The morning after Jim learned that his wife was cheating on him, he awoke on the sofa in his office with a kink in his neck. He showered and shaved in the executive washroom but had no change of clothes.

His phone showed three missed calls from her. Without returning them he began to work.

Later his secretary informed him that Cassie was on the line sounding upset. He said, “I don’t want to speak to her.”

“What should I tell her?” she asked.

“That I don’t want to talk to her.” His manner was more abrupt than necessary with her.

It was late morning when he realized that he had not eaten anything. He opened his office door to go to the cafeteria, and there was Cassie sitting in the reception area.

As he walked past her, she rose, slipped her arm in his and said, “Let’s get you something to eat.” Can she read minds? he wondered.

Not wanting a scene in the office, he said nothing as she led him out toward his local diner.

“Well, darling, you gave me a start this morning when you weren’t where you belong.” She smiled as she said it. “Is something wrong?”

“Only that my wife was busy fucking my so-called friend.” There was heavy sarcasm in his voice.

“But you knew we planned to have sex last night, that was why we invited Frank to dinner. Was it because I left your bed to go with him?”

“I thought he had gone home, where was he?”

“It turns out he was waiting in the den. Should I have sent him away because we fell asleep early? Why didn’t you join us?” She looked naively innocent.

“Look, let’s cut to the chase; I eavesdropped on you. I heard you admit to cheating on me and making plans to continue doing it. So don’t play dumb here.”

“I see. I’m sorry that you had to hear that. What do you plan to do?”

“I am going to go live and work in Boston and get a divorce, of course. Then you two can fuck your brains out and you can cheat on each other, but not in my house again; my lawyers will sell it out from under you.”

They went in and sat at a booth. Jim ordered breakfast; Cassie, only coffee. Jim was annoyed at her apparent aplomb. Doesn’t anything rattle her? he thought.

“Jimmy, I will stop seeing Frank immediately if you want.” She didn’t sound very alarmed. “I would die if you left me.” She reached across and put her hand on his, looking into his eyes warmly.

“You are my one true love. I’m convinced we are soulmates, you and I. What would you do in Boston all alone?”

“I won’t be alone. I have a friend there who, I am sure will be glad to see me. We became quite close while I was dealing with your gay adventure.”

“You mean you have been having an affair behind MY back?” Her amused reaction was loud. People in the diner were beginning to notice their discussion.

“There was no sex, just several close calls but my sense of propriety wouldn’t let me go there.”

“Oh sweetheart, I would have been overjoyed to learn that you had a fuck buddy there. I would have felt less guilty about not going with you. You know I do not value celibacy highly, and you know my family history.

“My model of a happy couple was my parents; they both shared their bodies with many others and yet were firmly committed to each other. Their love was strong and lasting.”

She kept stroking Jim’s hand, getting him aroused and annoyed at once. He could feel his resolve beginning to crumble.

“I presume that they knowingly chose their lifestyle. I don’t remember agreeing for you to be promiscuous. How could I ever trust you again?”

“I’m going to do whatever it takes to make you love me again. Let’s move to Boston together; there will be no Frank to tempt me.”

“There will always be another Frank. Now that I know that I don’t satisfy you, how could I feel good about limiting you to my meager offerings?”

“Don’t you know, you big dummy, that you satisfy me in ways that Frank never could? Sure, he has a big dick and he knows how to use it, mainly due to my training. But I could never live with him, and have no deep feelings for him.

“His big cock is fun to play with, and it reaches places in my pussy that you cannot, but that’s where it ends, pardon the pun.

“Making love with you is the complete package for me. You are my guy and you always will be, so please come home tonight and let’s make this work, OK?”

As she turned to leave she said, “I left a clean shirt with your secretary.”

When she walked out, every male head in the diner turned and watched. Jim’s brain was fried, with anger, jealousy and love. He wondered if he could ever get her off balance; he doubted it.

He wanted to tell her that the way she kisses Frank makes his heart ache, but she was gone, and he didn’t want to admit how bad he felt at the thought of leaving her.

That evening, Jim moped into the house like a condemned man to the gallows. He knew if she cast her spell on him and he caved, he would feel like a fool and a wimp; if he packed a bag and left, he would merely be a fool.

He held his arms at his sides when she hugged and kissed him. She got two cold ones from the fridge and led him to the den sofa where she clinked her long-neck on his and said, “Straight talk: I will love you ’til I die, and you will love me until you hate me. I will not let you leave me. If you go to Boston, I will follow you, whether you ask me to or not. But I am a slut who needs lots of sex.”

This was the old Cassie from before the gay Jill episode, taking charge. She took my hand in hers and raised it to her lips.

“Now about Frank:

“Frank is an itch that I love to scratch, he’s like a drug and he’s easy. I call, he comes, fucks me then leaves; or I ring his doorbell, he fucks me and I leave, all happy as can be. There is no lasting emotional involvement there. The endorphin rush is strong but finite. I suspect you are more attached to Frank than I am.

“I know I should not use the old massage analogy, but it is a close parallel. You would not expect me to ask permission for a weekly massage.” Oh, weekly eh?

“We have been completely discrete. The fact that you only recently became suspicious shows that I have given you all the sex and loving that you desired.

“Last night was the first time ever that I have left our bed to go to him. It won’t happen again.

“Believe it or not, after he and I have sex, I often crave making love to you, but I have not left any trace of him on me. You may not know it but you get extra attention because of him.

“I can give him up, but remember, if we become monogamous, you have a full-time job satisfying me. I will show you no mercy.” Her smile sent a thrill down my spine.

“And are you ready to go without our threesomes? I’m pretty sure Frank wants more than an occasional evening of play with us. He has been calling me often for sex. He may just go elsewhere to play.”

That seemed to be the end of Cassie’s defense. She took Jim’s face in her hands and kissed him long and hard. “You know you love and cherish me and want me to be here for you. Now, take me upstairs and let me make love to you, only you, like only I can.”

“But I hate it when you kiss Frank; I don’t want you to kiss anyone but me. A peck on the cheek OK, but no long, sloppy face-eating kisses.” Jim had to make some point to validate his anger.

He merely got her Mona Lisa smile as she took his hand, leading him to the surrender of his male ego.

The End