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Click hereAs we lay there basking in the sun she whispered, "I envy you living out here, at least that was one good thing that came from the divorce."
"I love it here as well, every day I thank my lucky stars, but nothing good came from our divorce Shell."
Later we went back to the house for coffee before she hit the road.
It took months but our time together became easier and easier. We talked more freely, and the conversations matured into frank and open dialogue. We even got brave enough to tackle the hard topics. Of course, she kept apologising and eventually the little kisses as she left grew longer, deeper, swirling tongues, closed eyes, passion until one day when she was about to leave, she whispered, "Could I stay?"
God damn it I wanted that more than anything, but there was still the huge question mark, "What about Paul?"
She shrugged, "He isn't here, why should we talk about him?"
I stepped back, my eyes never leaving hers, "Because, he is the reason we separated, if you're still seeing him, this isn't happening."
Her eyes rolled back in frustration, "Why? Look Tom I'm not talking about anything other than I want to stay the night, make love, sleep in your arms. Who cares about Paul?"
"I do damn it, just tell me, are you still seeing him?"
She nodded reluctantly, "Yes, we are friends, I see him all the time."
"Don't be glib Shell, are you having sex with him?"
She nodded again, although this time it wasn't hesitant, it was firm, challenging, "Yes, alright, we have sex occasionally, what's the big deal? Do you ask the women you date if they are having sex with anybody else? Of course, you don't. Tom, we could do this, I want you, I need you back in my life, and not just as a friend."
What was I going to say? I couldn't hide the erection that was prodding her tummy as we embraced, her arms coiled around my neck, her breasts crushed against my chest and her hot mound grinding against my dick.
She stayed that night. Then I stayed at her place and we went back and forth until one weekend she arrived with a bag. As I helped her unload it, she saw my confusion and smiled, "I'm moving in."
I enjoyed her company and when she wasn't here, I missed her, but there was still the question mark hanging overhead...Paul.
As she started unloading, I put my hand up and muttered, "Stop right there Shell. You are not moving in with me until you can prove to me that it's all over between you and Paul."
She tried to wriggle her way into my arms, "Why is that important? The last few weeks have been amazing. I want to be with you, forget Paul."
"Sorry Shell, but it's not happening, I would love you back in my life, but I'm not sharing with Paul."
She smirked, "You're sharing with him now, what's the difference?"
"The difference is now you are cheating on him with me. Now we are lovers and he's the shmuck."
She smiled, "I'm not cheating on him, he knows where I am, and he knows what we are doing. He's not jealous or resentful, he is just happy that we are seeing each other again."
I shrugged, "Then let's leave it that way, we can remain what we are friends with benefits."
She almost stomped her foot as her tantrum took hold, "Why does it matter!" She bellowed in a frustrated wail. "Bloody hell Tom, things have been great between us lately, wouldn't it be nice if we could share that every day?"
I nodded, "Yes actually it would, I miss you. My only covenant is you get rid of him."
She stormed off, slammed her car door and drove off in a shower of stones.
It took several weeks before we fell back into our lunchtime catchups and evening calls. That of course grew and she ended up back at my place and she stayed the night.
In the morning she sucked in a deep breath, "Tom, what if we made a deal...We move back in and live together, I won't see Paul unless you agree to it?"
Confused I mumbled, "You mean you will stop seeing him altogether unless I approve?"
"Well not quite, Paul and I work together, we are still friends, what I am suggesting is, I will not have any intimate contact with him unless, at some point in the future you agree."
I laughed, "Shell, there is no point, I will never accept that."
She shrugged, "Then I would never see him again, I would be sad, but I am prepared to accept that."
"How do I know that you wouldn't just keep seeing him behind my back the way you did when we were married? How can I trust you?"
She flinched a little, her lip quivered, "I cannot keep apologising for my mistakes, what I did was wrong, I admit that and I have suffered for it. I can't change the past, what's done is done, what I can do is make you a solemn oath, a guarantee that I will never without your implicit permission so much as hold his hand, we will be nothing but friends."
"I would like to believe you, but with what happened with him in the past I'm struggling to believe you."
She sighed, "Tom you must feel the same way I do, our visits have been incredible, loving, warm. You must want it as much as me, if that's the case, at some point if we are going to have to make this work, we have to learn to trust each other."
With a deep resigned sigh I snorted, "OK Shell, you're right, I do want to try again, but I warn you if you see him then it would be the end."
She scowled and snapped sadly, "I understand, believe me I got it."
While I’m in favor of love, Shelby is acting horribly. The fact that she admitted that she needed a month to consider whether she would leave her husband is a bit cruel. People do make mistakes. But this is very harsh. We have a sensitive and kind character and his wife just won’t love him. It’s sometimes hard to read things like this. I am in favor of forgiveness, but she is very blithe to sensitive subjects. I do not believe your critics when they make spurious accusations, but this story makes it hard to defend you.
Why stay married? She’d get half of his profits …Just stay FWB, why bring in the liability of marriage? Any rational man would keep her for sex and companionship; however, she’s proven she can’t be trusted ..
"Tom why the divorce? Why couldn't you wait one measly month so we could talk?"
====> what a delusional woman. She wanted that month expecting that she might want Paul and leave Tom after 20 years. When he gave her the ultimatum, she made light of it and he filed for divorce when she left for the workshop. She realized she couldn't live with Paul, but still wants him in her life, but her husband divorced her. What a surprise. Especially since she told him why she needed the month. "Measly" my a$$. She is a head case. And btw the divorce rate for open marriages is over 92$. That is open marriage of any type. Including poly or swapping, and then the garbage she is proposing. I know it is a plot element near and dear to the author's heart but the statistics don't lie. Anecdotes about "friends" making it work means jack all. Wait five years.
At least the daughters were sensible about the character in his book. Shelby did behave abysmally. Like many LWs written by Cagivagurl, Shelby thinks an apology is all she needs to fix things. And this wasn't a sincere one given her conditions to keep seeing Paul as part of an open marriage. Can you say nutjob? Head case? Too many bays in the belfry?
Too many missed opportunities to throw her lack of respect, herself independent decisions when she's calling him on not being mature enough, and she has not acted at all in that manner, nor according to her wedding vows.
She is not trustable.
Your male characters are all written as if they were immature women. None ever seem to be able to live without the woman that is emasculating them publicly.
The reconciliation is tough to stomach in this story. :( the ex-wife is stubborn and refuses to accept or acknowledge the ex-husband's pain and discomfort.
Well written engaging story about a marriage with two pussies and one guy hanging around the edge.
Your writing is very good. But I think Shell is too demanding, selfish, and manipulative. That's fine. Some people are that way. But I'm not sure that a man who is like Tom is depicted--strong, intelligent, reasonable, balanced--would take the crap she dishes out and hang with her as much as he has. I'm not a burn-the-bitcher, but I think he's taken too much. She's had more than enough chances to come correct (as the homies would say). I think he should cut her off permanently. Will he do it? We're about to find out.