Christy and I finally went back to bed in the wee hours of the morning. We slept late and emerged from the bungalow a little before noon.
The storm was a distant memory. A cool breeze had cleared the persistent summer haze, and fluffy white clouds floated in a topaz blue sky. The ground was a different story. It was littered with forest debris, everything from old brown pine cones to fresh green needles. The pool had been too, but someone had cleaned it.
Brooke and Wren were sitting in lounge chairs, talking more than sunbathing. They’d been laughing a moment earlier. They heard us and looked over their shoulders at the same time.
“Well, speak of the devil,” Wren said.
“In the flesh,” Brooke agreed.
Christy realized they were looking at her instead of us. “What?”
“Oh, nothing,” Brooke lied.
Wren switched gears and asked, “Did you finally get some sleep? What was it? Five a.m.?”
“Um… something like that,” I said, a little sheepishly.
“I thought you were going to wake the whole camp,” she added.
“I slept right through it,” Brooke said. “Didn’t hear a thing.”
“At first I thought it was the storm,” Wren told her, “but then they started playing tag… or whatever it was.”
“It was Paul’s fault,” Christy said.
I started to come to her defense, but Wren didn’t give me a chance.
“What do you think?” she asked Brooke. “Does that sound right?”
Brooke considered it but then shook her head.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Wren said. “She used to do it to me all the time.”
“What? Wake you up in the middle of the night?” Brooke said. “Yeah, same here.”
Christy stiffened mulishly, and I had to suppress a chuckle. She really was innocent this time, but she had a reputation.
“I always had fun when she did…,” Wren began.
“You can say that again!” Brooke laughed.
“But it isn’t the same when she’s running and screaming her head off.”
“I wasn’t screaming my head off,” Christy grumbled to no one in particular.
She was guilty on that count, but I decided that discretion was the better part of a happy relationship.
“Come on,” I told her, “let’s get some breakfast.”
“Lunch, you mean,” Wren said. She asked Brooke, “You want some?”
“Sure, I guess.”
“Are you going to be nice?” Christy asked.
“Why would we do that?” Wren shot back. “We love you!” She and Brooke shared a look that went from a grin to outright laughter in no time.
Christy looked genuinely hurt, until Wren sobered and wiped her eyes.
“I’m sorry, my love.”
“Me too,” Brooke said. “It’s just that we’ve been comparing notes.”
“Talking about your bad habits,” Wren added.
Christy frowned uncertainly and looked up at me. “I don’t have bad habits, do I?”
“No, they’re all adorable.”
“They are,” Brooke agreed.
Christy wasn’t convinced, so I put my arm around her.
“What’d you expect?” I said. “You wanted them to get to know each other.”
“I didn’t think they’d make fun of me.”
“Welcome to life with two girlfriends. Better you than me. Now, come on, I’m starving.”
“I bought fresh figs at the market,” Wren said hopefully. “I can throw together a quick salad with feta and walnuts.” She grinned at Brooke and added in an aside, “The way to her heart is through her stomach.”
“I can boil water, but that’s about it,” Brooke said. “I had to do it the old-fashioned way.”
“Oh? How?”
“Porn and booze.”
Wren doubled over with laughter, while Christy gave me a stricken look.
“It gets better,” I said as I held the door for her.
“When?”
“No clue.”
Erin, Leah, and Mark arrived about an hour before dinner. Wren had been expecting them earlier in the afternoon, but the change in plans didn’t seem to bother her.
We greeted them as they climbed from the car and stretched the kinks from their muscles. I introduced Brooke, and we exchanged the usual pleasantries.
Leah blinked in surprise when she realized I shaved my pubic hair. She recovered before anyone else noticed. Then she chewed her lip, and I smiled at the familiar tic. Gina had done the same thing, although Leah seemed more thoughtful than anxious.
She realized I was watching her, and she actually blushed at what she’d been thinking. Then she sobered. Her dark eyes held mine, and we connected again, like we’d never been apart. She relaxed and started breathing again. My reaction wasn’t as obvious, but I still felt like a weight had been lifted.
Do you think it’ll always be like this? I asked silently.
What? Us? Her eyes softened, and her lips curved with the hint of a smile. I hope so.
Me too.
After a moment she glanced at Christy, who was talking to Erin.
What about her? Leah asked. Is she…?
One of us? A swinger? I didn’t answer immediately. Instead, I let the anticipation build before I grinned and nodded.
Don’t do that, Leah said with a look. Then she glanced at Christy again and did the thing with her lip. Her expression went from speculation to calculation, and I barely managed to suppress a laugh.
Leah had been into girls more than guys when she’d been younger, although her preferences had changed since then. Still, she was a Coulter woman, which meant that she liked sex, period. My imagination kicked into overdrive, and I pictured us in a foursome. She laughed and covered it just as quickly, but her dark eyes glittered with amusement.
So sue me, I said with a shrug.
She gave me a playful look and deliberately moistened her lips.
Mark picked that moment to interrupt our flirting.
“Let’s unload our things,” he said to the girls. “Then we can get comfortable.”
“We have your rooms ready,” Wren said smoothly. “Brooke and I took care of everything this morning.”
Leah caught my look of surprise, and her eyebrow ticked up with a question.
I’ll tell you later, I replied.
Her gaze shifted from Wren to Brooke to Christy, and she made the two girlfriends connection. Then she smirked, although I had the impression that she was laughing at me instead of Christy.
She was still grinning when Mark passed her a backpack and then handed one to Erin. He shouldered his own.
“Want us to help with the rest?” Trip asked.
“Sure, thanks.” Mark tossed him the car keys, and Trip caught them with a practiced swipe. “Everything’s in the back,” Mark added.
“Right this way,” Wren said. She led him and the girls around the pool and toward their bungalows.
“What can we help with?” Christy asked cheerfully.
“Grab the groceries,” Trip said as he popped the Accord’s hatchback. His eyes widened at the sight of several brown grocery bags, a cardboard box of liquor, plus a half-dozen cases of Bartles & Jaymes. “Someone’s planning a party,” he said under his breath.
Christy and Brooke each grabbed a bag of groceries. Trip and I hefted two cases apiece and followed them. The girls started unloading the food, while he and I returned to the car for another load. He grabbed the box of liquor, which left me with the heavy lifting.
“Gee, thanks,” I said sarcastically.
He grinned. “Don’t mention it.”
Mark joined us in the clubhouse as I deposited the last of the wine coolers on the floor with the others.
“How much are you gonna drink?” I asked.
“We brought enough to share.” He laughed and gestured at our own supply. “I didn’t know you’d have a full bar!”
“We have an account with the liquor store,” Trip said. “Costs a small fortune, but the girls’re happy.”
“The liquor store?” Mark said. “Like, only one?”
“Small town,” I said. “There’re a dozen churches, but only one liquor store.”
“And I bet no strip clubs at all,” he laughed.
“Well, they do have a nudist camp,” I said dryly.
“Speaking of which,” Christy interrupted, “we’re going to hang out with the girls.” She stretched upward, and I bent for a kiss on the cheek. Then I patted her bottom and sent her on her way.
Mark waited until the door closed behind them, although he moved to get a better view of Brooke and her curves as she crossed the patio.
“Holy crap,” he said at last. “Is she really a swinger?”
“Oh, yeah,” Trip said.
“She doesn’t say much,” Mark added, “but she doesn’t need to. Not with a body like that.”
He wasn’t normally a beauty-over-brains type, but I cut him some slack. Brooke had that effect. And, as Trip had already pointed out, I could afford to be nonchalant about her—I was sleeping with her, after all.
“Holy crap,” Mark repeated, almost reverently. “I’m usually an ass-man, but tits like hers might convince me.”
“No kidding,” Trip agreed with a chuckle. “Wait till you see ’em wrapped around your dick.”
“For real?”
“Yeah. And she sucks like a Hoover.”
Mark nodded in appreciation.
“She takes it up the ass, too,” Trip added. “We’ll have to make her airtight.”
“Yeah, for sure.”
I decided to put an end to the locker-room banter before it went too far. I wasn’t immune to it myself, but Brooke deserved better.
“That’s enough, guys,” I said.
Trip flashed a look of annoyance. “Dude, we’re just talking.”
“I know, but…” I wanted to ask if he ever talked about Wren like that, but I bit my tongue instead.
“Paul’s right,” Mark said.
“Yeah, whatever,” Trip said.
I reminded myself that he wasn’t a bad guy. He was better than most, in fact. Besides, his double standards weren’t his fault, and starting an argument wasn’t likely to change them.
Mark came to my rescue before the tension erupted into confrontation. He clapped his hands and rubbed them together in anticipation.
“So, this place is amazing,” he said. “The girls’ve been telling me…”
We relaxed around the pool after dinner. Trip brought out his guitar, and he and Christy entertained us with their greatest hits. Wren caught my eye about halfway through. She nodded toward the clubhouse and then stood, so I took the hint and followed.
“What’s up?” I said when the door closed behind us. “You need help with the sangria or something? It’s delicious, by the way.”
“Thanks. It’s a simple recipe.”
“Yeah, but that’s what you do. Take a few simple ingredients…”
“Peaches are in season,” she demurred. “But that isn’t what I wanted to talk about.” She nodded toward the sink and the dishes from dinner. “Help me with those?”
“Yeah, sure.”
“Someone has to do it,” she explained. “And we might as well work while we talk.”
“All right.” I suppressed a grin. She reminded me of Carter, who used the dishes as an excuse to organize his thoughts.
We set to work. Wren washed, while I rinsed and set the plates in the rack to dry. I could almost hear the wheels turning in her head, so I bided my time. She grew angry at first, but she worked through it. Then she became concerned. Finally, she settled on curious, with an extra helping of annoyed.
“So, what’s up with you and Christy?” she said. “I mean, why’re you in charge of swinging all of a sudden?”
“What do you mean?” I asked neutrally.
“I wanted to talk about plans,” Wren explained, “but she told me to talk to you. Is that your new rule or something?” she demanded.
“Not mine,” I said. “Hers.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” she snapped.
I chuckled deliberately, if only to ease the tension and keep from snapping in return. “Just what I said. It’s her rule.”
“You didn’t lay down the law?” She puffed out her chest and said in a macho voice, “I’m the man. Do as I say.”
I stopped rinsing and gave her a flat look. “Seriously?”
“Yeah, all right,” she admitted, a little calmer.
Still, I felt the urge to drive the point home. “Do you really think I could force her to do something she didn’t want to?”
“No.”
“Exactly. I wouldn’t try, either. But to answer your question… No, I didn’t ‘lay down the law’ or anything like that.”
“Then… why the change?”
“She tried to organize things before, but it didn’t go so well.”
“When? Not with Carter and Kim. With Lily and whatshisname? Yeah, she told me. But… I thought it went well?”
“It did and it didn’t,” I said.
“Yeah, okay, I get it,” Wren said. “But just because it didn’t work once doesn’t mean quit altogether. Why didn’t she ask for help?”
“She did,” I said simply.
“Not from me. Not Susan or your mom, either. I think they’d’ve told me.”
I shook my head and confirmed it.
“Then… who?”
“Me.”
Wren rolled her eyes but thought about it and eventually nodded. “She likes when you’re in charge. And not just in bed.”
“Exactly,” I agreed. “Besides, you know how she is. She doesn’t do things directly. She works in the background.”
“No kidding.” Wren turned introspective and then laughed. Her shoulders relaxed, and she shook off her attitude from earlier. “She doesn’t need me to protect her, does she? Especially not from you.”
“No, but I think she appreciates it when you do.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right.” She paused. “Sometimes I forget… You’re a good guy.”
“Thanks. You too. I mean… you know. You’re a good woman. That sounds patronizing, but you know what I mean.”
She rolled her eyes. Then she busied herself with the last of the silverware. We worked in silence until we finished. She pulled the drain plug, rinsed it, and set it aside. Then she stared at the backsplash and absently dried her hands.
“Things’ll never be the same,” she said at last. “Not after this summer.”
“What? With us? You and me?”
“Me and Trip. You and Christy. Leah… Erin… Everyone.”
“No,” I said, with heavy finality.
“Have you thought about when you’re gonna ask her?”
“Not really.”
Wren rolled her eyes, in exasperation this time.
“Yeah, I know,” I said.
“Look, I know you don’t like it when I— What’d you call it? A ‘marketing campaign’? Doesn’t matter. What matters is that you’re running out of time. It has to be this week.” She leaned against the counter and gave me a pointed look. “What’s the problem?”
“No problem. I’ve just been… busy.”
“Doing what?” she scoffed. “Playing ‘tag’ at five in the morning?”
“That really was my fault,” I told her. “I woke her this morning.”
“Who cares? Don’t change the subject.”
“I wasn’t changing the subject!”
She gave me a skeptical grimace instead.
“Yeah, all right,” I admitted. “Maybe I was.”
“If you don’t wanna marry her, just say so.”
“That isn’t it.”
“Then what is?”
“I… don’t know how to do it,” I said at last. “Ask her, I mean.”
“For real?”
“Yeah. I thought about doing it in front of everyone—”
“Don’t,” Wren said.
I blinked at her abruptness.
“Guys always think we want these grand proposals,” she explained in a gentler tone, “like in the movies or fairy tales. But that’s a bunch of Hollywood BS. This is probably the most important question you’ll ever ask her, and it shouldn’t happen in front of an audience. You don’t want to put her on the spot like that. Trust me, I know when to make a public spectacle, and this isn’t it.”
“Yeah, you’re probably right.”
“I know I’m right. Do it somewhere private, just the two of you.”
I nodded.
“She loves the quarry and the lake. Why not take her there? I’ll make sure no one bothers you.”
“I thought about that,” I said vaguely.
“Don’t just think about it. Do it! And don’t make it complicated, either. Just get down on one knee and say, ‘Will you marry me?’ See? Simple.”
“Easy for you to say,” I shot back.
“It should be easy for you, too. You’re the one who’s good with words. Besides, you know she’s going to say yes.”
“I know. But…”
Wren rolled her eyes. It was the most versatile expression in her repertoire, and she used it to devastating effect.
“Yeah, you’re right.”
“Man up,” she said. “You can do this.” She waited a moment and then went into planning mode. “Erin and the others are leaving on Thursday. So, Wednesday’s your day.”
“Why not Tuesday?” I griped, only half joking. “Or Monday? Why not tomorrow? Or even tonight?”
“Do you want my help or not?” She didn’t wait for an answer. “Not tonight because it’s a little late. Besides, she doesn’t want a half-assed proposal.”
“Yeah, true.”
“Not tomorrow because she’ll know something’s up if you take her to the quarry all of a sudden. She may not want a public proposal, but she still wants to be surprised.” Wren paused to make sure I understood. Then she continued, relentless as ever, “Not Monday ’cause you’re meeting with Susan.”
My forehead wrinkled. “Susan? No… Granville.”
“You need to reschedule. Trip probably forgot to tell you. Susan wants an update on the permits. And she wants to make a bunch of additions.”
“Hold on,” I protested, “how do you know?”
“Duh, because we talked about it. Besides, it’s on her schedule.”
“Gee, thanks for telling me.”
“Blame him, not me. Anyway, not Monday.”
“Why not Monday afternoon? Or evening?”
Wren sighed and explained with exaggerated patience, “Because we want to celebrate. With a party. You don’t want to rush back after you ask her.”
“Why not?”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah, all right,” I said. “We’ll want to, ahem, celebrate privately.”
“You’d better screw her brains out!” Wren laughed. Then she thought of something and snorted. “Or she’ll suck yours out. Anyway, quit changing the subject. You can’t do it Tuesday, ’cause you’ll need to meet with Granville.”
“I’m glad one of us knows my schedule,” I grumbled.
She ignored me and plowed ahead, “On the plus side, that’ll be a good time if you need to do anything in town without her knowing.”
“You’ve really put some thought into this.” I didn’t know whether to be annoyed or impressed.
“Duh! It’s what I do, remember? Besides,” she added, “someone had to. Now, let’s move on. It has to be in the morning, and Wednesday’s the first time you can do it and not give away the surprise. We’re going to have a party that night anyway—sort of a last-hurrah, going-away party for the others—and that’s my cover story.”
“Hold on… why do you need a cover story?”
“I don’t know if I can plan a party without her knowing about it. Or at least suspecting.”
“Oh. Yeah. I hadn’t thought about that.”
“No, you hadn’t. So, she’ll think the party’s for everyone else, but it’s really for her. And you,” she added, almost as an afterthought.
“Of course,” I deadpanned. “So, Wednesday morning…?”
“Wednesday morning,” she agreed. “Will you be ready by then?”
“I should be.”
“Good. I’ll take care of everything on my end. You just make sure you’re ready on yours.”
“Why do I get the feeling that this is a group proposal all of a sudden?”
“Because it is,” Wren said matter-of-factly. “I can’t marry her myself, so I have to live vicariously through you.”
“Is that all?”
“Of course not. You’re my best friends. I love you both and want you to be happy. Besides, I’m tired of all your pussyfooting and procrastination. God! Trip has his flaws, but at least he’s decisive.”
“I’m decisive!”
She didn’t believe it.
“I am,” I insisted.
“Yeah, all right, you are. Most of the time. Now, are you ready to talk about the other thing?”
“What other thing?”
“Swinging! Duh! Haven’t you been paying attention?”
“No. Someone’s been grilling me about proposals.”
“Whatever,” she said dismissively. “Let’s talk party. Christy wants to play that blowjob game, the one Erin told her about. Anyway, she and Leah are cool with it, obviously. Brooke isn’t quite as single-minded about giving head, but she likes it too. So, that only leaves me.”
“I thought you liked it,” I said in surprise.
“I like it fine,” Wren said, “but it isn’t the only thing. I like to receive, too. You know? So, let’s come up with a game that the women can enjoy.”
“What d’you have in mind?”
“How should I know! That’s why I wanted to talk to you.”
“Why not ask Trip? He’s the expert.” I said it with more sarcasm than I meant—consciously, at least. Apparently, he wasn’t the only one who wanted to be the best at everything.
“That isn’t how this works,” Wren said. “He just wants to show up and screw… whoever.”
Because planning the sex is “women’s work,” I thought snidely, before I could stop myself. Worse, it must’ve shown on my face.
“Look,” Wren said, “Trip isn’t a chauvinist. Yeah, he can be, at times, but he’s a good guy otherwise. Maybe not as New Age touchy-feely as you, but I happen to like him a little rough around the edges.”
“Yeah, you’re right,” I said. “Sorry.”
“Good. Now, let’s talk about this game. No, wait… I have a better idea.”
I waited.
She thought it through and grinned.
“What?” I finally had to ask.
“I’ll ask Brooke.”
“Brooke?”
“Yeah. She’s smart. Really smart, damn her. Beautiful too,” she mused. “And I’d totally hate her if she weren’t so nice.”
I had the good sense to chuckle instead of saying something dumb.
Wren echoed my thoughts anyway. “Yeah, you told me so. Thank God I don’t have the hots for her.” She saw my look of surprise and added, “She’s too full of herself.”
If anything, Brooke was a bit insecure. And she was more annoyed by her looks than vain about them. I didn’t want to argue, though, so I kept it to myself.
“Anyway, I’ll ask her,” Wren continued. “We’ll come up with something. Don’t worry your pretty little head.”
I snorted.
“Now, let’s make another batch of sangria,” she said. “I’ll teach you the recipe. Then you can make more, in case I’m… indisposed.”
“Drunk or getting laid?” I wondered wryly.
“Who says I can’t do both?”
Erin, Leah, and Mark walked down to the main camp in the morning. The girls gave him a tour and then they caught up with friends and family by the lake. They returned after lunch and spent the afternoon around the pool with us, talking and drinking and relaxing.
Brooke was a bit shy at first, but Mark was his usual charming self and coaxed her out of her shell. He was so naturally cool that I felt a rare moment of green-eyed resentment. It passed quickly—he was a great guy, genuine and completely down-to-earth—but Leah caught the tail end of my thoughts. She came to sit beside us.
Christy uncrossed her legs, touched my hand, and stood. “I’ll let you two talk.”
“No, that isn’t what I meant,” Leah protested. “Don’t go.”
“I need another wine cooler,” Christy said. Then she gave me a faux-suspicious glare. “I think someone’s been drinking mine.”
I snorted.
“Thank you for bringing them,” she added to Leah.
“You’re welcome. It was all Mark’s doing.”
“I’ll have to thank him later.” Her eyes flashed playfully.
Leah laughed, “He’d like that!”
“Mmm, me too.” Christy switched gears and asked me, “Do you need anything while I’m up?”
“I’m good, thanks.” I was drinking at my usual pace, which meant that my half-finished bottle had been sitting on the table long enough that it was probably warm.
Christy nodded and headed for the clubhouse.
“I like her,” Leah said after a moment. “Seriously. You’re good together.”
“Thanks. I think so too.”
Christy returned with a fresh wine cooler and went to sit with Erin and Wren. Trip was sitting next to them, but he was listening to a ballgame. I still hadn’t returned his portable radio, so he had his little earphone plugged into the full-size boom box. It was a ridiculous combination, but he seemed happy enough.
Leah and I lapsed into a companionable silence and returned our attention to Brooke and Mark, who were still deep in conversation.
“I envy him,” Leah said at last. “He can talk to anyone. Doesn’t matter if they’re jocks, nerds, punks, or preps.”
“You aren’t exactly an introvert,” I said.
She shrugged. “I tend to interview people. That’s what my mom says, at least.”
“I don’t mean to change the subject,” I said, “but how’s she doing? I’ve seen her down in camp, but we haven’t talked more than to say hi. Are you two getting along better?”
“Surprisingly, yeah. She’s given up on me becoming a doctor, but lately she’s been talking about law school.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah. She thinks Journalism is basically Pre-law. My dad tried to explain it to her, but you know how she is.” Leah sighed and shook her head. “What is it about Indians? They can’t run their own country, but they’re super-successful everywhere else.”
“All the good ones left?”
“Maybe,” she mused. “Indira Gandhi’s a good one. She’s gonna have problems with the Sikhs, though, especially after the Golden Temple thing. What a nightmare!”
“You lost me,” I laughed easily.
“Yeah, sorry,” she said. “I forget that other people don’t follow the news like I do.”
“No television here,” I said. “And I catch the headlines every once in a while, but I haven’t read a newspaper in… wow… a couple of months.”
“That’d drive me crazy. I have to read the news every day. Erin gave me crap about it the whole time we were in Europe.”
Something in her voice made me ask, “Are you and she getting along okay?”
“We were a bit sick of each other,” she admitted, “especially toward the end of the trip. But now that we’ve had some time…” She shrugged. “We aren’t really growing apart, but… we’re different these days. I don’t know how to explain it.”
“I think I understand.”
“She says it’s Mark, that he’s driving us apart, but I think she’s just looking for excuses.”
“Excuses for what?”
“The way she feels. She’s been weird lately. She reminds me of you,” Leah laughed all of a sudden. “She’s really intense. And she gets moody sometimes.”
“That’s me, all right,” I said.
“Maybe how you used to be,” she said after a moment, “but not anymore. I think you weren’t happy. Or you were frustrated. Probably with Gina, but maybe with me.”
“I doubt it,” I said. “Probably life in general.”
“Maybe. But you’re a lot calmer these days, more laid-back.”
“I don’t think I’ve changed all that much…”
“But you wouldn’t, would you? I mean, it’s the same with me. Mark pointed it out, how I used to get so upset. I mean, any time my mom even hinted about medical school. But this morning she was talking about law school again, and I just laughed.”
“Maybe we’re growing up?”
“Maybe.” She grinned sideways. “It suits us.”
“It does.”
“I know one thing that hasn’t changed…”
“Oh?”
“You know,” she said coyly.
“You’re still as horny as you used to be?”
“Ding, ding, ding,” she laughed. “Oh my God, Paul! I’m totally looking forward to it. And not just the sex. I’ve missed you.”
“Me too.”
Our chairs were almost touching, so I slid my hand toward hers. She mirrored the gesture. Our fingers touched, and I felt a spark of connection. I turned my hand palm-up, and she slid hers over it. Her fingers caressed mine.
“Still the same,” I said, although she surprised me by shaking her head.
“It’s better. I have Mark, and you have Christy, but we still have each other.”
“I think we’ve always had each other.”
“I dunno,” she said cautiously. “I was worried for a while there, when you first started dating her.”
“Me too,” I admitted.
“Would you really have chosen her over us?”
“Over the group? Over swinging? In a heartbeat. Sorry.”
“Don’t be,” she said. “That’s how you know she’s The One.”
“She is,” I agreed.
“I feel the same about Mark. I’d choose him over anyone.” She gazed at him thoughtfully and then sighed, in contentment more than regret. “Luckily, he doesn’t make me.”
“We’re both lucky.”
“We are.” She smiled and laced her fingers through mine. She squeezed once, and we shared a smile. We pulled apart at the same time and then laughed about it.
“God, we’d’ve been good together,” she said, so softly that I almost missed it.
“We still are,” I said.
Dinner was more of a party atmosphere, especially after we’d been drinking all afternoon. None of us were drunk, but we definitely weren’t feeling any pain. Even better, everyone seemed to enjoy the undercurrent of sexual tension, including Brooke. She wasn’t ready for a full-blown orgy, but she was definitely working up to it.
On that account and to no one’s surprise, least of all mine, Wren pulled me into the clubhouse to help with the dishes. She’d been drinking more than the others, and she was in a playful mood.
“I like having a Sue,” she said.
I sighed. It didn’t do any good to tell her that I could hear the difference. She knew, which was why she said it.
“Aw, did I hurt your feelings?” she mocked. “I’m just kidding. I know you’re a man.” She looked me up and down and made an exaggerated moue of interest.
“Oh, boy,” I said under my breath, “here we go.”
“I’m just kidding. Although…” She moved close and ran her index finger down my chest. She stopped before she reached my dick, but the invitation was clear. “Are you interested?”
“I’m always interested,” I said, “especially when you’re in a good mood. But… we shouldn’t.”
“Yeah, you’re right.” She sighed and gazed out the window. “Poor Trip’s gonna be worn out when I’m done with him.”
We could see the others in the light from over the clubhouse, but it washed out the color and turned everyone a little yellow. Still, it was enough to see their faces and expressions.
“Brooke’s exactly like Christy, isn’t she?” Wren mused. “She gets horny when she’s drunk.”
“Something like that.”
“You’re going to have your hands full.”
“Tonight? Or in general?
“Both.” She grinned, although it faded slowly as she watched. “Is she better than me? In bed?”
“It isn’t a competition.”
“I know, but I still wonder.” She watched for a moment and then sighed. “I get it, what Christy sees in her, but still…”
“You’re different. Venus and Saturn.”
“Yeah, but she’s so pretty.”
Out on the patio, Brooke was listening to Mark, laughing at something he’d said. She was as beautiful as ever, a goddess among mortals. I watched for a moment and then deliberately shifted my attention to Christy. She was smaller in every way and plainer in most, but her personality blazed with an intensity that made it impossible to look away.
She must have felt my gaze, because she turned and saw Wren and me staring back at her. She grew self-conscious, and I had to bite my tongue as she tried not to fidget. Then she looked down and tucked her hair behind her ear.
My breath caught in my throat.
“Oh, God, Paul,” Wren said, her voice hoarse from emotion, “I love her so much.”
I swallowed hard. “Me too.”
“I don’t know what I’d do without her.”
Time slowed, and each second stretched into a lifetime. The three of us remained connected until the moment passed. Then Christy relaxed, and Wren and I started breathing again.
“We’re lucky to have her,” I said at last.
“You can say that again,” Wren sighed.
“We’re lucky to have her.”
That broke the spell, and Wren decided that an eye-roll wasn’t enough. She slugged me in the arm. Christy laughed at the sight, a pure expression of joy and love.
“Ow!” I rubbed my arm. “I love you too.”
Wren glared. “I know what she sees in Brooke, but not you.”
“A big dick?”
“You have one or you are one?”
“Ha!”
“She isn’t like that, though,” Wren added, almost defensively. “Erin’s the size queen.”
I blinked in surprise. “Hold on… What?”
“You didn’t know? No, of course you wouldn’t. But yeah, totally. She’s obsessed, the bigger the better. Anyway, I don’t know why I’m telling you. You’re her brother. I… um… might be a little drunk.”
“I could tell,” I chuckled.
“Yeah, sorry.” She seemed to remember why we’d come inside in the first place. “Anyway, let’s talk about tomorrow night. C’mon, you wash this time.”
I sighed. “How come we always seem to have these conversations while we’re doing the dishes?”
“Because we have to eat and we want to fuck. They both take planning.”
“And cleanup,” I added, a little gloomily.
“Hey, you’re the one who’s in charge of the swinging now. I’d rather be doing this with her.”
“Fair enough.”
“Anyway, the party. Brooke came up with a game for the ladies. She’s still working out the details, but it’s pretty much what you’d think. We also want to…”
Trip eventually remembered to tell me about the change of plans. I called Granville to reschedule, and we met on Monday morning with Susan instead. We gave her an update on the permit applications and talked about the schedule for the rest of the year.
Trip had several pages of notes already and filled a half-dozen more as we discussed things. I didn’t think we had that much to do, but I was so, so wrong. At least I began to understand why our management fees were a small fortune. It was a massive project, after all, and about to get bigger.
“Next order of business,” Susan said. “I’ve been thinking about what you said, Trip. You’re right, the camp’s a business, whether I like it or not.”
He nodded.
“And you probably know already, but I’ve made a decision. I’m going to hire a full-time assistant. She can act as a manager for the camp during the season. I wish Wren could stay on, but I understand why she can’t.”
“Sorry.”
“No need to apologize. She’s good at it, but this isn’t her real interest.”
“No,” he agreed. “Do you want us to help you find a replacement?”
“No, but thank you. I’ll put out some feelers. I want to hire a woman. I don’t need the… shall we say, the ‘temptation’ of having a male assistant.” She glanced at me and added, “Certainly not a young and handsome one with a history of seducing older women.”
Trip snorted a laugh, while my cheeks heated.
“I’m glad I can still get that reaction,” Susan said to me. “I was a bit worried.”
“Oh,” I said after a moment, “you’ve still got it.”
“Mmm, indeed.”
“But… is there a reason you’re teasing me?”
“Just having fun,” she admitted. “You’re fun to tease. You always were.” Then she did something that would’ve seemed innocuous to anyone but me. She drew a deep breath, pursed her lips, and exhaled slowly.
All of a sudden I was fifteen again and standing on a ladder while Susan held it steady for me. My dick was at the level of her face. It was hard already, but then I felt a gentle breeze, like someone blowing on it.
I felt light-headed in the present too. The little head had hogged all the blood flow, and I had to brace my hands on the cool Formica of the table. At least it hid my current erection, which felt like it might explode if anyone so much as looked at it.
“Are you okay?” Trip asked.
“Fine,” I managed weakly.
Susan’s eyes crinkled with amusement. She knew exactly what was going on in my head. She even made a point to move her right arm. She was wearing a piece of jewelry I’d given her, a charm bracelet with six silver P’s. It was a private joke—P as in peas, frozen ones—and she smiled when she saw that I’d made the connection.
Then she continued blithely, “As I was saying, I want to hire an assistant who can act as camp manager during the summer. Wren and I were talking about what else she might do—this hypothetical manager—and we came up with a list.”
Trip knew his cue when he heard it. He flipped to a new page on his notepad and poised his pencil to write.
“To that end,” Susan continued, “I’d like to make some changes to the clubhouse. I like the idea of a commercial kitchen, so let’s include that. And I think we need an addition to the building itself, a convenience store for staples like coffee, tea, milk, bread, et cetera. It needs to be separate, so we can lock it up at night.”
Trip nodded and kept writing.
“I’d also like to expand the RV bathhouse. I want to add…”
She talked for several minutes, and he made notes. I followed along, but most of the details went in one ear and out the other. Why? Well, in another life, Susan could’ve been a magician or a pickpocket. The conversation wasn’t exactly a diversion, but she took full advantage of it.
While Trip was busy taking notes, Susan teased me under the table. At first she simply caressed my calf with her foot, but then she grew bolder. She moved her hand to my thigh and stroked gently. She couldn’t reach my hard-on without making it obvious, but she didn’t need to.
“Wow, lots of changes,” Trip said when she finished speaking. He flexed his writing hand, flipped back a page, and scanned his notes. “Several months and… ballpark… a hundred thousand dollars. I’ll have to get estimates, though.”
“Mmm,” Susan said noncommittally.
Trip looked up and did a double take. He couldn’t see my hard-on or what Susan was doing under the table, but he wasn’t stupid. He read my expression and then glanced at her. She smiled innocently, a look she’d perfected over thirty years of being anything but.
“Okay,” he said slowly. “I… should probably type up my notes while they’re still fresh.”
“Yes, good idea,” Susan agreed. “We can discuss renovations here some other time. On second thought,” she added, as if she’d just thought of it, “Paul can stay and do it.”
“He’s your man,” Trip said, “especially when it comes to projects like this.”
“Yes, he’s always been very… helpful… around the house.”
“Always up for the job,” Trip agreed. He stood to leave but then thought of something. “D’you mind if I steal a couple of newspapers?”
The question was such a non sequitur that Susan frowned and gave him her full attention.
“The Braves and Padres had a fight last night,” he said. “They’re calling it the greatest brawl in the history of baseball. And I totally missed it. I was gonna listen to the game, but we—”
“You missed it,” Susan said in a rare moment of impatience.
“Yeah, sorry. Anyway,” he continued, “I wanna see what the papers said about it.”
“They’re in my office. Take what you like.”
“Just the Sports section.”
She nodded, and he disappeared into the living room. She took the opportunity to lean sideways. I shifted to give her a better view of my hard-on. A clear drop of pre-come glistened at the tip.
“Oh, my,” she said in her best innocent voice. “Is that for me?”
“You know it is.”
She moistened her lips and then met my eyes. “May I?”
“Go ahead.” My dick swelled in anticipation as she spread the pre-come. Then she tasted it.
“Mmm. I know exactly—”
Trip swept into the kitchen and brandished a folded stack of Sports sections. I abruptly scooted forward, and Susan sat back. He was too preoccupied to notice.
“I got the Times, the State, and the Constitution,” he said. “When did you start getting an Atlanta paper?”
Susan’s brow furrowed in annoyance. “What?”
“Never mind,” he chuckled. “Forget I asked. I’ll be going now.” He gathered the rest of his things and gave me a cheerful wave. “Have fun! Give her a good estimate.”
“I’ll do my best.”
Susan waited until the kitchen door closed behind him. Then she exhaled and tried to shake her irritation.
“It’s tough to get good help these days,” I said dryly.
She blinked and then smiled for real. “It is.”
I pushed back from the table, and my erection swayed insistently.
“Oh, my,” Susan said again. “Would you like me to take care of that for you?”
“You probably should. I mean, I can’t exactly stroll across camp like this.”
“No,” she laughed, “you might scare the women and children.”
“Can’t have that,” I agreed.
“It’s a family camp, after all.” She stood and retrieved her towel from the chair.
I stroked my erection and wondered if Christy had put her up to it, but I didn’t want to look a gift blowjob in the mouth.
Susan finished folding the towel, dropped it to the floor, and sank to her knees. Then she replaced my right hand with her left. She squeezed another drop of pre-come and tasted it from the source this time. Her charm bracelet jingled as she used her right hand to caress my balls.
“Like old times,” she said.
“Only better.”
“Oh?”
“I have a lot more control now. I don’t come as quickly.”
She chuckled, low and suggestive. “You think so? Well, let’s just see about that…”
Christy and the others were relaxing around the pool when I returned from the main camp. She smiled and waved, but her expression grew curious as I drew closer. I understood why as soon as Wren spoke up.
“Where’s Trip?”
I frowned. “He isn’t back yet?”
“Duh. Why else would I ask?”
I didn’t think he was up to anything—he probably wanted to read the news in peace—but I decided to cover for him anyway.
“He went to check on the houses, to see if the storm damaged any of them. He must’ve found something that needed his attention.”
“Oh, okay.”
“Lots of branches down between here and there,” I added truthfully, “and even a few trees.”
“Did your meeting go well?” She smiled blandly but flicked her eyes toward Christy.
“Yeah. Susan wants to add a convenience store.”
Wren nodded. “We talked about it. Then campers and especially RV people won’t have to drive to town. And it’s a decent source of revenue.”
“Exactly.” I paused and then casually added, “She wants to make the improvements at the quarry, too.”
Christy perked up.
“Oh?” Wren said, as if she didn’t know exactly where I was going.
“Yeah. Everything we talked about.”
Christy raised her sunglasses and sat forward. “Everything?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Everything-everything? As in…?”
“The sun deck, the floating dock, the raft…”
Wren stuck to the script and nodded thoughtfully, but Christy couldn’t hold back her enthusiasm.
“The diving platform too? And the ladder?”
“Of course,” I said. “So I need to head up there and take some measurements. Trip and I can—”
“I’ll do it!”
I played dumb. “Do what?”
Wren suppressed a grin, and poor Brooke had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. Even the others realized that something was up.
“Help with the measurements,” Christy said. She was so focused on getting what she wanted that she completely missed the bubble of amusement around her.
“You don’t mind?” I said.
“Of course not. Trip’s busy, I’m sure.”
“Not really. We’re going to take the rest of the week off.”
Wren glared and Brooke smirked, while Leah shot me a look of reproach. Erin was simply confused. She wasn’t normally slow on the uptake, but she had her moments. I returned my attention to Christy, who was making her case.
“…work on the computer or something. So I can help.”
“Well, if you’re sure…,” I said.
“She’s sure!” Wren snapped in irritation. “When do you want to go?”
“Not today,” I said, and Christy’s expression predictably fell. “Trip and I need to go over the notes from the meeting with Susan. And we have the party tonight.”
We were back on-script, and Wren nodded along.
“I have to meet Granville tomorrow,” I continued. “That’ll take forever, especially with the new additions, and I’ll need to do a little work when I get back.” I pretended to think before I asked Christy, “Does Wednesday work?”
“I suppose.”
“Sorry, I don’t think I can do it sooner.”
“No, it’s okay.”
“Besides,” I added, deliberately nonchalant, “it’s just some measurements and drawings. No rush.”
She looked crestfallen, although she forced a smile and tried to make the best of it. I felt like a bit of a jerk, but I told myself that the surprise would be worth it.
“I dunno ’bout you guys,” Mark said, “but I’m ready to get my dick sucked.”
“What’s new?” Erin sniped. “You’re always ready.”
“Duh,” he replied cheerfully. “So, tell me about this game of yours.”
“Seriously? We told you last night.”
“I was a little drunk,” he laughed. “And distracted.”
“You’re drunk again.”
“Only a little. Besides, we’re all ready.” He gestured at Trip and me, and Erin turned her glare on us.
I held up my hands. “Whoa! I didn’t say anything.”
“Me neither,” Trip said.
“Pussies,” she taunted.
Trip recoiled in surprise, and my eyebrows hit the stratosphere. Mark jumped in before either of us could reply.
“Seriously,” he said to Erin, soothing instead of a challenge, “all I’m saying is we’re ready to get the party started.”
“Yes, please,” Christy agreed.
Brooke and Leah simply nodded.
“Even I’m ready,” Wren chimed in.
“See?” Mark said to Erin. “You’re the only holdout.”
“She isn’t a holdout,” Leah told him. “She’s just annoyed.”
“Annoyed? Annoyed about what?”
“Lots of things.” Leah glanced at Erin and considered her next words. “But mostly that we aren’t doing things the way we used to.”
“Wrong,” Erin said childishly. “You know why I’m annoyed! And whose fault it is.”
“Oh, come on, Erin! That’s totally unfair. It isn’t anyone’s fault.”
“Is too.” Erin fumed. Then she turned sullen and muttered, “Stupid prude.”
Christy blinked in hurt surprise. I sat forward, ready for a fight.
“Don’t,” Leah said to me with real steel in her voice. “This isn’t about you. Okay? I’m dealing with it.”
I nodded and reluctantly sat back, although I was still tense.
Leah looked at Erin again. “This isn’t about… her… either. It’s about you.”
“Oh, really,” Erin sneered. “That’s who it’s about?”
“C’mon, Er, listen to yourself,” Leah said in a quiet, reasonable voice. “Think about what you’re doing, who you’re hurting.”
Erin looked at Christy and swallowed in anguish. Then she swept her eyes over the rest of us and set her jaw, exactly like I did when I knew I’d lost but didn’t want to admit it.
“Don’t do this,” Leah continued gently. “It isn’t worth it.”
“Is too,” Erin sulked.
Leah waited, but Erin didn’t have anything else to say. Instead, she shot to her feet, snatched her towel from the chair, and stomped away. Leah sighed and rose to follow her. The rest of us watched in stunned silence.
Erin disappeared into her bungalow and tried to slam the door, but Leah caught it and closed it gently instead. The pool pump whirred in the background, the loudest sound in the clearing.
“What the hell…?” Trip said at last.
“Sorry you guys had to see that,” Mark said. “They’ve been sniping at each other all week. And it isn’t about you at all, Christy.” He wanted to look at someone else, but he forced himself to keep his eyes on Christy. I probably wouldn’t have noticed if I hadn’t been so focused myself.
“If you’re sure…?” Christy said uncertainly.
“I’m sure.” He glanced at me but then picked up his wine cooler. The bottle was empty. He stared at it for a moment and then sighed audibly. “Well… I’m sober all of a sudden.”
“You can say that again,” Brooke agreed under her breath. Mark shot her a grin, and she flushed pink to the tips of her nipples.
That broke the tension for all of us.
“C’mon,” Mark added to Brooke, “I brought the stuff to make Alabamaslammas.”
“Hold on… what?”
“It’s a drink.” He said it properly, “Alabama Slammer.”
“What’s in it?”
“Aha!” Wren said before he could answer. “I was wondering why you brought Southern Comfort.”
Trip shuddered involuntarily.
“You’ll like these,” Wren said in an aside to Christy. “They have amaretto.”
“And sloe gin,” Mark agreed.
“With orange juice.”
“The lady knows her drinks!” he laughed. “Just another reason you’re awesome.” He stood and nodded toward the clubhouse. “C’mon, I’ll help you make ’em.”
The pink concoction was too sweet for my taste, but I wasn’t about to complain. Besides, Mark and Wren had mixed them strong, so Brooke already looked more relaxed, and Christy was working on it. Trip had opted for Jack Daniel’s instead of the “girly drink” (said under his breath, so only I could hear), and he was happy as well.
We also brought out several trays of hors d’oeuvres that Wren claimed she’d “thrown together” earlier. Her idea of quick and easy didn’t look like the cover of Gourmet magazine, but it was close enough. She’d made smoked salmon pinwheels, cherry tomatoes with feta and fresh basil, and curry chicken salad rolls that were surprisingly tasty. She’d also cut up the usual assortment of raw veggies for the bunny types.
The sun bent toward the horizon, and the heat of the day had begun to fade. It wasn’t quite cool, but it was a lot better than the week before.
“So, tell us about this game,” Mark said as we settled into our chairs once again.
No one looked at the bungalow where Erin and Leah were holed up, but their absence loomed large.
“What about it?” I said, more to buy time than anything else.
“Well, the name says a lot. Blindfold Blowjob Bingo. I mean, that’s pretty obvious. Erin told me the rules last night, but she was right, I… um… wasn’t really paying attention.”
“I wonder why,” Wren teased fondly.
“Hey, I’m only human,” Mark laughed. “Leah’s a major distraction all by herself. But she and Erin together…? No way I could pay attention with both of them… um… you know.” He shot a glance at Brooke, who blushed predictably.
“Oh, I know,” Wren said.
“And I can imagine,” Christy agreed.
Mark raised his cup and toasted his vindication. He drank and then nodded at me. “Sorry. I changed the subject again. You were about to tell us the rules…?”
“It’s been a while,” I hedged. “Leah and Erin probably remember more.”
“Yeah, but you can give us the basics.”
He wasn’t going to let me off on a technicality, so I thought back and tried to remember. The game itself was easy enough, but the rules were a bit harder. Besides, it had been three years.
“Okay,” I said at last, “I think I have it. First, we need poker chips or something.”
“Leah has them,” Wren said.
“Seriously?”
“Duh. This isn’t our first party, remember? I know you’re new, but try to keep up.”
“Be nice,” Christy warned her.
“Yes, dear.” Wren was mocking me for my standard reply, but Christy let it go.
“Better,” she said instead.
“Okay,” I said after a moment, “where was I? Right, poker chips… a different color for each guy. The women draw—”
“Erin’ll have to draw again if she gets one of yours,” Wren cut in.
I clamped down on my frustration, both for the interruption and her attitude. Erin hadn’t been off-limits in the game with our families, but Wren wasn’t so open-minded. And I suddenly realized that Erin had called Wren a prude, not Christy. Trip wasn’t any better, though, especially about anything other than regular group sex.
“Of course,” I said through a forced smile. “That goes without saying.” Still, I couldn’t hide my irritation, so I pursed my lips and waited.
Christy patted my hand, gentle but firm. You too. Be nice.
I sighed. Yes, dear.
Better.
“Anyway,” I continued, “poker chips. The women draw until they’re gone.”
“What if there are extras?” Christy asked.
I threw up my hands.
“Well,” she said stubbornly, “I want to know. Can I have them? The extras, I mean.”
“Oh, brother,” Wren sighed.
“There won’t be any extras,” Brooke explained. “Three guys, five rounds. Fifteen divided by five? Never mind. It’s math.”
“I knew you’d see it my way,” Christy said.
Brooke rolled her eyes in exasperation, and Wren laughed.
“Drives you crazy, doesn’t it?” she added.
“You can say that again.”
Genuine irritation had begun to replace my frustration about Wren and taboos. “As I was saying…,” I said testily.
Mark did his best not to smirk, but his best wasn’t very good.
“Hey,” I snapped, “do you wanna do this?”
“Oh, no. You’re doing fine. Sorry. Keep going.”
“As I was saying…” I waited, in case anyone else had anything to add. They didn’t. “Thank you!”
Christy stroked my hand and used her mind control again, this time to soothe my ego. I closed my eyes, inhaled slowly, and found my island of inner peace.
“Right,” I continued after a moment. “The game is six rounds—”
“Five.”
I glared. “What?”
“Five rounds,” Wren said. “We decided. And Brooke just said it. ‘Three guys, five rounds’? Remember?”
Inner peace, I reminded myself. “Five rounds,” I said aloud. “Each woman gives a blowjob for a minute.”
Wren couldn’t leave well enough alone. She raised her hand for permission to speak.
I imagined a grade school on my island. I was the cool teacher that everyone loved. “Yes?”
“We decided on two-minute rounds. Well, they did. I was outvoted.”
“Yes,” Brooke countered, “but we’ll have two-minute rounds in our game, too.”
“If you recall,” Wren said, faux-sweet, “I wanted five-minute rounds.”
“Then we’d have five-minute rounds in the blowjob game.”
“Not necessarily.”
“Besides,” Brooke went on, undeterred, “that’s twenty-five minutes for each game, minimum. Time between rounds plus time between the games…? That’s an hour. I thought these were supposed to be ‘quick and fun.’ That’s what you said, remember?”
“I know what I said,” Wren flared, before she too put the brakes on her frustration. “We don’t have to have the same rules for both games.”
“Why not?” Brooke said obstinately. “It’s only fair.”
Wren started to say something but then thought better of it.
Christy sighed into the silence. “Is it always this hard?”
“Is what—?” I said. “Never mind. I know. Yeah, it is. But it gets better.”
“That’s what you said last time.”
“We’re sorry, my love,” Wren said.
“I’m not so sure,” Christy muttered.
Wren and Brooke looked at each other. They shrugged at the same time and then laughed about it.
“We’ll behave,” Brooke said for both of them.
“Thank you,” Christy said. “Paul…? You were saying…?”
“Right. Five rounds. Two minutes each. And then the guy tries to guess who it was. If he gets it right, the woman gives him the chip. If he’s wrong, she keeps it. The guy with the most chips wins. Same for the woman with the most.”
“What happens in the case of ties?” Brooke asked.
“Who cares,” Trip said flippantly. “What do I win?”
Wren glared.
“Okay, let me rephrase. What does the winner—who might be any of us but will probably be me—win?”
“That isn’t what I meant,” Wren said. She glanced at me and made a little hand-raising gesture.
“Seriously?” Trip said. “This isn’t kindergarten.”
“Whatever.”
“Besides, Paul was right. Y’all kept interrupting him.” He continued after a pause, “So, what do we win?”
A new voice answered, “We haven’t decided yet.”
We turned as a group. Leah and Erin had rejoined us.
“Sorry to interrupt,” Leah added.
“No, no! It’s fine,” I said. “Welcome back.”
Erin ventured a smile, although she’d clearly been crying. “I want to apologize…”
Leah clasped her hand for support, and Erin threatened to tear up again. She smiled gratefully and wiped her eyes with her free hand.
“Sorry” she said. “I’ve been under a lot of stress lately. And I guess I haven’t handled it very well.”
“None of us have,” Mark said. “It’s been hard on everyone, but worst for you.”
“I know,” Erin said. “And thanks for putting up with me.”
“We don’t ‘put up with you.’ We love you.”
Erin swallowed hard, and Leah gave him a look like she’d fallen in love all over again.
“Thanks,” Erin said through unshed tears. “I love you all too.” She sniffed and wiped her eyes again. “Anyway, I’m sorry for how I acted before. I’m not upset at anyone, and definitely not Christy.”
“We never thought you were,” Christy said.
“You’ll make me start crying again,” Erin said.
Leah embraced her before she could.
“I’m so sorry,” Erin whispered, her voice rough with emotion. “I love you so much. I just…”
“I know. I love you too.”
No one spoke.
Christy and I glanced at each other. Her hand touched mine, and our fingers twined together.
“Come on,” Leah said to Erin, “let’s get you cleaned up again.” She led her away. Then she looked over her shoulder at Mark, and something passed between them.
“Right,” he said. “Hey, Brooke… let’s make some more drinks. Help me in the kitchen?”
She blinked. “Of— of course.”
Leah and Erin disappeared into her bungalow, while Mark and Brooke headed for the clubhouse.
“So,” Trip said after a sip of whiskey, “does this mean we aren’t gonna get our dicks sucked?”
Wren rolled her eyes in annoyance. “You see what I have to put up with?” she said to Christy. “Are you sure you don’t wanna marry me instead?”
“I’m sure. Sorry.”
“Whatever.” She glared at Trip.
“What?” he said with exaggerated innocence. “I was just askin’.”
Mark and Brooke returned with cups for Leah and Erin, along with a pitcher of refills for the rest of us.
I held my hand over mine. “I’m fine, thanks.”
“I’ll drink his,” Christy said.
Mark chuckled and poured. He waited for her to take a long drink before he topped it off.
“You sure?” he asked me.
“I’m sure. Thanks.”
He gestured with the pitcher at Trip.
“God, no. But thanks.”
“What’s the matter?” Christy said. “You don’t wanna drink with us?”
I blinked in surprise at her tone. She’d been relatively quiet to that point, while the rest of us had been touchy and irritable. Brooke noticed and frowned. I started to say something, but I shouldn’t have worried. Alcohol made Christy bolder, but it had the opposite effect on Trip. He smiled diplomatically.
“Of course I do,” he said. “But I don’t like Southern Comfort. And instead of being a butthead about it…” He raised his cup and shrugged. “Anyway, I decided to drink something else and keep my big mouth shut.” He glanced at me. “Isn’t that what you say?”
“When I’m thinking with the big head,” I admitted, and everyone chuckled.
“Besides,” Trip continued, “that leaves more for you all. But if you get tired of the fruit punch, I’ll be happy to share the good stuff.” He even extended his cup.
Brooke raised a coppery eyebrow, and Christy looked suitably chastised.
“No, thank you,” she said, polite again. “Sorry. I thought…”
Trip waved a hand. “Don’t worry about it.”
“Sorry to keep you all waiting,” Leah said. “Again.”
A ripple of surprise went through us as we turned.
Erin looked a thousand times better. She’d brushed her hair and pulled it into a side ponytail, and Leah had fixed her makeup. She didn’t normally wear much, but Leah had added subtle touches like eyeliner, mascara, and lip gloss.
“Wow,” Mark said, “you look awesome.”
“Oh my gosh,” Christy agreed.
Trip stood and pulled out their chairs for them. Mark rose at the same time and gestured them around the table. Erin looked a little self-conscious at all the attention, but Leah smiled and encouraged her. Trip scooted her chair under her, and Mark did the same for Leah.
“Your timing’s perfect,” Mark said as he slouched into his seat and picked up his drink. “We’ve been sniping at each other.”
“Mostly me,” Christy said.
“Nah,” Trip said, “you’re fine. You kept everyone in line. It was them, Wren and Paul.”
My cheeks warmed, and Wren shot me a guilty glance.
Still friends? I asked with an eyebrow.
She smiled and nodded. Always.
“It was all of us,” Mark said aloud, and everyone agreed. “We’ve had a crazy week,” he added. “I don’t think we’ve fully recovered.”
“Ours was pretty crazy too,” Trip said.
“You know what we need…?” Mark ventured.
Christy imitated him perfectly, “To get your dick sucked?”
“Ha! Good one.”
Leah teased him, “You mean you don’t want us to suck your dick?”
“Whoa,” I said, “speak for yourself.”
Wren rolled her eyes, but it was fond instead of abrasive.
Christy patted my hand. “I’ll take care of you if they don’t.”
“Oh, my love,” Wren sighed, “you’re too good for him.”
“Hey, hey,” Mark said coolly, “let’s not get started again. I meant we need more alcohol.”
“Hear, hear,” Trip said. He rattled the ice in his empty cup.
“And maybe a concert,” Mark added. “Whaddya say? Trip? Christy? You guys’re amazing.”
“Sure,” Trip said, “I’m up for it.”
“I’d love to,” Christy agreed.
“All right, then.” Mark lifted the pitcher and filled cups for Leah and Erin. “Let’s chill out. We’ll get to the dick-sucking and pussy-eating when we’re good and ready.”
Christy and Trip put on a short concert and then Wren brought out some heavier hors d’oeuvres for dinner. Trip refilled his Jack Daniel’s, while Mark made another pitcher of extra-strong Alabama Slammers. I was a lightweight and switched to wine coolers, but no one gave me a hard time about it.
Not surprisingly, the music, food, and alcohol improved everyone’s mood, and we were laughing and telling stories by the time the trees reached up to embrace the sun. Even the breeze did its part. It soughed quietly through the forest and carried the fragrant scent of gardenia.
“Ladies,” Leah said at last, “I believe we’re ready.”
“God, yes,” Erin agreed. “I totally need a dick to suck.”
“What about you?” I said to Christy.
“Oh my gosh, yes, please.”
“She’s always ready,” Brooke said.
“So’re you, Miss Dirty Knees.”
Mark leaned to the side and made a show of examining them. “Her knees aren’t dirty. They’re pink and kinda cute.”
“So’s the rest of her,” Trip agreed.
“Oh, brother,” Wren said. “Let’s get this party started already!”
“Come on,” Leah said to Erin, “we left the stuff in our living room. We’ll be right back,” she said to the rest of us.
“Should we get the guys ready?” Christy asked.
“Sure!” Leah glanced at Mark. Something passed between them again, and she smirked. “Hey, Brooke… do you mind filling in for me?”
“What? Oh, sure, I guess.”
Mark feigned a moment of dizziness.
“What’s the matter?” Brooke said in mild alarm.
He grinned and steadied himself. “Sorry, all the blood just left my head.”
“Correction,” I laughed, “it left your big head.”
“Huh, I think he’s right.” Mark pushed back from the table, and Brooke’s eyes widened at the sight of his erection.
“Seriously?” she said. “Just like that?”
“Just like that,” he agreed with a grin. “You have that effect…”
She blushed and smiled shyly from under coppery lashes.
“He’s all yours,” Leah said. She and Erin headed for the bungalow.
“C’mon, Little Bit,” I said to Christy, “let’s get this party started.” I took her hand and led her around the pool. We waded down the steps and along the wall, far enough to give the others room. Then I hopped to the concrete edge. It was still warm from the sun, and it soaked up the water that ran from my legs. Christy put her hands on my knees and eyed my dick.
“Mmm, my two favorite flavors, penis and chlorine.”
“Yes, please.” I guided her toward my burgeoning erection, and she began kissing the underside.
Brooke and Mark stopped beside us, but he didn’t hop up. He turned and kissed Brooke instead. She moaned and leaned into him, so he cupped her ass and pulled her closer. All of a sudden she pushed him back. He was a couple of inches taller and thirty pounds heavier, but he was a lover, not a fighter.
He laughed. “Gotta love a woman who knows what she wants.”
“Mmm, and I want your dick.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice.” He turned, vaulted onto the side, and shot me a grin. Then he closed his eyes and groaned as Brooke engulfed his hard-on and began sucking. “Oh, God, that’s what I was talking about.”
Trip hopped up a few feet away, close to the steps.
“Sorry,” Wren said to him, “but you’ll have to make do with me.”
“Babe, you’re the best.”
“Liar.” She eyed him. “How much’ve you had to drink?”
“I’m fine,” he said. “Besides, it’s true.”
I leaned forward and looked at them. “Less talking, more sucking.”
“That’s your answer for everything,” Wren shot back.
“Duh. Besides, I’m sure you’ll say the same thing later. ‘Less talking, more licking.’”
“Probably,” she laughed. She watched Brooke and Christy for a moment. They were both enjoying themselves, and Wren shrugged. “When in Rome…”
“I’ll return the favor,” Trip said.
“I’m counting on it.”
We all fell silent, except for occasional sighs of enjoyment from Christy and Brooke.
“That looks like fun,” Leah said when they returned. “Come on, Er, let’s put these on. I’ll start with Trip. You do Paul.”
Something in her tone made me look up, but I couldn’t catch her eye before Erin drew my attention to the right. She knelt beside me and held up the remains of an old green T-shirt, which Leah had cut up and folded into a blindfold. The logo had faded over time and washings, but the script was still legible, Mountain Dew.
I sang, “Gimme my good friends, gimme a Dew.”
Erin gave me a quizzical look instead.
“The song? From the commercial?” I laughed at another memory. “And the one from when we were kids? The hillbilly? ‘Mountain Dew’ll tickle your innards…’”
Christy stopped sucking. “’Cause there’s a bang in every bottle! Oh my gosh, yes!”
“You’re such a dork,” Erin laughed. “Both of you.”
“Guilty as charged.”
“Sorry, can’t talk now,” Christy said. “Need to tickle my tonsils.”
Erin smiled fondly and held up the blindfold. “Ready?”
“Go for it,” I said.
She covered my eyes with the soft fabric. Then she pitched her voice low and spoke in my ear, “Sorry about earlier.”
“It’s cool.”
“I was annoyed at Wren. I’m sure you know why.”
The pieces suddenly fell into place. “Ah! Okay. Right.”
“I wanted to…” Erin sighed and began tying the blindfold in place. Then she leaned close again and whispered, “You know what I wanted to do.”
I didn’t trust myself to speak, but the little head (and Christy) did it for me. My dick swelled in her mouth, and she moaned around it.
Erin chuckled, low and throaty. “Maybe we’ll tag-team you. One day…”
“I’d like that.”
“Mmm, me too.” She kissed my ear. Then she nipped the lobe with her teeth.
I hissed in surprise, and Christy stopped sucking. She stroked me instead.
“I like her,” Erin said in my ear, and I realized they were probably looking at one another. “She’s perfect. She’s like us, isn’t she?”
“Mmm,” Christy said before she returned her attention to her favorite flavors.
“God, that’s sexy,” Erin said, her voice scarcely a whisper.
Christy bobbed gently and then swallowed about half my length. She paused for a couple of deep breaths before she slowly forced my cock into her throat. Her lips closed around the base, and I had to grip the edge of the pool to steady myself.
That was a preview of So Long Summer Camp: Summer Camp Swingers: Christy Series Book 8. To read the rest purchase the book.
