Chapter 1

Chris let out a long sigh as he sat at the kitchen table, sipping coffee next to his wife, Ashley. They were going over their monthly budget, and much like the last few months, the numbers just weren’t adding up. Chris worked as a salesman in a small firm, and his salary was largely commission-based. Unfortunately, that meant when the company went through some growing pains, such as now, he would feel it as well.

“We will figure it out. I can always pick up an extra shift at the hospital to help out until business picks back up,” Ashley said softly as she ran her manicured nails through her husband’s thick brown hair. This was something she’d done ever since they got married a few years ago. Chris lowered his head and closed his eyes, allowing the touch of his wife to instantly calm him down as he took another deep breath.

“You shouldn’t need to, though. I’m supposed to be the breadwinner. Plus, we need to get used to only having one salary. You’ll never be able to quit your job so we can start a family if we have to keep relying on extra nursing shifts.” Chris reached back and squeezed her hand. At twenty-five, they had been talking about starting a family for a few years, but like most couples, the timing just never felt right. They had flirted with the idea of Ashley coming off her birth control soon so they could start trying, but now it looked like they might not be able to make their mortgage payment, and getting pregnant felt impossible.

“Lots of women work and can still take care of their family, you caveman,” she said with a grin as she slowly stood up and kissed Chris’s neck, her large chest pressing into his back. Chris let go of her hand as he pushed his neck into her lips, wrapping his hands around the small chair until he felt the curve of her ass. “Not my wife, she deserves a break from the rat race. Besides, I can only imagine all the wanting looks you get when people see this cute little ass in scrubs.” He squeezed the cheeks of her ass to emphasize his words, causing Ashley to give a soft moan.

“Well, that’s true,” she said teasingly, “I am known for my bedside manner.” As she spoke, she let her fingers slide down Chris’s chest and across his abs as he squirmed under her touch. “Would you like to hear all about how Nurse Ashley gives her favorite patients extra attention?” She bit his ear softly as her fingers traced the outline of his now rock-hard cock.

“Fuuuuck, baby, you’re so bad.” However, before Chris got the chance to capitalize on his wife’s playful demeanor, his phone began to ring, and they were both brought back to reality with a long sigh.

“Go ahead and answer that. I need to get to work anyway. I have patients dying to see me, after all.” She gave a playful wink before pulling her shirt over her head and tossing it to her wide-eyed husband as she swayed seductively to the shower.

When Ashley emerged from the shower, Chris was already in work mode. His files were spread across the kitchen table, and he was on what sounded like a conference call for work. They exchanged pleasant smiles while Chris barked away sales figures and action plans to the people on the other end of the phone. She stood in the doorway for several seconds, watching him in action. Something about seeing him like this always got her excited. She wished she had longer before her shift at the hospital so she could drop her towel and go to him as soon as he hung up, but she was already running late. Luckily, it was Friday, which meant they would have a date night after work, followed by a long night of lovemaking. As Ashley got dressed for work, she could still hear her husband in the other room. He was yelling at one of the junior sales guys about low numbers and how his best simply didn’t seem to be good enough. She bit her lip and let her fingers slide down her body to her wet folds. She couldn’t believe how turned on she was and wanted badly to find release. Her willpower eventually won over, however, as she opened her eyes and put on her scrubs, before mouthing the words “I love you” to her husband on her way out the door.

Ashley spent the next eight hours at work thinking about what her husband had said to her. She knew he was just being funny, but the thought of her colleagues at work, or her patients for that matter, sexualizing her as she walked past left her more excited than she cared to admit. As she walked down the long corridor to her next patient’s room, she smiled briefly at the maintenance man who held her gaze for longer than she felt was appropriate. She turned her head as she walked by and for a second thought she caught him checking out her ass, but as he continued to mop the floor, she convinced herself it was all in her head. She quickly pulled out her phone and texted Chris. “Can’t wait for date night tonight. Something about today has me very turned on.” As she went to put her phone back in her pocket, she was shocked to see it almost immediately go off. He must not have much going on, she thought to herself as she opened her phone and let out a gasp. It seemed this morning’s events had also left him hot and bothered as he responded to her text with a picture of his very hard cock.

“Are you alright, dear? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” The voice of her elderly female patient brought Ashley back to reality as she stammered an apology and nearly dropped her phone as she walked into the room.

“Yeah, sorry, Mrs. Johnson, just my husband, you know how they are.”

“Oh yes, dear, I was married for forty-three years. That man sure knew how to spice things up in the bedroom.”

Ashley gasped and playfully slapped her patient’s arm. “Oh my God!” she exclaimed, turning red.

“Oh don’t be such a prude, dear. The key to a great marriage is a healthy sex life. Why, my Robert did everything from pulling my hair to taking me to a swingers club. Anything to get the juices going.” Ashley couldn’t help but laugh as she pictured her eighty-seven-year-old patient with two bad knees and a replacement hip walking into a swingers club.

“You’re too much! I love Chris and would do anything he asked, but I think we draw the line at cheating. Besides, he’s more than enough for me,” she said with a playful wink.

“Don’t be silly. It’s not cheating if the both of you are okay with it. Trust me, dear, I thought Robert had all I ever needed as well. Until, of course, I realized he didn’t.” The old lady laughed again as Ashley took her blood pressure. She would have to remember to tell Chris about this because she was sure he would get a kick out of it.

“Your vitals look good, Mrs. Johnson. Dr. Stevens will be in shortly to discuss your surgery and try to get something booked in the next month or two. You try to stay out of trouble in the meantime,” she said with a grin as she prepared to leave her favorite patient’s room.

“Whatever you say, dear. Do me a favor and let Dr. Stevens know I’m not wearing anything under this gown.” Ashley could do nothing but laugh as she exited the room and continued her rounds.

The rest of the workday was fairly uneventful for Ashley, aside from the constant state of arousal. As she said her farewells to her colleagues and friends, she sent Chris another text. “Heading home to shower. What’s the plan for tonight?” Once again, her husband’s response was almost immediate.

“Sorry, babe, it’s been a day, and money is tight. How about we just rain check?” Ashley chewed on her lip and thought about her response. She knew Chris was stressed about money, but she was really looking forward to going out. Plus, she hoped it would cheer him up and get him in a better mood for later.

“How about we just skip dinner and head down to that bar you like, McDuffs? One beer then we will leave. I promise I’ll make it worth your while.” She waited a few minutes for his reply. After several, she resigned herself into thinking he just wasn’t up for it. After about ten minutes, though, a response finally came through.

“Sorry I was in the shower. You know exactly how to make me smile. A drink at McDuffs sounds great. See you soon.” Ashley smiled to herself. She hated feeling like she was manipulating her husband, but she knew a night out would help, at least to some degree, with the stress of the money issues.

McDuffs was your regular run-of-the-mill dive bar. It was built in the mid-nineties by a man going through a divorce, and it sort of became his sanctuary. Other than the bar, there were half a dozen tables near the back, two pool tables, and a small dance floor some of the locals would dance on when there was a live band or some new pop song came on the jukebox. Chris and his friends used to come here when they were younger; the owner never carded them, and it became a hangout of sorts. As Ashley and Chris stepped into McDuffs, the dimly lit bar greeted them with the smell of stale beer and the sounds of laughter and chatter. They found a small table in the back, and Ashley settled into her seat with a smile, nudging Chris playfully.

Chris managed a small smile, but the worry lines on his forehead remained.

“I don’t know, Ash. I’m just not in the mood for a night out. Work has been really stressful lately, and with the financial issues...”

Ashley reached across the table and took his hand. “I understand, babe. But we can’t let all that stress consume us. We deserve a break, even just for tonight.”

Chris sighed, relenting. “Okay, you win. Let’s make it a quick one, though.”

As they sat down, Ashley could see Chris was still distracted. She decided to lighten the mood, teasing him gently. “So, do I have to remind you what’s waiting for you at home if you’re a good sport and come out with me tonight?” As she spoke, she grabbed his thigh and gently kissed his neck as the bartender came over and asked what they were drinking.

Chris chuckled, the tension easing a bit. “Oh, I remember, but I never tire of your reminders.”

They ordered their drinks, and as they waited, Ashley continued to banter with Chris, doing her best to lift his spirits. Finally, their drinks arrived, and Ashley raised her glass. “To us, to tonight, and to leaving all our worries at the door.”

Chris smiled and clinked his glass with hers. “To us.”

As they enjoyed their drinks, Ashley noticed a change in Chris’s demeanor. The tension seemed to melt away, replaced by a more relaxed and playful attitude. She knew she had made the right decision in bringing him out tonight. Suddenly, a voice called out from the bar. “Chris! Is that you?”

Chris looked up to see a face he hadn’t seen in years. Clayton, his friend’s older brother, approached their table. Clayton was a few years older than Chris, and he had always been the life of the party. He was grinning from ear to ear, clearly excited to see Chris.

“Clayton, hey!” Chris stood up to greet him, extending his arms to hug one of his oldest friends. “Long time no see. This is my wife, Ashley.”

Ashley stood up and shook Clayton’s hand, smiling warmly. “Nice to meet you, Clayton.”

Clayton’s eyes widened as he took in Ashley’s beauty. “Wow, Chris, you really outdid yourself. She’s stunning.”

Chris chuckled, a hint of pride in his voice. “I know, I’m a lucky guy.”

They all sat down, and Clayton turned his attention to Chris. “So, what brings you two lovebirds to McDuff’s tonight?”

Chris hesitated, unsure how much to share. “Just needed a night out, you know? Work’s been tough, and ... well, things are a bit tight financially.”

Clayton nodded sympathetically. “I hear you, man. Times are tough for a lot of people right now. I’m actually back in town because I just created a new app that I think will revolutionize the small business market. Unfortunately, I had to fire most of my sales team for incompetence so now I’m stuck doing sales calls and demos myself and don’t have time to improve the product. But hey, let’s not dwell on the negatives. Tonight is about having a good time and catching up with old, and new friends.” He said with a grin as he looked over Ashley’s body.

As the night went on, the three of them laughed and talked, reminiscing about old times and sharing stories. Ashley watched as Chris’s mood lifted, grateful to see him enjoying himself. She knew that their troubles wouldn’t disappear overnight, but she also knew that moments like these were precious. She was happy to see Chris out of the house and enjoying himself. She didn’t know much about Clayton, but so far he seemed great.

As they talked, Clayton brought up their old bets, a tradition from their youth. “Remember those bets we used to make, Chris? The ones where if you won, you got whatever you wanted, but if you lost, I could ask for anything in the future?”

Chris laughed, remembering. “Yeah, I remember. What about it?”

Clayton grinned mischievously. “I propose we play a round. If you win, I’ll give you something you want. But if you lose, I get to ask for something in the future.”

“Wait a second. Let me get this straight? You guys used to make bets without fully understanding the stakes? Weren’t you ever worried it would go too far or the person would just back out?” Ashley asked with a smile on her face. She thought she knew all of her husband’s childhood stories, but this was the first she was hearing of any bet. Maybe it was the alcohol, but she was eager to hear more about this. What kind of things did Chris do, did he have a bad boy side she’d never seen?

Chris laughed as he took another drink of his beer. “Well, when you put it like that, it sounds bad. We were dumb boys trying to prove how badass we were. No one ever took it too far...”