Amber, stuck in a failing marriage, and looking to reignite the passion sought out council from Donavan. He was a well-known individual in the local scene when it came to helping curious explorers of sex and alternative relationship dynamics. As many couples that use non-monogamy to fix their relationship find out, you can't add people to cure the root problems. What she did find was someone who encouraged her to live the life she wanted to.
In the beginning, Donavan and Amber's relationship was a discourse of the pros, cons, and challenges of opening the bedroom to other people. They built a friendship, and an intimacy grew that introduced some significant moral dilemmas.
Amber complained one day that after putting in significant effort into her date night look, her husband was passive and dismissive about it.
"He's just so frustrating! I looked hot as fuck and that jerk just half assed the whole date! I just wanted to be appreciated. Is that so hard?"
"I'm sure you looked great. I'm sorry you were left feeling crappy"
"You wana see my outfit? Someone should enjoy it." Amber didn't wait for a response before dropping an image into the chat.
That was the moment Donavan realized he was fucked. His jaw dropped. Amber had on a red off the shoulder dress that landed just shy of halfway down her thighs and fit her body so perfectly. Her normally straight hair had a gentle spiral curl, and her makeup was flawless. She looked absolutely stunning, and a shiver went down his spine. For the first time he couldn't separate his role as a friend from someone who had an undeniable attraction. His previous annoyance with her husband's lack of appreciation for her rose to a legitimate anger at the situation she was seemingly stuck in.
Donavan was so distracted staring at the picture and thinking about how beautiful she was that several minutes passed and he had not responded.
"Sorry. I guess I should have waited to see if you were interested in seeing it. Sorry I bothered you." Amber's text felt like it was saturated with defeat and regret.
Before he could choose his words carefully Donavan blurted out, "Oh. No! I was literally just stunned. You're unbelievably beautiful, Amber. I was quite literally left speechless."
Over the next few months their dynamic creeped closer and closer to impropriety. Donavan didn't know exactly how Amber felt but he was experiencing significant feelings for her. The desire on both sides was undeniable but at odds with their moral compasses. The wrongness verses the roaring flame of passion fueled a storm of frustration and clouded judgement. Eventually the boundaries were crossed. The images, videos, and discussions being passed between them were no longer on the edge of inappropriate. They had begun an affair, and it was so intoxicatingly sinful.
Eventually Donavan realized it was unsustainable and, in that light, became soured. He finally put a stop to the intimate side their relationship but told her that if she ever found herself single, he'd be available for her. She agreed that it was not healthy and had to stop. They both made it a point to disconnect from their previous behavior but maintained the friendship that was at the foundation of their relationship.
Despite the efforts to focus on maintaining a more platonic relationship the conversation always seemed to find its way back to their desires and the two concluded that their only option was to disconnect almost entirely. Stories and posts muted, texts became sparce and eventually communication had discontinued completely. For a time, the two didn't speak at all. That is, until the night Amber sent a new text.
"Hey D, You up?"
Donavan saw the notification and was hesitant to even pick up his phone. As he mustered the courage to open and dismiss the alert, a second message came through
"Remember how you said to let you know if I was single again?"
He sighed and set his phone down again. The dynamic had changed, and he was honestly pretty conflicted about it. After a few moments he returned to his phone, and they discussed what happened and what her future held. It was hard for both of them to decide how to proceed but they were talking again and after a few weeks, the interactions were returning to the passionate exchanges. It felt better this time. No more battles with their consciences. It was clear how much they wanted each other. They arranged their first meeting.
Donavan knew he had a responsibility to take things slowly. His life was not the one that just blew up and Amber, while a grown ass woman, was vulnerable and hurting. He wanted her to feel in charge of where her life was going now. Coffee seemed like a safe way to connect and spend time together in person. A nice public place that took the pressure off. They agreed that the last thing they needed was to be alone somewhere this early. Three coffee dates later, Amber expressed her frustration.
"I wish I could just get the fuck out of town and away from all the drama of this separation. This whole town just feels stifling right now. Even being here having coffee feels like someone is just going to run and tell him. Like he'd even care." She knew he did even if the only thing her ex felt was anger.
Donavan traveled frequently for swinger and kink events at the beach a few hours away. He was the type of person to always support you doing whatever you wanted to do. So, he suggested.
"Ok, then let's get the fuck outta here," he said as if it were grabbing dinner. "I know the perfect place over at the beach. Its off season and you can just chill the fuck out, get hammered, and leave all this shit here for a couple days."
She scoffed then paused. "Wait, you're serious, aren't you?"
"Hell yeah!" With a big smile plastered across his face he continued, "It's totally your call but honestly, I think it could be good for you to decompress. And look, no expectations on my part. I just wana help you feel better."
It wasn't a long deliberation for Amber before she smiled back and enthusiastically agreed.
Amber and Donavan pounced at the newfound freedom and swiftly slipped away for couple days. The beach was only hours away, but once they were on the road, time started to drag. There was a palpable tension. Obviously, an intimate trip to the beach after all the sexts and allusions to their desires, and well, there was the as of yet unspoken anticipation of what could happen. That made the level of excitement a match to the anxiety.
Donavan asked, "is this what you want? You know we don't have to keep going or do anything when we get there. I know there's a lot..."
Amber interrupted him. "No! I want this. You know how much I want this right?" She paused with a clear catch in her throat. "It's a lot you know. My marriage is over and as much as I am relieved, I fear what will happen next."
Donavan was unsure what to say. He cared about Amber more than either of them was really prepared for. He began to speak but immediately stopped, searching for the right thing to say.
"...I can't begin to wrap my head around what you're feeling. I hope you know I'll support whatever choice you make and again, I expect nothing of you this weekend except your truth. I will give as much or as little as you need. With me, you can be as free and unfiltered as you are able."
