These are stories that explore fantasies of men watching their women with other men. This is sometimes referred to as a cuckold fantasy, but I hesitate to apply that label to my own work. Unfortunately, many popular depictions of the cuckold fantasy as I write this in 2013 are infused with malicious humiliation, sadomasochism, and in some cases even bisexuality. In contrast, the wives in my stories love their husbands but are unhappy with their sex lives. It's clear that frequency of sex declines with age which may be due to decreased hormone levels or perhaps over familiarity. The women in these stories make the decisions they do in an attempt to rekindle the flame. The men love their wives and struggle to come to grips with the pain of infidelity coupled with the unexpected arousal.
In the 1996 book "Sperm Wars" Robin Baker suggests that the cuckold fetish has evolutionary roots. According to this theory a man who believes that his partner has been with another man will be prompted to copulate with his woman in order to compete with the man's sperm. Baker's science is questionable, but it's a theory worth considering. Doesn't a man feel challenged when another pays attention to his woman? Doesn't he strive to rise to the occasion and overcome his adversary? For many older couples the very idea of an adversary competing for the wife's sexual attention has long faded from memory.
Older women often feel that men are paying more attention to younger women, so seeking attention from other men might be a way for them to build their self-esteem. Of course feminism dictates that a woman base her self-esteem on her own worth, and that is a noble and modern aspiration. But on some level, we all get a boost from the interest of the opposite sex. (This is more pronounced in heterosexuals admittedly.) A loving husband understands these urges in his wife, but these stories delve into what happens as that attention seeking becomes a slippery slope and descends into adultery before the husband's very eyes.
However, as popular as polyamory is these days, I remain deeply skeptical. These stories are intended as fantasies, not a call to action. The deep bonds formed over many years of marriage are too valuable to risk by acting out these animal urges. Look how much nicer Paris became when folks resisted the animal urge to defecate in the streets. I fear that most relationships will be damaged by the jealousy and incrimination of actual infidelity in real life. I wish those of you actively living scenarios like this the best of luck. For the rest of us, I would quote the Big Lebowski: The brain is the biggest erogenous zone. Hold these fantasies in your head and may they rekindle the fire in your loins.
Newly wed couple Arthur and Eleanor joined a couple of friends Herman and Lester one night to enjoy a rousing game of “Settlers of Catan,” a board game cherished by nerds the world over. Unfortunately their friendly game was disrupted by the intervention...
