Rick and Kate checked into the hotel and adjourned to the bar to have a drink before going up to their room for the night. Since he first met Kate she had a habit of looking around at others in a bar or restaurant, absentmindedly people watching. It was disconcerting when they first started dating when he thought he should have her undivided attention. But after 12 years together, he was used to it and just ignored it. She probably didn't even listen half the time, but he didn't mind. Rick reached past her to show the guy next to her one of his many bar tricks.
The bartender came over, "Hey, I've seen a lot of those, but that was cool."
"It's easy. I'll teach you...watch closely."
As Rick entertained the bartender, Kate's eyes once again wandered over the crowd. The bartender left to tend to a customer and Rick looked over to see Kate tracking someone across the room. He looked around and spotted the object of her interest taking a seat at the far end of the bar.
"You like what you see, don't you?"
"Your silly bar trick? I've seen it a million times," she said still looking out over the bar.
"I mean him," Rick made a subtle gesture towards a man.
"What? No...I mean, I was just looking. You look at women all the time."
"That isn't what I said. I said, you like him, don't you?"
She just rolled her eyes in dismissal.
"How would you like to fuck him?" he asked uncharacteristically, but calmly.
"You're nuts. What are you doing?"
"Nothing. Just a game, Kate. Imagine, I'm out of the picture. Say, you're single. Here alone. And you see him. Would you want to fuck him?"
"No...I don't know. I never hopped into bed with just anyone."
"I know. But you really like what you see. I can tell. He isn't 'just anyone', is he? You're still stealing glances over at him." He kissed her on the cheek to show he wasn't angry or being argumentative. "If you were single, he'd be a candidate wouldn't he?"
"I guess. Where are you going with this?"
"I told you. It's just a game. Like those adventure games we used to play. We had to be honest, play by the rules and act consistently or the game wouldn't work. Play along with me for awhile."
"Whatever."
"Let's change things a little...a new game level. I'm back in the picture, but I'm not right here. Maybe I'm off to a trade show for several days while you're here. And he's here. Nobody we know is here. Nobody would know except you and Greg, the guy over there you are interested in."
"How do you know his name?"
"I don't. It's part of the game. I will never find out about him. Would you fuck him?"
"No!"
"Why not? Nobody would know."
"I'll know. You said it's like an adventure game. We killed people in those games. Would you kill someone if you knew you could get away with it? Nobody would ever know?"
"Good point, Kate. No I wouldn't."
"Doing something behind your back with...Greg...would bother me even if it didn't bother anyone else."
"I like this game. I haven't learned anything new yet, but I've confirmed some things about you I already knew."
"When do I get to quiz you?"
"It's not a quiz; it's a game." He continued to gently touch her, move stray locks of hair off her forehead, kiss her reassuringly.
"OK, another level. You're here, Greg is here and I'm here. You and I are in conversation. Greg is at the bar watching us. Occasionally, your eyes lock. Just an instant. Just long enough to establish a tiny connection, but not an invitation or a creepy staring contest."
"Sort of where we stand right now for real."
"Possibly. Without us noticing, Greg gets up and walks over to us. Suddenly, he says, 'I noticed you two aren't dancing. Would you mind if I danced with your wife?' I have two sets of eyes on me, yours and Greg's, awaiting my answer."
"And what do you say?"
"What do you want me to say?"
"I guess you should say yes. You never dance with me."
"OK, OK...the answer is yes. Greg reaches out for your hand and takes you onto the dance floor. You dance a couple of fast songs, just short of any kind of dirty dancing. He is fun, inventive and in no time you are both laughing and caught up in the music." Kate is listening intently now. Rick kissed her, brushed her upper arm, then let his hand brush down her breast. She swallowed hard, a far off look in her eye as she followed his story.
"A slow dance starts. You look over to me for approval, but I'm looking the other way showing someone a bar trick. You remain on the dance floor...with Greg."
Standing next to her barstool, Rick kissed her softly and pushed his erection against her hip. "Greg has been mostly a gentleman, but you've felt his erection against your belly, and his thigh has brushed your mound several times. He's leading you further towards the other side of the dance floor from our table."
Kate's eyes slowly closed and opened again. Another hard swallow. Her eyes searched her husband's, but she might have been seeing Greg by then.
"Then what happens?" she croaked.
"Greg brings you back to our table. I whisper to you to go up to our room, and one of us, myself or Greg, will follow in a few minutes."
"It's a game, right?"
"It's a game, but you have to act honestly and consistently with your character in a game. What do you want to happen? What will you do?"
"Oh God, Rick. I can't stand this. I can't decide without worrying about what you are going to think of me. I want to go, but I don't. It's just a game, right? OK, I'll go. What happens?" Kate was almost in tears with increasing turmoil.