In Carla’s mind, if we were going to talk about me cheating on my boyfriend, Mick, then all the cards should be on the table.

“That’s not fair,” I said. “Rudy was different,” I added, mentioning a former flame.

We were eating at a place that had a nice view, but I ignored it. In fact, I was so distracted I could barely taste my salad.

Carla sipped her iced tea before saying, “You and Rudy were tight. Personally, I thought you might go the distance. But then Isaac came along.”

I sighed. The mention of Isaac’s name, even after so many years, still made my body tingle. Electrical blips of excitement touched me everywhere. My nipples stirred toward hardness, and a familiar longing rippled within my pussy.

But I had to defend myself and said, “Isaac didn’t just come along. He flung himself at me, begged me to go to bed with him. And he was ridiculously gorgeous. Understand? Like an underwear model. See if you can say no to someone like that who’s desperate to lick you and bone you silly.”

Carla laughed at my outburst, and a head or two turned our way in the eatery. I felt myself blush. Clearly, Isaac could still get me worked up, and I hadn’t seen him since our one time together.

“But this is different,” I insisted again. “Rudy didn’t deserve me cheating on him, I’ll grant you. But Mick.” I briefly pressed my lips together in annoyance. “Mick has cheated on me, OK? Now, I need to balance the scales, so to speak.”

There. My confession was out. Carla was the only person I felt comfortable speaking to about my man’s indiscretion. Mick and I had been serious for quite a while. I’d thought our relationship was rock solid. But I had discovered he’d stepped out on me. As far as I knew, it was a onetime hookup, but that still left things uneven between us in my book.

“Ouch,” Carla said with real sympathy. “That must hurt.”

Actually, it didn’t. But it annoyed the shit out me. Mick and I had agreed to a monogamous arrangement. There was a lot to love about him, but if he’d wanted to fuck other women that was something we could have talked about. But we didn’t, and he just went ahead and did what he wanted.

Carla was shaking her head, but I could tell she was finally on my side. I’d already told her about the man I had my eye on. Noel, the person who’d be my partner in cheating — if things went according to plan.

She reached across the table, squeezed my hand and said, “OK, but afterward you have to tell me everything that happens with this guy.”

It was as close as I’d get to anyone giving me their blessing to go ahead with my proposed dalliance. Noel was somebody on the outskirts of our social circle. He knew Mick, but that hadn’t stopped him from flirting with me on a few occasions. I only hoped he was serious about wanting to fool around with me.

All this, of course, brought Isaac to the forefront of my memory — as if we’d fucked just yesterday. As I readied myself to pursue Noel, Isaac crowded my thoughts.

I hadn’t exaggerated to Carla. Isaac really had thrown himself at me, begging like a lust-sick puppy to get into my panties. And he really was as gorgeous as I’d described. His face and body were imprinted for all time in my memories.

Helpless to resist, my brain conjured him up. When I’d gone to his place, I cut right to the chase and acceded to his pleas. We were past pretending. I planned to screw him. Isaac undressed, and I looked him up and down. I was stunned by his handsomeness, and my mouth watered as my gaze lingered on his jutting cock.

Isaac came to me, unbuttoned my top and tugged off my skirt. His eyes were hot with lust, and he licked his lips. When we were naked, we finally kissed. I felt a surge of passionate energy from him, like our hookup was some long-held ambition finally fulfilled. But desire coursed through me, too. There was no denying it. Isaac excited me in ways my then-boyfriend Rudy didn’t quite do.

In minutes, we were on his bed. Our bodies entangled, and his hands were everywhere all at once. I moaned and groped him back, thrilled by the masculine strength of his muscular body. I fondled his hefty cock, and he slotted two fingers into my shamelessly dripping snatch.

Isaac eventually slithered down my body. His tongue lavished licks on my pussy as he lapped at my groove. He growled with feral pleasure as he savored my nectar. I rolled my hips and ground my cunt against his lips. He tongued my clit like he’d reached the center of the known universe. I came hard, and after that I never looked back — and never gave Rudy another thought for the rest of the night.

Naturally, I got my lips on Isaac’s dick. My tongue swirled his crown like a lollipop until he whimpered, then I dropped my mouth onto his shaft. I maintained a gentle but firm grip on his balls to keep him from coming and treated him to several minutes of enthusiastic cocksucking.

Finally, we fucked.

It was fantastic. I got on top of him and bounced myself silly. He mounted me and pounded me until I quaked with ecstasy. Then he did me from behind. We got off the mattress at one point, and both my hands scrabbled at the wall, while he fucked me standing up.

When at last he came, he released a torrent of jizz that flooded my cunt. As he flew toward the sky on the wings of pleasure, I went with him. I knew that night would be our only time screwing, but it was mighty memorable.

I never told Rudy, but I believe he sensed some kind of change in me. I suppose our breakup was inevitable. I vowed in the future to either be faithful or up-front about any fucking I wanted to do on the side.

What I hadn’t expected — and in hindsight I realize this was stupid on my part — was that a boyfriend might cheat on me. As I’d said to Carla, the scales needed balancing and Mick had to know about it. If he wanted to break up with me afterward, so be it. But I intended to fuck Noel silly.

I texted flirty messages to my hunky mark, which felt fun and naughty. But when Noel didn’t respond to my overtures, I got anxious. I knew where he worked. I even knew where he bought his midday coffee, since he’d mentioned the place the last time I’d spoken with him.

I decided to track him down. Maybe that was obsessive, but I vividly remembered him being overtly flirtatious with me. This suddenly wasn’t just about getting revenge on Mick. I genuinely wanted this guy — and I felt helpless to deny my cravings.

I further decided, then and there, if I didn’t wrangle a fuck session with Noel that day I wouldn’t do it at all. That raised the stakes and lit a fire under me.

When I purposely bumped into Noel at the coffee place, he looked very surprised.

I smiled sweetly as we exchanged hellos. We took a corner table and chatted a bit awkwardly until I worked up the nerve to say bluntly, “You used to hit on me. Were you serious about that?”

It was almost an unfair question. I reached over, put a hand on his wrist and said more softly, “You can tell me.”

He stared at me intently for a long moment and then said, “Well, you’re with Mick.”

“Forget him. If you could be with me today, would you want that?”

Tension and desire snaked through my body as I awaited his response.

“Oh hell, yes,” he said.

“Then let’s go.”

I felt light, liberated. A tingling sensation slipped over my flesh like a second skin. We were heading to Noel’s place. I felt like my old self, maybe my real self. Maybe I just wasn’t meant to be with one man exclusively.

Even so, time seemed to slow down when I followed Noel into his apartment. I wondered distantly if that reaction was my mind giving me the chance to change course. It felt slightly surreal, the way the door took forever to shut, how dust motes drifted with impossible leisure through a slant of sunlight in his foyer.

But my excitement was rising steadily. Noel, in his way, was as good-looking as Mick or Isaac. My eyes traveled along the firm line of him as he moved ahead of me down his hallway. I liked how his ass moved, how strong his shoulders appeared.

When we reached the bedroom, he turned to me with desire shining in his eyes. But I also sensed he wasn’t going to make the first move. I was in a supposedly exclusive relationship, not him. I was the cheater. I had the ultimate decision before me.

But I’d already made it. I stepped up to Noel and traced my fingers along his jaw — everything still moving like molasses — then I pulled his face toward mine.

As we kissed, time kicked back into its right speed. Suddenly, the urgency of the present seized me. Where my lips pressed Noel’s, electricity seemed to crackle, and pleasure swept through me in a hurry.

Noel had received his go-ahead signal. He kissed me back extravagantly. Our lips parted, and his tongue tangled with mine. His arms slipped around me and pulled me tight to his solid body. I liked the masculine play of his muscles. I was also pleased to feel the flagrant swelling at his crotch.

We clawed at each other’s clothes. I wanted to see him naked, and my own flesh felt far too hot in my garments. Items were flung away willy-nilly and landed haphazardly. I helped him off with his shirt, then caressed his chest. He snapped away my bra and groped my tits. My nipples were stiff, and I moaned happily when he tweaked them.

Soon he was shucking his briefs, and my panties were on the rug. We faced one another, and I felt his bare image searing into my mind, much like Isaac’s had. His cock stood out stiffly, and I found his length and girth impressive. My pussy was already slippery with readiness.

Hand in hand, we climbed onto the bed. I liked the unfamiliarity of the room. Noel’s natural masculine scent was subtle but different from Mick’s, and I liked that, too. There I was with another man, after many months of only screwing Mick.

We were in each other’s arms again, and this time, the feel of all his skin against mine was intoxicating. We rolled together on the bedding. Our lips met and mashed together. I reached around and squeezed a handful of his firm ass. He did the same to me, and I was aroused by the strength of his fingers sinking into my fleshy cheek.

I finally took hold of his cock. Maybe that was the true no-going-back moment. However, I didn’t feel a second of hesitation. Noel groaned as my fist wrapped around his rod. He was all velvet skin and sturdy steel beneath. I pumped my lover’s rigid shaft rhythmically.

Giving him pleasure gave me a sense of power. I wanted to feel more of that. I wanted to truly own the moment. Scooting down the bed, I jammed a shoulder against Noel’s thigh and moved his legs apart. I settled between them with his cock rearing up before my face.

When Noel saw what I was doing, he lay back and rested his knees against my sides, clutching me softly between his legs. I cupped his balls with one hand. His thick cockhead was purpled with desire, looking like a juicy plum.

I lapped at the underside of Noel’s crown, and he wriggled gratifyingly. I circled his knob with my tongue, enjoying the smooth texture of his flesh. I locked my lips around his dickhead and slid down his shaft. The novel taste of him thrilled me. His knees hugged me tighter, digging in against my ribs. Still, I felt such command, and it was again intoxicating. I fondled his balls and sucked him to the hilt. His cockhead seemed to throb in my throat in response to my actions.

Up and down I bobbed, my neck muscles knowing this oral exercise very well. I thought of how often I’d gone down on Mick, yet he’d still felt the need to fuck some other woman. Then my boyfriend left my thoughts entirely.

I worked Noel’s cock for several minutes, lost in my cocksucking rhythm. He was trembling. I was ready to take him over the edge, but in an act of admirable self-restraint, he reached down and gently eased my mouth off him.

With obvious longing in his voice, he said, “I don’t want this to end too fast.”

I sat up, wiping my lips with the back of my hand. Noel took my shoulders, lay me back and spread my legs. After he situated himself between my knees, he took the time to lick my inner thighs, which sent a lovely ticklish joy through me.

I practically vibrated with anticipation. His breath brushed my pussy lips just before I felt his tongue lap my groove from bottom to top. The pleasure was intense, making me shiver. He licked his way along my folds of flesh. He exhaled in excited huffs of breath, and a growl rumbled in his throat.

Rocking my hips, I pushed my crotch against his face. His tongue wriggled like an eel and targeted my pulsing clit. He went at it like a heat-seeking missile. His first touch ripped a cry from me. I thrashed about on the bed, humping him excitedly.

He was relentless, never breaking contact with me. He tongued my love-nub with dedication. He’d pulled my mouth off him before he could come, but I didn’t show similar restraint. As my climax shook me, he stayed latched onto my pussy while I spilled my copious juices. Light seemed to flood my being, and every bit of that brightness brought me even more pleasure.

When I sat up again, I was warm, flushed and happy. I brought my lips to his and tasted myself, while I let him sample the cock-flavor still lingering on my tongue. I loved that he grew visibly more excited as we frenched.

The moment of truth had finally arrived; I needed Noel’s cock inside me!

He was obviously feeling the same urgency. We silently and hastily negotiated our next arrangement. He lay again on his back, and I climbed onto him. I set his cockhead in place at my opening and lowered myself onto his spike, reveling in the timeless connection of cock to cunt.

As I bounced on his tumescence, my pussy clutched his erection. With every downstroke, his crown touched my core, and invisible sparks flew everywhere in that bedroom. How right this felt! How wonderful! While I was fully impaled on him, our blazing eyes met. I could tell he, too, felt the furious beauty of our union.

But I wasn’t there to simply gawk. I planted my feet on either side of him, so I was squatting atop his cock. I gripped my knees to steady myself and set off riding his rod.

Noel thrust up every time I slammed down. Our mutual rhythm was locked in.

I breathed in our combined scent, feeling untamed and feral. I bucked wildly on him, losing control — and not wanting that control anymore. A cry climbed my throat. I tried to wait to see if Noel would come with me, but pleasure overwhelmed me. My orgasm tore through me. I quaked and howled, and my overflowing juices must’ve drenched his balls.

When my great tremors had passed, Noel hooked an arm around my waist, sat up and flipped me over onto my back. Now, he was on top. The muscled weight of him pressing me to the mattress was equal parts comforting and arousing.

I dug my fingers into his broad shoulders as he started stroking into me. He plowed me deep, and my excitement skyrocketed. My skin was slick with sweat, and heat burned within me. I was with a man I barely knew, and our connection felt right.

A wave of gratitude for Noel hit me. He was what I needed. At that moment, I wasn’t thinking about my quest to balance the scales. Our fuck was beautiful in and of itself — a moment of pure sexual connectivity.

Noel was seriously slamming me by that point. But suddenly, he pulled out. With his face flushed, Noel moved me onto my hands and knees. I braced myself and thrust my ass back toward him. I was swamped with pleasure as his cock slotted back into me. The new angle and his deep thrusting conspired to send me over the top once again.

I was an orgasm glutton — perpetually hungry for more.

I could tell Noel was also rapidly approaching his final crisis. I wanted our lay to be memorable for him. I wanted our time to burn itself into his thoughts just as it was seared into mine.

Our bodies smacked together loudly, his balls slapping my slit. With hair sweat-plastered to my forehead, I cranked my head around and looked at him over my shoulder.

“Spray your come all over my ass!” I demanded.

The puzzled look that flashed momentarily across his face was almost comical. But he thrust into me three more times, then with a howl, he dutifully yanked his cock free. His jizz came gushing out, and thick spurts of hot spunk rained over my backside. It was a delicious sensation. He shot his load across my ass cheeks and up my back, coating me with his joy.

Later on, I did tell Mick what had happened — right after telling him I knew about his own fling. Initially, he seemed nervous, but he soon became calm and rational.

He gently added, “Then this kind of thing — it’s OK with you?”

“Being nonmonogamous? It’s more than OK, Mick. It’s how things should have always been between us.”

He agreed, and we now step out with new partners whenever the mood strikes. Our arrangement may not be for everyone, but it works for us.