Boldness Becomes Her

<<DISCOVERY>>

Annie perched on the stool in the apartment's kitchen. She frowned at the fridge and the pantry doors. What on earth would they eat tonight? She had to do the weekly shopping and plan meals but her list hadn't survived the shortages at Meijer the past few weeks. Jake would consume whatever she put in front of him. He'd also cook whatever she asked but meal-planning was not his strength. He deferred to Annie's food preferences but she liked grumbling about it anyway. Either way, he would be no help. She sighed, picked up her phone, and tapped the screen to scroll through recipes. No. No. No. No.

Wait...

What was that one she saw earlier? It was some kind of fancy mac'n'cheese. The applewood bacon caught her attention. She typed in a few different website URLs hoping to see the direct link pop up. She got nothing familiar.

"What was it called?" she whispered aloud, frustration growing.

Heck, she couldn't remember. She tapped the bottom of the screen and brought up the history, something she was shocked she could find so easily. She hadn't looked at history in forever. She started scrolling back in time.

And found Jake's porn.

The two shared a phone plan since they moved in last year. It was a combination of combing bills and advancing their relationship. The iPhones were apparently in sync because Annie had a front-row seat to Jake's internet viewing habits.

She gently set the phone face-down on the counter top. She couldn't go through it, could she? It wasn't his email or Messenger but it still felt like it was somehow an invasion of privacy. She wouldn't care if he went through her data or saw at what she was looking at. But would he care if she flipped the roles? She didn't know. She looked at the phone, lying there, offering insight into Jake's ... preferences.

She was both curious and afraid. What if, after two years of dating, it turned out he was a perv. Jake looking at porn didn't bother her unless she discovered he did it 8 hours a day while at work or he had some off-the-wall interests. Indecision flared within her and she stood up and walked outside, her phone awaiting her back in the kitchen.

It was hot outside. Summer was officially here and that'd be good news except the Corona Virus kept the pools closed. Sun burned down, heating the asphalt parking lot of the apartment building. The wind barely stirred through the stand of trees behind the building.

Annie looked up, beseeching the Heavens for an answer. Nothing. She looked downward, wondering ... no. She decided her decision and walked back to the kitchen.

An hour later, Annie sat back and put her phone down. She learned something today. She and Jake had a fulfilling sex life and he had never requested or asked her to do anything regarding what she found on her phone. And it was specific. He had two websites where he maintained profiles and he had saved videos, pictures, and carried on conversations. It was a fascinating look at someone she felt she knew well. She didn't feel threatened in the least, either, which surprised her. Jake wasn't sneaking around behind her or hooking up with other women. He was just talking about sex.

She knew him better now. But how would he react when she told him? Annie didn't know and couldn't decide the best way to approach this. She thought about reaching out to Larissa or Jen or her other friends. But what would they think about Jake after she talked their sex life? Annie wasn't one to share details of their intimacies and she didn't want Jake to be embarrassed when he was with her friends, whether he knew they discussed him or not. Ignorance was not bliss in Annie's opinion. Not like this.

She turned to Reddit. Reddit was good 80% of the time for honest answers and maybe someone else went through the same experience she had here. Insight would be welcome.

Click, Reddit, click, make a throwaway profile so friends wouldn't see the question, click, here we go.

She thought about the question she wanted to ask. Too many relationship questions had TL;DRs attached to them and that turned people off. How could she word this to elicit answers and comments? Cunningham's Law wasn't applicable here so she'd just ask.

She submitted her question five minutes later.

"I just discovered my boyfriend's secret sex fantasy is public nudity. He doesn't know I know. What do I do next?"

It was straight-forward, to the point, and asked for help. She felt like she was tossing a line in the water and she put her phone down to let the answers and conversations populate the thread. She hoped for a variety so she could decide what might be best.

That done, she thought about what she saw. It was a variety but there was one theme: Exposure. The venue changed but it was functionally the same.

Here was a video of a woman stripping nude on a beach in the presence of others. Here was another video of a woman walking on a path through some sand dunes, nude except for shoes. Another of a woman taking her clothes off in a parking lot and putting them into a donation bin. She then walked back to her car awaiting her on the other side of the parking lot. She wore only shoes. In broad daylight. It went on. Annie was relieved there weren't hundreds of thousands of saved videos and pictures but there were enough that he obviously liked it.

The pictures followed the theme. A woman was standing topless in a window, facing outward, her breasts exposed to the street. A woman was nude on a boat, a woman riding topless in a convertible. A woman with her bathing suit in hand while posing with a sign warning of a clothing-optional beach. Her hand was well away from her uncovered body.

Annie was relieved Jake wasn't into men which surprised her a little. She was happy to find he wasn't into pain, forced sex, violence, or anything she found offensive. She was open-minded about life in general but some things she simply couldn't abide by. There was nothing here to upset her.

Hours slipped by before she checked in with her thread. Jake wouldn't be home until after 7:00 and she had time to clean some house and take the dog for a walk. A few hours would be good enough for some answers so she tapped the Reddit app. Nothing prepared her for what she saw.

1,274 Comments

2,173 Upvotes

What. The. Fuck?

Annie was shocked. She hadn't expected the level of responses. Most were insightful, helpful, and at least tried to contribute positively to the discussion. She scrolled through the hate, ignoring it.

YOU FUCKING LYING CUNT SPYING ON YOUR BF SUCK A DICK BITCH!

Who the fuck acidentally descovers porn without serching for it on perpose? I hope he dumps your fat ass.

id rape your mouth and kill you for spying slut slut slut

People sure did feel strongly. Annie didn't care about the hate. She was interested in the perspectives of those trying to help. The conversations were fascinating. Random strangers discussed the impact of knowing something without consent to find it, whether or not she did something wrong going through the porn, was she mad, was she happy about it, and the "what next" question boiled down to three options. Annie arrived at this answer independently but she was pleased to see a majority of comments agree with her thought process.

1. Do nothing, say nothing. Live your best life.

2. Confess what you found and ask for a rational discussion on how it impacts the relationship.

3. Do something about it, good or bad.

One experience, written by a female profile, said the woman found her husband's fetish of being tied down. He went to great length to conceal that fact from her. Even after 20 years of relationship, he wouldn't fess up that he had anything different he wanted to try in the bedroom. The woman discovered his fetish when he left his own porn up and she was concerned he might go somewhere else to scratch that particular itch. He was probably afraid of being rejected or judged or hated.

She said she did her research for a week and, finally, when she and her husband were getting intimate, she trussed him up like a chicken. This led to some of the best sex they ever had, before or since. She worried he would need it all the time and it turned out he liked it only so often. They had a better relationship for it.

Annie read more. Her relationship with Jake felt stable. They lived together successfully, they had a dog together, they trusted each other and made positive changes when they argued. They resolved issues together. They did well together. But how could she do this without actually doing it. She couldn't want to get slapped with CSC for sex in public. She didn't want to run into families or children. She wasn't the most comfortable in her body with several extra pounds here and there. Annie knew she was no beauty queen and she didn't love how she looked naked, much less where others could see her. She certainly didn't want anyone besides Jake or her doctor to see her nude.

The saving grace was that the videos and pictures included a variety of body shapes and sizes and ages. They weren't all 110 lb models with perfect skin and teeth and bleached blonde hair. Even at 26, Annie certainly wasn't any of those things. She looked at herself in the mirror in the bathroom. Pale legs with a sprinkle of scars. Her thighs weren't whipcord thin but she thought they were her best asset and she often dressed to show her legs. She pulled her shirt up to look at her stomach. It wasn't huge but it wasn't flat either, just on the right side of 'curvy.' She pulled her shirt higher and frowned at herself. She felt her breasts were too large for her frame but Jake and every other boy she dated loved them. Her nipples, pink and round, were sensitive and felt hooked directly to between her legs. A bit of flab here and there rounded out the picture.

She turned and looked at her flat ass. Nothing she could do there except maybe squats and running. Annie wasn't running any time soon, though. Oh, well.

Simple question: Could she do this for Jake?

She didn't know. She went back to the kitchen and sat at the counter. She went through the videos with deliberately now. It was a science experiment. Could she mirror what they were doing? The short answer was no. Most of these women were exposed in too-public locations. Annie certainly wouldn't walk down a street in a pair of sandals and a hat and nothing else. She wouldn't be caught dead topless at a beach either. There was no way she would be standing in front of their windows or their front door nude and she wasn't paying for a pizza in only a pair of panties. She put the phone down and thought. Minutes ticked by and she challenged herself. How could she make it happen?

Oh! She had an idea and regretted thinking of it immediately. Now she'd have to go through with this.

There was a new sub-division going up off Textile Road. Over 100 homes would be built there, none of which were anywhere near starting construction. The sub nestled in a forest reserve outside of town. A few hiking paths threaded through the area. Annie saw it when they drove by two weeks ago. The residential streets curled around the trees and disappeared from view of the rarely-used Textile Road. The county was going to widen the highway for the sub but hand't started yet. No one was back there and it was 10 minutes from the middle of nowhere. It could be perfect.

Well, perfect for Jake, not for her. Annie steeled herself to at least try to indulge Jake. He would love her effort. If not, she'd deal with it later.

<<RECONNAISSANCE>>

The drive was ten minutes on the nose. It was after 5:00 and walkers and bikers were out on the sidewalks in the beautiful summer day. Foot traffic dropped dramatically as Annie cruised down the highway away from town. Trees, parks, and corn fields spread out on both sides of the road. Only a few miles out, horses, barns, and farms dominated the scenery. This area, east of town, was the local version of a Flyover State. There were no trucks or buses or real traffic besides the odd tractor or piece of farm equipment.

It made perfect sense to build a sub-division since there was the space and the families would be away from the worst of the town's traffic, at least until the sprawl reached their driveways. Annie turned in and took a slow loop around the unstarted neighborhood. Blacktop glistened in the sun and the trees, tall and full of leaves, provided a shield from the road. No sidewalks existed. Flags to mark electricity and water popped up like weeds. Sod had not yet been laid down so grass and dirt dominated the future front yards.

Annie parked in the far corner of the neighborhood. The cul-de-sac was surrounded on three sides by dense foliage and the trees made for plenty of cover. Of course, the police would have them trapped if they were busted and that worried Annie. She sat in the car, window down, and looked again at one of the videos. She read the comments while a woman proudly high-heeled her way through a European thoroughfare.

It was all about the confidence. Almost all the comments, at least the ones in English, were about how sexy and confident and proud and completely the opposite of shy the woman was. She was comfortable, laughing, and enjoying the attention. Annie wanted none of that. She hated attention, she didn't like compliments, and she was a self-proclaimed introvert. At least here, with no one else around, it could be only her and Jake. Maybe that would be enough for him. Annie sure hoped it would.

"Let's find out if we can do this," she said to herself. She reached behind her back and unsnapped her bra. She pulled the shoulder straps off and stuffed them through the arm holes. The bra came off her chest and she pulled it out from under her shirt. Braless, feeling silly and nervous, Annie lowered all the windows. Hot, humid air flooded into the vehicle. Annie took a long look around trying to spot hikers, dog-walkers, or cars. There were no sounds except the wind rustling the trees. A bird chirped from a nearby nest. Still in the car, Annie closed her eyes. She pulled her shirt up to her neck, exposing her breasts. She refused to open her eyes. She didn't know what she would do if someone were watching her. She counted to ten and yanked her shirt down. She peeked. Nothing was out there but the birds and a pair of deer slowly walking at the far side of the street.

She looked at herself in the rearview mirror. Her face was red from embarrassment and anxiety. She did it again though and pulled her shirt up. She tried counting higher. Tits out, emotions swirling, Annie made it 35 before tugging her shirt back down and covering her body. There was no one out there staring at her. A few deer munched on grass down the street.

This would do. Annie, satisfied with her plan but feeling uneasy, turned around and drove home.

<<ADVENTURE>>

Annie got home, showered, and put on some light make-up. She put her hair up in a messy bun and picked her cutest sundress, red and patterned with white flower outlines. She liked how it showed her legs. Jake liked how it showed a hint of sideboob. She realized as she was dressing that he had always encouraged her to show a little more than she was comfortable with. This must have been his thing for a while. She suddenly had doubts. Was what she planned enough? Would it satisfy him or just drive him to want more?

She stuck her feet in her strappy sandals and sat on the edge of the bed. She breathed and whispered affirmations. He'd love this! He'd be happy! She just wanted him happy.

Jake came home right at 7:15, his normal time on Wednesdays. He walked in, looking handsome and well-rested after 10 hours of work and he smiled at her when he walked in the door.

"You're dressed up!" he said, eyes lighting up with delight, "Are you giving COVID a piece of your mind by wearing some fancy clothes?"

"I thought we might go try, uh, eating somewhere now that they have outdoor seating open."

"Are you asking me on a date?" he teased. He covered his open mouth with a hand, exaggerating coyness. "Well, I daresay," he continued, Southern drawl dragging out every word, "You have made me blush with your Northern aggression."

Annie squeaked when he reached out and pulled her to him, enveloping her in a tight embrace. His arms, strong and lean, circled her and she immediately felt safe and happy. That cemented it. She'd go through with this for him.

He walked to the bedroom and changed out of his shirt. Annie had seem him shirtless countless times and it never got old. He took good care of himself and she quietly wondered why he was still shacking up with her. He was handsome, athletic, successful, and she never felt she matched up to his career aspirations. She had asked him what she brought to the table on a few occasions and he dismissed her with a hand.

"You bring you to the table," he responded, "I'm not going to laundry list what I liked about you. Just keep being you."

That was early in the relationship and her strategy evolved into what Reddit suggested she do to keep her man: Fuck him a lot. She attempted to give him a blowjob every day for a week. He was thankful and appreciative but four days in he accused her of being insatiable and asked if they could just enjoy working on a 2,000-piece puzzle together.

"You don't need to try," he had said.

Jake navigated his life and their relationship with ease. He did it effortlessly and Annie felt the need to keep up with him and contribute her 50%.

And now they were in a car driving to a location where she would take all her clothes off for him. He pulled the seat belt on and sat back, letting her take him wherever she would.

Annie pulled out of the apartment's blacktop and onto the road. Town lay west of them and Jake raised an eyebrow when she made a right and went the other way. He didn't ask questions though, placing his trust in her. He enjoyed the view and let the hot air rush through the open window. His hand floated up and down, playing with the wind as they accelerated over the posted 55 mph for the highway.

10 minutes later Annie, heart in throat, turned left. Gravel crunched under the wheels as she navigated the car between the stands of trees. She expected Jake to finally comment but he stayed quiet, letting things happen.

They pulled into the fresh smooth road of the new subdivision. Jake finally broke.

"Is there a new restaurant here?" he asked.

"We'll eat after," Annie said with a hitch in her voice. Jake caught it immediately and turned in the seat, facing her with concern on his face.

"I'm okay," she said, preempting his question with a wave of her hand, "Just nervous."

"For what?" he asked looking around with fear on his face, "Oh, God! You're not a serial killer are you?"

"You'll see," she said.

She acted nonchalant as she guided the car to the same spot she parked earlier. She idled to the curb and put the car in park. She stepped out and walked around the front to Jake's door. She opened it and gestured for him to step out.

He got out and didn't say a word. He simply let things unfold.

Annie almost froze right then. She was successful earlier but this was the real thing. Here she was in plain view for what felt like half a mile back to the front of the sub. Trees lined the backs of the yards but paths wandered through the nature reserve and anyone could be back there. She gritted her teeth and decided she could do this.

She reached under the hem of her sundress and slid her underwear down her legs. Shock registered on Jake's face, something Annie rarely saw. She was pleased she caught him by surprise. She let her mind go blank and didn't think as she undid the buttons on the front of the dress. Her breasts pushed against the material, revealing more and more skin. Jake's mouth opened to say something and she held a hand up to shush him. She pulled the dress straps off her shoulders and down her arms.