I kept things vague because honestly, what was I supposed to say? That I was having the time of my life with someone who made me feel appreciated again.
After about 3 weeks, I could tell Amanda was getting anxious. She started coming home earlier from her own dates and got this tight expression whenever I mentioned I was going out. She also started making these little comments like, "Remember, this is just for fun, not for falling in love."
Bruno's take on this was perfect. "She's acting like a kid who gave away her favorite toy and now wants it back because someone else is playing with it. Except the toy is you. And you're not stuffed with cotton. You're stuffed with common sense."
One night, she tried to initiate intimacy with me for the first time in months. She came into the living room wearing this lingerie I hadn't seen in forever, clearly expecting me to jump at the opportunity. But honestly, I wasn't feeling it. Between her recent coldness and the fact that I knew she was sleeping with Rick, the whole thing felt gross.
"I'm not really in the mood," I told her.
Her face went through about five different emotions. "What do you mean you're not in the mood? I'm your wife and I'm allowed to choose who I want to sleep with just like you are."
I said that was the whole point of the open marriage, right?
She looked like I'd slapped her. "That's not the same thing. You can't just reject me like I'm some random woman. I'm your wife."
"How is it not the same thing? You've been out there exploring your options and now I get to explore mine. That includes choosing when and with whom I want to be intimate."