Surprise!

This story is fictitious, and while fictitious sex is only mentioned in this tale, it is between fictitious consenting adults.

"Perhaps the greatest prediction we can make about the future is that it will surprise us." George Leonard.

"YOU'RE WHAT?"

"I'm married Sam and I had to tell you because we need to break this off. My husband is showing signs of suspicion, and while I enjoy your company immensely, I can't jeopardize my marriage."

"But you never wear an engagement or wedding ring. We've been together for almost two months and now you spring this on me?"

"I'm so sorry Sam, I know I never said I was married or not. And honestly, if a girl wants to have a bit of a fling, she isn't going to wear her wedding band or diamond engagement ring."

I was more than befuddled as I sat on the edge of the bed in the Downtown Hilton, Sacramento, California. I'd met Jo, short for Josie, two months ago in the hotel bar. I'm Sam Mefford and I work for our family grocery business in Spokane, Washington. This time of year, I travel to several areas in California's central region haggling over fruit and vegetable prices.

For the last two months I'd been in Sacramento once every ten days. On my first trip, I met Jo and we hit it off immediately. She told me she was a sales rep for a large pharmaceutical company in Denver. California was part of her territory. Jo was 32 to my 29 and drop dead gorgeous. About 5'6" with long legs an amazing ass and bright blues eyes that sparkled. I was immediately intoxicated with her.

I should back up a minute and mention a couple important details about myself. First, I'm single. I haven't met "the one" yet, but I'm out here looking. I don't jump into bed quickly with any woman, Jo, of course being the exception this time around. We were fucking each other's brains out two hours after we met. I don't want cheap sex, I want a life with a good woman, so the physical has always come after getting to know someone. Again, Jo was the exception, but there just seemed to be something special about her.

Secondly, I don't sleep with married women, ever: Period, end of story. I have nothing but vitriol for anyone who betrays their wedding vows and promises. You want to sleep around, fine by me, stay single. But once you say, "Forsaking all others" and "I do," you've given your bond to fidelity.

Beyond hating cheaters, I have no intention of being the target of an enraged husband. I plan on living a long life and dying with my kids and grandkids gathered around my bedside, not in some dark alley beaten to death by a man who wouldn't stand for some piece of shit taking what wasn't his.

This is my code and I never, ever depart from it. I've been hit on by plenty of married sluts. I'm not George Clooney or Brad Pitt, but I'm in good shape, have a sharp mind and a quick wit. Plus, I'm genuinely interested in people so I'm a good listener. All women love a good listener.

It takes me about two seconds to spot a ring on a potential cheating wife. I try to be polite, but I'm always firm. Something along the lines of, "I'm flattered, but I don't date or have sex with married women." Obviously, this gets me a death stare or even an attempted slap in the face. Like I could give a shit. Either is better than a baseball bat to the back of the head or knowing you're just one more selfish reprobate among many. I have enough flaws without adding that one.

So, I find myself in a hotel room for the sixth time in two months with a woman I thought I might be falling for. Since we both came to town on business it was easy to share a room and enjoy each other's company. However, we'd also visit Napa, take the historic river cruise or bike ride in the nearby mountains. Sex was amazing, but I thought it was the budding relationship that made our romps so incredible. Now I'm thinking, "WTF!"

"I'm sorry, say that again, you're married?"

"Yes Sam, I apologize for springing this on you. I really like you and love our time together, but I have a life with a husband and two young kids. I can't abandon them or hurt my family in any way."

"You have kids?"

"Two beautiful boys, Michael, and Josh, would you like to see their pictures? They are adorable!"

"Fuck no, I don't want to see their pictures! What the hell Jo? How could you do this to me? How could you set me up like this? I had no idea you were married. If you had told me our first night, I might have bought you a drink but then politely have gone my own way. I don't fuck married women!"

"I didn't tell you Sam because I didn't want to. You were handsome and intriguing to me. I wanted to get to know you. I love my husband but needed a little spice in my life. I'd keep going with you if I knew Tom would never find out. You are an amazing guy and excellent lover."

I must have looked like a deer in the headlights, a completely dumbfounded fool, or maybe a combination of the two. I could hear gurgling sounds coming out of my throat but couldn't form any words. Did I just enter the fucking twilight zone? Being momentarily frozen, skank slut Jo just kept on going, making it worse by the minute.

"Tom and I met in high school and were sweethearts from the beginning. We fell hard for each other and have been together ever since. He's a good man, probably the best man I know, but I've found myself curious about others outside my marriage. What would it be like to have a fling? Would a different man make me love Tom more? What if he was bigger or better, could my marriage still thrive? I had to test the waters and explore for myself. I'm sure you understand."

She kept going for another minute or so but all I heard was "blah, blah, blah, blah..."

Finally, I began to get my wits about me and cut her off.

"Jo, shut up for a minute, please!"

"OK, Sam, you don't have to snap at me. I know this is a surprise, but I'm sure you can understand we probably need to call it quits after this weekend."

We had planned to stay a couple extra days and visit Sanoma since it was early October, and the grapes were heavy on the vines.

Jo had been sitting in the chair across the room from me in our suite. She rose to join me on the bed, "Come on baby, let's enjoy the time we have," she purred.

"Stop Jo, sit back down in the chair, I need to ask you some questions and you need to be truthful with me, do you understand?"

"Yes, of course I'm always honest with you, well except for the marriage part." She said this as offhandedly as if discussing the possibility of rain in tomorrow's forecast.

"Holy shit this bitch is delusional," I thought to myself.

"Is your real name Jo?"

"Of course, it is silly!"

"Are you a pharmaceutical rep from Denver?"

"Well, no, not really, I just made that up."

"Let me see your driver's license."

"What?"

"Your driver's license, take it out of your purse and show it to me."

She did and yet another surprise hit me square between the eyes.

"Josie Phelps, 1012 Swanston Drive, Sacramento, CA" I mumbled, still in a state of shock. I handed it back to her as she began to look worried, like a bad card player bluffing for the pot in Texas-hold-em.

"See, I told you," she said trying to smile. "I'm really the Jo you've gotten to know over the last couple of months with only one or two exceptions. Now, why don't we put this awkward moment behind us and head over to Sanoma. I can't wait to tour Chateau Montelena!"

"One or two exceptions! Are you crazy? You're married and have two kids. Those aren't exceptions, those are gaping holes you could drive a truck through! How can you be so deceptive and look yourself in the mirror?"

"Don't' lecture me Sam. We've had fun and that's all there is to it. I never begged you to sleep with me. As I recall, you were quite enthusiastic!"

"I was enthusiastic, because I thought you were single and someone I could get to know and a person with whom I could possibly build a relationship. If you'd just worn your rings, I'd never have jumped into bed with you or invested time in this façade of a relationship."

"I'm sorry you feel that way Sam."

"Let me ask you a question, Mrs. Phelps. What would Tom Phelps do if he knew right now you were here in this room with me, and we'd been carrying on a sexual relationship for the past two months?"

For the first time she began to look seriously worried. "I, I, I don't know, but I'm sure it wouldn't be good. Tom is a faithful guy, and he doesn't tolerate cheating or lying. I guess he'd be very put out with both of us. But don't you see Sam, that is why we must enjoy our weekend together before we go our separate ways."

"What is Tom doing this weekend Jo? Playing with the kids at home thinking his loving wife is out of town on work?"

"The kids are at my folks and Tom's at home with a long list of yard work he plans on knocking out while I'm away. And yes, he thinks I'm out on a work assignment."

"But not pharmaceuticals?"

No, I rep for some of the larger orange growers in the valley."

"OK, enough about that. Jo, let me explain something to you. I don't ever, ever fuck married women. I hate cheating and cheaters, and I have no intention of being on the receiving end of some betrayed husband's wrath. If I were married and my wife did that to me, I go ballistic! You've not only endangered your marriage and family, but you've endangered me as well! How could you be so foolish!"

As the tears were beginning to grow in her eyes, a plan was beginning to formulate in my brain. I took a deep breath and appeared to calm down.

I sighed heavily and said, "Maybe you're right Jo. I can't believe you've done this but perhaps we should just throw caution to the wind and enjoy our final weekend together."

Her eyes looked hopeful. It was clear she thought she was dodging a bullet. "Oh Sam, that makes me so happy. You're such a good guy, I know someday soon the right woman will come along and scoop you up. But for the weekend, you're all mine! I know I've been foolish, but let's put that behind us and enjoy the two days we have. Give me a minute to freshen up and I'll be ready to go.

While Jo was in the bathroom, I put her home address in my google map app and turned my phone on silent. As we departed the hotel, I began heading to highway 80 west but made a quick stop at a local Dick's Sporting Goods store. "I'll just be a minute, sit tight" I said, not giving her a chance to follow me in.

When I returned I dopped my small shopping bag on the floor behind the driver's seat and pulled out of the parking lot. However, at this point I wasn't heading to the highway. I was meandering from downtown to the Land Park neighborhood of Sacramento. She wasn't suspicious for a few minutes but soon began to fidget.

"Where are we headed Sam? This isn't the way to highway 80."

"I've got to stop and see one guy I haven't caught up with this week Jo. It should only be about a ten-minute interruption."

The drive was only about three miles and by the time we were within a few blocks of her house she began to catch on.

"No Sam, you can't do this! Stop the car, turn around, please, I'm begging you don't do this to Tom and my boys! You can't be so cruel!"

By now she was frantic, trying to grab me or grab the wheel. I pushed her away and reached into the back seat grabbing my purchase out of the bag. I pointed the gun at her.

"Jo, shut the fuck up and calm the fuck down," I said in a controlled by menacing voice. "You fucked over your marriage and family not me. I told you I'd never fuck a married woman and I'm not about to start now. I have no clue what your husband will do, but I'm not looking over my shoulder the rest of my life wondering when he's going to show up and cave in my skull. You made your bed you deceitful bitch, now you get to sleep in it."

She was crying hysterically when we pulled into her driveway. There was a tall good-looking guy working in the front yard, who I assumed was Tom. Jo tried to crawl under the seat of the car.

As I got out, he turned and came toward me. I was holding the gun low by my side, trying to keep it out of sight of any neighbors who might be around.

"Can I help you?" He stopped when he saw the pistol in my right hand. "What the..."

"Listen, I know you're Tom Phelps, husband of Jo Phelps. If you glance over my shoulder, you'll see her in the front seat of my car. Now, don't do anything rash, I haven't harmed her, nor do I have any intention of doing so. I don't want anyone hurt, but I do need you to listen to my story for about five minutes and then you'll never see me again. Please don't do anything stupid, you can trust me."

He must have noticed something about my demeanor that allowed him to remain calm and believe what I had just said. Rage was in his eyes, but it was controlled.

"Thank you, I promise this will only take a few minutes. Jo get out of the car and come into the house with me and Tom."

Looking like a condemned woman, Jo reluctantly got out of the car and moved toward us. I backed up a step allowing Tom to go to his wife and hold her, helping her into the house. When we entered, I asked that we go to their kitchen so they could sit down. I stood with the gun pointed at both.

"Tom, my name is Sam and about two months ago I met Jo at the bar in the downtown Hilton. She told me she was a pharmaceutical rep from Denver. Jo wasn't wearing an engagement ring or wedding band."

At this, Tom's face began to harden and sweat began to break out on his forehead, but he didn't interrupt.

"Jo is a good-looking woman with a very effusive personality, so I struck up a conversation. It was a delightful two hours talking to someone I thought was single. I travel a good bit for work and have never been married. I'd love to meet someone and settle down, so, as you can imagine a single woman with the looks and personality of Jo grabbed my attention."

"Within those two hours we ended up in bed, together all night. After that we spent time together over the next two days I was in town. Perhaps I should have been suspicious about how perfectly our schedules lined up, but I was a bit gob smacked by this charming lady."

"Over the next two months I saw her every time I came to town, on six different occasions. We were physically intimate but also enjoyed sight-seeing and other activities around the region. I thought I might be falling for a beautiful single woman with whom I could form a long-term relationship."

By now Tom was staring at Jo but still listening to me.

"Mr. Phelps, I have never knowingly slept with a married woman, nor will I ever do so. The reason I'm here with you today is this. About an hour ago, Jo revealed her lies to me. She told me she was married and had two sons. Jo said this was our last weekend together because she feared you may be suspicious of her, and she didn't want to jeopardize her family."

Jo's head was in her hands as she quietly sobbed.

"Jo, look at me." She didn't look up. I cocked the gun. It made an ominous sound.

"Jo, look at me now!" She looked up.

"Is everything I've just said to your husband the truth?" She nodded.

"Say it!"

"Yes, Sam, everything you've said is true."

Tom was fighting tears of sadness and rage at the same moment. My time was wrapping up.

"Mr. Phelps, I'm going to leave in a moment, but before I do I want you to know how deeply sorry I am for all of this. I was an unknowing part of something awful. If I were married and my wife did this to me, I'm not sure how I would react, but it wouldn't be kind or understanding."

"That being said, I need to know if you and I are good. I don't want to be looking over my shoulder the rest of my life. I still want to find someone and settle down to raise a family, your wife's treachery notwithstanding. However, I can't do that if I know at some point you may come gunning for me."

"I wish to hell I'd never met your wife, but there was no way I'd help anyone get away with wretched betrayal and blatant disrespect. I hope my coming her today has shown my character. Can I trust you to hold me harmless in this situation?"

Tom Phelps gritted his teeth, and turning away from his heartless, self-absorbed wife, he looked me in the eye. "We're good."

"OK, I'll let myself out."

As I turned to leave Jo looked up. "Sam, would you really have shot me or Tom if he responded in rage?"

I shrugged my shoulders and let out a sad laugh. "Well, Jo, it would have been tough seeing it is only a pellet gun and I didn't buy any pellets."

As I opened the front door to exit, I heard Jo say, "Tom, baby where are you going? We must talk."

"Upstairs to pack your bag slut. You're leaving."