(This is a story about swinging and all the sex is consensual.)

He was only just out of the taxi when his cell phone rang again. He was still expecting Sheryl from the office with news of the bridge contract but it wasn’t her.

"Hi, this is Laura. We’re in the same city!"

"Hang on a moment, I’ll get out of the wind." He found a seat in the foyer. His client could wait for a few moments. "Laura. Hi, how did you get my number?"

"I was talking to Marian. She said you were here for a few days. Could we meet for a drink?"

"Sure, I’m at the Novotel."

"I’m at the Quality. It’s quite close. I’ll come over tonight if you like. What time would suit?"

"Make it eight. That way I can be sure I won’t keep you waiting. It’ll be great to see you."

"You too."

He kept thinking of her between meetings. Naturally, visions of their time together floated in and out of his thoughts, as they so often had since the weekend at the lodge. He was surprised that she should be so far from home. Laura and Ed’s pottery business had grown in the last year but probably not enough to justify long distance sales trips. In one elevator it occurred to him that Ed and Laura might have separated. Perhaps the swinging relationship had damaged their marriage. Perhaps her call to Marian had been to let her know. It was a shock, but he kept telling himself that Laura, Marian and Kate often called each other. He was ushered into another meeting with the construction company and he let it go.

He’d hoped to be in the hotel reception ready to greet her but she’d arrived early and looked up from a magazine as he approached.

"Hi, fancy meeting you here," she said, leaping to her feet, grinning with delight and embracing him warmly. He could feel her firm breasts against him and he rubbed his hand affectionately just below her bra strap. Her cheeks were cool against his.

"You need to warm up."

They found a place in the corner – secluded, because at that time on a Tuesday you could count on the bar being nearly empty. She chose a fancy cocktail he didn’t recognise from the blackboard and he ordered his usual brandy.

"Are you and Ed alright?"

"Yes. Why do you ask?" He was relieved to find that she was genuinely mystified.

"Nothing. It just occurred to me during the day."

"I’m here for a conference. It’s on small-business leadership." It was intended to answer his question and he got the message. "I’m one of the speakers and workshop leaders."

"Great."

They relaxed together as she told him about the conference and thrill of being chosen to play such a prominent part. He waited till she asked, and told her about his regular visits to clients and the problems they were having with the Harwood project. He kept it short and felt that he’d held her interest.

"One thing has always surprised me about you." she said looking him straight in the eye.

"What’s that?"

"How can I put this tactfully…for an engineer you’re surprisingly passionate about things and you’re so good with people." He felt her knee against his.

"I think you’re being unfair to other engineers," and he laughed. "Am I so passionate?"

She pushed hard against him and with an impish smile said, "I think so…I know so" They both looked down and in the small silence she said, "Pity the others are not here. I guess we’ll just have to behave ourselves."

He found himself rescuing the conversation from an awkward silence. "One thing has always surprised me about you."

"What’s that?"

"That you could be so, unconventional – I mean in your relationships. You know into swinging. If I’d just passed you in the street, I’d never have guessed."

"I could say the same about you. I’ve changed a lot in the last couple of years. No it’s not that; I’ve become me, the real me."

His look said, ‘Tell me more if you want to’, and he wanted her to.

"It was the usual thing - sex was predictable. Nice, really nice, but not exciting. I used to fantasize about being in an orgy, a bit like those ones the Romans had with wine and grapes - but naked men everywhere admiring me, desiring me.’ You can see why having the six of us together at the Lodge was so exciting."

"We did forget the grapes," he added.

She looked up from the cocktail and touched his knee again. "There still plenty of average mom left. I can’t match Kate yet."

He smiled. "She’s really special and a bit unusual when you get to know her, isn’t she?"

"Unusual in what way?"

"So relaxed about sex. Knowing exactly what she wants. She’s got a business brain too and she’s helped me with advice and got me into the Small Business Association – that’s why I’m here."

"You’re both very physical - once you get going anyway. From what I’ve seen."

She dropped her voice. "It’s recreational sex. It’s affectionate and for physical pleasure, not lovemaking. Ever watched Kate and Geoff together?"

"Once," and he grinned, "but I was busy enjoying you at the time."

"They have recreational sex together too but sometimes you’ll see them make love. It’s incredibly touching to see – they’re just so gentle with each other and she’ll be having orgasm after orgasm. They do Tantric sex too and it’s really loving."

They talked of other things until 9.30 and as she got up to leave, she kissed him and asked, "Want to meet tomorrow? The people at the conference talk shop all the time. It’d be great to get away again."

As arranged, she rang him around 4.30pm and they confirmed their fine-weather option, a walk in the park above the city just before dark.

Laura had been looking forward to their meeting all day. Their conversation the night before had been easy, and comforting for someone unused to being away from home alone for several days. As her co-presenter took over in the morning workshop, she switched off and began to bring back memories. When someone threw her a question she had to ask him to repeat it.

The grass had dried during the day but the ground was still soft so they kept to the narrow pathway and resumed their conversation, sometimes with her arm inside his. They told each other how much they appreciated the sight of the last rays on the city centre below but Marcus noticed that she was not as relaxed or happy as she’d been the previous night.

"A television crew came after lunch," she said. "They interviewed me and another speaker. It’s on tonight."

"What time?"

"Oh. Nine. It’s just a local channel. Just a short news clip I think."

"Don’t you want to see it?"

She stopped and looked at him. "I’m scared to. What say they make us look foolish? I wish now I hadn’t done it. The reporter was quite cynical but it seemed such a good chance to get publicity for the cause."

"We should see it. Then you know what you’re dealing with."

"That’s very practical of you, but I’m not sure."

In the end, they chose her hotel and were sitting on the sofa in her room as the opening sequence began: "And on City News tonight…" No mention of a small business conference. Laura still looked tense.

She turned to him and said. "Could you cuddle me? I need help through this one." She turned the sound down and lay back against him. As the programme continued, she began to believe that they’d abandoned the item, and nestled into his body. "We’ve been lustfully, wantonly intimate, it’s time we had a really good cuddle together." She held her warm head against his cheek and whispered, "We make good friends don’t we." He kissed the top of her head.

Suddenly they were scrambling for the remote control. "This is it. This is it."

She sat on the edge of the sofa, totally absorbed as the reporter began his commentary over a montage of small businesses and she nodded her approval at his script. Pictures of the conference followed and she winced at some error in the voice-over; then pictures of her leading a workshop as the reporter described her work and her ‘passion for small business’. The picture cut to her interview, they captioned her name correctly and there she was, telling the city that the answer to unemployment wouldn’t come from Wall Street or the London Stock Exchange but from small businesses around the country taking perhaps only one extra person each. She looked so authoritative on screen. The item ended without a contribution from her fellow-speaker, but she sank back against him, happy.

"I am so relieved."

He held her. "It was better to face your nightmare wasn’t it?"

"Is that a dressed up ‘I told you so’?" She was laughing and turned around to him. "They did it well. It’s such a relief."

Suddenly they were kissing. It wasn’t meant to happen, they both knew that, but they were. Not just on the cheeks either, but energetically, pecking lips on lips.

"We shouldn’t be doing this," she murmured as she took a breath. "We shouldn’t." She did stop too, and held him at arm’s length. "I feel so wound up now and I’ve really enjoyed being with you, but we can’t go behind their backs."

He knew the agreement as well as she did of course, but didn’t want to encourage her.

"What are you comfortable with?" he asked, hoping that she wouldn’t just ask him leave.

"Why not just hold my breasts for a bit?" She put her back to him again and pulled his hand inside her blouse.

"How’s that?" she asked, and as he cupped his hand over her bra she put her hand on his to show that it was giving her pleasure too. "Ed and I do this a lot. It’s become our way of watching television when the kids are in bed. It’s just so affectionate."

"I like it too." He reached down to kiss her cheek. Do you think Ed would mind?"

"He wouldn’t mind what we’re doing. What about Marian?"

"Probably the same. She’s finding anything to do with swinging exciting at the moment. I think our weekend at the lodge was far better than she’d hoped for."

"There’s no reason for them to worry - I mean compared with what we’ve all done together, but we did agree not to have secret meetings."

"Is this a secret meeting?"

"Well Ed doesn’t know, but if it’s only this I can just tell him when I get back. You’ll tell Marian won’t you?"

"I told her we met up last night and we would tonight." He undid a couple more buttons on her blouse and stroked her breasts with both hands. "She just said, ‘don’t do anything I wouldn’t do’."

"What does that mean?" She seemed suddenly irritated.

"I don’t know. I should have asked her but it sounded quite cute at the time."

She stood abruptly. "Drink?" He nodded.

"Ed and Marian should be here," she said as she found glasses at the back of the highest cupboard. "Why couldn’t they have come too?" She found a brandy in the minibar, sat it on the bench for a moment, staring at it, then turned and peeled off her blouse and bra. "This is the way Ed and I do it at home." They lay on the couch again but this time with his hands on her bare breasts feeling her nipples harden to his touch. The next few minutes passed in silence until she said, "We could ring them."

"Ring home and ask if it’s okay for us to have sex?"

"Yes." She was standing again with her ample breasts distracting him as they always did.

He watched her while she dialled. He was impressed; flattered too, that she didn’t just play the coy woman and pretend it didn’t matter.

"Hi darling, it’s me." They talked for several minutes about the day, then she said. "Marcus is with me. He came to see the TV report. I’ve got a question…" Now she was silent, just nodding. "It’s your feelings that count," she said. More nodding. Then, "Love you too." She put the phone down and smiled. "He’s okay with it. Says he’ll be thinking of us. Going to ring Marian now?"

"No, a guy just doesn’t do that. She’ll be fine. She knows we’re together. It’s not a secret meeting."

"It’s not what we agreed." There was a heavy silence between them as she returned to pouring the brandy. Then, without turning around she said thoughtfully, "We could just pleasure each other."

"If you want," he said. "Forget the drink."

They came together and she undid his shirt, slid her arms around his back and kissed his shoulders with her nipples hard against his chest. "You feel good and it’s been quite a day." She reached for his belt and eased his Levis past his impressive erection.

"What did you expect?" he said as she looked up. She lay back on the bed for him to remove her skirt and panties.

"What turns you on?" she asked. "You know, things we can talk about to make each other come?"

"Fantasy stuff? Are we ready for that?"

She nodded and they lay together with their heads on the pillows. "I’ve told you one of mine and you’ve even helped me act it out."

"I have some incredibly sexy memories," he whispered and kissed her breasts. "About a certain woman called Laura and her friend Kate and me on a river bank in midsummer."

"Kate and I have never talked about that since," she said, reaching down between her legs. "But it was really exciting and I was so nervous at first."

"About being with another woman?" He was kissing her neck now and she stretched out to touch her folds then caress them. "Yes and excited about being with you too, that was sexy. Will you stroke yourself for me? Let me see you."

"Sure." On the way, he kissed her on the lips and they stayed there, pecking playfully.

"Tell me what was best for you – at the lodge." She seemed intense, almost anxious to know.

"Watching your husband and Geoff with Marian for the first time."

"Tell me about it." She was fondling herself steadily.

"It was like an out-of-body experience. I felt so turned on, so excited at seeing her enjoy herself like that. It’s like what you were saying about being proud of being sexual. I hadn’t seen Marian so confident like that before. I got used to Ed and Geoff being with her after a while but that first time was amazing. What was best for you?"

"Having three naked men around me and seeing you lying there looking up at Kate and me." She was focused on his active hand. "And feeling you slide into me for the first time. I felt really aroused." She paused; then came, quietly. "Oh that was nice."

He lay down beside her and held her breast. "Can you imagine what it’s like for a guy who’s only ever seen his wife’s boobs in the last five years, in the flesh anyway, to be looking up at two wonderful pairs of naked, natural breasts like yours and Kate’s. And knowing what we were going to do next. And what Marian was doing with Geoff."

"Guy heaven huh?"

"Yup."

After a minute she turned and reached for him. "It’s so hard." There was a pause and she added. "What are we going to do now?"

"I want to do it."

"So do I."

"Let’s then." He turned her over and she held the bed head while he knelt behind her.

"We might regret this later," she said to the wall, "so let’s make it a good one – really affectionate and recreational." She could feel him at her entrance, teasing her. "Push it in," she laughed. He eased in until his tip was inside her. "Some more, sexy man. Fill me." He did and they began to stroke together in a reasonably coordinated way while she ahhed and cooed her pleasure. Before long his face was red with exertion. He held her shapely hips, brushed his hands over her back, told her she was a sexy, exciting woman and he was achingly hard to prove it. He was nearly exhausted, but determined to hold back till they were both ready.

She laughed at the pleasure of it and before long they collapsed onto the bed. She began to stroke herself again the moment he was back inside her. They were working together now; working towards what they hoped would be a mutual climax. In fact, she came first. He paused for a moment intending to let her recover, but within seconds he panted, "Here I come" and they felt his long, full spurts inside her.

They lay whispering and laughing together for about half an hour, carefully avoiding her worries about Marian’s reaction to their coupling, then she said, "You should go."

"I could sleep with you."

"No I only ever want to wake up next to Ed. It’s time to go."

He dressed slowly and as he turned to open the door, she left the bed and wrapped her arms around him, feeling the harsh texture of his jacket and a cold metal button against her breast.

"I’ll ring you when I get home. Tell Marian, then I’d better come over and see her too."

Marcus was surprised to see Ed driving when the car pulled in on Saturday afternoon. He still wasn’t completely sure of Marian’s reaction to the events of Wednesday night but Ed greeted them both in the same warm way he always had.

Laura was only in the door when she got straight to the point. She hugged Marian, "I wanted to say sorry and make sure you’re okay." Marian, just nodded but hugged her back warmly enough. They left the men in the lounge and prepared coffee.

"I’m not absolutely sure how I feel," said Marian, pouring the coffee grounds direct from the packet into the plunger. "Was it a secret meeting? Well, I knew you were together and I’ve seen the two of you at it like rabbits right in front of me and enjoyed watching you." Laura hugged her again and Marian added, "I shouldn’t have said what I said to him."

"You mean, ‘Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do’?"

"Yes. I should either have said, I want you to do it or I don’t."

"We got a bit carried away. I am sorry. In the excitement it didn’t seem clear any more."

"It’s okay, I just need to get used to it. No harm done."

"We’re still good friends aren’t we?"

"Yes, of course. How’s Ed taken it?"

"It was much better for him because I asked him first, but he said this morning he was a bit upset at having missed out."

"That’s part of it for me too. I enjoyed all that lovely uninhibited nakedness and swinging so much at the lodge and I’ve wanted us to get together again. Now it’s like two of you had a party and we weren’t invited."

They had the coffee on the terrace overlooking the river and chatted much as they always did. Ed and Marcus were anxious about the conversation they had missed but after a few minutes it was clear that the women were relaxed with each other and they assumed all was well.

Ed helped Marian clear away and as he stacked cups into the dishwasher he said, "I’ve got an idea".

"What’s that?"

He stopped. "To restore the balance. You and me."

"You mean have some time together?"

"Yes, but right now. They won’t mind and we’ll feel better."

"Okay."

They put everything away, wiped the sink top in silence and joined Laura and Marcus who were on the floor flipping through a book about the Titanic.

"We need some time together– in the bedroom," said Marian, taking Ed’s arm. "Okay?"

Laura and Marcus were surprised; even a little shocked, but nodded.

"We’ll leave the door wide open so it’s not secret, but it’ll balance things up. Come in and watch if you want to."

When they were out of sight Laura smiled and whispered. "Probably the best thing for both of them."

"Do you want a cuddle?" asked Marcus.

"No, we could get carried away again."

Marian and Ed undressed quickly and lay together with the sheets pulled back. He kissed her breasts and neck and she whispered, "I want this but I’m not really turned on. It’s all a bit sudden."

"I’ll see what I can do," he said smiling and kissing her nipples and belly.

"Get my machine from the bottom draw; it’ll save you a lot of time." He took it out, looked intrigued by it and flicked the switch for a moment.

"Vibrator?" whispered Marian.

"Yes. It’s her new one. Bit of a novelty."

"Oh."

Marian was amused. "You haven’t seen one like this have you?"

"No. Laura’s is totally different." They were still whispering; conscious that their partners were only a few feet away. She applied some lubricant to herself. "Ease it into me." She lay back while he did – very tentatively at first, then she nodded and he pushed it in so that the stimulator on the side was in contact with the centre of her pleasure.

"It’s quite sexy to watch."

She turned the stimulator on and smiled in satisfaction, then set the rotating shaft going. "You can set it to go in either direction," she whispered.

"Does that make a difference?"

"No, not a bit," she smiled, but within a minutes she was lost in her own pleasure, eyes half closed, shutting him out, writhing, breathing deeply to work her way towards a climax. He was fully erect and sat up so that she could see it when she came round.

Laura and Marcus could hear the vibrations, the occasional gasp and the movements on the bed. "Getting turned on?" asked Laura.

"Yes. Want to go in?"

"No. Only if they call out for us. Just leave them to it."

"I’m hard."

"I know." She looked almost sympathetic. "And I’ve got damp knickers."

Marcus noticed that Marian’s climax was louder than usual. The vibrations stopped and he heard her say, "Fantastic. Take it out for me really slowly."

Ed lay beside her, enjoying the sound of her breathing. He began to kiss her neck, then her breasts and nipples. They kissed affectionately and he nuzzled her neck again. She felt his hot breath on him and said out loud, "I love that". He kissed her there again and again. Finally, she said loud enough for anyone to hear, "Come into me".

Laura found a magazine and made a token effort to interest Marcus in the pictures but he kept glancing at the open door.

Ed’s whisper was so audible he might as well not have bothered. "Turn over, I want to come into you from behind."

"Sounds sexy."

Marcus and Laura had forgotten the pretence of reading or even keeping up their conversation. They were now an audience at an unseen erotic play.

Marian’s voice: "Ooh that feels great. Push it right in. Do me quite hard if you like. I’m really ready for you."

Ed: "Like this?"

Marian: "Yes. That’s it. Hold my breast. Go for it if you want to."

Ed: "What a handful. I really love your breasts" Then faint sounds of mattress springs. "That’s great." Long pause. "Ooh that’s great." They could hear him actually gasping with each stroke. "You feel so good inside."

Marian: "You’re so hard. You’re really filling me up."

Laura and Marcus were staring at each other. Then she looked down and smirked behind her hand as if it were something they were not meant to hear and whispered. "Sound’s like they’re getting on okay."

They could hear Marian panting. "I feel so turned-on." More mattress sounds.

Ed: "Ooh you make me hard."

It seemed to go on and on. Laura was close to Marcus’s ear and whispered. "He’s been doing it with me for the last two nights and most of this morning. But he’ll get there."

Marian’s cries were slightly muffled by the pillow. "Mmm…Mmm!" They could hear what sounded like her arms pounding the mattress.

At last Ed: "I’m coming. I’m coming!" Then the pause, gasps, rustling on the mattress and, "How was that?"

"Wonderful!"

They heard the shower, the sounds of laughter and soap being dropped. The water stopped and they heard fragments of conversation for a few minutes.

Marcus was going through the motions of showing Laura another magazine spread out on the floor and they contrived to look up casually as Marian then Ed appeared, dressed, flushed and trying not to grin.

"How was that?" asked Marcus.

"Good fun" replied Marian.

"We thought you might come in", said Ed.

"Didn’t need to," said Laura, smiling warmly and reaching up for him to kiss her on the cheek.

Marian bent to give Marcus a quick hug and headed for the kitchen. "Anyone else ready for more coffee?"