All Comments on 'Holding Out For a Hall Pass'

Takes you to the brink, and then just clears the fence... home run.

Someone took a common premise, and made it his own. Damn.

...or did you think people would miss the DTI reference? Still, not a bad showing, and quite 'quirky' to boot. Nice job!

Another very good effort. Your sense of humor makes your stories a treat. A little point of light in an increasingly dark LW category. Write more, often.

Bait and switch? Switch and bait? Just keep doing it.

Loved reading your story. Gave it 4 stars; not quity a total story for me.

Thanks for sharing your efforts with me.

That was a really good story. I was expecting something else that I wouldnt have liked. Thanks for keeping yourself a self respecting man.

I enjoyed this. Well constructed and intelligent. Thanks *****

Unusual. But definitely good.

I was bracing myself for the story to turn into the typical cheating wife fare, but the way it all turned out was great!

I really liked the clever idea of the concerned husband getting very friendly with the predator's wife. It was like holding an axe over Rick's head and he reacted with predictable jealousy. The co-workers thinking that Rick was a cuck with a cock cage was hilarious!

Easy 5*

Well written, liked the conclusion. Not a fan of the husband holding the bag,

unless it is folowed by some sort of payback.

One element that could have been included ' she was cheating with Rick, not in

the physical sense, but to get to a point to want sex, they would have been some

intimacy prior the hall pass. This could have been addressed as they were

talking about the chemistry between him and Tamarra'

Again, good read.

Mark

It left me feeling a bit uneasy, which is a good thing. It took a minute to realize what made me uneasy. They still have the hall pass and I don't see how he would feel any better about his wife with a different man. He already indicated he doesn't like the thought of her sleeping with Rick, so why would it be any better with someone else? The hall pass is a dangerous idea, especially if you wind up writing 30 chapters about it! (That would be painful.) Well written and quite interesting, and just a tad disconcerting, which is all good.

One slight problem: in the conversation about Rick being a cuck, you needed to specify who was saying what, or, more specifically, was Greg saying anything or just listening in? That part could be taken either way, and I thought it was important.

is that it requires a game.

The problem with game playing is that it requires a winner and a loser.

The problem with game playing within a marriage is that it is anathema to BOTH partners winning.

This story tries to create that most unlikely case. These games are dangerous, yet ultimately remain harmless. This is the core suspension of disbelief required to enjoy this story. I actually feel like you achieved your goal rather well (why not? 5 stars good), but it seems prudent to include and may be even insist more CLEARLY rather that CLEVERLY, that this wouldn't be possible WITHOUT perfect communication.

And yet still, for me their communication seemed less than "perfect". Good enough for hubby to remain confident, but incomplete enough for the reader to retain some doubts.

Also, perhaps I missed it, but who was Brad? That scene and set-up would have perhaps been funnier with a touch more background or perspective.

All in all, great job, and thanks for a return to more a "thinking man's" voice for your narrator. I enjoyed it!

As if 1000 chapters of Lewd Luke's "hall passes" were not enough. This has been done to death, and it was never very good. It's Bonnie Taylor, and you should fire your editor, too.

Thanks for a different take on a theme we have seen before.

Very original and well written. I’ve read your other posted stories and they’ve earned 5’s as well. I’ve never had an author average a “5” before! Please, keep on writing.

I am lucky enough to have in-flight WiFi, so got to read this diverting story. This hearkens back to the early days of LW, back to when the category description was, "Tales of adventurous married women & their mates." That was the description until around 2012, when it was changed to what is is now. I enjoyed the story for a couple of reasons.

The couple had mutually agreed upon circumstances and it was open to both. Yes, the whole concept is problematic, but they seemed to handle it rationally and with humor. Much better than the standard fare of cheating or cuckolding. It's just a couple having fun. I would like to see more of the throwback stories that don't involve sneaking around and cheating or humiliation. There is a project underway to write the throwback stories in some quantity.

The author also seems to be one of the good guys. That is refreshing, as well. No hidden agendas, no vendettas, and I like that. Just entertainment, which is what this is supposed to be about. Thank you, sir. Randi.

Why do I get the feeling that he is less enthused about keeping the hall pass deep deep down inside him than she is?

Good writing. I didn't care for Kayla as much because she wasn't fully honest with her husband throughout the story, however, he seems to be her imperfect match so to speak.

Nice work.

“My wife wants a hall pass to fuck another guy.”

“What did you tell her?”

“I said yes, of course!”

“Why?”

“Because I get a hall pass too, and I have my eye on a really cute guy at work!”

And why is he fucking Rick’s wife? Throwing that into the story with no explanation was weird.

Having the husband character quickly accept the hall pass idea was also weird, but I understand that authors often twist their characters into doing all kinds of unnatural things to make a plot work.

Great first line and then nothing but mush after.

Out of a possible five peckers this story is a one.

That part could have used a little illumination I suppose. The story was focused on the main couple's dynamics and left Rick and Tamara as something of an enigma.

I have now been to Cambodia, just miss by a Martian Slut Ray and survive a Hall Pass. And to think it was all written by a writer who is ' Also, I'm black from the waist down.'

Keep them coming Piper.

I don't think there was a "Brad". The narrator was apparently called Gabe, but it's only mentioned once on the first page, so I suspect PiperHamlin just got the names mixed up.

I could be wrong, but after all the time Gabe spent publicly enjoying Tamara's company, everyone was under the impression that Rick was openly being cuckolded. Tamara was having lunch with Gabe twice a week, there were the poetry slams in the evening, and they were posting a lot on Facebook as a "couple", even if it was innocent.

Kayla warned her husband in the previous scene that: "People are starting to talk." (about all the lunch dates).

of "perq", short for perquisite. I had to look it up for fear I was using perk incorrectly all of these years. It turns out that I was, sort of, in a way. Perk is the accepted abbreviation for the word, but perq does make more sense. It's nice to learn something while reading on a porn site. Now, if I can just figure out where and what a clit is, I'll be all set!

"Perq is an abbreviation of perquisite, which means a benefit, tip or bonus of employment. Though occasionally found in print and in newspaper stories, perq is not found in most dictionaries. The accepted spelling for the abbreviation of perquisite is perk, usually rendered as the plural, perks"

"The night that led us down a slippery slope, she picked the movie." At this point the wife has already decided she wants to fuck Rick, and now she's just trying to figure out how to maneuver her husband into allowing her. So she has been developing lust and interest in Rick all this time, and the only clue the husband has is her wearing a bathing suit where she normally would not. Which means by this point she has been inviting Rick's seduction, if she is not actively seducing Rick. So in her mind she is already fucking Rick, she just needs to get that adultery and loyalty detail ironed out with the husband she has been up till now trying to keep in the dark. She is not an honest woman, and they do not have an honest open relationship, despite the author's best efforts to portray otherwise.

An honest woman would have simply admitted that she had developed a lust for Rick, and what did her husband think about allowing her a Hall Pass. Why would she be so circuitous and secretive about her proposal unless she already has an instinct that her husband is not keen on the idea? Then there's the whole aspect of not shitting where you eat. And of all the men she might be attracted to, why is she falling for an obnoxious arrogant asshole?

It appears Kayla is not only stupid, but a bit of a sociopath. She has no concern for morals, or ethics, or respecting her husband and her marriage. But she is adamant about rules? I've always thought it was curious, and telling, that before the Nazis imposed some persecution on the Jews, they first passed a law making it "legal." True. It appears Kayla is not concerned what she does outside her marriage, only that she follow the rules. The husband frustrates her desire to fuck Rick not by being honest and open about his feelings, but by playing her and Rick, using Rick's wife as his co-conspirator. And this story is supposed to be about a couple that is open, honest, and trusting?

This couple is acting like they are teenagers, and they are playing with fire. Gabe really thinks Rick Combs is a threat to his marriage? Before Kayla decided she wanted to fuck Rick, she first had to decide that she wanted to fuck someone other than her husband. Rick was simply her first choice. What makes her husband think there won't be others? Based on what he now knows of his wife, she will most definitely fuck whoever and whenever she wants, within the rules, of course. And he won't know unless he asks, or some acquaintance tells him of catching his wife, or he again overhears Kayla's coworkers, one of whom is bragging about fucking Kayla for a weekend on their last business trip, or until he gets his first bout of venereal disease.

This story is very well crafted and written, and very intriguing. But there is nothing cute or endearing about a couple slowing corroding their marriage bonds, using the lust of fucking other people as the basis of their sexual energy and enthusiasm. They are finding their greatest sexual thrill by turning their minds toward other lovers. I wonder if the author has the wit and energy to tell us how that works out for them.

Thanks for the wit and energy to show us this much, that that is not the light at the end of the tunnel that they see in their future.

I enjoyed his thought process and what he put into action. The husband was worried. But being manipulated and worked by your wife and the other guy so they can fuck? Very forgiving. I would at least have a new rule.

You try to manipulate me again and all the rules are off for me.

I wonder if they saw their marriage as a "game" with rules? I also had to wonder about their cavalier attitude of changing the rule of fidelity in their marriage to one of "let's fuck anyone" not on the veto list. It made them seem less like human beings and more like cyborgs. As such, they were fairly emotionless. And capable of changing any rule at any time. Which made the rules superfluous. Which, in turn, made the story nonsensical. Their marriage vows are just some meaningless rules that can be changed at any time and they've agreed either can cheat and there will be no consequences. Which is a rather incoherent view of the way things actually work. Not good. Not good at all.

5* from me.

In the order posted.

"Takes you to the brink, and then just clears the fence... home run."

Thanks for commenting and glad you enjoyed it. An inside-the-park home run is still a home run, but I must admit it's more satisfying when it does clear the fence.

"Someone took a common premise, and made it his own. Damn."

My version on a trope is always likely to be ... well, something like this story.

"Interesting shot at an LW author...

...or did you think people would miss the DTI reference?"

You say "shot," I say "homage." I suspect DTI will see it in the same light. If not, I wouldn't have included it. As far as missing it goes, I'm hoping people who spend read a lot of stories here catch the Easter egg and enjoy it.

"A little point of light in an increasingly dark LW category"

I'm not sure I could write a dark story even if I wanted to.

"Bait and switch? Switch and bait? Just keep doing it."

A snappy response that involved a play on the words "switch" and "bait" came to mind immediately, but that seemed like a cheap laugh. I know, I know. Why should I adopt standards now?

"Thanks for sharing your efforts with me."

Thanks for sharing your comment. It's the fuel that drives us to continue.

"I was expecting something else that I wouldnt have liked"

Glad you stuck it out to the end. I'm even gladder you were rewarded for doing so.

"My ex didn't give a solitary fuck about rules.....or loyalty.....or me.....or our kid......or her own future....or anything else other than instant gratification."

We all have horror stories about an ex, sorry you had yours. Hopefully this provided a pleasant break from what can be an unpleasant reality at times.

"Well constructed and intelligent."

Intelligent isn't a word I'm used to having used in the same sentence with what I write, but I'll take it!

"I am looking for a mature man! I have a profile on another site - http://bit.ly/2mIQmnf - I am a very cheerful person. If you like me, I will enchant you and more than once!:)"

I appreciate the fact you comment on all my stories. However, I've noticed you also do that on many others as well. Really starting to feel I may not be that special.

"Unusual. But definitely good."

Happy it worked for you. I never have an inkling as to how a story is going to be received until it's published. Thanks for taking the time to comment.

"The co-workers thinking that Rick was a cuck with a cock cage was hilarious!"

That part gave me pleasure just typing it.

"Not a fan of the husband holding the bag ..."

"One element that could have been included ' she was cheating with Rick, not in

the physical sense, but to get to a point to want sex, they would have been some

intimacy prior the hall pass."

In my mind, it never progressed past flirting. There was no physical intimacy that crossed a line. The possible future progression was enough to raise a red flag to the spouse, but Kayla followed the rules of acceptable behavior. Implausible? Perhaps. But that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I'll address the next set of comments after I take a break. I'd hate for any post of mine to be longer than the actual story.

Clever and subtle. I liked it! Reminds me of many of HDK's stories and that's a high complement. Five easy stars.

@Harddaysknight - I think the difference between Rick and some random guy is just that - some RANDOM guy. Rick was obviously someone wanting to get one over on Gabe, maybe even have an affair with Kayla. That's what made it different with Rick.

@ReedRichards - I thought it was pretty obvious that Gabe was only listening in.

@Anonymous Re: "Brad" - Yes, I was wondering the same thing! At first I thought that it was a typo, that they were referring to Gabe, because of his "dates" with Tamara.

I found it interesting that Tamara was clueless about her supposed "open marriage," and Kayla thought that Brad and Tamara also had "hall passes," which was pretty obviously bullshit!

@Anonymous Re: "Probably a failed marriage" - The bathing suit wasn't the ONLY clue. Brad's "look" and Kayla's defense of him were red flags.

What was with Rick asking Kayla's help to find the bathroom in his own house? Didn't Gabe and/or Tamara find that odd and/or suspicious?

@Redo1984 - Yes, he should probably confront her about how he knows she was trying to manipulate him so that she could fuck Rick. MAYBE even admit to his own manipulations!

I'm a little confused with the two lists. If the first list is people that they CAN fuck, doesn't that make everyone else a "veto" by default? If A, B and C are on the Hall Pass list, and X, Y and Z are on the Veto list, where does that leave D through V?

Best tale spun here in LW land this week.

Lol just playing this was a fantastic story!

It's a bad idea to allow any hint of ok'ing infidelity in a relationship. Once that door is opened it can never truly be closed. It's like shutting a door only the knob doesn't latch. It is closed, but can easily swing open at any time. I have seen it too many times before with friends and clients I did work for.

If you truly love your spouse and they love you, there is no reason to ever bring infidelity into the discussion. It's something that should always be off the table.

Granted, some women who want that sort of thing don't want to see or think their husband can do the same thing. Others want it so bad either as a thing or with a specific person, they can feel safe and legit if their spouse can do it as well.

I would say this marriage will never hit the 20-year mark. It will crash and burn before that. Oh, she will follow the rules, up until the point she finds a "Loophole" in them. Unless she actually does take advantage of the Hall Pass. At which point, I would look up her "Nemesis" and do her with pics and video to share with the wife lol.

Let her know the cost of what she did.

Picking up from where I left off, once again in the order posted.

"He already indicated he doesn't like the thought of her sleeping with Rick, so why would it be any better with someone else?"

In this case it is because Rick is a sleaze and the existence of someone like that alone is an affront. On another note, I enjoy the Hell out of your stories. Thanks for taking the time to comment on one of mine.

"One slight problem: in the conversation about Rick being a cuck, you needed to specify who was saying what, or, more specifically, was Greg saying anything or just listening in?"

Greg was just listening in.

"Also, perhaps I missed it, but who was Brad? "

Brad was poor editing on my part. It was supposed to be "Greg." I don't know how I managed a cock-up of that magnitude. It's the kind of error that makes me want to pull the story, but I'll leave this here as a cautionary tale for future writers.

"It's Bonnie Taylor, and you should fire your editor, too."

You sir, are wrong on both counts.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonnie_Tyler

I'm more worried about my editor firing me. I make typos in my comments, imagine the Hell I put her through reworking an actual story.

"Thanks for a different take on a theme we have seen before."

And thank you for taking the time to comment.

"I’ve read your other posted stories and they’ve earned 5’s as well. I’ve never had an author average a “5” before"

I really should quit now while I'm ahead. Thanks for reading then all.

"The author also seems to be one of the good guys. That is refreshing, as well. No hidden agendas, no vendettas, and I like that. Just entertainment, which is what this is supposed to be about. Thank you, sir. "

And my thanks to you. Right now, I like writing stories that are fun to write and hopefully entertaining to readers. I'm glad I succeeded in your eyes. You are also another author I've enjoyed reading. Two in one day, this has been a good morning for making my inner fan girl giddy.

"Why do I get the feeling that he is less enthused about keeping the hall pass deep deep down inside him than she is?

The way I see it, it started out that way, but by the end they were on the same page. Neither had any enthusiasm for actually using it when this story concluded, but the spark it had provided was something they were eager to continue. Where their thoughts might be a few years down the road, I leave that to the imagination of each individual reader.

"I didn't care for Kayla as much because she wasn't fully honest with her husband throughout the story, however, he seems to be her imperfect match so to speak."

I consider both of them imperfect, but perfect for each other.

"“Because I get a hall pass too, and I have my eye on a really cute guy at work!”

What led you to believe Greg was bisexual. Clearly there's some subtext in my work I hadn't intended.

"Who is Brad?

I know, I know! See, Greg's middle name is Bradley and .... I smacked my head my head against my desk the first time I saw a comment on this. The fact that your identity is MajorRewrite, is so perfect addressing Greg suddenly becoming Brad.

"Out of a possible five peckers this story is a one."

I'll take it.

"The story was focused on the main couple's dynamics and left Rick and Tamara as something of an enigma."

I agree.

"I have now been to Cambodia, just miss by a Martian Slut Ray and survive a Hall Pass. And to think it was all written by a writer who is ' Also, I'm black from the waist down.'

LOL. Thanks for being a fan of my comments as well as my stories.

"I don't think there was a "Brad". The narrator was apparently called Gabe, but it's only mentioned once on the first page, so I suspect PiperHamlin just got the names mixed up."

Your entire assessment in that comment is accurate in all respects.

"Another thing I enjoyed was the use of 'perq', short for perquisite."

Hopefully that makes up somewhat for my not being able to keep the name of my protagonist straight.

"Probably a failed marriage, in the long run."

I see their future as ending happily ever after. Thank you for taking the time to make such a lengthy post giving your thoughts. It is interesting how others interpret characters so differently than I do. I'll have to agree to disagree about their motivations and future together. Since I didn't communicate that well in your case, I'll chalk it up to failure in writing on my part. Thanks for reading.

"I am looking for a mature man! I have a profile on another site - http://bit.ly/2L5zTs3 - I am a very cheerful person. If you like me, I will enchant you and more than once!:)"

So glad you liked the story!

That's it for Round 2. I will get to the rest of the comments later, but right now I'm hungry.

This feels like about as close as you can get to a cuckold story without actually cuckoldry.

Which is to say: While cuckoldry can be about hardcore femdom, it can also be an expression of something more in the realm of a gambling addiction. One of the underlying reasons why some cuckolds claim they get off on the experience is the danger. They *know* they could lose their wife to another guy; they *know* they could fuck up their entire marriage, and the rush of playing Russian roulette with their relationship and risking everything excites them.

This felt like the same dynamic here. The husband had an obvious point where he *could* have derailed the entire thing. After the wife shared how she would feel if he fucked Tiffany, he could have asked her how she would feel if she found out he went to an event and dressed sexy just for Tiffany and conspired with Tiffany as to how he could legally have an affair with her, and then tell Kayla that that's how he feels about her thing with Rick.

... But he didn't. He enjoyed the game, and seems to enjoy the thrill of playing the game more than he actually enjoys his marriage.

I guess it would be one thing if he truly liked the idea of an open marriage, but there was never any indication that *he* wanted a hall pass, and if he's *not* really getting off on just the possibility that his wife might fuck another guy, what's he getting out of this?

I mean, sure, he headed off *this* Rick, but he seems awfully sure that Rick is the only asshole out there which strikes me as... more than a little misguided. He's essentially set up a scenario where he removed all the default protections that rely on his wife shutting things down early, and where he now needs to personally be there to defend her against *every* Rick, which seems unlikely.

... and, if he *is* actually okay with the idea of her fucking some other "Rick", then it seems bizarre that he spent so much time and energy defending against this one.

Is it just that they work together? Seems like a really obvious rule would have been "No flings with anyone you work with; that's too dangerous", if he *had* wanted to derail things instead of just playing the game. Does he honestly think that there's never going to be another "Rick" in the company that he might never meet until it's too late?

And, of course, giving her a hall pass for a fling kind of inherently gives her a pass to have as many emotional affairs as she'd like, as long as she doesn't go so far as she has to use her one pass, and he'll just have to keep his eyes constantly open and always be prepared to be there to head off each one. ... which, I guess, he's getting off on, that he's "winning" the game as he beats each new challenger?

At some point, it feels like life is inevitably going to happen, he'll get caught up in other things, and not see a new threat until it's too late. Feels like the obvious unstated epilogue of the story is Kayla coming back from a business trip, Gabe feeling pretty sure that she used her hall pass there (completely by the rules), but too scared to ask and not sure how he honestly feels about what he allowed.

This whole marriage kind of falls into the "Well, if that dynamic works for you guys, have fun with it" (while secretly thinking that it's just a matter of time until everything crashes and burns) category for me. Let's not forget, they have literally only been married for three fucking years. If this is what they need to spice up their sex life after three years of marriage, I have to think they're either going to be divorced or need to be full-blown swingers (with all the pitfalls that entails) to make it to ten.

Also, did Gabe become Brad at some point, or is there some other 'Brad' in the story that's potentially fucking Rick's wife as well?

Entertaining tale, enjoyed it.

I loved your treatment of Rick at the end and as far as the name mixup it really didn't matter if it was Greg or some other guy named Brad - Rick got the point!

Keeping the Hall Pass Game open might enhance their love making but, it is a dangerous game to play with two people moving in the fast lane. Thanks for the story.

You might want to try to get editors who are all there, because that would greatly improve the humanity of your characters. When it's obvious that the characters are just plot puppets who are there to be twisted into bizarre shapes, without regard to their exposed personalities or normal human emotions or logic, your writing is not progressing in the direction you'd want it to.

play with fire there's a good chance you get burned.

the one you are supposed to utilize, TK U MLJ LV NV

Interesting and ironically....it will be the wife who not only strays but attempts to hide it!

It's Just A Matter of Time!

Will they stick together....sure, he is emotionally and emphatically in love with her BUT - the bond & trust is broken so......???

Good story and I like how he dealt with Rick!

To groom Rick in order to portrait him as someone other than a prick and thereby

increasing her chances for a lay is a manipulation I could not get pass. To conspire with someone you know your husband hates is well the ultimate betrayal. To even ponder the idea that someone I despise would ever enter my wife would destroy every chance of any reconciliation. What happen to loyal in public, outspoken in private. Appears to be an untruth. This would not lead to hot sex for me. Too many better women in the world to waste time on your once thought of perfect match. As for his deception, at least it was to save his marriage whatever is left of it. The author can claim otherwise but it's the way I see it as written. Well written of course. Thanks

Again picking up from where I left off, in the order comments were posted.

"And what's with her paying attention to such a complete dickwad?"

In life, I've asked that question myself many a time.

"I would at least have a new rule. You try to manipulate me again and all the rules are off for me."

Ah, but you are not Greg. In this story, even Greg is not always Greg, sometimes he'd Brad.

"I wonder if they saw their marriage as a 'game" with rules?"

That wouldn't be entirely inaccurate. I might even go a bit further and say that at least Greg sees "life" as a game with rules. He'd probably consider it the game with the highest stakes of all, although that's a level of depth I didn't intend for this story.

"5* from me."

Third comment from a writer who has written many stories I've enjoyed. This has been a great day for my ego.

"Reminds me of many of HDK's stories and that's a high complement"

I consider it as such. Nice to be mentioned in the same sentence.

"I'm a little confused with the two lists."

Only the list of celebrities has two lists. The veto list came first, so neither Greg nor Kayla could choose the name of a celebrity the other partner just couldn't stomach. After vetoes were in place, then the partners could choose three names not on the veto list as their celebrities.

On the Hall Pass veto list, those three names again were chosen so the Hall Pass could not be used on someone again unacceptable, in this case Rick. There was no second list for the Hall Pass. Anyone not on the veto list in this case (unlike the celebrity game), was fair game for a use.

Hopefully that clears that up.

"Best tale spun here in LW land this week."

Well, it is only the first day of the week where I live. :)

"WHERE'S THE FRIGGIN SEX!?!?!!!"

lmao

"If you truly love your spouse and they love you, there is no reason to ever bring infidelity into the discussion."

Personally, I'm in agreement with you on the issue. None of these characters are me. I wouldn't want to read a story on this site about a character based exactly on my life, much less write one.

"This feels like about as close as you can get to a cuckold story without actually cuckoldry."

This may be the most unusual compliment any story of mine has ever received.

"Entertaining tale, enjoyed it."

I'm glad you did. Thank you for taking the time to comment.

"I loved your treatment of Rick at the end and as far as the name mixup it really didn't matter if it was Greg or some other guy named Brad - Rick got the point!"

Thanks for being a forgiving reader. I'm still getting over the shame.

"When it's obvious that the characters are just plot puppets who are there to be twisted into bizarre shapes, without regard to their exposed personalities or normal human emotions or logic, your writing is not progressing in the direction you'd want it to."

I suspect you have a very different idea than I do about what direction I want my stories to progress. I'd currently like to make fewer errors and write stories at a faster pace. After I get that down, I'll tackle literary gravitas.

"So play with fire there's a good chance you get burned."

Fire can also cook your food.

"LICKING, DICKING AND SUCKING WITH YOUR MATE"

That would make a great band name.

"Good story and I like how he dealt with Rick!"

It's all I can ask. Thanks for taking the time to comment.

"As for his deception, at least it was to save his marriage whatever is left of it."

I consider it a case of successfully fighting fire with fire. I know you and some others disagree about the long-term success, but they are my characters and have to do what I see. That's the power I hold over them, and they me.

I believe I'm caught up. Thanks to any who continue to comment after (for good or for ill), and I'll try to address those at a later point. I also appreciate the comments that have appeared today on my older stories. It's nice when posting a new story leads to someone discovering those previously written.

When I saw HDK's comment about the danger of 30 chapters, I was going to write a comment that it couldn't happen. The couple plays games with rules. I think the whole story was a game for them. They came up with the Hall pass, it charged their sex life without having to use it, they decide to keep it. Not to use it, but just to have it in place for the impact it has on their sex life as a couple. A sequel with a different Rick wouldn't have anywhere near the impact that this one did. I think we're safe from another 30 chapters of Kayla and Brad...or whoever.

5*. Actually, I give 5* to any story that gives me wood or that I can read all the way through. So never mind that. I'll just Favorite you and read your others.

I totally agree with this comment:

"To conspire with someone you know your husband hates is well the ultimate betrayal. To even ponder the idea that someone I despise would ever enter my wife would destroy every chance of any reconciliation."

Why would any man act in such a calm manner when his wife was cheating on him with an emotional affair and planning a physical affair. He was like a little schoolkid playing games while his wife was treacherously betraying him.

To actually make the Hall Pass a viable part of their marriage killed this story for me. It was just basically swapping propaganda.

Also where was the emotion. Fucking each other silly is not angst, is not anger, is not deep resentment. In other words the whole story was a teenage, one dimensional effort only saved by the quality of the writing and the odd bit of humour.

I find it hard to like anything when neither of the characters have true moral integrity but that's sadly seems to be a minority view on this site these days.

Several other comments, backed up by PH, said that the problem with Rick was that he was a sleaze. I suppose the working relationship along with the likelihood of social interactions would make him problematic even if he WASN'T a sleaze!

Even though I didn't care for the premise, I enjoyed this very much. A sure sign of great writing. I think the fact that his wife continued, at the very least, some scheming behind the scenes with a man he had specifically put on the veto list belies her supposed strict adherence to the rules. I'd have personally preferred if they'd withdrawn the hall pass at the end and found a less potentially destructive way to spice up their 3 year old marriage, but all that said, it was still a very fun read, and they're your characters, not mine.

Thanks for the story.

Cog

Rick written as a sleaze. Wife should habe picked up. Also dumb to sleep with people at work. Hall passes lead to cheating leads to divorce. Look how excited she is at thought of it.

It was one that I missed in my editing. I had assumed there was a gathering with random speakers and various people listening in, and I missed the name swap.

Lue

"I'd have personally preferred if they'd withdrawn the hall pass at the end and found a less potentially destructive way to spice up their 3 year old marriage ..."

I'd originally planned to end it with the Hall Pass being withdrawn. As finished the story though, it didn't seem to be true to what had happened previously and both characters loving the thrill of the game and the zest it was bringing to their current love life. I knew that ending might be a sticking point for some, but felt it was more honest to those two individuals.

However the rest of your comment got me thinking, and if I ever rewrote the story, it would probably end a bit differently than either version.

I asked, "So you want to drop the Hall Pass?"

"Yeah, the whole thing no longer appeals to me. I am going to miss the effect it had on our sex life though."

"Me too. I actually have an idea about that though, it's a new game?"

She smiled. "great! What are the rules?"

Something along those lines. It's actually an ending I think I'd prefer. Thanks for your thoughts.

I think because my character had Brad Pitt on the brain, that somehow bled into my writing at some point. I reread this story multiple times and I didn't catch it. Given the plethora of red corrections you made on my drafts, I say you're entitled to miss one that never should have been there in the first place for any rational reason.

I like that while reading this, I would have to go back and read parts again because you were so good with the subtle humor and innuendo. Thanks for leaving me happy that I found a LW story that really can be enjoyed by all the readership. 5*****

"if I ever rewrote the story, it would probably end a bit differently"

I much prefer your new version of the story.

There's character development in that version, with both the husband and wife realising that the Hall Pass idea was a very bad one. It's especially important that the idea to call it off comes from Kayla, because as a comment mentioned below, the current story paints Kayla in a pretty bad light:

1) She started an emotional affair with Rick (the bikini tanning on the work trip).

2) She discussed cheating with Rick and got the Hall Pass idea from him (even though he was lying about Tamara and him having that agreement)

3) She picked the Hall Pass movie to raise the subject with her husband.

4) She basically manipulates her husband into agreeing to the idea.

5) She continues with the ongoing flirtation with Rick, only becoming disillusioned with him right at the end of the story.

So yeah, Kayla realising that the idea of actually going ahead with it would feel like a happy ending, rather than the Hall Pass looming over their future like a dark cloud.

I agree wholeheartedly with your call for throwback stories. I am spending most of my time now reading the older stories and enjoy them greatly. The LW seems to trend more now to shallow fetish "stroke" stories and the authors like Gpup, hubby, and rigid, who are turning the site into IR lite. Most of these new stories seem to be written to troll, and inflame the readership. They have no depth, no real story nor do they have any compelling characters. I like to invest some feeling into what I'm reading. If I can't feel for a character or their stuation, or I just move on. A few of our newer authors do that, but there are many more compelling writers in the archives. Hopefully, RandI and the other solid contributors can bring LW back to what it was before the comment wars became the best entertainment here.

Piper, my "dark" comment wasn't a jab at the theme of your stories. It was directed toward the very recent attempt by Gpup, Hubby, Rigid, et al, to make this an IR cuckold heavy site. Dark emotional stories are welcome, dark as in extreme rascist themes are not. Just my opinion. Thank you for all your contributions.

I appreciate you weighing in on a possible rewritten ending I presented. Your comments raised a few points that will likely be considered if I go in that direction at a future point. That's one of the things valuable to me about the comments section, it allows people to offer good feedback. It's also why I allow anonymous comments. If I didn't I wouldn't have been able to consider Cog's feedback. One comment like that outweighs 10 trolls in my calculations.

@26thNC

"Piper, my "dark" comment wasn't a jab at the theme of your stories"

I didn't take it that way at all. All good.

It was a different take on the Hall Pass idea and it worked very well.

It wasn't a bikini: "It was a one piece, not a bikini, I discerned from reading the tea leaves our friend the sun had left on her glorious body."

It was the fact that she was wearing a bathing suit at all! "If she wasn't planning on going in the water, she wore shorts." Since Lake Michigan was cold at the beginning of the summer, she wouldn't have planning on going in the water, so shouldn't have been wearing a bathing suit at all.

You had me worried all the way through but everything came out at the end. No one was hurt.

Some day I should write a story that doesn't end well for everyone concerned, otherwise any tension will be gone in the future for those familiar with my previous efforts. Today wasn't that day.

Thanks for sharing.

"Some day I should write a story that doesn't end well for everyone concerned"

You can only pander to the Moral Brigade for so long. They need to have their moral compass turned into a spinning top from time to time.

Lue

I'm honestly writing the stories I like writing at the moment. If I was pandering to the moral brigade, Kayla would be drawn and quartered for having even have had the temerity to suggest the idea of a Hall Pass, as a few comments have indicated should have been Greg's appropriate response. :)

@chytown

Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for taking the time to comment.

I'd been looking forward to another story from you, and you did not disappoint. All right, I admit I miss Wobbles (hope he's OK?), but this one was fine without him. I've always wondered, when the wife presents the husband with a hall pass as per the movie, why doesn't the husband wonder why she wants him off doing something else for a while? Kudos to Gabe for at least asking the question.

A couple of lines stand out: "You were so right to put him on your list, not that I would ever fuck him." Why would he waste one of his three vetoes on someone she would never fuck? The list would be for someone one *would* fuck, that the other couldn't handle.

"I am the bull! I am the bull!" I howled out loud at that one. Hilarious.

Well done, PiperHamlin, and hope to read more from you.

With respect,

GA

As a company commander in the Moral Brigade, I must disagree, respectfully, with you on the spinning tops. In recent weeks, the vast majority of the offerings in LW have been so bad that even the MB has been mostly silent. Usually, before I pull the outrage trigger, I always look for comments from SJoe, sbrooks103x, ReedRichards, Oldbear, Lue, etc. Otherwise, it's probably too worthless to comment on. Recently, I have engaged in verbal combat with a couple of newer authors, who espouse a rather sick fetish. I have been advised by our Brigade commander not to give these clowns the gift of my attention. I concur with his reasoning. I suppose that I am a bit off anyway. I consider two of The MB's most redoubtable foes, yourself and of course SwingerJoe, to be respected online friends. We usually agree to disagree, respectfully. I think PiperHamlin's work is just fine as it is. There aren't many happy endings here.

Having a rule that you can only fuck a person at a one time event, with a maximum of three days, I would assume you're saying no affair. You're trying to cut off an ongoing situation. Well, in that case all coworkers, friends, neighbors, etc, should automatically go on that list, especially coworkers that you see more than anyone else. So she doesn't fuck Rick, but fucks Dave for 3 days and then sees Dave every single day, and has lunch with him, etc. It's a recipe for a disaster.

For people that say they love rules and think them out, I think they missed a significant rule.

She seems to have a great need to adhere to the rules to a game, did she also have that same allegiance to the rules of her marriage? If when the Hall Pass idea came up if her husband's reaction was to shoot down the Hall Pass idea would she have been faithful to that RULE? He did say she had a particular need to adhere to rules of "games", was she as willing to adhere to the marriage vow rules?

I'm not judgemental of her as couples should be able to discuss anything, including the idea of possibly fucking others without the other one automatically going berserk (like in many of these LW stories). Yes, she obviously had some intimate talks with Rick prior to bringing up watching the Hall Pass movie, which wouldn't sit well with me, but one has to know that if your wife works, she hangs out with friends and her family she will be discussing some intimate things with them that she may not even discuss with you.

Overall he handled it really well, without coming out as completely rigid and dismissing her offhand. Although, like I said the rule should have been a veto of anyone that you will see regularly or even semi-regularly after the fuck.

Because amoral people are generally unlikable doesn't make someone part of any Brgade for pointing that out. Consider the remote possiblity that they are under the (clearly false) impression that you'd appreciate thoughts they believe would make you a better writer.

when a really good story gets scored low. PH has written three great stories in LW and not been rewarded for it. If I could vote more than once I would go back to support him again. Not every story has to have a bull with foot long dong. Not every story has to have a sad ending for both parties. Not every story had to make since. When will we all agree that when a good story hits the pages and it's not from the chosen few it should still get its dew. Their has been a lull in the stories in the LW section for the past couple of months, so when a decent story appears should be given its scores to make them want to write again.

PH now has five stories on Lite and the only one that got over a four was in a different category. The four in LW should be well over 3.99, just saying.

I have enjoyed your writing. Your comments, not so much. If one must pander, I suppose pandering to a "moral brigade" seems preferable to an "immoral brigade." The intellectual vacuity of your editor, expressed in asking the question thousands of times, "What is cheating? Is it only when a penis goes into a vagina?", while regurgitating pop psychological and sociological slogans from the gurus of the 1970s, will only result in you becoming a seagull. In that case, I will feed you an alka-seltzer. In the meanwhile, five stars.

Isn't that what this category is supposed to be about about? "Extra-marital fun"?

Esther Perel has been flogging her book 'The State of Affairs - Re-thinking Infidelity'. She has been discussing the various newsworthy bits in articles and interviews. (I haven't read the book.)

Apparently, lots of people say infidelity is not a good thing, but many are doing it anyhow. It looks like the 'fun' is over-ruling the moral compass quite a bit these days. (Maybe even more than in the 1970s, Kimi?)

One of Perel's comments that I thought was interesting was that wives are still less likely to wander than husbands, but their numbers are rapidly catching up. However, they are better at concealing their adulterous wanderings.

Now there's a plot device for a good LW story -- rather than have the clever detective husband undertaking complex processes of discovery, have the cunning wife performing successful tricks of concealment.

Imagine the comments.

Lue

Never been a fan of the hall pass concept.

Found the games and manipulation efforts in the story a bit tedious.

A couple of names that popped out of no where didn't help.

Seems like a good writer, but this one landed on 2 Stars for me.

Somehow some of them turned into a discussion about my pandering and suggested my editor is luring me to the dark side of The Force. Didn't see that left turn coming.

I have several stories I'm working on at any different time, some are definitely tonally different. The ones I've completed and had published here, are the ones I've most felt like completely and publishing at those moments. If I'm pandering, I'm really bad at it. My ratings and views alone should reflect that.

As to the second thing, I've never received a suggestion from my editor along the lines of, "Do you really need the whole Martian slut ray in that story? How about this! What if the wife just did all those things, and you lose the whole Martian angle. That'd be a hoot!" It would never happen.

One of the many reasons I value Lue as an editor, is she sees where I'm trying to take a story and does her best with me to help me get there. I've never gotten a note that suggests going for a darker tone, or taking the story in a direction other than where I want it to go. I think that's a hallmark in what I look for in an editor. Someone who is committed to helping a writer better achieve what that writer is trying to do.

@GeorgeAnderson

Wobbles and company are doing well. I understand Wobbles is collecting sea urchins at the moment. Thanks for asking.

4*

They’ve basically agreed that a one weekend stand isn’t a huge problem, but an affair is. It’s just sex is OK, but you can’t fall in love.

Good but I think she fucked him . Lying to try and set up hubby allowing it to happen. The guy knows she wants to fuck or did already and tried to humiliate hubby. For me personally the hall pass jokefor famous people is a joke but you never know especially if the wife is hot . As for a hall pass conversation about people your around all the time work with or related to is bad . If my wife is thinking of fucking coworkers or people we know than she should retain a lawyer because I would just divorce her for her having thoughts about fucking people we know that she’s with every day and some she travels with for work. Marriage is dead eventually if five years in they are thinking about fucking others

I believe in commitment, period. But this story was really well done. I couple times I thought, "you're playing with fire!" But as it turned out the husband knew what he was doing. I gave this 5 stars. Good writing and well thought out. Thanks.

I would bet the wife fucked Rick, but hen the way he acted when he was the cuck. He said he wasn't a cuck, didn't wear a cage. And was a bull. Some bull he was...he got worked up over someone visiting his wife. Made him very uncomfortable. Especially since he didn't have a hall pass. My guess is one and done with his wife.

While I'm not new to this site, I am new to following up on an author, leaving a comment and reading the community reactions (quite interesting). I stop in just for some fluff reading, mindless erotica. This story, while not what I was seeking, is a fun read that I'll enjoy sharing and discussing. Nice surprise! Will be back

Quoting as a psychological authority someone such as Esther Perel, whose credentials are a masters degree in art therapy from a third rate teachers college. Is it possible to be any more vapid? As I understand it, she is under investigation by the New York state licensing board for violating the law requiring that you have a doctorate and be licensed and certified before you can call yourself a psychologist. I'm pretty sure a masters in "expressive art therapy," from Lesley College, whatever that is, doesn't qualify you as an expert in anything. Try Shirley Glass if you want an expert in infidelity.

This was fucking hilarious. Two couples playing mind games with each other, almost daring the other to pull something against the rules. Oh no. Mustn't break the rules. It goes against my...

Five Stars for a psychology lesson.

Glad I read it. Happy to see Rick show his own true colors. I wonder: with a woman like Kayla who professes to love the rules, why not have Greg expose Ricks lie about his own Hall Pass and his willingness to cheat on Tamara? Would have loved to see Kaylas response to Ricks infidelity and disrespect of Tamara and their marriage! Side note: 1) Gabe changed to Greg. 2) WHO is this Brad? Where'd he come from?

Very stupid can lead to a marriage break up as either partner is likely to break the rules they set. Far better to follow the marriage ceremony rules, "forsaking all others" a much safer bet, once the exclusive rule is broken so is trust and leads to suspicion which will eventually destroy the marriage.

Just to point out the grass isn't always greener on the other side.

I was out of town, so I missed all the fun in the comments section. It’s rare to see a LW story with 90+ comments lately, and I can see why this one generated so much fuss. The concept is ripe for plenty of picking, and although this one was slow out of the box, it picked up steam and ended in a satisfying way.

Kudos! Now to read the comments...

it was probably the perfect escapist short story for LW.

As such, it doesn't quite stand up to "deep analysis" of the characters and their motivations (as others have already posted comments about), but mid-read, it maintained its internal logic and consistency quite well (well, except for the whole "Brad" thing there of course...Hmmm...could that Greg/Brad thing become a meme we have authors try to weave into their stories as easter eggs? We'd need a name for the meme though, and prizes for spotting them in a story...). Therefore, it easily earned the 5* for a good story from me as well.

The comments were amusing, and @PH's response to them more so.

Now, is it just me, or is the @annonytroll deliberately baiting @PH here with additional repetitions because of his pithy responses?

Making a comment like that in a section of a porn site dedicated to wives/girlfriends who enjoy sleeping with others only proves that you come here to start controversy. It’s very sad that your life has that little meaning to it that this is something you feel the need to do. Pathetic really.

While I would have preferred the wife had gotten royally screwed by someone other than the husband, it’s not a deal breaker. But then it started to look like one of those god awful stories where the husband extracts his revenge for her infidelity. Oh, wait, it’s not that at all. Go figure. As a complete story it was actually good and had elements to satisfy most everyone. She didn’t stray with the asshole so the uptight fools who come to a site about women who stray didn’t whine too much. The husband and wife still are keeping their options open to possibly enjoy sex with others, knowing that sex for fun can be a real kick and can spice up even the dullest marriage. So everyone should have come away from this in a fairly good mood. If you didn’t then you must have some serious deep rooted issues.

I don't see any comment from the followers.

I liked the story. Nice turn of events. Humorous and a dt iverson homage, lol.

Gave you 4* PiperHamlin. The couple of technical defects did not affect the story.

I wonder about the premise. What if a spouse does find someone better, using the hallpass?? Just cause you follow the rules you don't necessarily avoid the pain and suffering!! Especially in a longer term marriage. Imagine the dramatic possibility!!

Has it been written?

Thanks for the entertainment PiperHamlin.

AMerryman

Interesting view of this type story. Some humor. Some angst. Some drama. All-in-all a good tale.

My take on the Brad/bull conversation was that Tamara was continuing to mess with Rick as well. She liked how Gabe was handling Rick, so perhaps she spread those bull stories to further mess with Rick's head. I do wonder about the hall pass though. Unused by either, as it stands today, it seems to excite them equally and spur them to put more into their loving. But what happens when one asks if it's been used, and the answer is Yes? Agreements and rules are great, but that moment, learning your spouse did go outside, would probably hurt like hell in a previously monogamous marriage. Would that spur a revenge hall pass? Would the spouse that hadn't used it flaunt that fact that they were still faithful?

And extremely well written. you'll never have trouble there.

But you did accidentally show why it never pays for a man to marry a woman. He had to play all these mind games just to keep a woman that:

A) has tons of chemistry with

B) is a 'rules nazi'

It's not worth it lads, and this story is just one small layer of proof. Idk if the author is a male or female, but they conveyed the male to female dynamic correctly. It's always up to the man to maintain a healthy relationship, the woman can just emote her way through it and damned her partner for not communicating in both an honest and tonally sensitive way, this impossible expectation is why the main character had to play elaborate mind games. not...worth it.

I really enjoyed this, a good rhythm through the piece with any extramarital sex in the head and nice self-expose and a back to earth finish.

Easily FIVE stars ...

I am a sucker for stories that have good plot, well-developed characters, and that use good flow, grammar, and punctuation.

You have done a great job with this story, and some of the greatest contributors to this genre of writing appear to agree.

Keep Writing,

Flavian

Great story. Was expected the usual infidelity, but it surprised me, which is a nice thing. The inner dialog was quite good, and I hope to read more from this author. 5 stars.

My husband and I also play the Hall Pass game only with a couple of different rules designed to make it safer and more fun. 1) No sex with anyone from work...nothing good ever comes from office romances 2) If your don't use your hall pass in one year you forfeit it to your partner. 3) You earn a new hall pass on the anniversary date of the game. I fucked a total stranger in his car at a shopping center parking lot just to not lose my first pass. Brad reluctantly fessed up to not using his...so now I have two for the next year and he was none. I guess it sucks to be him.

Kept me on the edge of my seat. I congratulate you on sneaking through the minefield and not losing your balance. You could have put a foot wrong in either direction and I was really afraid that we were going into Cuckoldville. But you saved it. Well done!

interesting exploration of a premise. Mine would be much shorter and less interesting.

"Here's your hall pass ma'am. You've been served.

There have been a number of comments since my last response, so I'll hopefully catch up. It's also a great excuse to take a break fro writing my submission to the current Literotica event (shameless plug, but only if I actually meet the deadline).

"5*. Actually, I give 5* to any story that gives me wood or that I can read all the way through. So never mind that. I'll just Favorite you and read your others."

I like your approach. I'm not comfortable writing a good sex scene yet (mainly because I think all the ways I'd describe it have already been done and better), so I appreciate the second tier of holding your interest.

"Why would any man act in such a calm manner when his wife was cheating on him with an emotional affair and planning a physical affair."

Gabe/Greg/Brad was calm because he knew Kayla. Their love of rules was a foundation. He knew with certainty she'd never go outside them.

"I suppose the working relationship along with the likelihood of social interactions would make him problematic even if he WASN'T a sleaze!"

Correct. Also the fact he gave Gabe that look. Can't let a guy like that win.

"Also dumb to sleep with people at work."

Agreed. Although the reality is, those are the people you most interact with. It happens.

"I like that while reading this, I would have to go back and read parts again because you were so good with the subtle humor and innuendo."

Thanks for rereading and catching some things I knew were subtle when I wrote them. Some of these things just tickle me, and always glad when others appreciate them as well.

"It was a different take on the Hall Pass idea and it worked very well."

Thank you. Also, I enjoy your stories.

"Never been a fan of the hall pass concept."

Perhaps you should have passed on reading this story.

"enjoyed it"

It's really my goal. Thank you for taking the time to say so.

"They’ve basically agreed that a one weekend stand isn’t a huge problem, but an affair is. It’s just sex is OK, but you can’t fall in love."

Correct.

"Good but I think she fucked him."

I can guarantee she didn't. This is not a true story. I created all the characters and I am the boss of them.

"Good writing and well thought out. Thanks."

Same to you for the stories you've written that have entertained me.

"Some bull he was...he got worked up over someone visiting his wife"

Rick is a composite character based on way too many people who act just like that.

"Too bad you've got Luedon around your neck like an albatross (or is that a seagull, Kimi?)."

My stories would not exist here without Lue. My relationship with her has been courteous, rewarding, and led to a better product than what I'd have if she didn't go over my work. I realize there is a history among people here I am unaware of. I needed an editor (badly), I asked Lue, she said yes. She also warned me about thanking her publicly if I didn't want my ratings to suffer. As far as I'm concerned, she's been nothing but helpful as far as editing goes. You may see her as an albatross, I see her as helping me fly on my own.

"While I'm not new to this site, I am new to following up on an author, leaving a comment and reading the community reactions (quite interesting)."

You made me blush. Thanks for taking the time to comment.

"Two couples playing mind games with each other, almost daring the other to pull something against the rules. Oh no. Mustn't break the rules. It goes against my..."

Glad you caught that subtext.

"I wonder: with a woman like Kayla who professes to love the rules, why not have Greg expose Ricks lie about his own Hall Pass and his willingness to cheat on Tamara?"

The way I see it, that conversation eventually did happen. Gabe/Greg/Brad wanted to play it out to the end, without ruining it by telling Kayla. His goal was to humiliate Rick first, and have Kayla see him the way he was on her own. With a bit of a nudge, of course.

"Just to point out the grass isn't always greener on the other side."

Sometimes it is though.

"The concept is ripe for plenty of picking, and although this one was slow out of the box, it picked up steam and ended in a satisfying way."

Glad you liked it. I am curious why you found it "slow out of the box."

"I liked this...it was probably the perfect escapist short story for LW."

You are my audience for this story. Thank you for taking the time to comment.

"But then it started to look like one of those god awful stories where the husband extracts his revenge for her infidelity."

I can say that if you ever see a BTB story from me, it will be a bit ... like this story.

"I wonder about the premise. What if a spouse does find someone better, using the hallpass?? Just cause you follow the rules you don't necessarily avoid the pain and suffering!! Especially in a longer term marriage. Imagine the dramatic possibility!!

Has it been written?"

It won't be by me. I leave it to others with a better skill for drama to take that up, and if they do so, they have my full support. I'd read it.

"Interesting view of this type story. Some humor. Some angst. Some drama."

I'm slowly expanding the emotional range of my stories. Glad you commented on the combination.

"But what happens when one asks if it's been used, and the answer is Yes? Agreements and rules are great, but that moment, learning your spouse did go outside, would probably hurt like hell in a previously monogamous marriage. Would that spur a revenge hall pass? Would the spouse that hadn't used it flaunt that fact that they were still faithful?"

Good questions. I leave that to the imagination of each reader. As I see these characters, they do get the happily ever after. So regardless of what happens in the future, they are happy. You can decide what it takes in any scenario for that to happen.

"And extremely well written. you'll never have trouble there."

I check that off my list of concerns. Thank you.

"I really enjoyed this, a good rhythm through the piece with any extramarital sex in the head and nice self-expose and a back to earth finish."

Thanks for commenting on the rhythm. It's something I always am aware of when writing a short story. And not to sound like a broken record here, but I also enjoy your stories.

"I am a sucker for stories that have good plot, well-developed characters, and that use good flow, grammar, and punctuation."

My editor is responsible for some of those. I tend to bastardize my own language when I type in painful ways.

"The inner dialog was quite good, and I hope to read more from this author."

I hope to give you the opportunity. Thank you.

"Brad reluctantly fessed up to not using his...so now I have two for the next year and he was none."

If you only use one, does the second one revert back to him?

"You could have put a foot wrong in either direction and I was really afraid that we were going into Cuckoldville."

An interesting place to visit to take photos and try the food, but I wouldn't want to live there.

"Mine would be much shorter and less interesting."

It also wouldn't hit Literotica's minimum word count.