I smiled. “Sounds good. We’re okay with not being a primary partner. We have each other twenty-four seven when Merry’s not at work.”
“We wanted it that way because we couldn’t bear the idea of our sex surrogate feeling alone and left out.”
“That’s thoughtful of you,” I said. “But truly, it’s fine for someone not to want to be a primary partner. You don’t have to feel guilty about it.”
Merry laced his arm through mine. “How will you approach sex? Do you only want us to have sex together, or are you open to one-on-one action sometimes too?”
“Just to start, only when we’re together.”
“That sounds like a plan. If there’s nothing else, why don’t we split up and talk alone for a bit?”
5
MERRY
The doorbell rang, and my heart raced. Cairo and Brandt had been at our place dozens of times since we moved here, but tonight was special. Since agreeing at the coffee shop to be their surrogate partner, we’d been out a handful of times on business, strictly within the time we’d selected for “therapy.” These times were separate from us hanging out together as friends, though it was getting increasingly difficult to differentiate the boundaries. The mix of emotional intimacy and friendship created a unique dynamic that was both exhilarating and confusing. We’d been open with our program manager that they were our neighbors, but given Cairo and Brandt’s insistence that they felt comfortable with us, we’d received the go-ahead for our sessions.
I took a deep breath and smoothed my hands down my lounge pants.
“Why do you look so nervous?” Jim asked.
I chuckled. “Is it that obvious?”
“Yup.” He wrapped his arms around my waist and slowly kissed me. “It’s Cairo and Brandt. We’ve done this several times before.”
“But they’re different, aren’t they?” I knew Jim found the couple attractive and had a wonderful friendship with Cairo. Brandt was harder to pull out of his shell, but he’d been responding to me well. Tonight would be pivotal in reaching him further.
“Yes, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. How about we enjoy the moment?”
He was right. Wasn’t that how we lived our lives? We enjoyed the simple pleasures we were afforded, and if we only had Cairo and Brandt for one night, we would make the most of it.
“I’ll get the door,” I said.
“And I’ll set up the TV.”
I swiped my sweaty hands down my pants and opened the door. A blend of their colognes, hinting at pepper and cedarwood, drifted my way. There they were: Cairo, freshly shaved and with a nice haircut, and Brandt with his icy-blue eyes that could almost pierce your soul. They were wearing light sweaters against the cool evening, their smiles wide but nervous.
“Hey, guys!” I called in a high-pitched voice. “Come on in. We’re so glad you could make it.”
“Thanks for suggesting somewhere familiar might be best for us,” Cairo said. He had an arm around Brandt’s waist. I loved how attentive and affectionate he was with his husband. While Jim and I didn’t believe in marriage, we adored their relationship.
“No problem. As long as you’re comfortable. That’s what we want, a place where you can be open.” I let out a deep breath. “I’m really glad you came… Can I kiss you?”
“Me?” they both said, then burst out laughing. I smiled. They were anxious which was understandable, given they’d told us they’d only been with each other.
“Both of you.”
Cairo glanced over my shoulder. Jim was standing a few feet away, a bottle of water in his hand. He nodded as if sensing Cairo asking for permission, even though we’d explained we were open to them kissing, touching, and fucking us. They hadn’t crossed our boundaries yet.
“Go ahead,” Jim said. “Merry’s a damn good kisser.”
Their chuckles broke the tension, and they seemed more at ease. Cairo took a step forward, placed a hand on my cheek, his thumb gently caressing, and leaned in. I closed my eyes, savoring the moment. The kiss was soft and slow, tentative yet lingering. A thrill ran through me when he slipped his hand to the small of my back. Threading my fingers through his hair, I deepened the kiss, swirling my tongue in the deep recess of his mouth. When we parted, his eyes were warmer and his breathing shallow.
“Now your turn, lovely.”
I waited for Brandt to come forward. He touched my waist, trembling against me. “It’s just me. Merry. If you don’t want to kiss yet, that’s fine. There’s no rush.”
“No, I want to.”