Another Gift to Remember

by Mary Abshire

Lynn stopped near the edge of the hot tub. She had her hands on her hips and wore a short pink robe that gaped to reveal her naked body.

  Andy's cock slid free from Carol as Thomas stepped back, carrying her. She lowered her legs to stand, and then Thomas removed his length. He turned and headed for his wife. "Jump in and join us."

  Lynn shifted her gaze to the large pool. "Actually, I'm a bit hot. I think I'll go for a swim." She walked around the hot tub and headed for her destination.

  "I'll join you," Carol said as she moved toward the small ladder. Between the heat in the tub and being sandwiched between two overly warm men, she needed to lower her body temperature. As she climbed the steps, her legs trembled slightly.

  Water splashed around Carol's feet as she walked on the tiled floor. Her wet body soaked in the air, but not enough to soothe her. Lynn dropped her robe, and then stood near the pool with her toes over the edge. She bent her knees before diving into the water with her arms stretched in front of her. After a quick glance at the hot tub where Andy and Thomas sat, Carol mimicked Lynn's actions.

  The coolness of the water instantly brought relief to Carol's flesh. She held her breath as she swung her arms and kicked out her legs before heading up. When her head reached the surface, she sucked in air. She blinked away the drops of water that fell into her eyes. Lynn stood past the mid-portion of the pool where it was five-feet deep. Carol swam toward her.

  "How long was I asleep?" Lynn asked as Carol arrived in area where her feet touched the bottom of the pool.

  "Not long really. I was alone in the tub for at least a half hour, and I think I waited in bed for a good twenty minutes. Maybe more. I couldn't sleep." Carol scooted through the water toward her other lover.

  Lynn's brows crinkled. "Is something bothering you?"

  "I wonder what Andy will be like at work now. That's all. If we become sex addicts, I suppose we can make a better schedule, one that includes him."

  The tension in Lynn's face ebbed. She moved closer to Carol and wrapped her hands around her waist. "We'll work it out. We always do. I, for one, will become a sex addict if Andy does join our merry little group. The man can fuck me any time, as long as Thomas approves."

  Carol grinned widely. "You liked it. I knew you would."

  Lynn chuckled and beamed with happiness. "It's been a long time, Carol. It hurt a little at first, but he took his time and… I'd almost forgotten how fucking good it felt to have a man's cock inside me."

  This time Carol was laughing. "I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Thomas isn't jealous or mad at all. He wants you to be happy."

  "Did he say that?"

  "He did."

  Another smile spread across Lynn's face. "He's always been a good husband. I love him to death."

  "It seems clear to me Thomas is accepting Andy into our sex circle," Carol said, for lack of a better description.

  "Well they are best friends and have been since college. They've shared everything."

  "Including us now."

  Lynn nodded. "Including us. I don't foresee a problem. Thomas can talk to Andy and find out where he stands. In fact, he probably is now."

  Carol twisted as Lynn's gaze veered to the hot tub. The two men were watching them and Thomas's lips were moving.

  "Let's move to the four-foot end and give them a show," Lynn said, taking one of Carol's hands in her grasp. "Maybe it will encourage Andy to join us more often."

  Excitement bubbled within Carol as she walked with Lynn toward the shallow end of the pool. Kissing and teasing Lynn might entice Andy. A woman on woman display seemed to motivate many men. Carol would certainly play along. After all, making love to her friend always resulted in intense orgasms. How could she refuse Lynn? She couldn't.

  Smiling, Carol looked forward to giving Lynn some womanly TLC. Whether Andy joined in their sexual escapades or not, she would always welcome time alone with Lynn. Still, Carol hoped Andy would agree to participate more with them not only because Carol took great delight in being filled by two men at once, but also for Lynn's enjoyment. The four of them could all share and bask in pleasure. Everyone would be happy and the orgasms would be plentiful. But would Andy see it the same way? Could he fit comfortably into the foursome lifestyle, one that involved his best friend, his best friend's wife, and his best friend's assistant? Once the workweek started and they carried on like normal, Carol would learn the answers.

  Chapter Twelve

  Carol slid her finger across the screen of her cell phone, checking for a message from Lynn. The indicator reflected nothing new. Sighing, she lifted her gaze to the computer on her desk. Carol had planned to meet Lynn for lunch. An uneasy feeling was brewing within her and getting worse. She'd discussed the issue with Lynn Monday evening when Thomas worked late. Lynn said she was overthinking things and worried too much. Carol agreed and pushed her concern aside. But after another half day of silence from Andy, Carol suspect something really was wrong. The four of them had spent the weekend fucking like wild monkeys. How can Andy work in the same office with her and not say at least one word?

  That troubled feeling continued to gnaw at Carol, making her anxious and her stomach queasy. Thomas hadn't spoken much to her, but he had informed her he was busy preparing a presentation for Wednesday. He seemed like his usual self and winked at her every time he passed by. His late hours working at the office on Monday night were typical too. At home, Thomas acted the same as always—touching, kissing, and teasing them. Did he sense anything out of the ordinary with Andy? There was one way to find out.

  Unable to focus on her work, Carol scooted her chair away from her desk before standing. She smoothed her hands over her hips and glanced down. The black skirt she'd worn was shorter than she preferred, but Lynn had given it to her as a gift. Since Carol had plans to meet Lynn for lunch, Carol had decided to wear the garment with a loose white button-down blouse and camisole underneath. The clothes were easy to slip in and out of if Carol needed to do so.

  Taking a deep breath, Carol walked toward Thomas's door. When she reached it, she knocked lightly on the solid surface. "It's Carol. I have a question."

  "Come in," Thomas said, his voice distant.

  Carol turned the knob and entered Thomas's office. As she proceeded toward his desk, she pushed the door closed just enough to leave a small gap.

  "Meeting Lynn for lunch today?" he asked as he stared at his computer screen.

  "Yeah, I'm waiting for her to send me a message of her arrival." Carol stopped in front of his desk.

  Thomas twisted to face her. He looked incredibly handsome dressed in his crisp white shirt and dark blue tie.

  "I may need your help this afternoon, so try not to return too late," he said with a slight curl of his lips.

  "I won't. I came to ask you a question." She brushed the tips of her fingers on his desk.

  "Sure. What is it?"

  "Does Andy seem … quiet to you?"

  "No. I know he's busy reviewing reports and has to provide some data to a few clients this week."

  "Oh." Carol inhaled deeply. Maybe she was overthinking the situation. If work was occupying Andy's time, he might not have had an opportunity to simply say hello to her. Maybe.

  Thomas narrowed his gaze at her. "Why do you ask?"

  "Well, he hasn't spoken a word or even looked my way after he steps off the elevator. He's been invisible since the weekend. Has he said anything to you?"

  "We've spoke briefly, and he seems normal to me. I think he's focused on work at the moment."

  "I guess so. I hope he isn't having a difficult time working with us. He agreed to a foursome relationship. Right?"

  Thomas nodded. "He said he wanted to. I didn't sense any reservations from him."

  Carol lowered her gaze. Her vibe about Andy had to be skewed. But why would he not even look her way? He couldn't say good morning to her, or a small hello.

  "I'll check with him later and make sure he's okay. If something is troubling him, I'll talk to him. You don't
need to worry." Thomas offered a comforting smile to her.

  His words eased her worries. A man-to-man talk might be the best thing if Andy did have any doubts about their foursome relationship.

  "All right. Thanks, Thomas."

  She headed for the door with a sense of peace filling her mind and spirit. Thomas would ensure Andy was content with their unique situation. They were best friends. If anyone could work things out with Andy, it was Thomas. Carol needed to stop thinking about Andy and focus on work.

  Closing the door as she walked out of Thomas's office, she decided she'd adhere to her own advice after she had lunch with Lynn.

  Thomas stared at the computer screen, reading a report from a medical company he was considering as a client. Familiarity with an organization—their trends and goals as well as their actual data—always allowed him to provide an accurate presentation. Sure, he was selling his marketing skills to gain a client, but he wanted to prove specifically how and where the company could benefit. To do so meant hours of research.

  The ring from his phone distracted him. He glanced at the number on the display and saw it belonged to Andy. Without hesitating, he lifted the receiver.

  "What's going on?" Thomas asked.

  "Are you busy?"

  "I'm researching a medical facility. Why?"

  "Can I talk to you for a few minutes? Alone."

  "Yeah, come on over."

  "On my way."

  Thomas returned the phone to the base. He slid his hand over his desk and drummed his fingers. Carol had sensed a problem with Andy. Thomas hadn't detected any trouble, but then preparing for his presentation tomorrow consumed his thoughts. The few times he'd spoken to Andy, Thomas gathered his partner was in the same boat sinking in a sea of work. Yet, he couldn't ignore Carol's concern. Perhaps nothing bothered Andy, but Thomas had nothing to lose by asking his best friend if he was still keen on the foursome arrangement.

  The click from the door prompted Thomas to lift his head. Andy entered the office and shut the door behind him.

  "Was Carol out there?" Thomas asked as he leaned against his leather seat.

  "No, she was gone." Andy sat in one of the chairs facing Thomas.

  "She must have left for lunch with Lynn. They had plans to meet. I swear my wife can't keep her hands or lips away from Carol."

  Andy closed his eyes and shook his head. "I have a problem."

  Thomas stiffened. "What's wrong?"

  Andy looked at Thomas. "I've been reviewing the reports Carol sent to me and I can't make heads or tails out of them. Specifically, Julie's numbers don't coincide with the other staff's data. I've looked at prior reports to try to figure it out and I'm not getting anywhere."

  "That's odd. Carol is good at completing my reports. I've never had a problem."

  "I know we have the same kind, so I don't understand how… I know she's competent enough to put the data together since she does the same thing for you. For the most part, the staff's numbers appear a bit elevated, which I expected from Becca's departure. It's Julie's totals that concern me. They don't add up right. I compared them with prior reports and the data on my current one can't be right."

  "Did you ask Carol—"

  "No." He lowered his gaze. "I wanted to figure this out on my own."

  "Why not ask her instead of wasting time trying to find the problem?"

  Andy met his gaze. "Because every time I look at her I want to tear her clothes off and fuck her. Thank heavens your wife doesn't work here. You'd probably want to fire me."

  Thomas relaxed in his chair as the tension his body ebbed. Part of him wanted to laugh at his friend, but Thomas understood Andy's predicament. He had felt the same way after his birthday weekend when he'd spent many hours with his cock buried inside Carol. He couldn't look at her in the office without thinking about fucking her. Fortunately, he worked through his dilemma with the help of his wife and Carol. The three of them had worked out a deal that satisfied everyone's sexual appetite. Perhaps Andy needed an intervention too.

  "Look, I know where you're coming from. I've been there. The best thing to do is for all of us to get together and talk this out. We can work out a way to solve your needs and continue to work together."

  "That's fine, but I still have to find out ASAP what the problem is with my damn reports. I have to deliver the findings to my clients tomorrow."

  "Then we ask Carol when she gets back from lunch."

  Andy shook his head. "I don't know, Thomas. My dick is hard enough now just from you mentioning her with Lynn. Those two women are fucking amazing."

  Thomas chuckled. Yes, they are. "Keep that thing in your pants and I'll call a quick meeting with Carol."

  Andy stood and meandered around the chair. He stopped and faced Thomas. "Have you ever compared Carol's reports to the prior ones?"

  Thomas pressed his lips together. "No. I haven't had a reason to. The numbers don't change too much. I mean, they have gone up but we've acquired more clients."

  Thomas never felt the need to compare Carol's findings with prior ones. He trusted her. After all, she'd been in the same position for over five years. He had the upmost confidence in her skills. Was he too trusting since he had a sexual relationship with her? A manager would typically review an employee's work from time to time, but he hadn't with Carol. Maybe Andy had a point and he should at least review a few of Carol's reports.

  "I'll be in my office. Give me a call when you want me to stop by for a meeting with Carol." Andy left without another word.

  Alone again, Thomas turned to his computer. He minimized the company's report he had been reading and opened the folder containing Carol's documents. Although he didn't believe he would find an issue with any of them, he still felt the itch to check them out. Then he could return his focus to the medical company's data.

  He clicked on the four most recent status reports from Carol and waited for them to load on his screen. Starting with the one she'd sent to him last Friday, he familiarized himself with the staff's data and Carol's totals. He noticed Dana had lower figures from the other employees. After he finished with the current document, he moved to the prior one. He read the entire analysis and noted Dana's numbers were similar to her peers. Twenty minutes later, Thomas determined he'd spent enough time looking at Carol's work and his conclusion left him with one question. Why did Dana have a lower sum on the current report and not on any others?

  Thomas leaned back in his chair. Carol could have made a mistake or there was a logical explanation. He would inquire upon her return. Had his confidence in Carol faltered? Not the least. And he couldn't fathom why Carol would provide inaccurate statistics to Andy. Although Thomas found it interesting the questionable totals Andy mentioned were from Julie, the same woman who had planned to fuck Andy on his birthday. Did Carol hold a grudge against Julie? Could Carol purposely have altered Julie's numbers so Andy would want to avoid her, or even fire Julie?

  He shook the crazy thoughts from his head. Carol was a valued employee with a solid work ethic. Even if he took the sex factor out of their relationship, Thomas adored her. She was as open minded as his wife, trustworthy, and honest. Carol wouldn't hurt another soul. Without any doubt, he knew Carol would be able to justify her reports. Then, he and Andy would fuck her on his desk.

  Thomas threaded his fingers together and placed them behind his head. His Tuesday afternoon was starting to look much better.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Carol rushed to her desk as soon as the elevator doors slid apart to release her. She wiped the edges of her mouth, erasing any smeared gloss and traces where Lynn had kissed her. Behind her, the clack of heels followed at a distance. Reaching her desk, Carol glanced back. Lynn's playful smile and sexy sway would make anyone question what the hell she'd done recently.

  Turning away from the woman she'd recently pleasured in a dressing room, Carol scooted her chair from her desk. She sat, and then typed her password on her keyboard.

  "You shouldn't be too
late," Lynn said.

  A glimpse at the time on the computer screen showed she was twenty minutes late. "Fuck," she said softly.

  Carol mentally berated herself for being tardy. She would have to stay late to make up the time.

  "The fact that I'm late is bad enough," Carol said, twisting to face Lynn.

  "Don't worry about it so much. Besides, if Thomas wants to punish us, I'll get the whip for him."

  Carol couldn't help the grin sliding across her face. While she entertained the idea of Thomas whipping or spanking her, guilt still pressed upon her conscience for being late from lunch. She'd told Thomas she'd try to cut her lunch short. The minute she'd stepped into the dressing room with Lynn, her intentions of coming back to work early quickly flew out the window.

  A click from Thomas's door grabbed their attention. Lynn twisted as Thomas stepped from his office.

  "Hi, honey," Lynn said.

  He slid his arm around her and they gave each other a sweet kiss. "Glad to see you brought Carol back to work."

  Carol rose. "I'm sorry, Thomas. I'll stay late."

  "Don't be mean. I'm partly to blame too," Lynn said. "I kept her busy."

  His chest expanded as he took a deep breath. "I suspected as much." He looked at Carol. "We need to have a talk."

  Carol's heart dropped while her anxiety crept higher. Whenever someone spoke those familiar words, bad news followed.

  "You're not really mad at her. Are you?" Lynn asked softly.

  He tugged Lynn closer. "No. No. We have work to discuss."

  "Can I join you in the meeting?" Lynn asked. "I don't have plans this afternoon."

  "I guess, but you might get bored."

  Lynn brushed a few strands of his bangs up. "Let me be the judge of that."

  Thomas removed his arm from her waist and stepped aside. "After you, ladies."

  Carol breathed easier as she walked into Thomas's office. At least he wasn't mad at her for being late. But she still suspected he had unpleasant news to share. At least Lynn would be with her and could offer ideas or support.