"Can we have caviar and champagne tonight?"
"I don't see why not."
Eric and Moana had been on the road for two hours and were fast approaching the Canadian border. It was a Wednesday night, and they were on their way to Vancouver B.C. for three days, ostensibly for Eric to meet some clients, but they were also going to celebrate their anniversary. Eric had a big surprise planned, one that he had spent a great deal of time planning, and as he glanced over at her, he was positive that she had not even an inkling of what was to occur. Moana was a very attractive woman, tall and slim with long brown hair, a strikingly beautiful face, and long and lithe legs. They had been married now for seven years, and had two children and far too little time for themselves. Eric had two and a half days of meetings, but they were planning on a night out on Friday, and a leisurely Saturday afternoon, all while the children were safely ensconced in Seattle.
"I'm going to work out in the morning and then lay out by the pool. What time do you think you'll be back?"
"I'll probably be gone all day. I've got a negotiation session starting at 10. Do you want to go out to dinner tonight?"
"That's a definite possibility." Eric smiled to himself.
* * * * *
Moana was lying in the sun, sighing comfortably to herself. She and Eric had sex in a slow, pleasant way the night before, after indulging on lox, salmon and sturgeon caviar, and a bottle of good champagne. She slept late, and had followed a light breakfast with the workout she had been craving. After reading for a short while from one of the several magazines she had purchased, she was now quite relaxed, eyes closed, and drifting into a nap.
"Do you mind if I look at your New Yorker?"
Moana opened her eyes. There was woman standing over her, dressed in a swim suit and a long, open robe. She was similar in appearance to Moana herself, only slightly shorter, with broader hips and lighter hair.
"No, go ahead."
"I'm Helen. My husband's here on business, so I thought I'd take advantage of the opportunity to get away from the kids."
Moana laughed, and took an instant liking to Helen. "That sounds familiar. Why don't you sit down?"
The two of them ending up spending the day together. They found they had a lot in common. They sunned and talked for a while, and then met for lunch and shopping. After returning, they lounged in the hotel patio bar, just talking, for the rest of the afternoon. Helen and Moana were both in their mid-thirties and their husbands were also close to the same age, although Thomas was younger. Moana was sure that she would like Thomas, even though he was a lawyer like Eric, and she thought that Eric would probably like him, too. Her only reluctance was that Helen had said that she and Thomas occasionally took or shared outside partners in their relationship. Moana had of course thought of other men during their seven years together, but had never acted on it. Helen insisted that it was no big deal, and that they both thought it enhanced their relationship.
"We both seem to need the variety," she had said. But Moan liked Helen, and otherwise Helen seemed as normal as she was, and they got along famously the entire day.
* * * * *
It was almost five when Thomas spotted Helen in the lounge and came over. By this time, Moana was not surprised to find that Thomas had a build similar to Eric's, and that he, like Eric, was attractive in a way that she found sexy. He and Eric also had the same color of hair, and the fact that Thomas had a mustache, which she did not particularly care for, was offset by the flecks of silver in his hair and his warm smile. Helen introduced him to Moana, and he sat with them and had a quick drink. When Helen and Thomas left together half an hour later, Moana was pleased that the day had gone so well, and that she had been right in predicting that she would like Thomas.
* * * * *
It was nearing five thirty, so Moana returned to their room to get ready for dinner. As she put the key in the door, she heard the TV, meaning that Eric had gotten there first. He greeted her as she walked in.
"Hi, did you enjoy the day?"
"Yes, I did. I made a new friend, Helen. She's Canadian, but she's really nice, even though her husband is a lawyer, like you."
"Hey, that's great. What do you want to do for dinner?"
"I don't know, why don't you decide? How did your day go?"
"Ok, let me give it some thought. I promised to meet my client for a drink, but that shouldn't take more than an hour. I spent the whole day with him. We're meeting the buyers tomorrow. What kind of law does this guy practice?"
"Well, it sounded like something similar to what you do. He's here to close some kind of business deal. "
"Hey, Moana, I bought you a present. Happy anniversary."
He handed her a small oblong package.
"But before you open it, you have to promise to wear it tonight, with its accessories."
"We'll see," she said, as she ripped open the package. It was a choker, black velvet, with a diamond to be worn at the throat.
"Oh, its beautiful. But I don't have anything to wear with it."
"I told you that I got you some accessories. Take a look in the bedroom on the bed."
She went from the anteroom into the bedroom. There on the bed was a black knit sweater and a black skirt. It wasn't a mini, but it was much shorter than any she had. Next to the sweater was a box.
"Honey, I can't wear this. I'm too fat. What's in the box, garters and stockings?"
"Well, of course. And you are not fat. Please?"
Moana had opened the box, revealing, as she had guessed, a black garter and stockings.
"Eric, I can't wear this to go out. Its too uncomfortable."
