Much to Allison's Surprise

Mark Walker was sitting at a table for four in what was rapidly becoming a crowded bar. The place had been almost empty when he came in thirty minutes before, but was quickly filling with an after work crowd.

Normally, Mark would have been facing the room but he had some work documents he needed to read and didn't want to spend any more time in his hotel room than necessary, so he had ducked into the bar figuring he would have a Manhattan while he worked. Who says men can't multi-task? To minimize distractions, he was facing the wall and only realized the place was getting busy by the increase in conversation noise.

He caught the eye of the hostess, to see if she needed him to move to free up the table but she told him not to worry. "First come, first served, right," she asked?

"Works for me," Mark replied, "but you can move me if you need to."

"Thanks, darlin', but I think we're fine."

Of course, fifteen minutes later he felt a hand on his shoulder and heard the hostess saying, "I know I said you could stay here, but..."

Not waiting for her to finish, he started gathering his papers. A voice to his left said, "No, please don't make him get up. We can stand over by the bar until a table opens."

"It isn't a problem," Mark said as he started to stand. "I can find a place at the bar."

If he had been facing the room he would have noticed how close the woman was standing, but instead he turned as he rose and ended up with his face planted firmly in her very soft cleavage. Feeling her move backward, he instinctively reached out to keep her from falling, but she turned as she backed so instead of grabbing her arm, Mark's right hand landed perfectly on her left breast. Recoiling like he had touched a hot stove, he stumbled over a chair and ended up sitting in it.

The male half of the couple had not noticed any of the awkwardness as he had been scanning the bar. "Hey, how you doing? Look, there isn't anyplace to sit at the bar so want to just share the table with us?" Still shocked from the accidental bumping and touching, the woman and Mark just looked at each other. "What," the guy asked? "Did I miss something?"

Mark glanced at the poor hostess who looked like she had just witnessed a fatal car crash then back at the woman who had a look of 'what the hell?' on her face. When she looked at Mark, they both started laughing.

"Oh, my god," he said, "I am so sorry. I should have been paying more attention to where I was going."

"It was my fault, I shouldn't have been standing so close."

"Is everybody okay," the hostess asked.

The lady and Mark replied at the same time, "Yes, fine," and laughed again.

"Okay," the man said, "you can tell me what happened when you're ready, but I'm sitting down so I can order a drink."

"Call me old fashioned," the lady said, "but after that...uh...introduction, I feel I should at least know your name since you are my new 'bosom' buddy. I'm Allison," she said extending her hand, "and this is Richard."

At the mention of his name, Richard looked up from the drink menu and pushed out his paw. "Hey! Nice to meet you."

"Mark, Mark Walker. Nice to meet you, too. And, yes I will join you."

"Good," Richard grunted. "Now maybe you will tell me what I missed."

Allison and Mark looked at each other again and they both blushed. "Tell you what," Mark said, "I'm going to go to the washroom while Allison fills you in and if you don't want to hit me when I get back, the first round is on me." Without waiting for a response, he turned and headed off.

As Mark turned the corner into the washroom, Allison looked at Richard and said, "Did you set this up?"

Richard looked up from the menu with a puzzled look on his face. "What?"

"Did you set this up? This 'meeting'?"

"What meeting?"

"With Mark."

"What are you talking about? We just met the guy. What would I have set up?"

"You know what I'm talking about. Did you set up a 'spontaneous' meeting with this guy hoping you could trick me into doing something with him?"

It dawned on Richard what she was asking, "Oh, Hon, no. I wouldn't do that. No, no, no...this is exactly what it seems, a totally accidental meeting. I did not plan this."

Allison looked hard at him as if trying to read his brainwaves to determine the truth. "Okay, I'll believe you, but if I find out you're lying, you are in such trouble."

Raising two fingers like a Boy Scout, Richard said, "God's truth, babe, I did not set anything up but I've got to ask...why did you think I did? Is he...?"

Feigning sudden disinterest, Allison grabbed the menu. "Forget it. I want a drink."

"Whoa, hold on just a minute," Richard laughed. "Are you saying Mark is your 'type'?"

Looking around the room to avoid her husband's smirking gaze Allison asked, "Where is the server? I want a drink!"

"Uh, huh, this is interesting."

"There is nothing interesting about this. We came to a bar, we are sharing a table with a stranger and we are going to have a couple of drinks then go home."

"I noticed you haven't told me what happened, either."

"Mark bumped into me when he stood up."

"And?"

"That's it. He bumped into me and it sort of knocked me backward."

Richard leaned back with a doubtful look on his face. "Hmmm, and that bump made you blush like that?"

"You noticed that?"

"Yes, I noticed that. Maybe too much blushing for a bump?"

"There might have been some accidental touching, too."

"Do tell," Richard said as he looked directly into his wife's eyes.

Before she could answer, Mark returned. "Is it safe to sit," he asked?

Allison and Richard both looked at him. "Absolutely," Richard said loudly, "sit! There won't be any hitting, but given the grievous nature of the 'accidental transgression' we've ordered a bottle of Dom Perignon."

Mark's eyes went wide and he looked from one to the other then at the server who was now standing beside Richard.

"Uh, I don't think we have that," the server said.

Unable to keep a straight face any longer, Allison and Richard laughed. "Sit, please, and relax. Everything is cool. Two dirty vodka martinis and whatever our friend is having. But, HE is buying this round."

"My pleasure," Mark nodded. "I'll have another Manhattan, please, with the Redemption High Rye bourbon."

"Two dirty vodka martinis, and a Redemption Manhattan," the server confirmed. "Any nibbles?"

"Would you two want to share a pizza," Mark offered?

"Sure, that sounds fine," Richard responded.

"Preferences?"

"I like meat, she doesn't."

"How about a Margherita with pepperoni on half?"

Allison suddenly brightened, "Oh, I love Margherita pizza. Good choice!"

"We have a winner. A large, please."

The server headed off to the bar to put in the orders and the trio got down to the business of small talk. The drinks arrived first and were gone by the time the pizza was delivered. A second round was ordered and conversation topics became deeper as the alcohol took effect.

Allison's suspicions that Richard had set up this meeting with Mark were not without foundation. Almost since they married he had told her how he would like to see her with another man. She never believed it when he said he wanted it more for her than for himself, but he seemed to talk about it even more in the last couple of years. Allison allowed him to indulge his little fantasy and even got a little turned on by it when they talked about it during their love making, but she knew in her heart nothing would ever come of it because men weren't going to want her the way she looked now. Maybe when they had first been married, but not now.

Two kids and no time or energy to exercise left her feeling like a slug. Richard kept telling her it was only a few extra pounds and always insisted he still found her sexy, but she knew he was just trying to get laid. She had a mirror and could see the bulging tummy and her sagging boobs. Barely in her thirties and her boobs already drooped. Sure, guys would be willing to fuck her because she had a pussy and they are guys, but it wasn't going to be because they found her desirable. Richard was crazy.

She was a little surprised that Richard had asked if Mark was her type. Whenever they had talked about the fantasy she always described someone vaguely resembling Richard figuring it would be reassuring to him to know he was her 'type' and Mark was nothing like Richard. He obviously wasn't a jock and probably old enough to be her father.

What Allison had never told Richard was that she was, in fact, attracted to older men. The first time she masturbated had been after watching George Clooney on ER and thoughts of mature men continued to provide stimulation when she had the rare few minutes to indulge herself even now. Mark was definitely no George Clooney, but she found him attractive and wondered if Richard had picked up on something. Plus, he seemed interested in her, and not as someone he was expecting to get into bed but as a person. He listened to what she said and asked her thoughts. He treated her like...well, he treated her like Richard treated her. She found herself liking him a lot and felt comfortable with him.

By the time the pizza was pushed away, both Allison and Richard were teasing Mark about being a single man on the road.

"I'll bet you have women in every town, don't you," she asked with a smile?

"You have no idea! I have to beat them off with a stick," Mark groaned as he took a slug of his cocktail.

"Oh, come on. In today's world with all the single women out there?"

"In todays world, all those single women are looking at all those younger single men. Even the young ones who say they want an older man mean a guy in his forties. And, the women over forty all want to be cougars. A guy like me flirts with the servers in the bars and restaurants because they are the only ones who gets close enough to talk to, then I go home with Rosie."

"Rosie," Allison asked?

Mark raised his right hand, "Rosie Palm. Always there, always ready, and never complains of a headache."

"I'm going to call BS on that one," Allison laughed. "You guys have it made. The older you get the better looking you get. We women start falling apart as soon as we have kids."

"No, no, no...my turn to call BS," he responded. "You know why the twenty-something women are after the forty-something men don't you? It is because the twenty-something men are after the thirty and forty-something women! The cougars are cougars because they know they can get the guys."

Allison waved her hand dismissively, "You could have your pick of women in this place and you know it."

"My pick?"

"Yup! You look around and decide while I go to the bathroom. When I get back, we'll make it happen." She was just a little drunk.

As she walked away from the table Mark watched her for a moment then said to Richard, "You are an incredibly fortunate man, my friend. She is an amazing woman in every way. She's smart, fun, sweet and beautiful."

"Yes, she is," Richard agreed.

"She has no idea, does she?"

"No idea of what?"

Mark turned to his new young friend and said, "The effect she has on men."

Richard looked at his wife and was quiet for a moment. "You're a very perceptive man. She feels like she has completely gone to pot, hates the way she looks and doesn't think any man could be interested in her, including me. It kills me."

"I recognize it because I lived with it for thirty-five years. My wife was the same way. I knew men were attracted to her and told her all the time but she wouldn't believe me. She couldn't believe me because she couldn't see it in herself. I see the same thing in Allison."

"What did you do about it?"

"Nothing. I had ideas, but never did anything. I even had the idea to try to find some guy who would try to pick her up while I was out of town, but I never followed through on it."

"I've thought of that, too. I've even told her it would turn me on to see her with another man but she won't go through with it. I think she might actually be open to the idea, but she honestly doesn't think anyone would want her."

Mark looked at him, "You've told her that?"

"I bring it up all the time while we are in bed. I think it actually turns her on, too, but that's as far as it goes."

"And you would want to watch?"

"Oh, hell yes!"

"How far would you want her to go?"

"Honestly, I would love to see her fuck a guy, but I don't think that's going to happen. I do think with the right guy and the right circumstances, she might go for a hand job...maybe even a blow job, but I don't know."

Mark laughed, "Jesus, that would be one lucky son of a bitch."

Richard thought for a minute, "So, why don't you go for it?"

"Me?"

"It's just a gut feeling and it might not work, but think she might be interested in you and what have you got to lose? You don't ever have to see us after tonight and she might surprise us both."

"Are you shitting me?"

"No, I'm not. And you have about five seconds to decide."

Allison plopped into her chair, "Hubby dear, I think I am drunk and should probably go home."

"We can't go home yet. You have something you need to do first."

"I do?"

"You promised Mark you would make sure he gets his chosen woman tonight. You have a responsibility to him."

"Ah, yes! So, Mark, who have you chosen to be the lucky woman?"

Mark looked at Richard who gave him a go-ahead nod.

"You," he said quietly.

Allison turned and looked at him, "Who?"

"You. I want you."

"Yeah, right!" she scoffed. "What about that one over there? Better yet, what about our hostess? I saw her looking at you and I think she might be interested. And, my god, look at those tits!"

"You said I can have my pick, and I pick you."

"You can't have ME, silly, I'm married."

There was silence for a moment then Richard leaned toward Allison and said, "Shall I tell you what he said when you went to the restroom?"

She didn't say anything but shook her head, yes.

"He said you are smart, fun and beautiful."

"You left out sweet," Mark injected.

Allison wouldn't look at Mark. "Did you tell him?"

Richard shook his head, "He told me."

"He told you what?"

"That he wants you."

"He said that? He said he wants me?"

"Why don't you ask him what he said."

With her eyes still locked on her husband Allison asked, "What did you say, Mark."

"I think what Richard is referring to is my comment that you have no idea of the effect you have on men."

"What does that mean," she said as a tear formed in the corner of her eye.

"It means for me you are the most desirable woman in the room."

Her eyes flashed in anger as she turned, "Desirable? I'm fat and old and have no boobs to speak of. Who the hell would desire that?"

"Me."

"But why? Why wouldn't you rather have her," pointing to the hostess, "with her big, bouncy boobs and her tight little ass?"

"Have you looked in a mirror," Mark asked?

"Yes, that's how I know I don't compare."

"Compare to what? There isn't one standard. There are at least two guys in this room who think you are the hottest woman in here and based on the way men have been looking at you all night, I'm guessing it is a lot more that two. Would you like me to take a poll?"

Allison recoiled as if she had been struck. Richard had been trying to tell her for years that she appealed to men but she couldn't...or, wouldn't believe him, but was he right? Could she believe him? Could she believe Mark?

When she was younger, Allison had what she believed was a foolproof way of knowing what a guy really thought of her. It was obvious they wanted sex, but she needed to know if that was all? Was she just a pretty face and a hot body that they were willing to use to get whatever satisfaction they wanted, or were they really interested in her? How they kissed was the first indicator. And, if they passed that hurdle, she could always tell once she had their cock in her hand. She believed a man who was interested only in his own satisfaction felt different than a man who honestly cared about her. The cock didn't lie and Richard's was the only one that had passed that particular test. Unfortunately, she didn't really have all that much experience after discovering the difference, but she was pretty sure the test should still work for her.

Maybe it was just the alcohol, but Allison decided she needed this. Not for Richard, but for herself. She wanted to feel desired. Wanted to be the object of a man's unbridled lust. Besides, she had always kind of regretted not getting more experience before she got married and her husband was telling her to go for it.

Turning to Mark she leaned toward him and said, "Kiss me."

"What?"

"Kiss me, and make it your best, damnit!"

Mark looked at Richard who gave him a nod of approval. He leaned into Allison and their lips touched. Despite her boldness, Mark could feel her nervous stiffness. He was tentative at first, but when he heard a low moan and felt her lips relax he laid his hand on her arm and kissed her more aggressively. The response was immediate as her lips parted and her tongue sought is. He felt her hand on his leg then she suddenly pushed away from him. "How far is your hotel from here?"

They settled the bill quickly and set out for the hotel. It was only a two-block walk, which was a good thing since none of them were in any condition to drive. Other than basic directions from Mark, no one spoke as they walked.

Richard had been surprised at his reaction to watching his wife kiss another man and was wondering how far this might go and how he would really feel. He had been telling Allison for years that this was something he wanted but now that it was happening, he had doubts. On the one hand, it had given him a true thrill to see Allison so turned on. They had married young and she had had relatively little experience and he knew she had always wondered what she might have missed out on. Most guys would probably think he was crazy, but Richard honestly wanted her to resolve the question. On the other hand, he felt jealousy and wondered if he could really handle this.

Allison was in complete turmoil. A married woman shouldn't be kissing any men other than her husband let alone considering going even further. But, that kiss! And, what the hell was she thinking? She knew she wanted to kiss Mark again and maybe even more, but could she do it in front of Richard? But, he had told her he wanted her to do this and, oh my god, she even felt wetness between her legs. From a fucking kiss! Well, maybe from wondering what might happen after more kissing. Oh, shit, was she really going to do this? Damn, that was a good kiss and she felt his desire! And she felt...she...SHE FUCKING FELT SEXY!

Mark was the only one of the three who really didn't have any doubt or confusion at all. Allison was beautiful and sexy even if she didn't know it and Richard wanted to see her with another man. Could it be any sweeter? He knew he wasn't ugly, but also knew Allison probably wouldn't have given him a second glance if her self-esteem wasn't in the toilet. He hadn't been lying when he said he thought she was the hottest woman in the room. She embodied everything he found attractive and had fallen head over heals in lust with her before the pizza had arrived. How she could doubt her sensuality and desirability was beyond him, but he was not about to look this gift horse in the mouth. Except...

The three walked through the hotel lobby to the elevator. Before he pushed the button, Mark turned to the young couple and said, "If either of you wants to turn around now and walk away, I won't hold anything against you. I've had a wonderful evening getting to know the two of you and can be satisfied if this is where the evening ends. But, before you make a decision I want to say to Allison that you have no idea what this means to me. You really are beautiful and sexy and anything that happens beyond this point will be a thrill of a lifetime for me. And, Richard, all I can say to you is thank you. Now, the choice is yours."