Rolling Astray

1.

You still remember the moment she first noticed him on the dance floor.

After all, how could you forget? The way she looked at him - that brief yet unmistakable flash of fire in her eyes - it was the glance that started everything.

You and Tina were already feeling floaty from the molly. The headlining DJ had just taken the stage, and the festival grounds surged with life and color. The two of you had found a solid group to dance with for the last half hour, and you briefly left to fetch a couple water bottles.

But Tina was inseparable from the dancefloor. As you were waiting in line to pay, you peeked at her through the crowd. It was fun watching your typically quiet girlfriend give herself to the music. Tina looked incredible in her neon pink bikini and sheer top. She tossed her hair back and swayed her hips to the thumping bass. You smirked when you noticed the heads she was turning. Maybe it was just the drugs kicking in, but you could swear she was vibrating with sexual energy. It was as though the motions of her body cast a spell.

And that's when he approached her. He prowled through the sea of moving bodies and zeroed in on Tina. Perhaps he was also lured by her spell. He slipped into the circle of dancers, right where you had been a moment before - that's when Tina noticed him, and when you saw the spark of desire ignite on her face. Maybe she was also under

his

spell.

Something about this interaction intrigued you enough to stop and watch for a moment. The man was attractive, and you couldn't help but feel a bit smug that he had chosen to dance with your girlfriend out of hundreds of other attractive, mostly-naked people here. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and wore a confident grin. His body moved in unison with the bass as he orbited Tina, who stole glances at him more than once. You were just about to head back over to her when he appeared to offer her some gum, which she accepted with an earnest smile.

Something inside you smoldered as you watched their brief exchange. Tina beamed up at the man. He eyed her up and down with confident satisfaction, like a wolf might admire a rabbit. She placed the stick of gum on the flat of her tongue, and you could almost feel the fireworks go off in her mind as the sharp splash of fresh mint surged through her physical being. You licked your own lips empathetically. Tina looked up at her new friend as if he were some benevolent god. The man smirked. He said something to Tina, and she laughed a little too hard. Then he pulled a Polaroid camera from his bag and motioned her over to take a selfie. You noticed his arm creep around her bare waist as they posed, and then *

flash*

. Tina hopped in place with excitement. The man's hand lingered on her hip as he shook the photo out to develop.

Somehow, watching Tina with this man excited you. You weren't sure if he was even flirting with her, but still the possibility stirred in your mind. You paid for two bottles of water and made your way back to Tina. She was playfully trying to snatch the photo from her new friend when you rolled up to greet her.

"Oh

HEY

Daniel!" Tina's body hummed with warmth as she fluttered over to you. You handed her one of the water bottles, and watched her rapturously drink. You take a sip too, and realized you were somehow able to feel the water spilling through your body after drinking.

Tina sighed with contentment, her face glowing. "I really needed that. Thanks love." The two of you begin to fall into a warm and all-encompassing embrace when Tina suddenly gasped.

"Oh yeah!" She said, "Abe took a picture of me! Do you want to see?"

You did want to see it. For some reason, you

really

wanted to see it.

"Sure," you say.

"Hey man," he said, "I'm Abe." You catch Tina grinning at him as he shakes your hand. "You want a pic of the two of you too?"

"YES!" Tina shouted. "How about all three of us?"

Why not

,

you think.

Abe's smile somehow seems equally devilish and debonair. "Let's get in close."

The three of you huddle together with Tina in the middle. As you all pose for the camera, you swear you feel Abe's arm sneak around Tina's waist again - and again the embers rise inside you. Why did this turn you on?

*

Flash*

The camera spit out the undeveloped image.

"Oh yeah," Abe said, "Here's the one from a second ago." He showed the first picture he'd taken of just himself and Tina. You noticed how her face glowed as she gazed at the camera. And she looked so tiny next to him. You couldn't help but think how good they looked together. Was that a weird thought?

"I love it!" Tina cried. "Can we see the other one yet?" She tried (and failed) to hop over Abe's shoulder to sneak a peek as he shook out the photo with one hand. Abe chuckled at her attempt, but he showed her the photo nonetheless.

"Aw, we're cute. Look Daniel!" She tilted the photo so you could see. Abe towered over both of you, dominating the frame. As you suspected, he

did

have his arm around Tina, and you noticed his hand resting on the side of her hip, thumb slipped beneath her slim bikini strap.

"Wait," you said. The crashing music drowned the word for everyone but Tina. "Did he put his hand

in

your bikini bottom?"

"Oh no!" Tina said, giggling, "He was just being cute I think."

Her words stoked the fire within you. You were surprised she was being so receptive to such an obvious advance. Or maybe she was naïve to the moves Abe was putting on her? After all, the MDMA made everything feel warm and welcome, especially physical touch. Tina may not have thought anything of Abe's hand on her hip. Still, you quietly hoped she would elaborate on what exactly she meant.

"Are you guys here with anyone else?" Abe shouted over the roar of the stage. "Do you want to come see my favorite artist on the 'Lovebloom' stage?"

Tina looked to you. You shrugged back at her as if to say "Sure, why not." Though inside, the heat rose within you. For some reason, you really wanted to watch Tina interact more with this sexy guy who was into to her. What could be the harm in just hanging out with him?

"That sounds fun Abe!" Tina said. "Lead the way!"

Abe took Tina's hand, and Tina took yours. He led the three of you through the crowds and around the festival grounds, to another stage that was bathed in a powerful, deep violet light. The neon words "LOVEBLOOM" blurred in your vision like runny yolk. You clutched Tina's hand as the three of you snaked through the crowds to get closer to the stage. You watched, hypnotized, by the way Tina's body moved as you lagged behind her and Abe. You gawked at her beautiful and complex stride, admiring her smooth calves and sensual hips. You wondered if Abe noticed, too.

Bathed in deep violet light, the three of you danced together at Lovebloom. The music throbbed here - it was dirty, gritty, sexual. You watched, intoxicated as Tina lost herself to the beat - her physical form seemed to weave into and thump along with the ambient bass. She spun around with a wild and gleeful freedom; if she weren't peaking, it would have been hard to believe this is really your quiet girlfriend.

Abe was unsurprisingly quite skilled at moving his body. He danced with some sort of commanding presence that felt oddly safe and reassuring—even to you. Maybe it was just the drugs, but you felt you had a window into Abe's true nature by watching the way he bumped with intent to the ferocious bass. You sensed he was decisive, but also measured; a warrior, but also a provider.

Tina seemed similarly captivated by Abe's graceful strength. The two orbited each other on the dance floor, as if sizing each other up. You could feel the tension between them quickly building to a bursting point - you caught yourself biting your lower lip as you soaked it all in.

Tina taunted Abe with a smirk and a playful wiggle of her ass. Abe's eyes narrowed as if to accept Tina's challenge. He stared her down and shifted toward her, his body moved with fluidity to the thumping synth. Then they danced each other down. Abe's impressive form towered over Tina, but Tina danced back at him with twice as much energy (and attitude) to compensate. You caught yourself looking on in awe as you saw the force of her personality heightened by the drugs and pheromones. How thrilling to see Tina so alive and flirtatious!

You still weren't quite sure what you wanted from this situation, but watching it unfold was keeping you hot. Somehow, Abe was endearing himself to you, too. He was kind of a bro, maybe, but he seemed compassionate and self-aware under his stoic exterior. And he was a damn charismatic dancer. Who couldn't like that? If Abe

was

flirting with Tina, maybe he deserved the chance to win her over? And why shouldn't Tina get to have some innocent fun out of all this? It's not like you were afraid of losing your girlfriend of 10+ years over a silly molly crush at a festival. Besides... you've always wanted to see her get fucked.

"Is everything okay?" As if on cue, Tina swung out of Abe's orbit to address you. "You looked kind of lost in thought. I don't want you to feel excluded or anything."

"No, it's fine," you told her. "I'm... feeling really good vibes from the two of you, actually."

Tina's naïve smile warmed your heart. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"I don't know," you said. "You two just seem to have a connection." Your eyes flickered to Abe to ensure he can't hear you shouting into Tina's ear.

"I'm just happy I get to dance!" Tina said. "And Abe seems fun and safe."

"Well maybe it's just the molly," you began. "But it's actually kind of fun, watching you flirt with him."

Tina flashed an incredulous smile. "What are you talking about? I'm so not flirting!"

Of course. She didn't even realize she was attracted to him. But you knew her too well; it was written all over her body.

"You so are flirting," you tell her, your voice free of judgment. "It's fine though, he's hot. I get it."

Tina studied your face for a moment, trying to figure out whether or not you were kidding. Then her smile swelled until she couldn't contain it. "He is really hot, isn't he?" she said, her words bursting forth all at once. "And the gum he gave me was

really

good." Her full-moon eyes reflected countless shards of sharp violet.

"I actually saw him pick you out of the crowd at the last stage," you told her. "It's funny. He

chose

you."

Tina's face twisted into a greedy smile as she considered this. "So it's okay with you if I dance with him?"

"Yeah," you tell her. "Have some fun."

Tina bites her bottom lip and looks over her shoulder at Abe, who had briefly entangled himself with another group of dancers. Tina glanced back at you, then slid through the crowd to make her way back to Abe. You saw him smirk again when he saw her, and again they locked eyes and began to move in unison.

Tina and Abe embraced. The sweat on their skin seared violet in the stage's glow. Tina wore a blissful smile; Abe's eyes growled with hunger. You dance in orbit around them. You saw Abe's hands slide from Tina's waist to her hips. You watched him guide the serene and joyful motions of her body. Her arms flung loosely upward as Abe's hands explored her up and down, exhilarating Tina with the magical tingle of his touch. Her form and his moved together, as if driven by the same consciousness.

You couldn't look away. Tina's and Abe's essences hummed harmoniously. The electricity between them was powerfully obvious, even to those dancing around you. When they finally spun down; when the rest of the world began to return to them - that's when you noticed. Tina's body language now spoke with a fresh accent. She held Abe's sturdy arm, fluttering blissfully at his heel. She watched his face with dreamy eyes and a serene smile. Abe had stolen her heart with dance, there was no doubt. The spell had been cast, and the ritual was complete.

Yet somehow, you still felt at peace. You burned with fondness for both of them, and felt a strange eagerness to see them explore this new and fun connection together. Everything was okay. And when Abe leaned down and firmly kissed Tina for the first time, and when you watched the way her bikini-clad body melted into his steadfast embrace; how her fingers dug into his strong back... the wildfire within you consumed another thicket of your inhibitions. This wasn't just suggestive dancing anymore. It was real now. It was happening.

Abe grasped at Tina's thick ass, savoring the weight of her bare flesh in his palm. He ate her throat with a tender ferocity as she entwined herself around his body. His fingers traced up her spine and to her neck, from where he caressed her face as their lips finally parted. Tina remained entranced by the power of that moment for a while longer before remembering where she was. She laughed (maybe even at herself), and looked at you. Abe held her by the waist and admired her up and down before remembering.

"Oh yeah, my camera." You just barely heard Abe say over the music. You could see the fireworks in Tina's eyes when he retrieved the device from his bag. She sidled up to him, clung to his body as he lined up the angle, and made a silly face as the camera flashed. It didn't feel odd that they didn't invite you this time - after all, why would they? The moment was theirs to enjoy.

2.

The three of you floated around the festival a while longer, but it didn't matter - after the kiss, you all already knew how the night was going to end. Tina followed Abe as if led by a leash. She lost herself in fits of laughter whenever he spoke, and she leaned on his body whenever the three of you stopped to rest. Tina might not have even realized it herself, but she

liked

Abe. And Abe too, for all his calm and charming demeanor, seemed utterly intoxicated by Tina's body. As you trailed along with the two of them, it was almost as though Tina was

Abe's

girlfriend, not yours. Her focus had (perhaps unconsciously) shifted entirely to him. But still you felt a sense of cosmic peace with this shift in power. Everyone was in their place now. And it warmed your heart to see Tina's girlish crush develop in real time.

It was after midnight. The three of you had retreated to a table in a less-traveled area of the festival grounds. Out here, the muted echoes of multiple stage areas created a warbling white noise. You almost collapsed at the table. Your ears were ringing and your body sluggish after hours of dancing and sightseeing. The MDMA seemed to be wearing off. Tina groaned as she sat herself across from you. She yawned and stretched her arms and legs luxuriously.

"You guys want some water?" Abe asked as he sat himself next to Tina. You noticed his hand grasp her thigh, and her lip curl upward. He laid out some paper cups, produced reservoir of water from his backpack, and poured a drink for each of you.

"You're so prepared, Abe." Tina said. Her admiring gaze made your heart swell.

The three of you clinked your paper cups together and drank. Tina sighed with relief, and leaned her head against Abe's shoulder. He chuckled, and put his arm around her waist.

"I always come to these things to make everyone's experience better." He said, perhaps a little smugly. "But this is turning out to be more fun than usual."

Tina chuckled to herself. "Tonight's a great night. I need to keep you around, Abe."

"Mmm, I'd like that." Abe said. Tina shuddered from the honey in his voice. For the first time all night, there was a quiet moment. Tina snuggled against Abe, who looked distantly into the night sky. The chilly air felt nice on your face as you took it all in. What a whirlwind the night had been. But what would happen next? How far would Tina's new affair go? It could easily end right here, in this dark and distant cluster of tables.

Or...

"Man I could go for a smoke." Abe said. His mumbling snapped you back from your daydream.

"Oh yeah," Tina said, also perking up. "Daniel, isn't there a hookah back at our B&B?"

Come to think of is, you do remember seeing one of those nice brass hookahs in the kitchen when you checked in. The owner left a note allowing use of it to renters and everything. Weird, but undeniably convenient. You decide to tell the others.

"Hookah sounds really nice, actually." Abe said, making Tina's devilish smile swell. "Maybe a nightcap with our smoke session?"

"That sounds fun!" Tina said, turning to you excitedly as she clutched Abe's bicep.

"Great," Abe said, packing away his cups and water sack. "I'll be right back. You guys want to call a car?"

"Sure," you told him. "No rush." You had a lot to discuss with with Tina in the few minutes he would be away. Abe donned his pack and scouted around the corner for a restroom. For a moment, you and Tina were quiet.

"So we're both good with this happening, yeah?" You asked her. She seemed to shake herself out of a daydream.

"Yeah," she said. "A smoke and a drink sound kind of relaxing after today, don't they?"

"I mean with Abe." You said. "He's coming home with us. Are we going to... hook up with him?"

Tina's naïve smile sharpened into a mischievous smirk. "Um..." She considered her words. "Do you

want

anything to happen?"

"Yeah." You say immediately. "I mean, I'm okay with something happening, yeah."

"Was... it weird when he kissed me earlier? It just sort of

happened

—"

"It was... really hot, actually." You admit.

Tina's eyes flickered with life. "Yeah? What else?"

You explained to her your stream of consciousness over the last few hours. How hot it was that Abe approached her over everyone else in the crowd. How watching her dance closely with him lit a fire inside you. How you want her to have fun and explore all this with you. Plus, that

look

she had given him... the one that started it all. You had to see it through.

Tina took a deep breath. "Okay," she said. "So it's okay if Abe comes home with us?"

"It's okay." You said.

"Daniel..." she says, suddenly looking nervous. "I'm worried I'm going to fuck him."

Oof. Actually hearing her say it made you shiver. You must have made a face, because she quickly continued:

"I don't think I'll be able to stop myself if he initiates something." She said. "Are you sure that's okay?"

"Yes," you said. "I... would really like to see that happen."

Tina took another breath. She let it out slowly. "He's really sexy," she said, her smile faintly returning to life. "Is it weird for you if I gush a little?"

You laughed. At this point, you're no longer sure what constitutes "weird." You let Tina indulge in telling blissful stories about dancing until Abe returned from the restrooms. Tina seized his arm with pride as you called a ride back to your place. You were glad you got to level with her before this all went down, but you still had no idea what to expect once you got home. Your nerves felt fried, either from the drugs or the natural anxiety that comes with treading such new emotional ground. Everything

was

happening very quickly, and though you had been checking in with yourself frequently, you still couldn't be sure how you would feel actually

watching

it happen.

But you knew that you needed to find out.

3.

"Are you guys from here? Staying in town?" Abe asked as the three of you climbed the dim stairwell to the 6

th

floor.

"We came for the festival," Tina said. "We're just renting this place for the weekend." She fidgeted with the keys in the dark hallway until the lock rolled. The three of you burst inside. The living room had just enough space for all of you, but boasted a nice, modern décor and a beautiful little kitchen attached. The view of the city from the balcony was a great bonus.