Barstow - Saving Relationships

Sitting at his desk concentrating on a spreadsheet, Steve's cell rings, derailing his train of thought. The ring tone is something he selected for somebody special, but it's been so long he's forgotten which of his many special friends this one was for. On picking it out of his pocket and glancing at the screen, he almost drops it in his startled excitement.

Answering, "Ohmygawd Penny! It's so great to hear from you.

How are you doing?

"

"Doin' great, Stevie! You and everybody okay?"

"We are! And you and I have a fuckload of catching up to do!"

She giggles, "We do! You first!"

"Since we last talked we've added to the family. Ellie's husband has a mistress now, and she's a permanent member of the polycule."

"Let me translate that," Pen chuckles. "She's fallen in love with

you.

You're insufferable."

Steve laughs, "You know us well. Yeah, sorta. Our sex is great and crazy fun, but she mostly is with Toby for serious stuff. And then there's Sarah."

"Name sounds familiar from a while ago. Same Sarah? From Missouri?"

"Yes. She's got her PhD now and landed a gig at Northwestern University. She's a short train ride away, and tries to get away on weekends to live with us. So what's up with

you

, little imp? Still at the hotel? Have anybody you're playing with? How's Lyss?"

"Yep! Still doing the hotel thing. Lyss is doin' super! She's in charge of the restaurant now. She and I are sharing a guy, Tomas. Gawd, Steven. He's a hunk."

"Good for you. You are just too much of a firecracker to not have somebody to scratch your itches. What's he like? With that name he probably has a thick accent, right?"

"Nope! Regular guy! He was working for Lyss for a while. He found a situation closer to his real line of work but stayed in touch. That's when Lyss brought him home."

"Does he play with you guys at Rooftop?"

"Uh..."

"Shame on you!" Steve laughs.

"Stevie? You're close. He's a gigolo in the evenings. Fuckin' huge cock, and can do it two or three times a night. We sell his services at the hotel."

"Frank know?"

"Sure does."

"You guys are going to get in trouble with that shit."

"Cops seem to only be interested in bustin' the ladies. Besides, he's on the books as a masseur and part-time bouncer."

"Sneaky. And you get a cut of the action."

Penny giggles, "Yeah. He lives with us."

"So other than a chance to brag," Steve laughs, "what else is going on?"

"Lyss and I have a chance for time off, and are wondering if that invitation is still good."

"Yes. Yes yes yes. I would

sure

like to see you again!

We

would

love

to have you here! A week? A month? A year, maybe?"

"You're still a goofball, that's for sure!" she chuckles. "A week. Second week of October good for you guys?"

"It is! Bringing Tomas?"

"No." Her tone turns serious. "He's a nice toy, Steve. Lyss and I want to spend time with our lovers, and our lovers' family."

"Wow. You've got me, Pen. I certainly love you, too, and miss you. There's a lot of that going around here, and you and Lyss will be very welcome."

Emily has just stepped into the office, curiosity all over her face in response in overhearing Steve's animated chatter from the back of the house. Her expression becomes one of excitement in realizing it's Penny from what Steve just said.

Steve glances up to her and tells Pen, "Emily says 'Hi!', and the look on her face is priceless."

"Put 'er on speaker!" Emily requests.

"I heard that! Do it! I know the rules!"

Steve sets the phone on his desk and selects the speaker. "What rules?" as he winks to Emily.

Penny laughs. "Steven's speakerphone rules! You know, don't say 'shit', 'piss', 'fuck', 'cunt', 'pussy', or 'twat'. Or 'tittie'!"

Steve and Emily crack up.

"Hi, Pen!" Emily's smile can be seen in Miami, no doubt. "I gather you and Alyssa are coming to visit!"

"We are. Your boss just approved our travel schedule, so we need to get our plane tickets lined up."

Steve mock-protests, "

I'm not the boss!

They are."

Em and Pen laugh at this truth.

"Hey, guys," Penny says, "Might have to let you go. I'm at work, and it looks like a guest is appro..." She lowers her voice, "Oh my gawd, you should see the cock on this one. Love the way it swings when he walks. Like yours, Stevie."

"Gonna fuck 'im?" Emily chuckles.

"You know I don't do that! Hang on."

In the background, "Hi. Welcome to Rooftop. Can I help you?"

"Yes," a guy's voice can be heard. "Tomas sent me."

"Oh, okay. You must be Roberto. He mentioned you at lunch. Hold on a sec."

Penny whispers into the phone, "(Guys, I've got to take care of this.)"

"Oh? Boyfriend's friend?" Em asks.

"(Yeah. Tomas wanted me to comp him. I had to say 'no'.)

"Well good luck, then," Steve says. "Let me know when your travel plans are firm. Love you, sweetheart."

"Me, too," Emily adds.

"(I love you guys. Talk to you in a couple of days. Gotta go.)"

"Bye!"

"Bye!"

Steve pockets his phone, glances at his computer to see where he left off. He shrugs his shoulders and turns to Emily, his expression more wistful than anything else.

"

Well?

" Emily tweaks him.

"It'll be wonderful to see them, Em, but I dunno..."

"Dunno what?"

"Having them here. So much of the fun we had with 'em was in the context of Penny's hotel. This is a completely different setting."

"Stevie? It is, but it isn't. You've told others we have 'a mini-resort', and it's not all that far from the truth. We'll be fine. But I

am

slightly concerned about your fantasy."

"Which one?"

"Having Penny and Ellie together. Both are pretty special to you. Are you going to OD on hopelessly cute? Freeze-up when both go for your 'loving' jugular at the same time? Can the 'adorable spinner' spot in your heart deal with

two?

"

"Is it

that

obvious?"

"Uh huh."

"Hmm. Okay. What are

you

doing now, and where are the guys?"

"Soaking in the hot tub."

"I don't hear the pump."

"They wanted a soak, so they left the blower off. Cy's feet have been bothering her."

"Oh, okay. Yeah. Jax must be massaging 'em for her. We going to see anybody tonight?"

"Yes. Everybody, eventually, 'cept Sarah of course. Ellie, Tobe, and Car should be here around seven. Deb pulled the late dinner shift again, but is planning to come straight here when she's off. As far as who sleeps with who, we'll have to gauge their moods. Speaking of which..."

"Oh kay..."

"You said something at breakfast about getting an oversize bed for Jax and me. That still the plan?"

"It is. They call it a 'king-plus'. Your room won't fit the monster we have in the big bedroom."

"Big enough for four?"

"If they're good friends."

Em glares at him. "Haha. Seriously. We do on rare occasions use the beds

for actual sleeping

."

Steve laughs. "Like a king is comfortable for three, this slightly bigger size will be good for four."

"So when?"

"They said four weeks after ordering. Do I have your okay?"

"Of course you do! Anyway, you have time to play a little?"

"Shower? I could use one."

"Sure could." She holds her nose, mocking him. He swats her bare butt in retaliation.

=====

"Dinner's on!" is Cyan's call from the kitchen. She and Jackson have whipped-up something easy and simple: ground beef patties, rice and fresh green beans.

"That was quick!" Steve responds from the office. "Be right there."

"Looks good!" as Emily takes her seat. "Cy? Could you please grab the mustard?"

"What's with the bathrobe?" Jax teases Em.

"Oh, a little chilled after our shower for some reason."

"You check the thermostat?"

"Yeah. 74."

"Let's see."

Emily spreads the robe.

"You're right. Nice nips."

She glowers at her husband.

Steve chuckles as he leers, "No complaints here."

"

You guys are awful!

" she laughs.

Steve redirects his gaze to Cyan, whose back is to him as she dishes up the veggies.

"I love it when you wear an apron like that, dear. Outlines your butt so nicely. Too bad Em got to me first!"

"You two and your shower sex!" Cy grumbles. "I thought you were figuring on saving it for Car and Ellie when they got here."

"We'll manage."

"You always do. You're such a horndog."

"Pot!"

"Kettle!"

Jax and Em are cracking up.

Emily muses in general, "Do we have any specific plans for tonight?"

Steve jumps in, "Not really. Hang around on the patio, mostly. Drinks and casual screwing. Nothing intense."

"Yeah, right," Cyan snarks. "You and Car, Steven. You and Car.

We all know how you are with her!

"

Steve shrugs his shoulders to Emily. She just grins and shakes her head.

"Is the backyard picked-up?" Emily asks Jackson.

"As of a half-hour ago, after Sky and Sol pottied. Why?"

"Steve and Car chasing each other around the yard, that's why!"

Steve is sitting there grinning like the cat that ate the canary. He and Caroline like to play "catch me if you can" games. Usually ends with him tackling her into the grass and they go at it like animals in rut. It's always entertaining.

"

OW!

" Steve yells.

"You deserved that!" Emily just pinched his butt, hard. She laughs.

"Why?"

"I see that erection! And we just did it! Caroline sure does turn your crank."

"Y'all do. Geez. Did you not get

yours

twenty minutes ago?"

"Granted."

Jax and Cy are snickering at them.

Emily bends down to look under the table. "Jackson? Why aren't

you

hard? You usually are once we start anticipating the evening's events."

Cyan is wearing a big, toothy grin.

"Oh. It wasn't just about her feet."

Ding Dong!

"They're here." Steve is puzzled. "Why are they ringing the doorbell?"

The guests they're expecting are family and have door privileges. They normally let themselves in.

"I'll get it!" Emily jumps up from her seat.

"Nuh uh uh!" Steve scolds. "Leave the robe here!"

Em sticks her tongue out at him. She

knows

the house rules.

Cyan, Steve, and Jackson are keeping quiet, listening for what's happening in front. They heard Emily open the door, and now there are whispers coming from the entryway, Em's voice, and a male. Whoever it is, it's not the trio they are expecting, but likely somebody familiar.

The whispers move from the entry, through the living room, and apparently down the hallway to the bedroom area.

"(Somebody we know, obviously,)" Cyan whispering to the others.

Jax responds, "(Yep. Steve? You want to check?)"

"(Not yet. Let's listen and see where this goes without interference.)"

They hear rustling from the back of the house, and the soft clank of a belt buckle falling to the floor. More whispers, more rustling, and then a big grunt from Emily.

"(She's fucking somebody,)" Steve stating the obvious.

"(Duh,)" Jax smirks.

Now they hear the man's voice, lowered but no longer a whisper. "(Couldn't wait,)" says the voice, followed by a couple of male grunts as he evidently thrusts into her.

"(It's Tom,)" Steve sighs. "(I'd better go look in on them. Somethin's going on with 'im.)"

"(Yeah, sure. Uh huh.)" Jackson doubts Steve's intentions.

"(No. Seriously. He's done this to Cyan before. He and Claire must be having issues.)"

Cyan subtly nods.

"(Oh. Okay. Good luck.)"

Steve quietly pads down the hallway, having discerned that the copulation sounds are coming from Em and Jax's room.

He softly addresses the couple on the bed fully in missionary. "Tom? What's going on? You okay?"

"Oh God, Steven. I don't know what to think right now. I needed somebody I trust."

Tom rolls off of Emily, his erection unabated.

"Okay. I can safely assume you and Claire are having trouble."

"Yes. She's having an affair with somebody I didn't know about."

"Anybody we know?"

"Nobody you guys would know. He's from the Springfield group."

"How'd you find out?"

"Left the office early this afternoon. Walked in on them at the house."

"I'm so sorry. You think she's invested in 'im?"

"Seems to be. I don't feel good about this."

"Tom?" Emily asks. "You want me on top? You guys can talk."

"That would be nice, Em. Thank you."

She takes her position on Tom, in a gentle, savoring cowgirl.

Steve supposes, "I take it there was a scene."

"A little. A brief shouting match, and he grabbed his clothes and left."

"Where'd you leave it with Claire?"

"Told her I was going to find Emily."

"And here you are."

"Yes."

"This isn't good, Tom. I know you're in love with Em, and have known it for a while. Was this coming out between you and Claire?"

"Probably. Yeah, a little."

"Can I suggest something?"

"Go ahead."

"I'm going to leave you guys to it at the moment. We're expecting the rest of the polycule this evening, so we're going to do our best for you and Em to have quiet time to talk about the direction things might be going. I trust her, too. Very much so. I'm sure you both will work something out."

Emily interrupts, "Kiss me, Stevie. Please! Gawd I sure do love you!" She sheds a tear. Steve leans across to kiss the tear off her cheek, and they conclude with a lover's kiss.

Steve continues, "I'm going to close the door here, and you know what that means, Tom."

"I do."

"Okay. Good luck, you guys."

Steve's back in the kitchen.

Cyan jumps in first. "He discovered Claire's having an affair."

"And Tom's go-to is Emily," Jackson adds.

"You're both right," Steve answers. "I left them to sort it out."

Cyan frowns. "You concerned about Tom trespassing on you and Em?"

"Not in the least bit. She knows what to do."

"He's right," Jax says. "She may be my wife, but Steven here is everything to her. They are a team."

Cy is still concerned. "But you left them in the room alone, and -- mygosh Steven --

you closed the door!

You are

expecting

them to make love, not just screw!"

"Yes, I am. He needs to blow off steam in the intimate company of somebody he cares about, and she is more than willing to be a comfort to him in a difficult moment. She will help him talk it out, and give him the reassurance that he's still a good man in spite of Claire stepping out on him."

Jackson furrows his brow. "You've been down this road before?"

Cyan nods. "About five years ago. Claire does this every so often."

"You know who it was?"

"Arnie."

"Uh... unusual name. Couldn't be Arnie from accounting?" Jackson asks.

"Yeah, it was," Steve confirms. "We loaned Cy to Tom for a couple of weeks to calm him down. I had to talk

Claire

down, too. Finally got them to do a foursome weekend, Tom and Cy, and Claire and Arnie. Saved Arnie's job, actually."

"And you were batch'in' it? Doesn't sound like

you

, Steve."

"Oh, my bed wasn't exactly empty."

Cyan snickers. "Ellie, of course. And Juliette."

"Okay. Given all those players, why isn't Arnie in the party group?"

"He patched things up with his wife after that weekend. They aren't swingers."

They hear the front door open, followed by the familiar chatter of their lovers.

"Hey, guys!" Steve announces. "We're in the kitchen."

Leading the three in, Toby shakes his head at Cyan, who's shuffling dishes into the dishwasher. "I don't know how you manage to cook nude, Cy."

"Practice. And a Nomex apron."

"The cute one that shows off your adorable ass?"

"Uh huh. Here. I'll put it back on for you."

Toby can't drop his pants fast enough. Cyan is leaning over the counter ready for him.

Ellie and Caroline are off to the side doing rock-paper-scissors to see who gets Steve first. The two ladies had stripped-off in the foyer expecting a sexy "welcome home."

"I win!" El giggles, and pulls Steve and his chair away from the table to sit in his... uh... "lap". Caroline leans into a standing Jackson and fondles his package. He returns the favor by flipping her around to cup her breasts and poke his cock between her legs. She reaches down to press the firmness between her labia and have him stroke her clit with the head.

"Debbie's working late, we guess," Caroline asks Steve. "Now where is Emily? I owe her a good licking."

Steve suggests, "Look down the hallway."

"Oo. Her bedroom door is closed. Who's she hiding?"

"Tom."

"You okay with that? Tom's thing for her could be trouble."

"It already is. He's here after a fight with Claire."

"What happened?"

"He walked in on her screwing another guy."

"That's nothing new. Why's it a problem this time?"

"He didn't know about it, that's why. Wasn't somebody they played with together."

"Oh. Okay. So the solution is Tom gets to fuck your primary, your knowing the way he feels about 'er?"

"Caroline, it's the kind of thing we do for people we care about. She will talk him down, and reaffirm the loving friendship nature of their relationship. She's good at this sort of thing."

"He's right, Car," Ellie confirms from her coital position in Steve's lap. "When they come out, just watch. Em will go straight to Steve for her own comforting and reassurance."

"Is he staying tonight?" Toby asks.

"Have no idea," Steve answers. "You'll know as soon as we do. But my hunch is Em will talk him down enough for 'im to go back home to Claire and be adults about it. Em will stress that Claire's clandestine sex with another is not a repudiation of his and Claire's relationship, and that the most important issue at this point is communication and restoring trust. You'll see."

"I guess," Caroline grumbles. "Anything else going on? Hopefully something more fun than

this.

"

Steve answers, "I suppose this news is. Our friends from Miami are coming to visit."

"The spinner and her roommate, right? They run that swinger hotel if I recall the stories."

"Right. That's Penny. Alyssa manages the restaurant next door."

"You putting them up here?"

"Of course."

"Wow. Eleven in the house on the weekends, then."

"I don't see a problem. Do you?"

Car sighs, "I guess not. Plenty of beds, considering. Nobody will be sleeping alone. But that's a given. Ellie? She's your competition."

"

No she isn't!

" Ellie protests. "I've been really looking forward to meeting her. I'm all with Stevie's fantasy of one of us on each side."

Steve is amused. "Uh huh. And there will most certainly be musical beds for the week they're here! Hey. I hear Em's door."

Leading the pair down the hallway, Tom steps into view, cock soft and glistening, a thread of semen dripping from the tip. He looks tired. Emily glances to Steve with brow furrowed, subtly shaking her head to him.

She steps next to Steve, asking Ellie to relinquish her spot. "I need my Stevie."

Em sits in his lap, and he is startled by the ejaculate dripping onto his leg. Tom's ejaculate.

"(You usually cleanup right after. Is there a problem?)" he whispers to her.

"(This wasn't fun sex, sweetie. You and I are going to shower, okay? Just us.)"

"(Yes. Now?)"

"(Now would be good.)"

"Guys?" Steve announces. "Em and I need a moment. Tom? Have a seat. Everybody knows what happened, so you can talk it out with us."

Tom lowers his brow. "Thanks, Steven. Thank you, Emily. You're so good to me."

Steve and Emily rise from the chair and slow walk down the hallway, his arm lightly draped over her shoulders. She reaches around his waist for a soft side embrace.

"You're not okay," Steve starts the serious exchange as he turns on the water.

"I'm not. Tom proposed marriage. He wants to divorce Claire and take me as his own."

"Shit."

"'

Shit

' is right. I told him it wasn't possible."

"Rule #2."

"Uh huh."

"How'd he take it?"

"Hard. He doesn't get told 'no' very often."

"Cutting to the chase... where'd you leave it?"

"That he could still see me here, but we couldn't fool around at work any more. No more one-on-one outside of the parties. At least for the time being. Not until his emotions cool down."