Usually, I loved Saturday mornings. Without the pressure of getting ready for work, grabbing coffee, racing through the showering and dressing routine, Saturday mornings were relaxed, comfortable, languid moments of easing into a day. I loved basking in the sunlight that beamed through the windows of the breakfast nook, sipping the hearty brew I prefer, and simply enjoying an interlude of peace and tranquility. Usually.

This Saturday, however, it was not to be. My loving wife, Carolyn, was in a state of high dudgeon. While trying to keep her voice down so as to not disturb our sleeping guests, Cary, as I called her, was clearly upset with me.

“What the fuck happened to you?” she growled. Her bright green eyes flared from beneath the veil of her dark red hair. Her features sharpened in their intensity. She was beautiful, but clearly angry.

“What was I supposed to do?” I responded, realizing at the last second that answering her question with one of my own would heighten her state of indignation.

“You were supposed to be there for me!”

“I was,” I assured her. “You had the image. I gave that to you.”

“Really? And how could you be there for me? You were with the super-hot Andrea? That was not part of the bargain,” she spat, with a strong emphasis on the word “not”.

“Well according to her, it was,” I said defensively. “You invited them.”

“I invited Drew. I did not realize he would bring her with him.”

“They’re a couple,” I reminded her.

“They probably won’t be after last night.”

“Oh, come on,” I replied with a hint of disdain. “You can’t really believe that what happened last night would break them up, do you? She told us they’d done that before.”

“If it was me, I would dump your sorry ass.”

“That’s only because it was your first time.”

“How did I let you talk me into this?” she fumed.

“Wait a minute,” I protested. “All I said was that you could screw him if you wanted to. I hardly talked you into it. You were the one going on about how he made you all tingly and moist.”

Cary huffed at me and brushed her hair away from her face. “You took advantage of the situation.”

“Are you jealous? Is that it?”

“Of course I’m jealous! My God, Kevin! Look at her! She’s gorgeous!”

I shrugged. “So are you.”

“Oh, come on.” There was venom in her voice.

I sighed, tired of the fight. “I’m not in love with her, Cary. I’m in love with you.”

“You fucked her, Kevin!”

“And you fucked Drew, darling. Do you love me any less after screwing him all night?”

“Of course not. It was just sex, you know? It was good sex, sure, but that’s all it was.”

“Same here,” I said, wanting to put it away.

After Cary’s unsettling experience with Drew at her office she and I had done a little imagination exploration. I’d given her some imagery and let her explore a variety of possibilities. In spite of what I thought were obvious carnal inclinations with her co-worker, Cary had said she would have to think about it. I let her stew.

Finally, the following Wednesday evening, my curiosity overwhelmed my good sense.

“Anything new on the Drew front?”

“Why are you asking me that?”

“Well, it’s been nearly a week and you haven’t said anything about him. Are you still talking to him?

“We still talk,” she said. “I mean, he still comes by my desk and speaks to me.”

“Still asking those uncomfortable questions, is he?”

She sighed. “Yes.”

“But no more finger-sucking orgasms?”

“No.”

“Well? What are you two talking about now?”

She put her fork down on her plate and took a sip of her wine. “Yesterday he said it seemed like I’d put up a wall. He asked me if I stopped loving him.”

That drew a chuckle from me. “I’m sure you were highly indignant.”

“I told him that I hadn’t ever loved him.”

“You’re making me drag this out of you, Cary. Why don’t you just spill it?”

“I told him I didn’t love him. He said maybe not, but I wanted him. So, I said that wasn’t true.”

“You lied.”

“Yes, I did. And he called me on it. He said I was a terrible liar.”

“Go ahead.”

“He said we both wanted the same thing, so why should we deny it.”

“So you played the married card again?”

“It’s like he can see right through me, Kevin. It’s very unnerving.”

“You got all huffy and reminded him you were married. And what did he say?”

“He said he hadn’t forgotten that, but he’d bet you and I had talked about it. I didn’t want him to know about our imagery sessions, so I told him we hadn’t.”

“And he called you on that lie, too, didn’t he?”

“He said that I had and there were only two possible outcomes. Either you got all pissed off and demanded I stop talking to him, or you said I should go ahead and do it if I wanted. How did he know that?

I shrugged. “Seems reasonable.”

“Then he said that because I was still speaking with him, he thought it was the latter. I don’t know how he knows all this. I didn’t tell him, I swear.”

“So that was it?”

“No. He got pretty graphic. He said he wanted to wrap my hair around his hands, pull my head back and kiss my neck. Then he told me he knew I wanted to feel him against my naked skin. He said, ‘I know you want to feel me inside you.’ How does he know all this?”

“So, did you tell him about our imagery session then?”

“No. I begged him to stop.”

“How did he respond to that?”

“He said, ‘I know you’re aching for me, just the way I ache to have you naked and in my arms. You want me just as badly as I want you.’”

“What did you say?”

“I got mad. I told him it didn’t matter what I wanted or what he wanted. I said that we had other obligations, and we just couldn’t get naked and screw because we wanted to. I chewed him out pretty good.”

“You didn’t chew him out, Cary. You just confirmed what he’s been saying.”

She looked at me in stunned amazement. “Oh, my God! I did, didn’t I? That explains why he didn’t stay and talk today. He just walked up to my desk and put this note down and walked away.”

“What note?”

“I shredded it. I was afraid somebody would see it. It said, ‘We will have each other, Cary, and it will be wonderful.’ Probably because of what I said yesterday.”

“Honey, give it up. No, seriously. You’ve told me, and I’m good with it. Just do it, will you? Stop trying to pretend you don’t want to.”

“How, Kevin?” her voice was almost a sob. “I don’t even know how. I mean, I don’t want to go to some tawdry motel and just fuck. There’s got to be more to it than that.”

“Invite him here, baby. Tell him it’s your comfort zone. Tell him about our image session and let him know that everything is okay.”

“I can’t tell him that,” she sobbed. “He’ll know.”

“Honey, he already knows. Just ask him to come over after dinner Friday for cocktails or something. Don’t make a big deal out of it. I’m willing to bet he won’t be snarky about it. Hell, give him the invite and kiss him on the cheek, just so he’ll know there are no hard feelings.”

“How? How do I do that? How do I invite him without sounding like I’m a slut surrendering to him?”

“Hand him a note with the address, date and time on it, just like he gave you his note. Then tell him you hate it when people are late.”

“You know what’s going to happen, don’t you? I mean, once he’s here.”

I smiled at her. “Yup,” I said. “You’re going to get marvelously made, splayed and laid. You’ll love it. So will he. And, in case you’re wondering, so will I.”

“You’re sure about this?”

“I’m sure. I love you. This is tearing you up. Let’s do it and move along.”

“And you’ll still love me?”

“Forever, baby. I told you. It’s just sex, right?”

“Right,” Cary said. “It’s just sex. Just like tennis.”

I laughed. “That’s right. Just like tennis.”

The doorbell rang at three minutes before seven that Friday night. Cary was in the kitchen making up some light hors d’oeuvres, so I answered the bell. I had to admit I was a little anxious about meeting him. It gave me a bit of a twist in my gut to realize he would probably be naked with my Cary later in the evening. The real shock came when I opened the door.

“Hello,” she said, her voice like a medium range golden bell. “You must be Kevin. I’m Andrea, Drew’s fiancée.” She held out a delicate hand.

I took her hand in mine. We didn’t really shake, though. We just held each other’s hand for a moment. She had her obviously long, blonde, nearly white hair in some sort of roll that pulled it off a long, delicate neck and displayed small studs in her earlobes. Her eyes sparkled in what I took to be excitement. She stood nearly as tall as me and her beauty nearly made me gasp.

“Kevin,” I said. “Yes. Please. This is an unexpected and welcome surprise. Come in.”

She leaned into me, planted a delicate kiss on my cheek, released my hand and stepped past me.

“Kevin,” Drew Galbraithe said energetically as he stepped forward to greet me. “It is so great to finally meet you. Cary talks about you incessantly.”

“Drew,” I acknowledge, returning his smile and sharing his firm handshake. “I could say the same about you.”

“Should I be flattered or concerned?” he laughed, stepping across the threshold to join his fiancé.

I shut the door and turned to usher them into our living room. “Cary’s just in the kitchen,” I said, choosing to ignore his question. “Please, have a seat. Nothing is reserved, so make yourselves comfortable and tell me what I can get you to drink.”

“A white wine for Andrea, and Scotch rocks for me, if you can,” he said.

“Of course,” I answered. “The same Chablis Cary’s drinking?” I asked the stunning Andrea.

“That would be lovely,” she replied with a brilliant smile.

As I moved toward the bar next to the French doors to the patio Cary walked into the room carrying a glass tray. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Andrea.

“Cary!” Drew cried out, leaping to his feet. He relieved her of the tray and set it on the coffee table in front of the sofa where he and Andrea had taken seats. “This is my fiancée, Andrea. I hope you don’t mind. I wanted the two of you to meet.”

I turned from the bar with Andrea’s Chablis in one hand and Drew’s Scotch rocks in the other and watched Cary’s reaction. The dynamic had definitely shifted, yet Cary glided over it with poise and charm. She clasped her hands in front of her and smiled genuinely at Andrea.

“What a wonderful surprise,” she said. “I’m so glad you’re here.” She appeared to float across the room and into the easy chair facing the newly arrived couple. “Aren’t you simply gorgeous?”

“Here you go,” I interjected, hastily delivering the glasses to Andrea and Drew. I recovered my own from the mantle and moved into the recliner that served as my usual perch in the room. “Shall we toast?” I asked, raising my glass. “To new friends?”

“I do hope so,” Andrea replied. She raised her glass and sipped with all of us. She looked toward Cary and said, “Drew told me you were attractive. He didn’t tell me you were such a classic beauty. I should have known.”

“You flatter me,” Cary said, smiling. “I can’t imagine why he would even look at another woman with a dream like you in his life.”

“Why, darling, because I encourage him to do so,” Andrea grinned at her. “And thank you for your own flattering comment.”

The small talk began with a discussion of backgrounds, education, jobs, and other minutia. In spite of the shock of Andrea’s presence and the stilted beginning of the conversation, we were soon talking like old friends catching up with one another. The topic of Drew’s pursuit of Cary went unmentioned until Cary asked Andrea about their relationship.

“You said you encouraged Drew to look at other women,” Cary said to her. “Doesn’t it make you jealous?”

“I suppose if we were less committed to one another it would,” Andrea replied. “But I’m confident Drew is passionately in love with me, as I am with him. We have a unique relationship that allows us the freedom to enjoy each other and our special friends.”

“Special friends?” I asked.

“What does that mean, special friends?” Cary echoed as soon as I’d asked.

“Drew?” Andrea directed to her man.

“You go ahead,” Drew told her smiling.

“We have a small number of friends who are very special in our lives.

We thought the two of you would be wonderful candidates to add to that little group. We don’t have to decide that tonight, of course.”

“What is it that makes these people special friends?” I asked.

Drew looked at Andrea and nodded. She looked at me first and then fixed her eyes on Cary. “We have sex with them. We’re very close,” he added quickly.

My breath caught in my throat. I had to admire Cary. She acted as if it was the most normal thing she’d heard all day. “I would think they would be close if you’re having sex with them.”

Andrea laughed and shifted on the couch until she was sitting on the edge. She turned her black stocking-clad legs until her knees were facing Cary. “Drew has told me a great deal about you, Cary. He told me how attractive he finds you, and that he believes you share the same attraction to him. Was he mistaken?”

“He’s not mistaken,” I answered for Cary. “In fact, she’s told me that she’s been quite unnerved at her reaction to his presence.”

“Kevin!” Cary said sharply in reproof.

“It’s all right, darling,” Andrea spoke to Cary. “It happens to all of us. That’s why we’re here.”

“You’re here,” Cary said somewhat stiffly, “Because I invited Drew for cocktails after dinner.”

The smile Andrea gave her would have lit up a darkened room. “Yes, and for Drew to meet Kevin. If they hit it off, then you and Drew were going to have sex. But, you see, we don’t do things that way. Drew doesn’t get to roam around freely and sow his seed wherever he may. We are partners; a team, if you will. What we do, my dear, is share. I’m willing to share my Drew with you. In return, we will want you to share your delightful, intelligent, and engaging husband with us.”

Drew moved quickly to the chair where Cary sat. He knelt in front of her. “I told you I ache for you, Cary. I believe you ache for me the same way. Please,” he said softly and urgently, “Believe me when I tell you that this works. I know it may be a bit of a shock right now. Just give it a chance.”

“You want me to let Kevin screw Andrea so you and I can have sex,” Cary said, her voice even and steady.

“We swap, darling,” Andrea said. “We don’t cheat on each other.”

“Close your eyes, Cary,” I told her, only half joking.

“You shut up,” she responded. “Is this what your special friends do?” she asked Drew.

He nodded silently.

“What else?”

“I’m not sure I understand,” Drew said.

“Will I be expected to screw them, as well, and to share Kevin with them?”

“It is a closed group,” Andrea answered for him, “But it is internally open. Any couple is free to participate with others in the group. But, nobody is ever forced to sleep with anybody else.”

“How many people are we talking about, here?” Cary asked her.

“Six people,” she said. “Three couples. You and Kevin would make four.”

“What do you mean by a closed group?” Cary probed.

“We’re very selective and careful about who joins us. You and Kevin are the first couple we’ve considered in over a year.”

“Why aren’t the two of you married?” Cary asked.

“Cary,” I said softly, “This is starting to sound like an inquisition.”

“We are,” Andrea said. “We just thought you’d be more open to Drew if you thought we were just engaged.”

“How long have you known?” Cary asked her, “About Drew trying to seduce me.”

“From the beginning, darling,” Andrea answered. “When he told me you were attractive and intelligent I encouraged him to pursue you.”

Cary stood up. “I don’t like deception,” she said. “I feel manipulated and betrayed.”

Andrea stood up and walked quickly to Cary. “That was my fault,” she admitted. “I apologize. I wouldn’t like it either, were I in your place. We should have been honest with you. But, I’m not sure we’d be here right now if we had. Please accept my apology. I’m sorry.”

Cary took a sip of wine from her glass and stared at Andrea. “Why did you do this?”

“I love my husband, darling. He is crazy about you. It’s this close,” she held up her thumb and forefinger about a quarter inch apart, “From a full-blown obsession. I want him to have you. And I want you to want him. So, this really is all my fault. Please don’t hold it against him.”

I could see the tension in Cary’s shoulders. She continued to look at Andrea. “Kevin,” she said, “you told me I should have sex with Drew if I wanted.”

“That’s true,” I replied.

“Do you think I should go through with it?”

“I think that’s up to you, baby. That’s why I told you to close your eyes.”

Andrea put her forehead against Cary’s temple. I could hear her low voiced half-whisper. “Take him, darling, please. He adores you. I know you’ll be marvelous together. Don’t let my silly mistake ruin what could be an exceptional relationship between us all. He wants you so much, and I know you’ve wanted him. Please. Forgive me.”

I saw her shoulders relax. She looked to her right, down to Drew, still kneeling by the chair. She extended her hand to encourage him to stand. She turned and handed her glass to Andrea.

“I told Kevin I was amazed at how you could see through me,” she told Drew. “I don’t know how you did it. But, everything you said was right.” She put her hands on his shoulders. “So, if your wife doesn’t mind, I already know my husband’s good with it. But, I have one more test for you; one more opportunity to read my mind like you’ve done in the past. You have to tell me what I want right now more than anything.”

I shot a look at Andrea, who stood holding the two wine glasses. Her eyes were sparkling as she looked at her husband holding my wife around the waist. Drew looked into Cary’s eyes.

“That’s easy,” Andrea said in almost a whisper. “She wants you to kiss her.”

Drew pulled her closer to him. “I knew that,” he said, leaning down to capture Cary’s lips with his own.

Cary’s knees almost gave way. Andrea and I exchange smiles as we heard Cary moan.

When Drew’s lips released Cary’s, she turned and looked at Andrea and me. “He’s already getting hard,” she said softly. “I want him.”

“Take him to the bedroom, darling,” Andrea told her gently, “And have a wonderful time.”

Drew looked at his wife. She nodded, and the two of them walked out of the room with their arms wrapped around each other’s backs.

I reached toward Andrea to take Cary’s half-empty glass from her hand. She poured the remnants into her own glass and handed me the empty vessel with a bright smile. She tilted her own glass and took a long drink from it. “Thank you,” she said.

“No problem,” I replied, placing the empty glass on an end table.

“I feel badly about the way that went,” she said. “It almost didn’t happen because of me. I like her. I really do. She’s beautiful and smart. I really want us to be friends. I guess I owe you an apology, too.”

“Not me. This is all about Cary, as far as I’m concerned. I’m glad you’re here, though. It will help pass the time while they do their thing.”

Andrea’s blonde curls shimmered as she shook her head. “No, you don’t understand. I was serious. If he’s getting laid, I’m getting laid, too. I presume you have some sort of a guest bedroom?”

“We do,” I replied, “but, I really wanted this evening to be about Cary.”

“It doesn’t work like that, Kevin. It doesn’t have to happen immediately, but at some time tonight I want to feel you close to me, feel your flesh press into mine, and feel your hardness inside me.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. “I usually don’t have sex on the first date.”

“Neither do I,” she grinned. “But tonight’s an exception.”

“Why?”

“Mmm,” she hummed, taking another sip. “Because we are going to fit so well. I mean the four of us.”

“You can’t know that.”

“I’ve become somewhat of an expert in this. In spite of your willingness to share Cary with Drew, I seriously doubt it is because of any lack of attention or ability on your part. I think Cary is simply excited about her power to so easily tempt my husband.”

“I don’t know if she’s going to entertain the idea of the special friends group.”

“Hmm. I know. But that doesn’t have to happen immediately either. Give it some time. Give her time to adjust being comfortable with Drew, and accept the two of us being together.”

“If you’ll pardon me, I’m very much surprised at your open relationship. I thought Drew was just a handsome, single, rake that my wife found adorable. I almost want to apologize for letting Cary lead him on like that.”

“Mm-mmm,” she hummed, shaking her head as she took another large sip of her wine. “You really don’t understand, darling. This is my idea. I talked Drew into it.”

“Well, you’re right, I don’t understand.”

“Drew and I were exclusive for about six months after we married. I was the one who started to miss the variety. When we were out and about, I would look for attractive women and point them out to Drew. He was pretty ambivalent about it at first. Then we made some friends who were also attractive. Drew and I would do role play. Eventually, I got him to agree to try a little soft swapping. Finally, he agreed to go the whole way. Now, with hot women like Cary, I turn him loose and he does the seducing. I get the benefit.”

“And the special friends?”

“Yeah. See, Kevin, I like the feeling of a strange cock inside me. It’s just a real thrill to feel that first penetration. Drew and I tried to duplicate it, but it just wasn’t the same. So, we established this little circle of playmates. I get that wonderful feeling of initial penetration regularly, now, and he gets to provide it to the wives in our group. We don’t have to go hunting for partners anymore. It works very well for the most part.”

“Are there problems?”

“Not really. But, Cary and you are an opportunity that just happened to come along. We’re not about to pass it up.”

“I wouldn’t think you’d have any trouble at all attracting suitors.”

She smiled. “I’m very particular, darling. I like my men to be married to beautiful women, intelligent, funny, as well as willing. You fit the bill perfectly.”

“But we never met before tonight.”

“Tonight was the test. You passed. Not only are you intelligent, funny, and engaging, you also care deeply about Cary. That makes you in the top one percent. Once you get through the initiation, you and Cary will be a marvelous addition to our special friends.”

“Initiation?”

“Not to worry. Everybody involved is polite, respectful and cares about everyone involved. It really isn’t horrible at all.”

“Cary is liable to balk at that. What does it involve?”

She grinned. “That’s a secret. But I’ll tell you this. Everybody in our special friends group has been through it and had a wonderful time. It’s all about pleasure. Don’t worry about Cary. She’ll love it. And, it will just happen one night. You won’t even see it coming.”

She set her nearly empty glass on the coffee table and stood up. She walked toward me and unceremoniously sat in my lap.

“That was a very nice Chablis,” she said. “I’m feeling all warm and cuddly. Would you mind cuddling with me for a bit?”

“I’d be delighted,” I responded.

“Good,” she replied. “I don’t hear any screams for mercy coming from the bedroom. I guess they’re getting on all right.” She snuggled into the crook of my shoulder where it meets my neck. The aroma of her perfume was delightful, as was the feeling of her lithe body pressed against mine. I realized that this woman was irresistible and felt a stirring begin below my beltline.

“Cary has imagined this for a couple of weeks,” I informed her, planting a gentle kiss on her temple and inhaling her fragrance. “Not this, but that.”

“Did I surprise you?”

“You did.”

“Were you mad?”

“Not at all. Delighted, actually.”

“Are you glad I came?”

“I am.”

“Can I tell you a secret?”

“If you like.”

“I’m going to be glad you came, too.”

“Ah,” I chuckled. “Dirty talk.”

“Not yet,” she laughed. “But soon, I hope.”

“Andrea,” I said hesitantly, “You know, this wasn’t part of my bargain with Cary.”

“Hmmm,” she hummed. “I do know. But it is part of the bargain now. I think she’s accepted that.”

“Cary gets to have Drew and you get me, huh?”

“That’s right.” She leaned up and kissed my cheek, then took my earlobe between her teeth. “I think you should take me to your guest bedroom, darling. We’ll strip the bed and each other. Then we’ll have marvelous first-time sex with each other, I’ll get to feel that first penetration, and we’ll make some wonderful memories.”

“You’re a real piece of work,” I laughed gently.

She stood up from my lap and extended a gorgeously manicured, delicate hand. I took it and stood up.

“I’m a pretty good piece of ass, too,” she whispered conspiratorially. “At least you know I’m not going to just lay there and let it happen.”

“Really? What are you planning?”

“Why, darling, I’m planning to fuck and be fucked; to please and to be pleased; to sleep with my body entangled with yours and to wake up aroused, needy, and to wake you to satisfy my desire to feel your hard cock throbbing inside me. Sound like a plan to you?”

I nodded and we set out for the guest bedroom.

As we walked down the hall past the master bedroom, I could hear Cary crying out in ecstasy. Andrea squeezed my hand.

“There’s no better sound than to hear your lover in the throes of an orgasm, is there?”

“Hmm,” I laughed. “And it’s especially provocative when someone else is making it happen.”