Carol and Barry had just finished watching a movie, and they were sitting at either end of the same couch. “That couple seemed so happy, their affair looked so dreamy”.

Carol’s comment surprised Barry. He didn’t think she had any romantic thoughts any more. “What about their relationship did you find ‘dreamy’, as you put it?” Barry asked.

Carol thought for a moment and said, “People who are having an affair seem to find the time to talk to one another. They actually want to make each other happy. I don’t know whether the guy in the movie actually wanted to have a picnic on the beach, but he did it because she wanted to. It seems like people who have affairs try harder to keep the relationship exciting”.
Barry thought for a moment. “A husband could have an affair with his wife. They wouldn’t even have to sneak around and worry about getting caught.” As the impact of the statement struck him, Barry turned to look at Carol. By then she was in tears. He pulled her close to him and held her as she wept. Finally he broke the ice and said, “I guess I haven’t been a very romantic guy to be married to, have I?” 

"It’s not you”, Carol said between the sobs. “It’s us. We love each other …don’t we?”  “Of course we do," Barry assured his wife. “We love each other. We just don’t know how to be in love”.  No longer crying Carol continued, “I’ve allowed our sex life to become ho-hum because I just didn’t know what to do. Look at us. “We sit at opposite ends of the couch and watch other people have affairs”.

Then Barry broke in with a thought, “What if we decided to have an affair with each other?"

That was Monday night. Tuesday morning at 10:00, Barry called Carol at her office. “Carol”, said the voice she recognized as her husband’s, “my name is Barry. I was at your office Christmas party last year and I’ve been thinking about you ever since. Will you meet me for lunch? I want to get to know you, and I want you to get to know me. Before you turn me down, let me say that I have made reservations for two at Trader Vic’s for twelve noon. I will be waiting there in a blue suit and a red tie. I hope you won't disappoint me.” Click.

They sat at lunch for an hour that day and just talked.  Barry’s attentiveness was reminiscent of their dating years; he was totally focused on her.  As he walked her to the car he made one more announcement. I called Elaine this morning and asked her if we could drop off the kids at 6:30. I have 7:00 dinner reservations at Winston’s.  "Can we afford to do all this?” Carol asked.
“It’ll be fine as long as my wife doesn’t find out,” Barry shouted back at her, embarrassing her in a crowded parking lot. She got in her car and drove away smiling.

That night they sat at the restaurant and talked for 3 hours. For the first time in years they began to talk about their sex life. Finally, Carol giggled that she felt so uncomfortable. When Barry asked why, she said, “Well, I decided that I was going to get into this little game of yours, and I wanted to wear something that you would like.”  Barry cut in with, “I noticed you wore my favorite dress. You look very sexy tonight.”  “Not as sexy as I feel,” Carol responded. “I left work a little early and stopped off at Victoria’s Secret on the way home. I picked up something I think you will like….I’m wearing it under this dress. Two can play at this game you know.”  Barry’s eyes opened wider and a grin slowly spread across his face. As Carol smiled back at him, they both realized they were now on the same page. The first page of a steamy novel about two people who were in the back of a corner restaurant, learning to love each other.

___________

(Excerpt reprinted by permission Zondervan Publishing Company)

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Great Sexpectations

by Robert Barnes, Rosemary J. Barnes