Unconventional Advice

"What can a married man do to bring life back into his sex life?" I asked the sex therapist who sat across from me on the leather overstuffed chair. She asked if I had tried a date night thing with my wife, going out on a regular basis, just the two of us: no kids, no demands, no expectations, no stress. I told her we had, but that also got old after a short time. Not that we didn't enjoy it, but it didn't give new unbelievable life to our sex lives.

She asked if I had tried spontaneous expressions of affection: flowers, gifts, buying her lingerie, helping around the house. I had tried it all. "Maybe you need to get away, just the two you," she said.

"Been to the Caribbean, France, Mexico, drove to Florida. Ended up arguing over directions," I said.

"Maybe it is not worth saving," she said.

"Has to be," I said. She suggested some books to read, but we had most of the ones she mentioned. She suggested we come in and talk to her together, and that sounded fine, but it was a long fix. We wanted something to help us jump start the sexual energy relatively soon. We were suffering and wanted to get back what we'd had. We had talked it out, made a list of problems we had as a couple, but had not been able to find many. We enjoyed one another's company, got along pretty well most of the time, liked each other a great deal, figured we were well suited, but the sexual spark had just flickered and died.

She asked about trying new sexual positions, but most of the ones she mentioned we had tried many times. She brought up couple's group therapy, but we weren't considering ending our marriage, and we'd been to one. Ended up we were the most stable couple there.

"Have you thought of swinging?" she finally asked.

"You're asking about wife swapping?" I said. "Seriously?"

"Mate sharing," she corrected. "Some people actually find it rejuvenating," she said. "Don't judge it too harshly. Unconditional love is not all that bad," she said. "Some couples give each other the space to express their sexuality individually. My husband and I do," she said, surprising me with her candor. "We're not supposed to tell you that, but it really is no secret. Mate sharing is a possibility if you would be open to it, no pun intended," she said with a smile. "Personal history is supposed to be kept from the patients, but we are adults here, so... "

I thanked her for being candid, then wrote down the name of the swing club she mentioned. "Can I ask you some questions, personal things, about your experience with mate sharing?" I said.

"Of course," she said.

"How long have been involved?"

"Twelve years," she said smiling.

"Then you should know what you're talking about," I said. "If a friend asked you if it was a positive experience, hypothetically, what would you tell your friend?" I asked.

"Hypothetically?"

"I'd say it was a very positive experience," she said, "since we are still going and we're still married." She laughed. "Hypothetically," she added.

On the way home I thought of what she'd said. Swinging would certainly ramp things up. I wasn't sure what Claire would say, maybe laugh. We had been pretty conventional married people up to that point of our lives. I had gone to college, had a pretty conservative childhood, came from middle class parents, father was a school teacher, mother was a waitress.

I was sure they never did anything kinkier than have missionary sex under the covers. I did not see a woman nude until I was a sophomore in college and had gone to a strip club with friends. My first sexual experience was with a girl I dated in college. My second I married and is who I was driving home to.

I looked at myself in the rearview mirror and thought whether any swinger women would be interested in a monkey face like that. I smiled at my own image and thought about swinger housewives. Would Claire totally think the swinger suggestion was nuts, probably. She was always pretty levelheaded, fairly conservative, at least socially.

I parked in the driveway and gazed at the house for a few seconds before getting out. She was in the kitchen and turned to greet me with a kiss as I came in. "So what'd your therapist say, we're hopeless?" she asked as I sat at the table.

"Said we should become swingers," I said picking up the coffee cup she had set in front of me. "Said she and her husband have been for twelve years."

"Is that a fact?" Claire asked. "Thought of that myself," she added.

"You have?" I said. "Seriously?"

"Lot of folks do," she said. "My sister and Tom do. Have for five years."

"You never told me that," I said.

"Well, I am telling you now. She thinks it is the best thing they ever did," she said. "Kind of like psychotherapy. Says it saved their marriage."

"And you never said anything?" I said.

"I just thought you'd ridicule the whole idea," she said.

"But I like porn," I said in defense.

"But you are always talking about people having no moral compass," she said. It was true, but I was regretting ever using the phrase. "But I have said that people take sex far to seriously," I said, again defending myself. "You really think swinging may be something to consider?" I asked, still a little flabbergasted that she might.

"Sure," she replied. "I think it could be fun. I do think it just might spice things up some for us."

"Then why didn't you say anything?"

"I was getting ready to," she said with a laugh. "I think all the rules against extramarital sex are pretty silly. People should be able to have sex with whoever they want. I wouldn't object to some handsome husband lighting my fire," she said with a grin.

I was stunned. I had expected her to scoff at what my therapist had said about mate sharing, swinging, and I never thought she would, in fact, be in favor of such a thing. I guess this totally proves that even when you think you know someone, you often really don't. We had been together at that time for twenty years and it was a total surprise what she said about swinging and sexual independence. She wasn't a virgin when we met, but she had only been with one other guy, at least that is what I was told.

The night I came home to tell her what my therapist said about mate sharing I asked her after dinner if she would really consider going to a swing party. "Of course," she said playfully. "I am a Capricorn, not a party pooper. I like to have fun. Sure. You?"

"Well, I never gave it a lot of thought," I said. "I just didn't think you'd ever... Well, be interested. So, if I said let's go, you'd say okay?"

"This weekend?" she said.

"You wouldn't mind if I had sex with another woman?" I said.

"Not if I got to do the same with the hot husband of my choice," she said with a naughty grin. "You went to a sex therapist to help you find something to light my sexual fire, well I think you found it. This weekend? I am ready," she said.

I took the paper out of my pocket that I wrote the name of the swingers group on and showed her. "This is the group Dr. Joyce belongs to," I said.

"Not sure you would want to fuck your therapist, would you?" she said.

"You ever seen my therapist?" I asked.

"Wouldn't that be inappropriate," she said, "like fucking your teacher or your doctor? Or your mother?"

"She's not my mother," I said. "She's hot," I added.

"Okay, if she is there, then be my guest. Fuck her, if you want," she said. "So we going this weekend? I am sure we will need to call and make reservations. You want to call, or should I?"

I said I would call. I called and made reservations, was sent forms to fill out and return, and put on a list for a party coming up the next month. While we waited for the date to arrive, we talked about how we would handle it, what we would and would not do.

Claire said we should go slow, meet people first, get to know what we think and see how comfortable we are with the group, the people we meet, and the party in general. When we got there we were taken in and given a first-time interview. We were told the party rules: no mercy fucks (out of feeling obligated because you didn't want to hurt the person's feelings), no golden showers (urination games), and no means no. We were told if we just wanted to watch and visit for our first time was fine, but the second time there we must participate.

The hostess was named Gwen and was very friendly and pleasant. She took us through the house, introduced to couples, and told about the layout of the rooms: the library, the social room, the singles room, the group room, and, of course, the restrooms.

When she left us we went to the social room and talked with couples there. On the way there I saw Dr. Joyce and her husband. She smiled, nodded, but didn't interact with us. Obviously she was keeping her distance from a patient. Clearly Claire was right about doctor patient separation.

Claire was asked to dance and went off with a very handsome man named Ken, so I asked a few women to dance and ended up going off with a woman named Julia. Julia was a school teacher whose husband Carl was entertaining a woman named Jill.

Julia and I went to the singles room, found a mattress and began to make love after chatting for just a short time. She got on top of me and rode me cowgirl until she came with a shout. I didn't know what cowgirl was until she told me. Claire likes being on top as well, although it had been awhile since we'd done it that way.

Later that night I ran into Dr. Joyce in the social room. "I see you decided to take my advice," she said.

"My wife surprised me," I said. "She was all for it. Thought your idea was wonderful."

"Where is she now?" she asked.

"Entertaining a fellow named Ken. She thinks you're a genius," I said. "We both are so thankful for the advice. I know you're not supposed to tell us personal things, but thank you." She smiled and put her hand on my arm.

"We are also human," she whispered, as if it was our personal secret. "Professional propriety tells me I should never tell a patient how I feel, and I won't let it happen, but I have wondered how it would be enjoying a little sexual time with you," she said.

"It's been a first for me too," I said. "I have never fantasized about my therapist before."

"Nice to hear," she said with a very sexy smile. "We are human, and it it is great to know. I hope your wife is enjoying herself," she said. "I think we have added a little spice, don't you think?"

"I think she is and Ken have found some common interest. I am just surprised I am so happy that she has," I said.

"That is the best part of being here," she said, "losing the poison of possessiveness." She smiled at her wording, and it was a very un-therapist smile, and I gave her hand a very un-patient squeeze.

"Thank you," I said getting up off the couch. "I am going to go enjoy myself some more." She returned my squeeze and nodded. It may have been the best moment ever between patient and therapist. We said goodbye and there was a bond I had never felt before with a therapist or doctor. I thought about that throughout the night. She had given me some pretty unprofessional advice, something she could actually get in trouble for, but it had made an incredible difference for me, for us.

Claire came out of the singles room with Ken and kissed me on the way to the hot tub. I watched them walk naked to the pool area holding hands and I didn't even feel a tinge of jealousy or distress. I watched her lovely naked bottom sway with her steps toward the tub and smiled to myself. I saw them kissing as they sat in the warm water and the feeling of joy was exhilarating and I knew what unconditional love really was. I wanted to stand and watch them, but the feeling that I was intruding was stronger than my desire to see them and I walked on.

In the library I started talking to a woman reading Open Marriage by the O'Neils and as I came in she put down the book and greeted me. I have never thought of myself as a babe magnet, attracting women on the fly, so I was surprised when she looked up and put her book down.

"Hi," she said, "my name is Sandy. My husband is getting to know a lovely lady named Marie and I am waiting for the right person to come along. You look like maybe you are the right person," she said.

"I am David," I said. "My wife is amusing Ken at the moment. We are first timers," I said, "but she is taking to it rather well for a beginner, don't you think?"

"You seem to have taken to it well, yourself," she said.

"I am trying," I said. "Actually, it is not as hard as I thought it would be."

"I could help you learn about us here," she said with a very friendly smile, a smile so sexy I almost could not control myself. Sandy put out her hand and I took it, then she pulled me down to the sofa next to her. "We have a cabin here," she said. "Would you like to see how I have decorated it?" she asked in a voice that said she wanted to show me more than curtains and furniture.

"Decorating," I said. "My favorite subject." We both smiled and she led me towards her beloved decor. When we got to her cabin, she began undressing me, although by that time that night I had little clothing still on. I was wearing a kaftan the resort had given me and she lifted it over my head. She was wearing only a sheer robe with no underwear and a pair of high heeled slippers.

Off came the robe and she joined me on her king-sized bed in a room only slightly larger than the bed. We rolled into a fleshy ball and ended up with me on top between her thighs and embedded into her shaved and splayed pussy. She pulled me against her and wrapped her legs around my waist, humping upward with amazing strength. When she came it was explosive and lasted more than a minute.

"You are learning our ways very quickly," she panted, her breath coming in gasps. "Your wife is a lucky lady," she said. "You fuck like an old pro," she said. "Any time you are here, you come and get me, you hear. I will help you learn our ways. Hear me," she said sternly.

Sandy and I parted about three that morning, and when I found Claire she was ready for sleep and it took us less than a minute to be sawing off logs. We didn't stir until nearly one the next afternoon, then we showered and went to find food.

When we got in the cafe there were no tables except there were two empty chairs at Dr. Joyce and her husband's table. They invited us to join them and I introduced them to Claire.

"I want to thank you," said Claire, "for suggesting to David we come here, pun intended. The doctor seemed to enjoy her humor and reached across and took her hand.

"It was my pleasure to point you in our direction," she said warmly. She looked at her husband. "We have benefited from the friendships we've made here. Julian and I are happy you have joined us at what we think is a wonderful place, a great group of friends."

On our way home Claire and I talked about the weekend. "I am so glad you liked it there," she said. "Being sexual with other people is the way of the twenty-first century. I feel so good about us as a couple," she said.

"I was just surprised you were okay with it," I said. "I guess you don't know all you think you know about someone. I didn't think you would be open to extramarital sex." I laughed. "You were better with it than I was," I said.

"That just goes to show you," she said. "Still water really does run deep." I leaned over and kissed her.

"That is very true, my deep little pond," I said.