by Lainey Fox
The man she was looking at was a builder, hired by her husband to put a new fence in around their sprawling backyard. He was dark skinned - but not black, maybe afro-Caribbean or Creole. It was an uncommonly hot afternoon, and the builder had his shirt off, exposing his smooth skin which was wet with sweat. Stephanie was getting quite a sheen on her skin as well. Her hand was moving fast, urgently, like she needed to finish what she was doing quickly. But she was also teasing herself, edging the moment of climax further away each time it built up. It felt delicious and wrong - he could turn around at any moment and see her staring at him, her mouth open from all the heavy breathing and moaning that was going on. Luckily the window didn’t show anything from the chest down, and she still had her shirt done up, although her nipples were aching to be squeezed. But he could turn around, and see her, maybe even hear her, and come to see if she wanted something. That she was so close to him made Stephanie’s blood pump faster, and she slid two fingers into herself, keeping her other hand going on her clit.
She was imagining him naked, how his ass would look as it moved backwards and forwards between her. He was obviously very fit - not go to the gym everyday fit, rather work hard fit. She found that more appealing. She wanted to bite into that smooth hairless skin of his, just bellow the neck on his muscular shoulder, she wanted to smell how he would smell up close, how he would sound as he came close to -
“Steph, I -“
Stephanie’s husband Alan stood in the doorway to the shed. The door, now partly pulled back on it’s rollers, was letting in a sudden jolt of light. With miraculous speed Stephanie had her panties and jean shorts back where they were supposed to be, but she was still in a state, and at a complete loss for words. She began to stammer:
“Uh, Al… Alan, you’re um. You…”
“Yes, I am back. Mike called me on the way to the harbor and said he wasn’t going out today after all so I thought I would come back and help Esteban with the fence. You uh… met him, I take it?”
Alan was behaving remarkably calmly, and this made Stephanie feel both at ease and suspicious.
“Yeah. No. I didn’t… we said hi when he arrived but… Alan, you saw… what I was doing, didn’t you?”
Stephanie took a step towards her husband, a very small step. She looked at his face, trying to read anything, some clue as to where she stood with him. He was smiling slightly, his thin lips curved at each end. His skin was pale, yet sun-damaged, thanks to years spent working in unyielding environments. He set up water supply units for various NGOs, well he had done, until he had been promoted to head of a very big NGO three years ago. He was 46 now, but looked closer to 50.
“Maybe we need a drink, Steph. Let’s go inside. You must be very thirsty.”
Alan slid a finger slowly down the side of Stephanie's face as he spoke, collecting the sweat between his thumb and forefinger and rubbing it together as if testing it for some precious substance.
Alan had made them both gin and tonics. He pours good drinks, and he buys good quality booze. It’s a tiny thing, but it is a thing that Stephanie loves about him. An occasional attention to detail that gave Alan an air of being reluctantly classy. He sat opposite Stephanie at the table on their back terrace. Stephanie could see the builder, Esteban, again, but this time from a safer distance. They sipped at their drinks greedily.
“So yes, I did see what you were doing,” began Alan, unprompted. “And to tell you the truth, I liked what I saw. I only wish I had rolled the door back more quietly, only a fraction, so that I could have watched you for longer.”
“You enjoyed… you liked watching me? Watching me… masturbating whilst looking at another man?” asked Stephanie.
“Yes. It’s funny, but I don’t feel threatened. I mean, you weren’t fucking him…” Alan looked off over the lawn towards Esteban. “Although I imagine that’s what you were fantasizing about. Were you?”
“Yes,” said Stephanie, without hesitation.
“Steph, I know that I haven’t been… the greatest lover, over the last couple of years. I don’t know what has happened to me exactly, but I don’t think you should be punished for it. You’re seven years younger than me for Christ’s sake. Well, you look closer to ten years younger than me. Anyway, I know you have urges. I can feel you feel these urges, Steph. And I want you to have them… and act on them.”
“You want me to act on them? Act on them how?”
Stephanie had a twinkle in her voice now. She knew her husband, knew that he didn’t play games. He meant what he was saying, and Stephanie was feeling her pulse rise again, as well as a sudden smoldering in the pit of her stomach.
“I want you to sleep with someone else. To tell you the truth, I have been thinking about it myself -“
“About sleeping with someone else?” cut in Stephanie.
“No, no,” laughed Alan. “About you sleeping with somebody else. You could call it a fantasy of mine. Another drink?”
Alan got up and walked into the house, leaving Stephanie reeling. She couldn’t quite believe what she had heard. She loved Alan, trusted him, and didn’t want to leave him. She checked, then and there, while he was fixing the drinks if in fact she did want to leave, asking the question to herself out loud. The answer was no. They had built a lot together, this house for one thing, a house that Stephanie had designed and decorated as a side project to the company she had started, an interior design business now doing very well importing Italian marble. She was happy with Alan, they still enjoyed each others company, but he was right, she did have urges, urges that Alan was no longer satisfying. That was how she had ended up in the garden shed with her hand down her pants. She felt excited, not just by Alan’s proposition, but also by his remarkable way of seeing that there was a problem, and dealing with it.
Alan walked back out to the terrace holding two more gins. He put them on the table, and walked over to the railing. “Esteban!” he called. Stephanie froze on the way to her drink.
“Drink up darling,” Alan said with a smile, looking back over his shoulder.
“God, Alan no -“ began Stephanie.
“Esteban, come up here for a moment, my wife and I would like to have a word. Come ‘round the side. I’ll let you up.” Esteban nodded, and looked around for his shirt.
“Alan, what are you doing? I can’t! Not now!”
“Let’s strike while the iron is hot, Steph. Relax. Unbutton that shirt a little.”
Alan was smiling. He took a big gulp from his drink then went down the side of the terrace to meet Esteban. Stephanie was in a daze, not able to believe this was suddenly happening. She did what she was told and unbuttoned her shirt, feeling her nipples suddenly stiffen as the cool air of the terrace played over her now exposed cleavage. She had large soft breasts, but felt a pain of disappointment that she was not wearing her favorite bra. She pulled her breasts up in the bra she had on and adjusted the shirt so as not to show any of the offensive undergarments. The she took a big swig of her drink, and could feel her pulse beating in her chest. The smoldering in her stomach spread to between her legs.
Esteban appeared on the terrace, followed by Alan.
“Hello, your husband say you want to ask me something?” he looked confused, sheepish.
Stephanie noticed that the man in front of her was not as good looking as he had seemed from inside the shed. She also noticed that he had taken a good eyeful of her breasts.
“Your name is Esteban, is it?” Stephanie asked, doing her best to sound obnoxiously innocent.
“Sí. Uh yes, Esteban.”
The builder could have been around Stephanie’s age, he had a proud grin, and tight curly hair covering his head. He was looking backwards and forwards between Stephanie and Alan, unsure of where to place himself. Alan leaned against the railing, sipping his drink.
Stephanie looked past Esteban to her husband, and he nodded back at her, seriously. Stephanie brought her right hand up the top of her cleavage and traced a finger down the crevice
as she spoke.
“I was watching you today, while you were working. I hope you don’t mind.”
“N-no, señora, that is fine…” Esteban was transfixed.
Stephanie continued to trace her finger up and down the line of her cleavage, looking at Esteban. She was avoiding Alan’s gaze, trying to see if she could block him out, but she could feel his presence, his stare, his excitement.
“And do you like watching me, Esteban?” Stephanie pushed herself out from the table, and spread her legs slightly.
“Yes I do, Miss. You are a very beautiful woman…” Esteban said frankly, seemingly oblivious to the man standing behind him.
The dark skinned builder began to move towards to Stephanie, his hand out, as if ready to grab her.
“Good,” said Stephanie suddenly, almost with a different voice. She snapped her legs shut and swiveled them back underneath the table. “I am glad you liked watching me. That means we both got to enjoy watching each other today. Are you thirsty? Do you want a cold drink? You look very hot.”
Esteban stopped, straightened himself up and took Stephanie’s gin from her hand. He drank it down in one gulp, then handed the glass to Alan.
“So ok. You guys want to play. Ok, very funny, hahaha. But I don’t think so. Had your fun?”
He looked at Alan, holding his arms out wide, crucifix style. Stephanie became worried, and she could see that Alan was too. He retreated back from Esteban, and put his hands up as if to defend himself. Stephanie felt a tinge of embarrassment. Suddenly the builder dropped his arms, smiling broadly.
“Is ok man, this happen more than you think. But I’m going to take the rest of the day off. I see you tomorrow, señora,” Esteban blew a kiss at Stephanie, and walked down the side of the terrace, laughing to himself in Spanish.
Alan and Stephanie looked at each other, then laughed at exactly the same time.
“Maybe we need to talk about this some more,” said Alan, moving back to his chair.
Chapter 2
Stephanie got into bed beside Alan, who put down his book and took off his glasses, placing them neatly on the bedside table. “So,” he said. “What happened?”
“I dunno I guess I just suddenly realized I wasn’t that attracted to the guy. If we are going to do this, I want it to be right,” began Stephanie.
“Oh I agree. I have been thinking about it more, and I have some rules,” said Alan.
“Rules?” Stephanie was curious. “What kind of rules?”
“We don’t go out fishing, like today. We… you, decide on the guy, and I approach him. I put the deal to him. I control that part. There is to be no… flirtatious seduction from you, my dear. And there is to be only one guy, to begin with. Then if you want to keep doing this, and are sick of that guy, then we talk about it again and get a new guy.”
“Ok… but I get to choose the guy? asked Stephanie.
“Yes, but I have to agree with your choice. And there is one more thing…. I want to watch, “ Alan stated, mater of factly.
“You want to watch me get fucked by this guy? Like, in the room, watching us?” Stephanie asked, turning around in the bed facing her husband.
“Yes. I want to sit over there,” Alan pointed to an armchair that acted as a clothes horse for Stephanie.
It annoyed him that Stephanie did this with her clothes, and he wanted to make sure he was sitting on them when the time came for this man to take his wife. He imagined himself naked, sitting on top of her garments, and the thought made him smile.
Stephanie thought about this for a moment, wondering if her husband would want to join in. She knew he wouldn’t, not when he heard what sort of man she had in mind.
“Ok,” she began, “now let’s talk about this guy.”
Alan was slightly taken aback. “You have somebody in mind already?”
“No, but I know the type of guy I want. That builder today… I think that is what attracted me to him.”
“You want to sleep with a builder?” interrupted Alan.
“No! I don’t really care what he does. Well that’s not true. He can’t be a florist. No, it was his skin. I want to sleep with a black man. A big black man. A really big black man.”
Alan nodded. “Big as in…”
“Big as in I want to sleep with a big black guy, with a big black cock.” Stephanie looked at her husband, bringing her hands together slowly, as if holding an invisible pole, a very wide pole.
“I see,” said Alan as a grin began to grow across his lips.
The next morning Alan was very tight lipped. Stephanie couldn’t figure out if he was annoyed with her, or if he was just in ‘work mode’. When he gets his mind stuck the realm of the office he often acts as if Stephanie isn’t in the room at all.
They both dressed for the day in silence, and Alan skipped his usual breakfast, stopping only for a strong coffee Stephanie fixed him from their espresso machine.
“Thanks darling, I’ll see you tonight. Have a good day.” And with that Alan left. Stephanie had a client at 9:30, and decided to skip breakfast herself. Her stomach was in a knot. Sometimes Alan could be… unpredictable.
When Alan got to work he went straight to his office and sat down at his desk. He turned on his computer, and looked through his calendar, making swift clicks with his mouse. He pushed a button on his phone, connecting him to his secretary.
“Georgie, I need you to find me the phone number for someone, a Mr. Lance Stewart. He works in private security… ex army, British I think. What’s the name of the firm… Darkguard, I’m pretty sure. He’s based in California now. I met him last month at that Uganda thing. Just email me his contacts, when you get a chance. Thanks.”
********************************
Stephanie sat at a table near the door of the bar, her lips permanently attached to the straw sticking out of her drink. She had arrived early, on purpose, in order to have a couple of fortifying manhattans. Alan had dropped her off. He was very calming.
“This is just a meeting, that’s all. Just give me a call when you want to get picked up. He’s a nice guy, a little reserved about the idea perhaps, but he liked your photo. I love you.”
He had kissed her cheek so slowly it felt like she was about to step on to an airplane. She knew it was him as soon as he walked in. She had seen his photo of course, but he was in uniform in the picture Alan had shown her and she wasn’t sure she would recognize him straight away. She did. He was tall, powerfully built, like an athlete. He walked without hesitation up the stairs and brushed away a waitress with a smile when he noticed Stephanie and her drink.
Stephanie stood as he approached, barely able to keep herself steady on her heels. She was wearing a white dress, cut low, thin straps over her shoulders and finishing half way down her calves. Her hair was out, cascading perfectly around her elegant neck.
Lance was taller than she, and was dressed in dark blue jeans that would have been baggy on most men but seemed barely able to contain his thighs. His chest was covered in a grey t-shirt, tight. The sight of his pectoral muscles made her gasp quietly.
“Stephanie,” he said in a deep voice, and he brought his hand behind her back, bringing her in for a kiss on the cheek. He smelled good, fresh, like he had just had a spa treatment or something.
“How did you know it was me?” Stephanie asked coyly.
“Alan showed me your photo. I’m guessing he showed you mine, too?” he laughed, exposing two rows of perfect, gleaming teeth.
“Well, yeah. I’m a little upset you didn’t show up in uniform,” Stephanie purred, surprised at her confidence.
“Oh I have it in my car, you want me to go and change, hang on a tick,” Lance turned as if to leave, then sat down at the now ridiculously small looking table. “Please, sit down, I’m already feeling weird,” he laughed, resting his hands on each thigh.
Stephanie sat instantly, and cleared her throat, shaken at how obediently she had reacted to his instruction. “What would you like to drink
?”
“Maybe a sparkling water.”
“Oh really? They make a good Manhattan. This is my third.”
“How long you been here! Nah I’m good. I’ve got the wagon tonight so, can’t drink. Actually I don’t really drink these days to be honest.”
Stephanie took a sip from hers, then waved to the waitress. “I love your accent,” she began.
“I know,” he laughed. “All Yanks do,” Lance laughed again and looked up at the waitress. “Hello luv, I’ll have a sparkling water. And another Manhattan for this lovely lady sitting with me.” He turned back to Stephanie and leaned forward on the table, almost engulfing it with his forearms. “So, I had a drink with your husband a couple of nights ago…”