Part of their walk took them along the canal towpath for a mile or so, and they enjoyed the cooler feel from the water in the strong afternoon sunshine and the birds and animals which live in such a habitat. They had been planning an afternoon like this for some weeks, using one of their few 'occasional' rest days in an effort to spend some time together, relax and forget their responsibilities and work.
Graham and Mary had been married about ten years or more. They were a handsome pair, with an easy, open relationship and, though they had both had other partners before they had married, these affairs had been discreet and both were aware of them and they'd made little difference to their loving relationship.
To spice up their sex lives they had recently talked about these past affairs and both had been excited and turned on by the descriptions and what had happened – how they had occurred, what had taken place, how they felt and so on, and now their love making was often made even more erotic with such sex talk and it had become an important part of their passion – so much so that they had taken to imagining future encounters and what they would do, if an opportunity occurred, and how would they both react to such possibilities.
In the end it was Mary herself who, one night and after a passionate bout together in their big bed, admitted that she wished some of their imaginings could become reality. She had got herself so excited by talking about phantom lovers and what they might ask her to do, and confessed to Graham that what she wanted, more than anything else, was to be enjoyed by two men at the same time.
He'd teased her about it and even mentioned mutual friends as possibilities, but she was adamant that it should be with two strangers, so that the whole experienced would be out of her hands and so utterly exciting.
He too was excited by the possibility and they resolved then and there that, if ever the chance arose, she would grab the opportunity and allow herself the experience and he would raise no objections. He also promised that there would be no recriminations after such an event and so this understanding lay between simply waiting the right moment.
They rested just off the tow path itself in a patch of long grass and Graham opened the small rucksack they'd brought with snacks and a drink and, when they'd satisfied their thirst, they lay back against the warm earth and watched a skylark as it spiralled up into the blue heavens.
They must have dozed for a little while because when Mary opened her eyes she felt a hand caressing her thigh beneath her light summer dress and simply lay there enjoying the feel of the fingers, tracing the edge of her panties and, when she felt his lips on hers, she held him in a loving embrace.
She became more and more aroused by his increasingly urgent caresses and, when his hand moved to the neckline of her dress, he began to unbutton the few buttons there and, as she wasn't wearing a bra, he soon had his hand inside and on her lovely breasts. She felt her nipples harden and he sucked on them gently as his hand once again explored her thighs.
Then his fingers slipped beneath the barrier of her panties, pushing them to one side so that his questing digit could explore the groove of her sex. She was already wet with desire and, as she eased her legs wider apart to grant him further access, they suddenly heard the sound of voices.
"How about here, Joe?"
"Sure it'll do. Jump off and tie her up to that tree there."
They heard a slight bump and then the sound of feet on the cinder towpath and suddenly, a shadow crossed their bodies and a voice said,
"Sorry! Didn't see you! Hope we didn't wake you," and he watched as Graham sat up and Mary straightened her dress.
"No problem," said Graham, immediately composed, "we were just having a bit of rest. Nice boat," he added as he got to his feet, "here let me tie that off for you, I can get to it from here."
The man steering the narrow boat looked over at him and when Mary got to her feet his interest suddenly increased when he saw what a good looking woman had risen from the tall grass.
"Just like Venus, rising from the sea!" he smiled.
Mary returned his smile and blushed a little.
"We were asleep," she admitted. "Didn't hear you until you were on top of us."
"Sorry. I'm Ralph, and the noisy one is Joe," he said.
"Graham and Mary," answered Mary, "where are you heading?"
"Not much further today, we've been on the go since first light and we've been told the Canal Tavern in Ravenholme's a good stop over. Do you know it?"
"Sure do," said Graham, "we sometimes have a meal there, and it is good. Gets a bit crowded during the summer months what with the barge traffic and such, but it's a nice stop for you guys."
"Where are you heading?" asked Joe.
"Oh we're just about ready to turn round and get back to our car. We've had a day off together for once and it's been great."
"And then we come along and spoil it for you," said Ralph. "Sorry. I bet you were nice and cosy in the grass there."
The way he said it made Mary blush and when she looked down at herself she realised for the first time that the neckline of her dress was still open and Ralph had a clear view of her left breast.
She quickly turned and began to fasten it and heard the men laughing and Ralph joined in.
"I suppose you did come at the wrong time," he admitted, "but it really is a lovely day and can you blame me? My Mary is quite a looker!"
Mary turned when she was sure she was respectable again and Ralph looked rather disappointed.
"Wish I'd kept my mouth shut," he grumbled and gave such a mournful look that they all laughed together again and the moment passed.
"Why did you stop here, if you're on the way to the Canal Tavern?" asked Mary.
"Well we needed a drink and a break from standing at the tiller. It isn't far to go according to our map and we didn't want to arrive too early as the later boats tie along side you if all the moorings are taken and then they have to cross your deck to get to the tow path. We thought we'd have a drink and look at the map for we need to plan the next couple of days as there are several alternatives when we get to the next junction."
"Right then, we'll leave you to your break and be on our way. Coming Mary?" asked Graham.
Mary looked up at Ralph and saw him examining her with half closed eyes. He was a handsome, well built man, in his mid thirties, who looked as if he could handle himself. He looked her straight in the eyes and it was a look of unashamed lust which held her attention and she was unable to look away. When she finally looked back at her husband he noticed the strange mood she was in and realised immediately what she was thinking.
"Come on then Mary, let's be going. She's tired, I'm afraid. We've perhaps walked too far this afternoon and it's really hot out here. We left our car in a village some way from the canal, but we'll take it easy on our way back to it," said Graham.
"Why not join us for a drink, it'll freshen you up and you needn't stay long?"
Graham noted the delight on Mary's face and knew that here, at last, was an opportunity for her to live out her favourite fantasy. The men looked okay and when he examined his own feelings, he knew that he too would like her to experience her fantasy and decided, there and then that, if it was what she wanted, then he would try and make it happen.
"Why not. How about you Mary?"
"That would be nice," she said, "I do feel a little tired and I've always wanted to see inside these barges, they look so cosy."
"Come on board, then. Give me your hand and I'll help you," said Ralph.
She took his hand and nearly moaned aloud for she was so erotically charged with desire that she was almost afraid of her feelings.
"Look," said Graham hesitating before climbing on board, "I'm a bit worried about the distance we've covered and I've some things that need doing today. My Mary's quite tired and it's an awful long walk back so, how about you giving Mary a ride to those moorings you're planning to use and let me go back to the car? I need to do a little running as my job keeps me seated all day so I can do that and then I'll drive onto the Canal Tavern, say in about two and half to three hours and pick Mary up there. If you like we can all have a meal together later. What do you think, Mary?"
"I don't know. We do seem to be putting on them a bit. I am tired... are you sure you won't mind the journey back on your own?"
"Not at all. I can crack on by myself and I know how much you'd enjoy an afternoon on the water," he said pointedly, and winked at her.
He watched her face and smiled to himself, recognising the raw sexual excitement in her eyes.
"That's fine by us, isn't it Joe?" said Ralph. "Don't worry about a thing, Graham, me and Joe here will take good care of her and she can have a drink and a nice leisurely cruise down the canal and get involved as much or as little as she desires."
He stressed the word 'desires' leaving both Graham and his partner Joe in no doubt at all about his intentions and then there was a pause as each assessed the situation and at last Graham nodded his approval.
"That sounds great."
"Good. Joe, why don't you show Mary the lounge and see what she'd like to drink? I'm sure Graham will untie the mooring rope before he sets off."
Mary followed Joe below and as she descended the steps she looked at her husband and gave him a look of gratitude and he smiled and nodded his approval.
"See you in a couple of hours or so Graham. You won't forget to pick me up, will you?" she said and disappeared from sight.
Graham untied the mooring rope and handed it to Ralph.
"Don't worry, my friend," whispered Ralph, "we'll take good care to see that she's happy. See you later at the moorings."
Graham nodded, picked up the rucksack and began his long jog back to his car, and Ralph watched until he was about half a mile away and saw him turn off the tow path and strike out on a narrow lane at right angles to the canal towards a small coppice.
