Neighbourly Advice (closed)

[cnuveau]

Ed finished the last few sips of his coffee then set the glass in the sink.

"I'll let you get to those things then and I'll see you later." he said before seeing himself out.

He crossed the lawn between their homes quickly hoping not to be seen by the other neighbors. It was probably silly that he was still so worried about all of it. After all, Jessica didn't seem aware so it's possible that his turn at being the topic of gossip had long since passed but the wound was still fresh in his mind and not something he could so easily shake.

Before he forgot he went out back after grabbing the key from the drawer and removed the lock from the gate. There was something exciting about doing it. Something about the prospect of a new friendship that made him smile as he tossed the lock into the drawer as he re-entered the house.

Picking up his keys and wallet he went to the grocery store to pick up things for the evening.

As he returned with a grocery bag under each arm he glanced out his side window as he passed on his way to the kitchen. Perhaps a part of him was hoping she would, at that moment, be getting up from some more naked tv watching.

 

[Ravishing]

He got to witness Jessica walking back and forth, in her underwear, talking on the phone.

He wouldn't realise right then she was having a James conversation. But perhaps the frown might make him realise it wasn't a good conversation.

Jessica's day after he'd left had devolved into her putting a load of washing on, and then through the dryer. She folded it and stowed it away. Cleaned her kitchen benches. Vacuumed the house top and bottom. Then she'd decided to finally ring James.

Except unlike normal he actually answered. "Jess? What's up?"

She'd blinked at the phone in her hand for a moment. "You answered."

"Yeah, you rang. I'm at work." He was actually at work.

"So, when do I see you?" She could hear that needy thread in her voice and hated it. It's what made her frown there.

"Not for a while. I'm swamped. Big contract, lots of overtime." He sounded distracted, of course he was, right then his secretary was blowing him while he spoke to his wife.

Jess listened to the tone of his voice and something about it sounded familiar there. Familiar enough she simply hung up and threw the phone to the floor, then sat heavily. "Mother fucker!"

James didn't bother about ringing her back, no, he was getting closer to release.

Taking a moment to calm herself, she consoled herself that tonight she wasn't going to be in this house alone. No. She was going to dinner next door. A wipe of thumbs against her lashes as she seemed to smile then. It wasn't forced.

"Fuck, I should shower." Her afternoon from that point on was a lot of her showering, going through a million outfits, and finally settling on a black skirt, pleated and mid-thigh length. With a grey scoop neck sleeveless shirt and stockings, flesh shaved legs! and flats. Then she'd done her hair, put moisturiser on and deodorant.

At 3:45 pm, she grabbed her phone, and her keys and went out her back door. Opening that gate when she realised it would she called out. "Uh, Ed?" Her voice travelled.

 

[cnuveau]

Ed had busied himself with some work for the rest of the afternoon then pulled himself away at 3:00 to get ready.

In his bedroom he changed into a pair of beige linen shorts and a lightweight white button up. He’d considered a bathing suit in case they decided to get into the pool but decided he could always change later.

He had just set the steaks out and seasoned them and was walking out of his house with a bottle of wine and two glasses in one hand and a cheese tray in the other when he heard Jessica call out for him.

“Hey, I see you found your way.” He said jokingly.

She looked incredible as she crossed the yard towards him. Her scoop neck top provided a tantalizing view of her cleavage and that mid length skirt highlighted her toned thighs perfectly.

“I thought wine and cheese to start out would be nice.” He said placing everything onto his patio table.

 

[Ravishing]

I smiled at his words, suddenly feeling a little more coy and shy about it. "Yeah, no, uh, I did."

Moving forth and up close, I realised I didn't know whether to shake his hand, kiss his cheek, or hug him. One slow blink and thought later, I moved to hug him. Bringing myself up close to him wrapping my arms around him and just lightly hugging him.

Stepping back then another smile. "Sure." I moved to slice a little bit of cheese on, put it onto one of those crackers, and paused, before cheekily I figured why not. I offered it up to Ed from my fingers. We were alone and it just came to me. Maybe it really was a good thing for me to run into him. I needed more adult conversation.

I let him decide on when to pour the wine.

 

[cnuveau]

When she held out the cracker with the slice of cheese on top Ed opened his mouth and took it. As he closed his mouth his lips brushed across her finger.

"Thank you." he said after he swallowed the bite.

Pouring a glass of wine for each of them he handed her the glass. He wasn't sure if he should bring it up but there was a chance she'd want to talk about it all too so he decided just to dive into the tricky stuff first.

"So what is it your husband does that has him away so much?" he asked knowing he could be opening Pandora's box.

 

[Ravishing]

A coy smile as his lips touched my finger. Then a smile much less coy as he thanked me. I was fetching a glass of the wine he had poured when I heard his question. It rolled through me, I was sure I froze for one second there.

"Architect. one of those huge firms that do the larger skyscrapers and apartment buildings. Complex jobs which take months of work to complete." She shrugs a little.

"I'm, I'm very happy that he's successful." I was if I was honest with myself. Even as I found myself taking a big mouthful from it. Looking into Ed's eyes there.

"I, don't know why we married, and two months later, he's staying in the city, for weeks and weeks at a time." I exhaled softly. Frowning as I had another mouthful of that wine.

I put it down and then lifted up that knife slicing cheese and adding it onto a cracker, I lifted it up and chewed slowly on it. "I worked my ass off to make sure his house, our, house is nice. That he'd be proud to bring friends home."

Frustrated I shook my head. "Oh, fuck him. I've done nothing wrong." I was not sure what he'd say to me.

 

[cnuveau]

“Ah shit, I’m sorry.” I said not sure what else to say in that moment. I could imagine how the process played out for her. First few months she was excited to make them a home. Next few months thinking any week now things would all change, couple months of denial then finally where she is now, the fuck it stage. It had to be tough.

“Guess that’s why they invented wine.” I said taking another sip.

I placed my hand reassuringly on hers on top of the table. “It’s definitely not on you. His loss because he’s going to miss out on spectacular Wagyu steaks. Nothing like a good piece of meat to lift your spirits.” It was a weak attempt to add a little levity but I didn’t get the sense she was much in the mood to dwell on it all at the moment.

 

[Ravishing]

Jess sound her self laughing hard about that content hard enough she was half leaning into Ed's side to stop herself, tripping over her own feet. But dammed if that laugh didn't lighten something in her.

Looking up at him as she used fingers to wipe tears of her lashes. "Thanks Ed, I mean it. Food and company. Both very welcome."

Lifting her wine she took a deep mouthful from it and put it down. Getting two shoves of cheese onto crackers. I passed one to Ed with a smile.

"I don't want to think of my mess anymore."

 

[cnuveau]

We passed the next hour or so chatting about anything and everything other than her situation at home. The first bottle of wine went down without much of a struggle and I went inside to fetch a second. The conversation flowed easily between us. Likely aided by the wine and by the time I started up the grill I was feeling no pain.

"Excuse me for a minute while I start getting food ready." I said before stepping inside to pull the baked potatoes from the oven and plated them then returned with the steaks to throw on the grill.

"How do you like it?" I asked over my shoulder as I put the steaks onto the grill.

 

[Ravishing]

Three and a half glasses of wine later I was already well past tipsy. I was merry and comfortable. We talked about garden stuff, and how I was tempted to put in a gazebo. My yard was huge even with the pool there.

When he came back with the steaks and the new wine I opened it while thinking. "Medium rare thanks Ed."

I tried then to put James out of my head again because I didn't think he deserved to be there. So even as I mulled over something to say I was watching Ed.

I didn't even realise my eyes were more on his ass until he turned about and I had to lift them and I could feel myself blushing. "Inside? Or out?" Trying to find out where we were eating.

 

[cnuveau]

Thankfully her answer was medium rare. Otherwise I might have had to ask her to leave. Anything above medium was just murdering a prime steak like this.

"Let's stay outside unless you'd be more comfortable in." I said noticing her cheeks flushing. I couldn't really tell if it was the wine or something else that caused them to flush but it was adorable in either case.

"Maybe we can get in the pool after" I said over my shoulder as I turned the steaks.

After a few more minutes the steaks were done and I plated them with the potatoes and placed them on the table. Lifting my glass I toasted to new friendships and we began to eat.

 

[Ravishing]

The food was really good. That was probably why I waited till I'd murdered the steak and it was gone, and half the baked potato too. Before I pushed it away putting the fork down. Any more and it might be a bad idea for anything.

However, I gave Ed an appreciative smile. "That was great, thanks for the invite."

Lifting the wine I took a slow mouthful from it enjoying it again. "There's just something better about grilled anything, over pan frying or in-house appliance. Right?" At least that's how I felt. I just hadn't bothered getting one. It seemed a thing for friends, and family. Someone.

 

[cnuveau]

“Yeah, I can’t even remember the last time I grilled but it definitely is better.” Had she looked she might have mistaken the cleanliness of my grill as some indication of OCD but I’m actuality I’d just cleaned the grime off it earlier because it hadn’t been used in over a year.

By the time we were done eating we had all but polished off the second bottle of wine. I knew I was feeling it and I was sure she was as well. I’d mentioned getting in the pool earlier and she didn’t really respond. Right now, I was feeling more like just relaxing so it was probably just as well. Watching a movie seemed like the call at the moment.

“Do you like movies? What do you say we find something to put on inside?”

 

[Ravishing]

Two bottles of wine were shared. Sure we'd had food, but I was feeling it. I seemed to recall something belatedly about swimming.

"I think, a movie sounds better. I might not drown." I laughed, I didn't mean it seriously. But I stood and smoothed that skirt down some.

"..still... can we upgrade it to include a little more wine?" Never mind I just said I didn't want to swim on two bottles. But a glass more enjoyed with a movie? It sounded like a dream.

I collected my plate, and his. Leaving him to take our glasses in hand, while I began walking for his back door. I'd never been here, but I was sure he'd catch up and help.

 

[cnuveau]

“More wine? Of course.” I said catching up quickly to open the door since she had her hands full.

Following her up the stairs my eyes here drawn to the top of her thighs as her skirt bounced slightly with each step providing occasional glimpses of her panties.

“Kitchen is to the left.” I said at the top of the stairs. She discarded the plates in the sink and I grabbed another bottle of wine and led her to the sofa and turned on the tv.

As I flipped through the on-demand listings she topped off our wines. I remembered it sounded like she was watching action movies the day before so when I came across the “The Killer” I stopped there and put it on. It had been on my list to watch since it started streaming.

Hitting the button on my lighting remote I dimmed the lights and we settled back into the sofa.

 

[Ravishing]

Settling back on that sofa, everything else sorted for the moment. I cupped a hand about that wine he refilled and smiled at him.

As he flicked over to the action channel or one of the more main stream ones. I looked to the title which flashed up there. I'd been wanting to watch it. But. I hadn't wanted to watch it alone.

"I haven't seen this. Have you?" I looked at him. "I might just be going to hide my face in your shoulder if something bad flashed up on the screen."

By the name, yes, I expected it to be hairy at times.

 

[cnuveau]

Her feeling compelled to bury her head in my shoulder didn’t sound all that bad to me once she mentioned it.

“I don’t think it’s supposed to be overly gory or anything. Haven’t seen it but I’ve heard good things. That’s the beauty of steaming though, if we don’t like it we can always change it.”

Feeling a little buzzed and playful I put my arm around her shoulder and gave her a squeeze. “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you if it’s scary.” I said with a little laugh.

As the movie started I sipped my wine then had a thought.

“We need popcorn.” I said pausing the movie and getting up to make it.

A couple minutes I was back with a bowl that I set on my legs as they were propped up on the coffee table.

 

[Ravishing]

While waiting for him to come back, I found myself nervously drinking that wine. Why? because he'd put his arms around me and it had felt good.

When he came back I exhaled and dropped a hand ... right into that bowl that was over his lap plucking up popcorn as I nibbled at it.

As the movie progressed I was both drinking wine, and munching on popcorn. Of course with both of us pulling popcorn out. That bowl steadily rocked a little, neither of us noticing until I found when I put the hand down I suddenly found my fingers landing right on his groin there. I blinked.

"Crap... sorry." Rapidly trying to lift it while blinking rapidly looking up at him there.

 

[cnuveau]

As her hand landed in my lap I totally misread what was going on for a second. Mostly because of the wine but probably also because I may or may not have been willing her hand into my lap. When she pulled it away in a panic I realized it was an accident and nothing more.

“No problem. My fault for putting the bowl there I guess.” I could see she was embarrassed but it really wasn’t that big a deal.

As the movie wore on I could see her eyes starting to flutter a little. That’s the problem with watching a movie after having maybe too much wine. Setting the popcorn bowl on the coffee table.

“You can stretch out if you’d like.” I said scooting closer to the end of the sofa then patting my thigh “Go ahead and lay down.”

 

[Ravishing]

Sure I may not have been trying to cop a feel of him, but even as we relaxed, he explained and we kept sipping and popcorning while watching the movie.

I found myself feeling like I was going to semi-fall asleep. Yet, I didn't want to go home. My home was ... empty and there was certainly no Ed in my home to keep me company.

With his suggestion in the air, I put my wine down ... and then stretched out on that couch. Unaware the skirt had ridden further up my thighs as I did. Or that the scoop neck shirt which seemed so sensible at home.

Was now revealing a lacy bra and boobs to his eyes if he looked along me. James, he'd never let me put my head in his lap. Why, I couldn't fathom. I was enjoying this.

A subtle rub of my cheek there as I exhaled, and just relaxed. Half watching the movie, half lost in thoughts of how things could have been different.

Potentially I became slowly aware that where my cheek lay something was hardening.

 

[cnuveau]

I can’t even describe how good it felt just sitting there on the sofa with a movie on and her head on my lap. It was a feeling of closeness that belied the amount of time I’d actually known her.

I let my hand come to rest on her side. Glancing to the side I could see her skirt had ridden up quite a bit but what really caught my eye was how her top had shifted and the generous portion of her cleavage that was spilling out of her lace bra. I felt myself stir beneath her head and redirected my attention to the movie before things got really awkward.

Before too long my own eyes started to get heavy and as comfortable as I was I wasn’t able to fight it. I nodded off there with her in my lap.

 

[Ravishing]

It was some ungodly hour when I half woke up, still drunk, and now feeling that I hadn't slept enough feeling. I forgot where I was, and who I was with. Squinting, and in the dark. The lack of light I managed to half wake who's lap I was on, as I sat up and mumbled.

"...bed." I'm not sure if I tried to think of more to say, but when I found myself tugged off down a hallway sleepily I stumbled after. Trusting the hand holding mine. I can remember falling into bed with that someone and just curling up.

Of course, about five hours later I woke up, groaning, because three bottles of good wine later, meant for me a hangover pounding its way through my head. That's when I realised an arm was still about me.

 

[cnuveau]

When she woke me on the couch I was disoriented and dizzy. “Bed” was all I heard. On auto pilot I got up and led her to my room.

Through the fog of the drunken haze I vaguely remember convincing myself that she wanted more than just a more comfortable place to sleep and that I, at the moment, was capable of doing more. As I fell into bed with her I slipped my hand under her top and to her breasts. Her loud snore told me what should have been obvious from the beginning and seconds later I was out again.

As the sunlight hit my eyes I cursed my decision to open the blackout shades. Feeling my arm draped over a body I opened my eyes to see Jessica laying there beside me. Searching my mind I couldn’t for the life of me remember his we got here. The last thing I could recall was her head and my lap as we watched a movie. We were still clothed though so it seemed like nothing happened.

“Kill me.” I groaned out as my head pounded.

 

[Ravishing]

Hearing the voice it dimly occured to me that was not James. Not James at all. Of course, James hated wine. He liked bourbon. That there was sunlight made me hide my face against a chest that nicely blocked it.

"...Ed?" I ventured, soft low, realising one arm was squashed between us and resting on this thigh.

My other hand resting now on a hip. "...light..." I managed. Oh, god, didn't he have blinds in here?

"..blinds?" One-word sentences. Not really a sentence, more a word spoken painfully while I tried to work out the fuck had happened here. A slight movement of my fingers had me realise he had pants on, and I felt like I was dressed.

"Oh... god.. asprin." And water, should have drank water, but wine and a movie had been fun and relaxing, and then, yeah I think I fell asleep.

 

[cnuveau]

"Yeah" was all I mumbled before staggering out of bed to close the blackout shades sending the room into near complete darkness.

"Back in a minute." I said as I made my way to the kitchen to grab a couple bottles of water from the refrigerator and the bottle of aspirin from the cabinet.

When I came back into the room she was laying on her back on the bed with her arm draped over her eyes. Pouring a couple aspirin into my hand I pressed them against her lips lightly. "Open" I said then she parted her lips and took the aspirin into her mouth. I then put the cold bottle of water against her hand. "Water"

Pouring a few aspirin out for myself I popped them into my mouth then drank half the bottle of water in one giant gulp while she did nearly the same.

"Why did you make us drink so much wine?" I asked as I laid back down on the bed, rolled toward her and put my hand on her stomach.