Fifteen minutes later, the two women sat in the plant room, each with a fresh cup of coffee and a toasted english muffin. The coffeepot sat on a warmer near Steph. As she munched on her muffin Jessie’s lay untouched on the plate beside her. They had not spoken a word.

      “Okay, Jessie,” Steph said with a long sigh, “let me try to explain.” She sipped her coffee. “About three years ago, Brian was infatuated with a single woman in his office. He told me about it and, for a while, telling about what it might be like if they ever got together made for wild times in bed. Finally, I asked him if he’d like to actually be with her. You know, make love. He said yes.”

      “He told you that he wanted to go to bed with another woman?” Jessie was horrified.

      “There isn’t a man on this earth who hasn’t thought about doing that at one time or another. Brian was just honest enough to admit it. He would never lie to me and I knew that he wouldn’t do anything without telling me.”

      “And you allowed him to be with someone else?”

      “Allowed is an interesting word. I hate to think that I’m in charge of his sex life. I gave it a lot of thought and I decided that I wanted him to be happy. I guess I’m very strong because I didn’t feel threatened. It wasn’t that kind of thing. He wasn’t in love with her, just in lust.”

      Jessie laughed and started to relax. “In lust. That’s an interesting way to put it.”

      “Well, that’s really what it was. Haven’t you ever felt that pull, that almost irresistible urge to jump into some man’s pants?” When her friend was silent, Steph continued, “You, my love, haven’t lived. It’s a great feeling, even if you never get to do anything about it.”

      “I guess I’ve got no sex drive,” Jessie said softly. “And no sex appeal either.”

      “Bullshit,” Steph said. “You just haven’t discovered them yet. Anyway, getting back to Valerie. That was her name, Valerie. I never saw her, but Brian described her to me. Tall and shapely, with big, soft tits and great, long legs. But it wasn’t her body that turned Brian on. It was her obvious attraction to him. Her eye contact, smiles, movements.”

      “He told you all that?”

      “He described everything in detail afterward, in bed. And the telling got him so hot that we fucked like bunnies.”

      Jessie shook her head. “I don’t believe it. You lay in bed discussing another woman fucking your husband.”

      Steph nodded, silently letting Jessie absorb what she had heard.

      Jessie picked up her muffin and took a bite. “Amazing. How long did it last?”

      “He was only with her for about two months, then it all wore off for both of them. So much of being in lust is the expectation, not the actuality. Reality is frequently a letdown.”

      Despite her amazement, Jessie was fascinated. “You still haven’t told me about this morning.”

      “Give me time,” Steph said. “It’s a long story. It was several months after that and Brian and I had spent an evening playing Boggle with Lara and Hank Cortez, friends of ours from Scarsdale. Have you ever played Boggle? It’s a word game and it’s lots of fun. Your score is based on the number of words you can make that no one else wrote down. Well, everyone had had quite a bit to drink and, toward the end of the evening, we had gotten very silly.”

      Chapter

       2

      “I have only one word left,” Hank said. “Pussy.” He grinned at Lara and licked his lips. “Anyone else have pussy?”

      “Not me,” Brian said. “I haven’t had any good pussy in quite a while. Except Steph’s, of course, but a wife’s pussy doesn’t count.”

      Hank refilled the wine glasses and then threw the letter-dice again. “Cunt,” Hank said, triumphantly pointing out the word among the letters before anyone had had time to write anything. “And look. You can make suck and fuck.”

      Lara giggled and squeezed Brian’s arm. “Such nice words, don’t you think?” She looked up at Brian and blinked.

      Brian looked at Steph, then stroked Lara’s face. “Very nice words.”

      “I’ve got an idea,” Hank said. “Let’s play strip-Boggle. The winner is the one with the most dirty words and everyone else has to take off one article of clothing.” He looked at Brian and Steph. “Game?”

      Hank was not a particularly good-looking man but the twinkle in his eye and his delightful sense of humor made him attractive. Steph had always been interested in him, but had never before thought about doing anything about it. “Want to?” Brian whispered into Steph’s ear.

      Steph thought a minute. Yes, she really did. She gave a tiny nod. “Okay, let’s do it,” Brian said.

      After six rounds of the game, the men were down to their socks and shorts, and Lara, who had won three of the rounds, was still wearing her blouse and underwear. Steph had a particular love of delicate undies, and was glad she had worn a black, demi-cup bra with matching lace panties, which, by now, was all she was wearing. “You are one gorgeous woman,” Hank said, admiring the way Steph’s small, yet soft breasts filled the tiny cups. “I knew you’d be sensational without clothes.”

      “Not without clothes yet,” Steph said. “I’m not wearing any less than I’d be in a bikini.”

      “I know, but it’s knowing that it’s not a bikini that’s such a turn-on,” Hank said.

      Brian was gazing silently at Lara’s legs and the dark shadow he could make out through the crotch of her white nylon panties. She also still wore her short-sleeved, flowered blouse. “I feel I’ve been gypped,” he said to Lara. “You’re still decent.”

      Lara lowered her head and looked up at him through her lashes. “I’m afraid you won’t have the same thrill. I haven’t nearly the body that your wife has. As a matter of fact, I’m so flat-chested I don’t usually wear a bra. And I’ve certainly got my share of stretch marks from the babies.”

      Brian reached over and brushed his hand down the front of Lara’s blouse, feeling her erect nipple rub his palm. “I bet you’re beautiful under there,” Brian said. “Will you take the blouse off, just for me?”

      Lara looked at her husband and raised one eyebrow.

      “Does everyone understand where this is going?” Hank asked. When everyone nodded, he said, “Then why don’t we separate this party. Lara, you and Brian can have the bedroom and Steph and I will take the guest room.” He rubbed his knuckles down Steph’s cheek. “I want this lady all alone.”

      As Brian stood up and took Lara’s hand, Steph swallowed hard. She was suddenly terrified.

      “Baby,” Brian said softly, looking at his wife and immediately sensing her discomfort, “this isn’t a command performance. It’s supposed to be fun. You look like a deer caught in the headlights. Talk to me.”

      “Did you and Hank set this up? I don’t think it’s as spur of the moment as it might appear.”

      “We talked about it,” Brian admitted. “Hank has had the hots for you for a long time, and I know he turns you on. It’s kind of like me and Valerie. I think we will all get pleasure from this evening, but if you don’t want to we can leave right now.”

      Steph looked at Lara.