Sophie knew she was going to struggle to avoid watching the camera whenever she could. She discovered that there was a record function, and she felt sick with regret that she hadn't known about it in time to capture the events of the other night, as she would desperately love to see them again.
She had kept quiet about it among her friends, even when Big Max came up in conversation, and Ellie was asking if she ever saw him in the shower. If only she knew, thought Sophie.
It was a Wednesday later that week, which meant that her friend Clara from gymnastics would be staying with her. Clara lived much further away, and had been going to gymnastics less and less because of the pressures of getting back so late, so the girls had hatched the idea that she would stay over with Sophie (who lived much closer) on Wednesdays and see if that helped. They were still only a few weeks into the experiment.
Sophie enjoyed Clara's company - she was slightly separate from the rest of her social circle and it made out easier somehow to talk openly with her. They shared a sense of humour, and Sophie looked forward to Wednesdays. Plus, they tended to get noticed by men when they were together. Clara had a shock of wavy red hair and freckles, and an incredible round arse that Sophie was quite jealous of.
The new routine had become that they would have pizza with Max and Louise. Everyone regarded the extra guest as a good excuse for a mid week takeaway.
It put everyone in high spirits as the four of them sat around the table and chatted about this and that. Increasingly, the dynamic had become that the Louise and the girls would gang up and tease Max. Today, it was his misspent youth they were pressing him on.
"Mum says Max used to be a stripper," Sophie explained to Clara, laughing. Louise half spluttered into her drink. Clara was grinning and making no attempt to hide the appraising look she was giving Max's muscled body.
"Can we have a demo? Or are you a bit rusty"
Max was smiling, slightly bashfully.
"No more pizza for you! I was a dancer for a short time. I did some bar work in a club and it led to them asking me to dance."
"Shirtless. He always forgets to mention that detail," interjected Louise, laughing but looking fondly at Max.
Sophie was enjoying needling Max too, and chimed in.
"Was there oil? Did you get bank notes in your pants? How good is your lap dancing?"
"You're not too old to put you over my knee young lady."
A look crossed Max's face as though he worried he'd crossed a line immediately after saying it. Sophie saw it and was thrilled at his reference to spanking her. Her mum was laughing though.
"Hey, get in line," she aimed at Sophie.
"Besides, I should be dishing out the spankings, thank you."
"Fine by me! If I can watch," Max chuckled.
Clearly Max had given in to the part of him that liked to flirt with pretty girls, and the part that worried about whether it was appropriate to joke about watching his step-daughter get spanked by her mum was now watching from the sidelines.
Clara piped up,
"Hey, don't forget me. I've been bad."
"Clara Robinson, you shock me!"
Louise was keen to tease Sophie's pretty friend. "I didn't take you for a whips and chains type of girl"
"It's always the quiet ones," Clara quipped back.
"Didn't have you down as one of those either."
"Mum's calling you a screamer," Sophie joined in.
"Now now, ladies." Max grinned at their banter. "We don't need to know if Clara screams or not."
Clara was blushing hard, and Sophie was jealous that Max was directing his flirting towards her but also increasingly horny.
She chimed in with, "Alright Sir Gallahad, put your sword away."
"A minute ago you were all intent on seeing it."
"Ok, down boy." Sophie saw that her mum had put her hand on his leg, and knew it would have the opposite effect.
Later, back in Sophie's bedroom, Clara said, "I think the three of us got under Max's skin tonight," She added with a giggle, "I think your mum's going to get it."
"Clara!" Sophie pretended to be shocked.
"I bet you're right - should we find out?"
Sophie's heart pounded as she decided whether or not to share the secret of the camera with her friend. She'd said it now, and would need to explain what she meant. She also knew that they really had got Max fired up and was desperate to see a re-enactment of the other night. She trusted Clara to keep her secret.
Clara was still looking puzzled as Sophie opened her laptop and brought up the camera feed (remembering this time to click record) at the same time plugging in the headphones and offering one to Clara, along with half of the chair. This meant the girls were pressed thigh to thigh - since it was a warm night both wore shorts. Clara wore loose cotton ones and Sophie her usual tight yoga ones.
They both saw Max and Louise kissing in the other room, and Clara was startled to realise her friend's set up.
"What the actual fuck Soph?! You've a camera in there?"
Louise by now had her top off and her tits out on the screen in front of them, and Max had them in his hands.
"This is so bad..." Sophie could see her friend's eyes were glued to the action unfolding in front of them though, and her protests were subsiding.
