Ok, here I am - a virgin author! Please accept this piece as my "toe in the water" of writing short stories. I figured, after years of taking from others on this board, I should attempt to give something back. I eagerly ask for your thoughts and criticism, but please be gentle... I am new at this. I hope you enjoy...
Lisa had been living with me for about 2 years now, and for all intents and purposes we felt completely "coupled". Aside from the rings and vows, we were essentially a married couple and really enjoying our time together. Both nearing 30, and both trying to develop our careers, we spent a lot of time in our respective offices, or at the gym, and while I traveled from time to time, Lisa was on the road constantly, and so our time at home was limited.
We had discussed marriage, but we were both gun shy since our career paths could tear us in unexpectedly different directions in the near future and both of us came from divorced homes, which had implanted uncomfortable feelings about the concept of "until death do we part"!
In the meantime, we shared interests in art and music, a similar religious background, and both of us read anything we could get our hands on. In fact, that is where we met, at an old bookstore near the local college campus that was known for its book exchange and the half dozen cats that wandered the store, slept on the stacks, and were fed at the checkout counter. I caught her looking at the back of a trashy romance novel and when she blushed, having been caught in a moment of weakness, I moved in to ask her out for coffee. We have been together ever since, and I bought her the naughty novel as a gift for our 1 month anniversary. The book actually turned out to be rather steamy and led to a night or two of fun for Lisa and I, but unfortunately that was about as hot as things ever got in our shared bedroom.
Aside from the pressures of being apart, our relationship was most stressed by our somewhat divergent sexual tastes. She was all romance and candles and kisses and hugs, which was great in its own sweet way, but there were times that I wanted something a little more risquΓ© and raw. Lisa was willing to experiment and play around from time to time, but never strayed too far from the "normality" of good old fashioned lovemaking. My constant attempts to awaken some naughty side of her personality were starting to wear on her patience and thus sex started to contain a certain element of tension. Not good for a long term relationship with longer term aspirations.
Lisa was heading to Cleveland next week to close a deal that was a year in the making, and I knew that her days would be long but she would end each day in the hotel room bath with a book, soaking for an hour, unwinding with a novel that would allow her to forget about the stresses of work, at least until the following morning. And so I took the opportunity to drop a book into her suitcase, one that I knew she would read, (after all, she was a slut when it came to books... she would read anything), and one that just might plant an idea or two into her head. I had read the book the week before, and found it to have the perfect combination of romance and unleashed sexual passion. I figured I had nothing to lose, and so much to gain!
I called her each night, just to say hi and let her know I was thinking of her. Not once, however, did she mention the book. I even hinted in several not-so-subtle ways, and she still did not bring up the book. I wondered if it had gotten lost on the shuffle of unpacking, or tossed in the trash as a 'piece of literally trash'. I even wondered if Lisa had found the book offensive, and might return home even more hostile towards my kinky side.
She came in the door a little later than expected on Friday night, due to a little weather in Cleveland that delayed her flight. I still had a simple dinner ready for her. I knew she would be tired and I knew she would appreciate the romantic gesture. Her trip had been successful, but it had drained her, she was tired and ready for bed, but not without a quick shower to wash away the flight and stress of the day. Still no remark about the book, and despite not having seen each other for a week, it was clear there would be no sex tonight. She was worn out and I was bummed and frustrated.