Just One Night

Please read my series info before continuing. You may see where I am coming from, and it may help you enjoy the story more. These are just supposed to be little fun, entertaining stories not to be taken too seriously. Now without further ado, on to my usual warnings.

Oxford's English dictionaries define fiction as "Something that is invented or untrue."

This is fiction.

Please do not tell me 'It would not happen like that'. Because you are probably correct on that point. It more than likely would not. But this is fiction, so do not complain it is not real.

If you want realism, may I suggest watching a documentary or the news.

Humans are fallible, they make mistakes. And some are just stupid.

Please enjoy the story.

This one is quite gentle, some of my planned ones, not so much.

The Set Up

How will my husband Harry take it? I have run several ways of telling him through my head, even not telling him at all. But my new friend, Charles suggested that was not a good idea. It would go worse for me if Harry found out later. He said it to me at lunch on Monday, his calming voice soothing the excitement inside me now that I had agreed to one night with him, this coming Friday.

Charles said to me. "Olivia, you have to tell him, if he finds out later the shock will ruin your marriage, and you want to stay married. So, you have to pre warn him, either tonight so he gets used to the idea or as you leave giving him no choice. You have been married for how long, twelve years?" I nodded. "You know him best, so you can judge which is the best way. But do tell him the things we agreed on, it's just exploration, you love him, this is about sex not love. You will go back home Saturday morning to carry on as if nothing has happened. You will learn things that will rock his world. I will teach them to you. But you must not let on that they came from me, say it was girls talk or a magazine. He will feel belittled if you tell him I taught you these things. And that will not be good for your marriage."

As usual he made sense, Charles was a sales manager, a good one, he was very experienced at convincing people to buy things they did not need. He could be very convincing. He was a few years older than me and Harry

I was not sure Harry would take it that way, but he has always said he would do anything to make me happy, well most things. Sometimes I asked for things we could not physically do or afford. He did occasionally put his foot down. The Caribbean cruise I wanted got downgraded to a Mediterranean cruise because that was what we budgeted for. But he promised we would save up for a Caribbean cruise. It was alright, the sweet man tried his best for me, I could not go behind his back, but I had to do this, just the once. He is a sweetie, he will be angry, but he will get over it, as long as it is just the once. I wouldn't get away with it a second time.

So, if I love Harry, why am I going to spend the night with Charles. Well Charles is so debonair, handsome and worldly wise. He is direct, even forceful, such fun and makes me laugh. Harry is earnest, good looking, sensible, gentle, loving, reliable and can be funny. Charles is different, he is so much more, but I do not love him. I love my humous dependable Harry. So, it will just be the once for the experience. Charles tells me we will both have a great deal of fun and exploration together.

So why? Because Charles is well, different.

Sitting at my desk I came up with a plan of how to tell him, break it to him slowly, oh and sex of course. I will mention I am going out Friday at teatime Wednesday. We will make love later, I won't push hard just suggest an early night, no lingerie or kinkyness. Just love making or he will get suspicious.

Then in the comfortable afterglow I will mention it just as a reminder. Thursday morning, I will ask if it is okay with me going out, engaging him in the decision.

Thursday evening after tea I will tell him I am going out with Charles, and I will not be home till Saturday morning. That will be the difficult part. Charles has given me a lot of pre-warning to what Harry will say and the answers to give him, he has warned me to expect Harry to be angry. He has met Harry a few times and he is certain he is not a violent man. I have known him to get angry and shout, I expect some of that but in all the time I had known him I had never known him to lose his temper or to get violent.

It sounds conniving, I suppose it is, but I am doing it to protect his feelings. I really do love him.

The Convincing and Excuses

Wednesday went well. I did not do anything special, none of his real favourites, just solid good food and wine he likes. The sex was very good, but it normally is. Harry commented that I was a bit more 'energetic and vocal' It may have helped that I was thinking of Charles.

I fell asleep before I could remind him about me going out Friday.

I will have to save up his favourite food, drink and kinky sex to make it up to him. He might even get my bum.

Thursday after dinner we sat watching a spot of telly. It was getting late into the evening. I had just fetched him another cup of tea. I turned and looked at him. "Sweetheart, you know I love you, and only you?" He raised an eyebrow at that, but I carried on. "You know I'm going out tomorrow night?" He nodded. "Well, it's with Charlie from work." Now a frown passed over his face. "Anyway, I won't be home till Saturday morning and we can carry on as normal. It is something I just have to do my sweetheart."

I called him Charlie, it did not sound as pompous as Charles, as long as Charles did not hear me use that name, he hates it.

"I assumed you were going out with the evil pair Eve and Jasmine."

"No, just Charlie and me."

I waited. After a while he said. "Sorry I'm a bit thick. Can you explain exactly to me what you mean? Because I don't like what I'm thinking in my head."

"It will just be the one-night sweetheart just for the experience, it's not love." I had not actually said the word.

"Sorry, still not getting it, why would you be staying out overnight?"

Gosh he can be so slow sometimes. "I want to make a full night of it to get the full experience, don't worry I'll be yours ever after."

The frown on his face got deeper. "So, I take it from that you'll be mine ever after, that you're not mine now?"

I smiled at him, silly man. "Of course I'm yours now sweetheart, just not Friday night."

"I am desperately trying not to think what you're telling me, so spell it out." He had raised his voice, I think that was a good sign. Charles said that would happen.

"I am spending the night with Charles." I still did not say the word. I was kind of scared to actually say the word.

He leaned in at me. "And pray tell me what are you going to be doing all night?"

He really wanted me to say it and if I did, that would be it. It would be out in the open, at least I would not be cheating behind his back.

But I was angry with him for making me say the word. "Yes, we are going to have sex!"

Then it all came out in a rush, not how Charles told me to do it. "You had lots of lovers before we got together, I only had one, it's just the one night, he will teach me things, I will be better for you, it's just sex, it's not love, it's just exploration I will be the best wife ever."

"If you really loved me, you would let me do this." Charles told me what Harry would say next so I had an answer ready, but he didn't say what Charles said he would say.

I braced myself for his anger. It didn't come. I could see he was angry, but he was bottling it up, we had been married long enough for me to recognise it. I was expecting him to blow up at me, but it did not come. Never mind it will at some time, I was prepared for that.

"I was hoping you were going to tell me that you were going to spend the night playing tiddlywinks, well I guess not. I need tea." And with that he stood up and walked towards the kitchen door. He got there, paused, it was probably only two or three seconds, but it felt like a whole minute, he turned, looked at me and said. "I was going to make you sleep down here on the sofa tonight. But we have to carry on as near as normal as possible so you can see what you're missing, and I want to give you a chance to change your mind, because if you do go ahead, there will be consequences."

"I do love you but it's my life and my body but I have the right to explore what interests me."

As he left the room. He paused and although he was facing away from me, I heard him say. "You are correct, it's your life, it's your body and you will have to live with the consequences of your actions with what you do with them."

He walked into the kitchen, and I heard him making tea. That did not go as Charles and I expected, but it was not bad. I felt he might just accept it.

He placed a mug of tea on the coffee table in front of me and went to bed. I followed him up.

I wanted to cuddle him, but he wouldn't let me touch him. I lay there thinking, there was no shouting, no screaming, not even any questions. His back was towards me. I felt him turn over and he said. "I wanted to throw you out or leave myself, but I decided I had to give you a chance to change your mind and then we can work on why you wanted to cheat on me. Please do not go ahead with this."

I wanted to explain that it was not cheating if he knew about it, but I worked out that in his mind if he did not agree with me doing it, it would be cheating.

The following morning he was gone when I got up. Harry normally gets home around 4:00 on Friday. I wasn't planning to go out until after 6 o'clock. I wanted to wear my sexiest lingerie then decided if Harry saw me wear something he brought for me for my lover would tip him over the edge. He had been so quiet, but I could see the anger bubbling under the surface.

I decided at lunchtime I would go and buy some naughty lingerie but never wear it for Harry. That would rub his nose in it. A strange thing happened. My debit card for our joint current account was declined. I had to use my credit card, never mind. I would sort that out later.

I picked up a new dress as well. A sort of smart sexy as befits my age. I thought I looked good in it. I might have to hide it away and bring it out sometime in the future for Harry. If I wore it too soon he would immediately suspect that I had used it for Charles. But it was for me really, Charles would get the benefit.

I was so excited.

Charles had not been at work all morning, he came to me when I went to make a drink in the kitchen. He did not come to my desk, we were trying to be discreet, there is no moral clause in our contracts, but office romances between people not married to each other is frowned upon. The boss takes a dim view as it causes a toxic atmosphere in the office. Someone suggested his wife cheated on him with a work colleague of hers in the past.

It is rumoured that he had transferred people to other offices, and they had to leave the company because they could not accept the transfer. Being transferable between sites is in our contract. But we are discreet, only Jas and Eve know, they were the ones who convinced me to do it. Charles asked me how it went. I told him Harry was very quiet about it. He just laughed and said. "I suspect he's going to enjoy being a cuckold, if he is we shall have to keep on seeing each other."

"No this is it, just the once, we can have our night of passion and sex, if I did it more than once, I don't know what he would do. There is an anger bubbling under the surface, I have never seen him like this." But there again, I had never told him I was going to have sex with another man before.

I got changed and went downstairs. I wore a simple blouse and skirt, nothing sexy, just smart. I did not want to rub it in Harry's face. My new dress and lingerie were in my car. I walked up to him and he let me kiss him and I said. "My darling, this is just one night. I will be back with you forever, I love you, please just let me have this."

He didn't reply, a tear ran down his left cheek. I wiped it away with my forefinger and licked his tears from my finger. "I will be home before the clock strikes 12."

He shook his head but said nothing as I left.

I got changed in the hotel car park. I felt sexy in the lingerie and dress. Charles was waiting for me in the foyer. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed me deeply and passionately. It felt so good. He stood back, looked at me and said "My sweet Livie, you look fantastic, good enough to eat and I'm sure before this night is over I will taste your sweet nectar." I felt all warm inside. I loved it when Harry went down on me.

"Please turn your phone off, we do not want to be disturbed." Charles asked.

I turned it on to silent.

The Restaurant

The maître-d' escorted us to the table. Charles ordered the wine whilst we perused the menus. We made our choices and passed them to the waiter. Soup for starters, Steak for main course. After we ordered, Charles held my hand, he looked at me with those lovely blue eyes, he smiled, and I had to remind myself a couple of times this was just the once. He told me again how good I looked and he complimented me on my dress. Soup arrived. I had just taken a sip from my spoon when a noise erupted from the restaurant entrance.

"You cannot come in here Sir. You do not have a reservation, and you are not correctly attired."

"I will only be there for a few minutes, I don't intend to stay and I'm not eating."

That was Harry's voice. How did he know where we were? I did not tell him where we were going.

"But Sir, you cannot come in here, I will call security." I heard the maître-d' say. Everybody was now looking towards the altercation and there was Harry. He was carrying what looked like a laptop.

I heard Harry's voice. "Do not touch me again, that will be assault. I promise you it will be less than 3 minutes." And with that Harry appeared around the maître-d' and walked straight towards us. He stopped by the edge of the table and looked at me and said. "Nice dress, you never wore something like that for me. I hope I didn't pay for it." He did not even look at Charles, he was completely ignoring him as if he did not matter.

He threw his laptop on the table. The soup splashed everywhere, over my dress, over Charles's shirt and suit. The laptop looked like it had a sledgehammer put through it. Next on top of that appeared his mobile phone which had probably seen the same attention from a large metal object. Next fluttering on top was what I recognised as our marriage certificate torn into pieces. Harry's wedding ring, now flat, bounced off the wrecked mobile phone. "You don't love me, if you did, you wouldn't do this to me." He threw a Manila envelope on top of the pile. "Divorce application for adultery. If that doesn't work, I will use irretrievable breakdown of the marriage by telling me you want to have sex with another man. May I suggest you check the pictures on your phone and who they have been sent to. I'm sure your boss and your parents will be impressed. The only way you can contact me is through my solicitor. Never mistake showing somebody love as weakness. Goodbye."

He turned and walked away. I could see Charles was incensed, his face was red, his hair was dishevelled. The soup was all over the front of his shirt and face. He leapt up out of his chair and grabbed Harry by the shoulder and pulled him round. As Harry turned round his fist came round and hit Charles on the side of the face. He collapsed immediately.

I stood up and rushed forwards towards Harry and grabbed his arm. He shook me off, turned and looked at me in a way I had never seen before. "Fucking touch me again I will assume that is assault and you'll get the same as him." I'd never heard Harry use the F word or threaten me with violence. I fell backwards and Harry just left.

The maître-d' helped Charles back to our table. The noise in the restaurant restarted, subdued. After what Harry said I checked my phone, I pulled it out. I opened the last message from an undisclosed number.

Shit, there was a picture of me getting into the back of my car in my normal clothes, then getting out in my red dress. Charles putting his arm around me and kissing me. I don't know how he got the last one of me and Charles holding hands across the table. They went to all of my family, our boss at work. A few seconds later my phone started to blow up. My sister who had a soft spot for Harry who never put her phone down. 'you are so screwed mum & dad will not put up with that' the next one was from our boss, 'be in my office first thing tomorrow. I don't care that it's Saturday'.

Things had calmed down when the maître-d' approached us. "Excuse me Sir, Madam, would you be so kind as to leave, and I'm afraid your reservation for the room has been cancelled. We do not need the attention that you have brought to our fine establishment. If you do not leave immediately, we will call the police."

Charles stood up and without a glance at me walked out the door. I followed him, ashamed. Most people did not look at me, I felt grateful for that.

I saw Charles drive away in his car. I got into mine and went home.

The outcome

When I tried to get in there was something wrong, the key would not fit in the lock, it would not go all the way in. I went to the back door, that was the same. I remember Harry telling me if you left the key in on the inside you could not use the key on the outside. But the house was dark and silent. Harry's car was not there, I sat on the steps of my house and wept.

I had nowhere to go. I phoned my sister. The voicemail message was just for me. "Olivia. Do not phone me until you have made up with Harry." I did not think that would ever happen after what he had done.

I phoned my Mum, she may be a little more forgiving than Dad. My ears hurt when she finished with me. At least I had a bed for the night. I changed out of the red dress before I went there.

I got to work at eight, my usual time. The boss made me wait outside his office. Charles stormed out. "If I find your old man he is fucking dead. I've been transferred. Fucking Northumbria, lowest sales opportunity in the whole fucking country. He's taken my Merc off me and given me a Kia, 'more suitable for the terrain'. Fucking embarrassing. And I am on a 5 year contract. If I leave, I get nothing."

I was told to go into the boss's office; there were no chairs. I stood. He did not hang around. "Your position has been disestablished. There is one available. Two levels down. You will retain your pay level. The position does not attract bonuses. Give me your decision on Monday. Now please leave." He looked at paperwork in front of him. I was dismissed.

Monday, I phoned Harry's work and got short shrift. I was told Harry had requested a transfer, I was not to be told where to and was asked not to phone again. They just hung up on me. I cried again.

I realised I had lost the man who would do almost anything for me, probably my family, a job I loved too. I was persona non grata at work, no one would talk to me, even Jas and Eve steered clear of me.

I talked to everyone I could to find out where Harry was. Some people just hung up on me. Some shouted at me. But nobody told me where he was. Two weeks later I received an email. Not even a paper letter. Telling me that in six months I will be divorced. I have never cried so much in my life as I have since that night. I just signed the paperwork and sent it back.

It appears that Charles was run off the road in Northumbria in a remote district, no cameras, no one knows who did it. And he had injuries not normally attributed to road traffic accidents.