Morning arrived with little fanfare. They rose from their side of the bed and muttered good morning to each other then set about their different household assignment as if on cue. Howard shaved before taking a shower while April went to see about Carl. Howard was preoccupied with the free pass invitation April offered last night, wondering how serious to take up the offer or if it was part of some elaborate game she was working on him. A part of him wanted to believe she meant well with her proposal, and yet he could not help speculating this was something Jenny had instigated her to do. Scrubbing soap suds off his body, he again imagined his secretary Becca waiting for him right now in the bedroom naked. She had been the last thing on his mind before he fell asleep last night.
Howard got done with his shower and returned to the bedroom where April was waiting for him. She wore her bathrobe and at the moment was turned away from him, picking up items from the bed. Howard stood there forgetful about everything else while he admired the outline of her hips and bottom aimed at his direction. He felt sudden rush of blood to his brain. His penis unsurprisingly grew erect behind his towel. He could not contain himself as he tip-toed towards her and wrapped his arms around her waistline. His hard-on bumped against her backside, further exciting him.
"What're you doing?" April asked, pulling herself upright while he continued holding onto her.
"What does it look like I'm doing? I thought I'd hold onto you, is all. Can't I just cup a feel?"
"You can. Except now's not a good time and I'm not in the mood." She wrenched herself from his grasp and resumed scooping up the pile of clothes that fell from her arm when he grabbed her. This produced a disapproving groan from Howard. "Carl might suddenly come on here and find us like this," she reminded him before turning away, not caring to see the miserly look that occupied his face.
"You just want to make sure I suffer, don't you?" Howard grumbled as he unfurled his towel and set about putting on his clothes; his penis was back to being a lifeless stump. He felt caught between been angry and disappointed by her actions.
"What're you talking about?"
"You know exactly what I'm talking about. Seriously, I don't know what you want from me anymore? I feel like you're doing all what you can to make me upset to want to spite you, that way you can have something justifiable to say here's why you've been doing what you do lately."
April looked at him. "I'm not punishing you, darling. If there's anyone here who's punishing someone, it's you. This is something I want you to get involved with me. If you can't do that then I'll have to keep keeping myself away from you like this."
"Great. So I've got no one else to make love to anymore aside from my hands," he said snidely while putting on his shirt. "You might as well have mentioned that instead of selling me that crap about giving me free pass to bang whichever woman I want."
April was almost out the door with the clothes in her arms when she stopped. "But I was being serious," she said.
"Yeah right. So you're saying I too can go out there and invite any woman home and fuck her here in this bed and you could walk in on us and not be upset? You serious about that?"
"No, I will definitely be upset. But I'll understand why and I promise not to get mad."
"One thing I'd like to know is who put this idea in your head? Was it Jenny?"
"Jenny knows nothing about it and I intend keeping it that way unless you get to be the one who decides to tell Dave and then it's on you. But like I said, I'm doing this because I know I wronged you and I want you to get a measure of what I did. Sounds crazy, I know, and maybe I am being foolish proposing such, but I'd love it if you'd experiment with me on this."
"You seriously want me to?"
"I do. But enough of that. Any chance having lunch together? It's been a while since we did that."
"I've got a senior board meeting today," he said as he rifled through a dresser drawer and took out several pair of ties and checked to see which one looked good with his jacket. "I don't know how long it might last. I'll see if I can give you a call beforehand. Which do you think goes well with this jacket?" He held up two separate ties for her.
"The one in your left hand looks good. I always love that tie. Now come on, let's have breakfast before it gets cold."
By the time Howard came out of the house with suitcase in hand, April was standing by the mouth of the driveway seeing Carl get into the school bus. He got into his car and waved goodbye at April as he reversed onto the road and drove off. He was smiling to himself as he drove, thinking about his free sex pass and how he intended using it. Hopefully he would not have to use it for just a one-time occasion. And she does not need to know who he had in mind, does she?
Howard could not have known at the time as he drove to work with his mind brimming with the horny desire of committing justifiable adultery that April too was congratulating herself for a job well done of having sold the cheating idea to him. She too could not believe how great it was working out exactly how Jenny had exacted that he would respond. April had been sceptic at first when discussing the idea with Jenny who had presented it to her. But her last night's performance and the way she dangled the carrot before Howard this morning had reassured that that he had definitely swallowed the bait. The way he had been so eager about it, what with his feigned reluctance, made her wonder if there was someone out there he desperately wanted to fuck. An old fling maybe; most likely someone from his workplace. April did not care as long as it keeps him busy while she made out with her own affairs.
In the kitchen she took care of the dishes and setting up the washing machine before heading to the bedroom to get started on her own adventure of the day.
An hour later she was admiring her makeup in the mirror but stopped when she heard footsteps approaching her bedroom. The door opened and there stood Jenny. She too was all dressed and ready to venture out into the sun. April smiled then resumed applying another coat of lipstick.
"You're looking hotter than me," Jenny declared.
"Look who's talking. For a minute I thought it was Howard. How did you get in?"
"Through the back door. Are you all set?"
"Yeah, just about." April put away her lipstick then pinned her hair to the side. "Remind me again this place we're going and what's it going to be like when we get there?"
"It's a nudity club," said Jenny. "Except in our case, we're the only entertainers that's going to be playing there. But don't you worry, it's gonna be fun."
"Is there going to be a crowd?"
"We won't know until we get there," Jenny appraised herself in the mirror. "Dave told me they'd rented the place for the entire afternoon. We're going to do some striptease."
"I feel nervous already. Have you ever gotten to take your clothes off in a crowded room before?"
"Sure, I've done it and not once or even twice either. I just hope the guys they bring for us know how to handle their equipment," she made an O shape with her right thumb and forefinger and inserted her left hand's forefinger in and out to mimic the act of sex. "Yeah, the last time I did such was about a year ago at a hotel. There was supposed to be four guys, but only two showed up and . . . it was not that much fun for me. I just took the money and left. This time I hear it's a group of studs working with the Tongue Patrol outfit that's coming. We'd best be leaving right now."
April went and picked up her handbag and looked about the room one last time before shutting the door.
"We won't need to bring any spare clothing or towels and stuff to freshen up afterwards?" April asked as they trooped down the stairs.
"That won't be a problem. It's why I told you not to get your hair done until afterwards. Speaking of afterwards, we are taking your car, right? Mine's still leaking oil."
* * *
It was 11:27 am. The meeting had concluded on a buoyant note. Howard shook hands with the company's board of directors respectively and received accolades from his boss before gathering up his presentation papers and left the room. His heart was racing mildly from all the talking he had done upstairs. He left his items on his desk then went and hung his jacket on the coat tree. He went into the rest room to wash his face of whatever anxiety he had left. He never heard when someone entered his office and turned the key in the lock before approaching the rest room. The door opened and a shadow appeared behind Howard who was just about done washing his face and was drying himself with a towel. He yelped when a pair of hands scratched his back followed by a string of chuckles and he quickly turned around and saw it was Becca pressing a hand to her mouth fighting back her laughter.
"Becca, that was a cheeky thing to do," he said.
He definitely would have lost it had it been someone else. But the sight of his secretary here sharing his rest room and then with him inhaling her seductive -type fragrance was enough to dispel whatever stuff preoccupied his mind. His heart broke into a trot except it was more from desire than fear. Becca caught the same vibe as she then rushed into his arms and kissed him. Their kiss was fierce and passionate like they wanted to rip each other's lips off. Becca pushed Howard backward against the sink and he even hit the back of his head against the wall mirror. He felt her hand tugging at his crotch and could even feel his erection coming alive inside his pants. He could not believe the enormous hunger he felt for her; he had not experienced this much longing for another woman in a long time besides April. All the pent-up emotion he had contained inside him since becoming privy to April's cheating ways just seemed to burst to the surface of his skin so suddenly.
Becca slid downward to her knees, her hands still tugging at his hard-on begging to be free. She did him the esteemed favour of unzipping his fly but that was as far as they went when they heard a knocking tap on his door. Neither moved for a second; their eyes looked past the rest room to his office door as if to certify it was real, there came another repeated knocking.
"Did you lock the door?" Howard asked.
Becca shot to her feet and shoved his penis back into its hiding place. "Yes, I did." She was adjusting back her clothes just as he was too.
"Wait in here," Howard suggested. "It'll look awkward if you come out with me."
Becca nodded and Howard shut the rest room door with her inside and ran his hands over his clothes as he then approached his door. He unwrapped his handkerchief and ran it over his mouth and it came away with lipstick. He made sure it was completely gone before then unlocking his door.
Howard was stunned to see his boss Steve Ailes along with Anthony Lamark, one of the senior partners Howard had addressed a short while ago.
Like his boss, Anthony Lamark was in his sixties. Only in their physical outlook were they significantly different. Aside from the thick mane of grey hair the man looked tall and pristine for someone of his age. Only when viewed up-close did one observe the bags of crow's feet around his eyes. He walked with a slight stiffness that came with his slender frame. To see the two of them here in his office was a sight to behold.
"That was a great presentation that you gave," Anthony shook Howard's hand. "I wanted to come over and congratulate you personally for it."
"Howard here is one of our aspiring junior partners," Steve interjected. "I mentioned to him already that he's got a great future here with us."
"Thank you," said Howard. "I can hope for that."
"No need in hopping anymore," Anthony said. "That already is well assured. Which leads me to say that I'm having a private party at my home next weekend and I'd love you to be there. Do bring your lovely wife as well."
"Won't be a private party if you come alone," Steve quipped and that elicited laughter all around.
"Steve here will forward you the details. I hope to see you there."
"I certainly won't dare to miss it sir," Howard answered.
They shook hands once again before leaving his office. Howard waited a short time before turning the key in his door and returned to Becca.