7 comments/ 29772 views/ 7 favorites Susan, Josh and I By: Alexandra Susan is Josh's best friend. She has been for a long time and I guess its fair to say that the friendship is mutual. Or was. I'm not sure where they're at now as I haven't spoken to or seen either of them for nearly four years. The complication with the friendship was my arrival, though none of us realised it until after the event. Until then the three of us got along just peachy. I was in love with Josh who was my boyfriend and I loved Susan, as cliched as it may sound, like a sister. I know, I can hear you thinking, you let your boyfriend have a female best friend?!! I did and really it was never an issue. I lie a little here, it was an issue for a short time after I realised that I had fallen in love with Josh. And after the event. But over the course of a few days it was an issue I considered, and considered at some length, before deciding that in fact it wasn't and issue. And it wasn't! Really! You see, Susan and Josh had been best friends since their mid teenage years. When I met them, and in fact I met Susan first, they had known each other for ten years. They acted like, and were often mistaken for, brother and sister. They could be unbelievably cruel to each other, as only siblings and loved ones can be, then show such love and compassion as to reveal the true depth of the bond that existed between them. Of course their was a bond between them, pent up sexual frustration can be mistaken for that! You are a cynic aren't you, dear reader? You who don't believe that a man and a woman can have a truly platonic friendship. I want to tell you how wrong you are, but as you will see, perhaps your cynicism is not misplaced at all. Though, right now I have to accept full responsibility for what happened. I made it happen, me alone and so I broke the bond of friendship. Susan wore her hair shoulder length and blonde back then, though she confided in me that her natural colour was somewhere between "mousy blonde and crappy brown." She said it with a smile and I laughed. She was able to make most people laugh or at least smile and the day we met was just one of those days. I live in Melbourne, Australia's second city, a city of great cultural charm and personality. I was born here and although I have lived in other cities, Melbourne is my home in every sense of the word. I worked for one of our larger cable television providers in their public relations department. As all Australians, and no doubt anyone who has ever visited this great city know, the weather here is somewhat unpredictable, turning from rain to sunshine and back in the course of a few hours. "Four seasons in one day," is the saying. It was one such day in spring of 1997 when I stepped off the tram and made a bolt for the shop awnings to escape the pouring rain. The weather man had promised no rain today and foolishly I had believed him leaving my umbrella at home. Why would a native of Melbourne believe the weather man? you ask. The week had been glorious and he had promised more of the same, I guess I wanted to believe. As fate would have it, the decision to leave my umbrella at home led directly to me meeting Susan and through her, Josh. I stood under the awning with a few others, all of us desperately hoping for a break in the rain to allow us to scurry home. We offered each other weak smiles of acknowledgment, but little else, the rain was so loud against the tin shelter that it was almost deafening. Finally, with a sigh, I realised that standing here was a futile waste of time, so I turned to walk into the rain. As I did, the shop behind me caught my eye and I was drawn toward it. It had been a lunch type café, but was now under new management and had trendied itself up and become a licensed premise and offered continental style dinners. As soon as the door slid shut behind me the ambience embraced me, a gentle warmth, some background music and the chatter of the patrons replacing the maelstrom that surrounded the footpath. Edging through the crowd I was unable to find a seat and eventually made my way back to the door, staring out at the rain which, if anything, seemed to have intensified. I watched as one of my fellow tram travellers dashed into the rain and in a matter of seconds his dark suit was soaked through. 'Do you want to sit with us?' At first I ignored the question, thinking it was to someone else, but I turned when a hand touched my elbow lightly. It was Susan, though I didn't know her name at the time, and she stood there with a slight smile. She turned and indicated with a nod of her head, a square table against the wall where Josh sat, watching us intently. He smiled as our eyes met and I smiled back. 'Oh, thanks, but that's okay, I don't want to intrude on you and your...' I trailed off, unsure as what to refer to the dark eyed man with the tousled dark hair. Boyfriend, husband? I envied her at that moment, he had a look that was just the right combination of boyishly handsome with kind eyes that attracted me intensely. 'He's just a friend,' she smiled. 'Seriously,' Susan added, turning back to me, 'no matter how annoying we are, it has to be better than standing out there!' I laughed and let her lead me to the table. 'I'm Susan,' she held out her hand and I was pleased to feel a firm, but feminine grip. Too many women offer the dead fish, as I call it. 'And this is Josh.' He tried to stand, but the gap between his chair and the wall was too narrow and he sort of half crouched. 'Hi Josh,' I said, accepting his grip and holding it a moment longer than I had with Susan. His eyes seemed to look into me and I was glad that Susan had insisted on me joining them. 'I'm sorry to intrude...' 'Not at all,' he countered, returning to his seat as Susan and I sat on either side of him. As we did a waiter took away the fourth chair without pausing to ask. 'I guess we're not allowed any more guests.' 'I haven't been here before,' I said, looking around. 'Only been a week since it re-opened,' Susan replied, 'and so far we've been here every day. The food's great...' 'As is the service,' Josh interrupted as he successfully signalled a harassed looking waitress. 'Drink?' he asked me. 'Uh, yes,' I said, glancing at theirs, relieved to see that they were drinking the alcoholic variety. 'A merlot,' I said to the waitress. 'A bottle of Grant Burge in fact,' Josh amended my order. 'And we need an extra glass for...' 'Oh, sorry,' I blushed. 'Alexandra.' I recovered my composure as the waitress pushed away through the crowd which seemed to have swelled more since my arrival. The rest of the evening passed in a comfortable blur of wine, food and conversation. I have no recollection of when the rain stopped, which should have been my cue to depart, but when we stepped into the cool and fresh air, cleaned of it's big city smog by the cold front that had swept through, the streets were drying and only a few puddles remained to remind us of the downpour. It turned out that they lived only a few blocks from the café, as I did, albeit in the opposite direction. We shook hands and parted and during the walk home I reflected on my new found friends. They both attracted me, but in very different ways. Josh, as I said, appealed to me in looks, but also in personality. I had no idea why he and Susan weren't together, nor had ever been. They liked each other a lot and I knew a few married couples who had made the lifelong commitment based on a lot less. Susan's slim figure and shoulder length blonde hair and hazel eyes (which I've always thought meant a mix of colours too difficult to define), made her an attractive person too, but I've never looked at women that way, except perhaps in the "is she prettier than me?" kind of way. But she was good humoured, compassionate, observant of others without being unkind, (even to strangers, which I admit can be fun at times!). I found myself thinking that had I been a man, she was the kind of woman I'd want to date. Of course, I was only thinking that to try and assess why she and Josh hadn't dated each other. *** The friendship grew between the three of us, but it was six months before I finally made a move on Josh. I wasn't sure how things would stand with Susan, for despite what she said they appeared to me as a couple would. But it was Susan who gave me the all clear, when she started dating Matt. He was a professional footballer, tall, very handsome, very fit, but as they say, "dumb as a box of hammers." He was fun enough to be able to recognise his intellectual shortcomings and that made me like him. One Saturday night, at the town house that Susan and Josh shared, the four of us had dinner, a process that I discovered had Susan cooking while Josh entertained. I left Josh and Matt talking sport and wandered into the kitchen to assist Susan who was bustling around, scraping dinner plates clean and readying desert. 'How're things going with Matt?' I asked. As you can gather, I now felt exceptionally comfortable around them and thought nothing of such an intrusive question. 'Okay,' she said, smiling up at me, pausing to use the back of her hand to brush away a lock of hair that had fallen across her eye. 'The sex is great!' 'But he only rates an okay?' 'Yeah.' Susan put down the plate and looked at me. 'I've come to realise that there's a use by date on toy boys.' 'Are you going to break up with him?' I must've looked a little incredulous because she smiled and shook her head. 'Well, I kind of want to, but he's sooo sweet, its going to be hard.' 'Yeah, I know what you mean,' I nodded sympathetically. 'But he's going to realise soon enough if you don't like him.' 'Maybe,' she said. 'I think I'm treating him differently already, but if he does notice, he doesn't let on. He keeps touching me, and I must admit that once we're in bed...' She smiled a little self consciously. 'Lucky you,' I feigned a scowl. 'Well, that's your fault. Why the hell haven't you sent any signals Josh's way? I thought you liked him?' I stood there stunned. I knew that I liked him, but out of respect for Susan I had fought to keep any sign of that attraction hidden. And believed that I had done a very good job. 'He likes you too, you know,' she added softly. 'He does?' The words came out partly choked. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I was standing here with Susan encouraging me to make a move on her best friend. I was about to argue when I realised that it was what I wanted, and according to Susan, what Josh wanted as well. Normally our dinners ran into the next morning, but that night, just before twelve, Susan dragged a willing Matt upstairs and Josh and I were left together. The next ten minutes were perhaps the most awkward I could recall in my adult life. Josh and I attempted to engage in small talk as the sounds of Susan and Matt's sexual activity drifted down the staircase. Matt was a loud man and we could hear his moans of encouragement. Finally we fell into silence, entranced by the sounds above. 'Oh yeah,' came Matt's hoarse whisper. 'Suck it in.' I felt my cheeks flush and looked over at Josh, only to meet his eyes and have him look quickly away. At the same time I felt a sliver of excitement arc through me. 'God Susan, that feels good.' I swallowed and reached for my glass, desperately trying to think of something to say. We heard Susan's giggle turn to a moan, accompanied by the sounds of flesh slapping together. 'Christ, have they got the door open?' Josh muttered. I almost choked on my drink then began to shake with laughter. Josh joined in and suddenly we were in fits. What made it worse was that we knew that if we could hear them having sex, they could hear us laughing. Realising our predicament, Josh stood and grabbed my hand, dragging me into the kitchen and kicking the door shut with his foot. For a minute or two we stood there laughing like children until we were back in control. We continued to chat and drink and the whole time my mind raced over ways to indicate that I was interested. In the end, as he began to stack the empty glasses into the dish washer, I simply walked up to him and kissed him on the mouth. I felt his body tense against mine, then he relaxed, his mouth opening to permit my tongue access and we stood in the darkened kitchen kissing, with ever increasing urgency. I knew that Josh's room was upstairs at the opposite end of the town house to Susan's and that there was no way that she or Matt would hear us, or us them, but I was reluctant to break the kiss to move to his bedroom in case Josh suddenly decided that this wasn't a good idea. As it transpired, Josh was thinking the same thoughts so we had sex for the first time right there in the kitchen. I felt like a teenager as my hand rubbed him to full erection through his pants. I stopped moving long enough for him to pull my shirt open and fumble my bra catch undone. His mouth closed on my nipple and I let out a long sigh at the warmth of his tongue. I was naked by the time I had wrestled the buttons on his fly open. He pressed his body against mine, one arm around my shoulders to support my weight as his fingers manipulated my clitoris, snaked inside me, stroked my labia and finally transported me into a climax. I was weightless and his ability to make me come standing up excited me in a way that I hadn't been for a long time. I had barely recovered when he lifted me onto the cold granite bench and closed his mouth over me. His tongue traced dainty patterns around my clitoris and teased me with small darting excursions inside me. I found myself holding my breath and repeatedly had to release it in an explosive gasp. Finally I grabbed the back of his head, mashed my sex against his face and forced him to make me come under threat of suffocation. My second orgasm was the best, a long series of waves of pleasure that emanated from his tongue and mouth, up through my body. I collapsed back across the bench, my head hanging down the other side as I slowly recovered my equilibrium. Josh gently took my ankles in his hands, slid me towards the edge of the bench and smoothly entered me. I gasped at the penetration, at the feeling of his heat spearing into me and attempted to clamp my thighs shut. His hands held my legs apart and I writhed in pleasure as he languidly thrust in and out of my compliant and willing body. I looked up to see that he had simply pushed his jeans open and was otherwise fully dressed. I dropped my head onto the bench and savoured this man who was taking me to places of pleasure I had almost forgotten existed. Feeling my third orgasm approach, I wanted him to release too. I looked at him, flashed my eyes and then looked down along my body to where we were joined. 'Fuck me Josh,' I whispered. He hesitated for a moment and I saw his eyes widen, in surprise at the profanity no doubt. Most men want their women to be sluts in the bedroom but are often surprised the first time they find that she actually can be. 'Faster,' I encouraged. He complied and soon the sound of our bodies slapping wetly together filled the kitchen. We were still both conscious of Matt and Susan's proximity as we came, mine a short sharp climax a moment before Josh. The veins in his neck stood out and he thrust once into me and I felt his hot semen pour into me. Between each spasm he would thrust in and out of me and I watched through my own pleasure as with teeth gritted and narrow eyes, he emptied himself into me. It was good, as first time sex usually is. It was the first sexual contact with another person that either of us had had for some months. It was the first and last time that I let Josh come inside me without a condom, it isn't something I would normally do but the months of sexual frustration simply overruled common sense. I guess that's why there's more than a few pregnant teenagers out there! *** It took six more months before I said those three little words to Josh. In the meantime Susan had given Matt the boot, not because she finally overcame her inhibitions about dumping a guy who was "soooo sweet," but because she caught him playing around behind her back with a few adoring fans. It made the dumping so much easier. *** I was always conscious of Susan and made sure she was included in everything we did. Well almost everything! It came to a head just before I lost my job, when Josh, for our six months anniversary booked us into Mietta's, one of Melbourne's most exclusive and romantic restaurants, with first class tickets to Miss Saigon. That day at work was the second worst day I had, with client complaints mounting over programming changes we had made. I hadn't agreed with the fairness of the changes and had said as much and now felt that the huge volume of complaints vindicated my opposition. The Sydney head office called me just before lunch and ordered me onto a plane for an urgent meeting. From the tone of the call I understood that a "no" was not going to be tolerated. Flustered, I had to immediately ring Josh and tell him that I wouldn't be back that night. 'Oh, that's a bummer, can't you put the meeting off a day?' He was clearly disappointed at my news, and I felt butterflies in my stomach and the thought that our anniversary meant so much to him too. Such moments are often a girl thing and pass unnoticed by the men in our lives, so I was very happy to know that the man in my life shared such feelings. 'I can't do anything, the situation here is a bit out of control,' I replied. 'Okay,' he replied. 'You'll be home tomorrow though, right?' 'Yes, absolutely,' I promised. An idea struck me. 'Why don't you take Susan tonight, you guys haven't done anything without me for, well I don't know how long its been.' 'You're kidding right?' I could hear genuine disbelief in his voice. 'No, not at all. You guys are best friends and I have no doubt that Susan wants to talk to you about where we're heading and that sort of stuff. She's been single for a while and might be a little lonely.' 'This is our anniversary,' he said slowly as though I had forgotten. 'Yes, I know that silly. But it would be a shame to waste those Miss Saigon tickets and bookings at Mietta's aren't exactly easy to come by.' 'Its my anniversary with you,' he said again. 'I'm starting to think that you're obsessed with Susan, you're not using me to get to her are you?' 'Ha ha,' I replied sarcastically. 'I'm not going to be the one to come between two great friends...' 'And you aren't. If anything you're compromising our relationship for the sake of Susan. And Susan is a grown woman who can take care of herself. We've always known that once one of us ended up in a serious relationship, that things would change, but we also know that our friendship is way too strong to be broken by such a change. Hell our friendship has changed as often as we have, that's why its lasted as long as it has.' 'Oh.' It was all I could think of. 'Its just that...well I don't know what I thought Josh. Its so rare that a man and a woman can be close friends without things eventually...well you know.' 'Yeah, I know,' he agreed. 'And we've discussed it. Often. We've both thought about it. But we know that sex would change our friendship forever. We agreed that we don't want that to happen.' 'Oh God Josh, I'm sorry, its just that Susan and you invited me into your lives and I don't want to be a home wrecker.' 'And you're not! And Susan doesn't think so either.' 'Well take her to dinner tonight and reconfirm that...for me if not for you!' 'I'll think about it,' he said. 'I'm going to miss you,' he said. This time the butterflies were accompanied by my heart skipping. Susan, Josh and I 'And me you,' I said a little breathlessly. 'Call me tonight,' he said. 'I will.' 'Okay, bye.' He sounded reluctant to hang up. Another plus. 'Bye.' I paused, then the words simply slipped out. 'I love you Josh.' I hung up before he could answer and sat staring at the phone as though I couldn't believe what I had just said. I wasn't regretting saying it, just the fact that I did it on the phone. What was Josh doing right now? Staring at his phone? Wondering if he had heard right? Then my office door swung inwards and it was time to go. I had a brief respite at the Qantas lounge as we waited for the flight and I tried to distract myself from the coming meeting by reading a magazine. My mobile phone rang and I smiled when I saw Josh's name on the screen. 'Hi,' I said. 'I love you too babe,' he said, then the line felt silent. My concerns all melted away and I felt on top of the world. It was too last too briefly however. The meeting in Sydney went badly. The discussion ended with finger pointing and accusations flying from all sides. Customers were cancelling their contracts and citing a breach of contract, some threatening to sue to recover their installation costs. These were issues I had alluded to in my opposition. It was too late to change our minds, the suppliers of the programs had already been told that we weren't renewing our contract for their programs. I assumed that Josh and Susan were out on my date as there was no answer when I rang their house. I lay on the bed and watched the television, though I couldn't concentrate on anything and eventually slid under the covers before flicking the remote off. My mind wandered back and forth from the crisis at work to my relationship with Josh. I had told him that I loved him on the telephone. My heart fluttered when I thought about the weight of those words. I thought about the weight of his body on mine and wished desperately that he was here to hold me, to pin me to the bed with his body as he entered me. I closed my eyes and imagined his presence, the smell of his clean skin, the taste of his shoulder as I kissed it, his flesh under my hands. I worked a hand under the band of my pyjama pants and touched the fringe of my pubic hair. I snaked my fingers through the wiry bush and ran one fingertip over the small hood of flesh that covered my clitoris. I squirmed my hips at the contact and pressed the tip of my finger against the hood. Holding the pressure I then began to rotate my finger, using the hood to stimulate my clitoris. My body was buzzing now and I could actually feel my clitoris swelling as blood rushed to it. I was thinking about the time I slipped my hand into the shower while Josh was washing his hair, grabbing his soft penis and gently squeezing it until it grew long and hard in my hand. My clitoris was my little penis and now it was fully erect. I rubbed it in small circular motions in the style I had developed since as a twelve year old I had discovered where such rubbing could take me. My mind was filled with a collage of images of Josh and myself and then my back arched and I came, small ripples of fire spreading from my clitoris through my body to end in my brain. As my mind cleared I realised that I had turned my neatly made bed into a tangle of bed clothes and did my best to rearrange them before snuggling down to sleep. Despite my release I slept poorly, my dreams disturbed visions of board members flinging accusations, interspersed with Josh smiling at me. *** The next morning the meeting resumed with all the acrimony that it had ended. The board and the managerial staff had divided into two camps, those advocating that we reinstate the supply of channels regardless of the cost to the company. This included myself and I assumed the PR manager. It was after all, a PR disaster we were facing. The second camp consisted of those that were dedicated to the bottom dollar, the major reason behind scrapping the channels in the first place. I kept trying to point out that if customers sued and won, the financial damage would be as bad as if we took a hit from the suppliers. On top of that we would have the extremely negative PR. At the final vote I was on the losing side. My immediate superior, the Sydney based PR manager, wasn't. It was a shock, but when we arrived back in the Melbourne office I was in for a bigger shock. My personal possessions were in a box on the front office security desk along with a letter explaining that due to the need to cut costs, my position had been made redundant. There was a generous cheque attached to a letter accepting my termination and promising not to talk to media outlets about the company. No signature, no cheque. I had fifteen minutes to decide and in the end I signed. I know what you're thinking. That when I got arrived at Susan and Josh's place that they were in bed, or locked in a loving embrace, the product of their romantic date the night before. Josh was in fact at work and Susan was home. She smiled broadly at me and went to give me a hug before stopping, I guess looking at the expression on my face. I told her the story and at the end burst into tears. She led me to the couch and held me, saying nothing until the tears stopped. 'That's a prick of a thing to do to someone who has just made my best friend one of the happiest men on the planet.' I started laughing then, though it ended with more blubbery tears. I felt better, much better by the time Josh arrived home. Two glasses of wine helped no end. Josh held me for a long time too when he heard my story, though I didn't cry this time. We rocked back and forth and then he pushed me back, holding my upper arms in his hands, looked me in the eyes and said, 'you know I still love you, even if you are an unemployed layabout.' I laughed until I cried, again, then Susan re-entered the room and I grabbed her, dragging her into the hug until I felt almost normal. 'I love both you guys,' I said. 'Thank you for being such good friends.' Josh took me home and we made love. He took control from the moment we walked into my apartment, taking my hand and leading me to the bedroom, undressing me while he showered my face, neck and shoulders with small, soft kisses. His hands touched me softly but constantly, roaming over each newly revealed piece of flesh until we were naked. He propped me on the pillows, parted my legs and went down on me with languid strokes of his tongue and fingers. After I came, bucking against his mouth while he held me without force, he slid up the bed and wrapped his arms around me and I savoured the feeling of my hot excited skin against his warmth. We lay in silence and unmoving in the spoon position until I pushed my buttocks backwards against his erection. We gently moved against each other until Josh took control again, rolling me onto my back, then slid himself on top of me. I wrapped my legs around his and looked into his eyes as he entered me. His penis felt hot as it parted my flesh, drilling deeply into me before withdrawing, then pushing inwards again. I searched his face and was happy when I saw the pleasure he was receiving in his expression. His lips were slightly parted and a hint of glazing in his eyes betrayed the lust he was restraining. I began to move my hips to match his strokes, each outward thrust I would grind down onto his shaft, feeling tingles of pleasure as my clitoris was rubbed along his veiny surface. With each inward stroke I lifted my hips, inviting him in as deeply as he could go. He complied. My hands held onto his back which felt broad and strong. His love making was erasing the stress of the day and I loved him for it. He came before I did, a series of erratic thrusts then his come jetted into me, hot and thick. I clung to him, holding his body on mine and his softening penis inside me until I was almost suffocating and his arms were cramping from the effort of holding his weight off me. He slept over and in the morning I was in the bizarre but not unpleasant situation of being able to stay in bed while he dressed for work. 'Can I stay tonight?' he asked as he straightened his tie. 'Of course. And any other night too,' I added. He grinned and paused on his way out the door. 'Maybe we should talk about that,' he said, then he was gone. *** And we did, deciding to move in together into a new apartment. My redundancy cheque would cover my joblessness for a few months quite adequately, so I didn't feel bad about it at all. And during the whole conversation I didn't bring up Susan once, though I thought about her, and what her reaction would be, the whole time. She cried, tears of happiness and sadness she admitted. It worked out well for us, with Susan deciding to move into my old apartment, which was modern but smaller and cheaper, allowing her to avoid having to find someone compatible to live with. Josh and I rented a three bedroom newly renovated townhouse that included a spa and octagonal pool set in a beautifully landscaped garden that pretty much screened off all our neighbours. I started working in the PR department for a petroleum company three weeks later and life began to be peachy once again. *** Our house warming party was held in late early spring and doubled as our nine month anniversary. Not that we told anyone else that, it was our little extra celebration. In true Melbourne fashion it rained through the morning, then fined up enough to heat the air and build humidity to an uncomfortable level. The party was something of a release for those that came, including a number of my close work colleagues and their stories of the uncertainties in the newly restructured office made me feel good about my sacking. By two in the morning the party had dwindled to Susan and James, a workmate of Josh who Susan had decided was rather cute. We were very drunk by this stage and the decision was taken by someone that a swim was in order. Although Josh and I had been in the pool several times, the weather since we had moved in had been less than encouraging for more than a quick dip. Josh found a spare pair of swimmers for James, while I was able to find some for Susan. Susan's build was slightly bigger than me, so the bikini I found for her was a little tight. 'Excellent,' she grinned wickedly, emerging from the en suite as she adjusted the shoulder straps. Her nipples clearly pressed through the pale blue material and her breasts seemed ready to spill out at the slightest movement. 'You think James'll like this?' 'How could he not,' I smiled. She did look good with her hair cascading down her back. It had grown significantly since our first meeting. Susan wiggled her buttocks at me as we walked back out and smiled cheekily at me over her shoulder and I had to admit to myself that she did look rather appealing. I was second in the spa after Josh, who had saved me a seat with a jet that massaged my spine. I slipped under his arm and snuggled against him, taking my glass of wine that had condensation dripping from it as a result of the humidity in the air and the coldness of its contents. James was next and he chose to sit next to me. In my partly inebriated state I felt a little thrill as our thighs touched and made no move to stop it. Then Susan appeared in the doorway, giggling and clutching a Vodka Cruiser and walked towards us with an exaggerated wiggle. We were a foursome in the tub now, and a drunk foursome at that. The heat from the water combined with our state of inebriation gradually reduced our conversation as we relaxed and enjoyed the jets massaging various parts of our bodies. I leaned back and closed my eyes, my thoughts drifting towards the coming week and beyond. Christmas was approaching and now that I was with Josh, I wondered if we would spend Christmas day with his family or mine. I had met his brother, but not his parents who lived about four hours drive from Melbourne in Echuca. I hoped that they liked me, because even though they lived a long way from us, it was important for me to be liked. It's a weakness of mine I guess, but one that I can live with. A hand touched my inner thigh, startling me back to full alertness and my eyes flew open. I realised that it was Josh's hand and was about to reach over and remove it, worried about the presence of James and in particular Susan, when I realised that there was some activity on the other side. I turned my head slightly to see that James and Susan were locked in a passionate kiss, so I looked away, meeting Josh's grin. His fingers kneaded my flesh and worked their way higher, brushing at the thin fabric between my legs. With James' thigh pressing against mine, I could only move my left leg and I did so, granting Josh's fingers more access. He began to knead my pussy through the elastic of my swimmers and I felt my throat constrict in lust. I wanted to groan but suppressed it in the presence of our friends. Instead my glazed eyes locked on Josh as his grin tightened to an intense look, one that I was only too familiar with and I could imagine his hard length straining against his board shorts. Then he worked his fingers under the material and his fingertips pressed into me. I slight shudder ran through my body, and even in the hot water of the spa I knew that he was finding an intense wetness between my legs. As he began to stroke the length of my slit, I felt the back of Susan's hand as she touched James' outer thigh. Then she reached over to give my leg a quick squeeze, a signal that she was enjoying herself. As she did so her hand must've brushed against Josh's for I felt her pause, then she rested her hand on my thigh and I could feel her pressing her fingers against the back of Josh's hand, urging him on as he slipped his fingers deeper into me. I couldn't restrain myself and a low groan slipped from my throat. Josh's hand stopped moving and at once Susan's hand was gone. James either didn't hear me over the sound of the spa's jets, or pretended not to and when I looked over Susan's mouth was still covering his. I realised that we had almost been caught and the potential embarrassment of the situation gripped me. As Josh began to caress me again I snapped my legs shut, trapping his hand until he pulled it free. 'Let's go upstairs,' I murmured to him and with a smile he stood. My eyes took in his bulge as he stepped out of the spa and for a moment I regretted my inhibitions. Then I was following him into the house and up the stairs, not for a moment looking back, though I was tempted to see if Susan and James were so engrossed in each other as to ignore our departure. The presence of Susan's hand filled my mind as we walked to the bedroom. As we were still dripping water, I led Josh into the en suite bathroom and in a frenzy we slid our swimmers off and began to grope each other. His erection pressed against my leg and he tried to manoeuvre me against the basin and push between my thighs. I resisted, keeping him on the outside of my thigh, teasing him, nipping at his tongue as he forced it into my mouth. I wanted him, badly, but I also couldn't stop thinking about what had happened in the pool. Finally I relented and let Josh sit me on the basin and enter me as he stood between my legs. It was an uncomfortable position for both of us but in lust such discomfort can only further stimulate the addled brain. I pulled his head against my shoulder and breathed against his ear. His cock was pushing into me, but he couldn't slide all the way in because the basin lifted me too high from the floor. It felt good none the less. 'Did you like Susan's hand touching you while you fingered me?' The question was in my head and I was unsure whether I had actually verbalised them to Josh until his grunted 'uh-huh' issued from his throat. 'Did you want to feel her hand on my pussy?' Fire was racing through my belly now, my inhibitions, few that they were, were gone. 'Uh-huh, yes,' he replied, shifting his position to take more of my weight and allow a deeper penetration. 'Would you have liked to see me kissing her?' his thrusting increased, 'licking her nipples,' he groaned, 'fingering her cunt?' The use of this word elicited an excited 'yes!' and he rammed deeply into me. I felt that Josh was nearing his climax and lifted my heels to dig them into his buttocks and hold him still. 'Move back,' I commanded. Our eyes met and the lust I saw in his was without doubt a mirror of mine. Josh did as I told him, his penis bobbing wetly as he withdrew from me. I grabbed his slick shaft and led him from the bathroom and back into the bedroom. The heat of our copulation had dried most of the water from our bodies so I sat him on the bed. From the bedside drawer I extracted a long silk scarf and proceeded to blindfold him. 'What...' 'Sssh,' I whispered. I checked that the blindfold was sealed then squatted in front of him. 'I'm not going to talk, to say anything. But I'll do whatever you tell me to. Do you understand?' He nodded. I remained still, waiting for his command. 'Alex?' 'Don't call me by that name, use nothing, or make one up.' Silence followed. His cock remained hard. 'Ah, go down on me.' I leaned forward and took him into his mouth, my saliva quickly washing away the products of our earlier union. I loved the feel of his heat in my mouth, against my tongue as I flicked it around the head before plunging it into my throat. 'Stop, stop...' he gasped. I did so. 'Kneel on the bed, I want to fuck you doggie style.' I complied and I think he was pleased as he gripped my waist and found me wet and easy to penetrate. He fucked me with force enough to make our bodies slap together and my breasts to swing back and forth. He grunted small incomprehensible sounds and my body tingled as I turned my head to look at his blindfolded face, seeing his tortured expression of lust. I wondered if he was thinking of Susan as his cock slammed into me and my tingles turned into a river of fire and I came, biting my lip to remain silent, my breath choking in my throat. Josh barely paused to acknowledge my completion, instead he gripped me tighter and slammed into me faster until he came, his grunts becoming a throaty roar. He held me deeply impaled on his cock as it spurted into me. I could feel the heat of his seed as it jetted into me, then in a series of spasmodic thrusts he emptied himself into me. I flicked the light off before slipping the blindfold from his eyes. In the deep shadows I could see him blinking. 'Wow,' he murmured. 'Did you like that?' I asked in a low tone, my fingers tracing small patterns across his chest. 'Absolutely,' he said and I saw his teeth grin whitely. 'Who were you thinking of?' I had a good idea, as I'm sure you do too. 'Ah, no one,' he said and the tension that suddenly entered his body betrayed his lie. 'It doesn't matter,' I replied and rested my head on his chest, listening to the hammering of his heartbeat as it slowly subsided. I fell asleep like that and slept wonderfully. *** James and Susan were an item for the next few weeks and Josh and I had the strange sensation of missing her company. Whereas the three of us shared dinner at least once during the week and often on both Friday and Saturday nights, now we saw her only once every other week. I looked for signs of jealousy in Josh and was deeply relieved to see none. I saw nothing other than happiness for her and for that I was deeply, if secretly, grateful. *** Two months before Christmas we discussed the festive season and agreed that it would be most appropriate to visit Josh's parents. As much as I loved him, his poor short term memory drives me almost insane, making it necessary to constantly remind him of things he has promised to do. Telling his parents that we were coming to Christmas dinner was one such duty, but on this occasion I was thankful for his forgetfulness. Although, truth be known, perhaps what transpired wouldn't have, and so perhaps it was all Josh's fault. There are too many maybes in that possibility, so I think I will just move on. Susan, Josh and I *** Five weeks before Christmas, on the verge of the holidays, Susan appeared at our door. She had clearly been crying, her eyes were puffy and red and a couple of telltale smudges of mascara remained on her cheeks, despite an effort to remove them. Her hair, normally so wavy and healthy looking, now hung in a bedraggled tangle around her shoulders, the blonde colour seemingly fading away. I ushered her into our house and as the door closed behind her she burst into tears and turning to me I hugged her tightly. Her body was racked by sobs and although I had no idea what was wrong, the pure depth of her sorrow made my eyes well up in tears of empathy. Eventually I was able to lead her into the living room and sit her down, extricating myself from her arms to sit beside her and slide an arm around her shoulders. Spent, her tears subsided and finally she was able to sigh deeply and talk. As she did she leaned against me and I realised that now, after all this time, I was an equal friend with Josh. She didn't even ask where he was, instead she launched into a babbling, sob punctuated account of how she had gone to work this morning to find all her possessions in a box at the security counter, along with a letter informing her that the company restructure had left her position redundant and thanks for her time. The similarity with my sacking ended there as her redundancy payout was minimal. Worse still, she had run up some rather large debts for Christmas presents and had no idea how she could pay any rent beyond next week. But the final blow was waiting for her when she returned home. On her answering machine was a message from James explaining that his company was transferring him to London and that he had only two days to prepare his move. Goodbye. I didn't believe that James was moving to London and couldn't find the time to tell Susan face to face. Goodbye via an answering machine? What kind of a coward was he? I was angry, very angry, at James, angry at Susan's bosses who had fired her in a manner reminiscent of my firing. I was even angry at Josh, who as a workmate of James must have known what his friend was thinking, but had failed to share that with me. 'Do you want a cup of tea?' I asked Susan as she finally slumped back on the sofa. 'Fuck that Alex, give me something to drown my sorrows.' She must have noticed a look of concern cross my face for she offered me a wan smile and added, 'And join me.' 'Ah, what the fuck,' I said and soon we were working our way through a bottle of vodka. By the time Josh returned home we had dusted off Alanis Morrisette's "Jagged Little Pill" and were playing it at near full volume, singing along with all the angry bits, which was most of the album you may recall. 'What the fuck is going on here?' he asked when he was able to fight through us and turn down the volume. 'My fucking company made me redundant,' Susan slurred matter-of-factly. 'And your fucking heartless mate dumped her by answering machine!' I added vehemently 'What?' Josh stood there looking from me to Susan and back again, mouth slightly open in disbelief. 'He's got to go to London...' I began. '...to visit the Queen,' Susan interrupted. 'James took the London job?' Josh looked incredulous. 'You knew about this and didn't tell me?' My anger began to bubble upwards again. 'Hang on,' he protested. 'Sit down and listen up.' He flicked the stereo off, ignoring our pouts as we collapsed onto the sofa in a heap, vodka splashing over our clothes. 'Yesterday, Martin Skipshaw, who was to go to London full time, resigned. This morning, they offered me the position on a temporary basis for six months. Unaccompanied.' He said this last word as he looked at me and my anger melted completely away. 'After telling them no, I heard nothing else.' He walked across the room and sat next to Susan, putting her between us. We slipped our arms around her and rocked back and forth. 'I'm sorry about James,' Josh said. 'Are you sure he said that it was over?' 'Yes,' she snivelled. 'He said that long distance relationships never worked out so it was better that we end now while we're on good terms.' Her voice broke as she said this and I squeezed her tightly. I had lost the taste for the vodka and so had Susan, our "sister's anger" had gone. 'I'm so tired,' she said in a little girl lost voice. I led her upstairs and tucked her into the spare bed. I sat next to her as she lay there, listening to her ragged breathing punctured by the occasional sniffle. I stroked her hair until her breathing deepened and softened, then quietly slipped out of the room and closed the door behind me. Josh smiled at me as I walked down the stairway. 'Thanks,' he said. 'What for?' 'Being her friend.' I walked to him and we hugged. I could smell the faintest trace of the cologne he had splashed on this morning. 'I love you, and I guess that means I love Susan too.' 'She's like that isn't she?' We stood in silence for a while and then moved to the kitchen. Without being asked, Josh began to prepare some pasta for dinner. I realised that despite the emotional rollercoaster of the afternoon, I was both drunk and hungry. 'Should I talk to James?' 'I thought about that. Let's see how she pulls up in the morning. If she seems to need more then we can get him here.' 'Yeah, good idea,' James rejoined. 'If I know her and I guess I do,' he smiled at the saucepan he was stirring, 'she may be over him tomorrow, if you know what I mean.' 'As in putting up a wall and locking him out?' 'Exactly.' I watched him cook for a while, sipping on a glass of water that I didn't really want but that my body and brain needed. Susan had told me that she had planned to spend Christmas in town, away from the chaos of her family get togethers, but unless she got a job almost immediately, she would not have enough money to pay the rent. She would be forced to go home for Christmas and probably stay until she got a new job in the new year. We both knew that there was no way she was going to find employment this close to Christmas. 'We should invite her to stay here.' The words just popped out of my mouth. 'What?' 'She's broke, no in fact she's probably insolvent. Just over Christmas and until she gets a new job. That'll help her finances out.' 'Babe, I love Susan dearly, but I don't want to live with the two of you, just with you.' 'And I love that you say that. But she's your - our best friend and she needs help.' 'Just until she gets a new job,' Josh said after a short pause. He continued to stir the sauce in a slow circular motion. Had he been disagreeing with my idea I knew that he would increase the stirring pace until the discussion was over. 'Yes. And we'll make that clear when we talk to her in the morning.' 'Okay.' He looked up and smiled broadly at me and my heart melted again. *** Two weeks later we moved Susan's possessions into our house, filling the spare bedroom and the garage. *** Christmas eve was a stinking hot Melbourne summer day, with a dry wind gusting from the north. It was a Friday and although I had finished work for the year, Josh was required to work through the day. We had decided that although we would spend Christmas Day with his family, the three of us, Susan, Josh and I, would celebrate Christmas Eve together. It was one of the fateful decisions in the chain, but I couldn't see that at the time. I was stunned when I heard the front door open and Susan walked in. Her long blonde hair was gone. Not just the long, but the blonde too. Black. Jet black. I stood there wordlessly as she pirouetted in front of me. She hadn't gone GI Jane on us, though clippers had been used on the back. Short, sharp and stylish. Very stylish. I had never realised how slender her neck was and this new hairstyle accentuated that. 'You hate it,' she said and her face began to fall. 'No,' I stood up in haste, dropping my magazine on the floor. 'No! I love it!' Her smile widened again and she pirouetted once more. I couldn't help myself and had to reach out and touch the nape of her neck. 'You've got one sexy neck,' I said. 'Do you think so?' 'Uh huh?' I let my hand slide onto the skin at the back of her neck. 'And this looks great. You look younger.' 'Oooh,' she crowed, 'you aren't trying to pick me up are you Alex?' I blushed and dropped my hand, stepping away. 'Drink?' I asked. 'Sure, but today we'll take it easy until Josh gets home.' 'Good idea.' It felt good to sit with Susan and chat. She wasn't over James, but she was looking to the future already. The Friday that her world had collapsed had been the worst day of her life but today was a new start. Tears welled up once as she thanked me again for inviting her in. But it was all smiles and Neo, a Darwin based funk fusion happy band that greeted Josh when he arrived home just after one in the afternoon. 'Honey, your man is home and there's no more work until after Christmas!' Josh dropped his briefcase along with his jaw as he saw Susan. I laughed as I realised that the expression he wore was the same one that I had worn only a few hours before. Like me, he loved it. Unlike me he neither touched the short hair or caressed her neck. 'Let's celebrate the new me,' Susan said. 'I have the grand total of fifty eight dollars to my name, having, under instructions from my insolvency manager Alexandra Lee, paid my credit card minimum amount and settled those debts that just couldn't wait. I hereby donate all of that to tonight's festivities... 'No, don't do that...' Josh and I stumbled over each other's protest. 'Oh shut the fuck up, the pair of you,' she laughed. 'Fifty eight bucks isn't going to get me from here to anywhere. I want to waste it on the two people I love most.' There was a slightly uncomfortable silence, so I broke it. 'What're Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston going to do with fifty eight bucks?' 'You idiot,' Susan said, laughing loudly. 'Aussie dollars at that,' Josh added, trying to sound serious. 'That's worth barely thirty US.' 'Yeah, yeah, then I want to waste it on my second favourite couple.' Josh was sent back out onto the streets with a shopping list that included cocktail ingredients and some foodstuffs. By the time he returned the alcohol was rushing to my head and I was on a high. Susan was too and we yelled in delight when the front door opened. He shook his head in the manner that sober people do when confronted by the drunk and deposited the shopping on the counter. 'Okay ladies,' he laughed, 'how about taking it a little slower so you don't both pass out by four o'clock?' We both giggled and sat on the couch to watch him prepare the first cocktail. Josh took his time, referring to a cocktail book that he had bought while he had been shopping. 'Hey,' I said as an idea hit me to stop me becoming bored with waiting. 'Why don't we have an pool party?' 'Great idea,' Susan exclaimed and we dashed upstairs to change into our cossies. Feeling tipsy, I selected my smallest bikini top and a pair of tight fitting boys pants, all in black. The pants were a little too small and if you looked closely you could see parts of my anatomy that only my lovers should be able to see. But as I said, I was feeling tipsy and on top of the world - indestructible. Susan had opted for a bikini too, a bright yellow one that was fairly conventional though it arched high over her hips to give her legs a longer appearance. She was stepping through the glass doors clutching a bloody mary, and one was waiting for me. Josh smiled at me appreciatively, kissed me on the lips then disappeared upstairs to get changed. I briefly wondered if he had given Susan the same look when she had sauntered down the stairs, but dismissed it as I stepped outside to join her. The rest of the afternoon became a blur of cocktails, singing along to music and sitting in the cool water as the hot wind blustered around us. The spa bubbled for a while, then we would turn it off to soak, then on again. As night fell we served up a concoction of dips, olives, meats, vegetables, cheeses and fruits by the side of the pool. I had switched from the cocktails to vodka on the rocks, trying to calm my stomach which was disagreeing with the creamy cocktail Susan had made. The spa was on again and we had quietened down a little, each reflecting on different thoughts. I was wondering what condition I would be in tomorrow for the drive to meet Josh's parents and for a moment, considered stopping the alcohol all together. I did want to make a good impression after all. Then sanity returned and I drained my drink. 'Hey,' Susan said as I stood up to get a refill. 'Another?' I asked. 'No,' she replied, waving her free hand wildly. 'How far can you spit an olive pip?' 'What?' I was confused. Josh was smiling in a manner that suggested he had heard this asked before. 'How far can you spit an olive pip?' Susan repeated the question as though I hadn't heard it. 'I have no idea,' I replied. 'Okay, go get your drink, then come back and we'll have a spitting competition.' It turned out that I could spit a pip a lot further than I imagined. Susan refused to believe that I had never tried it before, decrying my efforts as an attempt to shark her. 'Don't you have to have a bet for someone to shark someone else?' 'Good idea,' she grinned. 'Best of three attempts wins.' 'Wins what?' I laughed as I spoke. I was really enjoying myself and the company of my best friends. 'I dunno,' Susan said. 'Whatcha reckon Josh?' 'Don't ask me, I'm not getting involved.' 'Chickenshit,' Susan said. I laughed again. 'In that case you're the judge, out of the pool.' Reluctantly Josh stepped out of the water and took up a position in the garden near where we had been targetting our trial runs. I looked at him, semi naked, water streaming down his body and felt a tingle between my thighs. 'I know,' I turned to Susan conspiratorially. 'How game are you?' 'Pretty game,' she replied a little coyly. 'We bet our tops, loser has to take hers off.' 'Hey, that's not exactly fair,' Susan said, though she grinned as she said it. 'I mean, Josh gets to play with your tits all the time, he's never seen mine.' 'Chickenshit,' I replied and sat back down, looking again at my man who was beginning to look a little impatient. 'You're on,' Susan said after a short silence. I went first and spat my first pip at Josh who jumped a little to get out of the way. He marked my spot with a small pink cocktail umbrella. Susan's he marked with a blue one and after the first round she was clearly ahead. My second fell short and remained unmarked, as did hers. My final attempt leapfrogged all efforts and was marked as the leader. 'Pressure's on,' I murmed as Susan chewed on an olive. 'Yeah right,' she retorted, then spat a whopper that hit the fence on the full. Josh roared with laughter and Susan stared triumphantly at me and I knew that I had been sharked. 'Bugger me,' I said and promptly unclipped my bikini top and threw it onto the poolside paving. Josh stared in disbelief as he walked back to join us. 'What the hell?' 'That was the bet Joshy boy,' Susan said, her eyes sparking as she ran her gaze across my chest. I recalled the feel of the hair on the back of her neck and felt my nipples harden, so I slipped under the foaming water. 'You sharked her big time,' he replied, slipping in between us again. 'Uh-uh,' Susan shook her head. 'The bet was her idea completely.' 'Well don't let me stop you,' he added. I can hear your thoughts again. An olive pip spitting competition? What the hell kind of fantasy is this? The reality is that unexpected sexual encounters usually occur from unexpected situations. That's my experience anyway. At about eleven we staggered inside. The cool water had gone a long way to keeping my reaction to the alcohol under control and I felt a second wind coming on. Susan and Josh were charged too and we moved inside, closed the doors and drapes and turned up the music. I had left my top outside without thinking about it. I was so used to being topless and my friends had made so little fuss over it, that the thought of replacing it didn't even occur to me. Another round of drinks followed, then Susan ran upstairs to her room, returning with her camera. 'Josh, come on, get a picture of us girls.' She stood next to me and slid an arm around my waist, and rested her head on my shoulder. 'Ah, Alex, would you like to put some clothes on?' Josh enquired with a smile. I looked down at my breasts and laughed. 'Nah, let's give Susan one to remember them as they are when we're all old and grey and they hang down around my knees.' Josh shrugged and framed the shot. The flash exploded and for a moment I could see nothing. As we waited for our eyes to recover, Susan tilted her head back and whispered in my ear. 'Would it be okay if I took mine off too?' 'Absolutely,' I replied without hesitating. Earlier I had expected that she would go topless in the pool. Josh had turned away to put the camera on the kitchen bench when Susan called on him to take another. I saw his eyes widen as he turned to face us again, and I looked at Susan. Her top was a small yellow puddle around her ankles. Her breasts were lovely, full and rounded with dark brown nipples the size of ten cent pieces. 'Ah okay,' Josh stammered and for the first time that evening I saw his composure slip. Another shot was taken, then I insisted on one with him. I pressed my breast against his side and felt the coolness of his skin against the heat in mine. 'You two next,' I directed. They stood side by side, a little awkward with their bodies apart. 'C'mon, you guys don't look like friends, you look like a brother and sister! Get closer.' They did, but I ordered them closer until they were partly turned toward each other and Susan's breasts were touching his chest. Finally we balanced the camera to take a picture of the three of us, Josh in the centre and us girls hugging him. His smile indicated that he was comfortable again and the night progressed. Just after midnight, my head swimming with alcohol, tiredness, lust and happiness, my thoughts began to wander towards sex. I was sitting on the floor, leaning against the coffee table, watching Josh who was seated next to Susan on the sofa. I wanted the night to go on forever, but I also wanted Josh in bed with me. I wanted him quite badly at that stage, but knew that in another hour or so, I would be passed out. I was imagining him leaning against the stair rail as I went down on him when the words just blurted out of my mouth. 'Do you think guys would give better head to a guy than a girl can?' 'Sure,' Susan said as Josh looked at me with raised eyebrows. 'Well I mean, a guy knows what would feel good...' 'That assumes that he's been given a head job, and a good one, in the first place,' Josh replied. 'Hey, yeah,' Susan agreed, sitting up, her breasts swaying slightly as she moved. 'I hadn't thought of that.' 'Well, a guy is going to know what feels good just from all the wanking he does,' I said. 'From there it can't be that much of a step to a head job.' 'Maybe for you,' Josh sniggered. 'She's got a point,' Susan the swinging voter added. 'Well, I'm not sure how we can prove it,' Josh replied. 'I've neither given a man head, nor received it from a man, so I can't compare.' 'We all can!' Susan exclaimed, jumping up and knocking her empty glass over. 'What the hell are you talking about?' I asked. 'Wait here.' Again she darted up the stairs.