Author's Note: This and the next few chapters are a rewrite and repost of four chapters I started over 6-months ago titled "Getting Started...". I have since written a 3-chapter prequel to those with this series titled "Lifestyle", which develops the two main characters of my stories. This new series will expand on those previous posts.
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"Remember, we have plans tonight with Fred and June after work," she said as she came into the kitchen from her basement treadmill workout.
"If I remembered, you wouldn't need to remind me," I said as I finished tightening my tie.
Jan come over to me, loosened and adjusted the knot in my tie, making the divot more obvious. "If you're going to wear a tie, there's a proper way to tie it. How can you remember every little detail of a sci-fi movie you saw 20 years ago or every technical manual you ever read, but can't seem to remember the divot in your tie or our plans with friends?"
"I had a divot in my tie, but it wasn't good enough for you. And who said I didn't remember dinner this evening. Maybe I did."
"You have forgotten our social plans in the past."
"And I have my social planner to remind me," I said as I leaned down and quickly kissed her. "I was hoping for a sci-fi night, to watch the latest Avengers movie."
"Is that one of those movies with ... oh, what's his name?"
"You mean Ironman, Robert Downy, Junior. That's the guy you liked, in the two Ironman movies you agreed to watch."
"Oh, yes. I'd do him!"
"You say that, even about waiters in restaurants. Though you never follow through."
"That's because you're all I need. But I still like to window shop, and so do you! How many times have I asked, 'Did you see the one in the stiletto boots and miniskirt?', only to hear you say 'Of course.' So, you look, too."
"You take care of me."
"And I always will. But .... don't you sometimes wonder what it would be like fucking her?"
"Remember, we have a pact since marriage: 'Don't lie to each other, give two-week's notice if we choose to leave, and after I said 'I do', that pussy is mine and this cock is yours.'"
"I remember," she said. "That cock is mine ... to put wherever I want."
"Do you want it in the ass?"
"Sometimes. But it
is
my cock. You need my permission to put it anywhere except the pussy you own. And that includes permission for my mouth, ass, or anywhere!"
'To put wherever she wants? Anywhere?'
So, maybe she was feeling it, too. After over 30 years together, once the kids were out, our sex life increased again. But it wasn't the same as excitedly exploring each other in our early days together.
"We could watch another porn video," I said. "Or I could tie you up again tomorrow evening."
"Hmmm. I'll think about it. Maybe I'll give you a sci-fi night, while I watch a romance movie. I'll let you know tomorrow. In the meantime, we have Fred and June this evening for the barbecue. Don't forget, my geek!"
"OK, bitch," I said with a smile.
Jan lovingly said, "But, I'm 'your' bitch!"
It was a warm and sunny evening, perfect weather for my chore of grilling on our deck. Drinks and appetizers, then wine and sizzling steaks to enjoy with our friends.
As much as we love our kids, having time for ourselves now they're grown and out of the house had been a long time coming.
Jan and June were in the house preparing the sides, while Fred kept me company at the barbecue.
We've known them for years, ever since our kids were in school together. They were older parents, about ten years older than us, although they acted like a much younger couple, open and willing to talk about everything—including sex. They often raised my and Jan's eyebrows with socially inappropriate details about their sex lives. Fred might say he wants to lay June on a pool table, and she'd reply: "You'll have to put a towel down. You wouldn't want to ruin the felt." That's the kind of people they were, and the kind of people Jan and I liked to be around.
"I have to ask, Fred, how is it that you and June are so happy together? Don't you fight or get bored, now that the kids are grown? You talk as if you have a great sex life all the time. And you've been married longer than us."
"We were wondering how long it was going to take you two. You're getting bored, aren't you."
"What do you mean 'How long it was going to take us?' You expected us to ask?"
"Well, yea. We don't go out advertising our lifestyle to the world. We could tell you two were showing signs of having an itch in need of scratching. It doesn't happen to all couples. It's usually the guy who starts cheating on his wife, then she finds out, and there's a divorce. Or the wife strays, and the guy can't handle it. But you two have both been showing signs for months now. So, we started dropping our own hints, too."
"Hints about what?"
"We call it 'The Lifestyle'. There are others out there who enjoy sex, too. You're probably getting a little antsy of needing sex. You're finding with Jan it's become a familiar sequence of 'press here, touch there, then put tab A in slot B'. And long married couples eventually have done it all with each other. If you were going to cheat on your wife, you would find some willing young lady to add some unfamiliar excitement. So far, you two are settling for watching porn together, right?'
"How did you know?"
"That's a guess. It's an easy way to find ideas for something unfamiliar together. But, let me guess: You two also have different ideas of what's exciting in porn, right? So, it's not quite working as well as you'd like."
"Right again. So, what else did you know we would ask?"
"Jan could easily find another guy to scratch her itch, too. Hers is not just about having sex but missing a feeling of being sexy and desired. I've noticed at parties how she likes talking to guys. I doubt that she's running out on you. She's trying to get to that subtle feeling like she's controlling a guy who really wants her. In our younger days, we would have called her a 'cock tease'."
"She enjoys flirting with guys, and she'll even admit to me, 'Oh, I'd do him.' when she sees a guy she likes. She even points out other sexy women to me, saying 'In your dreams.' She's always been like that."
"June and I noticed how she's open and flirty. That's why we like her. And we see you two as a good fit together. But, as you get older and the family distractions fade, she's feeling the same itch as you, a little differently."
"So, what did you and June do about it?"
"We found other couples, and we share. It gives us that unfamiliar feeling. And we go home together to enjoy describing it to each other afterwards."
I raised an eyebrow. "You're into wife swapping?"
"That's a simplistic way of saying it. But that's only one variation. We call it a swinging lifestyle, or just 'The Lifestyle'. You'll find all kinds of people in it. And variations of swapping, including single guys and single women, gays, bi-sexuals, and others."
"So, you've been waiting for us to bring it up. Now, you'll hit on Jan, and I'll take June?"
Fred laughed. "No way! We're friends. And that's one sure way to ruin a friendship if things go south. All it takes is the wrong words at the wrong time, or the wrong touch to turn someone off, or make someone jealous and fuck things up. So, you two are better off finding your own way. We can help point you in the right direction and try to help if things do go south. But it's up to you two to work it out."
With the steaks done, I moved them to a serving plate to set for a few minutes. "So, if not you two, how do Jan and I find someone to swap with? Is there a swinger club?"
"There are swinger clubs, and I could tell you where to find one. Those can be a little intense for first timers. I wouldn't recommend it. I'll give you a few websites almost like dating sites to look at. Set up a profile on one or two of them and start browsing to see what you find. The profiles you read will tell you far more than I can describe."
"Then what do we do?"
"Well, you'll pick a few you like, and send them messages requesting to meet. Then it's a matter of scheduling, meeting, talking, and see where you want to go with it. Most of the people aren't too pushy. Sometimes it's just meeting somewhere for dinner, then going back to your own homes to decide if you want to get back together for more fun."
As I considered the idea, the kitchen door opened and Jan asked, "Are you ready yet?"
"The steaks are finished," I said as I took the plate in. Fred followed, and we sat down at the dinner table.
"So, what were you two discussing out there?" Jan asked.
"Fred was telling me about some web sites he thinks we should check out."
June looked at her husband "So, did you break the ice, or did Ted ask?"
"He asked! You know they're ready."
"I know. But, like we discussed, you can't push anyone. Things might go badly."
"What's this about," Jan asked. "It sounds like I've missed something."