equals."

She laughed, "Okay, Dr. Freud."

Daniel bent down and kissed the enlivened breast. "I'm no shrink, but I know human nature, and this beautiful bit of nature is asking for more."

Cradling her untouched breast, Mary asked, "What is this one saying?"

Daniel grinned, and said, "Don't forget about me," and he didn't.

***

Earlier that day Bruce reluctantly left the art gallery, walked to his pickup truck, and drove home with a heavy heart. Sure, he'd given his consent for Jenifer to have sex with Mary, but he wasn't happy about it. The problem was, he couldn't say no after lying to her about the website.

Sex, and everything about human sexuality, had been a forbidden mystery to Bruce before he met Jenifer. But even after her thorough, hands-on education, it only felt acceptable to enjoy other people's sex acts voyeuristically, and immoral to participate. After their morning argument, the hope that Jenifer would change her ways now seemed obviously unrealistic. Try as he might to please Jenifer, he just felt uncomfortable with the idea of having sex with someone else. Initially he was drawn to his wife's free spirit like a thirsty man to an oasis, but now he was drowning in a flood of debauchery, unable to find solid ground. He wondered if she really loved him, or was he just another virginal notch on her bedpost, someone she could depend on to be boringly the same, her vanilla lover, her fallback missionary position when life got hard.

Opening the truck windows, Bruce inhaled the crisp autumn air, feeling the stress drain away the farther the city fell behind. The red and gold autumn foliage drew him back to nature. Pulling into the driveway of their old farmhouse, he paused to scan the rustic surroundings. He bought the property three years ago hoping someday to have a family. Not raising children in such a wonderful environment would be a tragedy. They could ride horses; they could plant a garden, cross-country ski in the winter, build a treehouse, swim in the pond, and jump in piled leaves in the fall. These were the ideas that kept the future exciting for him. Making babies with his beautiful wife would be the cherry on top of the perfect country life. The unwelcome thought of Jenifer and Mary together, right now, made him shake his head in dismay.

At first, when they started taking erotic pictures for a website, the sex was exciting because it was all a fantasy. Bruce justified it in his head as a fun, kinky thing to do. Daniel knew them both, knew Jenifer intimately before they married, so he felt somewhat comfortable with him behind the camera. When Mary became involved in their play acting it was okay, because it was all make believe. But today, it wasn't pretend. They weren't just acting out roles in a scene anymore. It became real and personal.

Bruce decided he needed to do something to keep his mind occupied for the next few hours. Grabbing his tool box from behind the driver's seat, he went to the barn and measured the rotted stall dimensions for new lumber. The Salvation Army drop box was on the way to the lumber yard, so he went to their bedroom and collected all the old clothes he hadn't wore in years to make more room for Jenifer's growing wardrobe. Grabbing the nearby duffle bag, he hastily stuffed them in. Since it was almost lunch time, he grabbed his laptop to do some work on the local diner's free Wi-Fi.

Time slipped away. Three hours later, Bruce pulled back into their driveway and parked next to Jenifer's car. Stepping inside the quiet house, he felt unsure of what to say to her. She'd probably want to tell him every juicy detail. He was surprised when Jenifer wasn't waiting for him with bated breath. Instead, what sounded like muffled sobs came from their bedroom.

"Jen?"

She sprang up from the bed and turned toward the door to face him, her face streaked with tears.

"What's the matter, Sweetie."

"Nothing," she said, pulling her knees into her chest, and wiping her eyes with the heel of her hand.

"I've never seen you cry like this, so it must be something," he said, sitting on the bedside.

She rested her forehead on her knees, refusing to meet his intense stare.

Her legs pulled up the tee-shirt. He couldn't help observing she wasn't wearing any panties. Her long hair was wet, like she'd just showered.

Jenifer mumbled, "Where were you?"

"Just running some errands." He reached out and touched her foot. "Miss me?"

"Why didn't you answer your phone? I called you a bunch of times."

He pulled out his phone and looked. "The battery died. I didn't notice."

"You took clothes out of the closet and your duffle bag was gone. Your laptop was gone."

Suddenly he realized what she implied. "Did you think I left you?"

She nodded her head against her knees, seeming unable to speak, and then a sob escaped.

"Aw, Babe... No way. I love you." Quickly he moved beside her and pulled her close.

Wrapping her arms around him, she buried her face against his neck. "Are you sure? I'm not the wholesome girl next door. Isn't that what you want? I know I'm a disappointment."

"Shush," he rubbed his cheek against her damp hair. "You're not a disappointment. We just need to work things out, like any dysfunctional married couple."

'Dysfunctional' made her laugh. She lifted her head and kissed him. "I love you."

Then her head turned suddenly.

He followed her line of sight to the bedside table. A full glass of water sat next to a brown prescription bottle. "What's that?"

"Nothing," she said, putting a hand on his cheek to turn his head away, while the arm on his back pulled him tight.

Breaking free, Bruce picked up the bottle and read the label. "These are your sleeping pills."

Jenifer grabbed for it. "So?"

Scared and angry, Bruce held the bottle out of reach and yelled, "What the fuck were you thinking?"

He threw the bottle across the room, hitting the wall hard, and scattering pills.

Grabbing her shoulders, he glared at her. "Suicide? Is that what you were planning?"

"No." Her downcast eyes told him she lied.

Something primal gripped Bruce's heart. He had to make Jenifer understand how much he loved her and how afraid he was of losing her. Pulling her down across his lap and yanking up the tee-shirt, he spanked her hard, over and over, shouting, "Don't ever do that! I love you... Need you... Don't ever think about..." Finally seeing the red handprints on her bottom, he pulled her up and hugged her, "I'm sorry. So sorry..."

Jenifer sobbed against his shoulder and clung to him with a desperation Bruce never felt before. He didn't know what to do except hold her until she calmed. When Jenifer finally lifted her head, he expected a tirade of expletives, describing what a barbaric asshole he'd become.

But instead, her eyes were soft and her lips smiling. She kissed him gently, and said, "Thank you."

Bewildered by her reaction, he said simply, "You're welcome."

Laying her head on his shoulder, she clarified, "I'm sorry for believing you abandoned me. I did consider ending it all. My life was a fucking disaster before I met you. The thought of losing you was too much. I should've trusted your commitment to me. I cherish our marriage, even if I don't show it. Your kind of faithful love is scary. I fall back to my old ways when I'm scared. Until now, I've never felt important or essential to anyone's happiness."

Bruce clasped Jenifer's cheeks between his hands, looked into her tear-filled eyes, and promised, "I will love you until the day I die." He pulled her lips to his and kissed her with heartfelt passion.

Jenifer pressed into him, kissing back with a fevered passion of her own. Pushing him over, she lay on top while her hands worked frantically to open his jeans. She broke away, slipped down to his feet, and tugged them off. With renewed fierceness she yanked off his briefs, and straddled his waist. "I want you inside me so bad, Baby," she whispered, leaning on her arms, rubbing her pussy along his growing cock.

Bruce grabbed her tee-shirt and pulled it off. His hands cupped her breasts and teased the taut nipples.

She groaned approval, sat up straight, but then fell back against his chest, laughing. "My ass is sore, but I kinda like it. It reminds me how much you care."

He rubbed her bottom soothingly. "I lost control. I didn't know how to get your attention, how to show my fear of losing you."

Unbuttoning his shirt, she said, "I know what you can do. Let's practice making a baby."

"Don't joke. You know how I feel about having children."

After pulling his shirt off, Jenifer left the bed, and walked into their bathroom.

He winced at the sight of her bright red buttocks oscillating through the door.

Soon Jenifer returned with her long hair tied in a ponytail. She knelt beside him, and handed over the round birth control pill dispenser. "It's up to you. I can't do it alone. You'll have to promise to stay and help me. I'm afraid of being a mother. There's no backing out on that. No walking away, ever."

Bruce sat up, kissed her hungrily, and said, "We are going to make beautiful babies." Then, with a wide grin, he threw the dispenser against the wall, adding more pills to the debris field.

"Babies? Who said anything about more than-"

She couldn't finish the thought as Bruce's mouth covered hers, but she did laugh at his enthusiasm.

He held her on her side to avoid pressure on her sore bottom. Pulling her top leg up onto his hip, he probed between her legs with his erection. She reached behind and pushed it into place, and then moaned at its slow penetration.

With sweet affection, Bruce made tender love to his wife.

"You're too good to me," she whispered in his ear, as he held her tight, slowly thrusting.

"I'm in love with you. I want our love to grow, every day."

"I'm a skeptic. You'll have to convince me." She rolled him onto his back, keeping him inside. Lying on his chest, she rode him slowly, dragging her breast over his chest. "I love the feel of your hair on my nipples. Did I ever tell you that?"

"No, but good to know." He soothingly rubbed her ass, and said, "Did I ever tell you how much I love the feel of your nipples on my chest?"

"Of course not," she said, and grinned. "When it comes to talking dirty, you're verbally constipated."

"I can't get enough of your smokin' hot body. I'm going to fuck you all night."

"Nice try. Didn't sound authentic." She smiled, "Besides, at the moment I'm fucking you. You'll have to wait your turn."

"How about this, I loved the way your rosy ass looked walking away."

Jenifer closed her eyes and started riding him faster. "Don't let this go to your head, but I liked your forcefulness. This probably sounds weird, but it made me feel safe, like you'll take care of me, no matter how stupid I am."

"Hey!" Bruce wrapped his arms around her waist and flipped her onto her back. "No one calls my wife stupid, especially you."

"Stupid is as stupid does."

"Shut up!"

"Shut me up." She grabbed his hips and pulled him in hard. "Come on; punish me with that big fucking cock."

Bruce slipped his arms underneath, gripped her shoulders for leverage, and pounded into her.

Their faces inches apart, breaths coming in grunts and gasps, Jenifer whispered, "That's it. Fuck me hard. Show me whose boss." She crossed her ankles over his back, and pulled up with his every down stroke. "Oh fuck yeah, that's it. I'm coming!"

Her arching release almost threw Bruce off. He clutched her hips and road her climax to completion.

They lay quietly entwined, catching their breath together.

Jenifer stroked his back, and asked, "Why haven't you come yet?"

Rising up on his arms, Bruce looked down at his beautifully raunchy wife, and said, "I'm just prolonging my enjoyment." But in reality, recent events had affected his performance, like a libido anxiety attack.

"Oh, I forgot. You're going to fuck me all night." She pulled his head down to her breast. "Keep going, Stud."

His rapidly softening cock was not cooperating. How could he explain his sudden impotence after her complete submission? He kissed her breast, and said, "Not yet. Let's take a break."

Appearing confused, Jenifer said, "Oh, okay."

"It's a beautiful day. Let's walk out to the pond and have a picnic. This may be the last warm day before winter."

"A picnic? We've never done a picnic."

"I know. We have all this land and you've never walked with me. How come?"

"Well, I guess because I'm a city girl. I walk in malls."

"You'll love it. And I'll protect you from the wolves."

Her eyes grew big. "There are wolves out there?"

"Well, only me."

She pouted. "You're teasing me. I'm not outdoorsy like you."

"Give it a chance. I'm going to make sure our kids love nature. You have to at least try it."

Jenifer sighed, and said, "Okay, what should I pack?"

"Just some sandwiches, a bottle of wine, and a blanket to sit on. Put it in my backpack."

"What should I wear?"

"Jeans and a tee-shirt. There's an old tractor path to follow, so your sneakers are fine. We'll have to go boot shopping some time."

"Oh, I like boots, especially the mid-calf ones with four inch heels."

"Not those kind of boots. Hiking boots."

She wrinkled her nose, but made no comment.

They began to dress. When Jenifer pulled a bra out of her dresser drawer, Bruce said, "No bra."

She dropped it like a hot coal, saying, "You're the boss, or should I say, the trail guide?"

"Stud Guide will do, S.G. for short."

Jenifer laughed, and said, "It fits you." After pulling her tee-shirt on, she teased her nipples back to attention through the thin fabric. "Is this what you were hoping to see, S.G.?"

You're a natural wonder, Jen, a feast for the eye."

She gave him a little curtsy before leaving to prepare the food, while Bruce stayed to clean up the bedroom floor, the sleeping pills a frightening reminder of how tragic today could have been. Was he doing the right thing, hoping to start a family with a woman who thought of suicide?

'Stay positive,' he thought. 'We love each other. Love conquers all.'