Tying Up Loose Ends

Chapter 36

Kim and I went for a swim after she finished me off. She wasn’t a water nymph like Christy, but she enjoyed it with a girlish innocence that made me smile. We eventually toweled dry and headed inside, where I expected to find Christy and Carter relaxing in a bondage and discipline afterglow. I was wrong, but only about the relaxing part.

The clubhouse looked like an amateur sex dungeon. Carter’s bag lay empty in a chair, while its contents were neatly arranged on the table. He had a couple of paddles, a feather duster thing, a vibrator, dildos, and more. He’d left his soft black ropes tied to another table, but he and Christy had moved to the couch.

She knelt in front of it with her upper body on the cushions. She wore a blindfold, and her hands were cuffed behind her. She was still wearing ankle cuffs, but they weren’t attached to anything. Her ass was pink from abuse, and she was breathing hard, like she’d just come.

Carter knelt beside her and removed a vibrator from her pussy. She normally didn’t like them, but she didn’t have much choice this time. He turned it off and set it on the couch next to a small leather paddle. Then he glanced at us and read Kim’s expression.

“Well, you had fun.”

“Yes, sir.”

I nodded at Christy. “It looks like you still are.”

“Have a seat,” he said. “You’ll like this part.” He caressed Christy’s ass and said to her, “You don’t mind, do you, my dear?”

“No, sir.”

“You like it, don’t you? Having your boyfriend watch as another man makes you come?”

“Yes, sir. Very much.”

“She’s a good little sub,” he added to me. “Very responsive. She still has a lot to learn, but I can help with that.”

“Sounds good. In the meantime, don’t let us interrupt.”

He stood, and his dick was as hard as before. I couldn’t imagine having an erection for an hour without coming. I was fairly sure I’d done it before, but not by choice.

Different strokes, I reminded myself.

Plus an amazing amount of self-control, the little head added. You couldn’t do it.

Neither could you, I shot back.

He sighed. How many times do I have to say this? I’m you, dumbass.

Carter helped Christy stand as Kim and I walked around the couch and sat on the love seat. I put my arm around her.

“Play with my cock,” I told her quietly. “Suck it when it gets hard.”

“My pleasure, sir.”

Carter took a seat on the couch and guided Christy into position. She lay face down across his lap with her head facing us. He made sure she was comfortable before he spread her thighs and probed between them. She moaned as he slid his fingers into her.

Kim leaned into me, nuzzled my neck, and sighed. She began playing with my dick, and I slid my hand to her hip. I started to reach for her pussy, but she shook her head.

“I’m fine, sir. Just let me pleasure you.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, sir. I like making you happy.”

Christy whimpered as Carter finger-fucked her slowly. Then he used his right hand to swat one pink cheek. It was a love tap, but she gasped in surprise. He swatted the other cheek, and she went silent with one of her little orgasms. I didn’t think Carter realized what it was, but I did, and it was quicker than I’d ever seen her come.

He must have unleashed something deep inside her. I didn’t understand it, but she enjoyed the pain. I’d always had my doubts, though. They disappeared as I watched her respond to his attention. He continued finger-fucking her and spanked her again. He gave her several seconds to recover, but the next swat was a little harder, and her pleasure was entirely real.

Kim stroked my cock until I was completely hard. Then she knelt on the cushions and dutifully lowered her head to my lap. She wasn’t a natural like Christy, but I wasn’t about to complain. Besides, any woman with my dick in her mouth automatically qualified as “the best,” end of discussion.

I slid my left hand along her hip and teased her pussy from behind, and she didn’t stop me. Instead, she moaned around my cock. I rested my right hand on her head and used her ponytail to gently guide her movements. She moaned again and started playing with my balls.

Carter spent the next ten minutes slowly building up to the point where he was spanking Christy with real force. Her tan ass was the color of a sunburn, and she gasped each time his palm connected. She’d already had two more mini-orgasms, and she was building up to a major one. Carter definitely sensed that one, and he focused on her pleasure. Beads of perspiration appeared on his upper lip.

“Don’t come until I tell you,” he warned her.

She whined. “I can’t hold it.”

“You can, and you will.” He waited for her to nod. “Good. Now… beg for it.”

“Please, sir. Please make me come. I’ll do anything. Please. I can’t—”

“You’d better. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir. Only— Unh!”

“What did I tell you?”

“N-not to come— until—” She whined desperately. “Until— you say so.”

“Don’t make me punish you.”

“No, sir.”

“Good girl.” He waited several heartbeats and then said, “Beg me.”

“Please, sir, permission to come? Please. I need it. I can’t— unh!”

“You may come,” he said at last.

Christy wasn’t trained like Kim, so she didn’t come immediately. But Carter kept fingering her, and a hard slap sent her over the edge. She cried out from the force of it, and her whole body stiffened. The tendons in her neck stood out as she strained and moaned through clenched teeth.

She finally collapsed and lay panting after what seemed like an eternity. Carter was breathing heavily too, and a drop of sweat fell from his nose. He used a corner of his towel to wipe his face and neck before he shot me a satisfied grin. He caught his breath for a moment before he nodded at Kim.

“Have you fucked her yet?”

“Yeah. But we thought we’d put on a show for round two.”

“I’d like that,” he said. “I can give Christy her reward at the same time.”

My eyebrows rose. “You mean… that wasn’t it? That was a pretty major orgasm.”

“You can say that again,” she said weakly. “Sir.”

Carter smiled down at her. “No,” he added to me. “She’s been a good girl, so I’m going to let her suck me off.” She perked up immediately, and he chuckled. “She’s an eager little cocksucker, isn’t she?”

“Yes, sir, very eager,” she said.

He unclipped the cuffs and then removed her blindfold. Christy blinked at the sudden brightness. Then she spotted me and Kim.

“Mmm, fun.” She quickly added a “sir,” before Carter disciplined her.

“Good girl,” he said instead. “Now, are you ready for your reward?”

“Mmm, yes, please.”

“Get on your knees.”

She slid off his lap, and his erection sprang up from where it had been trapped between her body and his. She knelt between his feet and made a beeline for it.

“Ah-ah,” he cautioned. “Ask first.”

“Please, sir, may I suck your dick?”

“Suck my cock,” he corrected.

“Oh, hey,” I interjected. “Long story about that. I’ll tell y—”

“Not now.” His eyes flashed with the first real anger I’d seen from him. He controlled it quickly and forced a smile, although a muscle twitched in his jaw. Then he made a point to ignore me. He stroked Christy’s cheek instead.

I blinked in surprise more than anger, although I certainly felt enough of that. Kim sat up abruptly, which added to my confusion. I thought she was going to leave in a huff, but she stroked my dick and nuzzled my neck instead.

“I’m sorry, sir,” she said in a low voice, “but you shouldn’t interrupt another Dom.”

I replied in a harsh whisper, “I was only trying to tell him—”

She shook her head and kissed my ear. “It isn’t my place to explain, sir. Carter will tell you.” Then she kissed my jaw, nuzzled my neck again, and sighed with fake contentment. She asked in a louder voice, “May I continue pleasuring you, sir?”

I was still slightly bewildered, so I didn’t reply immediately.

“Please, sir,” she begged, quiet again, “don’t be upset.”

Carter heard her, although I wasn’t sure he’d understood. He focused on Christy and pretended to ignore us. He was still angry, but he had a firm grip on it. Irrationally, my own anger flared in response.

Kim sensed it immediately, and she was a lot smarter than I’d realized. She kissed me. I blinked in surprise but didn’t push her away. Emboldened, she cupped my face and moaned into my mouth.

My hand automatically went to her side as she leaned into me, and my thumb brushed the soft curve of her breast. I cupped it and felt my anger begin to fade. Her kisses heated up and turned into real passion instead of a distraction.

“Please, sir,” she asked quietly, “please fuck me. I need to feel your big cock inside me.”

“I’m fine,” I chuckled softly. “I’m not going to explode.”

“You can explode in my mouth. I’d like that, sir.”

I chuckled again. “Really, I’m fine. You don’t have to.”

“But I want to, sir.”

I pulled back and looked at her.

“You said I should tell you if I like something.”

My eyebrows rose.

“Please, sir. I like when you fuck me.”

“You really mean that,” I said, a statement, not a question.

“Yes, sir. And… Carter. He wants to watch. So… I can make both of you happy.”

I chuckled at a sudden thought. “You know, at first I thought you just did what Carter told you.”

She waited and didn’t deny it.

“I’m beginning to understand what he sees in you. Yeah, you’re beautiful and sexy, but you have a brain in there too.”

“Thank you, sir.” She blushed and smiled and looked down. After a moment she glanced up hopefully. “Would you like to fuck me now? Please, sir?”

I grinned. “Best offer I’ve had all day.”

She didn’t wait for me to tell her how. Instead, she reached between us and stroked my cock. It had softened a bit during the serious discussion, but she quickly returned it to its former glory.

Glory, glory, hallelujah, the little head sang softly.

Kim straddled my thighs, and I chuckled at how my mind worked sometimes.

“Yes, sir?” she wondered.

“Long story,” I said vaguely.

“Mmm, very long.”

I rolled my eyes. “Okay, now I know you’re flattering me.”

“No, sir, never,” she lied with a smile. Then she closed her eyes, and her nostrils flared as she sank onto my shaft.

Her pussy was incredibly hot, and it felt tighter than before, which was certainly my imagination. Fortunately, Kim distracted me before I could ponder the wonders of the vagina, hers in particular.

She leaned against me, and her full breasts brushed my chest. I gasped when she nuzzled my neck and planted soft kisses on the sensitive skin under my jaw. Then she began moving her hips, and I had to close my eyes as a wave of pleasure flooded my senses.

Sometime later—seconds? hours? days?—I opened my eyes and met Carter’s steady gaze. His anger was gone, the same as mine. He inclined his head with an apology, and I accepted with a nod.

“Pretty damn cool, isn’t it?” he said with a sudden grin. “All of it,” he added. “The girls, the scene… everything.”

“Yeah, it is,” I agreed.

He grinned again and returned his attention to Christy. She was in her own little world as she sucked his dick. He stroked her hair and breathed a heavy sigh as he relaxed into the couch. The blowjob was his reward as well. He clearly enjoyed the control and discipline, but it had been for Christy’s pleasure as much as his. Besides, it looked like a lot of work.

I decided to put on a show for him and fuck Kim properly. She certainly wouldn’t mind. In fact, she’d probably enjoy it more, knowing that he was watching.

“Hold on,” I told her. Then I pulled her against me and half-stood. She automatically tightened her arms around my neck. I made sure not to bang her head on the arm of the love seat when I turned and laid her on the cushions. I settled into position with my knee on the love seat and my foot on the floor for leverage.

I began thrusting, and Kim closed her eyes to enjoy it. She opened them once, to make sure Carter was watching, but then smiled and closed them again. I concentrated on fucking her at the pace she liked. Her breasts bounced gently with each thrust, and she sighed as her own pleasure grew.

“Play with yourself,” I told her quietly. “Come for me.”

She slid her hand to her pussy. Her fingertips circled her hidden clit, and she pursed her lips in concentration. Heat and extra moisture greeted my next few thrusts, and her nostrils flared as her breathing grew heavier.

Carter groaned, and I glanced over my shoulder. He strained and held Christy’s head in place, and his butt flexed as her reward gushed onto her tongue. She kept sucking after his orgasm subsided. Then she opened her mouth and showed him.

“Good girl.” He sat back and sighed with exhaustion. “Now swallow.”

She did. Then she immediately returned her mouth to his dick. It had begun to soften but was still hard enough for her to enjoy it.

He stroked her hair. “Good girl.”

I shifted my attention to Kim, who was getting close. The flush had spread to her neck and chest, and her nipples were stiff little nubs. I twisted one and she moaned in surprise.

“Are you a naughty little girl?” I said.

“Yes, Daddy.” Her eyes snapped open.

“Come for me,” I said automatically. “Come for Daddy.”

That did it for her, and she arched her back as her pleasure peaked. She didn’t make a sound, but her pussy tightened around my shaft and tried to hold me in place. I thrust deep and ground my pelvis against her. She bit her lip to keep from crying out.

Her orgasm lasted a long time before it finally subsided. She sagged against the arm of the love seat and breathed hard through her nose. Her chest rose and fell, but she didn’t move otherwise. Then she opened her eyes and gazed up at me, exhausted and a little panicked at the same time.

“It’s only a fantasy,” I said quietly. “Besides, it’s pretty common.”

She swallowed hard and nodded. She still didn’t relax, but at least she wasn’t worried anymore.

“It’s okay, hon,” Carter added. “He’s cool.”

“I’m so embarrassed,” she said.

“Don’t be,” I told her firmly. “Like I said, it’s just a fantasy.”

“Thank you.”

I didn’t think she’d moved on, but she pretended she had. Then she frowned.

“Did you come? Sir?”

“No, he made sure you came first,” Carter said. Then he chuckled. “We’re alike, all right. Why don’t you suck him off, hon?”

I was reluctant to contradict him, but he read me easily.

“Sorry. I shouldn’t’ve said anything. Ignore me.”

“No, it’s okay. Besides, I might have a better idea.” I glanced down, to where Kim and I were still joined. “Are you too sensitive?”

“What? Oh, no, sir! Would you like to use me?”

“In a manner of speaking.” I glanced at Carter. “Okay if I borrow Christy?”

His eyes sharpened immediately, and he sat up.

“No flies on you,” I chuckled.

He snapped his fingers to get Christy’s attention. “Do what Paul tells you until he turns you over to me again. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir.” She couldn’t help but grin.

“Good girl. Get over there.”

I started to ask Kim if she was okay with it, but my inner Dom told me to order her instead. I was torn. Nice-guy-Paul or Dom-Paul? She was Carter’s sub, so we did things his way.

“Christy’s going to kiss you,” I told her.

Her eyes widened, and she unconsciously glanced at him.

I took a page from his book and snapped, “Eyes on me. I’m in charge, remember?”

“Y-yes, sir.”

“Good. She’s going to play with your breasts too. Do you understand?”

Carter wanted her to go all the way, but I didn’t think she was ready for it. And I was in charge, dammit!

“Yes, sir,” she repeated with a little more confidence. She must have sensed that I wouldn’t make her try something against her will. Then again, she probably realized that Christy couldn’t exactly go down on her while I was in the way. Whatever the case, her eyes slowly brightened with excitement and only a bit of anxiety.

I began thrusting as the girls shared their first tentative kiss. It heated up quickly, and I chuckled to myself when I read the surprise in Christy’s body language. Kim liked kissing, the same as Christy liked giving head. She did the other things to make Carter and me happy, but she enjoyed the kissing for herself.

Behind me, Carter stood to get a better view. I glanced over my shoulder, and we shared a quick nod before I returned my attention to the girls. Christy played with Kim’s nipples and then moved to kiss them.

Kim gasped and arched her back. Then she closed her eyes as pleasure assaulted her from two different directions. The temperature in her pussy didn’t shoot up like Christy’s did, but she was obviously enjoying herself.

I kept thrusting as the pressure built in my balls. Watching the girls added an extra urgency. Carter didn’t loom over us, but our threesome felt more like a foursome. In a way, it was. He wasn’t having sex with anyone at the moment, but he’d orchestrated the whole thing.

I sat back to give him a better view. I held Kim’s hips and continued thrusting, while she and Christy kissed each other and let out soft sighs of pleasure.

“What d’you think?” I asked Carter.

“Pretty damn hot.”

“You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.” Then I did my Georgia redneck accent again. “Hold my beer an’ watch this.”

“Famous last words,” he chuckled.

“You’ll see,” I promised.

I concentrated on fucking Kim. She moaned into Christy’s mouth, and I used the opportunity to cup and squeeze her breast. I was getting close, so I warned Christy.

“I’m gonna come in your mouth,” I told her, “but don’t swallow.”

“Yes, sir. Don’t swallow.” She and Kim shared a curious, excited grin.

I fucked Kim a little faster, until I couldn’t hold back any longer.

“Here it comes,” I said.

Christy moved into position and captured my cock as soon as I pulled out. She moaned in pleasure but then in surprise at the force and amount. I unloaded what felt like an entire fire hose into her mouth. We were both breathing hard by the time I finished.

“God, that was good.” I swallowed to moisten my mouth. “Now share with Kim… in a kiss.”

Carter laughed. “You, sir, are a sex genius.”

“I have moments.”

Christy and Kim kissed and tried to figure out how to pass my semen between them. They managed a little but it was messy, and some of it ran down Kim’s chin. Kim started to laugh before she caught herself. They tried again, and Kim moaned as she tasted my load.

“That’s pretty damn hot,” Carter said.

“I thought you’d like that,” I agreed.

The girls finished their kiss and smiled for our approval. Their lips were shiny with semen and saliva.

“Damn, hon,” Carter said, “you look sexy as hell right now.”

“Thank you, sir. May I have some more?”

“From him or me?” he laughed.

“Both!” Christy chimed in. “Mmm, yummy semen.”

Carter and I shared a grin.

“Did I mention that she’s insatiable?”

“You’re serious, aren’t you?” Carter laughed.

“Oh, absolutely. Come on, let’s go for a swim and cool off.”

* * *

We rinsed off in the patio shower and then relaxed around one of the tables. Christy shifted several times but couldn’t find a comfortable position, in spite of the thick cushions.

“Why don’t you girls lay out for a while and catch some rays,” Carter suggested. “Paul and I’ll pick out the wine for dinner and— What’s so funny?”

“You,” I said simply.

“What about me?”

“The grocery store?” I hooked a thumb toward him and explained to the girls, “Julius Child here was so excited to get things going that he completely forgot the food.”

“Guilty, your honor,” he said solemnly. “Lock me up and throw away the key. Right, next case. You girls relax while we see about dinner and something to drink.”

The girls moved to lounge chairs, while he and I headed inside.

“Thanks for coming with me,” he said as soon as the door closed behind us.

“I figured you wanted to get me alone to talk.”

He chuckled. “You’re so cool that it’s easy to forget how perceptive you are. And I don’t mean Paul Newman cool, although you’re that too.”

“Thanks.”

“I mean cool under pressure,” he continued. “You’d make a great attorney.”

“Thanks, but—”

“Yeah, I know. My father wanted me to be a banker. But you have to follow your passion. Right, so… you’re probably wondering why I asked you here.”

“Not really. I figure it’s to talk about earlier, when I interrupted you.”

“Yeah. Sorry I lost my temper. I shouldn’t’ve, and I apologize.”

“Well, I shouldn’t’ve interrupted you.”

“You didn’t know,” he shrugged. “And it’s my fault for not telling you. So I was more upset with myself. That is, once I got over the initial anger.” He paused and organized his thoughts. “If you want to learn more about the scene—”

I nodded.

“—I’ll be happy to teach you. Yeah,” he chuckled, “I figured you’d want to. For Christy’s sake if nothing else. I mean, if you really love her.”

“I do.” I smiled at the familiar phrase.

“She’s definitely a sub,” he added. “And a real masochist. I’ve met one other woman like her. I could make her come just from spanking her.”

“That’s Christy, all right.”

“It is,” he agreed. “And if she’s like that for real… Well, don’t take this the wrong way, but you need to learn what you’re doing. You could really hurt her if you discipline her wrong or put her in the wrong position for too long.”

I nodded solemnly.

“We can talk about it later. Right now I just wanted to apologize. I’m sorry I lost my temper. I should’ve told you more about it before we started.”

“I still feel like I should’ve known—”

He shook his head firmly.

“—but I’m sorry too.” I extended my hand and we shook to seal our friendship.

“Right,” he said briskly. “Moving on. I’ll check the kitchen and see what we have for dinner. You grab the wine. Let’s start with the Sauternes. Two bottles, the yellow ones.” He nodded toward the case he’d loaded for himself at the liquor store. “I couldn’t believe the guy even had them. Here! In Podunk, South Carolina!” Carter shook his head in disbelief. “I told you he has good taste.”

The man had good taste in most things, it seemed, including other men. Carter was smart, charming, and handsome, a definite catch. He was straighter than straight, but I could see the attraction. I didn’t share it, although I had to admit that I might, especially if I ever decided to play for the other team. Then again, I couldn’t imagine sex with another man, so I was probably safe.

“—put it in the freezer,” he was saying. “Take it out after thirty minutes. Does your watch have a stopwatch?”

“What? Oh, yeah, of course.”

“Right. So, you’re in charge of the wine.”

He began opening cupboards and talking to himself as he pulled out ingredients. I felt a growing affection for him as I watched. He was persnickety and a bit of a snob, but so was I. And he had a bit of a temper, but so did I. He was a nice guy in spite of all that, and I hoped I was too.

“Like two peas in a pod,” I chuckled to myself.

“What? Peas? No, they’re capers,” Carter said. “I think they’re technically flowers. Doesn’t matter. They add a tangy, salty flavor. So, here’s what we have…”

* * *

We spent the next couple of hours drinking some very good wine and enjoying ourselves beside the pool. Well, three of us did. Christy enjoyed herself too, but mostly because she was in the pool. She alternated between swimming around and lounging with her arms folded on the side, where she could sip her wine and listen to the conversation.

The water didn’t make her horny, but it definitely played a part. Besides, she was probably still tingling and excited from earlier. Carter and I were talking about Charlotte versus Atlanta when she finally ran out of patience.

“Excuse me,” she said.

Carter stared at her. He wasn’t upset, precisely, but he wasn’t used to being interrupted either. I did my best to hide a smile, while Kim covered nearly her whole face to hide hers.

“Yes?” Carter said evenly.

“Please, sir, may I suck your dick?”

He burst out laughing.

“Sorry,” I said without meaning it. “She’s an insistent little thing, especially when she’s had a couple of drinks.”

“I can tell,” he laughed. Then he said to Christy, “Of course, my dear. Do you want to come here or should I come to you?”

“Here, please.”

“She’s a water nymph,” I said. “It makes her extra horny.”

“Extra-super-duper horny!”

Kim’s eyes flew wide, although she tried not to laugh at the same time.

“Right,” Carter agreed succinctly. “I’ll be going now.” He went to the pool, lowered himself to the side, and sat with his legs in the water. Christy moved between them and began playing with his dick.

I gestured to Kim and guided her into my lap. The wine made her flirty and affectionate. It gave her a bit of confidence as well.

“I can’t believe she did that,” she whispered.

“Which part?”

“All of it. I’d never do that, even after a couple of glasses of wine.”

I chuckled.

“Carter really likes her,” she said softly.

“You aren’t jealous?” I ventured.

“No. Should I be?”

“No. I was just curious. It takes a special kind of person to be a swinger.”

“Carter loves me. And Christy loves you.” All of a sudden she frowned suspiciously and looked into my eyes. “Why? Don’t you love her?”

“More than anything in the world.”

She relaxed. “Good. I like her. She’s how I wish I could be sometimes.”

“Nothing’s stopping you…”

She sighed and rested her head on my shoulder. Then she nuzzled my neck. I cupped her breast and squeezed gently.

“Thank you, sir,” she whispered.

“For what?”

“Letting me do this.” She kissed my jaw and worked her way toward my ear. “I know you want me to pleasure you, but—”

“Kissing is your foreplay.”

“Mmm, it is. It makes my cookie hot. Would you like to feel?”

I caressed her thigh, and she parted her legs for me. Then she sighed as my fingers found her pussy. I rubbed her fleshy inner lips and began spreading her moisture.

She sighed again, rested her head on my shoulder, and kissed my neck. Her pussy grew wetter with every kiss, and her breathing became heavier, until she raised her head and offered me her lips.

We kissed, and our tongues slid together as heat flooded her pussy. She whimpered into my mouth and pulled my head down. I slid two fingers into her, and she moaned as I began fucking her gently. I used my thumb to tease her clit at the same time, and her breathing became erratic.

“Please, sir. Permission—?”

“Come for me.”

She held my neck and pressed her forehead to my shoulder for a dozen heartbeats. It was a small, silent orgasm that left her panting through her nose. She relaxed slowly and caught her breath. I withdrew my fingers and raised them to her lips.

“Have you ever tasted yourself?”

“Yes, sir. Sometimes Carter likes me to suck his cock after he fucks me.”

“Do you like it?”

“I like making him happy,” she said, which wasn’t the same. She thought about it and shrugged. “It’s okay.”

“You feel the same about pain, don’t you?”

“What do you mean?”

“You tolerate it because it makes Carter happy.”

“Oh, no, sir. I like it,” she said, which wasn’t quite a lie, but wasn’t the whole truth either.

“Do you know what makes me happy?” I asked rhetorically. “When you’re happy. So, tell me what you want.”

She thought about it for a long time. “I want to please you.” She hesitated a moment and then added, “Daddy.”

My eyebrows flew up. She felt my reaction and started to pull away, but I held her in place and soothed her. Then I lifted her chin and kissed her. She didn’t know how to react at first, but after a moment she sighed and leaned into it.

“I wasn’t shocked,” I said when I pulled back. “And definitely not disgusted. I was surprised, that’s all. And happy. That you’d trust me.”

“Thank you, sir.” She smiled hopefully. “So… you don’t mind?”

“What? If you call me ‘Daddy’?”

She nodded.

“Not at all. I kinda like it.”

She blushed and looked down. “I know, sir. I can feel.”

“Speaking of which…”

Christy would’ve immediately slid from my lap, but Kim wasn’t Christy. She kissed me instead, with growing passion. Then she pressed her cheek to mine and whispered in my ear.

“Please, Daddy, may I suck your cock? I promise I’ll play with your come and show it to you.”

“You’re a naughty little girl,” I chuckled.

“Yes, sir, but only for my daddy.” She batted her eyes innocently. She was playing a role, but she was doing it for herself, which made it even sexier.

“That’s a good girl,” I said. “Get on your knees and suck Daddy’s cock.”

She didn’t even bother with a cushion or towel. She simply knelt on the concrete and swallowed my dick. She sucked with more enthusiasm than I’d ever seen from her, and I came after only a few minutes. She held my come in her mouth and showed me. Then she rolled it around with her tongue and played with it.

“Good girl,” I said. “Now swallow.”

She did. “Mmm, thank you, Daddy.”

“Very nice,” Carter said, and I almost jumped in surprise. He and Christy were finished, and he’d joined her in the pool. I hadn’t even noticed. And I didn’t know how long they’d been watching. Or listening.

“What?” I said, slightly diffident.

“The ‘Daddy’ thing,” Carter explained. “It’s pretty common in the scene.” It was a half-truth that covered a larger one, that Kim meant it literally more than figuratively.

“Not with me,” Christy said under her breath.

“I said common,” Carter chuckled, “not ubiquitous.”

“For the record,” she said to me, “he’s as bad as you are. With words, I mean.”

“Probably. It’s part of the reason we get along so well.”

Carter nodded and then glanced at his watch. “Ready to start dinner? You can be my sous.”

“Does sous mean anything besides ‘kitchen slave’?”

“Not that I know of,” he laughed.

“Pauvre chou,” Christy said.

“Whatever that means,” I grumbled.

“Thank you, sir,” Kim said quietly. “For dinner. And… um… everything else.”

“Come on, it won’t take long,” Carter told me. “I’ll go easy on you.”

“You know,” I mused, “sometimes I don’t like you very much.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” he replied mildly.

“Oh, Paul,” Christy laughed, bright and musical, “he’s exactly like you.”

“I know. And that should probably worry me.”

* * *

Carter made tuna and rotini in a garlic, lemon, and caper sauce. It wasn’t fancy, but it tasted good, and Christy ate two helpings. Then she used a piece of French bread to mop up the sauce and butter from the sautéed carrots.

“That was delicious,” I told Carter. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure. You had good tuna.”

“Wren’s doing, I’m sure. I buy Charlie the Tuna.”

“Starkist. It isn’t bad. You have to get chunk tuna, though, canned in water, not oil.”

Christy wrinkled her nose at the thought of oil in her tuna.

“Exactly,” I agreed.

Carter heard the sarcasm and rolled his eyes. “At least you had fresh carrots.”

“We always have fresh carrots,” I laughed. “Bunny here would die without ’em.”

Christy beamed and nodded happily.

Carter refilled our wine, and we chatted for a while as the western horizon coaxed the sun into its embrace. The persistent summer haze turned to edible colors, from bananas to oranges to the red of ripe tomatoes. I needed an entire farmer’s market to describe them all. Christy was also thinking of food, although in more prosaic terms.

“What did you make for dessert?” she asked.

“A surprise,” Carter said slyly, “but only for Paul and me.”

“Unh! No fair.” She narrowed her eyes. Then she looked at me.

I held up my hands in unfeigned ignorance.

“Sweet, juicy nectarines,” Carter said, “with whipped cream.”

Christy frowned, and I mirrored her.

“Okay,” I said slowly, “we have whipped cream. I saw it behind the butter. But I know for a fact that we don’t have nectarines. I’m not even sure what they are.”

“Peaches without the fuzz,” Carter said. He almost managed not to smirk. Almost.

Christy figured it out before I did, but not by much. Her eyes widened, and she glanced at Kim, who smiled in excitement.

“I’ll get the whipped cream,” Carter said to me. “Will you be my sous and prep the nectarines?”

“Okay, this time I don’t mind. Do you have a preference? Yours or mine?”

“Yours, of course. And you can eat mine.” He laughed and disappeared into the clubhouse.

Kim caught my eye, and her grin was the perfect combination of shy and come-on. Christy actually bounced, although she winced and immediately sat still.

Kim’s expression immediately turned sympathetic. “Sometimes it takes me a whole day to recover. The girls at work wonder why I spend so much time at the copier.”

“It’s better than before,” Christy said. “Only, I get excited and forget.”

“You’ll be fine on your back.”

Christy’s eyes flashed. “Mmm, I hope so.”

“That’s my cue,” I said. “Ladies…?” I lifted Christy onto the adjacent table and set her down gently.

“Thank you, Mr. Chef,” she murmured. “My nectarine is very happy.”

I chuckled and kissed her before I moved to Kim.

Carter returned with the tub of Cool Whip. “Right. Are we ready?”

“Yours is,” I said. “I still need to arrange mine.”

He nodded and handed me a large spoon on the way by. He stopped in front of Christy and helped her lie back. Then he pulled up a chair, spread her legs, and spooned a dollop of whipped cream onto her smooth mons.

“Keep it on the outside,” he cautioned. Then he handed me the tub. “You know that, right?”

“Yeah,” I lied, “of course.”

“Thank you, sir,” Kim said. “I promise I’ll return the favor.” She smiled, and her cheeks turned rosy. Then she leaned close and touched hers to mine. “Will you come see us in Charlotte? I’d like that, sir. Very much. Carter too, but… he isn’t the reason I’m asking.”

My eyebrows flew up. “I’d… I’d like that.”

She sat back, and her eyes sparkled as she looked into mine. For a moment I thought she might have some romantic interest. I searched her expression and breathed a sigh of relief when I didn’t see it.

“Was it something I said?” she wondered.

My cheeks heated with surprise and chagrin. “No, I just…” I thought about it and admitted, “No, sometimes I get carried away.”

She frowned uncertainly.

“I think I’m God’s gift to women.”

“Oh, that.” She grinned, worldly and affectionate at the same time. “Don’t all men?”

“Probably.”

“Are you upset? That I don’t… um… like you that way?”

“Not at all. I’m relieved.”

“Oh, good. Me too. Sir.” She ducked her head and leaned in for a kiss. “Would you like to eat my cookie?” She frowned. “Or my nectarine? Or… what would you like me to call it? Sir?”

“How about ‘pussy’?”

“Mmm, I like that.”

“Me too. But I’m going to start with your melons.”

She lay back, and her breasts flattened into low mounds that bulged at the side. Her eyes shone with amusement as I spread whipped cream onto her nipples.

I spent a couple of minutes licking and sucking until they were clean. Then I kissed my way to her pussy. I didn’t bother with a chair and grabbed a seat cushion instead. I sank to my knees and surveyed her from close-up.

The whipped cream was just a gimmick, an excuse, and I didn’t need it. Instead, I pushed her knees toward her chest and spread her legs. Her thin outer labia merged seamlessly with her body, and her fleshy inner lips parted. They were already damp with moisture, but I ignored them and planted light kisses on the sensitive skin of her inner thighs.

Her body thrummed with anticipation as I slowly moved toward her pussy. I teased her and let the tension build until she whined softly. Then I probed her with two fingers. I lubricated them with her juices and slowly buried them up to the third knuckle. She moaned softly, and her buttocks tightened as she thrust her hips toward me.

I began finger-fucking her and took the opportunity to glance at Carter and Christy. His face was buried in her pussy, and he shook it side to side as he vibrated her clit. She tugged a nipple with one hand and held on to the table with the other. Then she tensed and held her breath through a mini-orgasm. Carter didn’t even slow down. He began licking her slit, and she moaned into the gathering twilight.

I returned my attention to Kim and gave her pussy a tentative kiss. She tasted tangy and salty, with a hint of chlorine. The taste was similar to Christy’s but different, impossible to describe. She reacted the same, though, especially when I nudged her hidden clit with my nose.

On a whim, I decided to go looking for it. I used my left hand to pull the hood up and back. A pink pearl appeared, shiny and smaller than I expected. I flicked it with my tongue, and Kim nearly leapt off the table.

“Too much,” she gasped. “Sir. P-please! Oh, God!”

I gave her a moment to catch her breath. Then I let the hood slide back into place before I nudged the covered bead.

Her breath caught but she didn’t try to escape. “S-sorry,” she panted.

“No, it’s okay. I’m still learning how your body works.”

“S-super—” She moistened her mouth, and her chest heaved. “Super-sensitive.”

“I could tell,” I chuckled. “I won’t do it again.”

“T-thank you, sir.”

I gazed at her pussy thoughtfully.

Oh, no, the little head said, don’t start.

Start what? I protested.

You know. Overanalyzing. Women. They’re all different.

Who says I was—?

He sighed.

Yeah, all right, I’ll focus.

I planted a kiss on Kim’s hooded clit, and she sighed with pleasure instead of pain. The little head didn’t add a snarky comment, so I kept going.

Kim gradually relaxed and began to enjoy herself once she realized I wasn’t going to overstimulate her again. I finger-fucked her gently as I licked and sucked her wrinkled inner lips. I teased her clit through the hood when I wanted a bigger reaction.

She rewarded me with soft sighs and heavy breathing. Her pussy heated up gradually, but nothing like Christy’s did. Still, she was getting close, so I focused on her clit and her G-spot at the same time, until she tensed with a silent climax that left her gasping.

I held my fingers inside her and planted gentle kisses on her thighs. Then I kissed the edges of her pussy. She wasn’t overly sensitive after her orgasm, so I planted a final kiss on her flared inner lips, right below the little fold at the top. She relaxed completely, and I withdrew my fingers.

After a moment I sat back and glanced to my left. Once again, Carter had finished before me and had been watching. Christy sat on the table itself and looked even smaller than usual.

“Pretty damn cool,” he said.

I stood and shrugged, deliberately nonchalant. “Another day, another beautiful woman.”

He rolled his eyes but grinned anyway.

“Would you like us to suck you?” Christy asked. “Sirs?”

Carter turned thoughtful for a moment. Then he glanced at Kim, who still lay on her back on the table.

“Do you mind if we trade back?” he asked me.

“Not at all.”

“I’m in the mood to fuck someone.” He patted Christy’s flank. “Don’t take this the wrong way, my dear, but I want my wife.”

“Why don’t you thank him properly,” I suggested to her, “and make sure he’s ready.”

“Mmm, yes, sir.” She slid to the concrete and knelt. Then she lowered her head to his lap and began sucking his semi-hard cock.

“I’m going to miss this,” he chuckled.

I helped Kim sit up. Then I leaned in and kissed her cheek.

“I had fun tonight,” I said softly. “Thank you.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“I’m pretty sure I know how it’s going to end,” I added, “but I have a question for you.”

“Yes, sir?”

“Carter’s going to fuck you, and I’m going to fuck Christy. We can do it separately, or…”

She waited eagerly, but I let her twist for a moment. She finally gave in. “Or what, sir?”

“Or we can do it together. I’ll bring Christy over here. You two can kiss and make out while Carter and I fuck you.”

I actually felt her flush with excitement. The night air was warm, but not that warm. I pulled back and glanced at her. Sure enough, her cheeks were pink from arousal and her eyes glowed with excitement.

“So… that’s a yes?” I chuckled.

She didn’t answer with words. Instead, she flung her arms around my neck and kissed me, soundly. A moment later she reached between us, found my nascent erection, and stroked it to life.

“Would you like to fuck me?” she panted softly. “Carter can watch until he’s ready. He’d like that.” She hesitated a moment and then added, “I’d like it. Please, s—? I mean… Paul?”

My eyebrows flew up.

Oh, for fuck’s sake! the little head said in exasperation. This is why I should be in charge.

I chuckled and didn’t deny it.

Kim gave me a quizzical look but then smiled. “Were you talking to him again? Mr. Big? What did he say?”

“That I should fuck you.”

“He’s right. You should.” She leaned back and supported herself on her elbows. She raised her legs and spread them for me. Then she glanced at Carter, to make sure he was watching.

He was.

I stepped forward and lubricated the head of my cock in Kim’s smooth channel. She whimpered insistently, and I pushed into her.

“Oh, hell yeah,” Carter said. “Get her ready for me. Fuck her with your horse-cock.”

I rolled my eyes, but only Kim saw. She grinned.

“Thank you, sir. May I have some more?”

“Absolutely!” I rammed into her, and the table scraped across the concrete.

“Oh, God,” Kim moaned for show. “It’s so big!”

“Yeah, give it to her,” Carter urged.

I rolled my eyes again, but the little head was the only one who noticed.

You think too much, he said.

Yeah, probably.

Why don’t you take a break? I got this.

You’re the boss.

Say that again? Never mind. Focus!

I chuckled and began thrusting.

Oh, yeah. Focus. Just like that.

Sometimes I had to wonder about myself.

* * *

Carter and I cleaned the kitchen a little later, while the girls cooled off in the pool. He wasn’t a total neat freak, but he enjoyed cleaning a lot more than I did. It gave us a chance to talk, though, to make sure we hadn’t crossed any boundaries. No one had, and we both visibly relaxed, which earned a laugh as well.

Then he repeated Kim’s invitation to visit them in Charlotte, which came as a relief. I didn’t think she’d made the offer on the spur of the moment, but some part of me still wondered.

“We talked about it last night,” he said. “If things went well today…”

“Which they did,” I agreed.

“Right. So we’d love for you to visit us, maybe for a long weekend.”

“We’d like that. I don’t know when, though.”

“Same here. My schedule’s so full that we can’t even stay the whole week.”

“You have a brief due tomorrow, and you’re in court on Monday.”

“And you have to update your cabin drawings and start on the clubhouse.” He grinned. “I was paying attention too.”

“I kinda figured.”

He considered me for a long moment. “I’m glad we met. Not just for Kim’s sake, but for both of us. We’ve only known each other… what? Four days? But I feel like we’ve been friends for years.”

“Me too.”

The door opened and the girls entered with their towels.

“It’s still too hot out there,” Kim said.

“And this is where we keep the alcohol,” Christy added.

I rolled my eyes and grinned.

“Right,” Carter said. “Then have a seat. I have the perfect après-sex wine.”

“Penis Noir?” Christy said, although her expression clouded as she thought about it. “Who cares,” she said, lighthearted again. “Penis is penis.”

Carter stared at her in disbelief. Then he burst out laughing.

I didn’t understand the joke, but I waited until he recovered and said, “I’m not dating her for her looks.”

“Obviously not.”

“Well, not only for her looks.”

“No, no.” He composed himself. “I do have a lovely Pinot Noir, if it suits you, my dear.”

“Yes, please.”

We spent the rest of the evening relaxing and chatting and drinking Carter’s wine, a California Pinot to start, then an Australian Shiraz, followed by an Italian Moscato. He was a wine snob, all right, but a fun one. He played host and explained why each wine was special.

We eventually wound down, and he offered to pour the last of the Moscato. I waved a hand over my glass, but Christy slid hers forward.

“Thank you.”

“I envy your metabolism,” he said. He was a little drunk, but mostly tired from the long day. “I think it’s time for us to go to bed.”

Kim covered a yawn and nodded. She’d been quiet for the past hour and hadn’t touched her wine after the Shiraz.

“We had fun today,” he said.

“Us too,” I said. “We’ll have to do it again sometime.”

“Indeed.” He stood and then helped Kim to her feet.

“We’ll turn off things here,” I said. “Thanks again for the wine.”

“And the excellent conversation. Our pleasure.”

We exchanged goodnights, and they left. Then I let out a deep sigh and slid down in my chair. I’d drunk as much as Carter, and I was definitely feeling the effects. Christy, on the other hand, had found her usual reserve of energy.

“Honestly,” I said, “I don’t know how you do it.”

“Do what?” She knew exactly what I was talking about, so she raised her glass and sipped to cover a smile. “I like the wine. It’s sweet. We’ll have to tell Wren about it.”

“I’m sure she knows.” Then I raised an eyebrow. “Is that the only thing we’ll tell her about?”

Christy sighed. “You know me so well.”

“Mmm.”

“She’s going to ask. You know she will.”

I nodded.

“But… I can’t tell her about most of it.”

“No,” I agreed. “And Trip’s probably gonna want details about Kim.”

“Only, I don’t want to share.”

“Details? Or Carter and Kim?”

“Both. But I suppose we’ll have to.” She sighed heavily. “Remember I said I felt like we were moving apart?”

“Yep. I understand. Completely.” I couldn’t explain it, but I didn’t want to share Carter and Kim either, and it wasn’t just because we wanted to keep the bondage and discipline separate.

Christy must have read my mind. “How do we do it?”

“I don’t know. I love Trip like a brother, but—”

“—he doesn’t have to be part of everything you do.”

“Exactly.”

“Now you know how I feel about Wren,” Christy said. “I love her, but… It’s different with you and me.”

I nodded solemnly. “It’s the intimacy.”

She didn’t quite follow.

“You’re intimate with Wren, but you and I are on a deeper level. Same with me and Trip. Well, except for the sex.” We shared a grin. “And you’re right, I don’t have to share everything with him.” I thought back, though, to all the things we had shared, including girlfriends and other women.

“I know,” Christy said softly. “Same with us. Me and Wren, I mean. But… now I have things I only want to share with you. I feel guilty, though, like I’m betraying our friendship.”

“Same here.”

“My mom said that’s what couples do. We become closer than friends. Lynne said the same.” Christy smiled, thoughtful and a little sad. “She’s a lot deeper than Marianne. Don’t get me wrong, I love them both, but I’ve gotten to know Lynne a lot better since you and I’ve been dating. She thinks about things. Marianne isn’t shallow, but… she and Harry have such perfect lives. They both want the same things. Sometimes I think he’s the lucky one, not me. Anyway, what were we talking about? Oh, right, betraying our friendships.”

I nodded and sat up. I couldn’t change how we felt, and we definitely weren’t going to choose our friends over one another, so I decided to change the subject. I glanced over my shoulder, to the couch. “Let’s get comfortable. Take your wine,” I told her. “I’ll meet you in… thirty seconds.”

I turned off the lights, filled a glass with water from the tap, and joined her on the couch. She started to lean against my side, but I patted my thigh instead. She swung a leg over and sat facing me.

“Much better,” I said. “Everything’s within reach.”

“I like sitting like this. I feel exposed and vulnerable.”

I raised an eyebrow. “So you like being exposed and vulnerable?”

“Mmm. But only for you.”

I rubbed her thigh, and she set her wineglass aside. Then she leaned forward to kiss me. I’d been kissing Kim all day, and Christy felt different. We had a spark that Kim and I didn’t. Christy must have felt it too, because she sighed and leaned into me. I cupped her ass—so much smaller and firmer than Kim’s—and pulled her closer. We kissed again.

“Mmm.” She sat back and grinned. “I missed you. I had fun with Carter, and Kim’s a really good kisser, but… it wasn’t the same.”

“No. It was just sex with them. Lust, not love.” We shared a smile and enjoyed a quiet, comfortable moment. “So, you had fun today?” I said at last, and she nodded.

“I’m still a little sore,” she added, “but it’s a good sore, like after a workout.”

“Carter offered to teach me more about the scene.”

“And…?”

“And what?” I laughed. “Do you want me to learn?”

“Oh my gosh, yes! Are you kidding? Carter… did things today. I came, like, a million times. I have fun when you spank me, but it wasn’t the same.” She sat up and looked into my eyes. “Paul Dean Hughes, I love you more than anything, but you need to learn how to do that to me. I don’t think you understand…”

“Oh, I understand,” I chuckled. “You’ll leave me for a guy like Carter if I don’t.”

“What?” she squawked indignantly. “No! That isn’t what I meant at all! I can’t believe you think I’d leave you over something like that. Paul, dear, I worked too hard to get you in the first place. I’m not going to throw it all away just because some other guy made me come. Ugh! You’re so infuriating sometimes!”

“So you’re not going to leave me?”

“Not now, not ever. Besides,” she added, “I won’t have to. You’re going to learn from Carter. Then you’ll be able to do what he did.”

“Is that an order?” I teased.

“You know I don’t give orders. Not to you.”

I chuckled and didn’t argue.

“What’s that supposed to mean? Ugh! Never mind.” She pretended to glare. “Sometimes I don’t like you very much.”

“Like now?”

“Yes,” she lied.

“Uh-huh.” I gave her a moment and then reached between her legs. I began playing with her pussy, and she whimpered. Then she closed her eyes, and her nostrils flared as I spread her growing moisture. My dick didn’t react instantly, but it began to swell.

You can do it, I encouraged him.

Hey, I’ve had a long day too.

I chuckled and took the opportunity to play with Christy’s breasts and pinch her nipples.

Okay, boss, the little head said at last, ready when you are.

I teased her clit.

“Oh, no fair,” she gasped. “Use my own body against me.”

“I can use my body,” I suggested, “if you’d prefer.”

“Yes, please.”

“Sit up.” I steadied my cock at her opening.

God, I love my life, he said.

Hello? Focus? I chuckled to myself and said aloud, “Good girl. Now sit back.”

Christy sighed and sank onto my shaft. Her pussy was tight and smooth, and very wet. She settled on my thighs. Her breathing grew heavier, and I chuckled again, this time aloud.

“You don’t care about the rest,” I said. “The spanking and bondage and toys. All you care about is my cock.”

“Right now,” she said stubbornly. “But later? When I’m feeling naughty? Or being a bad girl?” Her breathing caught, and the temperature in her pussy went up a degree.

My eyebrows rose. All that? Just from thinking about it? I chuckled again.

“I’m glad one of us thinks this is funny,” she said. “I can’t help it.”

“I know.”

“You talk too much,” she grumped. “We’re supposed to be making love.”

“Is that what you want?”

“Yes, please.”

I held her hips and began rocking mine. “Better?”

“Mmm… can’t talk now.”

* * *

Carter and Kim left after breakfast the next morning. We exchanged addresses and phone numbers and promised to keep in touch. The words were a formula and sounded empty, although I meant them for real and thought Carter did too. Christy and I waved as they drove off, until their car grew small in the distance.

She sighed.

“Yeah, I know,” I said. “Me too.”

“What do we do now?”

“Well, I need to get to work.”

“Oh. Okay.”

“You too,” I chuckled.

“Unh! Do not.”

“Where are those landscaping drawings?”

“Oh, those. Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

“Besides,” I added, “they’re supposed to deliver the bungalow furniture today. So you either need to get dressed or head down to the main camp.”

“Main camp, I suppose. I’ll talk to your mom, too. Maybe she’s heard from Erin and Leah. Do you think they’re having fun?”

“I hope so.”

“I wonder if we should go to Europe. For our honeymoon, I mean.”

“Oh, no,” I said immediately. “Don’t start that again.”

She feigned innocence. “What?”

“I’ll ask when I’m ready.”

“I didn’t say anything,” she protested.

“Back to the pool.”

“The pool? Hold on… why?”

“Because I’m in the mood for a blowjob before work, and water makes you horny.”

“Oh. Yeah. Why didn’t you say so?”

“I did. Just now. So… pool. Suck. Now.” I swatted her ass for good measure.

“Yes, sir. I’m going!”

* * *

Trip called on Saturday. Christy and I were preoccupied and didn’t hear the phone in time, but he called back a few minutes later. He didn’t even say hello before he started in.

“How would you feel about a new drafting table?”

“What? Why?”

“The one you have weighs a ton. It has a cast-iron base. I forgot. Wren said two big dudes delivered it and carried it up.”

“I wasn’t there,” I laughed, “remember?”

“Neither was I. So I thought it’d be simple for us to haul it down the stairs. Wren’s pretty strong for a girl, but it’s too awkward and heavy for us to manage.”

“Okay. So… what do you want to do?”

“Buy you a new one. Duh. With a goddamn wooden base. Sorry,” he said immediately, “it’s been a rough day. Not your fault. Anyway, I’ll take care of it. I just wanted to let you know. We’ll bring your stool, drafting machine, and the rest of your tools. Anything else you can think of?”

“Nope.”

“Cool. Okay, next order of business. Did the bungalow furniture arrive?”

“Yeah.”

“Good. They wanted to delay again. I had to threaten to cancel the order. Was everything there?”

“Yeah, but that explains why the driver was an asshole.”

“What’d he do?”

“Just his attitude. He calmed down once he realized I wasn’t you.” I chuckled at the memory. “You must’ve really annoyed them.”

“Tough shit,” Trip said ruthlessly. “I pay for something, I want it delivered when they promise, not a goddamn week later.”

“Hey, I understand. But don’t shoot the messenger.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” he said. “Sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it. Anyway, I checked the invoice. Everything’s fine. And the guy calmed down, especially when I offered to help them unload. We stacked everything in front of the bungalows already, so you and I won’t have to move anything.”

“Smart. Thanks.”

Wren hollered to him in the background.

“All right,” he said, “I’d better go. We still need to buy your table, and the store closes at five.”

“I’ll pay for it—”

“No, it’s a business expense. Besides, we’ll leave it there so you can use it this fall.”

“Ah, good idea.”

“Thanks. Anyway, we’ll see you tomorrow. Bye.”

* * *

They arrived the next day after lunch. Trip was in a better mood but Wren was surly. She said hello, gave me an awkward hug, and disappeared with Christy toward the bungalows.

“She’s hurting,” Trip said without explanation. “Long story. I’ll tell you later. C’mon, let’s get the tarp off the truck and unload.”

We carried the new drafting table and my other tools into the clubhouse. Then we hauled in computer boxes from a company called Compaq. I’d never heard of them, but Trip was excited.

“They’re the latest thing,” he said, “brand new.”

“Duh.” I gestured at the boxes, which were still sealed.

“No, I mean, like, for real. They just came out a week ago. They’re called clones. Cheaper than IBMs and twice as fast. They’re so hot that I couldn’t get a discount, even on two. But they’re totally worth it. Susan’s gonna be happy.”

“The other one’s for her?” I asked rhetorically.

“Yeah. Doug’s been after her to buy one. I told her we were buying one, and the rest is history.”

The girls returned from the bungalows, and Christy’s eyes lit up.

“Ooh, is that the new computer? It looks fun. Can I help? I have small hands, you know. I can get into tight places. I used to help my brothers all the time. Model airplanes, hi-fi components, carburetors, you name it.”

Trip chuckled indulgently. “Sure.”

“Oh, great, that’s all I need,” Wren carped. “First, I’m a baseball widow. Now I’m a computer widow too? We aren’t even married yet.”

I chuckled to lighten the mood. “Trouble in paradise?”

“That’s an understatement.”

Trip cleared his throat and said diplomatically, “We’ve had a rough week.”

“Rough? Rough! You call that ‘rough’? Nothing went right!”

“Babe, calm down. It’s life. It happens.” He explained to us, “Her dad and his girlfriend had an argument at the party.”

“Gold digger,” Wren muttered.

“Our plans with the other couple fell through,” Trip continued with a frown. “The guy wussed out. Then we had to cancel the meeting in Knoxville about the new restaurant. Then we tried to move your table. That’s when she strained her back.”

“Uh-oh,” I said.

“It hurts to lay down,” she complained, “it hurts to sit up, it hurts to do anything.” She drew a deep breath and tried to calm down, but it made her wince instead. She closed her eyes and breathed slowly for a moment. “Sorry. Trip’s right. It’s just life. But… it’s a little annoying that it happened all at once.”

“Tell you what,” I ventured, “Trip can put you on the DI list—”

“The what?” he laughed.

“The baseball list. What’s it called? Disabled and Injured? DI, right?”

“The DL,” he and Christy said at the same time.

She followed with, “Jinx, you owe me a Coke.”

They shared a grin.

“Whatever.” I ignored them and continued to Wren, “Trip can put you on the DL thingy. I’m not on the list anymore, so I can do everything you’d normally do.”

“I’ll help,” Christy volunteered.

“Thank you, my love,” Wren said.

“What’m I?” I said facetiously. “Chopped liver?”

“You too,” she added with a smile. Then she stretched up and kissed my cheek, although she grimaced almost immediately. “Sorry, I’m just cranky. A four-hour car ride didn’t help. I’ll be fine. It’s time for more Tylenol anyway.”

“Okay. Then Christy and I’ll run to the grocery store for you.”

“Not me,” Christy said immediately. “I wanna stay and help with the computer.”

“Hold on, you were serious?” Trip said in surprise.

“Of course.”

“Then I’ll go to the store by myself,” I said.

“No, I need to go too,” Wren said. “I don’t have a list. Besides, I need to see everything myself. It’s easier that way.”

“That’s fine too,” I said. “I’ll load the cart and do everything else. All you have to do is point.”

“Thank you.” She smiled. “What would I do without you? All of you.”

“Eat stale cereal?”

“Complain about your back?” Christy added.

“Strain your fingers?” Trip finished. He wiggled his suggestively, and Wren’s eyes flew open in disbelief.

“Just for that…” she threatened.

“Look at the time,” I said quickly. “We’d better get to town before the store closes. Have fun with your new toy,” I added to Christy and Trip. Then I hustled Wren toward the door. She calmed down as soon as it closed behind us.

“Thanks,” she said sincerely. “I know this isn’t what—”

“Nonsense. This is exactly what I want to be doing. Besides, that’s what friends are for.”

“Well, I owe you.” She thought of something and laughed softly. “What is it she says? I owe you a million-billion times?”

“Yep. Lucky for you, I take credit.”

“And sex.”

“Ha! That too!”

* * *

On Monday I drove to Granville’s for my normal design review. As usual, he reminisced for the better part of an hour. He’d led an interesting life, and he honestly believed he was imparting pearls of wisdom, but I had work to do, real work. When we finally got around to my drawings, the review took less than twenty minutes, and he didn’t suggest any changes.

I wasn’t exactly rude when I packed my things and said goodbye, but Granville was clearly nonplussed. I drove like Carter on the paved roads and as fast as I could on the camp road itself. My poor old Land Cruiser rattled and squeaked and sounded like it might come apart at the seams. I finally skidded to a halt in a cloud of dust at the Retreat, where I leapt out, dumped my things in the clubhouse, and ignored Trip as I ran into the bungalow to change into work clothes.

“Nice of you to show up,” he said when I joined him next door.

“Don’t start,” I warned.

“Seriously. Did you stop and smell the roses on the way back?”

“No, and you know it. I told you about Granville.”

“What? I’m just kidding.” Except he wasn’t.

“Let’s just get to work.”

“I’ve already been working.”

“So’ve I,” I snapped. I felt like breaking something, starting with Trip’s face.

He immediately realized he’d gone too far, so he backed off. He even took a step back, and I forced myself to calm down. After a couple of deep breaths, I surveyed the porch and its jumble of furniture and boxes.

“What’re we doing?”

“Unboxing everything,” he said. “Now that you’re here, we can start moving things inside and putting the bed together.”

“Yeah, all right, let’s go. I’m tired of talking. Besides, time is money.”

“Couldn’t’ve said it better myself.”

I eventually calmed down, especially without Trip needling me. The work was relatively easy, and we finished the first bungalow by the end of the day. I spent a couple of hours before dinner working on drawings, while Trip dealt with paperwork of his own.

We finished another four bungalows in two days, and I called Granville to reschedule for the afternoon on Thursday. Trip and I finished the last bungalow in the morning. Then I drove to my meeting, while he installed a bunch of little things like faceplates, vent covers, and doorstops.

On Friday we inspected our work and made last-minute fixes. The bungalows still looked bare without any decorations other than the furniture, but at least they were complete and ready to occupy. We spent the afternoon with Susan going over them and doing a final punch list.

“Looks good,” she said when we finished. “What’s next?”

“Demo on the houses,” Trip said.

“I like the idea of turning one of them into a rec center,” she said. “The hotels are adding arcades, so I ordered a couple of video games for here.”

Trip made a note. “When do they arrive? And where do you want us to put them?”

“Next week. You’ll have to pick them up. From the hotel by the interstate. Put them in the clubhouse for now.”

“Are you sure? They make a lot of noise. Some of the older residents…?”

“I’ll handle them,” she said. “You just worry about your end.”

“You’re the boss.”

She frowned and massaged the bridge of her nose. She looked so much like my mother that I felt an odd sense of déjà vu. She even sighed and shook it off like my mother did.

She asked Trip, “Would you like a job? As a resort manager?”

He smiled deferentially.

“The pay isn’t great, but the fringe benefits are nice. Or so they tell me.”

“They’re very nice,” he chuckled.

“But you aren’t interested?”

“In the job? No, sorry.”

She glanced at me, hopeful but clearly in jest.

“Why haven’t you hired someone?” I asked. “You can afford it.”

“I can, yes. But the camp can’t. It doesn’t make enough money.”

“Operate at a loss,” Trip suggested. “You should get a nice break on your taxes between that and all the capital investments you’re making.”

“My accountant said the same thing.” She nodded at me. “Your mother agreed. Doug and Olivia too. As a matter of fact, everyone seems to think I should have someone running this place. But… I don’t want to let go.”

“It’s a business whether you like it or not,” Trip said. “You need someone.”

Her expression went through the stages of grief—denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance—all in the span of a few heartbeats. It was such a thorough transformation that I couldn’t help but laugh. They both looked at me.

“It’d take way too long to explain.”

Susan returned her attention to Trip. “You’re right. And I know it.” After a moment she sighed, heavy and final. “I miss Jeremiah. I never knew what I had.”

“Don’t it always seem to go,” Trip said, and it was his turn for blank stares. “Sorry,” he chuckled. “Christy’s a Joni Mitchell fan, so I figured you’d know the song. ‘Big Yellow Taxi.’” He sang, “Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone…”

“Pave paradise,” Susan wondered, “and put up a parking lot?” She laughed bitterly. “Is that what I’m doing?”

“Not really,” he said. “I was talking about Jeremiah. Gunny,” he added for my benefit. “You need a good manager. You have bigger things to deal with, and you need someone to make decisions for the camp. It’s basically your private estate.”

“Your demesne,” I added, mostly as a joke to lighten the mood.

Susan frowned and tried to place the word.

“Lands of an estate, used by the lo— lady of the manor.”

“So I’m landed gentry now? And that’s what this is? My manor?”

“Yes,” Trip said simply.

“That’s what manor houses were,” I added, “family businesses.”

“And I need a… what?” Susan said. “A majordomo?”

“Or a steward,” I agreed. “Seneschal. Castellan. Chamberlain would work, although I think they’re royal. And you don’t really have a castle. Sorry, I’ll shut up now.”

Trip gave me an eye-roll and then said to Susan, “Call it what you like. But you have a business to run as well. Several of them, in fact. And you’re going to run yourself into the ground if you try to do too much. Wren did it, and it nearly killed me to watch.” He looked down and swallowed with sudden emotion.

Susan smiled affectionately and waited for him to recover.

“I’m just telling you what you need to hear,” he added when he did. “Wren’s back is better. Want me to ask if she’ll help?”

“Would you?” Susan asked hopefully. “I’ll pay her. I know it’s basically nepotism, but… I don’t care. If I’m the lady of the manor, I’m going to act like it.”

“You’re the boss,” he agreed. “I’ll ask her. She has a good mind for business. And she has some time on her hands now that the restaurant is on hold.”

“Oh? I’m sorry to hear. What happened?”

“Lots of things. It’s still going to happen, but nothing ever moves as fast as we want. I’ll ask her about the camp job.”

“You really think she’ll do it?”

“Yeah. She likes you. And not just for personal reasons. She admires your business acumen. Besides, she needs something to keep her occupied.”

“Talk to her,” Susan said. “Decide on a fair salary and I’ll pay it, whatever it is.”

“Sounds good,” Trip said. “Anyway, back to our other business. We’ll start the demo on Monday…”

* * *

The girls were ready to get away from camp on Saturday, so we decided to hike to the quarry. Christy wanted to dive and swim, which we couldn’t do in the closer pool. Trip didn’t care for the two-hour hike, but he knew better than to make a big deal about it. That would only annoy her.

We looked for the quarry access road instead. Trip had seen it on a plat at Susan’s house, and we found it once we reached the quarry and knew where to search. It led to the downhill side of the clearing, with an offshoot that circled to the top. It hadn’t been used in decades, so it was choked with undergrowth, saplings, and even some decent-sized trees. That didn’t stop Trip for a moment.

“Bobcat and a brush cutter,” he said as we surveyed the overgrown track. “Chainsaw for anything bigger. A couple of days and we’ll have it clear. Well, three or four.”

“Days? In our copious free time?” I said. “Aren’t you the one who’s been complaining about the schedule?”

“Let me worry about that.”

I backed off. We’d been doing our best not to annoy each other since the Granville incident. Besides, he could be as stubborn as Christy—more, especially if he knew what needed doing but couldn’t make the schedule work. He started talking to himself about demolition plans and equipment rental, so I left him to it.

“What’s he doing?” Wren asked when I returned to the blankets where the girls were sunbathing.

“What he usually does, trying to move mountains.”

She chuckled. She knew he wouldn’t give up until he found a solution.

“Should we try to distract him?” Christy asked.

Wren rolled to her side and propped her head on her fist. “Yes, my love? What did you have in mind?”

“Something naughty.”

“Naughty’s my middle name,” Wren laughed. “But what?”

“I dunno,” Christy said.

“She thinks better with something in her mouth,” I suggested to Wren, who arched an eyebrow. “I meant something of yours,” I laughed, “not mine.”

“Oh? Put something in her mouth?”

“I’m right here, you know,” Christy said.

“Oh, we know,” Wren said. Then she glanced at me. “I’m feeling peckish all of a sudden.”

I grinned and played along. “Do you think lunch would help? Maybe… a box lunch?”

“Funny, ha ha,” Christy said. “And I’m the box?”

“Of course you are,” Wren said. “Such a cute little box too.” She rolled on top of Christy and pinned her to the blanket with her body.

“Help, help,” Christy cried in mock alarm, “I’m being ravished.”

Wren silenced her with a kiss. I started teasing Wren’s pussy from behind, and she moaned into Christy’s mouth. A few minutes later she began kissing her breasts.

“Better give her something to suck on,” Wren said.

“Your wish—”

“Just give her your dick, all right?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Trip returned a few minutes later, and in a much better mood. “What’s this?” he chuckled. “And why wasn’t I invited?”

“You were busy,” Wren said. She kissed Christy’s pussy and slid a finger into her while she talked to him. “Are you in the mood to join us? Or are you still doing… whatever?”

“What do you think?”

“On your back, then,” she said. “I need a place to sit.”

He laughed and joined us on the blanket.

“Roll over,” I told Christy. “Suck Trip. I’ll fuck you from behind.”

Her eyes flashed. “Mmm, a sub sandwich.”

“Oh, yeah,” Trip agreed, “it’s nice to be the meat.” He waved his hard-on at her. “Get it? Meat?”

“Oh, boy, here we go.”

“Nah,” he said. “I’m not like Paul. I don’t— Oh, hello! Mmrmph.”

“Sorry, he’s busy,” Wren said as she settled her pussy over his face. “You— Oh, God, right there.”

I chuckled and moved into position behind Christy. I teased her for a moment but then entered her smoothly. She groaned and plunged her lips over Trip’s cock, and the temperature in her pussy began to rise.

“I’m sorry,” I said flippantly. “What were we talking about?”

“Oh, shut up,” Wren laughed. “Less talking, more fucking.”

“Yeth, pleathe,” Christy said.