Chapter 13

Our clothes had mysteriously appeared overnight, folded over the back of a chair. We slipped them on and proceeded downstairs where Vanessa was busy loading up the washing machine, dressed in just a thin dressing gown.

I ogled her, hardly able to disguise my desire.

"I've got various cereals or I can cook you something up," she offered.

"Cereal is fine," I replied, not wanting to put her to any trouble. Jenny cheekily asked what was on offer and finally accepted a minor feast of bacon, sausage, fried eggs and mushrooms. Just the smell of them cooking tempted me to request a share and Vanessa happily raided the fridge for more.

"Where's Donald?" I asked curiously.

"He goes to the sports centre on Sunday mornings to meet up with his mates for a game of badminton. It's far too early and energetic for me."

"Or me," I agreed.

We ate breakfast and drank two cups of coffee before making an excuse to leave. Vanessa showed us to the door and I turned to wish her goodbye. An awkward moment ensued as force of habit told me to give her a kiss and a hug, as I would whenever we were about to spend a significant amount of time apart.

I settled for squeezing her hand in mine whilst Jenny, suffering no such inhibitions, wrapped her arms around her waist and pecked her on the cheek. Vanessa blushed but accepted the affection, waving tentatively as we returned to the car. The gates swung open as we approached and we were soon headed back towards the town centre.

"She's not happy," Jenny observed.

"Who? Vanessa?"

"Who else?"

"What makes you say that?"

"It's obvious, or at least it is to me."

"She has Donald, a big house, lots of money."

"You can be quite dense at times."

"What did I miss?"

"The main problem is that she's not stopped loving you."

"I think you're reading more into it than there is."

"All last night in the restaurant, everything she said was designed to draw a reaction and get you to notice her. She was even flaunting herself at you this morning in that flimsy little gown."

"It's a bit late for that now," I replied.

"Don't think that I didn't notice the way you were staring at her."

"I wasn't," I denied.

"Your eyes were on stalks. I'm not mad. You lived with her for nine years. I'd be more concerned if you didn't feel that way, to be honest."

"Maybe I was eyeing her up a bit, but it doesn't mean anything. Besides, she's with Donald now."

"I suppose so. I didn't see much evidence of him giving her much affection."

"I assure you that he does."

"Sex maybe, but not affection."

She paused. "I think there's only one person in the world that Donald loves, and that's Donald."

"Probably true," I concurred. "He does like to hear himself talk."

" ... and they blend the Sémillion grape within oak caskets to produce blah blah blah," Jenny mocked

I laughed.

"It's okay to admit you still love her," Jenny told me seriously

"It's over between us. It took a while for me to accept but I have, although I'll concede that seeing her like that didn't help. It's you that I love."

I reached over and placed my hand on her leg, giving it a gentle squeeze. Jenny smiled back at me but for an instant, there was suddenly something else written behind her eyes. I dismissed it as mild paranoia and returned my attention to the road.

We settled into a regular routine, working hard during the week and relaxing during the weekend, relishing each other's company. Sex was just one facet of our developing relationship as Jenny and I started finding a multitude of activities which we could enjoy together. She accompanied me on several country walks, even laughing when we became caught in a torrential downpour and returned to the car dripping wet.

Rumours about our relationship soon spread around the office and I was continuously teased about the disparity between our ages. I laughed off the jibes in good spirit.

On one afternoon in early September, Jenny called me on the internal phone and informed me she was going shopping after work and would make her own way back. I used the opportunity to work a little later before going home and cooking my own dinner, unsure what time Jenny would be returning. She appeared back by taxi in the early evening bearing a number of shopping bags.

"What have you been buying now?" I groaned.

"I'll show you later," she replied mysteriously.

"Are you hungry?"

"No, I bought a snack in town."

We watched a film on the television and then retired to bed. I went into the bathroom to wash and clean my teeth before entering the bedroom. The purpose of the shopping trip became all too clear as I admired her body wrapped in the most provocative underwear. Nothing was left to the imagination. I grinned and joined her on the bed where I demonstrated my appreciation repeatedly until I was no longer able to perform.

The excursions became a regular occurrence and each time I would eagerly anticipate what she would present me with next. Fishnet stockings, transparent camisoles, lacy basques in varied colours; each made their appearance, adding never-ending interest to our love life.

I happened to be glancing out of the front window when she returned from another retail bonanza, observing her climb out a familiar looking vehicle. I waited for an appropriate moment before challenging her about what I saw. After my earlier miscalculation with Vanessa, I was determined not to repeat the same mistake twice.

"How did you get home?" I queried.

"Why do you ask?"

"I saw a car draw up. It looked like..."

"Vanessa's. It was. We met in town."

"You bumped into her?"

"We arranged to do some shopping together. She's been giving me some good tips."

"So this isn't the first time?"

"Is there a problem?"

Whilst grateful that she didn't try to deceive me, it did concern me why she was meeting up with my wife, or ex-wife, or whatever Vanessa was.

"We had a bite to eat and then she brought me home."

"What did you talk about?"

"This and that. You know ... girlie stuff."

I nodded and glanced at the carrier bag in her hand. She smiled and showed me the miniscule thong that she'd bought as well as a cupless bra that was positively indecent.

"Was this her idea?"

"Donald likes her to surprise him and she knows all the right places to go. You're not upset with me are you?"

"No. I'm just a little surprised, that's all."

"Do you want me to go up and get changed?"

I grinned, whereupon she disappeared and returned a short time later to properly display her purchases. I wasted no time in showing her my gratitude, scooping her up into my arms and conveying her upstairs.

Jenny and Vanessa continued to keep in touch. Vanessa occasionally called back at the house afterwards for a short time, drinking down a quick coffee before making her excuse to leave. The two girls seemed relaxed in each other's company. I couldn't think of a valid reason to object, although I had to admit that it was an unexpected development.

It was also nice to see Vanessa from time to time, even if it was just for a half-hour casual conversation. To my great relief, she always refrained from speaking about Donald, preferring instead to talk about more neutral topics.

Her father's house had been up for sale for less than two weeks before a professional couple offered a phenomenal sum for it, even though it was in dire need of refurbishment. As soon as all contracts exchanged hands, Vanessa would be over four hundred thousand pounds richer, even after the taxman had taken his share of the proceeds.

When the deal went through, she celebrated with a night out on the town with her colleagues from school and, of course, Jenny. They all wound up in a nightclub, dancing into the early hours. I never heard Jenny return but had to deal with after-effects of her severe hangover the day after.

Work sometimes required me to travel abroad and a trip to Hamburg was arranged to visit a supplier of electronic equipment that we used, and also to attend a tradeshow in nearby Hannover. I would be away from home for the whole week, but promised Jenny to keep in regular contact by phone.

The five days passed swiftly and easily but I was still grateful to be back in the country. I drove home from the airport and arrived just as Vanessa was leaving. She smiled and waved goodbye as she climbed into her car and drove away.

"Vanessa was just here," I stated obviously.

"She picked me up at work and brought me home."

"Not exactly on her route is it?"

"She offered. We enjoy each other's company. There's nothing wrong with that is there?" she challenged.

"I suppose not. What does Donald think of it?"

"He's in New York again."

"He seems to spend a lot of time there."

"Yes," Jenny replied absently.

Over the next couple of weeks, Jenny began to receive a number of calls on her mobile and she invariably disappeared to take them in private. Whilst I did trust her, they became an unwelcome distraction. After one long call late in the evening, I took her to task about it.

"It was Vanessa," she admitted.

"Why was she calling you at this ungodly hour?"

"She just wanted a chat. What was I supposed to do, refuse to talk to her?"

"It's becoming a joke. She's never off the bleeding phone."

"Don't be mean, she's lonely."

"Pah! She has Donald."

Jenny burst out laughing.

"What did I say?" I asked, slightly confused.

"You just don't know how funny that is," she replied.

"Explain it to me then."

"Maybe later."

The subject never arose and I thought no more of it until the end of the week when once again, Jenny became embroiled in a lengthy and heated phone conversation. I stood at the kitchen door, eavesdropping on Jenny's end of the call.

"Where is he?"

"I don't know why you put up with it."

"When does he come back?"

"I told you what to do."

"Why not? He won't bite."

"Alright, I'll expect you when I see you."

She hung up and jumped when she noticed me watching her. "Shit. You scared me half to death."

"What are you up to?" I demanded.

"I'm not doing anything," she replied edgily. "I just want to help."

"You're interfering and it's probably going to bring you nothing but trouble."

"We'll see," she replied.

An hour later, she brewed a pot of tea and we took it into the lounge. The doorbell rang just after we'd finished drinking.

"That'll be her now," Jenny announced, jumping up and racing towards the front door.

I followed and stood at the entrance to the hall, watching as she opened the front door and let Vanessa in. The pair hugged and I retreated back into the comparative safety of the lounge, dropping onto the leather sofa to await developments.

Vanessa entered alone, slowly approaching and inspecting me nervously. She wore a short grey dress that clung closely to her figure. The neckline plunged delightfully whilst her nipples poked provocatively against the thin fabric. Her hair was tied back behind her head, changing her appearance and affording her a more sophisticated look. A long expanse of stocking-clad leg ended in a high-heeled sandal through which her painted toes peeped.

"You look well, Vanessa," I praised. "Have you lost a bit of weight?"

"I never eat properly when I'm at home on my own," she confessed.

I glanced at the doorway but Jenny had yet to join us.

"Jenny's given us a few moments to talk. We've never really spoken properly since we split up."

"No," I admitted. The only significant time that we'd spent together was the day of the funeral and it had seemed inappropriate to discuss it then. "Does Donald know you're here?"

"He flew out this afternoon."

"New York?"

She nodded.

"Where do you want to start?" I asked.

"I've left him," she stated emphatically.

My heart skipped a beat. "Does he know?"

"Not yet. I doubt he'll care. He only took me in out of a sense of responsibility. The only thing that'll annoy him is that he'll now have to search around for somebody else to fuck," she replied contemptuously.

Vanessa hardly ever swore when we were together. I found it slightly disconcerting to note how easily the word dripped off her tongue. Towering over me, she decided to adopt a more respectful aspect by dropping down to kneel at my feet. I glanced down her cleavage and cursed my body's lack of control.

"Why?" I croaked. "What did you ever see in him?"

"I was lonely," she sniffed. "I talked to you on the phone but it wasn't the same. I'm not trying to justify myself, I'm just telling you how I felt. If Donald is anything, he's a charmer. He's a womanising jerk, but he's extremely charming. When we were working together on the brochure, he made me feel really special and in my vulnerable state, I warmed to him."

"I see," I acknowledged, trying desperately to appreciate things from her point of view.

"One time, we'd been out for a meal and he invited me back to his house. I was a little bit drunk but that didn't excuse why I spent the night with him. I felt terrible the next morning, but he reassured me and kept telling me how beautiful I was. Things started to spiral out of control and before I knew it, I was seeing him two or three times a week."

"When was this?" I asked, desperate to know when the affair started.

"A couple of months before Christmas," she confirmed sadly.

"Mostly we went to his place but on the odd occasion, we came back here and I had sex with him on our bed. I don't know why but I allowed him to do all manner of things that I'd never have entertained before. I sucked his cock. I let him tie me up. I even let him fuck me in the bum, something that completely disgusted me initially. He seemed to know exactly how to press my buttons and I gave myself to him completely."

It was difficult for me to hear but I suspected that it was even harder for her to tell me.

"I was the loving wife when you came home and then this disgraceful whore whenever I was with Donald," she continued. "It was like I was two different people. They were aware of each other but remained separate in order for me to function. Eventually, the two personas began to merge and during Easter, you enjoyed a small taste of what I'd been giving Donald."

"I remember," I replied.

"I was so happy during that time. I told myself I'd stop seeing him and that we'd build our relationship anew."

"So what went wrong?"

"Donald called me up. I went to see him to tell him it was over but I ended up letting him seduce me once more. I just wasn't strong enough to stand up to him. At times, I dreamed it was you that was doing all those nasty things to me. Somehow that made it easier to live with."

"When I spied on you in that country lane, you certainly seemed to be enjoying yourself," I challenged.

"A part of me did enjoy it, I can't deny that," she confessed. "I'm so sorry."

A tear trickled down her cheek and my heart filled with conflicted emotions.

"So how come you've decided to leave him now?"

"Jenny. She's become my friend and my confidant. She saw Donald for what he really was and has worked tirelessly to convince me how selfish and manipulative he was. I suspected he saw other women, but it was only this last week that I discovered proof of one of them on his computer.

"She works for his publisher in New York. She's married like myself but also has two young children. Her husband has no idea that his wife has been unfaithful to him for the past two years."

"That's awful."

"Jenny gave me the confidence to leave; but now that I've sold Dad's place, I've got nowhere to go. I need a place to stay, at least until I can locate something suitable, so Jenny suggested I come over here."

"Oh, she did, did she?" I tried to feel anger towards Jenny but could not help but admire her audacity.

"I don't expect an answer straight away. I know I've hurt you so badly and I'd love to make it up to you in some way."

"You don't need to," I replied.

"Yes I do," she sighed, reaching out and placing a hand on each of my thighs.

"Vanessa. It's over between us. I won't risk losing what I have with Jenny."

"Jenny knows what I want and approves. Let me do something for you, just this once, and then you can decide where we go from there."

I wanted to believe her but her earlier deception left severe doubts in my mind. Vanessa sensed this and rose to her feet. She called out and Jenny entered the room.

"Jenny?" I gasped.

She smiled at me as Vanessa resumed her position and her hand moved over the prominent bulge in my trousers, squeezing it gently.

"Vanessa needs this, Peter, and I think deep down so do you. Just let what happens happen and we'll talk about it later. I love you." She retreated slowly out of the door, leaving me alone with my wife once more.

Vanessa stared into my eyes, full of hope, and I nodded tentatively for her to proceed. Her hand reached behind her back and I heard the familiar sound as she unzipped herself. The front of her dress sagged and she flipped it down to expose her breasts encased in a lacy bra. Her nipples had erected to points and the crimson hue of her areolas was clearly discernable through the translucent material. She cupped them in her hands, looking down as her fingers stimulated the nubs until they engorged even further.

"Touch them, Pete," she urged. "Play with my titties."

The words inflamed my desire and I cautiously reached out to capture one, feeling its warmth infuse the palm of my hand. The nipple was firm and I teased it back and forth as her hands returned to my crotch and started to loosen my belt. The stud and then the zipper surrendered to her fingers and she drew everything down to around my ankles before staring in rapt fascination at my raging erection. Her fingers wrapped around the shaft, sliding the foreskin slowly up and down and generating exquisite sensations.

She abandoned her task temporarily to attack each of the buttons of my shirt and then part the garment to expose my chest. Her hands toyed with the fine hairs that covered my front before leaning forwards and kissing my breast, licking around each nipple and then slowly running her tongue down my belly leaving behind a tenuous trail of saliva.

Her tongue foraged in my navel whilst my aching cock buried itself in her cleavage, feeling decidedly at home. Vanessa reached back, unhooked and then discarded the bra, letting her naked breasts settle around my member. She reached down to take hold of her boobs and squeeze them together around the shaft, trapping it inside a fleshy prison. She smiled coyly as she rocked back and forth, stimulating me within their confinement.