Lynsey Rodman Executive Vice President of Chester Health Care was enjoying an extended Wednesday lunch hour. More particularly she was enjoying the oversized male genitalia of Todd Price, a summer intern at Chester. Normally Lynsey confined her extended lunch hours to Tuesdays and Thursdays, but considering the fact that she only had the use of the college fullback until mid-August, she had added Wednesdays to her summer schedule.

“Tell me what you love,” Todd demanded.

“I love your big cock, fuck me with your big cock,” Lynsey replied playing the game that so turned the young man on.

Todd nearly lifted the five foot ten woman completely off the motel room bed as he slammed into her again and again. At nineteen, he had few sophisticated moves but what he lacked in technique he more than made up in stamina.

Twenty minutes later, showered and changed, Lynsey gave her lover a last passionate kiss and said, “till tomorrow stud.”

At her office, Lynsey faced the disapproving countenance of her Deputy Director of Sales, Sara Finch.

“It’s 2:38 Ms. Rodman. I have a dozen phone messages and three are from your husband.”

“Oh Sara when did you become such a stick in the mud,” Lynsey thought but what she said was, “Thank you, Ms. Finch.”

The two women had been close friends and partied long and often together until Lynsey married Richard Pleasure. They had risen through the ranks of Chester Health together. They had become friends the way attractive young women often do, but they were bonded together by a feminist philosophy and drive. Theirs was a culture of ambition where a woman was justified in doing whatever it took to get ahead.

Sara drew the line at casual infidelity. A single woman who took marriage seriously, she had made her position clear to Lynsey regarding extra-marital sex. Sara was far from a prude, but marriage vows meant something to her. Casual sex for a quick thrill was against Sara’s ethics. The occasional quid pro quo was a different matter. Business was after all business, but sex with interns in the afternoon was an unnecessary risk.

Lynsey suspected there was a bit of jealousy in Sara’s attitude. Lynsey’s husband, Richard was tall and exceedingly handsome. He was a gentle person and deeply compassionate. He was the kind of man who appealed not only to Lynsey as a romantic partner but to Sara as well. He was that rare man who was possessed of those giving qualities that made him a woman’s true soul mate. Lynsey was a blessed woman, and she knew it. Yet, she was a modern American woman with all the appetites of her gender.

After her marriage, Lynsey had toned down her partying but never totally abandoned it. Richard, on the other hand, settled right into marriage. A not very ambitious man, he was a tenth-grade teacher and girls’ junior varsity softball coach. That was fine with Lynsey since she had enough ambition for both on them. Currently, number three in the health care corporation, she intended to reach the CEO position within a decade. The top job carried the prestige and a seven figure income.

At thirty, Richard was a bit younger than his wife’s thirty-two. He had spent eight years in the Army most of it in Afghanistan. He was an intellectual man who received his BA at twenty before joining the military. Lynsey could never understand what a sensitive, bookish man could possibly have done in Afghanistan. They never spoke of his time in the Army. The closest to a discussion of his service time they had ever come was at the Chester Health Memorial Day picnic.

Jack Robinson the current CEO had dedicated the annual company picnic to veterans. Charles Washington, the maintenance director, had lost his son in a roadside bombing that year in Iraq. Everyone was encouraged to bring a veteran to the festivities to be honored.

Weeks before the picnic Lynsey had her husband’s dress uniform taken out to the tailors and cleaners. Officially, Richard was still a member of the active reserves, but each time he was scheduled for reserve duty he received a telegram telling him not to report. His uniforms moldered in a back closet.

Lynsey had the uniform cleaned and let out. It was not that Richard had gotten fat, rather he had put on some healthy weight since leaving the service.

“He must have looked like a scarecrow twenty pounds lighter,” she thought.

But now he looked good dressed in his uniform with all those ribbons.

“What are they for dear,” she asked.

“Oh, just the standard stuff. Hang around long enough and someone will give you a ribbon,” he said.

This was one evasion that Lynsey caught. At the picnic, the Marines had supplied an honor guard in memory of corporal Charles Washington, Jr. These men immediately saluted when they saw Richard in his Army uniform with the Ranger tab and the oak leafs. Lynsey loved the tan beret. It looked so cute on Richard, but it was Simone Kirkland there with her new husband that lifted the curtain a little.

“Oh Simone, how good to see you,” Lynsey said.

Simone was an executive with a major medical device supplier. She had come to the picnic as a courtesy to show off her new husband, Lieutenant Jack Williams, another veteran. The two women air-kissed before Lynsey turned to introduce her husband.

“I know the Captain, but I guess you’re a major now,” Jack Williams said looking none too pleased to be staring into the eyes of Major Richard Pleasure.

Jack was not as tall as Richard but wore the same army ranger uniform with a similar set of decoration except for the purple one.

“I think we last saw each other in the Dorah Pass,” Richard said.

“Pamir, where I took the bullet,” Jack said.

The two men nodded clearly remembering an old battle, but the conversation died there. It was the women who carried it forward ascertaining that Richard had been Jack’s commanding officer. They parted so that Lynsey could introduce her husband to her colleagues.

Later Lynsey sought out Simone for a private conversation.

“Jack is bitter about his wound I’m afraid. It has left him with a stiff leg and ended his baseball career,” Simone told Lynsey.

“Does he ever speak about, you know, Afghanistan?” Lynsey asked.

“A little, they had it pretty rough and then he took the bullet to his hip. Doesn’t Richard say anything?”

“No, nothing.”

“I think the nightmares are passing,” Simone said.

“Nightmares?”

“Yes, Jack calls out in his sleep. I think for friends who are dead, and something about blood or someone named blood” Simone shuddered.

Simone knew the meaning of the ribbons. They stood for engagements fought and medals won. Both Jack and Richard were highly decorated warriors.

“Odd,” Lynsey thought, “Richard doesn’t seem to be proud of it. He doesn’t talk about it. Sometimes I wonder...” Lynsey said her voice trailing off.

“I wonder too. What was Jack like before? I wish I had known him then,” Simone gave a wan smile to her friend.

“We’ll have to get together,” Lynsey said, “You know talk over old times.”

Simone laughed and said, “Not in front of the husbands, the less they know about our past, the better.”

Her secretary broke into Lynsey’s train of thought, “You have the sales briefing in five minutes.”

On the way out Lynsey stopped at Sara’s office.

“Please just be my friend again,” Lynsey begged.

Sara against her better judgment rose and gave her friend a hug.

“You’re playing with fire. Don’t get burned,” Sara said.

Just then Fred Dubin turned the office corner.

“Oh sweet, some lesbian action,” he said.

Lynsey looked down at the short, balding, overweight man. His comments were always crude and borderline sexist. He was placed in labor union sales where he could do little damage.

For his part, Fred had always had a thing for Lynsey. She was quite the package. Deep green eyes in an oval face with honey blond hair and tits that looked huge on her slim figure. But mostly he thought, “that little boy tight ass of hers was just so fuckable.” But alas he could never get anywhere with her. The thought of his touch made her queasy.

“Can the comments,” was all Lynsey said as she led the way to the sales briefing.

Fred followed behind his boss. She was his impossible dream. Men like Fred turned women off. Yet, like many unattractive men he pursued only women with looks beyond his reach. What galled him the most was that Ms. Rodmen had quite the reputation, and Fred could testify to the truth of the stories.

Doug Franks stepped up to the tee on the sixteenth hole. The Riverton Country Club course was designed for those that enjoyed a good game of golf. It was a medium difficult course with no pretentions. Today Franks was playing his best friend, Mark Heinz. They were sometimes referred to as Franks and Beans around the club. Both men were substantial real estate developers and avid golfers.

The foursome was made up of a junior associate of Franks and a new friend that Heinz had made. The new guy was just holding his own and Heinz was down a few strokes as always. Franks hit a two-hundred-forty-yard drive down the fairway of the sixteenth. The hole doglegged to the left and Franks was in great position to make par. Up three strokes already he was looking at a win over Heinz and the new guy.

The bet was modest just two hundred for the game and twenty dollars for each stroke under. The winners bought the drinks and lunch at the clubhouse which made it a bit of a wash usually. But that didn’t stop Franks from taunting his friend.

“Beat that Beans,” he said.

Heinz smiled, “Pretty confident. Maybe you want to double the bet.”

Franks didn’t hesitate, “You’re on.”

With that, Heinz winked at his new friend Richard Pleasure, who stepped up to the tee and hit a three-hundred-yard drive across the dog leg to within the fringe of the green.

Walking to the clubhouse from the eighteenth hole Franks turned to his friend and said, “So why did you set me up and who is this guy, some unknown pro?”

“No, he’s my daughter’s softball coach. I had to check him out because she came home with this obvious crush. I invited him to play a round, and he trounced me. As to why the bet, to get your attention. I was thinking Ed Standard,” Heinz said with a wicked smile.

Franks stopped walking. He was frozen in thought. Doug Franks was a decent guy. A tough businessman but fair in his dealings. Ed Standard was an asshole banker who persistently played hardball. He had forced Franks near into bankruptcy during the 2008 real estate crash. Standard also held the club golf trophy. Unfairly won Franks believed by pairing with a semi-pro golfer.

“You’re thinking, I can take Standard with this guy as my partner,” Franks said.

“Can’t see how you would miss,” Heinz replied.

“Will he do it.”

“We’ll make it worth his while. After all, he’s a teacher. The only caution is that he is married to Lynsey Rodman.”

“What?”

“Exactly, I’m not sure whether he knows about her or if he is into cuckold play. But from the little I can gather he is deeply in love with the bitch. Seems to be an all round decent guy. The kind I would and do trust my daughter with.”

“We are talking the Lynsey who sold the health insurance?” Franks asked.

“The very same, the best piece of cunt I ever had and all for the price of employee health coverage before the government required it.”

Frank’s smiled, “She sure was something. I never enjoyed employee benefits more.” Then thinking he said, “Well let’s just keep it to talking golf with our new friend. But will he freeze with some big money on the line?” Franks wanted Standard so bad he could taste it.

Heinz took a look around making sure no one was listening,” Not for publication but with my daughter swooning for the guy I had him checked out. He’s an ex-army ranger with a reputation for being a tough man in a fight. Some say way too tough.”

“Well then, twenty-five grand on a golf game should be no problem,” Franks said.

“Really, I would have thought more,” Heinz replied as both men laughed.

Lynsey arrived home around eight carrying a bag of Chinese takeout. The arrangement between the spouses was for her to cook Monday and Wednesday and Richard Tuesday and Thursday. Friday and Saturday they ate out and Sunday they spent with Lynsey’s parents. Richard’s parents had passed away while he was in the Army.

Lynsey had fallen into the habit of fulfilling her cooking duties by bringing home take out. With her afternoon activities and her demanding job she rarely quit before seven p.m. Richard was finished most days at four p.m. Only during softball season did he work later, and since it was now summer, he was not working at all.

Richard had set the table and put out the silverware and chopsticks. Lynsey had a silver handled set of bamboo chopsticks given as a wedding present by a friend. These were set out on their plates. She much enjoyed using them and was proud of her skill with the beautiful chopsticks.

“Does my husband know me so well he can anticipate the takeout I will buy?”

“Well you have fallen, dear wife, into a rut. Monday Pizza and Wednesday fried rice and General Tso Chicken, ‘ Richard said giving a little laugh.

Richard, on the other hand, took great pains to prepare a home cooked meal on each of his kitchen nights. Nothing exotic—basic meat and potatoes cuisine. Part of the problem in the marriage was the rather conventional nature of Richard Pleasure. Lynsey did love him and that very deeply. However, even Richard would admit he had all the excitement of vanilla ice-cream.

“Oh, I brought the mail in. You left it in the box,” Lynsey said.

“Sorry love, I must be slipping in my old age.”

“Careful, I might have to replace you with a younger model, Lynsey said handing him the mail.

She truly saw nothing wrong in her statement or thought for a moment about the fact she had spent a portion of her day in bed with a nineteen-year-old. Lynsey had divided her life completely into compartments. On one side she was the caring, loving wife, but on the other, the hotwife seducing and discarding virile younger men.

Richard was going through the mail. He paused, frowned, and crumpled a piece of mail before throwing it quickly into the trash.

“Something wrong?” Lynsey asked as she set out the containers of food.

“No nothing, “Richard said a bit too quickly.

“It must be difficult being off all summer?” Lynsey asked with a smirk.

“Yes, we can’t all work ten hour days. Some of us need to enjoy life for the rest of the folks.”

“Is that what you’re doing now enjoying life.”

“Well, as much as a man married to Ms. Rodman, Executive VP can,” he said

“Oh, and what does that mean. You looking for a different wife, mister.”

“You mean someone who cooks, does laundry and cleans the house. It might have its advantages particularly considering the size of this house,” Richard said letting his eyes scan the oversized house they lived in.

The house was a point of contention. It was too large for two people and way to upscale for Richard’s tastes. But it was a house for entertaining the business and social contacts that a rising executive needed to ingratiate.

“I see. Well, I would note we do have a maid service besides a husband who helps out is entitled to certain rewards. You know the kind that comes after dinner and in the bedroom.” She said giving him a lecherous smile.

“I see, I’m to enjoy the life of a trophy husband.”

“You know it, mister, and I can polish your trophy better than anyone.”

“Well, I do admit you are a great trophy polisher.”

They made quick work of the dinner and the dishes, and Richard headed upstairs to the master bedroom. Before heading upstairs for sex with her husband, Lynsey checked the trash. Curiosity made her look to see what her husband was in such a rush to discard. It was nothing but a postcard. A picture of mountains, the Hindu Kush. The message, “Will be coming soon.”

The card was signed simply “Rick.”

Reading the card raised questions in Lynsey’s mind. The name Richard can give rise to several diminutives. Richard Pleasure would answer to any nickname except Rick. He hated the name and made that clear. So who was Rick, when was he coming, and from where? But mostly she wondered what this Rick had to do with her Richard.

Lynsey might have pressed her husband for answers, but she did not. When he was ready, she was sure he would confide in her. She trusted Richard like no man she had ever know.

From their first meeting, the shy mild man earned her confidence. He didn’t play the alpha male. They met in a writing class she was taking at the University. He was getting his master’s in Education and she looking to improve her skills. They were seated next to each other. She initiated the conversation with the tall, dark haired man.

His blue eyes were dazzling, and frankly, he had the sweetest smile she had ever seen. They first shared coffee together after class. It made Lynsey feel like a fresh young co-ed again. She played the part well. It had taken eight weeks and twelve dates before she permitted him into her bed. It had been pure love making. He was a gentle and considerate lover who surprisingly was highly skilled. She decided right then to marry him and spend the rest of her life enfolded in his strong but gentle arms.

Lynsey approached her campaign to wed Richard as she approached her life with aggression and intelligence. It took six months but the prize fell to her, and they married some eighteen months ago. The last two years had been the best of her life. Yet she still craved excitement, and her lovers gave her that. But more her infidelities gave her power. A dominance she exercised in business that fed her ambition and her ego.

When Lynsey reached their bedroom, Richard was laying across their kingsize bed on his side totally naked. He had a beautiful body, and he knew it. She enjoyed this making love to her husband because that is what they did. It was soft and tender. He would spread her legs and go down on her. She would shift them into a sixty-nine position. She would come and then he would switch her onto her back, and they would kiss while he entered her.

He was so slow. Todd would never have lasted as Richard did. Still, the orgasms lacked the force she achieved in the afternoon. But there was nothing like the sense of peace and security that came after sex with her Richard. Lynsey believed they were meant for each other. What she did with other men was simply a diversion and in some cases a necessary part of reaching the exalted heights she was aiming to obtain.

Perhaps Sara was right, Todd was an unnecessary risk. Young men were a distraction from her true life. They boosted her ego and gave her that feeling of power she craved. Her sexual high with Todd had a lot to do with a need to dominate and be dominated. But, it came with a twinge of guilt.

Cuddling into bed with her husband, Lynsey knew she was the most fortunate of women. Having Richard was worth any price she needed to pay. He was more than a trophy. He was the love of her life. She had it all and would never have believed how things would change. Just before she fell asleep, she wondered again who this Rick was.

The email was brief and to the point, “Does Richard know?” it read.

The video clip that came with it showed her and Todd performing a series of disgusting sexual acts. Lynsey wondered if the video had been altered in some way. She remembered the activities but did they, “really look like that?”

She had no idea what to do. There was no demand for money. Only the email with the attachment with no sender address. This video could ruin her marriage and career. Her first thought was to find out what Todd knew about this.

“He’s not here,” his supervisor said. “Called in sick, may lose the rest of the summer. He’s in the hospital. Someone attacked him in a bar.”

Lynsey determined what hospital Todd was in and then set out to visit him. When she arrived, he was glad to see her.

“What’s happened?” she asked after the nurse left the room.

“Broken ribs, broken tibia, and ... well, some damage to my testicles,” he replied.

“Oh my God, how?”

“Not sure. My buds and I were just talking in this bar. This older guy sort of bumped into us. Call me a ball-less asshole and challenged me to step outside.”

Todd didn’t mention he was bragging about fucking his hot boss to his buddies. The three boys were laughing and exchanging stories when the guy plowed right into them. The fellow seemed pretty drunk, and when he kept insulting them, they were more than willing to step outside and teach him a lesson.

Todd took the opening swing with his right and received a staggering blow to the kidneys that put him down. His two companions tried to step in, but they were half-drunk and no match for their very sober opponent. After that, the fight was basically the stranger methodically beating a prone Todd.

“Did you call the police?”

“Yeah, the people at the bar did when they found us in the parking lot, but he was gone then and in the dim light we didn’t get much of a look at him. He was tall, and I think he had dark hair. He was certainly older.

“The police think he may have had military training from the way he fought us, but they can’t be sure, and no one remembers him prior to the fight.”

Lynsey spent some time commiserating with her lover. Fortunately, Todd had not mentioned to the police his relationship with her. When they asked if he had anyone who might want to hurt him he had not thought of his fuck buddy’s wimpy husband.

Finally, Lynsey got to what had started her looking for Todd,

“Do you know anything about a video of us in the motel room.”

“No, we were taped?”

“Yes,” she said showing a copy of part of the video that she had placed on her phone.

“Do you think this is connected to what happened to me?”

“I don’t know?” she said.

Back at the office, Sara had a message.

“Someone named Rick called and said to ask you how you liked the film he sent.”

Two weeks went by with Lynsey waiting for the other shoe to drop. Richard was perfectly normally. In fact, better than usual. Apparently, he won a lot of money at golf and wanted to celebrate.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you in advance, but I was sure you would not approve, and it certainly isn’t the nicest thing I ever did.”

“Oh, enjoy your win and stop worrying about it,” Lynsey said.

She was secretly glad that golf was the concern on his mind. Her problem was to keep what was in the video from him.

“Richard, do you know someone named Rick?” she asked.

“Why do you ask?” he said suddenly tensing.

“Well I received rather a strange message from a Rick and I thought that maybe he was an acquaintance of yours,” she said.

Richard seemed to sag visibly.

Turning to her with concern on his face, he said, “Lynsey, under no circumstances are you to have anything to do with Rick. He’s a dangerous person and if he contacts you it is imperative you tell me at once.”

“Alright,” she said, but if this Rick had the video, she must get it from him without letting Richard know.

Then the emails started. This Rick character kept sending little threatening notes.

“Does your husband know you are a slut?”

“Should I tell Richard his wife has a friend?” and

“What would you do to keep your husband ignorant?”

It was only the last she answered, “Anything,” she wrote back.

“Meet me are 1008 Henry Johnston Ave. 12:00 p.m. Thursday. Come alone.”

The address was in the worst part of town. It was a seedy bar and grill. Arriving alone as instructed, she sat in a booth watching the door. The dirt and filth of the place made her skin crawl. The other patrons looked like derelicts. He arrived from behind her.

“Richard,” she said as her husband took the seat opposite and then, “I can explain.”

“No you can’t, and it’s Rick never Richard. He’s weak. I’m strong. Can’t you see the difference?

In some ways, she could see it. The man across from her looked enough like her husband to be his identical twin but also very different. He had cold dead eyes in a stern, unforgiving face. His dress was dark. He wore a plain black tee shirt beneath a worn black leather jacket. This man needed a shave, and she could have sworn she had seen Richard shaving that morning.

“Who are you?” she asked trying to keep the fear from her voice.

She had not succeeded, and she saw it in his smile. He seemed to relish her fear.

“It’s not who I am but what,” he said.

“Please, just tell me what you want,” she said.

“You said anything, but I don’t believe you. You don’t love Richard. How could you? He’s a good decent man. A slut and corporate whore like you doesn’t deserve such a man. As to love, women like you don’t love anyone but themselves.”

His words cut through her. Was this Richard testing her? Was he pretending to be someone else to tell her how he truly felt? Her fear sharpened and widened. What was she to do?

“It’s not true. I love Richard with all my heart. I might not be a little chaste house frau, but I love my husband. It’s fine if a man is a player. Well, I claim the same privilege.”

“Fine I’ll send the video clip to Richard, and he can decide whether he wants a playgirl.”

“No please, I said I would do anything and I will. Name it.”

Either this was Richard or his evil twin but in either case, Lynsey would do whatever it took to retain her husband.

He reached out took her chin in his vice like grip. He turned her head, so her eyes were looking directly into his.

“I’ll give you one chance to earn your way back to Richard. It won’t be easy. But if you do everything I say, without hesitation, I won’t tell Richard he is married to a cheap whore.”

There was something about this man that was compelling. She realized she was slightly aroused and completely attracted to him.

Letting go of her, he said, “You are a disgusting slut.”

He stood as if preparing to leave.

“Wait! What do you want for the video?”

“You will come to me when I call and accept your punishment,” he said and walked out.

Her tears began to fall as the door closed behind him. She was frightened, aroused, and confused. She needed help.

Cate Copelin was the Director of Mental Health Services at Chester Health Care. Cate was working at Chester when Lynsey was hired. A physiatrist, she was in her fifties and a leading member of her profession.

“Sounds to me like you are describing Dissociative Identity Disorder,” Cate said.

“You mean like multiple personalities?” Lynsey asked.

“Not like in the movies, but yes. We all do it to some extent. In extreme circumstances, it can be very real. I have had any number of rape victims tell me they felt like the violence was happening to someone else.

“In the right circumstances, we are all capable of using the defense mechanism of dissociation. From what I know of your husband he is an exceptionally sensitive and caring person. It is possible that he developed a different persona to protect himself from the violence of war.”

“But he’s home now.”

“The problem comes when the defense mechanism continues beyond the point needed. However, there may be an aggravating circumstance,” Cate conjectured.

“But what? We lead a peaceful life.”

Cate frowned. “Emotional pain can be just as severe a causation as a physical threat or injury.”

“But—”

“A spouse’s infidelity is very painful,” Cate said.

“You know?”

“I think most of your friends do. It’s a cliché, but the husband is usually the last to know. But, I believe it is possible that your husband is at least subconsciously aware of your behavior. Perhaps he has called up his defense personality to handle the situation.”

Lynsey was now distraught and desperate, “What should I do?”

Cate thought the problem over.

“First, let’s get Richard into therapy. Determine the problem and get him treatment. If I arrange a consult can you get him to go?”