Girls Night Out 71

Choose me!

I wanted to try a more traditional Loving Wives story. This story has no graphic sex and no BTB. This story is about a Loving Wife that wants to leave her husband at home while she goes out for a night on the town with the girls. These stories have the potential to go anywhere, cheating, revenge, reconciliation, etc.

I chose a different path one facilitated by a sincere and loving husband speaking plainly and truthfully to his loving wife. And it was the path less traveled that made all the difference.

Oh, my main characters remain Tom and Tonya. However, there are more than one set of Toms and Tonyas in the world, so the swinging couple of an earlier story is a different set of Tom and Tonya from this story. It's not a serial story. I just like the names!!

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"Hi Honey." Tonya said as she entered from the garage. I had gotten home a few minutes earlier and was sitting in the living room, sipping a cool beverage, and trying not to let the 'news' wear me down. "Hello yourself gorgeous." I called out in reply.

"I've got some news tonight." She gushed as she put down her handbag and began sorting thru the mail on the counter. "The ladies at work are getting all dolled up to go dancing this Friday and I was invited to join!"

Dancing was not my favorite night out, but Tonya seemed excited, and I was always looking for things we could do together so I thought immediately I would get on board. We've been married for 22 years, the kids are gone, we've got plenty of money, good jobs, and good friends. It's fair to say that since the kids have moved on, we've become a little less engaged as a couple. Where we always had family functions when the kids were growing up, or even the back yard parties in the neighborhood, those events had long since past and now we had somehow settled into a dull but safe routine of work and homelife. So, when Tonya mentioned a night out, I immediately made up my mind to make the effort a show her a good time like we haven't had in a while.

"That is news." I said wanting to completely positive about the night out. "How many of us and where are we going?" I asked.

Her face dropped and she looked at me like she couldn't have possibly married a stupider man. "Not us silly! Me. Husbands are not invited." She said, in a tone I felt a bit harsh, while wagging a finger at me. "It's a night out for just us girls to dance and let our hair down. You'll be fine. I'll bet you'll never even miss me." She looked away and added "You pay so little attention to me as it is." Then looked up and gave me her best winning smile.

"Maybe you and the boys can play poker or something, so you won't be lonely." She smiled as she grabbed a bottle of Chardonnay from the fridge.

I grabbed a wine glass, took the bottle from Tonya, and poured her a drink. I think she noticed how my face had turned dark and was showing some consternation. "What's wrong, I thought you would be happy that I'm having time with the girls?"

"Now that you mention it, I do have a few things to say. Come on, let's sit on the deck. Can you spare a few minutes?" I asked.

"I guess. You're not going to tell me I can't go; I hope. I'm far too old to have you telling me what I can and cannot do you know."

I held up my hands in supplication. I smelled Jinny behind this but, decided to let that go for now. No, if I wanted her to listen to me, then I had to be calm and compelling enough to compete with Jinny's manic emotion. A little more about her later but, suffice to say that Jinny likes to have her fun and doesn't care too much who gets in the way.

"No. I wouldn't order you to stay home. I've never been that guy, so I'm not going to start now. I do have a few concerns I would like to bring up though and ask that you hear me out. I'll do the same for you." I looked up at her before continuing.

"I'm always here to listen to you Tom." She replied and I picked up on just a hint of sarcasm. "Thank you, Tonya." I replied.

I looked at Tonya for a long moment and took a breath before I began. I kept my voice even and worked to keep my emotions in check. I'm an engineer for a large aerospace company and often must pitch customers so, I knew how to speak to an audience even if they weren't receptive. Right now, the look on Tonya's face would rival any skeptical Program Manager I ever briefed before. I might have my work cut out for me, but I had something important to say and wanted to get it right.

"I was very happy to hear your news when you first came in. You know dancing is not top on my list, yet I was excited by how happy you were and was anxious to get on board and start planning a date night. But then you told me that I wasn't invited, that you didn't want me there. I see that as a decision where you are choosing your friends over me and that, well, for lack of a better word, that hurt."

"Now Tom you're just being silly now. This is just dancing with the girls for cryin out loud. I'm not choosing them over you. Don't be so touchy!"

Again, I just sat quietly for a moment. "Just hear me out. I'm not being touchy. I just have a few points and then we can have dinner." She quieted and looked at me with a mix of irritability and impatience.

"Tonya, when you accepted an invitation to go dancing with your friends, an invitation that specifically excludes me, then in fact you are choosing your friends over me." She started a protest but, I signaled once more, and she stopped herself before she began.

"Tonya, can you ever recall a time that I came home from work and told you that I was taking a Boys night out, that I was going to, as you suggest, play poker, or go with a bunch of guys to a sports bar? In fact, I wonder how the conversation would go if I announced that me and the boys were going to kick up our heels at a dance club." She held her tongue and I continued. "The answer is that I haven't, and I have a good reason for that. My reason is that I much prefer to spend my time with you. You will always have the lion's share of my time and attention, my friends can have what's left over."

We sat silent for a moment before I went on. "How many ladies are going? Are any of them married or have boyfriends that aren't invited either?" I asked.

"There's me and three other girls. Two are married and one has a boyfriend and NO, they're not coming either." She said, once again with a hint of anger that wasn't warranted.

I ignored the jab and started again. "So, I guess you'll be going to one of the fancy dance clubs downtown or maybe even club hopping." She smiled and nodded. "Any you'll be getting all dressed up? Little black dress, pumps, hair done, make up?"

"Of course. You know I always want to look good and make you proud of me. What's wrong with that?" Tonya challenged me.

"Nothing at all Tonya." I replied. "I love it when you dress up for me. And I have always been proud of you. But as you said, I wasn't invited and you don't want me there, so you would hardly be dressing up for me would you? In fact, I'm having a hard time remembering the last time we got all dressed up and went out. Christmas party?? Anyway," I continued before Tonya attempted to answer. "You're really not dressing up for me since I won't be there to admire you.

She began to speak but I continued before she got started. "Now I know that women often "compete" when they are going out and dress up to show off for each other. I get that but that's not really the reason you're getting all dressed up." Tonya bunched her face up in a look of annoyance, but I went on calmly.

"So, you're going out to a dance club. I presume you are going to dance then?" I looked over at her and she cocked her head at me like a mom chiding her child. "Yes, of course." She answered.

"And are you girls going to be dancing with each other the whole night?" Her brow furrowed. I think she was getting a bit stressed thinking of her answer. "No. It would be silly to get all dressed up and go out to a fancy club to dance with your girlfriends." Tonya said.

I was nodding in agreement, my face as straight and guileless as I could make it. I was starting to get worked up but held it together. An argument will solve nothing I told myself so, I went on. "As I thought." I said. "So, of course you'll want to dance with the single guys at the club. And you are going to dress up with the aim of attracting men to ask you to dance. So, since I won't be there, because I'm not invited, and you don't want me there, and you are hoping to dance with single men at the club, then we have to conclude that you are not dressing up for me but rather you are dressing up in the hopes of making yourself attractive to strange men."

The expression on her face lost some of the confrontational look and I could see some doubts creeping in. She started to protest, and I held up my hand. "Please let me go on. I won't be much longer then I'll sit and listen. I promise."

"Now, I'm to understand that the girls night out as you say, is merely innocent fun, girls from the office blowing off some steam. Okay, everybody wants to kick it now and again. Even me." I added. But let me try to put this into perspective for you."

"Since this is a trendy dance club, I suspect that most of the single men and women will be younger, 20s and 30s. Oh, I'm sure there will be the odd older divorced woman, or even a mixed girls night out group like yours but, safe to say that most of the women will be younger." I looked over to her and kept her thoughts to herself.

"So again, I'm not there because I wasn't invited and you don't want me with you and you want to dance and you want to attract the best dance partner, so you're all dressed, made up and waiting. Like I said, since this is a club, most single men, like the single women, will be younger and the men will be there to dance too. I remember being younger and doing much the same. The young men are there to meet young women and possibly get serious. But you know that wouldn't be the case with you. I mean right off the bat the young man would see you are married by your rings, presuming you didn't take them off for "fear of losing them."

"I would never!" She started to say. I held my hand. "Sorry dear, I'm almost done. A little longer?" I asked. "I would never presume that you would do something like that. It would make me ill to think you were planning out some elaborate deception. No, I only mentioned it because I saw Jinny take off her rings at the Woods' BBQ last summer. She noticed that I saw her and told me it was because she didn't want to lose them. Good thinking on her part as her husband happened to catch her with her hands down Jeremy's shorts so yeah, if they got hooked on something she might have lost them."

"So now you're accusing me of planning to cheat?!" Tonya spat indignantly. "I knew you were just being a petulant child about this. I am NOT going to cheat and I'm not going to change my mind. I'm just going to dance with some hot guys and then I'll come back to you all rev'd up. You'll see. I'll make it all up to you when I come home all fired up from the dancing and attention."

It was my turn to look at her like the dull child. I let the silence percolate for a moment before speaking again.

"So, I'm sure that some young guys are going to ask you to dance. Look at you. You're beautiful. I always tell you so. So, of course these young studs will be beating a path to you." She smiled, thinking she was making me jealous and could use this somehow as an advantage.

"Like I said, I did much the same when I was younger, but I was looking for someone for a long-term relationship, so I stuck to women near my age. I would think that when a young man asks you to dance, he knows that you are not a candidate for a long-term relationship, I mean, you have your rings on" She nodded vigorously and I continued, "advertising that you are married. You are obviously older, beautiful," I added quickly. "But decades older. But yet, here you are, you're out, on your own, you're dressed to the nines, you're smiling and receptive to his offer. Hell, your husband must know and approve, or you wouldn't be here right. So now he thinks your fair game, that you're here to play and that if he's good, maybe he can find a diversion, if not a life mate.

"What do you mean play, that's insulting..." I looked at her and my shoulders slumped. I cocked my head up to look at her with a dubious look. "Ok, that word has some connotation. He can see you're there to "have fun" and he's just the guy to show you. But you're married, you have your rings on and that makes you immune to temptation."

Her gaze hardened a little but not from anger, something else was creeping in. I was hoping that I was making myself clear and it appeared that maybe I was in fact making some in roads.

"So, you dance and he's charming, handsome, tight and toned. He compliments your dress, your hair, your dancing. He expresses his admiration for your being so liberated and in charge that you can do as you please. He might even through out a left-handed compliment about me, oh you know something like, your husband must be so progressive, I know I wouldn't let you out of my sight. All of this designed to make you more at ease, compliant, receptive. But, as I said, you're married and immune from temptation, right? So harmless fun. You enjoy the slow dances and the flirty conversations on the dance floor, maybe he whisks you to a dark corner of the club, you know to cool off and catch our breath conveniently out of the view of your nosy friends of course...."

"You make it sound like I'm out to get laid. I just want to dance." Tonya insisted.

"I'm not saying that at all. What I'm saying is that there's a gap opening between us. Maybe not much, but it's there. I know, you're married and immune from temptations in a dance club but all the devil needs is a toe hold, and that gap is enough for him to drive a wedge between us."

"Tonya," I asked when was the last time we made love? When was the last time we had a nice date?"

"That's not all me." She shot back. "Someone might learn a little about what it takes to impress a lady if I did dance with some nice young gentlemen."

I sat silent again for a longer moment then answered my own question. "We had sex on Tuesday of last week." Today was Wednesday. "When you first started to put me off by telling me you were tired, I felt bad that maybe I wasn't doing my fair share around the house. So, I began to help more with general housekeeping chores. Now I do the dishes every night and cook several times a week. I thought if I took some of the burden off, you might be less tired but so far that hasn't worked." But I kept on. Remember that I mentioned that our local theatre was going to be presenting Harvey in their spring play? She nodded. I was hoping that you would be pleased that I mentioned it and want to go but do you remember what you said?

She looked down silent. "You said it was too much work to get all dressed up to go out and sit in a theatre to watch a play and that you had seen the movie and saw no need. All you wanted to do was to take a soak and watch Netflix. I dropped the subject but what I didn't tell you was that I had bought two tickets 10

th

row center orchestra, made reservations at Vitale's, and had a limo engaged to drive us. I wanted to treat you to a great night out, but I had to cancel all the reservations and gave the tickets to Bob and Ellen. He told me they loved the show by the way."

Her eyes misted.

"I'm doing everything I know to bridge the gap, to take away the toe hold and to make us love our time together again. I may not be succeeding but I'm not giving up."

I started to choke up and was afraid my voice would betray me, so I sat quiet for a moment. When I thought I could trust myself I went on. "So now you've been out and you're dancing and chatting and having a great time. You've been drinking. That's to be expected, and maybe you've had a bit more than usual, again not unexpected given the circumstance. Of course, you're far too clever to accept a drink from a strange man. You know how easy it would be for someone to drop something into your drink."

Her hand flew to her mouth.

"I'm not saying this to scare you, but I do want you to be aware since I wouldn't be there because I wasn't invited, and you didn't want me there and since I wouldn't be there to protect you that causes me worry. Please don't take any offered drinks. It's just a bad idea." I pivoted to keep up the momentum, I might still lose her.

"So now you're dancing, with a hot guy, your words not mine. Maybe he pulls you in a little close for a song. Let's his hand wander, a little squeeze, a soft touch on your bottom, maybe he brushes your breast. Maybe after all the dancing and compliments and accidental contact you are indeed rev'd up. Of course, you're married and immune to temptation so you leave your young dance partner, but he tells you to take his number, you know for next girls night he had so much fun dancing and would love to do it again."

She was staring at me intently now. I think she was boiling, and I was beginning to worry about my promise to hear her out, but I was in it up to my hips and all I could do was keep on paddling.

"So now it's 1230 maybe 1 AM and you and the girls are ready to head home. Like you said, you're all rev'd up and you head home ready to make it all up to me. But it's late and I've been worried. But more than that I'm sad because you choose friends and strangers over me. So, I couldn't sleep and sat up half watching TV and half watching the clock, my mind a jumble of thoughts none of them very pleasant I might add."

She wasn't saying anything, and I was talking without emotion and not even looking at her. Just speaking the thoughts on my mind.

"And in you come, smelling of alcohol and cigarette smoke. You're amped up, tipsy maybe a little more than tipsy and you rush into the room and expect me to go from an anxious wreck to a receptive lover just because you let some strange man rub on you and get you excited. I'll tell you now, that scenario does not appeal to me and if that occurs, I think it would more likely lead to angry words and a chilly household for a while before it leads to any serious love making."

"I mean, what would be my motivation to make love to you?" I asked. "No, I think I would be happy that you were home certainly, but at the same time I'm sure the hurt would be a real obstacle to an erection."

"But that's all negative and no one likes to dwell on the negative all the time." I said looking directly at her. "Let me paint a slightly different picture, one that still has you getting all dressed up and allowing you to show off for your girlfriends and even all the hot young men at the club but most importantly in this version the fun of the night ends more closely to your vision.

I paint the picture for her. "Friday night arrives, you dress your best, so hot that all the other women will just die of shame from seeing you. I escort you to our Limo and our driver takes us to the club where we meet your girlfriends and their husbands/boyfriend. We dance. I compliment you on your dress, how well your hair style suits you. I touch your back and let my hand drift down to your tight little bottom for a gentle squeeze. As the night goes on, we find our touching increasing in frequency and naughtiness. We laugh, and dance, and talk with friends and then we go home and make love like when we were first married rather than fight."

"Now some might say that I'm a controlling old man who is too insecure to let his beautiful wife go out alone but that's not it. Not at all. I'm just a guy that loves his wife and can't think of anyone better to spend his time with. I'm just a guy that would walk away from 20 Boys nights for one date night with his wife. I'm just the guy that wants to be there for his woman, to show her love, respect, admiration, to protect her from harm and keep her safe."