“Pete and I have done it in a movie theater a few times,” Emma said. “We’ve had one totally hot session, but when we tried it again, about a year ago, we had this totally awkward encounter with an old guy! He stared at us the entire time.” She laughed. “We kept it on the down low, so I don’t think he knew for sure, but he suspected. Sometimes these things are hit or miss. Here’s a thought: Why not have a ‘Hot Friday’ once a month or something like that? You guys can take turns coming up with something out of the box. And if you skip one, you can always have a quiet movie night and see where it leads you.” She smiled. “Sometimes those can get the raunchiest.”
“Is that what you guys do?” Piper asked Emma. “Am I overthinking this? That wouldn’t be usual, believe me. Maybe I’m off the mark and it will morph into something normal.”
“You’re not overthinking things,” Emma replied. “I get worried a lot, too. Pete and I go in spurts having great sex, like I assume most people do, and then sometimes not. But to be totally honest, our sex life has revolved around other people for so long, it’s at the point where it all blurs together. I’ve been wanting to change things up for a while, but I’m still on the same course because I don’t want to ruin a good thing—same as you. I can give you advice, but will I take my own? That remains to be seen.”
“Are you telling us you’re sick of the lifestyle?” Caroline asked Emma, a little wonder in her voice. “Is that why you want to change things up?”
“Yes and no.” Emma paused, her fingers playing with the stem of her martini glass. “It’s hard to put into words, exactly. I really love the art of sex.” She glanced up at the women. “Piper and I have had this discussion recently. I love watching others have it. I love being wrapped up in the moment, but that’s all it’s become for me. Just one moment. Once it’s done, there’s a void with no feelings attached. I think the road I’m on is slowly killing my love of sex.”
Piper patted Emma’s hand. “We’re not going to let it kill anything. That’s why you’re here. I’m so glad you made it tonight, because we’re totally going to help you fix it.”
Emma smiled at her. “You’re so nice. I’m glad I came, too.” She picked up her drink. “But I didn’t come here tonight to drone on about my problems, especially when you’re right in the middle of figuring out yours. I want to help you first. You and Michael are charting this new path together, and it’s so exciting! It really is. And I don’t think you should worry too much about the when and where of it all, but focus more on the intimacy. You love risk-taking, but you also love the connection you get from it. If Michael wasn’t your perfect match, this might not work. But you guys are so in sync. It’s a beautiful thing to watch unfold.”
The waiter came and set down their food.
Caroline dug in first, taking a bite. “Oh, this is divine.”
Piper had ordered a seafood pasta. “I love this place,” she said as she took a forkful. “Going back to your prior comment, I do love the connection I’m having with my husband so much. It’s kind of a surprise, because that hasn’t been our norm. It shouldn’t be strange, but sharing our feelings is not typical for us. On Saturday we both admitted we were spoiled and selfish before we became a couple. I think shedding the old us and trying to create a new us together has been harder than we thought. But my biggest fear, now that we’re having so much fun, is ending it because I can’t be bothered to plan anything.”
“It’s not going to end no matter what,” Caroline said. “I promise you. It’s just going to keep evolving. We’re all in the process of changing our marriages. Look at me. I went from being plagued by guilt about my sexual desires to having a sex machine in the house! Marriage is supposed to be ever evolving, and you guys are on the right track.”
Piper snorted. “How is that thing, anyway? You’ve never told me how it went, and I forgot all about it.” She turned to Emma, leaning in close to whisper, “Jace bought an actual fuck machine, one with a dildo and a motor.”
Emma’s eyes got wide as she turned toward Caroline. “You mean to tell me you guys have something we don’t?” Then she began to giggle, which turned into full-on laughter. “We might have to call Ripley’s Believe It Or Not.”
“Stop it.” Caroline laughed along with her. “I can’t believe you don’t have one stuffed somewhere in the Pleasure Paradise. But, yes, we have one, and it’s awesome!” She covered her mouth and glanced around the restaurant before saying, “When we’re doing it, I totally buy that another guy is down there, while Jace is doing things to me up top that you can’t imagine.”
“Um, I think we can imagine,” Piper said, waving her fork between her and Emma. “This is us you’re talking to.”
“Well, yes, I guess you can,” Caroline conceded, still laughing. “But it’s working for us. We change it up a lot, but I’m so happy. I don’t think we’ll ever jump into sex with another couple again, but”—she leaned in, and Piper and Emma reciprocated—“I’ve been having these super-raunchy fantasies that include five guys.” She held up her hand and wiggled her fingers. “But, unlike before, I’ve learned to embrace my fantasies and that having them is healthy. It’s taken me a while, but I’ve even started sharing them with Jace.”
“He’s not the only one you’re going to have to share them with!” Piper exclaimed. “We have to hear this.”
“No way,” she gasped. “It would be too embarrassing for me to relay in public. But,” she hedged, “I’d be up for doing a fantasy-swap party if I wasn’t the only one spilling. We could call it Fantasy Club. What do you think?”
Piper glanced at Emma and nodded. “You’re talking about each of us relating our wildest fantasies out loud? Sounds like a great idea to me.”
“Yes, exactly,” Caroline said. “It would be sexy times without being physical. Then we all go home to our guys totally horned up.” She was blushing in earnest now, and Piper couldn’t help but be proud of her pal. Caroline had come such a long way. “But, if you guys think it’s silly, I totally understand. I’m sort of a prisoner of my own fantasies…so at the moment I think there’s nothing sexier.”
“I think it’s a fantastic idea,” Emma added. “A different way to spice things up for all of us. I’m also a fan of hot daydreams, and have them often.”
Piper took another bite of her pasta. “I only wish my issues with Michael could be solved with a hot daydream.”
16
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Michael sat at his desk, flipping the black business card Beth had given him between his fingers. It was Friday night, and he was ready to leave for the day. The office had shut down about an hour ago, with most people heading home for the weekend.
It was date night, and his turn to initiate the second thing on his top five. He’d finagled an almost-impossible-to-get reservation at the newest she-she-la-la restaurant in town by exchanging favors with one of his partners for his time slot tonight. The guy needed extra hands on a tough case he was working on, so Michael offered to chip in for a weekend in exchange for the table.
It was totally worth it for Piper.
He stared at the card a little longer, trying to decide what to do.
Michael had put the Sexual Underground on his list at number five, but if he and Piper were going to attend the meeting for new members—or whatever it was—it wasn’t going to fit perfectly into his time line. They’d have to go when the party was planned, and Beth had mentioned it was going to happen in the next week or two.