“Yes, I’m very ready.” Emma arched her brow. “But how are you so sure I won’t like what I find?”

Piper rested her elbows on the table. “It’s not so much that you won’t like it, but you might have to go outside what’s normal and comfortable for you to fix it, which can be scary. I know that firsthand. You gave me great insight not too long ago. You saw Michael and me from an outside perspective, and because of that, you were able to break things down, including the shocker that my husband wasn’t really into our previous swap gatherings. Well, I can do the same for you now. It’s much easier to analyze someone else rather than take a good look at yourself, don’t you think?”

Emma nodded. “I totally agree. So what do you see?” Emma was eager to hear.

“Before I start, I have to tell you that I believe you’re totally Pete’s person, too. So don’t be worried about that. Every time we’ve ever been with you guys, the way he looks at you, and brings up your dancing, and touches you, and everything else—I can clearly see he’s totally in love with you. Let’s get that out of the way first.”

“It’s good to know that our love is apparent.” Emma smiled. She already knew Pete loved her.

“The interesting thing about you has always been your willingness to please him and everyone else around you. You go out of your way to make sure everyone is comfortable and fully satisfied when they leave.” Piper winked. “I don’t have to go into detail about how you do that, because you already know, but you’re extremely talented at giving and making sure everyone is always happy.”

Emma blushed as the waitress came up to the table. “Can I get you anything? It’s last call for happy hour.”

“Whatever light beer you have on tap is fine,” Emma told her.

“Got it,” the waitress said. “Do you guys want to order any more food before the happy-hour menu ends?”

“No, we’re good,” Piper answered. The waitress left, and Piper picked up where she left off. “What you have is a natural gift for people pleasing, and that’s likely utterly gorgeous.”

“Oh, please,” Emma said, swishing her hand. “You guys are the beautiful ones. Well, Pete is gorgeous, at least to me, with his blue eyes and dimpled smile. But I’m average.”

“Dude, have you looked in the mirror lately?” Piper gasped. “You can’t seriously think you’re average. That creamy, perfect skin coupled with that hair? You’re a fine-looking woman. But, honestly”—her voice dropped as the waitress passed by—“I’ve never seen you use what you’ve got. Not in all the times we’ve been with you.”

“What do you mean?” Emma said.

“I mean you don’t strut,” Piper said, her voice firm.

“Strut?”

“Yes. Strut. Like, show off, wiggle your ass, flaunt what you’ve got. You’re always very demure and put together. You’re never cocky. You never put on the ‘I know you want to fuck me’ airs. Why is that? You’re totally beautiful. You could if you wanted to.”

Emma was genuinely puzzled. “Um, I have no idea? I guess it’s just not my personality.” She gave a noncommittal shrug.

“It’s not you, or not Pete?” Piper cocked her head.

Emma thought about it as the waitress set down her two beers. She picked one up and took a long swallow, going over it in her mind.

Piper scooted her chair closer, the legs scraping the floor, her face animated. “Tell me this. How old were you when you met Pete?”

“Twenty-one.”

“Was he your first love?”

“Oh, yes,” Emma answered readily. “I’d had other relationships before him, but when I met Pete it was like worlds collided and I saw stars. It was love at first sight for me. I know how corny that sounds, but that’s how I felt.”

Piper nodded. “That makes so much sense. And you were so young. How old are you now, twenty-six?”

“Just turned twenty-seven.”

“Before Pete, did you ever strut?”

Emma thought back on it. “Yes, I guess I did. I definitely strutted to try to catch Pete’s eye. I totally remember that!” She giggled. “I must’ve walked by him a million times tossing my hair and wiggling my ass. The very first time I saw him was in a bar, and there were girls all over him. I had to work hard to get him to notice me.”

“And how else did you get his attention, besides tossing your hair and wiggling your ass?”

“Honestly, I did everything I could think of,” Emma replied. “I had no shame. I basically clawed my way through the other girls to stand next to him. I bought him drinks. I wore the skimpiest clothes I could find. I wasn’t above trying anything.”

“See?” Piper said excitedly. “Now we’re getting somewhere. Why do you think Pete ultimately chose you over the other girls?”

“Because I was persistent?”

“Bullshit.” Piper chortled. “Excuse my French, but I’d bet my house you were more genuine and sweeter than any of his usual hangers-on. He picked you because you’re you! Beautiful and kind.”

Emma looked skeptical. “Maybe, or maybe because he knew I wouldn’t give up until he asked me out, so he finally gave in?”

“Yeah, right. On a related note, why did you stop being that girl? The one who would stop at nothing to get a man to look at her? Most women keep preening, especially for their girlfriends—which is why most of us still dress up once we’re married.”

Emma glanced around, surveying the other women in the room, then glanced down at her simple outfit of jeans and a white T-shirt. “I guess I hadn’t realized I’d stopped.” She met Piper’s gaze. “Damn, you should charge by the hour. This is intense.” She picked up her beer.

“Well, you’re the one who wanted to get to the bottom of it, and dude, I think we’re almost there. Seriously, why did you stop wanting people to notice you?”

Emma shook her head. “I think I stopped because once we were a pair I didn’t want Pete to get jealous if other men noticed me. I am a pleaser at heart. Pete and our relationship became my top priority very quickly, so even without his asking I must’ve toned it down. But on the flip side, it never bothered me, nor was I really aware I was doing it. I just wanted us both to be blissfully happy together.”

“Pete couldn’t really be the jealous type if you guys ultimately decided to share your bed with others.”

“We did decide to share it,” Emma admitted, “but it’s always been in controlled situations with firm rules in place, so there was no real room for jealousy.”

“Controlled by who? By Pete?”

“In the beginning, I think.” She hesitated, setting her drink down. “It’s hard to remember exactly. But what we do now is completely mutual. I wouldn’t stay with someone who tried to control or manipulate me. He loves me, and we are in this as a team.”

“I’m not saying you would. You have a very strong backbone.” Piper smiled. “Maybe ‘controlled’ is the wrong word. I don’t mean to imply that Pete is abusive in any way. Let’s try this a different way. Whose idea was it to invite another person into your bedroom the first time?”

Emma bit her lip. “It was Pete.”

“And you were fine with it?”

“I was hesitant at first, but once we did it, I thought it was great. Everyone had such a good time, and the haze of really good sex lasted for days. I know you know what I’m talking about. We were blissed out for days, horny and satisfied all at the same time. We couldn’t get enough of each other.”

“I do know that feeling, and I’m sure everyone had a blast. I’m also sure it was because you helped facilitate it by being your nice, generous self.” Piper chuckled. “I can almost imagine the scene. Two young, nubile twenty-one-year-olds in the quest for extreme pleasure.”

“That might be true. I might’ve kept the balance and made everyone feel good. But that’s also when I realized my sexual trigger was the art of sex. The sex act is so sensual and beautiful. I adore seeing it performed on everyone, and watching everyone enjoy the stark pleasure of it all gives me goose bumps.” She rubbed her arms. “It’s my thing.”