Tessa had never been to a key party before--where men tossed their keys into a bowl, women picked out a set, and then everyone spent the night with a stranger.
It had sounded thrilling. Maybe even something she'd fantasized about.
But now that she was actually here, clutching a glass of cheap Pinot and wearing a dress that was too tight in all the wrong places, she felt like she might throw up.
It had been her best friend Sara's idea. "You're stuck," she had said. "You date guys who treat you like a side quest. It's time to shake things up."
And now, here she was, standing at the key bowl while the rest of the party had already paired off and disappeared into dark corners throughout the house.
Tessa took a deep breath and reached in, surprised to find two sets of keys sitting at the bottom.
She turned and discovered two men looking as awkward as she felt.
One wore a name tag that read Elliot--tall, bookish, and handsome in an unassuming way.
The other's read Mark--shorter, bearded, and wearing a Star Wars t-shirt stretched tightly across his chest.
"Well," said Tessa, "this is awkward."
Mark scratched the back of his neck. "You two go ahead, and I can just..." He gestured vaguely toward the door.
Elliot shook his head. "No, no, you two should--"
A naughty idea took root in Tessa's mind. "You both seem very nice," she began, letting the words hang in the air. "And this isn't anyone's fault," she added, "but perhaps we can make this work for everyone?"
Mark opened his mouth. Closed it. Opened it again. "You mean... both of us?"
Elliot adjusted his glasses. "Statistically, that's a very common male fantasy."
God, where have these two nerds been hiding, they were adorable, she thought. Tessa took each by the hand and led them down the hallway. "Less talk," she said, dragging them into an empty bedroom. "More action."
Inside, she stepped to the center of the room and let the nervous, electric energy radiate between them. Her pulse pounding with a mix of fear and audacity.
Elliot shifted awkwardly. "Just to be clear, we're really doing this?"
Mark let out a short, breathless laugh. "I think we're really doing this."
Tessa grinned. "We're not doing anything until somebody comes over and starts touching me."
Mark moved first, hands settling on her hips, pulling her against him.
Elliot stepped behind her, fingers trailing lightly down her spine.
Tessa kissed Mark, his beard scraping deliciously against her skin.
Behind her, Elliot's lips brushed the curve of her neck. She arched back, encouraging him on.
Mark dropped to his knees and lifted the hem of her dress, revealing the lacy thong she'd almost chickened out of wearing. The look on Mark's face told her she'd made the right decision. His fingers skimmed the waistband before peeling them down in one slow, torturous motion.