“Well, I can certainly hook you up with that kind of information if you need it.” Gillian propped her hand under her chin. “The parties I host aren’t typical orgies. They’re more organized and less fluid, and of course, they’re heavily centered around the BDSM lifestyle. You definitely don’t want to start there. Where you need to start is the Underground, then work your way up to me.” Gillian grinned.

“What’s the Underground?” Piper asked.

“It’s fairly new, but it’s the only organized orgy I know about. Before them, it was just groups of people here and there getting together. But from what I’ve heard, the Underground runs a tight ship. Not a lot of gossip gets out. It’s supposed to be pretty hot. White-collar, professional, so lots of beautiful, successful people doing a lot of fucking.”

“Honestly, the thought of attending an orgy makes me a little anxious,” Piper admitted. “But I’m ready to try and put myself out there again. My therapist would be so proud. I’ve recently figured out that my sexy trigger is adrenaline. And an orgy, at least once, would feed into that perfectly—in fact, just talking about it is getting me going. Plus, I know Michael would be totally into it.”

“You have to be careful when it comes to orgies,” Gillian warned. “They get you so horned up, you can’t think straight. You go in thinking one thing, and then come out having done a dozen things you weren’t expecting. That’s what orgies are there for, though, to embrace the unexpected. Your adrenaline will definitely be pumping. I’ve gone to a few small ones in my time and have always enjoyed them.” She took a sip of her beer. “The biggest thing is, you have to be okay with surprising yourself sexually, which I know you are.” She winked. “I’m sure you’ll have fun.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Piper said. “Do you have any more specific details about the Underground? If I decide to bring Michael as one of my top ten, I’m going to need more info.”

“I don’t have any gritty details handy, but I’m sure I can get them for you. What I’ve heard is it started with about a dozen couples a year and a half ago, or thereabouts. Brad and I have actually been invited several times, but we’ve never taken them up on it. As you know, I like things a little harder. There’s a fee to join if you become a regular member. It’s pretty steep, from what I’ve heard. But that’s how they keep the place nice. I’ll see what else I can dig up when I get home.”

“Thanks, I appreciate that. And I know you like it harder.” Piper got chills remembering the few times she and Michael had been with Gillian and Brad. It’d been breathtaking to watch. The control had been unreal. “Your kind of sex is an art form. I’m no expert, but I wouldn’t consider what you do to be true BDSM, is it?”

“No, it’s not. Brad and I are definitely hybrids.” She took another drink of her beer, while Piper plucked a cherry out of hers and ate it. “We’re under the umbrella of BDSM because I like my sex controlled and precise. That’s what turns me on. But make me hurt too much or bleed, and I’ll give you a black eye.” She leaned forward as the waitress passed by and whispered, “That’s why I’m hosting these new gatherings. My place, my rules.”

Piper whispered back, “I think the new adventurous me might like your parties.” She raised her glass in a toast. “Damn, it’s so great to see you. I’m hoping for much more girl time in our future.”

* * *

“Are you sure it will hold?” Michael asked as Brad stepped back from the newly mounted TV on the wall.

Brad gave him a sideways grin. “Dude, it will hold. Your TV will not fall off the wall.”

“That homemade mounting you put together looks stronger than the one I bought from the manufacturer,” Jace agreed from where he stood in the doorway drinking a beer. Neither he nor Michael had been needed once Brad arrived. “That thing is not coming down.”

Michael had called Brad from the hardware store for some advice, remembering the guy was a craftsman at heart. Brad had told him what to buy and offered to come over and help him with the TV. Michael had tried to make excuses, not wanting to make the guy come over and work when he hadn’t seen him in so long, but Brad had insisted. So Michael gave in. And even though he felt foolish that the other man was good with tools and he was useless, he was grateful for the help.

Introducing Jace and Brad had gone well. The two guys hit it off right away. It wasn’t a surprise, since they were both super easygoing. Brad was a strange mix of Hells Angels meets corporate. But the guy effortlessly pulled off both, which made him an enigma in Michael’s eyes. He was tall and built, had short blond hair and scruff on his face. He rode a Harley. But if he was wearing a suit, you’d never see that he was covered in tattoos. The guy was some kind of rocket engineer. Literally. He worked for a private company that sold stuff to NASA. They didn’t care how he looked, as long as he got the job done.

Brad was one of the most dynamic guys Michael had ever met.

“Where do you hang your swing?” Jace nodded up at the ceiling. “I don’t see any hooks.”

“In the basement,” Michael answered. “We don’t use it much because Piper hates going down there. Our basement is finished, but not nicely. Maybe I should think about hanging it someplace in here. We’ve only used it a few times, but it was great.”

“We love ours.” Jace grinned. “When that thing gets going, it’s like an amusement park ride. Ours is downstairs in the bedroom I put together, but when my mother-in-law stays, I need about seven locks on that door. In fact, I’m going to have to reinforce it for her next visit. Last time, she tried to get into that room no less than a dozen times. She was pissed about not being able to use the spa bathroom we have down there.”

“We don’t have that problem,” Michael said. “My in-laws have retired to Arizona, and they refuse to visit. We have to make the trek to go see them.”

Brad stood from where he’d been putting tools away. “Okay, I think we’re good. There’s a cable on the side to hook up to the Internet, but you can also go wireless.”

Michael nodded. “Thanks, man. I really appreciate it.”

“If you ask me,” Brad said, running a hand over the back of his neck, “swings are good, but you should get one of those sex chairs.”

Michael raised an eyebrow. “What the hell is a sex chair?”

“I don’t know if that’s the right name for it, but they have these stools you place over your cock”—he put his hands at his waist to indicate the positioning—“and your partner sits on it. There’s a hole to get to her, but you have no contact with her other than her pussy. It’s the craziest feeling, like you’re fucking a ghost. I highly recommend it.”

“That sounds intriguing,” Michael commented. “I’ll have to look into it. First thing I plan to do is make some videos of us doing it so we can watch them in bed.” He gestured to the TV, then turned and grinned at Jace. “The video thing seemed to work well for you guys.”

Jace nodded. “It sure did. We’ve worn that thing out. It might be time to make a new one.” He took a swig of his beer.

“Your wife has agreed to that?” Michael asked.

“Not exactly. But she’s definitely becoming more adventurous. Those Thursday-night meetings are totally working.”

“What meetings?” Brad asked as grabbed his beer off the windowsill.

“Piper and Caroline, Jace’s wife,” Michael answered, “get together and talk about sex every Thursday night. Kind of like a happy-hour support group. They’re thinking of asking Emma and Gillian.”

Brad laughed. It was a deep baritone. “I’d love to see Gillian opt into a support group. Though she’d be a helluva counselor. My woman is fearless and has zero issues with the lifestyle. In fact, she’s starting to host some hard-core parties. But they’re a little more heavy duty than I think you guys like.” Brad inclined his head to Michael, then turned to Jace. “I have no idea what you guys like, but the invitation is open if you ever want to check it out. Gillian is into control and a lot of waiting—like, blue-balls waiting. You have to fuck around a long time before you get to have a release, but it’s worth it in the end. There’s nothing like the relief of coming hard, until you’re not allowed to come at all.”