Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 Chad's Choice By GoldenCojones

   ***

   If you like this story or hate it, I'd love to hear from you at
raydariolw@yahoo.com

   ***

   Chad Derry pulled the twelve-pack of Bud Light out of the display cooler
at the local wine and beer shop.  A twelve pack along with the full
six-pack and a couple of singles in his `fridge at home should just about
do it for the day.  His plan consisted primarily of drinking until he
couldn't think and then passing out.  It'd been six months since his
divorce was final; a year of hell before that.  And this morning his ex had
canceled his visit with his six-year-old daughter.  The Ex and daughter
were going to San Antonio to do some shopping.  He hadn't seen little Becky
in three weeks and this was supposed to be his weekend.  He'd been looking
forward to it for a while, had even spent most of his money on a nice gift
for her.  He was going to take her to the park, push her on the swings, and
play with her all day.  A full day of doing whatever she wanted.  Now he
was going to go get drunk.  Hell of a world he lived in.

   The bell above the door rang and a gorgeous Hispanic woman in painted on
black pants and a deep blue halter top that looked to be a couple of sizes
too small strutted in.  Her beautiful deep brown eyes, high cheek bones,
long aristocratic nose, and full lips were the complete package.  Her
breasts were large and looked firm.  He could plainly see her nipples
poking out through the thin fabric of her blouse.  His eyes flowed down
over her beautiful curves.  Her waist wasn't thin, but she wasn't at all
fat.  It flared out to her wide hips and as she headed down the red wine
aisle he saw her full ass, perfectly showcased in those incredibly tight
pants.  She was a wet dream walking around in the daytime and every move
she made exuded sex.

   He watched her pick out two bottles of wine and then head to the
checkout.  Suddenly realizing that he'd just been standing there staring at
her the whole time, Chad shook himself into motion to get in line behind
her.  When he reached her, she was digging through her purse for cash to
pay out.  The cashier, a grumpy old woman with gray stringy hair, was
impatiently tapping her finger on the counter as the beautiful woman
searched through her bag.

   "Looks like a hell of a party to me." Chad tried to keep his eyes on the
bottles of wine on the counter but despite his best efforts they slid down
to her gorgeous ass.

   She turned and Chad forced his eyes up, over her breasts, and what
beautiful breasts they were, especially close up, and then to her eyes. 
She was smiling at him.  Her beautiful smile lit the whole world up.  It
was playful, sexy, and naughty all in one and he felt himself grinning like
a drunk sailor.

   The woman looked him up and down suggestively and then licked her lips.
"Could be." She said with a slight Hispanic accent that fit her face
perfectly.

   He was quite a bit taller than her, he was taller than most men, and his
height gave him an intoxicating view of her ample cleavage spilling out of
the too-small halter.  The deep blue contrasted beautifully with her deep
mocha complexion.  The woman carelessly dropped her change into her purse
and stepped to the side but didn't leave.

   Chad checked out, paying for the twelve pack with the last twenty in his
wallet.  When he finished the woman was still standing there, almost like
she was waiting for him.  He gave her his best smile and started for the
door.  To his surprise, she walked beside him.  At the door, she put her
hand on his arm.

   "You busy?" She asked.

   "Not if you need me not to be.  You need a knight in shining armor?"
Chad grinned at her.

   "Not a knight, just a hard cock.  You have a place near here?"

   "Wooee.  You don't mince words, do you?  My place is about eight blocks
south off of Pioneer Drive." Chad looked her over again.  She didn't look
threatening but this kind of shit just didn't happen.

   "I'll follow you.  If you are game." The woman smiled at him and licked
her lips again.  Damn.  That mouth was sexy.

   "Are you a hooker?" Part of him hoped she said no, but he really
expected her to admit she was just trolling for a John.

   The woman laughed!  "Nope.  Just horny and in a hurry."

   He looked her up and down again.  If she wasn't a prostitute then she
really should have been offended by that.  "Are you for real?  You don't
have two big ole boys gonna bust me up for sixteen dollars and some change,
do you?  Cause that and this twelve pack is all I got until I get paid
again on Monday."

   It wasn't exactly true.  It's all he had in his wallet, but he still had
a little in his bank account.

   The woman smiled up at him.  "I'm as real as it gets and I'm not looking
to rob you.  I just want to get fucked."

   He stared at her for a moment.  He knew he should run for the hills. 
Women like this didn't come on to men like him.  Hell, his damned ex hadn't
fooled around with him for the whole last year of their marriage. 
Instinctively he looked at her left hand.  No ring but her finger was
slightly paler where it would be.  Probably recently divorced, he figured,
that would explain the wild behavior.  His eyes flicked up to her breasts.
They were perfect and she was showing a lot of cleavage.  He looked from
her magnificent chest to her eyes.  Those deep beautiful eyes.  He'd be
willing to die just to stare into those eyes for a while.  He made his
decision.

   "What the hell.  Let's go.  Where are you parked?"

   "The yellow Miata.  You?" Her smile widened, showing her beautiful white
and perfectly straight teeth.

   "The blue F-250." His pickup was a bit of a junker.  His dad had a ranch
outside of Weatherford and he often helped out on weekends.  The work was
rough on a pickup.

   He walked her to her car.  Her bright yellow sports coup was beautiful
and immaculately kept.  When he opened her car door for her, she brushed
close to him, sliding into the low seat.

   "It's not far" he said still admiring her gorgeous body.

   "I can keep up." She closed the door and started the sporty car's
engine.

   He almost jogged back to his pickup.  As he drove to his apartment he
constantly checked his rear view mirror.  The woman was a good driver and
stayed glued to his bumper the entire way.  When he parked she whipped in
beside him.

   Taking a deep breath, Chad climbed out of the pickup and walked her up
the stairs to his apartment on the second floor.  It wasn't a bad place,
small, but not bad.  He wished he'd picked up before going out for the
twelve pack, but then he hadn't known he would be bringing home a hot
woman. He still couldn't believe this was really happening and he expected
any moment for her to back out and laugh at him.

   Once they were inside, Chad suddenly didn't know how to proceed.  He
didn't have any real experience with bringing home a woman he'd just met
who said she just wanted to fuck.  The woman glanced around his apartment
and saw the picture of his ex-wife and daughter that was next to the TV.

   "Is that your wife?" She asked, pointing.

   "Ex-wife and daughter." All things considered, he'd still rather be
spending the day with his daughter.  He looked at the picture and wished
again that he could just be around her.  But this woman was a very nice
consolation prize.

   "How long has it been?"

   "Six months since it was final.  It was over for us a year before that."
Remembering that year was painful.

   "I'm sorry." Her face showed that she really was too.  He wondered about
that.

   "Don't be.  Seven years was a good run.  I'm over it.  For the first
three months I couldn't look at that picture, but it's the only one I have
of my daughter." Chad forced a smile back to his face and turned from the
picture to study the woman.

   "She's a beautiful little girl." The woman turned to him and stretched
her arms up around his neck.

   She pulled him down into a kiss.  Their lips met and an electric jolt
went from his lips straight to his dick.  Her lips parted in an invitation
and he took it, sliding his tongue into her mouth.  As they kissed, the
woman dropped her hands down and began to unbutton his shirt.  He pulled
away briefly.

   "You're a beautiful woman." He looked into her eyes then took her back
into his arms.

   He moved his lips to her ear, kissing it gently, tasting her.  Her skin
was soft but her earrings were hard and he moved his mouth down to her
neck. He let his hand slide down over her waist, past her hips and back to
gently cup her amazing ass.  This woman was a goddess.  He'd never been
with any woman who was half as sexy as her.

   His ex-wife was a thin woman, tomboyish, and always prim.  Well, she had
been in public.  In private she could be pretty crass.  When he first found
out she was having an affair, it had destroyed him.  He'd gone from extreme
anger to depression back to anger.  For a while he hated her and what she'd
done.  He'd felt betrayed and abused.  Only his love for his daughter kept
him from just leaving.  They tried counseling.  They'd tried talking about
it.  He found out it hadn't been her first affair.  She'd had many starting
the first year of their marriage.  She needed the excitement, she'd said.

   Chad eventually gave up and filed for divorce.  It'd been a messy
divorce.  Divorce with children is always messy, he guessed.  But now it
was over.  Eighteen hundred a month was supposed to buy him one weekend a
month with his daughter and at first he had also been the babysitter of
choice when his wife had a date.  He never complained.  She dated a lot and
it let him see his daughter more, but lately his wife had not been using
him as a babysitter and he really missed seeing his daughter.  He still
enjoyed the weekends Becky, his daughter, stayed with him, but recently his
ex had started taking those away too.  It was frustrating.  If he didn't
pay child support he could lose his driver's license, his job and even be
put in jail, but if Jennifer, his ex, wanted to withhold visiting rights
she could do so with impunity.  Frustrating.

   The beautiful woman he was holding pulled his shirt open and back off
his shoulders.  He had to release her for a moment as she shoved his shirt
off and then reached down and yanked his belt open.

   "I want you," she hissed as she unbuttoned his fly.

   Dropping his shirt to the floor, he took her hand.  "Let's go to the
bedroom.  It's a little more comfortable."

   The bedroom was too small for the full sized bed that dominated the
center.  There was barely enough room to move around one side and he didn't
have room to completely open the drawers on the dresser at the foot. 
Standing beside the bed, he untied the string holding the woman's halter
up. She stepped back and let it fall, exposing her magnificent breasts to
him.

   "Do you like them?" She asked

   "My God!  They are perfect." He stared at her beautiful round breasts.
"It's been a long time."

   She gave him a smile that lit up the entire room.  "Well don't keep a
girl waiting.  Get those jeans off and let me see what I'm getting."

   "Oh, no!" Chad grinned as he shook his head.  "I haven't had a woman in
over a year.  I don't want to rush this." He took her shoulders and pulled
her to him, kissing her gently.

   As their lips pressed together and their tongues danced, she undid her
slacks, pushing them down over her amazing hips.  After stepping out of her
pants, she pushed his jeans down, leaving him in his briefs.  He was still
holding her shoulders and kissing her soft lips as he stepped out of his
pants.  When he kicked his pants away he lost his balance and fell back on
the bed, laughing.

   The gorgeous Hispanic woman immediately climbed on top of his legs. 
Grasping the elastic waistband of his briefs she pulled them down, exposing
his mostly erect cock.  She scooted back, pulling his briefs lower until he
was able to slip one leg and then the other out of them.  He watched her
face as she did; her eyes never left his cock.  Tossing his shorts off the
bed, she slid back up his legs and took his cock into her hands.

   "It's beautiful." The woman sighed.

   He'd never had a woman so obviously enthralled with his manhood.  Seeing
her there, staring at his cock so lovingly, was a rush he'd never felt
before.  She took him into her mouth.  Her sweet lips enveloped him sinking
halfway down his, now fully erect, cock.  The wet heat of her mouth sent
waves of pleasure through his body.  It had been so long and Jennifer had
never given him this kind of pleasure.  Blowjobs from his ex had always
been about getting him hard as fast as she could and then moving on to
something else.

   The woman wrapped her left hand around his cock as she pulled back,
circling his knob with her tongue.  When she slid back down he felt the tip
of his cock press against the back of her throat, but she didn't gag or
show any signs of discomfort.  Jennifer had never taken his cock this deep
into her mouth.

   "Oh my God, that feels fantastic.  Please, baby, don't stop." Chad
wrapped his hands in the bed covers and held on for dear life, desperately
trying to not cum too quickly.  He held out for a short while as the woman
bobbed up and down on his shaft mercilessly.  Far too soon he felt his
balls swell and knew he was about to climax.

   "Oh Fuck!  I'm gonna cum!" he groaned as his shaft gave a jerk and his
cum exploded from his cock.

   The woman pulled back until only his knob remained in her mouth. 
Swallowing rapidly as her cheeks ballooned out, she continued to suck on
his cock head.  Over and over he felt his cock spasm but the woman kept her
mouth over his cock, drinking his cum until his orgasm faded.  Finally he
relaxed, lying back with his head on the pillow.

   "Baby, that was the most amazing head I've ever got.  You truly are
gifted." He felt light as air; like a ton of bricks had been lifted from
his shoulders.  Everything in the world was better than it had been ten
minutes ago and somehow he knew, at that moment, that he would be okay.

   The woman crawled up the bed to lie beside him.  He turned his head and
gazed at her.  God, she had beautiful eyes.  Those were eyes he could fall
in love with.  As he looked at her, he saw her disappointment and for a
moment he wondered if his cock wasn't good enough for her.  Then it hit
him.

   "But that wasn't what you wanted, was it?  Didn't you say you wanted a
good fuck?"

   The woman smiled at him.  "It's okay.  Maybe next time."

   "Next time hell.  I ain't so old yet that I can't go a second round."
Fervently he prayed that was true.  In the past he'd never had trouble
getting it up a second time, but it had been years since that had even
mattered.

   Determined that he would give this woman as much pleasure and she had
just given him, he rolled her onto her back and kissed her.  He could taste
the remnants of his orgasm on her lips but this mouth had just given him so
much pleasure he wasn't about to be squeamish about a little salty flavor.
His tongue wiggled between her lips and she responded to him by sucking on
it greedily.  He cupped her breast, allowing his thumb to brush over her
nipple.  He felt her nipple respond, crinkling up into an erect little nub.
Her breathing got more rapid and he slid his hand lower down across her
fluttering stomach down to the small landing strip of carefully trimmed
pubic hair above her pussy.  His finger grazed her clit and he felt her
hips shake in response as she moaned into his mouth.  He slipped his finger
inside her, probing her wet pussy.  Pressing his palm against her mons, he
rubbed gently and felt her respond by pressing his hips up against his
hand.

   He moved his kisses down to her neck, sucking gently.  His mouth moved
lower, casually circling her breast before he let his tongue flick
playfully over her nipple.  He took her nipple into his mouth, kissing it
and then sucking.  As his lips suckled her softly, she moaned.  His finger
was now deep inside her, rotating against her g-spot and he could feel her
heat rising.  Her hips rotated into his hand and she began to pant, her
stomach rising and sinking in rapid sequence.

   His mouth left her full breast, kissing down over her soft stomach,
lower and lower until his lips brushed across her quivering clit.  His
tongue danced around her labia, sliding alongside his finger as he
continued to finger her red hot dripping pussy.  He inhaled the savory,
heady fragrance of her sex.  Juices were pouring from her and he started
lapping at them, savoring the tangy flavor of her nectar.  It had a
slightly salty note that most women he'd eaten didn't have but was still
amazing.  He gently pulled his finger out of her pussy to give his mouth
more room.  Driving his tongue deep into her pussy, her exquisitely
feminine scent filled his nostrils.  He pressed a thumb to her clit,
massaging it as he sucked her sex.  She was squirming and moaning above
him. He felt her hands on his head, holding him to her while she humped
into his face urgently.

   "Fuck!" she groaned, lifting her hips and pressing his head into her
pussy.

   Suddenly she stiffened and froze for several seconds before collapsing
beneath him.

   Pushing his head away, she panted.  "No, no more.  Please, wait a
moment."

   He lifted his head and looked at her.  "You liked that, huh?"

   She smiled at him.  "How did your wife ever let you go?"

   He didn't know what to say to that.  She hadn't wanted to let him go, he
just wasn't enough for her.  She'd said she loved him and that their sex
was great, but she needed more than he could give her.

   "I'm sorry.  Come up here and kiss me." The women beckoned him up.  "I
want to taste my pussy on your lips."

   Shrugging off the specter of his ex-wife, he laughed.  "Damn, girl. 
Where have you been all my life?"

   "Here and there." She kissed him as he reached her, her tongue circling
his lips before diving into his mouth.

   Her hand slipped down to his fully erect cock.  She stroked him gently,
giving him a rush of pleasure.

   Pulling back from their kiss, the woman looked into his eyes.  "I want
your cock in me now.  Fuck me good and hard."

   "Do you have a condom?" He asked pushing up and looking down at her.

   "No condom.  I want to feel you cum inside me.  Please, fuck me now."

   "You sure?" His eyebrows furrowed.

   The woman pulled his face down to hers and kissed him again.  "I'm sure,
baby.  It's what I want.  It's what I need."

   He pushed himself up higher up in the bed until his cock touched her
sex. He looked down at her.  Still holding his cock, she lined him up and
pulled him into her slowly.  He felt her steaming hot sex part for his cock
and he pressed forward just a little.

   "I'll take it slow, so I don't hurt you." He whispered to her softly. 
Jennifer had always complained that he was too rough and that she wanted
him to be gentle.

   Below him, the woman wrapped her legs around him and pulled him into her
forcefully.  Her hands slid up his sides to hold his shoulders and she
looked into his eyes.

   "Fuck me.  Fuck me hard and fast and put your cum deep in my pussy."

   "You're one hot lady." Chad grinned at her.

   If she wanted it hard, she'd get it hard.  He pressed forward, burying
his cock balls deep into her pussy in one thrust.

   "Always had to go slow with my ex and she never was able to take me this
deep.  God your pussy is on fire.  Feels so good.  I've never had a woman
like you." Chad stared into her beautiful dark eyes.  God this woman was
amazing.

   She pulled him down and kissed his chest, sucking on one of his nipples.
As he thrust into her, she pumped back at him, matching his every stroke
and grunting as his cock rammed deep into her.

   They fucked like that for a long time, her taking him as deep as he
could go and him thrusting into her fast and hard.  After a while the woman
threw her head back.

   "Do it!  Do it!  Put your bastard baby inside me.  Please, you beautiful
fucking green eyed fucker, fuck me and give me your baby.  Fuck, I want
everyone to know I have a bastard baby.  Fuck me, baby, baby, baby, bastard
baby, bastard baby."

   Chad didn't know what to make of her chant but he could tell she was
very close to cumming and figured this was just sex talk, like when
Jennifer had told him she wanted another cock in her ass or mouth while he
fucked her.

   Finally he grunted.  "I'm cumming." His head reared back and he
stiffened, forcing himself as deep into her pussy as he could go.

   As his first jet of sperm erupted from his cock he felt her pussy
contract around him.  Instantly she went wild, locking her legs around his
hips and pulling him deep into her.  She pulled him down tight putting her
lips right next to his ear.  She was saying "Bastard Baby" over and over
again as they climaxed together.  His orgasm seemed to go on forever as he
shot stream after stream of his cum deep into this amazing woman's pussy.
When their mutual climax faded, they fell back onto the bed together.

   They lay like that for several minutes, each catching their breath and
then the woman looked at the small clock by the bed.

   "I've got to get going." She said pulling away from him.  She stood up
and he gazed up at her.  She was sweaty and her hair was beautifully
unkempt.  She smiled down at him as his cum seeped from her gorgeous pussy.
"Can I use your shower?"

   He sat up.  "Mind if I join you?  I'll wash your hair if you like."

   The woman smiled and put a hand on one hip.  "Sure, but I don't think I
have time to fuck you again."

   "I think two in a day is about my limit anyway, but I'd still enjoy
showering with you." Chad grinned as he climbed from the bed, his flaccid
cock smearing their combined cum over his thigh.

   They showered together, washing each other playfully and kissing and
fondling each other the entire time.  Eventually they stepped out and dried
each other off.  They both dressed and then she pulled him down into a kiss
before she left.  Suddenly she blushed and Chad wondered what could make
this woman who'd just fucked him like a dream embarrassed.

   She smiled at him.  "I'm Lilly, by the way."

   Chad felt himself go red.  Fuck!  He hadn't even known her name and she
didn't know his.

   "Oh!  I'm Chad.  Chad Derry." He raked his hand back through his hair.
"I've never done this before.  Can we see each other again?  I'd like to, I
mean." Suddenly he was nervous as hell.  This woman was amazing and He
really hoped they could make this more than a one night stand.

   She smiled and pulled her phone out of her purse.  "What's your phone
number?  Maybe I'll call."

   Chad gave her his number and watched as she typed it into her phone.  He
wanted to ask for her number but didn't want to scare her off.

   A few minutes later he watched her drive off in her yellow Miata.

   Sunday afternoon Jennifer brought his daughter Becky over to his
apartment.  Chad hadn't known they were coming over but his ex-wife dropped
Becky off in a rush.

   "Can you get her to school tomorrow?  I'll pick her up.  Oh, and make
sure she has a lunch.  The damned school fucked up her lunch card again."
Then she was gone leaving him with the sweetest girl he'd ever known.

   "Are you hungry?" Chad asked his daughter.  He knew Jennifer sometimes
neglected to make sure Becky got regular meals.

   "Yeah." Becky seemed reserved.  She wasn't smiling as much as usual.

   "Hmm, well, I can make you a grilled cheese with potato chips.  Is that
good enough?" He knew that Becky loved grilled cheese sandwiches.

   Sure enough, her eyes lit up.  He fixed her snack and then they played a
quick game of "Candy Land" before he ordered pizza and they settled down to
watch TV together.  Becky, unlike most kids, liked to watch the cooking
contest shows on Food Network so they watched "Cutthroat Kitchen" together
with Becky laughing out loud at the ridiculous sabotages the players were
forced to endure.  As soon as the show ended, Chad dug her PJ's out of her
suitcase and sent her to the bedroom to change.  Whenever Becky spent the
night she got the bedroom and he took the couch.  He was glad he'd changed
the sheets after Saturday.

   Once she was snuggled into bed, Chad went in to read her a short story
and tuck her in for the night.  The story was quick but before he left
Becky put her hand on his arm.

   "Mommy met a new friend in Albuquerque." She mangled the name, but he
knew what she meant.

   "Oh?" Jennifer had said they were going to San Antonio.

   "I don't like him.  He looked at me funny; like he didn't want me
there."

   "I'm sorry baby." Chad petted her hair softly.  Even though Chad knew
little girls needed to be wanted, he would rather that Jennifer's new
boyfriend not want her there than for him to want her there in the wrong
way.

   "Do you want me here, Daddy?"

   "Oh, sweetie, I always want you here with me."

   "Why don't you and mommy live together anymore?  Is it because of all of
mommy's boyfriends?"

   Wow!  Chad thought.  Becky understood a lot more at seven that he did at
her age.  "That's part of it, baby, but sometimes men and women who were in
love at one time, just don't love each other anymore."

   He instantly wished he'd come up with a better answer.

   "So you don't love mommy anymore?"

   Chad thought about it for a moment and realized he honestly didn't. 
Three days ago he had but not anymore.  He gave his daughter a sad smile
and shook his head.

   "No, Becky, I don't love your mommy anymore, but don't worry, sweetie, I
will always love you.  You will always be my little girl."

   "Even if I have lots of boyfriends?"

   Chad swallowed hard.  "No matter what you do.  There is nothing you
could do that would ever make me stop loving you, baby."

   Becky smiled, but Chad could see she was still uncertain.  "Okay Daddy.
I love you."

   Chad leaned down and gently kissed her forehead.  He closed the door
behind him as he padded to the living room and lay down on the couch.  His
daughter's question rang in his ears.  Would he still love her if she had
lots of boyfriends after she got married?  Of course he would, but right
now she was learning how to be a woman and it bothered him who she was
learning from.

   The next morning he got Becky ready for school, choosing her cleanest
outfit from the dirty clothes in her suitcase.  He chided himself for not
anticipating that she wouldn't have clean clothes with her.  He got her to
school on time, though, and waited in line to drop her off.

   He made it to work at seven-fifty-five, pulling his pickup into an empty
parking spot and hurrying in.  He generally got to work around seven-thirty
to make sure he was ready when his guys showed up at eight.  He was the
foreman over the plant facilities group.  He supervised six men whose job
it was to keep the plant operating.  They were a good group of guys and
they all, including Chad, worked hard, but had fun.

   It was Tuesday night when Lilly called him.

   "Hey lover." Her soft sexy Hispanic accent instantly turned him on.

   "Lilly!  I didn't know if you'd call."

   "How could I resist when all I've been thinking about is that big cock
of yours."

   Chad chuckled.  "It ain't that big."

   "Baby, it's all I could think of for the last two days.  I really want
to see you again.  Can you meet me around eleven-thirty tomorrow morning?"

   "Sure, you want to grab a bite to eat for lunch?" Chad thought about
where he could take Lilly that would impress her.

   "No, time for eating, I have to be back at work by around one.  Can we
meet at your place?  I know it'll have to be fast, but I really want to see
you again."

   Chad thought about it for just a moment.  If he left the office at
eleven he could probably make it back to his apartment by eleven thirty.

   "Sure.  We can do that.  Are you sure you don't want me to bring food? I
could grab some Chinese takeout on the way home?"

   "Hmm, no, no need to do that.  Lover, I've got to run, but I'll see you
tomorrow.  Okay?"

   "Yeah!  See you tomorrow, Lilly."

   The next day Chad told his boss he had something to take care of over
lunch and it might take more than an hour.  Jack was a good guy that Chad
had worked with for going on six years and he didn't mind the long lunch
every now and then.  At eleven he shot out of work like a man on fire,
rushed to his truck and broke way too many speed limits getting to his
apartment.  He made it at eleven twenty and as he stepped out of his pickup
a yellow Miata pulled into the space next to him.

   Lilly stepped from her car looking like a bombshell.  She wore a simple
black dress that reached a few inches below her crotch.  The front dipped
low exposing a generous amount of cleavage.  She smiled at Chad and his
heart leapt into his throat.  Damn!  She was gorgeous!

   "Hello Lilly."

   "You remember me." She winked at him with a smile.

   "How could I forget?"

   "Hmm, let's go upstairs and refresh your memory." Lilly took his hand
and led him up the stairs, giving him a wonderful view of her amazing ass
through the tight material of her dress.

   As soon as they were inside, Lilly slammed the door shut and shoved Chad
against the wall, pinning him there with her body.  Her hands grabbed his
head and pulled him down to a passionate kiss.  One leg wrapped around him
as she pressed her crotch into his thigh, rubbing him erotically.  Their
tongues danced with each other and Chad brought one hand up to cup her
round ass and the other up to gently caress just below her breast.

   Without ending the kiss, Lilly slid one hand from the back of his head
down to his crotch, groping his cock through his jeans.  He could smell her
arousal, a faint, but unmistakable earthy scent that caused his nostrils to
flare.

   "God, Chad, I've been having dreams about getting to fuck you again."
She moaned into his mouth.  "I haven't stopped thinking about you since
last Saturday.  Take me to your bedroom and fuck me, baby.  I need your
cock in me now."

   She was the only woman who'd ever talked to Chad like that.  His ex-wife
Jennifer could talk dirty with the best of them but she would never have
been this forward with a man she'd just met.  At least he didn't think she
would have, but then again since the divorce she'd gone through a lot of
boyfriends.  Hell, before their divorce she'd gone through a lot of
boyfriends.

   Lilly broke away from him, grabbing his hand and tugging him toward the
bedroom.  Following her, Chad once again watched her beautiful, round ass
jiggle inside her short dress.  Moments later, beside his bed, Lilly
reached down and pulled her dress off over her head.  She wore a black lace
bra that held her large breasts beautifully and nothing else.  A small
triangle of thick pubic hair sprouted from her mons but her pussy was
shaved bare.  Her distended lips were red and glistening.  Chad stared at
her.  He'd seen her before but the allure of her sex still astonished him.
How could she already be that wet?

   Striding toward her, he pulled his shirt off before he reached her.  His
arms encircled her, pulling her to him as he bent down to kiss her.  Her
tongue drove into his mouth as her hands began urgently unbuckling his
belt. Freeing the buckle she tugged his jeans open and shoved them down.

   "Fuck me Chad.  I want you to cum in my pussy.  I want you to fill me up
with your seed.  I'm not on the pill and I don't have my diaphragm in. 
God, make a baby in me, lover." Lilly gently bit his ear.

   His hands had roamed down her body and were holding her plump ass
cheeks. He ground his cock, covered only by his boxers, into her belly just
below her breasts.  She pushed him back just enough to jerk the boxers down
out of the way, freeing his shaft.  Stepping back she fell back onto the
bed and spread her legs.  Chad gazed down on her gorgeous body.

   "Fuck me Chad!  Put that big cock in me and fuck me hard." Lilly smiled
up at him.

   He was ready and as he looked down at her it was obvious that she was
too.  Her nectar dripped from her, running in a small rivulet down over her
round ass cheek.  Without her dress and with her legs spread her fragrance
was stronger, headier, more intoxicating.  Moving forward he pulled her to
the edge of the bed and lined his cock up with her gaping hole.  He pressed
forward, letting his knob penetrate her glistening folds.  Fuck!  She was
so hot.  Her pussy felt like steaming velvet wrapped around the head of his
cock.  He leaned in, pushing more of his pole into her.  Her pussy was
wetter than any woman he'd ever had.  The only experience he could compare
it to was the few times he'd fucked Jennifer after having already cum
inside her.  He'd almost think she'd been fucked before coming over, but
how would she have managed that?  He cleared the thought from his head and
drove his cock all the way into her, eliciting a grunt from her followed by
a smile.

   "That's it baby, fuck me good.  Put your cum deep into my pussy.  Come
on, lover, fuck me.  Fuck me!"

   Chad pulled back and then rammed forward again, and then again, building
a tempo as he pumped her.  She wrapped her legs around his hips; pulling
him in deeper and then letting him back out.  As he moved, she moved too,
keeping time with him.  Her hands went to her bra and release the front
clasp, spilling her breasts out.

   "Do you want to suck my tits, lover?  Come down her and suck on them. 
Make them feel as good as your cock is making my pussy feel."

   Chad couldn't resist.  He bowed his back and leaned forward to take a
nipple into his mouth.  Soon his cock and his mouth were in sync, sucking
in as he drove deep and then releasing as he withdrew.  Below him Lilly was
starting to squeak with each thrust, her head thrown back and eyes shut.

   He shifted his weight to one arm and used the other hand to gently
caress her free breast, his thumb circling over her aroused nipple.

   "Fuck.  Fuck.  FUCK!" Lilly grunted and then her pussy tightened around
his cock.

   Her heat was amazing and as she came her pussy massaged his cock
rhythmically.

   "Do it baby, cum in my pussy.  Fill me up.  Make a baby in me.  Give me
your bastard baby.  Give me your green-eyed bastard baby!" Lilly's head was
whipping back and forth and Chad didn't know if she even knew what she was
saying, but her words still fueled his desire.  He thrust deep into her,
feeling his balls contract and then he came, his seed blasting from his
cock deep into Lilly's super wet pussy.  He grunted hard as he came inside
her.

   He remained rigid above her as spurt after spurt of his cum filled her
hole.  He pushed himself up off her chest, pressing his hips forward as he
did to keep his cock buried deep in her pussy.  Head thrown back, he
grunted and thrust into her harder, pressing his pelvis into hers.  He
stayed like this until his orgasm subsided and he slid out of her. 
Twisting he collapsed onto the bed beside her.

   Lilly rolled toward him, laying her head on his chest.  "God that was
good.  Just what I needed." She smiled up at him.

   Chad looked down at her angelic face.  He never wanted to move or let
her leave.  He smiled down at her.

   "Want to get something to eat?  I could take you out to a nice
restaurant and get you drunk."

   Lilly reached up and put a finger on his lips.  "Mmm, baby, I would but
I have to get back to work." She sat up, pulling her bra back together
around her heavy breasts.

   "Do you have to rush off?  Give me a few minutes and I'll be ready to go
again." Chad grinned at her, his hand slid up her thigh, feeling her silky
smooth skin.

   "I really wish I could, but I have to get back to work." She pouted at
him and reached out and stroked his flaccid cock.

   "Maybe supper tonight?"

   Lilly stood up, retrieving her dress from the bottom of the bed where
she'd carelessly flung it.  She pulled it over her head and tugged it into
place.

   "I can't tonight, baby." Lilly flashed him a smile.

   Chad stood up and pulled his boxers up.  He'd never stepped all the way
out of them.  He then got his jeans and stepped into them.  As he dressed,
Lilly used his dresser mirror to straighten her hair.  He pulled his shirt
on and ran his fingers through his hair.  Something was odd about this
girl, but he wanted to be her lover and he didn't want to appear too clingy
and scare her off.

   They both finished straightening up and then walked to his front door.
At the door, Lilly turned to him.

   "Baby, I want to be honest with you." She had a serious look on her
face. "I like you a lot.  You are a wonderful man and I could easily fall
head over heels in love with you." She paused.

   "But?" Chad asked.

   She swallowed and then nodded.  "But I'm already married to the man of
my dreams.  I love fucking you and I'd love to keep fucking you forever,
but that is all it can be."

   Chad stared at her.  His world crashed around him.  Anger welled up but
he crushed it back down as fast as it started.  He hadn't asked.  Why in
the hell hadn't he asked?  He'd just assumed.  He'd even noticed the ring
mark on her finger, but had passed it off.  He'd let his cock think for
him.

   He heard his voice, sounding forced, "If you are married to the man of
your dreams then why are you here with me?"

   "Baby, I'm married and I love my husband very much, but I've accepted
that I need more than one man to give me all the sex I need."

   He stared at her.  Is this how Jennifer had felt?  She'd said she loved
him.  She'd cried when they divorced.  His mind swam.  All he'd ever wanted
was Jennifer to love him and be faithful to him.  He'd been faithful to
her.

   "Does your husband know?" He croaked.

   "We have an open relationship.  We swing.  He fucks other women and I
fuck other men.  He loves me and I love him."

   Chad nodded.  "Does he know you fucked me Saturday?"

   "No." Lilly looked down.  "We are only supposed to swing together, but I
need more than that." She shrugged.  "What does it matter?"

   "It matters to me."

   He took a deep breath and his mind cleared.  Chad smiled down at the
beautiful Hispanic angel in front of him.

   "Lilly this doesn't work for me.  If we keep seeing each other, I'll
fall in love with you and end up with a broken heart.  Hell, I think I'm
already falling in love with you.  " He took another breath and held it for
a moment.  "I don't think we should see each other anymore."

   A tear slipped from Lilly's eye, trailing across her cheek.  She nodded
and took a deep breath.  "God that hurt more than it should have." She
smiled.  "I guess you're right.  I may have more than just lust for you
too." She took another deep breath.  "Tell me this.  Is it because I'm
married?"

   He nodded.  "Yeah.  I'm sorry.  My wife cheated on me and it ripped me
apart.  I won't do that to someone else."

   She smiled up at him.  "Can I give your number to a friend?  A single
friend.  I know she'd love to fuck your brains out and maybe, if you get
with her, someday we can swing together with my husband there.  No cheating
involved."

   Chad wasn't sure he'd really want to swing but he nodded.  "Sure.  I
can't guarantee we'll click, but yeah, you can give her my number if you
want."

   Lilly smiled and then stood on her tip toes and pulled him down to a
light peck on the cheek.  "I'll miss you Chad." She spun and walked out of
his apartment, leaving him there with a tight feeling in his gut and an
ache in his heart.

   Chad got back to his work at just after one-thirty.  After checking in
at the front desk he to see if he'd missed any emergencies, he went to his
office and buried himself in some reports he'd been putting off.  His gut
was tight and he knew he was hitting the keyboard too hard as he finished
out a spreadsheet.  Around two-fifteen his boss came into his office.

   "I thought the way you tore out of here this morning you must be going
to get laid, now it looks like your favorite puppy died.  Wanna talk about
it?"

   Chad stopped typing and looked up at his boss.  "Not really, Jack."

   "Too bad." Jack David plopped down in a chair across from Chad's desk.
"Come on boy, pony up and spill the beans." He reached over and casually
pushed the door closed.  "I've known you too long to just let you sulk it
out."

   That was true.  Talking to Jack had been really helpful during Chad's
breakup with Jennifer.  Shaking his head he forced a smile onto his face
and swiveled his chair around to face the older man.

   "I met a woman.  A damn fine woman.  Hotter than hell and eager too.  I
met with her again over lunch, but found out she was married." Chad gripped
his desk, his knuckles white.

   "Oooeee, you should know better than most, my boy, that being hitched
don't plug no holes with the women of today."

   "When did that stop mattering, Jack?"

   "Well, let's see.  When was it that Eve got Adam kicked out of the
garden?" Jack scratched his chin.  "My guess is it stopped matterin about
twenty years before that."

   Chad couldn't help but smile at his friend.  "You've been married, how
long, to the same woman.  Has she ever cheated on you?"

   "Now that's a damn personal question, my boy." Jack paused and looked at
Chad before continuing.  "We've been married thirty-two years in August and
she has had four affairs that I know of.  We don't talk about them.  Hell,
I've fallen off the wagon a few times myself.  People make mistakes.  If
you love someone you love them with all their problems."

   Chad looked at Jack's face.  There was no sign of joking on his face. 
"So you think I should have stayed with Jennifer?"

   "Oh, hell no, boy!  Four mistakes in thirty years ain't bad, but that
whore bitch of yours was fucking every dog that sniffed her ass.  A man
can't put up with that." Jack laughed.  "Hell, I probably should have told
you, but she even made a play for me a time or two."

   "Did you ever..."

   Jack looked down.  "I never fucked her but she gave me a blowjob once."
He held up a hand, palm out.  "Now don't think bad of me.  It was right
after you and I met, you remember the Fourth of July picnic?  She drug me
off behind some scrub and sucked me off.  If it makes you feel any better I
saw her tongue kissing Martin right after.  He probably got snowballed by
the slut."

   Martin was a salesman that Chad never could get along with.  He'd known
for a while that Martin was one of Jennifer's conquests.

   "It doesn't make me feel better.  I feel like a dinosaur.  Damn it Jack,
I'm afraid my ex is turning my daughter into the same kind of slut she is.
This weekend Becky asked me if I would still love her if she had lots of
boyfriends."

   Jack's face showed the pain he felt for his friend.  "The world is
changing, my boy, and not for the better.  All you can do is love her and
try to do your best for her."

   Chad shook his head.  "I hope that's enough."

   After Jack left his office, Chad finished a little more of the neglected
paperwork and then delivered some forms to the office administrator.  "Hi,
Sandy.  Here is the maintenance report from April.  Sorry it's late."

   Sandy, a thin middle-aged woman with an unflattering Captain Kangaroo
haircut looked up at him and smiled.  "I suppose it's too much to ask to
get the May report too?  It was due two weeks ago."

   "I haven't finished it yet.  I'll get to it, I promise."

   Sandy laughed.  "Okay sit down, Chad.  Momma Sandy will listen to your
story."

   He put his hands out, palm up.  "It's a good thing I don't play poker
with you or Jack."

   She shrugged.  "A man goes through what you're going through and his
friends get to see deeper into him than most.  It's okay, Chad.  It doesn't
make you weak.  I don't know many men who could weather that storm as well
as you have." She gave him a hard look.  "So spill the beans.  You have a
ton of back paperwork piled up.  You finished the April report because you
needed to talk to me.  So talk."

   Chad blinked.  Had he really picked the April report out of all his back
paperwork so that he'd have an excuse to talk to Sandy?  Maybe.  She'd been
his only other confidant during the split with Jennifer.  Funny how the
mind works, he thought.

   "I met a woman.  I really liked her and I thought she liked me.  Today I
found out she's married.  I broke it off." His shoulders slumped.

   Sandy eyed him closely.  "Did you and her have sex?"

   Chad nodded.  "I didn't find out she was married until after.  She said
she and her husband were swingers, but admitted they weren't supposed to do
it without the other.  So it was still cheating."

   "You were the victim here, Chad, not the bad guy."

   "I should have known."

   "How could you have known?  Was she wearing a wedding ring?"

   "No, but there was a mark on her finger.  A lighter patch of skin where
the ring would be.  I honestly thought she was divorced.  I should have
asked." Chad shook his head.  "I feel like I'm as bad as Martin."

   "Oh, hell, Chad.  I've known you six years and this is the first time
you've had a pity party in front of me."

   That was one of the things he liked about Sandy.  She didn't pull
punches or sugar coat things.

   She continued.  "Sit your big ass up straight and look me in the eye."

   He sat up, only then realizing he had been slouching.

   "That's better.  Now you listen to me.  Men are pigs and women are crazy
bitches and the whole damned world is going to hell in a handbasket." She
paused and looked at him for a moment.  "And it has been that way since God
snapped his fingers and started it all spinning.  Your wife was a cheating
slut.  Get over it.  You met another cheating slut.  Get over it.  There
are good girls out there and most of them are just waiting around hoping a
man like you notices them.  Problem is, men don't notice them nearly often
enough."

   "How do I meet one of those good girls you are talking about?"

   Sandy leaned forward, her bony hands lying on the desk in front of her.
"I don't normally do matchmaking, but maybe just this once."

   Chad grimaced.

   "Now don't do that!  Denise is a very nice girl.  Just quiet and
reserved.  She works for Symtech, well for now anyway.  Symtech has had a
rough year so far and there is talk of layoffs.  Anyway, she's single, not
in a relationship, and is a really good person." Sandy watched Chad
carefully.  "She is what you need, Chad, to restore your faith in women."

   Chad nodded.  Suddenly everyone wanted to set him up with someone.  He
must look like a pathetic little puppy dog.  He certainly felt that way. 
"Why not.  And you are right, Sandy, as usual.  I need to stop with the
self-pity and get on with life."

   "Let me talk to Denise.  If she is okay with it, I'll give you her
number.  If I do, you better call her and you better be a gentleman, but
not too much of a gentleman." She winked at him.

   "I will, Sandy."

   "I know you will, Chad.  And if you don't or aren't, I'll have your
balls for breakfast."

   Chad laughed.  She would too!

   It was late Wednesday afternoon when Chad got a text from Sandy.  It
simply read, "Denise Longly" followed by a phone number.  A photograph of a
pleasant looking woman with jet black hair and fair skin was attached. 
Chad read the text and studied the picture.  He wasn't sure about this at
all, but he'd told Sandy he would call.  He waited until after he'd eaten
that night, left-over pizza and a can of Bud Light before he keyed the
number.  Three rings later the receiver clicked and a woman's voice greeted
him.

   "Hello."

   "Um, hi, is this Denise?  Denise Longly?"

   "Yes.  Are you the man from Sandy's work she told me about?"

   "That would be me.  Chad Derry.  Wow, this is more awkward than I
thought it would be."

   Denise laughed.  "Yeah."

   "So, would you like to go out to dinner, maybe Friday night?  We could
meet at Pappadeaux.  Unless you don't like seafood."

   "I love seafood.  But it might be better if you picked me up and we only
took one car.  Parking is never easy there."

   "I was worried you might not want to give me your address, you know,
until after we met at least." Chad felt like a teenager.  He pulled his
phone away from his ear and took a deep breath.

   "Sweet, but if Sandy vouches for you then I think you're probably safe."
There was a pause and then Denise took a deep breath.  "Look, before we go
out, let's get some stuff straight.  I don't fuck on the first date.  If
you're looking for an easy lay then let's not bother.  It'll save you the
cost of an expensive dinner and me a wasted night.  I know what I'm looking
for in a man.  Let me tell you what it is and if you're not him, then just
be straight up and tell me, okay."

   "Okay."

   "I'm a one man woman and if we start really dating then I will expect
you to be a one woman man.  I expect honesty from the start.  You lie to me
and it's over.  I want a gentleman who knows to open a door for a woman but
not a chauvinist who thinks I can't open a door for myself.  Don't order
for me, you don't know what I want to eat, and don't talk down to me.  I
have a masters degree in chemical engineering and I'm not stupid.  I'm not
a skinny little model and I'm not a buff body builder either.  If you're
looking for a trophy, I'm not it.  What I am is devoted, loyal, fun, unless
I'm pissed off, and usually totally invisible.  Have I scared you off yet?"

   Chad, grinning like a school boy, laughed.  "Nope, but you have peaked
my interest."

   "Really?  Well then, tell me what you are looking for so I can tell you
to piss off."

   Chad shrugged.  He realized she couldn't see him shrug so he said,
"well, I liked what you said about devoted and loyal.  I think I could use
a little loyalty in my next relationship.  You said you wanted honesty, so
I'll be up front.  I've got more baggage than American Airlines.  I'm
divorced and my ex cheated on me and broke my heart.  I have a six-year-old
daughter that I pay eighteen-hundred dollars a month to get one weekend
with.  She has my heart and always will have.  Right now, I don't know what
I want and that is the God-awful truth, but I know I don't want to be
cheated on ever again and I won't cheat on anyone either.  I like opening
doors for women and fixing their stopped up sinks and doing little things
for them, but that's not because I don't think they can do it for
themselves, it's just because I think it is a nice thing to do."

   "So you're a nice chauvinist." Denise broke in drolly.

   Chad laughed.  "Yeah, probably."

   "Well, Mr.  Chauvinist, pick me up at seven on Friday if you are still
interested.  Sandy would rip my toenails out through my nose if I didn't
give you at least one date anyway.  But don't think you're getting into my
pants on the first date."

   "Yes ma'am.  I'll be there.  Oh, do you mind riding in a pickup.  I'm
afraid that's what I drive."

   "I love pickups." Denise laughed.  "Just don't make me listen to country
music, okay?"

   "Do you like Jimmy Buffett?"

   "That'll do.  Maybe I'll bring an `Air Supply' CD.  Uh, your pickup does
have a CD player doesn't it?" Denise laughed.  She had a pleasant laugh. 
It sounded real and unforced.

   "Yeah, but if you bring `Air Supply' I'm bringing Hank Williams. 
Senior, not Junior."

   "Jimmy Buffett it is." Denise laughed again.  "See you at seven on
Friday." She gave him her address and added, "Don't be late."

   The phone clicked and Chad smiled.  He'd have to thank Sandy.  He
immediately called Pappadeaux and made reservations for Friday night at
eight.

   The next afternoon at work Chad was headed into the company boardroom
for a meeting with his boss and a few other managers when his phone rang
with a number he didn't recognize.  Caller ID said the name was Alice Zane.
He didn't know anyone by that name and fully expected it to be a wrong
number or a sales call.  He answered it thinking it would be a quick call.

   "Hello."

   "Hi, is this Chad?" The voice was feminine but husky and sexy.

   "Yeah, what can I do for you?

   "Lilly Melendez gave me your number and said you were one hell of a
fuck."

   Chad nearly dropped the phone.  The image of Lilly's amazing body
flashed in front of him.  He'd completely forgotten that she had asked if
she could give her friend his number.  Now he wasn't sure what to do.

   "You there?" The woman asked.

   "Yeah.  Sorry.  I'm not used to women I don't know saying things like
that to me."

   "Oh, I thought you were a friend of Lilly's.  I guess I just assumed you
were..." her voice trailed off.

   "No, I'm really not.  I had a brief affair with Lilly and I really liked
her, but I wasn't in her circle of friends or anything."

   "Got it.  Well, what about it.  Want to meet and see if there is
anything between us?" Her voice was intriguing but he wondered would it be
cheating on Denise if he went out with this woman?  Hell, he'd never even
met Denise, only talked to her on the phone.  He dithered.

   "Um, look, I need to head to a meeting.  Is there any way I can call you
back later, like tonight, and we can talk then?"

   "Sure, I didn't mean to catch you at a bad time." Her voice had gone
cold.

   Chad didn't want to put her off, he just needed time to think.  "Um,
wait.  What's your name and is this a good number to call you at?"

   "Alice and yeah, this is my cell."

   "I'll call tonight.  Six-thirty okay?"

   "Sure, babe." The phone clicked.

   Damn!  Chad thought, she seemed mad.  Maybe she wouldn't be when he
called her back.  All through the meeting Chad was distracted, but he made
it through the meeting without looking like a total idiot or over
committing his department to anything and he counted that as a win.  He got
home around six, grabbed a beer, and pulled his boots off.  There's nothing
better than taking boots off.  Even with good boots that didn't hurt your
feet, it always felt wonderful right after you took them off.  He popped
the tab on his beer and then pulled up the history on his phone.

   Alice Zane.  He wondered who she was and what she was like.  Lilly had
said she was single, but she and Lilly must have swung together, based on
Lilly's premise for giving her his number.  Was that what Chad wanted?  It
offered the possibility of him seeing Lilly again, without cheating on her
husband.  Could he do that?  Could he have sex with Lilly with her husband
there?  Did he even want to explore that lifestyle?  Jennifer had mentioned
it a few times and he'd blown up at her.  Would it make him a hypocrite if
he now was open to it with Lilly?

   The clock inched closer to his self-imposed deadline.  The screen on his
phone went dark and he tapped the screen to bring it to life again.  Should
he call?  He'd told her he would.  That made up his mind.  He'd told her he
would so he did.

   "Hi, Chad." Alice's voice said after just two rings.  "I didn't think
you'd call.  Did you really have a meeting?"

   "I really did, Alice.  Sorry if I sounded like I was putting you off."

   "No biggie.  I mean you called back, right.  So you want to get
together?"

   "Yeah, you busy tonight?" Chad thought, might as well go for it.

   "I might be later." She snickered.  "Do you like bar-b-que?"

   "Yeah, love it.  What do you have in mind?"

   "You ever been to Nasty Jack's?"

   Chad laughed.  It was an Icon in the Fort Worth area.  Nasty Jack's
Bleeding Ass Bar-B-Que.  It was really pretty good bar-b-que if you could
take the heat.  Even the mildest sauce there would set your mouth on fire
and he was pretty sure their hottest was classified as toxic waste.

   "Yeah, I know the place."

   "Can you be there by seven-thirty?"

   "Sure."

   "I'll text you a picture so you'll be able to spot me." Alice laughed.
"See you there."

   It was only a couple of minutes later his phone buzzed with a text. 
Opening it up there was a picture of a nude buxom redhead lying back on a
couch with her legs spread.  High up on the inside of her right thigh she
had a tattoo of a lizard using its long serpentine tongue to lick its own
enormous penis.  Her completely shaved pussy was gaping and looked very
wet. Chad stared at the picture for a while.  Alice wasn't as stunningly
beautiful as Lilly but she was certainly sexy.

   Forty-five minutes later Chad pulled into the parking lot.  A sign above
the door pictured a mule with blood dripping from its flank being tugged by
a grizzled old man with a bushy beard.  Under the picture was the name of
the restaurant.  "Nasty Jack's Bleeding Ass Bar-B-Que." Flashing red neon
tubing circled the sign.

   The building had old faded cedar shingles on its outside walls giving it
a very rustic look, but the parking lot was nearly completely full as
usual. Inside there were only a handful of people waiting to be seated and
Chad gave his name, took the pager, and made his way to the bar.  He'd just
found an open stool when his phone buzzed.  He pulled it from the case he
wore and glanced at the text.

   "Are you here?" It was from Alice.

   Chad took a deep breath.  He wasn't used to dating and was just hoping
tonight wouldn't be a disaster.  He typed out "Yeah.  At the bar.  10
minute wait."

   "KK see ya soon."

   It was only a minute or so later that the woman with the lizard tattoo
walked in.  Alice wore an American flag print stretchy blouse that hugged
her curvy frame tight, revealing a good bit of her rounded breasts.  A
bright blue loose skirt that reached mid-thigh revealed her muscled legs.
On her feet she had a simple pair of strapped two-inch heels.  When she
walked the skirt revealed the tail of her tattoo.  She scanned the room and
he got up and walked toward her.  About halfway there their eyes met and he
smiled.  She smiled back.

   "Hi, Alice." Chad said as he reached her.

   She looked him up and down, licking her lips.  "Mmm mmm, you must be
Chad.  I'm gonna owe Lily for this." She winked at him.

   Back at the bar, he ordered a beer and she ordered a white Russian,
telling the bartender not to skimp on the vodka.

   "It's okay, you're taking me home.  I had a friend drop me off."

   Chad nodded.  "I like that.  I like confident women."

   "I can always call a cab if you turn out to be a jackass." She smiled as
she shrugged.  "So did you like the picture I sent you?"

   Chad blushed and grinned.  "Quite impressive.  Can't say that I've ever
had a girl sext me before the first date before."

   "I don't like to waste time and I figured it would improve my chance of
getting laid tonight.  I am getting laid, right?"

   Chad laughed.  "Why don't we see how the meal goes first?"

   "You'd miss out on my hot little cunt because some line cook screwed up
your bar-b-que?" Her eyes were laughing at him and she winked.

   "I guess I was talking more about whether or not we hit it off.  You
know, I may turn out to be a jackass after all." Chad smiled back at her.

   Alice grinned at him, gave him a wink and then smiled.  "Even if you
turn out to be a jackass, I'll still get laid tonight.  Just not by you."
She grinned at him and then laughed at his expression.  "Lilly said you
were a gentleman.  Kinda odd for a gentleman to meet a woman in a liquor
store, take her home and fuck her brains out.  Doesn't sound like a
gentleman to me, but hey, who am I to judge."

   Their drinks came and Alice drank half her white Russian in a single
gulp.  Chad nursed his Bud Light.

   "So what do you do for a living, Alice?" Chad asked, trying to turn the
conversation to something more normal.

   "I'm a V.P.  for Starlings.  I make sure product stays on the shelves."
She chugged the rest of her white Russian and signaled the bartender to get
her another.

   "So, you're the purchaser for them?" Chad asked.

   Turning toward him, she ran her foot up his calf.  "Nope, I'm in
logistics.  I manage warehouse inventory, truck routes, store inventory,
all of that boring crap.  Let's talk about your cock.  Are you as talented
as Lilly says?"

   He nearly spewed beer on the bar.  Coughing, he looked at her.  She was
smiling at him.

   "I don't know how to answer that." He finally got out, feeling
embarrassed and yet intrigued by Alice.

   Just then the buzzer in his pocket went off.

   "Our table is ready." He said with a grin, feeling like he'd been given
a reprieve.

   Alice laughed and then winked at him.  "Guess I'll have to wait to get
my answer then."

   Once they were seated, Chad pulled a menu from the wire rack on the
table.  Alice just put her hands together, fingers entwined, and laid her
chin on them.  She was beautiful.  Not like Lilly, not that heart-stopping,
nut-busting, drop-dead gorgeous kind of beautiful, but still very pleasant
to look at.  Her eyes were bright, surprising since she was now working on
her third white Russian, and the odd light in the restaurant made her
freckles practically glow on her fair skin giving her a very exotic look.
The blouse she was wearing also appeared to be glowing and it set off the
exposed skin of her breasts beautifully.  He wondered if that was why she'd
worn that blouse.

   "So, you're not into swinging, I take it, but maybe you'd like to try it
out?" Alice grinned at him above her hands.  She just wasn't going to give
him a break.

   The waiter came to their table to take their order before he answered
and Alice gave him a perturbed look before she ordered the brisket and
sausage plate with "sore ass habanero" sauce.  It was third from the
hottest they offered falling below "Fire ass Red Savina habanero" and "Lava
ass Ghost Pepper".  Chad ordered pulled pork and smoked turkey with the
"pansy ass jalapeno" sauce, one level down from the habanero.

   "I've never swung." He shrugged after the waiter left.  "Don't know if I
really know what that even means.  I mean, I have an idea, but ..."

   "Don't worry.  If you've never done it, then there is no way to really
understand.  Besides, it means different things to different people.  I've
been swinging for twelve years and it's different with each new partner. 
So, do you like eating pussy?"

   Chad raised his eyebrows.

   "Come on, you can tell me.  I promise I won't tell anyone." Alice
grinned.

   "I, mean, uh, yeah, sure." Chad felt like he needed to adjust himself
but he resisted.

   "Good, because I love having my pussy eaten.  I love sucking cock too."
She said that just as their waiter arrived with their food.  She just
smiled at him and winked.

   Chad understood when the waiter acted a little uncomfortable while he
sat the plates in front of them.  Once the waiter was done and had left,
Chad decided to change the subject.

   "Um, you're single right?" Chad asked.  He thought he remembered Lilly
saying she was.

   "Yep.  Divorced and not in a serious relationship with anyone. 
Footloose and fancy-free at the moment.  Not that being married ever
stopped me from getting laid when I wanted."

   Chad looked at the woman across from him.  "You cheated on your
husband?" His eyes narrowed, remembering the long nights of tears when he'd
discovered his wife's infidelity.

   "No," Alice answered calmly.  "Cheating implies I did it behind his
back. That's not the case.  James always knew ahead of time when I was
having sex with someone else."

   "He allowed you to have sex with other men?" Chad asked.

   "No, not really." Alice smiled.  "It's my body.  I didn't ask
permission, but I did inform him."

   "That must've been an interesting conversation," Chad said softly. 
"James dear, I'm going to go fuck Bill.  I'll be back in a little while
with my pussy full of another man's cum."

   "See, you do understand," Alice grinned.  "I'm not going to say that our
relationship would work for everyone, but it worked for us."

   "For a while, maybe," Chad said, "but you're not together now, so what
happened?"

   Alice nodded.  "You're right.  Two years ago he decided that a strong
willed, sexually liberated woman was not his ideal wife after all.  So now
he is married to a devout Baptist woman who discreetly fucks her Sunday
school teacher behind his back."

   "How do you know she is fucking around on him?"

   "I've fucked that Sunday school teacher too, with her there."

   "Doesn't sound very discreet then." Chad studied her eyes trying hard to
see if she was lying.

   "Oh, she's pretty discreet, but the Sunday school teacher talked her
into a threesome.  I think she secretly wanted to try some pussy and needed
an excuse.  It was only later that I learned she was James' new bride. 
They'd only been married six months when we partied together.  I doubt she
was faithful to James for more than a few weeks, if that.  The funny thing
is James told me two weeks ago about how devoted she was to him and how she
would never fuck around.  I nearly choked, but hell, who the fuck am I to
ruin his fantasy."

   "You make it sound like all women cheat."

   "Not at all.  I would guess that only about eighty to eighty-five
percent of married women have multiple sexual partners.  Society being what
it is, most of those `cheat.'" She took a bite of the spicy brisket from
her plate, savoring it.

   Chad stared at her for a moment.  He couldn't decide if she was being
serious or not.  Could it be that she really believed that eighty percent
of married women cheated on their husbands?

   "Come on," Alice continued after swallowing.  "You fucked Lilly and she
is married.  Where were your objections to non-monogamous relationships
then?'

   "I didn't know she was married until after the second time we hooked up.
We haven't been together since." He took a bite to give him some time but
Alice just studied him with that bemused look on her face.  After he
swallowed, he continued, "Alice, I'm not telling you how to live your life
and I don't think my attitude is holier-than-thou, just because I want
something different than you.  I was faithful to my wife Jennifer for seven
years." Jennifer, he'd learned later, had cheated on him from the start.

   "Seven years of the same meatloaf day after day must have gotten pretty
old.  Me?  Some days I want filet mignon and some I want spicy bar-b-que.
Some days I want a taco and a hot dog at the same time." She winked at him
from across the table.

   Chad almost laughed.  After having had Lilly, referring to Jennifer as
meatloaf was a compliment.

   An hour later he had paid the tab and they were in his pickup headed to
his apartment.  Alice sat in the middle, snuggled up to him with her hand
on his crotch.  Alice stroked him idly, laying her head on his shoulder and
cooing softly.  By the time he parked he had a raging hard-on.

   Up in his apartment, she turned and kissed him, lifting her arms and
draping them around his neck and pulling his head down.  Her tongue pressed
between his lips, sliding past his teeth.  As her lips lingered on his, she
slipped one hand down to cup his ass and squeezed it firmly.

   Taking his cue from her, Chad let one hand slip down her back until he
was holding her butt.  He'd never felt a panty, but wasn't sure he hadn't
just missed it under the waist of the skirt.  Alice dropped her other hand
from his neck, letting it slide along his shoulder to his hand that was
still at his side.  She took his hand in hers and guided it to her breast.

   His hand cuddled her bosom, feeling its soft weight.  She moaned into
his mouth, sucking his tongue.  Slipping his hand from her butt lower, he
brushed it along her leg, pulling her skirt up until he could get under it.
Gliding his hand back up he felt her bare ass.  Either she was not wearing
panties, he realized, or she was wearing a thong.  A thong fit her, he
guessed as he massaged her cheek.

   As he groped her breast and ass, Alice pressed her hips forward,
grinding her crotch on his thigh.  She dropped her hand from his, down his
front to again rub his cock through his pants.  He was so hard it was
painful and he shifted, trying to get more comfortable.

   "Is this big boy needing to be let out?" Alice breathed.  "I want you in
me.  I want you to fuck my brains out and make me cum like a fucking
freight train.  I want every inch of you inside me and I want you to cum
inside me and fill my pussy with your fucking baby making cum." When Chad
pulled back a little to look in her eyes she laughed.  "Don't worry, I'm
not looking to get knocked up.  It wouldn't fit my lifestyle." She winked.
"I'm on the pill and at a safe time to boot."

   Chad felt just a little guilty about how relieved he was.  Lilly's
raunchy talk about getting pregnant had spooked him a little.  Alice was
staring into his eyes.  She gave him a smile.

   "Did I scare you off?  Come, let's go to the bedroom and you can eat my
pussy.  Lilly says you eat pussy like a dream, and my pussy doesn't have
another man's cum in it." She winked again, took his hand, and led him
toward the back of his apartment.

   Chad didn't really understand her remark, but he followed her.  His cock
was pulsing, painfully constricted in his pants and watching this sex pot's
ass sway as she led him to his bedroom was not going to make it go down.  A
smile crept onto his face.  Damn, Alice looked so fuckable and Chad knew
that she really was.  He was going to fuck her tonight.  Why in the hell
had he wasted so many years on that cheating bitch he'd married when he
could have been fucking women like Lilly and Alice?

   They reached the bedroom.  Alice turned and wrapped her arms around his
neck, pulling him down to a kiss.  While they kissed she unbuttoned her
skirt and let it fall to the floor.  As soon as it was out of the way she
stepped back and sat on the bed.

   "Time to find out if your tongue is as talented as Lilly claims."

   Alice spread her legs, revealing her bare pussy and solving the question
in Chad's mind about her panties.  She wasn't wearing any.

   "Come on, lover.  Give me your mouth." She motioned him closer as she
spoke.

   Chad stepped forward and knelt in front of her.  Her smell was strong,
heady, and intoxicating.  He'd seen her pussy in the photo she'd sent him,
but the picture did not do it justice.  In real life it was absolutely
gorgeous.  Her full lips were glistening and spread just slightly.  Her
clit, not really exposed in the photo, was poking out, red and quivering.
He kissed her inner thigh just above her knee.  Her skin was soft and warm
and tasted faintly of sweat.  Using his hands gently, he massaged her lower
legs while his mouth explored its way toward her treasure.

   She let him kiss her for a few moments and then her hands gripped his
head, fingers twining his hair.

   "Fuck that shit!  I want your tongue in my cunt now!" Roughly she pulled
his head between her legs, forcing his lips to her sex.

   Chad didn't resist.  As his mouth reached her pussy, he sucked her labia
into his mouth, pressing his tongue into her canal.  If she wanted it
nasty, that is what he would give her.  His hands slid up her thighs and
then down the outside of her legs and back to cup her generous ass.  He
lifted her, forcing her pussy onto his tongue.  She lifted her legs,
draping them over his shoulders, knees bent, her feet resting on his back,
giving him perfect access to her sex.

   "Oh Fuck yes!  I love being eaten.  Suck my pussy!  Bite my clit, lover.
Make me cum all over that handsome face of yours.  Fuck!  Oh fuck!"

   He followed her instructions and sucked her clit into his mouth, biting
it gently and stroking his tongue over it rapidly.  She responded by
pulling his mouth to her tighter and humping her hips up into him.

   Her nectar was flowing and Chad lapped it up, savoring her tangy, earthy
flavor.  Slipping one hand down over her ass he traced a finger down her
crack until he felt her back hole.  He circled it with his finger, pressing
gently but not putting it into her.  He felt her butt cheeks clench and her
anus tightened and then loosened repeatedly.

   "Do you like my ass, lover?  Go ahead put your finger in me.  I like men
playing with my ass.  Finger me while you suck my pussy.  Oh, fuck!  Yeah
lover, fuck my ass."

   He pressed his finger into her, sinking it to the first knuckle and then
twisting it slowly.  His other hand moved up and he slipped his thumb into
her pussy while he went back to sucking her clit.  Above him, Alice had
stopped using words and was just moaning and thrashing her head.  Her moans
rose in volume and Chad had a fleeting worry about his neighbors calling
the police, but it fled as her pussy suddenly flexed and then with a
shudder she came, her nectar filling his mouth and running down his chin.
Her moaning turned to a trembling wail.  Her hands clenched his head,
holding his mouth to her convulsing sex as her orgasm wracked her body. 
After several minutes she relaxed and pushed his head back.

   "Fuck, stop, shit, holy shit, fuck, you fucking bastard.  Damn what the
fuck was that?  How did you fucking do that?  Holy fucking mother.  So
good. So good." Her feet dropped to the floor.

   Chad sat back on his haunches.  The front of his shirt was soaked with
her cum, as was his face.  She laid still, her legs splayed wantonly and
her open pussy still dripping as it opened and closed.  He unbuttoned his
shirt and slipped it off, tossing it across the room toward his dresser. 
Standing, he started removing his pants.  Alice revived as he got his belt
unbuckled and she sat up, her hands going to his.

   "Let me.  I want to unwrap my present." She smiled up at him.

   He let her unbutton his jeans, taking his shoes off as she did.  She
lowered his pants, leaving his boxers up still holding his erect cock.  Her
eyes were fixed on the tent in his shorts as he stepped out of his jeans
and kicked them to the side.  She waited for him and then slipped her hands
inside the waistband of his underwear, slowly sliding them down.  Just
before she revealed his cock, she stopped and looked up at him.

   "Are you ready to fuck me?" she asked him.

   "Yes." His voice was shakier than he'd imagined it would be and it drew
a laugh from her.

   "That's good because I'm so ready to fuck you." She tugged his boxers
down letting his turgid cock bounce up obscenely.

   Her eyes widened and her lips spread in a smile.  "No wonder Lilly raved
about your cock."

   "Stop talking about Lilly.  It's you I'm gonna fuck!" Chad's voice
startled him.  It was rough and almost harsh.

   Alice snapped her eyes up to him, her smile widening.  "Yes, lover, fuck
me.  Make me your bitch for tonight."

   He pushed her onto her back and scooped her legs up, spreading them wide
and pressing her knees toward her shoulders.  Her pussy spread wide,
inviting him in.  Stepping forward he bent his knees to position his cock
to enter her.  Alice reached down and grasped his cock in her hand, guiding
it to her hole.

   "That's it, lover, put that beautiful cock in my cunt.  Fuck me, lover.
Fuck me and fill my cunt with your cum." She was staring into his eyes as
she spoke.

   His cock head touched her pussy and he stopped, marveling at the heat
and silky smooth feel of her lips.

   "No, don't stop.  I want your cock in me." Alice pulled him toward her
pressing his cock deeper into her pussy.

   Chad relented and drove forward, impaling Alice on his cock, sliding in
until his balls slapped her ass and drawing a grunt from her.  He
hesitated, savoring the sensation of her tight, hot, pussy enveloping his
cock.  She wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him in tight.  Her
eyes had never left his and she was smiling like a teenager in love.

   "God!  I love your cock.  Let me have it lover.  Fuck me!" Alice slid
her hands up his arms to his shoulders and pulled him down to kiss him on
the lips.

   Their lips met softly.  Juxtaposed to her words, her kiss was soft and
loving.  One of her hands slid up his back to pet his hair.  They kissed
and Chad held still, relishing her touch and the feel of her body.  Soon
she began to move her hips and he took her cue and started fucking her
slowly.

   A moan grew from deep in her throat as he pumped in and out of her
pussy. Her hand on his back curled and her nails scraped his shoulder
blade. Urgency increased and their tempo grew.  Sweat sprang up on both
their bodies as they moved.  Then Alice pushed his chest gently away and
she looked up into his eyes.  Her eyes were softer than they had been all
night and her smile was gentle.

   "Come up here on the bed.  I don't usually like missionary, but tonight,
I want to feel you on top of me."

   Chad grinned at her.  Wrapping his arms around her, he picked her up
with his cock still deep inside her.  Once he had her in his arms, with her
legs wrapped around his hips, he moved a knee onto the bed.  Carrying her,
he crawled to the center of the bed and laid her down gently.  His cock had
never left her pussy.  Supporting himself with one hand he looked down at
her and smiled.  Her eyes were wide but she was smiling.

   "Lover, you amaze me." Alice lay back, stretching her arms up.

   "You are one sexy woman.  Let's get that top off.  I want to see those
beautiful tits."

   Without hesitating, Alice pulled her blouse off over her head, tossing
it casually to the side.

   "A bra, but no panties?  You and Lilly share a lot of style."

   Alice laughed.  "I thought you said to not talk about her?"

   "So I did.  Well get that binder off and I'll make sure we both forget
she ever existed."

   Alice unfastened the front clip on her bra and shrugged it off her
shoulders, expertly slipping it off her arms and then pulling it out from
under her back.  Her breasts exposed, she laid back and again raised her
arms above her head.

   Chad took in her large full breasts, lightly sprinkled with freckles
across the tops.  Her crinkled nipples were bright pink and standing fully
at attention.  Alice was slightly thinner than Lilly, but her breasts were
just as large and they looked larger on her smaller frame.  Chad lowered
his mouth to hers, kissing her gently.  While he supported his weight on
one hand, his other slid up her side to cup her breast, thumb idly circling
her nipple.  As they kissed he thrust into her, fucking her slowly but
deeply, making sure the head of his cock pressed up, stimulating her just
inside her sex beneath her mons veneris.  She moaned into his mouth, her
hands grasping his shoulders.  As he fucked her she rotated her hips to
match his motion.  The ecstasy they were sharing fed their passion and
their tempo grew.  Chad pushed up, arching his back to get more leverage.
As he did, she kissed her way down his sweat-slicked chest until she
reached his nipple.  Sucking it between her lips, he felt her teeth gently
nip at him.  His eyes went wide and he almost came, barely able to regain
control.

   "Fuck!  That feels amazing!" He grunted.

   Her tongue flicked over his captured nipple teasing him mercilessly for
a few moments and then she pulled back and looked up at him.  Her mouth was
open, eyes wide.  Ragged breaths escaped her lips as she collapsed back
onto the bed beneath him.

   "Oh good God, I'm going to cum.  I want you to cum with me, lover.  I
want to feel you explode in my cunt!  Come on, fill me up.  Give me your
cum!" Her voice cracked and she thrashed as her orgasm exploded through her
body.

   He felt her pussy clench down on his cock.  Driving deep he let himself
go, feeling his balls contract as his own orgasm took him.  His potent
sperm shot out of him and deep into her pussy.  Over and over again he felt
his cock swell and erupt inside her.  When his climax faded and his cock
began to soften, he rolled to the side and lay beside her, casually
stroking her stomach and up to her heaving breasts.

   She rolled her head to look at him and smiled.  "Okay, you're hired. 
You can fuck me anytime you want."

   "You are amazing." He smiled back at her.

   She looked down, past his now flaccid cock to his feet, still encased in
his socks.  Laughing she pointed to them.  "Do you always fuck in your
socks?"

   Chad looked down and laughed.  "Well, things moved pretty quick." He
shrugged.

   "It usually takes more than one fuck to wear me out, but lover, there
ain't nothing usual about fucking you." She sighed.  "Just hold me for a
second, okay?"

   She rolled to her side as he put his arm around her, holding her gently.
Snuggling up to him she laid her head on his chest.  She let one hand slide
down to his firm stomach.  They lay there for a while and Chad felt
contented just listening to her breath and feeling her breasts rubbing
against his skin.  After a while she looked up at him.

   "I can see why Lilly is adamant about getting you into our group."

   "Is that what this was about?" The thought made Chad a little sad.

   "No.  I'm not Lilly's whore, but I am her friend.  It hurt her when you
broke it off." She paused.  "I didn't think I would like you very much, but
I told Lilly I would try to get you to see that our lifestyle isn't bad."
She pushed herself up onto one elbow and studied him.  "Damn.  I could fall
for a guy like you.  I could fall hard and that scares me.  I know you were
hurt by your wife.  She was a sneaky, two-faced, bitch who lied to you and
cheated on you and I get all the hurt feelings and bad emotions you must
have felt and endured because of her, but it doesn't have to be that way."

   Alice pushed herself all the way up to a sitting position.  She sat,
criss-cross, and smiled down at him.

   "Polyamory isn't cheating.  It's the understanding that people are
sexual, loving, creatures capable of having complex emotions for more than
one individual at the same time.  At supper you quipped about me telling
James I was going to go out and fuck another man.  It wasn't like that.  I
had a couple of lovers and I went on dates with them, but James always came
first.  He had girlfriends too.  He wasn't at all like what people talk
about when they talk about cuckolds."

   "What?" Chad furrowed his eyebrows.

   Alice laughed.  "A cuckold is a man whose wife cheats on him.  But today
it means more than that.  It has become a fetish based on humiliation of
the man.  The woman usually denies him sex while she has sex with other
men. Usually it involves the woman flaunting her infidelity and being
mildly or not so mildly abusive to her husband and a lot of the time the
husband is forced to do homosexual acts on her bulls."

   "Bulls?"

   "The men she cheats with."

   "Oh." Chad pursed his lips.  "And that's a real thing?  People get off
on that?"

   "Some do.  I don't.  I always treated James with respect and he always
treated me with respect.  When we split up it wasn't a bad break.  That's
one of the reasons I don't like his current wife.  She is like your wife.
He thinks he's in a committed relationship and she's fucking around on
him."

   "Why don't you tell him?"

   "Would you have listened if someone told you about your wife before you
found out yourself?" Alice shrugged.  "No, he doesn't want to hear it from
me.  I wish I could save him the pain he is headed for, but I can't."

   They both sat there silently for a moment and then Chad looked at her.
He could see his cum seeping from her wide open pussy between her legs. 
Her heavy breasts were still slick with sweat and her nipples were sticking
out enticingly.

   "I don't want to seem creepy, but let's say we have a second date and
then a third and then at some point we decide we like more than just the
sex with each other.  What would our relationship be like?  What could I
look forward to?"

   Alice smiled.  "I don't know.  We'd make it up as we went along.  I
don't think I could give up swinging even for a hunk like you but you never
know." She shrugged.  "But that's not the answer you want." She took a deep
breath.  "Shit this is harder than I thought it would be." Her eyes locked
on his.  "That's your fault, you know.  If you weren't so fucking good in
bed then this would be easier."

   Chad laughed and shook his head.  "Obviously I wasn't that good for my
wife.  She was never satisfied with just me."

   Alice nodded.  "So let's talk about that.  Sex is fun, but most couples
that are monogamous find that at some point in their marriage things get
stale between them." When Chad started to speak, she shushed him and then
continued.  "It happens.  It happens a lot!  Usually the couple survives
but often they don't and they get divorced even though they still love each
other.  Sometimes it ends up with one of them or even both of them
cheating. Why is this?" She pursed her lips and took a deep breath.  "Let's
talk about astronauts for a moment.  In the early days of the Apollo
missions, Nasa found that the astronauts were not eating well in space and
they found that the tubes of food were boring.  Well, what they really
found is that the men, after having the same goop for every meal for days
in a row, just stopped having an appetite.  The men got burned out eating
the same food over and over again.  No matter how good the food tasted the
astronauts needed some variety.  When we talked at supper I used the same
analogy and it's a very good one.  What is your favorite meal?"

   Chad shrugged.  "Surf and Turf, I guess.  A good ribeye and a lobster
tail can't really be beat."

   "Would you want to eat steak and lobster for every meal?"

   "No, but eating a meal is very different from having sex."

   "Yes, but the principle is the same.  If you had steak and lobster for
every meal after a while you wouldn't want to eat as often.  This is a big
part of the reason why couples who are monogamous so frequently have
problems."

   "So if they would just fuck around on each other they would be fine?"
Chad's voice dripped with sarcasm.

   "No!" Alice shook her head vehemently and then she took another deep
breath.  "Fuck this is hard.  Society beats into us from birth that a man
can only love one woman and a woman can only love one man.  I'm not saying
that polyamory is for everyone, but for some of us it is right.  I still
have feelings for James and I believe he still has feelings for me.  Before
he met Becky, we still got together every so often.  He was just looking
for something I couldn't give him.  The sad thing is that his bride isn't
giving him what he wants either; she's just lying about it."

   Alice looked at him and he saw in her eyes that she wanted him to
understand.  He was struggling with it, though.

   After a moment she spoke again.  "It isn't about fucking around.  It is
about admitting that people are complex sexual creatures with needs and
desires that extend beyond a single sexual partner.  And as much as that
sounds like hedonistic bullshit, it's the fucking truth.  I have never
cheated on any partner I've ever had.  And as much as it is the truth that
I never asked for permission from James or any of my other partners, when
they weren't comfortable or just didn't want me to see someone else, I
didn't.  Not because they were my master, but because I respected them and
our relationship."

   Chad nodded.  "So was James always there?  I mean when you had sex with
other men?"

   Alice smiled.  "No, and it wasn't always other men.  I'm bisexual.  We
had our lovers and we would see them privately or sometimes we would have
threesomes or foursomes and sometimes we'd get together with a whole bunch
of people and have a good party.  We swapped with other couples a few times
but that's hard because all four people have to click to make it work." She
paused and looked at him, studying him closely.  "Would you like to go to
one of our parties?  Lilly would love to see you again."

   "I'm not sure I'm ready for that." Chad grinned, "But all this talk has
given me a chance to reload and I might be ready for something else."

   "So you're not disgusted with me?"

   "Alice, you are beautiful and wonderful and no I'm not disgusted with
you or with Lilly either.  I'm just ..." His voice tapered off.

   "You're just not comfortable with the whole polyamory thing yet." Alice
sighed.  "I get it Chad.  It's hard for some people to get their head
around it.  Usually though, those are the people who are the happiest once
they do.  Come on, let's take a shower together and I'll suck that
beautiful cock of yours."

   The next morning he took Alice home and then hurried to work, getting
there before eight.  The world was a beautiful place.  Right up until lunch
when he remembered he had a date with Denise.  He thought about calling it
off, but Sandy would have him for lunch, supper, and breakfast if he did
that.  At four-thirty he slipped out the door and headed home.  There he
showered, shaved and brushed his teeth before dressing in nice slacks, a
long sleeved button up shirt with a bolo tie with a nice silver concho with
a gold Texas shaped medallion in the center.  He combed his hair and
studied himself in the mirror trying to calm the butterflies in his
stomach. He hadn't felt this nervous when he went to meet with Alice.  He
grinned at himself in the mirror and shook his head.  He remembered the no
bullshit manner Denise had on the phone and it intrigued him.  She'd been
blunt, straightforward, and funny.  As much as he'd dreaded the date when
he remembered it earlier, now he was anxious and looking forward to it.

   Seven o'clock found him pulling in front of a small brick house.  At the
door, he rang the doorbell and waited.  It was only a few moments before
the door opened and a woman who resembled the photo Sandy had sent him gave
him a smile.  She was wearing loose fitting blue jeans and a Halestorm
t-shirt."

   "You must be Chad?"

   "Yes, and you are Denise?"

   The woman looked him up and down like she was appraising a side of beef.

   "Nope, I'm Carla, Denise's sister.  Come in, I'll tell her you're here."

   Carla led him into the living room where she left him.  After she was
gone he studied the room.  It seemed comfortable enough.  A forty inch TV
was centered on one wall and a brick fireplace that didn't look like it was
ever used filled another.  There was a couch, a loveseat, and a reclining
chair, all mismatched but comfortable looking.  On the walls there were
paintings of trees and cats.  All in all it was fairly eclectic but it
worked.

   After only a couple of minutes Denise walked in.  He knew it was her
immediately.  She wore a mid-calf blue dress, buttoned up to just below her
collarbone.  It had a white collar around the neck and white cuffs at the
wrist of the long sleeves.  It was elegant, but not showy.  Her feet were
in low matching heels.  Her jet black hair was straight and fell to just
above her shoulders.  One section was pulled back from the front and tucked
behind one ear, giving her a sophisticated look.  She was smiling at him
and he realized he was staring.  He smiled back.

   "Hi, I'm Chad."

   "Denise.  Nice to meet you, Chad."

   "Wow!  You look beautiful." Chad moved toward her and she extended her
hand.

   Rather than shake it, he took her hand in his and raised it to his lips,
kissing her knuckles briefly and causing her smile to grow.

   "My, my, you are a charmer," Denise said.  "Come on, let's go."

   Outside, he helped her into his truck and then shut the door.  As Jimmy
Buffet crooned about an avenue known as A1A, she sat by the door leaving
space between them.  Once they made the highway, she looked over at him.

   "You look nice.  Not many men wear western ties anymore." Denise smiled
at him as she spoke.

   "I hate real ties.  These are a lot easier and they make me feel like
I'm dressing up."

   "Well, it looks charming on you." She looked out the window for a moment
then turned back to him.  "So what did Sandy tell you about me?"

   "Only that you're a good person and that if I wasn't a gentleman she'd
... Well, she would be angry with me." Chad blushed.

   Denise laughed.  "I bet she didn't use those words.  She is a wonderful
and very colorful lady."

   "Yeah." Chad paused as he merged lanes toward their exit.  "I like Sandy
a lot.  I respect her opinion."

   "I hope I can live up to her description.  I'm not exactly the Virgin
Mary, you know."

   Chad laughed.  "But no sex on the first date.  Isn't that what you told
me?"

   Her smile slipped from her face.  "Yes, and I meant it.  Sex should mean
something, Chad.  It means something to me."

   He pulled into the restaurant's driveway, getting in line for the valet.
"I really respect that." He gave her a smile and she smiled back.

   Inside the restaurant they were only a few minutes early and the hostess
led them to their table right away.  She took their drink orders; Ice Tea,
unsweet, for Chad and Dr.  Pepper for Denise.  She laughed after he
ordered.

   "You can have a beer if you want.  I'm not a tea totaler."

   He shrugged.  "I'm driving." The excuse pacified her, but Chad actually
wondered why he hadn't ordered a beer.  He knew he could have had one with
his meal and still been fine.  With Denise it had just seemed natural to
order tea.

   "So, Sandy tells me you work for Symtec?" Chad asked her after a pause.

   "Well, for now anyway.  There is talk of a buyout.  We've been getting
killed by DalTech lately."

   "Sorry to hear that."

   Denise shrugged.  "It happens.  We follow the rules.  DalTech tends to
play it a little looser.  There have been rumors of kickbacks being given
and worse to get contracts.  I guess it's how business is done these days."

   They sat for a moment more and then Chad made a decision.  He really
liked Denise and didn't want to start out their relationship without full
disclosure.

   "Look, Denise, I want to be honest with you.  I went out with another
woman last night."

   She studied him but didn't say anything.

   "Before I called you I'd told a friend she could give one of her friends
my number.  Well, last night my friend's friend called and we went out to
eat.  I just want to honest and up front with you."

   Denise nodded.  "Thanks.  Did you guys get along?"

   "Yeah, I think we did."

   She leaned forward, her eyes boring holes in him.  "Where did you eat?"

   It wasn't the question he'd expected.  He wasn't sure what he'd expected
her reaction to be, though.

   "We met at Nasty Jacks."

   Denise leaned back and laughed.  "Not exactly romance central." She
looked around with a smile on her face.

   Chad laughed and glanced around with her.  The lights were low.  There
was a candle on the table giving it ambiance.  It was quiet and they were
in a booth with high walls that gave them an illusion of privacy.

   "No, but the food is good."

   "If you can eat it, I guess.  Everything they have is way too spicy for
me.  I can't even take the blackened shrimp they serve here." Denise
laughed.

   At least she didn't seem mad.  Would she be if she knew Alice had spent
the night with him?  Well, he reasoned, he'd told her he had a date.  She
didn't need to know the details.

   "So, what's she like?" Denise was still staring intently at him.

   "Who?"

   "My competition.  What's her name?"

   "Alice." Chad paused looking into her eyes.  Her face had gone flat and
he was having a hard time reading her.  "Do you really want to talk about
this?  I only brought it up to be upfront with you."

   She nodded as she carefully cut the tail off of a shrimp from her
scampi.

   Chad took a deep breath, wishing he'd never said anything.  "Well. 
She's like you in some ways: very direct, straightforward, smart, and she
definitely knows what she wants."

   Denise eyed him, holding the shrimp on her fork.  "And what does she
want, Chad?" She put the shrimp in her mouth.

   He laughed and felt his face go red.  "Well, that's the part that is
different from you.  She calls herself, polyamorous." Chad didn't really
expect Denise to know what that meant.

   Denise chewed the shrimp carefully and set her fork down on the table.
"Is that what you want?  You want to swing and have wild parties and screw
every woman you can seduce into your bed?" Her face was still flat but her
narrowed eyes gleamed.

   Chad looked at her for a moment.  This was not going well and he wanted
to turn it around.  On the other hand, she wanted honesty.  Could she take
honesty?

   He shrugged, making up his mind to be as frank as she was.

   "I don't think it's all about that.  Oh, I'm sure there is that element
to it, but the way she explained it made sense.  Don't you think that
people have the capacity to love more than one person?"

   "Of course we do.  Monogamy isn't about not loving others.  It's about
being devoted to one person.  You can't be devoted to someone and still be
having sex with another.  It's just not possible."

   Chad furrowed his brows.  "Please don't get me wrong, I'm not saying
it's right for everyone, but with her, for her, it seems to be working. 
She is happy.  Not inhibited, free."

   "And you think that it would be right for you." It wasn't a question. 
Denise hadn't touched her fork again.

   "No.  I don't know what is right for me.  All my life, what I've wanted
was a woman to love and be true to.  One that would love me back and be
true to me.  I found a woman I loved and I was faithful to her for seven
years.  Five years in, I found out she wasn't faithful to me.  We still
tried to make it but two years of trying proved she couldn't be faithful
and I couldn't live with the hurt.  Maybe if I'd been more open to her
needs, maybe if I could have given up on the fairytale of two people
falling in love and not needing more... I don't know."

   Denise reached out and took his hand.  She held it gently until he
looked up at her again.  The tear that betrayed him and slid down his cheek
embarrassed him, but he met her eyes.

   "It doesn't have to be a fairytale, Chad.  Sometimes it seems like it
and it gets worse every year, but it can come true."

   "Have you found it?"

   "No, but my parents did.  My mother and father have been together fifty
years."

   "And neither one of them has ever cheated?" Chad kept his eyes locked on
hers.

   She shrugged.  "I have no way of knowing that.  But I know they still
love each other.  They hold hands when they walk.  Dad still tells mom
she's beautiful every day.  They still kiss like lovers.  That is what I
want, Chad.  And I'm willing to wait for it.  I'm willing to wait and work
and cry myself to sleep at night until I get it.  I'm thirty-one years old
and I'm still waiting."

   "What if you find it and then you realize that even filet mignon gets
old after a while and you want something different?"

   Denise blinked.  "What?"

   "It's an analogy that Alice used.  She said that she liked variety and
that she didn't want the same thing every day.  She said that even if you
had the best, filet mignon, sometimes you wanted something else, like spicy
bar-b-que." Chad didn't mention the taco and hotdog thing.

   "I see.  So she is filet mignon, huh.  Well, I may be ground sirloin
compared to a sexual Olympian like her, but," she gave him a wink, "ground
sirloin can be very versatile.  I assure you that I can keep a man
interested for a very long time."

   Chad laughed.  "I bet you can."

   The rest of the meal went well.  They laughed and talked.  He told her
about Becky and how much she meant to him.  She loved children and wanted
to have some of her own, but wouldn't mind a step daughter as amazing as
Chad made Becky sound.

   "You have to do what is right for your daughter, Chad.  I know it's
hard, especially not seeing her as much as you'd like, but you have to be
as good a father to her as you can be." Denise was smiling and she squeezed
his hand.

   "I know, and I do try.  It's hard when Jennifer won't let me see her."

   Eyes shining, Denise rubbed his knuckles.  "Sandy was right, you are a
good man."

   Chad sighed.  "I just hope I'm good enough for Becky.  I want her to be
proud of me."

   "I'm sure she is." Denise said, her eyes locked on him.

   At the end of the night, he was still holding her hand across the table.
After paying the tab, he led her out and then took her home.  She once
again sat against the door but Chad didn't push it.  At her home, he helped
her out of the pickup and walked her to the door.

   "Denise, I'd like to see you again." He said at the door.

   "What about Alice?"

   Chad blinked and tried to think of what to say about that.  He thought
they had got past his date.  Now he realized, it was a deal breaker for
Denise.  It probably would have been for him too.  His mind spun.  His eyes
were locked with hers.

   After a minute, Denise smiled and reached for the door handle.

   "Chad, I like you.  I really do.  You were honest with me and that
counts for a lot.  Tell you what, you think about it and when you make up
your mind give me a call.  I won't be the other woman or have a man who has
another woman.  If you want to date me, it's got to be just me.  I like you
and if you can play by my rules, I'd love to see you again.  Call me when
you know what you want."

   She reached up and brushed her hand across his cheek.  Her touch was
warm and soft.  And then she was gone and the door closed behind her.

   Chad made it home, but he couldn't remember the trip.  His mind had been
in turmoil.  He hoped he hadn't broken too many laws or caused any
accidents while he'd been running on autopilot.  He fell into his bed after
pulling his boots off and lay there thinking about everything that had
happened to him in the past couple of weeks.  On one hand, he could have as
much hedonistic pleasure as he could stand with two women who turned him on
immensely.  On the other was a woman he believed could be the woman of his
dreams.  Denise was smart, engaging, and funny all at the same time.  He
couldn't have both.  He fell asleep with visions of Lilly, Alice, and
Denise fighting for supremacy in his mind.

   He woke up to a pounding on his door.  He was still wearing the clothes
he'd worn on his date with Denise but they were now wrinkled badly. 
Stumbling from his bed, he tripped over his boots and cursed as he looked
at the clock.  Seven-thirty!  He should have been up an hour ago.  He
didn't have to work, but he never slept this late.  The pounding on the
front door commenced again and this time Jennifer's voice followed.  The
bolo tie had come undone during the night and he pulled it off and slung it
onto the dresser before rushing to the door.

   "Chad, come on, open up.  We need to talk.  Chad!"

   He opened the door.  His ex-wife and daughter were there.  He looked at
his ex and then smiled at Becky before returning his eyes to Jennifer.  She
looked like crap.  Her hair was mussed, her makeup smeared and it was
obvious she'd been crying from the black mascara streaks under her eyes. 
Her blouse was wrinkled and looked dirty and her slacks looked like they'd
been worn too many days in a row.  She was wearing low flats.  Her large
purse hung from her shoulder carelessly.

   "Good morning, Jennifer."

   "Chad, please let us in.  I need to talk to you."

   He shrugged and backed out of the doorway.  "Come on in."

   "Becky, go play over there, while Chad and I talk," Jennifer said
hustling the small girl toward the living room area.  The apartment was
small and the living room, kitchen, and dining area were really only one
big room with a counter separating the kitchen.

   Chad led Jennifer to the table and they sat down.  She reached into her
purse and pulled out a crumpled overstuffed envelope.  It had the business
logo from her lawyer's office on it.

   "Oh crap, Jennifer.  I pay my child support on time every month.  I do
everything I'm supposed to do.  I can't afford anymore.  Look at this dump
I'm living in.  Eighteen-hundred a month is all I can do."

   She looked up at him.  "It's not that, Chad." Her hands shook as she
pulled the papers from the envelope.  "Please, sign." Tears leaked down her
cheeks as she dropped her hands down by her side.

   He looked at the papers and his eyes widened.  He stole a glance up at
his ex and then looked back at the papers and read them closely.  It took
several minutes and Jennifer just sat there with tears streaming down her
face.

   "Is this really what you want?"

   "No!" she sobbed, her face dropping into her hands.  "But it's what I
need.  What Becky needs." She raised her face.  "She can't be around my
friends, Chad.  With you she'll have a stable life without all of the drama
and ..." She choked on a sob and then steeled herself.  "Look, please.  I
know you want this.  No more child support payments and you have your
daughter.  I know I broke your heart and I know it nearly killed you losing
Becky.  Please just sign the papers and I'll leave.  You never have to see
me again.  You won't see me again.  No visitation, no parental rights, no
fights, nothing."

   Chad looked down at the papers.  They gave him full custody of his
daughter.  Jennifer was right.  She wouldn't have the right to even see
Becky again.  His eyes narrowed and he looked up at her.

   "Why?"

   She shook her head.  "It's what's best for Becky and best for me.  Don't
you want her?"

   "Of course I want her, Jennifer." It suddenly occurred to him that he
should sign the papers and not question this turn of events.  He grabbed a
pen from the counter and, after reading the papers one more time, signed
his name.  He noted that Jennifer's signature was already there along with
the notary seal.

   "You'll have to take them to the lawyer's to have them file them, but
they said that as long as you didn't challenge it, there wouldn't be any
problem with the courts since this is by my request." She stood up and
wiped the tears from her cheeks.  "Her suitcase is in the car."

   After telling Becky he'd be right back Chad followed Jennifer to her car
to get the suitcase.  After getting it out of the back seat he paused. 
"You said I won't see you again.  Is everything okay?  Are you in some kind
of trouble?"

   She laughed sadly.  "Baby, when did you ever know me to not be in
trouble?  I'm moving to Albuquerque.  I'll be okay." She nodded her head
and Chad could swear she was trying to convince herself.

   "You have my number." He said quietly.  "Becky would be better off with
her mother and father in her life."

   "No, Chad, she wouldn't.  You don't know how far down I've gone.  She
needs you and she deserves to be loved and cherished and have a happy
childhood where she will be protected and loved.  You'll give her that.  I
wouldn't.  I can't." Jennifer climbed into her car.  "Explain this to
Becky. She doesn't know yet.  Take care of my daughter.  She's yours now.
Love her, protect her, and give her what I can't.  When she is old enough
to understand, please tell her how much I loved her."

   "Shit, Jennifer, you're starting to scare me."

   She smiled at him, but there was pain behind the smile.  Then she put
the car into gear and drove out of his life.

   Chad took the suitcase up the stairs to his apartment.  Becky was in
front of the television with the food network playing.  She watched him
enter with her suitcase.

   "Is mommy gone?" she asked.

   "Yes, Becky, she's gone."

   Becky nodded once then jumped up and rushed to him.  Throwing her arms
around him, she sobbed into his knees.  Chad didn't know what else to do so
he dropped the suitcase and knelt down to hug his daughter.  He held her
for a long time as she clung to him.  Finally she pulled back.

   "I love you, daddy."

   "I love you too, pumpkin."

   "I'll never see mommy again.  Will I daddy?"

   "I don't know, sweetie.  She's moving to Albuquerque.  But she loves you
very much.  She just thinks this is best for you."

   Becky nodded.  "It's because of Uncle Mike.  He's not a nice man."

   Chad's brow furrowed.  "What did he do?"

   "He said he didn't want me around.  He said I was ugly and useless."

   "Oh, baby, he was so wrong.  You are beautiful and anything but useless.
You are so smart and such a big helper." Chad wiped a tear from her cheek.
"We're going to have to find a new place though.  You need your own
bedroom."

   "I like it here, daddy, but it would be nice to have my own room.  Could
I have some toys too?  Maybe a dollhouse?  Like I had before you left?"

   It suddenly occurred to him that all Jennifer had dropped off for her
was her same suitcase she always brought.

   "Didn't you have any toys at your moms?"

   "No, Mommy didn't let me to have toys."

   Chad suddenly felt like a heel.  He'd been so caught up in his self-pity
and hurt that he'd never questioned what he assumed was normal for a
six-year-old girl.

   "We'll make sure you have lots of toys and the biggest dollhouse we can
find.  But let's get moved before we buy the dollhouse.  Not much room in
here for it."

   Becky giggled and laughed and threw her arms around Chad's neck.  He got
her suitcase into the bedroom and went through it.  Two dresses, another
pair of jeans, three t-shirts and a small assortment of underwear were all
it contained.  Most of the clothes were dirty.  He started a load of her
laundry and then went back to the living room.

   "Are you hungry?"

   "Yes!  Pancakes?" she jumped up.

   He laughed.  "I don't have the stuff for pancakes, so we'll just have to
go out.  Do you like IHOP?"

   After breakfast, Chad called a realtor that he knew managed rental
houses.  They had a few two bedrooms that were available right away so he
arranged to see them.  Becky thought it was great to go house-hunting.  She
seemed amazed with each one and they settled on the second one they were
shown.  They would be able to move in a week later.  They went to McDonalds
for lunch.  After they had finished their meal, Becky wanted to go play in
the indoor playground so he cleaned the table and moved where he could
watch her play.  As she ran around and climbed in the tubes he thought
about his future.

   Having Becky changed things.  He had to think of what was best for her.
He remembered Alice saying kids wouldn't fit her lifestyle and guessed that
that is what Jennifer had discovered, although he suspected it may have
been worse than that.  Should he have stopped her from going?  Could he
have stopped her?  Three weeks ago he would have tried but his feelings for
her were gone.  She had her own life and he wasn't her father or her
protector.  He knew Denise wanted kids, but he'd told her he only got one
weekend a month with Becky.  Somehow he knew she would be happy for him.

   What about Alice and Lilly?  Lilly was so beautiful, but she was married
to the man of her dreams, or so she said.  All he could ever have with
Lilly was sex.  With Alice, maybe it could be more, but she would never be
devoted to him.  Did that matter?  If they loved one another, would it
matter if she loved others?

   While he thought and watched Becky playing in the indoor playground his
phone rang.  He answered it without looking at the caller ID.

   "Hello."

   "Hi,Chad." Alice's sultry voice filled his ear.

   Chad glanced across the playground at his daughter.  "Hi, Alice."

   "Whatcha doing?"

   "Having lunch with my daughter.  What are you doing?"

   "Thinking of you.  Can you talk?"

   "Sure."

   "Any chance you want some company tonight?  I could bring a friend. 
She's very cute and very interested in meeting you."

   "Alice I can't." He took a deep breath.  "I got custody of my daughter
this morning."

   "Full custody?  I thought you just had her one weekend a month?" Her
voice had lost its sultry tone.

   "Yeah, out of the blue, her mom dropped her off, gave me the signed
paperwork, and took off.  She's my responsibility now."

   "Wow!" There was silence on the phone for a while.  "That's pretty
heavy, Chad.  Are you okay?"

   "Yeah.  Yeah, I'm fine." Chad watched Becky slide down the slide and
then run around to climb back up the ladder.  She was giggling and
screaming with a little boy a few years younger than her.  It amazed him
how resilient children were.  "In fact, this is the best thing that has
ever happened to me." He knew he was grinning like an idiot watching his
daughter play.

   "So I guess that's gonna limit your partying time, huh?"

   "Alice, look, the night we shared was wonderful and you almost convinced
me.  Hell, maybe you did convince me.  I don't know.  You are a beautiful,
sexy woman and I know I could fall in love with you.  But having my
daughter changes things."

   "Some of our group have children and they manage.  You could find a
babysitter.  You'll need one anyway.  I mean you work, right.  We can make
it work and she never needs to know."

   Chad sighed.  She was right, he could make it work, but Becky was very
perceptive.  She'd know what was going on.  He didn't want her to know that
his dad had multiple sexual partners.  He wanted to be her knight in
shining armor, at least until she was older and another knight rode up to
take her away.

   "I don't think I could, Alice."

   "Chad you have to do what is right for you.  Your daughter will be fine,
but you only get one chance at life.  You have to make it good for
yourself. Find a babysitter tonight and we can party at my place.  You can
be home by midnight."

   "I'm sorry, Alice.  I can't do that.  God help me, I want to.  I want
what you offer, but I can't.  Not with my daughter to care for."

   There was silence on the phone for a moment and then Alice spoke in a
soft, resigned tone.

   "I understand, lover.  I'm gonna miss you.  Lilly is going to be
heartsick, but you have to do what you think is best.  Have a good life,
lover.  Who knows what the future will bring." Alice hung up.

   Chad looked up and saw Becky standing in front of him watching him
intently.

   "Who was that, daddy?"

   "Just a friend."

   "A girlfriend?"

   "No.  Not anymore at least."

   "Is it my fault?" The little girl's eyebrows furrowed.

   "No, sweetie.  Not at all." Chad smiled at her.  "Run play, I have
another phone call to make."

   Becky smiled before rushing back to the playground.  He watched his
daughter run to join her new friend in the climbing tubes and then pulled
up Denise's number on his phone.