Standens

Standens

"Hi Nikki..."

"Oh... Hi Steph. I thought you'd be here tonight. How's things?"

"Good thanks, yes, and you?"

"Pretty good thanks though, sadly, no award tonight," Nikki feigned her disappointment then smiled; pleased to see Steph after so long.

Steph leaned in to avoid being overheard.

"I thought it was you but I was trapped between two boring old farts who seemed to think I was fair game. Probably the pre-drinks talking... all mouth and no trousers."

The pair laughed... not too loudly though.

The local business network met four times annually and this gathering, the last of the year, was a bit grander than the others, held as it was in the evening and featuring the usual awards... Best New Start-up, Most Innovative, EDI Champion... you get the picture.

The two women rarely met other than at these functions unless their paths happened to cross in the locale. Despite having much in common business-wise, they'd never quite forged a bond. It wasn't personal, though the near thirty-year age difference perhaps played a part.

"It's a pity you were boxed in Steph; I'd have loved to have chatted properly."

"Well it's only nine and I'm in no rush to get home; I'd only disturb David's reading. Would you like to move on somewhere else? I know it's Friday night but there'll be a quiet corner somewhere with our names on it. What do you think?"

"Sounds like a plan," replied Nikki. "The back room in Oscars never gets too busy and the cocktails... well...."

"Sounds good... let's go!"

The pair collected their coats from the hotel's cloakroom and headed out into the crisp, December night.

~~~ & ~~~

Oscars proved to be a good choice, thought Nikki as the women carried their drinks to a large settee in the far corner of the softly lit rear bar. The background jazz wasn't loud enough to make conversation difficult and the chat flowed easily; inevitably mostly business talk at first, given the occasion, before turning eventually to more personal matters.

One thing that had struck Nikki from the first time they'd met was just how open Steph was about herself, her family and her relationships, past and present. By comparison, Nikki was rather private, in part from a fear of being judged; judged that she put her business and her work ahead of her relationships and certainly ahead of 'settling down'.

The women's lines of business were very different. Steph's executive courier service had an established and impeccable reputation in the locality and beyond. She'd taken the reins, as CEO, following the early death of her first husband. To her very closest friends, she claimed to have "shagged Phil to death!" though, in truth, she'd adored him and still missed him terribly. Her second marriage to David had been one of convenience as much as anything. With him came investment, old-fashioned values and good old common sense in spades. Oh... and just enough lead in his pencil to fertilise Steph twice resulting in a son and daughter who were now starting to plough their own, productive furrows. To many observers, their relationship probably lacked something but it worked for them; more or less. The supplementary activities Steph engaged in filled in most of the gaps for her.

Nikki's digital advertising start-up was no longer worthy of that description after five years of rapid growth, a move to larger, higher quality premises and a team now comprising nearly thirty staff... technical, developers, marketing execs and so on, most of whom were men. For the most part, they were focused, ambitious guys who needed and responded to the clear, strong leadership that came naturally to Nikki. On a personal level; her relationships tended to be brief, functional or a combination of the two. At this stage in her life; the business was everything... her only child, just as it had been her embryo only a few years previously. Maybe in a few years; she'd look to settle down.

Despite their many differences; the women had one thing in common. They both spent an inordinate amount of their time and energy managing, coordinating, mothering, thinking for, steering, cajoling, and supporting the male of the species.

"It can be utterly exhausting," proclaimed Nikki. "I get it that I'm the boss but... you know... sometimes I think what it would be like to just let go... reverse the roles... be the submissive one, the compliant one... just for a while."

Steph's face took on a knowing expression.

"Sounds like you could do with a session with Max. Actually... sessions might be more appropriate."

"Who's Max? Oh, Steph; don't tell me you've taken a toy boy?" Nikki giggled nervously, hoping she hadn't overstepped the mark.

"Oh no... not that! I take real men for that..." replied Steph.

Blimey... thought Nikki. She doesn't hold back!

Steph wondered if she'd spoken a little hastily. She needed to test the waters before revealing any more details.

Steph shuffled a little closer and spoke more quietly.

"Nikki... would you describe yourself as broad-minded... sexually?"

"Erm... Yes... I guess so though I'm probably not the most experienced. I've had fairly vanilla experiences so far... well, with one or two exceptions..."

Nikki blushed slightly as she recalled events that were probably not for Oscar's ears.

"Oh, Nikki... do tell," Steph teased, spotting the pink glow on Nikki's face.

"Now then... don't change the subject; I want to know all about the mysterious Max. What is he? A shrink... a counsellor...?"

"Maybe not here Nikki. Are you busy tomorrow? I could come over to your place if that works. I'd invite you to mine but David would be around and he'd get under our feet."

Nikki thumbed her calendar app.

"Erm... Saturday... just some domestic stuff in the morning that can wait. I'm out in the afternoon though. Come over for coffee... say ten-ish?"

"Works for me... it's a date! Just ping me your address... I've got your number."

"Will do. I'm looking forward to it... such intrigue. Heh; we're the last ones here... let's make tracks."

The women lived in opposite directions so took separate taxis home each reflecting on their conversation; Steph with a fuller picture compared with Nikki's various, speculative theories.

Despite the drinks; Nikki felt alert... awake but headed for bed in any case. A force of habit due to the late hour. She lay for a while, thinking again about Steph, her confidence... her openness. What of Max's role? Surely something psychological... An alternative therapist perhaps... Who knows?

~~~ & ~~~

Saturday dawned bright, well bright-ish, given the time of year.

Nikki busied herself with a few chores before grinding some fresh beans... Java Blue Mountain. She hoped Steph would approve. There was no time to get any fancy biscuits so common or garden Digestives would have to suffice. They'd been in the canister for a while but still past the snap test... Just.

Nikki's phone pinged.

[Be with you in fifteen. I have biscuits!]

Relieved; Nikki re-stowed the cookie canister. They were really intended for tradesmen in any case.

After filling the kettle with filtered water and setting the cafetiere to warm; Steph perched on one of the island unit stools and thumbed her phone for emails, messages and business news.

"Good morning and welcome to my abode. Come on in!"

"Good morning Nikki. Oh, it's lovely." Steph bent to slip off her trainers before handing Nikki a boxed collection of exotic-looking cantuccini.

"Oh Steph... You shouldn't have..."

"No problem... I'll eat them," Steph smiled mischievously.

"Come through... I'll get the coffee on. Is this OK or would you prefer the lounge?"

"No... This is fine... The heart of the home! Is this your first place Nikki?"

"The second... Been here for two years now. The first was a shoebox by comparison. I've a few things I'd still like to change but apart from that, I'm loving it here... My safe space... My refuge."

"Refuge from the business or the men?"

"Oh the latter, for sure. I never really switch off from the business. You know how it is. Actually, not so much the guys themselves, more the role I have to play with them."

"Play... You're right; it is all something of a game, isn't it? I was just like you in the early years. Basically, on the job twenty-four-seven, mentally if not physically. It was utterly draining. What I know now is that I needed to let go, care less in a way and most of all, accept the submissive, vulnerable side of me that I'd kept hidden... even to myself. If only I'd discovered a 'Max' all those years ago..." Steph broke eye contact briefly, gazing somewhere into the middle distance... nowhere really.

Nikki took a long sip of her coffee and then spoke.

"Right... Well, that's what we're here for... Let's talk 'Max'!"

Steph winked.

"And here's me thinking it was for my company and biscuits..."

"Oh... those too... of course! It's just that you sowed a seed last night and I'm ready for more... if you're willing to share."

"I'm more than happy to fill in the gaps. It'll take a while and although I'm sure this doesn't need saying; I'd appreciate it if we kept what I'm going to tell you to ourselves... All of it."

"Of course... It goes without saying... Mum's the word!" assured Nikki concluding that Max was surely a therapist whose assistance Steph wanted to keep under wraps.

"Erm... where to start?" mused Steph.

"Take a mo while I get us a refill," said Nikki; now even more intrigued.

Nikki recharged the cafetiere, waited a couple of minutes, and then poured two fresh mugs.

"There you go..."

"I'll need to backtrack a bit to set the context if that's OK?"

"Sure... Go ahead."

~~~ & ~~~

So began Steph's account of her first marriage, its premature end and the mental and physical void that resulted. The long gap while she took control of the business and grew it exponentially before finally hooking up with David and allowing herself to be charmed back into wedlock. David was loving, dependable and of high utility value; also, he was a great accountant and finance director. But between the sheets, he'd turned out to be a dead loss. Those few hot, sticky prenuptial liaisons the couple enjoyed turned out to be as good as it got for Steph. It turned out that David just had a low libido. No physical reason and he loved Steph to bits but where sex was concerned; he could take it or leave it.

What did pass for sexual activity was always initiated and stage-managed by Steph herself. David played along but never took the lead. Just as in her business life, Steph had to be the boss. Just for once, it would have been good to have switched roles, been told what to do and what not to do... be dominated by a potent and powerful lover.

Steph, very tactfully, shared some of her feelings with David who took no personal offence indeed encouraging Steph to seek out sexual partners who could better meet her needs. This was a key moment for Steph who, until that point, had not actually considered opening up their marriage to others. Deep down, she wasn't exactly sure that's what she wanted; it would, after all, be utterly one-sided Steph thought... selfish even. She decided to let the proposition rest for a while. There were any number of other matters that needed her focus.

One evening, somewhat out of the blue; David returned to the subject. As an avid reader of anything and everything; David had stumbled upon an article in the mainstream press about cuckolding in the US... something he'd never come across before. Unusually for David, the picture painted by the article immediately aroused him, necessitating a rush to the bathroom for relief. Imagining Steph being fucked by a well-hung guy, the pair of them laughing and ridiculing David as he wanked his own, modest cock; brought him to orgasm in little more than a minute.

Without going into too much detail; David told Steph about the article and how aroused he'd become. Steph was surprised, to say the least, that something had stirred in David, though cucking as she knew it; hadn't really occurred to her. After all; might it just be another, nervous wannabe stud she'd need to take charge of? Maybe... Maybe not... she pondered.

It didn't take very long to arrange... In fact, it was a breeze. A swinging website subscribed to; a couple of weeks researching and monitoring potential candidates; an arrangement struck and a local hotel room booked... Job done!

Mike was punctual, clean, well presented and fairly attractive though not exactly Steph's type; if indeed she really had one. The ice was broken over a drink in the hotel bar but as neither party was seeking anything other than the obvious; they kept it brief, almost business-like, before heading to the room. David was quiet now; his role was to watch, and possibly be humiliated but certainly not heard. Mike; an old hand at this, had made this clear as well as confirming any likes and dislikes, dos and don'ts in advance. He'd also confirmed that he'd be using condoms; as much for his own protection. Steph; no longer at any risk of pregnancy; was somewhat disappointed with this. She hated the things and if she was going to fuck another guy; the very least she wanted was a cunt full of his seed to show for it!

Mike turned out to be a capable choice if a little more back-foot than their pre-meet conversations had suggested. He was all about his partner's pleasure; needing constant guidance and reassurance that all was to Steph's liking. She'd have preferred someone more assertive... more controlling even... someone to take her... forcibly... dominantly, so that she could truly yield... submit to a lover's selfish exploitation of her body.

Despite the, somewhat lacking, terms of reference, from Steph's perspective at least; things worked out OK. Steph had multiple orgasms both from Mike's expert tongue and from his firm, thick cock which needed little recovery time between his own climaxes. The man truly was a machine despite, in Steph's opinion, being as dull as ditch water. Perhaps the biggest gainer that night was David who'd witnessed nothing more erotic than this in his life. He'd ejaculated twice from all the excitement; both times into the complimentary hotel tissues, so thoughtfully provided. Twice in two and a half hours... A rare feat indeed!

David was keener than Steph for a repeat performance but having weighed up the cons; she consented and, before long, the cuck sessions became a regular fixture of their lives. Monthly became fortnightly; sometimes more frequently than that depending on their time constraints and the availability of compatible partners. Just one or two men became regulars and only because they were particularly adept and reliable. Mostly, Steph relished the thrill of the new. Despite the variability of the outcomes; mainly due to the sexual capabilities of the guys concerned and their understanding of the kink's protocols; David and Steph always looked forward to the sessions. The least they got out of it was a wank and a fuck respectively.

This routine persisted over the years, effectively becoming their sex life in its entirety; notwithstanding self-love, particularly on Steph's part. The couple no longer shared a bedroom but despite this, the cucking brought them closer than they'd ever been.

Despite the occasional guy taking some modicum of control; these tended to be those that weren't really into the scene, more just out for a quick shag having told their wife they were "down the pub with the lads". At such times, the hotel tariff felt like a waste of money. Mostly, it was good enough though. Steph had learned to read the signs online and had become a pretty good judge of character and motivation. Wheat from chaff and all that.

Everything was to change when while browsing her preferred site; Steph found herself reading a guy's profile she'd not seen previously. He was decent enough looking though his mugshot made him look a little cold... austere. He wasn't too far away, experienced by the look of it and had a high feedback score though, oddly, no comments which were something of a mainstay of the site. The other odd thing was that he'd posted no cock shots, in fact, no photos showing him anything other than fully clothed. Steph enjoyed sizing up her potential partners so clicked to move to the next profile. Instead of paging on; the current page reloaded.

"Hmm... Odd," said Steph, looking into the eyes of the guy in the photo. "Maybe... Just maybe"

He was showing as offline so Steph sent him an in-app message - just the usual.

"Hi. Intrigued by your profile and might be interested in hooking up for a cuck session. We're local to you and are happy to cover expenses for the right guy. Please check out my profile and let me know what you think. S x"

No response was forthcoming and that weekend's session came and went. Geoff proved to be about a six on Steph's Cuck-o-Meter... David reckoned no better than a four. It wasn't though, his cunt that had been ploughed by Geoff's handsome, if modest, cock. David had only managed one weak orgasm with barely enough semen to dampen the tissue.

"Onwards and upwards!" they agreed in unison.

At her desk, the following Tuesday, Steph's phone vibrated with a rhythm she immediately recognised. An incoming message to the swinging site's mobile app. She received these all the time... No rush... it can wait.

By the time Steph broke for lunch; two more messages had landed. She started with the most recent.

"Reject... [next] Erm...maybe...naw...reject [next] Oh!" It was from Max. Steph shivered slightly before tapping the message.

[Dear S. Thank you for making contact. I enjoyed reading your profile and would like an online chat before committing to meet. With so many time-wasters around; I'm sure you understand. I'm free this evening if that works for you. Regards, Max.]

"Mmm... Short and to the point," thought Steph.

Steph was busy all evening so it was gone ten before she logged on to the website. She preferred to use her laptop as the site's mobile app experience was somewhat limited. Also, having never mastered her phone keyboard, she preferred a full-sized one for anything other than a quick text message.

Scanning the list of users online, Steph spotted Max's name and emoji.

[Sorry, I'm running a bit late. Are you still ok to talk?]

After a short pause; Max replied.

[Yes - All fine. I'd like to speak with you alone if that's OK. No offence, but I've no interest in your husband. Is he within earshot?]

[He goes to bed early and reads himself to sleep.]

[Great. Let's switch to voice. Much easier that way.]

Max was driving the agenda. This felt new... new and exciting. Steph switched her 'social' phone to vibrate only then returned to her laptop.

[Pls call me - number in profile - thnx]

Steph had barely finished typing when the phone screen illuminated, "Number withheld."

"Hi Max. Is that you?"

"It is... Yes. Good to hear your voice at last. Tell me your name please."

A request or an instruction... Steph wasn't sure which.

"Oh fuck it," she thought. "Just get on with it!"

"Erm... Steph... I'm Steph. So you were drawn to my profile? Anything in particular stands out?"

"Hi, Steph. Pretty much all of it. I've played with a fair few couples over the years, mostly cucking scenarios and straight and bi-threesomes. Having said that, I should add that I've other sexual interests outside the scope of this website. Something in your written profile suggests I may be able to offer you something above and beyond just a cuck session though I'd be happy to start that way if that's your current boundary. Think of it as a taster session. If you enjoy my company; I'd consider offering you some of my more, commercial, services. I'm still building up my client network and have a small number of free slots still available."