I am in the kitchen assembling toppings for a nacho bar when I hear the first guest arrive. Nerves flutter in my stomach as Seth answers the door and greets his friend. I take a deep breath and finger the edge of my collar to remind myself that my only responsibility is to serve. If I put my trust in Seth, surrender my will to his, then there is nothing to fear.
Right now my orders are to stay in the kitchen until Seth calls for me. I smile wryly as I stir the refried beans on the stovetop. What would my 19-year-old self, freshly empowered by a semester of Women's Studies 101, think if she knew she'd be here 17 years later, not just barefoot but fully naked in the kitchen of the man who'd already broken her heart a dozen times? Could she have understood the freedom of submission, or the richness of the kind of love that doesn't demand exclusivity?
If we hadn't fought so hard against our desires back then, if we hadn't tried to force our feelings and needs to fit the only relationship models we knew existed, how differently might the past 18 years have gone?
Another knock, and another a few minutes later. By the time all the guests have arrived, I've arranged the nacho bar along the counter. A stack of paper plates, two large bowls of tortilla chips, ground beef sautéed with taco seasoning, refried beans, queso, guacamole, salsa, and chopped jalapenos. My stomach rumbles, but I'm too much on edge to really feel my hunger.
I can hear the men talking and laughing in the living room, easy banter between long-time friends. The four of them shared a suite in college and they've stayed in touch ever since. Poker night on the last Friday of each month is a tradition.
I hear Seth say, "She's in the kitchen." Moments later he enters the kitchen with the others at his heels. I straighten, clenching my fists at my sides to resist the urge to cover my nakedness. Seth walks over and kisses me once, softly, before turning to face his friends. He wraps an arm around me, pulling me to his side. I lean into the reassurance of his body and smile at our guests. I hope I look less awkward than I feel.
"Katie, this is Morris, Amir, and Brendan," Seth says, pointing to each of them in turn. "Guys, this is Katie. She's...my pet."
I fight back a nervous giggle in the silence that follows. Morris, tall and dark-skinned with a mop of unruly curls, slides his unabashed gaze up and down my body, thoroughly taking in the view. Amir's eyes flicker curiously between me and Seth. A flush rises and deepens in Brendan's fair, freckled cheeks as he attempts with limited success to keep his eyes trained on my face.
I feel the tension drain from my limbs. I feel my power. I am not a puzzle made up of imperfect pieces - cellulite, blemishes, flab - but rather a beautiful, cohesive whole. A pet has no shame, no self-consciousness, no need to hold back.
I broaden my smile to a grin. "Hi, guys. Ever been served nachos by a naked human pet before?"
Amir snorts with laughter and the others soon follow suit. I fix a plate for each of them, piling them with the selected toppings. Then I bend to retrieve their drinks of choice from the fridge, exaggerating the jut of my ass and the wiggle of my hips for my audience. I look into each man's eyes and smile as I hand out the drinks. Seth is last, and he quickly sets his beer next to his plate on the counter before reaching into his pocket and drawing out a folded length of black leather...a leash, I realize. I raise my eyebrows, but say nothing as I tilt my chin upward so he can fasten it to my collar.
"So what do you think, guys?" Seth asks with his eyes still fixed on me. "Mind if my kitten sits in my lap while we play? She'll behave herself. Won't you, kitten?"
"Yes, Master."
Amir asks, "Is that your plan to play dirty, Seth? Keep us all distracted with a naked girl so we can't concentrate on the game?" He pretends to think for a moment, then smirks and adds, "I'm okay with that."
"I have no objection either," Morris interjects quickly. "None whatsoever."
The others look at Brendan expectantly. Brendan gives me a long, considering look before he speaks. "She's just going to sit quietly in your lap?"
"She won't say or do anything unless I say so," Seth confirms. "Just think of her as my pet kitten."
"Is she a friendly kitten?" Brendan asks slowly. "The kind who might rub up against guests and let them pet her?"
A tremor runs through my body and Seth pulls me tighter against him. But the tremor isn't nervousness; it's arousal. Already my nipples are achingly stiff and I'm squeezing my thighs together to ease the throbbing between them.
"What do you think, kitten?" Seth asks me, stroking my hair. "Are you feeling friendly?"
I nod. "Maybe...after each hand I could sit in the winner's lap for the next one?"
A smile from Brendan, a low whistle from Amir, and a "hell yeah!" from Morris indicate their approval of this idea. Seth raises an eyebrow. "But what if I want to keep you in my lap the whole time?"
"Then you'd better play to win," I tease, nipping lightly at his ear before sauntering toward the living room.
Seth could easily pull me back by the leash if he wanted to, but he grasps the other end and follows. He has pushed the coffee table against the wall and unfolded a card table in the middle of the living room. As we settle at the table and I make myself comfortable in his lap, sitting sideways and wrapping my arms around his neck to steady myself, he whispers in my ear, "You're asking for it, kitten." I smile and rub my hip against his erection to show him I know he likes it.
Seth deals out the cards and the men place their bets in between random chit-chat, bites of nachos, and swigs of beer. I'm only casually familiar with the rules of poker, so rather than attempt to follow the action, I content myself with stroking Seth's back the way I know he likes, while he plays and feeds me the occasional nacho. By the third round of betting his plate is empty. Seth holds up his hand for me to lick thoroughly, removing every last trace of salt. I suck each finger in turn, drawing them slowly into my mouth while I gaze deeply into his eyes and watch them haze over with lust.
"Earth to Seth!" Amir says loudly. Seth blinks.
"Do you two need to get a room?" Brendan teases.
"No need, don't mind us!" says Morris, waggling his eyebrows suggestively as he pops a chip into his mouth.
Seth wins the showdown with a full house. "My kitten is good luck," he declares, capturing my mouth in a kiss while his hand slides to my ass and squeezes.
"Are you going to keep all the luck to yourself all night?" Brendan asks.
"Mind if my friends pet you for luck before the next hand, kitten?"
"Not at all."
I give Seth one more lingering kiss before dropping to the floor. Looking up at Seth from my kneeling crouch under the table, lust surges through my body. His hair mussed from my fingers, his lips swollen from my kisses, his eyelids heavy, his pupils dilated. It's all I can do in this moment not to unzip his jeans and give him the cock worshipping of his life. But now is not the time for that.
Next to him, Brendan's eyes widen as they notice the wet spot my bare pussy left on Seth's jeans. Brendan licks his lips and shifts in his chair. Beneath the table, I crawl toward Brendan until I'm directly in front of him. I place my hands on his knees and we lock gazes. He is a pale, freckled blond with intense, storm-grey eyes. I can tell he's been struggling tonight, teetering between timidity and bravado, passion and composure.
"You don't have to hold back," I whisper, sliding my fingers up his thighs. He quivers under my touch. His hands unclench from his side and frame my face, thumbs gently smoothing my hair behind my ears. His fingertips trail down my cheeks, my throat, passing over the collar. My bells tinkle and I sigh, rubbing my left cheek against his palm.