The sun reflected off the ripples of the water like an erratic lighthouse. Even with my sunglasses on, I had to squint as the light bounced around like a madman with a laser gun. I sat on the side of the pool dangling my feet in the refreshing water, keeping my legs slightly cooler than the oven temperature that the rest of my body was enduring. Tears of sweat poured down my body that was begging me to put it out of its misery and cool down. There was hardly a cloud in the sky. Only a few wispy bits that could hardly be described as clouds that drifted aimlessly across the deep blue void. A light breeze rustled the leaves of a nearby palm tree, giving a welcome relief to the intense heat of the day.

I put my hands down on the pool edge, slid forward on my backside and slipped forward, dropping effortlessly into the water. I could almost feel my body sizzle as it cooled down from the beating the sun had given it. I touched the bottom of the pool with my feet and bending my knees, lowered myself further down into the water, up to my neck and looked around. The boys were playing well together. They were throwing a ball around and laughing happily as they splashed about. It was as if they had been best friends all their lives instead of just meeting a few days ago. At ten years old they had the energy to keep going all day, but at least they went out like a light when their heads hit the pillow.

There were a few other fellow holidaymakers floating or splashing around, trying to cool down from the assault of the mid-morning sun. Most others were sunning themselves on the loungers scattered around the pool edge or were down on the beach, plastered in their suntan lotion and glowing like well-cooked lobsters. I noticed that more thongs were on show this year than before, although I wasn't complaining. To my disappointment, Sylvie, my wife wouldn't wear one but there were many who did. There were one or two who shouldn't have. It was a shame Sylvie didn't because she certainly had the body to wear one. Still, she had brought a gorgeous red bikini that did'ntleave too much to the imagination and, anyway, I got to see all the best bits when we were on our own.

Holding onto the edge of the pool with my hands, I let my feet float up and lay back, my head resting in the water, enjoying the feeling of weightlessness. I could imagine being an astronaut floating freely in space. I was in my own little world, with my ears under water hearing all the sounds, as I imagined a whale would. Splashes, laughter, the whirring of the pool pump and the water splashing against the sides. Relaxing in this position, I floated for a while, clearing my mind of all the clutter that had built up over the last six months.

Suddenly something touched my shoulder and I was shaken out of my reverie. I lurched forward and my feet shot down, touching the bottom of the pool again. My head immersed slightly in the water and I came up spluttering with my sunglasses dripping with water. Looking around through a gradually clearing vision, I saw Tessa couched down by the side of the pool looking at me with a big grin on her face. Her pendulous breasts were swinging in front of her as she knelt down. Her large, engorged nipples jutting out noticeably from her breasts. Dragging my eyes from those beautiful mounds, I looked up at her, her blonde hair hung down over her blue eyes, perspiration sticking it to the sides of her face and neck. She was not fat but on the other side of slim. She had a slight belly that had not disappeared from childbirth but still looked very attractive and turned many heads as she went by. Glancing lower down, I could see the junction of her legs and the yellow thong that she was wearing, leaving very little to the imagination. I looked up quickly, pretending not to be looking and smiled guiltily at her, hoping that the stirrings down below would subside. She smiled back knowingly and sat down on the edge of the pool.

"Mind If I join you? It looks heavenly in there."

"Come on in, there's plenty of room." I said. "Its absolutely gorgeous in here."

Tessa slipped elegantly into the water and stood looking around. "Ooooh, you're right, it's lovely. The water's so cool after being out there" she said, nodding her head towards the side of the pool. She dropped down so that her head went right under water and surged back up again, bursting through the surface with a splash and shaking her hair out. "Ah, that's better" she gasped, taking in a fresh breath. "It's so refreshing". I nodded in agreement and smiling to myself, I leant back against the edge of the pool watching the boys and the world going by.

We had bumped into Tessa and her son Joey at the airport coming out. The plane had been delayed for three hours and while we were hanging around wasting time Joey and our son Timmy started to play together. They were both the same age within a few months of each another. We chatted between the three of us and it turned out that they were from the same town as us. Sylvie and Tessa got on like a house on fire and became firm friends before even getting on the plane, chatting as only women can. I spent my time keeping an eye on the boys and stopping them from getting into too much mischief. It turned out that Tessa's husband had died eighteen months previously in a road accident and it had taken her quite a while to get over it. This was the first holiday that she and Joey had had since that tragic event. From our first meeting at the airport we had sort of taken them under our wing and we were always together from then on throughout the holiday. Joey and Timmy were inseparable like twin brothers and kept each other company, which made life easier for me as I didn't have to occupy him as much although I always helped when they wanted to build sandcastles.

"A Penny for them?" Tessa said, bringing me out of my daydream.

I looked at her and smiled. "I was just enjoying the world. This has been a wonderful holiday and Timmy and Joey get on so well. You get on with Sylvie and I have had a chance to relax and wind down from work without too much hassle."

Just then, out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of a ball coming skimming across the water towards us. It came from a couple of teenage boys who were throwing it at each other and trying to dodge. I instinctively leaped forward to stop the ball hitting Tessa and caught it, accidentally brushing one of her nipples with my arm as I moved in front of her. A shiver ran through my body from the sensation and I looked quickly at her. She had obviously felt it too and looked away guiltily.

"Wow, that was super reactions," she said, changing the mood. I laughed as I threw the ball back to the two teenagers. "There's plenty of life in the old dog yet" I replied, chuckling smugly. The two teenagers apologized and moved away from us so we wouldn't be the targets again. I looked back at Tessa and smiled. "Are you ok?" I said.

"With you all around me I am perfect. Thank you," she said and leaned forward giving me a hug. I felt her hard buds pressing into my chest and pulled away quickly, feeling guilty about the thoughts I was harbouring and hoping that she hadn't noticed the swelling in my trunks. "Sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel awkward. I am just so happy." She smiled and leaned back against the pool edge, looking towards where Timmy and Joey were playing. I leaned back too and we both stood there for a while watching the two boys playing.

After a while Tessa spoke quietly, "Mike, don't get upset, but can I ask you something?"

I looked towards her and realized that she had something on her mind. "Go ahead," I said. "What's the problem"?

"Well, I'm not sure how to word this but I'll try." She took a deep breath and steeled herself. "I would like you to make love to me"

My jaw dropped. Recovering slightly and keeping my voice low, I said "are you sure you know what you are saying? I'm married and love Sylvie very much. Although I think you are fantastic and a great friend I couldn't go behind her back."

"I know and I am sorry. I don't want to ruin things and I definitely don't want to go behind Sylvie's back. Since George died, I haven't made love to anyone and have had to rely on myself for any comfort. Since we met you, things have been going so well and I have been able to get myself back together. Maybe it's the sun or the holiday mood, but I am getting very turned and you are the only one I feel I could turn to. I wanted to sound things out with you before approaching Sylvie"

"I'm sorry Tessa," I said. "I didn't mean to sound offended, but I couldn't do it without telling Sylvie. I would like to but our marriage comes first. This is something you need to discuss with her, not me."

Her face brightened up. "So you're saying that if I did ask Sylvie and it was alright with her, you would be happy to make love to me then." Her eyes had lit up and she had a big grin on her face.

I paused for a moment, a multitude of thoughts and images rushing through my head. "That's pretty much what I'm saying," I replied. "Although, giving it some thought, I would also want her there." Tessa started to look downcast. "Have you seen the film Indecent Proposal?" I asked. She nodded. "Well if you remember, after Demi Moore and Robert Redford had spent the night together and she returned to Woody Harrison. Their relationship went downhill. Was sex better? Did she love him and all sorts of other questions that filled Woody's mind came to the fore and caused friction between them"

Tessa nodded and started to smile again. "Thinking like that, I agree with you. That is a very sensible way of looking at it. I'll go and ask Sylvie." She turned around and put her leg over the side of the pool and pulled herself out. I now got a full view of her behind as she crouched to stand up. The wet thong now hid very little of what was left of her modesty and I was having trouble controlling my thoughts, what with the view and the conversation we had just had. She stood up slowly and looked back at me with a wicked grin on her face and winked, then walked along the pavement back to our sun beds where Sylvie was lying, leaving a trail of wet behind her.

I turned around and swam over to the boys to join in their game, trying to lose the images that were whirling around in my mind. We played catch and then they wanted me to throw them like Superman across the water. I was then used as a human climbing frame. After a while Sylvie walked over and called to us. "Time for lunch you lot. If you boys are quick you can go to the club this afternoon." At this both Timmy and Joey raced to the side of the pool and jumped out. Sylvie handed them a towel each and they started to dry off while I swan slowly to the edge and climbed out. Sylvie handed me a towel and gave me a peck on the cheek. "Are you ok Dear?" she said.

"Yes, a bit tired. The boys have worn me out a bit. Have you spoken to Tessa?"

Sylvie looked at me and smiled. She gave me a hug and said "Tessa and I had a good chat. I've learnt a lot about you and that makes me love you even more." She reached up and kissed me hard on the lips. Then she said, "Let's go and have some lunch." She then turned and went back to our sun beds as I watched her, admiring her curvaceous tight behind as she walked away, swaying her curvaceous hips. Her long brown hair cascading down her back. The damp patches on her sarong where she had hugged me were already beginning to dry out. I dried off quickly and followed, ushering the boys along with me. Tessa and Sylvie had T-shirts ready for the boys and shoved them over their heads as they came within reach, ten topped them off by putting baseball caps on their heads. "Enough sun you two for the moment!" said Tessa. I slipped on my top and we collected our things and went to the open-air café for lunch.

The conversation over lunch was casual and not much was said about earlier. I didn't find out how the conversation had gone between Sylvie and Tessa but by the atmosphere, I gathered that it had gone well. I tried a couple of times to subtly broach the subject but each time either Sylvie or Tessa would steer the conversation away to something else. We couldn't say much anyway as the boys were there. After a light lunch we wandered back to the pool and found some more beds to lie on. The ones we had before lunch were now taken. I started to lay our towels down to get in some serious rays.

"So, do you boys want to go to the club?" asked Tessa.

"Yes please," they cried in unison, jumping up and down. They both had a crush on the girl who ran the club and were eager to see her any chance that they got. I could understand their eagerness. She was a little beauty!

"I'll take them over if you like," I said, thinking it would be nice to catch a glimpse of her myself and it would give the two women a chance to talk some more if they needed to.

"No it's alright. I'll do it," said Tessa insistently and she started to herd the boys down the path to the hut where the children's club took place before I could make any further protest. As they disappeared I sat down and started to get the suntan lotion out. Sylvie sat down on the bed opposite me and smiled.

"Did you mean what you said to Tessa earlier," Sylvie asked. She placed her hands on my knees and gently rubbed them up and down the outside of my thighs.

"Which bit?" I asked.

"Well, all of it I suppose, especially the bit about me being there."

"Yes, I did. I can understand how Tessa feels at the moment. A bit like a spare prick at a lesbians ball." Sylvie cuffed me around the head lightly as I put my hands up to defend myself. "You know what I mean. She is feeling left out and I feel for her. She is also very attractive and if I weren't married to a beautiful, gorgeous woman already I would certainly try my luck with her."

"Oh, you big smoothie. Flattery will get you everywhere." Sylvie laughed. "What I mean is what you said about me being there if you did."

"Yep, I meant every word. I don't ever want anything to come between us. We have had a good marriage and I want it to stay that way. That's why I would want you there if we did do it!"

Sylvie frowned slightly and thought for a while. She looked so beautiful with her brown smoldering eyes, her lovely face and brown hair. I loved this woman so much but secretly I did want to do it with Tessa. She glanced back at me and then smiled. "Tessa is my friend and I love her dearly. I can't bear to see her feeling how she is and I know you love me as much as I love you. I think we should go for it. I'm not too keen to be there, but I think you are right. If I wasn't there we would then have baggage to deal with. As long as you don't mind."

"Don't mind!!!" I exclaimed. "I get the best of both worlds. It's not me who should mind, it's you. In your position I don't know what I would do. You have to be sure," I said. "You might even enjoy it anyway" I said with a big grin on my face. Sylvie cuffed me playfully around the head and laughed. "Well, there's only one way to find out. Here comes Tessa now" she said, gesturing behind me to where Tessa and the boys had disappeared. "We can go up to our room if you want and can go from there."

I looked around to see Tessa walking up the path without the boys. "They will be gone for the next three hours so we can have a bit of piece and quiet. What are you two conspiring. You look serious, as though you are planning something dodgy."

"We decided it would be good fun to go to our room and show you those photo's we took. What do you think Tessa?" Tessa blushed and Sylvie stood up chuckling. "Come on then, let's go."

We picked up our things and walked up the path to our room. Sylvie slipped her arm around my waist and Tessa walked closely along by my other side. I had my hands full with the towels and rubber ring so I couldn't do anything with my hands. Our flip-flops slapped against our feet as we meandered down the path. I was aware of my predicament so carefully positioned the towels so that they hung down in front of me to hide the obvious protrusion in my trunks. A lot was going through my mind and it was showing. The girls were giggling at my obvious discomfort. When we reached our room Sylvie took the key and opened the door. A refreshing blast of cold air welcomed us as we walked in. I noticed that both the girls nipples were standing very taught. I couldn't tell if it was the air conditioning or what we were planning.