The Proposal

"No, I won't accept it. I love you, I know it's crazy and I have no right to ask. But I want you back."

"Why not just go with her?"

"Okay, fair question. She is not looking for a partner. She likes her freedom. She is kind and generous and I think she will be a good friend, but no. Not a partner."

"So poor old you, she didn't want you so you came back to me. It sounds like you wanted to go with her."

"No, never. I got a bit carried away, when she asked me to stay for a few extra days, but All I could think about was coming home, and telling you all about our adventure, and making love and buying a house. You were always in my mind. I enjoyed being with her, But I want you."

"Well I don't want you."

She looked crestfallen. "So that's it, you want to kick me out because I slept with a woman?"

"Put yourself in my place for just one minute. What would you do?"

"I don't know Max, but I wouldn't just walk away. We could do counselling."

"Not bloody likely. I have told nobody about what happened. I'm embarrassed enough. I'm taking that with me to the grave."

Her eyes darkened and she glared angrily. "You want to know what I would do in you position. Why don't you find out. Go and balance the books, have sex with whoever you want. Then we can talk again."

"That's your answer, I go and bang some bint and we're all square. Jesus Franki, you have a twisted take on life. The dyke really fucked you up."

"She's not a dyke as you so crudely put it. She is a very nice lady."

"Yeah, who likes to destroy marriages. All she cared about was getting into your panties. She didn't give a single thought to me, or the consequences of her actions."

"For your information, she was horrified when she found out you were filing for divorce. She blamed herself. She was very sad."

"Fucking bollocks. Jesus, she has obviously played this game in the past, that was very apparent. She knew before she even asked you. She just didn't care."

Standing up, I said. "We had a deal Franki. I sat, I listened, and now I'm going to hold you to your end of the bargain. Fill in the paperwork, and we can go our separate ways."

"So that's it, just like that?"

"What did you expect?"

"Max, you have always been a very kind and caring person. I thought you would at least make an effort."

"You walked out and left me while we were on holiday to go off with somebody else. You then left me to find my own way home, no consultation, no asking if I had issues. You fuck somebody else, and I'm supposed to be happy. Fuck you."

I walked out feeling quietly superior. She as living in some weird fantasy land. Back at my new flat I tried to get my head around it. Weigh up my options. Could I turn a blind eye? Forgive her? If she filled in the paperwork as she promised we would be divorced and we could start again. I would miss her, we were in so many ways perfect for each other. The sex had always been great. We got along and agreed on almost everything. She never nagged. If I wanted a day out with the boys she never quibbled, never made me beg. Jesus, some of my mates suffered for days afterwards if we went out somewhere.

She was motivated, a great cook, did her share of the work around the house.

She was gorgeous, and so bloody sexy. Was I being a fool? No other woman I knew measured up to her. I as walking away from the best thing that ever happened to me. Why, bloody pride, ego? Fuck knows.

I tried to put her to the back of my mind. I focused on work, went out every weekend with my mates. Yeah life was okay. Yeah I missed her, thought about her a lot, but I made my decision, I lived by my principles, My Father taught me to respect myself and I inherited his principles. Your word is your bond, a promise is a promise, contract or not.

I may not be a genius, or a whizz at business. I left school at fifteen to get a job. I worked hard and now had a job I liked. I would find somebody.

So that was my life. I met a few girls, I even ended up in bed with a couple. It was a nice distraction, they kept my mind from sinking into depression. I wasn't getting anywhere with my plans to buy a house. That ate away at me. It had always been my goal, I guess it dated back to my Father. He schooled me pretty hard. He always said once you have your own home, the rest of the world can piss off.

The plan failure was all my own fault. I was to busy partying and drinking. It's fun, but expensive.

It was about three months later when I checked my bank balance one day, expecting to see red ink, I was surprised to find two hundred thousand dollars sitting in there.

I rang the bank to find out where it came from. They said it as a deposit from an unnamed source. Unhappy with their answer I tried to dig deeper, but I could find nothing. I knew bloody well who it was, but could do nothing about it.

I wondered how she got my bank details. This was new, I closed our old joint account. Even Franki didn't have it.

It pissed me off, yeah I know that sounds ridiculous, but knowing that the bitch was trying to appease her guilty conscience by buying me off pissed me off.

I talked to one of my best friends and he laughed his tits off. "You fucking moron. What the fuck were you thinking? Fuck bro. She gave you a hundred grand for a few days with your missus. Fuck if somebody offered me that for Joss I'd jump at it. Especially if it was a woman. All I'd ask for is a bloody video of what they got up too."

He gave me a funny look. "Holy fuck, Franki and another bird. Wow, you know that would be fucking hot. Did you ask if you could watch?

"Jesus you're a bloody perverted bastard."

"Ah come on Bro, two chicks together, and you say the other bird was hot. Christ Bro, I would have been falling over myself to watch."

"Bloody hell, when did you become such a retarded pervert."

"Sorry mate, but we all think you're a fucktard for divorcing her. Shit she's a bloody awesome chick. Fuck Bro. Now you're crying because her girlfriend feels a bit guilty and puts two hundred grand in your bank. Fuck if you don't want it, give it to me."

"Dick."

He laughed. "Sorry Bro, but you asked. We all think Franki's a choice bird. You have to question her intelligence though. Plenty of the boys have hit on her. She turned them all down. Joss told me in confidence that Franki is really suffering. She misses you. Fuck knows why, but there you go."

We still shared a lot of friends, that's what happens when a couple split up. Shared friends are split as well. I did some digging around and that as the consensus, she hadn't dated anyone since our split.

The more I thought about it, the more confused I became. The money was eating away at me, I wanted to settle it. I guess that and my desire to see Franki led me to her door.

Knocking I waited nervously. She opened the door and her face went pale. "Max, what are you doing here?"

"I want to talk."

"Oh, right. Come on in."

As I walked in she asked. "Do you want tea. Or coffee?"

"Yeah, tea would be nice."

We sat at the breakfast bar. Her scent intoxicating me. "What do you want Max?"

"Are you still in touch with Kathleen?" Her name burned as it slid off my tongue.

"Yes, we talk most days, why?"

"She put two hundred grand in my bank, and I want to give it back."

"So get the bank to transfer it?"

"Can't, it was anonymous. I never kept her details, from the first time."

"Then how do you know it was her?"

"Don't play games Franki. She must have told you she was going to do it."

"Yes, she did. I wasn't joking when I said she felt guilty."

"So she thought she would just throw more money at it."

"No, she said you had a deal, and she wanted to hold up her end of it. She added the extra because she felt bad."

"Well I don't want it. Do you? Give me your new account details and I'll transfer it."

"No, it's yours."

"But I don't want it."

"Then give it to charity."

Finishing my tea, I stood quickly. "Yeah, that sounds like a plan. Thanks."

As I went to walk away she said. "Don't go Max. How have you been?"

"Yeah, I'm going all right. You?"

"I'm terrible. I miss you like crazy."

"I saw you opened your new salon. How's that going?"

Her face brightened. "It's going well. I love it."

"Some good came of that trip then."

"Don't be like that Max. You sound so bitter. You never used to be like that. You were always so positive, so full of life."

"Yeah, I guess that's what happens when you are betrayed."

She frowned, her features scrunched. "I didn't betray you Max. We agreed before I left with her."

"No we didn't. You told me nothing was going to happen. You promised me that."

"No I didn't. I said, I wasn't interested in her that way, and I wasn't, but she changed my mind. She was warm and loving and kind. She listened to my plans. We talked about the salon until late at night. She gave me advice, she even organised with agents for the salon."

"I didn't come to fight Franki."

"No, I'm sorry. I just feel let down, sad really."

"Why do you feel that way?"

"Because I thought you were stronger, more open minded. You used to be so caring, and kind. To find you just kicked me to touch so easily really hurt."

"Jesus, what did you expect? I mean honestly Franki. What did you think I was going to do?"

"Well, knowing you as I do. I expected you to be angry, I knew you would be."

"Then why do it?"

"Because I was in the middle of an incredible experience, On a luxury boat cruising the South Pacific. Kath as amazing, so sexy and... I don't know, beautiful and experienced. I fell under her spell. All the while though, I was thinking about us. What we could achieve."

When I didn't answer she added. "I know I got the best end of the deal. You were stuck there alone, and I was with Kath, but I just thought that if it was the other way around I would be still focused on what we could do, how we could move our life forward."

"You're trying to tell me, if it was me off with some dolly bird, then you would have been okay with it?"

She nodded. "Yes, I have thought long and hard about this Max. I can honestly say if it was you, I would have been angry, just like you, but I would have accepted it. You knew what was going to happen, you told me so."

"Yeah, I suppose so. Sorry Franki, but I hoped I was wrong. I hoped you would be stronger."

"Max, it was an incredible experience, I mean totally mind blowing. I never expected it to be like that. I had preconceived notions, misconceptions. Kath, just blew them all out of the water. She was funny, gorgeous, sexy. I couldn't fight it, she overwhelmed me."

Her comments bit. "How do you think that makes me feel Franki? Hearing that your lesbian lover was so incredible. Let me tell you, it makes me feel like shit. How the hell am I supposed to compete with her?"

"Compete... It's not a competition. I loved my time with her, but our lovemaking is so much better. You never have to worry about that. There was nothing wrong with our sex life. It was incredible. Kath was just different."

"How?"

"Well it's different, slower, more intimate, less orgasm oriented. We pashed for hours, it was like never ending foreplay. When you and I make love, it is so passionate, so fiery that orgasm comes so quickly. That's not a bad thing, but Kath and I it was more a slow burn. Don't get me wrong, the orgasms were amazing, they just weren't the target."

"Shit, I have to go." I mumbled as I moved towards the door.

"Max, I'm trying to be honest with you. I want you back."

"Franki, I can't do it. Sometimes, you can't go back."

"But we could go forward. Think about what you could do with that money."

"No, you had the right idea. I will be donating it to charity."

"You're being silly Max."

"Goodbye Franki."

It was hard, no sense sugar coating it, I loved that damn woman so much. Still, I needed to move on. I dated a few women on and off, nobody really made me hers. We went out, we had fun, and yes we had sex, I had a lot of sex.

I'm a normal red blooded male. I love sex, I read somewhere that the thought of sex passes through a man's head at least one every five minutes. Well, I am living proof of that.

In my entire life I had never had as much sex, why, I don't understand. Maybe I learned stuff from Franki, I was definitely a better listener. I empathised more. Maybe they were able to pick up on my pain, and needs for love. Not sure about that one, but it did lead to a very active sex life.

At one point I was dating several omen at the same time. Naughty I know, but I wasn't leading anybody on, I was honest and up front. Funny, women respond to honesty.

So with a sex life that had never been better, you'd think I would be laughing all the way to the bank. Nope, the sex was awesome, but without some intimacy, without love, it was just vertical exercise. Very fluid Yoga or something.

That's when I met Bea. She was the new stock keeper at work, and we worked closely together. She was a little older than me, but with a bright personality. Maybe not a spectacular beauty, she could probably afford to lose a few pounds, but she was cute, her eyes sparkled and she had a way of making me feel at ease. She liked to play practical jokes, and I was the brunt of a few.

Somehow we managed to form something more than friendship. The whole team used to go out for drinks after work Friday nights, it was a sort of social club type arrangement. Bea wasn't much of a drinker, she had a few but never a lot.

Even so, she managed to be the life of the party, told funny jokes, made fun of us all, including herself.

Friday's, I always left my car at home and took the bus to work, knowing full well, I wouldn't be able to drive.

Standing outside after our drinks, I waited for a taxi, that's when I heard Bea yell out. "Want a ride big boy?"

Glancing around casually, I saw her leaning out of her car window waving. "Come on, I haven't got all night."

I wandered over and climbed in. "Should you be driving?" I asked hesitantly.

"Yeah, no worries, I only had, like three bourbons, a couple of wines, oh shit and the Midori, Yeah, nah, I'll be fine." She sniggered cheekily. "You ain't scared are ya?"

"No, just thinking about your license."

"I was joking dude. I only had a couple of wines. Where do you live?"

"Panmure, Johnson's road."

"Fuck, you could almost walk to work from there."

"To lazy."

"Yeah, you got that right. Sitting on that bloody forklift all day."

She turned her radio up and sang along with some of the songs. She sure was a bunch of fun.

"Do you want to come in for a drink?" I asked as we pulled up outside my flat.

She gave me a cheeky grin before replying. "I don't know, would I be safe?"

"Safe as houses."

"Oh, so you don't fancy me then?" Her tone mocking, snide.

"Fancy you. Jesus Bea, if we weren't friends, you wouldn't be safe."

She climbed out with me and followed me down the back to my front door.

Inside I asked, I've got wine, coffee or tea, that is unless you want beer?"

"Wine would be good."

She sat at the little breakfast nook as I poured her a glass of wine, and grabbed a beer for myself.

We sat side by side, the heat from her body as our hips touched sent little shocks through my body.

"I heard you used to be married?" Her voice soft.

"Yeah, used to be, separated now, waiting for the divorce to finalise."

"What happened, or shouldn't I ask?"

I shrugged casually. I had shared the real story with only a couple of my best mates. Even my family didn't know the truth. "I dunno, it just wasn't meant to be, I suppose."

"Trevor told me, you broke up while on holiday or something?"

"He's got a big mouth. Yes, we won a competition, free holiday to Raro. It exposed some things we didn't know about each other."

"Like what?" She asked as she finished her wine. I poured her another and grumbled. "You're a nosy bugger."

"Yeah, sorry. I was just curious. You seem so easy to get along with. Couldn't see you being that hard to live with."

Trying to change the subject I asked. "What about you, any skeletons in the closet?"

"Nah, nothing like that. I just never met the right person."

The way she highlighted the word person, made me think. "You used the noun, person..."

She gave me a coy, almost challenging stare. "Yes I did didn't I?"

"Uh huh, you sure did."

She chewed her lip for a few minutes before empty glass forward for a refill. "Would it shock you if I told you I was bisexual?"

"No, why would it? We are friends."

"I don't usually tell people. Some can't handle it."

"Hey, it's a free world. You can be who you want to be."

She sipped her wine, her eyes sparkling as they caught mine. "I like you Max, you're funny and kind. Pretty good looking to."

I chuckled as I turned reaching into the fridge for another beer. "Thanks. I like you as well. I think you are really pretty, and I love talking to you."

We slowly drank our drinks, her free hand rested on my knee. "What exactly does Bisexual mean?"

"Well, it means I'm attracted to men and women. I don't have a preference, although I have had more girlfriends than boyfriends."

"Guess it means you've got twice as much chance of getting a date."

She giggle, choking on her wine. "That's true, although it sort of has it's disadvantages as well. We are sort of outcasts. The gay community don't like us. They think you're either gay or not. Straight people don't understand us either. So we are always on the outer."

We finished our drinks, and the wine bottle was empty. "You know, you can't drive now."

With a deep sigh she said. "Yep, I know. I can get a taxi I guess."

"Bea, you can stay the night. You can have my bed, I'll sleep on the sofa."

"For a clever guy, you're pretty dumb. I said I liked you, if I stayed, I would want to share the bed."

"Really, I sleep naked." I warned.

"So do I." She retorted.

"I sort of move around a lot in bed you know?"

She giggled softly, her hand squeezing my knee. "So long as you like to cuddle?"

"I do love a good cuddle."

"What about pussy, do you like pussy?"

"That depends, are we talking to eat, or pet?"

"Both."

"And what about you?"

"Me." She said, I love pussy as well. There's nothing yummier than a juicy pussy on your tongue. Well, except for cock... I love cock."

"Must be hard to get both?"

She shook her head, her fingers toying with her ash blonde hair. "No, I like to have both, not always at the same time. I'm happy to share."

I just about choked. "Jesus Christ Bea."

"You're no the jealous type are you?"

"Depends, if we were married I would be, but at the moment as long as we're honest with each other then I don't have a problem."

Our lovemaking that first night was a little clumsy, it was fun and deeply satisfying. From my perspective, I felt like I had something to prove, I remembered something Franki said about not being orgasm driven. I spent a lot of time lapping at her very accommodating pussy. I licked so long and hard, my tongue ached. I wanted to be the best.

It was after her third orgasm when she said. "Max, I love that you like my pussy, but I want to fuck. Just fuck me, okay."

Not an invitation I was ever going to turn down.

The next day we went out for lunch, went shopping, and then out to dinner. She stayed the night again.

Work was awkward, it didn't take the guys long to figure out we were an item. They gave us both shit, although they saved the best for her.

"You're fucking crazy Bea, Christ, you could do better than this loser."

She just grinned, took it all good naturedly.

We had been an item for about a month when she dropped her bomb on me. I asked if she wanted to go to a movie, and she responded hesitantly. "Sorry Max, I have a date tonight."