Page 6 of Just the Three of Us
"I've let you down, haven't I? I'm supposed to be your best friend. I should be stronger."
"We need to include Shannon in this conversation, I think. Let's go find her."
His face is impassive, and I don't know what to think. Is he just keeping it all in? Will he blow up at Shannon? At me? I'd be able to take it, but I know how in love Shannon is with him. She'd be shattered.
We get to the living room, and Shannon is pacing in front of the fireplace. It's summer, so it's just for decor right now, but I wish I could fuck her in front of it during the cold nights of winter. I need to get my head back into the game here.
"Shannon, we need to talk about something," John says, keeping a level head, apparently. I wouldn't be able to do that if my wife was being lusted after.
Shannon looks at John with big, teary eyes. Was she deliberately teasing me? Did she want to drive me out of my mind with desire? I don't know what to think anymore.
"Please sit down." He asks.
"I'd rather stand. Wha… What did you guys talk about?"
"Sean confessed that he is very attracted to you. Are you attracted to him?"
She visibly bristles. "John, how am I supposed to answer something like that? You're my husband!"
"We've always been honest with each other. Painfully so. Now's not the time to change that. It's what keeps our marriage strong."
I feel like a third wheel in here, but I try to act as if I'm not even in the room.
"Are you attracted to him?" John insists.
Shamed, Shannon lowers her head and whispers, "Yes, I am."
"Since when?" I tear my gaze from Shannon to look at John. What does it matter when it started? It's there.
Shannon looks up at me and then directly into John's eyes. "Since our wedding day. I felt a connection that day."
"Why didn't you say anything?"
"People have errant thoughts and desires. There's no need to act on every one of them." She answers a little too truthfully for my taste. Then, she falls down into the chair in defeat.
"What if I said I was okay with you two being together? What would you do then?"
I'm in shock. I can't believe what my best friend is saying right now. I look at Shannon to see her reaction. She's not shocked. One little bit. I guess their sex life is more open than I thought.
"Have you guys ever added an additional person to your sex play?" I dare to ask.
"It's never come up. But I know Shannon reads those books."
Shannon gets up again and resumes her pacing. She's wringing her hands in angst, and I want to take her into my arms and tell her that everything is going to be alright. But that's not really my job, is it?
"It's not as simple as just adding a new person to the mix,” she says. “You guys wouldn't understand."
"So tell us, Shannon. What are your concerns?" He grabs her hands to stop them from shaking.
She looks up at her husband, tears threatening to spill out of her eyes.
"Oh, John. What if I like him too much? What if I want it to keep happening? What if I stop wanting you? What if this ruins our marriage? There are so many wrong ways this could go."
John pulls her into his arms and hugs her tenderly. "What about all the good ways it could go? A new, exciting partner. Threesomes. Someone to give you pleasure who genuinely cares for you. Unlimited orgasms. Threesomes." He rubs her back with gentle strokes.
I wish I was the one doing that for her, but I'm transfixed by the raw honesty in the conversation going on in front of me.
"Besides," he continues, "you have a very high sex drive, Shannon. I worry that I won't be able to keep satisfying you with our age difference."