“Jim…?”
“Sorry, er… whenever you’re free, really.”
“I can make myself free for you any night. I’m down to do a couple of shifts at the bar this week, but I can change nights if I have to.”
He relaxed. “How about tomorrow?”
“That would be lovely.”
“Great. I can either pick you up from the pub, or you can give me your address and I’ll pick you up there—that way you won’t need to take your car out.”
“That’d be great, if you don’t mind. I’ll text my address.”
“Okay. And Naomi, wear jeans, and maybe a warm jumper.”
After they’d said their goodbyes, Jim put his phone down and realised his cheeks were aching from smiling. He hadn’t felt like this since he’d asked Alicia Hamilton out when he’d been fifteen.
After dinner that evening, Jim told Sophie he’d be going out the following night.
“Going out with your MILF again?” Sophie teased.
“Yeah. Is that okay?”
“Fine.” She actually looked happy for him, which was quite a surprise.
* * * *
When Jim came out of the shower before his date with Naomi, he saw Sophie sifting through outfits in her wardrobe.
“I hope you don’t think I’m taking you with me.” He was smiling, but a little part of him worried that Sophie was going to suggest she make up a threesome.
“What?” She glanced over her shoulder, then turned her attention back to her clothes. “No, I’m going out, too. Are you going to be out all night?”
“No. Why?”
Sophie shrugged. “No reason, just asking.” She placed a skirt and top on the bed and went into the bathroom. He noticed that she hadn’t offered any information about who she was seeing later, but didn’t let that bother him. No doubt she’d tell him when it suited her. Probably when they were in bed and she wanted his attention.
Jim dressed in the same way as he’d instructed Naomi—jeans and a woolly jumper. Sophie was still in the shower when he had to leave, so he stuck his head round the bathroom door.
“See you later.”
“Okay, have a nice time. Be gentle, she may have a heart condition.”
“Yeah, but at least she’s got a heart.” He smiled sarcastically and left.
Naomi lived in a detached house on a modern estate. When Jim stopped at the end of her drive she waved through her living room window and a few moments later came out through the front door, having obviously been watching for him. She wore grey jeans and a pale blue jumper. Both were tight-fitting and showed off her figure. Over one arm she carried a leather jacket.
She slid into the passenger seat, leaned over and kissed him gently on the lips. “Hiya.”
His heart raced a little. “Hi.” Her lips tasted of strawberries, her perfume was intoxicating and her eyes shone.
He stared at her for a few seconds, then put the car in gear. “I hope you’re ready for the next stage of our courtship.”
She laughed. “Have you brought me more cherries?”
“No, sorry.”
She placed her hand on top of his on the gearstick. “I’m sure we’ll have fun, even without cherries.”
He nodded and released the clutch.
They chatted about trivial things on the journey. He hoped she wouldn’t ask what he’d done over the weekend. Although he wouldn’t have told her about the foursome with Sara and Billy, he doubted he could have kept his voice calm while he made up an alternative weekend experience. For a similar reason, he didn’t ask about her weekend. He didn’t want to seem like he was prying, but he also didn’t want to hear if she’d been to a swinging party.
When they joined the motorway she finally asked where they were going.
Jim glanced at her and raised his eyebrows. “Tobogganing.”
She stared at him, a weird look of bewilderment on her face. “Jim, it’s only October. The shops may be full of Christmas decorations, but there won’t be any snow for about four months.”
“Are you trying to spoil my fun?”
She laughed and shook her head. “No. Take me tobogganing—we don’t need snow.”
Smiling to himself, he drove on. It was a journey of almost sixty miles, but when they pulled onto the carpark there was a huge sign in brilliant white letters: ‘The Snow Centre’. Inside the huge chilled dome was a ski-slope covered in real snow, all year long.
Naomi put her head in her hands and laughed. “Oh my God! You weren’t kidding.”
Jim smiled and climbed out of the car. They walked arm in arm across the carpark, her hip rubbing against his thigh.
It only took a few minutes to get through reception—Jim had booked and paid online—and they were soon walking up the hill with a toboggan each. Naomi whooped like a child as they sped down the hill, and she laughed when she flew off her sled at the bottom and crashed into the safety-barrier.
Jim picked her up and dusted the snow off the back of her jumper and jeans. Her cheeks were pink and she had a broad smile on her face.
“Are you helping remove the snow, or fondling my backside?”
Jim laughed. “Both.”
“Good.” She picked up her toboggan and they made their way back up the hill. There was actually a ski-lift in place, but it either wasn’t working or just hadn’t been switched on.
They had several more runs, then Jim suggested a hot drink to warm up. Both chose hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows. They chatted and giggled like teenagers, which most of the others on the slope actually were.
When they’d finished their allocated time, Jim and Naomi were both tired and she placed her hand on his arm once back in the car.
“Thank you for that. It was really sweet of you, and I had such a great time.”
Jim looked into her face, relieved it hadn’t been a disaster. He suspected Sophie wouldn’t have appreciated an evening of tobogganing. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
“I did, it was great fun. Although…” She frowned. “I’m expecting to be covered in bruises tomorrow.”
“I’m sure even bruises look good on you.”
She laughed, then leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Maybe I’ll let you see them, if you ask nicely.”
Jim watched her eyes, then leaned in to kiss her. Her lips opened and he felt her tongue push into his mouth. Instantly his cock started to swell. He placed his hand on the back of her head and cradled it while he kissed her. Her lips were soft, her perfume sexy.
When he pulled back they stared at each other for a few seconds. Jim sensed they’d shared a moment of mutual lust, or at least he hoped she’d felt the same as he did.
He put the car in gear and started the journey home. They occasionally chatted, but for the most part they remained quiet and listened to the music on the car stereo. It was a relaxed, comfortable silence. As they headed along the motorway Naomi lay her head back against the headrest and seemed to doze. Jim kept stealing glances at her, her lovely face illuminated by the dashboard lights. He smiled to himself as he drove.
Naomi sat up and chatted a little after they’d left the motorway. By the time they pulled up outside her house it was after midnight. Jim put the handbrake on but left the engine running.
She looked at him but it was too dark for him to see her eyes clearly. “You know you’re welcome to come in.”
He nodded. “Thanks, but it’s kind of late.”
“Yeah, I know. I had a great time tonight, Jim. I’ve not done anything like that for about thirty years.”
Jim feigned shock. “What? You’re over thirty?”
She leaned close, kissed him gently on the mouth. He responded and kissed her back passionately. She moaned into his mouth and it turned him on.
He reluctantly ended the kiss. “I’ll phone tomorrow, see how your bruises are doing.”
She laughed. “Yeah, you do that.” She kissed him on the cheek before getting out of the car. He watched her all the way to her fron
t door, where she turned and waved before going inside. Jim drove off and headed for home. He knew he was grinning like a kid on Christmas morning but didn’t care.
When he pulled onto his drive, he was a little surprised to see Sophie’s car wasn’t there. Although he knew she’d planned to go out, she hadn’t said anything to make him think it’d be a late night. He locked his car and went into the house, heading straight upstairs. He brushed his teeth and got into bed.
He was almost asleep when he heard Sophie’s key in the back door. The clock showed it was ten past one in the morning. There was little doubt in his mind that she’d been out with another man and would have had sex with him. Her earlier question about if he was staying out all night now made sense; if he had done, Sophie would have been able to spend all night with her lover.
When he heard her footsteps on the stairs he closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep. He wasn’t really in the mood to hear about her latest bout of fucking. Whatever excitement he’d felt while kissing Naomi was not going to be wasted on Sophie. She had her own sources of fun, and now he did too.
Sophie walked into the bedroom and stopped still, presumably listening to his steady breathing. Then she went into the bathroom and a couple of minutes later she slid into bed next to him. Jim didn’t stir, and was soon asleep for real.
* * * *
Jim spent all the next morning in a project meeting at work. When he got back to his desk he retrieved his mobile phone from his desk drawer—they were banned in meetings. He saw he had three missed calls and one voicemail message. The first missed call had been from Sara at 9.45. The other two were both from Naomi, at 11.10 and again at 11.30. She’d left a voicemail message after her second call. He clicked to hear the recording.
“Hi, it’s only me. Can you give me a ring when you get a minute please? Thanks.”
He frowned. She hadn’t actually said anything bad, but the tone of her voice wasn’t as warm as usual. Maybe she didn’t like leaving voicemail messages. He phoned her immediately.
“Hi, I’m just out of a meeting and got your message. How are the bruises?”
“Sore. Listen, is there any chance we can have a chat today?”
Her tone of voice worried him. “Is something wrong?”
She hesitated. He could hear her breathing.
“I’d rather we talked face to face, if that’s okay. Could you come over after work?”
He didn’t like the idea of spending the entire afternoon worrying about whatever he’d done wrong. He’d intended to eat a sandwich at his desk while he caught up on some work, but that could wait. “I can come now if you like—it’s lunch time.”
“Really? That’d be great if you could.”
“I’ll be there in about fifteen minutes.” Jim left the office and headed for his car. He had a bad feeling about the upcoming chat. He wondered if he should return Sara’s call as he walked to his car, but decided against it. Then a thought occurred: could Sara’s missed call have anything to do with Naomi’s need to see him? No, he dismissed that idea and made a mental note to phone Sara this afternoon. He assumed she wanted to apologise for being grumpy on Sunday morning, but he didn’t intend arranging any more rendezvous in the multi-storey carpark.
He pulled his car onto the drive behind Naomi’s Mini. By the time he’d walked round to her front door it was open, Naomi standing to one side to allow him in. She wore a pale blue top and a black skirt. She often wore blue and it suited her, bringing out the colour of her eyes. Her legs were bare and on her feet were a pair of tartan furry slippers.
She noticed Jim looking down at her feet and laughed. “Sorry, but at home I go for comfort over style.”
He nodded, then leaned in and kissed her cheek. Her expression was gloomy, and he was worried. “What is it? Have I done something wrong?”
She took a breath, then nodded towards the door at the end of the hall. “Let’s go into the kitchen. Do you want a coffee or anything?”
Without waiting for an answer she walked along the hall. He followed, thinking that even in slippers her calves looked great.
She filled the kettle and clicked the switch to boil. Her kitchen was bright and modern, pale cream units with black granite worktops. There was an open-plan dining area and patio doors looking out onto a very neat back garden.
Naomi came and stood facing Jim. “Sara phoned me this morning.”
Jim’s stomach went cold. “What for?”
“She explained how you’d pestered her for my number, and that it was she who told you where I worked.” She cleared her throat. “I’m really flattered that you hunted me down after G-J’s party, honestly.”
Jim frowned. “Naomi, what’s this about?”
She took a breath. “Sara asked how we were getting on, and I told her we’d been out a couple of times and how much I’d enjoyed it.”
“Good.” He knew Sara wouldn’t have wanted to hear that. “So what’s the problem?”
“She also told me about how your relationship works with Sophie. I know about her trips with G-J, and then how she tells you about them when she gets back.”
Jim was angry at Sara. She had no right to divulge this information. In fact, she had no right knowing about it—he certainly hadn’t told her.
“Jim, I know your wife’s a very beautiful woman. I remember her from the party where we met.” Naomi looked down at her feet, then up into his face. “So I understand why you didn’t want to do anything with me.”
“What?” This didn’t make sense.
She shrugged. “Your wife is almost twenty years younger than I am, and extremely beautiful. I know you two have a great sex life, and that your arrangement works for both of you.”
“Naomi—”
“I’m not criticising. We met at a swingers’ party, so we both knew what we were like.”
“Then why are you upset?”
She looked up at him, their height difference emphasised without her heels. The lines around her eyes showed her age, but the look on her face made her look child-like and vulnerable. “Sara also told me that you and she were regular lovers.”
The fucking bitch. “I think ‘regular’ is an exaggeration, and ‘lovers’ is way off base. We occasionally fuck.”
Naomi held his gaze. “Sara’s also very beautiful—you’re a lucky man.”
Jim was just about to remind Naomi how beautiful she was when he paused. “What time did Sara phone you?”
She shrugged. “What difference does that make?”
“Humour me. What time did she phone?”
Naomi walked over to the dining table and picked up her phone. She clicked through the call history. “Quarter past ten. Why does that make any difference?”
“Sophie and I spent Saturday night with Sara and Billy. When I woke up, Sophie and Billy were fucking downstairs. Sara wanted us to do the same, but I wasn’t in the mood, and she took offence. She wouldn’t even look at me when we left, even though I’d fucked her all night long. This morning I had a project meeting at work and we’re not allowed to take our own phones in, so I didn’t pick up when Sara rang. When I got out, I checked my phone, saw the missed calls and phoned you.”
“You didn’t phone Sara?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because your call was more important to me. And after I heard your voicemail I was worried.”
She smiled apologetically. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you—or interfere in you and Sara—”
“You’re not interfering. You’re the one I want to be spending time with. I thought I’d shown that.”
She nodded. “But what I wanted to talk to you about was that I understood why you haven’t wanted to… Why there’s been no—”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean you have two beautiful women to call on any time you need sex, and I—”
“You’re beautiful.”
She shook her head, laughing. “No, but thanks anyway.”
<
br /> “Naomi, you’re beautiful. I met you at a party full of beautiful women, and I couldn’t get you out of my head.”
She smiled. “Are you quoting Kylie Minogue lyrics to me, Jim?”
“Is this conversation about the fact I haven’t tried to jump you yet?”
She frowned, and there were tears in her eyes. “Not just that. I want you to know that I understand why you haven’t, but I have to protect myself a little, too. I really like you and—”
“You think I haven’t tried to get you into bed because I don’t fancy you?” Jim was incredulous. How could she possibly think that? Surely she could see the want in his eyes…
“Jim, I’m probably old enough to be your mother.”
“No you’re not.”
“How old are you?”
He paused. “Thirty-one.”
“I’m forty-eight. I am old enough to be your mother.”
“I don’t care.”
“Me neither—I like young studs.” There was a teasing smile on her face.
The thought of her with other young men hurt him, which was strange considering his voyeuristic tendencies.
He sighed. “The reason I haven’t tried to get you into bed straight away is because I wanted to show you that it isn’t just about sex.”
“Isn’t it? I thought it was.”
He shook his head. “Not this time. Not just sex.”
She paused, looked puzzled. “We’re swingers. It’s always just about sex.”
Jim ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. “Swingers are weird. Sophie seemed upset after I told her we didn’t have sex on the first night.”
“I bet she wasn’t as upset as I was. I was desperate for you.” A hint of a smile twitched at her mouth.
He bent his head and kissed her gently. A tear ran down one of her cheeks. He wiped it away with his thumb. “I can’t believe you thought I didn’t fancy you.”
She laughed, wiped both her eyes. “You’ll understand when you’re nearly fifty.”
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