Oh, So Very Very Close.

It was good to be back home. I hated the overseas business trips, the long international flights and boring hotel rooms no longer held any appeal. It was the only thing I didn't like about my job with a recording company, the industry and the people I work with get me out of bed each morning with energy to burn and without a single regret. But there is nothing better than home cooked meals, sleeping in your own bed and cuddling up to a woman that you truly love. I was supposed to have been away ten days on this trip, but I managed to sneak away a day early, my last meeting being cancelled at short notice. My favourite airline did good and got me on an earlier flight home, plus the assigned row of empty seats all to myself assured me of a few hours solid sleep.

It was just getting dark when the taxi dropped me off at my front door on that Friday night. As soon as I opened the door, I knew Sian wasn't home. When home, she always had the stereo on loud enough that she could hear it throughout the house, sometimes much to our neighbour's discontent. I dropped my bags in the bedroom and wandered out to the kitchen looking for the diary. Because we both lead busy lives, the diary is the only way to keep tabs on our social calendar; the weekends usually booked up weeks in advance. I opened it at today's date and immediately saw Sian's neat handwriting, '7 pm, drinks at Billy's.' Billy's was a downtown bar situated in on the edge of Lake Garland. In summer, the well kept gardens and outdoor seating at the rear of Billy's made it a popular place, and was a place where Sian would often catch up with friends and work mates. After many long days away, I missed my lady and the pull to be by her side was too strong to resist. I showered and changed my clothes, then headed for Billy's.

There are two ways to get into Billy's, the first through the front door where one has to battle the noisy crowd; the other is via the car park and into the garden area from the rear. I could hear loud music and laughter as soon as I exited the car, and I wandered across the car park and through the well manicured trees and shrubs. And what I saw stopped me dead in my tracks.

In the muted darkness in a ring of trees, I recognised Sian's multicoloured top, her current favourite from an extensive wardrobe. She was leaning against a large tree talking to a tall dark haired guy I didn't know. Their closeness seemed intimate and their remoteness from the crowd questionable. With a fast beating heart, I stepped back from the path and watched what happened. I watched as they talked and laughed as they sipped their drinks, the guy hovering intimately close. I knew he was about to kiss her, his face moving closer and closer to her. Sian stood still as their lips met and my heart fluttered in pain, her hand rose tentatively towards his shoulder, not pulling or pushing him away. His hand slipped over her right breast, and only then did my lovely Sian react by pushing him firmly away. His hand dropped immediately between her thighs, and Sian being pinned between him and the tree struggled sideways to avoid his wandering hand. Her swinging hand lashed out catching him squarely on his face, the second slap was more calculating and savagely effective. I saw his head rock back under the impact as he reeled backwards a few steps. Sian muttered something obscene, then turned and walked away towards the bar. Her assailant stayed where he was for a minute or two; then gingerly followed the same path as Sian.

As long as I live, I will question my reasoning that night. Why did I not rush out and punch over her assailant, and why did I not rush to Sian's side at the bar and take her in my arms? I guess I'll never know for sure, but the whole thing was over in a few quick seconds. Instead I walked back to my car, drove home and climbed into our comfortable bed. I lay back and considered what had happened not thirty minutes previous. I lay in quiet contemplation and thought about my wife, for it was the first time in all the years I'd known her, that she'd ever resorted to violence. While it may have been in self defence, it still seemed completely out of character of the woman I had come to know and love so well.

It was fifteen years ago that I met Sian. She was part of a group who volunteered to paint a mural on a public city wall that was continually plagued with offensive graffiti. It would be fair to say that most people hated graffiti, and the fact that a group of young budding artists were prepared to give up their spare time was a pleasant surprise. A local business donated paint, and I was tasked to ensure that a steady flow of music CD's was available to them as they carried out their good work.

The first time I ever laid eyes upon Sian, she was outlining a large bird on a high block wall. Her tight dark jeans and green top were splattered with paint of differing colours. She was tall and lean with jet black hair, her skin a dark olive from the hot sun and the Portuguese blood that had run through her family for two generations. She turned and looked at me with large inquisitive eyes, and I took in her fine features, her teeth perfect and a few dark freckles near her nose. She wasn't beautiful, but there was something that made my heart flutter as she looked back at me. I smiled, but she didn't acknowledge it me and simply turned back to her wall.

Over the following few days, I was drawn back to that wall. I wanted gaze upon Sian, to be in her presence and to talk to her. Being from a recording company, I was well received by others of the group who would readily talk to me about music. But Sian would continue her work and ignore me as if I wasn't there. I eventually got up enough courage to speak to her on the pretext of finding out what music she liked. She shrugged her shoulders and suggested Bon Jovi, or maybe Bryan Adams. The next day I arrived with both, she briefly smiled in thanks and then promptly returned to her work. It was on a Saturday afternoon that I arrived to find her sitting on concrete steps under an umbrella taking a break. I spoke to a few other people before slowly drifting over in her direction, and then courageously sat down beside her. Our first conversation was strained, me nervous and her seemingly casual and uninterested. I steered the conversation towards music, something that I knew a lot about and most people liked. Then out of the blue she turned to me.

"Do you want something from me?" she asked.

Her question stunned me into silence.

"It just seems that you're here a lot, and when you are, you're looking in my direction." she added.

I'm sorry if I've offended you." I replied.

"Doesn't explain why you're hanging around me all the time."

"Maybe I was hoping for a date." I mumbled.

Her eyes bored into me, "Dunno why, I'm not gonna sleep with you."

It was at this stage I guess I got a little angry; I stood up and glared angrily down at her. I was being no more than friendly, and her comments were unwarranted.

"Did you ever consider that someone might want to talk, or date you without wanting to sleep with you?"

She looked up at me with emotionless eyes, "No."

We locked eyes for a few seconds, and then I walked away. I stayed and chatted with more social people for a few minutes before taking my leave, for my heart wasn't in it anymore.

Each day, I visited the site exchanging CD's for their portable players. I purposely avoided Sian, for I had no desire to feel the bite of her tongue again. She also seemed quite content to ignore me too. But it was late in the following week that Sian approached my car as I was about to leave. I stopped and wound down the window as she approached.

"Hey." she said

I conjured up a smile, Hi."

"I'm sorry about the other day. The others here reckon you're not a bad guy, and you probably didn't deserve me being rude to you. So I hope you accept my apology."

"Sure, maybe I shouldn't have bit back at you either. But you kinda caught me by surprise."

She smiled while rubbing her paint stained hands on her jeans, "All square then?"

"So, a date's still out of the question?" I asked bravely.

Her smile disappeared as she glared back at me.

"Just warning you that I won't sleep with you, no matter what." I added.

Her frown waned as she struggled to stop a grin, "Jesus, after all this and you still wanna take me out. God, you must be a trier."

"Not usually. But then again, I've not met anyone quite like you before."

Sian turned her head and looked back towards the throng of artists at the wall; I waited patiently for her answer. This was my last try I had decided; now it was up to her.

She eventually turned back to me, "Okay, I'm free on Saturday. Nowhere flash either, there's no need to try and impress me. Got a pen and I'll give you my number."

Our first date went surprisingly well. Sian looked quite stunning in tight jeans and a crimson top, and we chatted amicably as I steered my car to a nice little café that I'd frequented before. We got to know each other a little better as we ate and drank; she told me that she worked as a clerk in a small legal office. Little by little, Sian came out of herself, and I was stunned at by the harshness of her upbringing. She spent her early childhood in an orphanage, and then farmed out to foster homes when in her teens. It was unlike anything I'd heard before, and startlingly different to my own upbringing. I had loving parents and two older sisters who doted on their young brother. I was surrounded by love and attention, and wanted for nothing. It didn't take long for me to realise that Sian's off hand nature was due to her independence, and that she trusted no one more than she had to. Looking back, I think it made me like her even more, but I was careful not to appear sympathetic.

I was pleased when I drove away after dropping Sian off that first night. She smiled and told me that she had good time, and agreed to come out with me again. We got together a few times after that; and I was careful not put any pressure on her to discuss or do anything she might not want to. I enjoyed her company, for she was intelligent and strong minded, but in a polite way once I got to know her a little better. On our fourth date, we decided to walk the north end of the lake which offered the best views. We hiked up onto a ridge and sat for sometime taking in the spectacular view below.

Sian turned towards me and leaned close, "Why do you want to take me out, I'm not the easiest person to get on with. Why do you bother with me?"

"Because you're the most interesting person I've ever met. You're different from any girl I've ever dated." I replied. "And you're very pretty too."

She smiled and leaned close enough to kiss me on the cheek, "I quite like you too."

Up until this time, there had been no physical contact between us. Before I could respond, Sian slipped her hand inside mine, and we sat in silence at the progress we had just made.

Over the following weeks, Sian slowly let me seduce her, just a little bit further each time. Our kisses were passionate and strong, our hands gentle as we explored and caressed. The biggest hurdle was the removal of her panties, for she was reluctant to part with them. It was almost if she would become too vulnerable once they were gone. At this stage, she was content to be topless and my hands were free to roam anywhere, including inside her panties. She became more and more trusting, and would lie happily on her back with her legs spread wide as I ran my fingers through a thick nest of curls to the slippery wetness below. I then introduced something a little different. Immediately she liked how I ran my tongue up and down her smooth brown thighs, and how I delicately kissed that special place through her panties. It was her idea to ease them aside so I could slip my tongue between her warm sweet lips for the first time. This was the day Sian's resistance disappeared, it was the day that she raised her buttocks from the bed and pushed her panties down, and it was also the day that I made love to my future wife for the first time. Afterwards she lay and my arms and wept, for she told me that it was the first time that she willingly had sex. This was the first inkling that Sian had gone through some terrible times, and it would take considerable time and effort for her to finally overcome her demons.

Our main problem was now a lack of an available bed. Sometimes we could sneak back to my house when my parents were out, but most times we had to settle for the back seat of my car. As the weeks passed us by, our love making became more enjoyable as we tuned into each others needs and bodies. Sian gained confidence and explored ways in which to give me pleasure. Although Sian kept her previous sexual encounters to herself, I suspected they were not entirely in a loving relationship. But I loved Sian's tenderness, the way she would hold me tight as I rode her, her lips busy with kisses and licks. I loved her copper skinned body, all tight and lean, her legs long and slender, and the dark triangle of curls that all but hid her fine lips. Her pussy was tight as a hand grip, but her generous natural lubrication made penetration easy and exquisitely enjoyable. And there was nothing better than to suckle upon her pert nipples as I rode her. I'll not forget the first night she achieved orgasm with me, her body trembling with desire and pleasure, and again how she wept with happiness. Sian confessed to her vulnerability at this time in our relationship, for she had thoughts of me running away now that I'd had my evil way with her. I pulled her close to me and told her that I loved her lots, and then kissed away all her tears. Then I suggested that maybe we could move in together.

Our first place together was a one bedroom apartment, just about big enough to swing a small cat in. There were only three rooms, an open plan kitchen and lounge, a bedroom which a double bed only just fitted, and a bathroom. But to us, it was bliss. We settled into our cohabitation with ease, and our relationship blossomed as we did our best to wear out the springs on our bed. Sian came to love sex and became a willing instigator of our love making. The downside to us living together was that Sian became a good little cook, with that came the inevitable eating. Her once lean body started to fill out a little and became more voluptuous. While she wasn't particularly excited about the whole thing, I sure was. She soon had a nice round bum which filled out her jeans rather nicely, and her thighs became a little more full and rounded. The sight of her in a pair of panties gave me an instant hard on, and we were often late to social occasions from my fierce attacks while she was getting dressed. On work days, she would sometimes get dressed in the bathroom to minimise the risk.

Over the next couple of years, my rapid fire promotions and pay increases entitled us to bigger and better apartments. By this time we were totally in love, and it was only fitting that we followed other friend's footsteps and got married. Sian, by this time had blossomed into a beautiful and confident lady. She loved to show off her figure in tight jeans and short skirts, but always wore her wedding and engagement rings with pride. In public her hand was always in mine, her affections obvious to all to see. I'll not forget one night when we were queued up to go into a concert. She took me in her arms and gave me a passionate kiss and told me how much she loved me. I asked if a fuck was out of the question bringing a few sniggers from those within earshot. Sian grinned wickedly and suggested it was on the cards, but not right at that moment.

I smiled as I lay back in bed and remembered the good times, and then I heard Sian's car pull into our driveway. A minute later Sian entered the bedroom quietly and slipped off her shoes.

"Hi." I said.

"Hello. I thought you were asleep." Sian replied approaching the bed. "You're home early."

I felt her lips on mine, and I could taste gin and tonic on her breath. I wrapped my arms around her and tried to pull her on top of me. But Sian was too wily for that and struggled free.

"Let me go, gotta pee. Let me get ready for bed, and then I'm all yours." she whispered taking two wise steps back from the bed, and my clutches.

A few long lonely minutes later, Sian crawled in beside me and cuddled in. After all these years, it was still a thrill to feel her warm skin on mine.

"So, how was your trip?" she asked.

"Long and lonely."

"Mmmm, I've missed you too."

We lay quietly and contently in each others arms.

"You okay?" I asked. "You're not normally this quiet on my return."

"No, actually I'm not." she whispered."

My heart jumped, "Why not?"

"Something happened tonight, and I'm kicking myself."

"What?"

Sian hesitated for a few seconds; then told me about the guy at Billy's. It was pretty accurate, account except the force fullness of her slaps were a little understated.

"I was so stupid to put myself in that situation." she said. "He was a lawyer, and we walked outside because it too noisy to talk inside. If I'd known that he was going to try something on, I'd never have gone outside in the first place. His kiss was a surprise, but it was kind of nice. It was only when he tried to feel me up that I realised he just wanted to fuck me. Bastard, he knew I was married."

"Married or not, you're still desirable." I offered.

Sian held up her left hand in front of my face, "This wedding ring says that I'm not available."

"To some maybe, but not all." I replied.

"That's disgusting."

Sian turned on the bedside lamp and turned to me, "Do you still love me?"

I pulled her close, "Of course I love you lots."

"I love you too, and I would never think of being unfaithful. You mean too much to me, and I'd never do anything to lose you."

"I suppose a fucks out of the question?" I asked.

Sian threw back her head and laughed loudly at the audacity of my proposal, "Absolutely, I don't love you that much."

"But I've got nine days worth of sperm build up, aren't you gonna help me out here?" I whined humorously.

Sian turned off the light and settled down in the bed against me, her hand sliding briefly down to my limp cock and then removing it.

"Don't feel too dangerous down there." she mocked.

"Nah, the air hostess helped out on the way back." I joked.

Sian chuckled, "Hard up or blind was she?"

"Both."

"We take each other for granted don't we?" she commented a few seconds later. "Remember all the park ups we used to have up at Bonneville Spit. God, those were fun."

I smiled in the darkness. Bonneville Spit was our favourite park up spot back in our early days. It was a thirty minute drive north out of town, down two gravel roads and then a track down to a secluded point overlooking Lake Garland. There we climbed into the back seat of my car and fucked each other stupid too many times to count. I don't think that those many excursions down those rough roads did the suspension on my old car much good, but I deemed it a good investment at the time. A little sordid idea then floated through my devious mind.

"Why don't we go for a park up right now?" I suggested.

"What, tonight? Why the hell would we do that? It's after midnight, and we can do it right here and now, and in a nice comfortable bed."

"Exactly, we're taking each other and our situation for granted. Let's drive out to the spit and fuck each other stupid."

"No."

"Okay, I'll go by myself then." I suggested.

"Long way to go for a wank." she commented sarcastically.

"Spoilsport." I said while stroking her nipple.

"Do you think we should, I mean it'd be a laugh." she said a few seconds later.

"Yeah, let's.

We giggled like children as we climbed out of bed. I chucked on a pair of jeans and a tee shirt while Sian ducked into the walk in wardrobe. She returned a minute later with a slinky black dress that just hit mid thigh. Back then, dresses were always a preference for our park ups, for they could be slipped upwards providing easy access to the delights above. In those good old courting days, tight jeans were too much of a problem to get on and off in a hurry. Sian looked simply stunning, and my cock was hardening as she slipped into a pair of black heels. I could see from the swinging of her breasts that she was braless, and I fought the temptation to throw her on the bed and give her one right there and then.