Shadow Falls

Happy Halloween!

*

"Of all ghosts the ghosts of our old loves are the worst."
- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

I nearly ran the stop sign at the four way stop near my house. I've got to snap out of it! I'm going home to my wife, I need to focus. The undeniable memories of the last three sensual hours were distracting me. I needed to get my head in the game.

My wife of seven years, Carol, was already home by the time I arrived. Of course she was, it was nearly seven PM. Dinner should have been served by now. I told her I was working late. I actually took off an hour early. There were moments I summoned up enough emotion to feel guilty. But much more often I thought about how satisfying and fun sexually Ashley is.

I saw her Wedgewood tea cup and saucer on the dining room table. A sure sign that she had been patiently waiting for me. Carol loves to linger over a cup of tea and never quite finish it.

"Working late again?" Carol asked as she gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. "I hope your boss and my brother appreciate your sacrifices." She added.

I nearly pulled away, not exactly sure why. Perhaps I was concerned that some lingering aroma of Ashley was still present. Or more likely the thought of any type of physical interaction with Carol did little for me by comparison.

Don't get me wrong, Carol is attractive in her own wholesome way. She has a broad smile with a pronounced gap between her two front teeth. I used to think that was cute. A pleasant face, shoulder length brown hair and bangs across her forehead. A decent figure, smallish breasts, fairly thin, she probably has put on five or maybe ten pounds since we've been married. Not fat. But perhaps the bikini would not fit quite as it once did.

Ashley is a different story. Curvy, fleshy, not fat, just soft, firm, and round in the right spots. She was also eleven years younger than my 33 years old. Carol is a year older than me. Ashley is a sexual athlete. I have never been with a woman like this before. I did not know sex could be so open and fun. And even beyond the sex I was beginning to really care for Ashley.

I thought of Ashley as I was part way up the stairs to change clothes for dinner. For a moment I became dizzy thinking of her intoxicating sexuality. I had to pause and re-grab the bannister. Come on Mark, I told myself, snap out of it. You're married, the personal conversation continued in my head. You've got a great wife, a nice home and a solid career. Don't screw this up. If only Carol were just somehow . . . gone, I'd be free to pursue Ashley in broad daylight without the judgement of others.

— — — — — — — — — —

I recalled the first time I met Ashley . . . . .

I'd scheduled a meeting with Julian Bannister, the CEO of Palavian Industries. My company offered machine shop services for specialty applications. Palavian was starting to use us. I wanted to reinforce the personal relationship and had invited Julian to lunch for today's meeting.

That was the first time I met Ashley. She was Palavian's receptionist. There she sat, long blond hair, a bit of cleavage visible, extending down to rounded breasts enclosed in a tight pink sweater. She saw my eyes drift and when I looked at her she smiled. She knew where the distraction lay.

"Um, it looks like Mr Bannister is out?" Ashley told me as she hung up the phone.

"Huh" I said to myself, but out loud, "we were scheduled to have lunch today." I went on.

"Let me double check." She said and got up to go into the inner offices.

I openly ogled her beautiful ass as she left. Wow, I could see why she was hired. A nice young attractive female receptionist certainly makes a good first impression to anyone entering the Palavian offices.

A moment later she returned. "Mr. Bannister had an emergency and had to leave. Roberta said to apologize and he will reschedule with you." Ashley told me.

The whole time she was looking me straight in the eye, a hint of a smile on her lips.. Some type of unspoken challenge. It was as if she was saying, 'can you keep your eyes on mine or will they drift to my body?'

"Well that's too bad" I exclaimed. "I had reservations at Chambray." I once again said out loud.

"I'm available," Ashley said. "I'm Ashley" and she held out her hand to shake.

As she reached across her body to shake my hand her bicep pushed against the side of her right breast, pushing both breasts together. I couldn't help but look this time. When my gaze finally elevated to eye level, I was met with another sly smile.

"Hi, I'm Mark Merritt," I managed to get out.

"I know." She said, maintaining that same smile.

Moments later we were going to lunch.

During lunch Ashley was fun and animated. She laughed at my stupid jokes and continued constant eye contact. Occasionally she would lean forward during the conversation, allowing larger glimpses of the magnificent cleavage. She was flirting and I was loving it.

I learned that Ashley was twenty two. She has worked at Palavian for four months. She went to a year of junior college but stopped going because she didn't like school and needed to work. She told me she didn't have a boyfriend at this time.

I told her early into the lunch that I was married. She just nodded as if it had no bearing on our lunch or any future friendship we may have. We just continued talking, no hesitation whatsoever.

All too soon the lunch was over. Kind of cutely she went through the motions of offering to pay her half. We both knew that wasn't going to happen, but I appreciated the gesture.

As we walked to my car in the parking lot Ashley hugged my left arm, companionable at first but fairly quickly during the walk I felt her firm round breast making serious contact with my upper arm. It was exciting.

We continued to chat during the drive back to her office. I was really enjoying the conversation and I also enjoyed looking at Ashley, occasionally letting my eyes roam over her body. She didn't seem put off by these stares, welcoming the attention. Signaling with her wider smiles that this was all okay.

We pulled up to the building and it almost felt like I should kiss her goodbye, but I didn't. But there was that moment when we were eye to eye and our faces began to move closer, like a kiss. I stopped in the nick of time.

"Can I have your business card?" She asked.

I hesitated for just a moment. The magical lunch time bubble of intimacy had popped and we were ever so suddenly back in the real world. For a second I thought, what was I doing? Giving my contact information to this woman, girl really, who I'd just met?

"So I can pass it on to Roberta, just in case Mr. Bannister needs it." She said.

This had just enough logic that I could justify giving this young sexy girl my contact information. I handed her my card.

"See you later." I said as Ashley exited, only meaning goodbye.

"I think you will." She replied half laughing with the constant sensually firm eye contact.

Wow! I thought after she was securely in her building. What was all that? I hadn't felt like that since college. I had been openly flirting with this young, attractive, sexy female. There was a familiar buoyancy after the interaction. Familiar but this buoyancy hadn't surfaced in me in quite some time.

Throughout the week my mind wandered to Ashley, I kept thinking about her. At night, as unfair as it was, I would compare her physically to Carol. Again, it wasn't fair. I was seeing Carol, relaxed at home, no makeup, first thing in the morning waking up, sweaty from chores. Whereas the Ashley in my mind was dressed for work, makeup on, in a tight sweater, showing cleavage. It was not a fair comparison. But I continued to do it.

I was fully prepared to file away these mental images of Ashley forever, sort of like you would do with a sexy scene in a movie. Remembering it with pleasure with no action to be taken.

But a couple of things happened.

Thursday night I got home from work and Carol was on the phone. The length and solemnity of her end of the conversation got my attention. I sat, watched her, and overheard.

Turns out her mother was not feeling well and had some tests done for potential cancer screening. Her mom was a nice person, very private and somewhat fragile. Her father had passed away from heart disease right after we had married.

"Mom's just had some tests done and she's concerned. I think she's a little depressed." Carol told me.

"I need to drive up and see her this weekend." She added. "Dan offered to go, but I think my Mom wants me." She said.

Carol's brother Dan, was the CFO of Eastside Ironworks, where I work. In fact it was through Dan I got the job at Eastside. It is a good job and pays well. I needed to keep it.

I nodded. "Would you like me to go?" I asked. I knew the answer would be no, but I felt obligated to ask anyway. I really would prefer not going in complete honesty.

"Oh Mark, thank you for offering," she said. "You know how private Mom is. I better go on my own. I'll miss hiking with you on Saturday." She added. "I want to leave by noon on Friday, that way I can beat the rush hour traffic."

I nodded and asked her more about what her mother had said as together we prepared our dinner.

For some reason, and I'm not exactly sure why, I thoroughly enjoy being in my own home alone. There is nothing that I do, that I wouldn't do, if Carol were here normally. I just like being on my own.

So her being gone was no burden for me. In fact the opposite of that. I looked forward to her being gone.

Friday morning before work I helped Carol prepare for her visit with her mother, carrying her bags to the car. Later that day the second thing happened.

I was at my office and I received a text message.

'Hey it's Ashley, you know from lunch 😀! A couple of my friends and I are stopping at BlueWater after work for a drink. You should come!! It will be fun.'

Wow!! This hot young, sexy, big breasted girl asked me out for a drink!? I actually started getting an erection. My initial impulse was to tell her I'd meet her. Then I started thinking about it. You idiot, you're married. Sure Carol was out of town, but you're still married. All morning long an internal debate continued in my brain.

So far by Friday afternoon I had not replied to the text. I was out making sales calls and all of a sudden I saw an attractive young woman in a miniskirt walking on the sidewalk. No it wasn't Ashley, or for that matter anyone I knew, it was just a good looking cute girl with a nice body. The sight of this woman stimulated me, kind of reminding me of my lunch with Ashley.

That did it, I set logic aside. I texted back to Ashley.

'That sounds fun, I'll be there by 5:30.' I replied back to her.

At this point my heart started beating faster and my palms became sweaty. Oh my god! What was I doing, I asked myself? I was suddenly nervous, but excited too. I hadn't felt like this since before Carol and I were married.

Then I began to rationalize. It's just a drink. She knows I'm married. Maybe this can help me with the Palavian account. She's a hot young girl, she's not interested in some mid 30's, average guy. And on and on the debate in my head continued. But I was committed to go, and I found myself excited by the idea.

BlueWater is a medium upscale bar with a decent restaurant. The bar was the scene. I got there a little early, feeling a mixture of nervous and slightly embarrassed. I wandered in, searching for Ashley.

As I was walking through the bar a cute young girl with short dark hair and tattoos on her arms, grabbed my forearm, surprising me.

"Are you Mark?" She asked.

"Um, yes." I said hesitantly as I studied the girl trying to see if I recognized her, she knew my name.

"Ash," She hollered to a group behind her. "I found him." She shouted. She still had a hold of my arm.

At that, Ashley, in all her sexy glory, emerged from a crowd of younger people, smiled at me, grabbed my face and gave me a kiss. It was not quite on my lips but you couldn't really say it was on my cheek either. One other thing about this kiss, it felt natural. Not in the least bit awkward.

"Hey!" She exclaimed with buoyant enthusiasm. "I am SO glad you came!" She told me and stared at me with a sexy smile.

"Let's get you a drink." She said.

She then grabbed my arm again and pushed forward toward the bar. Once again the firm round breast was obvious against my arm.

For a moment I looked around to make sure there was no one I knew here. It was a younger crowd and fortunately I recognized no one.

The evening played out, Ashley was near me all night. There were more than a few times her breasts brushed me, her hand touched my thigh or chest, or her round muscular ass bumped me. I was having fun and as time passed any thoughts of guilt were washed away by alcohol and tantalizing physical contact.

It must have been around ten o'clock when Ashley told me that she and her friends were going to a party near downtown.

"Mark, come with us." She said, "It's still early. I promise we'll have a good time." As she said this last statement once again the direct sexy eye contact. Unspoken sexual messages were being transmitted.

I knew that I needed to go home. As turned on as I was by young Ashley at least the semblance of good judgement won out. I begged off.

"Thanks Ashley," I told her. "I've had a great time with you and your friends, but I need to leave." I added.

We went back and forth, about it, her argument included 2 tit brushes and a clasping of my bicep. Finally she permitted me to exit but insisted on walking me to my car.

At the car I turned, faced her to say goodbye. I was expecting another quick cheek/lip kiss. Instead she threw both hands over my shoulder, clasped the back of my neck and pulled me in for a big, lip to lip kiss.

My brief hesitation did not slow her down. Her left hand continued to hold my neck while the right caressed my chest, slid down across my abdomen with the briefest of contact against my erection. She then grasped my ass and pulled me, groin to groin, directly to her and my erection pressed tightly against her clothed genitalia. For the briefest of instances we humped one another.

She released my lips and stared at me.

"You sure you need to go?" She laughingly asked.

I slumped against my car and just nodded. I stared at her, speechless as she turned and walked away.

"Call me tomorrow Mark, I'm home alone all weekend." And with that she strutted off, high heels clacking across the concrete parking lot.

I just stood there for a few moments. Stunned, turned on, happy and confused. What the hell just happened, I asked myself?

All night I thought of Ashley. Barely dwelling on the ramifications this interlude may have on my marriage. I was captivated by Ashley. My lips and groin continued to tingle from the passionate parting in the parking lot.

I woke up with a painful erection and thoughts of the previous evening. What should I do? I wanted to call her, yet I knew it was wrong. This was the same debate I had about meeting her at BlueWater - but the stakes were now higher.

Finally at noon I called her. The phone rang and rang. I was on the brink of hanging up, and she answered.

"I was hoping you'd call." She said, "I've been thinking about you." She added.

I tried to be polite. Asking her about the rest of her evening, did she get home okay, how was the party, and other safe topics. She answered all my questions with amused impatience.

"I'm making dinner tonight and I want you to come over." She stated.

Before I could even answer, she told me "be here at seven, and bring a bottle or two of red wine. We're having pasta. I'll text you my address."

Before I could even confirm she had hung up. I knew she had a roommate, so I felt I was fairly safe, I rationalized.

All day I thought of Ashley. I thought of Carol too, and spoke to Carol during the course of the day. Obviously not a word to Carol about Ashley. Sounded like Carol's mom was still a bit down and Carol told me she would not be home until Monday. I asked her to give her mom my best and then we hung up.

Seven sharp and I am at Ashley's apartment with two bottles of red wine. She answered the door with a quick hug and a kiss. She led me in and asked me to open the wine. It was a small apartment with a large open kitchen-dining-living area.

"Where's your roommate?" I called to her, from the other side of the room.

"Gone for the weekend with her boyfriend." Ashley replied. Uh oh, one more obstacle removed, I thought.

"Shit!" I heard her curse from the kitchen.

"I spilled olive oil on these new pants." She said, "If I don't clean them now they'll stain." She added as she rushed down the hall to what must be the bedroom, brushing at the stain on her thigh.

Several moments later she emerged without the pants, but wearing an apron. I just stared. She smiled, shrugged her shoulders as if 'you gotta do what you gotta do'.

"I had to clean them with spray and wash, the pants are brand new." She explained. "Now no peeking!" She smiled and told me.

When she turned to go back in the kitchen, I thought she was completely bottomless. The two smooth round globes of her ass were all I saw. Then I saw the briefest of strings of a thong.

I couldn't help it. Like a magnet I was pulled to her naked ass. The pent up sexual teasing I had endured was too much, and now seeing her nearly nude sent me over the top. I could not control myself.

I think I startled Ashley. I had moved quickly into the kitchen and began caressing the naked flesh of her ass.

"Mark," she acted surprised. "What are you doing? I'm still making dinner." She laughed.

I turned her around and started kissing her, my hands gripping the firm flesh of her bottom, grinding my groin into hers. The thin apron, a minor obstacle.

I grabbed her and lifted her up on the kitchen counter. I bunched the apron to her waist and pulled the thong bottom down until it was dangling off one of her high heels.

"Oh Mark!" She moaned as I explored her near bald, wet pussy.

By this time I was kissing her neck, one hand caressing her pussy while the other maneuvered to undo her bra and free the magnificent tits that I had ogled. Meanwhile her hands were caressing my head and neck and her vagina was rhythmically pulsing to my touch.

"Let's get on the bed." She whispered to me with a husky, lusty tone.

It took me a couple of moments to stop my actions. I grabbed her around the waist and lifted her off the counter.

In the bedroom we undressed each other. Once we were both nude. I stopped and just took a moment and stared. She was like a model from a men's magazine. Full breasted, trim waist, long shapely legs and that small patch of furry hair trailing vertically up from her otherwise bald pussy.

"Give me a scarf." I commanded.

Without questioning she reached into a drawer and pulled a long multicolored scarf out. She silently handed it to me. She continued staring right into my eyes, that half smile on her face, as if to say 'not sure what you're doing yet, but I'm all in'.

I wrapped the scarf around her head creating a blind fold. I then gently laid her on the bed. I began caressing her neck. The side of my hand brushing her erect nipples occasionally. I then moved down to her breasts, kneading the firm flesh and my mouth, with a will of its own found her nipples. Nibbling and sucking. Her back arched to welcome my ministrations.

Slowly my tongue trailed down her abdomen. The tip explored the sparse pubic hair and then drifted lower. For several minutes I outlined her vagina with the tip of my tongue. It was like playing the old game OPERATION. Whenever I got too close to certain sensitive spots there would be a reaction - just like the old game. Not the electronic buzz, but a moan.