Chet was where he was nearly every Wednesday, enjoying draft ale during happy hour awaiting his nearly lifelong friend Mark. The pair had taken disparate paths from their high school and college days but their ritualistic Wednesdays at the Tufted Duck persevered and had become an important part of the week for both men even beyond its basic intent of allowing each to enjoy the other's company.
"Beat you this week!" he called from the bar as Mark walked in. More often his friend arrived first because Mark's office was just two blocks away.
"Yeah," Mark explained. "Sorry I took so long. I was on the phone with Carol. The baby's not feeling well. Nothing serious, but she needed some handholding."
"Holding hands again?" Chet asked with a laugh. "Things are looking up!"
"Very funny!" Mark said before ordering his usual IPA. But Chet already sensed that this week would be different.
"Take a look at these," he said, handing Mark the photos.
"So?" Mark asked. "Looks like typical Internet stuff.
"Yes," Chet responded, "except this is not Internet stuff. This is my stuff. Want to see for yourself? I didn't want to ruin our Wednesday night out, but I'm due at her place in about a half hour."
Mark got one of those do-I-dare-believe-you? looks in his eyes, but by the time their glasses were drained and they were in Chet's car on the way to Kim's apartment, as Paul Harvey used to say, he knew the rest of the story.
"Perfect," Chet thought. Mark was nice looking and about as sex-hungry as any married man who hadn't been touched by his wife in over a year. And Kim had to be ready for the second act of the scenario he was projecting.
The man at the concierge desk announced only him, which was just as well, Chet thought, since he had not alerted Kim that he was bringing a friend along, but she seemed unfazed when she opened the door to her 17th floor apartment and the two of them entered.
He quickly explained that he'd shared Kim's glossies with Mark, whose firm dealt with a number of production agencies in the city's fast-developing film industry, and that Mark was so impressed when he learned Chet planned to drop a set off at her place mark asked if he could tag along to meet Kim in person
Kim turned on her stereo and then produced a corkscrew and three wine glasses for the local red Chet had brought to toast Kim's budding career prospects. Within minutes they were sitting in her living room, chatting, Chet and Kim on the sofa and Mark across from them on an armchair. She was in her work outfit -- different skirt and sweater this time, but similar in style -- and seemed very at ease even when Chet absently put his arm around her should.
"Wonderful view," Chet said and when Kim got up to point out the mountains by name he followed behind her and said, "I meant you, silly, not the scenery" reaching to turn her toward him in an embrace that led to a gentle kiss that Kim broke off apparently remembering there was someone else was in the room.
Chet never missed a beat, continuing his grasp of Kim and calling over to Mark, "Was I wrong about Kim? Isn't she beautiful? Your people will love her, won't they?"
"Well," Mark said, picking up on the thread just as they had discussed in the car, "I know you aid you had some photos you could show me, but I like to see for myself if that's okay."
"OK by me," Chet said, then turning to Kim, "can we show Mark a little something? He'll be very discreet. I promise."
He really did not wait for an answer, ushering her back to the sofa as he nuzzled her ear. His right arm was still around her and he gently pulled back the skirt, revealing those shapely legs and, this time, not the cotton panties but a lacy pair that might have come right from the Victoria's Secret catalogue. It was clear she had been prepared for an encounter with at least one gentleman caller.
"You're embarrassing me, Chet," she said at last, not sounding all that convincing. They were her first words since their kiss.
"You should be proud, not embarrassed, Kim," he answered in a reassuring if slightly condescending tone. Then turning toward Mark, he asked, "Do you think those people you told me about at Galaxy International could use n actress like Kim? To paraphrase an old clichΓ©, she undresses up very well, doesn't she? Show him, sweetie. This is no time for modesty."
Kim seemed a tad confused. Through all of their conversations Chet had never abandoned the pretense that he could advance her film career even though he was obviously interested in a personal relationship as well. That's why she figured she had nothing to lose by inviting him to drop her set of print by. But where did Mark fit in? For all her sexual adventures she had never felt this exposed to two men at once before.
"I've seen the women they have signed over at Global. Mark" Chet continued. "None of them are close to this."
He pulled Kim's sweater up, though not over her head.
"Hey, baby, help a little, OK? Unhook your bra? I promise, Mark knows what a girl looks like. I just think he need to see how good you look."
The tone left little room for anything but cooperation if not submission and she complied.
In an armchair just a few feet away, Mark was little short of stunned. He knew his lifelong friend lived the good bachelor life but this seemed unbelievable. Kim was in a virtually hypnotic state sitting there with her skirt at her waist, her sweater at her neck and now those two voluptuous breasts utterly unencumbered. And Chet was beyond cool, sitting at her side, almost clinically assessing her virtues and all the while stroking her here and there with a reassuring hand.
"Don't be shy, sweetie," he told her. "Mark who do they have over there with better than this," and, by god, one of his hands was cupping her right breast and the other was playing with her nipple, which sprung to attention as he worked her over.
"Good girl" he whispered and then, to Mark, "would you like to see her move a little? Kim can you dance a little for Mark."
She nodded and as she rose from the sofa her skirt fell back into place. She looked back at Chet as if for further instruction.
You don't need this, he told her, rising with her and pulling the sweater and bra away. As she began to sway to the music on the stereo he winked at mark and refilled their wine glasses.
"Do it Kim," Chet encouraged, "show us how good you are on your feet and make those beautiful boobs swing and sway."