Note to readers: This is a standalone story, although it does build on a collaboration Erin Page and I wrote entitled
Key West -- Holiday Extravaganza
, plus an earlier story of my own
Gabrielle
. This is also a parallel story to Erin's
Bridgie
. I owe a big thank you to Erin for suggesting several major revisions to this story. Her creativity and candor have been invaluable. She is a wonderful partner. All characters and situations are complete fiction, a product of either my fertile imagination or Erin's. Any similarity to actual people and situations is purely a coincidence. All constructive criticism is welcome. This is also my entry to the
Literotica 2021 Winter Holidays Story Contest
.
_ _ _ _ _
The band returned to Massachusetts in a private jet hired by the resort. During our week long engagement at The Sun and Shade Resort in Key West we had used a replacement drummer named Brianne. She was coming up to New England to stay with me over the next two weeks, maybe longer.
During the week, my love life had suddenly become complicated. First, I had two ongoing friends with benefits relationships that might become testy. I didn't know how Debbie and Terry were going to react to having another woman around the house. Debbie usually came over and had sex with me on Sunday nights, Terry had Thursday nights. They knew about each other, but I never mentioned the other.
Second, my relationship with my dear friend and band leader Gabby had undergone a transformation over the past week. We have been friends since I moved here ten years ago. As we spent more time together over the years, we became quite close, although it was always platonic. Back in September we became occasional lovers. While we were in Key West, we became so much more.
On a couple of occasions during the past week, Gabby came out and said she wanted to be married to me. That was worrisome. My first marriage was an absolute disaster. We were both unsuited to one another. The only thing we had was amazing sex. Once the divorce was finalized, I swore off on marriage forever. I loved Gabby dearly, but I wasn't going to be married to her. Complicating things further, we had shared a bed throughout our time in Florida and we brought others to our bed. We had both explored the swinging lifestyle and I think we really enjoyed it.
Gabby is originally from France. Her English was usually very good, but she speaks with an accent. Occasionally, her phrasing is a little off, but I find it to be adorable. It also helps that I had minored in French at university.
Finally, there was Brie. She was our replacement drummer in Key West when our regular percussionist, Rob, refused to go for religious reasons. Brie and I had hit it off right from the start. We had some incredible sex starting with the first night. She shared the bed with Gabby and me. She was brilliant, educated, and beautiful. Originally from Jamaica, her Oxford education resulted in a very refined British accent. She was in her early thirties, a significant age contrast with most of the band. Gabby, Bridget, and I were in our early fifties. Tom was in his mid-forties.
I was pretty sure Brie was planning on sleeping in my bed with me while she was here. Was she? I realized I had probably made a huge assumption. Here was a situation I had to figure out quickly.
On the flight north I struggled to work all these relationships out in my mind. By the time we touched down, I still didn't have much of a plan. This did not bode well.
When the airport limousine dropped us off at my house I showed Brie around the place. It isn't a large house, but it is comfortable for me. Foremost in my mind was dealing with Brie's sleeping arrangements. After I gave her the house tour we sat in the kitchen. I got out a notepad to create a 'to do' list. We made a grocery list, plus a list of additional warm clothes Brie would need.
A nor'easter was forecast to begin Tuesday evening. I thought Brie might enjoy cross country skiing. A stop at the sporting goods store was added to the list.
I finally got up my nerve to broach the subject of sleeping arrangements, "Brie, am I being too presumptive?"
"Presumptive about what?"
"That you want to share my bed with me while you're here."
Brie's head cocked and she looked at me curiously. She got a far way look in her eyes. Her fingers went involuntarily to her sternum and traced the line of a scar underneath hidden by her blouse. The scar was the result of open heart surgery as a child. She was overly self-conscious about it. Gabby had helped her make great strides in overcoming her insecurity, but that was less than a week ago. I just ruined that. Her self-consciousness was one of the reasons she was so selective over the years in partners. Shit, this isn't what I had intended. I was making her uncomfortable.
I fumbled for words in a less than convincing tone. "Brie, I was ... I'm just ... I was hoping you would. Brie, I just didn't want to presume what you wanted is all."
"Yeah, sure," she said, eyes filling with tears.
She turned abruptly and walked in the living room. When I got there she was staring at the Christmas tree with her hands on her hips when I caught up to her. I saw her shoulders shake. She was sobbing.
"Brie, that came out all wrong."
"How was it supposed to come out?"
"I thought that I should be a gentleman and not assume that you..."
"That I what?!"
I was feeling like a shithead. "I was thinking that I shouldn't assume you wanted to be with me."
"What? That I came up here because I wanted to see snow? Damn it Rich! I came here because I want to be with you. And yes, I want to sleep with you and continue to have sex with you. It sounds like you don't think that's a good idea."
"I think it's a wonderful idea." I took a deep breath, "Brie, I'm sorry. I guess, I was starting to feel like maybe I overstepped my bounds. Can I touch you?"
"Of course you can touch me." Yet again she looked wounded by my question.
I stepped over and put my hands on her hips. "Brie, I feel really blessed to have you as a friend and a lover.
She turned around and threw her arms around me then buried her face in my chest.
She looked up at me with tears streaming down her face. "It's a culture thing isn't it? I should know this. Culture is my specialty."
"I suppose. Maybe a leftover from the age of chivalry. I was just trying to be a gentleman."
"My God Rich! Really? We're not in jolly old England. Screw that." Brie eyes went wide, "How about my race? Oh my God! How hard is it going to be for you to be seen with a Black woman?"
"Not hard at all. That doesn't bother me. I mean we've got some racists up here, but I don't care what they think. This afternoon, we're going to go to the store together and I don't give a damn how people react. I'm proud to be your friend and lover. I'm sorry."
She pulled my face down and gently kissed me. "You're forgiven." She looked at the tree. "So how do we go about making love under the Christmas tree? There doesn't seem to be a lot of room under there."
"That's kind of a saying. We won't actually be under the tree. More like here in front of it."
"So right here in front of the tree? Won't it be chilly?"
"We have the fireplace insert which puts out some nice heat. Plus, we'll get some blankets."
