A Briefly Different Love

I knew it was ten-thirty when my PA brought the coffee, biscuits and a daily paper into my office. Marjory has been with me since I became the CEO and knew exactly how and when I liked my morning coffee and afternoon tea.

‘I have reserved a table for twelve-thirty at the Belsham Hotel for our lunch appointment with John Chimes, Mr Sterling’

I thanked Marjory and confirmed there were no other meetings until then. I had long ago given up asking her to call me Tim, like everyone else.

Having worked long and hard to become the CEO of Asquith Financial Services, one of the largest investment companies in the country, I really appreciated having such a reliable PA, like Marjory, looking after me.

Alone with my coffee and munching on a nice chocolate biscuit, I knew that at fifty-seven I was finally enjoying my career ambition. My power within Asquith Financial Services was unquestionable, and my income, together with stock holdings, bonuses, and investments are considerable.

Privately, I also considered myself very fortunate. I had a long and very satisfactory marriage to a remarkable woman. Amanda, at just two years younger than me, and was the senior partner with Montague, Morgan and Partners, a leading firm of corporate lawyers. Like me, she had worked hard to achieve her career ambition and was now being exceptionally financially rewarded.

I would say that many would consider that my wife and I were quite high up in social status. Not that it concerned either of us.

Our housekeeper, Mrs Stokes had the evening meal ready to be served when Amanda and I arrived home at about six-thirty. Mrs Stokes had been with us for five years and was now totally indispensable to both of us.

During dinner, Amanda and I talked about our two children, Steve and Susan. Both were happily married to successful husbands but there was still no talk of either of them giving us grandchildren.

‘How did you lunch with Mr Chimes go,’ Amanda asked me.

‘He wants financing to upgrade a large portfolio of small, rental properties.’

‘How many?’ she asked.

‘Seven Hundred and seventy-one,’ I told her. ‘His family have acquired them over the last fifty years. He needs to spend between eight to ten thousand on each one, which means an investment of seven to eight million.’

‘Is it a good investment for you?’

‘It’s not what we usually undertake but we are going to have another meeting. What about your day, anything interesting?’

‘Yes, I’ve been approached by a perfumery house about a new brand they are developing.’

‘Perfume, that smells interesting,’ I joked. ‘Who approached you?’

‘I think it will be very interesting,’ Amanda replied, with just a smile at my joke. ‘It was just a preliminary phone call to set up a meeting with their CEO, Jacelyn Penrose.’

A month later I went ahead with the investment into Mr Chimes property portfolio. Amanda told me she was still negotiating the contracts for the launch of the perfume house’s new brand.

Two months later I casually asked Amanda about her negotiation with the perfume people. ‘Are you still in negotiation with Jocelyn Penrose about that perfume thing?’ I thought she hesitated a bit before answering.

‘Oh, that just concluded,’ she said. ‘It’s a new range of garments, not perfume. It should be in the shops in another three months. I’ll be having some samples soon,’ she added.

When I asked her if she was still seeing Jocelyn Penrose, again she hesitated. ‘Well, yes, we still meet occasionally. Her husband, Grayson owns a chain of hotels, he inherited them from his father.’

Both her hesitation and the change of subject to Jocelyn’s husband worried me for some reason. ‘He owns some hotels, perhaps Jocelyn could get me a discount if I stay in one of them.’ I don’t travel much but everyone likes a good discount.

‘They’re not business hotels, darling. They’re all small, exclusive hotels, in out of the way places.’

The way she spoke about them had me thinking she knew more than she was telling me about Jocelyn and her husband. ‘They sound wonderful, how about we book a few days away together? The next time you see Jocelyn ask her about it.’

The following Saturday evening, we went out to dinner at our favourite restaurant. Something we tried to do at least once a month. When, like us, you can afford it, dining at a Michelin three-star restaurant is always a special occasion. The ambience, the company of the other clientele, the courtesy of the waiters, the way your meal is presented, everything lulls you into a feeling of wellbeing. Then there is the meal itself, priceless.

Over the desert, Amanda told me she had asked Jocelyn about us staying at one of her husband’s hotels. ‘We are going to be their guests next weekend,’ she said. ‘At a country house hotel tucked away in the Cotswolds.’

‘That’s very kind of Jocelyn, am I going to meet her?’ Perhaps I’ll find out why my wife has been so hesitant when talking about her.

‘That’s what she said to me, “it’s about time I met your husband.”

‘Have you met her husband?’

‘No, I’m looking forward to meeting him.’

While I was anticipating a weekend away in a boutique hotel in the Cotswolds with my beautiful wife, she seemed to become increasingly nervous. On Thursday Amanda phoned me at the office, nothing unusual in that, except this time it was to tell me Jocelyn was in town and had invited her out for the evening. They had been out together in the evening twice before but I had been told about it a couple of days beforehand.

She returned home at ten and immediately told me they’d had a lovely evening together. Then told me she had to change as she was still wearing her business suit. When I thought about it later I wondered why she hadn’t changed into one of the dresses she kept in her office.

We had both expected that I would drive us to the hotel, but that evening Amanda told me a limousine would be at our house by four on Friday.

The hotel was deep in the countryside. A large country house approached by a winding drive through a small wood. Only the gatehouse at the entrance to the drive gave any indication that the road went anywhere.

We were made very welcome and told that Mr and Mrs Penrose would meet us in the lounge at seven-thirty for pre-dinner drinks. Our room had all the luxury you would expect in a small, exclusive hotel. The drinks cabinet was well stocked with generously sized bottles of most spirits, including my favourite whisky and Amanda’s wine. Not by chance, I thought.

The biggest surprise, for me, was when we went into the bedroom. Not only was the bed huge but Amanda’s squeal of delight focused my attention to the complete set of exquisite lingerie laid out on the bedspread in their unopened packing.

‘Tim, look at these, Jocelyn said there would be a surprise for me in our room.’

I was confused. ‘Why would she give them to you?’

‘Oh Tim, Jocelyn also own’s, ‘Rachels Pleasure,’ it is far more exclusive than Victoria’s Secret’s and much too expensive for me.’

I was now more confused. ‘You said she owns Rachel’s Pleasure, does she also own the perfume house?’

‘Of course, you must have known that?’

‘No. All you told me was that she was the CEO.’

‘I’m sorry, I thought I told you.’

Two hours before we met our hosts I took advantage of the time and made sure Amanda enjoyed our shower together. We ended up with less than an hour to get dressed. Enough time for me but Amanda wanted to take advantage of everything presented on the dressing table.

Finally, she was ready to wear the displayed lingerie. I offered to help her but was told I could only watch. My wife, even at the age of fifty-five is still a tall, beautiful woman who has kept herself in peak condition. She had gained a softness around her hips and more shape to her thighs, which I liked. To my eyes, even her ass seemed adoringly plumper. Her breasts had lost some of their youthful firmness though her nipples were still very perky.

As I watched Amanda dressing in Jocelyn’s gift of lingerie I could see how much pleasure she was getting. First, the bra was taken from its luxurious wrapping and carefully fitted to her ample breasts.

Then she unwrapped the suspender belt and displayed it to me. ‘You can put this around my waist if you like, darling.’

It felt and looked so sensual I took longer to fit that suspender belt around my wife’s waist than ever before.

Then I handed the luxurious stocking pack to her and was told to sit down and watch. I doubt if any man doesn’t get ideas while watching his wife put on a pair of stockings. Amanda has a wonderful way of doing it while glancing sassily at me all the time. Somehow my brain retained sufficient control over my emotions to keep me seated.

Finally, she opened the pack of panties. She shook them out then held them up to me. ‘Beautiful, aren’t they?’

I could just about nod in affirmation, then watched as my wife slowly draw them up her silk covered legs. A brief wiggle and there she stood in all her lingerie glory. The fit to her body was flawless and the combination of browns and creams in each garment matched her skin colour perfectly.

Seeing my wife’s pleasure from wearing Jaclyn’s gift and the way it enhanced her already beautiful body, almost overawed me. Yet, at the back of my mind was a lingering concern that there was an ulterior motive to Jocelyn’s gift.

Amanda turned to the wardrobe and returned with a dress I had never seen before. ‘I bought this as a special surprise for you but perhaps you’ve already had enough surprises for one night?’

I got my voice back. ‘Please, surprise me. I think I can take one more.’

The dress was a light cream, perfectly marching her lingerie. Moments later Amanda had stepped into the dress and drawn it all the way up. There were two thin shoulder straps, a straight, loose-fitting bodice and a fitted, knee-length skirt. She turned her back to me and glanced over her shoulder in a way I had seen so many times before when she needed a dress zippered up.

Obediently I zipped her up and fastened the tiny button. Then I put my arms around her and told her the dress was perfect and looking at her reflection on the full-length mirror, I told her she was still an incredibly beautiful woman.

She turned within my arms, thanked me then gave me one of her wonderful kisses. ‘I think it’s time we presented ourselves to our hosts.’

That lingering concern was tingled again when Amanda told me it was time to present ourselves. I wish I knew why, but the thought crossed my mind, that if Jocelyn knew about my wife’s lingerie, did her husband also know and then a thought entered my head, who would be the next person the see her wearing it.

Although both of us had worked hard and for long hours to achieve the success we now enjoyed, neither of us had ever neglected the other. Our social life was full and my sex life was extremely satisfying, as I thought Amanda’s was. Yet, I just couldn’t get rid of this concern I’d had ever since Jacelyn Penrose had entered my wife’s life.

They were waiting for us when we entered the hotel lounge. I knew who they were even before Amanda said anything. It was immediately obvious to me that they were a powerful couple; and not just in business. After the introduction by Amanda and the obligatory cheek kissing from Jacelyn, then the introduction and handshaking from Grayson, we were finally seated in a quiet corner of the room.

As I expected, Grayson ordered my favourite whisky and Amanda’s favourite wine. After they were delivered, by a very attractive young lady, Grayson caught my eye. ‘Jocelyn told me what your favourite drink was so I added a couple of bottles to the bar stock.’

Jocelyn may have been disclosing things about us to her husband but Amanda had not told me anything about them. Another disquieting fact to add to my concerns.

Almost a soon as we had finished our drinks Grayson was told our table was ready. I am always amazed how a restaurant can fit everything onto a table half the size we need at home. This meant we were sitting quite close to each other. I was impressed by the menu, the service and the meal. Not quite Michelin three-star, though I don’t think Amanda noticed as almost all her time was taken up by her conversation with Grayson.

Jocelyn was an equally attentive hostess, telling me about how she started her perfume house with her sister and then the lingerie company. When I asked about her sister she told me she had died three years ago and she had bought her shares from her husband, who had no interest in either company.

By now my desert had arrived and while I waited for us all to be served I felt Jocelyn’s hand on mine. ‘Now I want you to tell me all about yourself,’ she said, her hand giving mine a gentle squeeze.

Soon I telling her all about my life, my career and my marriage. Without me realising it, I was beginning to enjoying the company of this beautiful, vivacious woman whom I sensed could be very controlling. Also, whatever her perfume was, it made her even more alluring.

When asked where we wanted coffee we all agreed on the lounge. Almost as soon as we entered the room, Jocelyn and my wife sat together in the settee while Grayson and I had the individual armchairs. Jocelyn and my wife were immediately in conversation.

I turned to Grayson and he was already looking at me. ‘They look good together, don’t they?’

If he had said, they get on well together, I would have immediately agreed, but to say that, “they look good together,” seem to be implying something else and for a moment I didn’t know quite how to reply. ‘Yes, Amanda has told me that they have enjoyed some social time together.’

I glanced at my wife and wanted to change the subject. ‘Amanda tells me that you own a chain of hotels like this one?’

‘Yes, my grandfather acquired to first one and added two more, then my father added another four and since I took over I have added five. Six of them are on the continent.’

The more we talked the more I realised just how wealthy Grayson and his wife really were. It was his five million that had helped financed Jocelyn and her sister’s perfume venture. Their own money and another two million for Grayson had financed their lingerie venture. He told me that all the money had now been repaid. ‘This latest venture of Jocelyn’s is all her own money, though I take credit for giving her the idea’, he added with a smile.

I had to ask because Amanda hadn’t told me anything about it. ‘What is this new range of garments your wife is launching? Amanda hasn’t told me anything other than that.’

Grayson looked at me for a moment, then turned to where our wives were sitting. I don’t know for how long Grayson and I had been talking, but when I turned and saw Amanda and Jocelyn sitting together I was surprised at the display of familiarity they were sharing.

‘Jocelyn.’ They were so absorbed in each other it took her a moment before she realised Grayson had spoken to her. They both looked up at the same time and my wife gave me a lovely smile.

‘Jocelyn, Tim wants to know about your new line of garments.’

For a second Jocelyn seem hesitant. ‘Not yet, Grayson, I want Amanda to see the full range first.’ That surprised me as I thought Amanda would have seen the full range already.

Whether it was the closeness of Amanda and Jocelyn that suggested an intimacy between them, or the interaction between Jocelyn and Grayson, or the way my wife smiled at me, but at that moment I felt the dynamics between us all had changed and I was the only one who didn’t know why.

‘Well if you want to show her now, I’ll look after Tim’

I saw Jocelyn look at her watch, then say something to my wife. ‘Tim, it’s nine now, I’ll bring Amanda back to your room by eleven.’ She stood and held out her hand. which my wife took hold of.

Amanda smiled at Jocelyn then turned to me. ‘You don’t mind if Jocelyn shows me her new collection now, do you darling?’

Whatever I was thinking, I had no obvious reason to object. ‘I’ll be waiting for you,’ I replied, then stood up and gave her a hug and a kiss.

Just after I sat down Grayson handed me another whisky. ‘You don’t have to worry about Amanda, when Jocelyn likes someone she takes very good care of them.’

That’s what worried me, just how much Jocelyn wanted to take care of my wife. I already had concerns about their relationship even before tonight, now Grayson and I had seen them together I was wondering why he wasn’t as concerned about them as I was.

‘Do you play snooker?’

It took me a moment to realise I’d been asked a question. “Years ago, an uncle taught me.’

‘Good, let’s have a game, take your mind off them.’

Whisky glass in hand I followed Grayson, thinking about his comment about taking my mind off them. The room had two tables but no obligatory board for darts to disturb the concentration. Grayson was good but thanks to some retained memory of what my uncle Jack had taught me, I won a couple of frames. Or was it the whisky I kept drinking that helped me?

I saw Grayson looking at his watch. ‘Ten to eleven, time for you to get you back to your room. I hate to have to convince Jocelyn that we were only playing snooker if she gets Amanda back before you.’

I’d been back in our room for ten minutes when the door opened and Amanda came in with Jocelyn behind her. She came straight up to me, put her arms around me, hugged me tight and gave me a lovely kiss.’

When she leant back I could see she had made some attempt to restore her appearance, but her hair was still disarrayed and her lipstick looked like it had been hurriedly applied. I looked over at Jocelyn and there was a wicked look of satisfaction on her smiling face.

I was still thinking of something to say when Amanda reached for Jocelyn’s hand and pulled her toward us. ‘Tim, darling, Jocelyn and I have been very naughty. You won’t be too cross with me, will you, darling?’

Two darlings in one sentence, she must have been very naughty. Before I could reply she was kissing me again. Any doubt I had about my wife’s relationship with Jocelyn evaporated with that kiss. I gently pulled us apart and looked between them.

‘Jocelyn, am I right to assume that you have seduced my wife into your bed?’

Jocelyn must have dealt with a situation like this before because I felt she was completely in control. She stroked my arm then kissed my cheek and I remembered my earlier thought about her, as I again enjoyed her perfume. ‘Of course, I have Tim, several times, because she is so perfect for me.’

Well, there it was, just as I had suspected. Jocelyn and my wife were lovers. Even as the thought was in my head she whispered in my ear. ‘Amanda needs you to reclaim her, Tim. Let her know you still love her.’

She kissed my cheek then turned to Amanda. ‘You were wonderful, darling.’ Then she kissed her on her lips.’ Right in front of me. ‘Grayson and I will meet you tomorrow, on the restaurant terrace about two,’ she told us, before closing the door behind her.

When the door closed Amanda looked at me with big, appealing eyes. As I looked at her, I remembered that Jocelyn’s appearance seemed to have been totally unaffected by whatever had left my wife looking so dishevelled. ‘Do you want to tell me anything about it?’ I asked, while not sure if I wanted to know anyway.

She shook her head. ‘Not now please, darling, maybe another time. I just need you to make love to me, please Tim, please darling.’

As I looked at my wife and saw the love in her eyes I knew I had too much invested in this beautiful woman, to refuse her. I think I had also subconsciously prepared myself for this moment.

I started by kissing her.

I woke up before my wife and it was a few moments before I recalled all the events of yesterday. As I turned toward her, Amanda was facing me, laying on her side. Her long, blonde hair was spread over the pillow and there was a tranquillity about the way she breathing.

I recalled the moment after we had kissed when she turned her back to me. Without either of us saying a word, I undid the tiny button, slid the zip down her dress and slipped the straps off her shoulders. After she turned to face me the dress slid ever so slowly down her body. I remembered that at the time, wondered why it took so long. Thinking about it now I realised it was because of the dress’s material.

I had not expected her to be wearing the same beautiful brown and cream lingerie, though I knew it must have been removed sometime during her evening with Jocelyn. Seeing her wearing it made it easier for me to put that thought out of my mind, and show my wife that I still loved her.

I remembered how breathless she sounded when she asked me to remove each garment. For some reason, I wanted to remove them in the reverse order to which she had dressed herself. I started with the panties, which was probably the wrong thing to do because all the time she was sitting on the bed, and I was kneeling in front of her, removing her stockings I could see her beautiful pussy staring at me.

The fact that I now knew that Jocelyn’s has seen my wife’s pussy seemed to make it even more desirable. Now, in the light of day, I wondered, if it had been a man, would I have felt the same. No, I knew that would always be totally unacceptable. I decided that my acceptance must be because her lover was a beautiful woman.

When I removed her bra, I remembered looking for marks, hickeys. I suppose it’s a man thing to mark his ownership of a woman. Amanda must have noticed because I got a wonderful kiss. ‘You won’t find any,’ she whispered in my ear. I suppose women have a subtler way of doing it. Only the pink flush and moist, swollen lips of her pussy had given any suggestion of her time with Jocelyn.

As I looked at my recumbent, sleeping wife I remembered just how beautiful I thought she still was. Then I thought of something Jocelyn had said. When I asked her if she had seduced my wife into her bed, she said she had, “because she is so perfect for me.”

I looked at Amanda again, she would probably sleep for another hour. Yes, she is perfect. The difference is, I told myself, I’m married to her, while you are only a casual user.

Then I thought about how we had made love. After thirty-three years, there had been a passion between us that I was unfamiliar with. It was like a release of pent up emotion now she knew her relationship with Jocelyn was no longer a secret. It was wonderful, but after coming twice I was totally exhausted after the third time.

Looking at Amanda again, I knew that however long her relationship with Jocelyn lasted, I would always love her.

When Amanda woke up I was in my dressing gown, sitting in the bedside chair, waiting for her. I got a wonderful smile and she reached for me. When I took her hand, she drew me toward her. ‘I love you so much, Tim, darling,’ she said, with considerable passion.

Before I could say anything, I was in her arms, being kissed. That led to the removal of my dressing gown, her nightdress, and a repeat of round one from last night. After showering and dressing casually, we barely made it for breakfast before the restaurant was closed.

We then spent a very relaxing morning walking around the hotel gardens and chatting to other guests until it was time for lunch. Neither of us had seen Grayson or Jocelyn.

We had just returned to the terrace when Amanda give me a very nice kiss, ‘I’I going to change before lunch,’ she told me, with another nice kiss. I’ll only be half an hour and I’ll see you back here.

When she came back the slacks and jumper had been replaced by a pale blue, knee-length dress with a full skirt that I had never seen before. White open-toed sandals with high heels finished the outfit. She looked quite stunning and with her hair in a ponytail, much younger than her fifty-five years. I already had a lunchtime cocktail waiting for her.

She asked what I would like for lunch and while we discussed our choices from the menu, I wondered why I thought there was something else different about her appearance. It wasn’t until we walked into the restaurant and I had my arm around her waist that I realised she was wearing something different under the dress.

It felt very firm and seeing her sidewise I realised her breasts were more prominent and weren’t moving as she walked. At the same time, I realised her waist felt slimmer. The only conclusion I could make was that Amanda had on some sort of corset. Something I’d had never seen her wearing, and I wondered if it was one of Jocelyn’s new garment range. Perhaps, I thought, she would show it to me after lunch.

After lunch, we only had to wait five minutes before Grayson and Jocelyn joined us on the terrace. The two girls immediately greeted each other with a hug and a proper kiss, while Grayson and I shook hands and looked on. When Jocelyn came over to me she was looking totally stunning and very happy. I got a kiss on both cheeks and my senses filled with that wonderful perfume. ‘Thank you, Tim,’ she whispered. ‘I know how very special your wife is to you.’

I wondered which I was being thanked for, letting Jocelyn share my wife or for keeping our marriage intact. Either way, I appreciated being kissed, if only on the cheeks, by such a sensual, beautiful woman.

This time I insisted on buying the drinks when the waiter came over. By now Jocelyn and Amanda had settled themselves down leaving Grayson and me together. This was now my chance to get some questions answered. Drink on hand I turned to Grayson. ‘How do you cope with your wife being with a woman?’

He contemplated his glass for a moment. ‘Like everything else she does, it’s part of her way of life. I try not to get involved any more than I do with her business interests.’

His reply made me think a bit before asking my next question. ‘So, you don’t participate?’

‘No, never have never wanted to.’

‘I don’t think I’d want to watch them together either, though I did ask Amanda if she wanted to tell me about it.’

‘Did she?’

‘No, perhaps next time, she said. Does Jocelyn tell you anything?’

He took a swig of his drink before replying. ‘Jocelyn told me about Amanda the first day they met.’

Somehow that didn’t surprise me. ‘I only found out yesterday that they had a sexual relationship, and you’ve known about it all along.’

‘Yes, Jocelyn sometimes tells me about their time together. If Amanda wants to tell you, let her. Leave the rest to your imagination, it’s always worked for me.’

I thought about that for a moment. ‘Amanda isn’t the first one, is she Grayson?’

He took another drink and looked at his wife for a few moments. “No, there have been others, the last one ended two years ago.’

I looked at Amanda, deep in conversation, and wondered how long Jocelyn would keep her.

As Grayson and I chatted about our kids, their marriages and achievements I realised I liked the guy. I got the impression he and Jocelyn really loved each other and somehow, he had reconciled himself to his wife’s attachment to other women, including my wife. In the long term, could I do the same, I wondered. Perhaps in time, but I might need some help from Grayson.

Our conversation was interrupted when Jocelyn asked if we would be all right on our own while she and Amanda spent some time together. ‘Tim, I’m sure you want to spend your last evening here with your wife. Shall we all meet back in the lounge at seven, for a drink before dinner?’

I heard Grayson say, ‘That will be fine, dear.’

While I was still thinking about it, Amanda sat on my lap and wrapped her arms around me. ‘It’s just for a couple of hours, darling.’ The kiss was one of her specials. ‘Then after dinner, I will be all yours again.’

I kissed her back. ‘Just make sure there is some of you left for me,’ I told her with a gentle push off my lap. I got another kiss before she left me. I looked at my watch and saw it was just on three-thirty. That, I thought, was more than two hours until we all meet for dinner.

‘I think it’s time we had another game of snooker.’ Grayson told me.

I know I didn’t play as well as last time, so I lost three out of the four games we played. Spence knew why and offered brief insights into how he had learnt to accept the time Jocelyn spent with her ladies, as he called them. The gist was that he thought of their time together like any other business meeting she had with all the models and other women she employed.

‘I know it’s different for you, Tim, she’s your wife and you’ve only found out this weekend. All I can say is that Jocelyn has never broken up the marriage of any wife she’s been with.’

‘Were they all married?’

‘Every one of her ladies has been married and always in strong marriages, just like yours.’

That made me think a bit. If they all had marriages like mine, and Amanda had never shown any interest in another woman, how did Jocelyn persuade my wife to become her lover?

‘I can see you’re wondering how she did it. Don’t ask me, I have no idea.’ Grayson was chuckling as he said it.

It was now a quarter to six by my watch when Grayson’s phone buzzed. ‘We have mail,’ he said and read the message to me. ‘We will see you both at seven in the lounge, not until then.’

That proved to be true because Amanda hadn’t come back to our room to change when I left at ten to seven. I had brought a tux with me so decided to wear it for dinner, somehow suspecting that Amanda would also be dressing for the evening.

There must have been fifteen elegant couples in the lounge when, arm in arm, Amanda and Jocelyn entered five minutes after us. I’m certain everyone’s head turned and just stared in awe. It was more than the dresses they wore or their hairstyles, it was their poise as they strode in step across the room toward us.

As they approached, I also saw something else, particularly in their eyes. These two women were in love.

Following our weekend with Grayson and Jocelyn, we quickly returned to our normal work and domestic routine. What I’d seen in my wife’s eyes didn’t seem to affect our relationship. We made love just as frequently and with just as much ardour as always. I know I appreciated her more and took a lot more notice of just how beautiful my wife was. I even worked harder in the gym I attended and even spent the occasional lunchtime in the company gym.

I know she met up with Jocelyn on three occasions because she always told me when she was going to be later home and why. I tried doing what Grayson had suggested and convinced myself there was a late conference she had to attend. When she returned I always saw that same anxious look in her eyes. Occasionally I thought about asking her about their evening together but never did. A couple of times she was with Jocelyn I let my imagination run free, but never having seen two women together my imagination was limited to what they did together.

On Monday, two months after our hotel weekend, Amanda came home from work very excited. I was pushed into my chair and she was sitting on my lap before I could say anything. She didn’t even kiss me, she was so excited. ‘Tim, guess what, Jocelyn and Grayson have invited us to spend next weekend on their yacht.’

I started to say something. ‘A limousine is going to pick us up here mid-day on Thursday, drive us to the airport where their private jet is flying us to Sardinia where their yacht is moored. We should be home Tuesday afternoon. Tim, darling, isn’t that wonderful.’

Now I got the kiss and another, then another. I knew better than to say anything that would dampen her enthusiasm while I quickly went over my business plans for the coming week. “That’s wonderful, darling. How long a weekend is it going to be?’

Amanda held up her fingers and counted. ‘Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday Tuesday. That’s six days, Darling, almost a whole week,’ she pronounced with a broad grin.

Both of us knew what the weekend was really about, but the more I thought about it the more I knew I had to accept it.

‘Yes, I’d like to see Grayson again, though I doubt there will be a snooker table on a yacht.’ I told her and got another kiss.

‘Did Jocelyn tell you anything about their yacht?’ We’d never been sailing and I wondered how much hard work was involved.

‘No, only to bring a lot of casual clothes and at least a couple of dresses for me and a suit for you.’

By the time we were settled in our seats, I knew this Embraer Phenom 500 was Penrose’s own private jet. Not even able to make a guess at what it cost I was beginning to realise there was a difference between being wealthy like us and being rich like the Grayson’s.

Throughout the flight, Amanda had a permanent smile on her face. On landing and once through customs, a car was waiting for us. An hour later we were both looking in amazement at our home for the next six days. This was not the yacht with sails as I had expected. This was a sleek, luxury motor vessel. It must have been nearly a hundred feet long.

‘Look, she’s named Aquarius, that’s Jocelyn’s birthday sign,’ Amanda excitedly told me.

We were escorted onto the deck by one of the crew, who immediately took our cases to our cabin. We were met by a guy in a smart, but casual uniform with gold epaulettes on the shoulders, who told us he was captain Antony. ‘Mr and Mrs Sterling, welcome aboard Aquarius. I’m sure you wish to freshen up before joining your hosts for the weekend. Please follow me and I will take you to your cabin.

Everything I saw on our way to our cabin was as luxurious as any of the finest hotels I had stayed in. When the captain opened our cabin door and led us inside I was amazed.

‘The steward will come for you in an hour and escort you to the salon where Mr and Mrs Penrose will be waiting for you. Thank you, sir, madam.’

As the door closed behind him I just turned to Amanda and hugged her. ‘I think Mr and Mrs Penrose have been keeping secrets from us.’

‘I knew Jocelyn was wealthy,’ she said. They must be seriously rich with their own private jet and a boat like this. Oh. My God, I had no idea,’ she exclaimed.

When we looked for our cases, that had already been unpacked with everything in them carefully put away. ‘I don’t think the man who took our cases did the unpacking, this had been done by a woman.’ Amanda told me.

I thought Amanda and I lived well, but we soon found out that even the shower was pure luxury. I had dressed in what I thought would be appropriate to meet our hosts in the saloon. As I had expected, Amanda had dressed to impress Jocelyn.

Eventually, the knock on the door came and a charming young lady, in an immaculate white dress with epaulettes on each shoulder was there to escort us to the saloon. ‘I hope you found everything to your liking she asked,’ as she led us along a corridor. Amanda told her everything was fine and thanked her for unpacking our cases.

Then we were in the saloon, as the captain had called the luxuriously furnished room we were now in. Before the steward even left, Jacelyn was advancing upon Amanda. ‘Come here, darling. I’ve so looked forward to this weekend with you.’ They didn’t just hug each other, they kissed.

Grayson quickly approached me and held out his hand, which I firmly took hold of. He put a hand on my shoulder. ‘Let’s get you a drink, looks like you need one.’

He went behind a very well-stocked bar and moments late we both had a class on our hands. ‘Well, let’s drink to us. We’ll drink to them with the next glass. To us.’

Grayson put his glass down and looked across to our wives. Amanda looks particularly impressive in that dress tonight.’

‘I don’t think the dress was meant to impress either of us,’ I suggested.

‘Well, thank God, she’s here, perhaps now I will get some peace and quiet.’

‘Sorry, I’m not with you.’

‘My wife has been on and on at me, ever since our weekend at the hotel, to invite you and Amanda on our yacht for a long weekend.’

‘Well, I’m glad you called it a long weekend. Amanda thinks it’s a normal weekend for you and Jocelyn.’

Grayson gave a chuckle just as the captain came into the lounge. ‘We are just getting under was sir, are there any changes to your instructions.?’

‘No Antony, please keep to the course we agreed.’

‘Right Sir.’ I was amazed, he even saluted before he left.

“Antony has been my captain ever since I bought the Aquarius, he’s a first-class man, as are the other two crew. Marcus, who’s Greek and brought your cases on board looks after the engine among other things, and Antonia, our stewardess who is also Greek, cooks and looks after all of us. Now, drink up, we’ll fill our glasses and have a toast to our wives.’

As he raised his glass I wondered what the toast would be. ‘To Jacelyn and Amanda, may they not forget we are also here.’

As I raised my glass, from what I have seen already, and remembering my thoughts when they came into the lounge together at the hotel, I felt it was very appropriate.

Whatever else Antonia’s duties were on the Aquarius, she was an excellent cook. Amanda did include me in some of her conversations with Jocelyn, she even kissed my cheek a couple of times and I got a nice thigh squeeze when I asked if she was enjoying the meal. Most of the time Jocelyn had her attention and I was left to talk to Grayson.

When the meal was over Jocelyn asked me if I minded if she and Amanda didn’t join us for coffee. ‘I have something I am desperate to show you wife,’ she said. ‘I’ll bring her back by ten-thirty.’ My anticipated agreement was rewarded by a proper kiss. Whatever her perfume was I thought about getting some for Amanda.

Amanda kissed me on the cheek. ‘Thank you, darling, I promise we’ll be back by ten-thirty.

When I glanced at my watch it was already eight-thirty. I looked at Grayson. ‘Can you put up with me for two hours?’

‘Would you like me to show you the engine?’ When I agreed we left for the lower decks where Marcus explained everything to me. It really was an impressive piece of kit.

After Grayson had shown me the rest of the lower decks we were at the bridge, where Captain Anthony allowed me to take the wheel, which was little more than a small knob. We must have been on the bridge for half an hour while everything was explained to me.

When we returned to the saloon it was nearly ten. ‘What do you think of my little toy?’ Greyson asked, with a big grin on his face.

I was getting to really like this man. ‘You are a very lucky guy to have such beautiful toys to play with,’ I told him. Then smiled to myself when I realised I’d included his jet and Jocelyn among his toys.

I was seated when he handed me a glass of my favourite Glenlivet whisky. Then he looked at me very seriously for a moment. ‘I hope my tour took your mind off other things for a little while.’ I nodded in agreement. ‘Jocelyn has asked me to tell you that after dinner on Saturday she and Amanda will be together until Monday morning.’

I took a long swig of my whisky as I considered what Grayson had just told me. ‘They will be spending Saturday night, all day Sunday and Sunday night alone, together, is that what you’re telling me.’

He nodded. ‘Yes. You do know that they are in love, don’t you?’ he stated.

I remembered again the look in my wife’s eyes as they came into the hotel lounge. ‘Yes,’ I told him. ‘I saw it in their eyes when they joined us in the hotel lounge.’

‘I think everyone in the room saw it, and I think Jocelyn has been in love with your wife since their first meeting. How are you handling it?’

I thought I’d handled it quite well. Now, with the knowledge that my wife would be spending two nights with Jocelyn, I wasn’t so sure of myself.

‘How do you handle it,’ I countered.

‘It was difficult at first, but that was over twenty years ago. Now, as a much wiser man, I know there is a difference between the love my wife has for me and the love she has for her ladies.’

‘How is that possible?’

‘Believe me, there is a difference, women love differently to men. For one thing, they don’t have the ego we suffer from. Oh, don’t get me wrong. It would be impossible for me to tolerate another man in our marriage.’

‘Neither would I,’ I replied with absolute certainty.

‘What about our marriage, Grayson?’

Neither of us had heard our wives enter the saloon when Amanda leant over the back of my chair and put her arms around my neck. ‘Have you missed me, darling?’

Before I could say anything, she had swept around the chair and was sitting on my lap. ‘Take me to bed, darling and make love to me, I need you to claim me back.’

Perhaps, I thought, my wife being in love with Jocelyn isn’t so disquieting after all. I did claim my wife back, but it took well over an hour and left me totally exhausted. I don’t know why I expected to find some physical evidence of her time with Jocelyn. There never had been any. Perhaps the evidence was in the passion of Amanda’s lovemaking.

I think that Friday was the most relaxing day of my life. Everything was so leisurely with no connection whatsoever to my normal daily life. I could see that Amanda felt the same way. While our wives sunbathed, Grayson and I drank the occasional glass, ate too many of the snacks provided by Antonia, and chatted.

I also gave occasional glances to the two beautiful women displaying themselves, topless not twenty feet away. I noticed that most of the time they were holding hands and occasionally I saw them kissing. It was, I thought, almost like watching two young lovers.

As the Aquarius sailed over the Mediterranean to our next destination Grayson told me a little more about her. ‘We were looking for quality and luxury,’ he said. ‘When we found the Aquarius, it wasn’t named that then, the guy selling it needed to raise some money to save his business so we got it at the bargain price of thirty-four million euros.’

‘We’re not into partying so three cabins are enough for us and our children. She gets used by someone in the family at least twice a month for weekends and longer sometimes, throughout the season. We have even celebrated Christmas aboard with all our family.’

The way Grayson talked about money I made a note to approach him about investing some of it in my company. That’s how we passed the morning until lunch was served on deck by Antonia.

Later in the afternoon, I was watching Amanda sunbathing when she beckoned me over. As I lay down beside her, apart from during lunch, it was the first time we had been together. ‘Are you happy, darling?’ she asked.

‘Yes, and you look beautiful, sunbathing topless. I love you very much,’ I told her. My reward was a big hug and a lot of kisses. Then I felt her climb over me and her leg encouraged me to spread mine apart. ‘I know you’ve wondered how we make love, so I’m going to show you.’ Then she slowly slithered herself up and down, all the time rubbing her thigh against my crotch and her pussy against my leg. She kept smiling at me. ‘Does that feel nice, darling?’

It did feel very nice and I know I mumbled something. ‘It will feel even better without these,’ she told me, at the same time pushing my shorts and pants down. ‘There, that’s much better.’

We had done things like this before but not with the connotation of simulating my wife having sex with another woman. And definitely not in front of other people. I soon found my hands inside her bikini, holding the plump cheeks of her ass and helping her press ourselves even tighter against each other.

Soon, I was going to come, much quicker than I wanted. Almost certainly because my imagination of Amanda fucking Jocelyn like this was much more vivid than I expected. The next thing I knew someone was wiping my tummy.

‘Men are such messy creatures, aren’t they, darling.’ I knew it was Jocelyn wiping my cum off me, while Amanda held me in a tight hug. ‘This one in particular,’ she replied.

Later in the afternoon, we were on deck watching captain Antony bringing the Aquarius into her dock on the Greek island of Syros.

Once again Antonia provided a very satisfying meal followed by an evening on the deck enjoying the warmth of the Mediterranean, and the relaxing company of my wife and our hosts. That night, Amanda and I made love for a long time.

After breakfast on Saturday, Spence announced that they were going to give Amanda and me a tour of the town of Emoupoli, where we were moored.

As we were shown around and enjoyed mid-morning coffee in a taverna, I wondered why Amanda and I had never had a holiday in somewhere as beautiful as this?’ When I asked her, she made me promise we would next year. Grayson also knew a special restaurant where he took us for lunch. After lunch, our wives left us to spend some time together shopping, while Grayson and I spent the time sitting outside a taverna, drinking and watching the world go by.

When we all eventually returned to Aquarius I had almost forgotten that after dinner Amanda would be spending tonight and Sunday night with Jocelyn.

While we were getting dressed for dinner I noticed the new, pale blue lingerie Amanda was putting on. Like the time in the hotel, I knew it wasn’t for me. Perhaps, like Grayson, I was becoming more disposed to accepting my wife’s love for Jocelyn as part of our relationship.

She handed her dress to me. ‘Please help me step into this, darling.’ I wanted to take her in my arms and feel the beautiful, silk lingerie on her freshly showered and powdered body. Instead, I held the dress for her to step into, then with a practised hand, I eased it up her body. There were no straps needed to hold it up, just its body-hugging shape as I zipped up the back. I wondered if Jocelyn had taken as much care in dressing for my wife.

Just before we left to join our hosts for dinner, Amanda put her arms around me. ‘Please remember darling, I love you so much more than I’ll ever love Jocelyn.’ A kiss on my cheek, not enough to disturb her make-up and my wife let me take her arm and escort her to dinner.

Once again, Grayson’s convivial conversion, the delicious food prepared and served by Antonia, my frequently filled wine glass and the occasional attention of Amanda and Jocelyn, help dull my concerns about the two nights they would be spending together.

As we all left the table after coffee, Amanda came up to me and told me that Grayson was taking me to the island’s casino for the evening. I then got a tight hug and a very affectionate kiss. ‘Jocelyn and I might join you for lunch tomorrow. I love you, darling.’

‘I love you too,’ I told her and got another very nice kiss. Moments later, arm in arm with Jocelyn she left the dining room. I gave a deep sigh of relief as some of the tension left me and I turned to Grayson. ‘So, where is this casino, I feel like winning some money tonight.’

It was after three in the morning when we were returned to the Aquarius by taxi. I’d won about five thousand Euros, definitely all by luck. Thankfully I was so tired, and drunk by the time I had undressed and in bed, I must have fallen straight to sleep. It wasn’t until I woke and reached for her that I remembered my wife hadn’t slept in my bed last night.

It was gone ten-thirty when I eventually reached the saloon. Moments later Antonia asked me if I would like coffee and some aspirins. What a wonderful girl, I thought as I asked for both. ‘Black coffee.’ I called after her. Five minutes later Grayson joined me. If I look that bad, I thought, it’s a good job Amanda isn’t here to see me.

When Antonia gave Grayson his coffee she told us that the ladies had breakfast in their room and would be having their lunch on the sun deck.

Grayson turned to me. ‘That means we will be having our lunch at one of the bars on the island.’

‘Will we be seeing our wives at all today, Grayson?’

He hesitated for a moment. ‘I don’t think so, Tim, it’s something I’ve had to get used to whenever Jocelyn spends a long weekend with one of her ladies,’ he stated. ‘Afterwards, I’m always well rewarded, as I am sure you will be,’ he added, with a broad grin.

Among the bars and restaurants along the seafront, we found a very nice place for lunch and to spend the afternoon drinking the local wine. We later decided to stay for our evening meal. Grayson rang the Aquarius to let Antonia know where we would be having dinner.

I think Grayson deliberately delayed our return to the Aquarius by keeping my glass full and even encouraging me to take part in some Greek dancing. It seemed that the restaurant never closed before one, though we eventually left at twelve-thirty. Once aboard, Grayson asked Antonio for some snacks and we continued drinking and reminiscing for another two hours. I don’t even remember getting undressed.

It was well after nine when I reached the saloon where Antonia soon had a coffee and aspirins in my hand. Grayson was already there, looking a little better than he had the previous morning. ‘Well, you’ve made it,’ he said, with a smile.

‘Made what?’ I asked.

‘Your first weekend, knowing that your wife was sleeping with another woman.’

I thought about that for a moment. Because Grayson had kept me so drunk and tired, when I got into bed I hadn’t even thought about Amanda not being there. Then I realised I hadn’t given much thought to where Amanda was since dinner on Saturday.

I looked at Grayson. ‘You did that deliberately.’

‘Did what?’

‘Kept me occupied and drunk.’

‘Worked, didn’t it.’

God, I could have hit him, but it had worked. ‘OK, but what am I going to do the next time Amanda and Jocelyn spend a weekend together.’

‘You’ll be alright the next time.’ I sounded quite confident.

Just before midday, we had moved to the bridge to watch Aquarius leave her mooring and start her journey back to her home port.

‘Ah, Tim, found you at last.’ I turned to find Jocelyn on the bridge. She put her arm around me. kissed me on the lips and I smelt that damn perfume again. ‘Your beautiful wife is waiting for you to reclaim her, please don’t keep her waiting.’ Another kiss on my cheek and she was leading Grayson off the bridge. As they left she turned to me. ‘Tim, don’t keep her waiting any longer.’ She commanded.

I found my wife in our cabin. There was a crisp white sheet on the bed and laying in the middle of it was Amanda. Her eyes met mine as soon as I approached the foot of the bed. Her pale blond hair was splayed over a pumped-up white pillow. She was wearing an almost opaque, white nightdress, that fell short of her tiny, white briefs. With a height of five foot eight, her slim body looked even longer than she was tall. Her smile befitted the calmness of her supine form. I had known and loved this woman for nearly thirty years, yet I had never seen her looking so calm and beautiful.

I was only wearing a shirt, shorts, pants and sandals so within a minute I was naked. Amanda’s eyes followed every move I made as I stepped around to the side of the bed.

She didn’t move as I bent over her and gently kissed her forehead. How had a woman of fifty-five retained so much of her youthful beauty? The unexpected thought entered my head that Jocelyn must have a very discerning eye for beauty. This time I bent and just as gently kissed her lips. Lips that had only know Jocelyn’s for the past two days. Somehow, I found that thought slightly arousing.

It was then that she reached for me and drew my lips back to hers. Despite what I had just thought her lips felt as soft and warm and moist and as welcoming as they always had. The kiss ended and she looked deeply into my eyes for a moment. ‘Make love to me, darling. I want to be only yours once again.’

I hoisted myself on the bed and lay beside my wife. For a moment I just looked at her lovely face. Her deep blue eyes, with tiny laughter lines in the corners, her slightly turned-up nose, the smoothness of the skin of her cheeks, The fullness of her mouth and the pout of her lower lip. Everything I was so familiar with, now shared with another lover. I also wanted her to be mine once again.

I didn’t need to say a word, like any couple who’d had a long, loving marriage, Amanda could read my expression. She knew I had accepted that there was now another love in her life and that I knew it was completely different to our love for each other.

The kisses that followed were loving and gentle and then passionate. The nightdress got torn and the briefs stretched out of shape in our eagerness to consummate and renew our love for each other. With my hands and my kisses, I renewed my familiarity with every inch of my wife’s amazing body.

I caressed, squeezed, licked and nibbled her full, soft breasts until her nipples were too sensitive to take any more.

I tortured her pussy with my probing fingers, my licking tongue and my nipping teeth until she begged for mercy from any more orgasms.

Then I slid my cock into the depth of her cunt. Slowly, gently at first, I fucked her. The intensity of her stare told me she needed more than a gentle fucking. Soon she was screaming her love for my cock and more, much more of the fucking I was giving her. This woman was my wife and I loved her, and she was mine to fuck whenever I wanted and she better remember that. “Now, now, darling,’ she screamed in my ear. ‘Yes, yes come in me,’ she begged. ‘I want you, I love you. Oh, God!’ Her cry turned into gibberish as I ejaculated, then again, and again, and again, into her grateful cunt.

How long we just lay in each other arms, I don’t know or care. I had reclaimed my wonderful, beautiful wife.

‘Thank you, darling,’ were the next words I heard. The sun was shining into our cabin and there was the now-familiar vibration of Aquarius’s engine. When I turned my head, Amanda was smiling down at me.

I replied almost without thinking. ‘You’re welcome. Just don’t do it too often.’

It was late afternoon when Amanda and I left our cabin. I had expected to find Grayson or Jocelyn either on deck or in the saloon but neither of them we there. As we hadn’t eaten I left Amanda in the saloon and went to find Antonia in the galley.

I think she was expecting me. ‘Ah, Mr Grayson, I have a late lunch already prepared for you. Where would like it?’

‘On the sun deck., I told her. ‘Will Mr and Mrs Penrose be joining us?’

‘Oh, no sir. You won’t see Mr and Mrs Penrose until breakfast tomorrow.’

I thanked her and returned to the sun deck. When I told Amanda that we wouldn’t see Grayson or Jocelyn until tomorrow morning, she just smiled knowingly at me. Dumb me, I thought, what is it with those two?

Within minutes Antonia had produced lunch for us. After eating both of us lay back in the sun loungers. With the slightest of vibration from the engine, a warm breeze and the fresh air of the Mediterranean, when I looked at my wife she already appeared to be asleep.

Slowly, my mind started to wander over the events of the past few hours. I remembered how Amanda had looked at me when she said she wanted to be mine again. I’d certainly fucked her hard and for long enough to exhaust myself. Had that made her mine again? Perhaps in body, but what about in her mind? I could not forget the look on her face when she came into the hotel lounge with Jocelyn.

Then I started to wonder how her relationship with Jocelyn started. It must have been instigated by Jocelyn. What has Grayson told me. She’d had her ladies for over twenty years of their marriage, how many, I wondered. Amanda, on the other hand, had never, as far as I knew, shown any interest, other than friendship, with another woman. So, what is it about Jocelyn that has captured the love of my wife?

I took a moment to look around me. All around was the almost tranquil waters of the Med. Above us an almost cloudless sky. And virtually nothing on the horizon. Without me realising it, is this what my life had also become, too tranquil.

Was that also, what Amanda’s life had become. Then Jocelyn came along and offered something different, something new, something exciting. And Amanda had fallen for it. If Jocelyn had been a man and made the same offer, would Amanda have fallen the same way? I hope I’m right, but I don’t think she would. Or is that my big ego talking.

I’d been watching Amanda for a few minutes, resting peacefully and still the beautiful woman I’d married. Had I been taking her for granted, neglected her. Had I been too complacent about our relationship, our marriage. No, I told myself, I sometimes brought her gifts of jewellery, flowers, even her favourite perfume and occasionally a new dress or a special item of lingerie. And I always took her out for dinner at least once a month.

I definitely hadn’t neglected her sexually. Hadn’t I proved that earlier today by still knowing exactly how to make her go crazy, even after nearly thirty years. I lay back, closed my eyes and contemplated.

The next thing I knew was a hand gently shaking me. ‘Darling.’

It was a moment before I realised I had been asleep. ‘Yes dear, what is it?’

‘Darling, I’ve been thinking, could we get a boat like this?’

Now I was awake. ‘A boat like this, God no, do you know how much this cost and then there are the wages for the crew?’

‘Well, just a little one then.’ She blustered. ‘One we could manage on our own. Then when we retire we could sail all around the Mediterranean and visit all those wonderful Greek islands.’

‘Stop, please stop. Where did all that come from?’

Amanda got off her sun lounger and knelt beside me. Her eyes were sparkling. ‘Can’t you imagine it, darling? A weekend, or a whole week on our own boat, just sailing around from place to place, no distractions, no phone calls, just us in our own little world, whenever we wanted to.’

I could see the excitement in her eyes. Well, it might break the tranquillity I had been contemplating. Perhaps, after all, I was still more important to my wife than Jocelyn.

Amanda and I made love twice that night.

Grayson and Jocelyn were already in the salon when we arrived for breakfast. Although I was now familiar with the way Amanda and Jocelyn greeted each other, seeing their show of affection for each other still disturbed me.

As it was our final morning before leaving for our return home, both girls removed their tops and settled down for a final time together in the sun. The sight of two pairs of beautiful breasts was now a familiar, if still somewhat arousing sight for me. The thought then crossed my mind that both of them could easily hold their own on any nudist beach. Sometime later I realised both of them were missing. I turned to Grayson. ‘Did you see when the girls left?’

He looked over to where they had been sunbathing. ‘No. I expect we’ll see them at lunchtime.’ He looked at his watch. ‘It’s in about half an hour.’

When we went into the saloon for lunch both girls were already there, so I had no idea how long they had spent together, but they both looked very happy. I went over to Amanda, put my arm around her and kissed her on the lips. Immediately she had her arms around me and returned my kiss with a lovely hug. ‘I love you, darling,’ she whispered in my ear.

Suddenly I just wanted to go home.

Wednesday, we were both back at work. As expected after almost a week away I had some things that needed sorting out. By Friday business was back to normal and I could relax over the weekend. I knew that Amanda had similar problems that kept her busy, so we were both ready for the weekend.

After talking about our weekend during the journey home, neither of us had mentioned the Aquarius, Grayson or Jocelyn since then. I was hoping to get things back to what they were like before Amanda first met Jocelyn. I’m not sure, but I think Amanda was waiting for some contact from Jocelyn. I know Amanda hadn’t made any attempt to contact her.