"
SHIT!
"
Steven suddenly sits bolt-upright in the bed in reaction to an awful feeling.
Something
is wrong. He just feels it. Something
major
.
His bed partners are writhing into new positions, adjusting to the disturbance. Ellie and Debbie are -- or were -- pressed into him this night. Cyan and Jackson are in the far reaches of their oversized communal bed, intertwined in their usual post-coital slumber.
"What's the matter?" Debbie manages to mumble into her pillow.
"Uh huh. Mmmm." Ellie's trying hard to not fully awaken.
"Emily," Jackson softly growls, not particularly happy about his sleep being broken this way.
"
Yeah. Emily!
" Steve mutters.
He climbs over Ellie to get up and out of the bed, and stumbles to the bathroom for relief. El rises and sits on the edge for a moment. After hearing Steve rattle around in the kitchen, she follows suit in her concerns for her long-time lover's state of mind.
He's sitting at the table leaning on his elbows in support of his forehead. The coffee pot is gurgling. Ellie takes a seat in the chair next to him and leans into his shoulder in a soft, supportive hug.
"You figured it out, didn't you?"
"I thought nothing of it until just now. We all share this special freedom to be with anybody we want to be."
"Yeah. Uh huh. Third date is a killer, Stevie."
"How much do you know?"
"That he's a nice guy, a real charmer. And..."
"'And',
what
, El?"
"He's young, he's built, and he has a really big cock. Sergio big."
This is the third Tuesday night in a row that Emily has been "out" by herself and not expected back until after breakfast. Up until recently everybody went catting around in pairs or more, usually at the Crowne Plaza hotel, with its nice bar and highbrow clientele. This by-themselves stuff is new.
"They at the Crowne tonight?"
"I think so."
"Does he have a name?"
"Nicholas."
"Why hasn't she shared this with me? I thought we were joined at the hip."
"All your new side women, Steve. She is feeling left behind, especially since you picked up Julia and Rachel. Keri at the Crowne pushed her over the edge, and she thought it was time to venture out for something beyond just getting her rocks off."
Steve sighs, "And the problem here is that none of you have met them."
"Yeah. I don't blame 'er."
Steve steps away from the table to pour himself a cup of coffee.
"Have
you
met Nicholas?"
"Uh..."
"Well,
fuck!
"
"I didn't. It was offered, but you know why not."
"I did," Debbie smirks as she steps into the room, missing the others in the bed. "Twice. Besides, El..." she glares at Ellie.
"What
now?
" Steve pouts.
"Ellie gives a great blowjob. You
know
that!"
"Fuck. Double fuck. All three of you have had 'im."
"In a nutshell," Debbie confirms.
"Okay." Steve sighs again. "Emily's invested in him, obviously, and you two are going along for the ride, so where does that leave the polycule?"
Ellie glares at him, "If you have your outside stuff, we're going to have our outside stuff, too. What's gravy for the goose..."
"Is sauce for the gander. I get it. I'm not threatened by you two, but I'm feeling just awful about Emily. It sure as shit doesn't feel right at this moment."
"Can I make a suggestion?" Debbie offers.
"Please."
"Bring everybody together. You've said Julia and Rachel don't know about the swinger group."
"Mostly. They're starting to ask questions, though. They're sniffing around the edges, especially after their little date with Jax and Toby."
"What about Keri? And Patricia?"
"Oh, you all know full-well that Patricia knows everything. After that orgy at Phil's, she's been fishing for an invite. Keri? She has asked a couple of times, 'You have something really interesting going on, don't you?' when she's fingering my chest hair after her orgasm. I usually deflect it, but maybe it's time with
her
. What's your impression of Nicholas with all this?"
"Don't have one. You'll have to ask Emily." The garage door can be heard opening. "Speaking of which..."
=====
Emily steps through the door from the garage. All eyes are on her. She stops in her tracks.
"Uh oh. Four a.m., and there are three naked bodies at the kitchen table, not looking particularly happy."
"Stevie knows," Ellie volunteers.
Em takes a deep breath, hanging her head in what she suspects is coming her way.
"Lose your clothes and let's talk, sweetie," Steve calmly requests. She continues to the bedroom area.
Debbie sees his doleful expression and asks, "You gonna be okay, Steven?"
"We'll see," he moans.
They hear the shower start in the second master bath.
"She's cleaning up and out for you, Steven," El observes. "That's a pretty good sign."
The shower is silent now. After a few moments, with his chair pushed back for a view into the house, a naked and freshened Emily is seen sauntering down the hallway and through the living room, doing the seductive model walk that she knows Steven so loves.
Stepping into the kitchen, "That was for
you
, lover."
"Thank you, sweetheart."
"Can you get it up for me?"
"Not at the moment."
"But you enjoy our sex after I've had other men. You always have."
"I'm feeling like Nicholas is more than just a fuck."
Ellie and Debbie are subtly nodding in confirmation.
"
Oh, Stevie! NO! No no no!
Nick is a
toy!
Maybe a very nice toy, and he's a good guy and great to be with,
but he
is not you
!
"
"Then why did you feel it necessary to conceal him from me? And
the two of you, too!
"
Guilty expressions from El and Deb. Emily stands next to Steve and leans into him, caressing his chest and shoulders.
"Uh. I dunno. I just did. Maybe..."
"Maybe
what
, sweetheart?"
"I felt a little like having something all to myself."
"But you shared him with these guys."
"Yeah. I did. I'm sorry." She chuckles a little.
"What's funny?"
"Ellie tried really hard to fuck 'im."
Steve glares at El and then breaks into his own soft laughter. She fakes hiding her face.
"Ellie said he was big."
"Oh, yeah!" Emily wistfully stares out the window.
"How invested are you? We've had this conversation before."
"A little. I'd like to keep seeing him, if that's what you mean."
"Does he date others?"
"Uh..."
"He's married. Gawd, Em! You
know
