Emily leaned over the sink and held a breath as she combed mascara into her eye lashes. The bathroom was still steamy from her shower. She looked at her watch on the counter---he would be here in less than half an hour. She took another sip from the glass of wine, her second. She was struggling to quiet her nerves and the wine was not yet helping. She took a bigger gulp of red and breathed in deeply through her nose filling her lungs. She let out a slow hissing breath through pursed lips. Again.
"Richard" she called out as she spread concealer under her eyes. She rotated her face in the mirror lights to inspect her work.
"Yeah?" Richard poked his head in the bathroom door. He was dressed and eager to usher along Emily's preparation---he wanted her to be ready.
"Go in my sweater drawer and bring me the striped box." Emily continued to apply her makeup. Richard returned with the gift box and handed it to her. She lifted the lid and pulled out the bottle of perfume and set in on the marble counter. She replaced the lid and returned the box to him. "Lay these out on the bed for me. Tom sent them," she said, looking straight into Richard's eyes. She had removed Tom's note from the box, not wanting to reveal how long she had kept the box a secret. She was relieved when she realized she could use the gift as a last minute taunt---psychological foreplay for her impatient husband. The wine was starting to work now and she felt a curious pleasure from the confounded look on Richard's face. She closed the door on him and took another drink.
Richard set the box on the foot of the bed and opened the lid. He peeled back the tissue layers and looked at the lacy items. He laid the brassiere neatly on the bed spread, and then placed the panties below them. His legs felt weak. This gift from Tom answered his curiosity about any communications between him and Emily. The realization stung him---not in a completely unpleasant way---but it sent his mind racing about the extent of their collusion ahead of tonight's meeting. His anticipation of this night had preoccupied him for the last two weeks and now his wife had confirmed its arrival with her abrupt revelation and her distant tone.
The bathroom door opened again and Emily stood in the doorway, her robe hanging open. Richard saw her neatly cropped snatch and he looked up at her freshly penciled eyebrows and bright red lips. She looked vivacious and unfamiliar in this instant. Her eyes were glassy.
"Richard---what are you doing?" Emily quizzed him harshly. "Will you get the fuck out of here? Go down stairs and do something while I get dressed. Put some music on. Have a drink." Emily was testing her wings ahead of Tom's arrival and it felt good. She stared Richard out the door and she smiled to herself, pleased by Richard's obedience.
Emily's bitchy sternness stiffened Richard's cock almost instantly; the front of his trousers bulged outward. He couldn't greet Tom at the door with a fucking hard on. "Fuck!" he thought. Richard busied himself with music and selected a menu of jazzy blues and he set it to playing, filling the room softly and distantly. He walked through the front room and dining room dimming lights for mood---not too dark. And then he poured a drink, guzzled it, and then poured another with which to pace the rooms while he waited.
Emily looked at herself in the mirror on the back of the closet door. It was not the first time she had tried on Tom's gift, but tonight, she thought it looked even better. How did he find such a perfect fit? She twisted and turned in her heels attempting to see her back in the mirror. She liked how the panties cut across her ass in just the right place, and the dainty bra managed to hike her up, make her look fuller. She felt good. She pulled a skimpy black cocktail dress---her favorite "party" dress---from a hanger and stepped into it. It was too risquΓ© for public wear, but she wore it many times for special nights with Richard. It was one of his favorites too. But as she struggled to pull the zipper up her back it was not Richard she was thinking about. The wine had compressed her inhibitions into a distant corner of her mind and she was feeling ready for the evening. As she smoothed the dress down her hips and ass she heard commotion and voices downstairs and she hurried into the bathroom to check her lipstick one last time.
"Hello Sir," Richard said as he pushed open the storm door to let Tom in. Richard stood aside as he entered and then closed the front door against the late fall air. Tom seemed taller, more statuesque than he remembered. The cold air still hung around him.
"Hello Richard," Tom said. He set down a duffle bag at his feet and shook off his coat and handed it to Richard. Richard fumbled with a hanger and the coat---he was anxious and self conscious. He hung the coat in the entry closet and then turned back to Tom.
"Thanks for coming tonight, Sir."
Tom ignored his welcome, "Why are you dressed?"
Richard looked confused and a little rattled. He wasn't sure of the right answer to offer, so he offered none and shrugged.
"I'm sure I told you in one of my last emails that you should be naked when I get here. Why the fuck are you all dressed up like you're going to dinner. Are you going to dinner?" his voice was getting louder.
"No Sir," Richard answered. "I guess I misunderstood. I thought I would have to..."
"Oh man---shut the fuck up Bitchard. Where's Emily?
"She's getting ready. She'll be right down, Sir." Richard offered apologetically. Tom pushed the duffle bag toward him with his foot. "Take this over to the dining table. I brought some things for you to wear. You can put them on---right over there!" Tom gestured toward the end of the dining room table. "I hope you're not going to be a fuck-up all night. I don't want to be pissed off already. I was feeling good when I got here."
Richard took the bag into the dining room and started to undress. He heard Emily coming down the steps, but could not see their exchange.
"Hello Tom," Emily said cheerily as she spotted him.
"Wow," Tom exclaimed and offered his hand to her as she made the last few steps.
"Emily---you look beautiful. So sexy!" She stepped right next to him and raised her face and they kissed. "M-m-m-m, you smell great too." He kissed her again and cupped her ass familiarly. "Did you enjoy my gift?"
"I did," Emily answered. "It's beautiful. You have great taste."
"I'm glad. I can't wait to see it."
Emily looked around. "Where's Richard?" Tom nudged her to the dining room doorway by her elbow and pointed at Richard who was down to his socks and underwear. He was already stiff and he didn't try to hide his erection from them. Emily giggled. "What are you doing Richard?" she asked loudly, in exaggerated bewilderment. She laughed louder as Richard continued undressing.
"I brought Richard an outfit to wear," Tom said. He whispered in Emily's ear, "I thought it was only fair since I had gotten a gift for you. I didn't want him to be jealous. Hey, let's get a drink while he get's dressed---I need one."
"Me too," said Emily, enthused. She didn't want to lose her buzz.