I arrived at Jan's house around 5:40 that afternoon, still adhering to my rule about not showing up early for a date. Jan was ready and waiting for me when I rang the doorbell, and Jan met me at the door. She was wearing a silky long-sleeved top and jeans. Judging by the jiggle of her breasts, it became apparent that she wasn't wearing a bra underneath her top. Jan greeted me with a kiss, her arms going around my neck as I pulled her in for a tight embrace. After the kiss, she whispered to me that when she woke up she was still all tingly between her legs from the night before.

"That's one hell of a greeting," I said to her.

"One hell of a greeting for one hell of a man," she replied. "Last night was an epiphany for me, Frank. You really proved that you loved me when you told me about those texts. It would have been easy for you to say nothing and sweep it under the rug, but you didn't. You told me everything, and that was the moment which made me realize that you were the one."

"If you want to know, it was just seconds before I told you that I came to the conclusion that I loved you, Jan. I had a feeling before that it was really love, but when I had to decide what to do it was obvious to me. You mean so much to me that I couldn't deceive you. By the way, where's Jennifer?"

"She's in her room putting the finishing touches on her makeup. She shouldn't be too long."

Now I had more bad news for her. "While we have a few moments, there's something more that I need to tell you. I met with Lucy and told her it was over."

"Did she take it hard?"

"Yes, there were a few tears, but I think she knew in her heart that we had no chance to be together. She took it a lot better than I had thought, but she passed along another interesting tidbit. This could have been disastrous, but when I explain things to you, I think you'll understand."

Jan's forehead wrinkled as if she were puzzled. "What do you mean 'could have been disastrous'? What did she tell you."

I explained the whole mess about the private investigator paying Megan for information. Then I told her the really big news. "Megan told Lucy that she is pregnant and that I am the father. I think that Megan is going to try and use this information to blackmail me for her silence."

Jan looked crushed by this revelation. "She said what? She's really pregnant?"

"Oh, I don't really know, but she's in for a huge surprise if she tries to extort me."

Jan was getting worried and her eyes filled with tears. "What kind of surprise? Oh, Frank, please say it's not true."

I smiled at Jan, and it only seemed to confuse her more. "Megan has no way of knowing this, but there is no way that I am the father, even if she is pregnant, which I highly doubt. You see, I had a vasectomy performed right after our daughter was born. And Jan, if you were hoping to have children with me, I'm afraid you are out of luck."

Jan broke into a big smile and started laughing uncontrollably. "Oh, that is hilarious," she said. "And don't worry about me and any future children. I've got a perfect one right now."

It was time for one more serious subject. "Jan, before we go any further I want to know whether all of this soap opera that has been following me around lately has caused you to think twice about us. It seems that there has been one thing after another popping up about me recently. I know that it has been a distraction for both of us, but I need to know if it has maybe changed the way you feel about me. If you are having second thoughts I want you to get them out on the table right now."

Jan just smiled before she answered me. "Nope, no second thoughts at all. My heart and my mind guide me in this and they both think you're a pretty swell guy. I'm afraid you're stuck with me. Oh, by the way, Jennifer has a surprise for you. She'll tell you when we get to Leroy's."

Now it was my turn to play the confused role. What could Jennifer possibly have to surprise me?

Just then, Jennifer bounded down the stairs carrying her backpack. "Are you two lovebirds ready for some fried chicken? I don't know about either of you, but I'm famished!"

The three of us made our way to Leroy's Coop and got seated right away. Jennifer told me that the regular fried chicken dinner was not to be missed, so that's what I ordered. Jan excused herself to go to the restroom, perhaps a little too choreographed. As we waited, Jennifer had something to say.

"Frank, I know in my gut that you and Mom are a perfect fit. I had a feeling the other night when you sat down with us that you two just seemed to hit it off. After seeing Mom last night I knew I was right. Frank, she's sacrificed so much over the years so that she could be a good Mom to me, and because of that I want nothing else but to see her happy with the right man, and I think that you came along at just the right time."

Jennifer then leaned in close, as if she were sharing a secret. "I wanted you to know that I'm going back to the dorm tonight. That way you two can share some time together. Frank, I wanted to thank you for making Mom happy again, so this is my way of thanking you. My roommate is going to pick me up when we are done with dinner."

Well, that explained the backpack. "Jennifer," I began. "Your mother has done an outstanding job of raising you and I'm pretty sure that you will be successful in just about anything you decide to do. You're quite a remarkable young woman. I want you to know that I'm in love with her and I'll never do anything to cause her pain. I realize that we haven't known each other that long, but sometimes you can tell, like you have a feeling about someone. That's what it started out for me, but now I am certain. You don't have anything to worry about, Jennifer."

And, as if on cue, Jan returned to the table. "My goodness," she said. "You two seem to be getting along very well. Did I miss anything?" Jan could hardly keep from laughing as she said that, unable to continue with the charade.

"Remind me to get you in a high stakes poker game someday, Jan. You'd be an easy mark with that kind of a poker face!"

"Well, Jennifer wanted some one-on-one time with you and all I could think about was the old restroom ploy."

That got us all laughing and I couldn't help but feeling like I was getting a second chance with love. My marriage was a joke for so long. Sex with Lucy, and eventually Megan, was fun, but it was only sex. Beyond the physical aspect of it there was an empty feeling. But this - this is what was missing in my life for so long, something as simple as a chicken dinner and laughter at the table.

I was determined not to mess this up. It was a second chance, but it could easily be my last chance if I weren't open and honest with Jan. That's why I told her about the texts from Lucy and why I told her about our meeting this afternoon. A good relationship cannot survive as long as there are secrets and lies lurking in the background. I was confident in not only my love for Jan, but also in her love for me. That confidence gave me the strength to do the right thing. For the first time in many years, I felt good about myself and my situation.

And Jennifer was right about the chicken. Leroy did it proud.

We had dessert afterwards, and while I was having a cup of coffee Jennifer's phone rang. Her ride was here and we all got up to see her off. You could tell from the way she and Jan hugged that there was so much love there. Jan was very proud of her daughter, and rightfully so. Jennifer had finished first in her high school class and received a full academic scholarship to Stanford. In addition to that, she was an outstanding basketball player and the head coach at Stanford, while not offering her a scholarship, invited her to try out for the team as a walk-on. Practice wouldn't begin until October and she was still trying to decide whether to accept the offer. Yes, she was quite an accomplished student and athlete. The scholarship would really helped Jan, because Stanford isn't a cheap school. Her ex would have provided the lion's share, but it was nice to know that now there would be no worries about finances.

After she hugged Jan, Jennifer surprised me by giving me a big hug as well. As she did, she whispered in my ear. "Don't forget what I told you, Frank. She is head over heels in love with you, so keep her happy, will ya?"

As Jennifer got into her friend's car I turned to Jan. "Well, pretty Mama, looks like it's just the two of us. Got any ideas on how we should pass the time?"

Jan shot me a smile. "I've got an idea or two, but we'll need to go back to my place to do what I have in mind."

I called our server over right then and settled up the check.

"Gee, Frank, I guess I got you all hot and bothered, didn't I?" Jan was laughing at me for hustling her out of there and into my car. She was laughing and smiling all the way back to her place.

When we got inside her house I took her into my arms and kissed her, a long loving kiss that could have led to some serious hanky-panky, but she put a quick stop to my advances.

"Don't worry, my love. There will be plenty of time for that in a little bit, but I want to suggest something for a little bit of fun."

I liked the way Jan was thinking. "Just what do you have in mind?"

"Well," she began, a wry smile spreading across her face. "Since you wanted to get me into a high-stakes poker game, I thought we could play some poker for the ultimate stakes. How about a game of strip poker, five card draw, where the winner not only gets the pleasure of seeing their opponent in the buff, but also gets to decide what kind of sex to have as a reward?"

"My goodness, Jan, you certainly have a dirty little mind working there, but I like your thinking."

"Okay, Frank, we will need to even up the articles of clothing so that no one has an advantage. I am wearing a top, slacks, a thong and shoes. That's five pieces of clothing. What about you?"

"Let's see, I have a top, slacks, boxers, socks and shoes. That's seven. How about I remove my shoes and we will have five each?"

"Sounds perfect. We can cut the deck for first deal, if you like."

"That won't be necessary, sweetie. I'm a gentleman, and a gentleman always defers to a lady. You can have the first deal."

"Frank, I admire your noble gesture, but I'll have you know that I intend to see you standing in your birthday suit in five hands. Then you'll be my sex slave for the evening."

I was getting hard hearing Jan talk to me this way. "How about I just strip down right now and you can order me around as you please? I must say I like the way you're talking to me right now."

Jan winked at me, her seductive smile returning to her face once more. "Oh, you aren't getting off that easy. I want to whip your ass fair and square. It will make the sex that much more exciting, don't you think?"

"Let's get the cards out, honey. I can't wait to see the look on your face when you get naked first."

Jan got out a deck of cards, shuffled them thoroughly, and offered me a cut. I declined the cut.

My first hand was a pair of aces, along with the 2, 3 and 4 of hearts. It was decision time. Do I go for the straight or hold the aces and maybe get trips? I decided to hold the aces. My draw was a 6, 7 and a jack.

Jan took two cards. "Okay, what have you got?"

I flopped my hand over, revealing the pair of aces. Jan just smiled as she rolled hers over. She had three 8's.

"Okay, that's one sock," I said as Jan continued to smile.

Jan won the next three hands, reducing me to sitting in my boxer shorts while her laughter just got stronger. Damn, she was kicking my ass!

I came back to win the next three hands. The first two took care of her shoes, but it was decision time for her when she lost the third hand. She decided to take off her slacks, sitting there with a top and a pair of thong panties across from me.

On the next deal, I had a 6, 7, 8, 9 and a deuce. I had to go for it, an open-ended straight possibility. Jan gulped as I asked for only one card. She took three and managed to force a smile. When it was time to show, she proudly displayed three kings. Thinking she had beaten me, she smiled and rubbed her hands together.

I never even looked at my draw card. I turned them over and was rewarded with seeing a 10 at the end of my straight. I smiled broadly at her.

Jan proceeded to remove her top, revealing her gorgeous tits. Her nipples had stiffened and they pointed out at me. We were down to the last hand. Bragging rights and the choice of sex were hanging in the balance.

We both giggled at ourselves, naked save one piece of clothing.

The final hand was somewhat anticlimactic, as I was dealt two 2's and an 8, 9 and a queen.

I held onto the pair of deuces and hoped for the best. Jan didn't take any cards, a bad sign if there ever was one. I turned my cards over first and showed my meager pair with nothing to go with them. Jan just smiled and showed her hand. It was an ace-high Club flush. I stood up and removed my boxers as my cock stood straight up, already hard just thinking about what was coming next.

Jan licked her lips as the boxers fell to the floor. "My oh my, Frank. What shall we do with you? I think I would like to tie you to the bedposts and drive you crazy tonight. Let's go to the bedroom." Jan took my cock in her hand and led me to her bed. She told me to lie on my back

Jan then took four scarves from one of her dresser drawers and, one by one, she secured my arms and legs to the bedposts.

"Jan, I've got to tell you that I've never been tied to the bed. Not once, so this is going to be new for me."

"Don't worry, Frank. The truth is, I've never done this before, either giving or receiving. It's just my way of telling you that I am willing to try new things with you, up to a point."

That really put my mind at ease. "Thanks, baby. For a second there I thought you might have been a closet dominatrix or something like that."

Jan laughed heartily. "Hahaha, wait till you see my tools. That will definitely show my amateur status in the BDSM community. You know, I never could understand how someone could allow themselves to be dominated. It seems to me that there is a serious lack of self esteem among women who are into that lifestyle."

I was happy to hear that from her. "Jan, I couldn't agree with you any more. How a man could treat a woman like that is offensive to me. Now, let's see your tools."

Jan excused herself and went to the main closet near the family room. When she returned she was carrying a bucket of cleaning tools. Now I was really confused.

"What do you think, sweetie?" She took out a large feather duster and began by brushing my nipples with it. I burst out into laughter, as it tickled like hell.

"Enough of that, my slave," she said, trying hard to keep a straight face. "Mistress Jan does not appreciate comments from the hired help." Even as she said it, she struggled to keep a straight face. This really was foreign to her, but she was having fun with it as we laughed together.

She then brought the feather duster down to my cock. It was standing straight up, hard as ever, and an easy target for tickling. When Jan flicked the duster around my cock and balls I flinched hard. Believe it or not, it was an incredible sensation. Jan could see that I was being affected by it, so she kept up the motion with the duster, tickling the shaft, the head and then my balls. At one point she rubbed it furiously across my dick and then shoved the feathers into my face. I found myself quite aroused and thinking that I needed more. I was ready for some serious work to be done.

Jan sensed that I was excited and suddenly tossed the duster to the floor. I never got to see what else she had in store for me in that bucket, because she got up on the bed and took my hard cock in her mouth. She managed to get some heavy saliva going in her mouth and, before very long, my cock shone like the sun as she bobbed her head up and down on it, licking me with her tongue between sucks on it.

I wanted to eat her, but I could only lay there, helpless to do anything because of the restraints. Jan was driving me crazy with her sucking. Just when I felt like I was going to explode in her mouth she pulled her mouth from my cock.

"Did you like that, Frank? It must be pure torture laying there knowing that you are at my mercy, not being able to touch me or taste my pussy. It's very wet, my love, and there's only one thing that will satisfy me right now."

Jan stood up on top of the bed, positioning herself so that she was directly above my cock. With her back to my face she slowly descended onto my throbbing pole, moaning with delight as my cock disappeared into her velvety wetness. "I wanted to do it in this position, sweetie, so you could see your cock as it enters me. Just lie there, baby. I'm going to have fun with my new toy."

Jan began moving up and down on my prick, fucking me with a slow, deliberate pace. She leaned forward and rested her hands on my knees, affording me the view of her pussy swallowing my length. She quickened the pace of her fucking and continued to drive me wild. I was able to at least thrust myself as she made love to me slowly, her hips rotating as she took me inside her cunt.

I could feel my own orgasm nearing as Jan picked up her pace. She was so damn tight, her pussy gripping the shaft of my cock as she hurried toward cumming herself. This wasn't the same Jan who was so tentative the other night. This Jan was sure of herself, sexually aggressive and wicked in her movements, knowing exactly what would push me over the edge. It was like there were two Jans living inside one body. I couldn't get enough of either Jan, but but this was the one I wanted to have in bed with me.

"Oh baby, keep it up, don't stop, I'm going to cum!" Jan heard my cries and fucked me even harder and faster, panting as she drove herself over the edge toward orgasm.

""I'm cumming! Baby, I'm cumming!" I felt the familiar tingle of my orgasm and I was powerless to do anything but shoot jet after jet of my hot cum inside Jan's pussy. She came as well, shaking atop my spurting cock as she allowed her pussy to fill with my seed. As her orgasm abated, she got off my cock and collapsed atop me, smothering my face and neck with kisses. She reached up and released my wrists from the restraints. That allowed me to at least hold her as we both came down from that incredible sexual high.

"Wow, Jan," I said to her, still trying to catch my breath. "I didn't expect you to be such a tiger, but you were the sexiest thing in the world tonight."

"It was all for you, baby," she said. "I wanted you to know that I can be just as aggressive as the next gal, but I prefer it when we take it easy. I suppose a little wildness isn't so bad though, wouldn't you say?"

"No, but I'll take you in any form you want to give me. I love you, Jan."

"I love you, Frank. Would you like to spend the night?"

"I thought you'd never ask. I can't wait for morning, though. I want to experience waking up with you in bed beside me."

"I'll make you breakfast before we go to work," she purred. "How does that sound?"

"That sounds good, but if we do this on a regular basis you have to share the breakfast duties with me. I make a pretty mean omelet, if I must say so myself."

"You've got it, sweetheart. I would like to discuss something with you, though. How do you feel about moving in with me? We both know how we feel, so that's not a problem. I want you here with me every day, my darling."

"Jan, I like the idea, but I want you to be sure before I do that."

"I've never been more sure about anything, Frank."

"Then it's a deal. I'll move my things here over the next few days. How will Jennifer react to me being here full-time?"

"She'll love it. You know how she feels about us, Frank."

We spent the rest of the night cuddling in her bed. We made love one more time, a little less chaotic this time. Afterward, we drifted off to sleep in each other's arms.

As morning shone in through the windows, I gradually woke up to find Jan next to me. She looked beautiful, so beautiful that I was overcome with emotion. This was what I longed for these last several years and, now that it was within my grasp, I couldn't stop the tears from streaming down my cheeks.

"Honey," Jan said to me. "What's wrong? Why are you crying?"

"I'm crying because this is like heaven to me. I've wanted this for so long I almost gave up hoping for it, but you've given it to me. I just couldn't control my emotions any more."

We hugged and kissed, then we got up. Jan cooked me a great breakfast and it was obvious that she missed doing things like this, simple things like cooking for her man. We were going to be okay, I could tell.

We drove separately to work, partly because I expected to find and meet with Megan.

Once in my office, I contacted my staff to let them know that we would be having our staff meeting at lunchtime and for them to let me know what they wanted from the deli. I always felt that you must take care of those who take care of you, so I tried to mix up our meetings at various times of the day to include a meal.

Next up was my old friend Rocco. I asked him to find an address where I could find Megan. I needed to nip her little extortion plan in the bud. Rocco said he would have it for me within the hour.

Then I called Tom, my attorney in Raleigh. Tom had good news for me today. It seems that, as he predicted, Susan accepted our proposal in the divorce proceedings. Our property and assets would be split down the middle and there would be no alimony payments. In a moment of conciliation, I instructed Tom to make the split 60/40 in Susan's favor. I wanted to give her a little more than she deserved. Call it guilt money if you like, but I would be able to afford it and it would make me feel better.

As soon as I got off the phone with Tom, Rocco called. I told you he works fast, didn't I? Rocco gave me an address where Megan was working. It was a graphics design company here in town. I thanked him and prepared to run over there right away. I didn't have time to tell Jan, but hopefully I would return with good news.

The graphics design company was in a small building not far from Dobby's Place. I wondered whether she worked here all along and the pizza delivery job was her way of moonlighting. It didn't matter. I walked inside and told the receptionist that I wanted to see Megan. She told me to wait and she would bring her out to see me.

When Megan walked into the small lobby she nearly fainted. I think that I was the last person she expected to see this morning. I also caught her off-guard. This wasn't how she planned to blackmail me, I was sure of it.

"Hello, Megan," I said as she approached me. "I'll make this short and sweet. I know all about how you took money from that investigator to spread dirt about Lucy and me. You see, I have someone working for me, and he's much better than that sleazebag you took the money from. I also know about your plan to extort money from me by claiming that you are pregnant. Now I don't know if you actually are pregnant or not, but I'm here to tell you that I had a vasectomy performed on me over twenty years ago."

The blood drained from her face when I laid that little tidbit on her. It was obvious that she had been caught in a massive lie. She tried to speak, but I wouldn't allow her to utter one word.

"So here's what I am offering you, Megan. Your life. You leave me alone and drop any thoughts of blackmailing me and in return I won't go in those offices and tell your boss about everything. I won't go to the police and tell them my little story either. If you don't comply with these demands I will ruin your life. Those degrees you have won't be worth the ink used to print them. That pizza delivery job you had will seem like the job of a lifetime, if they'll even have you. And that doesn't include the criminal charges and the jail time. Female felons don't seem to have much luck getting good jobs once they are released from prison."

Megan just sat there stunned.

"Well, what will it be? You don't have to say anything, just nod your head if you agree to what I've just told you."

Megan, still speechless, sat there nodding her head.

I got up and walked out.

On my way back to the office I stopped at a florist shop and got Jan a dozen long-stemmed red roses. As I approached her desk I held them up for her to see. The look on her face said it all.

Yeah, we were going to be okay after all.

EPILOGUE That was four years ago. Last year, I finally convinced Jan to marry me. We had a small but tasteful wedding in a small town on the Pacific Ocean. Jennifer was her mother's maid of honor. Dr. Browning was my best man. After the honeymoon, we flew out to North Carolina along with Jennifer. Not long after she graduated from Stanford she was offered a job at Duke University, in Durham. It was good to be back in the Carolinas again, this time on much better circumstances.

I never saw Susan or Megan again. I saw Lucy once, from across the room at a restaurant in San Francisco where Jan and I had a weekend getaway once. We never made eye contact, but I thought I detected an air of sorrow about her. I would imagine that her luck with men never got any better.

As for Jan and I, we are so much in love. Life worked out for both of us. We deserved it.