Rob and Several Ladies

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"To be blunt about it of the four ladies at the table only two had a real chance."

"Who?"

"You and Jan, but you had already clued me in about her fiancé so that left just you."

"Meg and Kathy didn't have a chance?"

I told her why Meg was out of the running and then I told her why Kathy didn't have a chance.

"She hurt me once and you know the old saying "Once burnt, twice shy." I'm not about to let it happen again. She chose career over me and I won't go there again. Speaking of careers and given her stated purpose when she dumped me and her drive to get ahead I would have thought she would be in management by now instead of stopping for drinks and bitching about management."

"She is in management and there is no doubt in anyone's mind that she won't make it to vice-president in the next year. The management we bitch about is upper management. The idiots who run the company."

I changed the subject. All in all it was a pleasant evening and when it was over I asked her out again and she said she would love to.

I picked her up Tuesday and we had dinner and saw a movie. After the movie we stopped at a bar close to where she lived and had a couple of drinks. We talked and got to know each other better and around ten we called it a night since the next day was a work day for both of us. As I drove her home she asked:

"Are you sure Kathy doesn't have a chance of getting back with you?"

"Given how badly she hurt me the first time? I can't see it happening. Why are you asking?"

"Things have been sort of cool between us since Saturday night and I don't want to be put in the position where she thinks I'm the only thing keeping the two of you from getting back together. I can handle the attitude as long as I know in my own mind I'm not doing that."

"She has asked me to have dinner with her some night so we could talk and I guess I should do it and let her know that what we once had is dead and gone."

By then I was at her place and I got a kiss on the cheek when I walked her to her door and an "I enjoyed it Bob. Call me so we can do it again."

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The next day at work I thought about things. I liked Jaime and it could quite possibly go somewhere, but I was honest with myself. If you were to put Jaime and Kathy in front of me and tell me to choose and I hadn't been already burned by Kathy she would be the one that I would pick. The problem of course is that SHE HAD already burned me.

The simple solution, as I saw it anyway, was to never go back to the Starlight where I might run into Jaime and Kathy. While that might have been the simple solution it wasn't all that realistic. After explaining how I came to be in Dayton to the group on Saturday night they knew where I worked and so they knew where to find me. If I read Jaime right she was the type who would track me down and demand an explanation. From everything Jaime and Jan had said about Kathy, and from Kathy's own actions on Saturday night I was pretty sure that she would come after me too. The only realistic way to handle things was to have a sit down with Kathy and, as she had put it, "Clear the air."

Just before I got off work I called her and set up a dinner date for Thursday. She gave me directions to her place and I told her I would be there at six. I picked he up and asked where she would like to go and she said the Village Inn would be fine,

She was silent for the first five minutes of the ride, but then she said "Jaime says you have gone out with her."

"Couple of times."

"Is it going to get serious?"

"I don't know. Too soon to tell. Why?"

"Just curious. Wondering if I have a chance."

"A chance? You had me Kathy, lock, stock and barrel; you had me, but you didn't want me. Remember?"

"I remember Rob; I remember only too well. It was a mistake I have regretted and one I never thought I would be able to correct. Then suddenly here you are. It is almost like fate decided that I should be given a second chance."

I didn't say anything to that and we rode in silence the rest of the way to the restaurant.

Once we were seated and had ordered Kathy said "I was wrong Rob. I made the wrong choice and I have regretted it ever since. If I could go back and change it I would do it in a heartbeat."

I said nothing; just sat there and listened.

"I guess what I'm asking here is do I have a chance? Any possibility of a do-over?"

As I sat there and listen to her I remembered what we'd had or at least what I'd thought we had before my proposal and I almost wished I could give her what she wanted, but I just couldn't see it happening. Before I could say anything our food arrived and we ate in silence until our plates were clean. I asked if she would like dessert and she said:

"No dessert Rob. You know what I want."

I didn't where there was anything to be gained from prolonging things so I wiped my mouth with a napkin took a sip of water and said:

"I don't see it happening Kathy. You chose your career over me and I understand you have done very well in that career. I'm told you are a sure bet to get a VP slot before very much longer. Are you willing to give it up for me?"

"Why would you ask me that?"

"Because I already know that after doing my time here I'm going to be moved up and that will mean moving back to Chicago. You going to leave your job and come with me?"

"Why couldn't you just stay here?"

That answered my question even though she didn't know it. She wasn't going to give up her chance at VP even for me.

"Who knows? I just might" I said not meaning a word of it, but I didn't want to end our dinner date on a sour note and "See? I knew you wouldn't choose me" would definitely do that. I led her to believe that I would think things over and possibly start dating her and then I took her home.

I walked her to her door and when she asked if I'd like to come in I begged off saying that I expected a long hard day the next day and I needed to get home and get some rest. She kissed me on the cheek and said "Call me" and I left her and went home.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The next day just before quitting time I got a call from Jaime asking me to meet her for a drink after work. She named a place and was already there when I got there. I joined her in her booth, gave the waitress my drink order and as soon a she was gone Jaime said:

Kathy was in an extremely good mood today. She told us that she'd had dinner with you last night. You two going to put things back together."

"No. She asked me to have dinner with her so we could talk and she did make a pitch to get us back together. I didn't say yes or no to her because I couldn't bring myself to be an asshole and just say sorry, but no thanks. She will get the message when I don't call."

She didn't say anything to that, but she did smile. We sat, talked and had a couple more drinks and then we made a date for the next night which was a Saturday. For the next two weeks Jaime and I dated. I saw her at least three times a week and by the end of the second week we were making love.

The third week I came home from work and found Kathy waiting in the parking lot for me. How she found out where I lived I don't know and I didn't bother to ask. No need to. She was there and knowing how she got there wouldn't change that. She walked up to me when I got out of my car:

"Why haven't you called me?

"Because there is no future for us and I didn't see reason to give you false hope."

"Of course there isn't any future for us if you don't even try."

"I don't need to try when I already know the outcome. When I asked you to marry me you chose your career over me and I know in my heart and in my mind you would do it again and I will not put myself back in that position."

"How can you say that? You don't think I can change?"

"When we had dinner the other night I asked you if you would be willing to give up your career for me and your answer was "Why would you ask me that?" The correct answer to that question should have been "I gave you up once and I would never make that mistake again." A minute later I told you I would eventually going back to Chicago and I asked if you would give up your job and go with me. The answer to that should have been "I go where you go" or something similar, but the answer I got was "Why can't you just stay here?" No Kathy; I do not believe you wouldn't choose career over me again."

"How can I prove to you that you are wrong?"

"Simple. Go into work tomorrow and resign."

"I can't do that!"

"Why not?"

"I've worked my ass off to get where I am. You can't expect me to throw it all away."

I laughed and said "There you go Kat; doing just what I expected you to do. Job over Rob. You can't do it now, but I'm supposed to believe you would do it once you are a VP and have set your sights on president and CEO?"

"You aren't being fair Rob."

"Maybe not to you Kat, but I am to me. I will not put myself in a position where you can hurt me again."

I walked away from her and went into my apartment.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I had a date with Jaime for the next day and when I picked her up she asked me what I'd done to piss off Kathy.

"She was positively nasty to me today and called me a rotten bitch for getting in the way of her getting back to you."

I told her about Kathy being at my place when I got home from work and what had been said.

"The next time she says that you are in her way just tell her that her choices are what ended us. Just tell her that if she really wanted me she would have quit her job to be with me."

The next day she told me Kathy had been nasty with her again and that she'd told Kathy just what I'd told her to say:

"And then I told her to get off my case or I was going to upper management and file a complaint against her."

"What could you complain about?"

"Personal harassment. It is a legitimate complaint. A bullshit one, but still legit. The thing is that it would go in her file and prospective vice presidents need to be careful not to let things like that happen."

I laughed and said "You certainly know where to hit her so it hurts."

A couple more weeks went by and Kathy stayed away from Jaime (and me) and I was getting in deeper with Jaime and I was starting to think maybe I should sound her out on what the future might hold for us. I'd already asked her to move in with me, but she had said she'd rather not.

"It is a little too soon Rob; I need to get more comfortable in our relationship before I take that bi of a step."

I was a touch disappointed, but I could understand where she was coming from.

One Saturday she told me she wanted to go to the Starlight because she missed spending some time with Meg and Jan. I questioned the smarts of it.

"We don't need to be around Kathy."

"Kathy won't be there. Meg and Jan sided with me and Kathy stopped going out with them."

For the next month we joined Meg, Jan and at the Starlight and we had a good time. I took turns dancing with the girls and Meg danced with maybe half of the guys who came to our table and asked and Meg did occasionally leave with someone.

I was curious about the fact that even though Jan was supposedly spoken for her guy had never come to the Starlight with her. I asked Jaime about it and she told me that she'd only heard about him, but had never seen him. Since it wasn't any of my business anyway I just let it go.

Jaime and I were getting along well. Our dating had slowed a bit because she decided she needed to take a few refresher classes (she was an accountant) and the classes were on Monday and Thursday. She occasionally did have to say no to a weekend date due to a family commitment of some sort. I'd met her parents, sister and one of her three brothers and they seemed nice.

I knew family was important even though I hadn't had one. Mom had no siblings and her parents had passed before I was five. My father was also an only child and his parents had died before he even met my mom and then suddenly he was gone. I wanted a family and wanted to be part of a family. Kathy knew that and it was one of her reasons for dumping me. I could hardly be upset when Jaime had to put me off for family.

It was one of those weekends when Jaime was with her family and I decided to stop by the Starlight to have a drink or two and maybe dance with Jan and Meg if they were there. Meg wasn't there that night so Jan and I sat and talked until the band started to play. Once they started I danced with Jan. Around nine-thirty I decided to call it a night. Jan asked me to meet her for coffee at the Village Inn and once we were there and seated in a booth she said:

"This is going to be difficult for me Rob because I don't usually insert myself into other people's affairs. Add to that I don't know for sure what kind of relationship you have with Jaime. You may even already know what I'm going to tell you and be okay with it, but if not it is something that you need to know. I guess the best way to do this is ask you if your relationship with Jaime is supposed to be exclusive or is it what some are calling an open relationship."

As I sat there and listened to her I was trying to figure out where the conversation was going, but I was pretty sure that I wasn't going to like the answer. I knew what an open relationship was so I said:

"We do not have an open relationship. What is this all about Jan?"

"Jaime is seeing someone else a couple of times a week and I'm pretty sure she is with him right now."

"How can you know that?"

"Our office isn't all that big and I overhear some of her conversations with Bert including the one where they discussed what they would be doing this weekend."

"I take it this Bert guy works in your office too?"

"He does. What I find curious is that he and Jaime had a relationship and for some reason it went sour. I remember him calling her a stinking bitch and telling her she wasn't worth spit and he didn't want anything more to do with her. That was over a year ago and now he is back talking to her and going out with her. It is almost like he didn't want her until someone else did. She did date some after she and Bert split, but never got into a relationship that is as steady as the one she has with you. Or should I say had instead of has?"

"I don't know, but I am a bit curious here. I thought Jaime was your friend so I don't understand you telling me this."

"She is my friend, but there is one thing I absolutely despise and that is cheating. My hatred of cheating is stronger than any friendship I've ever had and I felt you should know. What are you going to do?"

"Find out more about what is going on. I know I'm asking a lot here, but could you keep your ears open. Maybe let me know if they make a date to go somewhere where I could walk in on them?"

"I guess I could do that. I take it that you aren't going to confront her right away?"

"No. I think I want to know more about what is going on before I jump."

On my way home I thought about what I'd just heard and what it meant where I was concerned. Jaime and I were not in what I could call a committed relationship. I'd pretty much asked her for one when I asked her to move in with me, but she'd said no and had said she wasn't ready to take that big of a step. Maybe she couldn't commit to me because she still had some feelings for this Bert guy and couldn't commit to me until she could give me one hundred percent.

We hadn't agreed to be exclusive so I couldn't consider her seeing this Bert guy as cheating, but I did consider it as lying to me. She lied when she told me about her 'classes' and she lied when she told me about her 'family things' and used that time to be with this other guy. But even if she did lie could I hold that against her? She might have thought telling me the truth would make me drop her and she didn't want that to happen. Maybe all she was doing was making sure that whatever feelings she had for this other guy weren't strong enough to stop her from committing to me.

By the time I got home the only thing I was sure of was that thinking about all the 'maybes' wasn't going to accomplish jack-shit. I needed to know what was what and that meant stay cool and learn as much as I could.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Sunday afternoon I got a call from Jaime letting me know she was free if I wanted to get together with her. I told her I didn't feel like going out, but if she wanted to come over I'd fix us some dinner. She said she would be over and about twenty minutes later she was knocking on my door.

I let her in, gave her a glass of white wine and told her to have a seat at the kitchen table while I worked on dinner. A couple of minutes after she sat down I casually asked:

"How was your visit with your family?"

"It was okay, but to tell the truth I'd have rather been here with you."

"For what it's is worth I would rather have had you here too."

After eating we were sat at the table, sipped wine and talked about things. She was thinking of buying a new car and we were talking about cars when suddenly I asked:

"Are we going anywhere? I mean are we ever going to be more than friends with benefits?"

The sudden change caught her off guard and she seemed to hesitate a bit before saying:

"I don't really know. I feel good when I'm with you, but I've been in other relationships where I felt good and had them go to hell on me. I'd like us to go somewhere, but past experience has made me a bit leery of commitment. Why the sudden question?"

"While I was alone over the weekend I got to wondering where my life was going. Thinking about things like was I ever going to get married, have kids, and buy a house. Before you there were three different women I thought I was going to go the house, two kid's route with, but they all fell apart on me so I got to wondering if things with you were going to go anywhere."

"What's wrong with what we have now? It seems to be working."

"Yeah, but it isn't getting me any closer to the house, yard, white picket fence, kids and dog and cat life I want."

"I want those things too, but I feel that right now is just too soon."

I looked at her for several seconds and then said "I'm getting the feeling that you won't commit because there is someone else and you are having a hard time making a choice."

"That's ridiculous."

"Maybe, but with several failed relationships behind me I've learned to look at things different than others would. Like I said, it is just a feeling that I'm getting."

"Well your feeling has managed to kill the mood I was in when I called you. I think I'd better go." I said nothing and she got up, picked up her purse and headed for the door. She had her hand on the door knob when she turned to me and it looked like she was going to say something, but didn't. He turned, opened the door and left.

I was in my office and it was eleven-thirty when my secretary told me I had a call n line one. I picked up the phone, pushed the button for line one and found that it was Jan. After exchanging greetings she said:

"What did you do to Jaime? She has been acting like someone pissed in her cornflakes ever since she got here this morning."

I told her how the evening had gone.

"That explains it" she said. "You asked me to let you know if I ever heard of them going somewhere where you could walk in on them and that's why I'm calling. He asked her to have lunch with him and she said she would and that she'd meet him at Marco's at noon. I don't know if that gives you enough time. I called just as soon as I heard them."

"I've got time. Marco's is only ten minutes from here."

"Call me and let me know how it goes."

"Will do and thanks for the call."

I drove over to Marco's and pulled into the lot at a minute or so after twelve. I saw Jaime's car parked in the second row. I gave her and the Bert guy another five minutes to settle in and then I got out of my car and went inside. Jaime's back was to me and she didn't know I'd come in. The big surprise to me was that I knew the Bert guy. He saw me and his face lit up I a big smile and I knew, just knew, that it wasn't because he was glad to see me.