I was just stunned. Literally that, because I didn’t know how to react. He said what an angry man would say in his place, and yet he didn’t seem angry. I started to apologize or explain it away as the result of liquor, but he didn’t let me get started. He put a hand on my arm and gave me a smile. “Save it,” he said. “Jan and I are too broad-minded to be jealous. The two of you like each other. She’d like to go to bed with you. You’d like to go to bed with her. That’s fine with me.” I just stood there with my mouth open while he moved past me and went on back to the living room.
I took my time fixing the drinks, trying to digest what Jeff had said. All I could think was that he was giving me carte blanche to make love to his wife, and it was as though once he had given his permission no other considerations could possibly stand in the way. The fact that my own wife might object, or that it might put a crimp in our marriage, somehow didn’t enter into things. I could only think that Jan and I wanted to make love and that nothing stood in our way.
When I returned to the living room there was slow music playing on the hi-fi and Jan and Jeff were dancing together. Sheila was sitting on the couch smoking a cigarette. I put my drink down and held out my arms for her and we danced. I felt very warm toward her, very warm toward everyone. I knew something extraordinary was going to happen but I couldn’t think too clearly about just what it would be. I was very happy and exuberant, I remember.
As the record ended, Jeff and Jan moved alongside us. Jan said, “Why don’t we try changing partners?”
The phrase rang in my head, over and over. Why don’t we try changing partners? It was more than double-entendre. It was just a direct sexual suggestion, and at the moment I was all for it. At any rate, I began dancing with her and Jeff danced with Sheila.
Jan danced with her whole body. We pressed together at once, and I felt the pressure of her large breasts and the heat of her loins, and I got excited immediately. She began breathing heavily. I was afraid she would notice that I had an erection, and at the same time I wanted to press it against her, to let her know how I was responding to her. Then she touched it with her hand and whispered, “Oh, how nice!” and started rubbing herself against me. I danced her off into a corner and kissed her, and this time her mouth opened immediately and we kissed deeply, furiously.
SHEILA: I could see what they were doing. Not all the details, but I could certainly see that they were involved in more than a friendly session of social dancing. I’ve always wondered how I would have reacted if I had been cold sober. The drinks did make a difference. They gave everything an unreal feeling. It’s hard to explain just how I felt about it. I was angry, and hurt, and oddly excited, and — well, confused, as much as anything else. I was sort of waiting for Jeff to cue me as to how I should be reacting. His wife was making out with my husband, and if he had gotten furious I would have done the same. I waited for him to lead so that I could follow.
PAUL: When the record ended Jan said she had to check the children. “I’m afraid to go there alone,” she said. “All the way next door. You don’t mind if I borrow your husband, do you, Sheila?” We didn’t wait for an answer. I went along with her and we went out the door and let it close after us. The fresh air sobered me for an instant, and I almost turned and went back inside, but then she was in my arms and I was kissing her again. She was very passionate.
We went into their half of the house. There wasn’t even any pretense of checking the children. She led me upstairs to their bedroom and we kissed again. Of course I knew we were going to make love. I couldn’t really believe it, but I knew it.
We sort of tumbled onto their bed, clothes and all. There was really no time for foreplay. The whole thing was far too urgent. We just got enough clothes off to get at each other, and then I was on her and inside of her and I thought, God, it’s actually happening after all, then I couldn’t even think any more...
SHEILA: When they walked out of the house together I couldn’t believe it. I honestly couldn’t believe it. I stood staring after them, and then I turned and stared at Jeff. It’s as if I was incapable of reacting on my own.
He said, “Do you know where they’re going, Sheila?”
I shook my head.
“They’re going to bed,” he said.
I didn’t say anything!
“Jan and Paul,” he said. “They’re going to make love. And now I’m going to make love to you.”
I said, “Why?”
He said, “Because you’re beautiful and I want to fuck you.”
I had absolutely no will of my own. None. If he had said he was going to kill me I suppose I would have gone along with that, too. We stayed there in the living room with the same idiot record playing over and over. He took off all my clothes, then undressed himself. I remember looking at his penis and thinking that it was the first penis other than my husband’s and my son’s that I had seen in years. I couldn’t take my eyes off it.
We made love on the couch. It must have been incredibly boring for him at first, unless he had a thing for necrophilia. I guess I did a fairly good impersonation of a corpse. I was just numb. I lay there on my back while he touched me and kissed me.
He was very patient. He went down on me and just did that very gently for what seemed like ages, and my mind relaxed and got loose, until finally my stupid body put two and two together and realized that something exciting was going on. I got excited, very excited, and he stayed with me and I had an orgasm that way.
Then we had intercourse, and I had another orgasm, and so did he.
PAUL: When Jan and I finished, I think I must have blacked out. Not for very long, but for a few minutes, anyway. When I came out of it I didn’t know where I was for a moment. Then I saw her face and felt her body under mine and got my bearings.
I was suddenly very sober and very much shocked about the whole thing. I thought back to what Jeff had said in the kitchen, and it seemed now that he hadn’t really given us permission to do this at all, but that I had read things into his words. And of course I was completely torn up at the thought of what Sheila was going to say.
Jan told me to relax. “Jeff knows we’re together,” she said. “And he doesn’t mind.”
I asked her if she was sure of this. She said she was, and that as far as she and Jeff were concerned, this sort of thing had no adverse effect on their marriage. She said in fact that it kept their marriage strong, because they didn’t get bored with each other and weren’t tempted to do any secret cheating. She said Jeff knew she loved him and that what she did in bed with me or anyone else wouldn’t affect the love she and Jeff had for each other.
She asked if I would mind if another man made love to Sheila.
I said I didn’t know. She asked if I would mind if Jeff made love to Sheila. “We had our fun,” she said, “and they’re having theirs.” All at once I had this strong mental picture of Jeff and Sheila in our bed, making love. A really vivid photographic image of this. And the feeling that rushed through me was one of relief. That was exactly what I felt. I had nothing to feel guilty about now, because Sheila and Jeff were doing what Jan and I had done, and the two acts canceled one another out.
“You don’t have to worry about a thing,” she said. “I love Jeff and you love Sheila. You won’t ruin your marriage, Paul. Your marriage will be stronger than ever before. But think of all the fun we’ll have, Paul. We can do this once a week. All open and aboveboard, and we won’t have to worry about anyone finding out. No sneaking around, no hiding.”
I was too rattled to say anything. I thought we would straighten our clothing and go back to join the others. I didn’t know what we would say or do, but I figured I could play it by ear. But Jan wasn’t through. She wanted another turn — and I can’t really blame her, the first didn’t last too long. She stood up and took off her clothes. I stared at her. She had a really exceptional figure.