A Forbidden Touch

Author's Notes: This is the third instalment in the Sofia and Alex series.

The story is fairly long and there's a lot of build up before the action. The series deals with a woman's infidelity, so it's in the Loving Wives category. There's also elements of group sex and anal, so if any of that's not your thing, you should probably move along. If it is your thing, then I hope you enjoy!

Prologue - Amitié

"Sofia! Par ici, ma chérie! Over here, Alex!"

Alex and Sofia had collected the luggage from the baggage carousel and after a short walk, emerged into the arrival area of Aéroport de Marseille Provence.

Hearing their names shouted, they were delighted to see their friend Anne on the other side of the barrier waving at them frantically. François was standing beside his wife, looking mildly embarrassed by the attention his boisterous wife was attracting.

Sofia immediately rushed to her friend, leaving Alex to struggle with both suitcases, a small duffle and his own messenger bag. François discreetly ducked under the retractable barrier and headed towards Alex so he could help the younger man with the luggage.

Sofia, meanwhile, had reached Anne and wasted no time slipping under the barrier. She threw her arms around her friend in a tight embrace. She had missed Anne dearly and actually cried a little as she told her so.

By the time the Alex and François had made their way through the proper exit and joined their wives, the women had calmed down. They warmly welcomed the men with an exchange of kisses on the cheek.

Sofia had warned Alex that la bise was customary. When Anne kissed his cheek, he quite enjoyed the feel of her smooth cheek against his. He was glad though, when François settled for a firm handshake, instead.

The women had much catching up to do and would have been happy to stand where they were and catch-up. However, François was eager to get on the road and suggested they talk on the way to the car.

As they walked, François explained to Alex their home was in the 7th arrondissement, located in the Roucas Blanc district. As it was still morning, he said it would be a 40 minute drive from the airport.

While Sofia and Anne chatted in the backseat of the Mercedes-Benz SUV, François played tour guide for Alex and indicated points of interest along the way as they headed south into the city.

Chapter 1 - Coquette

The Duris' home was impressive. Built in 1875, it boasted 5 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms. It appeared to have been recently updated. The luxurious house was situated on several acres and came with lush gardens, an infinity pool and a natural stone terrace. The backyard had a spectacular view of the Mediterranean Sea.

While Alex wasn't familiar with local real estate prices, he knew enough that the house had to be valued in the millions. Coupled with their luxurious SUV and the Porsche cabriolet parked in the driveway, he realized that their friends were very wealthy!

Anne and François gave them a brief tour of their home before showing them to the guest room. The room had a modern ensuite, complete with his and hers sinks and a large soaker tub. Situated at the rear of the house, the room overlooked the gardens and pool. Beyond the gardens, they saw the Mediterranean Sea, as it sparkled and glimmered.

Although they were only going to be there for a couple of days, Sofia hoped she would be able to try out the tub. By all accounts, the couple would be very comfortable in their accommodations.

Anne and François gave them a few minutes of privacy to put away their luggage and freshen up. When Sofia and Alex rejoined their hosts in the salon, there appeared to be a beehive of activity underway.

Anne surprised them by mentioning that she had invited a few close friends over for a dinner party that evening. Emphasizing that it was nothing too big, she did say that she was very eager to introduce them to her closest friends.

Anne invited them to sit in the kitchen for a simple lunch of quiche Provençale accompanied by a fresh country salad, Cantal and Mimolette cheese and baguette.

François opened a wonderful bottle of Henri Schoenheitz Herrenreben Riesling 2016 to pair with their lunch. Anne would occasionally break away to deal with issues pertaining to the evening's dinner, but they all had a delightful time catching up.

Sofia watched as Anne buzzed about and interacted with the staff. She caught on fairly quickly, that the dinner was more elaborate than the small get-together that Anne had claimed it to be.

After lunch, François took Sofia and Alex for a tour of the property, leaving Anne to deal with her planning. The property was awe-inspiring. Facing south, it looked out on the Mediterranean Sea and the Frioul archipelago, a group of small islands located just off the coast.

François walked them to the edge of the gardens, where they stopped to admire the view.

"This is breathtaking, François." Alex told his host. "I could look out at this view all day. I don't know why you would ever feel the need to visit the Bahamas, or anywhere else for that matter."

François, who was standing between his guests draped his arms around them both and answered. "It is beautiful and I wouldn't choose to live anywhere else in the world, Alex. But like everything in life, sometimes it's not enough and we like a little change, non?"

Although he didn't really know what François' meant by that, Alex politely nodded in agreement.

Sofia, however, wondered if their host was making a playful reference to their time in the Bahamas, when the two couples had met. She and François had been flirting with each other throughout their vacation and he had certainly made it known he was interested in her. Several times, she had caught him admiring her bare breasts while she was tanning by the pool.

On another occasion, he was even bolder, going so far as to move his chair so he would have an unobstructed view of her bikini-covered bottom. Noticing his bold motion, Sofia upped the ante by opening her legs a little to give him a better view. They had made eye contact as she flashed him and there was a definite air of electricity between them.

She had found their game exhilarating and for the first time in her life, realized she was somewhat of an exhibitionist. Now, months later, being in his presence had brought those feelings rushing back. She was enjoying the warmth of his arm wrapped around her. Her attraction for him was undeniable.

She decided to encourage François and purposely leaned in closer, knowing her breast would be pressed against him. She felt a surge of electricity at the forbidden contact and wondered if he would act on her boldness.

Alex however, was uncomfortable with the group hug and moved to his right in an effort to disengage. The change in dynamic, obligated François to also let go of Sofia. With the moment having passed, their host gestured towards the house.

"I think we should all head back to the house and retire for an afternoon nap. I fear mamour may be planning a bigger event than she has led us to believe. It would be best if we are well-rested. I anticipate that the evening will be long."

Anne was nowhere to be seen, so François walked them to their room. Before leaving, he gave Alex a warm handshake. When Alex turned to enter the room, François embraced Sofia in a hug. It wasn't lost on Sofia, that François' had strayed from the customary air kiss and used the opportunity to take her in his arms. That he did it with Alex mere steps away, excited her!

She felt his hand slide to her bottom and cup it as he brought her closer to him. She could feel his penis pressed up against her mons as the hug lingered and she longed to press her lips to his. Instead, she was left frustrated when François released her and took a step back.

"Rest well and let me know if you need anything, ma mie."

***

Alex and Sofia awoke refreshed and were looking forward to the evening ahead. They took turns showering and began to get dressed for the dinner party. Although Anne hadn't said so, they assumed that it would be a formal affair and selected their outfits accordingly.

Dressed in an avio blue Ermenegildo Zegna Trofeo wool and linen jacket, Sofia thought Alex looked striking. To go with the jacket, she had suggested he wear his white Burberry dress shirt and beige Tom Ford cotton-silk dress pants. They didn't think a tie would be necessary, so he finished off the outfit with his polished leather loafers.

Sofia wore a sleeveless Tory Burch floral sheath dress that accentuated her curves and dark tan. She paired her dress with Valentino Garavani high heel sandals, and matching Elsa Peretti jewelry. Feeling bold, and perhaps hoping to tease François a little, she decided to forgo her bra and panties.

"You look absolutely stunning, babe. You are going to be the envy of every woman at the party. And I think every man is going to wish he was the one bringing you home, instead of me!"

"Thank you, my love. You're looking very dashing yourself. Don't be surprised if some of the women are fighting for your attention tonight. Shall we go?"

Alex intertwined his arm with Sofia's as they went in search of their hosts. Entering the kitchen, they saw that François had reappeared from his rest and was now helping his wife with preparations.

Sofia thought he looked very dapper in a beige linen-blend jacket with a crisp white shirt. His clothes fit him excellently and she knew right away that they had been expertly tailored. With his tousled salt and pepper hair and ever-present smile, Sofia found herself again drawn to the handsome man.

He greeted them as they arrived in the kitchen. "Alex! Sofia! Mon dieu! You both look magnificent!"

Anne readily agreed. "Such a beautiful couple. I'm afraid you will put everyone else to shame!" She then got a little emotional as she came over to hug them tightly. "Oh I can't believe you are both here."

Alex was a bit surprised by Anne's outburst. He felt a closeness to the couple, but they had met less than a year ago. Sofia, however, understood completely. She and Anne shared a bond. They knew each other's deepest secrets and although Alex and François were probably unaware, they spoke weekly by phone.

Sofia thought about their friendship and again realized how much she had missed Anne. When they finally broke their embrace, Sofia stepped back to look at her friend.

Anne had also changed, although she probably hadn't had the opportunity to rest that afternoon. She had been going like a whirlwind all day, preparing for the dinner party. Nevertheless, she still managed to look fabulous.

Anne wore a marvellous, flower-print Zimmerman cotton-silk dress that complimented her lithe build and her wavy blonde hair looked like it had been professionally coiffed. Her beauty was timeless and she exuded elegance. Such a graceful woman, Sofia thought. She exhibited power, confidence and sensuality, all at once.

Anne had just started to give them background on the guests she had invited, when the doorbell rang. François went to greet the newly arrived guests while Anne walked with Sofia and Alex into the salon.

Over the next 40 minutes, the rest of their visitors arrived. Waitstaff circled constantly, bearing l'aperitif trays and never ending choices of martinis and Bollinger Champagne.

Anne introduced Sofia to several of the guests, while François did likewise with Alex.

One couple was from Milan, Italy. Luca was somewhat short and rather portly with thinning grey hair and oversized black eyeglasses. He looked to be in his late sixties and apparently was a film producer of some renown.

His wife, Monica was an alluring, voluptuous woman and much taller than her husband. She had wavy chestnut hair and sported very impressive cleavage in her plunging Oscar de la Renta cocktail dress.

Monica had to be at least 20 years her husband's junior. She actually had a familiar look about her, and Sofia wondered if she had been a model or actress when she was younger. She made a mental note to ask Anne later.

Another couple, probably in their early forties, were Turkish. They split their time between Nice, where they were the principal owners of an IT company, and Istanbul, their home in Turkey.

Caria was of average height and a little plump, but with a very bubbly personality. She seemed to be perfectly fluent in Turkish, French, English and Italian and switched seamlessly back and forth between languages, depending on who she was talking to.

Caria's husband, Ahmet, was unquestionably the quieter of the two. He stood well over 1.9 metres tall, and was rather gangly. He was bald, but sported a very full jet-black beard. He looked somewhat like a hipster undertaker! Judging by his frequent trips to the patio, he was also a chain-smoker.

They also met a distinguished Englishman named Stephen, who was married to a lovely lady from Paris, named Hélène. The couple lived in London, but spent most of the winter in le Midi, the South of France.

During dinner, they learned Stephen and Hélène's oldest son, Richard, was married to Anne and François' daughter, Magali. Richard and Magali were expecting their first child in a few months. Stephen and Hélène's youngest son, Vincent, was studying engineering at Université Paris-Saclay.

Lastly, there was an elderly woman, Mylène, who was unescorted. She was the oldest in the group and Sofia was curious as to how she fit into Anne and François' social circle. Seated beside her at dinner, Sofia learned Mylène was a retired French actress who lived permanently in Cannes.

Mylène had famously refused the Légion d'honneur awarded her by the French President Jacques Chirac and was generally regarded as royalty throughout the entertainment industry. She had been friends with Anne and François for decades and was their daughter's marrainé, her godmother.

About an hour after the last guests arrived, the group were called to the dining room. The guests looked for their name tags around the table. Anne wanted to be sure her new friends were properly welcomed, so she had strategically placed each guest.

The waitstaff had already laid out a wonderful selection of hors d'oeuvres, including beef carpaccio, salmon mousse and pork rillettes. The guests' glasses were filled with a Château l'Arrosee Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé 2010 Merlot that was particularly well-suited to the Parmesan and Arugula flavours in the carpaccio.

Stephen and Hélène were sat across the table from Alex. Monica sat next to Stephen, who she flirted with impetuously. The handsome Englishman seemed to take her advances in stride.

Alex was fascinated by Stephen's handling of the situation. He was attentive and respectful to Monica, but made sure that his wife was never excluded or ignored during the evening. It was truly a lesson in charm and diplomacy, and Alex was very impressed with the Englishman's display of social grace in what could have been an awkward circumstance.

With the hors d'oeuvres complete, dishes were cleared and the staff soon began bringing out broiled swordfish à la niçoise. The swordfish was paired with a Roux Père et Fils Les Cortons Premier Cru 2017 Chardonnay from the Saint-Aubin région.

Alex thoroughly enjoyed his dish, and with the playful urging of a buxom waitress, he accepted a second serving of swordfish.

While the guests waited for the next course, the staff brought out dishes of both lemon and lime sorbet to allow the guests to cleanse their palates. Sofia noted that Ahmet took the opportunity to rush out to the veranda for a quick smoke break.

Mylène, who was seated to Sofia's right, leaned closer to the younger woman and said quietly, "Such a vile man, yet his wife is so lovely, I have no idea what she sees in him!"

Sofia giggled and then nodded in agreement.

For the past hour, or more, Sofia had listened with fascination to the woman's tales and was thoroughly enjoying her company. Mylène had been coming to la Midi for decades and when her husband passed, she decided to move here, permanently.

She knew all there was to know about the South of France, including all the gossip about everyone who lived there or visited. She had experienced so much in her life, and she possessed a wonderful charm. She was bursting with humour and wit and Sofia immediately understood why Anne had such a fondness for her. She was truly a treasure.

As Mylène continued to regale Sofia with her wonderful tales, the main course, or le plat principal, was being brought out. However, the delightful smell of the confit de canard was soon overpowered by the odour of stale Turkish cigarettes when Ahmet returned to the table.

The roasted duck was served with new potatoes, beans and samphire looked heavenly. It had been paired with a Cave De Ribeauville Pinot Gris Martine Rolli-Windholtz Terroirs 2018. Unfortunately,

Sofia hadn't paced herself adequately to make it through all the courses. She was feeling quite full and only nibbled at the duck. When the salad of simple greens tossed with vinaigrette was served, Sofia again nibbled slightly. She noticed Alex didn't even bother picking up his fork. Evidently, he too was full!

Neither touched the selection of cheese served on wooden boards that followed soon after the salad.

Thankfully, the guests were invited to return to the salon to be more comfortable while desserts would be served. The young couple were both near bursting and glad to be away from the table!

Staff soon brought out spectacular trays of chocolate profiterole, mousse and apple tarts. Although neither Sofia nor Alex thought they could possibly eat anymore, they couldn't resist a small sampling of the desserts which they enjoyed with the freshly brewed café, served in small demitasses.

With dinner finished, the guests continued in polite conversation. Over the next two hours, they slowly started to depart. Sofia and Alex learned that Mylène would be staying overnight. Although she had a car and driver, it was too late for her to make the trip back to Cannes and she despised hotels.

Before retiring for the evening she made a point of telling Sofia she couldn't wait to see her in the morning so they could continue their conversation -- she had so many more stories to tell her!

Anne helped Mylène up to her guest room and François suggested they all have a brandy outside on the terrace before bed, which Alex and Sofia both readily accepted.

***

The three sat outside and enjoyed their brandies under the impressive moonlight sky. Alex and Sofia reclined on a very large settee and François sat opposite them in an overstuffed chair.

Thoroughly relaxed from the many glasses of wine she had drank at dinner, Sofia leaned back against the large cushions, so she could sit cross-legged on the settee. The movement caused the hemline of her dress to bunch up in her lap.

François' eyes were immediately drawn to the juncture where her silken thighs came together. In the generous light of the full moon, he was afforded a tantalizing view. Although somewhat hidden by the shadows, he was certain he could make out the whispy curls of her pubic hair and surmised she was not wearing panties!

For the next fifteen minutes, François was solely focused on the display in front of him. Barely taking a sip of his brandy or engaging in conversation, instead, he was surreptitiously sneaking peaks up the young woman's dress.

So intent was he centred on his object of desire, he did not immediately notice that Alex was rising from his seat. When he heard Sofia call his name, he immediately refocused on the present and heard Alex say he was tired and retiring for the night. François quickly jumped up to bid his young friend good night and shake his hand.