It was summer when we first met Bob and Jean. My husband, Sean, had driven us to a country pub. When we got there, the car park was almost full, and so was the pub, so we ended up sharing a table. Perhaps it was the weather, but it was one of those days where everyone was feeling good about themselves, and happy and gregarious, and we soon struck up a conversation with the couple opposite. They were broadly similar to us I suppose, a similarly aged, friendly couple of tidy appearance, and we soon realized that we were all getting on very well. Anyway, to cut a long story short, that meeting led to several other social outings with them, and we soon all became good friends.
It was in those early days that our relationship with them changed slightly, at a time when we felt that we knew them as people but were still unaware of much of their background. We had agreed to meet for lunch in the pub, and were just about to order our meal when Jean got a phone call. It seemed that her mother had locked herself out, and needed help to get in to her house. Jean couldn't apologize enough that she would have to go, but promised to be back as quickly as possible. "Don't spoil your lunch," she said, "the three of you order, I can always get a sandwich later."
Now, Sean is quite a handyman, so it seemed sensible for me to suggest that he should accompany Jean, try and assist and, hopefully, help her to get back more quickly. Jean demurred at first, but it was obvious that she was quite relieved to get some help. "Thanks so much," she said, "Bob is absolutely useless at anything like that!" So off they went, leaving Bob and me to relax.
I'd always found Bob something of an enigma. He was always polite, friendly and humorous, but there was something in his manner that puzzled me, something veiled in his eyes when he looked at me, something I couldn't quite understand. I knew he fancied me β not that he'd ever said anything remotely out of line β but I just felt that if he ever got me alone, I would have a hard time fighting him off (not that I necessarily would have wanted to β after all, he was undeniably attractive). "Stupid!" I told myself, "You ARE alone with him" and, I have to admit, the possibilities of the situation intrigued me.
I carried on chatting to him animatedly, but he proved to be much more reserved than I expected, seeming to consider everything before he said it. Not that he was boring - in fact, he had a dry wit and acute perception which made me laugh out loud on several occasions. Our conversation was quite wide ranging but, as often happens with friends, a mild, sexual banter developed between us, although it was fairly lighthearted. At least, it was until, in response to one of my sallies, Bob looked at me seriously and said "I want you." I suppose I must have stared at him, uncomprehendingly, because he went on intensely "Not just physically, I mean ... I want you totally!"
It had been totally unexpected but, the odd thing is, I could feel exactly what he meant! He wanted me to give myself completely to him, in a way I had never, ever given myself to anyone. The idea was breathtaking and, in a swelter of emotion, I laughed it off, but there was something deep down inside me that felt drawn to him, a feeling that I quickly suppressed.
Any further discussion was prevented by the return of Jean and Sean, who were laughing over something that her mother had said. Watching them together, I couldn't help noticing that they also seemed to be getting on like a house on fire, and that Jean had developed a very tactile way of responding to Sean, touching his arm frequently to illustrate some point or other.
Later, as we sat in bed, I raised the subject of Bob and Jean. "What do you think of them?" I asked Sean.
He thought for a moment, "I like them both," then added "She's very easy to get on with."
"Do you fancy her?" I asked, curiously.
"Wouldn't turn her down." he said, casually.
I know him so well! Despite the laid-back answer, I could tell that he was more than just interested. Thinking that the conversation was over, I was reaching for my book when Sean spoke again.
"Alison ... what about you?" he asked indifferently, "Does Bob do it for you?"
"I suppose β I wouldn't turn him down, either," I countered, echoing his false unconcern.
"Seriously," he responded, suddenly dropping the pose. "Would you let him ... you know?"
"Sweetheart, I belong to you. You needn't worry, I'm not going anywhere!"
"No, I mean ... if I didn't mind ... would you?"
I looked at him, consideringly. We had shared swapping fantasies on several occasions, and thoroughly enjoyed them, but we'd never really thought seriously about it. I made an effort to be as honest for us both as I could.
"I don't know, I might, I suppose. If I knew you agreed and could handle it. I don't think I'd like it to be just me, though ... but if it was something we were sharing β doing together β I suppose!"
We talked about it for a little longer, really without any outcome other than some sort of consensus that we might be up for it if they were, and then turned over to go to sleep. However, I lay awake for a while longer, my emotions ranging, thinking about Bob and how he had looked when he had spoken to me earlier that afternoon. I felt that ... I had to be careful. There was something attracting me to the idea β something inside me β something that I wasn't entirely sure that I could control!
In the event, it was several months before anything happened. During that time, we continued to see Bob and Jean, and developed a very relaxed, but stronger, relationship with them both. It was at Christmas that things changed once again.
We were at a mutual friend's house party. I suppose that we had all drunk a little more than usual and, as usual at that time of year, there was a sprig of mistletoe above the doorway. Everyone had been caught there at some point during the evening, and I remember seeing Sean catch Jean quite early on. In fact, I also noticed that she'd returned the compliment later, so I'd seen them kissing twice! I'd been caught 3 or 4 times by various guys before Bob got me, but he was different! The others had all given me a kiss β Bob had taken one!
I know it sounds no different. It probably didn't look any different and I can't explain it but, believe me, there was a world of difference between what the others had done and what Bob did to me! The stupid thing was, I felt as though everyone could read my thoughts and, to hide my loss of composure, I dived into the kitchen!
For the rest of the evening, I managed to hide myself away with a strategy of light chatter and helping out the hostess, so I didn't have any problems until the end of the evening, when Sean said "Are you ready, sweetheart? There's a taxi waiting, we're sharing with Bob and Jean."
Once I got outside, it turned out to be a minibus, so we all managed to get in the back, with me wedged between the two men. The bus drew away, and I remember being conscious of Bob's warm body next to me, feeling his every muscle as we were pitched from side to side.
The banter between the two men was good natured and, typically, mildly sexual. To be honest, it wasn't just them, as Jean and I joined in. Bob mentioned having seen Sean enjoying his wife (or had it been the other way around), and Sean responded that Bob hadn't seemed to have been backward in that area himself. I suppose we were all fairly well-oiled β certainly, we all seemed to think it funny. That was when Bob suddenly said "Hey, I've got an idea. Why don't you take Jean to yours', and I'll take Alison to ours." Turning quickly to his wife, he asked "You up for it?"
Jean smiled at him hazily. "The question is, I suppose β Is Sean UP for it?" She turned to me, smiling, "and Alison, of course."
Sean didn't even bother to respond and, suddenly, the three of them were all looking at me!