Full Truth

"I need to discuss something with you but I need you to bare with me, because it's kinda serious."

You wife stops rubbing the lotion into her bare legs and looks up at you, her face fallen and her eyes already turning sad. You're terrified, but **** yourself to continue.

"I want to know if you've ever thought about other guys."

"What are you asking me?" she shakes her head as her eyes well up even more. "Of course, I'd never cheat on you. I love you."

"No, not cheating, I mean, if I knew about it. What if I let you have sex with another man?"

You're sure she can hear the nervousness in your voice, but you try to remain calm, if only because you hope that it will keep her placated at the same time.

"Let me?" She screws up her cute face. "Why would you let me have sex with another man? Are you saying you want me to sleep around? You want whore me out? And does it even matter what I want? If I don't another man besides you?"

"Of course it does, honey, I just thought it would be exciting. Something new after all this time, just the two of us. And it wouldn't be just anyone. I was talking to Matt and..."

"Matt!" she stand up and turns away from you, then quickly back, as if she literally isn't sure where to turn. "You want me to fuck your best friend."

"No! It's not like that. You don't have to do anything you don't want to. Just let him take you out on Friday. That's all it is, is a date. No sex, just...just go on a date with him and be honest about how it makes you feel."

"I don't understand. If I don't think about other men, why do I need to do this?"

"Look, Matt and I were just talking. He's thinking about his future, about getting married, and I told him about us. About the natural desires everyone has of feeling attracted to someone other than your partner, and he said in his relationships that usually ended with him cheating. I was uncomfortable with the idea of being with someone else, or knowing that you were sleeping with someone else too, so Matt suggested we ease into it."

Your wife eyes you cautiously. You can see her distraught face start to twist, as her brown eyes shimmer curiously. She's no longer crying, but you have to be very careful about what you say next.

"Wait, why are you saying 'we'? Who are you going on a date with?"

"It would be unreasonable for you to be the only one doing this. So, yes, Matt suggested I go on a date with Kali. But nothing is supposed to happen. We just both go on our dates, then we come back and talk about how we feel."

"I...I guess that sounds fair. Do...do you really think about other women that much that you think our relationship is in danger?"

"No, honey." You kneel beside her and take her hands in yours. "I admit my eyes sometimes wander, but it's no different that when you see a hunky guy on television. I just think it's important for us to know whether those wandering thoughts are just natural fleeting attraction, or the symptoms of deeper dissatisfaction.

Her face flickers between anger and confusion. You can see that she wants to be upset but she too wants to know if there is a bigger problem in your relationship. But actually agreeing is a huge step for her, and you aren't surprised that she isn't ready to acquiesce just yet.

"Can...can I sleep on it?"

"Of course. And whatever you decide, that's what we'll do. No argument.

You begin getting ready for bed in silence while she finishes moisturizing. When you're finished, you slide into bed beside her. Her back is turned you, and she doesn't even say goodnight, but she isn't kicking you out of bed, so you chalk this one up as a win and fall asleep.