Shifting Gears Ch. 29-30

Herb came up, "I'm serious about keeping you around here for the coming year. Before you leave, please let's talk."

Tom gestured for me to leave the meeting with Herb. I shrugged and followed him out of the conference room. Sheri moved into my spot to talk to Tom. She'd become my strong number two in Porter Consulting, much to my surprise. She was a go-getter and turned out to be as smart as a Mensa meeting.

I had worried about what would happen when the job at PR Engineering ended. Kevin had stirred up several other strong leads, and at least one of them looked like a sure thing for future business closer to home. Now, we'd also have follow-on work from PR. We were on solid ground for a while.

I thought of how the work at PR had been the result of meeting Tom at Mike's home when we were engaged in some swinging sex. That was an odd place to pick up some multi-million-dollar consulting work.

Mike had also asked me and Owen to spend some more time in his company doing some technology planning work, particularly upgrading their security yet again. A competitor had just paid out several million dollars due to a ransomware attack, and Mike didn't want to ever face that threat.

The work we did for Candy and Connie also paid off for them in a large way. Candy now had a dozen shops between Colorado Springs and Loveland, with the concentration in and around Denver. Flowers by Candy was a huge success. She was about to make another acquisition of a competitor. Connie's boutiques were also expanding at a rapid rate.

Herb and I sat down in his office. He outlined what he had in mind for the coming year as I took notes. Pretty much it was to take our recommendations and make them into tangible pieces of PR Engineering's operations. Several would involving them hiring additional staff that had broader knowledge of marketing rather than a pure engineering background.

I went back to the office that Tara had assigned to the outside consultants and told the rest of the team what was planned. Sheri volunteered to write the proposal and then run it by the rest of us before we presented it to Herb and his staff. We also talked about how we'd staff the job. Not everyone that had been on the PR job would be involved in the next effort.

While I'd been meeting with Herb, Kevin had confirmed new client work in Tampa. This would be great because whoever was on that team could be home every night.

I checked in with Tom before we headed out. We were scheduled to fly back to Sarasota that evening, but Tom asked me to stay. "I have something serious to talk to you about." I thought there might be some kind of a consulting problem, but didn't think so. We had a relationship with intense communications. If something was wrong with our work, I would have heard about it before now.

I said goodbye to the rest of the team, and went back to Tom's office. He gestured for me to shut the door. This was rare because Tara sat right outside his door and was privy to just about everything that went on in Tom's life.

Tom gestured to the sofa in his office and he sat at the other end. He pulled out a bulky envelope from his desk drawer and set it on the table.

He began, "I was married for twelve years in my twenties and early thirties. I was too wrapped up in my work, as I still am, and Paula, my wife then, couldn't take my long absences and lack of concern for the family. I have two children fresh out of college now, but, I'm ashamed to say, I didn't have much to do with their growing up."

He sighed, "I think I'm a different person now, but I need your guidance on the next steps in my life. I guess I'm asking you to be my life coach, but I'm on the verge of a decision and need your advice."

Tom reached over and took the package and pulled a ring box from inside. He opened the box and showed me the ring. He said, "I want to ask Tara to marry me, but I'm very unsure of many things.

"First, would she accept? She knows how I can lose myself in the business for days at a time -- even weeks. Second, if she accepted could we still work together? Would that even be wise? Third, she's young enough that I think she'd want at least one child; am I ready for that? Fourth, would the dynamic of our group sex sessions change? I like those and I know she does, but would being engaged or married or parents change that? Fifth,..." he paused, "I wonder if we could create something meaningful together."

He looked at me and his face was full of those questions and many others, plus I'd never seen him so unsure of himself. He was the CEO of multi-billion-dollar business. Where'd this uncertainty come from?

I plunged in to respond to his concerns.

"Tom, Tara adores you and has since she first went to work for you twelve years ago. In many ways, she's already married to you. Of course, she'd accept. Becoming engaged and married would be closure to her. I have no doubts about that.

"As far as working together, you already are. Thousands of businesses function with husband-wife teams at the helm, and some of those are almost as large as PR. I think the full answer to that question would be better answered by talking with your management team to see if they'd have concerns.

"As for the rest of your questions, you're asking the wrong person. You should be talking to your fiancée about them. You don't need precise answers to these kinds of things. Family life needs to be flexible and adaptable and unfold as the days go by.

"Ask Tara about her wish for children. I do think she'd be a fabulous mother, by the way. She has all the right instincts to be a great loving mom.

"As for the group sex sessions, you both are loving people mixing with other loving people. I don't see a need for it to stop unless you want to impose some new boundary on things. Talk to Tara. You'll note that Mike and Grace are married and having a robust marriage along with the group sex. Chad and Candy are long-term partners and may as well be married, and they're in the same neighborhood.

"You know Jake and Maryann from your visits to their sex parties. There are others, too. So, there's no need just because you're a couple -- engaged or married -- to drop out or change the dynamic. You can decide as you go along.

"As for your question about creating something meaningful together, I have no doubt but that the two of you would do that. You and she need to talk about what that might be. This is the point where you learn that regardless of what the issue is, you talk to your partner, whether she be your EA, your fiancée, or your wife, or all three."

I smiled at him.

Tom said, "Tonight, I'll ask her. I want all of you there."

"We'll be at Mike and Grace's," I speculated. He agreed.

I was pleased to find that Owen had stayed in Denver to talk to Mike. We did a pizza dinner in Mike and Grace's backyard, and then got into the group sex. I was curious when Tom would decide to spring the ring on Tara.

Tara's initial partner that night for sex turned out to be Owen. Tom was with Connie. I went with Mike and Candy for a threesome, and Grace was with Chad. There was, of course, some swapping around amid some laughter as we all had some bawdy and highly sexual fun.

After most of us were through, Tom escorted Tara to the living room credenza where Mike had set up a small bar. He poured them both a glass of champagne, which seemed to surprise Tara.

Tom turned to the room of naked people sitting or lying together. He spoke loudly, "Ladies and gentlemen, I have made a monumental decision in my life."

He got down on one knee in front of Tara. Her eyes got huge in disbelief. Tom continued, "My decision is to ask this beautiful woman to be my wife for the rest of time."

From seemingly nowhere, Tom produced the ring box and flipped the top open with one hand and showed Tara the ring. He was looking up hopefully at her.

Tara started to cry. "Oh, God, I've wanted this for over a decade. Yes, you adorable man. Of course, I'll marry you or be in any kind of relationship you want. I idolize you." Her tears slid down her cheeks and dripped onto her gorgeous breasts.

Tara immediately dropped to Tom's height before he could stand and stated to smother him with kisses. They rolled to their sides on the carpet hugging each other.

The rest of us applauded and cheered for them. Soon, they sat up and were handed their champagne glasses again.

I'd barely noticed that Owen had come over by me. I'd stood to wave my arms and clap about Tom and Tara.

Owen went, "AHEM," rather loudly. Everyone turned to him. He nudged me to sit again.

Owen said, "I've been waiting for the right moment to do this." He knelt in front of me and held one of my hands. Suddenly, my whole gut wrenched tightly, as though my whole lower body had been put in a vise. I realized what was about to happen. My whole brain went into hyper-drive.

He said, "I have loved Brie since we met over two years ago. I've watched her change and grow up and become the woman that she is today. I am proud of her, but more than that, I am deeply in love with her. Thus, I kneel before her tonight to ask, 'Brie Porter, will you marry me.'"

I was stunned when Owen held up a ring box with a huge diamond ring in it. At least it seemed that way. It was ornate and truly beautiful, but all that luxury became watery and blurred as tears filled my eyes and started to run down my cheek.

I said one word. "YES!"

Owen stood and we hugged and kissed. He wiped my tears away and then slipped the ring on my finger. It was a perfect fit. I vaguely recalled Allie being at my apartment and going through my jewelry box trying on various items, including my rings. The sneak had figured out my ring size for him.

I had no warning.

We were also being applauded and cheered. Mike handed us both flutes of champagne. He announced to Owen and Tom, "You may kiss your fiancées." Our nude bodies came together, and I could even feel Owen harden against my abs.

I studied Owen. He looked so happy. I wanted to keep my joy and Owen's obvious happiness the rest of my life. He was so sweet. I loved him. I knew I'd loved him since the night we'd met and he'd taken my virginity.

After the celebratory moment had passed, Tara came to me and we both hugged. I knew we were sexy as all hell with our gorgeous breasts pushed together. We didn't go unnoticed.

I hugged Tom, too, and even managed to capture his erection between my legs, snuggling his cock right against my pussy. Tara was doing the same thing with Owen. We were giggling at our audacity.

Mike suggested that the newly engaged couples take Grace and his large king-size bed to celebrate our new status. Tom, Tara, Owen, and I did eventually move to their bed rather than use living room sofas and love seats.

Owen and I coupled, and started to make love immediately. Right next to us, Tom and Tara were also fucking and kissing. Tara and I held hands as both men plundered into our bodies.

Tom leaned over to Owen, and the next I knew the two men had changed places. Tom was thrusting into me as Owen fucked Tara. We were all giddy with excitement, arousal, and appreciation for each other.

I think the men had planned this ahead of time, and I realized they'd even planned the double proposals. I asked Owen later and he laughed, and said, "Of course, but it came up when Tom asked me about my thoughts about proposing to Tara. I realized this was the time for me to do the same thing with you, my love. In case you couldn't guess, I had Connie custom design and make the ring over the past two months. She did Tara's ring, too."

The men came in the other's fiancée, not that that hadn't happened before, but not with Tara and I wearing new diamonds. I was slightly surprised. I would have expected some expression of dominance, but they wanted to send the opposite message to us. The men cleaned us orally before we all paused.

Tom explained as he came up for air from eating my pussy again, "Owen and I talked, but we also need your input. We are both hopeful about continuing our lifestyle of sharing, swapping, and swinging with others.

"I confess right now that I have some cuckold tendencies, and seeing another man making love to a woman that I love arouses me tremendously. Owen told me he feels about the same. That was why we traded partners and then finished with each other's fiancée. I hope we didn't insult either of you women."

I visually checked with Tara, but I was pretty sure of my ground. "I certainly am pleased to hear about the continuation of our lifestyle. I will be devoted and loving with Owen, but variety and spice will be exciting to continue. I know that we can love more than one person, and we begin that journey today.

"Now that I know that Owen has some cuckold tendencies, I can even help play to those in a small amount. We should talk about your boundaries."

Owen shook his head. "I am not into anything degrading or humiliating. The open sharing and being a voyeur to what you're doing is all I want."

"I feel the same way. I think I'll be a cuckquean -- I think that's the term. I loved seeing you with Tara, yet knowing that we just formed a major commitment with each other. You, sir, are every arousing when you're fucking someone else."

Tara finally spoke up. "I have changed so much since I met Brie, and certainly Tom. Everything you're saying are things I like."

Tom said, "Shall we join the others? Mike and Grace might want their bed back, too. They said not to change the sheets unless we left really large wet spots. I think they're planning on making their own."

We shuffled back into the living room. The group was arranged on the two sofas: Mike, Candy, and Connie cuddling on one, and Chad and Grace on the other. Tom and I took one chair; Owen and Tara another. We cuddled in on the men's laps.

Mike said, "I take it that you all still intend to swap and enjoy the pleasures with others?"

Tom said, "If you'll have us. Brie, at least, will be around some of the time for more consulting. Maybe she can tilt her staffing towards more males so that we even out things when we get together like this."

I nodded, "I'm already ahead of you on that score. I don't think Owen and I should work on the same client engagement. If someone had a problem with one of us, they'd be prone not to say anything. I thought I'd bring Todd and probably Dale back with me. They know PR Engineering, and worked on major parts of the final report, so they're logical choices."

Tom smiled, "And they're good guys in the work environment and in situations like this." He gestured around the room at all the naked people.

Tara giggled, "And I love their versatile equipment."

A few minutes later and there was a rotation of women around the room to new partners. We all made love again, and then found places to sleep. Owen and I did sleep together and made love in the middle of the night.