I took Douglas to Paris for our first wedding anniversary. I had started working and was doing quite well, while he was completing his Masters degree.
I booked a nice hotel in the central part of town. We would've walked there from the station if it wasn't raining but it was so wet we got a cab. We didn't even unpack before we undressed each other and had a great night of anniversary sex.
The next morning, we joined the other guests in the restaurant for breakfast. The coffee and croissants were great. We were sitting next to an older British couple and got chatting as everyone else seemed to be speaking French or Dutch.
Neil had salt-and-pepper hair, a friendly smile and a glint in his eye. Joyce was a brassy blonde and was wearing a lovely dress with a figure hugging bodice and a flowing skirt.
"Are you in Paris for a show, Nigella?" Joyce asked me.
"Oh, no. It's just a romantic weekend away. It's our first wedding anniversary and this is the city of love, after all."
"It is that." She responded, looking at Neil.
"How long have you been married?" I asked.
Neil chipped in.
"Not long enough -- but it'll be 23 years this October. Our eldest has just graduated from Leeds."
As I started responding, Neil took out his phone and started flicking through the photo album.
"That's lovely. I suppose you have a lot more time to yourselves, now."
"Yes, we do. They're all almost ready to look after themselves. Look at them here, last Christmas." And he showed us a picture of himself, Joyce, and three black girls.
"Oh, you adopted? How lovely."
"Oh no." They chorused. Then, Joyce explained.
"They're all from my lovers, sweetie."
"I don't understand."
And Neil spoke again.
"Women have a greater capacity for sexual pleasure, Nigella. You know that. So, I've always been glad when Joyce takes other lovers. I was proud to help raise her kids. I love them all. I just didn't father them."
"I wasn't sure how to take this but Douglas put his hand on my thigh and it felt like he was turned on. When I brushed my hand against his crotch it was clear he was."
* * *
After breakfast we went back upstairs to get our things for the day.
"Well, that was an interesting conversation." Douglas said.
"Yes but I don't understand why Neil was so happy about Joyce having her lovers' babies. I'd never do that to you."
"You mean you'd never have lovers, or you'd have lovers but only let me father your babies?"
I swatted at him because I knew he'd deliberately misinterpreted my statement.
"Are you sure you don't understand why?" He followed up.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, women have a greater capacity for sexual pleasure. From a purely logical perspective, it might make sense to sustain a relationship with external support."
"Sometimes, you talk like an engineer and not a human, Douglas!"
"You mean I design reliable structures? But seriously, they have been happily married for 23 years. That's an achievement and not to be laughed at. And I can see things from Neil's perspective."
"What do you mean?" I wasn't fully calm but I wanted to listen to my logical husband.
"Lots of men imagine their wives taking lovers. Achieving great satisfaction from a lover offering something they cannot provide. We don't have to copy and paste what they have done but it's worth speaking with them again to learn from them. Being happily married is much better than the alternative."
"You imagine me with lovers? You want me to take lovers?"
"Nigella, you sometimes tell me to pound you with my big cock. And we both know that my cock is about average size. I think we all have fantasies. And fantasies are fine. We don't have to do anything with them but we should probably communicate about them more. Relationships need strong communication."
"OK, Mr Reasonable. What do you fantasise about?"
"Mostly about you being more assertive. I dream about you taking control more and giving me orders. And I'll admit that I've had the odd sneaky wank thinking about you with someone who really does have a big cock."
"Really, you want me to be in charge in bed?"
"I wouldn't object if you wanted to push me around a little bit more. It's sort of sexy."
"And you want me to take a lover?"
"I want you to be in charge. And I want you to be happy. Very happy. I don't know how I'd really think -- well feel -- if you did take a lover. But I don't hate the idea. I don't feel the need to dominate or control you. I've always been quite turned on that you actually chose me -- and continue to choose me. That's really hot. What do you fantasise about?"
"Well, you're not wrong. I do fantasise about being fucked by a man whose cock really stretches me. And then fills me with cum. Vast amounts of cum."
"I'm quite turned on. We don't have to go out just yet. Do we?"
"Down on your knees, Douglas. I'll give some orders and I want you to follow them to the letter."
Douglas smiled as he dropped to his knees.
* * *
We joined Neil and Joyce for breakfast again the next morning. I looked at Joyce and asked how they enjoyed yesterday.
"It was lovely and relaxing. We like to wander aimlessly around Paris and with today's dry weather we could do that. Turn left, walk a bit, turn right, and so on. You can never get too lost because there's always a Metro station nearby."
Suddenly, Douglas spoke up.
"Could I ask you something more direct?"
They nodded.
"We were a bit surprised by what you shared with us yesterday. But it seems like you've been happily married for 23 years and that's a real achievement. I very much prefer being married to not. So, has what you shared contributed to or detracted from the strength of your marriage."
Joyce laughed!
"Are you a lawyer?"