The Tangled Web

The Tangled Web is a story spanning several years and is based on the complicated lives of a brother and sister and those they live with. Set in the English Midlands, the tale is told through a series of interlocking short stories. Although designed to be read in sequence, I have tried to make each chapter stand as a complete and satisfying story in itself.

Sara and her boyfriend David now live together in a modern flat in the south of the city.

Sara has started accountancy training with a local firm and David is training to be a teacher, working in a local secondary school. They both enjoy their work and are, on the whole, happy together - but each has a dark secret.

David, despite genuinely trying, has found it impossible to remain faithful to Sara. She in turn has continued the passionate affair she began with her brother Sam the previous summer. Sara has always suspected David of having ‘flings’ with other girls and, but for her own continuing incestuous affair, would have left him months ago. However she now sees David, in addition to the many good aspects of their relationship, as being a useful way of deflecting attention away from the man she increasingly believes is the true love of her life – Sam.

Although Sara suspects David of being unfaithful on occasions, he has no idea at all that Sara has also been ‘playing away.’

It is Thursday night. David has been working late at school, supervising a five-a-side football competition while Sara has been 'playing tennis' all evening with her brother Sam. Sara has returned home late as usual with a pink flush on her cheeks and chest – as if he had been exercising hard all evening.

They are in bed but despite the late hour, David cannot sleep.

David lay on his back in the dark. It was late, but he was still awake, his mind active and resentful. He looked across the double bed towards Sara who lay with her back towards him, apparently asleep. He felt angry and frustrated.

"Bloody Thursdays!" he fumed to himself. "Bloody tennis! And "Bloody Sam!"

Sara never wanted sex on Thursdays after playing tennis with her brother. Tonight it had been the same. In she had come at 10.45 pm looking tired, her face and chest flushed pink with exertion. She had greeted David, who was marking homework, and immediately gone to the kitchen where she had drunk a long glass of mineral water.

“Was it a good evening?” He had asked her. “Did you make it?”

Sara had looked thunderstruck but tried to act casually “Mmmm?”

“Did you make it through to the semi finals?” he persisted.

“Oh! Yes. Well, actually no. Well, actually our opponents didn’t turn up so we’re going to play them next week instead.” Sara’s face flushed deeper red. ‘Stop talking rubbish, Sara!’ she thought to herself.

“Oh! So what did the two of you do all evening?” David pressed on.

“We played each other.” Please God stop me saying these things! Sara silently begged. “Actually it was hard work.” Get yourself out of here now!

“I’m whacked! I’m going to have a shower and go to bed.” She announced and backed out of the room.

David, unsuspecting, had followed and, as usual, had tried to interest her in a little lovemaking. Also as usual, he had failed. He always failed on Thursdays and knew that, this particular Thursday, he had nothing to complain about. But David didn’t handle rejection well. He went back to the kitchen and poured himself a beer.

He was, on the whole, happy in his relationship with Sara - very happy now that things in bed had improved so much – apart from Thursdays, of course - but for reasons he could not understand he still could not keep his eyes, his mind - and, as today had proved, his hands - off other women.

Before their holiday in Spain last year he had convinced himself he had at least part of an excuse. After the thrill of their early months together, Sara had become less interested in sex and he had found that part of their relationship frustrating. Consequently he had occasionally weakened and found sexual solace with one or two of Sara's friends, but these had been mostly one night stands and, to David, had meant little. But he knew for certain that, if discovered, they would have meant the end of his relationship with Sara, and right now David did not want that at all.

However, since their holiday and the terrible row they had had that one night, things had certainly changed for the better. Almost from the next day Sara had become more confident, more self assured, much more sexually aware and more in control of their relationship. This was new to David who was used to being the one in charge, but so far he loved every minute of it. Well, almost every minute. He realised he was beginning to resent the amount of time Sara spent with her brother Sam, especially now that they were competing in their club's tennis competitions. Jealousy was a new thing for him and he didn't like the way it made him feel. Sara and Sam were out together practically every Thursday evening and occasionally at other times too and it seemed she almost always refused David sexually on those evenings.

But then, Sara had always been close to her brother and anyway David was almost certain that Sam had persuaded Sara to take him back after she had caught him masturbating while watching Sam’s beautiful wife Lynn in the swimming pool. David grudgingly admitted that he owed a lot to Sam and mustn't really complain.

He finished his beer and undressed for bed, slipping silently under the duvet beside Sara, who appeared to be asleep, her face turned away from him. He stroked her buttocks beneath her night gown, but there was no reaction. David lay on his back in the darkness and thought.

Watching her sleeping back, he remembered how Sara had made him suffer on that holiday before accepting him back. He had spent two uncomfortable nights on the sofa before being allowed back into her bedroom, and it had been their very last night on holiday before she had let him back into her body. He felt a little ashamed when he thought how much he had upset her - he hadn't meant to hurt her, but just couldn't keep his eyes off Lynn. Sara had been angry and had cried a lot - too much, he sometimes thought - and on at least one occasion she had needed her brother Sam to comfort her during the night.

They hadn't realised that David, unable to sleep, had seen Sam slipping silently into her room in the small hours. But David had simply thought that Sara had been too proud to let him see how much he had upset her and needed a shoulder to cry on.

And it had all been so silly. Lynn was so good looking that it was impossible for any man not to get turned on when she was in her swimming costume. He hadn't realised he had been touching himself down there. It had just been terrible bad luck Sara had noticed him at that moment. After all the real infidelities she could have discovered, to have nearly split up over this had seemed so ironic.

To David's continued disappointment, Lynn had never given him any encouragement. Quite the contrary, he thought. There was something cold and un-sexual about the polite, slightly formal way that Lynn looked at him and talked to him. In fact, he thought bitterly, Sam seemed to be the only man who could interest her in that way at all.

So David supposed he should now count himself lucky. He had not lost Sara after all. Sara had acquired a greatly increased sex drive. She had not found out about his flings with Carol and Paula. She had apparently not told Sam about David's voyeurism with Lynn. It looked like he might just have got away with it and all would be well - if only he could now keep his wandering eyes and hands under control.

Today had not been a good one on that front. At the memory of the evening’s activities, David felt the demon stirring between his thighs once again.

“Paula! Paula! Why are you back in my life once again?” He whispered. Sara stirred slightly before settling back into her regular, slow breathing.

David had known Paula since schooldays. She was one of 'those girls' that your mother warned you about and that consequently you went out of your way to find. Full figured without being fat - voluptuous was the right word - every inch of her cried out 'sex’. Paula knew this well and used it to great effect.

Not much over five feet tall, her skin was permanently tanned all over - well, not quite all over, David remembered with a smile. Her shoulder-length hair was a variety of colours from near-blonde through copper to rich brown. She had soft, rounded hips and David loved the way just a little of the tanned skin of her tummy squeezed out between the waist of the short, tight skirts she usually wore and the equally tight tops that showed off her heavy breasts off to devastating effect. The strongly sexual image had recently been crowned by the addition of a gold and pearl piercing in her navel.

At school, David had lusted after her for years and on several occasions had succeeded in taking her to bed, although he always felt it had been Paula who had taken him.

Paula was nowhere near as good looking as Lynn. She was not even as good looking as Sara, but she had passion in abundance. They had slept together less than a dozen times, but David could remember every one of them clearly. Neither of them had been looking for a serious relationship; rather each had been looking for great sexual experiences and had been drawn to each other as they had gradually become experts in their chosen field - the bedroom. As they had grown up, they had experimented with new and exciting ideas and positions and all on the clear understanding that their relationship was to remain purely physical.

After all, Paula was certainly not a woman to live with. She was destined always to be a mistress, never a wife. David knew that, in Sara, he had found a face and a nature to wake up with every morning for a lifetime and did not want to lose that, but he had to admit that even Sara at her most sexy could not stir his loins and fuddle his mind in the way Paula seemed to do without effort.

They had not seen each other since David had gone to college three years ago and she had remained behind. To his astonishment, on the first day of term, David had discovered her working in the office at the same school where he was teaching. Immediately recognising him as an 'old flame', Paula had started flirting with him in her deceptively casual way, and the very first evening they had gone for a quick drink together to talk about old times. David had been in no doubt that her kiss goodnight was more than a quick peck on the cheek between friends. Her closeness reminded him only too well of all their previous encounters and stirred his insides strongly.

He had fought against his urges for the whole of the winter term and had succeeded, but Paula’s animal attraction had remained a powerful force and eventually, urged on by Sara’s reducing libido and the expectation of rejection that Thursday night, David had finally succumbed.

David felt pressure building within his boxer shorts as he remembered what had happened only hours ago and realised that he had a massive erection growing. A big man in more than one way, this constraint of his manhood was becoming painful. David eased his shorts over the growing pole of muscle to let it rise freely over his lower stomach. That felt much better. He stroked his fingers along its lower ridge and felt it harden further. It felt sore from its exertions earlier that evening, but he was still pleased at the length and girth of it.

When he was younger, David had always hoped he was big in the erection department, but deep down he was as insecure as most men and had suspected that all men believed themselves to be huge. It had taken Paula with her acknowledged expertise and considerable experience of these things to convince him that he really was different.

"Christ, Dave" She had exclaimed when they had first been naked together and her expert hands and mouth had aroused him fully. "You’ll tear me open with that! We're going to have to take things very slowly, aren't we?"

He recalled clearly how good that had made him feel. They had been slow and careful and she had been tight and wonderful. But he now understood why so many girls had felt so tight around him and frightened by him, and that he must be careful to avoid hurting them. He had been especially careful with Sara who had seemed so sweet and vulnerable at first. He had thought that her low interest in sex had been partly through fear of his size - but if so, she had overcome that fear now, even if she hadn’t wanted him tonight.

And tonight he had found Paula too much to resist any longer. David felt a little guilty as he remembered the scene at school only hours ago.

*****

As he was locking up the sports hall after all the kids had gone home, David had become aware of someone watching him. Dressed in his sports kit of shorts and sleeveless top, he had supervising Five a Side Football and had been sweating more than a little. As he turned away from the hall door, he was surprised to find Paula standing in the corridor, having just descended from the spectators’ gallery.

“Hi Paula!” he said, surprised. “I didn’t know you were there.”

“I’ve been watching for a while.” She replied. “I think you’ve been avoiding me, Dave, haven’t you?” She stepped closer. “I knew I would find you here so I thought I’d find out why.”

She moved much closer to him now, as usual dressed in a tight blue skirt and white crop top. Her red brown hair was pulled back into a pony tail and she wore white socks and training shoes on her feet. David had to admit she looked great.

“I’ve not been avoiding you Paulie.” He replied, using her pet name from school years ago. “I’ve been busy with my course.” He paused, not wanting to upset her but she was watching him suspiciously.

“We could go for a quick drink in the ‘Lion’ if you’d like a chat about old times…”

“OK, lover. “Paula replied, pouting, making him laugh out loud. “You get changed and I’ll see you outside.”

“I’d better have a shower first.” said David. “I’ll just be a few minutes.” And with that, he opened the door of the boys’ changing room and slipped inside.

Stripping off his sweat-soaked clothes, David grabbed his towel and walked through to the shower room. He turned on the taps and stepped back until the first few seconds of cold water eventually became a warm and steamy stream. He stepped into the spray, letting it run through his thick hair and down his chest. Although his body was relaxed, his mind was in turmoil.

Paula had been right - he had been avoiding her. Although not usually troubled by conscience, he had wanted to be faithful to Sara and had thought the best way was to keep away from temptation – and Paula was certainly temptation. At first he thought he could win the battle, but now……Well, a man can take only so much, can’t he?

Inexorably, his mind went back to their previous encounters. He remembered her passion, the way she smelt, the way she tasted, the way her body gripped his when he was inside her…. And now she was out there, waiting for him.

He soaped his arms, his chest and his stomach, staring at the ceiling deep in thought. Then he lathered his thighs, his calves and down between his legs, reveling in the feel of the hot spray. His cock was stirring noticeably, and the more he thought of Paula, the more it stirred. David took the bar of soap and vigorously lathered his small, tight buttocks, remembering the touch of Paula’s confident hands on his skin. His cock was fully erect now; strong, bold and large, easily reaching his navel.

David looked down at his erection in satisfaction. Although he had never measured it, he knew it to be something special. Something that separated him from other men, and drew him so strongly towards women. He turned and as the hot water struck the back of his head and ran down his broad back, he cupped his testicles in his left hand and held his thick shaft in his right. He ran his fingers up and down, from its wide strong base to its smooth, rounded tip. It was a long journey. It felt good.

He turned to his right to let the water wash away more suds and, to his horror, realized he was being watched again. Leaning against the frosted glass partition was Paula. She was watching him closely, her arm raised, her legs crossed, his discarded shorts in her right hand. David felt very embarrassed, but Paula appeared unmoved. Looking him straight in the eye, she raised her hand and pressed his used shorts to her nose. She inhaled deeply and threw them aside.

“I love the smell of a big, strong man.” She said huskily, laughing at her own words as she spoke.

David’s automatic reaction was to try and cover himself. Realizing the futility of this, he turned and smiled sheepishly at her, his erection now huge and very obvious. Paula said nothing more but, lowering her hand from her face, crossed her arms over her chest and, grasping the hem of her crop top, lifted it slowly and sexily up and over her head. Her eyes never left David’s as she posed provocatively in a bursting white bra and short blue skirt. David felt his erection brushing his lower belly and grasped it in his right hand. Paula laughed and, thrusting her chest towards him, deftly unfastened the clasp of her brassiere, letting it slip over her smooth brown shoulders to be cast aside. Her full, round, tanned breasts broke free, their large dark nipples standing proud and erect. David felt his cock throbbing as the hot water beat down on his wet back.

Paula sauntered towards him, her eyes still fixed on David’s, until her face was within inches of his. David craned his neck forwards, his lips seeking hers, but Paula lowered herself teasingly beyond his reach and dropped to her knees in font of him until her face was merely inches from his huge erection. The hot water of the shower beat down on her face and hair, running in streams down her back as she raised her face. Paula looked up at David, a broad smile on her lips as without a word, she took the swollen head of his cock into her mouth.

It filled her face, its girth stretching her cheeks and as she dipped her head forward, barely half of its length had entered her mouth before David felt his head striking the back of her throat. He moaned with pleasure as she pulled her head back, kissing him on the smooth round tip of his cock.

“You’ve not got any smaller in the last three years, Dave!” She said jokingly. “I’ve really missed you ….. All of you.”

Opening her lips, she pulled David’s huge erection into her mouth, taking in more than half of its length this time. Her hand slipped between his thighs, sliding upwards until her fingers brushed against his scrotum. She cupped his tight sack in her palm as her tongue lapped along the length of his shaft, tickling the ridge along its underside and running around the rim of his glans. David’s knees felt weak. Paula’s practiced skill had always been able to reduce him to jelly. He watched as her head bobbed up and down and his cock vanished into her mouth, reappearing long, smooth and shiny with her saliva. He began involuntarily to flex his pelvis, driving his cock further into her mouth with each stroke, watching her cheeks bulge as she pressed herself onto him time and again. He felt strong, so big and so turned on.

The warm water had soaked Paula’s short blue skirt, sticking its folds to her buttocks and thighs and showing off her rounded, enticing body. David’s knees began to tremble and he stroked her wet hair as he dropped slowly to his knees in front of her, all the time Paula’s mouth holding tightly to his erection. As he knelt before her, she sat back on her heels with her legs splayed apart and the bronzed skin on her back glistening in the wet spray of the shower.