"Are you even listening, Liv? Seriously!" My focus suddenly snapped back to my workmate, Nicole, who was waggling her hand in front of my face. My thoughts scrambled as I tried to recall what she'd just said, while I was too preoccupied thinking of what I planned on doing that evening.
"Yeah, sorry. God, I'm so out of it after that meeting. What did you say?" I said casually, her eyes rolling in response.
"You're always out of it I swear, meeting or no meeting. I said I have my step-sister's wedding next Friday, and I know that's your rostered day off, but I really, really need you to cover me. No amount of 'reallys' can express how much I need you to do this favor for me. I know how flat out you've been, but I already asked Candice and Bill and they've both got Friday commitments. I didn't notice anything on your calendar," she said, gesturing her head toward my desk with a pleading look in her eyes.
I remembered Nicole mentioning a few times about having a 'thing' for one of the groomsmen, and I assumed that this would be her day to make the big attempt at hooking him. I ran over my plans for next week in my head and came up empty.
"Fine, sure, okay. I'll do it. But you'd better not leave me a bunch of half-completed tasks or I will not be a happy camper." I said, and I could tell she'd stopped listening right after I said 'Fine', her round face beaming.
"You're the best. Thank you so much," she said, making a delighted noise.
"No problem," I replied with a quick smile before picking up my bag off the dividing half-wall between her cubicle and the walkway, and fumbling around in its main pocket until I reached my mobile phone. Unlocking the phone, I found two new messages.
The first, from my boyfriend, Jack: "Text me if you have any problems ok? You know that though. I love you." My heart swelled with pride reading those three words.
The second, from Mark, who I'd met last weekend and hooked up with briefly outside one of the clubs in town. "Yeah, definitely," it said, in response to my asking whether or not we were still on for tonight.
He'd got my number; he was the only guy out of all the ones who'd tried. It was something about him, an innate sexiness that really drew me in. His confidence and his charisma, complemented with his physique.
I hadn't felt that kind of allure from a guy other than Jack in a long time -- with all the other guys it was just fleeting lust, enough for one fuck. But Mark had a certain essence that drew me to want to see him again.
I'd been doing Girls' Nights Out with some new work friends as a tease for Jack, a grand finale to a week he'd spent in chastity. They started with me just going out and flirting with other guys while he was home in chastity and I had the key. It was a fun way to get him horny and desperate for me, like he was when we first got together.
I loved pushing the boundaries with him psychologically as well as sexually, and seeing how he would become frustrated knowing that any other guy I met while out could physically have their way with me, but no matter how hard he tried, as long as I had the key and his otherwise irresistible cock was locked away, he could not.
I loved the liberating feeling of being able to go out and 'act single', explore my sexuality and feel free, while also having my long-term boyfriend at home and the emotional sense of security that offered me. Considering I only did it one night every month, and for the week before that night Jack would be in chastity but not at any point outside of that week, we had a pretty good dynamic going.
At first I'd been a bit tentative about going out and being sexually open with other people while I was with Jack, not sure how he would react, but after the first experience of me coming home with physical evidence (a hickey from another guy), and the resulting rage-fuck I got from Jack as he strove to prove his superiority over other guys to me, all hesitation was gone.
He would hate me doing this if he weren't in chastity, but when he was, it was the only way he could feel like I wasn't just guaranteed to fuck him whenever he made a move on me, because usually, he was the dominant one who always had me wrapped around his finger. He felt powerless for the first time in our four year relationship, powerless and jealous.
It gave him a spark and a hunger in his eyes for me that he hadn't had for a while prior to these Girls' Nights Out. I craved that hunger, that fury, that need he would have for me when I got home. He's always been so good-looking, so desired by other women, that to have him so desperate for only me made me feel like a goddess. To feel that wanted by the only guy that I really needed, was the most liberating part of it all.
I felt a rush of adrenaline and warmth spread from my chest around my body as I read Mark's message. I was genuinely excited to be seeing him. We'd texted a couple of times since last weekend, just getting to know each other a little. He knew I worked at this crap-hole insurance company, I knew he was a boat-builder.
He lived in a well-known block of flats near the wharf, well-known because with its art deco features, it stood out from the regular sandstone buildings of the port-town-turned-city we called home. His house was conveniently only a short walk from the main pubs and clubs of the city, and a short cab ride to mine and Jack's place.
"Bye, Olivia! Have a good one," my boss called out to me as I headed toward the elevator.
"See you Monday, Richelle!" I called over my shoulder, before stepping through the gray doors. I pulled my hair tie from around the tight bun I'd been wearing all day, letting my light ash brown hair cascade around my shoulders and down to the middle of my back.
When the elevator hit the lobby, I walked, charcoal high heels clicking, into the bathroom where I changed into a sleek, tight, dark red dress, topping it with a thin black jacket.
I met my three girlfriends at our favorite watering hole, and ordered a light salad and a glass of white wine. Isobel had attempted to a blonde dye job at home, and the results were orange, so that was her latest fiasco. Naomi's boyfriend was dropping engagement hints, asking Isobel what size ring Naomi wore, news which made us all excited. Casey had just applied for a higher-up position at her company, and we all told her how well she would do and not to worry, though we knew she'd worry herself sick until it was all over anyway.
When their attention came to me, I had to take my time chewing on a lettuce leaf to come up with something interesting that had happened to me in the past week that wasn't revolving around Jack being in chastity.
"Uh, well..." I said, thinking that if I didn't hurry up they were going to think I'd gone a bit stupid. "Jack's just finished a major project at his work, so that's been great! The boss is talking about a bonus, so the Whitsundays may not be too far on the horizon after all," I said with a wistful tone, to which the girls all smiled and nodded.
After we chatted some more and I finished my meal, I remembered that it must be getting close to six. "Shit," I said, checking the time on my phone. "I'd actually better run, guys, I'm meeting him for dinner to celebrate." They all waved me off and told me to give him their congratulations. I felt a strange sense of disconnect as walked away, like I was living a double-life.
Was I? I'd been catching up with them like my regular old self, but going out clubbing with workmates who had no idea about Jack once a month. They thought I was single, and spotted hot guys for me to hook up with. I felt a glowing sense of independence in my chest as I thought of how I could juggle my regular life, and my after-dark, once-monthly secret.
