“I’ve never heard of that.”
“That’s ’cause you don’t attend large group gatherings like I do, girlie.”
“Touché.”
“But you won’t be able to say that after tomorrow, right? I gotta run. See you later.”
Piper hung up, smiling.
This was going to be fun.
* * *
Beth stuck her head into Michael’s office. “So, see you tomorrow night?” she asked, grinning as she licked her lips slightly. Her face was bright and eager.
Michael glanced up from the stack of papers on his desk and sat back in his seat. “I’m sorry, Beth. I totally forgot to tell you we’re not going to attend. I didn’t even broach the subject with Piper. Maybe next time.”
Her disappointment was clear. “That’s okay. I totally understand. You can’t force something like this. We have new-member events every few months or so. Should I let you know when the next one is?”
Michael nodded. “Sure, that’d be great. I have a feeling we’ll be ready for it at some point.”
“If it makes you feel any better, it took me six tries to actually walk through the doors,” she said. “I’d always been curious about the lifestyle, ever since I was a teen, but I couldn’t bring myself to walk in and participate. You’ll know when you’re ready.” She made a move to leave.
“Beth,” Michael said. “Can I ask you a question before you go?”
“Sure.” She popped her head back in.
“Are you a lesbian?” He uttered the question softly. He didn’t want to be rude, but if he was going to persuade his wife to attend someday, he had to get all his facts straight. Piper would ask him for the details.
She shook her head. “Nope, I’m bi. I love both sexes, but I tend to fall hard for a personality, rather than a face. Something will strike me as sexy in either a man or a woman, and I’m totally into it. It took me a long time to figure that out, but now that I have, life is very, very good.”
“What is it about Piper that attracts you to her?”
“What isn’t attractive about her?” Beth came into the room a little farther, looking behind her to make sure no one was walking by. She held a bunch of files in her arms. “Your wife is full of life and vitality. She’s like a walking ray of light. She’s gorgeous—but she doesn’t even seem to know it, which makes her even more beautiful. I’m positive that when she experiences pleasure, it’s written all over her face.” She shrugged. “Anyone would love to see that.”
It was all true.
His wife was something uniquely special. She was a beautiful soul who didn’t even come close to realizing how amazing she was. “Thanks for that,” he said. “Can I ask you one more thing?”
“Certainly,” she said, smiling.
“This is going to sound totally conceited,” he said. “But I’m used to people falling all over themselves and making passes at me. You seem…completely uninterested. I find it refreshing, but I’m wondering why.”
Beth blushed and glanced down at her papers. “You are really beautiful.” She raised her head. “And it can be a little off-putting, because the only place you see that kind of beauty is in a magazine or on the big screen. But…” She hesitated.
“Go on,” Michael urged as he leaned up and rested his arms on his desk. “I totally want to hear this. I’m sick of the attention, and I’d love to know what it is you don’t like.”
“Well, your face is blank most of the time, kind of like you’re devoid of any feeling”—she hurried through the rest—“but not when you’re with your wife! I’ve only seen you two together a few times, but it’s like you’re a different guy. Your face changes. You seem genuinely happy. Now that guy, I’d totally get it on with him!” She met his puzzled expression. “I hope that was okay to say. I don’t meant to imply you have no feelings. It’s just…you seem detached most of the time, like you’re just going through the motions or something.”
“No, that’s…that’s good to know.” Michael thought about it. “I hadn’t realized I was coming off like that.” He smiled at her to put her at ease. “It makes sense, though. Piper makes me the happiest, so when I’m with her, I feel content. But, just so you know, don’t get your hopes up that Piper would be into anything with…another woman. I don’t think that’s her thing.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t be with her alone.” Beth winked, and then turned to leave. At the door she glanced over her shoulder. “What I would give her would only amplify what you were already doing. Your wife is totally in love with you. I doubt anyone will ever give her as much pleasure as you can.” Then she was gone.
Michael reclined fully in his seat, absentmindedly flicking his pen around his finger and thumb.
How was Beth able to read all that from a few casual interactions?
He thought what she said was pretty damn close to accurate.
The thought of him being the only one to give Piper ultimate pleasure made him feel satisfied in a way he’d never thought of before. When Piper had had sex with Pete that one and only time, he’d been okay with it, but only because he’d felt their sex life should be fair. He’d had sex with other women in front of her, so how could he deny her the same experience?
But it had ended up being a disaster for her—as well as for him.
He’d had nightmares about it for weeks, but he’d never told her. Piper was already going through a tough time trying to reconcile the act for herself. She didn’t need to feel guilty because Michael had felt inadequate watching her enjoy herself with another man.
In his dreams she always left him for Pete. She would tell him in no uncertain terms that he’d never measure up to what she’d just had. Then she would simply vanish, leaving him feeling hollow and empty.
It’d been awful.
His heart had taken a beating every morning when he woke up for months afterward.
When Piper had finally recovered from her ordeal, and hadn’t wanted to have sex with anyone else, he’d been beyond relieved. He’d actually hoped she would want to stop participating in the lifestyle. But she’d seemed adamant about going back to it—adamant that he keep having sex with other women, telling him that’s what turned her on the most.
He shook his head.
In hindsight, he should’ve come clean with her then. But at the time he had felt he just couldn’t. She had just recovered from a major ordeal, and in the end, all he ever wanted to do was make sure she was happy.
Beth was right.
He loved that woman much more than he loved himself.
* * *
Saturday night had finally arrived. Piper was in her bedroom getting ready for their big night out. She had decided to dress in a sexy, form-fitting silver dress with slits that ran all the way up both thighs.
They were headed to an orgy, after all. Not the time to be conservative.
Michael was buttoning up his dress shirt behind her. “If you’re wearing that, we must be going someplace nice,” he commented. “That’s one of my favorite dresses on you, by the away. It’s totally hot.”
“I know. That’s why I’m wearing it. And I’m not telling you, so quit asking,” she said to him as she turned. “You look dapper in that suit. It’s perfect.”
“I wear dress clothes almost every day,” he joked. “I don’t know how much more dapper I can look in this one versus the other gray one I wore last week.”
“I can tell. That one is my favorite.”
“Should I leave the collar open?”
“Yes. No tie. Plus, that particular gray goes perfectly with this silver ensemble.” She ran a hand down the front of her dress to highlight it. “We’re going to look like a perfect matched pair.”
She turned back to her closet to search for a pair of shoes, oscillating between high heels or higher heels. Michael came up behind her, surprising her by wrapping his arms around her and tugging her close. She giggled as she set her head back on his shoulder. “Why do we need to look like a matched pair?” he whispered in her ear. “Should I be worried?”