That evening the gloom descended and enveloped us like a warm blanket. The rain pattered gently against the windows at first, quickly building in strength until a virtual sheet of torrential water lashed the panes. Lightning crackled over the horizon illuminating the dark sky and thunder boomed loud in the near distance. It was turning into a dreadful night.
Inside the house I threw another log onto the fire hearing the damp wood hiss and sigh as the flames licked around its body. The hot atmosphere in our small dining room was becoming oppressive; the large fire had always been oversized for the room and I could see that my wife, Coral was already beginning to suffer.
Draining my wine glass in a single swallow I savoured the fruity alcohol as it slipped down easily. Opening the third bottle of the evening, I looked over at Coral inquiringly.
"Oh God, no more for me please Dave."
Without asking, I refilled the glasses of our guests, Marc and Angeline.
"Are you feeling all right, honey?" I asked returning my attention to my wife, "you look a little flushed."
"Actually guys, I don't feel too good. Would you all mind if I just went to bed?"
Marc and Angeline looked up from their conversation with concern.
"Maybe we all ought to call it a night?" Angeline said
"No, no. You guys carry on. I'll be alright. It's just a little too much wine and that damn fire! I'll be fine in the morning. Don't mind me, have another drink and enjoy yourself. I expect Dave will start telling his bad jokes soon!"
"Shit! We'll have to leave then!" Marc laughed
Coral smiled sweetly as she stood up from the table. She kissed me lightly on the lips and I could taste a mixture of lip-stick and red wine. She apologised again to our friends and I looked after her as she tottered a little unsteadily up the stairs towards our bedroom. I sighed deeply. I knew what my wife was like when she had drunk too much wine; She'd be in bed in a matter of minutes and sound asleep soon afterwards. I wouldn't be talking to her again until morning. The evening continued with poor jokes coming from both Marc and myself. The heat from the fire still emanated around the room and Angeline had taken her jacket off to reveal a thin white blouse. In between jokes I kept trying to steal glances at my friend's wife. Angie was a year or so younger than Coral; blonde with a good figure and a penchant for wearing stockings. Marc had told me on a few drunken occasions that she was hot, but now, through a mist of red wine, she was beginning to look like a goddess!
"Ok! Did you hear about the blonde hooker and the priest?" I started. I'm sure that my words were becoming slurred.
"Oh no!" Angie cried. "No more! Please, no more!"
Marc and I laughed. Maybe she was right. We had been telling really bad jokes for nearly an hour. We could have gone on but Marc had a better idea.
"Ok, Angie, time for you to tell us a joke!"
"Oh, come on Marc! You know I can't tell jokes. I always get them wrong! How about I tell you a story?"
"What kind of story?" Marc asked drunkenly.
"Well, you guys are always talking about sex. How about the story of my first time?"
I looked up quickly. This was starting to get interesting.
"What, you mean the first time you got..er..I mean the first time you had sex?" I asked.
Angie and Marc looked at each other. A knowing smile was exchanged between them.
"No. Not that sort of first time," Angie continued, "I'll tell you about the first time I had sex with two men at the same time!"
For a moment I was left almost speechless. Marc had made mention of the certain "lifestyle" that he and his wife enjoyed but, to be frank, I had put most of it down to bravado. I had never really believed any of it.
"It all started at a party that I went to just after Marc and I got married," Angie started, "Marc had to work so I went by myself. I knew most people there so I wasn't short of dance partners or people to talk to.
I'd had quite a lot to drink and was dancing with this hunky young guy to a nice slow song. I could feel his hands on my butt as we swayed to the music but I didn't really care."
"You know," Marc suddenly interrupted, "Angie can be a bit of a slut sometimes! Especially when she's had a drink!"