Don’t Judge A Book Ch 09 free porn video

Sunday 5th November 2017

My wonderful husband Dave left off the last chapter describing our decision to call a pause in the newly liberated lifestyle we’d just started tasting. I say our decision, but that’s a little unfair. It was basically my decision, which Dave was happy to support as he made clear to me that he didn’t want to carry on with our new lifestyle if I had any doubts. (He also made clear that he found watching me with other guys incredibly erotic, but that was as nothing compared to the importance of our love and marriage. Sweet man! Always knowing the right thing to say.) For me, the sex with Daryl had been amazing, both because it was new and different and because of Daryl’s talents as a lover. But I found the idea of Dave with other women difficult and was also worried that our new open lifestyle might, in the end, harm our marriage, just as it had done to our friends Charlotte and Callan.

Once we’d reached this decision, the talking stopped and the rest of Saturday was a wonderful time of love-making and enjoying being together as a couple. Having come to this decision, I felt like a huge weight had been taken off my shoulders. Before the decision, I’d felt torn and conflicted. I couldn’t deny the power and excitement of the new sexual itch that had been unleashed in my mind these last weeks. But at the same time, I had this terrible feeling of dread, that giving in to these sexual urges would slowly chip away at what Dave and I had so patiently and lovingly built these last twenty years. I can’t really explain it, maybe like a diabetic giving in to the desire for chocolate, knowing it’s going to rot their teeth and add a little more to the depth of their condition. Pleasurable and a rush in the short term, but with the sad feeling in their heart that there’s a price to be paid further down the line.

But with this decision made, I felt a lightness of the spirit. All thoughts of the damage we might be doing to our love floating away into the clear blue skies. I felt the same way I did when I finished my undergraduate exams. Suddenly care-free, with an all-consuming happiness and the thought that this happiness would stretch endlessly into the distance. Just like a post-exam student thinking that the work and stress-free summer will last forever.

That was my mood that Sunday, with the lightness in my soul dragging Dave along in my wake. I knew he was a little disappointed to be denied the sugar rush of watching me with other guys, not to mention a follow-up session with his new fuck-buddy Gemma. But loving me as he did, he was more than happy to be dragged along in my slipstream of happiness.

After a languid morning in bed, I decided to give him a treat by lovingly sucking his cock, before positioning him head-up on the pillows as my favorite fuck-toy, straddling him and looking lovingly at my wonderful man as I mounted him and enveloped his manhood deep within my pussy. All thoughts of Daryl or any of the other guys who I knew would like to bed me weren’t even within a thousand miles of my thoughts. Dave was my life and I loved to be able to slowly fuck him. Lifting up and down, doing all the work for my man and putting his hands on my big tits which I knew he loved playing with so much.

I pampered my man like this for some time, our eyes always connected in unspoken love and feeling, two lovers and life partners linked in a way that felt new and special all over again. Even as I squeezed and milked him and we shared sweet kisses, I knew that before long his male pride would take over and he’d spin me into a new position where he’d be the one in control. Smiling to myself, I wondered how long he could delay this moment and which position he’d choose.

The answer wasn’t long in the coming. It was barely a couple of minutes after I’d had this wicked thought that Dave spun me over. And he was in the mood to be a greedy boy. First, he turned me over and had me kneel on my knees, so he could fuck me from behind. What followed was wonderful for me and Dave. I loved feeling him so deep and could almost hear myself purring as he took me roughly, the power and forcefulness of his strokes making me happy and satisfied at so many different levels. As I enjoyed his deep and rhythmic taking of my body, I moaned as he alternated between playing with my boobs and enjoying watching them swing back and forth in time with his hips. Like some sexy pendulum in a horny grandfather clock, as he’d told me on more than one occasion. (And I’m meant to be the literary one with the English major.)

But my greedy husband flipped me over once again and grinned wickedly as he rubbed himself up and down my pussy lips, once again making me moan as he rubbed his glans against my clit. Reaching inside me, he gently found and then stroked at my G-spot with his fingers, making me squeeze my eyes shut and pant deeply. Bastard! I knew he was doing this to get me just to the edge, and that as soon as I was teetering on the edge he’d back off. Maybe repeat it a couple more times before finally putting himself back inside me to finish us both off together.

I smiled up at my man. I knew, and he knew I knew. He just smiled and continued our game, as I pulled him down to assault his mouth. Half ambush and half love, two people dedicated and joined as one, enjoying the power of passion and game-playing. I loved this man and was so glad it was just him and me today, tomorrow and for the next few months.

He built me up, let me climb back down three full times before finally putting himself back inside my warm and welcoming body. From the look in his eyes, I knew he wasn’t far off cuming himself and he immediately hammered in and out with all the force and speed he could manage.

Looking deep into each other’s eyes, no words were needed as we kissed with a hunger and soulfulness lifted up by the last weeks’ events, both crying out as we came together, as my body shook intensely as I felt Dave’s cock pulse and spurt, feeling the warmth of his seed filling my pussy.

Our eyes still locked together, hands playing with each other’s hair, we gasped down many deep lungfuls of air. We shared a special smile, a special moment. Two hearts and two lives bonded into one. Fully back together after a crazy fortnight of experimentation and others. Maybe not a crazy thing for others, but for me that’s what it felt like, after twenty years loving and building a life with one man.

As we cuddled up we were comfortable with the silence between us. At heart, both introverts, we were both enjoying the peace and space with our thoughts, knowing we’d share and talk when we were ready. So different than Callan, the only other man I’d been with, and Charlotte. Both of them classic extroverts – normally brash, confident and noisy – quiet thoughtful moments the exception for them.

I wasn’t quite sure why I’d suddenly thought of our friends and how different they were, but the thought didn’t last long as Dave soon dragged me out for a late breakfast at our favorite romantic restaurant on the shoreline. After a leisurely two hour meal, we walked hand-in-hand along the coast, enjoying a wonderful afternoon. Sometimes people watching, sometimes talking about shared memories or family, sometimes quiet and enjoying the beauty. Before these last few weeks, if you’d have asked I’d have said Dave and I were happy and close. But even so, I couldn’t remember a time such as this where I felt so close to Dave, and I know he felt the same.

We headed home mid-afternoon and on the spur of the moment detoured to the local Multiplex to watch a movie. We didn’t really have a movie in mind. It’s just we wanted to prolong the moment and do again all the things we did when we were first dating. To relive our youth, in keeping with the way these last days had re-opened our eyes to each other.

Back home after a decidedly mediocre movie, we didn’t care. We’d reclaimed a little bit more of the stolen years. We made love again and Dave couldn’t resist following me into the shower, which became the scene of some more frolicking before Dave managed to get hard again and we made love a final time.

As we lay in bed recovering, we talked, just content to hold each other. As we talked, we were both happy with the decision we’d made. But we were also both honest enough to know that the new super-charged romance and love-life we’d enjoyed this weekend was a direct offshoot of the games we’d allowed ourselves to play these last two weeks. In some ways, it was a strange position to be in. Grateful for the benefits of the game we’d allowed ourselves to play. But also happy that we’d decided to call a halt to the game.

It was during this conversation that Dave finally blurted out a question he said had been on his mind since he’d listened in on the Friday night conversation. When Callan and Byron had been horsing around to persuade me as to which of them was the better bet for me, as and when I called time on the pause in our new open lifestyle.

Dave seemed a little bashful and embarrassed as he asked me to explain exactly what Callan had meant when he’d said ‘I’m sure you remember what great music we used to make together. I’m sure you remember how talented I am down there’.

Hearing his question, I was soon blushing as much as Dave. Knowing I was about to have to tell Dave something I’d never felt a need to tell him before. I know he’d been excited by the fact that my new lover Daryl had a big cock. But now I knew I had to tell him that our friend Callan, my one-time college boyfriend, was also blessed with a cock which was almost as ‘talented’ as Daryl’s. I knew enough about the male ego to know that this might be a problem for Dave. It’s one thing to know that your wife’s had a one-night fling with the top dog at the local swinging club, quite another to know that the only other guy in her life before she married you was similarly blessed. I’d never told Dave this because to me it really was a none issue until recent events. The way I looked at it, different guys have different good points and bad points. One guy might make me laugh, while another might be thoughtful and romantic. Dave was the guy I’d fallen in love with after having my heart broken by Callan, the man with whom I’d built a life together. And he was a wonderful and considerate lover who had a perfectly adequate cock. So until now, I’d honestly not really thought about the fact that my ex-boyfriend was better equipped,

But now, twenty plus years into our relationship, I’d have to tell Dave that of the three men I’d known in my life, he was the only one who had an average sized cock.

Taking a deep breath, I bit the bullet, hoping Dave might be excited, in the same way, he found it hot that Daryl had a big cock. My pained expression reassured him that I wasn’t enjoying this. “Honey, I think you know what Callan meant. But if you want me to spell it out, then yes, Callan has a big cock like Daryl.”

Dave was silent. Normally I’m comfortable with silences between us, but this time felt different and I burbled on to fill the awkward silence. “I didn’t think to tell you, because it honestly didn’t occur to me to tell you. It’s never been important to me. From the days when we started dating and I fell in love you, it’s just not even been something I’ve thought about. Until the other day with Daryl, it’s been a non-issue for me.”

Normally I can read Dave quite easily. He’s not someone who likes to hide his feelings. His face showed a mix of excitement and concern. I don’t know why, but I suddenly burst out laughing. Rolling over to give the man in my life a huge hug and a passionate kiss, my eyes smiling and laughing into his.

“Honey, I can see your confused. Excited and worried. Well, there’s no reason to be worried, it’s you that I love, even if you don’t have a cock as big as Daryl or Callan’s. So you're safe to enjoy the strange pleasure you get, without worrying I’m going to love you any the less or leave you for some big-cocked stud.”

The tension and stress left my husband’s handsome face as we hugged and laughed together. As we pulled apart a little, I knew he should be the next one to speak, and I waited patiently.

“Sometimes I wish you didn’t know me so well,” he grinned. “Can’t a guy have any secrets?”

It was my turn to beath a sigh of relief, so happy that Dave was relaxed and strangely excited that my ex-boyfriend had a big cock like Daryl.

Logically I get it, but I’ll never really understand the whole cock size thing for guys. Inevitably Dave wanted more details, so we had a surreal conversation where I told him that a guy in my life from twenty years ago was smaller than Daryl but bigger than him. Even then, Dave wanted more detail about length and girth!

Finally, my loving husband’s inquisition was over and we could return to discussing more normal matters before we finally fell asleep, tired from a wonderful day of romance and making love.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

‘All good things must come to an end’ as I learned studying Chaucer at college. That was our Monday morning, as the real world of work, stress, and down-sizing broke into the happy little bubble of utopia we’d built that weekend.

For the first hour of the day, I was still a little bit in dreamland. A fact which my boss Chris commented on as we worked on one of his presentations for an upcoming meeting with the Unions at one of the plants that was about to shed jobs. I apologized and tried my best to concentrate. But I couldn’t help but smile when Dave texted me.

‘Missin’ you already I can’t believe how much I miss you and ache for us to be together. Til this evening, D x’

Chris noticed my smile and grabbed my phone to read the text. I immediately blushed, embarrassed but at the same time relieved that Dave hadn’t sent a more explicit message. I’ve worked for Chris for five years now and we’ve got a great relationship. He also knows Dave pretty well. Although they’re chalk and cheese in many ways, they’ve often spent time talking about engineering at company events and get along well.

Chris just grinned. “Love’s young dream. The two of you must have had a pretty special weekend, I guess. What with Abigail and Sarah off at college now. Now I know why you’ve seemed someplace else this morning.”

He said it mostly in jest, with a teasing ‘big brother’ tone (although he’s actually younger than me), but I also sensed a slight wistfulness. That we had something that he’d have loved, having been through a messy divorce a couple of years ago when his wife finally got tired of his cheating ways.

“Sorry,” was all I could think to say, “I’ll try and concentrate.”

“That okay. Maybe if Katt and I had a little of what you and Dave have, we’d still be together,” said in a sad and understanding tone, as if there was nothing for me to say sorry for.

I swear I didn’t consciously think of the real reason why he and Katt had split, but there must have been something in my expression that sparked a change in Chris. He suddenly changed from sad and wistful to his more normal wicked charmer persona, grinning at me. “Okay, maybe that and if I’d have kept it zipped a little better. Then maybe me and Katt would still be like you and Dave.”

Although I was still blushing, we knew each other too well for there to really be any awkwardness or disapproval between us. All through his messy divorce, even though he was definitely the ‘guilty party’, I’d sometimes been the big sister comforting him when things got a little too much for him. I didn’t approve of his cheating ways, but I liked him as a person and we’d grown close over the last years.

Chris and I had too much to do to really linger or get distracted further, so we soon moved on and back to getting the tone and content of his presentation just right.

It was only when we stopped for a short thirty-minute snatched lunch that the subject came back up. Not surprisingly, it was Chris who raised the subject.

“So, Jill, honey, was there anything specific from this weekend that triggered Dave’s outpouring of unrequited love? Or was it just a re-flowering of long lost love, now that the kids are out of the way?” He paused and grinned. “I feel that, as your boss, with your best interests at heart, I have both a right and a duty to know.”

For an engineer, he had a way with words. And a cocky arrogance that had both got his marriage in trouble at the same time as it helped him climb the slippery pole. Only thirty-seven years old, he was already the Senior VP for Operations with a seat on the full management committee. He was at least five years younger than anyone else on the committee, and it wasn’t because he was slow in coming forward.

Staring at my boss’s grinning face, I thought of all the times he’d shared things with me as he struggled through his messy divorce from Katt. He’d always been open with me, telling me many times how he valued our openness and friendship. Since those times, our relationship felt more like that of two friends working together, rather than the conventional ‘Boss-PA’ relationship. Even if there had been no formal hierarchy, I’d most likely have let him take the lead. That was just who he was, and who I was. Forty years of work and life had taught me that. Be yourself and let others do the same.

Looking into his smiling and deeply inquisitive blue eyes, not to share with him the source of the newly discovered zest in our marriage felt a bit of a betrayal. Like I’d be a hypocrite after all Chris had shared with me these last two years, somehow not holding up my end of our friendship.

Chris was more than smart enough to know that I was weighing my options. For once he stayed silent and waited, not something that came easily to a man who was normally such a forceful and active Alpha.

“Only tell me if you want to, Sis,” he asked, a gentleness and patience in his voice, using the nickname he’d given me since I’d helped him through his split from Katt. ‘Big Sis’ was a joke we both enjoyed.

Both a strength and a weakness, I find it hard not to be honest and open when I’m asked a direct question. I could feel the butterflies growing in my tummy, my body’s subconscious way of telling me I’d already decided to tell him. My conscious brain caught up and I forced a nervous smile.

“Promise you won’t tell a soul, and that you’ll not tease or judge me.”

Hands held high as if taking an oath, “I swear, Jill. I swear,” his face serious enough to make me believe him.

“You know that I’ve told you before, there are a couple of swinging groups where we live. Well, don’t ask me how or why, but Dave and I dabbled a bit in the last couple of weeks.”

Chris’s eyes had opened wide as I finished the first half of my sentence. By the end, they’d been joined by a sly grin.

“Whoever would have thought it?” he asked, his sly grin now a 200-watt beam. “You know what they say, Don’t judge a book by its cover. Well, I guess you and Dave are now officially living proof of that saying.”

I felt myself blush beetroot red to the roots of my hair, ninety-nine percent of me wishing the earth would swallow me and that I’d taken a different decision.

But Chris was nowhere near done. “Who’d have thought it? You and Dave? I always had the two of you down as the ‘to death do us part’ types. But now I hear you two are just as naughty and horny as the rest of us. Hell, I may have to hand you my crown as officially the most morally degenerate person in the office.”

“You promised not to tease,” was about all I could splutter by way of reply, my tone of voice and evident embarrassment finally winning some restraint and consideration from my supposed friend and boss.

“Okay, okay. I’m sorry,” Chris told me, as his smile slowly calmed down. “Tell Uncle Chris all about it, and don’t leave any details out,” he added, unable to resist one last quip.

To his credit, Chris didn’t tease me anymore and was mostly silent as I spent the next twenty minutes telling him the whole story, Right from Dave watching the three hormonally-starved rutting males back at the BBQ in July. Through all the talks Dave and I had, all the way to me and Daryl and Dave and Gemma. Right to the point where we’d decided to take a pause, and my joke with Dave that we might do something for his April birthday. I didn’t intend to share so fully, but Chris’s analytical and detail-minded engineer’s brain gently probed and quizzed until I’d told him pretty much everything.

At the end, there was just an awkward silence between us. I don’t know what my face showed, but Chris’s was a blank mask. Not teasing, not judging, not really showing much of anything.

In the end, when he finally spoke, Chris’s words were just about pitch-perfect. He smiled with a warmth and friendship I’d come to value these last few years. “Jill, I’m pleased for you and Dave. We both know hard marriage can be, and if this has put a spark back in your marriage, then that’s great. Long may it continue.”

I smiled at his genuineness, two friends drawn closer together.

But Chris being Chris, he couldn’t resist one final little comment before we started the afternoon’s work.

“But, Jill, honey. If you and Dave do agree to unpress the pause button, do make sure to have a thought for your old pal Chris. My love life’s been a bit of a dessert since Katt, and I promise I wouldn’t think of it as charity.”

What a bullshitter! I knew for a fact his love life had been the opposite of a dessert. Most of the younger single girls in the office had either a small or a large crush on the handsome SVP, and although always careful, Chris hadn’t been slow to enjoy his new found freedom. And that was just the girls in the office. I knew of at least half a dozen other girls he’d had some sort of relationship with over the last couple of years. However much he smiles and tells you he’s changed, a wolf is still a wolf. However much he protests he’s a fully-fledged Vegan now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The rest of the afternoon passed pretty uneventfully. We were so pre-occupied trying to get the presentation to the Unions just right I think we both soon forgot our lunchtime conversation. We were under such time pressure that it was five-thirty, my normal going home time before I realized it. We still had a good couple of hours work in front of us, so I reluctantly picked up my phone to ring Dave.

As soon as Dave picked up I could tell he was in the car. I apologized and explained that I needed to work late. Dave said he was only five minutes from my office and that he was going to divert and wait for me, so we could go for a romantic dinner when I was finished. I told him that was a sweet idea, but that he really didn’t need to and I could make my own way home and meet him there. But he insisted, telling me the weekend had been really special for him and that he was determined to stretch the feeling as long as he could. That the dinner he was definitely taking me to when I was finished was part of this, and that he wasn’t taking no for an answer.

When Dave’s in this mood, there’s no point in arguing. Ten minutes later I was swiping our security pad to let Dave in, after a brief hug and kiss ushering him to one of the visitor’s chairs outside Chris’s office.

Chris came out to greet Dave, and after a few social pleasantries, Chris and I returned to work. The front wall of Chris’s office is a full-length glass window. As Chris and I got back into the swing of preparing the documents for tomorrow’s union meeting, occasionally I’d look across and glance at my husband. There was nothing at all unusual or untoward happening between me and Chris, but before long I realized that Dave had a slightly strange look on his face as he watched Chris and me work. He tried not to be obvious about watching us, but whenever I wasn’t looking at Dave I had that sixth sense that he was looking at me. Trying not to be distracted, I managed to look at him out of the corner of my eye.

Sure enough, my suspicions were proved correct. When he thought neither Chris nor I were looking, Dave was staring at us. With a look I’d last seen when he’d been watching me and Daryl together. I decided to test my theory, and sure enough every time I slowly turned my head towards him, he’d turn away and feign looking at his phone or close his eyes.

As the evening continued, I could only keep half my mind on the job. The other half was wondering what kind of a monster we’d created between us these last two weeks. A monster such that my previously normal husband couldn’t sit and watch me work with a guy I’d worked with platonically for several years, without his mind conjuring up erotic thoughts. Erotic thoughts of what me and my boss might get up to given half a chance.

This realization gave me a really weird mixture of feelings. More than a little angry at Dave, I also felt a little aroused and a little like I wanted to tease and torment my husband. Knowing he was watching and wondering, I started touching Chris’ arm or shoulder whenever the opportunity arose. If Chris noticed anything, he didn’t comment. Never mind, because Dave was reacting enough for two men. Whenever I played this game, I could see my light touches and hints of closeness were making his eyes go wide and his face redden slightly. It was hard not to grin, but I just about managed it, keeping up my little game for the last hour of our work.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dave was as good as his word, and twenty minutes after we’d said goodnight to Chris, my husband was pulling out my chair like a true gent as we took up our favorite corner table and looked forward to a lovely meal.

The table was private enough that after discussing various normal and safe topics, ‘how was your day, dear’ and that kind of thing, I smiled wickedly and asked, “Honey, what was with you staring at me and Chris, back at the office? Getting all red and flushed whenever I was close to Chris or our bodies touched?”

Even the question set off the same red face and wide-eyed look as I’d seen back at the office. I really couldn’t help but grin, nearly bursting out in laughter. My evident mirth seemed to prick the bubble, with Dave’s self-confidence and ability to string two words together magically restored. With a look of realization, he bit. “Oh, I get it. You were playing me. Playing your little game. Let’s see if I can tease my poor old husband.”

At first, there was a hint of anger, but then he saw the funny side and was grinning the same as me. I’d enjoyed playing the game, teasing my poor Dave, but it felt even better to be back on the same page. I leaned across the table and gave my man a tender and loving kiss.

“Is this how it’s going to be now? Is this the monster we’ve created? My previously normal husband can’t look at me in the most innocent of situations without getting all flustered and imaging the worst?” Dave grinned, and I batted my eyelids. “Is this it? Am I going to have to work in a nunnery from here on in?”

After our shared laughter died down, the conversation eventually turned back to more normal things. But later when we got home, I’m pretty sure this gentlest of games was one of the sparks that led to our energetic and passionate love-making. Dave and Jill twice on a Monday night wasn’t something that had happened in many years. Probably not since Slick Willy was President and the world was a simpler place.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tuesday morning I swear our house was visited by imps and goblins. When I went into the shower, laid out on my side of the bed was a perfectly normal work suit. When I returned freshly scrubbed and fragrant, the imps and goblins had rummaged through my wardrobe and replaced this conservative attire with something altogether more provocative and sexy. The kind of outfit a girl in her twenties might choose if she was aiming to use her charms to help her land a much sought after job. Or to land a much sought after man.

Turning to look at my guilty looking husband, I didn’t have it in my heart to get angry. Deep-down I knew it was really me who’d called a halt to our games, remembering how he’d told me he’d like to continue but only if I wanted to. Remembering his look of disappointment.

“Really?” was all I had in me. An apologetic shrug of the shoulders was Dave’s only response at first, before he grinned sheepishly. “Even if I can’t taste the steak, at least let me smell the aroma.”

I hesitated, just standing there wrapped in my long white towel, staring at the clothes and thinking. It was my turn to shrug my shoulders as I thought ‘what the hell’, unwinding my towel and starting with the sexy pink lingerie Dave had chosen.

As I resigned myself to the uniform chosen by my husband, I got a little of my own back. “Go on, into the shower with you,” denying him the pleasure of watching me dress.

Both of us dressed and fed, I kissed my husband, touched his arm just as I had with Chris, and bid my goodbyes. “See you later, honey. We might have to work late again, honey. I’m sure you understand, don’t you?” Dragging out these last syllables, to leave Dave in no doubt of what I was hinting at.

When I got to work, Chris was already at his desk. When I removed my coat, he didn’t notice because he had his nose deep in his emails. But when I brought him his customary Caramel Macchiato, the flesh of my cleavage in his line of sight, the reaction was instant, emails suddenly no longer important.

“Wow! Is it my birthday or something, and I didn’t get the memo?” my wolfish young boss grinned.

“Don’t blame me. It’s Dave,” I blurted out, regretting my open words before they were even out of my mouth. I really can’t dissemble or lie to save my life.

“Jill, that husband of your’s is my new best friend. Remind me to send him a thank you bottle of Rye later,” he smiled.

Throughout the rest of the morning, Chris was just working at his desk. But several times I felt his lustful eyes looking at me. Especially when I had to get up and bend down or stretch up as I reached for files. The short black skirt and flimsy tight blouse Dave had chosen for me really showed off my legs, ass, and bust when I was in any of these positions.

The afternoon was occupied by the meeting with the Union we’d been so busy preparing for the day before. I’m ashamed to admit it, but I was sure several of the Union reps were more than a little distracted by my appearance.

As you can imagine, with so many jobs on the line, the meeting was often heated, with several breaks being called to let tempers cool. By five o’clock, both Chris and I knew we were in for a long session, and reluctantly I texted Dave that I didn’t know when I’d be home.

When all I got back was a single smiling emoji, I felt a strange feeling ran through my body. I really meant what I said about taking a break. It was still only early November, nowhere near April. On Saturday I’d been so determined, but my damned husband wasn’t making it easy for me.  The only girl in the room, looking across first at Chris and then at the five other men in the room, I could have cursed my husband’s response.

(Thanks to Cbears52 for the time kindly given in proofing.)