Chapter 1: The Proposal

‘If you say ‘no’ it is no problem, Bill. I know that most people would think it’s a little weird.’ We were at the front end of the wonderful old bar, salvaged from a Chicago hotel, long since torn down to make way for a new office tower. Sully’s Tap was the nearest thing to an old-fashioned English Pub that New Haven offers.

At the back, a group was watching a game of darts, waiting their turn and kibitzing unmercifully. One table was full, and a young couple was at the other end of the bar. Now and then a tinkle of glasses or mugs: outside the traffic was muffled under about four inches of new snow.

Here Bill Stott, my long time friend and I habitually met for a few beers and longish conversation about life, sports, politics, almost any subject. He was smart and had a wide range of interests, so it has been a long, rewarding friendship.

‘What is it, Jim?’ he said looking slightly apprehensive.

‘Well it isn’t easy to bring up.’

‘Obviously.’ He laughed.

‘Since the operation I can’t get it up.’ I said rather dully.

He said nothing, just looked at me with sympathy in his eyes.

‘I mean it’s been two years now, and I think I have to give up on the thought that it will come back. Prostate surgery is like that. Some people get lucky and it comes back after a few weeks, the longer after surgery, the less likely to get back to being able to have sex I mean with penetration, All the other forms are still a pleasure, you know, so our relationship, Janet and mine can have lots of other stuff you know, but not that. Of course, that’s a big thing to lose. For both of us, not just for me.’

He grinned into his beer.

‘No, I didn’t mean a pun! You horse’s ass!’

We both laughed.

‘I mean, she doesn’t get that, and I am sure that she misses it even if she doesn’t complain or mention it. She’s a normal healthy thirty-six year old woman, after all.’ I paused and stared into the mirror.

‘And so I’m thinking of making sure that she doesn’t have to live the rest of her life without the pleasure of an erect penis. I have read up on the subject and I find that they have a real natural need for having their vagina filled with a real live penis. I don’t want Janet to have to do with a plastic substitute for the rest of our life together. To be frank, since you and Janet are best friends just as you and I are, I am thinking ‘

‘What on earth are you suggesting? You want me and Janet to are you out of your fucking mind, man.’ He stared at me incredulously.

‘I said it would sound weird, but hear me out. You and Janet have always been good fiends. She adores you; you feel the same about her, as far as I can see. It’s always been that way, and it’s always been fine with me. Since Cathy passed away, well you’ve been alone maybe’

‘You must be having a hallucination, pal. Is Janet going for this crazy idea? She’ll kill you if you even bring it up.’ Then he started laughing at the thought of me bringing it up at dinner.

‘I haven’t told her yet. I wanted to bounce it off you first. I can’t imagine anyone else besides you, to tell you the truth.’

‘You are 100% certifiable.’ He laughed again.

‘Don’t get me wrong, I still want Janet and I too have all the loving, fondling, touching that we can continue to have. It’s just that my prick won’t respond and so it is never hard enough for penetration. I have sensations so there is some pleasure, but not that you know for her. Pretty awful for me, too, but for her’

‘I gotta take a leak.’ He said smacking the back of my head on his way to the Men’s room. He sauntered down the line of bar stools, greeted by the locals as he went.

When he returned he took a sip of beer. ‘Are you thinking of going to the State game on Saturday?’

‘Yeah, Janet wants to go, too. How about coming along? She’ll make potato salad and stuff.’

We stood silent by our stools.

‘Pal, I think you are out of your mind, but and it’s a big but if you want to ask Janet it’s OK with me. I do in fact think she is perfect and have always loved her, as you know. So I feel bad that there is this problem really! But, you’re suggesting, what like a threesome? I’m not looking to do anything with you’ He looked alarmed.

‘God, no But yes, that’s the sort of thing I mean.’

‘Well, pals go ahead. If you get turned down, just don’t say anything, OK? I’ll know and there is nothing I need to know about it. I’m pretty sure I won’t be hearing from you OK? And I hope that you guys are enjoying well whatever!’

He laughed uncomfortably. It’s a difficult conversation, even for good friends.

I nodded my head and took a big drink from the heavy glass mug. I slammed it empty onto the bar. ‘Thanks.’ I said, with tight lips.

‘Kevin Kevin Kevin how could you even think of such a thing. How could you mention it to Bill without talking to me?’

The alarm clock’s red numbers said it was 2AM. Janet and I were tangled in our after sex snuggle. And now she was mad at me for bringing up my brainstorm to Bill.

‘My lord! I will be so embarrassed when I see Bill How could you do it? What were you thinking? Ohmigod!’

I had my hand cupped over her hairy mound, trying to calm her down. I left it there for a little while fondling her pussy, then squeezing her lovely breasts and nipples. I kissed her, but she wasn’t listening.

‘He must think we are crazy!’

‘Well, those are some of the words he used, but not you, just me. But in the end he heard me out, and said he does love you, and it was OK if I proposed it to you. He doesn’t expect to hear any more of it, which he attributes to your good sense.’

She sulked quietly, but I could almost hear the wheels turning angrily in her head.

‘It’s just that you are a healthy wonderful, beautiful woman and I want to cling to every one of your caresses I can get. But while our sex is still wonderful there is no reason you should be deprived of the rest of the sex act because I am unable to get it up.’

‘You think that’s what I need to make my life complete? A stiff prick?’

‘In a word it couldn’t hurt.’

‘Pssshhhhhh!’ she snapped.

‘All I’m saying is I’m willing to try I ask you to think it over. It isn’t going to get better with me. You and I know that. This might oh well; I just thought that once in awhile it would be good. And, since Cathy died might be good for everyone. Can’t think of anyone else just Bill always been so close to both of us ya know? Just think about it. OK? Promise/’

‘Oh, you are so silly. What am I going to do with you? OK, OK, I’ll think about it about your goofy idea.’ She squeezed my lifeless cock and slipped her tongue into my mouth.

We lay like that loving each other, for another twenty minutes.

It was about three weeks later. We were in bed and I had just given her an orgasm with my tongue; plunging it all over her wet slit and as deep as I possibly could in her vagina. My face was sticky with her juices. I had spread her legs and lay with my lifeless cock enjoying the pleasure of her moist glistening slit. Nothing was happening, of course, but it felt good to be there between her legs. And the moist warm slit felt good against the still sensitive skin of the underside of my prick.

‘It’s OK if you really want to.’

I continued nuzzling her neck, and still rubbing between her legs. I thought she meant it was OK that I continued fondling her at first.

‘If you love me so much that you are willing to have me have a second lover how can I say no to at least trying it. So I’m saying if you really want I’m willing to try a threesome with Billy.’ She was whispering in my ear, and I squirmed with the pleasure of her breath.

I still didn’t say anything.

‘OK? I love you.’ She said.

‘Me too.’ I said as I kissed her cheek.

Any more talk would have ruined the moment, so I bit back any more words and we continued playing with each other a while longer. Sleep overtook her but I stared into the dark, deep in thought.

‘You know, darling what I said last night? About Bill? And us’

Disappointment started to chill me a bit. I was afraid she might have second thoughts about my surrogate lover idea. The disappointment apparently showed.

‘NO, it’s all right. I haven’t exactly changed my mind. I am still willing. I do miss it I understand what you are saying. And and I appreciate your thoughtfulness. I really do!’

‘But I am thinking, well, it won’t do for this to be ‘mechanical’.’ You know, like we tried using a vibrator inside me while we made love. That wasn’t a success. Remember? So, I think what that means is that we cannot just suddenly inject poor Billy into the middle of our bedroom. That’s too mechanical. We don’t even know if either of us is ready for each other. I mean, we haven’t really kissed oh, I know we have kissed and hugged and played around a little. But not serious, not real kissing.’

‘Yes. I understand. I never thought of that. I just thought you know that you each like each other so much it would work. I know you have each thought of it over the last 12 years. I know that! ‘

‘Well, maybe.’ She admitted guardedly.

I looked at her with a sidelong glance and a smile.

‘OK, yes I suppose we have.’ She admitted.

I pulled her into the shower and the steaming water felt delicious. We stood facing each other, I playing with her tits, she fondling my cock and balls. The water rained down on us and we continued our fondling and kissing. Reluctantly, I took one hand from her breast and snuggled it between her legs. She parted he legs to let me cup her fancy genitals.

‘Like we have never done this Bill and I, I mean.’

‘No.’

We soaped each other long and lovingly.

We stood out of the shower and I toweled her lovely womanly body. She turned to dry me off, patting my dormant cock and then kissing it.

‘We’d have to we’d have to ... Do some of this together, I mean just Bill and I. To make it OK for the threesome and loving wouldn’t we? Can you handle that?’

I had a frown on my face as I began to put on my jeans. I didn’t have a quick answer to that.

‘Why why oh, I guess I see.’ I muttered.

‘We girls need love not just a cock, Kevin, you know that. Like that bad joke you tell so often; Women need a reason to do it, men just need a place. There’s more truth in that than you think.’

I stared into her eyes and held her face between my hands. ‘I love you. Let me think.’

I thought through a quiet breakfast

‘So, are you saying it might not be Bill?’

‘No, I said Bill and I don’t know if it would be us. I’m afraid I will have to do him first. Just the two of us. Doing it! Him playing with my tits. Him undressing me. Bill with his hand between my legs. Me playing with his cock. Me sucking him. Me spreading my legs for him. Him’

‘OK, OK, I get it.’ I laughed.

She finally giggled and everything was all right.

‘Well, it was my idea. And I guess that would be would make it more natural I guess. You’d date, sort of.’

She nodded.

‘And you won’t find him more charming than me?’

She pursed her lips. ‘We’ll have to see.’

I stared off into space a few minutes and scanned the headlines on the paper.

‘Well, for 12 years you two have been so natural and completely compatible, like two goddam peas in a pod, I guess I can stand it continuing. I say, yes!’

‘You’re sure?’

‘Yes, dear.’

‘OK, then have Bill call me for a date.’ She grinned in a completely disarming way. I do love this woman.

‘Call your wife for a date? You’re crazy. Nothing I’d like more, but you are crazy. I can’t be trusted!’ Bill was actually wild-eyed. I explained the entire logic.

We had several beers. Argued. Called each other names. ‘You understand that there is not another woman left on the planet that I would rather do than your beautiful wife, right? I’ve never lied about that during the last twelve years and it is no less true tonight.’