Chapter 23
Amy came home from work the following Wednesday, and said that Jamal mentioned Alex again, and he suggested that we get together with her for dinner on Friday. I said I was fine with the idea, and asked where Jamal wanted to go.
"He offered to make shrimp scampi again for all of us at his condo."
I raised my eyebrows, "Sounds like a full court press designed to get into her pants."
Amy grinned and punched me in the arm, "I promised her no pressure if she would go out with the three of us."
"Uh huh," I replied, dubiously. "Just a little show and tell about 'what I did over summer vacation'."
That got a laugh out of Amy, but she could see that I was on board with the idea.
Amy talked to Alex after the yoga class the following day, and Alex accepted the invitation.
Amy offered to pick up Alex on our way over to Jamal's on Friday, so we ended up in front of her apartment promptly at 7 pm Friday night.
I was about to leave the car running in the loading zone and go in to retrieve her, when she came out the front door. She had on the orange dress!
"Fuck me!" I said out loud when she appeared.
"Well played," muttered Amy as she watched Alex walk toward us in the famous dress and wedge heels with cloth ankle straps.
"You should open the door for her, baby." Amy suggested. "But try to keep your dick in your pants until we get to Jamal's, okay?" she added, dryly.
I got out and ran around to the rear passenger door to open it. When Alex reached me she tilted her head up for a kiss and I couldn't resist giving her a bit more than a friendly hello peck.
"You look amazing!" I gushed to her.
She seemed nervous, but my comment must have been reassuring, because she smiled back at me with more confidence as she settled into the back seat.
Amy turned and greeted her warmly from the front passenger seat as I walked around and got behind the wheel. It looked like it was going to be an interesting evening!
The girls chatted as I navigated across town to Jamal's building. When we parked and went into the lobby, I could tell that Alex was impressed. Her mouth fell open when Jamal ushered us into his condo, and all three of us chuckled as we recalled Jamal's comment the first time I visited his home. I gave him a thumbs up behind Alex's back which Amy noticed, earning me another punch in the arm. I rubbed the spot, musing that I was going to have a hell of a bruise there at the rate I was earning jabs from Amy.
Jamal had a bottle of wine open on the balcony, and we all stepped outside to raise a glass and enjoy the view. After a short time exchanging pleasantries, Jamal excused himself to go back in and finish preparing dinner.
Alex had a hundred questions about Jamal and his gorgeous condo, and Amy answered them like only a long time girlfriend or wife could, letting Alex know in no uncertain terms how close she was to her coworker and lover.
An observation by Alex of how nice the balcony would be in the morning as the sun came up was confirmed by Amy who said she had enjoyed coffee several times in the morning on the chaise lounges. I was filled with a combination of pride and embarrassment as it became obvious to Alex that Amy was confirming that she slept over with Jamal more than once.
Alex glanced at me with a knowing smile as she talked to Amy. She was starting to see how our relationship worked, and it appeared she found it intriguing.
I excused myself and went inside to see how Jamal was making out with dinner preparations. He asked me to drain the pasta as he finished the scampi in a large saute pan.
"Is that the dress that started all of this?" he asked me as I carried the pot to the sink.
I laughed, "Yep, the very same."
He gazed at Alex through the floor to ceiling glass and said, "Amazing. I feel for you bro. No way a guy could say no to that girl in that dress. I hope I get a better look at those tattoos that I see peeking through the fabric later tonight."
We finished putting the dish together and I carried the serving platter to the dining table as Jamal went out on the balcony to retrieve the girls. I watched as they moved towards the door, and almost dropped the plate when Amy stopped Jamal and wrapped him in a hug to give him a long, soulful kiss.
Alex noticed, and hesitated at the patio door. She finally came through to the living room as Amy broke the kiss and moved to follow her.
I carefully set the table in order to avoid meeting Alex's gaze.
Perhaps as a consolation, when Amy reached me she gave me a hug and a passionate kiss too, making me feel better. I realized that there was quite a contest being played by the two women, and Jamal and I were being used like pawns in a chess match.
We all sat down and ate. Jamal had a Caesar salad with homemade dressing to go with the pasta. The food was wonderful, just like I remembered from our first dinner with Jamal. Alex praised the chef and ate more than anyone else.
Amy tried to pry more personal details out of Alex during the conversation over dinner. Alex was rather vague about her family and her past. Amy switched to her schooling, and Alex opened up more. She was on the dean's list, and planned to go for her doctoral degree.
Alex wanted to know how Jamal could afford such a nice place. I was curious myself, but hadn't pursued the question out of discretion. Alex was either naive about such things, or her curiosity outweighed her sense of propriety.
Jamal told us that after he got his nursing degree and the job at the hospital, he moved back in with his folks so he could save money for a down payment on his own house. At the time, his parents still had two of his younger siblings at home, so he helped out with making meals when his parents worked late. After five years they told him they would help him with a down payment on the condo. His youngest sister was headed to college, and his mom and dad wanted to downsize. By that time, he had enough saved to afford the mortgage with their help.
I realized that Jamal was a very driven and goal oriented man, and I worried about what would happen if he ever set his sights on taking Amy away from me. He gave every indication of still enjoying his ability to play the field, but most guys eventually decide to settle down. Having a wife like Amy who was open to continued sexual experimentation after marriage seemed like exactly the kind of girl a guy like Jamal would be looking for.
I shook off my concern. I was successful and handsome enough, I reasoned. A little voice in the back of my mind said, "Set him up with Alex and take him off the market." I felt a little jealous about the possibility of Alex pairing up with Jamal, though.
When we finished eating it was still fairly light outside. Jamal suggested that we take a walk to a neighborhood bar a couple of blocks away and have a drink. The girls were excited by the idea and quickly jumped up to go the bathroom and fix their makeup.
I helped Jamal clear the table, and he quietly asked me what the hell was going on.
"I think we are watching a contest of wills. We need to be careful, but this could get interesting later. My suggestion is to follows Amy's lead."