One Night Together

Note: this is a follow up story to the Mix and Match series. If you'd like more background about the characters mentioned here, go check out those stories first then come bac. We'll wait

We were both lying on the bed, naked, coming down off the high of fresh sex. Outside, there was a party, but in this bedroom, it was just us. Olivia and me, and at least for a moment, we could act like she wasn't engaged to be married, and her fiance, Justin, was one of my friends. It was just quiet smiling and content sighing as I ran my hand through her rich, red hair.

"I'm glad we got to do this," Olivia had said finally. "Before, you know ..."

She looked up at me as I perked my eyebrow at her. "You mean," I asked, "Justin's giving up messing around after the wedding?"

"Well, probably not completely, but it's going to be different. We talked about it and I think we're both arranging one last night for ourselves. Not the bachelor and bachelorette party. Another night for each of us," and at this she looked at me in the eye, "... to be with whoever we want."

She had said that to me in the midst of a crazy party where, for one precious night, aided by the presence of Ecstasy and Viagra, it seemed that we all had suspended our boundaries and inhibitions. It was Malcolm's birthday and there were drugs and a gathering of friends who were all attractive and had the spent the last few years pairing and re-pairing off in an incestuous series of dating within our own social circle. Malcolm's fiance, Teresa, was my ex-girlfriend, and while Teresa and I had both long since moved on from that relationship, there was still an energy between us leftover from our time together, coming to fore when I ran into her at that party, naked and high and we wound up fucking on a dinner table. One of the hosts, Justin, was an infamous, shameless flirt, and his own fiance, Olivia, had long tolerated his ways because she knew that he always came back to her. Yet, in that one magical evening Olivia and I had also hooked up, and while naked in the glow of our drug-addled coitus, she had looked at me and said that she was planning one night, to be with whoever she wanted.

I had harbored a crush on Olivia for the longest time. She had always possessed a certain graceful elegance, and a quick but silent intelligence behind her bright green eyes. We both got along in that way that two introverts can hang out in the corner of a crowded party, comfortable in the quiet presence of each other. But, the timing was never convenient for either of us. In the brief period when she was single, I was with Teresa, and by the time we broke up, she had found Justin. Still, there was always the way that we made eye contact when we saw each other, and the way our gaze lingered in that contact.

So, when the Ecstasy took hold, and our bodies charged into an unreal sense of arousal and sensuality, it wasn't a surprise that we had both sought each other out first. But, then there was a lot coupling going on in that night. We had all managed to fuck or be fucked by every one we liked at that party. When the sun rose the next day, we put on our clothes and, in that gesture, reinstalled the boundaries and inhibitions that we had let slip for that evening. Back to normal. Back to Olivia being engaged and me being her and Justin's friend.

Yet, that suggestion, whispered in the dim light of their bedroom still haunted my memory. The next few times that I saw them, it was like as if nothing had happened, but there was always a certain subtext in our body language that was different. Then two months later, two weeks away from their actual wedding date, I got an email from Olivia.

"Hi, are you doing anything this Friday? Justin's heading out of town and I was thinking of dinner."

It seemed so innocuous, but then that's Olivia.

I sent an internet chat to Jessica. Jess was one of my oldest friends and had gone to school with me and Teresa. She and I had also hooked up at that party, and that had turned into ... something. We were taking things slowly, cautious in that we were friends and not wanting to screw that up. But also, perhaps, we had seen each other at that party cavorting with a bunch of other people, and while we both eventually went home with each other, there was this acknowledgement that we both had unresolved attractions that we wanted to take care of. We had made plans to see a movie on Friday, but things had been vague.

C: "Hey, J, I think the other shoe dropped."

J: "With 'liv?"

C; "yeah. she wants to get 'dinner' this Friday."

J: ":))))). Go for it and tell me about it afterwards. I can find other ways to stay busy."

I sometimes wonder how I lucked into this. I wrote back to Olivia.

"Dinner sounds good, and this Friday opened up. Want to try that fancy, new Vietnamese place that everyone's been talking about?"

"Sure thing. 6pm?"

"It's a date."

"Oh, yes, it is."

Interesting.

The rest of the week passed in a bit of a haze, and I tried not to let my mind be preoccupied with the possibilities. Jessica had kept up our routine of sending each other innocuous little messages every other day -- funny cat pictures or photoshop images that we found on the net -- but she didn't bring up the date, until the day itself.

J: "So, are you looking forward to your big night?"

C: "Haven't thought of it. I got a few things at work to take care of first."

J: "Really? Somehow I don't think your mind's on work. I think you're writing up a bucket list of all sorts of vile and unspeakable acts that you're going to perpetrate on your little lifelong crush."

C: "Has anyone told you that you're a dirty little girl? I mean besides me?"

J: "Oh, I can probably give you a few familiar names ;p but don't change the subject. Seriously, you've already slept together once. Do you think this is just going to be a one time thing?"

C: "She seemed to say it is. And, besides, that party was different and crazy, and sometimes I don't know if we really believed that it happened."

J: "Well, I think you believe that you and I 'happened'."

C: "Oh, so this is what this is really about then? Jealous?"

J: "No, just teasing, and also pointing out that a one time hookup only stays true if it actually only happens just one time. As you and I are probably finding out, it's a slippery little slope."

C: "This is the kinkiest friendly advice that I think I've ever gotten."

J: "Hey, remember, we're friends -with- benefits. Not fucking with bonus friendship. I just don't want either of you guys to get hurt, y'know? And I know you. I know how your crushes go, and I know that you probably don't have the highest opinion of Justin."

She was right about that. In my opinion, Olivia could do a lot better. I could see why she was attracted to him and his party boy glamour, but I also knew that she did not love his flirty ways, only tolerated it as part of accepting the whole package of who he was. While I used to imagine that she would eventually get fed up and leave, I stopped that after finding out that they were engaged. So I just resigned myself to accepting her decision even if I didn't really agree with it. So I wrote back.

C: "Yeah, you are right, but as I said, it's just a one time thing to scratch an itch. I think we'll both be fine, and when I'm done, I'll let you know what hasn't gotten scratched off the bucket list and maybe you and I can see if we could work on that?"

J: "Ooh, sloppy seconds -and- being left with the rejects off your perversion list. You really know how to talk the panties off a girl, mister. ;p Just count yourself lucky that I like you and I like that you put out."

The rest of the day passed in a haze, and I drove home and spent a little too much time trying to decide what I should wear. Could I really be this casual about an encounter if I had already changed through four different outfits? Eventually I settled on a nice button down shirt and slacks. Boring but not too casual or formal. Safe. Maybe that's what Olivia always saw in me.

I arrived at the restaurant first, and was sipping an iced coffee when she arrived. Olivia appeared in a cap sleeved dress that hugged her slim figure and showed off a bit of cleavage. The cleavage caught my eye since Olivia normally isn't that busty. A Pilates and yoga devotee, Olivia' body type was more lean and toned, with firm, perky breasts and a narrow, supple waist that flared out into a nice pair of hourglass hips. Her long hair was pulled back and bundled up into a small knot secured with a pair of chopsticks and her eyes sparkled as she saw me. God, she was gorgeous.

I rose to greet her and pull out her chair, a gesture that caused her to perk her eyebrow and nod as she leaned in close and pecked me on the cheek, whispering, "there's a clerk that I know from the local courthouse seated in the corner. For now, we're just friends."

Olivia was a public defender and built a career for herself arguing the cases for society's rejects. She always knew that one of her assets was good relationships with people and having a fine attention to detail. So, I just smiled and whispered back.

"Agreed. Friends for now ... and for later?"

"Well, we'll see."

At this she winked, and let herself be seated before smiling and saying, "That was gentlemanly of you."

"Well, it seems important to make a good first impression."

"Oh, I think we're a little past that."

There was that sparkle in her eye again, and a barely suppressed giggle that she quickly hid as she studiously perused her menu. After we ordered and settled back in to each other's company, we kept the talk small and light. How work was going, what we saw recently on TV, Olivia and Justin's wedding plans. It was, for all others listening, nothing more than two friends catching up. We had split the duck mint salad, and as Olivia lifted a forkful of shredded meat off the plate, she looked at me and asked, "so, how are you and Jessica doing?"

"oh, we're taking it slow. Trying to be non-commital and keep our expectations measured. Friends with benefits really."

"And, how is it that benefit package? I assume that it comes with an exquisite dental plan."

I almost spat out my water as Olivia started laughing at herself. Then mopping my face with a napkin, I recovered and leaned in close and said, "You could say that. Oral hygeine is an important part of the package."

"oh, is it? And I assume that your level of benefits aren't contingent on some sort of fulltime exclusivity agreement?"

"Yes, I think you can say that we have a very healthy freelance arrangement. We can call each other for services that need to be rendered, but it isn't a full time thing."

"Ah, that's good to know."

"Why? Do you think you might need to call upon my ... services?"

At this, Olivia drained her wine glass, made eye contact with our waiter and made it quite clear that she needed another, then she looked at me and said, "I might. I think you recall what I talked about during that party? About Justin and I agreeing to have one night for ourselves?"

"I think I might recall."

"You better have. Anyway, Justin's gone out of town for one last fling with an old classmate of his. They'd been emailing for the last couple of months and he told me that she always was ... what was his word? Oh, yes, unfinished business. So I told him to go off and enjoy himself. Then I'd get in touch with you."

"So, Justin's ok with this?"

"Yes, do you want to call and ask him yourself?"

"No, I think we're all past the need for that. So, what do you have in mind?"

"Well, I booked a room at the Hyatt. Justin and I agreed that whoever we decided to be with, we shouldn't bring them back to our place; and I didn't want to expect that you'd open up yours. And, honestly, I wouldn't mind a bit of pampering and some bed linens with obscenely high thread counts."

"So, a hotel room, eh? Now that sounds like a proper affair."

At this, Olivia actually blushed, the pinkness showing up vividly across her pale skin, and her hands went to her napkin, worrying the fabric between her fingers. "Well, it's not like that..."

I reached over and placed my hands on her fingers, and I could feel her tense up then relax as she accepted my touch. "I'm sorry," I said, "I didn't mean it that way. I know that what you guys have is ... different. And I'm ok with that. I just meant it as a joke."

She looked at me again, and then opened up her hand and took my fingers into hers. "You know that it's only for this one night, right? I know that we've always had a connection, and the timing's always been inconvenient. I love Justin, and I want to build a life with him, but that life leaves behind a lot of other opportunities and experiences, and we want to be able to go forward without any regrets."

"I know," I said as I looked back at her eyes, "and I'm sure that you'll have a happy life. Still, I'm glad that you want to do this with me. And I'll be happy to just be your friend afterwards."

"Thank you." She squeezed my hand then, and released it as our main courses arrived. We took a few minutes to eat and ask each other about our meals, then I asked, "So ... obscenely high thread counts, eh?"

"Oh, you know, something that feels really good against bare skin. Fun to roll around and cavort in."

"When spoiling myself in hotel rooms, I've always been a fan of bath products."

"Really? " Her eyebrows perked up with bemusement. "I've never thought of you as a guy who liked pampering in a bubble bath."

"I never said anything about pampering. It's more about who I'm taking a bath with than anything."

She smiled again, and her eyebrows perked up. "Ah, well, my mistake, I guess I'm going to find out more."

I took a chance and let my foot slide out until it touched her calf. I could see her eyes widen, then after a moment, her leg moved away, then came back with the sensation of her bare foot pressing up against my leg. We let our feet play as we continued with our main courses. Our talk had paused, but our toes and legs carried on a conversation of their own.

After a bit of time, with my toes gliding across the back of her knee, I wiped my mouth with my napkin and asked, "so, I take it clean up from your party was pretty easy?"

"Yeah, our friends are pretty courteous about it."

"And there were no ... mmm ... unexpected consequences?"

Olivia looked at me briefly for a moment before blushing again and saying, "not that I've heard. Kind of amazing if you think about it. Given everyone involved and not a lot of protection ... it was kind of risky what we did."

"Do you want to be more careful this time around?"

"Well, I've already taken precautions. Justin and I aren't planning on having kids soon, so I went ahead and got a Nuvaring implanted on the condition that he rein in some of his impulses after the wedding."

"Ah, so that's the arrangement, then?"

"Yeah, convenient and fun for both of us, so long as he behaves."

"And, so, for us?"

She slipped her hand in mine again and smiled, "well, you've got a clean bill of health, right?"

"Last I checked."

"So, I think we can enjoy each other ..."

her fingers stroked the inside of my palm

"... as much ..."

... gliding, teasing ...

"... as we want."

Olivia smiled as what must have been an utterly glazed look in my eye. God, she was good. She looked me in the eye as she leaned closed and asked, "Were you interested in dessert?"

"I am, though, specifically, I was interested in having dessert at the hotel."

"Ah, I think that's a good idea. I might order the same. Did you drive here?"

"Yes. I left it parked on the street, just a couple of blocks away and around a corner."

"Care to give me a ride?"

"Oh, I'd be happy to give you a ride. And not just in my car."

"That's what I was hoping for."

We paid our bill and headed out. As we walked, I leaned into Olivia and slipped my arm into hers. She looked at the arm, then up at me, and smiled, before leaning into me slightly as we walked the rest of the way. Then, as we turned the corner near where my car was parked, I felt Olivia tug on my arm. She leaned up against the wall, looking at me, and I looked back at her as she tugged me again. I kept looking at her as I leaned in and watched her eyes close as our lips met.

She tasted of sweet Thai tea and cinammon. Her tongue was furtive and playful, slipping up against me and then back, like she was testing things, exploring. Then we parted and took deep breaths and looked at each other again. Then I smiled and whispered

"Ok, then, I was wondering when we'd get around to that."

"Get me to your car and I'm sure we can get around to more."

The drive could have gone at warp speed and it would still have been too slow. We spoke little on the drive, as our minds were obviously preoccupied with anticipation. Then, I almost flung my keys at the valet as I pulled up to the hotel and Olivia giggled as she watched my obvious giddiness. A key card materialized in her hand and she said, "checked in already, we're up on the fourteenth floor."

The elevator had dinged open, and we got in along with an elderly vacationer couple. Standing at the back of the elevator, we listened as the vacationers bickered about their agenda for the following day. As the door dinged to signal their floor, the vacationers left and Olivia and I looked at each other and smirked.

"Oh, marital bliss. I'm sure you just can't wait to have that kind of conversation with Justin."

"Oh, I know what I can't wait for, right now."

Then I pushed her up against the corner of the elevator, my lips seeking out the hollow of her neck, as I felt her hip rising up to press against my thigh. Her breath got heavy and husky as I nibbled at the sensitive flesh below her jaw, and there was a slight whimper of lust as my hands moved down to caress her ass.

Then the elevator dinged again, and I looked at the open hallway and raggedly whispered, "which way?"

"Room 1416. To the left. Come on."

She took my hand and led me down the hallway, giggling. Eventhough we didn't have that much to drink, we were giddy as schoolchildren. Once we got to her door, and as Olivia fished for her key, I hugged her from behind, wrapping my arms around her waist, relishing again in her cooing as she felt me pressing against the cleft of her ass. I whispered into her ear, "get us in their right now, so I can start with fucking you."

She moaned at this, and slammed the key card into the door, letting the light turn green and we nearly collapsed into hallway. I kicked the door shut behind us and let her turn around to face me again. Her fingers were on my shirt, unbuttoning me while my hands were in her hair, bring her face up to mine. Shoes were kicked off. I lost my belt at some point, and then we were both on the bed, my shirt out of my pants and my hands up her legs. Olivia had worn a pair of stockings, and I could hear her gasp as my fingers finally found the bare flesh above the lace. Her thighs parted and I could smell the ripe, heady essence of her arousal, as I leaned in to devour her with another kiss.

My right hand, still on her thigh, pressed flat against the skin, so my thumb could rub against the fringe of her silken panties. She moaned again as she pushed up against me. Soon, Olivia had me lieing on my back and she stood up and straddled me. Her hair was a mess, her eyes with half lidded and her lips were curled up in smile that was half giddy and half predatory. Then, she reached behind herself and pulled down a zipper on the back of her dress. I planted my hands on her hips and started to push the dress up as she grabbed the fabric around her waist and began to pull. Soon, she had the dress up and over her head then flung to the side of the room, and there was Olivia clad in a black silk underwear and a garter belt with stockings, her wild red hair falling in a heap around her, and a flush of pink on her cheeks and collar.