This is the second part of a multi-part series.
In part one we introduced John, his wife Jenny and her best friend Emma. They were now on the third day of a week long cruise to the Norwegian fjords. If you'd like to understand the setup then do please first visit part one. If not, then this chapter picks up following Jenny's request her husband look to fulfil the needs of her friend.
I hope you enjoy.
--
The third night on ship was called 'gala night'. Passengers are expected to ramp up the formality with black tie evening wear.
For John, sat on the cabin bed, the reveal of the evening outfits was quite something. Both girls were in black, floor length gowns with open shoulders, quite similar and both beautiful. Jenny, his wife of ten years, graceful, slender with dark hair and a former classical dancer's frame had been quite forceful with her best friend Emma to have her hair and make up done by the ships stylists. Emma, a shy and relatively plain girl was pretty but lacked confidence with her appearance. Having lived conservatively with elderly parents, she had not sought nor experienced any adult relationship for some years. A kiss shared with me the previous evening had opened a door that we would discover would bring about some substantial changes in our lives.
This evening the brunette with her short hair wore contacts rather than glasses. Both girls looked fantastic, as I in my tuxedo also looked to turn a few heads from the mostly mature fellow passengers.
"You look so hot", Jenny whispered to me as we left the room kissing me on the cheek. I'd given several platitudes to the girls on seeing them, Emma, sheepishly smiling as she took the comments.
"You look very handsome yourself," was her retort.
After dinner there were professional photos in the ships grand atrium. Jenny insisted Emma and I have a photo and despite protestations Emma agreed,
"Put you arm around her waist, get closer", the photographers orders meant I held Emma against me. It was strange to feel someone other than my wife that close to me, I could feel Emma's breathing quicken, and soon enough the photos were done. The photographer was noticeably confused when Jenny then asked for her photos with me. "Oh I'm terribly sorry I thought she was your wife!" He stammered, pointing at Emma, before obliging, Emma nervously smiling as she stood to the side and received several disapproving glances from the other older guests.
We went to one of the bars. The girls had signature cocktails and I joined them. The revelation of earlier in the day wasn't brought up: where my wife had suggested we open our marriage to include her friend. Instead we chatted about sights we'd seen on an afternoon tour: Views of the valleys and fjord, mementoes and gifts we'd purchased in the town. At one point with an 80s band playing lively covers we took to the dance floor. The girls danced naturally as most girls seem to do, and I tried fairly unsuccessfully to blend in, I've never been much of a dancer! There was no change of pace, no slow tunes to bring about any awkwardness. After a fun night and all a little tipsy we headed back to the cabin.
Jenny fumbled with the key, a symptom of one too many cocktails. She stumbled into the room and in a fit of giggles fell onto the bed, the big dress resulting in her almost rolling off, Emma joined her as they fell into a hug laughing, I saw the two of them on the bed, all smiles and I sat down on the edge.
"You're so handsome", cooed Jenny. "Em isn't he a handsome man?"
"He's very handsome" said Emma, "he scrubs up very well!"
"You two are so drunk," I added as the two of them looked me up and down between giggles.
"No we're not, we're perfectly sober! You're the drunk one!" Jenny was clearly playful. "Em thinks you're handsome. I think you're handsome. I think you should kiss me", Jenny sat up, reached across, wrapped her arms around me and kissed me deeply, her friend a little startled but smiling. "There, you're such a good kisser! But I think we shouldn't leave Em out. I think you two should kiss again!"
"I'm not sure she wants that," I responded, sitting up a little awkwardly, there was still no guarantee that Emma would want to be a part of something.
"Yes she does, she's just too polite!"
"I think I should get some say in this," Emma intruded, "I'm sure John doesn't want to kiss me and you're just being silly"
"I'm not being silly Em," announced Jenny, "we've talked about it and he has permission. He's got permission to do more than that if you're so inclined!"
Emma was turning a shade of crimson, I'm sure I was much the same, my wife proclaiming the loan availability of her husband, "don't you want to kiss him?"
"I umm...err... I don't know..." Em was naturally hesitant, Jenny interrupted her by sitting up, taking my hand, putting mine on Emma's, then pushing us closer together.
"Stop delaying, come on, I know you both want to. Just do it."
