What Happened with the Other Couple at the Private Club

Daniela had said no at least five times in the car. That places like that weren’t for us, that she would die of embarrassment, that just looking would be enough for her. I didn’t insist. I just parked in front of the club’s discreet facade, no signs, just a black door and a buzzer, and waited for her to decide for herself.

—A drink —she said at last, squeezing my hand—. We’ll have one drink and leave if I don’t like it.

—A drink —I repeated.

We didn’t leave.

***

We met Lucas and Vera at the bar. He looked to be about forty, broad-shouldered, with a calmness that put you at ease. She was small, with dark hair cut to the jaw, and had that kind of look that undresses you before you’ve said a word. We started talking about the wine, about how hard it was to find the place the first time. Daniela was laughing. I never saw her laugh like that with strangers.

—Is this your first time here? —Vera asked, playing with the rim of her glass.

—Does it show that much, does it? —my wife replied.

—It does, but that’s the best thing about it. That look disappears quickly.

Lucas rested his hand on Daniela’s lower back when she got up to go to the bathroom. It wasn’t groping; it was a gesture, a question. And she, instead of pulling away, looked for me with her eyes to see what I would do. I did nothing. I smiled. And in that smile, without saying a word, I gave her permission.

***

The big room was at the back, separated by a heavy curtain. It smelled of perfume and sweat, and the light was so low that the silhouettes blurred together. There was an enormous round bed in the center, and around it armchairs where other couples stroked each other unhurriedly, watching. No one spoke loudly. It was a constant murmur, like the sea.

The four of us sat on the edge of the bed. Vera was the first to kiss me. She didn’t ask anyone’s permission; she simply turned her head, held the back of my neck, and kissed me slowly, biting my lip as she pulled away. A meter away, Lucas was doing the same with Daniela, and I opened my eyes just enough to see her close hers and give in.

This is not the woman who refused in the car.

Vera’s hands had already unbuttoned my pants. Lucas’s hands were moving up Daniela’s thighs. At some point the two women exchanged a look, and judging by what happened after, I’d swear they had agreed without speaking.

As if rehearsed choreography, the two of them sat up at the same time. They put one leg to each side, one over me, the other over Lucas, and lowered themselves at the same time in a slow, deep movement. Daniela let out a moan I had never heard from her, not in ten years together. I gripped Vera’s breasts and the riding began.

Clapping sounded. One couple in the audience kept time, she standing, bent over, being fucked by her man, who was whispering something in her ear.

—Say something to them, sweetheart —he murmured.

—Sit properly on those cocks or I will —she snapped toward us, her voice breaking—. And you, speed it up, because these bastards have me right on the edge.

Vera laughed without stopping. Daniela wasn’t even listening. Her head was thrown back, her hair stuck to her face, her nails dug into Lucas’s shoulders. Seeing her like that, giving herself over in front of strangers, lit me up in a way I couldn’t explain. It wasn’t jealousy. It was pride and desire mixed together, something thick rising up through my chest.

—Don’t come yet —Vera panted, pressing herself against me—. Wait, wait…

We didn’t wait long. The woman in the audience started trembling and came with a ragged scream that pulled everyone along with her. Daniela was next. I felt her tighten around Lucas, convulsing, and as she did she reached for me with her hand, as if she needed to touch me so she wouldn’t lose herself completely. I gave her my fingers. She squeezed them until it hurt.

—Now —Vera said against my ear—. Now, with me.

And I let myself go inside her, with Daniela watching me from a meter away, still trembling on top of another man.

***

Then came the strange calm that always comes after. Vera didn’t move off me; she rested her head in the hollow of my shoulder and stayed still.

—Don’t move —she asked—. I want to feel it go soft. It was incredible.

—I don’t know if this is going to go soft any time soon —I replied, smelling her hair.

—Even better.

Beside me, Lucas was kissing Daniela’s neck without coming out of her yet. My wife had half-closed eyes and a loose smile, drunk without having had anything to drink. When our gazes met, she didn’t look away. Something had changed between us that night, and we both knew it.

Little by little the spectators left the room, until the four of us were alone on that enormous bed.

—We should order something to drink and rest for a while in the jacuzzi —I suggested.

—Yes —Daniela said, her voice still broken—, but wait a bit. —Lucas was still inside her, kissing her shoulder—. Give me a minute.

***

The women went off to touch up in the changing room. Vera winked at Daniela in a way that made it clear the touch-up was going to be quite literal. We ordered drinks and got into the hot water of the jacuzzi to wait.

I genuinely liked Lucas. We talked about ordinary things, about work, about how long they’d been doing this, about how Vera had convinced him rather than the other way around. Meanwhile, two young guys who had been part of the audience for what we were doing came over to the edge of the jacuzzi and asked permission to sit nearby.

—Do you come here often? —Lucas asked them.

—From now on we’re going to come more —one of them replied, looking toward the curtain—. Let’s see if we can join you sometime.

—That’s a deal —Lucas said—. Sit close; when the girls come back we’ll all have a drink.

***

When Daniela and Vera came back, freshly made up and smelling of new perfume, they found the jacuzzi more crowded than they had left it. Daniela raised an eyebrow when she saw the two guys.

—Well, well, well —she said as she got into the water—, you change plans quickly. I’m going to get jealous.

—Don’t be mad —one of the young men told her, not quite daring—. If you want, I’ll lend you mine.

Daniela laughed, that new, loose laugh, and looked at Vera.

—I’m not going to turn that down either. Come on, Vera, this poor guy is very lonely.

I stayed on the other side of the jacuzzi, glass in hand. Daniela noticed.

—And you? You’re just standing there stunned. Aren’t you coming over?

—I’m delighted watching what you’re doing —I answered—. I’ll have my drink and enjoy the show.

—Whatever you want —she said, biting her lip—. But you should know you’ll have to finish the job.

—You can count on it.

***

What came after I remember in pieces, like a dream with too much light. Vera sat on the edge of the jacuzzi and let one of the guys and Daniela take care of her with their mouths, both at once, taking turns. Lucas tangled with the other young man and with his own glass, laughing. And I, who only wanted to watch, discovered that watching my wife take the initiative with strangers turned me on more than anything I had ever done.

They brought her to the edge three times without letting her finish. A hand here, a tongue there, stopping just as she started to tremble. Daniela held out the first time. The second she moaned in frustration. The third she couldn’t take it anymore.

—Martín —she panted, looking for me over the water—. Please, come here and finish me off, because these bastards are going to kill me.

—This is where I wanted you —Vera said, satisfied—. All yours. I’ll take care of this one all by myself.

I set down the glass. I went over. Daniela threw her arms around my neck and kissed me like she hadn’t kissed me in years, hungry, with a touch of desperation.

—Put it in already —she begged against my mouth—. Make me come, I can’t take it anymore.

—I just wanted to see you enjoy yourself —I told her.

—Shut up. Shut up and kiss me. How much I love you, idiot.

I pushed into her between her legs in the hot water, and with the first thrusts she collapsed against my chest in a long, deep orgasm that left her speechless. She was moaning as if she had won something, as if everything she had denied in the car were suddenly slipping out of her mouth. I came over her stomach, exhausted, while she dug her nails into my back.

***

The guys had finished their business and were saying goodbye to Vera and Lucas. Daniela was still pressed against me, unable to speak, her forehead resting on my collarbone.

—Not bad, huh? —Vera said, running her fingers through her hair—. But nothing like the first party, with Martín. Right, Daniela?

—I can barely speak —my wife murmured—. You’ve all left me completely done in.

—You’re fantastic friends —Lucas said, pouring another round—. We had a great time. I have an idea: this winter we’ll go down to Lisbon, there’s a club there you have to see. Right, Vera?

—Yes —she replied, delighted—. And you and I are going shopping for the occasion. I’ll get the house ready and that’s that.

I looked at Daniela.

—What do you say?

—What do I say? —She finally sat up, her legs still trembling—. Of course. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.

And she threw herself into Vera’s arms, and they kissed slowly, without an audience this time, just because they wanted to.

—And you didn’t want to go into the place —I told her when they broke apart.

Daniela held my gaze, damp, satisfied, another woman and the same one as always.

—Shut up and give me the drink —she said—. You’re one of a kind.