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Cheating May Not Work Out

By: Scorpio44a



** This story could belong in Loving Wives, Mature, Group or Novels. It includes incest, vanilla sex, polyamory and monogamy. This is not a traditional story about a cheating spouse. It is a re-make of "She Wanted to Cheat" submitted in Feb. 2011.

* * * * * * 

On the tenth of April I got an email from a friend who lives in San Francisco. I read it at work. Thinking about it after I read it pretty-well ruined the rest of my work day.

It said, "Walt, I went to lunch today at the Cannery Shopping area and I saw your wife Colleen having lunch with two men and a woman. When I recognized her I was about to go over and greet her, but I changed my mind. The two men were in suits and both Colleen and the other woman were in short skirts and tank tops. I remembered you said she was coming up for a business conference so seeing her didn't surprise me until she leaned to her right and kissed the man sitting there! Her right hand was in his lap and the kiss lasted a looong time. The other couple followed their lead and also kissed.

I'm telling you because if my wife was kissing and touching someone else and you saw it, I'd want you to tell me." It was signed, "Good Luck, Mark."

Four hours of thinking about the implications of what he allegedly saw, I wrote back.

"Mark – I've wandered around work thinking about what you saw for four hours. I didn't know about her behavior when she isn't with me, and I'm glad you told me. At least I think I'm glad you told me. Now, I need to decide what I'm going to do. If you see them together again please take a picture or two and send it to me. I know she's checked into the Argonaut on Jefferson Street. Thanks, Walt."

Two hours later my assistant, Kathy, came into my office and sat down. Kathy and I had worked together for nearly ten years. Sometimes I thought she knew me better than anyone except Colleen. She sat down and quietly waited, without speaking.

I knew she was there without looking and figured when she needed to speak, she would. Finally, I looked at her and asked, "What?"

She smiled and said, "Since ten this morning you've been somewhere else. You missed lunch. You haven't said anything to me since you thanked me for coffee early this morning. You haven't visited the factory floor or spoken to anyone on the phone. Something is going on and I want to... I need to know what's up."

I realized there was no way I could hide from her. She knew me too well.

"Ok. I'll tell you." I lowered my voice. She leaned towards me. "I got an email this morning telling me it's likely that Colleen is mixing pleasure with her business in San Francisco."

Kathy sat farther forward in her chair and asked, "Likely or she is?"

"Likely."

"Are you going to accept likely or will you confirm the suspicions?" 

That's one of many things I've always liked about Kathy's mind. It goes to the center of a problem quickly.

"I'll find out!"

"Then we should call our office in San Francisco. I know they have a PI on staff. He can get you the answers you want by tomorrow morning."

"Yeah!" I picked up the phone and with it halfway to my ear I stopped and said, "And then what do I do?"

"For now, find the facts. After we know the facts, we'll deal with them." She got up and I watched her tight skirt encased ass wiggle out of my office. Kathy had never been a tease, but always dressed conservatively with just enough sex appeal to remind any man around that she was indeed a woman. My mind repeated a line I'd heard once in a movie, 'If I was ever gonna...'

I noticed she said, "Tomorrow WE'LL deal with them." We. I wasn't alone in this.

I made the call, gave the female PI what I knew and asked for a call in the morning. Her name was Caroline Carter and I hired her personally, not on the company payroll. She sounded quite professional on the phone and the fact that the company had her on staff said she probably knew her business.

At five I drove home on automatic pilot. When I hit the garage door opener I was surprised. I had no memory of driving home. My head had been in San Francisco. Inside our home I looked around and started thinking about options. "What if" options.

Colleen and I bought the house together twelve years before that day. We'd remodeled the kitchen and two bathrooms since then. Our daughter had graduated high school while we lived in the house and had lived there for her first two years of college, as well. The pictures on the walls all had memories for me. Memories of where we were when we took each picture, why we took them, when we hung them. Everything I looked at let me know that our home was much more than a house. Until ten o'clock that morning I thought George Carlin was wrong. Our home was more than a place for our "stuff."

'Would Colleen be willing to give all this, and me, up?' I wondered. I wondered it so hard I asked the question out loud.

I made myself dinner. I ate in the kitchen and kept thinking. After dinner I went to our family room. We called it our family room but it was actually a media room. A big flat screen TV, surround sound music system, a wonderful couch and a recliner wide enough we could and often did share it. I sat in the recliner and turned on the TV.

I watched whatever was on. In that cop show I noticed someone looking at someone else's computer. I shut off the TV and went to Colleen's computer. I fired it up and looked for her email account. What I found was one account that was easy to find. It had an icon on the screen. I clicked in and scanned through a hundred saved emails. Lots of things about the conference, but nothing personal.

Then I clicked around and saw that she had another email account. Her easy to find account was CollPet and the hidden account was called MarieP. Marie was her middle name. I clicked into the account and read very email. I read them from the inbox, sent and deleted file folders. What I learned was that Colleen had been "flirting" with an affair with a man named Stan for over a year. They had flirted at the conference last year, seen each other publically at least three other times at business meetings and had been talking a lot about the conference they were both attending in San Francisco as I read their emails. Up until this conference they hadn't done anything other than three stolen kisses in elevators.

I copied everything into an email and sent it to me. I erased my intrusion from her computer and closed it down. As I left her little home office I was still sad, but glad the affair, if there was one, hadn't started before this trip.

At ten, exactly, the phone rang. I turned on the stereo and answered. It was Colleen. "Hi Honey," She said.

I suddenly had trouble speaking. I did get it out, "Hi!"

She said, "You OK?"

"Yeah, I think so. How about you?"

"Good. Tired, but good. Fisherman's Wharf is not far from here so some of us walked over there and had lunch. I had chowder in a sourdough bowl. It probably had too many calories, but it was great. We should come up here! We could have fun up here." 

"That's a good idea. When you get back maybe we can sit down and plan a trip." My head added, 'and invite Stan and his wife along.' I didn't say it. I didn't even know Stan's last name or if Stan was married.

I heard a knock on her door through the phone. Colleen said, "Room service is here with my late night snack. I love you! I'll call you tomorrow night, Ok?"

"Ok. Good-Night. I love you!"

"I love you, too. Sleep well!" Click. She was gone. I wondered, was it hotel room service or Stan delivering his cock?

I slept, but not well. I wanted to talk to the PI Caroline Carter and I realized Colleen would be in San Francisco five more days. If the PI said they didn't do anything it would be "They didn't do anything YET". And if they have done something they will keep doing it for five more days! Damn!

When the alarm rang in the morning I put myself on auto-pilot and got to work, dressed, shaved and presentable. Kathy walked in with an extra large coffee and a sweet roll, put them on my desk and walked out.

At 9:42am my line rang. Kathy answered and five seconds later my phone buzzed to let me know it was for me and was personal. I answered, "Walt."

"Ms Carter, Mr. Peterson. Are you sitting down?"

"Yes."

"You were right to be concerned, but one or both of them are strange."

"How strange?"

"They shared a taxi and went to a restaurant called the Cliff House for dinner. It's a very romantic restaurant that overlooks the rocky coastline just south of the Golden Gate Bridge. They managed to eat their entire dinners holding hands. On the ride back to the hotel they kissed many times. Back in the hotel at nine-twenty-two they went to his room, but she left his room and hurried to her room at nine-fifty. At ten-twelve he knocked on her door and at ten-thirteen she opened the door and he entered."

"That's strange? She called me at ten exactly."

"What's strange is that at ten-forty-one the door opened and he went back to his room. They met this morning in the hotel dining room and shared breakfast with two other couples. No touching at breakfast."

"Ok. Keep watching them. She's scheduled to be there until Saturday. If you get evidence that she has sex with him, I need pictures I can use in court."

"I will have the cameras installed today. Do you want sound too?"

"Yes."

"I'm on it." She ended the call.

I looked up. Kathy was sitting across from me holding her coffee mug in her hands and looking at my face. Waiting.

"I'm a little more knowledgeable this morning than I was. I know that before they went to the conference they hadn't had sex. I read all Colleen's private emails last night. I know they both want to have sex. I know Colleen says she loves me, she even tells Stan she loves me!" I could hear the anguish in my voice so I knew Kathy could hear it, too.

After a long pause Kathy asked, "What are you afraid of?"

Her question surprised me. I hadn't said I was afraid! Was I afraid? Damn right I was afraid! I was afraid she'd let him into her body and like him better than me!

"I'm afraid she'll like sex with him better than me! I'm afraid I'll lose my wife to him! I wandered around our home last night wondering what will happen to all the memories, all the accumulated stuff if we can't love each other anymore."

"Men. Sometimes you are brilliant and sometimes I wish no one had invented sports. Once you know the rules, your head conforms to the rules. You don't even think about the rules any more! I want to talk to you like there's another game in town that you don't know about. Ok?"

"You've lost me. What game?"

"Let's make believe Stan is a stud. His cock is an inch longer than yours. He can get it up as often as Colleen wants it. He's good looking. Colleen knows all that. She also tells you she loves you and shows you by the way she takes care of you. She called you last night. Did she call the night before?" I nodded. She called at ten o'clock. Kathy said, "Your head, the one that knows all the rules for football, sees that as a conflict."

"It is! When we got married we promised one man, one woman, no sex with anyone else." I said, not seeing where this was going.

"New game. Are you the same man that you were when the two of you got married?"

"A little older, a little grayer..."

"When they made rules for football they knew that when you can't play by those rules you'll go play a different game. When they made the rules for marriage they didn't tell you that as you change, you can change the rules."

"What are you talking about?"

"You know Mr. Watkins in Finance?" I nodded. "He was in an accident. He was running and was hit by a bus. Before the accident he and his wife both ran every day. Running was a big part of their lives together. Running was where they met. By the rules their marriage ended when the bus hit him. His running days were over. The way they lived had to change. It did. He still loves her and she still loves him, but differently! He took classes and became a great massage therapist, specializing on runners. He's at every race with his wife. Instead of running side by side, he's her support system. They changed the rules."

"This is different."

"So, invent new rules. Do you love Colleen?"

"Yes!"

"Who has all the power in the relationship, right this second?"

"She does! She could be letting him inside her right now!"

"You can have the power! You just don't see it yet. Let me present it to you this way... I'm going to make you an offer. The offer has been right in front of you for years but you've never seen it, you've been focused on the rules of the game you were in. Here's my offer: Call Colleen. You say to her; Honey, I love you and I know about Stan. If you want to go to bed with him, go! I love you and I still will. Spend the next four days screwing his brains out! Then come back to me. You won't be cheating, because I know what you're doing and even if you don't need it or want it, I'm giving you permission. While you're with him, I'll be with Kathy. We won't be at our home, we'll go somewhere else, just like you and Stan have gone somewhere. Then when you come back you and I will be together. Every time you and Stan want to get together at a hotel or somewhere, Kathy and I will go to a different somewhere. We won't be cheating! You'll know where I am and I'll know where you are. Our home will stay our home. Stan's home stays his home. Kathy knows about the deal and agrees to it. So, think it over, talk to Stan and call me back at two this afternoon. I'll be unavailable until then."

"Are you serious?" I know the look on my face was shock, excitement and more shock.

"I work hard for you. I see how you are as a man, a boss and a husband. I've watched you being you with people for years. I've been in love with you for years. If you want, you can have me right here on your desk or the floor. If that speech to Colleen ends your marriage you can move in with me before she gets back from her trip. If that speech has her call back at two and say "Yes" I'll be happier than I've been since I graduated college. Either way, I finally get you as a lover. I finally get to tell you and show you, I love you."

"We've never even kissed!"

She leapt from her chair and into my lap. Her arms went around my neck and she did her best to devour my lips and tongue. When the kiss ended she said, "You said Stan and Colleen had kissed three times in elevators and once at lunch that you know about. So far I've only gotten one and it shouldn't count, you were in shock."

She slowly leaned to my face and we kissed. Her lips were soft, warm and let me know she was willing to surrender everything and anything I might want. She moved just enough that I felt her breasts pressing against my dress shirt. The kiss ended and she got off my lap.

I said, "I still have two kisses before we're even."

She handed me the phone. She said, "After you call Colleen I'd like kiss number three on either of my breasts or on my bare pussy. I shaved it with you in mind this morning." She smiled, turned and walked out of my office.

The phone started beeping, signaling me that the receiver was off the hook before I moved. I hit the speed dial for Colleen's cell phone.

On the fifth ring she answered. "Walt?"

"Yes. Can I have two minutes of your time right now?"

"Yes, sure. What's up?"

"Sit down."

"Oh God! What's wrong?"

"Are you sitting?"

"Yes."

"Honey, I love you and I need you to listen carefully. I love you, I'm not upset and I know about Stan." I heard her gasp. "If you want to go to bed with him, go! Spend the next four days screwing his brains out! Then come back to me. While you're with him, I'll be with Kathy. To be fair, we won't be at our home, we'll go to a hotel or somewhere. Then, when you come back, you and I will be together at home. We'll still be married, but the rules will have changed. Every time you and Stan want to get together at a hotel or somewhere, Kathy and I will go to a different somewhere. We won't cheat. You'll know where I am and I'll know where you are. Our home will stay our home. Stan's home stays his home. Kathy knows about the deal and agrees to it. So, think it over, talk to Stan and call me back at two this afternoon if you agree to these new rules for our marriage. I'll be unavailable until then."

"You know about Stan?" Her voice sounded like a little girl.

"Yes. When we got married the rules we agreed to don't seem to fit us anymore. You have a need for what Stan wants to give you or you wouldn't have gone as far as you already have. I won't make it mean you don't love me. You will, I think, understand my wanting to be with Kathy just like I understand you wanting to be with Stan. It means we both want more from life than we used to. When you come home we'll talk more about the changes for us, but for now the new rules are it's Ok for you and Stan to shag and it's Ok for Kathy and me, too. No one else. Now, I have a meeting. I love you. Call me at two." I pressed the button.

I walked out to Kathy's desk and said, "Set up the answering machine. We're unavailable until two." Kathy looked up at me and the phone rang. The number showing was (415) 563-0800, The Argonaut Hotel. Neither of us moved. We heard the click as the answering machine answered the call. I reached out my hand and Kathy took it, stood and we went back into my office.

She closed the door and locked it. When she turned back to face me I was inches from her. "So which do you want first, my breast or my pussy?"

I smiled. She smiled and unbuttoned her skirt. She pushed the zipper down and stepped out of the skirt. She was wearing suspender hose, three inch heeled sandals and no panties. She said, "There are wet paper towels on my office chair. I'm afraid I've been leaking this morning."

I made room for her on my desk. She climbed on the desk, hanging her exposed pussy out over the edge. I quickly went to the storage cabinet and got more paper towels. I put a few on the floor beneath her and smiled. 

"Just in case something drips?" She smiled and asked.

"Do you squirt?" I asked.

"Oh! Does that mean this is going to be a really good kiss?"

"We have three hours and forty minutes. Maybe I should set an alarm so I know when to stop." I sat in my chair, lowered it to it's lowest setting and began nibbling on her inner thigh.

"Oh God! I knew you'd tease me! I knew you'd go slow!"

"You want fast, go to McDonalds." I nibbled all the way up until my lips touched her labia on that side, then I stopped. I held her knees in my hands and said, "The sweetest fragrance in the world is the fragrance of an aroused woman. It's also the nicest compliment a woman can give a man, letting him sense that the arousal is for him."

Kathy started to speak and I said, "Shhhhh." She stopped.

My nibbles began on her other thigh and I took lots of time getting to her labia on that side. When I pulled my face back I saw a long drip of her lubrication extending from her slit almost all the way to the paper towels on the floor.

"May I have a taste?" I asked.

"If you don't I'm going to scream!"

"Hold your lips open for me, please."

Her index fingers held her lips and parted them. I saw her clit for the first time, shiny and swollen pink. My tongue touched her taint and slowly began working upwards. I moved my lips in and sucked her nectar in for a few seconds and then moved back so only my tongue was still in contact with her tender pinkness.

When the tip of my tongue pressed into her vaginal opening I noticed her lower belly muscles were quivering. She was breathing in gasps, holding her breath in between gasps. Her eyes were closed. Ever so slowly I touched my tongue to the edge of her vaginal opening, once around and then twice.


Cheating May Not Work Out



For a second I backed away and said, "Now, Sweetheart! Now!" Her hands left her lips and covered her mouth as she screamed in orgasm. I sucked as much of her nectar as I could as I enjoyed watching her body exult in my gift. 

I waited. I knew that as she calmed she would feel my breath on her still open pussy. She didn't need to open her eyes to know I was still there. Her breath stopped being in gasps. The quivering of her belly stopped.

My tongue reached forward and touched her again. Her hands came down to my head and she gasped, "I may die."

"Please don't. I haven't sucked your clit yet."

Her eyes opened and her head came up far enough to look in my eyes. She whispered, "I have wanted you for soooo long. I love you!"

I dove in again, slowly licking, nibbling and sucking my way towards her clit. The total distance between the top of her vagina and her clit couldn't have been an inch. I had to concentrate to avoid bumping the exposed bump until both she and I were ready. 

I backed all the way back to her taint and began approaching her clit again from there. Her hands again spread her lips and she spread her legs wide for me. When I changed my focus she twitched her legs and they seemed to want to grip my head. Her belly started quivering again and I stopped. I backed off about an inch and waited.

As I waited I moved her feet onto my back. My hands caressed the length of her nylon covered legs and I both saw and felt her shiver. She moaned from somewhere deep inside herself.

When my hands moved from her feet, upwards along the outside of her legs, she moaned again and when they moved off her hips and under her blouse she moaned again. My tongue touched her opening and I drank the nectar still slowly flowing out of Kathy. I loved her taste. When my hands bumped the bottom of her bra I made no effort to move the bra off her breasts, I just surrounded the breast filled cups with my hands and squeezed.

My mouth was still moving towards her clit. I felt her pushing down on my back with her feet, lifting her puss for me, presenting her gift to me. 

My hands discovered her bra to be a front opening kind. I opened the clasp but didn't move the cups off her breasts. I waited.

I surrounded her clit with my lips, but didn't touch it with my tongue. She was lifting her puss to make me touch her clit. As I said, "Now!" My tongue thrust against her bud and my hands slid under her cups and pinched her bare nipples. I don't know if she heard my muffled word but she did respond to my touching her clit!

Kathy's back arched, she flooded us and she shook as if hit with a mild electric shock. I had trouble keeping my mouth on her open, flowing pussy, but I managed. She took a big breath and shuddered, shook and twitched a few more times.

I let go of her with both hands and mouth. I looked down and saw the paper towels were soaked. Fluids were dripping off the edge of my desk and her butt was in a puddle. 

Kathy calmed a bit more and I grabbed a hand full of fresh paper towels. I began clean up. She helped a little. When I pushed to move her hip up so I could wipe the juices off my desk and her butt, she helped. I left two dry towels under her right butt cheek and we did the left.

I helped her sit up. I stepped between her legs and kissed her mouth. Some kisses are promissory notes. Her kiss was a guarantee. She looked down at the floor after we ended the kiss and we both laughed. I said, "Later, lets go where they have a hot tub. Less clean up."

"There's one where I live." She said. We kissed again and then both cleaned up the mess we made. I steadied her more than once.

She said, "No one has ever treated me the way you just treated me."

"Don't complain verbally. Fill out the form for complaints and hand deliver it to my complaint department."

She wrapped her arms around me and kissed me. Then she said, "My complaint is that it's taken us ten years to kiss! I can't wait years to be in bed with you."

"What happens if Colleen says, "No deal." At two o'clock?" I didn't let her go.

"Then I hope you say, "Too late. You've been after Stan for over a year. Until today Kathy and I never kissed, never held hands and never even talked together about being lovers. You were ready and willing to bed him without talking to me about it. You were willing to cheat! I'm being honest with you. I am going to bed with Kathy and not just once. If you decide our marriage is over, then it is."

"We haven't gone to bed together." I said.

"Don't say you have. What we say is that the genie is out of the bottle. Colleen wants Stan and you're Ok with it. Her actions say she's Ok with having Stan as her extra lover, therefore, you having me is also Ok."

"Am I really Ok with her sleeping with Stan?" 

"Are you? If she does him and comes back to you, what do you lose?" Kathy asked.

"The key is IF she wants to come back to me."

"She didn't run off to Fisherman's Wharf to live with him for twenty years. She went for five days of conference and four nights of fucking. Even on the plane ride to San Fran she knew she was coming home to you. She even had thoughts about the sex she is going to have with you when she gets home." She paused. We kissed.

She said, "If all the memories you've created together, the life you've shared and share now are less important than access to his dick then having her leave..."

"Might just be for the best! If she wants a fling, a part time lover that's one thing, but if she wants to find a replacement for me that's something else." I glanced at the clock on the wall, "1342". (1:42pm)

We redressed, finished cleaning up and Kathy sprayed an air freshener in my office. She sprayed lots of air freshener in my office.

We went out to her desk and played the answering machine. There were three messages. She hit the play button...

"Message number one: came in at 10:44am." The machine said. "Walt? Walt? We need to talk before this goes any farther. Stan's in a session and he's leading the session. I won't be able to talk to him until twelve-thirty. I never wanted you to find out. We haven't slept together yet. Oh God, that sounded lame. I added the word yet, that means I really do want to sleep with him... Oh Honey, what's wrong with me? I do love you! I've been caught in this dilemma for months. I want him and I want you. I don't want anything to hurt our relationship, that's why I didn't want you to know about him." She paused a few seconds and said, "I'll call back at two. Between now and then I'll be thinking about the incredible things you said to me a few minutes ago. I do love you." The machine beeped.

"Message number two: came in at twelve-thirteen p.m." The machine said, "Walt, this is Kevin. We usually have lunch today. I'm getting hungry. I'll wait until twelve-thirty for a call from you then I'm going to Big Bob's BBQ." The machine beeped.

"Message number three: came in at one-thirty-one p.m." The machine said, "This is Caroline. Colleen and Stan went into her room at twelve-forty-two. At twelve-forty-six the cameras recorded them on her bed having missionary sex. I will make admissible DVD's for you and I will send you an informational email with both audio and video within an hour after they leave her room. I don't know if my news is good news to you or bad news, but either way, you now know for sure." The machine beeped.

When we started listening Kathy was standing at her desk and I stood near by, maybe three feet away from her. Sometime during our listening I moved to her and when the third call ended I had my arms around her and her arms around me. 

I looked down at her face and asked, "Think your boss would let you take the rest of the day off?"

"Shouldn't you take her call at two?"

"It doesn't matter now what her response is on the phone. She broke the rules of the game we were in. I'm ending the game. If she comes on the phone and lies or says, "No deal" our marriage is over and you and I begin. If she says, "We talked it over and we accept", I'll say great! Enjoy yourselves and get some sleep, too." Either way, we're going to be lovers from now on."

We kissed and while we kissed the phone rang. The machine was not going to answer. A glance at the clock showed "1401". (2:01pm) Kathy hit the button for speaker phone and the button to connect us to the call. 

Kathy said, "Mr. Peterson's office."

Colleen said, "This is Colleen. May I speak to Walt please?"

I said, "Hi. Did you speak to Stan?"

"Yes. He's having trouble believing me. You're really Ok with us being lovers?"

"Are you planning to leave me, get a divorce, break up our home and marriage?"

"No! I love you!"

"Then yes, I'm Ok."

"How long have you and Kathy been a thing?" Colleen asked.

"On my side, I haven't allowed myself a serious thought about her as more than a great assistant until this morning. I was in a marriage where the rules said I could only love you. As you know, I play by the rules."

"Kathy has wanted you for a long time." Colleen said. It wasn't a question. Kathy started to respond. I squeezed her a little and she stayed quiet.

"Stan's with you right now isn't he?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Had to hear it directly from me. Wise move. Stan, I'm Ok with you and Colleen being lovers. You have four more days in San Francisco. Enjoy them! Don't embarrass yourselves in public and don't embarrass me in public. You were not as careful in public as you should be from now on. Someone who knows Colleen and was in San Francisco saw you kiss and saw Colleen's hand in your lap. If something like that happens again, I will be forced to take action. Otherwise, I will be seen as a wimp and a cuckold. Understand?"

We heard his tenor voice say, "I understand. We'll be very careful."

"Colleen, we are not going to discuss what the two of you do with your time together. If you go to the Cliff House for dinner, I don't want to hear about it. If you do it in a taxi, I don't want to know about it. I will never share with either of you what Kathy and I do with our time together. Agreed?"

"Yes." Colleen said. I waited.

Finally Stan said, "Agreed."

I said, "I don't know what your plans are, Stan. I'm not sure I need to know, but if you are married and keeping your affair a secret from your wife I can pretty well guarantee she will find out and when she does she will ruin your life and possibly try to ruin Colleen's life too. She will not find out from me. If you go home and confess and renegotiate the agreements of your marriage, there's a chance you can stay married to her. If you let it go on you'll destroy the trust and when she finds out... I don't need to say more. Oh, one more thing, don't call me at home tonight. We won't be there."

Colleen said, "I am still in shock! We accept the new rules and I love you!"

"Love you too, Bye!" Kathy touched the buttons and we were done. She restarted the answering machine with a new message, "Thank you for calling Mr. Peterson's office. He is in the field assisting others to have a great day. Please leave a message and as soon as logistically possible he'll return your call. Thank you."

I said, "I've got to talk with John. Get ready to go and we're out of here in five." I kissed her cheek and walked down the hall to John's office. John and I had been friends for fifteen years and he'd been my boss for the last six. His assistant waved me into his office.

He motioned me to a chair and finished up his phone call. As the phone went into it's cradle he smiled and asked, "Business or pleasure?"

"You're not my type, John. Too tall. Business. I need the rest of today and tomorrow off."

"Everything Ok at home?"

"Everything at home is fine. I just need some alone time. Colleen's out of town on business and I figured this is a good time to go fishing, unwind, get out and relax."

"Sounds great! Your work can do without you for a couple of days?"

"We're shutting down for the rest of the week so the new ULT-7000 can be installed. My people will be there to watch and learn, but they don't need me."

"Then take the rest of the week! Now, get out of here." We shook hands and as I walked out he said, "Bring back some pictures!" I waved and kept moving.

As Kathy and I walked out of the building I said, "Go home, pack for three days at the beach. I'll be by to pick you up in ninety minutes. We're going down by San Diego and we're going to be lovers."

"We could just stay at my place. I can cook." We were near our cars. Standing in the parking lot beside three hundred windows was not where I wanted to be. 

I said, "Let's drive to the Costco off Manhattan Beach Boulevard and go into Carl's. We can talk there. Ok?"

"Of course." She got into her car without my help and I walked to mine thinking about how I had wanted to open the door for her, help her into her car and I wanted to kiss her. It was the first time I'd acknowledged those feelings associated with Kathy. 

Two minutes down the freeway my cell rang. I answered, "Pete."

Kathy said, "When I opened my car door I was aware that I really wanted you to do it. I also wanted a kiss. Is it Ok that I tell you?"

"Yes! I wanted to open the door, help you into the car, buckle you in and kiss you. We do have to be careful. "

"I don't need to go away. Going to a hotel means money gone. We have to get there. We have to eat out in restaurants once we get there. If we stay home we can stay naked all day and all night. I really can cook."

"We do have to go to the beach at least once. I told John I was going fishing. I need to come back with a picture or two and a bit of a sun tan."

"We have the rest of today and all day tomorrow. We can drive to the beach tomorrow afternoon. I have a secluded back yard and an elevated deck for sunning."

"John gave us the rest of the week off. I don't need to be anywhere until time to get Colleen on Saturday."

"Oh goodie! Now, what do you like to eat, besides me? I'm going to the market."

"We don't need to go to Carl's. I was going to have this conversation there."

"Go to your house. I know where it is. I'll go to the market and then go to your house. Leave the garage open. I'll pull in. You can put your suitcase in the back while the garage is closed, then we'll go to my home in my car. Ok?"

"Sounds good. I love Mexican food, Cajun food, chicken, BBQ, ocean fish, corn, broccoli, rice, Italian food, and meatloaf."

"I think I knew all that. Ok. I'm off to the market. Bye, Honey!" The connection ended and I found that I was smiling. She called me Honey! I got off the freeway in two exits and went home. I parked in the garage and went inside. I spent a few minutes doing the check of everything just like I would if Colleen and I were leaving for a few days. In the bedroom I changed clothes into weekend casual clothes. I piled some things on the bed. I put fresh underwear, socks, a pair of shorts, a swimsuit, athletic shoes, chinos, my dop kit, three shirts, a jar of body butter and a new package of the KY warming gel. I didn't believe Kathy ever needed any extra lube, but maybe, just for fun...

I got a grocery bag from the kitchen and packed all my stuff in it. We'd be walking from Kathy's car to her front door with groceries. With one more bag of groceries no one would notice the clothes.

I left the bed unmade, went down to the kitchen and opened a diet Coke. It was empty when I heard a car pull into the garage. I opened the door between the kitchen and garage and hit the button to close the garage door. I carried the grocery bag to her silver Volvo and the hatch popped open. She stayed in the car.

There were four bags of groceries in the back. My bag matched them. I put mine in with hers and closed the hatch. "Want a diet coke or a bottle of water?" I asked.

"Sure. Water would be great!" I got our beverages, got the garage opener from my car and got in with her. We kissed and then I hit the opener. We pulled out, closed the garage and drove away. I didn't see another human being until we were blocks away from my neighborhood. I reached over and gently put my hand on her upper thigh.

Kathy looked down at my hand, smiled and then looked at me for a second. "Thank you." She said.

"Kathy, I have to admit I feel like someone who woke up from being in a coma. I feel like there has been a whole world of things going on right in front of me that I didn't see, hear or feel."

Kathy looked at me again and said, "I love having your hand there. I love knowing we're going home and you're staying. Right now I need to concentrate on getting us there. I need to drive, not talk. Just sit back and relax." She drove without speaking the rest of the way to her home. I knew the address to her place, but had never been there. We worked almost directly between our two homes, hers to the north of work and mine to the south. I had assumed she lived in an apartment or a modest home a couple miles from the beach. I was wrong. She drove us into a very nice, upscale neighborhood and hit the button for her garage door opener. I watched the door open for the double slot on a three-car garage. 

She stopped the car in the driveway and said, "I grew up in this house. My parents sold it to me before they moved to Arizona. I love this house. Please keep an open mind. I want you to know me and this is a good way for that to happen." She slid her Volvo C30 into the garage and stopped. The button started the doors down and she leaned to me for a kiss.

We carried the five bags inside and unloaded the groceries into her kitchen. The kitchen had been remodeled and was full of light, windows and new or almost new appliances. The windows were all up high. Kathy saw me looking and said, "When we discussed the remodel we decided we wanted the light but not people looking in. These windows let in lots of light but no looky-loos."

"It also gives you more cabinet room. I like it."

By the time everything was put away I had been given a pretty good tour of where things were kept. Kathy took my hand, I took my "luggage" and she led me to the back of the house where her bedroom was waiting. She said, "This used to be Mom and Dad's room. The room that was my room is now my office and library. My sister's old room is across the hall and at the very back. She lives in Seal Beach now and teaches sixth grade."

The door opened and I was introduced to a side of Kathy I'd never imagined existed. Against the far wall stood a massive four-poster bed, covered with a Pendleton Diamond Ranch quilt and pillow cases. Three hand made Native American rugs bracketed the bed. Rustic bedside tables stood beside the bed. Above the head of the bed a large dream catcher hung on the wall. I noticed it hung from the horn of an antelope, out about six or seven inches from the wall, as it should.

"You noticed!" Kathy exclaimed.

I looked at her. "You noticed the dream catcher was hung away from the wall. The woman who made it for me told me that it cannot do its job if the energy flow around it is blocked."

"The horn is from a prong-horn. I grew up in Wyoming. Stepping in here is like going home to Jackson." I wrapped her in my arms and stood looking and feeling as though the Tetons would be out there if I looked out her window.

Kathy whispered to her self, "He likes it!" I squeezed her a little tighter.

However long it was we stood there ended with a shudder. I wasn't sure if it was Kathy's or my own, but it shook us to the present and she asked, "Want the rest of the tour or..." She looked at the bed.

"I want the tour and we need dinner before we unmake the bed. Once we mess up the bed I think it'll be days till it gets made again."

She took my hand and showed me every room. Her office-library was next door to her bedroom. The desktop was a slice of an old tree, raw wood and bark at the edges and shining from lots of either lacquer or urethane. The support for the desktop was a log split in half, probably from the same tree. Under the desk, a woven rag rug. On the walls pictures of elk, moose, a grizzly catching a salmon in his mouth and a big picture of three eagles on a branch just a couple feet above a churning river. I asked, "Is everything but the kitchen imported from Wyoming?"




Cheating May Not Work Out



"No. Some things are from Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Colorado."

"I don't understand. You grew up here. What is this all about?"

"As far back as I can remember my Dad made sure we went back to his roots and spent time learning and understanding nature. He is part Native American and the cabin feel and the pictures remind me every day of what he and his people taught us about nature, harmony and Spirit. The pictures here in my office I took. They are my memories, reminding me. I have a trip scheduled for August to go to the Grand Tetons for a week or so. If my Dad is up for it, we're going on a four-day horse packing trip. If he isn't it will be Jenna and me." I knew Jenna was her sister's name.

She led me to the living room and I was amazed. My head knew I was in Culver City but my soul was back in Wyoming in the lodge just outside Jackson where my aunt and uncle worked. Kathy had someone split logs and make her living room a log lodge room. The furniture was western rustic including the entertainment center, the bookshelves, picture frames and lighting. One corner of the room was a stone fireplace with a mantle of another slice of a tree. Three giant pine cones and four framed pictures of Kathy, her Dad, her Mom and sister sat on the mantle. There was an empty space where a fifth picture belonged. I sat on one of two couches and Kathy sat with me. I became aware of the smell of the forest.

"Kathy, it smells like trees and the forest floor in here."

"There's a company in Oregon that makes air fresheners that give off that smell. Every time I walk in here it squirts a little forest smell for me."

"I brought the wrong clothes. I need Levis 501's, boots and a Wrangler shirt."

"Next time you come." She said as she smiled and snuggled closer.

Just above her plasma big screen the digital clock read "1714". I asked, "Military time?"

"At work you have the clocks set to that time. It took me a month to realize that you had a good reason for having it that way. I then realized that my confusion was in switching back and forth all the time. Every clock in this home is set like the ones at work."

She paused and held my hand as she snuggled with me. Then she said, "The clocks, the time, seem to remind me of you and how you embrace life. Since I changed them it's been like you're here with me every night and every weekend."

"How could I be so clueless?" I asked. She smiled.

"I knew right from the beginning you were in love with Colleen. By the time I'd been working for you six months I knew I loved you too, but I refused to be one of the women in the world who would help ruin love between people. I watched how you focused on Colleen and I envied her. I still do. She wears the ring you put on her finger."

"You took a huge risk when I found out Colleen was getting ready to cheat. My reaction could have been to reject you and Colleen and become the ogre of the West!"

"I knew you better than that. At least I believed I did. What I was worried about was Colleen. She was the loose canon. I don't know her. My head couldn't fathom why she would be willing to cheat on you."

"I'm getting hungry for two things. Want to know what two things?"

"Let me guess. One involves us going into the kitchen and the other gets us into bed."

"Let's go cook!"

We made swordfish steaks with rosemary smashed potatoes, broccoli and a salad. The potatoes had been boiled earlier and I heated them, smashed them with an old-fashioned potato smasher and mixed in chopped rosemary and sweet butter. Kathy and I worked well in the kitchen together.

As we ate we talked about her childhood, her family and her values. She didn't ask many questions. We finished eating, cleaned the kitchen and found ourselves standing by the sink when we both realized the kitchen was done.

"I'm sure, given fifteen minutes, I can find the Pendleton bedroom, but I'd rather have you lead the way."

As she led the way she started undressing. She led the way through the door of her bedroom and into the bathroom. White tiles and three different green tiles. A big shower, easily big enough for two and I saw a cup with two tooth brushes in it, one pink and one blue.

"The blue one is yours." Kathy said. "You'll need to unwrap it. It's been waiting for you for a few years."

She helped me finish undressing. Before I could really focus on touching, kissing and getting us to bed she turned on the shower and opened a cabinet to get a fresh bar of soap. I noticed she had three different kinds in the cabinet, Irish Spring, Safeguard and Zest. The same three brands were in the master bathroom at home. She smiled and asked, "Which one do you prefer, Sir?"

"Irish Spring. Those are the same brands I have at home."

"I smell you every day. You use Edge shaving gel, too." She opened the medicine cabinet and a new can of Edge gel was there with a package of disposable razors next to it.

We showered and explored each other's bodies in the process. Kathy is ticklish in a couple places. We were very clean when we shut off the water and got out. She opened a big bath sheet and started drying me. "First time it's ever been against male skin." She said.

I grabbed the other towel to do her and discovered it was smaller than the bath sheet she used on me. "It's big enough for me," Kathy said. She folded the bath sheet and hung it on the rack, "This one's yours."

When she was dry I hung her towel next to mine. I asked for a fresh towel and she gave it to me. I took it into the bedroom, opened the bed and spread it on the fitted sheet. Out of my grocery bag I got the fresh jar of lime body butter.

"I want to pamper you. Face up or face down to start, I'll do both sides. This is the best skin lotion I've ever found."

She put her self on the towel face down. I looked at the light sparkling from her wetness already and went back in the bathroom and brought back a hand towel. I folded it into a thick pad and put in where it could catch at least some of her nectar.

"You think I may leak?" She giggled as she asked.

"I hope you do."

I started with her feet and worked slowly towards her head. She reached to a bedside table and turned on her Bose wave CD player. The CD was the sound of a forest with a brook, wind in trees and animal sounds.

I found a few small scars on her. Her skin was wonderfully smooth and showed no tan lines, just the look of a woman who was careful about how much exposure she got. When she spoke I shushed her. "Just focus on how you feel." I said. She moaned a few more times, but didn't talk.

When I helped her turn over she looked up at me with tears in her eyes. I moved to her feet and started again. I bypassed her pussy on the way up and missed her breasts as well. After I did her neck and scalp I climbed on the bed with her and kissed her mouth.

We were not hurrying. Our kisses weren't urgent, but were tender and expressions of care and surrender. When I moved my kisses from her mouth to her neck and later down onto her chest she said, "You didn't use lotion on my breasts."

"Later, before we sleep."

I kissed all around her "C" sized breasts, touching her nipples and areola occasionally. The third time I focused on her nipples she said, "Please suck me."

I did and her feedback let me know she liked them sucked hard and long. When I did it hard enough her back arched and her hands held my head.

I shifted and headed down to her pussy. She grabbed my ears and said, "Later, before breakfast. Right now I feel incredibly empty. Please fill me up."

"You want to be a cowgirl?" I asked. She smiled and said, "Not tonight. I want to be rode hard and put away dripping."

I'm not twenty any more. I did my best and when we were side by side, breathing hard she said, "I lost count."

I joked, "That's why I hated dating CPA's. They count everything!" We laughed softly and snuggled. A few minutes passed and Kathy used the towel I'd used for her massage to wipe us down. She took the very wet smaller towel into the bathroom and tossed it in the sink. As we got warm and comfortable I spread body butter on her breasts. Ten minutes later we were asleep with me spooned behind her and holding her breast.

I woke to the smell of coffee, bacon and eggs. I got up, peed in the bathroom and when I flushed I turned and found Kathy standing in the doorway, wearing a green t-shirt and holding a mug of coffee. It was a big, ceramic mug like I remembered from when I was a kid. My Dad used a mug like that.

Breakfast tastes better when shared with a lover. She fed us both from one plate. The eggs, potatoes, bacon and chunky salsa were cooked together and tasted like Heaven. After breakfast was cleaned up we migrated back to the bed and mated again.

In what ladies magazines call the afterglow, we talked.

"I know it's a little late, but we should talk about birth control." I said.

"I remember when you got a vasectomy. You did it when Ben did, to be supportive to him. Colleen had her tubes tied when Janice was born. Until then I'd been on the pill. I've never been pregnant and I haven't had sex with any man in almost seven years. My last physical was a complete physical. They looked for everything including STD's and I'm clean. We don't need and I don't want rubbers. I do think we should all get tested pretty soon, just to be sure."

"I'll use rubbers with Colleen until she tests, and Stan tests, clean." 

Kathy kissed me softly and asked, "How long do you think will they play in this new game?"

"I don't know. I know we blew their minds when I called and gave them permission to do what they wanted to do. I believe Colleen will spend a lot of time lying next to Stan in bed thinking about you and I lying in bed together."

"That's a lot different than thinking about keeping a secret and helping you believe she's still being faithful to just you." I rolled to face her more directly and kissed her breast. I sucked hard for about fifteen seconds and released.

"Are you always going to tease me for hours?"

"I want to tease and please you often. Hours, sometimes days and sometimes a quickie. I won't always be the same. I plan to have loving you be an adventure, for both of us."

She got up and in a minute was back with her PDA. She said, "We have a three-day weekend at the end of May."

"Memorial Day weekend."

"Do you and Colleen have anything scheduled?"

I nodded. "On Memorial day I go to the Veterans Cemetery and leave flowers. The cemetery in Westwood has three of my friends in it. Colleen has gone with me every year since they died."

"Maybe she'd like to be with Stan that weekend. I know I'd be honored to go with you."

"Pencil us in, Ok? I'll need to make a note so I'll remember to talk to Colleen about dates."

"I have an idea. Come on." She led me to her office and sat me at her computer. At her instruction I sent CollPet an email.

"Honey,

While you and Stan are together please look at your calendars. Pick some dates for "special time" together. Memorial Day Weekend is coming. As far as I know the only thing on either of our calendars is my trip to the Vets Cemetery on Memorial Day. If you'd like to spend that whole weekend with Stan, or any part of it... please plan it and let us know. Kathy says she'd be honored to go with me to the cemetery if you'd rather not go.

Any other dates you'd like to reserve, plan them and let me know so we can make plans too.

Please get back to me soon. Oh, and get some sleep, too!

I love you,

Walt"

I sent it and then Kathy asked, "Shall we go somewhere on our "special times" or just come here and pamper each other?"

"This time I love being here with no where we need to go, no people to see. I'm concerned about being public for a while. I think Colleen is still in shock about me knowing she's with Stan and being with you. She hadn't given a thought to me being with someone."

"Surprise! She knew I loved you, at least subconsciously. Now she's faced with reality. The next few weeks will be interesting."

"Well, shall we go back to bed? Go to the beach or a movie?" I asked.

"I'm going to be bold again, Ok? She put her hand on my leg. I melted. I knew I had lost my last argument with Kathy and we hadn't even had one.

"Sure. Be bold. It's working for you so far."

"Let's get dressed and drive back to your house. Pack a suitcase with clothes to keep here. Then whenever you stay here you have whatever you need. Bring a couple suits, a few shirts, whatever you might need. When we get back we'll load the closet in the guest bedroom, otherwise known as my sister's room."

"I like the idea. If, and or, when things blow up at home we're already prepared." 

We walked to the bedroom and I asked, "What will you wear? In all our years together I've only seen you dressed for work or like you are now."

"It's about seventy degrees outside. You're wearing chinos so I'll wear jeans. How about a western plaid shirt and boots?"

"Damn! Just thinking about you dressed that way turns me on."

"We should shower again. I think we may smell like we've been fooling around."

"I wasn't fooling." We showered and dressed. I liked what I saw. At the last moment Kathy grabbed a suitcase from her closet. 

"If we take my suitcase it can stay here when it comes back, leaving all your luggage at home."

"I love how your brain works."

"Just my brain?" She smiled a wicked smile.

"I love how everything about you works."

When we pulled into my garage I closed the door and Kathy said, "If I stay here I can honestly say I've never been in your house, never seen your bedroom or had sex in your home. I'll sit here and listen to music."

We kissed and I took her suitcase into the house. Packing was harder than I thought it would be. I took three suits, a gray, a charcoal and a blue. I took two blue shirts and two whites. Enough underwear and socks for a week. I took two pair of jeans, a ranger belt, an old pair of hiking boots and some boot socks. I grabbed a garment bag and put the suits and shirts in it. Everything else fit in the suitcase. On my way through the house I picked six CD's of music I love.

Kathy popped the back of her little car open and I loaded my stuff inside. When I lifted the hatch I heard The Mommas and the Papas singing, "Monday, Monday."

We sang along as we drove back to Kathy's cabin in the city. At a stoplight she looked at the six CD's. "Remind me to print you a list of what I have at home. All six of these are already loaded in my stereo."

"Figures."

The rest of our time we played at Kathy's, settling me into almost living there. We played games, listened to music, watched two or three great movies and spent a lot of time seeing where the most fun places were to mate.

We sat out on her deck long enough that I looked like I'd been fishing. We drove over to the Redondo Pier and I got my picture taken with a three hundred pound sea bass. Kathy stayed out of the picture. Then I reconsidered and took a second picture with both of us and the fish. The photographer put both pictures in folders and we headed back to Kathy's.

Friday night we both got quiet. At about eleven Kathy asked, "You're thinking about tomorrow afternoon, aren't you?"

I nodded. "Colleen didn't answer my email. That could mean they need to wait until Stan checks in at home to see when he can escape. It could mean she quit checking emails after we talked. It could mean he's going to get home and have a face-to-face with his wife before making any decisions..."

"Or it could mean they broke it off and she's coming home to break us up."

"The first things may happen, but I'm not going back to just Colleen. She was willing to cheat. I set... no. We set her up to change the rules of the game. I'm no longer willing to go back to the old game. Tomorrow will be very interesting."

"Are you picking her up from LAX?"

"Yes. Her flight arrives at three-oh-five. I'll be at the curb at three-thirty."

"I'll be right here, worrying."

"No worries! I love you. If she blows up tomorrow, we can go public in a month... after I've filed for divorce. I have pictures of her and Stan. I don't want to use them, but I'm not being raped in court over her unilateral decisions."

She kissed me and went to her office. When she came back she found my keys and added a key to the ring. "You never need to call. Just show up. There are five keys to this house. Mom and Dad have keys in Arizona. I have a key, Jenna has a key and now you have a key."

We went into the bedroom and got ready for bed. By midnight the score was Kathy five orgasms and Walt one. I won. A little after midnight I shut off the light and we went to sleep.

A little after one in the morning Kathy sat up in bed and said, "My garage door just opened!"

We heard the door into the kitchen open and a female voice said, "It's just me!" The garage closed and Kathy said, "It's Jenna. This should be interesting."

The door into Kathy's bedroom was not closed. Jenna came to the doorway and laughed, saying, "Oh, were you asleep?"

Kathy turned on a light and Jenna's face went ash white. "Oh my God! Is it Him?"

I said, "Hi. I'm Walt. Glad to meet you."

"Oh my God, Kathy! It is Him!"

Kathy sat up and said, "So, come sit down and meet him at least." She came and sat on the edge of the bed.

"It smells like sex in here."

"I wonder why?" I asked. She blushed.

"Sorry, I had a little wine tonight. It was safer to come here than drive home."

"You were probably right. Do you want to sit up and talk or go to bed now and talk in the morning?" I asked.

"I want to sit up and talk, but I won't. I'm too buzzed to make good sense or remember anything, so I'll go to bed." She got up and staggered out the door and down the hall. Five minutes later we were back asleep.

I woke up being kissed. I didn't open my eyes I just returned the affection. Kathy ended the kiss and whispered, "When Jenna stays the night we usually make French Toast in the morning. Would you like French Toast, too?"

"Can I help cook?"

"Yes, but we need to be showered and dressed. Please dress in jeans and boots. Ok?'

"Shirt or no shirt?"

"Shirt. Let's wait before we start showing Jenna lots of your skin."

"Can we shower together?"

"Yes!" We got up, started the shower and got in. 

The sliding glass door slid open and Jenna joined us. She asked, "Remember the sign Dad had in the bathroom?"

In unison they said, "Save water, shower with a friend." Then they laughed.

"We'll I guess the secret's out, Kathy has a man sleeping over."

We turned our attention to Jenna and washed her, hair and body. Jenna shaved her self. I shaved me. Kathy said, "Walt, I don't shave. I had laser treatments and now no hair grows where I don't want it to."

I noticed Jenna had a well-trimmed bush. The longest hair was perhaps half an inch long, and two shades darker than the brown-headed-for-blond hair on her head. She saw me looking and asked, "Shall I shave my pussy for you, Walt?"

"I'm here with Kathy. I have no say in you being shaved or not."

Kathy shut off the water and all three of us got out. They got bath towels and I got the bigger bath sheet. Jenna said, "As usual, you were right. He needs the bath sheet."

"I was also wrong. I told Walt we needed to dress before we made breakfast. I don't think we do." We hung the towels to dry and headed for the kitchen.

Kathy asked, "Honey, can you help cook and have a powerful conversation?"

"I think so. Why?"

"In the shower you said, "I'm here with Kathy. I have no say in you being shaved or not." You can have it that way, if you're invested in life being that way. For Jenna and I, life isn't that way. I love you. Remember the old rules? If I love you I'm supposed to only love you. We're not playing that game anymore. I love you. I love Jenna. I love other people too and for now, in fact for the last four years, I only fully express love to one woman and one man. You are the man."




Cheating May Not Work Out



Jenna said, "I love. In the last four years I've only had sex with Kathy, no one else and no men."

My mind was swimming. "So, if I understand, both of you are willing to accept me and love me. I can be physically expressive with each of you?"

"Only when you can say what you mean and mean what you say when you tell us you love us. Over the next months you'll have plenty of opportunities to choose to love us both."

"All the thoughts I've been having about what to say to Colleen on the ride home just changed." I sat quietly until Kathy served the French Toast. I had already loaded syrup, butter, peanut butter, preserves, coffee and plates on the island. She served me first. I accepted the plate and passed it to Jenna. I said, "I'm just old fashioned enough to still want it to be "ladies first" often." Jenna took the plate, put butter and the syrup on the French Toast and took her first bite. Kathy handed me a plate with three slices on it, cut into triangles.

I put peanut butter and a little syrup on the slices and took my first bite.

"How did you know?" Jenna asked.

"Know what?" I asked.

"Dad's the only one we know who uses peanut butter on pancakes, waffles and French Toast."

I said, "My Dad taught me. Mom thought we were both gross."

"The same word Mom uses." Kathy said.

After breakfast I realized I didn't need to pack. Everything of mine could stay. That gave us some extra time before I had to go. We sat in the living room and Jenna turned on the stereo low. The first song that played was "Weave Me the Sunshine" by Peter, Paul and Mary. I sat on the couch and they moved me to the middle. Kathy to one side of me and Jenna to the other.

Kathy held my hand and asked, "Are you attracted to Jenna?"

Jenna lifted my semi-hard penis with her hand and said, "There is evidence that he is."

"I'm attracted to both of you, and you know it! I'm wrapping my head around the new game. It's so much different than the old game."

Jenna kept her hand around my cock and said, "The old game is called serial monogamy. The new game is called polyamory. We have lots more freedom in polyamory."

"It isn't an open relationship?"

"No. People did that back in the sixties. Go to a concert and spread your legs, smoke pot and fuck. We don't play that game. As adults we came together to love each other and include possibly people whenever we found people who could and would open themselves up to an expanded love, not just sex. A committed love, with respect, joy, full self-expression and support. Kathy and I believe you can be a fit. Deciding to fit and then fitting are up to you." Jenna said.

I said, "You're talking about all of us being lovers, actually spouses. I've known Kathy for over ten years. How long should it take for me to fall in love with you?"

Kathy said, "You didn't fall in love with me. I woke you up to already loving me. Now, hold Jenna in your lap. Wrap your arms around her." She crawled into my lap and I wrapped my arms around her.

"Close your eyes. Feel her energy, her warmth and the tension in her."

What I felt was surrender. After some time she turned slowly and we kissed. Often I have kissed someone and thought about their lips, their breasts against my chest, the press of their body against mine, but not in that kiss. I was aware of kissing her for the first few seconds, then I was the kiss. I cannot properly describe it. English fails to communicate some concepts very well.

Jenna and I were not two people kissing, thinking about what's next, what this kiss means or worried about what Kathy was thinking as we kissed. We just kissed. My processes paused and thinking stopped. In hind-sight I can only say all that was there was our connection.

I heard Jenna say, "He gets it."

My eyes opened and I said, "I love both of you. I choose to love you."

An alarm sounded somewhere in the house and Kathy jumped up. "You need to dress and go to LAX!" We ran to the bedroom and I dressed. Levis 501's, boots and ranger belt topped by my teal Wrangler shirt.

Kathy asked, "Please don't dress like that at work. I'd soak through my clothes in a minute!"

Jenna stood and looked at the label inside my shirt. She said, "Hey, Sis, wanna go shopping?"

"Can we?" Kathy asked. "Can we buy you a few things?"

"If it pleases you. Please, no pink or pastels." I got kissed by both women and then I said, "My car is at my house. Want to drive me home in skin?"

We laughed and they both dressed in less than two minutes. As we headed for the garage Jenna said, "There are clothes in my closet."

"I noticed them yesterday."

"I mean the big, manly clothes."

"I mean the feminine clothes. I'll make you a deal. I promise not to wear any of your clothes."

"What about us wearing your shirts?" Kathy asked.

"There's something quite sexy about a woman wearing a masculine shirt as long as it's all she's wearing. I'd like that."

Jenna drove her SUV and Kathy sat in back with me. When we got to Colleen's house Jenna asked, "Sis, have you been inside?"

"No, and I'm not going inside. Our agreement is that this is Colleen's house. She's not coming to my home. I'm not going into hers."

I kissed them both, opened my garage door and went inside. I grabbed a diet Coke and headed for LAX. I pulled out of the garage at 1500 (3pm). 

Colleen comes Home

I stopped at the curb at 1530 (3:30pm) and in two minutes Colleen came out the doors pulling her suitcase. She was wearing a nice floral print dress that was a bit short and cut a bit low as well. Her heels clacked on the sidewalk and drew attention to her. I put her suitcase in the trunk and took her in my arms. I wrapped her in my arms and kissed her soundly. A tap on my shoulder and a baritone voice said, "Take her home and kiss her there, please." I smiled at the big cop and we got in the car. 

Colleen was quiet until I was outside LAX. Once I was on Century she said, "I didn't know what to expect. Thank you."

"Didn't you get my message? I thought I was clear enough for both you and Stan."

"Oh, your message was clear, but unexpected and much gentler than I ever would have imagined."

"If I was still trapped in the old game I would have been very different. I can't say exactly what my reaction would have been, but I guarantee you wouldn't be as well taken care of and worry free when you came home as you can be now."

"What happened?"

"Do you know what the occurring world is?"

"I can guess. It's not the real world it's the world the way we make it up."

"Yeah, like that. When I was a kid I thought girls were yucky. They weren't interested in baseball, football, riding bikes or any of the things I was interested in. In my world girls were yucky. When I was twenty the world had changed. Girls were no longer yucky. You looked good, smelled good, moved with magic and I no longer thought girls were yucky. Did the world change? Did all the girls change? No. The way the world occurred to me changed, inside my head."

"It happened to us, didn't it?"

"From before we met until about a year ago the world of relationships occurred to us as monogamy. You and me. Mister and missus. Is that the only way relationships work? No, but in our world that was the only place we looked."

"Then Stan showed up. I wasn't looking for him. I tried not to be attracted to him." She nodded as she spoke.

"The world where Stan occurs is a new world for you. Five years ago he still would have been there, but not occurring as a possibility. Last week Kathy came to work just like she has for ten years. I saw her as an attractive woman, a great assistant and I saw her occurring as off limits, too young, not my spouse. Now, she occurs as a great assistant and a woman I love."

"You love her?" I could hear emotions in her voice and a glance at her showed emotions on her face. She was worried.

"You just went back to the old occurring world of monogamy! Stop! In the monogamy world you can't love or have sex with Stan because you belong to me. Stan has to leave his wife to love you. I have to leave you to love Kathy. We don't live in that world any longer. In this world you can come home to me, having just spent four days in bed with Stan and love me when you get here. You can love Stan AND love me. I can spend the night with Kathy loving her and come home and love you. There's no conflict! The more we love, the more love there is."

"I know we just did what you said, but it still sounds crazy."

"It sounds crazy to my monogamous mind, but when I think with my polyamorus mind it makes perfect sense. It isn't about right or wrong or even about limitations. It's about context. Is a volleyball right or wrong?"

"Huh? A volleyball's just a volleyball." Colleen said.

"It's right if it's on a volleyball court and wrong on a bowling alley."

"I see. We're still a couple, just not a monogamous couple." She nodded.

"We have freedom that other couples don't. Let's say I didn't know about Stan. When you got on Southwest a week ago you were thinking about being in bed with him. You thought about how exciting it would be and you thought about how to keep it a secret. Words like guilt, trust and cheating were on your mind. How different would this car ride be if you had spent four days and nights having sex with Stan and you didn't know if I knew?"

"God! I'd be terrified you'd know, that you'd find out! I'd be scared."

"The world that occurs for you now has the freedom for you to love Stan and love me."

"Would you do me a favor? Hurry a little faster. I want to get home and into bed with you."

"About fifty yards behind me is a black and white car with an L.A.P.D. logo on the door. I'm going just as fast as I can without needing to have a conversation with him."

Her hand went onto my thigh, right where my hand had been on Kathy's thigh earlier in the week. Colleen stayed quiet as I paid attention to my driving. When I hit the button and our garage door opened Colleen asked, "Can I start getting undressed now?"

"No! We're going to our bedroom and I am undressing you. Then we're going to play. After, I'll bring in your suitcase and help you unpack. After."

"Yes Sir, Mr. Peterson." She smiled at me and squeezed my thigh.

I was well trained by my Dad. From the time I turned twelve I opened doors for women. Doors to houses, businesses, cars, rooms or wherever. Colleen opened her car door and got out. I was amazed. In one week her expectation had changed and she no longer expected me to open her door, even though I had been doing it for years.

I got out of the car and went to the door to the house. I unlocked it and held it open for her. She made it into the kitchen and stopped. She turned back to face me and said, "I'm sorry. For a week I was living in a hotel and stopped expecting someone to open the door."

"Would you like me to stop opening doors for you? I can stop, if that's what you'd prefer." She rushed to me and both hugged and kissed me.

"Don't stop! I feel your love when you do things like that."

"Ok." I gently pushed her towards our bedroom. When we were there she said, "You slept here once while I was gone."

"Yes, I did. Kathy has never been in our house. She swore she was never coming into this house. To quote her, "That house is Colleen's, and I'm not going inside. Our agreement is that this is Colleen's house. She's not coming to my home. I'm not going into hers."

"I promise Stan isn't coming in here either. I liked what you said Kathy said, that this is my house, but she's wrong. This is our home. Her home may be her home that she may choose to share with you, but this is our home."

"I hear you." I reached behind her and her zipper made a noise as it was pulled down. She asked, "Do you like this dress? I bought it yesterday to wear when I came home."

"I like it! It looks good on you and it comes off easily."

Under the dress she wore suspender hose, a thong and a new bra. I could tell the thong was moist, if not wet. I noticed the thong had been put on after the suspender hose. We could remove the thong and leave the suspender hose if we wanted to. I said, "For all our health, you and I will use condoms every time we join until each of us is tested and certified disease free. As we said in the military, trust and verify."

"I assume you have some condoms."

"A few." I pointed at the bedside table. Colleen opened the drawer and saw a selection of about twenty condoms of different brands and colors. She asked, "What color would you like right now?"

"Ladies choice." She picked one and spent some time getting it open and then time getting it on me. The fact that she had problems getting it on me made me feel like she wasn't practiced at the use of condoms. A good sign.

The thong came off and my fingers found all the signs that her parts had sustained no damage while she was gone. Our loving was loving, a little different than before her trip and my adventure, but still an expression of loving. 

We redressed after a short rest and got Colleen all moved back in, laundry started and then we thought about lists. A list of things that needed doing to get ready for the next week, shopping lists, things we need to discuss lists. When the laundry was done, the trash was out in the alley, yard taken care of and pool filter cleaned I said, "May I take you to dinner?"

"Can we stop at the market on the way home from dinner?"

"Sure. It usually costs more when we shop together, but that's Ok with me."

We dressed. I redressed in my western gear and Colleen dressed in southern California casual clothes. Her new dress and things had gone into the laundry.

We went to Shoreline Village in Long Beach and had a great dinner at the Lighthouse. I love sea food and so does Colleen. She ordered a salad with grilled salmon on top and I ordered the clam chowder. We watched boats going into the marina as we ate.

When we went to the market we laughed and touched often. Our affection was shared and enjoyed by both of us. All my thoughts about our emotional "stuff" about being with other lovers disappeared. I thought about Kathy often, but none of the thoughts were barriers to being with Colleen. Colleen picked up some packaged chili mix and I wondered if Kathy would like it. I also wondered if Jenna would like it.

We naturally enjoyed being together Saturday night. There was no effort in it. We slept late Sunday morning largely because we stayed awake late Saturday night. When I got up Sunday morning I needed to open the windows and air out our bedroom. It had all the smells one would expect from a room where lovers live.

We used Sunday to do the things we normally did around our home. I cared for the yard and our cars, first. While I did that Colleen made sure we both had everything we'd need to get through the week. She noticed the suits that were missing as well as shirts, etc. I know because she said, "Walt, you need to get at least three new suits and a few new shirts. Having clothes in two homes means you need more."

Two hours later she asked if I wanted to buy the new clothes with her or have Kathy help me buy them. I wondered for half a minute if her question was meant to imply that I needed the help of a woman or I'd be incapable of getting an acceptable suit. I decided it was safer if I decided that she believed both she and Kathy would enjoy shopping for clothes with me. Maybe not together, you understand, but each would enjoy the shopping.

Being a diplomat at the novice level I said, "There's no real rush so maybe next weekend or sometime in the next few weeks, the shopping will happen."

Colleen nodded and went back to whatever she had been doing. We cooked dinner together and ate out on our deck. As we cleaned up and did the dishes Colleen said, "While you're at work tomorrow, plan on Memorial Day weekend. I don't know how much of the weekend Stan can spend with me, but you and Kathy should be able to make some plans. She can go with you to the cemetery, too. It's an important side of you."

"Even without knowing how much of that weekend you'll get with Stan you give Kathy and me the whole thing?"

"There may be times when Kathy isn't available and Stan is. Will that mean I can't go with him?"

"No. You're right. It would be best if it always worked out even, but odds are good it won't. Thank you. I'll talk with her tomorrow."

"You can call her now, if you'd like." She picked up our portable phone and extended it towards me.

I shook my head. "No thanks. I want to be with you when I'm with you. It will need to be a big emergency for me to contact Kathy during our time."

"I agree. Things are different with Stan. I don't want to call him and have his wife answer."

I waited almost a minute then asked, "Do you think he's going to tell his wife about the two of you?"

"We talked about it. He's over ninety percent sure she'd freak and throw him out if he brings it up. It will surprise me if he tells her."

"I don't know her, but I believe for most women the reaction gets more drastic, more violent to the marriage, the longer the affair has gone on. I think he should tell her. Even if it ends their marriage, it will be less emotional, less bloody, if he tells her now."

"I agree, but it has to be his decision. Doesn't it?"

"Depends. If he tells and their marriage ends, what are you prepared to do? Are you going with him? Do you want him to move in here and me move out? Do you want him to get an apartment and you keep seeing him and living with me? If he tells and when he tells are his decisions, but how you deal with the aftermath, are your decisions." I paused, then said, "And I've already told both of you what my reaction has to be if you get caught. I won't be humiliated."

"What if she's Ok with him having a lover?" Colleen asked.

"You say he's ninety percent sure she's going to explode. He knows her pretty well. She may decide it's Ok for you to have sex with her husband, but I'm not counting on it. Most of America is against polyamory or for serial monogamy. If she's willing to stay married to him, I'd bet she wants you gone from his life. If she's your age she's spent over forty years being indoctrinated in monogamy and maybe even a church. She may want you fired from McKensie. Then you're facing another decision you may not have considered. I am in love with Kathy. Kathy is my lover. Neither of those statements is contingent on you and Stan being lovers. If Stan goes back to serial monogamy with her, what are you going to do?"

There was a long pause. Colleen sat with her hands in her lap and her eyes on her hands. I stayed quiet. She hadn't thought about that possibility.

Finally she looked up and said, "When you're with Kathy I don't want to be alone."

"So, when Stan breaks up with you, you're going hunting. I'm glad I bought lots of condoms. While you look and while you settle on a lover we will always have safe sex. I will not be eating your pussy. Figure bareback and oral are gone for this year, if you find a new lover before June." I took a breath. "God, I hope she keeps him. Then its just condoms until October."

"I don't think we thought this through enough." Colleen said.

"Kathy did."

"Kathy knew Stan and I wanted to get together?"

"No. Kathy knew she wanted me for her lover. She was unwilling to do anything to get between us. A week ago I thought she was the best assistant in the company, but I had no idea she was in love with me, or lusted after me. You opened the door and she accepted the invitation."

"I opened the door?"

"When I found out that you were publically kissing Stan and had your hand in his lap, you opened the door. My first thoughts were about getting proof and divorcing you. I wanted you served as the two of you got off the plane. Kathy showed me another way. I get to keep loving you and I get to love Kathy, too."




Cheating May Not Work Out



"But, if Stan is gone..."

"Nothing changes for me. I still have you and I have Kathy, too. You agreed we could both have a lover and each other."

"Shit! I'll die in pain if you go spend the night with Kathy and I'm here alone."

"A little while ago you said I could have Memorial Day weekend. Now, you'll die?"

"I could stand it, if I knew I'd get some time with Stan soon! But, if Stan's gone..."

"I'm not giving Kathy up. We made an agreement."

"I'm fucked." Her voice was flat.

"You're not fucked, but if you want to be, I'd be happy to oblige."

"What I'd like is to be held, kissed and for you to love me." She led me to our bedroom and into our bed. She got her wish. I undressed her, massaged her slowly and tenderly with lots of body butter and made slow, tender love with her.

We got ready for sleep and spooned all night. When the Monday morning alarm went off, Colleen kissed me and we both rushed through our morning rituals. In the garage we kissed, got in our cars and zoomed off to our respective days.

At two minutes after nine Kathy walked into my office with my mug of coffee. She closed the office door behind her and said, "Walt, I love you. Jenna asked me to tell you she loves you, too."

I took the mug from her, took one sip and put the mug on my desk. I wrapped her in my arms and we kissed. When the kiss ended I said, "Will you flood that way every time we kiss?"

"For at least four or five years, probably."

"I'll order more paper towels." I kissed her again. For the next while I recounted my time with Colleen, the abbreviated version. We sipped our coffee and if someone had been watching they might not have seen how strong our urges were to use the carpet for a bed long enough to unite.

My phone rang before the temptation became actions diverting us to the carpet. Kathy scampered to her desk and answered. Ten seconds later my phone buzzed with the signal for a personal call. I answered, "Walt."

A feminine voice asked, "Did my sister tell you I love you this morning?"

"Yes, she did, if this is Jenna."

She giggled. "Did she tell you we went shopping yesterday?"

"No, but it's still early. I'll ask her and I'm asking you to keep the results of the shopping a secret until I can be there with you and see what you bought. Ok?"

"It'll be hard, but Ok."

"Are you at school?"

"Yes, morning recess. I have two minutes."

"Then you'd better go change pads. As I recall, you and Kathy both drip. I just wish I was there to do clean up."

"God! You are a tease! Bye, Honey!"

"By Honey!" I hung up. I got one more kiss from Kathy and the rest of the morning was business. The ULT-7000 had been installed and was up and running. I had a meeting with the team leaders and we hashed over their problems and concerns. By noon everyone was happy. I carried the picture of me with the sea bass down to John's office and used a piece of tape to tape it over the picture on his wall of him standing beside Neil Armstrong.

A little after two my phone rang and Kathy buzzed once, business. "Walt Peterson. How may I assist you?"

"Come get this ugly picture of you off my wall. Damn! Colleen has developed a skin condition."

"You should have seen her before." We laughed and when we were done I went to his office and brought back the picture. Kathy put it in a frame and mounted it on the wall behind my desk.

We stepped back to look at it and I said, "Someday we'll replace that picture with the one with you in the picture, too."

"Think any one will notice?"

"Yes! Colleen will notice. By the way, she gave us all of Memorial Day Weekend, no matter what Stan can or can't do."

"What else?" Kathy asked.

I told Kathy about the plans I had made to be prepared if, or when Stan and she screwed up and got caught. I knew if Stan didn't tell his wife, she'd find out eventually. The only question became when. She offered suggestions and they were good ones. I called my lawyer and we discussed a contingency plan for when they were discovered. I gave her, my lawyer, all the data she needed to prepare.

When the tale was told Kathy said, "When will he tell his wife?"

If he doesn't tell her this week he won't. He'll get caught before he tells."

"The longer he waits, the deader he is." Kathy said. I nodded.

"Should I call her?" I asked.

"Hell No! She'll find out, but it would be worse coming from you."

The office phone rang again. I got the business buzz. Ten minutes later the problem was solved. As I hung up it rang again. I got the personal buzz. "Walt."

It was Colleen. "Stan doesn't need to go home until eight." I'd known her long enough I could hear the excitement she was attempting to hide. She tried to say it with a flat voice.

"Enjoy. I'll get my own dinner. See you at home later. I love you, Bye."

By the time I said, "Bye." Kathy was in my lap. We kissed and I got erect.

She offered me three or four choices for dinner. I picked dessert.

We both drove to her home. She opened the garage and we both pulled in. In the kitchen she handed me a garage door opener. We cooked dinner together while we laughed and put on sing-along music. She gave me a print out of the music she had at home. One look told me she had at least seventy-five percent of the same music I had at home.

After clean up was done we wandered in a very direct line to her bathroom for a shower. When we were scrubbed and kissed clean we fell into bed and into my favorite position, sixty-nine. Actually, sixty-nine isn't my favorite. Sixty-nine means she nibbles on me while I nibble on her. My favorite position doesn't have a number. It's I eat her. Later we do my second favorite, I'm inside her. I do love how it looks to see my cock in a woman's mouth, but for my enjoyment... I'd rather eat her. I guess you'd say I'm a giver. 

At the end of a night, if the tally shows she had more than one orgasm and I had one, I say I won. Kathy set the alarm for nine. That gave me thirty minutes to drive home, thirty minutes to get ready for bed and I'd still get at least seven and a half hours sleep.

When the alarm went off the tally was Kathy lost count and Walt came once. I kissed her breasts and pussy after a quick rinse off shower and after I dressed I kissed her again. On my way home, I sang along with the same music we'd listened to as we played.

I was in bed asleep when Colleen came to bed. She kissed me and said, "Thank you for loving me. Sleep well."

When the alarm sounded we both jumped and started our days. That was the only night Colleen and Stan got together that week. The next week Colleen was late getting home from work twice. Wherever they met didn't have a shower and she came home smelling randy. Kathy and I were being careful. We didn't use my office, either of our cars or a "No-Tell-Motel". The week before Memorial Day Weekend Colleen took Thursday off. I assumed Stan took it off too. I didn't ask where they were going. Kathy and I took the afternoon off. My boss, John, had said that when I took time off I should give Kathy the same time. "After all, if you aren't there she has no one to assist."

At 1720 that afternoon my cell rang. I leaned out of bed and found it in my pants pocket. The window showed Colleen's name. I said, "It's Colleen." Then, I opened the phone, hit speaker and said, "Hi. What's up?"

"We've been caught!" She was crying and hard to understand. "We drove down to Laguna and checked into a nice place. A while later someone knocked on the door. Stan asked, "Who is it?" A man answered, "Room service." Stan had ordered some champagne so he opened the door. I was in bed and Stan had on a hotel robe. The man rolled the champagne cart into the room and handed Stan an envelope. He asked Stan if his name was Stanley Grey. I knew then we were caught. Stan said yes and the man said, "You've been served."

I said, "I'm sorry. What happened next?"

"As soon as he was served two women came into the room. One had a camera and the other one pulled the sheet off me. She also pulled the robe off Stan. They have pictures of us naked together. The woman with the camera is Stan's wife. The other one is her sister."

"I'm still sorry. What happens now?"

"What happens now is that you drive down here and bring me some clothes, if you will. Stan left his car in Nordstrom's parking lot. Donna demanded Stan get dressed and go with her and her sister. They took my clothes and shoes."

I got the address and room number. I knew I didn't need to tell her to stay put. She had no clothes. I hung up and both Kathy and I burst into laughter. The visual we both had of them getting caught was too funny not to laugh. Tragic and funny. We showered and dressed for the trip to Laguna.

After we stopped at my home and got Colleen some clothes and shoes, Kathy asked, "Remember the question you asked Colleen?"

"What happens now?"

She nodded. "Yes. That one. I'm asking."

"I warned her and I warned him. Embarrass me, make me the cuckold and I will be a monster. Colleen and Stan took the risk. I can do what needs to be done with no bad feelings about what happens to both of them. They were warned. We gave them an opportunity to have just what they wanted and even more, but they couldn't do it."

"What happens to us?" Her hand went to my arm and held on. I looked over for a few seconds and saw the pools of tears in her eyes.

"I told you. I'll tell you again. You're in. I love you and I can be with you, trust you, live with you, marry you if you'd like. Would you like to try monogamy with me?"

"No. That would be telling Jenna she can't be loved by either of us. I already love both of you. I don't need a ceremony in front of a judge to be married to both you and Jenna."

"I have a problem. You're my assistant, help me solve my problem. The problem is I have a home with ninety percent of my stuff in it. You have a home with all your stuff in it. Colleen can't keep living in the house when we're divorced. Do I sell it?"

"Sell it to her. She won't need to move and she keeps all her stuff right where it is."

She stayed touching me the rest of the way to Laguna Beach. We were met by hotel security and led to room 413. The security man unlocked the room and did not enter. He held the door open about two inches until I took hold of it. He remained in the hallway.

Colleen was sitting in the middle of the big bed with a sheet pulled up to just below her chin. It was obvious she had been crying. Kathy carried shoes and a bag with under things. I carried a dress into the room.

"It's bad enough I got caught! You didn't need to bring Kathy to see me!"

I tossed the dress on the bed and said, "Tough! You're right I didn't need to bring Kathy. I didn't bring her out of need. I brought her because I like being with her, like singing along to songs on the radio and I love her. You got caught by your own acts, not Stan's or his wife's or ours. You sit there in the bed where you decided to be with a married man. You screwed up! I have no choice but to do just what I told both of you I would do, become a monster."

She held the sheet to her face and cried louder. Kathy put the bag with her other clothes on the bed and dropped shoes on the floor. I asked, "Now that you can get dressed, can you get out of here?"

She looked up and nodded.

"It's Thursday night. You have until Sunday night to decide what you will do next. You will be served and we will be divorced. How public depends on what you do between now and when we get to court. Mrs. Stan may have the pictures she took here tonight. I have pictures and videos from San Francisco. Don't tempt me to use them."

I took Kathy's hand and walked out. At the elevator I said, "This is a nice hotel." Kathy nodded. The doors opened and we got in the elevator. When they opened again we were on the ground floor and Kathy said, "We will never stay here. Ever."

I nodded.

In the car as we drove home to Culver City I said, "My other house will be sold. Colleen can buy it or she can take her share of the money and move to Siberia. This weekend, if your offer still stands, I'll move in with you. Is that Ok?"

She squeezed my arm tighter and said, "Ok is too mild. Helping you move in is a dream I've had for years. If it's Ok with you, I have some calls to make as your move assistant."

I nodded.

Her cell phone came out from somewhere and she dialed. A female voice answered and Kathy said, "Do you still have that truck?" 

The voice said, "You need a truck? Is a man moving in with you?"

"No, not A man. The man." A scream and ten minutes conversation followed. Marlene and her truck would meet us at my house Friday evening at six.

The next call was answered by a man who answered by saying, "Kathy, you used to call more often."

"Sorry Daddy. Can you get both of you on the phone, so I don't need to repeat myself?"

It took a minute. Momma answered, "I was in the shower. What's so important that I couldn't finish washing my butt?"

"Starting tomorrow I'm helping Walt move his stuff from the house he shared with Colleen to my house. They are getting a divorce and he loves me!"

Momma asked, "Did you have anything to do with causing the divorce?"

I put my hand on Kathy's leg and said, "No. Colleen engineered the demise of our marriage on her own."

"Dad asked, "He's with you right now?"

"Yes, Daddy. We're in his car headed home. My question is do you want to come this weekend and help him move and get to know him?"

Dad's voice said, "She's already packing. We'll be there! I have to go. I love watching a naked woman pack for a trip." The phone clicked and they were gone.

The next call was placed and Jenna answered, "I just called your house."

"Why would you call my house? You know it never talks to you. Call me."

"Ok, I called to find out what the two of you have planned for this three-day weekend?"

"What you really want to know is are you invited."

"Yeah! Am I?"

I said, "That depends. Do you have clothes that are sexy and that you don't mind if they get dirty?"

"Cut off's and a halter top?"

"Then you're invited." Kathy said. "Colleen and Stan got caught! Walt's moving in this weekend!" A few more minutes of squealing and laughter followed. Jenna ended the call by agreeing to meet us at OUR house as soon as school let out Friday.

I asked Kathy to call my boss at home. She knew the number and dialed it.

He answered and I said, "John, Sit down and listen. This is Walt. I need tomorrow off. Tonight Colleen was caught fucking someone besides me. I'm filing for divorce in the morning and I have lots of things to do."

"This isn't a joke?"

"No. She's been having an ongoing affair. His wife caught them in a hotel tonight."

"I'm so sorry, man. Of course, you can have tomorrow off. I'll understand if you need Tuesday as well. This is quite a shock. I'm sorry, really sorry."

The call ended and I said, "Kathy please dial this number, 310. 459-0000."

She dialed without asking any questions.

A man answered, "Al Jenkins."

I said, "Al, Walt Peterson here. Have you got a minute?"

"Walt! Damn, it's good to hear from you. Last time we talked was the day you took five hundred from me when my Giants lost a game. You calling to get more of my money?"

"No, I like your money but I have a different topic for you. I want you to listen between the words, Ok?"

"Talk to me."

"I have a very good friend who lives way down in Seal Beach. I now live in Culver City and, well, if she had a teaching job closer to Culver City it would make life much easier."

It was quiet for a while in the car. Finally Al asked, "Where is Colleen in all this?"

"We are in the process of a divorce. She has ended our marriage by her choice. My friend is, at the moment, what might be called a person of considerable interest."

"What subjects does she teach?"

"English and social studies."

"I'll call you on Tuesday, after I have a chance to look to see if I can help. Ok?"

"Tuesday will be fine. Either call my cell or work numbers. I'm not living at home any more."

"Gotcha! I'm sorry to hear about Colleen and you splitting. Damn shame." The phone clicked.

"You think he can do it?" Kathy asked.

"Won't know until we try. Don't say anything to Jenna, Ok? I don't want to get her hopes up if it can't happen."

"I can't keep it from her. We have an agreement. No secrets. She will want to know you love her enough to want her living with us. I'm thrilled that you did the call on your own. You talked to Mr. Jenkins out of love for me and for Jenna."

We slept late and didn't get out of bed until almost eight-thirty. I came back to bed and called three friends to see if they would help move me. All three said they'd be at the house at nine Saturday morning. Kathy helped me gather boxes, tape, packing stuff and trash bags while I made phone calls to lawyers, banks, a broker and my Dad. Dad didn't remember me as me. Sometimes he does and I had hoped for one of those times. He lives in Idaho and since Mom died in 1996 he's steadily gone down hill. I told him the news about me and Colleen anyway and he said he'd tell Margaret, my Mom, when she woke up from her nap.

By three were at the house and began packing things. The first part was easy. All my clothes got packed. We stacked the boxes on my side of the garage. Then my books and electronics got packed. They were still pretty easy. Colleen wasn't home when we arrived, making it easier.

Kathy asked, after an hour, if we could have some music. I had decided to leave the stereo, so I said, "Sure." She put on an album I loved, but was surprised she knew about. It's a sound track from a movie called "How the West was Lost". The music is almost meditative. It was soothing.

Kathy had brought colored stickers for items like furniture. My desk got a sticker as did the bookshelves in my home office. She carried a box of bathroom items to the garage and when she came back she found me looking at a wall of the living room. The wall had sixty or so framed pictures on it. Most of them were from events or places we had been together and showed us with friends.

Kathy gently wrapped her arms around me at chest level and didn't speak. After a time I said, "She threw all of this away. The old game was just too ingrained into her, I guess,"

I turned and started to leave the living room. Kathy said, "There's a picture there of you, your Dad and your Mom. I think you should have it on the wall at home. Please look the pictures over, one at a time and pick ones that speak love to you."

I kissed her and over the next half an hour picked twelve pictures from the wall. A picture taken at our daughter's high school graduation prompted a phone call from me to her. I sat in my recliner holding the picture in one hand and the phone in the other when I called her. She answered, " Willow." 

I said, "It's dad Sweetheart. What does today look like for you?"

"A pretty easy day. Some studying and later a BBQ over at friends. Why?"

"Willow, your mom and I are getting a divorce."

"What happened? Why? I thought you loved each other!"

"If sure she'd tell you she loves me and she loves you. I love her and I love you. This divorce is her choice. She made the choice. I'm going to be moving this weekend. My cell number won't change."

"Why, Dad? Why?" It was obvious she was crying.

"Answers to your questions need to come from Colleen. I love you."

Kathy boxed the pictures I picked and took the box to the garage. She gently kissed me often. We went room by room through the house. Somehow the last room was the master bedroom. Kathy had packed all my clothes just after we arrived, but I had not stepped into the bedroom all day.

The bed was slept in but not made. I hurt to look at it. Colleen hadn't protected our love. She had killed what was there between us, knowing it would die. I was in the room for less than five minutes. I carried a partially filled box out of the room and as Kathy followed me out she closed the door.