Formalising the arrangement – Part 1

After one of our gym sessions the following week, Sally paused as we reached the car park.
“Luce?”
“Mmm.”
“Are you ready to talk?”
I thought about it.
“Yes. I think so.”
“Me too. We’re booked for the gym after work on Friday. How about we talk after that?”

“Where shall we go?” Sal asked.
We’d showered after the gym and were walking to the car park.
“Are you happy to come to my place? Or do you want somewhere neutral?”
“Oh, yours will be fine.”
“Let’s pick up a takeaway en route.”
When we got home, I opened a bottle of wine, and we attacked the food first. As we got to the fork-poking stage, it went a bit quiet. I looked at her; she was looking thoughtful. Perhaps a little nervous. Was that a bad sign?
“So …?” I asked.
She took a deep breath.
“Okay. Who’s going first?”
“I think you should. Your situation is the complicated one.”
“True, but if you aren’t interested, there’s no complication.”
“All right,” I said. “My position is simple. What happened was incredible. The best sex I’ve had in years with someone who already means something to me. Of course I’d like to carry on, but I don’t want to hurt you or Marcus. I’ve never even imagined being in a situation like this before, and I am struggling to see a way it would work. What would we do? Rush home at lunchtime for a quickie? Snatch an hour or two here and there? It all sounds a bit desperate.”
“Yes, the way you portray it is a bit tacky.”
“Have you got a better idea?”
“Yes, as it happens.”
“Go on.”
“Luce, I know I’m being greedy, but I want it to continue as well. Perhaps I’m being selfish. And I want to be clear my primary commitment is to Marcus.”
“I understand that.”
“But I want to explore this side of me; find out where it leads, what it means. The opportunity to do this with someone I trust and who means something to me as well is perfect. I had a few ideas about how it could work, but it was talking to Marcus that clarified it.”
“Why am I not surprised?” Sometimes I wonder if he’s our puppet master.”
“Well, they were ideas I’d dismissed because I didn’t think he’d be happy with them.”
“Such as …?”
“How about we spend the odd night together or the occasional weekend away? Or both?”
It was better than I’d dared hope.
“Really?”
“Yes. But would you be happy with that?”
“God, yes. My last few lovers never lived with me. I was happy to see them once or twice a week. I’ve grown accustomed to more personal space as I get older.”
“I had noticed. It’s one of the reasons I thought of it. Look, I don’t know if this is going to work. It might all go pear-shaped. But isn’t it worth a try?”
My heart was racing. The prospect of having a best friend and lover in this one person was exhilarating. I’d thought of little else since we’d got home.
“Yes. I think it is.”
Sal reached her hands across the table and I clasped them.
“So,” she said, “we have a plan?”
“Marcus is happy?”
“He seems to like pimping me.”
“Aren’t pimps supposed to make money out of it?”
“Good point. I’ll tell him he’s doing it wrong.”
“No, keep quiet. Otherwise, it’ll cost me a fortune. I don’t think I could afford you.”
We carried the remains of the food back into the kitchen, and Sal watched while I tidied up. I needed to ask a question.
“How often would this happen? I mean, are we going to plan these things, or go with the flow.”
“I was all for formalising it. But Marcus pointed out we might want to keep it flexible, so it didn’t become too rigid. He suggested a night every week or so and a weekend away every so often. But I’m open to suggestions.”
We chatted about the possibilities, both relieved to have got the worst part over. I suspect we both feared the other might have decided not to continue. Now it was about the details. After we’d agreed a rough plan, Sal went to the bathroom.
I sat there, my heartbeat now stable. I realised how important this had been to me. I’d been so tense in the lead up to this meeting. Not sure whether I was facing disappointment or happiness but expecting the worst. I closed the curtains and put some lights on. When Sal returned, she came over to me and pushed my back to the wall.
“Are we good, then?”
“Yea. We’re good.”
She put her lips on mine, and kissed me slowly, putting her hands on the wall behind me. My body woke surprisingly quickly. I responded, my arms around her back.
“This plan …” I asked.
“Mmm.”
“When does it start?”
She kissed my neck.
“Well. When I left Marcus this morning …”
Another kiss.
“… I said, ‘see you tonight’.”
And another.
“Do you know what he said?”
My skin tingled as her lips kept brushing my skin.
“No …”
“He said, ‘see you in the morning’.”
Another kiss.
“Which means I’m homeless for the night.”
“I might be able to help you there.”
Her lips glided across my cheek, finally reaching mine again, and kissing me hard. I responded, but as I did so, she pulled away slightly and unbuttoned my dress. Occasionally teasing me by leaning in towards me again; withdrawing her lips as I bent to meet them. Sliding her hands under the material, she slid the dress off my shoulders, and I leaned away from the wall to allow it to fall to the floor.