“Oh nothing, just down here at the bar.”
“Yep, I’m actually sitting with the couple I told you about.”
Vanessa and I glanced at each other in amusement. I guess we were worth mentioning.
Mark laughed, “No, no I didn’t. Not everyone is into that lifestyle sugar.”
Vanessa and I looked hard at each other this time, and I saw her face contort in intrigue. I had a similar reaction.
“Yes yes, I know.” Mark chuckled again.
“Alright, okay baby – Alright. Love you too.”
He put the phone down. “Sorry about that.”
Vanessa and I must have been staring because he sort of looked at us and said, “Everything okay?”
Vanessa was four cocktails in and incredibly free spirited when she was this far down the rabbit hole, “Sorry Mark, couldn’t help but overhear. What is this lifestyle that we’re not into?” Her face was red but her expression was engaged and her eyes lively.
I chimed in, “Yeah I’m kind of curious as well.” chuckling.
Mark looked suddenly embarrassed, “Oh, you heard that. Sorry about that.”
Vanessa was desperate for a clue, “Well?”
He fidgeted in his bar stool, looking momentarily uncomfortable, but replied. “Look, uh. My wife and I have an open marriage of sorts. We married very young and we don’t really mind the other one sowing some occasional wild oats, if you will. She actually kind of encourages it in my case.”
My expression was blank but my blood pressure had to have risen.
Vanessa smiled, blushing, intrigued. “Well that is certainly interesting.. But what does that have to do with us?” She asked, rather naively. I already had more than an idea.
Mark chuckled, “Well I casually mentioned to Cynthia that I met a couple at my hotel. I told her that you both seemed like well established, good natured people. I also let it be known that the wife was particularly attractive.” He turned to me mid explanation “Mike, I mean no offense.”
“Sounds like you were just being honest.” I quickly offered.
Mark chuckled again, continuing.
“So naturally my wife asked if I was going to pursue anything. She wondered if you two might be into sharing.” He seemed to look at Vanessa as he finished speaking, and I turned to her with a massive smirk on my face.
You could see the realization move across her face as her expression changed. Her skin flushed beet red and she brought her hand up to her mouth to cover a dramatic gasp.
I burst out laughing.
Mark joined me with another chuckle, and continued, “So yeah, to answer your question. That’s what I meant by lifestyle.”
Vanessa quickly took another swig of the cocktail, seemingly terrified.
“Will you relax? You asked the man after all.” I scolded her, mostly jokingly.
She found her voice, “I- I’m a little confused. Your wife lets you sleep with other women?”
Mark answered candidly, “Yeah, well, I’m only allowed to sleep with married women – she doesn’t trust the single ones.” He took a large swig of his drink, and continued, “I bull regularly for a married couple back home actually, and I’ll occasionally meet a couple when I’m away on business.”
“Bull?” Vanessa asked, again rather naively. My wife was a brilliant woman, but this conversation had put her fast on her heels.