Boat Girls' Day in the Big City

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A Day in the Big City

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"Dammit, Michael! Why didn't you warn me you guys were going to go out and buy a fuckin' truck! And with company money!"

"It's not a truck, Elizabeth. We talked about it! All of us talked about it! I was tired of the bullshit borrowing Doug's Crown Vic just so all six of us could go places together!"

We're arguing over coffee at our breakfast table while we wait for Shay and Jamie to pull themselves together for the business day. Lizzie is pissed at me over executing a contract without her oversight.

She sighs. "I know. Shay's dad is sort of wearing out his welcome, with me, at least. You're immeasurably more satisfying in bed than he will ever be."

"Thank you! Now. You're upset that you couldn't bless the purchase contract, right?"

"You bet I am!"

"You know as well as I do these things are boilerplate! But I actually read the fuckin' paperwork and lined through a handful of stipulations that were lopsided as to rights and liabilities."

"Just lining through shit doesn't make a hill of bean's difference!"

"When I got the dealership owner's acknowledgement in writing and on the contract?"

"Okay. You're excused. I do forget you tend to think like a lawyer on rare occasions. I'll need to see it anyway to assess anything I may have to undo before taking possession today."

"That's fine. And you forget it was a cash purchase. No financing. That's where the really big gotchas are! The motherfucker in the closing office was pushing hard to bumble me into a signature on loan apps. I hate that shit."

"You're right about all that, but we should've really talked about that and the cost of money."

"Considered it. Consumer rates are spiking at the moment. I ran the numbers. Cash was king on this deal."

Jamie just wandered into the kitchen, fresh and ready to start the day. She pours a cup.

"Alright. We'll see. G'morning, Jamie. You and Jess do each other any good last night?"

"She was flat tuckered out. Mikey here and the girls apparently ran her ragged yesterday. So it was mostly a cuddlefest, but we gave each other some nice comfort this morning. Mikey? She has the day off? She told me she's sleeping in."

"No. She's got Thing 2 here and is taking it to the office while the four of us take Lizzie's boat to Fernandina and run our errands in her car."

"Uh. Where is Shay?"

"You check the deck?"

"It's too cool for that shit!"

"Look anyway. You know how she is."

Jamie glances through the kitchen window.

"Geezus. Some clown was running nude on the beach in this weather? It's not even fifty degrees out there!"

"Takes all kinds."

"And there 'e goes. Talk about shrinkage."

Cheyenne rattles the louvered glass on the door as she rushes in, wrapped in a towel and grasping herself against the cold. Liz, Jamie, and I glare at her.

Lizzie shakes her head. "You're crazy. Was 'e worth it?"

"No. What a dork. Got it up, stuck it in, and two seconds later jizzed in me. Mikey? I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"Chasin' cock on a morning like this. You were awfully good to me when we got home last night. Gem, Jess, and I were playing hard and kinda left you fending for yourself yesterday. You didn't want to do Bethany? She was dying to be asked."

"'S okay, sweetheart. Beth's an interesting person and I like her, but not my style for the lovin' stuff. Go take your shower to warm up and get dressed. We need to get a move on if we want to get things done."

Cheyenne all but runs to the bathroom to start her bath and thaw out.

Jamie muses, "You still put up with a lot of shit with her, don't you?"

"That's the deal. Always has been. Not gonna change."

"Yet you and I hooked-up back then, and we had a good time."

"The three of us did. So, so glad you're back."

"Me too."

"Guys?" Lizzie interrupts. "I'm set to go. I need to warm-up the engine especially so you have heat in the cabin, so you guys just come on down when you're ready."

"Sounds good, Liz. Thanks. Kiss?"

"Still mad at you, Mikey, but that's an offer I can't refuse."

"Thank you."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The sea is calm enough this morning to allow Liz to run autopilot up to the Amelia River inlet. I still haven't managed to find the roundtuit to install it on Sexy Shay. Priorities, you know.

Freed from the helm, Lizzie joins us in the cabin for the warmth and camaraderie. Coffee is on in the galley, and we're sharing a tray of sweet rolls I brought down from the house.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," Liz offers to me, leaning in for a caress.

"For what?"

"Giving you so much grief about yesterday at the car dealer."

"You're our protector for that kind of stuff. I know and appreciate that. But like I said, it's boilerplate that everybody signs-off on in their haste to drive off in 'their' new car. At least I had the wherewithal to rein-in some of the worst of it. I think the owner was more interested in getting it off his lot than we were."

"Yeah. He was probably taking it in the shorts on his floor plan every month. It was expensive in the just sitting there."

"Sales guy said that. Turned out it was a special order the buyer cancelled. The biggest engine and bench front seat were nonstandard options from the Chevrolet catalog that were hard to sell off the lot."

"Speaking of the sales guy," Jamie laughs, "from what Jessica told me last night, you apparently promised him something without checking with us first!"

Shay snickers, "He's a really good fuck, Jamie. You'll like 'im."

"Jess mentioned that. Nice cock, too."

Liz is just sitting there grinning in her anticipation of yet another bedpost notch. She is that way. I notice this and roll my eyes at her.

"Seriously, Mikey," Shay muses, "how are we going to handle it this time? Second test drive?"

"No. The plan is to treat Richard to dinner and have a nearby hotel room ready for us for dessert. Two beds. My turn to share in the fun with you guys."

"Major foolin' around, huh?" Jamie snickers. "You guys... gawd... that shit hasn't changed."

"Gotten worse," Shay chuckles.

"No surprise. You were screwin' anything that moved when I was living with you back then."

"You were no slouch, sister!"

"Serious question, Jamie." Lizzie asks, "You get to date around much after you and Vic split?"

"Not really. I had some difficulty reconciling losing that relationship against my experience with Mikey and Shay here. It was hard to step back into the dating pool when what I really wanted was to turn back the clock to the good times at the beach house."

"Are we doing okay for you?"

"Shit yeah. My cup runneth over. And it's not just the sex. I never felt the love and support from Victor I get from all of you. With him it seemed functional and maybe a little mechanical."

I chime in, "You had an agenda."

"I did. Mikey? Now that that isn't possible, while there are obviously regrets, there is a certain freedom from the pressures."

"Pressures? You never mentioned that to us."

"Kept it to myself. Mom and Dad were bound and determined they were going to be grandparents. I couldn't tell you guys for the obvious reasons. I would've scared you shitless, Mike, at the prospect of announcing you were going to be a father."

My expression in reaction to the admission is apparently amusing Liz and Shay.

"Yeah, that's what I thought," Jamie chuckles.

I attempt to defend myself. "But I wasn't the only one you were screwin', Jamie! You know I was out there on the deck watchin' Shay handoff beach guys for you to finish!"

"Yeah. I know. Keepin' up with the birth control was not optional. You had nothing to worry about."

Elizabeth and Cheyenne are still snickering at me.

"So," I inquire. "Any thoughts about who's going home with whom? I'm thinking Cheyenne driving Sally and I'm shotgun, and you, Jamie, go with Lizzie."

"Gawddamn, Mikey," Liz sneers. "We're sticking with Gemma's silly name for it?"

"I have no objections. Pet name like that beats 'Suburban'."

"Why not just 'GMC' or what did Jess mention? 'Jimmy'?"

"Too generic, clunky, and not 'us', Liz. We do have a rep for creative silliness. We sort of have a fan club for that."

"You have a point. Speaking of the fan club, for our next boat show we gonna do T-shirts? I'm thinking of dozens of people wandering around the show on Sunday wearing our shirts."

"Good idea. And can koozies. This time we're towing-in one of the Things for the display. Usual bikini models."

Shay laughs. "Of course! Us! We already have that rep in spades. You know that makes us stand way out in the crowd. Models that are the company!"

I chuckle, "I know that a couple of the biggies have taken you and Jess aside trying to hire you away. Or talk their way into your bikini bottoms."

"No way, and gawd yes!" Shay laughs. "Gee-zus! That rep from Abercrombie Yachts got a big 'un!"

We all crack up.

"When and where is the next boat show?" Jamie asks.

I answer, "Close. Third weekend in January in Jacksonville."

Shay is quick to mention, "I already have a spot for us on the main floor and reserved our hospitality suite at the Marriott."

There is concern on Jamie's face. "Mikey? You want me there?"

"Of course I do. You're one of The Boat Girls now. We're all going to be there. Same uniforms as last time, you guys in our regulation string bikinis and me in a tux. Always attracts a curious and friendly crowd."

"Mikey? String bikini in public? My surgery scars."

"Oo. Yeah. Gosh. It's funny. We don't even think about it. You're beautiful. But I understand. How do you feel about a tank? With your taut figure? Jaw-dropping. Mmmm."

"Jamie? Notice I'm sitting next to Mikey. I checked. He's hard."

The girls crack up at my expense. Then burst out again watching my face flush.

"Thank you, Michael. I really missed you. Thank you, too, Shay and Liz, for letting me back in."

Liz muses, "It was only right."

"I was told that first day that you were going to resist my return."

"I got over myself. You know we sort of went through that with Gemma. She proved that Mikey was not going to love me any less for her being there. We all share him, we all have our own relationship personalities with him. It just works."

They're looking at me and snickering again.

Liz leans in and grins to me. "Your cheeks are red, Mikey. We're putting you on the spot, aren't we?"

"You are. I love all you guys. That's just the way it is."

"We know."

"Can we return to discussing the boat show?"

"We can." She chuckles. They all chuckle at me.

"Okay. Sheesh. It's fortuitous that it's the four of us together today since we're the principals on that. Jess and Gemma are on the floor team, of course, but we're the ones doing the prep. Sorry to surprise you on this, Jamie, but you know we're going to be leaning on you for the image package and original artwork."

"That's my job, right? Not to disparage whoever you had do what you had, but we can improve on that."

"My expectation. New logo?"

"Yes. I have a design in mind. We can keep the old one around because it works for embroidery on the... uh... 'uniforms'. Shit. Since when did skimpy, barely-there swimsuits constitute corporate attire?"

We laugh.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Beep beep beep beep beep!

And the engine shuts down to idle. Autopilot has determined we're almost there and we're drifting.

"Gotta drive, guys." Liz grabs a windbreaker and disappears out to the cockpit. We hear the motor throttle-up.

"Whatcha thinkin' about for the new logo?" Shay asks Jamie.

"Line drawing style, with the original three over the Sexy Shay. I have some sketch ideas on my table at the office. Coincidentally, what I'm thinking would look great on silk-screened promotional materials like T-shirts and the koozies y'all were talking about."

"Enough time to have something ready for the boat show?" I inquire.

"Yes, though that's going to be somewhat dependent on quantity. I've got a guy in Brunswick for that."

"A thousand in a size mix, both adult and child? Two thousand koozies?"

"He could manage that. The show's that big?"

"Yep. Probably will run out of shirts Saturday afternoon. If you draw the girls as they appear in their bikinis, double the shirt order."

"I'm using some of those magazine photo session leftovers as basis."

"Shay? Would you, Jess and Liz sign-off if Jamie did an alternative illustration with all of you depicted nude? We have a few of the photo session shots that way. Do the same thing as what we pass out to the public, but a 'premium' version only if you attend our hospitality party. A hundred of those."

"Oh gawd that's genius, Mikey!" Jamie laughs. "Gawd. Sex sells, but that's takin' it to a whole 'nuther level. Talk about a collectors' item!"

"I thought so. The girls like to showoff, anyway. That's right, Shay, isn't it?"

"Sure would put us on the map."

"As if we already aren't. I'm sure Liz will just laugh at it and go along. Jess will be all over the idea. Bill will undoubtedly call me after catching wind of it. Better make sure we set aside one for him. XL."

"Who's 'Bill'?" Jamie asks.

"You seriously don't want to know. It's a mind-blower. You'll find out soon enough."

"Oh. Okay. So we have a plan, evidently. I'll do some mockups after we get back to the office and run them by everybody. Mikey?"

"Jamie?"

"You guys are incredibly fun to work with. I never knew what I was missing, but apparently it was a lot."

"That's okay, sweetheart. You're with us now, so all is right with the world."

"Sure is."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Elizabeth leads us to the parking garage across the street from the marina where she moors her boat. Up one level, and we find her Corona parked ready to whisk us away to our appointment.

I pose, "I know it's just a car to you, Liz, and you've driven us around in it before, but why a Corona?"

"Reliable and uncomplicated, but not a compact like Shay's Civic. Something practical yet presentable for taking clients out to lunch. The guys with the luxo-barges just don't get it that they're flaunting their fees."

"Make sense. Speaking of 'clients', are you taking today off?"

"Sort of. I am charging an hour to your account for the time I'm going to spend going over your purchase agreement with the dealership, but beyond that, it's you, Shay, Jamie, and me, babe, prowling for fun and fucks."

"Incorrigible."

"It's why you married me."

"I guess it is."

Shay and Jamie are in the back seat suppressing their laughter.

"Mikey, what time does the dealership opens?"

"Ten."

"Okay. Well-timed. It's going to take us a half-hour to get there. You said something about a pet store. Since when?"

"Oh, don't sweat it, Liz."

"Uh huh. Shay was mumbling something about a dog leash and Gemma when you and I were fucking last night."

"Too bad you didn't get to see Gem after our visit to the adult store."

"Oh? The one with that goth chick you like?"

"Yeah."

"What's Gemma's deal?"

"Leather collar. With ring."

"Oh my gawd. Fuckin' hawt on her! Okay. Got the big picture. I guess she was working this morning and was at her place last night."

"Uh huh. She'll be coming home with Jess. I expect we won't get back to the office in time."

"Leash and collar? You two are up to something."

"You recall our Folkston adventure, right?"

"Fuck. How you guys managed to not get arrested is beyond me. You've got skills, buster."

"Knowing experience, Liz."

"At least clue me in next time you guys try to pull something like that. I'll need to have bail money in hand."

"Duly noted."

"Yep," Jamie sighs. "Confirms it. You guys have gone nuts since I was last here."

"All in fun, Jamie. All in fun."

"So. Have to ask. You get this leash and walk her someplace like you would with a dog."

"Don't forget the nude part."

"Criminy. Okay, so she's nude. What's the game?"

"Haven't figured that out yet. Probably the first time with the leash is going to be on the beach."

Shay interjects, "I don't know if the rangers are going to be okay with that. Overt sexual play. They're okay with naked, but beyond that is frowned upon."

"And you would know!"

"Don't change the subject!"

Lizzie sighs deeply. "You're going to really have to think this through. Anything you do with it is going to have to involve a participating audience. Mermaid's Rock, for starters."

"That works! Thank you!"

"Liz?" Shay grumbles. "Don't encourage it!"

"It's sexy, Cheyenne. Really sexy. Mikey? You think?"

"Are you serious? We can certainly swing by Beth's store after we're done picking up the truck. We're going to have time to kill all afternoon. But I guess if Richard decides he's done for the day after we are finished with the paperwork, we can get that part rolling after taking him to lunch."

"We'll see."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Up there on the right, Liz. Pets'n'Stuff."

"Good eye! You know they were there?"

She pulls into the strip mall parking lot and finds a spot.

"Not a clue. Dumb luck. Decent signage, though. Coming with?" as I reach for the door.

"No. Don't want anything in there with sad eyes tempting me to take it home."

"Yeah, I'm steeling myself, too. Should be short and sweet anyway."

I leave and return in a trice. Dalmatian puppy they had sure gave me pause, though.

"That was fast. No puppy?"

"Almost. Gawd she was tugging at my heart. But just the one item. We're good."

Shay reaches to touch my shoulder. "You're okay, Mikey. You can't possibly rescue every sweet thing that crosses your path. Lord knows you try."

"Yeah," Jamie sighs.

Liz starts the car. "Now where are we going?"

Shay recalls, "I-295 south to Butler. Turn west, then north on Southside. You'll see it a half-mile on the left."

"Geez. Couldn't find anything closer?"

"No. We tried. Big fail."

"Okay, then."

Jacksonville is not exactly an easy town to navigate with all the bodies of water breaking up everything. But we manage.

Liz makes the left and pulls into the drive. "We're here, I think. That it? Out in front and so shiny?"

"That's it."

"White? Boring."

"That was Gemma's assessment. Sorry. Businesslike."

"We can fix that!" Jamie chuckles. "Oo! A big canvas! Flames!"

All three laugh. I roll my eyes.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The four of us make our way in. The receptionist spots us and is immediately on the PA. "Richard Goodrich to the showroom. Richard Goodrich to the showroom," echoes everywhere. We are "known," evidently.

"Michael! Cheyenne! Great to see you this morning! And these two are..."

"Richard? This is Elizabeth Pendergast and Jamie Swift."

"My pleasure!" as he reaches to shake hands with both. "Mikey? I'm impressed yet again. You surround yourself with such wonderful companionship."

"Oh, you may not think that way after Liz is done reviewing our paperwork from yesterday."

"So Ms. Pendergast is your lawyer, I take it."

Lizzie chuckles, "Among other things. Nice to meet you, Richard. Let me get to it, if you don't mind. For this part of our visit I'm on the clock."

"Okay. Conference room is clear, so let's get you in there. Paperwork is on my desk and I'll bring it in. I take it you're not going to need guidance through the forms."

"You're right. See this stuff all the time. Mostly interested in Mikey's changes. Gawddamn it's sure a big challenge sometimes keeping up with his nonsense."

Shay and Jamie snicker. I give 'em the side-eye.

"He told you the owner signed off on the revisions to the contract."

"He did."

"Let me get it for you."

Richard fetches the paperwork and lays it out on the conference room table for Liz. She goes to work, and he returns to chat with us.

"Michael? Wow. You two as well, ladies. Ms. Swift? What do you do?"

"Jamie. I'm a commercial artist."

"Doing what?"

"Mostly yacht and sign lettering until signing on with Mike and Shay."

"Yacht lettering?"

"Those fancy-looking names on the back of the boats don't appear by themselves."

"Ah. Gotcha. Enough business in that?"

"To make a really comfortable living. With all the boaters around here? You bet!"

"But you're working for Mike now?"

"And Shay. We've been friends for many years. They offered to bring me into the fold after a health scare so I could be on their insurance. We were in complementary businesses, anyway."

"Yesterday he said..."

"Probably that I'm one of his wives. I am. So is Elizabeth."

She reaches to me for a side-hug. Richard knows this, but he's still agape.

I need to determine this afternoon's agenda.

"Richard? What's your schedule today?"

"Open. This is normally my day off, but I came in to make sure everything was settled with you guys. Oh, by the way, bank confirmed your check, so we're good with our accountant."

"So all we're waiting for is Elizabeth's seal of approval. We won't get it, but she'll shrug her shoulders and scowl at me, and let it pass anyway."

Shay laughs, "Those two are just nuts together. Dueling intellects."

"It must be a circus around your place."

"Three rings!"

Shay and Jamie are laughing. Richard is smiling and shaking his head.

"Okay. Excuse me for asking, but where do you guys live? Address I have is for the business."

"Cumberland," I answer.

"Holy cow! On the island?"

"Yep. Shay's family's beach house was grandfathered in when they set-aside the park."

"Explains the preoccupation with boats."

"Uh huh. Two for personal use, three for the business. Slips at St. Marys and Fernandina. You have lunch plans? Our treat."

"You don't have to do that!"

"Oh yes we do! Wink wink nudge nudge."

He bobs his head toward Jamie. "They know?"

"Yes. They were plotting your destiny on our way into the marina."

"How can you, as their guy, live with yourself?"

Shay takes to my other side and caresses my chest. "Very well." The two of them snicker.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

To kill time while Lizzie reviews the contracts, Richard tours the three of us around the dealership and introduces me to the service manager. A walk-through of the repair bays results in two or three wrenches dropped on the concrete very loudly as mechanics spy the ladies and are distracted. Both are showing a lot of leg, so there is definitely distraction to be had.

We settle down on the sofas in the showroom, and Richard is kind enough to bring coffees for all of us while we stand by.

"We're still going to insist on lunch for you," I suggest for Richard. "Someplace close?"

"Closest decent food is Cipriani's about a mile north. Pretty good Italian."

"Sounds nice. We'll do that. Shay? Can I borrow you for a second?"

I direct her outside for a private chat.

"What's up?"

"Garden Inn across the highway. How about you and Jamie go there now and get us a room with two queens. If we leave for lunch before you're back, just meet us at the restaurant."

"Drive Lizzie's car?"

"I'll get the keys from 'er."

"Evil."

"Uh huh."

We return inside, and I go straight to the conference room to interrupt Lizzie.

"Need your car keys."

"Why?"

"I'm sending the girls off for a quick errand across the highway."

"The hotel. I noticed. You are a very bad boy! Gawd. Love it. Here you go. I'm almost done."

She reaches into her purse and hands me the keys. I pass them to Cheyenne and she offers a hand to assist Jamie off the sofa.

"Quick errand!" she informs Richard as the two girls dash out the door.

"Something special?" Richard asks me.

"A 'while we're here' sort of thing. They'll meet us at the restaurant if we leave before they return."

"Given what happened in the truck yesterday, I have a hunch."

"You don't have any commitments this afternoon, do you?"

"Not until now."

"Very good. You're with the program, then."

"I'll eat light."

"Right idea."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Elizabeth has gathered the papers into a neat stack and presents everything to Richard. "I don't need to change anything. Here you go."

He runs off to his office to decollate our copies.

"You get a solid 'B' on this one, Mikey. You're improving."

"Thank you. I think."

"Oh, you're okay. You overlooked a couple of stipulations about Lemon Law compensation that make me grimace, but they're so minor and riddled with weasel- words that if we had to go to the mat with 'em, we would already be dealing with bigger problems."

"So we now own a 'Sally'."

"Seems we do. What's for lunch?"

"Richard suggested an Italian place down the street." I notice motion out front. "Okay. The girls are back already. One vehicle?"

"Yeah, easiest. Does he know?"

"Yes."

"Does he really know?" Yeah, her evil snicker.

"He's shortly to find out."

"All set!" Richard announces. "Here are your keys. I had parts make two extra for you. All the paper is in this folder, and the porter has already affixed your license tag. So you are good to go."

"Huh?" Lizzie is puzzled. "Is it a Florida tag?"

"No. Legislature changed the law last year to allow dealers in border cities to issue Georgia registrations and process the taxes."

She grabs the folder from Richard and rifles through the forms.

"Shit. How did I miss that?"

I snicker. "You're not going to live that down, Liz."

"Fuck you, Mikey."

"Uh huh. Now let's talk about that 'B' you gave me."

"B-plus"

"Lizzie..."

"Okay okay. 'A-minus.'"

"That's better. You're hell on my GPA sometimes."

Shay and Jamie are cracking up.

Richard laughs with them. "I see what you mean, Shay!"

"Twenty-four seven, three sixty-five, Richard. I have the keys, guys, so I'm driving. Let's board this ship!"

We head out the door and step to the vehicle. Elizabeth chuckles as we approach.

"What are you snickering at?" I pose.

"You know this thing is a barge. Where are the nav lights?"

"Certainly not a Japanese sedan, Liz. Geez."

She smirks at me as we open doors.

With everybody seated and buckled-in, we're on our way in our brand-new Sally.

Lizzie muses from the back seat, "Okay, Mikey and Shay. I'll admit it. Good choice. This is going to work very well for us. Roomier than your Dad's Ford, Shay. Love the headroom. What do you think, Jamie?"

"Seriously? Road trip! Gawd. Can you imagine?"

Shay chuckles. "You're not too far off. Mikey and I have been talking about touring boat shows. Towing a tricked-out Thing? All of us on-site? Oh, yeah!"

"But..." I bring her down to earth. "We have to see how we do in Jacksonville in two months. We've been doing booths, but this is the first time we're going to be on the main floor showing hardware on a live vessel. Jamie?"

"Mikey?"

"You said 'flames'. Gawd. Genius. We're in the performance business. Wouldn't that send a message! You do that before?"

"Shit yeah, Mikey! You evidently don't know about the hot-rodders who use me."

"But you don't have a paint booth!"

"I rent space at a couple of body shops. I've been doing two or three a year. I'll get out the pictures. You'll love my fades."

"You're hired."

The ladies laugh.

"Mike?" Richard evidently has a thought.

"If you do the hotrod look, you're going to need better wheels and tires than the stock rims and rubber you have on this. I can hook you up with some good guys for that."

"Thank you!"

"You don't have to actually turn it into a hotrod, although Jessica's preference on the motor is three-fourths of the way there. Just make it look like one. There's the restaurant. U-turn onto the access road at the next signal."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"I missed this," says the cutie sharing my pillow. Shay and Liz are two-on-one with Richard, I've got Jamie allllll to myself. For the moment.

"What's that?"

"The totally nasty shit you, Shay, and I would pull on weekends away from the house. Remember that time in Tallahassee?"

"How could I forget!"

"Fuck no! You picked-up two sluts at that bar to show us you could go tit-for-tat when Shay and I already each had our hands in guys' pants."

"How many ended-up in our room?"

"By the end of the evening? Counting us? Six guys, five girls. Fuck, Mikey! You were in great form that night. By the time we kicked everybody out you'd cum three times!"

"Can't do that these days, you know."

"Yeah. But you sure do like to watch. Get a load of Liz over there. The big question is will he survive?"

Richard laughs. "You guys are fuckin' nuts! Keep going, Elizabeth! Oh yes! Like that! Shay? More kiss, please!"

"Liz?" Jamie summons. "I really don't want to give up Mikey here, but you two keep mentioning Richard's flared head. I'd like some of that, if you don't mind!"

"Oh, I guess that can be arranged. Shay? Make room so I can climb off."

Jamie rolls away from our coitus and gives me a big kiss on her way off the bed. Lizzie is already standing there waiting to pounce.

Richard is surprised. "Oof! Jamie! That was an awfully hard landing!"

"Needed to let you know I was there!"

"Message received! Geezus! Shay? Could you check to see if both of 'em are still intact? Thank you! No! You don't have to squeeze 'em that hard! Shit!"

Elizabeth and I are having a good laugh at the guys as she gently descends to take me in our preferred cowgirl. She decides to top me in a missionary for the loving intimacy of pressing our bodies together and goes in for the kiss.

"He do you any good?" I ask.

"You know the answer to that. Getting me off is your job."

"Now?"

"Now!"

I have my assignment.

A few minutes later I glance to the other bed. Things have moved around. Richard now has Shay in doggie, and Jamie is also kneeling beside, engaged in a serious kiss with Shay.

Oh. I see. He just withdrew from Cheyenne and is aiming his cock into Jamie. Slick. He's done this before.

"Awfully practiced there, Richard!" I chuckle to him.

"What can I say? After yesterday's playtime in the truck, I suspect you figured-out why she's divorcing me."

"Yep. You're a player."

"Just have to know how to read the deal when they walk in the door."

"And we were easy."

"Shit yeah. Gemma was showing cheeks and pussy."

"Oh? Didn't even think about it."

Lizzie scolds, "Mikey's been teaching her bad things!"

We laugh.

It goes on like this in various pairings for another hour or so. The ladies all got off once or twice, I finished in my Shay, and Richard had a good one in Elizabeth.

"We must do this again!" Richard muses. "Now that you have the big car, would you consider bringing all five?"

"It would work better with another cock keeping 'em busy."

"One of the mechanics is pretty good with his tool," he chuckles. "We've done two-on-two."

"Sounds like fun!"

"Oh, Mikey!" the ladies laugh at me. They're game.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Now what?" Lizzie poses.

We've dropped Richard off at the dealership. He almost tripped getting out of the car he was so wrung-out from his afternoon delight with all three ladies. Recovering with a chuckle, he patted Sally's hood to again thank us for the fun time we were happy to share with him. Maybe more in the future like we talked about? We'll see.

Jamie muses, "Way too soon for dinner or any other serious eats. You sure we really want to kill time here just to kill time? We're done with what we came here for."

"There's that pub down the street we went to yesterday. I had a nice time there," Cheyenne suggests.

"Fuck, Shay." I grimace. "While the rest of us spent a half-hour sitting on our thumbs. You said he wasn't that good! Haven't you had enough for the day?"

"Just a thought. You said something about dropping by Beth's store for Liz."

"We can, but sort of awkward with two cars for all of us to go together. Too far away to leave one here and come back."

"Mikey?" Liz responds. "If it's where I think it is, let's take both cars there and we'll split when we're done. Shay, you know where it is, so you just ride with me. Jamie, you get the girlfriend seat with Mike."

Jamie laughs, "Ooooooh, that's not a problem. Nuh uh."

Shay snickers and shakes her head.

Lizzie just lets out a big sigh. "Provided you don't badger him into stopping along the way for a quickie!"

We all laugh. No risk of that. We're worn-out, too.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

We both pull into the lot at Beth's adult bookstore and disembark.

"Tasteful!" Lizzie chokes back a laugh at the garish façade.

"It's the genre, Liz," I grumble in retort.

"Sure as shit is! Are we going to run into somebody we know? You guys told us about Chuck last night."

"You never know. Maybe Ernestine."

We are all nearly bent over in hard laughter. Our receptionist is straight-laced and barely tolerant of the sexual undertones that permeate the office.

"You again!" Bethany laughingly greets as we file into her store. "Somebody get inspired?"

"Uh huh. Leash is in the car." I nod toward the BDSM display area. "Lizzie, you'll find what you're looking for in that corner."

"Her? Holy fuck! Can I have some?"

Lowering her brow at her, Lizzie counters, "You sub?"

"Uh. Not usually."

I referee this. "Beth. She's a lawyer. Well-versed in making people suffer."

"Mikey! Gawddammit!" She totally cracks up and pushes on me for my insolence.

"Truth?" Shay quips.

"Try me," Beth answers.

"She got turned on by Gemma's collar. Now I think she's going to sub to Mikey."

Bethany glares at me, doubt written all over her face. "Oh? Mr. Nice Guy there? Don't see it."

Elizabeth and I share evil glances. We play with each other in ways we haven't shown to the rest of the family. Well... Shay mostly knows. What she doesn't know about is last month when Liz and I "took a walk in the woods to discuss legal stuff," which was a cover lie. We'll talk about what actually happened at a later time. Anyway...

Lizzie makes her way to the leather goods section to browse. Bethany notices my subtle smile as I momentarily stare off into the distance in my retrospective.

"Okay, Mikey. I get it. You and a lawyer. Head games with a sex chaser."

"They can get pretty intense with each other," Shay muses.

I try not to laugh at the understatement.

A giddy voice from the back corner exclaims, "Oo! Mikey! You'd be fantastic in these ankle spreaders! I could beat on 'em so good!"

Shay stifles a big snicker, Jamie is "Fuck! Whaaaaaaat?"

I roll my eyes and shout back, "Nothing bigger than a light crop, Liz!"

Jamie gets in my face, though gently. Softly, "Mikey? You and her play like that?"

"We do, James."

Shay muses, "It's a power thing. Kinda like my tormenting him with all the men I fuck. We get each other off that way. Same for them. Considering the pressures both of 'em are under, it's therapeutic."

"How come the rest of us don't know?"

"Beth said it. His rep as 'Mr. Nice Guy'. The gentle and giving lover."

"But Mikey? You and I have rolled around pretty good! And you and Jess can really get into it, too! Gawd! The way you pound into her and make her scream!"

"This is different, sweetheart. The pain is wonderful sometimes. Cheyenne's right. The release can be absolutely amazing."

"Sure is!" as Liz dumps an armful of... things... on the counter. "These cushioned cuffs had your name on 'em, Mikey."

"Hmm. Lemme see. Yep. There's a notch there even labeled, "Elizabeth."

"Fuck you."

"Promise?" I rifle through the pile. "Uh... Liz... this is a pretty heavy crop."

"Wanted it for me. Labia. Can you imagine?"

"Shit. Wow. Yeah."

Shay is snickering at us. Bethany is leaning on her elbows just fascinated with this conversation. Jamie is still hanging on me, her expression halfway between fascination and horror.

Beth shakes her head. "I said it last night. Hanging around with you guys would be pretty damn interesting. You are out there!"

I muse. "Maybe so. One of me and five of them? Need to change things up every so often."

"Huh. That's interesting. For all the stuff here, there's no strap-on or double dong."

"Not our style," Shay counters. "Within the gynæceum, it's less about the raunchy sex shit and more an extension of our loving care for each other in communal happiness and support, and realization of each others' needs. Making each other feel good about themselves. If Elizabeth feels the need to beat the shit out of Mikey's nuts, then that's the right thing for them at that moment, especially after he's won an argument. Certainly know how she feels."

"Cheyenne!" I protest, loudly. "Don't encourage it!"

Everybody is leaning against the counter in laughter. Even me.

Once we settle down, I sigh, "Okay, guys, let's wrap it up and head out."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Shay and I are finally home. It was already a long day, and we made it yet longer by stopping at the office after parking Sally next to the building. We had a heated discussion over whether to park it on the grass, my insisting I didn't want it on the street overnight, her countering, "That's so redneck!"

At that moment I certainly appreciated that Liz and Jamie had Lizzie's new toys with them.

We came to terms with my promise to hire somebody to scrape and gravel a parking pad and have a local company erect a carport to cover both her car and the new truck thingie.

"Hey!" I shout into the house. "What's the deal with the big stack of newspapers on the table?"

I riffle through them. They're all this morning's Times-Union.

"Stole 'em from a street box!" Lizzie shouts from the big bedroom.

"What for?"

"Hang on!"

After a bunch of commotion from the back I hear a strange frantic click-click-click... running?... down the hallway? I spin around...

Ohmygawd.

"Pepper!" I shout as this beyond cute, beyond adorable Dalmatian puppy is propelled as fast as its little legs will take it towards me, begging to be picked up as it launches into my waiting hands, and jumping to my face for puppy kisses.

Cheyenne is just as surprised. "How do you know her name?"

"I called her that at the pet shop and she got all excited. I had to pick her up."

"Yeah!" Lizzie is following. "Pet shop owner said it was love at first sight. She had been so morose before this morning, and then Mikey stepped into the store."

Shay shakes her head. "Just like us. You ratted yourself out, Mikey. 'Just the one item,' you said."

"Well I didn't buy her, if that's what you're thinking. This is all Liz and Jamie's doings."

"Sure as fuck is, Mikey," Jamie admits. "We saw that glimmer when you were coming back to the car this morning. Same expression you have when you greet us. You had fallen in love. We couldn't ignore that, so we stopped on the way back."

Pepper is resting against my chest as I hold her, her head on my shoulder. This is a tired pup. All the commotion of the day caught up with her.

"Okay. I certainly now know what the newspapers are for. Other supplies?"

"Oh, yeah!" Jamie tells me. "Crate, two collars, one for now and one to grow into, a leash, puppy food, a pen -- it's over in the corner of the living room -- training treats, and of course a nice cushy bed. You see her bowls next to the fridge. We're all set."

"You know we're going to have to move the pen into the bedroom at night."

"We sort of figured that."

"Any information about pedigree? Curious what her parents are like."

Lizzie answers, "Shop owner had all her papers and filled out the application to the AKC for us."

"AKC papers? That's unusual. Pet shops are sort of sketchy for purebreds."

"Owner said she doesn't usually sell animals. Had Pepper there as a favor to a high-end breeder friend who needed help with this particular litter. The dam is a loving sweetheart, Pepper's daddy is friendly, smart, and full of energy. So watch out. Both were from quality lines."

"Her spots alone tell that story. She's beautiful. Like you guys. Sounds like she'll be a great beach dog. I need to set her down. She's asleep. Oh gosh. Thank you for knowing me like you do."

"It was the right thing to do, Mikey. You needed each other."

I brush away a tear. Shay, and Jamie, step to me for caresses and hugs.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"I sure hope there's an instruction manual you guys."

I'm bent over wiping the floor dealing with a "puppy accident."

"Next to the bag of food, Mike," Liz advises. "We already read the chapter on housebreaking. It's going to be tough with the stairs."

"Well hopefully Daddy contributed his smarts. Oh, gawd, girls. Such a sweetie."

Jess and Gemma can be heard coming up the deck stairs. Yeah, I thought I heard Thing 2 being parked in its slip a few moments ago.

"Hi," Shay greets. "What kept you?"

Jess replies, "I was using the opportunity to teach Gem the handling differences between the inboard on Thing 1 and the sterndrive."

"Gosh. Not at all alike!" Gemma quips. "I can certainly see how you can get into a bunch of trouble working the swells with Thing 2. Uh... what's that smell?"

"Oh, no. Not again," I moan. "Upset tummy from the excitement. Guys? Meet Pepper. Lemme get this cleaned up."

"Oh my gawd he? She? Is so cute!"

"She is! Liz and Jamie got 'er for us."

Gemma can't resist picking her up for a cuddle and forehead kiss.

"For you, Mikey!" Lizzie corrects. "Gemma, we stopped to get that leash for you guys, and Pepper was a stowaway."

Jessica chuckles, "They must have fallen in love with each other. I know how Mikey works."

"Now come on!" I protest.

"It's true, Mikey," she reminds me, and the girls, who nod back in agreement.

I've got the runny poop corralled and the floor sprayed and wiped, tossing the paper towel into a trashcan I moved outside for this very thing. I join the clan seated in the living room. Pepper is making the rounds being held and petted.

"It seems you know dogs, Mikey," Jamie muses.

"A little. Grew-up with three. Huckleberry Hound was our first. Her name was Mom and Dad's joke to placate us kids. Best we could figure she was a Beagle-German Shepherd mix. And not blue!"

"She ever have puppies?"

"Once. We weren't old enough to participate in their care, and Dad gave 'em all away quickly."

"Second was Karma. Wonderful black lab. She was my sister's 4-H project, raising a seeing-eye dog. We had no role in naming her, the agency named the dogs. Anyway, we were too young for the obvious joke, 'Karma is a bitch!', being that would have been absolutely correct and proper."

"Ohgawd, Mike! That's awful!" Jess chuckles. The others groan.

"Third was Karl. Affable German Shepherd, I only knew him for about three years before going off to school and starting my life."

Lizzie poses, "So nothing until Pepper here?"

"Well, I did have a rescue kitten when I lived alone in Atlanta, Megabyte." I pause in the memory. "Wow."

"What's 'wow', Mikey?" Shay ponders. "Is there a story?"

"Yes. Meg was a friend. She was the one who chose me at the rescue shelter. All personality all the time. We had our own language with each other, and she had a name for me, or at least a unique vocalization I interpreted as a name. She always came when I called. She was an honorary dog."

"How's that?"

"Liked to play fetch and we'd tussle, chasing each other around the house. Enjoyed walking on a slack leash through the neighborhood. She loved to have her claws trimmed because she'd be rewarded with canned tuna or whipped cream."

"Sounds amazing, Mikey! What happened?"

"Anaphylactic shock from a vaccination. She was gone before I realized what was happening. She may have been four years old."

"I see you fighting that tear. You loved her. What'd she look like? Knowing you, it had to be something special."

"She was striking, a Russian Blue mix. Super-soft thick shorthair coat, solid blue-gray with white muzzle and small blaze on her chest. Yellow-green eyes. And gawd she was smart."

Liz muses, "I think we see a pattern here. Look around, sweetheart."

"Huh?"

"Attractive and smart females are drawn to you. They evidently don't have to be human, either. Pepper is another in apparently a long line. See?"

The puppy is at my feet trying to jump onto the sofa.

"Pick me up!" Gemma laughs.

So I do. Pepper immediately curls-up in my lap and sets her little head down.

"Awwwwww..."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Her lips next to my ear in our bed, "Mikey, you're smitten," Shay purrs.

"Sure are," Jess softly confirms from my other side.

Gemma, joined on top of me in a relaxed coitus, "She loves you. It's obvious."

"Yeah," I sort of moan. "It was so hard to leave her at the store this morning. I wasn't prepared to bring a dog into our lives. It's a lot to ask of you guys."

"Liz and Jamie fixed everything for you. If they weren't in there with you to take on the responsibilities, they would have respected your difficult decision to not adopt."

Shay muses with a soft chuckle, "We have a mascot now. Pepper and The Boat Girls."

There is laughter from the other bedroom at this.

"Oo. I dunno guys. Not at this next show. Too young. She needs to grow into us first. That much I know from helping with Karma that I told y'all about."

"Do we know how old she is?"

"11 weeks!" Lizzie shouts from the other room.

"Makes sense!" I shout back. "She's starting to grow into her dog features."

"What are those, Mikey?" Gemma asks. "Oh gawd. I sure love it when I have you like this." She gently squirms on me. Shay and Jess snicker.

I chuckle. "More spots, and muzzle profile. She is going to be a spectacular dog. Her breeding is showing already. When she's old enough, when we take 'er to shows, you guys are going to draw in the men, Pepper will get the ladies."

"You got that right!" Jamie chuckles.

"Yip! Yip yip!"

"Somebody wants attention. I'll get 'er."

"Not in the bed, Jess. Don't want her learning the bed is okay. Sit with her in the chair."

"Oh?"

"Read it in the owner's manual they brought home. Puppies become dogs, and you think the bed is crowded now!"

All the ladies laugh at this.

"Are we going to get any sleep tonight?" Lizzie grumbles.

"Probably not!" Jamie chuckles. "Here. I'm gonna flip around. Spread 'em, sister!"

"Sex isn't the solution for everything, James!"

"It is right now!"

"But... (Oh gawd. Mmmm. Shit.)"

We're cracking up in here. Softly.

"Your turn." Gemma prompts Shay to swap places on me. I deeply inhale in the temporary relief of no body weighing me down. For about three seconds.

"Save some for me!" Jess protests from the chair. She coos to the puppy, "Oh my. You are such a sweetheart!"

* * * * *