The Wild Things Ch. 03

Their usual bar was busier than usual, but Dani felt fine with that. She was sitting in a booth, joking along with her colleagues. "And that's why you shouldn't actually put a stapler in jello," Dani concluded, and everyone laughed. She laughed too - maybe a little too hard - but the distraction was welcome. Kayla had been gone a week, and it had been hard not to think about her every second of every day.

Viv leaned in and whispered, "Oh my god. That's Celina's partner, right?"

"Huh?" Dani turned around and looked over at a group sitting across the bar. One of them had just tossed back a shot, laughing with her head tipped back. Jo. She looked incredible. Her hair was loose, long, shiny. Her dark red mini dress looked effortless. She looked like she was ready to party - completely in her element.

"Yes, that's Jo," said Randall, swirling his straw in his traffic light drink--red, orange, and green layers stacked in a tall glass--which probably contained no alcohol. "She works as a nurse at the city hospital."

"She's a doctor, actually," Dani replied, nonchalantly. "Has been in the ED for years."

"Damn, Celina's punching," Tyler said, next to Dani.

Matt, who had a wife and two kids, added, "Let's just say there's an emergency on my balls."

Some laughs and some groans followed.

Tyler smirked. "Too bad she's gay. Otherwise, she would've been over here in a heartbeat just for you, Matty."

Viv leaned in again. "I hear Celina lets her play... play with other women."

A memory surfaced: Jo on the couch - naked, golden in the low light - tugging Dani closer by the wrist. She'd cupped her own breast and offered it, whispering throught parted lips: "Suck."

"Wait, what?" Tyler leaned forward. "Like, gives her permission or something?"

Tasha, a new hire, piped up. "No - that has to be cheating."

Randall raised a finger. "I believe it's called polyamory."

Matt said, "I'd never share my wife with another man. Another woman, however..."

Another memory flashed again, now clearer: looking up at Jo from underneath her thighs, using Dani's mouth. Dani felt her mouth water in real time. She made a conscious choice to push the memory aside - for later, maybe, alone. With her vibrator.

She tuned back in to Matt blathering about how he was "this close" to convincing his wife to have a threesome.

Suddenly the volume quietened. Dani noticed everyone staring just above her shoulder. Someone had scooched into the booth beside her. She turned.

"Jo!" Dani said, a bit too brightly. So much for playing it cool. But happy feelings had been rare this week. Seeing Jo felt like stepping into the sun. Dani leaned forward and hugged her, trying not to exhale as loudly as she felt she would.

"Hello, gorgeous." Jo returned the hug, planting a soft kiss on Dani's cheek.

Dani felt her coworkers' eyes burning into the back of her head.

"How have you been?" Dani asked.

"I've been busy," she said with a smirk. "Work's a circus, as usual. Celina's away, as you'd know. And I've been..." - she shrugged one shoulder - "keeping myself entertained."

Dani looked over to where she'd gestured and saw a group of people. One of them doubled over, clutching their drink, while another leaned back, grinning wide and shaking their head. Someone raised their glass in Jo's direction, already halfway to the bar to fulfill the bet. The others cast looks at Dani - half impressed, half amused, and waved at her.

"You know, they'd love to get to know you. Come join us after if you're not busy." Jo smiled too.

Dani tilted her head with mock innocence. "Why would they want to get to know me? I'm just some pretty girl across the bar."

Jo's blue eyes glinted. "You know, if you hadn't hugged me, they'd be the none the wiser." She leaned in, voice lower now, intimate despite the noise around them. "One of them saw your table glance over." She put her arm around Dani as they both looked at the group. "See the one with bleached blonde hair?"

Dani followed her gaze and spotted them - lean, sharp-featured, with bleached blonde hair, cropped to a number 2 or 3, and a quiet confidence. They wore a crisp white T-shirt tucked into black pants, looking put together without trying. It reminded Dani of how Celina dressed off the clock.

"Said you looked pretty. And like you're being bored to death. No offense. They said they'd buy me drinks for the rest of the night if I could get your number."

Dani smiled, flattered. "And they didn't count on you knowing me already."

"Correct."

"Did you also tell them I'm only good from far away?"

"Hardly. You're hotter up close."

Dani giggled. Jo was drunk. And funny.

"How are you, anyway?" Jo said as she patted her arm.

Dani's eyes looked to the floor. "Kayla left last weekend."

Jo's arm slipped from Dani's shoulder to link gently through hers. "Hey... I'm really sorry. Cel mentioned she was in the picture - I didn't realize it ended so soon."

Dani's jaw tightened as she forced a smile. Now wasn't the time or place to unpack it. "Yeah, well... it started and hasn't really ended. It's complicated. Not really bar talk."

Jo nodded, watching her. "Still - come by later. You don't have to say anything. Just be around people like you." She squeezed Dani's hands before standing up. She addressed the group. "Hi, everyone. Remember me?"

Randall raised a hand. "I do."

"Nice to see you again, Randall. Still getting women's job titles mixed up? Or just mine?"

The group chuckled, some more nervously than others.

Randall chuckled. "I've got Dani here to set me straight."

"I hope she charges you by the hour."

And then she walked back to her table.

The table went quiet for a half-beat. All eyes shifted back to Dani.

The moment she was out of earshot, the booth erupted.

"How the hell do you know her?"

"What do you mean you know 'she's a doctor'?"

"Wait, you've met her before?"

Dani sipped her drink slowly. "Mmm," she said. "I know her through Celina, like all of you do."

"Yeah, but... that hug," Tyler said, narrowing his eyes.

"That kiss on the cheek," Tiana added. "And you just sat there with her arms all over you."

"That 'hello, gorgeous'" Matt mimicked in a falsetto.

Laughter rippled from the group. Except Viv who looked positively horrified. Her mouth hung slightly open, like she had watched a car crash unfold in slow motion.

Dani caught the look, and something in her hardened. She set her drink down carefully.

Yeah. Screw this. She was going to Jo and her crew tonight.

She took a sip of her drink, then gave them a smooth, deadpan smile. "Maybe I'm just good with people."

Later on, Dani found herself at Jo's table, a cocktail in hand, the din of the bar a low hum behind the cluster of voices and laughter. Jo's friend with the short, platinum hair - Em, they'd introduced themself as earlier - was definitely hitting on her.

"I should've known Jo was setting me up," Em said, grinning as they leaned a little closer. "She had that look like she knew something the rest of us didn't."

Dani raised an eyebrow. "And you still made the bet?"

Em shrugged, unbothered. "It was worth a shot. I didn't expect you to already know her - or to be this cute up close."

Dani blushed. The tension in her chest loosened slightly.

Em sipped their drink, then added, more seriously, "Anyway - people mess up my pronouns sometimes, and that's whatever. As long as they get it and respect me, I don't mind. Intent matters more."

Dani nodded, grateful for the ease of the moment, and the warmth beneath Em's playfulness.

Em stood, finishing the last of their drink with a decisive nod. "Same again?"

Dani lifted her glass. "Please."

"Back in a sec." Em gave her a wink before weaving through the crowd toward the bar, their platinum hair catching the light as they went. Jo, who'd been chatting with someone else, turned back just in time to catch the tail end.

"Em behaving?"

Dani smirked. "Mostly. You definitely stitched them up."

Jo shrugged, unapologetic. "They'll survive." She leaned in. "Em loves shy girls."

Dani raised an eyebrow. "Am I shy?"

Jo shrugged, her mouth curving. "I dunno. Am I straight?"

Dani huffed a laugh. "So you're saying..."

"I'm saying," Jo murmured, eyes flicking to Dani's lips, "if you want to get laid - keep doing exactly what you're doing."

They piled into a rideshare, laughter trailing behind them as they squeezed in. Jo claimed the front seat without hesitation, three of the others crammed into the middle row, leaving Dani and Em tucked into the back. No one paid them much attention--everyone was loud, half-tipsy, mid-story.

Em leaned closer, their voice low enough to stay just between them. "Not to be too forward - but I'm definitely trying to sleep with someone tonight."

Dani blinked, caught off guard by the honesty.

"That someone being you," they added. "Unless you've got a jealous girlfriend waiting in the wings."

Dani gave a quiet breath of a laugh. Best to be honest too, she thought. "No jealous girlfriend. But... there is someone."

Em's smile faded little. "Yeah?"

"She left the country last week. Three months in Puerto Rico. We didn't talk about what we were doing. Didn't define anything. So I'm... kind of in limbo."

"Mm," Em said, thoughtful. "So you're grieving her. Even if it doesn't look like it yet."

"Yeah." Dani looked out the window, then back down at their joined hands. "And maybe trying to distract myself."

"That I can help with," Em said gently. "As long as you're not gonna pretend I'm her."

Dani met their eyes. "You're not her," she said. "That's kind of the point."

Em nodded, satisfied. "Good. I'm just back in town for the weekend - my mom's birthday tomorrow. Figured I'd catch up with some people and see where the night takes me."

Dani tilted her head. "And here we are."

Em grinned. "Here we are."

Dani's thumb brushed lightly across Em's knuckles. She couldn't think of anything else to say. Her mind had begun to race with thoughts of what might unfold. I guess I am shy, she thought.

Em shifted slightly, turning toward her. "Hey," they said, voice gentle but curious. "What's up?"

Dani hesitated, then glanced over. "I was just... thinking about kissing you," she admitted, voice low. "But I wasn't sure if it would be okay."

Em blinked, then smiled - soft, not smug. "It would be very okay," they said. "But I'm glad you asked."

Dani leaned in, and Em met her halfway. The kiss was soft at first, but deepened quickly--warm, sure, and just a little breathless. Em's hand slipped to her jaw, thumb grazing her cheek.

A loud whistle cut through the quiet of the back seat.

"Oh hell yeah," someone crowed from the middle row.

Jo twisted around in her seat, grinning wide. "Get it, Dani! That's my girl!"

The car laughed. Dani buried her face in Em's shoulder, half laughing, half mortified. Em just squeezed her hand, amused.

The car pulled up a long, tree-lined driveway, ending at a sprawling modern house with glass walls and golden light spilling out onto the gravel.

They stepped out of the car into the cool night air. Dani smoothed her skirt, took a breath. The place screamed money, but not in a tacky way - every inch of it intentional, curated.

At the entrance stood the host--a man in his late thirties with silver-streaked hair and the relaxed, expression of someone riding a very good high. He wore a deep burgundy velvet vest with nothing underneath, skin golden in the glow from inside the house. A faint tattoo curled over his collarbone, and his smile was lazy but charming, arms spreading wide like they were long-lost friends arriving at last.

"Jo, darling!" he said with a grin, pulling her in for a double-cheek kiss. Then he turned with the same easy charm--"Em, my brilliant whirlwind. Noor, radiant as always. Freya and Lou, you ltroublemakers. Come on, all of you, get in here!" And they did.

"Beau, this is Dani," Jo said, like she was unveiling something special.

"I've heard all sorts of things," Beau purred, looking her over with a grin that had seen a thousand parties.

Dani smiled, letting it wash over her. She didn't quite believe him, but that wasn't the point. Some parts of queer culture loved a bit of a show, and Dani didn't mind playing along. So far, Jo moved through it all like she was born for it. But Dani knew - really knew - that the confidence wasn't just for show. She'd seen Jo offstage too, dressed down in a quiet kitchen, naked on loungeroom floor, barefoot, and every bit as blunt and bold. And that made her presence feel safe.

Beau kissed Dani's left cheek, then the right. His cologne was expensive and just a bit overwhelming. "Any friend of Jo's is family. Come in, come in." He looked over his shoulder. "No Celina?"

Jo was already halfway inside, distracted, laughing at something Noor whispered in her ear.

Dani stepped in smoothly. "She's at a conference in Montreal," she said. "Work trip."

The host clucked his tongue. "Of course she is. That woman never does anything half-assed."

"She said to tell you hi, though," Dani added, even though Celina hadn't - though she maybe would've.

"Charming and polite," he said, grinning. "I see why Jo brought you."

Inside, the house opened up into a sunken living room filled with soft furniture, candles, and people - laughing, lounging, dancing barefoot on polished floors. Art lined the walls. A DJ spun lowkey house beats in a corner behind a jungle of plants.

Someone passed Dani a drink without asking. Em brushed Dani's arm as they moved deeper inside. Jo turned and said, over the music, "Beau's harmless. Mostly. But he does have a hot tub, and he's proud of it. If he starts talking about, just squeeze my arm."

Dani smiled, a little dizzy already - part from the kiss in the car with Em, part from the way Jo's hand had just brushed her lower back like she belonged to her.

The next hour was a blur of warm light, laughter, and clinking glasses. Dani moved from room to room, swept into conversations with stylish queer men and women who welcomed her like an old friend. Shots were passed around like candy, and someone was always ready with a drink or a joke. More than once, they passed rooms with half-closed doors - soft moans and flashes of naked bodies filling the gaps.

Back in the hall, Em reappeared with two drinks. "I was looking for you," they said, handing one over.

"Perfect timing," Dani replied, taking the glass.

They wandered through the house until they found an open door that led outside--a quiet garden lit by string lights, music barely a thump behind them. The night air was warm, scented faintly with jasmine and smoke.

They stepped out together.

"This," Em said, looking around. "Much better vibe."

Dani took a sip of her drink and leaned against the railing. "I figured you'd want somewhere you could actually hear me whisper what I'm thinking."

Em stepped closer. "Yeah? And what's that?"

Dani smiled. "That I want to know how your mouth tastes."

That was all it took.

Em leaned in and kissed her gently. Dani melted into it, one hand gripping the edge of the railing, the other brushing Em's waist. After a few seconds, Dani deepened the kiss, gently pushing her tongue into Em's mouth. They kissed like they had nowhere else to be, like the moment could stretch forever.

But then -

A voice called from inside, distant but excited. "They're putting on a show!"

Em pulled back. "We should go see this," they murmured, smile wicked.

Dani let out a laugh. "What kind of show?"

"Come on, you'll see."

They slipped inside, following the sound of footfalls and giggles until they reached a room where the crowd had gathered. The lighting was low.

At first, she couldn't quite see. But as they wove through the crowd toward a small clearing, the shape in the center came into focus - dreadlocks. Noor. And then Dani saw: Noor was naked, kneeling on a bed. A sharp jolt passed through her. She was on her knees, kissing someone - pale-skinned, unclothed, familiar. Jo. Noor was kissing Jo.

More people slipped into the room, like ants to honey. Where in the world am I? Dani thought - but she didn't want to leave.

On the bed, Noor leaned in, slow and certain, gently easing Jo down onto her back.

Em slid in behind Dani, wrapping their arms around her waist. "Hot, huh?" they whispered.

Dani didn't answer. She was mesmerised.

Noor moved like she knew exactly what Jo needed, one hand gripping her thigh, the other lightly gripping her throat as she kissed her. The way Jo whimpered in response sent a jolt of excitement through her body.

Em's hands began to roam. One traced the curve of Dani's waist; the other cupped her breast through the fabric of her dress. Dani leaned back into them, breath quickening.

Around them, she noticed others doing the same - couples touching, mouths finding shoulders, hands slipping under skirts or waistbands. Some stood alone, fingers moving over themselves in the dim light. It felt surreal.

Noor kissed down Jo's collarbone and paused on her breasts. She took one nipple in her mouth while playing with the other in her fingers. Jo gasped and held Noors head.

Em whispered in her ear, "Tell me what you're thinking."

Dani stammered. Her thoughts were vivid abd she felt shy sharing them. "I... I'm just thinking this is really hot."

Em gave a low chuckle, their hand sliding along her waist. "Don't be shy," they murmured, lips brushing her ear. "Say what you really want."

Dani's breath hitched. She swallowed, willing some courage. Em was only in town for the night. And why hold back now?

"I - I want your hand between my legs," she said. "I want to feel your fingers inside me... while - while I watch Jo get fucked."

Em froze for a second - just long enough to let it land - then let out a wicked laugh. "There she is."

Their hand slid under Dani's dress without hesitation, fingers slipping past the fabric, finding her soaked.

"Fuck, baby," Em breathed. "You've been waiting for this."

Dani let out a soft, strangled moan as Em's fingers began to move - in slow, steady circles.

Ahead of them, Noor trailed kisses down Jo's stomach, until she reached the curve of her pelvic bone. She lingered there, then dipped lower - mouth finding Jo's entrance, already glossed and ready.

Dani's gaze flicked to Jo's face - lips parted, chest rising - and suddenly she was back there, on the beach home lounge room floor. The weight of Jo straddling her face. The wet heat of her. The way she tasted - the salt and sweetness - made Dani greedy for more.

She swallowed hard.

Em's finger pressed more firmly, drawing a tight, deliberate circle that made Dani's knees threaten to buckle. She bit down on a gasp, clutching Em's arm for balance as the pleasure pulsed through her.

"Melting already," Em said, lips brushing her ear. "So good like this. So fucking wet."

Dani didn't answer--she couldn't. Her eyes were locked on Jo, who had her legs spread wide, hands gripping the sheets. Her voice came out rough, needy.

"Stretch me out," Jo gasped.

Noor didn't hesitate. She pressed in with one finger, watching Jo's face as it slackened with pleasure. Then she eased in another deeper, rewarding a her with a louder moan.

Em picked up the pace. Their fingers moved faster now, as Dani tipped her head back onto their shoulder, moaning.

"That's it," Em murmured. "Let them hear you. Let them see what watching does to you."

Jo's body was unraveling - hips jerking, hands grabbing at Noor's hair as she mercilessly finger-fucked her. Her moans turned guttural, building into something wild.

Dani was on fire. And then Jo shattered.

Her cry tore through the room. Her whole body convulsed, thighs clenching around Noor's head as her orgasm hit like a wave.

That was all it took.

Around the room, people gasped and moaned. Another woman pressed her hand tighter between her legs and came with a choked gasp. A redhead in the corner clutched the bedpost, eyes wide, mouth falling open in silent release.

And Dani came hard.

Her cry was softer than Jo's, but no less intense. Her whole body tensed, knees shaking, head leaned back into Em's shoulder as pleasure ripped through her. Em held her steady, fingers relentless until Dani's orgasm crested.

Em kissed Dani's temple, slow and tender, still holding her close. "Good girl," they whispered. "So fucking hot like that."

Dani could only nod, her skin flushed, chest heaving, legs barely under her.

In the center of the bed, Jo collapsed back against the pillows, Noor curled beside her, pressing soft kisses to her collarbone.

And everywhere else in the room - sighs, laughter, breath slowly returning to bodies in the aftermath.

Em noticed it - Dani's dazed expression, the way her breath still caught in her chest, the slight wobble in her legs. Her eyes were glassy, wide, pupils blown, trying to process too much.

Without a word, Em wrapped an arm around her waist and guided her out - quietly, steadily - through the edge of the room and into the hallway.

The door closed behind them with a soft click, muffling the afterglow chatter and lingering moans. Out here, it was cooler, darker. Still. Dani leaned back against the wall, letting her head rest there for a second, eyes fluttering shut as she caught her breath.

Em watched her. "Are you okay?"

Dani opened her eyes slowly. "Yeah," she whispered. Then she looked at Em--and something in her softened. "That was..."

"It was a lot," Em said gently. "Have you done something like that before?"

"No..." Dani stepped forward, cupped their face, and kissed them with gratitude.

In the cab, Dani looked out the window, letting the night slide past in streaks of neon and shadow.

Her pulse had finally slowed, but her mind hadn't.

What kind of party was that?

A sex party, obviously. But not just that.

Everyone had known the rhythm. The cues. The timing. Even Em. But not Dani. She just thought it was a normal party, even with all the naked people right up until the last second

From the middle seat, Em's hand slid between them, finding her thigh. Their fingers traced light, idle shapes just beneath the hem of her dress, shielded from the driver's mirror by the angle of their bodies.

Dani didn't stop them. Her knees parted slightly in response, involuntary.

And Celina... Dani exhaled softly, lips parting with a breath she didn't realize she was holding. Of course Celina had known. She'd mentioned "that crew" before - lightly, like it was just another scene in a city full of them.

But what did she do at those parties? Watch? Play? Host?

She glanced down at her hands. Still trembling slightly. Jo's orgasm like it had left a residue on her.

She thought of Kayla - realising she hadn't thought about her since the just before the party. And this time, the sadness that came with thinking about her was muted.

Em's palm pressed flat against her bare skin, warm and steady. Dani closed her eyes and let her head fall back against the seat. Em's fingers kept tracing her thigh, teasing.

She felt her cheeks redden, thinking about what might unfold when they were back at her place. She thought of asking Em to spank her. The stinging release. The way Em might hold her down, hand hot on her lower back. The way their fingers mightbrush her slit in between spanks, just enough and not enough all at once.

Her panties were damp again. Her thighs clenched.

Em's fingers traced higher under her dress, brushing close, not quite touching.

Then, without a word, she reached down and grabbed Em's hand - pressed it right against her clit.

Em leaned in, lips brushing her ear. "You walk around looking so sweet," they whispered, voice like smoke. "But underneath? You're filthy, aren't you?"

"Yeah," she breathed. She pressed their hand where she needed it most. "I like it when you talk to me like that."

Em grinned. "I'm going to ruin that sweetness. And you're going to love every second of it."

Dani wanted it all.