Author's Note: Fair warning: this is a monster chapter. I know many of you are big fans of the long-form installments, and I think it is very appropriate here. This presents something of a final test to John and his girls before their wedding. It's a bachelor/bachelorette extravaganza. The narrative in the second half is a rare shift from the usual first-person of John's point of view -- and it's necessary because he wasn't present for some of the other events. So instead I've shifted to a purely third-person perspective to let you know exactly what happens. I envision we'll finish up this book after Chapter 54.
* * *
"I've got it," Jess said, cornering me in the kitchen as I made coffee one morning, two weeks before our wedding.
"Got what?" I said, bleary as I tried to will myself to wake up before getting my daily caffeine influx.
"What our bachelor-slash-bachelorette party should be," she said.
She had a smile plastered on her face that mixed with the expression of a vixen.
"I'm betting it's really good," I said. "But weren't we just going to have the group over? Do a little swinging?"
"Yes," Jess said. "And that's still part of it."
"Okay," I said. "You've got me curious."
"Next week, we're going to release the tenth Daydream movie," Jess said. "What if we make this a Daydream party? The Daydream Fantasy packages are taking off with the agency. It's like the perfect nexus, the perfect theme."
"The perfect indulgence," I said, reading her mind.
"Exactly," Jess said. "Each of us gets our perfect fantasy."
Her hair was pulled back in a taut ponytail, and her eyes shone blue. She wore a tight white tank top without a bra, and her nipples cut through the fabric prominently. I really did believe I knew what she was thinking, so I had to say what came out of my mouth next.
"Even Tommy?" I asked.
"Yes," Jess replied simply.
"Hm," I said, shifting the weight on my feet and looking at the coffee maker as it gave a near-final gurgle to signal a fully brewed pot.
"He's been really good, really reliable," Jess said, and I noted there was no hint of defensiveness in her voice. To the contrary, her tone was one of understanding and empathy. "No shenanigans. And he's been seeing someone."
"Really?" I said, surprised.
"Ginger," Jess said, referring to the delightful redheaded Daydream starlet.
"That's ... surprising," I said. I would have been disappointed, but I was also a realist. She was a pornstar, and she wasn't my girlfriend.
"I only found out about it last week," Jess said breezily. "It's kind of an interesting dynamic, the way Ginger explained it to me. You know how Tommy has cultivated this very dominant, cocky persona in his scenes? Well, you know, and I know you don't care. That's okay. Anyway, she said Tommy is, by agreement, totally submissive to her. She dominates him. Calls all the shots."
"And that's ... interesting," I said.
"I know what you're thinking," Jess said, a little cockiness entering her voice. "But I'll let you know that all four of us discussed it."
"Discussed what?" I asked.
"Tommy," she said. "You think I want to fuck him. Or maybe Kat wants to fuck him. But we talked about this. I think it's bad for business to include everyone but him from Daydream in events, just because of the past. I get it. The past is bad. But the four of us made a deal, and you know you can trust us on this. Tommy is off-limits. No flirting. No touching. No kissing. No lines off our tits. No fucking. No nothing."
"Okay," I said. "I like that."
"I thought you might," she said.
"Do you want some coffee?" I asked.
"So you're cool with this?" she asked.
"Yeah," I said. "And I think I have an idea to make it even better."
"What's that?" she asked.
I told her, and her eyes went wide.
"That's such a good idea, baby," Jess said. "That's going to make this the most satisfying bachelorette or bachelor party anyone has ever seen."
* * *
"You really think they don't know?" Juliet asked, frowning slightly at me.
"No chance," I said.
"I thought you didn't keep secrets from them," Melanie said sarcastically.
"This doesn't count," I said with a laugh.
"I can't believe they don't know," Juliet said, now shaking her head.
"I really don't think they do," I said. "Which makes it perfect."
"Fingers crossed," Melanie said, and she pushed her body against me.
I reached behind her back and unsnapped her bra, letting it fall to the floor. Her small breasts were upturned, and the nipples made them look pointy. I bent down and sucked on them lightly as Melanie stepped out of her panties, then I straightened up and kissed her.
"You two have such a natural chemistry," Juliet observed, pulling down her romper. She was naked underneath.
"We've known each other a long time, love," Melanie said.
"I know," Juliet said. "I'm kind of jealous. I wish I had known you both this long."
"That's so sweet, baby," Melanie said and leaned over and kissed her.