Barstow - The Rekindling

The front door opens, and after a bit of banging his luggage through the opening, the man of the house announces his presence.

"Janice? I'm home."

From the back of the house, "Hi, honey! Be right there!"

Jeffery and Janice Hoffman have had this house, a modest two-bedroom, one-bath cottage next to the old railroad right-of-way, for 25 years. Conservative budgeting and the economies of a smaller house in their modest town have allowed them to build a nice nest egg even with raising a daughter, Cydney. Their now young woman has been on her own for a while, and the combined freedoms of an empty nest and plenty in the bank means the mortgage was paid-off early and they were free to leave their careers behind, thank-you-very-much.

This freedom came early enough to enjoy their own remaining youthful energies. To that end, to reignite their sex lives they agreed to a so-called "open marriage," casually dating others while not forgetting why they were together in the first place. Cydney, a free-thinker, had suggested alternative relationships as a way to dust off what the couple used to share. So...

Jeff just returned from a trip to a fancy ski resort, escorting a young lady he had started dating a month earlier. She was half his age, but seemed interested enough in him especially given the promises of semi-luxury travel.

Jeff shoves the suitcases out of the way in preparation for the reunion with his wife. Janice steps around from the hallway for a mild hug and welcoming peck of a kiss.

"How was your trip?" she asks. "Angel in the car, or have you taken her home already?"

"Home. Probably not going to see her again."

"Oh? You, or her? Something happened, apparently. Want something to drink?"

"The usual, I guess."

"Well have a seat and I'll bring it to you."

Travel-weary, Jeff collapses into his recliner, but has to fiddle with the settings. He's puzzled by this.

"Jan? My chair is out of whack somehow. And these are the nice glasses."

"I'll explain in a bit. What happened?"

"Oh, fourth night there I woke up around 2 a. m. or so and Angel wasn't in the bed. I checked the bathroom, and she wasn't there either."

"Left the room in the middle of the night?"

"Yep. I pulled on some pants and went looking for her, or any activity for that matter around the chalet. Spotted her from the balcony, in the hot tub."

"And..."

"She was naked with three naked guys fawning over her. I stayed mostly out of view, just in time to see Ange and two of the guys stand up, one in front and one behind. Jan? It was a fuck'n'suck, while the third guy played with her tits. I watched for a couple of minutes and then went back to our room."

"Jeff? Cyd warned you that Angel was a party girl and was pretty loose. You shouldn't have been too surprised."

"I was, and wasn't. I couldn't sleep, so I turned on the TV and waited for her to return."

"Confrontation, then."

"Sort of. I did ask if that was her first outing."

"Was it?"

"She laughed at me and said she had done something similar every night we were there. Different guys, too."

"You didn't break the trip off?"

"Couldn't. Nothing available for flights back except first class. Over $3000? For each of us? Best I could do was get another room for the remainder of the week and let her be on her own. I was being used."

"Honey? That's the danger of going after women that young when you're your age. If they think you have money, they're going to take you for a ride. Cydney tried to tell you that. Putting out means nothing to those kind. Promising Aspen was a big mistake."

"I guess. I'm starting to have serious doubts about this 'open marriage' thing."

"Well it's too late."

"Huh? What?"

"I have a boyfriend now."

"Who? Impossible. You taking up with that jackass across the old tracks again?"

"Gawd, Jeff. That was nearly 15 years ago! Nope, not quite. You'll find out soon enough."

"Are you taking him in our bed?"

"Yep. And guess what?"

"What?"

"You're going to watch. You decided to try this whole arrangement after Cyd told us about it. What's sauce for the goose is gravy for the gander."

"Explains the chair settings, I guess."

"It does. And it explains why I have the nice booze glasses out."

"Not my bourbon!"

"Yes, your bourbon. That I buy at Kroger."

"Well shit. When do you see him again?"

"In about three hours. I'll bring the bottle for you."

"Janice!"

"Tough noogies, Jeff. I like this guy. A lot. You have no say in this, so deal with it."

Jeff slumps into his misadjusted recliner, lubricating his sulking one sip at a time.

=====

Meanwhile, a hundred yards across the way at the Albertson's, Ashley, Emily, and Ellie are busily teasing Steven in the hot tub. They have lubed him up and each are bringing him to the edge with handjobs, stopping abruptly and letting him suffer with a big case of blue-balls.

"Guys!" he protests. "I'm going to explode if you keep doing that!"

Ellie giggles, "That's the idea! We're going for trajectory!"

Cyan and Jax have just stepped onto the patio from the house. Cy chuckles, "I overheard 'trajectory'. You clowns edging him again?"

Ashley laughs. "You see that chalk mark over by the steps?"

"Yeah?"

"That was last time. We're trying to set a new record. Girls? Blowjobs this round?"

Emily snickers, "Last time we tried that he couldn't hold it and splooged in my mouth."

"Yeah. And you swallowed!" snarks Ellie.

"What can I say? I love my Stevie!"

"So do we!" Ash and El counter. They all laugh.

"Ladies? Uh... ohgawd... it's getting sort of urgent here. One of you needs to polish me off. Please?"

"I'll do it!" Ashley jumps out of the tub, still laughing. "You know where, Stevie!"

Steve takes his place at the top of the tub steps and points it toward the backyard. Ash kneels to suck a couple of strokes, squeezes some lube on her hands, and vigorously strokes his penis with intent. Good. Success!

"Nice butt clench, Stevie!" Ellie teases.

"AHHHH! Ohgawd. Phew. Oh my. Oooo. Oh. No. NO! NO! DON'T! STOP!"

"Oh? Don't stop? Okay!"

"ASHLEEEEEY!"

Cyan, Ellie, and Emily are guffawing. They all know how sensitive Steve's glans is immediately after he ejaculates. Ash is so gently tickling it as his cock softens. She stops.

"Ohgawd. Thank you. (Gasp!) I think."

"Stevie?" Ashley coos. "You're fun."

He takes a big breath. "I guess. How'd we do?"

"Looks like about four inches short of the mark."

"Whadda ya' think, Ash?" Emily muses. "Try again in, oh, a half-hour?"

"Emily!" Steve protests.

Everybody howls in fits of laughter.

Calming down, "You guys going to join us?" Steve asks Cy and Jackson as he sits on the tub bench.

Jax snarks, "Not if they're going to pull that crap on me."

Ellie chuckles, "You're safe, Jax. Come on in. C'mere. Steve? Pass the lube."

Ash and Em are bracketing Steven, petting, kissing, and just generally loving on their guy to soothe him. He relaxes, and returns the favors.

Jax has taken a seat with Cyan next to him. Ellie looks to Jax with the tub lube in her hand, her expression alone saying, "Wanna?" He nods, she squeezes out a generous dollop of lube, and slathers it on his cock, makes sure it's up to the task, and settles into a face-to-face coitus in the warm water. El squeezed a little more out and reaches to Cyan to finger her valley and clit. Cy leans forward for a sustained kiss with Ellie.

"Jax?" Steve inquires, "Who's next on your neighbor rotation?"

The ladies giggle.

"Geez, Steve."

"Just curious, mostly."

"Janice."

"When?"

Jax looks up at the patio clock. "'Bout two hours from now."

Ellie breaks her kiss with Cyan, "Aww, Jackson. You aren't going to cum for me?"

"Not tonight, cutie. Special request from Jan."

Steve's really curious now. "Oh?"

"Yeah. We had already scheduled this date, but she called about 45 minutes ago saying that Jeff was back from his trip. She wants me to cuck 'im to his face."

"Careful, Jackson."

"I told her that. She said Jeff's date for the trip cucked him really bad and somehow he seemed okay with it. It's an experiment. They were wanting to spice things up with the open marriage thing, but so far it wasn't working as expected, at least not for him."

"'Cause he was chasing floozies, Jax."

"More like gold-diggers, as it turned out. But she's reading his apparent nonchalance about the Aspen trip failure as an opening for trying something different."

"So he knows this is coming."

"He does. Just not who."

"Good luck, then."

=====

Em and Steve are on the patio deck to see Jackson off for his date with Janice.

Emily is puzzled as he steps through the sliding door. "Sweetheart?" she asks of Jax, "Nude? I thought you were going to meet her husband."

"I am. This is what she wanted. The reality of our relationship. You do realize that every time I've been over there, I've never left our place with anything on."

"Oh."

Steve muses, "It's her way of dealing with the truth, guys. Jax, you'll learn more about that as you spend time with her."

The back porch light at Jeff and Jan's house comes on. Jan steps out, sees the three on Steve's patio, and waves. All is okay, evidently. She is in a housecoat, but flashes to reassure Jackson that everything is as expected.

"Here we go," Jackson says. "Em? Will you do the honors?"

"Sure. I'll follow you."

Jackson and Emily pad across their backyard. Jax props the gate open, and stands profile to Janice. Em kneels down to "fluff" her husband to a full erection.

"One for the road?" she quietly offers.

"Sure. She'll appreciate that."

Emily lifts herself onto Jackson for a standing fuck, bobs up and down a few times, and dismounts with a kiss.

"Good luck, sweetie."

"Thanks."

Back to the patio, she climbs the steps to embrace Steven, gently stroking his cock.

"Watch," he says.

As Jax approaches, Jan removes her robe and drapes it over the porch railing. She reaches for Jackson, he returns the hug, and a kiss, and in the same move as their first meeting, Jan lifts a leg, wraps one arm around his shoulders, and lifts herself into their coitus.

"Everything okay?" Jackson asks.

"He's nervous."

"Does he know I'm Steve's husband?"

"Not in so many words. He knows about your fourple, however. That was something he learned of while Cydney was telling us about things like open marriage. Oh. They're waving. Is that Emily?"

"Yes it is."

"That was nice of her."

"I'll let her know. Ready?"

He assists in her dismount.

"No bathrobe?"

"Just leave it there. I want Jeff's first impression of you with me for us to both be naked and showing obvious signs of having just done it."

"Is he..."

"Fully dressed."

"We going to do it in the chair first?"

"Yes."

"Lead on."

Jan turns off the porch light.

The two step from the kitchen into the living room, arm in arm.

"Jeff? I'd like you to meet Jackson."

"Jan? He's naked. And he has an erection. It's glossy. Did you just...?"

"Yes we did. On the porch. Shake his hand, Jeffery. Jax is a very nice person."

Jackson reaches for the greeting. Jeff is reluctant, but returns the gesture with acceptable firmness.

"Nice to meet you, Jeff. I hear your trip West didn't go so well."

"It didn't. Girlfriend snuck out every night to fool around. And then I come home to this? My wife?"

"It was our deal, Jeff. Not my fault you were looking for love in all the wrong places. Now let Jackson have your chair. He knows how to make proper use of it. Jax? That's your glass there on the side table."

"Thank you. Jeff? Need a hand up?"

"I will manage myself, thank you very much."

"'S okay." Jax backs away and puts his arm around Janice.

Jeff mumbles as he rises, "(Fuckin' Albertson. Again. It figures.)"

"I'm not Steve."

"But you're related."

"Well, okay. Married to 'im. Jan told you we're open poly."

"She did. There's a lot of weird shit out there these days."

"Your open marriage is not too far off from what we have. Any of us will be happy to help you better understand alternative relationships. You're aware of the basics. You just stumbled out of the gate, that's all. Maybe expecting too much."

"Not interested in swinging."

"Not saying you are."

Jax nestles down into the recliner, pulls back on the lever to just the right angle, and reaches to a smiling Janice, assisting her to settle into him in cowgirl position. They each casually reach for a sip of their evening tonic.

Jeff all but falls into the sofa.

"What's the matter, honey?" Janice asks of her husband.

"That was way too easy, Janice. Like you two have been doing that forever."

"It seems that way, doesn't it? He and Steven are so much alike. Relaxed. Comfortable. Caring. Not anxious at all. You want to know something interesting, Jeff?"

She slowly bobs up and down on Jax and sighs into the sensations.

"What's that?"

"One of his lovers is that professional golfer we see in the paper all the time."

"The Hester woman from the Decatur club?"

"Uh huh."

"Jax? You have that on the side? I'll have to admit, you have cred."

"Not on the side, Jeff. She's in the polycule. I'm married to her, too."

"Yet here you are, fucking my wife right in front of me. Blows my mind. Seriously."

"You seem okay with this."

"Weird, huh? Like when I discovered Angel doing the men in the hot tub at the chalet. It was a shoulder shrug. Interesting that all I did was cut her loose for the rest of our time there. And I'll admit it."

"Admit what?"

"That seeing you taking Janice like you are, and... hell... seeing Janice take you like she is... well... stimulating. I'm enjoying what I see."

"'Stimulating' in what way?"

"Feeling things I haven't felt in a long while. I can't believe I'm saying this..."

"What's that?"

"Jan? Could you please rise up enough so I can watch his cock going in and out of you?"

"Sure." She whispers to Jackson, "(Told you.)"

He softly chuckles, "(You did.)"

"(I know my husband.)"

"(Lemme ask you something. Did either of you watch any of Steve and Cyan's parties from your porch?")

"(Oops. Caught.)"

"(Thought so. Who?)"

"(Mostly him. He'd jerk off if he could see couples fucking. I hid the binoculars to not scare you.)"

Jackson laughs out loud.

"(Shhhhh!)"

"What's all the whispering about?" Jeff asks, understandably.

"Hang on. Jan, I think we need to let this one out of its cage."

"Really?"

"Did Steve know?"

"He did. He laughed like you did when I told 'im."

"This is good. We can help. 'Spicy' comes in many flavors. Where's your phone? I seem to have left mine at home."

Janice laughs! "Kitchen. Bedroom if you want privacy. Need me to get up?"

"It would work better that way."

Jan chuckles, and climbs off of Jackson, with assistance, of course, and in turn helps him up and out of the recliner. He heads down the hall and into their bedroom. Jan is amused watching his erect penis bobbing around, leading the way.

"What's going on?" Jeff asks. "Why'd you guys stop?"

"I think he's onto something he wants to do for us. I mean the 'you and me' us."

"How's that? I was really enjoying watching him with you, Janice. The sex act itself was beautiful to me. That it was with you was so much the better."

"Of course I knew you liked to watch it, honey. You were really embarrassed, even scared, when I discovered you with the binoculars that night. I comforted you, that you were okay, at least to me, and we eventually made it something we did together."

"But it's weird. Even illegal."

"It's what you enjoy, it gives you sexual satisfaction. I'm not going to tell anyone. Except Jax. He understands more than you think."

They hear what sounds like Jackson ending his call. The bedroom door opens, and Jax returns to the living room.

"Jan? You and I need to be on the back porch for a moment. Jeff, you make yourself comfortable in here."

=====

They go to open the back door. "On or off?" Jan asks.

"Off. Don't need to advertise this to the neighborhood."

"Oh! Your gate is opening. Who's that? Two?"

"You'll see. Hold on."

Two figures emerge from the darkness. Now more than silhouettes in the dim light, Janice gasps.

"Steven! Oh gawd, I've missed you!"

"Hi, Janice." He climbs the four steps up to the porch and into a tight hug with his lover from long ago. "Jan, this is Emily, Jackson's wife and my Number One."

"Pleasure, Jan."

"Jax?" Janice is confused. "Why are they here, and why are they naked?"

"They are here to fuck for Jeff. No binoculars necessary. You and I will join them. Let's go back inside."

Around the corner, through the kitchen and into the living room, Janice announces, "Jeff? We have guests."

"Uh. Steve. Long time. And of course you're naked. You always were whenever you were over here. Who's your adorable companion?"

"Jeff, this is my Number One lover, Emily. She is also Jackson's wife."

"Why are you here?"

Emily answers, "We're here to fuck for you. Jax said you like to watch. You deserve a front-row seat for a change. Jax will do Janice, too. If you want us to swap, just ask."

"Ohgawd. Ohgawd. Ohgawd. Just like that?"

"Just like that."

"Ohgawd. Do I need to be naked, too?"

"Nope. Up to you. Bedroom?"

Jan directs, "This way."

The five file into the bedroom. Jan had already turned down the bed anticipating her moments with Jackson.

Jeff seems to have a request. "Guys? I'm still feeling weird about this, but... gosh... you're so open about it."

Jackson muses, "Jeff? Spicing-up a relationship can mean so many things. You're a voyeur, and there's no shame in playing to that hunger when it doesn't hurt or intrude on anyone. We can be exhibitionists and voyeurs, and are happy to show you our sex. Don't be afraid to ask anything of us."

"Uh... yeah, this is really weird... Steve? Jan? Can you two please get on the bed? I'm going to hide in the closet."

"Naturally," Steve chuckles. "Happy to walk down memory lane for you. Jan?"

Steve extends a hand to help a seriously pleased Janice down on the bed. He flips over supine to display his fully-erect penis to her, and Jeff. She takes his offering hungrily in reverse cowgirl, glaring into the gap in the closet door to aggressively acknowledge this taking of her lover to her husband. She has aligned their union so that his view of Steve's cock and balls is unobstructed as she bounces up and down, the downstroke completely burying Steve's penis in her vagina.

Muffled deep breathing can be heard from the closet, amusing Emily and Jackson.

"Why not?" Em chuckles. "There's room."

"Doggie?" Jax queries.

"Yep! Best view of the fuck."

Em crawls on the bed, holds her position, and it's not but a few seconds before Jax aims his cock into her pussy.

The muffled panting increases in frequency as the two couples on the bed change positions slightly, always making certain their coupling is visible to the audience. Then the panting seems to have paused.

"Everything okay in there?" a bemused Steven queries.

"I want to see Jackson in my wife again. Is that okay? Oh, this is weird again. Jax? You have a nice cock. It looks really good in her."

"It's okay to come out of there, Jeff," Emily suggests. "You'll want to have clear views of Jax with your wife, and Steve and me screwing. You have nothing you need to hide, or to hide from."

"Oh, that's okay. I don't want you to see me... you know."

"Nothing to be embarrassed about. Jeff? We've seen a lot of stuff and have done a whole bunch of stuff ourselves. That's completely normal and expected in our book! Need me to pass you the tissues?"

"Oh, I dunno."

"You don't want to miss Jax ejaculating in your wife, you know."

"Ohgawd. Do I have to?"

"For the whole experience, you do. Why not?"

"Just 'cuz. I dunno."

"Em?" Steve calls. "As far as I know he never saw me cum in Jan."

"Jan?" Emily asks. "What's your feeling about this?"

"Since you're asking. I'd like both of them to cum in me, and Jeff?"

"Yes?"

"I told you just after you got here that you were going to watch! And that means all the way 'til the end! Understand?"

"But..."

"No 'buts', Jeffery. You're going to see their sperm dripping from my snatch, whether you like it or not!"

Em asides, "Grab a couple of towels, Jax. We're on a mission. You two decide who's first."

Steve counters, "No. Jan's choice."

"You always were sweet to me, Stevie. Jax first. Steve and Em? You two fish Jeff out of that closet. Sit him in that chair over there. Jeff? You heard me. Guys? Rope's on a shelf in the utility room if he doesn't cooperate."

"But Janice!"

"No sir. You wanted to spice things up. You failed on your end of the deal, and I didn't. So here we are. We have three experts in the room who are happy, kind, generous, and willing to give you the kind of sexual experience you have been craving nearly the entire time we've been together. Man up and get out here to watch me screw these absolutely wonderful lovers who I adore and respect. Un. Der. Stand?"

Emily steps to the closet door and opens it, guiding a reluctant Jeff to the chair next to the bed. Steve rolls off the bed as Jackson takes his place next to Janice.

"You'll be okay," Em quietly promises Jeff. "Are you interested in anything for yourself? I was told you were trying to date much younger women."

"I was."

"I'm 28."

"You are adorable, Emily. And really nice. Wow you have a great body."

"Thank you. Can we make a deal here?"

"What kind of deal?"

"If you watch my guys do your wife all the way, you can take me all the way, too."

"You're kidding."

"I'm not kidding. Steve?"

"Sweetie?"

"You overhear us?"

"Mostly. You're offering Jeff a moment with you if he follows through with watching Jan take Jax and me."

"Yes."

"Then by all means."

"Jeff?"

"Emily?"

"If you're going to take me, you do have to get undressed. I like my men naked."

"Obviously. Do you guys ever put clothes on?" He glances over just in time to see Jax push his cock into Janice. "Ohgawd. That looks so good!"

"Jax knows how to fuck. Jan's pretty good at it, too! Apparently those binoculars get a lot of use. To answer your question, of course we do. We have to leave the house. We have jobs. But on the patio, we're usually in or out of the hot tub."

"No swimsuits?"

"Never."

"Even for guests?"

"Especially guests. House rule. Must be nude in the tub. I suggest you be ready to fuck me, Jeff. It appears Jax is about to ejaculate into your wife. He's thrusting really hard. Watch."

"Ohgawd. Ohgawd."

"You going to be able to hold it?"

Jeff takes a deep breath. "Yeah. I think so."

Three more hard pushes, and it's obvious Jackson has made his deposit into Janice. His balls are throbbing with the clenching.

"Jax? Sweetheart?" Emily calls. "Let it fall out."

"Gotcha. Maximum drippage."

Jan moans, "Mmmm. Oh gosh, Jax. This is so nice. Your warmth in me."

"Huh?" Jeff is puzzled.

Emily smiles to him. "Keep watching. When his penis softens, it will fall out on its own, pulling some of his semen out with it. Janice will naturally clench, pushing more out."

"I never noticed it like that."

"You would pull out right after cumming."

"I would. And she'd run to the bathroom."

"You missed the confirmation of your successes, then. This is primal stuff, Jeff. Enjoy it. Stevie? You ready?" Em glances over to him, and chuckles. "Gawd. Of course you are."

"Jax? Move over. My turn."

"You're not going to make her shower?"

"No. This is all about Jan's desires."

Jan is on her back, softly purring with each breath, legs still spread. Steve goes straight for the missionary fuck, lifting her legs as he dives in.

"Oh! Oh! Steven! Ohgawd! I sooooo missed that cock of yours! Ohmygosh!"

"I'm going to make it quick, Janice. Jeff is sure looking like he can't hold it much longer. Em? Now would be good."

Emily leans into Jeff and sets in to hastily undress him.

"Uh... I'm not sure about this."

"Jeff? If you're about to release, let's make it count. I can feel your erection through your pants, so help me get your clothes off."

"But..."

"Nope. You were naked with Angel, weren't you?"

"Well, yeah."

"Then how 'bout getting naked with an attractive young girl who actually cares about your needs? Ah." Em's removed his boxers. "I don't understand what you were so shy about. You have a nice fat one. Lovely ridge! Steve? You and Jan move over and give us some space."

"Okay!" Both chuckle as they shift, only momentarily breaking their very passionate kiss.

"Uh..." Jeff's still reluctant at how this is progressing.

Emily pulls Jeff up from the chair. At least he cooperates, shedding his shoes and socks so his pants and boxers fall to the floor.

"How do you want me?"

"Uh... can we do doggie?"

"Of course. It allows you to watch Steve fuck your Janice. You've never done this before, have you?"

"No."

"Well, then, welcome to one of the pleasures of an open marriage. Watching your spouse in intercourse with another while you, yourself, are also screwing a willing partner? That's special. Fuck me, Jeff. Stick it in and just let it go when you feel the urge."

"It's gonna be soon!"

"No worries. You're a trouper for lasting this long. Do me."

Jeff presses his penis into Emily as she lends a hand to aim it. She winces at his girth at first, but pushes back, and starts to rock into their coitus.

"Jeff?"

"Emily?"

"You have a great cock. I'm enjoying you. Can't understand why your girlfriend or whatever she was blew you off like that."

"Oh, I don't know. She did seem to be all about the partying." His thought is interrupted by soft grunts from Steve. "Ohmygawd! Is Steve cumming in Janice?"

"He is. Look. His and Jackson's spunk is being squeezed out around his cock as she clenches into him. She's cumming, too!"

"I can't hold it!"

"Let it go, Jeff. Let it go. I'm here for you."

"Do I pull out? Angel made me pull out!"

"No. Let it come, and let it linger."

"Ooooooh my. Oh. OH! Mmmmmmph!" Jeff shoves hard into Emily. "Ahhhh..."

Emily glances back and smiles. "You good back there?"

"Oh gosh yes."

"You guys okay?" Em jokingly asks the others. Jan and Steve chuckle to each other, and share a quick kiss.

Jax rises out of the chair to offer the box of tissues to everybody. "What do you want us to do for you, Jan?"

She ponders this. "Jackson? Would you guys be offended if I sent you all home? I think the afterglow needs to be just Jeff and me." She reaches to take her husband's hand.

Steve understands the request. "Not offended at all, Jan. This was for you two. Guys?"

"Jax?" Janice calls to him as they file out of their bedroom. "We'll talk about this tomorrow, okay?"

"That would be good. Let's go, you guys."

=====

Cyan is leaning with her back to the counter like she's guarding the coffee pot. What she's really doing is staring down Steve and Jackson with a big, bemused smirk as the two of them chuckle to each other and Emily recounting last night's escapades in their minds.

Emily breaks the quiet. "You know, Stevie," she muses, "the whole thing with Jeff in the closet watching you do Jan was incredibly cute. When did you catch on back then?"

He chuckles. "The fourth time I was over there. Janice had the misfortune of drawing Saturdays in the Wednesday Coffee fuck pool. We managed to sneak our first tryst in while Jeff was in the city looking for parts for his truck. A little too nervous about being caught sorta spoiled our fun, so we agreed that midday Saturdays was not a good idea."

"So what did you do?"

"Decided that 11 p. m. Friday or Saturday would work better, and would at least be in the spirit of the ladies' agreement. Helping our cause was that Jeff had a poker group that met once a week on Friday or Saturday nights, so whenever he was away late playing cards she and I could shag."

"Doesn't explain the hiding in the closet."

"No, it doesn't. Our second time together was the following Friday night, and we weren't paying attention to the time. We heard Jeff drive up, and I ran out the back door naked. She didn't have time to cover all of our tracks. She called on Monday when he was at work, said she kicked my clothes under the bed and made up the bed best she could. But there were wet spots on the sheets."

"Oops!" Jackson chuckles. "When did you retrieve your clothes?"

"Thursday. She brought a grocery bag with everything to Wednesday Coffee, mostly for show and tell..."

"And to brag, obviously," Cyan grumbles.

"Well, anyway, she gave the bag to whoever it was I was doing the next day. So it wasn't that he discovered my clothes, but Jan said he didn't buy her cockamamie excuse about the wet spots."

Jax asks, "The closet?"

Steve sighs. "The following Saturday Jeff announced they had canceled the poker game and he was going to stay home. Jan called to wave me off, but as she was on the phone with me he shouted that he got a text the game was back on, and that he would be back late. She said it sounded like he left out the front, she heard his car start, and told me the coast was clear."

"Aaaaaaand it wasn't," Emily chuckles.

"Not that we knew, of course. Turned out he drove around the block, turned the engine off, and coasted back into the drive. He snuck back in, and took-up a position in the closet to wait for us."

"When did you start leaving the house naked, Stevie?"

"Oh. That night. Janice was all turned on by the mental image of my being nude sporting a boner running back home the prior weekend, figured nobody could see me, and requested that we do it that way from then on."

"Huh," Jax muses. "So what happened that night?"

"Jan and I got it on and had a great time, and she saw me to the back door after we were done. At least in the bedroom."

"Oh?"

"She bent over the porch railing and insisted on another round. I could get it up, but nothing beyond that. She got off, anyway."

"And that gave Jeff enough time to get out of the closet unnoticed and feign returning from his supposed poker game. How did Jan explain being naked on the back porch?"

"She never said."

"So we're now at the fourth time around."

"Same drill as the previous week. This time I noticed a gap in the folding closet doors. I pushed it closed out of... I dunno... OCD or something, Jan and I got it on, and when we changed positions I noticed the gap had returned."

"Busted!"

"Not yet."

"When I took a break to pee, I closed it again, thinking it was a weak spring or something. Like I said, OCD. Got back in bed, Jan and I rolled around some more... gawd, she was such a great fuck... I glanced at the closet, and the gap was there again."

"Now we're busted."

"Yep. I didn't do anything then to reveal I suspected we were being watched, and again Jan and I did it on the back porch as I was leaving. After kissing her good night, I told her, 'Jeff was in the closet.' She chuckled, 'Good for him.'"

Emily is surprised. "So he was outed, yet there was no drama from anybody. Did she confront him?"

"Nope. We played ignorant, but varied our routine to make sure he had the best views of our fucking. She eventually told me about the binoculars and his voyeuring our parties. It was who he was, and she loved him."

"And you let it pass."

"Of course I did. He was getting off, it wasn't going to make a bit of different with our swinger group since we showed-off in front of each other anyway, Jan and I were having a great time, and she was taking satisfaction in her husband's satisfaction. I think she was turned on a little bit more knowing he was watching us."

"When did it end?"

"Like all of it, the debacle with Roz."

"You see her much after that?"

"A couple of times. We celebrated fresh snowfalls like I told you about."

They totally crack-up, recalling his story about 'nude snow angels'.

=====

Riiiiiiiing!... Riiiiiiiing!... Riiiiiiiing!...

The almost-antique Princess phone on the kitchen wall evokes times past. Jan and Jeff both have smartphones, but still cling to some of the comforts of "the old ways." At least it has buttons and not a dial!

Jan picks-up. "Hello?"

"Hi, Mom!"

"Cydney! You doing okay, sweetie?"

"Of course! How'd your date go? You hear anything from Dad?"

"Oh, honey. There's so much to tell. But I'm not sure I should be discussing any of this with you. It just seems so strange."

"Oh Mom! We got past all that when you insisted I start on The Pill back then. You were a really good mother to me, and taught me so much. We were open about my sex life and I told you everything. Now that you're dating again, it's my turn to be the listener! How's your guy?"

"Oh, he's wonderful. Great guy. Really nice. Really good, if you know what I mean."

Cyd laughs. "You still making him walk through the backyard naked?"

"I told you that?"

"Uh huh." She laughs again. "You tell Dad yet?"

"He found out last night."

"Oh! So you've talked to him?"

"He came home from his trip."

"And you still kept the date with...?"

"Jackson. Yes."

"Oh. Okay. Oo. I sense a big story here. How'd he do with Angel?"

"Poorly. They broke-up and he got his own room halfway through their time there."

"My guess is she was screwing around whenever she could get away from 'im. Angel is such a slut!"

"You told him that. He woke up in the middle of the night to an empty bed."

"Not a surprise. Now... how did it go with Jackson? Was he there when Dad got home?"

"Uhhhhh."

"Mom! He was! Ohgawd! What happened? You okay?"

"Uhhhhh."

"Oh. My. Gawd. Mom! You were fucking your guy with Dad there! Where was he?"

"Uhhhhh."

"Geez. I knew about the binoculars, Mom. Dad liked to watch the Albertson's naked parties. Was he watching you do Jackson?"

"Yes. We were on his recliner."

CLUNK!

Cydney is laughing so hard she dropped her phone, apparently.

"Cyd? You there? Cyd? I can still hear you."

"Whew! I'm sorry, Mom. I dropped my phone." She sighs. "I never, ever imagined you being so kinky. Dad, a little, of course, but you? Ohmygawd!"

Janice sighs. "There's more."

"How could there be? I'm so proud of you! You've really spread your wings."

"You helped, sweetie. You opened my eyes -- our eyes -- to other things."

"So what happened?"

"Jackson is super-open-minded."

"He's a swinger?"

"Yes."

"So he screws around a lot. He have a wife?"

"Uh... yes."

"You meet her yet?"

"Uh... uh... yes... uh."

"Moooooooommmm. Spit it out. Gawd! This is getting really juicy! My own mother!" Cydney laughs again.

"Jackson called for backup. She was there, with her boyfriend."

"They get naked?"

"Uh huh."

"Ohgawd. But why?"

Jan sighs. "Jax figured out that your father had this voyeur thing going, and that done the right way, it could be a healthy outlet for him. Jax invited his wife and her friend to show-off for him while he and I were doing it, too."

"Amazing. Mom? I've done couples in the same room, and it's hawt! How'd Dad do with it?"

"Well..."

"Mooooommmm..."

"Jax's wife offered, and he did. There's more."

"There can't be!... Wait a minute. The guy's wife... her 'friend'... the way you said it."

Jan sighs again. "It was Steve."

"Ohmyfuckin'gawd, Mom! Really? Your old boyfriend? I'm stunned!"

"I know you knew. We never talked about it."

"Uh. Did you?"

"We did."

"So let me get this straight. First, your new hot guy comes over to the house naked. He drive that way?"

"No. He walks from his house across the tracks."

"Ah. Pieces are falling into place. He and his wife live with the Albertsons. They must be a fourple. Finally. Something that makes sense. So Steve and Jax's wife are..."

"The patriarch and matriarch of their polycule."

"This keeps getting better and better. Anybody I might know?

"Ashley."

"She moved back home? She was a major babe back in school."

"Still is, as Jax tells me. Her father's slowly dying. Cancers."

"Oh, that's sad. He had a big drinking problem and smoked like a chimney, as I understood. Any more in the group?"

"Not that you'd know. I think there are ten in the poly thing."

"Amazing. Anyway, you had both Jackson and Steve last night, Dad watched it while doing Jax's wife. I'll take it that Steve and Jax's wife..."

"Emily. Her name is Emily."

"Okay, Steve and Emily. They also came and went through the backyard nude."

"Uh huh. They did."

"Mom?"

"Cyd?"

"This is just too much. Seriously, how are you and Dad doing with all this?"

"We cuddled all night after sending them home. Sweetie? It was wonderful. Talk about relighting the fire."

"You going to still see Jackson?"

"Absolutely. He's coming over tonight for drinks with your father for serious talk about his dating around. He mentioned tips on picking-up women closer to our ages. We'll have sex for him later on. And thank you."

"For what?"

"Your honesty, and taking the time to counsel me and your father on rebuilding the loving aspects of our relationship."

"You started it, Mom. I love you guys, and I saw that things were getting stale between you two. You sure jumped in with both feet, though."

"I did. Your dad messed-up a little bit, but I think Jackson's helping hand is going to save him from himself."

"I love you, Mom."

"I love you too, Cydney. When are you going to come visit?"

"Soon, I hope. Work has been a grind and I've been working 60-hour weeks, but we're dropping a couple of bad clients and it'll let up soon."

"Anything on the love front?"

"No time. I get out every other week and take a friend back to my apartment, but beyond that, nothing."

"Still playing on both teams?"

"Yeah. I have feelers out for a bi boyfriend. I really enjoy intimacy with couples. I'd like to talk with Jackson and his lovers if that's okay."

"I'll run it by him."

"Thanks. Been great talking with you, Mom."

"You can certainly call more often!"

"Oh, Mom!" Cyd chuckles. "Love you!"

"Love you, too, little girl. Be good!

"Do I have to?"

"The other good!"

"Oh, Mom! G'bye!" with a chuckle.

"Bye, sweetie!"

=====

Steve, Cyan, and Emily are starting their morning sitting around the kitchen table sipping their coffee or tea, Emily mostly waiting for Jackson to finish dressing so they can take off for work. No real breakfast was prepared, as Jackson was out late last night and told the others he'd rather get an extra half-hour of sleep and then grab something at the office.

Steve was okay with that. These days he's on a protein drink regimen instead of full breakfasts in an attempt to discourage his love handles from blooming into a middle-age paunch. The girls are fine with spooning yogurts.

Jackson steps into the kitchen and pours himself a cup.

"You have time for that?" Steve questions him.

Glancing at the clock, "Yeah. About fifteen minutes before we have to leave."

Cyan inquires, "How'd it go last night? Gawd. It was three o'clock when you rattled our bed."

"Jeff and I had a really good talk. I was finally able to convince him away from the bars here in town and made some recommendations for pickup spots in Springfield."

"Geez, Jax. Am I going to run into him at the Crowne now?" Em complains.

"Maybe."

She sighs. "I guess that's okay. It might help him out. You know, the whole thing about having a pretty young girl chatting you up to attract more of the same."

"And you'd have someone to do if both of you crapped out."

Em sticks her tongue out at him. "I never 'crap out', Jackson!"

Steve smirks and shakes his head at her. She grins back. He chuckles at their repartee.

Steve asks, "Either of you have any plans for today?"

Jackson scowls at him. "Work, Steven."

"I mean any fun stuff. You guys haven't said much lately about naughtiness in that warehouse or foursomes in the company apartment."

Emily is avoiding eye contact.

"Okay, girlfriend. I know that look."

She sighs. "Tom, Denise, and I have a lunch date."

"Well, good. So you're starting up with him again. At least I think it's good."

"It is. That's why it's a two-on-one. It puts a lid on the cuddling. That's where he was getting in trouble, crossing over from the sex into affectionate bonding."

"Interesting strategy."

"Dee's idea. She's used it to contain guys from falling for her. Jax?"

"Yeah?"

"You and Janice. You and her do it for Jeff again?"

"Oh, yeah. When I got there, and again after we talked."

"Explains the late night."

"It does." He glances at the clock. "Time to go. You guys doing anything? Or anybody?"

"Ashley has a long lunch break today. A client cancelled."

"Sorry we can't be here."

"It'll be fun."

Cyan breaks in, "Oh, yeaaaaaah." She grins real big.

Em and Jax laugh. "Girl time, obviously!" Em chuckles.

"I'll get mine!" Steve laughs back. "You guys going to be home usual time?"

"Yep." Jackson answers. "Let's go, sweetie." He helps Emily out of her chair and they disappear into the garage.

Cyan looks to Steve. "You going to get lost into your computer again this morning?"

"I have to, sweetheart. With the markets so unstable recently I have to cut stuff off if it looks like a panic is unfolding."

"I thought you parked everything."

"Still have a bunch of bond mutuals. They've been zig-zagging, too. Nobody knows what to do. It's all a huge headache."

"I don't understand any of it, but you do okay for us."

"You doing anything?"

"Catching up on sleep. Jax wanted to screw after coming home from Jan. We didn't wake you guys?"

"Gawd, he's insatiable. But no. We were well into our after-sex slumber."

"I certainly don't mind."

Steve rises from his chair, and picks up his coffee cup to take with. "Of course not."

=====

Ashley has come and gone, and Steve and Cyan are in the hot tub, both basking in their afterglow from special moments with Ash.

"She's too convenient," Cy muses.

"She is. But she's the only local one of us outside of Em and Jax."

"You contemplate her living with us after her father passes?"

"No. She told me the whole ordeal has her concerned about her mother's state of mind. Ash expects that she's going be leaning on her for a while. Doesn't want to leave her with an empty house."

"Oh, that certainly makes sense. Stevie? I think I hear your phone."

"Okay. Now I hear it. That ring is for the Wednesday Coffee ladies. Better get it."

Steve jumps out of the tub, grabs a towel, and makes it to the phone before losing the call.

"Janice? Surprised to hear from you. You and Jackson doing okay?"

"We are, Steven. He's wonderful to us. Definitely follows in your footsteps."

"But you and I never let on to Jeff."

"No, we didn't, but we were all comfortable with the arrangement at the time. Just didn't talk about it. I think Cydney's helping Jeff and me confront our intimate needs is a big part of what's going on now."

"The couple of times I met her when she was home from college... well... she really impressed me. Especially in having no reaction to my being naked. Wasn't even a shoulder shrug to her."

"She and I have a special relationship, Steve. A lot more than the usual daughter-mom thing. She understands a lot, and she has her own special intimate life. Cyd is why I called."

"Oh? What's up?"

"She's coming home to visit this weekend, and would like to spend time talking to you guys about the fourple and poly thing. She finds the concepts fascinating."

"She anticipating doing something similar?"

"Yes. You know she's bi, right?"

"I do. The little we chatted before gave me the impression she was fifty-fifty. That's kind of unusual, most lean toward one side or the other."

"She said she's trying to find a bi boyfriend so they can together enjoy relationships with similar couples."

"You do know that Cyan and I aren't truly bisexual, don't you?"

"Jax said that. But that neither of you are opposed to same-sex intimacy for yourselves."

"Just different aspects of our repertoire. Anyway, we'll be happy to sit down with her for anything she wants to ask about. You also know we're really open about everything."

"Maybe a little too open, Steven," Jan chuckles.

"Comes with the territory. We're good for either afternoon or evening, so whenever is convenient for her is fine."

"Probably Saturday. It sounded like she's chomping at the bit with this."

"Good deal. Have you or her call before coming over and we'll be happy to have 'er. We'll have others from the polycule here, but I don't think that will be a problem."

"Probably would be even better. Thanks, Steven."

"You're welcome, Janice. Looking forward to it."

=====

It's a polycule weekend, so Debbie picked-up Sarah at the Bloomington train station and the two rode into Taylorville with Ellie, Caroline, and Toby last night.

"So, Steven," Toby mumbles through a forkful of scrambled eggs, "we're having special company later today."

"We are. Jeff and Janice's daughter."

Ashley is surprised. "Cydney? Haven't seen her since graduation! Wow!"

Toby continues, "Let me get this right. This is the same Janice I'm told you were doing a long time ago..."

Cyan interrupts and sneers, "... Along with a half-dozen other neighborhood women..."

Everybody cracks up. Debbie elbows him in the ribs. Ashley mock-slaps his opposite shoulder.

Tobe accuses, "Jax is right. You are such a cad! Anyway, Jax here has apparently taken the torch."

"Very belatedly, yes. Just three of 'em."

"I have to ask, when did you stop?"

Ellie is quick to jump in, "The whole Roz Davenport disaster!"

"Any of the husbands ever find out?"

Emily confirms, "Only the two. From what he and Cyan told us, Gary Davenport found out the hard way. Jeff Hoffman did, too, but was into watching Steve screw Janice, and didn't let on."

"Oh really?" Sarah is a little incredulous.

"Uh hmm," Jax garbles, still chewing his hashbrowns. "Hid in the closet."

"You're fuckin' kidding me!" Caroline laughs.

Steve first takes another gulp of coffee. "Nope. We had our own history moment last week. He hid in the closet while I did Jan when Em and I were helping Jackson out last week."

"He did -- pardon the pun -- come out of the closet, right?"

Em snickers, "No! Steve and I had to pull him out and force him to sit in a chair to watch Jax fuck Janice all the way. Jan told us where to find ropes if he didn't cooperate."

"Okay." Caroline glares at Emily. "I'm going to assume Janice is straight. What were you doing besides crowbarring Jeff out of the closet."

Em glares back adding "the tongue". "Putting on a fuck show with Steve, then doing Jeff. That's what!"

"How'd that all end?" Ashley wonders.

"Wonderfully, Ash. We broke through all sorts of barriers, especially for Jeff. He and Jan had been experimenting with open marriage, and he stumbled big-time trying to pick-up women half his age. Jackson is actually counseling Jeff now on how to do mature pick-ups."

"He and the wife still showing-off for 'im?"

"Yeah. That, too. Jax is trying to corral Jeff's voyeur thing into a healthier expression of his fetish. Oops. I said too much."

"Oooooooooh?" Debbie cocks her head at Emily. "Explain that, girlfriend!"

"Binoculars. For years."

"You mean..."

"Yep."

"He's been watching us fuck on the patio?"

"Yep."

Everyone looks around to each other with weird expressions on their faces. Ellie is doing everything she can to stifle a laugh, not knowing who might and who might not be offended by her laughing off the intrusions. A couple of others are in a similar boat, their faces distorting from keeping it all in.

Somebody cracks. Everybody explodes into laughter, guffaws, "Oh my gawd!", and other outbursts, wholly amused by the ridiculousness of it all. After all, every one of them has made a point, a big point, of doing all manner of sexual performance in front of each other, friends, and even strangers. Exhibitionism Central!

Most of them calm down into giggles and chuckles, and Cyan muses to Steve, "So. You think we might want to set a lawn chair out in the yard or something, and invite him to watch us play? Anybody mind?"

"Nope. Sounds good by me," Ashley suggests.

"I have no problem with it," Ellie agrees.

"I certainly don't," Emily confirms.

"But you've fucked 'im, Em," Debbie counters.

"And I'll do 'im again."

"Any good?"

"So so, but nice cock. Thick. Mushroom. Filling. Feels great."

With a leering chuckle, Steve proposes, "All in favor?"

"Yes!" "Aye" "Of course." "Let's do it!"

"Any objections?" Now that's met with giggles and snickering. "Motion passes!"

Debbie muses, "Stevie? Invite him over today?"

"No. Not with Cydney here."

"Cydney?"

"Remember? His daughter."

"Now that's kinky! Are you figuring that she's going to play with us?"

"I don't know. From what Jan tells me, she's quite libertine, so I'm not going to say 'no', but I have no expectation that this is more than information gathering."

"Good enough. Later, then."

"Yep. What are our plans for the rest of the morning?"

Ashley answers, "I don't know about you guys, and I mean the men, but Cyan has proposed that all us women run into Springfield for a little shop-'til-you-drop and a late lunch at Sandy's place. We're taking the van."

"Who's driving? Cyan sure can't."

Cy is vigorously shaking her head in confirmation. Too big for her to handle.

"I am," Ash confirms. "Maybe Caroline on the way home."

"Okay. The guys will find something to do. Meet back at the house at 6:00?"

Nods from everyone in the kitchen... which is everyone... and the breakfast party breaks up as the girls go to the back of the house to get dressed and made-up for their day in the big city.

Toby asks, "Steve, any idea what we are going to do?"

"I have a couple of things I could pick-up at Menard's, and it's close enough to Sinful Sensations to replenish supplies like the tub lubricant. Ash was also asking about getting her a dildo. That new monster one that looks like a horse's penis."

"Gawd," Toby grumbles. "She can be so, so kinky! Worse than Caroline!"

"She's played in the big leagues, Tobe. Not surprising to me. And Car already said she wants to borrow it. So there you have it."

"Geez," he sighs.

Jax sneers, "I figure you're going to wanna fuck Patricia while we're there."

"No, Jax. Don't want to burn any of us out on the off chance Cydney wants to play."

"Well, okay. Good point. Think we can beat the girls out of the driveway?"

"I'm sure of it. Let's put some clothes on and get our asses out of here."

=====

Everybody is back and sort of stirring around the house on standby, it's a little after seven o'clock, and Steve's phone rings with an unknown number. A 312 area code and wasn't flagged as spam, so he figures it is probably Cydney's phone.

He answers. "This is Steve."

"Hi, Steve. This is Cydney. How are you?"

"Doing good. You drive down?"

"No. Took the train to Springfield and Ubered."

"Smart. You ready to come over? Everybody is here, by the way."

"The entire polycule? Oh, that's nice. Yeah, I'm ready. Have a question, however."

"Shoot."

"What should I be wearing? I know how you are."

Well, Cyd, half of us are already in the hot tub, and I think we're going to be convening on the patio, anyway. At the moment Emily and Cyan are out on the lawn trying to catch a few rays before the sun sets. So decide accordingly.

"You're all naked."

"That's life as we know it. Will that bother you?"

"No, you and I crossed that bridge years ago. BFD."

"Okay, then. See you in a couple of minutes?"

"Yep."

"I'll unlatch the gate."

"Okay."

Steve steps into the kitchen to set his phone down on the charging pad. He has second thoughts, and returns to the patio, leaving the phone on the table next to the towels.

"That's different, Stevie." Emily is tweaked, noticing this as she climbs the steps onto the patio and tub deck. "You rarely bring your phone out here. Something up?"

"No. Just a feeling I might want it close at hand."

"Anybody in particular?"

"Not sure."

"Okay. You joining us in the tub?"

"Not yet. Cydney's on her way over and I need to unlatch the gate."

"Go to it, then."

He walks across the lawn and approaches the gate. It rattles. Somebody is trying the latch.

"Steve? Steve? You there? Please hurry!"

"Coming! Sorry!"

He fiddles with the lock mechanism and swings the gate open to a particularly cute young lady who dashes in to take cover. She's wearing sandals. Just sandals.

"I didn't expect you to be nude when it's still daylight, Cyd. Gosh. You've grown up into something awfully stunning. A little like your mother. You certainly have her figure."

"Is that a problem? Anyway, when in Rome, Steven. You've kept yourself nice."

"Thanks. Come meet the clan."

Ashley was in the tub, saw that it was Cydney, and is running across the yard to greet her former classmate.

"Cyd! How are you! I'm not sure how to greet you. We weren't close then, so I don't quite know whether to hug or not, but it sure is great to see you again. Gawd, you've gotten to be quite the cutie."

"And you're still quite the babe, Ash. Haven't lost the ponytail, I see."

"It's a feature and not a bug!" she chuckles. "What have you been doing with yourself?"

"Lawyering. Junior partner with a small firm up in Chicago."

Steve rolls his eyes.

"What's the matter with that, Steve?"

"Lawyers. Always lawyers. Two more of you in the tub, Cyd."

She laughs. "Mom said that you surround yourself with the best, so I'm not surprised. Ashley, I think a hug is appropriate here."

They embrace lightly, then a little more tightly, and now holding. They're starting to press their pubic mounds into each other.

Ash whispers, "(Steve said you're bi.)"

"(I am.)"

"(So am I. So are all the other women in the polycule.)"

"(The guys?)"

"(Steve's mostly not, but Jackson and Toby mess with each other.)"

"(This sounds fantastic, Ash.)"

"(It is. Come on.)"

The ladies each take Steve's hands, and they step three abreast toward the patio.

"What's wrong?" Caroline teases as they approach. She steps up and out of the tub.

"What do you mean 'what's wrong'?"

"You're being escorted by two hot young babes and yet you're soft. That's major hard-on territory for you!"

"Trying to be civil for our guest, Car!"

"(Who's she?)" Cyd whispers to Ashley. "(She looks familiar. Gawd. Gorgeous. Incredibly fit!)"

Steve breaks in, "I got this, Cydney. Cyd, this is Caroline. Caroline Hester. Car? Cydney Hoffman."

Cyd is wearing a truly puzzled expression. "Nice to meet you. I've seen you somewhere. Or maybe a picture of you. Hard to tell. If it was you, you were wearing clothes."

Steve solves it for her, possibly. "Do your folks take the Decatur newspaper?"

"They do. But I also read it online... oh gawd. You're that golfer!"

"That's me!" she laughs.

"Steve?" Cydney is a little speechless. "Uh..."

"Cyd? Caroline is also a hotshot lawyer. But her career is golf for the foreseeable."

"Some career! I read where you were on the LPGA circuit for a while."

"True. There were complications."

"Like what?"

"Management didn't like that I was openly dating women and men. 'Sent the wrong message,' they said."

"I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. Steve said you're here to talk to us about polyamorous relationships and plural marriage. Come on up and join us. We don't bite. Unless you want us to."

"That's an old one, Caroline."

"It is, but it's still funny. Especially when you're into deviant sex like we are."

"Poly's not deviant these days. It's just different."

"Good for you! Guys? Cyd here passed the entrance exam. Seriously, Cyd. You're welcome to one of the chairs -- sitting towels are over there -- or we can squeeze you in here in the tub. That's a lot more fun. Everybody? Introduce yourselves!"

"Debbie!"

"Ellie!"

"Toby!"

"You know me, Cyd."

"Hi, Cyan. It's been years. You're still stunningly gorgeous."

"Thank you! This here is Jackson..."

"Mom's boyfriend."

"Uh huh. Mine, too."

"Sarah!"

"Emily!"

"Steve's partner in crime."

"You got it!"

"What does everybody do?"

"I'll take this," Steve steps in. "I'll start with Ashley there. She's the technician for the local pool and spa company. Way, way overqualified. She's halfway to her PhD in mechanical engineering, but I think Janice told you why she's here."

"She did. I'm so sorry, Ashley."

"Thank you. It's not been easy."

"In the tub there is Debbie. She's an actuarial for an insurance company in Bloomington. Total math wiz. Next to her is..."

"Doctor Ellie! Now I remember you! Still teaching at UofI?"

"Yep! Department head now."

"Next to her is her husband, Toby. Gawd. Another lawyer."

"Hey!"

"Just kidding, Tobe."

Cydney laughs. "What's your specialty?"

"Civil contracts."

"Equally boring as my corporate practice."

"You got that right."

"There's my very lovely Cyan..."

"Still modeling?"

"No. Don't need to."

"And recently she's finally come out to everybody as a former porn star!"

"Did you know that when you met her?"

"No. But it didn't make any difference when she told me. We were already tearing up the swinger community out in L. A. at the time."

"So naughty!" Cyd snickers. "Jackson. Aside from stickin' it in my mom, what do you do?"

Everybody chuckles at that.

"Human interfaces engineer."

"So you're the kind of guy who hides the wiper switch on the new cars, huh? And puts the brake pedal in the glovebox? And those fuckin' touchscreens."

Oh, they all roar with laughter.

"She's got your number, Jax!" Sarah teases.

"Emily, I know you're Steve's main squeeze, but for work?"

"DBA. I do large-scale database design."

"Steve? I think I'm getting the big picture here. You surround yourself with brainiacs."

"Dr. Meadows. Tell her what you do!"

"Structural biologist at Northwestern. I build synthetic life forms."

"Holy fuck. Steve?"

"Cydney? Something wrong?"

"Not at all. The 'big picture' here is that the foundation of this little poly clan of yours is incredible intelligence. Lawyers and scientists. PhDs and JDs. No wonder you've built this little world where 'normal' rules don't apply any more. You've all taken things apart, at least philosophically, down to the molecular level... sorry, Sarah... and put them back together into a different social form altogether. I have a question."

"Okay?"

"Do you all love each other?"

"Oh gawd yes." "Absolutely." "We're married to each other, Cyd." "Can't see it any other way." "Can you join us for breakfast tomorrow?"

"That breakfast thing. Why?"

"I'll answer that," Emily responds. "That's when you see us at our most raw. Naked, yes, always, but playing off of each other like an old married couple, times ten. It's our most loving time without the sex part, but that happens often enough even then to remind us of who we really are."

"Okay, you were the one who brought up sex. What's it like with so many lovers? This has got to be a hotbed of jealousy."

Everybody looks at each other like they've never heard the word.

Caroline takes it. "Not at all, Cydney. We have sex in all sorts of forms -- one-on-one, two-on-one, four-on-four, seven-on-one... Steve..."

Everybody laughs.

... guy on girl, girl on guy, girl on girl, and guy on guy. Sex in bed, sex in the shower, sex in the kitchen, sex in the hot tub...

"We have a special lubricant just for that!" Ashley breaks in.

"... sex in the car, sex in the woods, sex on an overpass... Steve and Emily... sex in front of each other, sex in front of friends, sex in front of strangers.

"Whew!" Cydney chuckles. "Sex all the time, then."

"I guess you could say that."

"Okay, open or closed?"

Emily answers, "You know the answer to that, Cyd. Jax and your mother. Steve and your mother. Me and your father. The permutations are endless."

"Okay, those are opportunities with acquaintances. Who cruises for dates outside of the polycule?"

Everybody in and out of the tub raises their hands.

"Okay. How often?"

Steve answers, "Some frequently, some not as much. But we're all open to a good time with people who appeal to us."

"Any of those 'appealing people' were, at one time, any of you?"

Sarah, Caroline, and Ashley raise their hands.

"That's not unexpected. The larger relationship here seems organic."

Jax interrupts, "You've not touched on the swinging."

"Honestly? That slipped my mind. I was focused on the cellular nature of the polycule. Sorry, again, Sarah."

"No apology necessary, Cydney. Your observations are interesting."

"Swinging? Longstanding friendships, mostly?"

"Yes," Steve responds. "Various levels ranging from love to really like a lot. One thing, it's a pretty stable circle of friends who look out for each other. You conclude anything so far? Aside from the 'smarts' aspect?"

"One thing for sure. I am looking at what you guys have as a possible model for building my own lovers' community. But the totality of what you have created is impossible."

"It didn't happen all at once. You said "organic". That's about right. There are some common themes that brought us together over the years, mostly related to, or on the fringes of, the swinger thing. When Cyan and I met Jackson and Emily, we first bonded on the realization that we were swingers circulating in different worlds. Same with Ashley, who was active in a traditional swinger community on the West Coast before returning home."

"So those common experiences became connection points."

"Yes."

"Okay. Like I told Mom, I'm bi -- you guys have figured that one out -- and I'm looking for a bi boyfriend who can see the relationships world as I see it, and then build on that by dating other similar couples."

"Short and sweet?"

"Okay..."

"What you define is swinging. 'Lifestyle' is the euphemism. You just have to find the right group. And you have an easy in."

"What's that?"

"You're a girl, and a very attractive and intelligent one, at that. And you have another 'in'."

"Okay..."

"You're what's called in the swinger world a 'unicorn'. A mythical creature. Like I said, a young and attractive female, interesting, unattached, bisexual, looking to explore. Everything an open-minded couple dreams of."

"Where do I start?"

"Well for one thing, not at work!"

Everybody laughs.

"Then where?"

"These days, the online dating sites. You post a pic with little more in your profile than 'unicorn looking for bi swinger couple' and you'll be swamped. The challenge then..."

"Is weeding out the jerks and perverts, and other dead-ends. Yeah, I've been doing the online thing with not very good results. It's frustrating."

"I didn't say it was going to be easy."

"Okay. I guess I can deal with that. But speaking of 'easy', were any of you, especially you, Steven, thinking that if I came over here nude, I was going to have sex with one or more of you?"

"It was recognized as a possibility, but we weren't expecting it."

"Steven? I'm going to fuck you first, and then Jackson."

"I can't think it's revenge on your mother, is it?"

"No. Wanting to better understand what her attraction is to you guys."

"Where do you want to start?"

"Let me borrow your phone."

"Oh? Okay, let me unlock it for you."

He steps over to where he set the phone down on the towel shelf, unlocks it, and hands it to Cydney. She quickly goes to the recents list and presses the top entry. Apparently somebody answers right away.

"Now," is all she says, and hangs up.

Steve is quite puzzled. "Okay, where do you want to do this?"

"Follow me."

Cyd takes Steve's hand, leads him down the steps to the backyard, and continues across to the gate. His erection is approaching full mast, now freed to anticipate coitus.

"Open it," she directs. He does so.

She pulls him out just past the gate opening, and turns him to be in profile to his lovers up on the patio.

"Standing doggie first." She bends over, reaches back to draw his firm cock into her, and pushes back hard to initiate then fully land their intercourse. She rocks back and forth, encouraging Steve to do his part in thrusting as she pushed back.

"What are we doing?"

"Putting on a show. You're going to cum in me, right?"

"I can."

"Okay. Look."

The back porch light at the Hoffmans just blinked on. Standing there are Janice and her husband, both naked and fondling themselves, passing the binoculars back and forth.

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