"Would it be okay if she stayed here for a little while, you know, just till she can get back on her feet?"
We had just finished a passionate evening of good sex and Linda was curled up beside me playing with my chest hair. The 'she' in her question was her best friend Frieda. She had just lost her job after suffering a humiliating break up six months ago with her live-in boyfriend who dumped her for someone younger.
I grunted. I didn't want to commit to anything. Linda and I have been together for about a year. She had moved in to my place and had set up her nest. We hadn't spoken about marriage, but the idea was a strong undercurrent in most things we did.
"Dan?" she asked. I looked at her and smiled. I gave her no other indication as to what I felt about the subject. She continued to nuzzle against me.
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The first evening Frieda moved in, we celebrated by having a grand dinner together. Both Linda and Frieda busied themselves in the kitchen, shooing me back to the living room while they prepared the elaborate meal for the evening.
We sat at the table, me at the head of the table and Linda and Frieda at either side. We all clasped hands and bent our heads as I said grace.
We dug in and for the first time I started to appreciate Frieda moving in with us. She was a far better cook than either Linda or I.
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Several months later after another noisy night of passion, Linda hugged me and kissed my chest. "You are so manly! You've worn me out," she said. My ego puffed up with the breathing of my chest.
Changing subjects she continued. "I'm worried about Frieda, she is awfully lonely here. She hasn't even had a date since that jerk dumped her."
I shrugged and reached over for the glass of water on the night stand. Frieda had not been able to find a job and after the first week she was firmly entrenched in taking care of the house and meals. She was a wonderful cook and kept the house cleaner than it had ever been. In her own way she was paying her share. Linda and I tended to work later hours so it was always nice to come home to a house and food that didn't have to be dealt with by us.
Frieda was very careful not to intrude, and she was most welcomed into our activities like she was a room mate.
"I think her confidence is shaken," Linda said. "She doesn't seem to want to go out, she has no interest in men, and she has confided in me that she thinks she's ugly."
I sighed. "She's not ugly, far from it. She'll make some man a happy wife."
Linda looked at me. "I'm not so sure she will ever get that chance. I think she's depressed although she will not go see someone for help. Perhaps you can take more of an interest in her. She still is wary of men and even you."
"Me?" I said as I sat up and stared at her eyes in the darkness. "She's afraid of me?"
"Not afraid, just wary. She knows this is your home, your house and you haven't been the most welcoming to her..."
I started to get annoyed. "Linda, she's your friend. This was supposed to be something temporary. I've been accommodating..."
Linda kissed me softly. "I know you have, you've been wonderful, but she is so sensitive. She feels like she is walking on eggshells around you. I know you never loose your temper, but she thinks that one wrong move from her and you will throw her out. Do you know how stressful that is when you are at the mercy of someone else?"
I shook my head. I was well off. My family had money and now I had money. The house, more like a ranch, was mine, fully paid off. I had an inheritance that I lived off the interest from. My safety net was huge. I never had to worry.
"Ok Linda, what do you want me to do?"
She hugged me. "Show her some love. Let her know that she belongs here and that she is a valuable member of the household. She needs to feel valued."
"I can do that," I said.
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I don't remember the movie. All three of us were on the couch cuddled up under the throw blanket watching it. The lights were dim and we had finished the second bottle of wine. There was a lot of giggling from all of us as Linda tickled me and I tickled her back. Then Linda tickled Frieda.
"You're not getting out of this!" Linda cried as she crawled onto my lap to reach Frieda better. Frieda squealed and jumped away from under the blanket.
"Crap! It's cold out here!" she exclaimed and then crawled back under the blanket with us. This time she pushed right up against my body. I looked at her with a grin and she smirked into a devilish smile and tickled me while Linda held me down, still in my lap.
We all wound up on the floor. The blanket twisted and bound us together as we all struggled in laugher. The tickling stopped as Linda looked into my eyes and kissed me passionately. I returned her kiss. Soon I was aware that Frieda was next to us, watching and stroking both of our bodies. Linda turned my face to Frieda and then with her other hand she guided Frieda's lips to mine and I kissed her.
It was soft and different. Frieda liked to push her tongue into my mouth. I wasn't used to that. She also liked to tilt her head to the left. I was always awkward kissing to my left. Our teeth clicked together painfully and I mumbled an apology. She moaned and just continued to kiss me.
Linda had disentangled herself a bit and was working on getting my pants down. I shifted my weight which loosened my hold on my pants and Linda pulled them down as Frieda shifted into my embrace.
Soon we all were naked on the floor as Linda lovingly allowed me to pleasure Frieda. At some point Linda decided to get a taste of Frieda as well. From that night on, Frieda shared our bed each evening. She had moved out of the guest room and now put her things in our room. I was treated like a king and reveled in the attentions of both my girls focused on me.
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"It will just be for the weekend dear," Linda said. She was packing her luggage along with Frieda. They were going to visit Frieda's family. Her mother was sick and in the hospital and Frieda needed to take care of her aging father. Linda was going to give support to Frieda.
It was a month after that first evening and I was surprised at the passion these two had for each other as well as for me. We had done everything together and Frieda was blossoming back into the secure confident woman she once was.
"I'm just a little hurt that she hasn't invited me to come as well," I moped.
"Her family wouldn't understand. We're trying to ease their concerns right now, not add to them!" She kissed me and pulled her suitcase to the door.
Frieda came up to me next. "I'm going to miss you," she said as she hugged and kissed me as well. Then they were gone and I was left alone in my big house.
