A Wife Goes Dancing, and Strays

"I can't wait to see you tomorrow, I miss you so much." Brenda lay back on her bed, talking to her husband Roger who was flying back the next day after another business trip to Chicago.

"I miss you too, babe," Roger replied. "And I can't wait to get home and show you just how much I've been missing you."

Brenda smiled at the thought of her husband's return. Throughout their eight years of marriage, their sex life had always been good, but whenever Roger came back from trips, it got even more intense. They made up for the lost time with energetic, passionate love making that left her both exhausted and fulfilled. She felt a warm rush at the thought of his homecoming.

"Are you still going out with Shelly tonight?" Roger asked.

"No, she had to cancel, so I think I'll just stay home."

Brenda sighed. She had been looking forward to going out with her best friend to hear the Razorbacks, a local band they both enjoyed. Some good music, a beer or two, and some dancing would have been just the distraction Brenda needed from the longing she had been feeling during Roger's absence.

"I'm sorry about Shelly," Roger exclaimed sympathetically. "But it seems a shame to waste the evening. The boys are with your mom, so why don't you go out anyway?"

"You wouldn't mind me going out to Southpoint by myself?"

"I trust you to be safe and take care of yourself. Go and have a good time. I mean it."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. Have a fun night... just not too much fun, okay?" Roger chuckled. "I love you, and I'll see you tomorrow."

"You're the best! I love you too, sweetie. Have a safe flight and I'll be eagerly waiting for you here when you get home!"

Brenda set down her phone and took a deep breath. She felt very lucky to have such a loving and trusting husband. Most of her girlfriends were married to guys who wouldn't dream of letting them go out dancing on a girls night, let alone by themselves. But she and Roger were different. They had always been open and honest in all things. Brenda considered that to be one of the reasons their marriage was so solid.

She debated just staying home, doordashing some cheap Chinese food, and binge watching old episodes of the Gilmore Girls in her sweats. But, an evening without the responsibilities of motherhood was a rare treat, and Brenda wanted to make the most of it. The idea of a night out, all her own, was hard to resist. She used to do that a lot when she was young and single. It might be fun to try that again tonight while she had the chance.

Later as she was changing, Brenda stood in her bra and panties and looked herself over in the mirror. She didn't mind admitting that at 36 she still looked pretty good. After the twins were born, she dedicated herself to losing the extra weight. It had taken discipline and time, but the effort had paid off. Regular trips to the gym, and some nights out dancing with Roger had returned her figure to about where it had been in her mid-twenties. Her breasts were a little bigger now, more of a C cup than the smaller B cup they had been before pregnancy, but they were still pleasingly firm.

She looked again at her bra and panties. The bra was white, with a front clasp and lace around the top of the cups. Her panties were small, and simple white cotton. The matched set made her feel both innocent and sexy in just the right measure.

Brenda took her hair down from the practical ponytail she usually wore. She brushed it into smooth, wavy curls that broke nicely on her shoulders.

She went back and forth over outfits for a bit, but finally decided on something a little daring and fun, starting with a sleeveless white blouse. It was cut just low enough in to tease a bit of cleavage and the lace at the top of her bra.

She wiggled into a short denim skirt, then turned around to check out how she looked from behind. She nodded to herself. The skirt hugged her hips snuggly, and was short enough to show off her long, toned legs. With her favorite pair of boots and a bit of sparkly makeup, Brenda felt ready to go.

Brenda smiled. Her short skirt brought back memories of her time as a cheerleader in high school. On days when she wore her uniform to school, she got a quiet thrill out of the way the boys, and even some teachers, would check her out. That kind of attention always gave her a bit of charge. It didn't happen quite as much as it used to, but Brenda told herself she was okay with that. She loved Roger, and his attention was all she really needed. But still, it felt good to get dressed up, fancy and pretty, and head out for the evening.

Before she left, she texted a full length selfie to her friend Shelly. "Too much?" She asked.

Shelly texted back quickly. "No way, girlfriend! You look amazing! Go break some hearts on the dance floor!"

"Thanks," Brenda texted. "I'll miss you!"

"Next time! Sorry to have to cancel on you, but you can tell me all about the show tomorrow!"

Brenda sent the same picture to Roger, with the caption "See what you're missing? :) "

Roger reacted with a heart emoji. "Wow, babe. Just wow! You look great!"

"You're sweet and I love you. See you tomorrow. XOX" Brenda texted her husband back, then turned her phone off and tucked it in her purse.

---------

Gravel crunched under her boots as Brenda stepped out of her minivan, and crossed the poorly lit parking lot to the porch on the front of the club. Southpoint was in an old neighborhood on the edge of the city. The building had originally been a rambling farmhouse, but a retired musician bought it, added on a bit, and eventually converted the old home into a bar and dance hall. Rechristened the Southpoint Honky Tonk, it wasn't much to look at, but the owner had great connections, and many nights the club hosted amazing local bands. Tonight was one of those nights, and Brenda smiled as she recognized the song crashing out through the open doors.

Walking through the small clutch of smokers lurking on the porch by the front door, Brenda took in a deep breath of the purple haze. She didn't smoke anymore, but the familiar smell of a good joint brought a smile to her face. She walked the gauntlet of smokers, noticed a couple of them quietly checking her out, paid the $10 cover in cash and headed inside.

Southpoint had low ceilings, no air conditioning, and bad lighting. On the other hand, it had cheap beer, enough of a stage for a band, and a good wooden dance floor. Tonight, the floor was crowded with dancers in full swing. Not the choreographed line dancing you'd see at the flashy night clubs in town, but a no-frills, traditional two-step, maybe with a little West Coast swing mixed in.

One of the things Brenda liked about coming out to an old school honky-tonk like Southpoint was that she and Roger could dance with each other, which was always fun, but also dance a few songs with other people, without anyone getting the wrong idea.

At first, Roger wasn't completely comfortable dancing with other women, but with a bit of encouragement from Brenda, he got more accustomed to the idea. He was a consummate gentleman, and always treated his partners with the utmost respect. When dancing with someone besides Brenda, Roger kept an appropriate space between his body and hers and minded where he placed his hands. Brenda loved that about her husband, and found it charming. But, sometimes it meant Roger was a bit more stiff and formal in his dancing than he needed to be. After all, Southpoint was a dive bar with a dance floor, not a fancy ballroom.

And Brenda couldn't help noticing that despite his expressed willingness to go along, there were times when Roger was clearly bothered when she danced with other men, especially men who were better dancers than he was. But, he understood that was just part of the scene and generally didn't get too bent out of shape.

Still, when they were out together, Brenda felt like she did need to hold back a bit, to keep from bruising Roger's ego. So she kept her dances with other men reasonably chaste, with clear boundaries. It was a minor sacrifice to keep things smooth in her marriage.

Brenda also made sure that after a night of dancing, when she and Roger finally got home she gave him a night of great sex to top off the date. She hoped that sent a clear message that even if dancing with other men was sometimes fun, it was Roger who got to take her home.

There were some nights, when Roger was busy or out of town, Brenda would go out with Shelly and her other girlfriends, and then she didn't need to think about any of that. She could relax, drink, and gossip. When she was dancing she could just get lost in the music without having to worry about how her husband was feeling. She hoped tonight could be like that too.

Walking into the bar, Brenda took a deep breath, soaking in that she was here by herself, no Roger, no Shelly. She looked around, a little unsure what to do. She thought about trying to find a table, but they were already full. Instead she headed for the bar, figuring she'd just hang there by herself for a bit and listen to the band.

She wasn't alone for long. Before she had a chance to find an open barstool, she was approached by a middle aged guy with glasses. Brenda recognized him, a sweet guy she had danced with before... was his name Paul?

"Would you like to dance?" he asked hopefully, offering his hand.

"I would, thank you." Brenda took his hand, and they headed out onto the floor. "It's Paul, right? I think we've danced before. I'm Brenda."

"We have, I remember. A couple of weeks ago I think. When the Collins Sisters were playing. You were here with your boyfriend, but he was kind enough to let you dance with me."

For some reason, Brenda felt herself stung by Paul's casual comment. She bristled back "He's not my boyfriend, he's my husband, and he didn't *let* you do anything. I actually make my own choices."

"Oh whoa, sorry, I didn't mean to offend you. Of course you do," Paul stumbled out. "Um... is your husband here tonight?"

Brenda sighed, backing down a bit. "It's okay, and no, he's not."

Their dance continued without much additional small talk, which was how Brenda preferred it. She focused on the music and her partner and tried to breathe and relax. Paul was a nice guy and a good lead. He didn't have a lot of variety in his moves, but he was confident and attentive, which Brenda appreciated.

"Thank you for the dance," Paul offered as the song ended.

"You too," Brenda replied, heading off the dance floor.

Almost as soon as she got away from the floor, another guy she knew, Jerry, came up to her and asked for a dance, but Brenda declined. Jerry was a generally fine dancer, but had a habit of wrenching his partners around on the dance floor like rag dolls. Despite his impressive footwork and flashy salsa flair, he often seemed completely unaware of his partner. Very showy and self-absorbed. The last time Brenda had danced with him she felt like her arm was going to be ripped off.

Instead, she sat this song out, leaned against the wall and scanned the crowd. Lots of familiar faces, but plenty of new folks too, especially younger dancers. One couple towards the front caught her eye, or at least *he* did.

He was tall, which made him easier to spot. He looked to be in his late 40's or early 50's, with strong features and short, dark hair sporting a hint of grey at his temples. Brenda watched him move. Even from across the room, and with a partially blocked view, she could tell he was a talented dancer. His partner, a very cute college-aged girl, was alright, but clearly not as experienced as he was. She was following his lead well enough, but not giving much in return. He took her through a few smooth spins, and some bold dips, but she wasn't confident enough to really go with it, so some of the effect was lost.

She wondered if they were a couple on a date, or just dancing together for this song. She wondered if he was here with someone else. A girl could do a lot worse than a good looking man like him.

At one point, Brenda thought he might have noticed her watching him, and she self-consciously looked away. When she looked back up, she had lost track of him in the crowd of dancers.

As the song wound to a close and the band was catching their breath, Brenda looked around, trying to pick out someone to ask to dance.

Then she saw him approaching her, the tall stranger she had been watching. He walked over, but did not directly ask her to dance. He merely looked into her eyes, smiled and extended his hand. Brenda took it, and he led her back out to the dance floor.

By the time they had worked their way to the front of the crowd, the band had already started into their next song. They played a classic George Strait cover, perfect for a country two-step. Brenda's partner - she realized awkwardly she hadn't had a chance to catch his name - took her up and began right in.

Brenda noticed immediately his excellent dance form. His left hand held her right, and his other arm around her waist provided a solid frame. He was tall, about 6 feet, which made spins easy. His chest was broad, and his arms strong, not gym-bro bulky strong, but the lean strength that suggested he did physical labor for a living. The worn roughness of his hands reinforced Brenda's theory that he did, or at least had done, his share of real work.

Brenda also spotted that he wasn't wearing a wedding ring. She wondered why she had checked. What difference did it make if he was married or not? Brenda was married, happily married, and this was just a dance. Still, she felt a spark of excitement at the realization, and even a stir of arousal. She pushed those thoughts out of her head and pulled herself back to reality.

The tall stranger led Brenda through some basic turns before introducing some more advanced steps. She admired his style. He was graceful but strong, gentle but assertive. Brenda found his signals easy to read and responded in kind. They fell into a smooth rapport of offer and response, through bigger spins and some swing moves that Brenda loved.

Her partner had dark brown eyes with a bit of green. Up close, Brenda could see he had a little more gray hair than shown at a distance, but his hair was thick and the touches of gray suited him. He was older, but definitely handsome. He wore a simple, western cut white shirt, jeans, and well worn boots.

Lost in her thoughts, Brenda was almost startled by the end of the song. As the last notes of the song faded, the stranger spun her into a leaning dip, then brought her back up. She thanked him for the dance and gave a small curtsey. He smiled and nodded. In a gesture of dance hall etiquette that Brenda appreciated, he walked her back to the edge of the dance floor where they had met, smiled again and turned away.

As the stranger headed back into the crowd and quickly picked up a new partner, Brenda took a moment to catch her breath. She would have loved to dance with him again, but she made it a point not to dance with anyone other than her husband more than one dance in a row, just so she didn't lead anyone on. Plus, the variety was fun. Maybe she could ask him to dance again later. The thought of another dance with him brought back another tingly rush of excitement that Brenda was determined to ignore.

Brenda danced the next song with a cute, young guy with a carefully groomed beard. He danced well and was very sweet, but Brenda was distracted. Her mind kept wandering back to her last dance with the stranger and his dark brown eyes. She glanced over her current partner's shoulder more than once to try to glimpse him, and hardly noticed when the song she was dancing to ended.

"Thanks for the dance. You're a very good dancer," offered the bearded cutie.

"Um thanks, yeah, you too."

"Maybe we could dance again later?"

"Sure, yeah, okay," Brenda answered distractedly.

As people began pairing off for the next dance, Brenda saw her tall stranger walking directly towards her. He stepped up, smiled without speaking, and offered his hand, inviting her to dance. She took it without hesitation and he led her back to the center of the dance floor.

By now, the band was deep in their main set, a little bit drunk and fired up. The lead guitarist downed the shot someone had left for him on the amp, and broke out in one of the band's most popular songs, "Dark-Eyed Woman", loud, raunchy and electric. The crowd cheered enthusiastically, and poured onto the dance floor.

In the rush, Brenda was pushed into her partner, but he steadied her with one strong arm around her waist as the song ramped up.

The floor was crowded, but the drunks who were basically just jumping up and down stuck to the edges, leaving plenty of room for couples actually dancing. The pace of the song left some dancers struggling to keep up and many of them dropped down to half tempo.

But not Brenda and her partner. They sailed over the wooden floor, matching the furious speed of the band. Brenda hadn't danced this hard in years, but found herself able to keep pace with the band and her partner. She leaned in to all the bold moves he had. The stranger, realizing that Brenda could match his intensity, grinned in appreciation and challenge. Brenda found herself lost in a flurry of spins and turns, some variations on classic moves, and some brand new and jointly improvised between the two of them. It was exhilarating and pushed her to the very edge of her ability.

At one point, perfectly timed to match the peak of the song, her partner spun her out on a dramatic turn. Their bodies unwrapped and Brenda twirled away from him, spinning. At the moment when their arms were fully extended, Brenda felt suspended, weightless. She held his hand like a lifeline. The bar blurred, and then he spun her back and caught her in his arms.

The band slammed down its last chord, he took Brenda into deep dip, low enough that the tips of her hair brushed the floor, and then, with one smooth movement of grace and strength pulled her into him. Brenda allowed herself a moment to linger in his embrace, her heart pounding, her breath panting, before stepping out and joining the crowd in raucous hoots and applause.

After soaking up the approval of their fans, the band began again, a slower song, smooth and low. The crowd on the floor thinned, with most couples retreating to tables and beers. But neither Brenda or the stranger made any move to leave.

"You alright?" he asked, catching his breath.

She nodded. "Still standing. You?"

"Barely," he said, with a smile.

As Brenda looked up to the stranger's eyes, she felt as if something had shifted between them. The way he looked back at her, she knew she wasn't imagining it. She stepped forward and he took her in. They danced close together, gently, matching the easy pace of the song. Brenda rested her head on his chest, and his arm wrapped around her, holding her to him. She felt his heart, his breath. She took in the smell of his cologne, mixed with the honest salt of his sweat. It all felt so natural. Their gliding steps across the dance floor, his arms around her, the way their bodies seemed to slide together just so.

When the song wound down, the stranger didn't speak. He released Brenda and began to walk away. For one terrible moment Brenda thought he was just leaving her, but then he looked back and offered his hand one more time. Brenda's heart leapt and took his hand. The stranger led her off the floor, through the other dancers. This time he didn't stop at the edge of the dance floor, but kept going, leading Brenda through the crowd and out the door. Wordlessly, they continued off the porch into the dark parking lot.

Brenda felt a rush of excitement as they crossed out into the darkness. Small doubts began to rise up in the back of her mind. "What was really happening? Was she really walking out of the bar with a man she just met?" But she knew exactly what was happening. Brenda knew where this was headed, and that is precisely where she wanted to go.