Ascending Lauren Ch. 27 - Sex Stories

Ascending Lauren Ch. 27

... conflict.

"Listen, Lauren, don't worry, I get it. It was fun and all, but..."

"Saturday night, eight o'clock. I'll be at the Linguine Bistro."

More silence.

"Are... are you sure? I know you said he's okay with it, but now that he's here..."

"Linguine Bistro. Eight o'clock," Lauren stated firmly, hanging up before she could change her mind. Most of the men she had been involved with were merely acquaintances, with Zane being the one exception. Alex was different. Good-natured, friendly, and kind-hearted. He had the potential to be boyfriend material, and that terrified her. The possibility of developing feelings for him was undeniable. Hell, she already had some. Even Corey's zelophilia seemed to encourage her to pursue a relationship that was more than just a casual fling. But that notion was dangerous, carrying potentially dire consequences. Consequences that she and Corey may not be equipped to handle. Don't you DARE let this ruin us, Lauren had admonished him when he confessed to his latest proclivity. As a woman, she understood that matters of the heart were fickle.

Nevertheless, she truly had a soft spot for Alex, which meant there was only one thing to do.

Go shopping for a new dress.

+++++

That evening, Corey greeted his wife with a glass of wine and guided her to the sofa, where he tenderly massaged the knots from her tired feet. As usual, he had returned from Dale's ahead of her and had prepared a steaming pasta dish, which they shared at ...

... the dinner table. After some light conversation over a delicious Spaghetti allo Scoglio, Lauren smiled uneasily.

"Alex called me today," she revealed.

Corey's heart skipped a beat, but he tried to remain composed, handing her a tissue. It seemed she had suddenly developed a runny nose. "I see. And how is he?"

"Good," she replied.

They both took a few bites of their meal, chewing thoughtfully.

"He wants to meet me for dinner. To catch up," Lauren continued.

"Catch up," Corey repeated skeptically.

"Yes."

Setting down his fork, the conflicted husband took a sip of wine. Lauren dabbed her mouth with a napkin and reached out to hold his hand.

"This is what you wanted, right? It's nothing new," she reassured him.

"No, you're right, it's not."

"But..." Corey's thumb gently caressed her knuckles. "Do you have feelings for this guy?"

Lauren smiled compassionately. "I do."

"More than the others?"

"I care for him, if that's what you mean."

"More than Zane?"

She straightened in her chair. "The physical connection with Zane is... incredibly intense. But he's one of our oldest friends. When it comes down to it, I value our friendship above anything else."

"But Alex...there could be something more?"

Lauren squeezed his hand. "Yes."

She wasn't lying. While part of her motivation was to ignite his kink, she genuinely believed that the ex-rancher could be more than just a friend.

Corey's emotions churned. He knew that all of this had ...