Paul and Paula - Her Story 04

"Hi. I'm home," I said to everyone as I walked in and tossed my keys into the bowl by the front door.

Paul's were already in there. But the symbolism of unity no longer applied as I had known it. But in this home, it did apply. Until the kids grew up and left our nest, my life would remain the same in this home and family.

"I was starting to worry," Paul said.

"Yeah, mom, whatever happened to calling if you are going to be late?" Ben asked.

"That's right, mom," Patty... Patricia chimed in. "Your rule."

"I'm sorry, but I left my cell phone in the car as I didn't have a locker in the new gym. Then I got so excited playing I forgot to go out and call. I'm sorry I was late."

"What's up, mom?" my daughter asked. "Did watching me play bring back memories?"

"Exactly," I replied. "And Mr. Grierson invited me to play at the indoor league at his gym. It was fun. Although I had forgotten how bruising bodychecks can be.'

"You're getting old, mon," Ben laughed.

Shocked at my son's insolence, I turned to correct him. How dare he! Old? Me old!

"If you know what's good for you, you'll never utter those words to any woman for the rest of your life." Paul snickered and gave me a wink.

I looked at Paul and smiled as he served late dinner for us. He smiled back and went on to sit at one side of the table. Neither of us sat at the head -- always sitting on one side with Ben to my left and Patty... PATRICIA, to his side opposite me.

"Your mom works hard for us," Paul said. "She deserves to go blow off some steam kicking the old ball around."

"Thanks, honey," I said. "It was fun. I never knew how much I missed playing."

It was not until after I said that and we had finished dinner that I realized the double entendre of that phrase. 'Missed Playing' indeed.

After dinner, I worked with... Patricia, on her homework, as Paul checked Ben's before they went to their rooms.

"Paul," I said as we watched Seinfeld. "I'm going to change gyms and play soccer a couple of times a week. You don't mind, do you?"

"No problem. I know you used to play back in the day."

Another play on words. 'Used to play back in the day.' Yes, I used to and was playing again. And it felt great.

"How is real estate going these days?"

"I have a showing tomorrow. Two actually. We'll see. And how's public relations going?"

"Well, it's public... "

"And relative?" I completed the line I had heard all too often. "You know you need a new joke about your job, don't you, Paul?"

"Yeah," he smiled slightly and nodded. "I guess I do. Nothing much is going on, I guess."

'No guessing at all, Paul,' I thought inwardly. 'What the hell happened to you? What happened to the man I married who had dreams and expectations from life. It's not as if you got fired, had a tragic experience, or got someone killed on the job. You just packed it in at the prime of your life.'

Eventually, the kids went to sleep, and we followed them, closing the door to our bedroom. When I came out of the bathroom in a see-through negligee, Paul was in bed in just his boxers. He looked up at me, and his eyes fixated on my breasts. They are quite noticeable.

"You're not going to be upset for me staring, are you?" he asked, patting the bed next to him.

"No," I replied, taking the negligee off and kneeling on the bed for him to reach for me. "You can look and touch all you want. If anything, you can touch and do more anytime you want."

"I like the sound of that," Paul said as he yanked his boxers down and reached for me.

I noticed that his cock was almost hard, longer than Brandon's, but not as thick or rigid. But I knew how to make it stand properly and kneeled between my husband's legs. No matter what I had done with my lover that afternoon, I felt the need to suck Paul well and then fuck him until he came. I still took pleasure from doing that for my husband.

I had placed aside any anger I had for him when I decided to have a separate life from him during my own time. There would be my time, job, sex life with my lover or lovers, and there would be... yes, my money.

This was the reason why I had gotten close to Brandon, not just for the sex. Yes, fucking Brandon had turned out to be better than I had expected. Especially from a man that was not overly endowed. Still, Brandon's primary purpose was learning what he knew about money investing and growing nest eggs.

That Brandon and I liked sex was a nice plus to the association, the price I had to pay. And Brandon would not get anymore until he came through for me as he had promised.

So Paul and I fucked that night. He ate me out, and I sucked his cock, and we went to bed as we had in the past. Sated and... comfortable. Paul would get his 'comfortable' and his due so he could be content as he wanted. That, too, was the price of my new life. After all, fucking was what I liked. I thought as I rode Paul hard.

"Wow, you are really into it tonight," Paul said as I rode him faster and harder, rubbing my clit on his groin.

"I need it that way, babe," I said. "I need it hard. It feels better."

"And I thought women like slow lovemaking," he replied.

"Once in a while, I do," I replied. "But what I really want... is a... hard... fuck."

"Do you think we can do it slow occasionally?" he asked, looking up at me.

"Sure," I replied as I kept rocking my world, not sure about his. "Once a week... how about Fridays?"

"That's fine," he replied. "Thanks."

"Now, just stay where you are and play with my tits to amuse yourself," I said as I focused on making myself cum on his cock.

And he did, and I did. Then we kissed goodnight and turned off the side lamp.

"Love you," he said.

"Love you too, Paul," I replied and snuggled up to him and went to sleep content and happy for the first time in years.

***

The real estate business was not just going well. It got better. Having decided that extramarital sex was part of my life, it was not long before I used it to make deals. A handjob here, a blow job there, and the sales increased as well as the commissions.

Some say, 'if you got it, flaunt it.' I say if you got it use it. And IT was mine to use as I pleased. Guilt, remorse, and regret are for those who place cages around themselves. I no longer did and was smart enough to do so on my terms.

You see, I had learned quite a bit from Lynn and Gil when they destroyed their marriage. Unlike Lynn, I would be wise and cover my tracks. And I would never willingly expose myself and confess to Paul. Even if I decided to stop my extramarital sex life, I would take it to the grave with me -- if we stayed together or not.

It was, after all, my life as Paul's was his.

I was willing to share my body and part of my life with my husband, but not to give him the keys so he could take us where he pleased. Paul had done so when he started making decisions on his own about our life and by refusing to talk to me about issues we had. I still loved him, but I no longer trusted that he had my best interests in mind. He had made a decision alone once and could do so again.

In some ways, Paul was a product of his environment, just as I was one from mine. The difference was that I tried life his way and was willing to talk and compromise to a mutual end. My husband, on the other hand, did not. No counseling, no give and take. I guess the final straw was him not confronting men that took liberties with me or that I let take liberties with me.

Still, we had kids together, and thankfully, we both agreed on their upbringing and had their best interests in mind. Paul was always a good father, just not the husband I wanted... needed. I would never get my Garry or my dad from Paul. Paul was who he was and would not change. But I had to accept who I was and make my own choices. And in acknowledging that, I chose to have my own sex life and more.

***

As time passed, Brandon came through and taught me a lot about his craft. It took close to two years, but in that time, he worked on our arrangement, and both found in each other what we needed and wanted.

Just as he made my dividents grow and diversify, I steered any possible new customer his way. Not all followed my advice. But for those that did, I received a finder's fee at first and a percentage of their dividends later. One percent of multiple accounts began to stack up eventually. And when invested, my portfolio grew and grew. My exit strategy was to go my own way when the kids left our home. And that required money. Money that would remain in investments until needed.

Brandon and his tax consultants found ways I will not discuss here to hide assets overseas and away from anyone's eyes. Once I knew how to do so on my own, I began to invest and move assets independently. Brandon knew this would happen as I had proven quite formidable at learning his trade and practicing it to my end. But we remained friends with benefits, and I sent business his way, just as he sent potential home and property buyers my way.

But money was not the only aspect of my life I kept away from my husband and family. My sex life was my most guarded secret next to my portfolio. Brandon and I had a very frank conversation about our sexual association early on. Both of us were married, with children, and both wanted to remain with our respective spouses.

As monogamous claims were the bane of our existence, the last thing we both wanted was to restrict each other with jealousy and exclusivity. So we both agreed that we were free to pursue other sexual relationships and never have unprotected sex again with each other.

While other men came and went in my bed, more so than my life, Brandon was a trusted business partner, mentor, and lover. I wish there were more men like him. But still, there were more men, and each had something to give.

"You seem happy," my family and close friends would say when I met them. Especially Marisol.

I so wanted to tell her of my exploits and the compromise I had made in life to make things work for me. But Marisol was not like I was and could not understand. She had no children to consider. I did. She was a true believer in honesty and total openness with her husband, Garry. I wished I was.

I so longed to have what she had - a man with Garry's frame of open-mindedness. But I did not. I had to keep my husband in the happy bubble he wanted to be in just to keep my family together. So telling Marisol was out. I could not take the chance of her exposing me.

I kept it from my parents as well for a different reason. Having divorced while they had children, they were likely to understand my situation. But I was afraid my parents would blame themselves for my woes. And thus, I kept my secret from them as well.

I think Garry would have understood and been supportive. But there was no way he would keep such a secret from Marisol with their openness policy. I liked them too much to place them in a situation where they would have to choose me over each other's trust. So Garry was not in the know either.

And I was not going to tell my brother for similar reasons. As Bill had said long ago, it was no one's business what he did. And that applied to me as well. So, even though I was tempted, I did not share with my brother.

But I did tell one person. Another good friend who I ran into by chance.

***

I was in Miami during a convention of sorts. Many in real estate were there to talk business, party, and get laid with whoever we could. And not necessarily in that order. I was in a bar with a colleague I had been fucking recently when I ran into a familiar face.

Jack had gone to the bathroom as I sat on our table, taking a breather from dancing, when Frank, my old professor, and lover, walked up and tapped me on the shoulder.

"Frank! Oh my God! It's been ages. How are you?" I asked.

"I'm good Paula. And you?"

"I'm here for the real estate convention, Frank. You?"

"As luck would have it, my paramour is here for the same reason. Small world, eh?"

"It sure is," I replied. "Where is she?"

"That's her dancing with that young man right there."

The woman was a striking redhead with curly hair, full breasts, a nice ass, and long legs. While no longer in her young days, her body looked stunning in the tight red dress with matching red heels. Frank waved to her, and she smiled as she waved back.

"That's Karen," he said.

It took me a few seconds to remember the relevance of her name as Frank stared at me, waiting for me to do so.

"Wait," I said. "Karen! The Karen you were in love with back in the day?"

"The one and only," he smiled. "The current and hopefully only Mrs. Jeffers."

"You two got married?"

Just then, Jack came back and sat next to me.

"Jack, this is Frank. Frank, this is Jack, a work colleague." I introduced them as they shook hands. "And that is Frank's wife Karen in the red dress."

After the boys exchanged greetings, Karen came back to sit with us, and we did introductions once again.

"So you are THE Paula," Karen asked.

"And apparently, you are THE Karen," I replied with a smile.

"Our reputations precede us," Karen replied.

We got to talking, drinking, and dancing with each other's partners. Karen and Jack were hitting it off, so Frank and I danced or sat talking.

"So who is this Jack guy, Paula?" Frank asked.

"Just a colleague from a different company office," I replied. "We met here."

"Are you and Paul through?"

"It's complicated," I replied.

"I see," he replied, saying nothing, but waiting for me to clarify my statement.

"You know Frank. You seriously missed your calling being an interrogator."

"Cut the bullshit and tell me what's going on, Paula."

"Jack is some guy I met here. A weekend fancy. Paul is back home with the kids. Does that answer your question?"

"I'm not passing judgment, Paula," Frank replied. "After all, I was having an affair with Karen for years until her hubs dumped her. So I am the last to talk, and the same with Karen. I just didn't expect...."

"You didn't expect what, Frank?" I asked. "That I would be a scarlet letter adulterer?"

"Chill out, Paula," he stopped me. "I said I'm not passing judgment. Just curious about what happened to you. We lost touch."

"Life happened, Frank. Two kids, if you remember. You were there screwing me because my future husband had issues fucking his kids' mother. I picked the wrong man to fall in love with Frank," I said, taking another sip... make that gulp from my martini.

Then I gave him the quick and dirty synopsis of my faulty marriage.

"How long before the kids are out the door?" he asked.

"Seven years for both of them," I replied.

It was 1996, and back home, I had been having an affair with Dan Ortiz. My twenty-eight-year-old Cuban American stud of a lawn maintenance guy. I met him at the gym, where I played adult indoor soccer and worked out. One thing had led to another, and we had fucked in his SUV or truck, whatever.

Ortiz had been a dick and blabbed his mouth about us, so I had cut him off. Despite how big his dick was and that he knew how to use it. Ortiz had broken the rules, something which I did not allow. To keep him in line, I had to hire two thugs who broke two of his ribs because he had threatened to expose me to Paul. OK, I had to fuck them and pay them, but they got the job done when they also told Danny boy his family would be next. He left me alone from then on, and I had to hire a different gardening service.

So I was still irritated and smarting from that near fiasco. After Ortiz, I vowed to be more vigilant. Brandon was my only lover back home these days, but he had finally found out why his wife didn't like sex with him that much. The lovely and gracious Mrs. Grierson had a thing for black cock, as Brandon found out.

So the two had made a deal to stay together until their kids grew up and do their own thing sexually. Thus, Brandon no longer had to hide from the 'old-ball-and-chain' but had to be discreet for his kids' sake. And so was I as I wanted to lay low in case Ortiz lost his mind and went to Paul.

All this, I didn't tell Frank. He knew I was screwing around on Paul but didn't have to know with whom other than Jack, who was just a fling. But Frank was not stupid.

"I assume you have lovers back home," he said without asking for details. "Do you think you can handle the double life until then, Paula?"

"I don't have much choice, Frank," I replied. "I am not going back to my boring sex life with Paul. I give him what he wants, and that keeps him happy. He is such a basic."

"His choice, Paula," Frank said.

"I get it, Frank," I replied. "And so is mine."

"Just be careful that it doesn't backfire on you. I know you are smart and all and can probably manage the secrecy until the kids are out of the home, but there is always that one aberration."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked.

"Paula, look how by chance, you ran into a person who knows you. Me."

"I know, Frank, but you only know what you know because I told you. I may go to dinner and dancing with some stud away from home, but I never kiss them and carry on with them in public. If someone sees me, Jack and I have a story."

"I have to hear this," he sat back.

"Simple, we are both married and are watching out for each other. We may do dinner, hit a bar, and dance a couple of numbers, but then it's back to our hotel. No one sees us do anything inappropriate."

"I hope you are right, Paula," he said. "Now, are you guys coming up to our suite?"

"Why?"

"Because my wife is apparently hot on your escort and will probably fuck him no matter what you and I think."

"You two...."

"Yes, we have what some call an open marriage, but we are a bit on and off with that. We just play it by ear. We mainly play away from home."

"Good for you, Frank," I shook my head. "I wish Paul would be so open-minded."

"Maybe Karen and I should come to visit. Karen can seduce the dead."

We laughed at that, but I shook my head.

"I wish that were possible, Frank," I replied. "But I don't want to take the chance that Paul will ruin everything with his boy scout act."

"You know, Paula," Frank said in his therapist/professor tone, "they can't help themselves."

"Who?"

"Basics, conventionals, the monogamy brigade. It's how they are raised and how society reinforces the monogamy myth."

"Oh yes, they could," I scoffed. "If they tried thinking, instead of letting their emotions rule them. You know, jealousy, insecurity, and possessiveness?"

"I know, but you can't ignore social conditioning."

Frank had not changed much in his theories.

"Humans were not meant to be monogamous, Frank. Monogamy, as practiced in many cultures, is a recent construct if you look at the historical outline of humanity. Monogamy was created to ensure that women had only their husbands' kids. Nothing more. I had Paul's kids. Why do I have to settle for his puritanical lifestyle? This is the end of the 20th century."

"You say that historically monogamy is a new construct," he differed. "But it has been around since ancient times."

"You mean since the ancient Greeks, Jews and Mesopotamians? Frank, humanity has been around for a lot longer than written history. We are physiologically the same as people who lived 100,000 years ago. You are talking three thousand years at best of some, some monogamy. And not every culture has been monogamous since then. Even those ancient cultures had arrangements. Men went to lovers, both male and female. In ancient Rome, they had coed orgies with each other's wife."

"I agree, Paula. But, the Judeo-Christian culture has been the dominant moral standard for over 2000 years. It's hard to overcome that."

"Oh sure, they talk chastity for women, yet they allowed men to go to whores or have mistresses or concubines on the side. So, selective monogamy Frank. One-sided. Marriages were business arrangements. Not for love. Just for procreation and combining of wealth. I'm talking about the post-romantic age marriage construct. That changed everything."