Summers are for Decadence Pt. 01

It was years before Jane and started to see each other again. It was when she and William were in the throes of parting. They did that a couple of times, before having a final break and then starting divorce proceedings.

I was surprised how easily we got on after all those years. It wasn't long before she was telling me how awful her marriage was and I was sympathising and telling her how I sometimes wondered whether I was really married, so often was Luke away or at work.

Not once did we bring up our sexually involved past. It really was a classic 'swept under the carpet' issue and, mixing metaphors dreadfully, a topic that simply 'never reared its head;' in fact we had never really talked about it, even when we were involved.

She and William had started a business together, which was involved with marketing and promotions within the oil and gas industry. It was aligned to his original oilfield laboratory business, but was run by Jane and had become very successful, probably adding more to the already bulging family coffers than the original business. Hence, when they divorced she sold him her part of the business and walked away a very wealthy lady indeed.

Wealthy, but bored and lonely, a set of conditions I completely understood, for they were so close to mine.

I guess it was because we were both a little worried about becoming fully paid up members of the 'ladies who lunch' club that we started the business.

That was some two years ago now, two years before this summer of decadence.

This started at Jane's daughter's birthday party, she was thirteen. Whilst none of us were Jewish, she and William had previously and we now lived in a Jewish area and we all had numerous friends of that faith. As a result, the age of thirteen took on more importance than in most gentile communities. So it was a biggish party, held at Jane's parents' house.

Inevitably, Luke couldn't make it so I had to go alone, something that was becoming relationship damaging and possibly beginning to ruin it.

Jane had been telling me recently that she had been seeing more of William. After the breakup and then the divorce, she totally refused to see him at all. Due to issues and situations affecting their daughter, she had recently relented and they had met several times. At first, it was, she had told, me very frosty. After a few meetings, though, she confided that things got easier.

"Do you know, Christina," she told me one Monday after there had been something on at her daughter Anna's school during the weekend. "I'm sure the bastard was trying it on with me."

Over the next few months she reported that he was becoming more and familiar with her when they were alone.

"Are you tempted?" I asked one day when we were having lunch in a local Italian.

"In a way, yes I am," she surprisingly told me.

"Do you think you will?"

"What, have sex with him?" she asked.

For some reason I was finding the situation rather exciting.

"Yes, do you think you will?"

"I sometimes think it might be nice, for he always was good in bed," she said, not adding as she might, 'But then you would know that.' Instead she went on. "And after all you know my situation Christina."

As well I did, for although we didn't talk that intimately I was aware of her lack of men friends and thus sex. Jane had reached the conclusion that she didn't want another long-term partner until Anna was 'off her hands.' That, she felt, was when she went to university at nineteen. "I just don't want her having a series of 'uncles' and I can't stand the lies and subterfuge of affairs," she had explained one day over lunch.

I asked whether she felt she could have more. As I put it 'casual affairs?'

She replied. "What you mean, casual, no commitment sex?"

"Yes, I suppose I do and I hear it's quite fashionable nowadays."

"I have thought about it?"

"And?"

"I'm not sure I'm ready for a fuckbuddy," she laughed. "Why have you tried it?"

I think I may even have blushed when I hurriedly said I hadn't. That was true, for so far I had only been unfaithful to Luke once and that was years ago, not long after our marriage. The blush was caused because recently I had thought about a, as she termed it, fuckbuddy quite a lot. For me and my circumstances a sex with no commitment affair had some strong appeal.

"But you'd like to," Jane said smiling?

"It has some appeal, but I doubt that I would have the nerve."

"I'm not sure I could cope with the continual feeling of guilt," Jane said sipping her Frascati.

"Guilt, but you're single."

"Yes I know, but I find it hard to have sex without some form of emotional involvement and commitment."

"And you don't want that?"

"No and that's my classic Catch Twenty Two isn't it?"

"Yes I suppose it is, so what will you do?"

"Keep my knickers on I suppose and take lots of cold showers," she said laughing.

"Is it difficult, Jane?" I asked.

"It can be, sometimes I get so frustrated I could walk out of my apartment and fuck the first decent looking guy I see."

"Oh dear be careful, luv," I said softly, unthinkingly reaching across the table and touching the backs of her fingers with my fingertips. Our eyes met again. We held each other's gaze. I think we were both thinking the same thing, but neither had the pluck or whatever was needed to say 'There is another option.'

At the party, which took place just a week or so after that lunch, Jane was busy so we didn't have much chance to chat. Although I knew some of the people there, it was very much a family do, so I was a little left out. I drifted from group to group chatting and laughing until after a couple of hours I found myself in a small group including William on the patio. It was a warm evening and there were numerous smokers around, I even had a couple of cigarettes.

The start of summer when we have warm evenings and we can eat and drink outside, is always a special time in England, where the weather is so unpredictable. This summer, so far, it had been very pleasant, so it was nice to be outside on this June evening. There was a friendly atmosphere and the women looked fabulous in their glamorous dresses and the men handsome in their open neck shirts and chinos, some wearing jackets and others sweaters. As usual in the social circle in that wealthy London suburb, the dresses tended to be thin and low cut and there was oodles of female flesh on show, creating a generally highly charged atmosphere. Sex was in the air everywhere!

I found myself next to William. He seemed to be focusing more and more on me, which in some ways I didn't mind. It helped me out as I was on my own and I didn't know that many people and, to be truthful, I was flattered that he should show such interest.

As it goes at such events the others moved on and William and I were by ourselves.

"How are things?" He asked.

"Fine," I smiled back.

"Really?"

"Yes, of course. Anyway how do you mean?"

"Whatever way you wish," he said with that somehow knowing smile that I had always found quite attractive on his face.

I smiled at him and swept the thick lock of strawberry blonde hair that tends to fall down my forehead back on top of my head. "I don't wish any way. Why would I?"

"Well you're here alone on a Sunday aren't you?"

"So?"

"Luke too busy?"

"As always."

"He should be careful," he said moving a little closer and sipping his drink.

"What do you mean?" I asked, rather stupidly innocently.

"You know what I mean."

"I don't," I replied, quite enjoying the verbal bantering. I swept the hair away from my forehead again. Maybe that was a sign of flirting, I tended to do it more when in such circumstances.

"Keep leaving you alone."

"That's work, he's very busy as you know."

"I know that, but he should get more balance."

"He tries William, but it's difficult with his job."

"Yes I know that, but if he keeps leaving you alone, someone else will pinch you."

"Don't be silly, we're very happy."

"Yeah ok," he said.

We got interrupted then and I wasn't alone with him until near the end of the party.

"Maybe we could arrange lunch?" He said just as we were all leaving.

I smiled a non-committal reply. He put his head near to my ear and whispered. "Or dinner."

"William, I'm married and you are my best friend's ex. Best to leave well alone."

*****

A note from Christina.

To avoid it being very long I have broken this down into three parts, but have submitted them at the same time. So if you wish you can take a breather between fucks, or if you have the stamina go for all three at once.

Your choice and best of luck, but let me know what you think.

Thanks C x