(A very special thanks to the Little blueyed Angel that had the patience to edit this work.)
As was their normal custom, they would meet up after work to down a few pitchers of beer and discuss the latest sports, women, or newest happenings in their various lives and work. They had all been friends and known each other since high school or college, although none were brothers or even related in any other way. Just some guys that were in their mid to late twenties, fairly secure in their status in life, who got together weekly, and although there were sometimes six, the usual was four or five.
On rare occasions they would even meet at one's house or apartment and have a poker game or football party. There was an unwritten, never uttered rule, that they had to stay unmarried to stay in the group. After one brief meeting, Mike noticed that Rick had been unusually quiet and preoccupied during the arguments about their favorite football or baseball teams, when Rick was almost always the most vocal and positive that he was right about anything and everything. So, Mike and Bobby stayed to see what was up with Rick and whether they could help with whatever was bothering him.
"Hey, man, why the long face and no arguments tonight?? Problems with Stacey (Rick's live-in girlfriend of two years), or work got you down??" Asked Mike.
"No, not really, but sorta like that!!!" Replied Rick.
He was a few years older than either Mike or Bobby, and they looked up to him as a big brother.
"Yeah!!!" Bobby chimed in. "What's eating you tonight??" "This isn't like you at all, there's got to be something under your saddle giving you a rough ride!!!","Well, I'll let you in on it............if you'll keep it to yourselves and not share this with the whole world...................Stacey has some weird ideas of what she wants to do for my Big 30th, that's in about two months."
"NO way, man, she wants you to pop the question and settle down to kids and the married life??" Mike exclaimed.
"No, no, it's not that, as we've discussed this before and are agreed that things are fine the way they are " Rick answered. "She wants to do something different and special for my birthday that will be with us for a while.................to show that she really, really loves me, but NOT a ring, or at least not one her finger, maybe a nipple as she already has one in her navel, and I'm not into tattoos, so that's out!!!!"
Both Mike and Bobby had met and knew Stacey fairly well as they had all gone out on several occasions to eat or party and had been to Rick and Stacey place several times. She was about five years younger than Rick, about 5'4", slim and trim with nice firm B cup breasts, and although easy to get along with, was very committed to Rick and did about what ever Rick ask her to do. Rick was even tempered and also very committed to the relationship, so whenever he spoke up or was determined about something she gave in without question (Well, usually anyway). Stacey always dressed nicely, not showy or conservative, but with outfits that fit the occasion.
Early in the beginnings of their relationship right after she had moved in with Rick; he had tested her committment to him and told her she wasn't to wear bras anymore. Though it seem to embrass her at first she had done what he wanted and thrown out all her bras and nothing else was said about it between them.