Burner Phones

The next day, Jack had everyone erase the Messages history on their burner. He collected the phones and disposed of them in a public trash can on the street.

The car ride back to the airport and the plane ride home were uncomfortable and nearly silent. There wasn't even a joke from Matt.

Torrid exhilaration coupled with extreme guilt is probably a difficult combination for the brain to process. Except for Emma and me, each of us had to decide for themselves whether the fuck of a lifetime was worth the emotional price they paid or would continue to pay.

Although Emma wasn't carrying that burden, she did have to come to terms with her husband having just fucked another woman, one that was sitting a few feet from her, and deal with the fact that it had occurred with her blessing.

As for me, although I was thankful that I didn't commit adultery in the flesh, I have to live with knowing that was I fully intending to right up until the final moment. I had further betrayed my wife by trading countless lewd messages with a coworker. Fantasizing about other women while making love to your wife or while jerking off is a little more gray, but neither one is something that I'm particularly proud of.

As we cruised at 30,000 feet, I thought of Lauren and realized that even though I had been away from home only for a few days, I missed her desperately. She is truly the best thing that ever happened to me, and the one positive out of this whole escapade that I could appreciate at the moment was that I had been forced to remember that.

Upon our arrival back in Raleigh, Lauren picked me up at the airport. We did our standard kiss hello and started to drive home. "You okay with leftover lasagna?" Lauren asked. "I made it on Thursday."

"You know what, Honey," I replied, "do you want to see if we can get seated at Crawford & Son tonight?"

"Wow, what's the occasion?" Lauren responded with surprise.

"You know, we had a lot of extraordinary food in Vegas," I explained, "and I'd like to take you someplace nice tonight."

"Sounds good to me," Lauren said. "See if you can reserve through their website."

"They have a table for two open at 9:30," I reported. "Is that too late?"

"No, that's fine," Lauren replied. "I can eat a small snack. Plus, it'll give me some time to find something nicer to put on."

When we got home, I carried my bags up to our bedroom while Lauren ate her snack. I used the toilet and then started to unpack.

Lauren came upstairs and started flipping through hangers in her closet, deciding what to wear for dinner. She picked out a classy, navy blue, long-sleeved, crew neck, A-Line dress and laid it on the bed.

"I better try it on," she said. "I might have put on a little weight since I last wore this."

As I unfolded my suits, I stole a peek at Lauren undressing. She removed her sweater and jeans and then slipped the dress over her bra and cotton panties. She looked in the mirror, probably critiquing herself too harshly as women tend to do.

"Can you zip me up?" Lauren asked. "I want to see if it's too tight."

I moved behind her, raised my hand to the zipper, but then paused, staring at our reflection. At that moment, I looked at my wife in a way that I hadn't for too long a time.

I put my arms around her and gave her a warm squeeze. I kissed her on the cheek and said, "You're beautiful."

She turned and gave me a quick kiss on the lips to thank me, but I didn't let her go, drawing her tight to my body and kissing her gently but deeply. I stroked her back as she put her arms over my shoulders. Our tongues began to mingle softly, and we both began to make subtle sounds of desire.

My hands moved down to Lauren's hips, pulling them against my hardness. Still locked in a passionate kiss, I steered us onto the bed, our bodies grinding against each other. Lauren inhaled quickly from her mouth when I placed her on her back and began to kiss her neck. Then I moved down towards her feet and started kissing her inch by inch, working my way upward from her ankles.

I devoured Lauren's calves, then her knees, then her inner thighs, as my head moved under her dress. I skipped over her panties and moved to her tummy and then to her sides.

The woman in front of me wasn't my wife, and she didn't belong to me. She was a goddess who deserved to be treated as such.

"Ohhh," Lauren moaned softly, as I lightly brushed her breasts through her bra.

"Tell me what you want," I said.

"I need you inside me," replied Lauren, with breathless urgency.

I moved out from under her dress and removed my clothes. Lauren sat up and pulled her dress over her head. She then reached behind and unclasped her bra, letting it fall to the bed. I reached for her hips and slowly slid her panties off, exposing her light brown pubes. Lauren then spread her gorgeous legs, beckoning me.

I positioned myself at Lauren's entrance and slid the shaft of my hard cock along her slippery wet labia, causing her to groan. I then teased her with the head, penetrating barely inside her before pulling out and sliding myself along her slit again before repeating, increasing my depth only a small fraction of an inch each time.

After eight or so iterations, Lauren could no longer maintain control, crying out, "Take me now!"

I immediately plunged all of my stiffness deep inside Lauren's famished pussy, as she gasped and arched her back. I supported her torso with my hands as I thrust in and out of her with abandon, her head tilted back and her mouth open wide. Her breasts and their erect nipples shook up and down as I ravished her. God, she was magnificent.

Lauren started to grunt louder and louder, faster and faster. I felt myself approaching the point of no return but willed myself to wait for her.

"Cum for me! Cum for me!" I urged, which sent Lauren over the edge, causing her to erupt into a breathtaking orgasm, her legs shaking and her upper body writhing in my arms in ecstasy.

As she started to regain her faculties, I held her close and stared directly into her eyes. My cock still hard and waiting, I resumed thrusting into Lauren's wetness. Her body melted into me and remained still as I made her mine again, filling her with wave after wave of my cum.

Our eyes still locked, Lauren whispered, "My God, David."

"You're so beautiful, Lauren," I replied. "I love you so much," as her eyes welled.

* * * * *

We decided to cancel our dinner reservation. Instead, we ate the leftover lasagna, cuddled on the couch, and fell asleep watching Netflix.

The next morning, I made a batch of strawberry chocolate chip muffins. As we broke into them, Lauren remarked, "Mmmm, these are so good. You haven't made them in a while."

"Jessica called me when I was in Vegas, asking for the recipe, so it made me think of them," I explained. "Ah, I forgot to send it to her last night."

As I took a photo of the recipe and texted it to Jessica, I continued, "You know, I think she met someone, a 'have him over for dinner' kind of someone."

"Oh?" Lauren responded. After several seconds of silence, she continued, "You remember how nervous you were when you met my parents?"

"I almost dropped the pie that I brought when I shook your dad's hand," I recalled, as Lauren and I both laughed. "Somehow I think I'm going to be just as nervous when meeting Jessica's boyfriend."

"I'm sure it'll be fine," Lauren assured me. "Jessica's a good judge of character. Plus, daughters tend to be attracted to men who are like their fathers. He'll take good care of her."

Lauren squeezed my hand, as I started to get misty. I was processing my own combination of emotions: unworthiness and gratitude.

* * * * *

Late in the day, the typical Sunday evening dread hit me, but not for the usual reason. The company would have to face the fallout from our Vegas trip, and it was going to be torturous.

I didn't sleep very well that night, so I got up and headed into work early. I figured that I would be the first one there, but Jack and Emma's Kia Telluride was already parked in the lot.

I smelled coffee, so after putting my things in my office, I headed to the pantry. Upon seeing me, Jack said earnestly, "Hey man, I just want to say thank you."

"Jack, there's nothing to thank me for. You know that I would have if I thought that I could have," I explained.

"I know. I know. But...just...thanks man," Jack replied, holding out his hand.

I shook Jack's hand, and we shared a quick bro hug.

I got my cup of coffee and started to walk back to my office.

I glanced across the hall towards Emma's office. She was at her desk, typing away, already hard at work. Sensing my presence, Emma stopped typing and met my stare. She then rose from her chair and playfully patted her hand on her desk. I exhaled strongly and wagged my finger at her, as we both broke into amused smiles, which nevertheless dissipated quickly.

Our gaze persisted. It was not casual or awkward. Neither lustful nor regretful. Just a heartfelt moment of mutual respect and admiration.

EPILOGUE

Our company continued to exist and thrive for many more years. To be sure, things were complicated for a while, but it's surprising what you can endure with the passage of time.

Emma still worked as hard as ever but operated with a softer, more forgiving hand. Emma and Jack's relationship grew deeper, and they remain married to this day.

Lauren and I eventually retired to a life of doting on our grandchildren. They love strawberry chocolate chip muffins.

Grace and Jack never slept together again, but she was right. Jack does have a pretty big cock.

Matt's wife Valerie divorced him after catching Matt in bed with another woman. Turns out that Kelly did come back for more.

Priya's husband Arjun died of heart disease at the age of 67. A year later, Albert's wife Julie lost a short but brutal battle with pancreatic cancer. A source of great comfort for one another during that difficult period, Priya and Albert ended up falling in love and spent the rest of their days reliving their night together in Vegas all those years ago. They even made love to each other in a nursing home.