Setting the Stage
Ryan looked across the dinner table at Christine, her dark hair falling softly over her shoulders. Her face was lit up by the dim candlelight of their favorite upscale restaurant. After ten years together, she still managed to captivate him with her presence. Tonight was no different, but there was something more--an energy between them that had been brewing for months.
Christine noticed his lingering gaze. "What are you thinking about?" she asked, her voice playful yet curious.
"You," Ryan replied. He reached across the table and took her hand. "You look great tonight."
Christine smiled, but a hint of mischief danced in her dark almond shaped eyes. "Flattery will get you everywhere," she teased, leaning in slightly. "But I don't think that's all that's on your mind."
Ryan chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "You know me too well. I've been thinking about... our conversations lately."
Christine's cheeks flushed slightly as she swirled the wine in her glass. Recently, their late-night talks had become more pronounced and detailed -- it started as playful discussions about fantasies and possibilities they'd never explored before. But soon the idea of breaking routine, of sharing something new and thrilling, had ignited a curiosity in both of them. Particularly Christine.
"Do you mean the conversations about... adding a little adventure to our lives?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Exactly that." Ryan's eyes held hers, his expression sincere. "I love what we have, Christine. But we've always talked about how we're open to new experiences. I think that time is now."
Christine tilted her head, studying him for a moment. She adored how steady Ryan was--how he balanced her.In fact, it was for that very reason that she had been surprised when Ryan had broached the topic of being more adventurous in the bedroom and exploring fantasies. True, they had been married for 8 years, but she had never gotten the impression that he was unsatisfied. Ryan had assured her he only wanted to explore fantasies that she also shared and would bring them closer together. Christine had been eagerly waiting for Ryan to raise the subject again.
"So?" she asked "What happens now?"
Ryan took a deep breath. In his head, he had gone over what he wanted to say dozens of times. But now that the moment was here, and with Christine looking at him with anticipation, he hesitated. He wanted to explain to her that when he saw men in public giving her appreciative glances, he had gone from feeling merely proud of having such a stunning wife to being incredibly turned on by the attention that she received. Lately, when it happened, Ryan's mind increasingly skipped ahead to mental scenes of Christine getting physical with these other men. Almost as if he was watching a sex scene in a movie, but starring his own wife.
"Well" he said, starting off slowly. "I was thinking maybe we could ask someone to join us." Seeing Christine's quizzical expression, he quickly added "But only if that's something you're comfortable with."
Christine sat silently, her thoughts at a pause. While her conversations with Ryan had never gone into specifics, she hadn't really considered the possibility that Ryan would want a threesome. He'd never been the flirtatious type. Still, she felt intrigued. While she didn't necessarily feel sexually attracted to other women, maybe this was something to explore. At the least, it would certainly be a new experience, just like they'd discussed. As the idea took hold in her mind, she became more open to it, excited even.
With a shy smile, she looked at Ryan and said "Maybe the time is now, like you said. Are there any women in here that catch you eye?". "Actually" Ryan responded "I was thinking of another man joining us." He watched Christine closely, trying to gauge her reaction.
Christine outwardly blanched, taken aback. "Another man?" she said questioningly. "Ryan.....I.....don't know what to say."
Taking her wine glass out of her hand, and pulling her hands into his, he leaned towards Christine. "I know how this might sound, but listen to me......to me, this is for you. I love you so much that the thought of seeing you get to explore with someone else, watching you experiencing pleasure from someone else but knowing that its ultimately you and me, I think it could be something to try and see where it goes. I think we could both really enjoy it."
Christine sat silently, her mind racing in a thousand different directions. She understood what Ryan wanted, but couldn't escape an overall feeling of shock. Ryan was her husband, he loved her and adored her, she knew that. She trusted what he was saying. But her mind just couldn't reconcile that with what Ryan was saying. Why would he want to see her being intimate with another man? She felt lost.
Perceiving all of this, Ryan jumped in. "Look" he said. "I know what you're thinking. And I know this is taking a big step into new adventures rather than a little one. But you know that I love you and you mean everything to me. I only want this if its something that you want too."
Feeling reassured, Christine leaned back. "I know, Ryan" she said. "I love you too and I do trust you. I admit this idea took me by surprise, but I trust you. Let me just take some time to think about this."
Squeezing both her hands, Ryan said "of course. take all the time that you need."
Over the next few days, Christine considered Ryan's idea. She remained apprehensive, unsure how she felt. She knew Ryan loved and trusted her, and wanted her to be happy. Maybe her sense of apprehension was simply a fear of change, a fear of the unfamiliar. And after all, this wasn't a permanent change, this was just experimentation. Maybe this was something to try once before moving onto other fantasies.
Christine began to observe the men she passed by on the street, considering each. She wasn't sure how this would all work, how she and Ryan would find someone, but she decided to leave it in Ryan's hands. This was his fantasy, after all, and she trusted him.
The First Step
A week later, Christine found herself nervously adjusting her dark hair in the mirror of a fancy lounge's powder room. The soft jazz playing in the background couldn't quite calm the butterflies in her stomach. Tonight was the night. Ryan had moved incredibly fast on this and reached out to a contact of his, as he put it, a man named Laurits, and he had responded with interest. He had agreed to meet them at a neutral location for drinks and conversation. Christine vaguely suspected her husband had been planning this for a while before their talk.
With a nervous hand, Christine smoothed her dress, a sleek black number that traced her petite curves. Her Asian elegance was apparent in her poised demeanor. 'You've got this,' she murmured to her reflection. Then she focused herself and decided to step back into the lounge.
Ryan was already at their table, casually sipping his bourbon. He looked confident, but Christine could see the way his foot tapped slightly under the table. He was just as nervous as she was.
"How's it going out here?" she asked as she slid into the chair beside him.
"Smooth so far," Ryan replied, smiling. "Laurits texted. He's on his way."
Christine nodded, her heart skipping a beat. "Do you think he knows what he's walking into?"
"I was upfront with him," Ryan assured her. "He's intrigued but respectful. I made it clear there's no pressure--it's just a chance for us all to get to know each other." he said, "but I do have a plan that will work with several different outcomes."
