Penny Gabrieli, the exec manager at Rooftop Resort, has joined the traveling foursome of Steve and Cyan Albertson, and Jackson and Emily Foster, for dinner, taking time off from her duties running the somewhat famous swinger hotel. Steve, Cyan, Jackson, and Emily have been guests at Penny's lodgings since Tuesday evening, and are anticipating a third night of wanton debauchery playing with each other as well as new friends picked-up along the way.
However, this evening the tenor is a little more serious as it is becoming all too apparent that Penny and her roommate Alyssa Percell have taken a special liking to the 'fourple' and their different take on loving sex. Tonight's meal is again at Nick's, a beach-themed bar and restaurant just a few steps away from Rooftop. Alyssa happens to be assistant manager there, and is their host for dinner hours. It is a Thursday evening and the restaurant isn't especially busy, but Lyss made sure to seat this particular party of five in a quiet corner so they could chat in relative peace.
Penny let "the L-word" slip to Steve when they returned from the day's outing, so there is much to talk about. Nonetheless, the conversation over the drinks Carter just brought is going to start on the light side. The deep stuff will come soon enough.
Pen asks, "What'd you guys think about Haulover? Have fun?"
Emily smirks, "How could so many people be so naked in one place and be put under some sort of thumb to
not even be allowed to think about sex?
It's not natural!"
"Whoa!" Pen laughs. "
Where'd
that come from?"
Steve chuckles, "She obviously met some guys on the beach -- girls, maybe -- she wanted to play with. I had to lay down the law that it wasn't the place, that there were eyes everywhere."
Cyan snickers, "Yeah. She kept calling Steve 'a stick-in-the-mud'."
"Em?" Penny leans into Emily, "He's right. They bust folks all the time for doin' it in public. It's a
nudist
beach, not a swinger hangout."
"Still seems wrong," Em pouts.
Sitting to the other side of Em, Steve leans in, "Thank you for listening to me, sweetheart."
"I do trust your judgment, lover. And your experience. Kiss, please?"
Jax, Cy, and Pen appreciatively smile at them.
"Aside from
that
," Pen softly chuckles, "how'd you guys do? I suspect you and Cy were absolutely merciless in teasing the men."
Cyan and Emily exchange a quick glance; their evil grins breaking into full-out laughter.
"Thought so!" Pen reacts.
"Seventeen," Cy giggles.
"Seventeen
what
, Cy? Guys?"
"Sort of. We only counted the ones we gave hard-ons to."
Penny rolls her eyes at her, "Okay?"
Jackson jumps in, "Oh, they were playing this little game cruising the beach."
"How do
you
know? You guys didn't leave our spot!" Em protests.
"Easy to tell what you two were up to, even from a distance."
"Okay, smart boy. What
were
we doing?"
"You'd steer towards two or three guys
also
cruising, and chat 'em up for, I dunno, barely five minutes if that. Then you'd move on. We couldn't see expressions, but their body language had 'frustrated' written all over it when you two walked off. You promised them fucks, didn't you? Just enough to give 'em boners. But then you would tell 'em you were out of reach. Geographically undesirable. Gawd, Em, I
know
you guys!"
Em and Cy look at each other and giggle. Penny has a disapproving smirk.
"You think any of 'em are going to show up here tonight?" Steve asks.
Cy answers, "Two guys might. They seemed interested, acknowledged the cost of an evening pass, and as we left 'em it appeared they were trying to determine whether we were worth it."
"Okay. Next question.
If
they do, are you going to make good on it?"
"Uh huh."
Em jumps in, "Yep. They both had what she likes."
Jackson rolls his eyes, "Of course. Tight bods, and big and uncircumcised. Gotcha. What about
you?
"
"I wouldn't turn 'em down. Maybe do one or both by the pool playing tag team with Cy. After? Tonight's about Steve and me with Pen, and you and Cy with Lyss."
Pen leans into Emily again.
Carter has just returned with their dinners, setting the service tray on a folding stand next to their table.
"You guys seem subdued tonight. Everything okay?"
"Oh, we're fine," Steve answers their new friend. "Some invisible lines were crossed and we're needing to sort things out."
"Oh. I get it. Pen and Lyss fell in love with you guys."
All five are aghast, staring at Carter with open mouths.
"
How
could you know that?" Em protests.
"Well, for one, yesterday was no accident. I've known both of 'em for... how long?"
"Five or six years, Cart," Penny moans in the confirmation.
"I could tell something was brewing with both of 'em even though Pen wasn't here. She doesn't pull that prank on just anybody. Y'all triggered something. They aren't roommates for 'nuthin. Let me get your plates on the table for you. I'll try not to be a fly on the wall while you guys hash things out."
Penny looks up, appreciative of his kindness and friendship, "Thank you, Carter."
"In fact, I think I'll relieve Lyss up front so she can be in on this conversation."
"Penny?" Steve poses, "Your greeting earlier was pretty revealing. You tipped your hand, even though you tried to catch yourself. How can that be? Are we
that
unusual to you?"
"Gawdfuckingdammit, Steven,
yes you are!
I see the raunchy shit day in and day out. Sure, there are the couples who come to my place to spice up their romance and all that, and I appreciate what they're doing, but what's in it for
me?
Like I told you at the start, I get hit on
constantly
, but I sure don't feel
it
. At least not from most of 'em."
"Why didn't you refuse
me
? You didn't know us from Adam."
"I could see the depth in your eyes. You saw me as a person, not an object. Then there was the obvious joy, the sense of play. Gawd. Your silly humor. And the love. All you guys. And despite playing with the other guests, you brought
me
into your special intimate circle. There was no fuckin' way I was going to turn that down."
"But we live a thousand miles away!"
"Better yet. At least for the time being."
"How's that?"
"The mystery angle. I get to truthfully say 'Thank you, but I have lovers,' and let 'em wonder."
"But that's going to get old real quick!"
"I've made it this long since my last boyfriend, Steven, so what's another... few months? A year? I dunno. You guys figure anything out this morning?"
Cy breaks in, "We'd have to fly. Steve
hates
flying. And that wouldn't be until Em and Jax earn some vacation time."
