I came home in the middle of a normal work day, having decided I needed a break from the corporate world. I pulled a cold beer from the refrigerator, and headed out to the patio. The pool looked so refreshing, but since it was early Spring, I knew better than to try and attempt a swim. I fished off my beer and then grabbed another one.
Suddenly, I heard a female voice shout out at me,
“Take off the shirt!”
I looked around and didn’t see anyone. Then I heard snickers. I glanced up at the second-floor bedroom window of the Rickert’s house.
“Thank God I decided to not work on my butt tan,” I replied out loud.
“Go for it,” Rhonda shot back.
Rhonda and Jim had lived next door to us for several years. While we casually knew each other, from mostly street-side mailbox chats and across the fence banter, we had not really got to know them really, well. Rhonda was in her mid to late thirties and a head-turner with her long blonde hair and svelte figure. Jim was a very lucky guy.
“Come share a beer with me,” I shouted back up at the screen window.
“A beer or a bed?” Rhonda shouted back. I don’t know why we were shouting, since we could probably have gotten by without raising our voices.
“A beer,” I replied. “We can talk about the bed later.”
“Hold on,” she replied, “I’ll be right down.”
A few moments later and Rhonda walked through the gate to our patio. She looked great in her stretchy yoga pants and a cut-off t-shirt that showed off her well-toned abs.
“Been working out?” I asked.
“Sorta,” she said as I stood, arms extended and palms turned up. Rhonda slipped her arms around my waist and for the first time ever, we hugged like true friends.
“Love your hug,” Rhonda remarked as she took a seat on a chase lounge beside mine. “Why haven’t we hugged before now?”
“Why haven’t you stepped into our back yard before now?” I countered.
“No one invited me,” Rhonda replied.
“Well,” I replied, “You’re more than welcome to come over and visit any time.”
Rhonda smiled.
“Where is Vickie?” she asked.
“Vickie is at work,” I replied.
“ . . .and why aren’t you?” Rhonda asked.
“I needed a break,” I replied.
“Lucky me,” Rhonda replied.
I offered Rhonda a beer and she replied,
“I thought you said you wanted to share a bed,” she teased.
“Like Jim and Vicki would ever agree to that,” I replied, noting that we were both very married and not to each other.
“So are you telling me that you and Vicki are firing on all cylinders?” Rhonda inquired.
“No, we don’t,” I disclosed, “but we fire up enough when it matters the most. What about you and Jim?”
“It’s on and off again, depending on his mood,” Rhonda replied.
It was a strange conversation, chatting about our marriages before we even had a chance to really get to know each other.
“Look,” Rhonda blurted out, “I’ll cut to the chase. You’re a good-looking guy, and I think you’re hot. I don’t know what you think about me, but I don’t mind sharing what I’ve got.”
I chuckled. A “come-on” that rhymed. This was a first for me.
I glanced away from the glistening waters of my pool and over at my patio guest. She was bra less and her nipples stood strong, poking at the thin fabric of her t-shirt.
“I am sorry,” she quickly added, “I don’t know what came over me.”
“You don’t have to apologize,” I quickly replied, “You are pretty good looking and very sexually attractive.”
Rhonda flipped her long blonde hair back over her soft shoulders and smiled.
“Thanks,” she said, “I only wish I heard that more often.”
“Well,” I countered, “You are married, so I doubt many guys are going to just walk up to you and say that with a rick on your left hand.”
“You do have a point,” Rhonda replied as she gazed off towards the pool.
“Are you sure you don’t want a beer?” I pressed.
“Well,” Rhonda replied, “Maybe one.”
I headed into the house to grab a beer from the refrigerator.