Stanger is no longer in the picture. He couldn't live within the rules we set out and asked me to sneak around behind my husband's back. He's history. So it goes.
On the other hand, I think we have found someone who will and has so far worked in nicely with our comfort level. He is five years my senior, an attorney and mechanical engineer, intelligent, open minded and very comfortable in his own skin. A good communicator.
I'll call him R. He and DH have really hit it off in the socialization category. There is just an ease between the three of us when we are in the same room together that wasn't there with Stranger.
Last Friday, we went out on a second "Date". When I say "we", I mean all three of us. DH brought me to the deli where we met up. We ate together and R and DH had a nice conversation about the space-x program and then DH went to the dance hall and left R and I to ourselves. It was the opportunity for R to go over the rules that DH and I have, discuss them and make sure R thought he could live with them. We had a very nice conversation and as R said, I was doing a good job of managing expectations (which he did not take issue with), I believe we got our points across. R and I then proceeded to go dancing at the same place where DH was.
DH was busy talking to his cute harem of women, which made me happy to see. There are about four regulars he hangs out with. Three of them are single and one is married but, is divorcing; I have met all of them and like them, though each and every one of them has something in their lives that makes DH hesitant to act beyond flirting. One is divorcing so he steers clear of doing anything that will make her life more difficult. Another is just a mixed up emotional mess. The third is personality wise very fun and outgoing (squeezed his butt two weeks ago) but, he just doesn't find her physically appealing at all. The fourth, is gay.
He has selected a bunch of "safe" women to hang around with and have fun. Flirtatious fun, may be all he is ready to do. If and when he is ready to do more, that will be up to him to decide. Not me.
We were talking about our experiences so far and he revealed to me that until we ventured into this, he hadn't realized how much of himself he had lost. He always felt guilty talking with other women even though I had reassured him, even encouraged him to do so.
To see him openly flirting with a bunch of women, being a man, not just a husband and father but, acting like a man warmed my heart. It has put him back in touch with a part of him that exists separately from his role as responsible father and husband. I saw my high school sweetheart coming out again, this time he wasn't a shy boy but a confident man. SO SEXY! I knew it was in there but, couldn't figure out how to get him to give himself permission to show it. This seems to have done the trick.
Anyway, R and I went and sat out on the patio and talked for a while about intellectual pursuits and DH came out to visit. The banter between the three of us was wonderful and comfortable. It was quite stimulating.
A while later we let DH know that R and I were headed out. He handed me a hotel key and told me to text him when I was ready for him to join me, gave me a quick smooch and we left.
I won't bore you all with the details but, there are some advantages to sex with older men who know the lay of the land so to speak...R needed to get home as his mid-teens daughter was alone at home. I called DH who came over and we made love without all of the toys, warm up and other rigmarole that we usually end up going through. The advantage to that was that I was ready to go and he didn't have to last all that long to get the job done. It was good. Timing was impeccable. We spent the rest of the night wrapped in each other's arms. Very satisfying for both of us.
I have since spoken with R twice and we are meeting for coffee later this week to exchange manuscripts we have both written and are in need of a fresh eye for editing and, of course to make plans for another "date". DH is actually feeling really good about how all of this is forming, so that is the best thing of all.