What Took Us So Long

Here we were, two couples in their mid forties about to experience something so new, and, exciting for the four of us. Neither of us had, what you would call, extensive sexual backgrounds or experiences anymore than the typical one or two others serious relationships before meeting our wives. We'd been married for 35 years, Chad and Jennifer for 32. We had five kids between us, all in college and good jobs, and active within our community. 

Conversations we'd had with each other over the past few weeks led us this room, this night, this moment. It was a high-end suite at a four star hotel in Cincinnati with a beautiful view of Fountain Square. The two rooms were decorated well and the main room had a king sized bed with the smaller having a pull out sofa bed with a full wet bar. 

We were good friends, the four of us. We met 9 years ago when Jennifer and Chad were transferred in from Florida to work at the same plant as Becky and I. We instantly clicked with them, similar interests, similar dreams, similar pasts, but different enough to find each other fascinating and more than enjoyable to be around. We'd spent many evenings double dating, or having dinners or cookouts with the kids when they were youngsters. 

Circumstances leading us to this room started innocently enough. We are a reasonably attractive pair of couples, in decent shape, though not a supermodel among us. Through the last couple of years there were, of course, there you’re your standard suggestive conversations, flirtatious suggestions, and friendly teasing that goes along with any close friendship. We'd never seen each other naked, though I know there were a few sneaked peaks when opportunities presented themselves. No one had gone much beyond the New Year's Eve kiss, which seemed to linger just a little longer each year, as we grew closer. 

Becky and I often joked about trying something different by taking on new partners, and Jennifer and Chad were often the unspoken focus behind those conversations. Not that we ever intended to do anything about it, it just helped us become more excited before making love. But whenever our talk of sharing each other took on a more serious tone, we both quickly backed away, assuring ourselves that it would never happen. Chad and Jennifer, we found out later, had discussed the same things in almost the same way, but had on occasion actually fantasized about us while they made love to each other. 

There were, behind the scenes, some private conversations moving us down the path to this suite tonight. Chad and Becky shared an office. During slow periods they would often talk about more personal things. They'd talked about the routines of married life, things that happened during dating years, even some things they wished might happen sometime down the road. They even confessed to a nonspecific desire to experience someone else, though never wanting to cheat on their spouses. 

Meanwhile, Jennifer and I spent a week at a seminar not long before tonight. Being good friends already, and not knowing many other folks in attendance, we spent a lot of time together. As the week went on, after having three meals a day together, drinks at night, and long deep conversations, we grew more and more comfortable together, almost feeling like we were an old married couple. As a matter of fact, there were several occasions of people identifying us as a married couple.

During one of our late night bar conversations, I asked Jennifer if she'd ever been tempted to fool around on Chad, assuring her that this was not a proposition. She didn't take it as such, but said that of course she'd been attracted to others during the 32 years of marriage with Chad, but she'd never acted on the impulse or the opportunities. She said that there's no way she could ever cheat, but that if Chad knew and approved, or better yet participated, then that would be entirely different. She smiled at me then, her enchanting brown eyes sparkling in the dim bar lights, leaving the possibilities wide open. 

Do you think you and Chad and Becky and I could ever get up the courage to try something like that, I asked. “Chad really liked Becky”, she said, and he often compared Becky's taller small-breasted figure to her own. It might have been the beer, but I told Jennifer that I found her very attractive as well, probably for the very same reasons…the contrast of her larger breasts and smaller, shorter frame with the woman I'd grown so comfortable with. 

We left our conversation in the bar at that, but from time to time after the conference we'd quietly ask each other if we thought it might ever happen, if we'd actually talked about it with Chad or Becky. And indeed, the conversations had begun in earnest in both our homes. I shared the idea with Becky and forced the conversation a bit, letting her know that this was a real possibility. Jennifer mentioned to Chad that I would be willing to share Becky if we were all in agreement. Chad and Becky, in turn, began talking among themselves about the possibilities. 

Without the four of us ever talking as a group, we ended up here on the sixth floor with a view of the city and two bottles of California champagne. Chad had jumped at the chance when Jennifer brought it up, almost too quickly Jennifer later laughed. Becky, at first thinking it was more joking on my part, agreed only after steeling up the nerve to talk it over with Chad in the office. Jennifer and I had talked and emailed each other for several days, gauging our own interests and comfort levels, our spouses growing excitement, and then finally, how to make it all happen. In the end, she reserved the room, selected a time to meet, and we brought the champagne. 

And here we sat, softly, nervously talking with our best friends. It was comfortable as it always was when we were together, but the usual small talk thinly shadowed what we knew would or could happen tonight. Becky sat close to me on the sofa, closer than usual. She'd kicked off her sandals, her heels resting on the coffee table. Jennifer sat cross-legged at the foot of Chad's chair, her arm resting softly on his thigh. We were all nervous…that much was clear. We needed a push…someone to say the one thing we needed to take us to the next step. 

And that little push came from Becky, my shy and quietly sexy wife. After a long silence spent smiling into our plastic champagne flutes, she quietly said, are we going to do this or what, guys? This was enough to break the tension.