He was hard right now just thinking about it.
Piper might be skittish to try it, so he assumed they would attend only as observers. But he was willing to see where the night took them.
After their sexy hotel room romp with the strap-on, he wanted to surprise Piper with something like this. If she was uncomfortable, they could leave at any time. He actually couldn’t wait to see the look on her face when she figured out where they were.
Michael turned the card over to read Beth’s info for the second time, then set it on the desk. He picked up his cell phone. Beth had said to call him after hours. It was only about twenty minutes after six, but it was also Friday night. She should’ve left the office around five thirty. If she answered, she answered.
If not, he’d try again later.
She picked up on the second ring. “Hello.”
“Beth? It’s Michael Collins.”
“Hi, Michael.” Her voice was animated. “I knew you’d call! I’m so glad you did.”
“I’m not sure Piper and I are in for sure.” His tone was cautionary. “I’m still making up my mind about the entire thing, but I’d like to get some details if I can.”
“Of course. Do you have a pen handy?”
“Yes, right here. I’m ready when you are.”
“The meet and greet is set for next Saturday night. Start time is eleven p.m.” She gave him the street address, then continued, “It’s a warehouse in the art district. It looks like nothing special on the outside, but there’s a big red number one above the door. There will be a bouncer inside. Don’t be intimidated. Your names will be on a list.” Michael jotted down the information. “We’re expecting quite a big turnout. This place has been recently remodeled, and it’s very elegant. There’s a huge main room with lots of comfortable places to”—she cleared her throat—“have fun. There are also lots of adjacent spaces to play. Everything kicks off with a cocktail party, so I advise getting there before eleven thirty. There’s lots of mingling. The doors lock at midnight, no late entry allowed.”
“Okay, I have it down,” Michael said. “How big of a crowd are you expecting?”
“The core group is forty-five members. Some are couples, some not. For this new meeting, half of us are inviting one person or one married couple. The headcount will be around seventy-five if everyone shows, which probably won’t happen. All new entrants will be asked a series of questions by one of the gatekeepers. If your answers aren’t satisfactory, you will be asked to leave. Don’t ask me what they are, because they always change, and I can’t tell you anyway. But I’m certain you’ll answer them correctly. Oh, and leave your phones at home. No electronics allowed whatsoever. No exceptions.”
“Gatekeepers? That sounds…extreme.” Michael chuckled. “Do they wear Dom masks and stand sentinel with whips in hand?” He was only half-joking. He needed to know what to expect. What he was envisioning would totally freak Piper out.
It was better to get the information right up front.
Beth laughed. “No whips. Gatekeeper is just a fancy term for the secretary and treasurer of the group. They’re also in charge of security. They pretty much look like an accountant and a librarian. But we embrace the ‘underground’ part in Sexual Underground. Information about this group is not meant to be public or shared casually in any way. If word gets out, there could be a serious problem with the police, or negative publicity in the media. You’re a lawyer. I’m sure you understand the security issues.”
He did.
The fact they took everything so seriously reassured him. In his line of work, he wouldn’t be able to be part of something like this that wasn’t secret. “I totally do. I need to ask you—are you the only one from the office who is involved with this group? I need a heads up if there’s anyone else.”
“Nope, I’m the only one. You’re all clear on that front. Honestly, I wouldn’t have even asked you if I hadn’t seen the look on your wife’s face when she came out of the bathroom. Then when I walked by your office, and I figured out what was going on under your desk, I knew the two of you would be perfect additions to the group. If you decide to become members down the line, there are fees and documents you have to sign—confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements and such. If you were to talk, you’d incur a huge monetary penalty.”
Michael nodded along with what she was saying. “Got it, thanks,” he told her. “I’m still not sure if we’ll be there. I’m still figuring it out. I hope that’s not an issue.”
“Not at all. And don’t worry. There’s no pressure to do anything. You can just hang out and watch if you want. Or you can go partway. It all depends on your mood. We also have bouncers, who we refer to as ‘checkers,’ to make sure it’s always a safe environment for our members and no one feels pressured or uncomfortable at any time.”
“Hm. It seems you guys have thought of everything.”
“We try. Everyone involved wants it to be kept under wraps and very professional. Well, as professional as these kinds of things are capable of being, of course.” She laughed.
“Thanks, Beth,” Michael said. “I think I have all the information I need.”
“Great, hope to see you, and your wife, soon.”
Michael hung up.
Anticipation pulsed in his chest as he thought about the Underground, as well as his plans for tonight. He was taking his beautiful wife out to a fancy dinner, and he hoped it would end up being as exciting as their hotel romp.
* * *
Insisting on being chivalrous, Michael shut Piper’s car door after she’d slid in. She grinned at him as he got in the driver’s seat. “So where are we going?” she asked.
“I’m not telling,” he answered, “so no more asking. It’s a surprise.”
They started down the road toward their mysterious destination, and Piper found she was relaxed and really looking forward to their date together.
She reached over and set her hand on Michael’s shoulder, rubbing lightly. While they drove, she turned over in her mind the advice Caroline and Emma had given her last night. She glanced at her incredibly handsome husband and thought about beginning a conversation with him about how she was certain they could keep spice in their marriage without doing another top ten.
Then she frowned, thinking of that conversation spiraling into a disagreement when they were going someplace special.
Michael turned to her. “What are you staring at? You look deep in thought.”
“Oh, nothing in particular.” She gave her husband a reassuring smile and decided against bringing up anything. She didn’t want it to get in the way. After all, there was plenty of time to have that discussion. It didn’t have to be tonight.
“Now what?” he asked. “Why are you laughing?”
Piper brought a hand up to her mouth. Her mind had switched on a dime to how she and the girls had ended their evening. They’d all agreed to invite Gillian to the next meeting, but before they’d left, Caroline had insisted they come up with an STD handshake. That girl was full of surprises. It ended up being a cross between a fist bump and a patty-cake. They’d all died laughing. “Nothing you’d think is that funny,” she said. “Caroline was just being silly last night. You know, she has grown by leaps and bounds. She’s so comfortable in her own skin. I envy that. It’s like what they did in the bedroom with Emma and Pete finally set them free somehow.” Piper shook her head. “It’s amazing. I want to be her when I grow up.” She chuckled, resting her head back on the seat. “It was really nice to have Emma there, too. Everyone got along great. It’s so fun that we can support each other like that. It feels like a family. A dysfunctional, sexed-up family, but a family nonetheless.”
“I’m glad you have that kind of support,” Michael said. “And I have to say, Jace seems pretty happy, too. I’ve noticed the difference. It seems the Strattons have figured out their sex life, and it’s impacted their marriage for the better.”