Crushed (3 page)

The universe operates with a patent hatred for vacuums. Voids have to be filled. Any time a man comes across a woman whose sexual needs aren't being met, regardless of how he feels about her, he
will
be compelled to equalize that deficiency. Men smell sexual hunger on women like hound dogs smell blood. Ashley’s unsatisfied need to be loved, caressed, kissed and taken in every possible way was burning electricity through the air, even before we stepped in the room.

I say these things not to brag about how my one-night tryst with Ashley could very well be the zenith of her needs, the gold standard upon which she will forever hold her husband to—or whichever man she ends up leaving him for. For three hours we rocked the universe. Every possible position, and with the stamina and erotica madness of two much younger kids. I harp about it because I want you to know when I stripped naked and screwed the breath out of this women, I had no intention of hurting her, or anyone else. I was simply following her cues and doing what nature was requiring of me, to fill her void.

The fact I did end up hurting Ashley had nothing to do with me, and everything to do with the sort of person she really was. The real Ashley, not the character she was playing to ensnare me.

We lay on our backs floating in the afterglow of magnificent sex.

“You…” she whispered, snuggling her face in mine and twiddling my nipples with her fingers in a manner that was arousing me again.

I giggled, eyes still closed.

“You’re incredible…”

“Nah, I’m nothing special. The only thing going for me is my great taste in women, even back when I was seventeen.”

“You’re sweet to say that, you know."

"It's the truth. You're amazing, Ashley. Everything I dreamed you would be. I am glad I listened to you."

She turned around and got on top of me, her thighs straddling my body as she dipped her face to kiss me.

"How about we do this every day of our lives, mister?”

My heart spiked, my chest heaved louder, but other than that, not a peep. Not a single word from my lips.

“Right? Wouldn't life be special if this is how sex was done every day?”

I turned my head away, then turned her around so we were again lying side by side

“Of course.”

“Be mine. All I want is nights like this every now and then. You can keep your life, and I keep mine.”

“Jake doesn’t’ know how to satisfy you?”

I could see blood coloring her complexion.

“Why ruin this perfect mood?”

“Am I?"

"Jake is the last person I want to think or talk about it tonight." Her hand reached out to hold me down there. She kissed me slowly, the sound and taste of her lips filling me up again. I resisted, and moved my face away.

"Ashley, we need to talk."

"About what?" she whispered.

"This was an amazing night.”

"I don’t think I have ever screamed this loud…"

“Yes, this
is
how sex should be experienced—but with the people you love.”

“You hated sleeping with me, didn't you?”

“I’m not saying that all. I loved every bit of it, and it was extra special because it was you. The part of me that once loved you will keep thanking me forever.”

“I thought the deal was if you enjoyed it you would consider being with me? No one has to know. Our secret.”

“A deal is something agreed upon by all parties? This was your proposition, and I tried to talk you out of it, even though I now don’t regret it. We're both adults here. This was amazing, but it ends tonight. There will be no ‘us.’”

“Yeah right,” she said as she sat up in bed and moved away from me.

“You’re sexy, you’re sensual, and you can get any man you want. We both know it.”

“Bullshit. I was just an easy lay. Either that or you're still bitter about what I did to you.”

“You can believe what you want, but it’s not true.”

“You’re like any other scumbag. A cheater and a liar thinking only of where to stick your dick in next. I don’t believe any of your stupid lies about your perfect marriage to that idiot, either.”

The show was quickly coming to an end. I got out of bed and started getting dressed.

“Let’s keep this civil, Ashley. This was always about you and me. No need to say nasty things about other people.”

“Go to hell. We are cheating on our fucking spouses! How’s that supposed to be civil?"

"Cheating? That's a bit melodramatic."

"You want to know why I really slept with you, Larry?”

I nodded.

“Pity. I don’t care how you look now, in my mind you will forever be that loser who slaved to do my assignments and didn’t even get a pat on the back.”

“You enjoyed sleeping sex with me, you just said so yourself.”

I stared at her, eyes widening, unable to believe how low intent she was to sink even lower.

“You’re not getting off that easily. I’m telling your wife everything.”

“You wouldn't.”

“I would. I can and I will. Unless—”

“What?”

“You think of a suitable compensation to keep me quiet.”

“You’re blackmailing me?” An involuntary laugh came out of me.

“Call it whatever you want, but you’re not sleeping with me and walking away without paying for it.”

“I’ll play along. Let’s say I do pay to shut you up but you still go ahead and out me?”

“We’ll do it like they all do in this town and draw up a non-disclosure agreement. I know lawyers who specialize in sexual favors.”

“There is such a discipline?”

She ignored me.

“What if I say I don’t think you could sink that low? What if I tell you Melinda will never believe you?”

“Listen, jerk—"

"Ouch."

"You've got until Friday to come up with a proposal. Five figures at the very least. And just so you know. I’ve got photos of every time we met, including us walking up to this very hotel room."

"You hired a photographer to trail us?"

"Even without photos, Melinda
will
believe me. We're both women. I’ll say exactly what I need to say to rip her heart out.”

I placed my hands on my head and turned to gawk at the ceiling.

“Ashley, Ashley, Ashley… You never cease to amaze me. I have to say, I didn't see this one coming.”

She had crawled out of bed and was picking up her clothes from the floor.

“You think because you’ve moved up in life and learned a few tricks, you are any different? Once a loser, always a loser. I wanted to give you an opportunity to be with someone in a league way higher than yours, but you're just too stupid to see what you're missing. A cash payment works out just as good. It means I never have to sleep with you again.”

“Now that’s hurtful.”

“That’s called a bitter lesson in life.”

“Somehow, I only ever get those on your hands.”

“Whatever.”

I pulled out my phone and handed it to her.

“What are you doing?” she said.

“I’ve made up my mind. Ain’t payin’. Do whatever you want. I don't care.”

“You'll regret this. It’s not just your wife who'll find out you are a cheating bastard, but the whole world.”

“You’ll get burned just as bad.”

“I work in television. I’ll ruin your name with hearsay.”

I sighed and bit my lips.

“You have everything to lose. I swear to God I will unleash a shit storm on you, Larry.”

 “Nah. In fact, why not call Melinda and tell her right now and get it out of the way?”

“You're bluffing."

"Try me."

"I'll do it."

"That's what I want you to do."

"There’s no turning back.”

“You keep saying that.”

“You still have a chance to get out squeaky clean.”

“I’m good thanks. Go ahead and call her. I have the number pulled up. Just press on the call button.”

“You’re lying. This is somebody else’s number. Very clever.” Her voice started to quiver.

“Put her on speaker phone, and let’s have that conversation all three of us like grownups.”

Ashley’s face lost any hint of color as she held my phone in her hand. Either she thought I was absolutely bonkers, or was in possession of the biggest balls known to man.

I had her cornered.

I could hear her breathing louder, and for a split second I really thought she would back down.

Then the rage or arrogance flashed in her eyes and she pressed the dial button, declaring all out war. She just couldn’t resist.

“Hey baby. How was dinner?” Melinda answered her voice bright and perky on the speaker phone.

“Dinner was great," I said. "Then I met Ashley Sakowski. Remember her from our class reunion?”

“Of course.”

“We’re in a room at the Palace Hotel and she asked to talk to you. You’re on speaker phone, by the way.”

“Hey Ashley,” Melinda said casually.

“Go ahead, Ashley, speak. I believe you had something you wanted to share with Melinda?”

Ashley had turned into a wax statue, and those don’t usually tend to say much.

“Seems Ashley is a bit lost for words, baby.”

“Of course she is. My hubby's a stud. You must have overwhelmed her.”

“Yes. She and I just had earth-shattering sex. That’s what she wanted to tell you.”

“Okay, great. Do you know what time you’ll be back, the babysitter needs to know? No rush though, take your time.”

“I’m on my way home now.”

“Righto.”

“And you?”

“I need to pass by the lab for a few hours. Can you pick up some yogurt and eggs? I think we're out.”

“Will do. Before you hang up, how was your evening?”

“Meh. Huge disappointment. I think I got the short end of the stick, literally and figuratively.”

“Sounds like it from what Ashley has been telling me. Tiny down there?”

“Yeah, but that wasn't even the problem. Serious performance issues. Couldn’t get it up most of the time. We cuddled, he cried a little, we cuddled again, he cried some more, then he left. Sweet guy though. Much more mellow than when I first met him. How was Ashley?”

“What are you both talking about?” Ashley finally said.

I shrugged. “Isn't it obvious?”

She cupped her mouth.

“Jake,” Melinda volunteered.

“What about him?”

“Melinda was in room at the Ritz Carlton with him. They were planning to fuck, Ashley. Sounds like they didn’t get up to much.”

Ashley morphed into every color I knew.

Sometimes despite every effort you exert to avoid hurting people, they just goad you into doing it. Sometimes when you try to be the better man, you have no option but to be the rascal.

After all was said and done, the underdogs got the final laugh. Melinda and I never set out to vanquish Ashley and Jake. It all started out as an experiment.

Jake will probably be fine if he remains ignorant of the larger truths. His mediocre life will chug along at its mediocre pace until he and Ashley walk away from the marriage, if they don’t kill each other first.

Ashley however may never recover from this.

Let me tell you what really happened, because unlike Ashley, you deserve to know.

Driving back home from the class reunion, I was quiet and contemplative.

“Are you okay?” Melinda asked, rubbing my arm.

“There’s something I need to tell you about Ashley, the woman we just met.”

“I'm listening.”

“She broke my heart.”

There was a long silence.

“I knew it.”

“She used me to help her out with her computer science assignments then chucked me in the trash.”

“Go on.”

“There’s something else you need to know. Something happened tonight,” I said.

“Wait, I have to tell you something as well.”

“What?”

“You're not the only one who was used and abused in high school.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Jake did exactly the same thing to me. He was failing chemistry and I tutored him for four weeks. Got him up from a D average to B.”

"They had a pact!” I screeched.

“Maybe. Trading the promise of sex for other life-critical advantages is part of our survival manual. We’re wired for it.”

“She slipped me a note with her number when she was hugging me, Melinda. She wants to meet me privately.”

“Jake didn’t have a pen, so he made me memorize his email address. We’re in the same boat”

“When exactly were you planning on telling me this?”

A flood of emotions rushed through my brain, jealousy not being one of them. Ashley and Jake had scammed us once as a pair, and were now trying it again as free agents, both potentially willing to cheat on each other. They wanted to use us to spice up their lives. Relive their past glory.

I exited the highway and drove to the closest coffee shop.

“I have the craziest idea,” I told Melinda.

Over two steaming coffees, Melinda and I began to scheme.

“Sex and sexual attraction are the hardest aspects of human intelligence to replicate. The wires and the impulses required to get us buzzing are complex beyond comprehension. We’re working on the infidelity module at work, but the machines are just not grasping it.”

“What do you mean?”

“People cheat for a variety of reasons, none of which is quantifiable or easily to replicate.”

“Go on.”

“If you're married and getting plenty of sex at home, why would you cheat?”

“The thrill?”

“Try getting a computer to distinguish between the thrill of having sex with your spouse, and that of cheating on them with someone else. For the last two years, we’ve only ever gotten an artificial brain to cheat once, and I think it was a fluke.”

“That’s just great. You’re trying to get artificial intelligence to inherit cheating!”

“We’re not building angels. We need to emulate the entire gamut of the human condition. If I can’t get my computer to cheat, then I won’t be able to make it strive to be loyal.”

“What do you want?”

“We have two willing guinea pigs, male and female, begging to be experimented on.”

“Who?”

“Jake and Ashley of course, who else?”

Melinda broke out in laughter and in the process splashed my face with soy latte.