TITLE    : Ripples in a Cuckolds Pond Ch. 08
STORYID  : ripples-in-a-cuckolds-pond-ch-08
SUMMARY  : Nick, Cassidy, David, and Nicole - A new future.
AUTHOR   : JayCuck@lit
DATE     : 2016-09-28
CATEGORY : interracial-erotic-stories
FLAGS    : 
TAGS     : |cuckold|hotwife|slutwife|dom|bull|cuck|interracial|bull|


<em>I want to thank everyone who takes the time to read this series. I especially want to thank those of you who have emailed me and/or provided feedback. I really appreciate it.</em> 



<em>This series doesn't have as much sex as previous stories. The plot is becoming more complex and it's harder to work credible sex scenes into the storyline.</em> 



<strong><u>THOMAS</u></strong> 



Natural disasters happen, it's a fact of life. Hurricanes, Tornado's, Flood's, and Blizzards swirl around our planet causing havoc in our lives. The only thing we can do is prepare, and respond, and hope for the best. Insurance has been my career, so I'm big on preparation, and I'd acted accordingly for most of my life. Still, despite all my preparation, there was one natural disaster I hadn't prepared for, and I had no idea how to respond to it. 



"Dad." Jasmine swallowed and took a breath. "This is Thomas." 



Boyfriend. My daughter had a boyfriend. 



Don't laugh! It's a natural disaster for a father. 



"Thomas." I forced a pleasant smile on my face, and held out my hand. "It's nice to meet you." 



"Likewise, sir." 



"Please, come in." 



To his credit, his handshake was firm, and he met my eyes when we clasped hands. He also wasn't wearing skinny jeans, and his Levi's didn't hang low and show his underwear. He stepped into our home, with Jasmine leading him into the living room, and I sighed quietly behind them. 



<em>Good student. Plays golf. Your daughter obviously likes him. Give him a chance.</em> 



All of us gathered in the room we performed ceremonial sacrifices of new boyfriends, otherwise known as the living room. Thomas was nervous, there's no other way to say it. His face held a seriousness that only came from a desire to perform, and I suppressed a smile. Just about every guy everywhere has been in the same situation. 



"Tell me about yourself, Thomas. Or should I call you Tom?" 



"Tom's fine, sir." He rubbed his hands on his legs, and took a breath, before he visibly calmed down. "I'm an Air Force brat. My dad's a pilot, and we were stationed in San Antonio about two years ago. We've moved around a lot, and I've lived overseas a few times. I've been on the honor roll since before I can remember, and my short-term goal is to graduate in the top five percent of my class." 



"Wow. Sounds kinda cool, and that's a good goal." 



"Living overseas." A nervous chuckle tumbled out of his mouth. "It was interesting, for sure." 



"Plan on staying in San Antonio?" 



"Definitely," he replied without hesitation. "It's home for my parents, and I like the golf program at the University of Texas in Austin, so this is home for us." He coughed. "For me." 



"Jasmine mentioned you played golf." 



"Yeah, she said you played, too." His smile lit up his face. "I love it. It's my passion, and if I can't make the top five percent of my class, I'm hoping to earn a golf scholarship." 



"Solid plan." I glanced between them. "And your plans for tonight?" 



Jasmine took over. "A bunch of our friends are going to Rudy's, and we wanted to join them. It's just dinner, and we should be home by..." She glanced at her new boyfriend. "Eight o'clock." 



"Easily," he said, with a nod. 



"Okay. You kids have fun." 



Surprise washed over their faces, and I could tell they expected me to ask more questions, but I'd heard enough. For tonight anyway, if Thomas lasted much longer, I'd have him over for dinner, and if things went well, we'd go golfing. I stood, and shook hands again with Tom. 



Jasmine hugged me, and whispered. "Thanks, dad." 



"Got your phone? Money?" 



"Yes and yes." 



"Good." 



They gave me one last nervous smile, and walked towards the door. Within a few seconds, my oldest daughter left my home, with a new boyfriend, and I couldn't help feeling my time as the most important man in her life was ending. Sure, I could've interrogated Thomas, sorry Tom, and made the situation even more nerve-wracking for him, but I was still young enough to remember what it was like to be in his situation. My daughter was dating a good student, a golfer, and a guy whose parents served in the military. They were going out with friends, to a local popular restaurant, and at most, they'd be gone for a few hours. I took a deep breath. 



<em>You got this. It's going to be okay.</em> A wolfish smile split my lips. <em>Besides, you had that location app installed on her phone!</em> 



My phone sat on the coffee table. I snatched it, and pulled up the location app, and my smile grew even larger. It worked! I'd asked the Verizon guy to install it when we bought the phone, and the pimply-faced teenager had done it! Score one for over-protective, slightly obsessive-compulsive fathers! I carried my phone over to the liquor cabinet, enjoying a visceral sense of satisfaction as I watched the little red dot move down the highway. I might have been imagining it, but my whiskey even tasted better! 



April peeked down at me from upstairs. "You okay, dad?" 



"Fine, honey. Thanks for asking." 



She disappeared with a giggle, and my own laughter echoed after hers. I still had one more daughter who still thought boys were icky, and I was optimistic her attitude would last for a few more years. 



<strong><u>RESERVATIONS</u></strong> 



Las Vegas constantly reinvents itself, and if you don't go regularly, it feels like a brand new city each time you visit. Okay, maybe not a 'brand new' city, but one that's different enough to convince millions of eager tourists each year to drop their money into bright, shiny slot machines, felt tables, and other hotel-entertainment. Despite it's snake-like ability to shed its skin, I liked Vegas, and it was fun, but at the same time, I'd visited enough that the luster had worn off. I didn't look at it like a tourist anymore, and I knew exactly what I wanted to do when I visited. Some shows were awesome, others were a waste of money, and the same could be said for hotels. 



The bottom line in Vegas...money talks. As soon as you step off the airplane, the entire city views you as a mark, and everything in that desert city is designed to separate you from your dollars. Casino waitresses may flirt and smile demurely, bartenders may give you a conspiratorial wink and nod, but it's not because you're good-looking, or have exquisite taste in bourbon, it's because you have greenbacks in your wallet. 



Vegas doesn't survive on winners! 



Normally, I'd use our travel agent to book everything, but she and Nicole were personal friends, and I didn't want to explain why we weren't traveling together. <em>Awkward.</em> My preferred hotel, The Bellagio, was booked, and truthfully, it was getting old by Vegas standards anyway. The property next door, The Cosmopolitan, had rooms available, and their suites looked amazing, so I reserved an obscene suite, and reserved time in the spa for Cassidy. The cost caused me to wince, but I wasn't about to pinch pennies in Vegas for two solid reasons. First, I knew David would be rolling out the red carpet for my wife, and I didn't want to hand him any easy victories. No way. If Nicole chose him, money wasn't going to be the reason. 



Second, and even more important, Cassidy was worth it. 



Reservations made, and whiskey in the glass, I decided to make one last call. I checked in with Nicole's parents, and let them know we'd be gone for several days, and asked them to check in on the girls. Did I trust Jasmine? Yes. Was I still a parent? Yes. With that thought ringing through my head, I made one more last-call to John, the guard for our neighborhood, and let him know of our plans. I mentioned Thomas, and made sure he was on the no-admittance-under-any-circumstances list, until I returned. John had a daughter, too, and I knew he understood. I slipped out to the patio, and enjoyed my bourbon, and a cigar until Jasmine returned home. 



A nervous happiness beamed from her, and despite her best efforts, I knew she liked Tom. Bittersweet doesn't begin to cover my emotions, but I was happy to see my daughter growing up. We reviewed the parents-away rules, several times, and I let her know about her grandparents, and John, and I received several eye-rolls during the process. 



"I got it, dad." 



"Sorry, kiddo." I smiled at her. "Your dad's over-protective." 



"It's okay." I expected her to leave, but she took a sip of her soda, and met my eyes. She wanted to ask me something, but she was afraid of my answer. 



"What?" 



"Thomas." 



"What about him?" 



Her voice lowered. "Do you like him?" 



"We just met." I shrugged. "He seems nice." 



"C'mon, dad." She leaned forward, and I saw the frayed fringes of fear in her eyes. "You know what I mean. Are you okay with...know, his race?" 



"Yes." I squeezed her shoulder. "I told you already, I care about how he treats you, not the color of his skin." 



"Everyone says that," she said. "But it's different when it's your daughter, and she brings home a black boyfriend. Some of my friend's parents said the same thing, but when they started dating-" 



"Jasmine." I sat straighter, and held her eyes. "I want you to be happy. That's all, honey. If Thomas makes you happy, and he treats you right, I'm fine." 



"Okay." 



"Can I ask you something?" 



"Sure?" 



"Are you dating him just because he's black? Or do you genuinely like him?" I took a sip of my whiskey. "Because one is okay, the other isn't, and I'm hoping you understand the difference." 



"I genuinely like him, dad," she said, with a knowing expression. "And I know the difference." 



"Good girl." 



She wrapped me in a tight hug. "I love you. You're the best." 



"Don't. Ever. Forget. It." 



Each word tumbled separately from my mouth, heavily laced with sarcasm, and we shared a laugh before she left to start her homework. I wasn't sure when my daughter had turned into a young woman, but it had definitely happened, and I needed to adjust if I wanted to remain a positive influence in her life. Some folks will tell you fathers and daughters will always be close, but I knew better, and I didn't want my worries for her to come between us. I nursed my whiskey, and pondered the situation, and finally a quote from my mother popped into my head. 



<em>Sometimes honey, you parent best...when you parent least!</em> 



<strong><u>LEAVING</u></strong> 



The central Texas sun was just threatening the horizon when I lugged my suitcase out to my SUV. Surprisingly, my suitcase was full. I'm a travel-lite kind of guy, but with no idea what Cassidy wanted to do, I found myself carefully folding suits, slacks, and sport coats into my suitcase. I also brought a half-full carry-on bag, because I planned to bring home some over-priced souvenirs for Jasmine and April. Vegas is Vegas, and that means people handing out escort ads on the strip, and over-priced, cheap plastic souvenirs for friends and family. 



It's. The. Law. 



Despite the pretty morning, I felt like a man heading into battle. What waited for me in Vegas, was still a mystery. My wife said we'd talk about our future, but beyond her assurance, I had no idea of the outcome. I didn't want my marriage to end, but I also didn't want David in our lives. 



David and our marriage. Those two things weren't oil and water. Not even close. A better description was powder keg and spark, and I wished I'd recognized that earlier. 



Nicole had left in a quasi-limousine, but as I slipped behind the wheel of my Range Rover, a sense of calm satisfaction washed over me. I didn't need a limo. Cassidy didn't need a limo either, and a wry grin slipped over my lips when I realize she'd probably make fun of me for renting one. I planned a surprise for her when we arrived, but for now, my SUV would be fine. My grin disappeared after several seconds though, when I realized I was already leaning towards my girlfriend rather than my wife, and I didn't want to be that-guy. Y'know, the douche who keeps a girlfriend on the hook, and still wants a wife at home. 



<em>Fuck. How did I get here?</em> 



With no obvious answers, I shook my head, and started my vehicle. Traffic was light, and Cassidy was waiting outside when I rolled up. Her face lit up when she saw me, and her smile made my heart race. If it's possible for a guy in his forties to feel like a teenager, sign me up, because certainly felt like I was sixteen again. The prom queen was waiting for me. Me? 



"How many bags?" 



"Don't even." She pulled me close and kissed me. "You'll like what I packed." 



"Will I?" 



"Yes. Now, let's get going. I want to stop at Starbucks." 



"As you wish," I said, and threw her a wink. 



Her bags weren't that heavy. I still gave her a hard time of course, but it has half-hearted. I wanted to see her smile more than anything else, and I loved her quick-wit. The largest sexual organ on the human body isn't found on a woman's chest, and it isn't hanging between a man's legs. It's the brain, and Cassidy definitely excited my gray matter. As I helped her into the SUV however, I didn't fail to take notice of her shapely, nicely-muscled legs, and ummmm...her perfect ass. 



I'm still a guy after all. 



We stopped at the coffee mecca so my girlfriend could get her Venti Cafe Americano. Since I ordered the exact same thing, my ability to tease her even more evaporated. I didn't mind. We held hands in line, and she pinched my but when we walked out of the store. Her happiness, reflected in her model-perfect smile, was infectious, and it wasn't long, before I found my mood lifting. On our way to the airport, she dropped some hints on our Vegas agenda, and I was happy to hear our plans involved places off the strip. Believe it or not, there are a lot of things to do in Vegas that don't involve lights, gambling, buffets, or over-priced shows. 



We had a direct flight to Macarran Airport, and it was only a few hours. We settled into our seats, and I ordered a Mimosa for my gorgeous girlfriend, and Jack on the rocks for me. Air travel sucks. There's really no other way to describe it, and my standard plan is to open my tablet and read. Cassidy had a similar strategy, and several magazines appeared from her carry-on bag. I'd just picked up the new Microsoft Surface tablet, and I loved it. Truthfully, it had become my favorite possession, and I bought a special, leather cover to protect it. Half-way through the flight, she leaned over and pressed her lips against my ear. 



"Wanna join the mile-high club?" 



I dropped my tablet. 



<strong><u>ARRIVAL</u></strong> 



We made our way through the airport, still holding hand and trading smiles, until we reached baggage claim. Talk about a mess! It's highly-organized chaos! A sign caught my eye, and I steered us through the crowd towards a man wearing a suit entirely too hot for Vegas weather. He had a bored, yet attentive expression. Cassidy didn't see the sign at first, but when she gripped my hand tightly, I knew she'd seen it. 



"You didn't?" 



"Have you ever waited in the cab line here? It's ninety-five degrees out there." 



She pressed her lips against mine, and growled in her throat. "I love you." 



The limousine driver stepped up, and introduced himself before I had a chance to respond to my amorous girlfriend. He retrieved our bags, and we settled into the limousine. A cool air-conditioned breeze washed over us, and I breathed a sigh of relief. 



Cassidy let out a low groan. "So nice!" 



"No kidding." I reached for the full-stocked bar. "Champagne?" 



"They got any whiskey?" 



I chuckled. "Yep." 



"On the rocks, bartender, and make it snappy." 



The upside of Vegas? You can be spoiled rotten, if you're willing to spend money. I had a budget for this trip in mind, but as we sat in the back of the stretch limousine, sipping a premium bourbon, I decided to just roll with it. The last time I spoke with Collin, he indicated the sale of our company was going through without a hitch, and it would be completed soon. The hedge fund had come through with their investment into our new company we'd established with Gunnar, and my German business partner had run out of positive adjectives to describe the initial sales projections. I sighed quietly, and a satisfied smile slid across my lips. 



<em>Fuck it! Time to live a little.</em> 



"I like that smile." Her voice whispered into my ear. "Penny for your thoughts." 



"I'm happy." I glanced at her, and my smile grew. "You make me happy." 



"Awwww." She snuggled next to me. "You say the nicest things." 



"It's true." My arm pulled her close. "It's one hundred percent true." 



A perfect moment blossomed, and we didn't ruin it with more words. Her hands started exploring, but I stopped her. No time. It's a short drive from the airport to the strip, and didn't want to arrive with an erection, or worse, the fatigue that comes after an orgasm. I suspected I'd need all the energy I could summon this visit. So we basked in the moment, content to let it linger. And linger it did, until we reached the registration desk. 



Then all hell broke loose. 



"I'm sorry, sir." The strained, and struggling-to-be-patient desk clerk stared daggers at me. "Our hotel booking system went down, and it only came back online a few minutes ago. Unfortunately, we're finding that all of our suites have been double-booked, triple-booked in some cases, and we just don't have a similar room for you." She took a breath, and forced a smile. "I can offer you one of our standard rooms, and the hotel will give you a great deal." 



"How about your sister properties?" 



The clerk, Amanda, shook her head. "I'm sorry. All of our properties share the same reservation system, and they're dealing with the same issue." 



"Shit." I took a breath. "Look, I'm not one of those guys who shouts, threatens, and waves my hands in the air like a maniac." I watched her visibly relax. "But one of your standard rooms isn't acceptable, I don't care how good a deal you offer me." 



"Go get 'em, tiger." Cassidy patted my arm. "I'll be in the coffee shop." 



I could see an objection rising in her eyes, but I held up a hand. "I'll take whatever suite you have at the same or higher level. And I'll gladly compensate you...personally, if you'll make this happen for me." I gestured over my shoulder. "It's a very special weekend for us, and I can't accept a standard room." 



Yeah. Yeah. It's a douche move to offer a 'tip', or a 'bribe', or a 'financial incentive' to a hotel employee, but dammit, I wasn't going to stay in the five hundred square foot room, that's barely cleaned, and sees more ass than a taxi-cab. Not for Cassidy. Not this time. Besides, it's Vegas, and the religion on the strip is money. 



"Sir. I'm sorry." She took a breath. "I can offer you a standard room, and that's it. All of our suites are booked, and I've got a line of people in your exact situation to speak too tonight. I'm sorry." 



Maybe I should have shouted, ranted, and raved, but I'm not that guy. Instead, I did the next best thing. I fished one of my cards out of my pocket, and my wallet. I scribbled my cell phone on the back of the card, and peeled off several bills. 



"Here." I slid the card, and money across the granite surface of the counter. "If anything changes, give me a call, and if not, good luck. It's a shitty situation you've been handed, and I don't envy you, but I think you'll do fine." 



I smiled and turned away, before she could respond. Arguing further wouldn't help, and I didn't want to give her a chance to refuse the tip. It was enough for her to remember me, and hopefully something would open up. I glanced around the registration area, and saw Cassidy in the souvenir shop. She just ended a call when I walked up. 



"We're sunk." I shrugged. "They're all booked, unless you want a standard room." 



"Standard room?" Her eyebrows rose, and she looked down her nose at me. "Pedestrian at best." 

<hr pg="2" />"Ummm, well." 



I didn't know what to say. Her smile didn't match our shitty situation, but I couldn't take the time to decipher it. I started to consider other options. The limo driver had left me his card, and I considered calling him, and asking his advice. Getting a room wasn't a problem, but I didn't want just any room. I wanted something jaw-dropping, and that wasn't easy to obtain apparently. 



"Miss Cassidy?" 



A smooth, cultured voice called her name, and I almost got whiplash when I turned towards him. The speaker was my age, maybe a bit older, and he carried an air of competence with him. Immediately, I sensed this was a man who had the experience, and authority to solve problems, and the judgment to know when to throw someone out on their ass. 



"Hi." She stood and offered her hand. "Yes. I'm Cassidy, and this is my boyfriend, Nick." 



"Nice to meet you both." He shook our hands. "I'm Jason. I understand you lost your suite." 



"We did," she replied before me. "Can you help us out?" 



"And steal business from a competitor?" A wolfish smile pulled his lips apart. "You're damned right I can. What kind of suite did you have reserved here?" I told him. He nodded, and motioned for us to follow. "C'mon. We've got something better." 



"Our luggage?" 



"I brought one of my guys, he'll take care of it." 



We slipped into an SUV, and within two minutes we held key cards to our suite at the Aria Hotel and Casino. Jason escorted us into the VIP elevators, and rode with us up to our room. We thanked him profusely, of course, and he waved away our thanks. 



"Anything for a friend of Collins." He smiled at me. "If you're willing to do some gambling while you're here, we may be able to comp the entire suite." 



"Really?" 



He nodded. "Just give me a legitimate shot at your money, and we can discuss it." 



"What's a legitimate shot?" 



"For your suite." He wiggled his hand back and forth for a second. "A hundred grand would do it." 



"Can I pick the game?" 



"Of course." 



The elevator doors opened. "Let me think about it." 



"Great." He handed us his card. "Call me if you need anything." 



"Thank you." 



We walked down a short hallway, entered our room, and stopped. Twin thuds, sounds of our jaws hitting the floors, echoed in the room. Okay. Maybe our jaws didn't actually hit the floor, but holy shit, the suite was amazing. Floor to ceiling windows revealed a view of Las Vegas and the surrounding desert that deserved its own painting. A soft knock interrupted our staring contest, and we turned to see a smiling employee holding our luggage. 



"Here you are, sir." 



"Thanks." 



He placed our luggage inside, and I tipped him generously. When he left, we made our way over to the windows, sharing surprised glances along the way. 



"Wow." 



"You called Collin?" 



"I spoke to him before we left, and he gave me Jason's number. I didn't think we'd have to use it, but damn...did it come in handy." 



My hand slipped around her waist, and I pulled her close. "Thank you." 



"You're welcome." 



I bent to kiss her, but she wasn't interested in soft, comfortable kisses. My girlfriend wrapped her arms around my neck, and thrust her tongue into my mouth. Her hot passion started a bonfire between us, and we kissed and undressed our way to the bedroom. 



We passed the threshold to the huge master suite, and I threw her onto the bed. A squeal of surprise and delight escaped her, and she slipped her panties down her legs. By the time I got rid of my clothes her legs were wide open, and she crooked a finger at me. 



"Get over here, and fuck me already." 



Needing no further encouragement, I moved onto the bed on top of her. I didn't need to guide myself inside her, she was already doing it. Her fingernails dug into my flesh. 



"Can't wait-." 



My cock slid deliciously inside her, and our simultaneous groans filled the air. Our bodies settled into a timeless, urgent rhythm, designed to bring the maximum pleasure in the shortest amount of time. The pent-up passion we'd been holding back since we left finally found an exit, and within minutes we'd lost ourselves in the swirling current of raw lust. She cried out, and shuddered beneath me only seconds before my own orgasm rocked my body. 



"Yes. Yes. YES!" She gripped my shoulders and pulled us together. "Fill me up, baby." 



Sweat coated our bodies, but neither of us wanted to move. The moment was too perfect, too sweet, and we wanted it to last forever. My muscles relaxed, and my breathing slowed, as I lay on top of my girlfriend, basking in the glow of post-orgasmic bliss. 



Cassidy's lips caressed my neck. "I love our sex." 



"Me too." 



"We should have it more often." 



"I agree." 



Her hands pushed against my chest. "Towel. Please." 



"Yes, ma'am." 



I rolled off her, and stepped into the bathroom. I returned with a towel, and laid it beneath her. She adjusted herself, and gave me a dry look. 



"From now on, you cum in my mouth. It's less messy!" 



"Well," I said, and a wry smile pulled my lips apart. "If you insist." 



<strong><u>POOL PLAY</u></strong> 



A tired smile slid across my lips as happy, post-orgasmic fatigue washed through my body. I stepped out of the orgy-sized shower, and pulled a towel from the rack. A low whistle followed me out of the shower. 



"Nice ass, mister." 



"Thanks. Yours is pretty nice, too." 



"Wait 'till you see the bikini's I brought." 



I chuckled. "You swim. I'm going to lounge by the pool and recover." 



"Good idea," she said. "You're going to need a lot of energy tonight." 



"Trying to kill me?" 



She cocked an eyebrow. "Scared?" 



"Not even a little." 



"That's the man I know and love." 



I shook my head. "You're judgment is in question." 



"Go." She shooed me away. "I'm almost done." 



Our luggage still sat near the door, and I lugged it over to the couch, and unzipped it. I rummaged inside until I found my swimming trunks, and slipped them on. A comfortable polo settled over my shoulders, and then I unpacked my clothes and hung them up. By the time I finished, my girlfriend was out of the shower, and selecting her bikini. 



Naked. Her lithe body, and lightly tanned skin, were deliciously exposed. 



I couldn't tell exactly, but it looked like she brought about ten different bikinis', and I couldn't help but smile, because each one seemed skimpier than the last. She finally found one she liked, slipped it on, and when our eyes met, she saw my approval. 



"Brazilian Cut." 



I shook my head. "Wow. Beautiful. Sexy. Amazing." 



"Awwww," she said. "I'm saving my thong bikini for a night-time swim." 



"We can do that?" 



She laughed, slipped a thin, filmy cover-up style dress over her head, and smiled at me. "Are you ready?" 



"Ready, Freddy." 



We left the suite, and I motioned for her to walk in front of me. Yep. Despite being partially obscured by her dress, her ass still looked amazing! She threw me a seductive wink, and wiggled her ass a bit more, before we reached the elevator. The doors opened, we stepped inside, and Cassidy punched the right floor. The sound of another hotel door closing reached us, and a voice soon followed. 



"Hold the elevator, please." 



My hand snapped out, and I stopped the doors from closing, before I realized I recognized that voice. Cassidy gripped my arm, and her eyes turned wide with shock. The person speaking stepped into view, but his head was facing back towards the hallway. 



"Thank you. These elevators are kind of slo-." 



I recognized the voice, and my heart leapt into my throat when he walked into view. David. He stopped speaking when he recognized us, and his mouth fell open. My hand had frozen over the elevator door, and I had a perfect view of my wife when she appeared from the corridor. She stopped dead in her tracks when she recognized me. 



Her eyes flashed to Cassidy, and they narrowed in anger. "What are you doing here?" 



The question came from my wife, Nicole, and her tone bordered on outright anger. 



"Uhhhh." My razor-sharp wit materialized. "We're staying here." 



"Obviously," she snapped. "Why this hotel? Why here?" 



"Relax, Nicole." Cassidy stepped closer to me, folded her arms over her chest, and met her eyes. "We planned to stay somewhere else, but there was an issue with our reservation. I'm pretty sure there's room for all of us in this hotel." 



Nicole's eyes elevatored up and down Cassidy's body, and I could feel my girlfriend tense. My wife's expression held anger and disdain, and I knew what was coming next. 



"Are you here for work? Earning some extra money the old-fashioned way?" 



"Whoa. Relax, Nikki." 



David apparently agreed, because he spoke at the same time. "Nicole." 



Our words didn't matter, because Cassidy and Nicole faced each other with laser beams flying out of their eyes. I could tell from her expression; my girlfriend wasn't about to let my wife's comment slide. 



"Seriously? Is that the best you've got?" She laughed, and shook her head. "Honestly Nicole, between the two of us, who acts more like a hooker? I don't plan on making out with anyone in the parking lot. Can you say the same?" 



"Fucking bitc-." 



"All right!" David stepped in front of Nicole, and I did the same for Cassidy. "We'll catch the next one." 



"Probably a good idea." I let the doors close. 



"Wow." Cassidy glanced at me. "She has as a temper." 



I ignored her, and focused on the bigger issue. "We're at the same hotel." 



"Our rooms are on the same floor," she replied with a nod. "And they're headed to the pool." 



"Seriously?" 



She snorted. "Unless your bitch-wife is going somewhere else in a floss bikini." 



"Fuck! What are the chances?" The elevator dinged, the doors opened, and I glanced at my girlfriend. "Does that make us lucky? Or Unlucky?" 



She giggled. "I wouldn't risk a hundred grand tonight, honey." 



"No kidding." 



We held hands on the way, and my smokin' hot girlfriend informed me this pool was reserved for people staying in suites. When we arrived, we found a cabana which provided the most valuable commodity in Vegas, especially for people with my skin tone. Shade! My girlfriend shed her dress, and walked slowly to the pool. When I say she walked slowly, what I mean is she walked in such a way as to draw as much attention to herself as possible. Runway models could've taken notes from my girlfriend, and while I knew it was for my benefit, heads still turned in her direction. 



<em>She's so far out of my league...</em> 



Content to watch her from my shaded cabana, I ordered drinks, and reclined on a lounge chair. Notice I didn't say <em>relaxed</em> on a lounge chair. I couldn't relax, because at that moment, I saw someone I hoped I'd never see again, and I swore colorfully under my breath. He hadn't seen me yet, but he would soon, because the pool area wasn't large enough for us to avoid each other, and he'd parked himself near the fucking bar! 



DeMarco. 



He was taller than I remembered, and his unbuttoned Tommy Bahama shirt revealed his muscled body with a lot more detail than a business shirt. Memories of our encounter flashed through my brain, and I started to realize how lucky I'd been that night. He was standing with several friends, some I recognized, and they were all black. I don't know why the color of their skin registered in my brain, but I sensed it wasn't just a bunch of friends partying in Vegas. 



No. Friendly, but not friends. 



I'd seen the same demeanor at some of our corporate meetings, and as I studied their group, I sensed they were more than work associates. They were members of something, but they didn't see each other often. Although the corporate meetings I'd attended never had scantily clad women, and DeMarco and his friends were surrounded by hot, sultry women. They were all curves and smiles, and they were hanging on their every word. The pool area wasn't crowded, and their group mixed well with the other hotel guests, so I doubted anyone else would even bat an eye. 



"Here you are, sir." 



Our drinks arrived after a surprising wait, and of course, everything was charged to our room. I still tipped the guy, though, because I hoped a decent tip would result in better service. 



"Thank you." 



Cassidy noticed our drinks arrive, and she swam over. She took her time walking up the steps, and I swear every head, even females, turned in her direction. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw DeMarco's entire group stop, and watch her walk over to our cabana. 



"Hey, mister." She smiled at me, and wrapped a towel around her body. "Got a beverage for me?" 



"Yes, ma'am." 



"Nice." She sipped her dirty martini, and whispered. "Did you see him?" 



"Yep." I cocked my head at her. "How do you know what he looks like?" 



"LinkedIn." 



"Ahhh, gotcha. Well, I'm seriously thinking about changing hotels." 



"Why?" She turned to me, and indignation flashed over her face. "Fuck them! Why should we leave?" 



"Baby, I just want us to have a good time." 



Before she could respond, a low rumble of shouts, and exclamations went up from DeMarco's group. Nicole and David appeared looking every bit the happy couple. They approached DeMarco's group, and celebrities were greeted with less fanfare. Whatever was happening on their end of the pool, it was a big deal, and David was in the center of it. All the men shook his hand, respectful expressions on their faces, and the women hugged Nicole warmly. 



My wife wore a sheer dress over her two-piece suit, and I realized Cassidy's off-hand comment about a floss bikini wasn't far off. Nicole, my wife, the woman I'd loved for over a decade, and the mother of my children, wore small triangles of expensive fabric, connected by thin strips of material, and gold hoops. Don't get me wrong, I knew her bikini was an expensive, probably from a designer I'd never heard of, and she looked beyond hot. 



Diva 



The word flashed through my mind, and while I felt bad, it still defined her. Nicole's entire demeanor reminded me of Hollywood starlets on the red carpet. Every move, every smile and gesture, was planned, and designed to bring the maximum amount of attention. The ensemble she wore was specifically designed for this occasion, and I knew she'd had her hair styled for the party. Her body held its own with the younger women in the group, and she was several notches above the other women in the looks category. Grudgingly, I acknowledged that she had a better body than most, and despite everything between us, I still loved her, and missed the years when I didn't have to share her with anyone besides our daughters. 



<em>Where had those days gone?</em> 



David and Nicole mingled for a several minutes, before DeMarco pulled David aside, and whispered intently in his ear. He glanced in our direction, before nodding, and making a calming gesture towards the younger man. DeMarco's body tensed, and pointed at David's chest as if to emphasize what he was saying. To his credit, David cocked his head and stared at him for several seconds, before DeMarco took a breath, raised his hands, and backed down. David put his hand on his shoulder, and spoke to him for several seconds, before Nicole slid next to David with a smile. Her presence broke ended their private conference, and surprisingly, DeMarco walked away, a woman under each arm. 



"Nick." Cassidy waited until I met her eyes. She'd laid down on a recliner, and she motioned for me to join her. "Come here." 



"Sorry." 



"For what?" 



I sat next to her, and jerked a thumb over my shoulder. "Letting them distract me." 



"It's okay." She sat up, and slipped her arms around me. "We'll stay for a few more minutes, and then leave. We can find another pool, or." She kissed my cheek. "You can take me upstairs, and have your way with me. We can take our time..." 



I glanced at her and she pulled me into a kiss. It should have been a short kiss, but it wasn't, and our tongues had just started a serious wrestling match when a low cough interrupted us. 



"Wow." Nicole's voice sliced through our intimate moment. "Get a room." 



We separated, and both of us stared at her, unsure of what to say or do next. I, for one, wasn't prepared to listen to her insult Cassidy again. 



She saw our reaction, smiled, and held up her hands. "Relax. I came to apologize. I'm sorry, Cassidy. What I said was unforgivable, but I hope we can move past my bad behavior." 



"I'd like that, and I'm sorry, too." 



She held out her hand, and my girlfriend shook it. Their eyes held for several seconds, and I sensed only cautious optimism between them. A slow, quiet deep breath exhaled out of my lungs. I wasn't sure if we'd reached a lasting peace, or just a lull between battles, but I'd take it, and I suspected David would too. 



"Come on." Nicole held her hand out. "Let's go swimming. It's too nice a day to stay in the shade, and I can do some more apologizing." 



"Are you sur-?" 



"I won't try to drown you, I promise." 



"Like you could," she muttered. 



She glanced at me, and I shrugged. "Up to you." 



"Okay." 



"Great!" She gave Cassidy the once over, and ran her finger over fabric at Cassidy's hip. "I love your suit." 



"Thanks. You're is nice, too." 



My wife and my girlfriend walked out to the pool, and I swore everyone within sight of them stopped and stared at the striking couple. Cassidy didn't suffer by comparison, not in my mind, and not in any rational-thinking person's mind. I knew every guy, and most of the women, wondered what it would be like to get them naked. I'd been naked with both, and I could confidently confirm they were amazing, but getting them naked together probably wasn't the best idea. 



It would be a competition, and the poor bastard they fucked probably wouldn't survive the night! 



Cassidy's suit had more material, but it was equally as sexy, without being over-the-top like Nicole's. Her lithe, lightly-tanned, firmly-muscled body stood equal to Nicole's darker skin, and sensuous, gentle curves. They descended into the water, talking like old friends, and only a few minutes passed, before more women joined them from DeMarco's party. Soon, the pool was heavily populated with concentrated hotness. If my girlfriend was uneasy, she didn't show it, and from my perspective, everyone treated her like an honored guest. 



My cock loved the visual buffet, and I forcibly turned from the Vegas Playboy-party, and I fished my smart phone out of my pocket. I retreated to the most shaded part of the cabana, and opened my email. An email from Collin, to myself and Cynthia, indicated we needed to review the final paperwork, because he'd negotiated a few more sweeteners, of course. I sent him a quick reply, and I set my phone down. My life felt surreal. I'd resolve my relationship issues, one way or another, and return to San Antonio quasi-unemployed, but with more money than I'd ever dreamed. 



The only question that remained...Nicole or Cassidy? 



"Nick?" 



I looked up to see a red-faced, sweating, smiling dude about a decade older than me, with a generous stomach, and thinning blond hair. I couldn't tell if it was the sun, or a daily alcohol bath, that caused the redness in his skin, and truthfully, I didn't care. 



"Yeah." 



"Mind if I come in?" 



"Not at all." 



"I'm Jack." 



He held his hand out, and we shook. "What can I do for you?" 



"Nothing really," he said. "David asked me to come over, and invite you to join us." 



"Us?" 



"Our party." 



He had an educated lilt to his voice, and he spoke with the smoothness of a politician or salesperson. I was comfortable with the second, and loathed the first. He had a familiar face, but I couldn't remember where I'd seen him. His thin lips pulled apart, and revealed a set of porcelain veneers that had to cost a pretty penny. No lines on his forehead indicated the presence of Botox, and his Rolex looked one hundred percent real. 

<hr pg="3" /><em>Rich douche-bag!</em> 



"No." I shook my head. "But thank you." 



"He said you'd refuse. DeMarco's leaving shortly." 



"Is that right?" 



"David's a perceptive guy," he said, with a nod. "I guess you have to be given his history." 



My ears perked up. "History?" 



He motioned at a chair. "Mind?" 



"Not at all." 



My new friend, Jack, took a seat. "David's a lawyer, of course, and a successful one at that, but he made his bones in politics. It's his first love, and he's going back to it." 



"What do you mean? Going back to it." I sipped my drink. "He already has a firm in Texas." 



Jack snorted. "Sideline business. A retirement plan, more than anything else, although he doesn't need the money." 



I didn't respond, but I held his eyes, and waited for him to continue. Only a few moments passed, before he started talking again, and confirmed my suspicion. Jack liked to talk. One of those personalities that felt uncomfortable with silence. 



"D.C. is his destination." His expression told me I should be impressed. 



I wasn't. "Poor guy. He must be a glutton for punishment." 



"Not where he's going." 



"Jack," I said, and rested my head on my hand. "You can skip the drama, friend. Make your point." 



He laughed, clapped me on the shoulder, and never realized how close he came to getting punched. I fucking hate fake, boisterous shit. "Straight to the point, I like you." 



I sighed, and started to stand. "Thank you for stopping by. I think it's time for you to-." 



"Attorney General." His smile disappeared, and his tone switched to business. "David's going to be the next attorney general." 



"What?" 



"It's all been arranged. As soon as the election's over, he'll be the first nomination of the new president. His record is impeccable, and he's already got most of the party behind him." He waved dismissively. "A few senior senators are balking, worried about some rumor in his past, but they'll be easy to buy-off." 



"You're pretty confident. The polls say this election could be a toss-up." 



"Dude, it's in the bag." He chuckled. "Never underestimate the other side's ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory." 



"Right." 



Bingo! I remembered where I'd seen this douche-bag. He'd been at David's award ceremony. He was the fucking low-life that wished Nicole, my wife, was a hooker so he could pay for her...services. The urge to knock his teeth out surged through me, but I resisted, and forced a calm expression on his face. 



"I'm happy for him." 



"I'll bet." He stood, finally, and motioned at the pool. "He just needs the right woman at his side." 



"Leave, Jack." I came out of my chair and braced him. "Before you get hurt." 



"Relax," he said, and lifted a hand. "There's room for you." 



"What?" 



He met my eyes. "I know." 



My heart sank, and I knew the answer, but I asked anyway. "Know what?" 



"Everything." He met my eyes. "I'm like you, a cuckold husband, and I'm trying to tell you that David and Nicole want you in their lives. You'd have too discreet, of course, but it could work. Nicole is good for David, and I've never seen him happier. He's a great dominant, and I'm sure you'd enjoy his influence." He snorted. "Hell, I'd love it myself, but my wife and I already have an owner." 



"Owner?" 



"It's a long story, and I didn't come over here to talk about me." He took a sip of his drink. "Normally, the organization takes more time to recruit new members, but David and Nicole swear you can be trusted, and with his new job just around the corner, we're speeding up the process. Nicole knows the details, and she can fill you in. I just want you to know, cuckold husband to cuckold husband, it's a great life...if you give it a chance." 



Jack took my silence as tentative agreement, and he clapped me on the shoulder again. "Imagine being a part of something larger, where you're accepted, hell, celebrated for who you are. Being able to indulge your fantasies in a safe, luxurious environment surrounded by people who understand and support you." 



"Huh." I'd like to say I had more to say, something witty, and memorable, but I didn't. "I'll consider it." 



"Good man. I'll let Nicole take it from here." 



I jerked my head in a quasi-nod, more to get him to leave than anything else. The slimy douche-bag even winked at me, before he started towards David's group. He walked a few steps, and then motioned at the pool. 



"See if you can convince your girlfriend to join with you." He gave a low whistle. "She'd make a great queen, and she's already popular with the owner-class." 



<strong><u>SPECIAL DRINK</u></strong> 



Jack the-douche-bag returned to his group, and spoke with David for several minutes. I didn't stare after him, but I did glance over several times, and I realized Jack wasn't the only white guy in their party. Several white men, ranging in ages, stood at the edges of the party, almost like butlers, and they maintained ready, expectant expressions. Dots started connecting, and the spark of understanding flared in my brain. 



"Think fast!" 



A damp towel arching towards my face, pulled me out of my thoughts. I caught it, and tossed it right back to the offender. "Back tach!" 



My girlfriend snatched it out of the air, twirled it several times until it twisted into a whip, and she snapped it at me. "Better not be flirting with any chicks." 



I dogged the snapping towel with a laugh. "No ma'am. I would never." 



"Good answer." She kissed me softly. "Miss me?" 



"Of course." 



"Who was your friend?" 



"His name is Jack, and we're not friends." I sighed. "Not in any sense of the word." 



"Why?" 



"I'll tell you later." I motioned at the pool. "Who were your new friends." 



She rolled her eyes. "Ugh. Not friends either. Competitors." 



"What? Competing for what?" 



"Not what...who?" 



"You lost me." 



"David's group." She dried her hair in the towel while she talked. "It's some sort of soap-opera singles group. Black guys, and the women who love them. Apparently, a lot of the guys in their party want to meet me." 



"And?" 



"And nothing." She put her towel down, and motioned to the waiter. "Been there, done that...burned the T-shirt." 



"You've been with a black guy?" 



She cocked her head. "Surprised?" 



"No," I replied quickly. "I just don't remember you mentioning it before." 



"It was a long time ago. In college. He was gorgeous, and a serious player, so it didn't last long." 



"I see." 



"The experience didn't leave me addicted to black men, if that's what you're wondering." 



"Uhhhh-." 



"Anyway, the ladies in the pool, including your wife, asked me to join them for a while." The waiter arrived, and she ordered a drink. "Actually, they invited both of us, but the invitation was obviously for me." 



"I see." I took a breath. "If you want to go, I'll tag along." 



"We'll see." She sat next to me. "Honestly, I'd rather spend time with you, but we should probably stop by for a few minutes, just to be polite." 



The waiter arrived with a drink, but it wasn't the one Cassidy ordered. Nicole stood next to him, a wide smile on her face. "Can I have a minute with my husband?" She motioned over her shoulder. "David ordered you a drink, and asked if you'd come say hi." 



Cassidy glanced at me, hesitation on her face, but she didn't have a reason to refuse, and her comment about being polite reached up and smacked her in the face. I nodded, and my eyes held a note of caution. She nodded back, and I knew she'd picked up on my silent message. That side of the pool was enemy territory, and I wanted to make sure my girlfriend was careful. She kissed my cheek, left our cabana, and walked straight into the waiting arms of the enemy. 



"So." Nicole sat on the recliner opposite mine. "We're in Vegas. At the same hotel." 



"Yes." 



"And it's a coincidence?" 



"Yes." 



Her eyes studied mine, and I knew she was searching for some indication I was lying to her. My wife should have known better. I'd never lied to her. 



"Fine." 



"Nikki, I'm sure we won't see much of each other, and I'm not trying to stalk you. We have our own agenda setup, so if we see each other, yes, it's a coincidence. Besides, it should make our discussion easier, don't you think?" 



She hesitated for a moment, before it dawned on her. "Yes. Absolutely. Friday morning. I blocked off some time." 



I rolled my eyes. "I'm glad you could make time for your husband." 



"Stop it. I don't want to fight." She took a breath, and carefully asked the next question. "You and Cassidy, how's that going?" 



"Good," I replied. "She didn't want to come." 



"Really?" 



"Yes. You may not believe this, but she's tried to be very respectful of our marriage." 



"She wants you." 



"I know." I met her eyes. "David wants you." 



"Yeah. He does." 



"And how's your relationship?" 



"Good." A genuine smile slid across her lips. "Really good." 



"So where does that leave us?" 



"With several days in Vegas to consider our futures." She motioned vaguely, and changed topics. "How are the girls?" 



She'd only been gone a day, so the question caught me off guard. I answered, of course, and our conversation focused on Jasmine and April for a few minutes. When she asked me about work, alarm bells sounded in my head. I can't explain why, but the mundane conversation was just...off. Almost like she was stalling. When she asked about Collin, and then Cynthia, I knew she was faking it. I ignored her latest question, stood, and looked across the pool. 



"Wow. Cassidy looks like she's having a lot of fun with our group." Nicole stood with me, and her smile turned vindictive, before she glanced at me. "You better go get your girlfriend, before she finds something she likes better than your wallet." 



Anger rose inside me. Nicole's apology. Our conversation about Vegas, our girls, and my work. They all seemed designed to separate me and Cassidy. Her final comment made that perfectly clear. My fists clenched, and I gritted my teeth, but I managed to control my temper. I didn't want to hand my wife, or her boyfriend, any kind of victory. 



I stared at her for several seconds. "You're better than this, Nikki." 



Without waiting for a response, I left her in the cabana. I wasn't worried about Cassidy, I knew she could handle herself, but at the same time, I didn't want her alone with David and his groupies. As I walked over, I saw my girlfriend laughing with David, and a couple of his friends. DeMarco was nowhere to be found, and truthfully, I didn't look for him. Cassidy held the same, fruity umbrella drink in her hand, and it didn't look like she'd even sipped it yet. Her eyes were locked onto a tall, well-muscled guy, wearing only board shorts, sunglasses, and a confident smile. His upper body was completely ripped, and his skin gleamed under the Vegas sun. 



Cassidy saw me coming, and she saw my expression. Her eyes flashed a warning, and I forced a smile on my face. "There you are." 



"Hi." I nodded towards the man of the hour. "David." 



"Nick." We shook hands, and he nodded towards Cassidy. "We were just entertaining your girlfriend." 



The guy standing next to him snorted, and shook his head, but he held out his hand. "Entertainment? My ass. We're just warming up. Better keep a close eye on this one." 



"I will, thanks." 



We didn't exchange names, and that was just fine. He dismissed me, and faced Cassidy. "You're staying right?" 



She shook her head. "No. We've got plans." 



"Awwww." He gave her his best hurt-my-feelings look, and motioned to her drink. "You haven't touched your drink. Stay. Have at least one drink with us." 



"Yeah." Nicole joined the group as he finished talking, and she snuggled up to David. "You have to stay. I need to have another Texas-girl to talk too. Your boyfriend won't mind, will you?" 



David smiled, and slid his arm around my wife. "Y'know, it's rude to leave without having at least one drink." 



Cassidy glanced at the drink in her hand for a moment, before she dipped her index finger into it. Everyone expected her to lick her finger, and I sensed her new friend lean forward a bit in anticipation. My heart was pounding. I didn't know what she planned. Would she stay? 



She pulled her finger out of the drink, a soft, sultry expression on her face. Instead of licking her finger however, she slowly extended her hand until everyone could see her beautifully manicured fingernails. They'd been a nice shade of pink when we left the suite. No longer. 



A dark red, almost black color now covered her fingernail. 



"Interesting," she said, and drew the word out. "This fingernail polish reacts to the presence of drugs in a drink. Not alcohol, but drugs. I wonder how they got in there?" 



Awkward, heavy silence greeted her comment. I glanced at David, Nicole, and her new friend, and I didn't like what I saw. The anger I'd suppressed earlier returned with a vengeance, but I didn't get the chance to react. A venom-filled smile slid across Cassidy's lips, and her eyes found her would-be suitor. 



When she spoke, her voice carried over the party. "Only a low-life piece of shit would drug a woman's drink." 



The silence between us exploded over the group, and I sensed David's entire party turn toward us. He sensed it too, and David held out his hand. "No one here would do such a thing. Why don't you give it to me, and I'll take care of it?" 



"Cassidy, I didn't-." 



"I'm sure no one here would do such a thing, but I'll mention it to hotel security...just in case." She stepped away from the stunned group, slid her arm inside of mine, and held up her drugged-drink. "I'll give this to the security folks. Stick around. I'm sure they'll want to talk to you." 



I was as surprised as anyone, and it was Cassidy who had to get me moving. We walked away from the group, and left silence, and hushed whispers in our wake. A laugh almost burst from me when I noticed several women put their drinks down. I spoke to an attendant just before we entered the hotel, and he scrambled back for Cassidy's dress. My anger dissipated as soon as we entered the air-conditioned hallway, and I pulled her into a tight hug. 



"You scared me!" 



"What? Why?" She pulled back. "You didn't think I'd actually stay, did you?" 



"Ahhhh-." 



She didn't let me finish. "No fucking way. I was just playing nice." 



"How did you know-?" 



"Know about the drink?" I was never going to finish a sentence, so I nodded dumbly. "Oldest trick in the book." 



"What trick?" 



Cassidy grabbed my hand. "C'mon. Let's get out of here. I'll explain on the way to our suite. After I give this to hotel security." 



At that moment, several women walked past us with angry, scared expressions on their faces. They were from David's party, and one of them caught sight of Cassidy. 



"Thank you." She shook her head. "Bastard DeMarco offered me one of those, too." 



"You're welcome." 



We followed in their wake, and she leaned in close. "Bartending is like basic training for understanding men." 



"Is that right?" 



"Yep." She nodded. "And women." 



"But how did-?" 



"Group of guys out having fun, right?" I nodded. "One among them is really good-looking. I mean, he turns girl's heads, and he knows it." 



"Right." 



I had no idea where she was going, but I wanted to hear the rest. 



"Most women who give a shit about their figure, don't order big fruity drinks. They're loaded with calories, and expensive. As a bartender, it's always suspicious when a guy orders a drink like that, especially if the woman isn't with him when he orders it." Her voice and expression were serious. "Now a guy like the one I was talking too doesn't have to drug women. His looks get him all the attention he wants." 



"So why-?" 



"The reasons vary, but none of them are good," she answered. "It doesn't really matter. See, it's like this. The group of guys use him to attract a woman, or women. He uses his charm, and his looks to get her to have a drink with him. Of course, the drink is spiked with Roofies, or Ecstasy, or maybe they asked the bartender to use really strong alcohol, and when she's too drunk, or drugged to resist." 



"Yeah?" 



"She becomes a party-favor." She shook her head in disgust. "For the entire group. If it's roofies, she can't remember a thing, and it's the guys word against hers. If it's ecstasy or something else, a little video recording will usually keep her from reporting a rape. It's fucking disgusting, and David's buddy up there wasn't even good at it. Although I don't think he spiked that drink." 



"No?" 



"Nope. He's the eye-candy. DeMarco was at the bar while it was being made, and he's the one who took it from the bartender, and gave it to the waiter. David mentioned it when I walked over. You see how big it was?" 



"Yeah." 



"Big, fruity, and sweet enough to mask the taste of any drug they put in it. None of the other women had that kind of drink. Not one. I don't think he expected me to recognize him, otherwise he would've been more careful. He also left right away, and that's unusual." She winked at me. "Guys usually want to talk to me." 



"You're amazing." I pulled her to a stop. "I love you!" 



The words exploded into the air between us. I couldn't stop them, and truthfully, I didn't want to stop them. A deep sense of satisfaction washed through me, because I realized they were one thousand percent true. 



"I love you!" 



I said it again, just to feel those words on my lips once more, and she threw herself into my arms. Her body shook gently, I heard her sniff, and when we parted, her eyes were brimming with tears. 



"I love you, too." She patted my chest. "Took you long enough." 



"Let's go back to our room." 



"Now you're talking." 



Cassidy did insist on speaking with hotel security, and how she kept from spilling the drink during our hug is a mystery, but the glass was full when she handed it to the security guy. She dropped Jason's name, and the security guard almost snapped to attention. A mumbled apology followed, before he asked for our room information, and indicated someone would be in touch. He spoke into his radio, took the drink (carrying it like an explosive), and disappeared with three other guards who materialized from nowhere. 



"Jason." I said his name as soon as it popped into my head. "That's it." 



"What?" 



"How much you wanna bet, David used him to make his own reservations." I snapped my fingers and smacked my head. "Collin and David are long-time friends. I'm sure they probably know the same people. Shit! That's the common denominator!" 



"Wow." Cassidy studied me for a second. "I'm impressed." 



"Don't be. We're still stuck in the same hotel, on the same floor, as my wife and her asshole boyfriend." 



"Yeah, but we're together." She slid her arm inside mine. "That's enough for me." 



"C'mon." I pulled her along. "I need to see you naked!" 



<strong><u>NIGHT ONE</u></strong> 



An article I'd read recently said that Las Vegas had become the second most popular destination for food. New York was number one, but Vegas had slid into the number two slot, and when we entered the restaurant, I understood why. Cassidy's agenda included nearly-impossible reservations, and I couldn't stop staring at beautifully appointed restaurant. If she hadn't been holding my hand, I'm pretty sure I would have gotten lost. 



The restaurant had a new-world-steakhouse-fusion ambiance, and I couldn't see a common theme on the menu. Fortunately, they had an amazing selection of steaks, and their wine/whiskey list was unbelievable. I studied the menu for a good long while, before I glanced at my date. 



"I gotta deal for you?" 



"Oh yeah? How much is it going to cost me?" 



"Nothing." I tapped the menu. "I'll handle the drinks, if you'll handle dinner." 

<hr pg="4" />"I can order anything?" 



"Anything." 



She pursed her lips for a moment, before she extended her hand. "Deal." 



The smile that tugged at her lips sang a siren song of money. I knew she planned on ordering something extravagant. What she didn't know was that I hoped she would, because my own plans involved an obscenely expense bottle, or two, of wine, followed by and equally expensive Scotch. My own smile mirrored hers, and an intimacy of secrets grew between us. 



My eyes rested on my menu, but my mind wandered back to our hotel suite. We'd spent the afternoon, after the pool fiasco, making love in the truest sense of the expression. Our sex had been more than physical, more than simple pleasure, and we both felt it. Our bodies had orgasmed, and the physical pleasure washed us with powerful force, but it was dwarfed by the emotions shared by our hearts. 



"Someone's happy." 



Cassidy's voice made my smile grow, but before I could answer her, our waiter appeared, and started in with the menu. The specials were typical of Vegas, over-the-top and irresistible, and Cassidy ordered the one that sounded the craziest. I spent several minutes discussing the wine pairing with our waiter, and we spoke in hushed tones, so my girlfriend wouldn't know what I ordered. It was more expensive than our dinner. He clicked his pen approvingly, took our menu's, and finally disappeared. 



"I am happy." I slid my hand over hers. "You make me happy." 



She squeezed my hand, her eyes sparking. "I'm glad." 



"You're ravishing." I let my eyes travel over her dress. "I can't believe you're sitting at the same table as me." 



She rolled her eyes, and waved her hand. "Stop it, some more." 



"It's true." I squeezed her hand gently. "I'm lucky to you have you in my life, and I know it." 



"As long as you don't forget it," she said. "Now, enough heavy stuff." 



"Okay." I rubbed my hands together. "What are we doing after dinner?" 



"It's a surprise." 



"What?" 



"Seriously." Our wine arrived, and it was delicious. When he left, Cassidy winked at me over her wine glass. "You're in my hands now, buster. Buckle your seatbelt and hang on." 



"We're not getting arrested, are we?" 



"There'll be handcuffs for sure, but you won't see the inside of a prison cell." 



Our witty banter continued until the appetizer arrived, almost covered in dry ice, and a misty fog obscuring the food. The waiter did something to the platter, waved his hand, and the mist cleared, revealing an assortment of delicious-looking seafood. People from other tables craned their necks to look at it. 



The waiter bowed. "Enjoy." 



We sat in silent awe for several seconds, before she glanced at me. "Where do we start?" 



I snorted. "You tell me, you ordered it." 



Her eyes narrowed, and her expression promised payback, but after a second she smiled, and picked a crab leg. I helped myself to a single jumbo shrimp, and believe me, jumbo was an understatement. Think of a normal shrimp, expose it to Chernobyl-level radiation, and that gives you a good idea of the size of the shrimp on that platter. Still, I rose to the occasion, did battle with said shrimp, and with the help of some spicy sauce, emerged victorious. 



We'd barely made a dent in our appetizer when dinner arrived. Normally, I'd be a bit miffed, but we were never going to finish it anyway, and when my eyes landed on the sizzling steak being laid on the table by two people, I forgot all about wimpy seafood. On the table, sitting on its own cutting board, was a perfectly cooked bone-in ribeye, sized for two people, and I swear I could hear angels singing in the background. There was a table-side presentation, something about cutting it just right, and adding a special sauce, but I didn't catch any of it. The waiter filled our plates, and wisely stepped back, before he disappeared. 



"You're such a guy." 



Cassidy's voice stopped me, my knife hovering over the medium-rare meat, and my mouth already salivating. A crooked, guilty grin tugged at my lips, and I sliced off a generous bite. 



"Guilty as charged!" 



I popped the bite into my mouth, groaned in exquisite pleasure, and closed my eyes. I sat quietly for a moment, chewing my bovine-heaven, and having an introspective moment of thanks for being higher on the food chain. 



"You need to get out more." 



Moment over. Thanks given. 



I opened my eyes. "I'll add that to my to-do list." 



Sure, I may have been overdoing it a bit, but when Cassidy took her first bite, she reacted with almost the same amount of enthusiasm. My girlfriend was a lot of things, but vegetarian wasn't one of them. <em>Yeah!</em> 



We worked our way through the steak, and side dishes, and discussed Endeavor. I wanted to tell her the company was going to be sold soon, but we'd been sworn to secrecy. Besides, how do you tell someone they may be out of a job in the next few months? There were so many balls in the air, and I couldn't juggle them all, so I resigned myself to concentrating on the ones I could handle. The sale of my company would have to remain in the air for a while, until everything was finalized. 



What would the future hold? No idea. 



We skipped dessert, and after a cautionary glance from Cassidy, I skipped my Scotch. Apparently, we had a full night in front of us. I added a generous tip, and scrawled my signature across the receipt. The cost of dinner couldn't compete with my smile, and the woman on my arm. Besides, the era of five-dollar prime rib had long since passed in Vegas. 



We climbed into a cab, and made it to our next destination (another hotel) just in time for a show. Cassidy informed me that Jason had come through with tickets, so we walked right to our box seats. The show was mesmerizing, and my jaw dropped open several times. There were too many details to relate in a single chapter, but let me tell you...Vegas does it right! 



When we left, I secretly hoped we could return to our suite. I meant it when I said Cassidy looked ravishing, and vivid, carnal ideas kept popping into my head. It didn't help that my girlfriend kept touching, rubbing, and caressing me throughout the night. Little touches, long glances, and sweet kisses, gave hints at how our evening would end, and I could hardly wait. My eyes glanced at her once more, and I still couldn't believe she was on my arm. She wore a little black dress that threatened to stop traffic on the strip. Her hair was perfectly styled, and every bit of her screamed elegant style, class, and an almost untouchable sexiness. As we walked through the hotel casinos, heads craned to look at her. They passed right over stumble-bum me, and lingered on Cassidy, but if she noticed, she didn't give any indication. 



"Where too next?" 



"You," she said, and tightened her grip on my arm. "Are taking me to funky town." 



"Dancing?" 



"Yep." 



"Y'know, I'm not much of a dancer." 



"Who said anything about you?" She kissed my cheek. "The place we're going has premium whiskey's, a great dance floor, and a fabulous DJ, according to the website reviews. You can enjoy the scotch you skipped at dinner, and I can do a little dancing." 



"With?" 



"You'll just have to watch and see, won't you?" 



My heart did more somersaults than the acrobats at the show we'd just left. Holy shit. What did she mean? I knew her well enough to know she wouldn't tell me anymore, but she had to know watching her would hit all of my cuckold buttons. But...I wasn't sure I wanted to go down that road with her. My cuckold desires had left my current marriage in shambles. A light sheen of sweat popped out on my forehead, and I ran my hand over my face. 



"Relax, honey. It's not what you're thinking." 



"How did you-?" 



"Your poker-face sucks." 



We stopped just outside the hotel doors, under the huge portico, and she looked one way, and then the other. "There he is." 



"Who?" 



"C'mon." 



I saw where we were headed, and snorted. "A limo?" 



"It's the best way to avoid a line," she said, as if it were the most practical thing possible. 



"Right." 



My voice held sarcasm, but she either didn't hear it, or chose to ignore it. Who was I to complain? I greeted our limo driver from the airport, and slid in the back. Cassidy smoothed her dress, checked her make-up, and smiled at me. 



"Having fun?" 



"Y'know, I am. You can take charge anytime you like from now on." 



"I'm going to remember you said that, mister." An evil smile slid across her lips, and she moved herself onto my lap. "You can take charge when we get back to our room." 



"Promise?" 



"Oh yes." 



I wanted to kiss her, and she wanted to be kissed, but she'd just applied a fresh coat of lipstick, so we nixed that idea, and held each other. The Vegas bright, flashing lights streamed by our windows. The cool, quiet interior of the limo insulated us from the furious sights and sounds of the strip, and we felt like we were inside of a carnival ride. 



"Here we are." 



Our driver opened the door, and Cassidy walked right up to the door-guy. He stood head and shoulders over my girlfriend, and his body looked chiseled from granite. He bent to listen to her, nodded once, and then motioned us inside. As she stepped past, he said something to her, and she nodded her understanding. 



"What's up?" I asked when we walked inside. 



"We have a spot reserved." She smiled at me. "Inside or outside?" 



"Huh?" 



"Do you want to sit inside or outside?" 



"Inside." I paused. "I think." 



"Good choice." 



We walked up a set of stairs, and she gave her name to another door guy, dressed in a suit, with an ear piece in his ear. He motioned for us to follow him, and we walked into the club. Music washed over us, loud, but not so loud we couldn't talk, and he led us up a small flight of stairs. Finally, we located our reserved spot, and it was big enough for several people. 



He smiled at us. "Enjoy!" 



I'm not a club guy. Nicole loved to dance, I've been to my share, and in most cases, we sat at whatever table was available. I'd seen folks do the bottle-service, and I always thought it was much ado about nothing, but tonight, in this club, I was determined to have a good time. We had a great spot, overlooking most of the club, and the music wasn't techno-crap, so I even envisioned myself shuffling on the dance floor. Cassidy ordered our drinks, and tipped the waitress right away. I cocked an eyebrow at her, and she shrugged. 



"She's cute, and I want good service tonight." 



"That's fine, but what did you order for me?" 



"You'll see." She pressed her ear against my lips. "I'm going to dance, and I want your eyes locked on me, Mister." 



I chuckled. "Yes, ma'am." 



The club had a few dance floors, and I watched my girlfriend pick the one closest to us. Strangely, it was populated by women. Seriously, no men were on that dance floor, and the women were all dancing together. I wasn't complaining, but I wondered if maybe that part of the club was reserved for...y'know, lesbians? Super-hot and sexy lesbians. 



<em>Hey! Don't look at me like that...it's possible!</em> 



I made a mental note to ask Cynthia if lesbian dance floors were a thing. Our drinks arrived, and I sipped mine while I watched my girlfriend. She'd ordered Kavalan whiskey for me, and I took a moment to sip it again. <em>Wow! Damn good whiskey!</em> I leaned on the balcony railing, and a happy smile slid over my lips. She caught my eye and winked. My wife, Nicole, can dance. She'd been dancing her whole life, and had been on the dance team in high school. Simply put, she could move. 



Here's a fun fact. Cassidy could move, too. Wow! 



She danced by herself at first, but within a few minutes, a group of women moved closer, and soon they started dancing together. The music changed, and they performed several minutes of line-dancing, before another song came on, and they all started twerking. 



Seriously! My girlfriend can twerk. Who knew? 



I hadn't danced a step. I hadn't moved a muscle. And I'd only consumed half of my whiskey, but I was having more fun watching my girlfriend on the dance floor, than I'd ever had in a club before. When she blew me a kiss, I winked in reply, and swallowed the last of my drink. I ordered another one with a wave of my hand. 



<em>Fuck it!</em> 



The waitress returned in record time, and I tipped her again. I swear I only took my eyes off my girlfriend for a moment, but when I our eyes met again, she wagged her finger at me, and pointed towards herself. I nodded, and held up my glass in a mock toast. Just for good measure, I put my hand over my heart, and offered her a little bow. She rolled her eyes, and swiveled back to the dance floor, just as another woman bumped her with her hip. 



Yep. You guessed it. Nicole 



If Cassidy was surprised, she didn't show it, and I started to suspect my girlfriend had deliberately picked this club. She wrapped her arms around my wife, and they hugged like best friends. My heart rate spiked, when I saw Nicole run her hands over Cassidy's body. She wasn't feeling her dress. She was feeling her up, and to my utter shock and surprise, my girlfriend returned the favor. One minute they were prepared to shed blood, and the next, they were ready to shed their clothes. 



<em>What the fuck?</em> Another generous swallow of bourbon slid down my throat. <em>Women!</em> 



Cassidy whispered in her ear, and Nicole turned on her expensive heels and our eyes met. She waved, winked, and pointed towards the opposite side of the club. My eyes followed her finger, and I saw David and DeMarco, and a large group of people. They had taken over several VIP areas, and just like at the pool, the group was populated by black men, scantily-clad hot women, and a sprinkling of attentive white guys. I didn't see the douchebag from the pool, but I suspected he was hanging around somewhere. DeMarco caught my eye, and a bitter, venomous smile split his lips. 



He raised his glass. My drink didn't move. 



I held my body still, and I knew the expression on my face wasn't friendly. We weren't friends. Our eyes held for a few more seconds, before David said something to him, and he visibly laughed and clapped his mentor on the shoulder. Whatever David said wasn't that funny, but DeMarco was determined to go on acting, and he turned away. A woman slid under his arm, and their lips locked in a passionate kiss. When the broke, he raised it glass towards one of the white men standing against the wall. The woman under his arm said something, and the both laughed, before they turned away from him. DeMarco's new squeeze pulled him towards the stairs, and soon they were dancing together. My eyes found the white guy in the corner, and I recognized the excited, frustrated expression on his face. He was a cuckold, I was sure of it, and a glimmer of understanding grew within me. 



A gulp of whiskey burned its way down my throat. Happy the staring contest was over, my eyes returned to the dance floor, and I nearly dropped my drink. My girlfriend and my wife were dancing together. Together! Cassidy was marginally taller, and she held up Nicole's hand and my wife spun underneath, before pressing her body against Cassidy, and pulling her into a soft embrace. They didn't kiss, but the intimacy was undeniable. Their perfect, delectable bodies undulated with the beat, and they wore matching devilish little smiles. Sweat popped out over my forehead, my heart pounded in time with the music, and I felt a little light-headed. They stayed together the rest of the song, and then Nicole wrapped her arms around her neck, and whispered in her ear for several seconds. When they parted, Cassidy's lips formed the word 'thank you', and my wife nodded back. Something passed between them, I couldn't identify it, but they'd bonded in some unknown, top-secret female way. 



DeMarco appeared, just as they were parting, and his arm slid around Cassidy's shoulder. He said something to my girlfriend, and my wife playfully slapped him on the arm. My dormant cuckold emotions emerged in a rush. So strong, I actually swayed on my feet, and I had to take a deep breath to steady myself. I didn't want to acknowledge how erotic it was to see my blond, blue-eyed girlfriend in the arms of a black man. Especially, that black man, but I'd be lying if my body didn't react with powerful enthusiasm. Another swallow of whiskey, and I'd finished my second drink in less than an hour. Another deep breath, I wiped the sweat off my brow, and waited with baited breath for Cassidy's reaction. 



No smile on her face, she replied to his comment, and delicately spun out of his arm. His smile tightened at her comment, and I could tell his response wasn't at all humorous. Cassidy shrugged, rolled her eyes, and said something that made my wife's eyebrows rise. Nicole stepped forward, instinctively putting her hand on his chest, while Cassidy turned away. Nicole spoke quickly to him, and her hand stroked his chest. The fire in DeMarco's eyes took several moments to dissipate, but when it did, his hand gripped Nicole's arm tightly, and he pulled her off the dance floor. My wife's eyes went wide with shock, but she allowed herself to be dragged off the floor. 



Emotions swirled within me. Part of me, a big part, wanted to throw down again with DeMarco. The guy was an ass, and his behavior tonight warranted another beat down. The motherfucker grabbed my wife! Despite my anger, I realized Nicole signed up for this, and my girlfriend was walking towards me with a big, happy smile on her face. If I pursued DeMarco, I'd be leaving Cassidy alone, and I wasn't prepared to do that either. But I couldn't leave Nicole in a potentially dangerous situation either. 



<em>Fuck!</em> 



Cassidy stopped in front of me. She saw my eyes, and turned to see what had my attention. "Is she okay-?" 



"I don't know." 



I started to move around my girlfriend, but her hand on my chest stopped me. "Wait. Look!" 



Her fingers pointed towards the other side of the club, and several uniformed police officers were speaking to the manager. I saw several other men in plain clothes standing with them, and all of them were looking towards David's group. The manager nodded respectfully, motioned at the DJ, and the music stopped. The club lights were turned on, and all of us were bathed in the painfully bright light. 



"DeMarco." 



So intent on the developing situation, I missed them say his last name. He spun away from Nicole, dropped his hand, and confusion washed over his expression. "Yeah." 



With the music off, their voices seemed amplified in the quiet club, and every single person in that club heard what happened next. 



"Vegas PD. You're under arrest." 



"What?" He actually laughed. "Is hitting on a woman suddenly illegal in Vegas." 



The cop's expression left no room for humor. "Turn around, put your hands behind your back." 



"Wait," he said, and held up a hand. "I'm an attorney. What are the charges?" 



A guy in plain clothes stepped up, and his voice was too low to hear, but he spoke to him for several seconds. The emotions playing over DeMarco's face evolved as he listened. 



Disdain turned to surprise. 



Surprise turned to shock. 



Shock turned to outright fear. 



When the officer finished speaking, DeMarco dropped his hands, turned around, and they slapped the cuffs on him. David appeared from somewhere, and he spoke quietly to DeMarco. The plainclothes police officer spoke to David, and it appeared he repeated the same information he told his prot?g?. Just before the police led him away, David, and DeMarco both glanced in my direction, and I could almost feel the heat of their anger. The police led him away, and everyone watched them leave. Just before they disappeared, I noticed another guy standing next to the exit. His eyes were on me. 

<hr pg="5" />The San Antonio Assistant District Attorney. 



"Nick." Cassidy's voice sliced into my brain, and brought me back to my senses. "Let's go." 



"Yeah." We started to leave, and I stopped. "Our bill?" 



"I paid it. Our driver is waiting." She pulled me along. "Now let's go." 



A bouncer walked in front of us, and another walked behind us. If I didn't know better, I'd say we were being escorted out of the club. But we hadn't done anything wrong. Unless I was about to be arrested?" 



"Why-?" 



"I'll explain in the limo." 



As we walked down the stairs, we passed Nicole and David. Their eyes burned with anger. David was seasoned enough not to let his anger get the best of him, and with his future job, I didn't blame him. Nicole wasn't under any such restraints, and she mouthed a word at me as we passed. 



<em>Bastard.</em> 



The manager nodded at us as we left, and our driver had the door open. We slid into the back of the limo, and made a tactical retreat back to our hotel. 



My sexy, beautiful girlfriend insisted on modeling the lingerie she brought with her, and after a token protest, I laid on the bed and watched her twist, bend, and dance in front of me. During the show, my cock had no shame, and it enthusiastically approved of her performance. When the last outfit disappeared on the hotel room floor, she disappeared into the closet. 



"Give me your hand," she demanded, when she returned. 



Seconds passed, and I found myself tied-up on the bed. A sense of helplessness washed through me, and ignited the long-dormant cuckold feelings I'd buried. I loved it. My girlfriend was in complete control, and I couldn't wait to obey her commands. 



Cassidy slid onto the bed, and straddled my face. She pointed a finger at me. "Don't stop until I tell you." 



With the preliminaries out of the way, she thrust her pussy against my lips, and my tongue snaked out to lick her flesh. A low groan filled the air, and I threw myself into the task. I was good at this. I knew it, and I wanted to show my girlfriend. Within seconds, she was moaning uncontrollably. Her hips bucked against my face, but I didn't stop. My tongue was a thing possessed, and I almost felt like I lost control of it. 



"Enough!" Her hand slapped my forehead. "Fuck. I said enough!" 



A hand towel appeared from somewhere, and she lovingly wiped my face. I smiled up at her, and opened my mouth to speak, but she thrust the towel in my mouth, and shook her head. 



"Shut up!" A second later, something covered my eyes, and my girlfriends mocking voice filled my ears. "No talking!" 



The weight on my chest lifted, and I felt her move lower. Fingers grasped my cock firmly, and my breath caught in my throat. Shit! What next? I couldn't breathe, couldn't move, and I wasn't sure what would happen next. 



Cassidy's lips enveloped my cock, and the exquisite pleasure of entering her filled my body. The towel in my mouth stifled the groan of pleasure that rocked my body. 



"Don't cum until I tell you!" 



My head jerked in a rough approximation of a nod, and my girlfriend proceeded to assault my body. Pleasure flooded my cells. My muscles tensed, and relaxed, in a sensual rhythm determined by the beautiful woman bouncing on my dick. The eroticism of the moment overwhelmed me, and I felt myself sink into a warm pool of lust, desire, and pleasure. Robbed of sight. Unable to speak. Raw, jagged pleasure swallowed me whole, and I reveled in the sensation. 



Christian Grey...eat your fucking heart out! 



Despite the near-impossible task, I managed to control my orgasm. If we hadn't had sex earlier, I'd have cum already, but fortunately, I was able to exercise a level of control I didn't normally have. Did I think Cassidy would hurt me? No. Did I want to cheapen the moment? Not on your fucking life!! 



Flesh spasmed around my cock, and I sensed my girlfriend orgasm above me. Once. Twice. She pounded her hips against mine, raising and lowering herself with reckless abandon. Moans filled the air, and grew louder as the minutes ticked by. Our sex was almost violent, but neither of us wanted to quit. 



Finally, I couldn't hold back any longer. My orgasm had been threatening to explode for several seconds, and it finally followed through. 



"Can't! Hold!" 



"Cum!" Her voice filled the room, rough, hard, and insistent. "Cum for me, baby!" 



A shout, filled with emotion, lust, and pleasure was muffled by the towel in my mouth, but I didn't let that stop me. A primal scream of love filled the cloth as my cock burst into Cassidy's pussy. My hips bucked upwards, and I heard her own squeal of pleasure join mine. Waves of pleasure rocked my body, until fatigue took its place, and I sagged against the mattress. The blindfold disappeared, and I blinked against the light until my eyes focused on my beautiful girlfriend. 



Her perfect smile greeted me. "I love you." 



She removed the cloth from my mouth. "I love you, too." 



I'd like to say I had energy to spare, but I didn't. Drowsiness flooded through me, and by the time I was untied, I was fighting to stay awake. Cassidy snuggled her naked body next to mine, and kissed my cheek. 



"Go to sleep. I'll see you in the morning." 



I drifted off to the smell of her sweet perfume. 



<strong><u>DAY TWO</u></strong> 



Desert sunlight streamed bathed our suite in bright morning light, and I stirred between the expensive sheets. My body held the light soreness that only came from a late night workout, and my lips seemed cemented in goofy, happy smile. 



Life is good. 



I extended my arms, and stretched my entire body, letting my muscles tense and relax until I became fully awake. My hand slid across the bed, and a lecherous smile pulled at my lips, but my hand found nothing. Cassidy wasn't in bed with me. 



"Cass?" No answer. "Cassidy?" 



I slid out of bed, found some underwear and a t-shirt, and went searching for my girlfriend. She wasn't in the suite. Weird. I found my phone, and checked the display. A text from Cassidy. 



<em>Working out.</em> 



<em>Back soon.</em> 



<em>Order something light for breakfast.</em> 



How the hell did she have energy to work out? Unable to find an answer, I decided to master at least one task, before she returned. The room service menu had pages and pages of options, and I ordered a variety of fruits, yogurts, and granola for my girlfriend. I added some bacon and eggs for me, and with a nod to eating better, I finished the order with wheat toast. Our food arrived only a few seconds before Cassidy. 



My girlfriend breezed into our suite, a light sheen of sweat on her face, and her gym clothes stuck to her body. Fortunately for me, I love a sweaty body, and several carnal ideas flashed through my brain. All of them involved my girlfriend's naked, sweaty body, and the huge shower in our suite. The door had barely closed, before she held up a finger. 



"No way, mister." 



"What?" 



"Don't play innocent. I know what you were thinking, and it's not going to happen. You need to save your strength." 



"I do?" 



She poked my chest. "Eat. I'm going to take a shower." A smile grew on my face. She saw it, and rolled her eyes. "Alone! I'm showering alone." 



"What happened to the wild willing wench from last night?" 



"She woke up bloated and gassy." 



I laughed. "Nice." 



"You asked." 



"Go shower." I motioned at the food. "I'll wait, and we can eat together." 



"Sounds good." She kissed, and motioned at the balcony. "Let's eat outside." 



"Yes, ma'am." 



She showered. We ate. Breakfast was great. No sex. 



It was at breakfast that I learned we had an agenda. An all-day agenda. 



"Seriously?" I replied around my bacon. "I thought we'd relax." 



"No one comes to Vegas to relax. We're going to have fun, and you'll just have to deal." 



"I don't like you." 



"You. Love. Me." 



She said the words individually, and they were light, but I heard the unspoken vulnerability in her response. She needed to hear me say it. "Yes. I do love you." 



Her eyes lit up, and she winked at me, but she didn't respond. We finished our breakfast, and at her insistence, donned comfortable walking clothes. It was barely eight am, and the Vegas heat had arrived yet, when we stepped under the large portico. 



"Where we headed." 



"Red Rock." 



"Let me guess," I said, and sarcasm dripped from my lips. "A new store?" 



"Sexist pig." 



"Guilty." 



"I'm not going to tell you now. You'll just have to wait and see." 



"A mystery." 



Red Rock wasn't a store. Not even close. It was a state park. Despite her morning workout, my girlfriend now wanted us to go hiking. We bought some water, floppy hats, and covered ourselves in sunscreen, before we set out on the Calico Tanks trail. I'm not much of hiker, but I have to say...it was fun. The desert has a beauty all its own, and I enjoyed the hike. The trail was nearly empty, so we passed the time by discussing the night before. 



"Can you believe what happened last night?" 



I chuckled. "You mean, you and Nicole dancing together." 



"No." She pinched my butt. "DeMarco. Getting arrested." 



"Yeah." 



"That's it?" She imitated my voice. "Yeah?" 



"I wasn't surprised, honey." 



"You knew?" 



I shook my head. "Not the timing, but I met with my attorney and some other folks in San Antonio, and I got the sense he was in some serious trouble." 



"Was he responsible for the swatting at your house?" 



"I'm not sure. Honestly, I don't want to know anything more. I never liked the guy, and I don't want his shit too affect our lives." 



"Amen to that." 



DeMarco now checked off the list, I decided to tackle the eight-hundred-pound elephant tagging along behind us. My girlfriend had some explaining to do. 



"So," I started nonchalantly. "You and Nic-." 



"Were just getting to know each other," She finished. "We made up at the pool, and danced a little last night. It's not a thing." 



"Huh. You looked...friendly." 



"We were friendly," she shot back. "Your wife is sexy." 



I decided on the passive-aggressive approach. "Fine. Forget I said anything." 



"Nick." 



"No. It's okay. I'm good." 



"Men." I heard her curse colorfully, and she fell silent for several moments. When she spoke again, her voice was low, almost guilty. "She asked me to join her." 



My feet stopped moving. "What?" 



"Last night." Cassidy faced me. She wiped her brow, and took a sip of water. "She invited me to join her and David in their suite. She said it would be fun." 



"But without me." 



She nodded. "She said you could watch another time." 



"Watch." 



"Watch," she confirmed. "She hit that word a few times." 



"Wow." 



She snorted. "As if." 



"What do you mean?" 



"Don't get mad, okay." She stared at me for several seconds. "Okay?" 



I raised my hands. "Okay." 



"It wasn't going to be just Nicole and David." She let out a breath. "That's what DeMarco said when he put his arm around me." 



She struck an exaggerated pose, and her voice mimicked DeMarco's. "Cassidy, baby. You're joining us tonight, right? You're too much woman for that little cuckold upstairs. Ain't that right, Nikki?" 



"He said that?" 



"Yes." 



"And you said?" 



"I reminded him that little cuckold kicked his ass." Her cheeks colored a bit. "Your wife seemed shocked." 



"Yeah. I remember her expression." 



Her eyes met mine. "Nicole should have said it." 



"In a perfect world, maybe, but my wife has long since stopped defending me, it seems." 



She let my response hang in the silence, before she continued. "DeMarco said a few nastier things, before I shut him down. Then the cops showed up, and we left." 



We started walking again. Silence followed us, and several minutes passed, before her voice sounded again. "I spent the night with you, honey. I didn't leave after you fell asleep." She walked several more steps, before she spoke again. "In case you were wondering." 



My hand caught hers. "I didn't wonder or worry. I trust you." 



We finished the hike holding hands. When we returned to the hotel, we showered again, and still no sex. A teasing expression came over her face, and she shook her head. 



"Later." 



A light lunch followed, and then my girlfriend informed me we were going shopping. Vegas is a shopping mecca, and near our hotel was a super high-end shopping center. Surprisingly, the first several stores were for me. She insisted on purchasing several ties I liked, and a watch I liked, but didn't need. The watch was located in an iconic jewelry store that had three, yes three, on-site security guards. As we perused the merchandise in the glass cases, I understood the need for the security. I didn't see a single item for sale below ten thousand dollars, and some of the wedding and engagement rings...forget about it. 



My girlfriend kept us focused on watches, but a few times I caught her eyes straying. I asked the sales lady for the restroom, even though I didn't have to go. I stepped inside, counted to a slow ten, and carefully opened the door. When I walked out, I saw my girlfriend hovering over the engagement and wedding ring sections. 



Was I surprised? No. 



Was I about to propose? No. 



Still, if Cassidy wasn't serious about me, the last place she'd be standing is over the engagement rings. I found it strangely touching. I watched her for several minutes, just enjoying the expression on her face as she studied each ring. Of course, the saleslady was more than happy to let her try them on. After several more minutes, Cassidy seemed to realize I'd been gone a long time, and she glanced around the store. Her eyes found me, and her face turned a cute shade of red. 



"I was just...y'know...passing time." 



"Right." I nodded, and motioned at the case. "Which one was your favorite?" 



"What?" 



"You heard me." She narrowed her eyes at me, and I shrugged. "I'm just curious, honey." 



Her eyes held me for a second longer, before she turned slightly, and pointed at a ring. It was beautiful, large, and of course, expensive. Despite it's cost, it wasn't gaudy. The large marquis diamond was tastefully framed by baguettes, and the platinum setting accentuated the nearly flawless stones. 



"Try it on." 



"Nick." 



"C'mon," I urged. "We're here. Let's see if it looks as good on your finger as it does in the case." 



Her face was a study in contrasts, and I had to work to keep the smile off my face. She wanted to try it on. I knew it. But she also wanted to refuse, and I saw that, too. Finally, she gave in and nodded to the saleslady. Almost reverentially, she slid it on her finger, and I sensed she was holding her breath. 



"Wow," the sales lady said, sensing a potential sale. "It looks fantastic." 



"Yes. It does." I nudged my girlfriend so she'd start breathing again. "What do you think, honey?" 



She shook her head, and slid the ring off. "It's nice." 



"Nice?" 



"Nice." 



"Okay." I glanced at the saleslady. "Thank you for your time." 



"You're welcome, sir." She fished out a card. "We'll have your watch delivered to your hotel, and please call if you need anything further." 



"Thank you." 



Cassidy tried to take the card, but I was faster, and I slid into my pocket with a smile. She glared at me, but there was no anger in her eyes. We'd talk about it later, and I knew she'd tell me to forget it. I could hear her in my head, but I still looked forward to the conversation. 



We strolled out of the store, holding hands, and passed in front of a famous chef's open air restaurant. You'd recognize of the name of the chef, and his restaurant was packed. I'd seen a ton of these open-air restaurants, mixed in with the shopping, and gaming, and they looked like first class operations. Not the standard food court fare normally found in shopping malls. If we hadn't already eaten, I'd have suggested getting a bite. I paused at the menu to glance at the food, and prices of course, and made a mental note to come back. As I was about to step away, Cassidy squeezed my hand painfully. 



"Owww." 



"Incoming," she hissed. 



"What." I glanced around, and saw my wife staring at us from inside the restaurant. "Oh. Shit." 



She left a table full of women, and the expressions on their faces were full of raw curiosity. Nicole threaded her way towards us, and holy cow, did she look good. Her hair had obviously been professionally styled, and her make up looked flawless. If I hadn't been married to her for over a decade, I'd have thought she was a celebrity of some kind. Her cleavage led the way, and the top she wore accentuated it beautifully, while leaving her flat stomach in full view. The skirt she wore matched the top, of course, and it fit like a second skin. My brain finally got control of my eyes, I forced them upwards until my eyes met Nicole's. She walked with the smooth sway of a runway model, but I sensed tension radiating from her body. I recognized that look in her eyes, and I motioned with my head towards an empty spot near the escalators. If we were going to make a scene, I'd prefer to have room to dodge, duck, or just run away. 



<em>I'm a beacon of bravery.</em> 



Nicole didn't wait for us to arrive at the fountain. "Are you fucking kidding me?" 



"What is it now, Nikki?" 



"I thought we were going to talk," she hissed. "About our futures. About how you still love me, and want to be married to me." 



"We are-." 



Her anger had momentum now, and I couldn't get a word in. "And I find you buying engagement rings for your whore!" 



"Fuck you, Nikki!" Cassidy moved a step towards her. "We weren't buying rings." 



Her open palm materialized in front of my girlfriend's face. "Shut up. This is between my husband." 



"Fuckin' bitch-." 



"And me," she spoke over my girlfriend, and then motioned her away. "I'm sure there's a stripper store nearby. Go find it." 



"Nicole!" I stepped between them, and pushed her hand down. "Enough! A watch! I bought a watch!" 



She folded her arms across her chest, but the fire bled from her eyes. "I saw her trying on rings." 



"Because I was in the restroom." 



"Whatever. I know what I saw." 



"Look-." 



Not content to listen, Cassidy stepped around me. "Why do you even care, Nikki? After the invitation you extended last night, how can you stand there and criticize your husband? I mean seriously, where the fuck do you get off?" 



Her words hit home, and my wife shook her head. "You don't understand." 



"You're damned right." 



"You're giving him what he wants, Cassidy." She faced my girlfriend. "Not what he needs. If you loved him, you would have come to our suite last night. If you understood him better, you'd be trying to learn from me, and from David." A ragged breath pushed out of her lungs, and I saw tears forming. "He's just confused right now, and you're not helping." 



My girlfriend pointed her finger. "Bullshit. You're projecting, Nikki, and deep down, you know it. The time you spend with David, and his group of merry men, is for your pleasure. It doesn't have anything to do with your husband." 



"No. You're wrong." 



"Ladies." I held up a hand. "We're not going to solve anything here. How about we table this discussion until we're all back in San Antonio." 



"I need to speak with you," Nicole insisted. 



"You can see him at home." She laughed derisively. "You remember where that is, right Nikki?" 



Her last comment threatened to set off more fireworks, and I threw Cassidy a warning glance. She nodded her understanding, but she wasn't anywhere near an apology. She folded her arms over her chest, and glared daggers at my wife. Fortunately, I didn't expect an apology from her. Nicole was out of line. I motioned for my wife to walk with me. 



"C'mon. Let's talk." 



We walked several stores down, and stopped in front of a cigar and whiskey store. I suspected I'd need their products when this conversation ended. 

<hr pg="6" />"I'm sorry," she started. "I'm trying to like her. It's just..." 



"She's trying, too." 



"She makes you happy." She sniffed, and folded her arms over her chest. "She makes you smile, like you used to with me." 



"Yeah." 



"You love her don't you?" 



"Don't you love David?" 



"Stop." She shook her head. "Just answer my question." 



I took a breath, and considered my answer. Lying was an option, but I'd never lied to my wife, and I didn't want to start now. I could dance my way around a direct answer, but that was the same as lying in my book. I blew out the air I'd been holding. 



"Yes." I held her eyes. "I love her." 



"I knew it. She loves you, too." She offered me a nostalgic half-smile. "You're an easy man to love." 



"Then why are we here?" I motioned around us. "How did we get in this situation? If I'm so easy to love, why do you need David?" 



"I love him," she acknowledged. "I love him, too, and he fulfills me in a way you can't." She held up a hand, when she saw anger in my eyes. "That's not an insult. I promise. I love you, Nick. I always will, but I need David in my life. I just wish you'd give all of us another chance." 



"We define 'us' differently, honey. When I say us, I mean you and me. When you say us, you include David." I waved a hand. "And his mysterious organization." 



"If you'd just listen-." Her phone buzzed. She checked it, and suddenly her manner became businesslike. "You're right. We're not going to solve anything here, and I need to make a phone call. I'll call you, we'll talk." 



My wife, now a stranger, walked away without a second's hesitation. Fortunately, she walked in the opposite direction of Cassidy, which prevented another possible explosion. Her sudden departure left me speechless, and I stared after her for several seconds, before I gathered myself and walked back to my girlfriend. Her expression was not friendly when I met her. 



"Solve anything?" 



"No." 



"You left me standing alone, and you didn't solve anything." 



"What was I supposed to do?" I snapped. "Let you two fight it out?" 



"How about you stand up for your girlfriend? Y'know, the woman you say you love." 



"I did." I stepped closer, well inside her personal-space zone, and met her eyes. Anger laced my voice. "I just told my wife, the woman I've been married too for well over a decade, that I love you. You, Cassidy. I told her I loved you." 



"Oh." 



"Just because I don't raise my voice, flap my hands around, and yell, doesn't mean I don't support you. If you're looking for that kind of guy, we should part company right now." 



"I'm sorry." She pulled me into a hug. "I'm sorry. I just saw you walk away with her, and I thought I was going to lose you. It scared me." 



"My situation isn't easy, honey." I let my arms drop, and she stepped back. "I'm doing my best to treat you both respectfully, even if you won't treat each other with respect." 



"She started it," she said. "She called me a whore." 



"And you returned the favor," I snapped back. "Where does that leave us?" 



"Together." 



"Are you sure that's what you want?" 



"Positive." She slid her hand into mine, and motioned with her head. "C'mon. I'll let you buy me something totally inappropriate, and I'll wear it for you tonight." 



"I can pick anything?" 



"Anything." 



"And you'll wear it?" 



She stopped, and kissed me gently. "Yes. Whatever your needs, I want to meet them." 



I had no idea how to interpret her comment, so I let her pull me into a walk. We held hands until we reached one of those mall directories, and her eyes lit up. 



"Perfect." 



"What's perfect?" 



"You'll see." 



We took an escalator up two flights of stairs until we reached our destination. Her smile threatened to split her face in half. For my part, my mouth dropped open, and I turned my eyes towards the floor. Holy shit! This store didn't sell clothes, it sold strips of expensive cloth with lots of lace. She walked in without a second's hesitation, and stopped at an attendant. She gave him her size, and motioned at me. 



"Whatever he wants." 



"Yes, ma'am." The sales dude was beaming. "And don't let him pay for a thing. I'll be outside, just wave at me when he's done." 



"No problem." 



Cassidy walked up to me, kissed my cheek. "I love you." 



"I love you, too." 



I watched her walk out of the store, and I tried not to fixate on her ass. I failed. Well, I did need to study it so I could pick out the right lingerie to complement it. When she hit the hallway, she pulled out her phone and dialed a number. Her eyes found mine when she put the phone to her ear, and she waved at me to get shopping. I turned to find the sales guy smiling at me. 



"Where would you like to start, sir?" 



<u>CASSIDY'S QUESTIONS</u> 



My girlfriend left me alone. In a quasi-lingerie, sex toy, and other miscellaneous, but fun products. With a nearly-unlimited budget, and her blessing. 



Life is goooooood! 



The sales dude helped by pointing out best-sellers, and new items. I selected several of both, and he had no qualms about discussing which sex toys were most popular, and even mentioned which products his girlfriend liked the best. <em>Awkward.</em> I wasn't sure if it was an invitation or not, but I wasn't about to inquire further. When I had enough items to fill a large bag, I figured I'd done enough damage. I waved to Cassidy, and she approached with a big smile. 



"Wow!" She surveyed my pile of purchases. "I like the way you think." 



"Thanks-." 



"But your way to tame, honey." 



"Umm, what?" 



"Stay here," she ordered, and motioned for the sales dude to follow her. 



They spent several more minutes in a section of the store I hadn't seen, and when they returned, their smiles dripped with guilt. Cassidy's stuff was rung up behind the counter, so I didn't see what she'd bought, and when I tried to ask, she shut me down with a raised finger. 



"Shush. I'm buying." 



"I'm going to get hurt, aren't I?" 



"There will be screaming," she replied, as she handed over her card. 



The clerk bagged our stuff, but Cassidy insisted on carrying the items she'd selected. I tried once more to figure out what she'd bought, but she shut me down. With no other options, I followed her to a shoe store. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, because I knew this wasn't going to be a short visit. Cassidy saw my expression, and she kissed my cheek. 



"Why don't you take our stuff back to the hotel? I'll join you when I'm done." 



"You sure?" 



"Yeah," she said, with a nod. "I want to browse a bit, and you probably want to visit another store, so let's split up." 



It sounded good, and I did want to circle back to that cigars and whiskey store. "Okay." 



She kissed me. "Love you." 



"Love you, too." I smiled at her. "Use my credit card." 



"That's the plan." 



My girlfriend, surrounded by expensive shoes, and holding my credit card. Yep. This was going to be an expensive trip. When I left her, she was humming quietly, and studying a sling back heel. 



I entered the whiskey store and inhaled deeply. I loved the smell of tobacco. The guy behind the counter saw the name on the bag I was carrying, and his smile grew wolfish. He gave me a conspiratorial nod, and asked if needed help. After I assured him I was fine, he went back to watching the big screen. The store had a smoking area inside, and several guys were lounging on couches watching a game. I passed by, intent on the whiskey section, and soon found myself surrounded by luxury scotches, bourbons, and rye's. 



Heaven! 



I found several hard-to-find bottles, and decided to splurge. They were pricey. Whiskey collecting isn't my thing, I prefer to drink it, but these bottles would make a nice addition to the bottles I'd bought and hadn't gotten around to drinking yet. If that sounds like 'collecting'...it kinda is, but don't tell my wife, or my girlfriend. 



The store arranged for everything to be delivered to our hotel, and I decided to check out the Bellagio fountains. I'd seen them before, but I wanted to see them again, and I had the time. I managed to avoid the porn/escort peddlers on the street, and watched the fountains. I strolled across the street, and did some window shopping. Truthfully, I did some people-watching, because Vegas is ground zero for all kinds of folks. It's entertaining. 



When I made it back to my suite, I was bushed. With a couple of hours still to go before dinner, and no idea when Cassidy would show up, I laid down on the bed. I told myself I was just going to rest my eyes, but sleep hit me as soon as my head hit the pillow. 



"Wake up, sleepyhead." Cassidy's voice slipped into my ear, and her fingers slid through my hair. "You're going to be up all night, if you don't get up now." 



"Yes ma'am." I groaned, and pulled myself into a sitting position. "What time is it?" 



"Early afternoon. We have some time before dinner." 



"Time for what?" 



"To talk." 



I glanced at her, and found a serious expression on her face. "Uh oh. What'd I do wrong?" 



"Nothing." She sat next to me. "Wanna guess who found me in the shoe store?" 



"Kim Kardashian?" 



She rolled her eyes. "No." 



"Then I give up." 



"Nicole." 



My eyebrows rose, and my mouth dropped open. A full ten seconds passed, before the shock of her statement passed, and I regained control over myself. "What?" 



"Yeah. She came in just after you left." 



"Coincidence?" 



"Not sure." She shrugged. "It doesn't matter though." 



"Is that right? Well, what does matter." 



"What we talked about?" 



I waited for a few seconds, before I motioned for her to continue. <em>This oughta be interesting.</em> 



"Am I enough for you?" She asked, and the vulnerable expression on her face almost broke my heart. "Be honest." 



Great communicator that I am...I immediately started stuttering. "What-? Are you-? I don't understand?" 



"It's a simple question." 



She held my eyes for a few more seconds, before I saw disappointment flood her beautiful blue orbs, and I felt like a complete shit-heel for not responding sooner. 



"Yes." I took her hands. "You're enough for me. More than enough! You have no business even being with me at all, you're totally out of my league. A century could pass, and you'd still be more than enough for me." 



"Really?" She studied my face. "You're not just saying that?" 



"No." I squeezed her hands gently. "I'm serious. You just caught me off guard, I thought you were breaking up with me." 



"What? Don't be stupid." 



"Why would you ask that kind of question? What did you and Nicole talk about?" 



"You, of course." She took a breath. "I wanted to know why she said I'd understand better, if I'd joined her and Collin. It was like she was hiding something, so when she showed up in the store, I started asking her questions." 



"Let me guess...you didn't like the answers." 



"No. It's not that at all." Her hand rose, and she stroked my cheek. "I just want to meet your needs. All of your needs. And I want you to be honest with me about what you want sexually." 



"Honey. I've been honest with you from the start." I kissed her softly. "You've more than met my needs. I promise." 



"What about...?" 



She trailed off, and I shook my head. "What about what?" 



"Your needs." She took a breath. "Y'know, being a cuckold, or being a submissive? I still don't understand the difference, but Nicole said you were both, and you'd always need special care." 



"Special what!" 



"That's what she said." Her hand brushed her hair back, and she closer to me. "I want to care for you the right way. The way you need." 



<em>What the fuck, Nikki?</em> 



"Honey," I began slowly. "I'm not an invalid. Nikki has her own agenda now. I don't know what it is, but she's clearly under David's influence, and they both seem to think I need a dominant person in my life. I'm not sure why, but Nicole is convinced I won't be happy unless I'm fully engaged in being a submissive." 



"Is she right?" 



I shook my head. "No." 



"No? Just no?" 



"Look, Nicole and I played with Collin, Cynthia, and now David. Yes, I played the part of Cuckold Husband, and I loved it. It was great with Collin, and fun with Cynthia." My cheeks were growing hot, but I pushed down my embarrassment, and soldiered on. "Things changed with David. Almost immediately, I sensed his intentions were selfish, and I've never fully trusted him. Nicole on the other hand, has lost herself to him." 



"I don't understand." 



"A hotwife/cuckold relationship can only exist when all parties trust each other. Without trust, it's just swinging, or an ugly strain of BDSM, and I don't find either of those exciting. That's why I'm not serving as a cuckold husband to David and my wife. It's why I'm not interested in this mysterious organization. Trust." I held her eyes. "Is everything." 



"You trust me?" 



"Of course." 



"So, if we found a guy you trusted, would you want to be a cuckold husband again?" 



"I honestly don't know." I shrugged. "This lifestyle has been corrosive to my marriage, and I'm not sure it's entirely healthy. I love what we have together, and I don't want to risk it for a sexual fantasy...even if I trust everyone involved." 



"Are you-?" 



"Cassidy, there is nothing exciting about losing your wife. Nothing! And I don't want to lose you." 



I'd said more than I intended, but I meant the words I'd uttered, and I would never take them back. Cassidy's mouth dropped open, and her eyes grew misty, but she settled for a nod, and wrapped her arms around me. We settled back onto the bed, and our lips met in a passionate kiss. Heat grew between us, and our hands started to explore our respective bodies, when she pulled back, and pressed her hand against my chest. 



"No. I want to talk some more." 



"Okay." 



"What about submission?" 



"What about it?" 



"Do you want to be submissive? Do I need to be your dominant?" She cocked her head. "I'm saying that right...right?" 



"Yes." I smiled at her. "You're saying it right, and no, you don't need to be my dominant." 



"But-." 



"Honey, stop!" She started to talk again, but I pressed a finger against her lips. "Do you trust me?" 



I didn't move my finger, and she settled for a short nod. 



"Then believe me when I tell you, if I want to get back into being a cuckold husband, I will ask you." 



Her hand pulled my finger away from her lips. "Promise?" 



"Yes." 



"I'm serious, honey." She kissed me once more. "Promise me you'll tell me if you need more. Please." 



"I promise." 



Silence fell between us, and I could see my girlfriends mind working. She stared out the windows for several moments, before she turned back to me. "Your wife's a devious bitch, isn't she?" 



"How so?" 



"Well, our discussion, all her advice, it seems tailor made to cause problems between us." 



I took a breath. "That's possible, but I think there's more to it." 



"What do you mean?" 



"They want you," I replied, simply. "David. DeMarco. I saw the way the other guys were looking at you. This mysterious organization. They want you as a member, and I think my wife is trying to recruit us both. Her advice is designed to pique your interest." 



"No way." 



"It make sense, and I suspect they're trying to use Nikki, and our previous relationship with Collin and David, to recruit me as a cuckold, and you as...well, as something." 



"But I don't-" 



"Like black men?" I smiled at her. "You already said you did. You've been with them before." 



"I said I wasn't hooked or addicted to black men," she clarified. "I like them fine, but it's not like I've ever dated them exclusively." 



"That's a distinction without a difference, I think." 



"Wow." She laughed softly. "Now, it makes more sense." 



"What?" 



"Our conversation. Nicole and me. She asked me to join her and David again, and she said I'd see things differently afterwards...in a good way." She shook her head. "I didn't think much of it, because I think David just wants to fuck me." 



"Nicole does, too." 



"They'll have to get in line," she said, and tweaked my nose. "I only want you." 



<strong><u>NIGHT TWO</u></strong> 



The sun was setting before spoken words were heard again in our suite. We'd been making sounds all afternoon, but we hadn't been talking. We'd been communicating, for sure, but not with words. 



"What time is it?" 



"Who cares?" 



"I guess we're skipping dinner?" 



Her lips found my chest, and she kissed her way up to my neck. "Room service." 



"Mmmmmm. Sounds good." 



Cassidy slid out of bed, sans clothing, and looked for the room service menu. I loved that she wasn't the least bit shy about her body. My girlfriend accepted nakedness as entirely natural, and with her body, I could see why she felt so confident. My eyes tracked her movements, and I thanked my lucky stars once more. 



<em>Totally out of my league.</em> 



"Found it." She leapt on to the bed, giggling, and pulled me into a sitting position. "What are you hungry for?" 



When I didn't answer, she looked up, and then rolled her eyes. "Food!" 



"Right." 



"Besides." She pinched my cheek. "I've got plans for you mister, and believe me, you'll need the energy." 



"I thought we were staying in." 



She cocked an eyebrow at me. "We are." 



"Ohhhh, right." I leaned over and glanced at the menu. "They have oysters on the menu?" 



The doorbell rang. I didn't know our suite even had a doorbell. It rang anyhow though, and we stared at each other for several seconds. I shrugged. She shrugged back. 



"Do we get it?" 



"I don't know." 



She narrowed her eyes at me. "Are you expecting someone?" 



"No. Are you?" 



"Me?" 



"Well, you bought shoes, right?" 



"Duh, I didn't buy that many, and I carried them back here." 



I held up a hand. "Let's see if they go away." 



Another knock. 



"No such luck," she said. 



"I know you two are in there." Nicole's voice sliced into our suite. "I just need to give you something." 



"Shit!" 



I pushed the covers away from my body. "I'll get it." 



"Naked?" 



"No." I chuckled, and stepped into the bathroom. I slid a robe over my shoulders, and tightened the sash. "But she's seen me naked before, and I'm sure she knows what's been going on." 



"Same thing her and David are doing, I'm sure." 



"I'm sure." I stepped towards the door, and pulled it wide open. A smile pulled my lips apart, and I didn't show an ounce of embarrassment. "C'mon in." 



"Thank you." 



My wife stepped into our suite, kissed my cheek as she passed by, and stepped into the living room. Her eyes traveled around the room, and I sensed she was impressed. I wasn't sure why, because I assumed her suite was a mirror image of ours, but based on her expression, I started to wonder if they'd been given a 'junior suite'. That thought made me smile. 



"Hey, Nikki." Cassidy appeared wearing a short, stain robe. Not a hotel robe. Her robe covered her body to mid-thigh, but at the same time it revealed everything, and I noticed my wife's eyes tighten marginally as her eyes tracked over my younger girlfriend's figure. "Long time no see." 



"Hey, Cass." 



Not wanting to prolong the awkwardness, I raised my eyebrows at my wife. "What's up?" 



"David and I wanted to invite you to a party tonight." 



"Both of us?" 



"Yes," she replied. "Although, there will be a women's-only after-party." She stepped over, and handed Cassidy a thick envelope. "Here's the invitations. The after-party instructions are also inside, and I hope you'll attend." 



"Where's the party?" 



I was pretty sure we'd skip it, but I thought I'd ask to be polite. I glanced at my girlfriend, and immediately revised my evening plans. Cassidy and Nicole were staring at each other as though they'd already agreed on our attendance. 

<hr pg="7" />"Off the strip." She mentioned the name and address, but I didn't recognize it. "The directions are inside the envelope. Did you bring a suit?" 



"Yeah." I nodded. "Not a tux though." 



"Suits fine," she said, and turned to Cassidy with a smile. "Most of the women will be wearing our little black dresses, if that helps." 



She nodded. "Fine. I've got a few things I can wear." 



"Excellent. Everyone will be ecstatic that you're coming." 



Her comment was pointed directly at Cassidy, and my girlfriend glanced at me. "We'll be attending as a couple," she stressed. "I hope that's clear." 



"Perfectly." She held her eyes for several seconds, before she glanced in my direction. "There's be plenty of guys for you to socialize with, drink whiskey, and smoke cigars, if you want." 



"Great." 



I expected my wife to leave, but she smiled at me, and turned back to Cassidy. She wrapped her arms around her in a tight hug, and kissed her cheek. She whispered in her ear, and my girlfriend nodded back with a polite smile. When they broke, Nicole stepped over to me, and kissed my cheek. 



"Please come," she whispered. "It would mean a lot to me, and it's important for Cassidy." 



"We'll see, Nikki." 



She pursed her lips, but nodded. "Fine." 



I didn't walk her to the door, but my eyes followed her until she left. When the door closed, I turned back to find Cassidy gone. What the hell? I walked into the bedroom, and found my girlfriend on the bed, with the envelope open on the comforter. She held a folded invitation in her hand, and her eyes were studying it. 



"I guess our evening plans have changed?" 



She held up a finger. "Just a sec." 



Unsure whether to be pissed, curious, or frustrated, I slipped on some clothes, and checked my phone. I had a few emails from Collin and Cynthia, but what caught my attention were several emails from David. Each one had a video file attachment. I was tempted to open them, but at that moment, Cassidy set the invitation down, and cleared her throat. I closed my phone. 



"I'd like to go." 



"Really?" 



"Yes." 



I took a breath, and continued in a careful tone. "Wanna explain why?" 



"There's a lot I don't know," she started. "And a lot I want to understand." 



"About me?" 



She nodded. "Partially." 



"C'mon, honey. Out with it." 



Her eyes measured mine, as if she wasn't sure she should say what she was thinking. "Okay. Fine. This lifestyle." 



"The one Nicole and I had with Collin?" 



"And David. And Cynthia." 



"Right. That lifestyle." 



She didn't rise to my bait. "Yes. I need to understand it. How it works. Who plays what roles, and the rules." 



"Why? I thought we talked about this already." 



"We did. I'd like to learn more." 



"Ummm, okay." I ran my hand over my face. "I don't suppose I can talk you out of going, can I?" 



"Why would you want too?" 



I hate it when she answers a question with a question. "Because, that lifestyle comes with a cost, Cassidy. It's not without risk...for everyone, and I'd rather not open that door with you." 



"Why? Because you don't trust me?" 



"Honey, I trust you." 



"You'll do it with Nikki, but you won't with me." Her eyes narrowed with suspicion. "Is that it? Just vanilla sex for your girlfriend. What if I want to try something new?" 



"Do you? Is our sex so bad?" 



"No," she said. "It's great, but I'll never understand why you're so afraid of this lifestyle, if I don't learn more for myself. How strong is our relationship, if it can't be tested? Are Nicole and David that much of a threat to us?" 



"Of course, not." 



"Then what? Why aren't you being honest with me?" 



"I am being honest! Damn!" 



She crossed her arms over her chest. "Then why are you so afraid?" 



A long, deep breath blew out of my lungs, and I sat down on the bed next to her. "Because I loved it. I loved being a cuckold husband. For the right person, I even loved being submissive. It's incredibly addicting, and I miss it. I didn't want you to know that, because I worry you'll leave me." I shook my head. "Just like my wife." 



"Thank you for being honest." Her hand stroked my cheek. "And I won't leave you." 



"Nikki said the same thing. Then David came along." I met Cassidy's eyes. "She lost respect for me, Cassidy, and I don't want the same thing to happen with you." 



"You're wrong. Nicole loves you, and she respects you. She told me...several times." 



"But she's still leaving me." 



"I don't know what her intentions are regarding your marriage, she wouldn't say, but you're wrong if you think she doesn't respect you." Her arms wrapped around my shoulders. "And you're doubly wrong, if you think I'll stop loving you, or stop respecting you." 



We held each other for a long time. I didn't count the minutes, and when we parted, my girlfriend pushed me back on the bed, and straddled me. She grabbed my hands, and pulled them over my head. 



"Don't move. Don't talk." She tweaked my nose. "Just listen." 



I smiled, raised my eyebrow, and waited. When she was certain I wouldn't speak, she nodded her satisfaction. 



"I love you. I respect you. I want our sex life to be mind-blowing, kinky, off-da-hook," she finished with a flourish. "And that's only going to happen if we trust each other." 



She waited for me to acknowledge her words, and I did after several seconds of silence, with a nod. 



"I want to go to this party for several reasons. First, as I mentioned, I want to learn more about this lifestyle. Who knows, Nikki may be right. Second, I want to show you I can be trusted. Third, I want you to consider whether you want to be my cuckold husband." She saw my expression, and pressed a finger against my lips. "Just consider it, honey." 



After I nodded, she continued. "Finally, I want us to be happy. Whether we go down this road or not, I love you, and I want our life together to be filled with passion. If we're going to regret something, let's regret the things we've done together, not the things we were too scared to try." 



She paused for several seconds, and then winked at me. "Now you may speak." 



"What time is the party?" 



<strong><u>INTRODUCTION</u></strong> 



My suit had weathered the travel pretty well, and what creases my suitcase had left, were quickly removed by the hotel cleaning staff. I loved this suit. Jet black, the fabric felt amazing, and it fit my body perfectly. I'd spent more than I usually did, but as I studied my reflection in the mirror, I knew it was worth it. In certain company, cheap suits standout, and that wasn't the kind of attention I wanted to draw. The invitation asked men to wear white shirts, and a dark tie. I hadn't brought a dark tie, so of course, Cassidy ran down and bought me one. 



We suited up, and prepared for party-war. I found my business smile, and pasted that sonofagun on my face, and silently reviewed my list of excuses for leaving a conversation, or if fate smile on me, leaving the party entirely. I heard Cassidy's heels clicking on the marble tile. 



My girlfriend looked classy, sexy, alluring...I ran out of adjectives as I watched her slip a bracelet on, check her make-up one last time, and pronounce herself ready with a smile. We descended the elevator and found Nicole and David standing in a group of formally-dressed people. Most of the men in the group were black, with a few white guys scattered throughout the group, and the women were an interesting blend of races, colors, and ethnicities, but what struck me was how out-numbered the men were compared to the women. We skirted the edges of the group, walking towards the large portico, and it seemed that there were twice as many women as men. No surprise, the women were all gorgeous, beautifully dressed, and each held an excited, happy expression on their faces. 



<em>Not working girls!</em> 



Faces turned towards us as we walked past, mostly male, but some female as well, and Nicole waved to us. Cassidy waved back, and I threw a nod towards David. His smile was warm, genuine, and completely fake. I shrugged it off. It didn't matter. Based on the adoring crowd around him, I doubted we'd see much of each other. I wasn't a groupie, and as far as I was concerned, Attorney General was an appointed political position designed to keep the president out of trouble. Given the current president, and his likely successor, I suspected politics, not law, would rule the Justice Department. We passed David's group, and I breathed a sigh of relief. 



"Would you relax." Cassidy squeezed my arm. "It's just a party. We don't have to stay long." 



"Promise?" 



"Stop. I've seen you work a crowd. You'll do fine." 



"We're supposed to be having fun," I griped. 



She pressed her lips against my ear. "Who says we're not? The night is still young, mister." 



I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't stop the smile that tugged my lips apart. We'd spent the afternoon naked, and tangled up, and I sensed Cassidy was more than ready for more naked fun. The only question remaining, was whether the naked fun would include me or not. I didn't have time to ponder the question, because a loud whistle sounded next to my ear. 



"Owww!" 



"There he is." She waved at our limo guy, and he nodded back. "Let's go." 



"Do you have this guy on speed dial?" 



"No," she said, with a wink. "You do!" 



"Great!" I said, and drug the word out. "This is going to be an expensive trip." 



Our driver held the door open, and Cassidy slid inside first. When I plopped down next to her, she pulled me into her arms. "Expensive, but worth it." 



We drove in silence, with a low-grade excitement emanating from my girlfriend. She did her best to keep a calm, dispassionate expression on her face, but I knew she was looking forward to this party. I wasn't sure if it was the mystery, or just being invited to something exclusive, but either way, she was definitely on-board. 



The limo stopped in front of an industrial building. At least, it had been an industrial building some time in its past. It had been completely renovated, even the exterior, and now it was a beautiful example of urban renewal. 



I let out a low whistle. "Wow." 



"Yeah," she said, as she gazed up. "I wonder if the entire building has been reserved." 



"I'll bet it has." 



I shook my head, returned from fantasy-land, and tipped the limo driver. I asked him to stay until we were ready to leave. In case we needed a quick exit, I wanted him close by. He smiled, indicated a price, and I nodded my head. 



"Fine." 



"Should've held out for more," he quipped dryly. 



Cassidy jumped in. "You haven't seen his tip." 



"Have a nice night, folks. I'll park right over there." He pointed across the street. "I'll see you, if use this entrance, if not, call me, and I'll drive around the building." 



"Sounds good," I said. "I don't think-." 



"Nick!" A male voice said from behind us. "You sand-baggin' sonofabitch, you came!" 



I gritted my teeth, and finished my sentence. "We won't be long." 



"Nick!" 



My plastic, business smile appeared on my face, and I turned. "Jack. How are you?" 



"Better now that you're here." The douche-bag from the pool held out his hand. "Damn glad you could come." 



"Thank you." 



"I'm not surprised though," he said, with a chuckle. "No one can say no too Nikki. You of all people should know that, I'm sure." 



"Right." 



He clapped me on the shoulder, and propelled me forward. "Got your invitations?" 



"Yes." Cassidy pulled the envelope out of her purse. "Here you go." 



"Great." He opened it, and handed a smaller envelope back to her. "This one's for you." 



He handed me another smaller envelope. "And this ones for you." 



I hadn't realized there were two separate envelopes, but at the same time, I didn't think we'd even be coming tonight. My curiosity peaked, I cocked my head at him. Jack saw the question on my face, and motioned with his head. 



"I'll explain inside. Let's get Cassidy squared away, shall we?" 



He held out his elbow to my girlfriend, and she slipped her arm inside. With her heels on, she was the same height as Jack. They started walking towards the covered entrance, and I followed along behind. Jack was saying something to her, but his voice was low enough that I couldn't hear him. Instead of responding, my girlfriend just nodded her head as he talked. 



Our destination was a walk-up style entryway. Four large black men, dressed entirely in black, stood in front of the entrance. It was a typical entrance, one you'd see in New York City, with a long covered overhang, and a set of double doors. Each guard wore an ear piece, and their eyes never stopped moving. They'd scanned us already, and I suspect Jack's presence made it easier for us. Without him, I suspected they'd have stopped us before we left our limo, let alone allowing us to approach. I saw more security inside, and barely suppressed a whistle. If these guys were armed, it would take a squad of marines to take this building. 



"Welcome." The lead gentleman said respectfully to my girlfriend. He used a scanner on her invitation, and motioned her inside. "An attendant will greet you inside. Please enjoy yourself." 



He spoke into a microphone at his wrist. Cassidy nodded, but didn't move, clearly expecting the guard to follow the same process with me. An awkward second passed, before Jack smiled at her. 



"Cassidy. You can go in. Nick and I will join you later." 



"Later?" 



He smiled, and his words slid smoothly out of his mouth. "We need to talk. Don't worry, it won't take long." 



"How long?" 



"Ten minutes, max." 



"Fine." She glanced at me. "Okay? " 



"Ten minutes," I repeated. 



Cassidy walked inside, tension holding her shoulders straight, and she was greeted by another white dude as soon as she stepped inside. They spoke for a minute, my girlfriend smiled, and I noticed her shoulders relax. Her new friend held out his elbow. She slipped her hand inside his arm, and they walked out of site. I took a breath, and reminded myself we were at a party. 



"She'll be fine." 



Our eyes met. "Is that right?" 



"Yes." He put his hand on my shoulder. "Come on. Our entrance is around the corner." 



"Why separate entrances?" 



He cocked an eyebrow at me. "You really can't guess?" 



A few seconds passed, before it dawned on me. "A cuckold entrance?" 



"Precisely. Although it has a few different names." 



"Such as?" 



"Entrance B. Secondary Entrance. The Back Door." He paused, and winked at me. "Cuckold's gate." 



We rounded the corner, and stopped at a plain doorway. Jack knocked a sequence, waited a few seconds, and then knocked another, different sequence. 



A voice filtered through the door. "How many?" 



"Two. A member, and a candidate." 



"Escorted, or unescorted?" 



"Escorted." He chuckled. "And wait 'til you see her." 



"Have your invitations ready." 



"Always." 



The door opened, and Jack handed my invitation over to a large, young white man with a serious expression. Jack held out his wrist, and I noticed a gleaming white wristband, the kind used in hospitals, on his wrist. We received a cautious once-over, before the guard scanned Jack's wristband with a hi-tech scanner, and motioned for him to enter. He turned his attention to me, and our eyes held for several seconds. It wasn't tense, exactly, but it definitely felt...odd. I was staring at a man who took his job seriously. 



"He has an invitation," Jack reminded him. 



The guard's eyes fell again to my invitation. He studied it like he was going to be tested later. Finally, his eyes rose, and met mine. "I'd like to see some ID." 



"Seriously?" Jack asked. "I can vouch for him." 



The guard glanced back. "Shut up, or I'll personally see your privileges revoked." 



"And I'll appeal," he replied calmly. "And I'll win." 



A look of profound distaste washed over the guard's face, but he didn't argue. I studied the expression on Jack's face, and started to re-evaluate my smarmy new friend. His voice rang with the kind of authority only found in executive positions. Positions with huge responsibilities that were normally earned on equal parts talent and hard work. There was no question in his voice that if things got ugly, he'd win, and win convincingly. 



The guard turned back to me. "ID, please." 



While Jack and his best friend had their tense moment, I'd fished out my driver's license already. My concealed carry license had stuck to it, and the guard pulled them apart. When he realized what I'd handed him, his eyes narrowed, and his body almost went rigid. 



"Are you carrying a weapon, sir?" 



"No." 



"Fine." He studied my license, and then motioned me inside. "Come in. Deposit any and all electronics in the safe, sir." 



I paused, and glanced at Jack. "Standard practice. The safe is reserved for you, and the organization guarantees the security of your belongings. You'll receive everything back when you leave." 



"And if I don't?" 



"You leave," he replied simply. "Or you try and sneak something past us, and our electronic counter-measures fry anything your carrying." 



"Fry?" 



He motioned behind him. "As soon as we step through that door, the organization has electronic security that will disable any electric devices. It's first-rate, and it will fry your phone. Trust me. I've seen it." 



I shrugged, and slid my phone into the small safe. The security guy closed the door, entered a combination into the keypad, and nodded at me. "Have fun." 



Jack rolled his eyes at me as I left the security station, and he led me through the doorway. On the other side of the doorway, stood a security gate, not unlike the ones at the airport. I glanced at them as we passed, and they looked light years more advanced than the ones I'd seen TSA using. 



"He's a little high-strung. The security guy, I mean." 



"A little?" 



"Well, we take security seriously, but he seems to think it's an Olympic sport." He shrugged. "Still, we need guys like him, and I won't fault him for doing his job." 



"I thought he was going to frisk me." 



He snorted. "He probably would have, if I hadn't been there." 



"Seriously?" 



"Relax, Nick." He motioned vaguely. "Despite the security, this is a party and you can relax." 



"You say so." 



"I do," he said, and stopped at a doorway. "This is a private section, just for us." 



"Us cucks?" 



"Exactly." 



He opened the door, and motioned me inside. The room that greeted me was part locker room, part bar, and part man-cave. It had everything, and it was almost as large as my high school gym. The furnishings were first rate, and gleaming wood seemed to accent everything. 



I let out a whistle. "Wow." 



"Not too shabby, huh?" 



"Impressive." I made a slow turn. "It has-." 



Jack finished. "Everything. Well, almost everything." 



"What do you mean?" 



"This is the Cuckold's Retreat. No women allowed. Bulls or dominants may enter, if they're escorted, but under no circumstances are women allowed back here." 



"Why?" 



He shrugged, and motioned towards the bar. "A lot of reasons. Privacy. Security. Depending on the night's activities, it's a place to recover." 



"Just for cuckold's." 



"And that's another reason. It's a place of brotherhood. Where every man is accepted, supported, and encouraged to be themselves." 



We reached the bar, and a bartender was waiting for us. "Jack. How's it going, buddy?" 



"Great, Chase." They shook hands. "This is Nick. He's a candidate." 



Chase smiled at me, and extended his hand. "Nice to meet you, Nick." 



"Same here." 



"What can I get you?" 



I glanced over his shoulder. "Any Scotch back there?" 



"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," he replied. "Our selection is impressive." 



"In that case, I'll have a Kavalan on the rocks." 



Chase didn't bat an eye. "We have a full selection of Kavalan. Can you be more specific?" 

<hr pg="8" />I named a bottle I'd only read about, and he nodded. "Coming up." 



Jack ordered a beer, and when Chase left to get our drinks, he faced me. "Surprised?" 



"I can't touch a bottle of that in my state." 



A modest smile touched his lips. "If you join, you'll have access to any bottle the distillery produces." 



"No way." 



He signed. "Nick. You've got the wrong impression about us, and I wish you'd open your mind a bit." 



"I don't understand." 



Chase returned with our drinks, and Jack nodded at him. "Chase, how long have you been a member?" 



"Going on a decade." 



"Any regrets?" 



"Yeah." He paused for dramatic effect. "I wish I'd joined sooner." 



"Seriously." I prompted. "I'd like to know if you have any regrets." 



"I am being serious." He leaned on the bar, and his smile disappeared. "If you become a full member, we can talk more, but long story short, the organization saved my marriage, and my life." 



"Wow." 



"No joke. My wife and I were in a bad spot. A real bad spot." He took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. "The organization helped us find a way hold our marriage together, and now we're happier than we've ever been." 



I studied him for a second longer, before I nodded. "I appreciate your honesty." 



"Your welcome." He held out his hand. "I hope you join." 



"Thanks." 



We collected our drinks, and wandered around the space. Jack knew everyone, and I was surprised at the range of guys I met. Young, middle-aged, and some approaching elderly status. A strange happiness permeated each guy, and I had a flashback to a documentary I'd seen about cults and their members. The odd expression of happiness seemed the same, but none of the men I'd talked to seemed like cult members. If anything, they were just regular dudes. 



"Nine and a half minutes," Jack announced suddenly. "If I don't get you back to Cassidy, she's likely to start hunting for you." 



"Right." I nodded at the guy I'd been speaking with, and fell in behind Jack. "Where is she?" 



"The main room, I expect." He opened a door for me, and we stepped into another hallway. "Unless she's having a really good time, and then we'll have to hunt her down." 



"Good time?" 



"Kidding." His hand squeezed my shoulder. "I'm only kidding, Nick. Damn, you need to relax, son." 



"I'm trying." 



"Have another Kavalan," he suggested. 



"Not right now." 



We came to a set of double doors. "You ready?" 



"For what?" 



"For your life to change." 



"Right." I rolled my eyes. "Will I have to surrender my soul?" 



He chuckled, and took my empty glass. "Not on your first night." 



"Opinions vary." 



He didn't reply, and I didn't continue. His hands found the door handles, and he paused for a brief second, before he flung the doors open. My mouth dropped open. Jack stepped quickly to my left, motioned me forward, and I found myself at the top of the stairs, facing a large room of people. A smooth baritone voice emanated throughout the room. 



All of them were staring...at me. 



"Ladies and Gentleman, please welcome a new candidate member, Nick." 



A sound enveloped me, and for several seconds, I didn't recognize it. 



Applause. 



<strong><u>LIFESTYLE PARTY</u></strong> 



Applause continued to wash over me for a few more seconds, and then it died down. I glanced at Jack, and he held his hand up, and mouthed the word 'stay'. I glared daggers in his direction, and he raised his glass to me. 



Movement in the corner of my eye, caught my attention, and I faced the room once more. Two bodies moved forward, and started up the stairs. Two beautiful women, both smiling at me, and holding hands, as they walked up the short flight of stairs. 



Nicole and Cassidy. 



Oh shit! 



They reached the top of the stairs, split apart, and stepped to my sides. Their arms slid inside of mine, and they faced the room. 



"Nick is escorted tonight by the beautiful blonde on his left. Her name is Cassidy, and she is also a candidate member. Many of you know the ravishing woman on his right, but for those who haven't made her acquaintance, her name is Nicole. Her escort is David, soon to be the next Attorney General of the United States. Please, make them feel welcome." 



Applause filled the room once more. 



"Walk, honey." Nicole said past her smile. "Walk." 



I started forward, and Cassidy's voice followed my wife's. "This wasn't my idea." 



"Good to know." 



David was waiting for us at the bottom of the stairs, and he was all smiles. He extended his hand, and I took it. What else could I do? 



"Welcome." 



"Thank you." 



Nicole slid away from me, and molded herself against him. "We're going to mingle. We'll check in with you later." 



Cassidy's expression was pleasant, but I saw something else behind her eyes. "Have fun. " 



My wife winked at my girlfriend. "You do the same." 



David smiled at us, and steered my wife towards the bar. I hadn't realized I'd been holding my breath, until they walked away. I sucked in some oxygen, and let it out slowly. Tension still held my body, but I felt my muscles loosen a tiny bit. 



Cassidy nudged me with her hip. "Incoming." 



My eyes glanced around, and I found Jack walking over, holding a drink. A smile on his face. He always had a smile on his face. 



"You look like you could use this," he said, and offered me the drink. 



I shook my head. "One's my limit. At least tonight." 



His pleasant mask slipped just a touch, but it passed quickly, and he motioned a waiter over. The waiter was a guy I'd seen in the Cuckold's Retreat. He smiled at me, accepted the glass, and disappeared in the crowd. Ever the smooth operator, Jack kept the conversation going by turning his attention to my girlfriend. 



"By my watch, I returned him to you in eleven minutes." 



"Twelve," she replied. "Definitely twelve." 



"He's fine though, right?" He waved in my direction. "No blood, no bruises, and he's almost smiling." 



I cleared my throat. "And he's standing right here." 



They ignored me, of course. 



"What did you do with my boyfriend for twelve minutes?" 



"Top secret information," he replied immediately. "I could tell you, but then-." 



"You'd have to kill me?" She replied dryly. "I've heard that one." 



"Actually, I was going to say, I'd have to serve you for the evening." He paused, and glanced between us, before continuing with a sly smile. "Please ask me again." 



"What about Nick? Y'know, my boyfriend?" 



He snorted. "He can get his own queen. I happen to know at least a dozen women who'd-." 



"Forget I asked," she snapped. 



"Sorry," he replied. He glanced at me, and gave a guilty shrug. "I overheard several ladies talking, and apparently, you're quite the looker." 



"Pretty sure you heard them wrong." 



"You're probably right." 



I glanced at Cassidy to find her staring at me. "What?" 



"What do you mean, what?" She pinched my arm. "Out with it. Where did you go?" 



"Oh, shit. Sorry." I took a breath. "There's a reserved area for...well, for guys like us." 



"Cuckolds?" 



"Yes," I croaked, and my face grew hot. "Nice to see you've picked up the vernacular." 



"Stop," she chided. "I told you I wanted to learn more." 



"Fine." I raised my hands. "You're right." 



"Besides." Her eyes were gleaming with mischief. "Now, you have to serve me all night." 



"Yes ma'am." 



"Mistress," she prompted. "Call me Mistress." 



I cocked my head at her, and I felt my lips pull into a smile. "Yes, Mistress." 



Jack chuckled. "You're done for, buddy." 



"There are worse things in life." 



"True." He turned back to Cassidy. "I take it you visited the Queens Landing?" 



"Yes." She sipped her champagne. "It was...interesting." 



"Would you like to return? I'd love to escort you back." 



She shook her head. "No. Thank you." 



"Okay." He glanced over our shoulders, nodded slightly to someone, and smiled back at us. "I have to leave you for a few minutes. Please enjoy yourselves." 



"Bye, Jack." 



By silent, but mutual consent, we waited until he was out of hearing, before speaking again. "I need a drink." 



"Jack just offered you one." 



I cocked my head at her. "Like I'm going to accept a drink from him. In this place." 



She rolled her eyes. "You're being paranoid." 



"Am I? After the pool incident?" 



"Fine. Let's get you a drink," she said, averting the coming argument. "Then we'll talk." 



"Yes, Mistress." 



"Hmmmmmmm." She purred and slid against me. "So obedient." 



I ordered another premium bourbon, and watched the bartender pour the liquid straight from the bottle into my glass. The ice they used came out of a big bin, so it wasn't 'special cuckold ice', or anything. I felt better. 



"Happy now?" 



"Ecstatic," I replied dryly. "Now, tell me about the Queens Court." 



"It's on another floor-." 



"The whole floor!" 



"Can I finish?" She cocked an eyebrow at me, and I nodded meekly. "The entire floor is reserved for women. Queens is the proper term. It's luxurious up there. There are several common areas, several private areas, and enough bathrooms to ensure there will never be a line." 



"Wow. The Cuckold's Retreat is big, but we don't have an entire floor. Are men allowed up there?" 



"The bartenders and waiters are cuckolds," she replied. "But they're restrained somehow." 



"What do you mean?" 



I sipped my whiskey, and waited for an answer. 



She gave me a level look. "I don't know, but the gentleman who escorted me up there said you'd explain it to me." 



My whiskey nearly shot out of my mouth, but I managed to keep from spraying anyone, especially Cassidy. My face had grown so hot, I thought it'd catch fire. 



<em>Fuck me! Awkward.</em> 



"Uh, can we table that discussion?" 



"For now." 



Her expression told me she expected an answer. Oceans of regret washed through me, and I wished I'd never agreed to come to this place. Discussing the finer points of chastity with my new girlfriend wasn't something I'd planned on. Unfortunately, the cat was out of the bag. Actually, a whole-fucking-litter of cats were out of the bag. 



"Anyway," she continued. "I got a chance to speak with several women. Queens, I guess. They were all gorgeous, and insanely happy to be a part of The Organization. 



She used quotations around her last two words, and I nodded at her answer. 



"The cuckold's feel the same. It's like this organization dispenses pure happiness. Bliss on tap!" 



"It's intriguing, that's for sure." 



I studied her for a moment. "You want to leave?" 



"No. Not at all." She glanced around the room. "I'd like to learn more." 



"I'd like to show you more." A deep, masculine voice surprised us. "If you'll allow me." 



Both of us turned towards the new addition. It was the good-looking guy from the pool. He wore an expensive-looking tuxedo, and his model-perfect smile was framed with dimples. I'm straight, but even I could see this guy was good-looking. He had light brown, almost golden eyes, and he carried himself with a self-confidence only success produced. 



"Jeremy," he said, and held out his hand. "It's nice to see you again." 



His extended hand was for my girlfriend. He hadn't acknowledged my presence yet. Cassidy smiled at him, and shook his hand. The smooth bastard actually brought her hand to his lips, and the display of old-world charm made my girlfriend smile and blush. 



No kidding. She actually <em>blushed</em>. 



"Cassidy." 



Jeremy hadn't let go of her hand, and Cassidy didn't seem to mind. "I remember. Lovely name." 



"Thank you." 



"May I show you around?" 



"Ummm-." 



"Only a tour." He slid next to her, and his voice lowered to a bedroom-seduction level. "I promise. You'll be completely safe with me." 



"It's just that-." 



"Don't worry. The cuck will be fine." 



"Wait." She faced him, and pulled her hand back. "I don't need you to finish my sentences for me...Jeremy." 



I almost cheered at her response, and Jeremy's expression was priceless. It was guess, but it seemed he wasn't used to rejection of any kind. 



"Are you okay, if I go with him?" Her eyes met mine. "I'll stay with you, if you want." 



"No." I motioned for her to go. "You said you wanted to learn. This sounds like a good opportunity." 



"Are you sure?" 



"I'll be fine, honey." I nodded, and motioned vaguely. "I'll find Jack, or I'll mingle a little." 



She studied me for a moment longer, before she nodded, and smiled at Jeremy. "I'm all yours." 



"If only." 



<strong><u>MINGLING</u></strong> 



My gorgeous girlfriend slipped her arm inside Jeremy's, and the two walked away, their heads bowed together in conversation. I stared after them for several seconds, conflicted, excited, and worried. 



Cassidy's departure hit all of my cuckold buttons. Hard. A big part of me wanted to see her with Jeremy, and while it was probably the wrong direction for our relationship, I couldn't help it. I knew their naked bodies would look beautifully erotic tangled up on a bed. Jeremy was endowed. I was sure of it, and I longed to hear my girlfriend's moans as he entered her. The desire in her eyes as she adjusted to his size, and started begging for more. My heart raced, as my mind envisioned the climax of two gorgeous people orgasming together, and I wanted to witness the deep, afterglow intimacy that followed. 



Cuckold. 



It was more than a title. More than a role I played once in a while. That simple, odd-sounding word defined me and my sexuality. I'd accepted it during our relationships with Collin and Cynthia, and I'd tried unsuccessfully to accept it with David. Whatever the outcome of my marriage to Nicole, I instinctively knew I'd always struggle with my cuckold addiction. A deep breath blew out of my lungs, and a healthy swallow of bourbon washed down my throat. 



Did I want a cuckold relationship with Cassidy? 



Is that what she wanted? 



Would it even work? 



My eyes scanned the room, and I took note of the happy faces, and realized I was surrounded by people who'd found a way to make the relationship work. Whether it was driven by the hotwife, the cuckold or the bull/boyfriend, the people in this building made it work. Not only work, but apparently they'd honed the lifestyle to a razor's edge. Tuxedoed men, and beautifully dressed women mingled in this room with no hesitation, no awkwardness, and certainly no embarrassment. It seemed I'd been dropped into the one place on the planet where being a cuckold husband was tolerated, encouraged, and even celebrated. 



I shook my head, and sipped my drink. "Too good to be true." 



"That's what I thought, the first time I attended an event." 



The voice sounded right over my shoulder. I turned, casually, and cocked an eyebrow at the eavesdropper. Chase. The bartender from the cuckold's retreat. On his arm, a gorgeous Asian woman. No surprise, of course, everyone woman here landed on the upper end of the attractive scale, but she was studying me like a bug under glass. Our eyes met, and after several seconds, she realized she was staring. 



"Sorry." She held out her hand. "I've just heard so much about you?" 



"Is that right?" 



"Nikki and I," she started, and her smile grew wider. "Are good friends." 



"Nick." I accepted her hand. "It's nice to meet you." 



"CJ," she replied. "And likewise." 



Nikki's new friend, who'd I'd never heard of, let alone met, was perfect. I'm serious. Petite, her body had curves that would make an hourglass jealous, and her beautiful almond-shaped eyes were captivating. They were a striking shade of blue, and I couldn't tell if they were contacts or not. The dress she wore was teetered on the edge of tasteful and sexy, and I found my eyes didn't want to leave her body. I rose to the occasion though, and forced my eyes to meet hers. 



"How did you meet Nicole?" 



"We completed our..." She glanced at Chase, and smiled. "Entrance examinations together." 



"I'm sorry, what?" 



"They joined together. On the same night." Chase finally joined in, and muddied the waters even further. "It's a process." 



"Ahh. I see." 



"You want a tour?" Chase offered. "I'm not due back in the Retreat for another few hours, and Jack asked me to check on you." 



"Sure." I glanced between them. "Just you and I?" 



"Yeah. CJ arranged for us to have access to most of the building." 



She nodded. "I've already informed security." 



"Thank you." 



"You're welcome." She motioned her head at me. "Take care of him." 



"You know I will." 



She winked at him, and walked towards the bar. Before she'd taken ten steps, a man detached himself from a group, fell in beside her. They walked arm-in-arm to the bar. 



"She's amazing," Chase breathed. "I'm a lucky guy." 



"Is that your wife?" 



"No," he replied. "She just prefers me." 



"Prefers you?" 



"To service her," he replied. "Her husband rarely comes to these functions." 



"I see." I sipped my drink. "And your wife doesn't mind?" 



"Not at all," he replied. 



"Well, I'm glad you're happy, Chase." 



"Yeah. Me too." He pointed at a doorway. "Enough about me. Let's get you a proper tour." 



"Lead on." 



"We'll start in the basement, and work our way upwards. Sound good?" 



"Sure." 



We stepped through the doorway, and he punched the down button on the elevator. When the doors opened, a couple stepped out laughing, and holding onto each other. Their smiles were almost as bright as the high beams on my SUV. Chase and I made room for them, and they moved down the hallway. My eyes followed them, and the gentleman slid a key card into a locked door, and they stepped inside. 



"Private room." Chase's voice turned me around. "There are private rooms on almost every floor." 



"Convenient." 



"The building is setup for a variety of play options." 



"Play options," I replied. "Cute." 



His smile tightened. "A variety of activities, then. Is that better?" 



"It's fine." I sighed. "Sorry. I'm just tense." 



"I get it. I felt the same." 



"How'd you get over it?" 



He motioned me inside the elevator. "Before you leave tonight, you'll have the answer. I promise." 



"Cryptic much?" 



"Some things you have to see and experience, in order to believe." 



"Ahhh, vague much?" 



He let out a little sigh. I was trying his patience, deliberately, but I wanted to see behind the curtain. I didn't want a scripted performance, and that's what I was getting. 



"You don't have to stay," he replied. "We can stop at the bottom floor, and security will be more than happy to call you a cab." 



"That's not what I-." 



"Then close that hole under your nose." His smile evaporated. "No one means you harm. There's no conspiracy afoot, and we're not going to ask you to buy anything. We don't sell timeshares, and we're not a cult. So why don't you close your mouth, lower your guard, and open your mind." 



"Wow. Someone who talks straight. Finally." 



"We've been talking straight to you since Jack approached you at the pool." The door opened, and he motioned me out. "Try listening." 



I stepped out of the elevator, prepared for more verbal judo, but I took a breath and considered his words. Maybe Chase was right. I was deliberately being an ass, despite everyone treating me like a VIP guest, and that wasn't how I normally behaved. A wave of embarrassment washed over me, and I shook my head. 



"You're right," I replied, and held out my hand. "I'm sorry. Let's start over." 



A sly grin pulled his lips apart. "Apology accepted. And if it helps, I acted the same way." 



"I'm in good company then." 



He chuckled. "The best. Now, follow me." 



The hallway felt like a basement. I don't know how else to describe it. The walls were cement, with a light coating of paint, and it had that stillness that only came from being underground. Clamshell sconces hid low power light bulbs that provided just enough light in the hallway to make it seem eerie. There were colored lines, almost like the lines on a basketball court, painted on the floor. 

<hr pg="9" />"We call this the dungeon," he said, and his voice echoed in the narrow space. "In case you're wondering." 



"Feels appropriate." 



He let that comment pass. "The activities in the dungeon match the name. Although, the organization is extremely careful, and each room has a safety monitor." 



"That's good to know." 



"Have you ever witnessed BDSM activities before?" 



I shook my head. "No." 



He stopped and faced me. "Then listen to me." 



"Okay." 



"Everything you're going to see is consensual. As I said, it's carefully monitored, and each submissive receives the appropriate amount of after-care, and if they need it, we have trained psychiatrists on call. Dominants are constantly monitored to ensure they stay within all safety limits." 



I nodded my understanding, but he wasn't done. He motioned at the green line painted on the floor. "If you need to leave, follow the green line in any direction. It'll lead you to an exit." 



"Are we separating?" 



He shook his head. "No. But just in case." 



"Cool." 



"Don't worry. We won't be entering any playrooms. We'll stick to the hallways and observe." He started walking again, and I fell in beside him. "Just remember to be quiet." 



"Got it." 



"Okay. Here we go." 



The hallway made a turn to the left and widened considerably. Large windows dotted both sides of the hallway, and we weren't the only ones watching. There were several couples, and a few singles(cuckolds) standing near the windows. Chase led me to the first window, and I peered into the room. 



<em>Holy shit!</em> 



<strong><u>THE TOUR</u></strong> 



The sight that greeted my eyes didn't make sense, and my brain refused to make sense of it. I stared through the window, and my eyes beheld another time. The clothing, the wigs, and even the make-up came straight from paintings I'd seen of medieval Europe. Except the guy dressed head to foot in shiny black leather. 



He didn't belong. 



A man, white-faced with makeup, and wearing a white wig stood with his arms pulled over his head. His wrists were secured with white rope to the ceiling. He stood on the balls of his feet, and I realized the ropes prevented him from standing normally. A beautiful coat covered his upper body, but he was naked from the waist down, and his cock was encased with a silver chastity belt. His expression alternated between a grimace of pain, and an uncontrollable stare of lust that I knew too well. 



Despite his obvious discomfort, his eyes were locked onto the scene across the room. 



A woman, dressed in a rich, intricately decorated, maroon dress knelt in front of a naked black man. Her hands were at her sides, her eyes stared at the floor, and she appeared to be waiting for something. The black man made a vague gesture, his cock half-hard, and hovering right in front of the woman. His body gleamed in the low light, and it looked like he'd been dipped in glitter. A smile split his face, his lips moved, and he nodded at the third man. The man who didn't belong. 



My eyes slid back to him just as a long, black whip materialized from behind his back. With practiced ease, he shook it out, hesitated a moment, and then his arm blurred at his side. The whip snaked out, and laid a red, angry line across the tied cuckold's back. I couldn't hear him, but his body jerked, and his mouth opened in a soundless cry. 



At the same time, across the room, the woman slid the black man's cock into her mouth. She settled into a rhythm that spoke of pleasure, and experience. It seemed only seconds passed before the cuckold was whipped again. His body jerked, helpless in the rope bondage, but based on his expression, immensely excited. After several minutes, it seemed the cuckold was whipped at regular intervals, and I began to understand. 



It was a game. The cuckold was whipped until the black man orgasmed. The wife threw herself into her task, sucking his granite shaft with an intensity only found in intense excitement. The pleasure of seeing his wife service the hugely muscled, and endowed, black man was set against the pain of being whipped. It was the classic cuckold situation taken to an extreme, and everyone in the room obviously enjoyed the contrast. 



A hand on my shoulder caused me to jerk. "Seen enough?" 



I tore my eyes away from the erotic tableau, and took a breath. I hadn't realized my breathing had gone shallow, and I suddenly felt light-headed. My hand found the wall, and kept me from falling. 



"You okay?" 



"Fine." I sucked in a great gulp of air. "Sorry." 



A sly smile tugged at his lips. "You're all good, Nick." 



"I've seen enough." 



He motioned with his head. "Let's go." 



We walked down the hallway, and I glanced through the windows, and saw similar scenes playing out in other rooms. The general thrust was a dominant, at least one submissive, and a shit-ton of eroticism and raw sex. The dungeon was the epitome of fantasy, but brought to life in these rooms. Explicit bondage and discipline wasn't my thing, but laid out in extreme detail, I could see the attraction. I'd played with loss of control, with pain and pleasure, but these people lived it. Sure, it was only for a short time but it was a level of commitment, I'd never had the desire, or courage, to try. 



We came to a set of stairs, and Chase motioned for me to walk up. "The next floor isn't quite as intense." 



"Good to know." 



"Everything's consensual. Please keep that in mind." 



"That's not the issue," I replied. 



"What is?" 



I took a breath, stopped, and faced him. "I see the attraction. I understand..." I searched for the right words, and after a few seconds, I gave up. "I guess I see why people enjoy it." 



"Is that right?" 



"Yeah." 



He started up the stairs. "Then you'll love what comes next." 



We reached another doorway, and stepped right through. It was laid out in a similar fashion, with large windows allowing people to watch. This corridor was almost crowded, with couples, cuckolds, and queens staring through the windows with large smiles on their faces. People chatted back and forth, and in some cases, applauded the performance in the rooms. 



As we walked forward, people seemed to notice Chase and I, and they made room for us. We arrived at the first window, and found a woman suspended in a swing, her legs spread wide, and a black man pounding her with almost savage intensity. His rhythm was that of a jackhammer, and I would've felt a spasm of sympathy for the, except for the rapturous expression on her face. It wasn't long before he thrust inside her, held himself there for several seconds, and then moved away. Without a second's hesitation, a naked white man knelt in between her legs, every motion of his body reflected his pleasure in cleaning her. The remaining black men seemed to encourage him, or humiliate him, I couldn't tell which, but based on his erection, it didn't matter. He was almost painfully erect. A few minutes passed, before another black man pushed him aside, stepped between her legs, sunk his large cock inside her, and started pounding away with the same savage intensity. Raw, unfiltered pleasure washed across the woman's face, as pleasure assaulted her body, and I sensed an orgasm washing through her. Chase and I watched for several minutes, and I estimated at least three or four more orgasms exploded in her body while we watched. 



A deep, cleansing breath washed through me, and he tapped me on the shoulder. "You should see this." 



"Huh?" 



He guided me across the hallway, to another window. "CJ. She's amazing." 



"Wow." 



The Asian woman he'd introduced me to earlier stood naked before the window, with her arms cuffed behind her back, and a collar around her neck. A light-skinned black man, rippling with muscles, pulled her to another naked black man. His large cock already hard. A jerk on the collar forced CJ to her knees, and she eagerly took the granite shaft into her mouth. Nicole could suck cock like a pro, but she didn't hold a candle to CJ. The gorgeous, petite Asian woman threw herself against the black shaft, and within minutes the black man jerked, spasmed, and held her head in place as he shot his cum into her mouth. 



The man holding her collar high-fived the other man, before he pulled her to her feet, and directed her to another side of the room. He instructed her to bend over a low table, where he un-cuffed her, extended her hands across the table in front of her, and re-cuffed her to a low bar attached to the table. I couldn't help but notice her beautiful ass, and glistening pussy. The table was high enough to keep her on her toes, off balance, and positioned perfectly for rough, doggy-style pounding. Chase sucked in a breath, startling me, and I glanced at him. 



He motioned at the window. "Watch." 



My eyes returned in time to see a new black man slide a blindfold over her eyes. He whispered in her ear for several seconds, and CJ visibly shivered. She nodded several times, before he kissed her gently, and moved behind her. He rubbed his cock against her wet pussy, and she shivered uncontrollably. He kept talking to her, and his words were having a definite physical effect on her. His hand stroked her hair gently, until he slid his fingers into her dark mane, grabbed a handful of thick hair, and jerked her head back. At the same time, he plunged his cock inside her. A single deep thrust. 



CJ's face shone with the pleasure/pain expression of someone who'd surrendered control of herself, and reveled in the situation. The man behind her held himself fully inserted for several seconds, before he slowly withdrew, hesitated for a moment, and slammed himself into her perfect, petite pussy. The low light reflected perfectly off his body, and the muscles of his ass clenched powerfully when he bottomed out. Her mouth formed a perfect 'O', and I sense her moans filled the room. The black Adonis slammed into her several more times, before he settled into a less punishing, faster rhythm, and proceeded to fuck her senseless. 



"She's amazing," Chase breathed. 



His eyes were glazed over, and for a moment I wondered if he'd taken a drug or something, but then I realized lust was flooding his body. I knew the sensation. He wasn't married to CJ, but his connection to the beautiful Asian woman was undeniable. As if to prove my suspicion, he sucked in a sharp breath, and irritation flashed over his face. 



"Lucky bastard." 



I turned back to the scene, and found a white man kneeling between her legs, cleaning her with reckless abandon. The black man stood behind the cuckold, pushing his face against her pussy, and ass, and based on his body language, he was commanding and directing the helpless cuckold. 



"I've seen enough," Chase blurted. "Mind if we leave?" 



"No." I motioned for him to lead off. "That's fine." 



We walked past several more windows, and saw similar scenes playing out. There were variations, delicious variations, but this floor had the same general theme. A lighter version of dominance and submission, with the cuckold holding the low position on the totem pole. 



"You okay, buddy?" 



"Fine." He stopped, took a breath, and I sense pain lacing his words. "I'm just not used to sharing CJ. Ever since she joined, she's insisted on me serving her. No one else. I guess that's over." 



"Maybe not," I replied. "You're just busy." 



"Yeah." 



"Why don't we finish up, and you can get back to CJ." 



His eyes reflected his thanks, and he nodded. "Let's go." 



The next floor held a much tamer theme, but in some ways, it was more erotic. It was all straight sex, no bondage, no ropes, and no whips, but that didn't lessen the eroticism. In one window, a naked cuckold, restrained with a chastity belt, stood in front of several fully clothed queens. All of their attention was focused on the poor cuck, and it appeared they were commenting on his restrained cock. The clothed-female, naked-male scene highlighted the powerlessness, and humiliation I knew some cuckolds loved. Based on the cuck's expression, he was loving the attention. 



Another window revealed a fully clothed cuckold watching a naked couple fuck with urgent, raw passion. Their sex was interrupted only when they glanced at the cuckold, said something, and then laughed together. The cuckold sat on his hands, his eyes locked on the carnal couple, and he had the same rapturous expression as every cuckold I'd seen tonight. 



We walked through this last floor, barely breaking stride, and I sensed my tour guide wanted to expedite the rest of our tour. Fine with me. I'd seen enough, and I knew, deep down inside my psyche, I knew this organization would always tempt me. They offered exactly the type of venue anyone in this lifestyle would love to experience. The only question remaining...what would Cassidy want? 



Chase guided us to a set of elevators, and we stepped inside. 



"Hard to believe right?" 



I nodded. "Yeah." 



"You and Cassidy should join, Nick." He paused, and took a breath. "You'll love it." 



"We'll see." 



<strong><u>QUEEN'S LANDING</u></strong> 



My body walked next to Chase, but my brain didn't. I'd seen too much. My mind was reeling from our tour, and I couldn't focus, or hold a single thought in my head. The swirling tornado of emotions couldn't be contained, and I finally gave up trying. One thing was certain, I'd never forget this night. 



"You look like you need a drink, my friend." 



"Good idea." 



We stopped at a door, I hadn't seen, and Chase rapped his knuckles against it, and spoke softly. "Two." 



"Permission?" 



"CJ," he replied. "Chase and one guest. Nick." 



A second later the door opened, and two huge black men stood on the other side. Both wore earpieces in their ear, and their expressions and body language hinted at a desire to do violence. Chase held out his wrist, and they scanned his wristband. He had the same type wristband as Jack. 



"Enter. Normal rules apply." 



"Understood, sir." 



Their eyes tracked me as I walked past, and I had the utterly frightening sensation of walking between two hungry predators. It was...uncomfortable. The two security guys held court in a small vestibule, and my tour operator walked towards a set of double doors. 



Chase caught my eye. "Relax. They're good guys." 



"Right." 



"I'm serious," he replied. "They'll help you, if you need it." 



"No offense, Chase, but I hope I never get into a situation where I need their help." 



He chuckled and pushed open the doors. "Let's get that drink." 



The Cuckold's Retreat had been big, but Queens Landing was obviously huge. The area we'd entered through led us to a foyer where several wide hallways branched out to different areas. I saw the flashing lights of what looked like a club, and a glimpse of another area where it looked like a row of private hot tubs were available. Of course, I saw men, like myself, scurrying about with happy smiles on their faces. An entire floor to indulge the whims and appetites of the women, pretty impressive. 



Queens. 



As my eyes traveled over the area, I started to get a better sense for the title, Queen. The Organization clearly treated it as a position of honor, more than a title, and I suspected it meant a great deal more. I made a mental note to ask Jack and Chase for more information. We approached the bar, and another white guy stood behind the three feet of gleaming mahogany. Chase ordered a beer, but I didn't hold that against him. 



"Yamazaki," I said. "Eighteen year, if you have it." 



"Coming right up." 



"Unless you have some of their sherry cask." 



He chuckled, ducked behind the bar, and appeared again with a bottle of the Whiskey of the Year. "This one?" 



"Holy shit." 



"Rocks or neat?" 



"On the rocks, my good man." 



He filled a glass with a perfectly clear round ice cube, and poured a generous amount of the hard-to-find brown liquid into the glass. 



"Y'know, not many order this, so let me know if you want to take a bottle home." 



"You're kidding." 



He shook his head. "Serious as a heart-attack." 



"He's not a member," Chase added quietly. 



"Ahhh. Well, maybe in the future." He pushed the glass across the bar. "Enjoy." 



Chase clinked his beer bottle against my whiskey glass in a solemn toast. "Absent friends." 



That was a toast I could get behind, and I raised my glass. I took a small sip, then a bigger one, and finally a full swallow. The whiskey was amazing. Hard to describe the perfect whiskey, but this one was awesome. I glanced at the bartender, and he gave me a deep, knowing nod, and followed it up with a wink. 



"Wow. I might join just for the whiskey." 



A small smile pulled Chase's lips apart, and I sensed he had something on his mind. "So what'd you think?" 



"About?" 



He shrugged. "Everything." 



"Honestly." Another swallow of whiskey, and a deep breath. "I don't know. I'm...intrigued, interested, curious, a little bit excited, and a whole lot worried." 



"What worries you?" 



"Ummm, everything, I guess. The unknown. Privacy. My girlfriend. My wife. My sexuality." I chuckled. "And the fact that I can even put a sentence together like the one that just tumbled out of my mouth." 



"Kinda surreal, right?" 



"Yes." 



"Nick." He leaned against the bar. "I don't know anything about your personal life. Jack just told me you'd be a great addition, and asked me to take care of you tonight. But I'm here to answer any questions, and you'll get the straight truth from me." 



"Where is Jack?" 



"A smooth guy like Jack?" He asked rhetorically. "He could be anywhere." 



My bullshit alarm went off. 



"Knock it off, Chase." I straightened. "You said truth. Now, what's the deal with Jack?" 



He studied me for a long moment, and motioned for the bartender to walk away. When he was out of earshot, Chase explained. "Jack is a major player in the organization. Hell, he's a major player in life, and if the organization had a management chain, he'd be up at the top. It's a big deal that he even showed up tonight, and an even bigger deal that he's taken a personal interest in you and your girlfriend." He sipped his beer. "So when I tell you, I don't know where he is, I'm being honest." 



"I see." 



"If I were to speculate," he mused. "And I'm not. I'd say it has to do with David, and his girl Nicole. Rumor mill has it that David is moving into a serious power position, with room to move even further, and I think Jack is covering his loose ends." 



"Pretty perceptive, for a bartender." 



He laughed. "I'm only a bartender on nights like these." 



We both put our backs to the bar, and surveyed the area around us. The area around us was lightly populated, and everyone seemed engrossed in their own conversations. Chase seemed content to nurse his beer, and I didn't feel like forcing conversation, so I set my brain to figuring out this puzzle. 



What Chase said made sense, a lot of sense. If David was gunning for Attorney General, it was the all-star level of politics, and he'd want to make sure whatever skeletons he had stayed firmly locked in a closet. I'm sure there were teams of political-fixers cleaning up his history, and that role fit Jack perfectly. Although I doubted David left any skeletons in a closet. Hell, all of his skeletons were probably at the bottom of the Potomac. 



All...except one. 



Me. 



My mind started connecting the dots. Nicole was his prize, and I knew instinctively my wife wasn't a skeleton. No, he wanted her on his arm. Publicly. Which meant the skeleton he needed to lock away was...yours truly. Except I wasn't a nobody. I was her husband, and that was easily provable. A two minute Google search would reveal the truth, and I had money, and a great attorney. I also suspected DeMarco's arrest had caught David by surprise, and he had to be wondering what other surprises may be lurking out there. With so many unanswered questions, I felt comfortable I wouldn't be hanging out with Luca Brasi anytime soon. It wasn't boasting to say that I wouldn't be an easy person to 'disappear'. 

<hr pg="10" />Don't get me wrong. I didn't mean disappear in the mafia sense, but the general thrust was the same. David needed me out of the way, willingly, so he could move forward with his career plans, and with my wife. 



My wife. Nicole. 



Was she my wife? 



If I were a bystander, and a stranger named Nick asked me for advice? I'd say Nicole exited the marriage a few stops back. Regardless of our pending conversation, her actions were not those of a happily married wife. Hell, they weren't even the actions of a woman interested in <em>repairing</em> her marriage. If anything, my wife was trying to let me down easy, and I started to wonder if inviting me here tonight, with Cassidy, was her way of helping me move on. 



I snorted, and swallowed a healthy amount of amber ambrosia. 



<em>Just like Nikki.</em> 



It was an errant thought, but the more I examined it, the more sense it made. It explained her reluctant acceptance of Cassidy. My girlfriend, and Nicole's replacement in my life. I'm sure Nikki wouldn't think any woman was right for me, but it seemed she'd finally accepted Cassidy. It also explained why she'd been so inviting about us attending tonight. The bit with my introduction, and her on my arm. I was sure it was planned in advance. My soon-to-be ex-wife was making sure I had a safe way to indulge my fetish, and protecting herself and David in the process. It sure lessened the possibility I'd speak to the press about her and David. I suspected the Organization would make sure they had more than enough material on me...and Cassidy. 



Mutually Assured Destruction. 



Wow. Dots connected into an almost full picture in my brain. 



<em>You're still missing a piece.</em> 



David was a smooth operator, but it stretched the bounds of logic that he could have such a powerful impact on my wife, in such a short period of time. Nikki wasn't a pushover. She may have submissive tendencies, hell, she may even love being submissive, but if I was correct, she was turning her back on her marriage after only a few months seeing David. That's the part I couldn't wrap my head around. I don't care how big his war-cock is, or how good he is with it, Nikki shouldn't have fallen so far, so fast. 



"Penny for your thoughts?" 



I glanced over, and shook my head. "Not worth that much." 



"I don't know. You seemed like you were analyzing a problem." When I cocked my head at him, his lips pulled back into a wide smile. "Benefits of a Psychiatry background. I worked with a lot of analytical guys, and you seem the type." 



"Not bad, doc." 



"Anything I can help with?" 



"No. But I appreciate you asking." 



He checked his watch, and glanced around as he spoke. "Your welcome. Your girlfriend should be joining us any-. Ahh, there she is." 



I straightened and turned in the direction he was facing. My heart leapt into my throat when I laid my eyes on her. Beautiful. Classy. Sexy. Those words flashed through my brain, and I realized they probably always would. She was so far out of my league; it wasn't worth measuring. 



But she wasn't alone. 



Nicole was walking beside her. 



And they were both smiling at me. 



Suddenly, I knew how it felt to be a fawn surrounded by lions. 



"Hello, Nick." 



"Nicole." 



Cassidy moved next to me, kissed my cheek softly, and slid her arm inside mine. "I missed you." 



"Missed you, too." 



A silence started to build, but Nicole stopped it. "Did you enjoy your tour?" 



"I did." I motioned at Chase. "He was a great tour guide." 



"Awww, stop it some more." 



Nicole seemed to see him for the first time, and she raised an eyebrow appraisingly. "CJ speaks highly of you." 



"I do my best to make her happy." 



"You're obviously succeeding, and if I have to sit through another recap of your abilities, I'll purchase you from her." 



"It would be an honor." 



Chase spoke as if he were speaking to royalty, and I half expected him to take a knee and pledge his undying love and loyalty to Nicole. Like the knights of old, he sincerely meant every word. 



Queens. 



Cassidy stopped my musing. "Purchase?" 



"We'll talk more." Nicole faced my girlfriend, a sly smile on her face. "After you join." 



Surprisingly, Cassidy didn't object. She winked back, and glanced at me. "I've seen enough. Are you ready to leave?" 



"Yes." 



My girlfriend cocked an eyebrow at me, and an expectant expression settled over her face. 



I sighed quietly. "Yes, Mistress." 



"Better." 



"Good girl," my wife observed. "He's got potential." 



Chase chuckled, and held out his hand. "Enjoyed it, Nick. Maybe we'll meet again." 



"Thanks. I enjoyed it, too." 



We shook hands, and Cassidy and Nicole did the semi-hug, fake-kiss-on-the-cheek thing, and Cassidy led us to the exit. We walked past the security guys, and both of them smiled at my girlfriend. It was a smile full of promise, and lust. Lots of lust. Cassidy smiled back, the same emotions reflected on her face. 



"Are you going to explain?" 



"Not here." She squeezed my arm. "And when we get back to the room, you are in big trouble, Mister." 



"Story of my life." 



<strong><u>GAMBLING</u></strong> 



We started towards the exit, but I soon realized leaving the building wasn't going to be easy. A surprising number of people wanted to say goodbye, and thank us for coming. Apparently my girlfriend was a hit. Our well-wishers were a good mix of single guys, single women, and couples, and while they thanked both of us, it was obvious they really meant Cassidy. 



Was I ignored? 



Yeah, pretty much, but I accepted it with as much grace as possible. Jack never reappeared, but I knew he wasn't out of our lives yet, and I'd have laid serious money on the possibility of him seeking me out once more. 



When the cool desert night air enveloped us, we both gave a deep sigh of relief. Our limo guy rocked, and he was at the curb within a minute. We slid into the back seat, and before I even got settled, Cassidy pulled me into a passionate kiss. Her tongue thrust itself into my mouth, and her hand gripped the back of my neck. Surprised at first, I barely reacted, but it wasn't long before I felt my own lust and passion well up inside me. Whatever trouble I was in, could wait...apparently. 



Distantly, I was aware of the black window partition rising, and I reminded myself to seriously tip our limo guy. My girlfriend's hands on my body refocused my attention. Her voice was husky, and her eyes half-closed, when our lips broke. 



"I need you." 



Her fingers found my zipper, and without thinking, I shifted to a more reclined position. A heartbeat later, my cock sprang free. Cassidy hiked her dress, not caring if it wrinkled, and slid her panties to the side, before slamming herself down. Her pussy enveloped my cock, and exquisite pleasure flooded my body. I wasn't the only one enjoying the experience, Cassidy's eyes closed, a low moan slipped past her lips, and her fingers dug into arms. 



"Finally," she gasped. 



Cassidy rode me hard, as urgent passion overwhelmed her. My pleasure didn't matter, my desire was irrelevant, and I enjoyed every second of it. Something about being directed, and used, felt like the perfect after-part for us. It wasn't long, before her body shuddered above me, and an orgasm exploded inside her. She'd done a good job of keeping her voice down, but that came at the cost of some of my skin. Her nails dug into my flesh, and scraped a few layers off. She spent a few minutes recovering, before our eyes met, and she kissed me softly. 



"Love you." 



"Love you, too." 



Cassidy slid off me, adjusted her dress, and checked her make-up with a compact that materialized out of thin air. I couldn't give it much thought, because I was re-arranging myself, and tucking everything back into its normal position. I'd just zipped up, when our limo stopped in front of the hotel. Just before the door opened, I peeled off several c-notes for the driver. 



"Thank you, sir." 



"You're welcome." I nodded at my girlfriend. "We'll probably need you at least once more, before we head home." 



"We will." 



He smiled back. "Just call me." 



"Count on it," Cassidy replied. 



My head was still spinning. I couldn't make heads or tails from our visit to The Organization's club, my discussions with Jack and Chase, and our quickie in the limo. My mind had been too preoccupied to let me orgasm, which was good, because I didn't want a mess, and it was enough that Cassidy had orgasmed...twice. I thought she murmured Jeremy's name during our session, but I couldn't be sure. 



While I was struggling to make sense of everything, Cassidy was almost overflowing with happiness and confidence. She slipped her harm inside mine, guided us inside, and directed us to the gaming tables. 



She caught my confused glance. "I'm not tired." 



"Ahh." 



"Besides, we haven't done any gambling, and I want to try my luck." She kissed my cheek. "I'm feeling lucky." 



I couldn't help chuckling. The situation was surreal, and I figured I might as well go with it. Truthfully, it's not like I had a choice. I'd been unable to control Hurricane Nicole during our marriage, and I suspected I'd be equally unsuccessful with Tornado Cassidy. 



Strong women, they're a blessing and a curse in equal amounts. 



"Let's talk to Jason," I said around a sigh. "Maybe he'll comp our suite, if we lose enough money." 



"That's my man." 



No surprise, Jason was able to hook us up. He setup a line of credit, an obscene line of credit, and escorted us into a reserved gambling area. I'm a blackjack guy, so I headed for an open table. 



Cassidy hung back. "Blackjack? Seriously?" 



"What? I understand it." 



She mimicked a snore. "Please." 



"Well, what are you playing?" 



"Craps. It has the best odds." 



"I hate craps." 



"That's your problem." 



I sighed. "How about we split the line of credit?" 



"Fine." 



"You'll stop playing, when you've reached the limit?" 



Her eyes narrowed. "If I'm losing, sure, but I don't plan on losing." 



I motioned around us. "This place wasn't built on winners, honey." 



"Go." She shooed me away. "Play your shuffleboard, sorry, blackjack, and come find me when you're ready for bed, old-timer." 



"You're not a nice person." 



She kissed my cheek. "You love me anyway." 



"Yeah. Yeah. Good luck." 



"You, too." 



I slid onto an open chair at a table with only one other guy. He was a portly gentleman, wearing a tuxedo with his collar open, and tie hanging open. A dark-haired guy, his chest hair poked out of his open collar, and he had a light sheen of sweat on his forehead. 



It was cold in the gambling area. 



I'm not a doctor, but this guy looked like he'd had a wild night. From the stack of chips in front of him, it looked like the night was still young. The only other thing that struck me was the fifty-thousand-dollar watch on his wrist. I'd stared enviously at the same model in the store earlier with Cassidy, and it was a great looking watch. 



The dealer looked at me expectantly. It took me a moment before I realized what he was waiting for, and my face grew warm. 



"Sorry. Twenty-five thousand, please." 



My portly blackjack partner pulled a Churchill-sized cigar from his jack, and glanced at me. "Mind?" 



"Not at all. Whatcha got over there?" 



"Cuban beauty," he said. "Friend of a friend got it for me. Right from the factory floor." 



"Wow. Enjoy." 



"Yeah," he continued, as though I hadn't spoken. "She's almost as pretty as the Cuban beauty in my suite." 



An awkward silence followed his coarse comment. Y'know the type of silence that always follows a jackass' comment, and the kind that makes you want to shower. I forced a smile, and turned my attention to the dealer, who moved a stack of chips towards me. The snapping sound of a lighter opening announced to everyone within earshot that the fat, wealthy guy was lighting up a stogie. The smoke wouldn't bother me, and I wasn't playing against the dude, so a quiet breath washed out of me, and I focused on the game. 



Everyone has a strategy for blackjack. It's a law. Technically, counting cards is legal, but in Vegas the casinos are run as private clubs. If you're caught counting cards, they'll politely ask you to leave, and within thirty minutes, you'll be blacklisted by every other casino with an internet connection. Fortunately for me, I'm not a card counter, it takes too much concentration, and also removes the fun from the game. I stuck to the basic strategy with my own special deviations, and they'd worked pretty well over the years. 



My opening bet of five thousand dollars felt supremely awkward. I'd never considered betting that kind of money. I don't care what your tax bracket, that's a lot of money. My cigar-smoking partner felt differently. He snorted softly at my bet, and pushed at least twenty-five grand into the betting circle. 



<em>A fool and his money,</em> I reminded myself. 



The cards came out, two aces, and I immediately split them, and doubled down. My partner got a pair of threes, and cursed fluently in Spanish. It was the fast-paced Spanish I'd heard from Puerto Ricans and Cubans. Too fast for me to follow perfectly, but I could curse pretty well in Spanish, and I caught the gist. The dealer came back to me, and two kings joined the aces in front of me. The ghost of a smile played at the corners of my mouth. 



Bingo! Two Blackjacks on my first hand! 



My blackjack partner busted, and he started puffing in earnest on his cigar. I kept my face on the table in front of me, but I sensed his eyes on me several times. The expression on his face wasn't happy. Another hand. 



Two tens for me, and the dealer showing a six. My smile grew. The guy next to me busted again, and more colorful language filled the air. 



"I was winning, until you came." A short, awkward pause. "My friend." 



I shrugged. "Sorry. Luck of the cards." 



"Want to switch places?" 



"Thanks. I'm fine here." 



He muttered something very unkind in Spanish, and the dealer cocked an eyebrow at him. Nothing else was said however, and a third hand was dealt. I received a 5 of hearts, and a 6 of spades, and immediately doubled down again. When the second set of cards were dealt, I received a jack of clubs and a score of twenty-one. My partner got beat by the dealer. 



And the streak continued. 



The more I won, the more he lost, and his face grew redder with each hand. What had started as a light sheen of sweat, soon turned into rivulets of sweat crawling down his face, only to be wiped roughly away by his jacket sleeve. He finished his cigar in record time, ordered a double vodka, and lit another cigar. Normally, I'd have left, and called it a night, but that would've broken a cardinal gambling law. 



Never leave the table when you're on a streak! 



I trusted to luck, and started betting more aggressively. I didn't win every hand, that's impossible, but I won a lot more hands than I lost, and the pile of chips in front of me kept growing. At some point, I decided to stand, rather than sit, and I noticed a small crowd had wandered over. 



After another successful hand, I took a sip of my diet coke, and noticed Jason standing nearby, a careful smile expression on his face. The kind of expression that hints at trouble. I set my glass down, and followed his eyes. 



Jason wasn't looking at me. 



I guess I hadn't noticed, but my blackjack partner's expression had gone from irritated, too angry, and at some point, it had morphed into near-homicidal. His eyes seemed fixated on the pile of chips in front of me, and I noticed he had only two small stacks on the felt in front of his ample stomach. 



Shit. This isn't good. 



I pushed a small amount, maybe a thousand dollars, into the betting circle. My hand was good, it was a four of hearts, and a three of spades, with the dealer showing a five, and I was sorely tempted to double down again. Instead, I motioned for more cards, and deliberately busted. My attention had been half on my cards, and half on Jason, and I saw him motioned slightly with his head. A well-dressed man appeared, and whispered into the ear of my blackjack partner. 



He shook his head. 



More whispering, and still he shook his head. 



A bottle of champagne, held in the hands of a gorgeous waitress, appeared at the table, and Jason finally made an appearance. He stood behind the dealer, with two large, super-large, security guys behind him. 



"Congratulations." 



My assessment of him earlier was spot on. He was a guy who solved problems. He made a big deal about something involving my blackjack partner, and the crowd applauded. A small humidor, full of cigars was presented to him, and Jason personally closed him out at the table. Surrounded by people, and gifts from the hotel, the guy had no choice. He wasn't happy about his gambling coming to an end, but there wasn't squat he could do about it. 



Finally, he stood. "<em>Esta bien</em>." 



Without a side-ward glance at anyone, he shuffled off, his champagne in one hand, and his humidor in the other. A great well of pity washed through me when I thought of the poor woman who'd share his bed tonight. 



The hoopla surrounding the now-departed sweaty guy stole my momentum. When I faced the table again, I realized I'd done enough gambling. I slid several chips across the table. 



"This is for you." 



"All done, sir?" 



"Yes." 



He turned, and nodded at someone, before he faced me again. "We'll take care of your chips, and your winnings will be added to your account." 



We shook hands. "Thank you." 



The small crowd dispersed, and I walked in the direction of the craps tables. Did I mention I hate craps? Played it once, it was a disaster. Seriously, I thought the pit boss was going to throw me out of the place. I kept placing my chips in the wrong spot, moving at the wrong times, it was just ugly. And forget about the crowds, there's always people right next to you, which I hate. I have personal-space issues...it's a thing. 



When I reached the tables, I didn't see her right away. I walked a slow circle, and still didn't see her. It wasn't until I looked towards the bar, that I laid eyes on my girlfriend. The woman who'd professed her love for me. 



And her new friend. 



Jeremy. Yeah. That Jeremy. The Organization's Jeremy. 



Cassidy's eyes were dreamy, and locked onto his face. 



My smile melted from my face. Seriously, I literally felt it melt away, like ice cream on a hot Texas day. My eyes locked onto the couple for several seconds, before I shook my head, and cursed under my breath. Questions swirled around my head. 



Had I lost her? Already? 



Did she tell Jeremy where we'd be? 



What was going to happen now? 



<em>Fuck!</em> 



I spun on my heel, and walked away. Anger propelled me forward, and my hands clenched, opened, and clenched again. My heart pounded in my chest, and I swore I could almost hear it. I glanced at my watch. 



<em>Early enough for a red-eye.</em> 



Jason could help me settle our bill, and if Cassidy didn't come back to the room by the time I left, she could fucking call Jeremy. The only thing I wanted was my daughters, and my house around me. I didn't need anyone else, in fact, I never wanted another woman in my life again. 



Fuck Nicole. Fuck David. And Fuck Cassidy. 



My mind shifted into warp-speed when I entered the elevator, and I started ticking things off, like I was reading a checklist. 



"Pack. Cab. Airport. Flight. Home." 



I took a breath. 



"Home. Jasmine and April. Then Stan, definitely Stan." 



My attorney wasn't a divorce lawyer, but he'd know someone good, I knew it. The door opened, and stalked down the hallway, no longer impressed with the art on the walls or the luxury appointments. None of it mattered. I nearly broke the plastic key when I slammed it into the lock. Another deep breath. I counted to ten, and then carefully slipped the bent key into the lock. 

<hr pg="11" />Green light. I stepped into suite. 



"What the fuck?" 



<strong><u>WHAT'S A CUCKOLD AGAIN?</u></strong> 



Jason and several hotel staff members were in the living room. They looked up, and a guilty expression washed over his face. He nodded to the staff, and they filed past me without saying a word. The door closed behind me. 



"Nick." He stepped over. "This was supposed to be a surprise." 



"What? What's supposed to be a surprise?" 



"Come over here." 



I stepped into the living room, and saw a bottle of champagne chilling in a stand. A beautiful humidor sat next to the champagne. My mouth dropped open though, when I saw the last item on the table. A case, not a single bottle, but a case of the Yamazaki whiskey I'd had earlier that night. 



"Cassidy ordered the Champagne, and the humidor is from the hotel. It's a no-bullshit Daniel Marshall." He squeezed my shoulder. "Between yourself and Cassidy, you gave me more than a fair shot at your money. I hope you'll gamble with us again. I'm also comping the suite, and adding you to my list of exclusive clients. Anytime you're in Vegas, call me. You'll hurt my feelings, if you don't." 



"Uhhhh-." 



He smiled at my witty reply. "The whiskey isn't from me. It was delivered to the hotel tonight, addressed to you. There's a card attached." 



"Wow." 



"And this is where I leave. My card is inside the humidor. Let the concierge know what brand you want, and we'll fill it for you before you leave." 



"Thanks, Jason." 



"You're welcome. Enjoyed meeting you. Come back and see us, and we'll take care of you." 



"I'll do that." 



Jason started for the door, and almost got smacked in the head when it opened on him. He narrowly missed a concussion, when my girlfriend strode in to the room, a worried expression on her face. Smooth as always, Jason saw her expression, and slid past her with a smile. 



"What? Where?" Cassidy stammered. "Why?" 



My eyes passed over her shoulder, toward the door, and I waited until she turned to see where I was looking, before I decided to draw blood. "Where's Jeremy? I thought you'd be staying with him tonight." 



She spun around. "What are you-?" 



"I saw you two, staring at each other like lovesick kids, down at the bar." 



"Wait-." 



I spun on my heel, and walked towards the bedroom. "Forget it. Go party with Jeremy. I'm leaving." 



Cassidy's heels clicked against the tile as she followed me. "Wait. Nick. Just wait." 



"You don't have to stay, Cassidy. Just go." 



When my body cleared the doorway, my girlfriend body-checked me onto the bed. Seriously. She must've got a running start or something, because her shoulder slammed into my back at an angle, and the force of her momentum almost threw me onto the bed. I rolled onto my back, expecting a deadly object to be hurtling towards me, but all I saw was her finger. Pointed like a knife at my nose, and her eyes were blazing with anger. 



"Stop. Just stop." 



I opened my mouth to cut her off, but she jabbed her finger at me. Any closer, and it would take out my eye, so I closed my mouth. 



"There is nothing going on with Jeremy. Not tonight. Not tomorrow. Not ever. He delivered a package for you!" Her finger stabbed at me again. "You. You over-sensitive jerk! He was looking for you, when he found me. Apparently, Nicole tried to reach you, but you had your phone turned off, so she texted me." 



"Oh-." 



"Shut up! I'm not done." She hiked her skirt, climbed onto the bed, and straddled me. Her voice softened. "I'm not Nicole. You seem to think I'll act just like her, treat you just like she treats you, and that pisses me off." 



"I'm-." 



"It also hurts my feelings." Her eyes welled up, and she took a shaky breath. "I deserve your trust, and I deserve to be treated better. If we're going to have a future together, you can't keep comparing Nicole and I. You just can't." 



"I'm sorry." The sensation of being a shit-heel filled my body. "I saw you and Jeremy talking, and I assumed the worst. I didn't know about the whiskey, and I figured he was here for you, or that you made plans with him." 



She rolled her eyes. "I told you-." 



"I didn't say it made sense. I'm just telling you what I thought, and yes, it pissed me off, and it scared me, and I'm sorry. You do deserve better, but after tonight." I shrugged. "The whole party thing, I just thought maybe you were turning into Nicole." 



"Please. I have a much better ass." 



My eyes bulged, and I choked back a laugh, before I realized she was joking, and then I chuckled for real. Her timing was perfect, and the tension bled away. Cassidy leaned down, and rested her head on my chest. 



"You don't have to worry. I'll never betray your trust." Her eyes met mine. "I love you." 



"I love you, too. I'm sorry." I slid my fingers through her hair. "You do deserve better. Thanks for setting me straight." 



"Anytime." She sat up, and a small smile tugged at her lips. "We have whiskey and champagne in the other room. Wanna get drunk?" 



"Definitely." 



"And talk," she said. "We'll get drunk, share some brutal honesty, spill some secrets, and tomorrow we'll blame it all on the alcohol." 



"Sounds like a deal." 



We changed into more comfortable clothing, trading kisses, soft touches, and lingering glances all the while. Cassidy finished first, and slipped out to the terrace with the champagne. My thought was to save the whiskey, and not open a bottle, but on second thought, I decided that was stupid. 



Might was well open one bottle. Just one! 



I broke the seal on the whiskey, and noticed some finger food on the kitchen bar. Jason must have dropped it off, because it looked fresh, and I picked up the platter, and joined my sexy girlfriend. She had a glass with ice waiting for me, and if that wasn't proof of love, I don't what else would qualify. 



We clinked glasses. "I love you." 



I smiled. "I love you, too, but that's not exactly a secret." 



"No, but it is brutally honest." 



"True." 



"I'm not interested in joining The Organization." She took a sip. "At least not for the foreseeable future." 



"Really?" I cocked my head. "I thought maybe..." 



Her voice turned hard. "No." 



"Mind if I ask why?" 



"Several reasons. First, I only want one man in my life, and I don't ever see that changing. Two, I don't like the idea of belonging to some shadowy organization whose only reason for existing is sex. Finally, even if I were inclined to join, I'm attracted to more than just black men. I wouldn't want to limit myself, or us." 



"Then why did we go tonight?" 



"Tonight wasn't about you, baby." She sipped her champagne. "It was about me getting a better understanding of you and your desires." 



"You could've just asked." 



"Maybe, but you've always been reluctant to discuss it. This way, I found out for myself." 



"And you still want to be with me?" 



"More than ever." 



I shook my head, and sipped my whiskey. It was awesome. I sipped it again. Yep, still awesome. I just wished my love life was as easy as the amber liquid in my hand. 



"Why do you doubt me?" 



"I don't know," I admitted. "I guess I still can't believe a woman like you would fall for a guy like me. You're younger than me, runway model beautiful, and you're as intelligent as anyone I've ever met. You could have your pick of guys." 



"You're an idiot." 



"This is well-established." 



"Will you just accept the fact that you're the one I want." 



"Fine. I don't want to argue." 



"You're learning." She sat up and leaned closer. "Tell me about your cuckold fantasies." 



"Why?" 



"Duh. I want to understand." Her expression grew serious. "Be honest. Please. It's important to me." 



I sighed. "Where should I start?" 



"Chastity." She winked at me. "Start there." 



"It's the loss of control," I started. "Chastity is about giving up control to another person, in my case it was Nicole, and to a lesser extent, Collin." 



"Go on." 



"It's exciting." I swallowed a healthy amount of whiskey. "And when it's paired with other...activities, it produces an unbelievable mix of emotions." 



"I see." 



"I guess it comes down to emotions, and what people find exciting. The brain is our largest sexual organ, and cuckold's experience most of their pleasure in their brain. It's intoxicating and addictive." 



"Why didn't it work with David?" 



"Trust," I replied without a second's hesitation. "Without trust, it falls apart. It becomes cheating, or worse, just plain abusive, and that's not at all exciting." 



"You trusted Collin, then?" 



"Yes. And Cynthia." 



"A woman can cuckold another man?" She cocked her head. "Did I say that right?" 



"Close enough." I nodded, and winked at her. "The right woman can, that's for sure." 



"How about-?" 



"My turn," I interrupted. 



"Okay. Ask away." 



"Are you bi-sexual?" 



"Yes." 



"Really?" 



"One hundred percent. I prefer men, but I love women, too." She sipped her champagne. "I had a lot of fun in college, and well, my sexual tastes definitely expanded to include women." 



"Have you been with Cynthia?" 



She giggled. "Not the way I'd like." 



I cocked my head, and sipped my whiskey, while I waited for her to elaborate. 



"We've kissed." 



"And?" 



"And she's got an amazing tongue." 



"Wow. That's hot." 



"Not as hot as the three of us being together." 



I chuckled. "I don't think that'll ever happen." 



"Chicken!" She made clucking sounds. "She's open to it, if you are. I know you've been naked with her. Are you telling me you've never fucked her?" 



"Exactly right." 



She studied me for several seconds. "You were wearing a chastity thing, weren't you?" 



A deep breath blew out of my lungs. "Yes." 



"Wow. That's hot." She giggled. "I'm getting wet just thinking about it." 



"Well-." 



"Are you bi-sexual?" 



"Me?" She nodded. "No. I'm not." 



Her eyes went level. "Really?" 



"Seriously," I said. "I'm not interested in men." 



"But? I hear a but lurking there." 



"But wearing the chastity belt tends to make a cuckold submissive, and that can be misinterpreted as being bisexual. I'm comfortable being naked with other men, but that doesn't mean I lust for their junk. Know what I mean?" 



"Huh. I'm not sure I understand, but I'll take your word for it." 



"Trust me. I'm not in the closet, and I don't have male fantasies. I promise." 



Her hands rose in acceptance. "I get it. I get it." 



We sat in silence, both of us lost to our thoughts, and enjoying our beverage of choice. The sounds and sights of the Las Vegas strip were visible, but they felt far away. The dry desert air hovered between -right, and almost-too cool, so it was perfect, and the heat of the day was a distant memory. The stars showed above, but they weren't as visible as they were in Texas, and that made me miss home. The vestiges of nostalgia started growing inside me, so I took a breath, and refocused my attention. 



"So where does that leave us?" Another swallow of whiskey slid down my throat, and I started to feel fatigue creep into my body. "If you're not interested in The Organization, and you don't want to start a cuckold relationship, but you're interested in women. I'm not sure whether we're zigging or zagging here." 



She didn't reply, but a wicked smile slid over her face. The now-empty glass of champagne found its way to a small table, and she moved to my lap. She sat side-saddle, because the chair wasn't big enough for anything else, and her hair created a canopy of privacy for us. She pressed her lips against mine in a soft, sensuous kiss I never wanted to end. 



"Because." Her voice was husky. "I want our sex life to be wonderful, amazing, and mind-blowing. When our eyes meet, I want us to smile because we're remembering the private, beautiful, intimate moments together, and we're both looking forward to more. When we settle into bed each night, I want to feel the passion of two people in love, not two people indifferent to each other." 



"Wow." 



She continued as if she hadn't heard me. "And I know we can have that together." 



"Cassidy-." 



Her finger pressed against my lips. "Shhhhhh. No more talking. Take me to bed." 



It wasn't a request. 



And I didn't need to be told twice! 



<strong><u>THE TALK</u></strong> 



My eyes opened to thick blond hair strewn over my chest, and a warm body lying next to me. Our suite was cold enough that our bodies were warm, but not sticky below the Egyptian cotton sheets, and thick, fluffy comforter. Peace, happiness, contentment, they all combined and filled my body until I threatened to burst. My lips stretched across my face, almost painfully, and I knew I was smiling like an idiot. I had no business being this lucky, fortunate, whatever. I wanted nothing more than to remain right where I was...forever. 



But my body had other ideas. 



My morning wood begged for attention, but it came in a distant second to my bladder. I stifled a groan, and slid out of bed. Cassidy mumbled an objection, but she fell right back to sleep. My arms rose above my head, and my muscles tensed in an early morning stretch, and the soreness of great sex whispered in my body. After two days of whirlwind activity, and near-constant tension, I finally felt relaxed and it wasn't lost on me that my girlfriend was the reason. 



Cassidy. 



Not Nicole. 



Not my wife. 



Melancholy threatened to rear its head, but I glanced over my shoulder at my gorgeous girlfriend, and shoved it down. I was done being sad, worried, uptight, and generally pissed-off. Nicole, and to a lesser extent David, had too much influence on my emotions, and it was time that ended. A new sense of optimism grew within me, and when I strode in to the bathroom, I had a smile on my face. 



My morning wood didn't last past my visit to the bathroom, which was just as well, because my girlfriend was still sound asleep. I didn't want to bother her, and it was still too early to order any kind of breakfast, so I slipped on some clothes, grabbed the Vegas Magazine from the nightstand, and moved out to our terrace? 



<em>What's the difference between a patio and a terrace?</em> 



The answer eluded me, and I took a moment to stare down at the Vegas Strip. You wanna see weirdness on the Strip? Don't look at night. Vegas at night provides tepid, garden-variety eccentricity. No. Take a look at the Vegas strip at about five or six in the morning. That's when the weirdness really comes out. A wry smile pulled at my lips, because I saw a group of twenty-somethings staggering down the sidewalk, doing their best to find their hotel. 



<em>Ahhh, reckless youth.</em> 



I settled into a chair, propped my feet up on the table, and flipped open the magazine. I figured I'd waste a few minutes relaxing, and if Cassidy wasn't up when I was done, I'd go downstairs and find us a Starbucks. We had no plans today, and resolved to take it easy. 



Until I saw Nicole. 



In the magazine. 



Standing next to David. 



It was a professionally done picture, no question, and it was a good one. I flipped the page, and realized the magazine had written a feature article about Nicole and David. My heart started pounding, and I physically had to close the magazine for several seconds while I got myself under control. When I had my temper hovering just below homicidal, I opened the magazine again, and stared at the article's title. 



<strong>Washington D.C.'s New Power Couple</strong> 



My eyes scanned the article, almost three pages of glowing passages and assorted bullshit. I scanned it again, taking care to read a bit more. Finally, I slowed down, and read the article in earnest. It was mostly about David, and his possible nomination to Attorney General. I had to give the author credit, they could write a puff piece, and their politics clearly agreed with David's. By the time I finished reading, I swore he could walk on the surface of the Potomac, if given the chance. I snorted, and re-read it once more. I was torturing myself now, but halfway through the article, buried in between a recitation of his academic pedigree, and his professional laurels was an interesting paragraph. 



I read it. Read it again. And read it again. 



You had to read with a skeptical eye, which I doubted anyone would, but it was there. The paragraph made reference to gutter-quality rumors, youthful indiscretions, and an active social life when he was younger. They were the kind of phrases reporters used to gloss over interesting, embarrassing, and potentially news-worthy tidbits, but still say they 'covered' it when challenged. I read the paragraph again, and dots started connecting in my head. 



<ul> <li> <ul> <li> <ul> <li> Collin's comments about David's past. 



</li>



<li> The meeting in San Antonio with law enforcement. 



</li>



<li> Stan's comments about keeping my distance. 



</li>



<li> DeMarco's behavior, and subsequent arrest. 



</li>



<li> Jack. The fixer. 



</li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> </ul>



It was a long-shot, I knew it. David wouldn't even be considered, let alone publicly mentioned for Attorney General if his past hadn't been scrutinized already. He'd been vetted. On the other hand, a lot of 'vetted' politicians were publicly disgraced when the skeletons in their closet started break-dancing in front of the press. As a casual political observer, I got the sense his confirmation hearings would be...interesting. I didn't like the man, but I didn't wish him harm either. That kind of thing invites the karma bus to run your ass over. 



Besides, David wasn't my concern. I flipped the page back to the picture. My beautiful wife was standing with her arm inside David's, and her body pressed against him. It was a classy picture, but it also conveyed her sexiness. The article identified Nicole by her maiden name. I wasn't surprised, but it still irked me. The nugget that really caught my attention though was how they referred to her. 



As David's fianc?. Yep. And right there on her finger was a diamond ring I'd never seen before. It was a rock worthy of Vegas. Big, bright, gaudy, and ultimately cheap-looking. Almost like costume jewelry. Distantly, I realized I was being petty, again, but it felt good, so I went with it. It wasn't a surprise that David was wealthy, but that rock had to cost five figures, a big five figures...at least. Apparently, Nicole's new hubby was loaded. 



No date had been set for the wedding, but they were planning on a private ceremony, just friends and family. I wondered if my daughters would get an invitation. The location of the wedding, and the honeymoon were being kept secret for security reasons, but of course, he would return before his confirmation hearings to meet with Senators, and make the rounds of the DC circuit. 



I set the magazine down, stewed for several seconds, before I chucked it over the balcony. Yeah, it was childish, but like I said earlier, it felt good. I refrained from yelling, and cursing, because most folks were still sleeping, but it took some effort. It now seemed a good time to visit Starbucks. I needed to walk off my anger. My phone chimed as soon as I stepped inside. 



Nicole: Morning. I have time to talk. Can you meet me downstairs? I'm buying Starbucks. 



Me: Fine. 



Nicole: See you soon. (smiley face) 



"Fuckin' bi-." 



I was angry, yes, but I didn't want to turn into a bitter person, hating my ex-wife, because she found happiness elsewhere. I sheathed my anger, tiptoed into the closet, and changed into more appropriate clothing. I left a note for Cassidy, who was still sleeping like a rock, and carefully left our suite. Nicole and I didn't meet in the elevators, and I had a few moments to compose myself on the way down to the lobby. 



<em>Relax. Relax. Relax.</em> 



<em>You suspected this was coming.</em> 



<em>But that article is on the damn Internet. A casual search could find it, and our daughters could be reading it right-fucking-now!</em> 

<hr pg="12" /><em>Relax. Breathe. Relax.</em> 



When the elevator doors opened, I'd fought my temper to a standstill. I was calm enough to meet with my bitch-wife. Okay, maybe I hadn't gotten control of my temper, but I was still battling, and I was sure I wasn't going to create a scene. I passed a seating area on my way to Starbucks, and I saw another copy (free, of course) of the magazine. Perfect. I snatched it up, folded it and slipped it into my back pocket, and found a little spring in my step. It might be childish, but I wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to throw this in her face...figuratively. 



The green and white sign of my favorite coffee shop beckoned, and I started to look for my wife...ex-wife apparently. When I found her, I suppressed a groan. My wife was standing next to a complete stranger, smiling into a camera held by someone else. It was like she was a celebrity now or something. By the look on her face, she was loving it. After the picture, she shook hands, and thanked them. Another passerby stopped, leaned close to the camera man, and then decided to wait. I took a breath, and let a long sigh. The passerby took a picture, and she shook his hand, and he kissed her cheek. By the expression on his face, he wanted more, but surprisingly, my wife handled it well. 



It wasn't until both parties walked away, that Nicole let her eyes search the surrounding area. Our eyes met, and from where I was standing, it was obvious I'd seen her acting like a diva. Okay, that was harsh, but you get the point. Her shoulders straightened, she took a breath, and her lips moved into a calm, deliberate, but forced, smile. The smile she'd offer a former acquaintance, or someone she hoped would leave soon. 



She offered me a platonic, and awkward hug. "Nick." 



"Nikki." 



"I thought we'd get our coffee, and then take a stroll." 



"Sounds good." 



Our coffees were waiting for us, and I cocked my eyebrow at her. "I know what you like." 



"Thanks." 



We sipped our drinks, and walked through the hotel. By silent, mutual consent we stayed quiet as we walked. The desert heat had started to hint at its presence when we stepped into the light. I let Nicole take the lead, and instead of heading for the strip, she turned towards a side street. 



"It's shaded over here," she offered. 



I doubted her explanation, but we were finally going to have 'the talk' and I just wanted it over with. It wasn't that long ago that she professed her love for me, but that time seemed far away now. Part of me wanted to scream and yell, but the die had been cast, and all that would earn me is Nikki's disgust. We had kids together, and no matter what happened between us, we'd always be linked by two wonderful daughters. I didn't want our kids to think their parents hated each other. 



"Here we are." 



A large bench sat in the shade alongside the hotel. It was a relatively quiet spot, and I suspected it was used by hotel employees. We both took a seat, and I waited for my wife to say what had been painfully obvious for several days now. Seconds stretched into minutes, and Nicole seemed to searching for the right words. I thought I'd help her. I pulled the magazine out, flipped to the article, and placed it on the bench between us. 



"Nice picture." 



"That wasn't supposed to come out until this weekend." 



"Well, it's out now." I stared at her for several seconds. "Pretty ugly way to find out your marriage is over." 



She put her coffee down. "I'm sorry. I never wanted to hurt you." 



"Just sorta happened, I guess." 



"I don't know what else to say, besides I'm sorry." 



"Yeah, me too." She fell silent, and I swallowed a hot gulp of coffee. The pain helped. Now that we were finally alone, talking, I searched for my anger and frustration, but truthfully, I just felt tired, emotionally exhausted, and I sensed Nikki felt the same. 



My anger had evaporated, but I still had questions. "Tell me something." 



"Anything." 



"When did I lose you?" 



Her eyes welled up, and she turned her head away. I sensed she was fighting back tears. After several seconds, she lost her battle, stood and walked several steps away. Her shoulders shook, and I guessed she wanted to cry privately. I sipped my coffee, focused on controlling my breathing, and otherwise acted as if nothing was wrong. Except that my marriage was over, and my soon-to-be ex-wife couldn't explain when she'd decided to kick me to the curb. 



Finally, wiped her eyes, and returned to the bench. I hated to see her cry, but I resisted the urge to comfort her. That role now belonged to someone else. 



"I cheated on you." A tissue materialized from somewhere and she dabbed at her eyes. "With David." 



"I don't understand. We discussed David, we talked about it." 



"Before that," she explained, in a shaky voice. "Right after Collin and I separated, I began seeing David. If I had to pick a time, I'd say that was when I subconsciously knew I was ending our marriage. Since then, I've been struggling to hold on to both of you." 



"Before? But I thought after Collin-." 



"Cynthia?" 



"Well, yeah." 



"When I wasn't with Cynthia," she said, around a shaky breath. "I was with David. Sometimes, I'd tell Cynthia I needed to stay home to be with you." 



"And you told me you wanted to be with Cynthia." 



"And I was with David," she finished. "Yes." 



"Did Collin know?" 



She shook her head. "No. David isn't as close to Collin as he once was, and we agreed to keep it a secret." 



"Why?" I shook my head. "Why, Nikki? We had everything." 



"From the moment we met, there was a connection, and I know how that sounds. I tried to deny it. I stopped calling him, and refused to see him for a while, but I couldn't, and I found myself at his door one morning after I dropped the kids off for school. After that, I kept finding reasons to be with him, and I started to pull away from Cynthia." 



"Does she know?" 



"No. She suspects, of course, but I never told her." 



"There's the missing piece," I mused. "Finally." 



"What do you mean?" 



I shrugged. "I couldn't understand how you fell so quickly for David. Sex and submissiveness aside, it was just too quick. I knew there had to be another reason, something I'd missed." 



"Please don't hate me," she whispered. "I'm so sorry. It was wrong, and I won't ask you to forgive me, but I don't know if I could handle you hating me." 



"I don't hate you, Nikki." It was my turn to stand. I walked a few steps away, before I turned and faced her. "I'm hurt. I'm pissed. I'm...a lot of things right now, but I don't hate you. We've had too many good years together for me to hate you. I'm sad that they're over, but glad they happened, and we have two wonderful daughters to show for it." 



She stood and hugged me tightly. "I'll always cherish our time together." 



"Me too." 



Several seconds passed, before she let me go, and sat back down. I remained standing, and cocked my head at her. "We could've had this discussion in San Antonio. When did you finally decide our marriage was over?" 



"The day you arrived. When I saw you two at the pool." She dabbed at her eyes again. "I realized I'd been putting off making a decision, and seeing you and Cassidy together, how happy you are with her." 



"Nikki-." 



"Stop. Please let me finish." I nodded and motioned for her to continue. "I can't make you that happy anymore, and you deserve to be happy. I'm also in love with David, and he makes me happy. Trying to prolong our marriage would make us both miserable, and hurt David and Cassidy in the process. Once I faced that fact, my decision was obvious. It wasn't easy, you're not an easy man to leave, but it's the right decision. Painful, but right." 



I sat next to her. "I agree. We've come too far with David and Cassidy. If you hadn't ended our marriage today, I would have." 



"You love Cassidy?" 



I nodded. "Yeah. I do." 



"She's good for you," she replied. "And I like her." 



"Seriously?" 



"I'm sorry it took so long, but yes, I do like her. Jasmine and April like her, too, and they're good judges of character." 



"Speaking of our daughters? When should we tell them?" 



"As soon as I get home," she replied immediately. "That article came out early, and now I'm scared to death, they might see it." 



"We agree on that, for sure." 



"I'm serious, Nick. The magazine assured us that the article wouldn't run until this weekend." 



"I believe you," I said, and pursed my lips. 



Nikki rolled her eyes. "What? Ask your question already." 



"Sorry," I lied. "I'm trying to make all the pieces fit." 



"You're such an accountant." 



I grinned at her. "Hard man to leave, remember? Your words." 



"I'm never going to live them down, am I?" 



"Probably not." 



"Ask!" 



"You knew our marriage was ending, before the party last night." I paused. "Why invite us?" 



"I want you to be happy." She took a breath, sipped her coffee, and continued her explanation. "Cassidy wanted to understand our relationship better, and I know being a cuckold is part of who you are, and I thought The Organization would be perfect. I invited you, because I care about you. I always will, and I want you and Cassidy to be happy together." 



Seconds ticked by, while I processed her explanation. Did I believe her? Yes. Did I also believe there was more to the invitation? You betcha! Honesty comes in many different layers, and I was positive Nicole was being honest with me, but I was almost certain the invitation gave Jack, David, and The Organization a chance to check Cassidy and me out. 



Why? I don't know. 



"Thank you. I guess." 



"You're welcome." 



I started to stand. "I guess we're done." 



"Wait." She put her hand on my arm. "I have a gift for you." 



"Nikki." I drug her name out. "That's unnecessary." 



"You don't even know what it is." 



"Fine." I sat back down. "What is it?" 



"Our assets," she began. 



I felt my heart start beating heavily. <em>Oh Shit!</em> 



"I don't want anything." 



My mouth dropped open, and I stared dumbly at her for several seconds. "Ummm, what?" 



"Nothing. Nada. Zilch." She winked at me. "That's my gift to you. An easy divorce." 



"I don't understand. Nikki, I'm not looking for a fight here, but you deserve at least half." 



She shook her head. "David is wealthy enough, and he insists we start fresh. I gave him Stan's information, and he sent over paperwork this morning. You should check with Stan, and get his input, but the bottom line is I won't be asking for anything." 



"Nothing?" 



"Not a cent." 



"Nothing...at all?" 



"Well, I'd like to have some sentimental stuff, maybe some furniture, pictures, and stuff, but we can work that out." 



"Ummmm." 



Gut-check time. Should I tell her about the buy-out? It wasn't finalized yet, and I'd given my word to Collin and Cynthia. Could David still fuck it up for us? Maybe. Was it worth the risk? 



I stewed over that question for several seconds. 



Nope. It's not worth the risk. 



"Fine." I smiled at her. "Thank you, and I'll check w/ Stan." 



Her model-perfect smile appeared, and she pulled me into a hug. "Thank you." 



"No. Thank you." 



"Stop. It was important to David and I, that we end things on a positive note." 



"Consider that done." 



"Did you really think I'd be ugly about it?" 



"You? No." I paused. "David..." 



My voice trailed off, and a knowing expression slid over her face. "I understand. I'm sure it'll take a while before you and David become friends." 



I gave her a meaningful look. "If ever." 



"I hope you'll give him a second chance." 



"Nikki," I said, and took a breath. "Let's table that for another day." 



"Fine. What's next for you?" 



"Not sure," I said. "Cassidy and I may head back to San Antonio. How about you and David?" 



"David will head straight to Washington," she replied. "I'll come home first, speak to the girls, and then I'll join him." 



"Sounds good." 



I stood to leave, and she stood with me. "One more thing." 



"What's that?" 



Her arms wrapped around me, and she hugged me tightly. Her chest hitched against me, and I knew a fresh round of tears were welling up in her eyes. I hugged her back, and while it was nice, the intimacy of a couple had disappeared. We parted with sad smiles, and I walked back into the hotel. Alone. 



Nicole now felt like someone I used to know. 



<strong><u>LEAVING</u></strong> 



Cassidy heard me enter, and came running out our bedroom in her underwear, and jumped into my arms. Her legs circled my waist, while her lips peppered my face with kisses. Her lithe, firm body pressed against mine, and my brain revved up with several wicked fantasies. 



"I missed you." 



"Missed you, too." 



"Where'd you go? Where's my coffee?" 



"To talk with Nicole, and I forgot your coffee. I'm sorry." 



She released her legs, and stood in front of me. "Uh oh." 



"It's not bad." She narrowed her eyes. "I'm serious." 



"Come on," she pulled me into the bedroom. "Let's talk in here." 



We sat on the bed, and despite my assurances, I could see fear in her eyes. My girlfriend was afraid Nicole and I would stay together, and surprisingly, it was harder to tell her the truth than I anticipated. We'd discussed it, Nicole and I, but that was between us, and in my superstitious brain it still wasn't real. If I told Cassidy though, it would be real. 



I'd have to face it. I'd have to start over. 



"Nicole and I are...divorcing." 



There. I said it. I gave voice to the words cementing the end of my marriage. Saying the words out loud made them real, carved in granite, and forced me to accept them and face my future. A future without Nicole. My emotions were predictably jumbled, but out of nowhere, a tsunami of failure washed through me, and for several seconds my emotions were washed away. I couldn't feel anything beyond an ocean of numbness. Or maybe it was self-pity. Maybe my marriage had been over for a while, and I finally got around to burying it's rotted, stinking corpse. 



A deep, cleansing breath cleared my head. Another cleared my emotions. It was time to move on. I'd sift through the detritus of my life, pick up what was worth salvaging, brush away the rest, and face a life that included my beautiful daughters, and the gorgeous woman staring at me. 



<em>Things could be worse.</em> 



My girlfriends face was a shifting mix of emotions, and it would've been funny, if my life hadn't just shattered. In the end, she said nothing, and just wrapped her arms around me. We lay on the bed, and here's the embarrassing part...I cried like a baby. Ugh! That's tough to write. It's the truth though, and I won't write a lie. The emotional pain, anger, frustration, bitterness, they all flooded out of me, and my girlfriend was there to keep me from being washed away. 



Cassidy's good people. 



When I finally pulled myself together, we walked down to get breakfast. We didn't talk. We just held hands, traded smiles, and enjoyed the freedom of being a couple. A real couple. We found a quiet spot in a restaurant, and ordered breakfast. The food arrived, just as my phone rang. 



"Hey, Stan." 



"Nick. Sorry to hear about your divorce." 



"Thanks." 



"You're welcome. Now, answer a question for me." 



"Sure." 



"How the hell did you get this kind of agreement out of your wife?" 



"It was her idea." 



"No shit?" 



"No shit." 



He chuckled. "Well, our divorce guy is framing it right now. He said he's never seen anything like it before, and he told me if you don't sign it right this instant, he'll have a coronary." 



"It's that good, huh?" 



"I'm serious. Sign it." He cursed in a soft voice. "Drop what you're doing. Go to the hotel business center, and sign and fax it back to me. Then PDF the damn thing, and email it, I'd like to have a copy with a wet signature, too." 



"Stan, we're at-." 



"No. Now. Not later. Not tomorrow. Now. Get your lazy ass up, and get me a signed copy. We'll get it notarized, signature guaranteed, and I'll have the damn thing blessed by a voodoo priest." His voice lowered. "Nicole is really doing you a solid here, buddy. Don't question it. Don't fight it. This is a situation that calls for blind faith and fast feet. Now, go." 



"I'm getting up now, but you'll have to answer to Cassidy." 



"Bring her on." 



"Going." 



I terminated the call, and started to explain, but my girlfriend cut me off. "I heard part of it. Go. I'll wait here." 



"Thanks." 



"Don't mention it." 



Thirty minutes later, Stan and his firm had the documents. The business center even put it in a binder, and over-nighted it to my office. Paperwork was done. Stan emailed me with a confirmation that he'd got it, and he'd take care of everything. We made plans to finalize everything, there was a waiting period for divorces in Texas, but once that was over, I'd be a free man. 



Free man. As if divorce was a reason to celebrate freedom. I don't know, maybe for some folks it is, but not for me. Not now. Probably, not ever. Everyone's different I guess, but I considered it a sick joke. There would be no divorce-parties for me. No strippers. No party busses, and no drunken stupors. 



"How you holdin' up?" 



A half-smile tugged at my lips, and I sat down. "Fine. I'll be fine." 



"Anything I can do?" 



"Come home with me." I said it without thinking, but once the words were out of my mouth, I realized they were exactly the right ones. "I'm sick of Vegas, and I want to see my daughters." 



"Let's go." 



"Not this second," I said. "We can finish breakfast first." 



"Why? We can order room service, and eat while we pack." She stood, dropped some bills on the table, and grabbed my hand. "Let's go, honey. Vegas has nothing we need." 



Y'know what? 



She was right. 



<strong><u>HOME</u></strong> 



We packed and munched, and munched and packed, and by the time we were done packing, our food was finished. I had to give it to this hotel, they knew how to do room service. It was almost as good as food prepared in a restaurant. Jason met us at the checkout counter, confirmed everything was comp'd, and handed Cassidy an envelope. He handed it to her, because my hands were full. 



"Please come back and see us." 



"We will." 



I shifted the bags, extended my hand, and he took it. "Definitely, Jason. You've been great." 



"Thanks. You have my card, and if you stay anywhere else..." He trailed off. 



Cassidy and I finished. "You'll get your feelings hurt." 



"Exactly right. You guys got a ride to the airport?" 



"Yes." 



"Safe travels, then." 



Our limo guy was waiting, and he helped me with our luggage. We pulled into McCarran airport with plenty of time, and reversed the process until our luggage sat on the wide sidewalk. 



"Need any help getting inside?" 



"No." I shook my head. "We're fine. Thanks for all your help." 



"My pleasure." 



"You were awesome!" Cassidy handed him an envelope. "We'll call the next time we're in down." 



"Please do." 



Limo drivers see a parade of faces every week, but based on the thickness of that envelope, I suspected he'd remember us. I cocked my head at her, and she gave me a wink. 



"I had a good night at the tables last night." 



"How good?" 



"I'll show you when we get home." 



"We're still talking about money, right?" 



She rolled her eyes. "Always thinking about sex." 



"Yes." I kissed her cheek. "Because you're so gorgeous." 



"Oh, well in that case." She pinched my ass. "You're forgiven." 



I thought we'd talk on the flight back home, but each time I tried, she refused. "You need to take some time, honey. Process the changes in your life. Focus on your daughters. I'm not going anywhere, and I don't want to be a 'rebound girl'. 



"A rebound girl?" 



"Y'know, the one who's great in bed, but you just can't make a life with her." 

<hr pg="13" />"C'mon, that's not me." 



"No, it's not, but we're not in a hurry. Why rush things?" 



I saw the logic. "True." 



Since I couldn't talk about work, and I didn't want to babble like an idiot, we both focused on our tablets. Cassidy read a book, something by Jasen Flint, that had a racy cover. The female on the cover kind of reminded me of my girlfriend, but I didn't say anything. 



When I checked my email, I learned that the acquisition of our company was a done deal. I just needed to sign the paperwork, and give them my banking information. Collin and Cynthia had already signed, and they were just waiting on me. 



It felt surreal. I'd poured my life into our company, and it now belonged to someone else. The non-compete agreement basically rendered me unemployed, and I had no idea how to face that particular little detail. I also had no idea how to tell Cassidy she was unemployed, too. It would be a tough message, but I was sure she'd be fine with it. Cynthia and Collin suggested we have a party, celebrate the ending of our company, and hand out some whopper severance checks to our few employees. I planned to supplement Cassidy's severance, and all of us agreed to spoil our secretary rotten. Our business was ending, and that was bittersweet, but no one would be hurt, and that made all the difference. 



Cassidy insisted on being dropped off at her apartment. I half-heartedly objected, but she refused to discuss it. I privately agreed. The girls met me at the door, and when I explained that their mom traveled separately, I could tell by their faces...they knew. In a perfect world, Nicole and I would've talked to our daughters together, but after seeing their faces, I knew I couldn't leave them hanging. 



I gathered them into my arms, and hugged them tightly. We shared some tears, I answered their questions, and then we ordered pizza. The questions continued, and some of them were the same, but I didn't mind. Jasmine understood better than April, no surprise there, but my little one was a champ. They asked if all of us could sleep in the game room, and I agreed. We snacked on pizza, ice cream, and brownies, and we watched movies until we couldn't stay awake any longer. 



The next morning dawned, and I stared down at my daughters. 



My marriage was over. 



My company was gone. 



Where things would go from here, I had no idea. 



I still counted my blessings. 



<strong><u>IT'S OVER</u></strong> 



Exactly sixty days later, I stood before a judge. Alone. Nicole and David stood across the room, holding hands, and facing the judge. He read our divorce decree, and a confused expression slid over his face. He glanced up, his eyes met mine for several seconds, before he turned to Nicole. He dropped his eyes to the paper once more, and read it again. Seconds turned in to minutes, and he continued to study the decree. I glanced at Stan, because I didn't know the divorce guy well, and he shook his head. So I waited. 



"Ma'am." The judge's voice seemed to echo in the room. "Is this your signature?" 



"Yes." 



"And you understand what this document says?" 



"I do." 



"Your lawyer has explained it all to you?" 



David answered this time. "Yes, your honor." 



"The entire thing?" 



"Yes." 



He put the decree down, leaned back, and studied Nicole and David for several seconds. When he leaned forward, his eyes bored into David. "I'm tempted to instruct your client to take another sixty days, seek a second opinion, and then return, counselor. This document." He held it up. "Does not appear to serve her interests...at all." 



"Your honor," Nicole started. "If I may." 



"Please." 



"I know what our divorce decree says." Her voice was calm, strong, and resolute. "I know what it means. My attorney also insisted on a second opinion, and I received exactly the same advice." 



"Then you know you're relinquishing everything." 



"Yes." 



"Everything, ma'am. Aside from some personal items, you're giving everything to your ex-husband." He paused meaningfully. "It's a considerable amount." 



"I realize that, your honor." She took a breath. "The document accurately reflects my wishes." 



Silence grew in the room, and the judge read the document once more. Finally, he looked at Nicole once more, and took off his glasses. 



"I've seen everything now," he muttered. "Mind if I ask why?" 



"Because there are good men in this world." She motioned in my direction. "And he's one of them." 



"Okay." He shrugged. "You've been advised by two attorneys, and had a judge question your decision, and you're still sticking with this decree. I'll accept it." 



A few minutes later, all of us walked out of the courthouse. Nicole turned when we reached the steps, and hugged me tightly. I hugged her back, enjoying what was probably our last physical contact. When we separated, she kissed my cheek. 



"I'll keep in touch." 



"You better," I joked, and then added. "Thank you again." 



She nodded, but didn't speak, and returned to David's side. He held out his hand, and I shook it. Yeah, I was tempted to tell him to go piss up a rope, but I didn't. Whether that meant I was maturing or not, I don't know, but I didn't see him as the enemy anymore. David and I had to live with each other, if we wanted Nicole to be happy, and both of us wanted to see her happy. 



"Take care, Nick." 



"You do the same." 



They left together. I watched them leave, Nicole at his side, and realized they seemed like strangers to me now. Weird how perceptions change, I guess. My eyes didn't linger on my ex-wife, we were done, and Cassidy and I were closer than ever. No, my eyes studied David's retreating back. 



Arrogance, not confidence, emanated from him now. The news stories continued to support his nomination to Attorney General, and if anything, they'd grown more glowing. But the rumors persisted. The major networks, and print media were giving them short shrift, but as time passed, more and more media outlets were mentioning them in their coverage. Details continued to emerge, lurid and juicy, and like a growing forest fire, they survived the political machine's attempts to snuff them out. 



I wished my wife well. 



My goodwill didn't extend to David. 



<strong><u>HARVARD</u></strong> 



We gathered around the computer, April, Cassidy, and me. Jasmine sat in front of the screen, her fingers flying over the keyboard. My breath came in short, quiet pants, and my eyes stubbornly refused to blink. Tension crept into my shoulders, and my mouth opened to speak, when Cassidy squeezed my hand painfully, and shook her head. She mouthed the word 'no', and narrowed her eyes. Appropriately, and silently, admonished, I nodded and remained quiet. 



The day had arrived. 



"Almost there," she said, and glanced over her shoulder. "Jeez, will you guys give me some space." 



We moved back, but only a few inches. 



"Okay. Here we go." 



Her finger hovered over the enter key, and after several painful seconds, she pressed it. A new webpage loaded onto the screen, and my daughter squealed with undisguised glee! She clapped her hands, pushed back the chair, and jumped into the air. The rest of us barely managed to avoid getting hit by her waving arms, and my daughter threw herself into my arms. 



"I did it! I did it!" 



"Congratulations, kiddo!" I twirled her around several times, before I set her down. "I'm proud of you." 



"Can you believe it? Harvard!" She gripped my shoulders. "I got into Harvard." 



"Of course you did, honey. You worked your tail off." 



"I know, but everyone works their tail off to get into Harvard." 



She kept repeating the name. It was irritating, and endearing at the same time. 



Not to be outdone, April hugged her sister, and then proclaimed. "I'm going to Yale." 



April's announcement set all of us to laughing. It was a good moment. 



"Where is Tom going?" 



She cocked her head at me. "Ancient history, dad." 



I chuckled. "Right. You should call your mom." 



"Right." She snapped her fingers. "Good idea." 



Jasmine hugged me once more, then hugged Cassidy, and finally her Yale-bound sister. 



It was a beautiful, sweet moment, and I knew I didn't have many left before she left for college. April followed her sister upstairs, wanting to share in the excitement, and also wanting to talk to her mom. We didn't see much of Nicole anymore, she'd moved with David, and the girls missed her. 



Cassidy must've sensed the direction of my thoughts, because she slipped her hands in mine. "Penny for your thoughts?" 



I smiled. "They're not worth that much." 



"Tell me anyway." 



"I'm losing my daughter." 



"Stop. You're not losing her, she's growing up. You'll always be her dad." 



"I know, but..." 



"Quit moping, she just got into Harvard." 



"I'm not moping, I'm just sympathizing." 



"Sympathizing? With what?" 



"My bank account." 



She punched my arm lightly. "You are so bad." 



"Can I be bad tonight? 



"Yes, but I have something to tell you." 



"What?" 



She shook her head. "Not here. Not now. It's Jasmine's moment." 



"We should celebrate." 



"Definitely." 



My oldest daughter eventually emerged, still flushed with excitement, and announced that her friend also got into Harvard. She was almost bursting with excitement. 



It was cute. I was proud. And we went out to celebrate. Of course, we picked up her friend, and they spent the entire time talking about Harvard. I would've preferred a Texas school, and she'd applied to Rice University and a few others, but I knew her heart was set on a northeastern school. Ugh! 



As we were leaving, I heard a name I wasn't supposed to hear. It was whispered, but I still heard it. Jasmine's friend whispered it, and my daughter's cheeks grew pink. She shushed her friend, glanced at me, and I did my best to keep a calm expression on my face. 



The name? Collin's son! 



He'd passed on playing in the NFL, and decided on Law School. The last time we spoke, Collin mentioned he'd be starting Law school at the same time Jasmine was starting her freshman year. Coincidence? Probably not, but what could I do? Jasmine had met him a few times, and I'd sensed she liked him, but I didn't think anything of it. Now it seemed, my daughter had more than a world-class education on her mind. And she resembled her mother in all the ways a young man would appreciate. 



Did I blame her? No. 



Did I like it? 



What do you think? 



<strong><u>A NEW BEGINNING</u></strong> 



Nick sat alone at the table, staring at a bottle full of amber liquid. The night had cooled off nicely, and with a nice breeze, the mosquito's searched for fresh blood elsewhere. The bottle of rare, expensive single malt whiskey sat unopened on the table. Almost impossible to find, it was exactly the bottle he'd have one that day on the golf course with David. The day he agreed to a thirty-day open marriage, and arguably the day he willingly given up his wife to another man. He tore his eyes from the bottle, and studied the card once more. 



<em>Enjoy the Whiskey!</em> 



<em>I hope we can be friends one day.</em> 



<em>David</em> 



The bottle had arrived by special courier, and he was ready to bet dollars against donuts that Nicole had no knowledge of the gift. Under other circumstances, he'd open it and enjoy drinking a bottle of ten-thousand-dollar whiskey. Especially when someone else paid for it. Not now. Maybe not ever. Drinking the whiskey felt too much like surrender. A deep sigh left his chest, and he tucked the bottle back into the protective box. Maybe an occasion would present itself in future, but for now, he wanted it out of sight and out of mind. 



Cassidy's voice brought him out of his head. "Hey, Mister." 



"Hey back." 



She slid her arms over his shoulder, and pulled him in to a hug. "Whatcha doin' out here?" 



"Deciding what to do with this." He motioned at the box. 



"Expensive?" 



"Very." 



"Drink it." 



"Can't." 



A low groan of frustration left her lips. "Men." 



"I'll add it to my collection." A smile slid over his lips. "In the back, at the bottom." 



She chuckled. "Real mature." 



He put the box on a chair, out of sight, and smiled at his girlfriend. "What's up?" 



"Have a seat, baby." 



"Uh oh." He dropped into a seat, and she lowered herself on to his lap. "I'm in trouble, aren't I?" 



"Not at all, but I do want to talk to you about something. Two things, actually." 



"I'm all ears." 



She studied him for several seconds. "They're serious, baby." 



"Okay. I'm listening." 



"Do you love me?" 



He nodded. "Yes." 



"For ever and ever?" 



"I thought we were being serious," he said, and when she didn't respond, he nodded again. "Yes. For ever and ever." 



She took a quick breath, and pulled out a little box. "Open it." 



"I don't-." 



"Just open it." 



"Yes, ma'am." 



The box popped open, and revealed several rings. Two rings sat next to each other, clearly a set, and the diamonds held within the setting defied explanation. It would be an insult to call them beautiful. Another ring sat by itself, alone, but it resembled the other two rings enough for him to know all three rings were part of a set. 



Engagement rings? Wedding rings? He lifted his face until their eyes met, and he had his answer. 



"Will you marry me, Nick?" Her voice was soft and vulnerable. "Will you make me the happiest woman on earth, and become my husband?" 



He stared at her for a brief, but wonderful second, before he nodded. "Yes." 



Cassidy threw her arms around his neck, tightened her grip until she cut off his oxygen, and he felt her shoulders shake lightly. When she loosened her grip enough for him to drag in a ragged breath, she pressed her lips against his, and their kiss quickly grew passionate. 



"Wait," he blurted when their lips broke. "Didn't you have something else?" 



"Oh, right." She nodded, wiped her eyes, and flashed her model-perfect smile at him. "Sorry." 



After several seconds of silence, he prompted her. "Well?" 



"I'm pregnant." 



"Preg-" 



"Knocked up. Bun in the oven? In a maternal way." 



"It worked? So fast?" 



Her eyes went flat. "Apparently." 



"How? Are you sure?" 



She nodded. "Confirmed it with my doctor today." 



Unable to form a coherent sentence, he said the first words the popped into his head. 



"I love you." 



***** 



<em>Author's Note:</em> 



<em>I wrote the first chapter of The One Less Traveled series in 2012, and many of you (my readers) have been with me from the beginning. It's hard to express how much your support and feedback (good, bad and indifferent) has meant to me.</em> 



<em>Thank you.</em> 



<em>Nick and Nicole are done. They had a great run, and I enjoyed writing them. I know many readers will finish this last chapter, and feel Nicole didn't suffer enough, and the Karma bus still hasn't hit David. You're right. I'm starting a new series with Nicole as the main character, and I'll be resolving these issues in the next series.</em> 



<em>I hope you'll tag along.</em> 



<em>JC</em>

