My Girl

by Arthur Saxon
meganeura@hotmail.com

PRELUDE

So here’s a strange thing about my fiancée, Alex: every guy who meets her fantasises about impregnating her. I’m not even kidding – as far as I know it’s absolutely true. She’s aware of it – we’ve discussed it on several occasions. I know it sounds bizarre, but if you met her, you’d understand.

First, she’s beautiful. Utterly drop-dead gorgeous. Strawberry-blonde shoulder-length curly hair (which is a pain to manage, she frequently reminds me), the sparkliest blue eyes you can imagine, a cute little nose, rosy cheeks … and a body like you wouldn’t believe. Big, round, perfectly shaped breasts that, oh my god, feel so good to caress and squeeze … and a waist-to-hip ratio that seems to defy physics. She is, frankly, perfect in every way.

And she’s a genius, too … kind of. A math wizard, capable of feats of mental arithmetic that I could only dream of. She solves calculus problems for fun. For fun! She got her bachelor degree in particle physics at the age of twenty, and is currently taking a year-long break before working on her master’s.

The reason I say “kind of” is that she is clueless when it comes to people. She grew up in a very sheltered environment, home-schooled by her religious parents, and the rigid curfews they imposed on her deprived her of any sort of social life. It was pure luck that I became her fiancée, honestly – everything just fell into place in the most magical way possible.

About me. I’m two years older than Alex, and not nearly as smart. My college years were largely wasted on drinking and playing video games with my buddies. I attempted to get myself a girlfriend many times, hitting on just about every semi-attractive woman in whose company I found myself. But I was hopelessly inept, and my clumsy efforts were all in vain.

After scraping by with a bare-minimum degree in philosophy, I found I lacked any useful job skills except for a modest talent at web design. So I signed up at a local employment agency, and they found me a gig at a company that makes ceramic kitchenware. I can’t mention their name or I’d get into trouble, but suffice to say they liked me enough to make me a permanent employee. The salary was enough for me to move out of my dad’s place and into an apartment, which I currently share with two other guys, Ryan and Drake. Ryan is a social misfit like me – gangly and awkward and shy around girls. He’s also (unlike me!) kind of a pervert. We met at college in my first year, and we bonded over video games and a shared love of the fantasy genre.

Drake is the complete opposite: he’s black and handsome, works at a gym, has biceps like footballs, and is very charming and funny. He’s also one of my oldest friends – we grew up together in a small town called Petucket, lost touch when he moved to the city at the age of twelve, and then reconnected quite by chance when we met in a bar downtown. He was looking for a place to stay because his apartment building was, in his words, “a toxic hellhole” with a lot of drugs, fights, police raids, and so on. He craved a quieter life, and when I suggested he move in with me and Ryan, he jumped at the chance. I’m sure he probably finds us boring, but he’s much too nice to say so. He sometimes brings a woman home, and Ryan and I roll our eyes at the sounds of energetic lovemaking in his room, but at the moment he doesn’t have a steady girlfriend.

Anyway, about three months ago one of our sales guys, Earl Thorburn, was having issues with his work-from-home setup, and my manager sent me to Earl’s house. To my complete surprise I was met at the door not by Earl himself, but by a vision of loveliness in an emerald-green dress, who smiled at me and said, “Hi! Can I help you?”

For a second I froze, then I blurted out, “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen!”

She giggled, and said, “Thank you, kind sir! Do you want to come in?”

“Yes!” I exclaimed, then silently berated myself for my over-enthusiastic tone. I had already stepped across the threshold when it finally occurred to me to add, “I’m actually here to help Earl with his computer. Is he your dad?”

“Yes he is,” she confirmed. “My name’s Alex. Come on upstairs; I’ll take you to Daddy.” And she began trotting up the stairs, the folds of her dress bouncing around her hips in a delightful way.

I was instantly smitten. I was head over heels in love. My brain was working overtime, trying to figure out how I could spend more time with this girl. I fantasised about dating her, kissing her, holding her, sleeping with her … and within about five seconds I was already imagining claiming her as my own by getting her pregnant and making her belly swell with my child.

“Wait!” I said desperately. For all I knew, once she brought me to her father, she might leave the house on an errand and I would never see her again. I had to try something – anything. “Alex…”

She paused at the top of the stairs, and looked back at me with wide eyes. “Yes…?”

“Alex,” I said again, wracking my brain for words, “uh, I … uh … listen, I don’t know if you believe in fate or anything, but this weird feeling just came over me, like my whole life has been building up to this moment. And I’d never forgive myself if I just let it pass without shooting my shot. I know I only just met you, but I’m dying to get to know you better. Can I … please … take you out to dinner sometime? Maybe … tomorrow evening? I don’t know if you have plans…”

She was staring at me, wide-eyed. “You’re asking me out on a date?” she gasped.

“Uh … yeah,” I said sheepishly. “I’m sorry – I’m sure you have a boyfriend already…”

“I don’t,” she replied. “I’ll have to see if it’s okay with my dad, but … actually you know what? I’m twenty years old! I’m old enough to go out on dates if I want. And you seem nice.” She giggled. “Let’s do it! What time will you pick me up? I don’t have a car I’m afraid.”

“Wow! Wowww!” I exclaimed. “Thank you! Oh wow. Uh … I don’t have a car either – I usually take the bus or the subway, or sometimes my friend Drake drives me places. But, uh, maybe six o’clock tomorrow? If you don’t mind taking the subway…”

“I don’t mind!” she replied cheerfully. Then she giggled again. “What an adventure! Oh, I’m getting quite excited now! A real date!”

“You’ve … never dated anyone before?” I inquired, puzzled.

“Oh no,” she said, shaking her head and making her golden curls bounce prettily. “Daddy wouldn’t let me date while I was in college; he said I had to focus on my studies and not on boys. But I just found out this morning that the master’s program I was planning to start this fall is being deferred to next year. So I’m going to take a year off and get some experience of the real world before going back to my studies … and what better way to start than by going out on a date?”

I was stunned by how easy this was proving. “What better way indeed?” I said with a bemused laugh. “I’d be more than happy to give you your first taste of real-world experience, Alex.”

“Thank you!” she said with another giggle. “Perhaps you’d better tell me your name, though?”

“Oh!” I said, embarrassed. “It’s Marty.”

“Marty!” she said happily. “Like the Back to the Future guy!”

“Yeah,” I acknowledged. “My mom was a big fan of those movies.”

“Oh, you’re actually named after him?” she squealed.

I smiled, and nodded. This could not have been going better.

“Come and meet Daddy!” she said excitedly, and she bounded away along the landing.

I approached Earl’s study nervously. There was no guarantee he would take to me as readily as his daughter had.

Nor did he. “Daddy, this is Marty – like in Back to the Future!” said Alex eagerly. “He’s come to fix your computer, and he asked me out on a date!”

Earl was fifty-ish, and tall. He got out of his chair, and loomed over me. “Excuse me?” he said in a quiet but sharp tone.

My blood froze. “I’m sorry sir,” I stammered, “I was just blown away by your daughter’s beauty, and I … I just want to get to know her better. I have no bad intentions, I promise.”

He stared at me for a moment, then he turned to Alex. “Alexandra, you’ve only just met this boy. You know nothing about him. You can’t possibly go on a date with him.”

“Daddy, I’m old enough to decide that for myself!” she replied, pouting. “I’m twenty! And I can tell he’s nice. I want to go on a date with him, and … you’ve no right to stop me.”

“Oh I see,” said Earl, pursing his lips. “So this is your little act of rebellion, then?”

“I’m not rebelling,” she said uncomfortably. “I’m just standing up for my right to make my own decisions. I’ve graduated from college, I’ve got my degree … other girls my age have boyfriends or even fiancés by now … it’s not too much to ask that I be allowed to go on a date.”

“But you know nothing about this guy,” her father repeated.

“Isn’t that what a date’s for?” she pressed him. “So I can find out more about him?”

His expression grew thoughtful. “Yes,” he conceded, “but you should at least know something about him beforehand.” He turned to me. “You and I can talk, while you fix my computer.” He smiled, not very pleasantly. “I’d like to see what kind of man you are.”

I gulped.

As I began to work on his computer, I was terrified … but I answered all of his questions, giving as positive an impression of myself as I could.

“There,” I said eventually, restarting his laptop. “It should work now.”

“You seem to know your stuff,” he remarked. “Perhaps you picked the wrong degree.”

“Perhaps,” I said, “but I don’t think so. I didn’t need a degree to learn web design, and I’ve learned a lot of other IT skills while on the job. And I value the time I spent studying philosophy; it gives me another way of looking at the world. If I’d studied computers, yeah, maybe I’d have jumped straight into a more lucrative IT position, but I’d have missed out on this whole other side of my education. Honestly, I think every scientist should spend time studying the humanities … just as every historian or artist or linguist … or philosopher … should spend time learning computer science or mechanics or chemistry or something. Having more than one string to your bow makes you a more rounded person, I think.”

He nodded. “I agree,” he said. “You seem to be a thoughtful and intelligent young man.”

“Thank you sir,” I replied, relieved.

“Alex,” he continued, “is also intelligent, but she is naive about men. She is easy prey for a predator.”

“I’m no predator, sir!” I protested.

“That’s exactly what a predator would say,” he replied wryly. “My gut tells me you’re a good guy, but I’m not taking any chances. I want her home by nine o’clock. At nine-oh-one, if she isn’t home, I’m calling the police.”

I smiled nervously. “Of course!” I said. “Wow, so that means I can go on a date with her?”

“It does,” he said curtly. “But I warn you, if she comes home crying or telling me about any bad experience she had with you, I will hunt you down, Marty. I will hunt you down and destroy you.”

I swallowed. “I’ll treat her like a princess,” I assured him.

He snorted. “Yes, well, I want you both to have fun on your date … but Marty, you need to understand that Alex and I are highly religious people, and we believe in abstinence until marriage. How do you feel about dating a girl, knowing you’ll never be able to sleep with her unless – or until – the two of you get married?”

I stared at him. I had only just met his daughter, and already he was talking to me about marriage? “Sir,” I said carefully, “I don’t know Alex very well yet and she doesn’t know me, so I can’t say whether or not marriage is in our future. But right now, what I can say is that it’ll be a privilege for me just to take her to dinner. If that goes well, I’ll hope for a second date … and then more dates after that. If all of those go well, and she’s happy to consider me her boyfriend … I’m prepared to wait as long as she wants. I … I’ve never actually had a girlfriend, you see.” I bit my lip and grinned ruefully. “Never mind sleeping with her; I’m just looking forward to a peck on the cheek!”

Earl chuckled. “Good answer. All right Marty, arrange your date with Alexandra. Make sure she’s home by nine!”

“I will, sir,” I promised him.

Dinner the next day went well. Alex, looking radiant in a long flower-printed dress, did most of the talking, but she seemed to like the few words I was able to get in edgewise. She wanted to stay out later than nine o’clock, but I was so nervous about the prospect of Earl calling the cops on me that I had her home fifteen minutes early.

On the doorstep, she looked at me in nervous anticipation. “I guess … this is goodnight?” she said.

I nodded, stepping close to her. I so badly wanted to kiss her! I was expecting her to present her cheek, but as I leaned in, she closed her eyes and turned her lips upward. I pressed mine against hers, and then folded my arms around her, hugging her as her warm lips parted and her tongue emerged. A French kiss! My first! Not entirely sure what I was doing, I extended my tongue, and began playing with hers. It was the best moment of my life, up to that point.

When we parted, her eyes were shining. “My first kiss!” she gasped happily.

“Mine too,” I said. “Was it … okay?”

She nodded. “Can we have a second date soon?” she asked.

“Uh, yeah!” I said. “If you want one. We can, um, maybe have … lots…?”

She giggled. “Does this mean you’re my boyfriend now?”

“Absolutely, if that’s what you want,” I said. “Can I call you my girlfriend?”

“Yes!” she replied. “Oh Marty! I wish we could … you know … do more…”

“Me too, but let’s end the date on a high note, and show your dad he can trust me,” I said. “Then, later, he might let us have more time together.”

She sighed. “But it should be my choice how much time to spend with you!” she objected. “I’m old enough to make that kind of decision myself.”

“Yes, you are,” I agreed. “But for now, let’s just humour him and keep on his good side. He might not have the right to tell you who you can date, but he can still make life difficult for you – and me – if we antagonise him.”

“I guess so,” she conceded. Then she bit her lip. “I … I need to tell you something though.”

“Oh?” I asked. Whatever it was, I could handle it.

“I do want to do more than just kiss,” she said awkwardly. “But, um … you see … I kind of have an unbreakable rule…”

“Oh…?” I said again. I could guess where this was going. “No sex, right?”

“Right,” she said. “It’s not that I don’t want to – I do. But Daddy would disown me if I got pregnant before my wedding day. Disown me … and do something worse to you, I’m sure. If you’re lucky he’d just have you arrested and charged with rape. If you’re unlucky, he’d take the law into his own hands.”

“Wow,” I said, rather stunned. “Well, I mean … we could use contraception...?”

“Oh no,” she said firmly. “No contraception – it’s against my faith. And sex without contraception is too risky – it’s best if we just wait … if you can handle that.”

“I can,” I assured her. “You’re worth waiting for.”

She smiled. “I’m looking forward to our next date!” she said happily. “Goodnight, Marty.”

“Goodnight Alex,” I said.

The next date went well, and the ones after that. One evening, after taking Alex out to dinner, she asked if she could see my apartment. “You’ve been to my house a few times now,” she said, “but I haven’t been to yours!”

I bit my lip as I looked at the time on my phone. We did have a couple of hours to spare (Alex’s new curfew was eleven o’clock), but I was nervous about introducing her to my friends. Still, it would have to be done sooner or later. “Okay,” I said, “let’s do it.”

We took the subway, and arrived at my apartment building fifteen minutes later. As I turned the key in the door, I took a deep breath. Then we entered.

I had been hoping Drake and Ryan would be out, but no – both were sitting on the couch, watching TV. They looked up as we entered, and Ryan’s jaw dropped. “Wow!” he exclaimed, jumping up. “You must be Alex! I’ve seen your photo, but you’re even more beautiful in real life!”

Alex giggled. “Thank you!” she said.

Drake was far smoother. “Nice to finally meet you, Alex,” he said, coming over with his charming smile. “I’m Drake.” He extended his hand.

“Hi Drake,” said Alex, a little shyly, shaking his hand.

He held her hand a little longer than necessary. “We’ve heard a lot about you,” he said with a grin. “And I must say, you don’t disappoint. Marty’s a lucky guy.”

“Thank you,” she said, blushing.

Later that evening, after I had taken her home and returned to the apartment, Ryan and Drake could not stop talking about Alex. “She’s so hot!” Ryan exclaimed. “You know that big round bright thing in the sky?”

I smirked. “The sun?”

“That’s the one,” said Ryan, nodding. “It’s very hot, as I understand it. But Alex is hotter!”

“Gotta agree with my skinny white bro here,” agreed Drake. “You’ve done well for yourself, man.”

“Thanks,” I said, smiling. “I really have. And the incredible thing is, it took almost no effort on my part! She just kinda walked into my life, and I was like, wanna be my girlfriend? And she was like, sure! I lucked out in a big way.”

Drake chuckled. “Yeah, you did. Congrats, bro.”

Less than a month after we began dating, I proposed, having splurged on the most expensive ring I could afford. Alex joyously accepted, and once again I thanked my lucky stars that no other man had found her before I did.

Earl may have had bigger ambitions for his daughter, but he was gracious in his acceptance of me as his future son-in-law. He threw an engagement party for us, which was attended by my parents and my aunt Jan, as well as a number of members of Alex’s family.

A few days later, during dinner at Alex’s house, Earl put down his fork. “I, uh, have some news,” he said.

“Oh?” said Alex.

“I got a new job,” said Earl. “It was a total long shot and I really just applied for it on a whim, but … I got it. And I can’t bring myself to turn it down.”

“Why would you turn it down?” I inquired.

He sighed. “It’s in Colorado,” he said. “The company is smaller than ours – they make office furniture for a fairly limited customer base – but the job title is Sales Director, and the salary is … well, quite a step up from what I make now.”

“Congratulations!” I said.

“So … we’re moving?” asked Alex, wide-eyed.

Earl chuckled. “Well, I’m moving,” he said. “I kind of assumed you’d want to stay here with Marty.”

Alex blushed. “Oh,” she said. “But … we’re not married yet!”

“I know,” said Earl heavily. “And I don’t want you to rush that on my account. You talked about next May, and I still think you should stick to that plan. Until then, Alex, you can continue to live here until I sell the house. I know you can manage the chores, and I’ll be happy to continue paying the bills. I’m sure it’ll be a bit strange, being here all alone, but Marty can come over in the evenings…”

“What if the house sells before next May?” I asked.

Earl pursed his lips. “Much as it pains me to say it … you should probably start living together at that point. Separate rooms, of course … I know you’re both committed to waiting until marriage, and I trust that you will not succumb to temptation.”

“Absolutely,” I agreed.

Alex nodded, but she was looking rather sad. “When will you be moving?” she asked.

“In three weeks,” replied her dad. “There’s going to be a crazy amount of work to do in that time – we’ll box up everything you’re not going to need, or that I’m not planning on taking with me, so that when the house sells, there won’t be so much packing for you to do.”

“I’ll help,” I said.

“I’m counting on it,” said Earl with a smile.

To everyone’s surprise, however, the house sold almost immediately, and to a couple who already had a buyer for their own home. Earl had only been in Fort Collins for two days before he called us, sounding almost apologetic, to tell us that Alex would have to move out by the end of the month.

We had no place of our own lined up, and I was tearing my hair out, trying to find somewhere I could afford. I did not want to subject Alex to the rougher end of town, but the rental costs in nicer areas were daunting.

“Have her move in here,” Ryan suggested. “We have room.”

“Ha! You’re only suggesting that because you don’t want to have to go back to paying half of everything,” I retorted.

“Hey, not at all!” said Ryan, pretending to be offended. “I enjoy your company. And Alex’s! I think it would be fun.”

“It would be crowded,” I pointed out. “We only have three bedrooms. Where would she sleep?”

“With you, of course!” he replied.

I shook my head. “She’s very religious,” I said. “No sleeping together before marriage.”

“So get married,” suggested Ryan. “Sooner rather than later.” He regarded the couch. “Until then, how about she sleeps here? I’ve slept on this thing plenty of times.”

The thought made me shudder. “With you and Drake prowling around late at night?”

“Then let her have your bed, and you sleep out here,” said Ryan. “I mean, it won’t be forever. But it’ll give you a chance to save up for a down payment on a house.”

“A house!” I furrowed my brow.

“Well sure! You don’t want to be renting forever, surely?” Ryan grinned. “Get yourself on the property ladder, dude!”

“Ryan, I can’t even afford a car, let alone a house!” I grumbled. “And with Alex to support…”

“Is she not going to work?” he inquired.

“We’ve talked about it,” I admitted. “She wants to. I’m just a little anxious about the idea of her being in the workforce. She’s led a very sheltered life so far. She’s very naive. I worry some jerk will take advantage of her.”

“A valid concern,” Ryan acknowledged, “but dude, you can’t keep her in a cage. She’s going to have to learn about the real world eventually, and the longer she puts that off, the harder it will be.”

“I guess so,” I said reluctantly. “But … you know what guys can be like. And like you often say, she’s really hot! Be honest, Ryan, if we weren’t friends, wouldn’t you try to … you know … take advantage…?”

“Is that what you think of me, Marty?” asked Ryan reproachfully. “That I would take advantage of a helpless, innocent girl, with the prettiest face imaginable and boobs the size of…”

“Yeah,” I said bluntly. “I think you would.”

He laughed. “Okay, you got me. All right, since you asked me to be honest … yeah. But could you blame me? She’s incredible, Marty! The face, the smile, the boobs … how I’d love to plunge my face into her cleavage…”

“All right Ryan,” I said, nodding.

“Sink my cock into her tight, virginal cunt…”

“Dude!” I said sharply.

“You asked me to be honest!” he replied with a shrug. “So I freely admit it: I fantasise about your fiancée, Marty. How could I not? Can you honestly tell me that if she was my fiancée instead of yours, you wouldn’t do the same?”

“Uh … I dunno,” I said, my face feeling hot. “I’d try not to.”

Ryan sighed. “Face it man, her body was built for sex. And making babies. What I wouldn’t give to knock her up! See her belly grow…”

“Jesus, Ryan!” I exclaimed. “Too much honesty!”

He laughed. “Sorry man.”

I rolled my eyes. “I can’t believe I was actually considering your suggestion that she move in here…”

“Aww come on, dude,” said Ryan. “It’s still a good idea. I can behave. Besides, you really think she’d be remotely interested in me, when she’s got you? I know my place on the totem pole.”

Somewhat mollified, I said, “Yeah, well I still wouldn’t put it past you to peek at her in the shower, or sneakily stick your phone under her dress to take a photo of her panties.”

“So remind her to lock the bathroom door, and to wear pants around the apartment,” said Ryan with a shrug. “If you think so little of me.”

I felt rather guilty. “I’m sorry,” I said. “I’m just feeling a little protective. I guess precautions can be taken, if necessary, but I shouldn’t just jump to conclusions and accuse you of stuff you haven’t done yet.”

“Thank you,” said Ryan. “Maybe suggest it to Alex and see what she thinks? She might just shoot down the idea immediately.”

“That’s a good idea,” I acknowledged. “I’ll do that.”

And I did. And to my surprise, Alex loved the idea. “It’ll be fun!” she said excitedly. “I’ve never shared an apartment with one man before, let alone three!”

“Just remember which one of us is your fiancé,” I remarked with a wry grin.

She came up to me and hugged me. “How could I possibly forget that?” she asked. “You’re my Marty.” Then she kissed me.

“You really want to do this, then?” I asked her, feeling a little nervous.

She nodded. “I think it makes sense, logistically and financially,” she said.

“I guess you’re right,” I conceded. “I still need to run it by Drake though. He came home late last night and I didn’t get a chance to talk to him.”

“Let me know what he says,” said Alex.

Fortunately I was still up that night when Drake arrived home. “Hey man,” he said, flopping down on the couch next to me. “Sup?”

“Ryan suggested Alex move in here,” I said, getting straight down to business. “For convenience and to save money – until we find a place of our own, which we’ll be able to take our time over.”

Drake rubbed his crotch absentmindedly. “Good idea,” he said. “You going to bite the bullet and sleep with her finally, then? We only have three bedrooms.”

I shook my head, and patted the couch. “This’ll have to serve as a fourth bed.”

“Yeah, that would work,” Drake agreed. “For her or for you?”

“For me,” I said. “I wouldn’t be comfortable with her sleeping out here.”

Drake smirked. “In case Ryan goes wandering at night, you mean?”

I smirked. “I’m sure he’d behave himself, but I’d rather not put temptation in his way.”

“Very wise,” said Drake. “I’m not at all sure he’d behave himself. The way he talks about her…”

“Yeah,” I agreed. “He even told me he fantasises about getting her pregnant!”

Drake laughed. “Well shit, Marty, who doesn’t?”

I felt a cold dread in my stomach. “You do too?”

He sighed. “Marty, it’s hard not to think about putting a baby in that gorgeous body of hers; there’s just something about her that almost screams out, ‘I’m fertile! I want your cum! Please knock me up!’”

He had so accurately described my own feelings about Alex’s body that I had to nod in agreement. “Okay, as I told Ryan, I’m not a fan of this amount of honesty,” I said, “but I do get it. But Drake … you wouldn’t, you know, take advantage…?”

“Marty, I can get any girl I want,” he assured me. “I don’t need to come after yours. It’s Ryan you need to watch; you know how desperate he is.”

“Yeah,” I agreed glumly. “But I’m hoping he’ll behave himself for the sake of our friendship. Also, as he himself pointed out, he’s not exactly a catch. Alex is way out of his league.”

Drake laughed. “That she is,” he said. “But bro, honestly, she’s out of yours too. Hell, she’s out of mine! And I wouldn’t say that about hardly any woman.” He leaned towards me. “For whatever reason, Marty, she picked you. And as luck would have it, she’s a very religious and moral person, who wouldn’t dream of cheating on you. Trust me, man, you have nothing to fear.”

I smiled. “When you put it like that, I do feel better,” I said.

And so Alex moved in, and took up residence in my bedroom. I began sleeping on the couch (which turned out to be less comfortable than I had hoped), and Ryan and Drake tidied up both their appearances and their vocabulary out of respect for their new roommate. I took a couple of days off to help Alex settle in, and to spend some quality time with her, but the time passed way too quickly, and all too soon it was time for me to return to work.

WEDNESDAY: HOT & SWEATY

The thought of leaving Alex alone in the apartment with Ryan, who worked from home, made me uneasy, but I had no choice except to trust my friend not to try anything.

“You’ll let me know if he misbehaves, won’t you?” I said to Alex earnestly, while sitting beside her on her bed.

She giggled. “Yes, I’ll let you know if he tries to get me pregnant,” she replied.

I shuddered. “I shouldn’t have told you he said that,” I said regretfully. “It just kind of blew my mind. And then when Drake said it too…”

“You thought the same thing when you first saw me though,” she reminded me. “So you can’t really blame them.”

“I don’t,” I conceded. “It’s not a comfortable thing to hear though. And it’s not easy for me to go to work, leaving you alone with a guy who has admitted to thinking that about you.”

“I’ll be fine,” she assured me. “And yes, I’ll tell you if he misbehaves. But don’t worry! I can look after myself. I’m not afraid of Ryan. Anyway, he’s been nothing but nice to me.”

I nodded. “Okay, well, have fun. And good luck with your job search.”

“Thank you!” she said. “Have a good day.”

I took the bus to work. As I sat down at my desk, my colleague, Aaron, leaned over. “Have you heard the news?” he whispered.

“What news?” I asked.

“Simone quit!” he told me. “Yesterday afternoon. She had a big row with Doug about her job responsibilities – he wanted her to hand off her help-desk duties to Stefan, and focus on server maintenance. But she hates server maintenance, and you know she loves to chit-chat with people on the phone. So she refused, point blank, and when Doug said it wasn’t her decision and he was just going to take her off the call loop anyway, she went ballistic. Shouting and cursing … she even trashed Doug’s desk. Then I guess she realised she had passed the point of no return, and just announced very loudly that she was quitting.”

“Damn!” I said, shocked, looking over at Doug’s office, curious to see if his desk was still ‘trashed’. “I didn’t see that coming. I mean, I knew she was lousy at the help-desk job, but I didn’t know she was so attached to it.”

Aaron nodded. “Oh yeah. Loved it. Loved being the person to solve people’s problems, even if she wasn’t the one doing the actual work.” He chuckled. “Worked out well for me, though! I jumped at the chance to apply for Simone’s job. Server maintenance is right up my alley, and I can totally do the other parts of the job: network security, account management, and so on. Nice bump in pay, too! I went to see Doug after Simone left, and he told me I have to go through the proper channels, but he liked my chances, and in the meantime he said I could just go ahead and take on Simone’s work, pending anything official.”

“No way!” I said, my brain working quickly. “Congrats, Aaron. So … your job would now be open?”

“Technically, not yet,” he said, “but in effect … yeah.”

I grinned. “I’ll be right back!” I got to my feet and hurried over to Doug’s office.

The big man was studying his screen. He glanced up. “Hey Marty.”

“Good morning Doug,” I said. “I just heard the news about Simone.”

He grunted. “That woman,” he said. “Relieved to be rid of her drama, frankly. If you’re after her job, though, fair warning, you got some competition.”

“Aaron, yeah, I know,” I said. “He’s welcome to it. I’m actually interested in Aaron’s position.”

“Data management?” asked Doug in surprise. “Doesn’t seem like your kind of thing, Marty. And it would be less money.”

“Not for myself,” I clarified. “For my fiancée, Alex. She’s a math genius, so she could do the job in her sleep, I’m sure, and right now she’s taking a break from college and is in need of a job.”

“Huh,” said Doug, unimpressed. “So, not a long-term prospect then.”

“You’d have her for almost a year,” I countered. “Plenty of time to make good use of her skills and plenty of notice to find a replacement.”

“Does she have any experience?” Doug asked.

“Of databases? I don’t know,” I confessed. “But she’s a fast learner.”

Doug sighed. “She’ll need to apply through the corporate website, like everyone else,” he said, “though it’ll take time for the job to be posted and I could really do without that delay…” He scratched his chin.

“Would you at least meet her?” I asked, playing my trump card. Nobody who met Alex could possibly refuse her a job, I reasoned.

Doug hesitated. “All right, bring her in,” he said. “An informal interview. Say, nine o’clock tomorrow?”

“Perfect!” I said happily. “Thanks Doug!”

This was working out brilliantly. If Alex got Aaron’s job, we would be working in the same office, side by side. I would be able to keep an eye on her, and I wouldn’t have to worry about leaving her alone with Ryan.

I still had to put the matter to her, though. That evening, I returned home to find her cooking enchiladas. The whole apartment was very warm, and I changed into a t-shirt and shorts. Ryan – wearing a t-shirt and nothing but boxer shorts on his bottom half – joined us for dinner, and as we sat at the table, I considered whether to bring up the subject of Aaron’s job, or wait until Alex and I were alone.

“Was there something you wanted to discuss with Marty?” Ryan asked Alex.

She blushed. “Um, I don’t know,” she said, seeming a little flustered.

I raised an eyebrow. “What’s this?” I asked.

Ryan shrugged. “Alex has been uncomfortably hot today. The A/C isn’t working properly as you know, and I told her we often strip down to our underwear when it’s hot. I myself spent most of the day like this. I told Alex she shouldn’t feel like she has to stay fully dressed – this is her home now and she has a right to dress comfortably here – but she said she needed to talk to you about it.”

I stared at him. “Dude! You tried to talk my fiancée into stripping down to her underwear? She’s only been here three days and you’re already…”

Ryan held up his hands. “Calm down, Marty, it’s not like that. I didn’t make the suggestion for my own benefit, believe it or not. I just observed that Alex was feeling uncomfortable in the heat, and … well, I mean, look at her!”

I looked at Alex. And I had to admit, she did look uncomfortable. Sweat was glistening on her skin, her face was quite rosy, and her hair was looking a little matted in places. “Damn,” I said, “you do look hot, my love. We really need to fix that A/C!”

“Benny needs to fix it,” Ryan corrected me, referring to our landlord. “It’s his responsibility. I can remind him again if you like, but meanwhile, is it right that Alex should spend the day miserable and getting dehydrated? I’m not being a perv here, man – I just hate to see your girl suffer!”

“Okay, okay,” I said, feeling bad. “Obviously I don’t want you to suffer either, my darling. But there’s no need for you to strip to your underwear! How about a t-shirt and shorts, like I’m wearing?”

“I don’t have any shorts,” Alex confessed. “But in any case, would you really want Ryan seeing my legs?”

I blinked. “Uh, well, obviously I don’t like to think of him ogling you. But that doesn’t mean you can’t wear shorts. Remember, I didn’t grow up with the same strict rules you did. You’re aware that in the real world, women frequently wear shorts, right?”

“Yes, of course,” said Alex, blushing again. “I saw lots of shorts and even miniskirts around campus – but it really never occurred to me that I could ever dress that way. I just kind of assumed that those girls had rather lax morals.”

“Meaning … what?” Ryan inquired. “That they sleep around? Or is the very act of wearing shorts an immoral one, in your view?”

“All right Ryan, let’s not put Alex’s moral compass on trial,” I said hastily, noting my fiancée’s discomfort. “If she thinks it’s immoral to wear shorts, that’s fine – she’s entitled to her opinion. Let’s just say that for the vast majority of women in this country, sleeping around indiscriminately is immoral, but wearing shorts isn’t.”

“And neither is being in your underwear in your own home,” Ryan added.

“Well that’s debatable,” I said. “Alone in your room, I guess, is fine … but outside your room and in mixed company, probably not.”

“So I’m being immoral right now?” asked Ryan, looking annoyed.

“More ‘inappropriate’ than immoral,” I replied.

Ryan shrugged. “I’d rather be comfortable than appropriate,” he said. “On a day like today, screw being appropriate!”

Alex stifled a giggle. Grateful that Ryan had said ‘screw’ instead of ‘fuck’, I nevertheless muttered, “Language, Ryan.”

He looked at me. “Are you gonna introduce Alex to the real world, Marty, or are you gonna keep her in her bubble forever?”

I frowned at him. “That’s, uh, up to Alex, really – I mean, how much of the real world she wants to see.”

“I want to see it all!” said Alex with a smile.

“Yeah, well, be careful what you wish for,” I remarked. “But that does lead me to another topic. How did your job search go?”

“It went well!” she replied. “I applied for six jobs! Ryan helped me. We put together a résumé and everything.”

“What sort of jobs?” I asked in surprise. I had not expected so much progress after just one day.

Alex began counting them off on her fingers. “Sales assistant, medical receptionist, cashier at a bookstore, barista, administrative assistant, and … oh, what was the other one? Oh yes – cosplayer at a theme park.”

“Cosplayer at a … what?” I asked, bemused.

“A theme park!” she said brightly. “It’s called Futureland and it’s all about how the world will look in the future. It looks really cool! And they want models and actors to play various futuristic roles.”

“You’re neither,” I pointed out.

“She could be, though,” Ryan butted in. “She could absolutely be a model. It’d be absurd to suggest otherwise.”

I dodged this bullet. “Well, as it happens, I kind of set up a job interview for you at my own office,” I told Alex. “I hope that was okay. One of our team members just quit, so there’s an opening – and I jumped at the chance.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful!” Alex exclaimed. “So we’d be working together?”

I nodded. “I thought that might be nice…”

Alex beamed. “That would be perfect!”

“We’ll go in together tomorrow morning,” I said. “Your interview is at nine. Bring your résumé and wear something office-appropriate … actually one of your dresses will be fine.”

“Okay!” said Alex excitedly.

“Awww,” said Ryan, looking disappointed. “I thought the cosplay job looked like fun.”

“Yeah…” Alex agreed. “But I’d rather work alongside Marty!”

I smiled. “And so you shall – I’m sure. Doug’s going to love you, I have no doubt.”

Alex smiled happily.

“Now, back to the topic of Alex’s clothing,” said Ryan.

I sighed. “Must we?”

Ryan gestured to Alex. “She’s still sweating like a boxer! Can’t we let her have some relief?”

“I’m fine, really,” Alex assured me. “I’ve been fine most of the day. This dress isn’t all that hot. It was really just the cooking that made the kitchen very warm.”

“Nevertheless, I don’t like to think of you in discomfort,” I said. “I question Ryan’s motives, but he did make some good points. I know you’ve grown up wearing long dresses all the time, and I do love how you look in them … but would you be open to trying something new…?”

Alex bit her lip, and giggled. “You want me to show some skin?” she asked.

I saw Ryan’s eyes light up.

“Uh,” I said, “well, it’s up to you. I don’t want you to feel embarrassed.”

Alex shivered a little, despite the heat. “I don’t think I’ll feel embarrassed,” she said. “Well, I guess I might. But mainly I think it’s just getting over the idea that I’m cheapening myself by showing skin. I’ve been brought up to think that, and it’s not an easy mindset to overcome.”

“That’s understandable,” said Ryan, before I had the chance to reply. “But throwing off the shackles of our upbringing is part of growing up.”

“Yeah, that’s true,” I agreed. “To a certain extent. Parents have a lot of wisdom to impart, but they can also pass on their prejudices. The trick is to figure out which parts of their philosophy are worth holding on to, and which can be ignored.”

“Personally,” added Ryan, “I think the goodness of a person is measured not by how they choose to dress, but how they treat other people.”

Alex brightened. “I love that!” she said. “Yes, I totally agree. I need to stop thinking of girls in shorts as being somehow ‘cheap’, and start thinking of them as ‘valuing comfort’.

“Precisely,” said Ryan. “I think you’ll find most women who wear shorts aren’t doing so in order to get men’s attention … unless they’re especially short and tight shorts, in which case, possibly. But just regular shorts? Nah. Purely for comfort, coolness and convenience.”

“The three C’s,” said Alex, grinning. “I’ll have to remember that. And what about short skirts?”

“They’re even cooler than shorts,” said Ryan.

Alex giggled. “I mean, do women wear them to be slutty? Or for comfort?”

“Whoa,” said Ryan. “That’s a very loaded word, slutty. I don’t think many women, if any, wear miniskirts ‘to be slutty’. Comfort is definitely a factor, I’m sure, but when you get to the really short skirts – the ones that are obviously being worn in order to attract the male gaze – even then, I wouldn’t use that word. Sexy, sure. But many men have falsely assumed, to their cost, that a woman in a short skirt is ‘easy’, when that’s very often just not the case.”

“Right,” I agreed.

“A woman in a miniskirt might be wearing it to attract a particular guy,” Ryan continued, “or because she’s with a guy who likes seeing her in miniskirts, or because she just wants to look hot for her own self-confidence. And by hot I mean sexy, of course.”

“I knew what you meant,” said Alex. “Might she also wear it just because it looks … cute?”

“Totally!” said Ryan.

“Bear in mind Ryan’s extensive knowledge of female tastes here,” I said sardonically.

Ryan shot me a reproachful look. “I may not have found myself a girlfriend yet,” he said, “but I follow plenty of women on social media, and believe me, they talk about clothes a LOT. So I do have some idea of what I’m talking about.”

“Yeah, I don’t think you’re wrong on any particular point,” I conceded. “I just think Alex might be better off talking to another woman if she wants fashion advice.”

“Good point,” said Ryan. “But neither of us has a large circle of female friends, Marty. I guess we could ask one of Drake’s … uh … friends…”

I shuddered. “Given the type of girl he usually brings home,” I said, “I’m not sure they would give the best advice to a devout Christian who’s never even exposed her knees in public before.”

“I think you’re being uncharitable,” said Ryan. “His latest girl – what’s her name, Rochelle? She’s no bimbo, dude. I had breakfast with her. She’s a mechanical engineer, with a good head on her shoulders. If Alex talked to her, I’m sure she’d give sensible advice.”

“And what was she wearing, while having breakfast with you?” I inquired.

“Uh, one of Drake’s shirts,” Ryan replied. “And panties.”

“My point exactly,” I said.

“Does Drake bring a lot of different girls home?” Alex asked.

I shrugged. “Depends what you mean by ‘a lot’. Over the past year, I’m guessing there have been … maybe … ten?”

“Ten!” Alex looked rather shocked.

“Considering he’s quite capable of bringing back a different girl every night if he wanted to,” I remarked, “ten in a whole year isn’t that many.”

“He doesn’t do a lot of one-night stands,” Ryan added. “It’s just that his relationships don’t usually last long. I think he was with that Nigerian girl, Miracle, for about five months … that was his longest relationship while I’ve known him. Mostly they last from a couple of weeks to a month or so, and then his head is turned by the next young hottie at the gym…”

“Wow,” said Alex.

“Anyway, my point stands,” I said. “I don’t think Drake’s girlfriends are necessarily a great source of information.”

Alex nodded. “Well, Ryan’s advice seems pretty sound to me, and you agreed with what he said. I think I’d like to go shopping this weekend and buy some clothes that aren’t long dresses. I have twenty-eight of those, and very little else, in terms of outerwear.”

Ryan’s jaw dropped. “Twenty-eight?”

Alex giggled nervously. “Is that a lot?”

“Not really, if it’s all you wear,” I reassured her. “But sure, we can take you shopping.”

“And in the meantime,” said Ryan, “feel free to take off your dress. We won’t mind at all.”

I glared at him. “Ryan!” Then I said to Alex, “Is there nothing cooler you could change into? A t-shirt and a light summery skirt, maybe?”

“I don’t have t-shirts, or skirts,” Alex confessed. “I do have a few tank tops and camis which I wear underneath certain dresses, especially when it’s cold, but that’s about it.”

“Then might I suggest,” said Ryan, “a tank top and panties? That would be the equivalent of what I myself am wearing now.”

“Inappropriately!” I reminded him.

“And like I said, comfort is more important than appropriateness,” he reminded me. “Jeez, Marty, I’m not going to jump on Alex in a fit of lust just because I see her panties! Give me some credit.”

Alex was hunched in her seat. “I’m not sure I could bring myself to wear just a tank top and panties in front of the two of you,” she said in a rather awestruck voice.

“And you don’t need to,” I said firmly.

“The alternative is continuing to sweat in your long dress,” Ryan pointed out. “Look, nobody is saying you have to, Alex. I’m just saying you should be allowed to if you want, and I’m hoping Marty will back me up on that. If he’s not feeling too insecure about the idea of me seeing your underwear, that is.”

“It’s not insecurity, it’s just regular propriety!” I said. “But fine – I certainly don’t want my darling fiancée suffering, so if SHE decides she wants to dress like that, she’s quite entitled to as far as I’m concerned. I’m not going to dictate her dress code.” I felt quite safe saying this, because I knew Alex would not want Ryan to see her panties any more than I did.

This turned out to be a terrible error of judgment. “I’ll do it!” Alex squeaked excitedly. “Oh my gosh – this’ll be the craziest thing I’ve ever done!” She turned to me. “Are you sure you won’t think badly of me, if I do it?”

Astonished, I opened and closed my mouth a couple of times, before forcing out the only answer I could decently respond with: “Uh, of course, darling – it won’t affect my opinion of you at all.”

“Really?” asked Ryan in amusement. “That answer’s supposed to make her feel better about it?”

“What do you want me to say?” I asked testily. “That I wholeheartedly approve?”

“Oh, you don’t,” said Alex in dismay. “Of course you don’t – how foolish of me. I’m sorry. I’ll stay like this.”

Ryan facepalmed, and I pursed my lips. “No, Alex,” I found myself saying reluctantly. “Please feel free to go and change. Much as it pains me for you to give Ryan a cheap thrill, your comfort is more important to me. I would rather let Ryan see your panties – as long as his gaze doesn’t linger! – than for you to swelter any longer than you have to. Go on – you have my support.”

Alex smiled happily. “Are you sure?” she asked.

“Positive,” I said.

Alex got up from her chair, and hurried through to my bedroom – or her bedroom, as I figured I should start calling it. As soon as she was out of sight, I turned to Ryan. “Just behave yourself, okay?” I said in a low voice.

“Of course I will!” he said.

When Alex returned, she was wearing a white tank top – with a bra beneath it, I could tell – and a pair of pink panties, in front of which her hands were anxiously clasped.

Ryan grinned and clapped his hands. “Well done Alex!” he said. “Given your upbringing, it’s actually really impressive that you went through with this and didn’t chicken out.”

Alex smiled sheepishly, but she was looking at me. Looking for my reaction, and nervous about what it would be.

I did not let her down. “You look beautiful, darling,” I told her, “and not at all slutty. Now come and sit down, before Ryan’s eyes pop out of their sockets.”

Alex giggled, and skipped to the table, sitting back down on her chair. “This feels so weird!” she marvelled.

I was not at all happy about how tight her tank top was, and the way the material was stretched around her large bra-clad breasts, but at least her very shapely bare legs were no longer visible to Ryan.

“Feeling better?” Ryan asked. “Cooler? More … liberated?”

Alex giggled again, then considered the question. “Both, I think!” she said. “This is definitely cooler than the dress, and … I don’t know … I do think there’s something a bit liberating about being like this. It feels kind of naughty … but then I think to myself, why not? If my fiancée is okay with it, and I’m not offending anyone … where’s the harm in it?”

“Where indeed?” Ryan agreed. “And, you know, I’m sure the bra has to be pretty uncomfortable in this heat…”

“Don’t push it, Ryan!” I scolded him. I then rolled my eyes at Alex, who giggled.

After dinner, Alex stood up to pick up the plates, and Ryan got his first good look at her panties. “I like your panties, Alex,” he said impishly.

She giggled, and lowered the plates a little, as if trying to cover her panties, but then she shrugged, and turned to take the plates to the sink.

I noticed Ryan staring at her panty-clad buttocks. “No staring, Ryan!” I said, as Alex started running hot water. “Not cool!”

“Yeah I know,” he replied, “but dude! How can I not? She has like the perfect ass! I mean look at it!”

He had a point; Alex did have a perfectly formed, beautifully shaped bottom. “That’s no excuse,” I said firmly. “No staring, I’m serious.”

“Fine, fine,” he sighed. He stood up and picked up the glasses. “I’ll go dry dishes while Alex washes. You can have some Minecraft time if you like.”

This was tempting, though I was not keen on the idea of leaving the two of them alone in the kitchen – especially with Alex dressed the way she was. I ground my teeth for a moment. “All right,” I said reluctantly. “Just behave yourself.”

“Of course!” he said.

I fired up my old PS4 and switched on the television. A couple of minutes later, I was laying a trail of netherrack blocks above a sea of lava as I continued my search for a Nether Fortress. Occasionally I glanced into the kitchen, where Ryan was chatting amiably with Alex as the two of them dealt with the dishes. At one point he laid his hand on her shoulder as he leaned in to say something quiet that I could not hear. I frowned, but a moment later he removed his hand and resumed drying cutlery.

I was relieved when the dishes were done, and Alex joined me on the sofa. “How’s it going?” she asked.

“No luck yet,” I reported. “Oh crap, a ghast – hang on.” I fled back along my walkway until I reached the safety of a long tunnel. Then I sighed. “Okay, might as well quit there. You want to watch something with me?”

She cuddled up to my arm. “I don’t mind – you can keep playing,” she said. “I like watching you play.”

I smiled. “If you like, but I’m afraid it’ll be a little boring. I’m just exploring the Nether systematically, searching for a fortress.” I emerged from the tunnel and panned around, showing her the lava ocean and the emptiness above it. In the distance, to the right, a crimson forest could faintly be seen.

“Could it be over there?” she asked.

“It could be anywhere,” I said. “My plan is to just keep traversing this 480 by 480 area until I find either a fortress or a ruined bastion. If I find a bastion, that’s also cool, but it means I won’t find a fortress here. I’ll have to look elsewhere.”

The door opened, and in walked Drake. He stopped at the sight of Alex in her skimpy new outfit, and grinned. “Well what have we here?” he asked. “What happened to your dress, Alex?”

Alex had drawn her knees up against her chest protectively. “I was hot!” she said.

Drake chuckled. “Yeah, it’s pretty brutal in here with the A/C not doing it’s job. Good for you – never thought I’d see you out of one of those long dresses.”

“It’s kind of liberating,” she confessed with a sheepish smile.

“I imagine so,” he said, nodding. “Your dad really kept you under his thumb, huh?”

“It wasn’t really like that,” she replied, lowering her knees. “He’s always been a good dad – he just brought me up with a very rigid sense of morals. But college, and Marty, and even Ryan in the last couple of days, have opened my eyes to the fact that maybe the world isn’t quite as black and white as I thought.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” Drake agreed. “World’s a complicated place.”

“We’re going shopping this weekend,” said Alex. “I’m feeling the need to diversify my wardrobe.”

“Nice!” said Drake.

“Yeah, she’s gonna get some shorts and miniskirts!” said Ryan, entering the room.

“Well, maybe,” I said, feeling obliged to apply the brakes a little. “Shorter hemlines, yes – not sure about miniskirts. Baby steps and all that.”

“Yeah, I don’t know, I’m not sure how much skin I’ll be comfortable showing in public,” Alex admitted.

“Hey, if you got it, flaunt it,” said Drake, grinning roguishly as he eyed her thighs and panties appreciatively. “And girl, you absolutely got it.”

Alex blushed. “Thank you,” she said.

“You should see her ass in those panties,” Ryan remarked. “Incredible – the most perfect ass I’ve ever seen.”

“Guys!” I said. “Can you not talk about my fiancée’s butt, please?”

Alex giggled. “I don’t mind,” she said. “I think it’s funny how fixated men get on women’s body parts.”

“Do you work out, Alex?” asked Drake.

She shook her head. “Not unless you count walking,” she replied. “I try to walk for at least thirty minutes every day. Ryan and I went to the park today and walked along the river.”

“Oh, you did?” I said, not entirely happy about the idea of the two of them walking together. Then again, I didn’t like the idea of her walking alone, either. “Thanks for keeping her company, Ryan.”

“Walking’s valid,” Drake conceded. “But you should consider going to the gym, if you want to work on your muscle tone. I’d be more than happy to show you around, help you out...”

I rolled my eyes. “Drake likes muscular women,” I said. “But you’re perfect just the way you are, darling.”

“Thank you Marty,” said Alex with a smile, “but I’m sure I could benefit by exercising more. And who better to teach me than Drake!”

“Uh, I don’t know,” I said hastily, “I think Drake’s probably busy enough…”

“Nuh-uh, I always got time for my friends,” said Drake affably. “Swing by the gym sometime, Alex, and I’ll be happy to give you some one-on-one coaching.”

“Thank you!” said Alex happily. “That’s very kind of you, Drake.”

“I’m guessing you don’t have suitable gym clothes, though,” he added. “Maybe you can pick some up when you go shopping?”

“Okay!” said Alex. “I’ll do that.”

After another close call with a ghast, I quit my game. “Let’s watch something,” I suggested, hoping to get Ryan’s and Drake’s attention off my fiancée for a while.

We watched YouTube videos until about ten, when Alex announced that she was going to get ready for bed. It did not escape my notice that the eyes of my two friends were glued to her panties as she got up and walked to her room. Letting her change into such a skimpy outfit had been a mistake, and I resolved not to let it happen again.

Fifteen minutes later, I knocked on her door. “Come in!” she said.

I entered. She had changed into her nightdress – a sturdy white calf-length garment with a high neckline – but she did not look happy about it. “I was rather hot last night,” she said. “Do you think it would be okay if I slept in a top and panties?”

I shrugged. “Sure!” I said. “You’re alone in your room; you can sleep in whatever you like.”

She smiled. “And if I need to go to the bathroom and Ryan or Drake sees me,” she added, “it won’t really matter because they’ve already seen me in my panties!” She giggled.

I pursed my lips. “Yeah, about that,” I said. “I know it was in a good cause and everything, but I’m not sure it was a good idea to dress like that around them. I think they enjoyed seeing your panties a little too much.”

Her face fell. “You said it was okay.”

“I know,” I said with a sigh, “and I meant it at the time, even though I had reservations. But in hindsight I think it wasn’t a great idea and I think it’s probably best if you don’t do it again.”

“Did they … say something bad?” she asked anxiously.

I shook my head. “No, nothing like that. But … you know … when you went to get ready for bed, they were both staring at your bottom.”

Alex giggled. “Is that all? I don’t mind – they both said they think I have a nice bottom, so I’m not really surprised they were looking at it.”

“I mind, though!” I said, a little peevishly. “It’s not fun to witness my friends ogling my fiancée’s bottom.”

Alex was instantly contrite. “I’m so sorry, Marty,” she said. “I should have thought about how it was making you feel. Of course I’ll cover up in future.”

“Thank you,” I said, relieved that she had capitulated so readily … yet at the same time I felt a little guilty. “I … I hope I’m not overreacting…”

“Maybe just a little,” she said playfully. “But I don’t mind if you’re a little jealous. If my man wants me to cover up, then cover up I shall.”

My guilt increased. “Now I feel like I’m being too controlling,” I said uncomfortably. “Obviously you should be the one to decide on how you dress. I’m just … trying to … suggest the best course of action.”

She nodded. “I get it,” she said. “And I’m happy to go along with whatever you think is best.”

This did not make me feel very much better, but I put it out of my mind as she took off her nightdress. Underneath, she was wearing only her panties. “Woooowww,” I said, staring excitedly at her beautiful, naked, huge, perfect breasts. “Oh my God, Alex…”

She giggled. “Want to play with them?” she asked coquettishly.

I did. But after kissing her and fondling her breasts for five minutes, I stood up, my hands over my crotch. “Better stop before I get too excited,” I said sheepishly.

She giggled. Then she sighed. “I wish we could sleep together,” she said. “You know, just … sleep.”

“Me too,” I admitted. “That couch … ugh. It’s hard to get a good night’s rest on it. But I promised your dad, and I’m not going to break that promise.”

“I’ll take the couch, then!” said Alex, putting her tank top back on. “I don’t mind at all. You take the bed.”

I shook my head. “I don’t trust Ryan not to sneak out of his room and fondle you in your sleep.”

“He surely wouldn’t do that!” she said, looking shocked.

“Maybe not,” I conceded, “but I’d rather not take the chance. He’s lonely, and horny, and that’s a bad combination. And the way he looks at you … like a hungry wolf eyeing a tender young lamb.”

She giggled. “I can’t really see Ryan as a wolf,” she said. “But okay, if you insist, I’ll stay in here. I just feel bad you’re not getting enough sleep!”

“I’m sure I’ll get used to it,” I assured her. “Goodnight, my darling.”

Back in the living room, I sat down next to Ryan.

“Man, you’re so lucky!” he sighed wistfully. “Alex is amazing.”

“Yes, she is,” I replied, a little tersely.

“She looked so hot in her little top and panties!” he continued. “Her ass is just…”

“All right, Ryan, enough with the ass talk!” I said irritably. “I know she has a lovely butt, thank you. You don’t need to go on about it.”

He chuckled. “Jealous much?”

I shrugged. “No more than I have a right to be, I guess.”

“I’m sorry, I’ll stop talking about Alex’s ass,” Ryan assured me. “It won’t be easy, but I’ll try my best.”

“If it helps, you won’t be seeing her panties anymore,” I told him shortly. “She and I agreed that taking off her dress this evening was a mistake, not to be repeated.”

Ryan’s look of tragic shock was almost comical. “Dude!” he said, aghast. “Why would you do that?”

“Well, obviously, because I don’t want you and Drake looking at her panties!” I said, a little indignantly.

“So you’re happy for her to suffer in the heat, just for the sake of ‘modesty’?” Ryan performed air quotes.

“No of course not,” I grumbled. “It’s a lesser of two evils kinda thing.”

“Is that Alex’s opinion?” Ryan inquired. “Or did she just agree to it to make you happy?”

“Is there something wrong with her making me happy?” I asked, annoyed.

“Only if it’s to her detriment,” said Ryan. “Look, she was obviously quite happy to hang out with us in her panties – she even said it was fun. Dude, you totally just let your jealousy get the better of you, and Alex is going to suffer for it. Not cool, man.”

His words rang true, and I resented him for it. “Damn it, Ryan, you’re just saying that because you want to keep ogling Alex in her undies.”

“Of course I do,” he replied candidly. “But that doesn’t mean I’m wrong. Look, if you want to play the controlling boyfriend, fine … but it seems to me that it would be a betrayal of your liberal principles. You’ve always said you wanted a partnership of equals – well, this isn’t a great way to start that.”

My lips were pursed, my fists and teeth were clenched. I breathed heavily through my nose. “Frankly,” I said, “your motives suck, but you’re not entirely wrong. It has to be Alex’s decision, with no coercion from me.”

“That’s more like the Marty I know and love,” said Ryan approvingly.

I got to my feet. “I’ll go and talk to her.”

“Good idea,” said Ryan. “But dude … remember it’s not just about letting her make the decision. Right now she’ll decide to cover up just because she knows you want her to. You got to let her know you’re equally okay with either decision.”

“But I’m not,” I pointed out.

“That’s the problem!” said Ryan. “She’s so sweet, and she loves you so much, that she’ll pick whichever option YOU want. Which means that you only have to express an opinion in order to control her. The only way to bring out the real Alex is for you to appear unbiased.”

I groaned. “But that’s not possible!” I protested. “She already knows my opinion.”

“So tell her you’ve reconsidered,” said Ryan simply. “And now you’re on the fence. You do recognise good arguments on both sides, after all, right?”

I nodded. “I guess so. Okay, fine.”

I knocked on Alex’s door again.

“Come in!”

I entered. Alex was in bed, reading a book called ‘The Equation That Couldn’t Be Solved’. She smiled at me.

“Uh,” I said awkwardly, “Alex … my love … I kinda changed my mind about the whole showing your panties thing.”

“Oh?” she said in surprise.

“I did overreact,” I admitted. “And now that I’ve calmed down a bit, I realise that your comfort is just as important to me as your modesty. Actually,” I added hastily, “more important. So now I’m regretting putting pressure on you to cover up in future, and I want to leave it up to you as to whether you cover up or not. I’m sort of on the fence about it, and however you decide, I’ll be equally happy either way.”

Alex smiled happily. “Are you sure? I mean, for my own comfort I think I’d prefer to dress this way when it’s hot, plus I think it’s fun!” She giggled. “Seeing how Ryan and Drake react … but I don’t want you to be upset…”

“I won’t be upset,” I assured her. “Just think about your own feelings – how embarrassed you’ll feel, with my friends staring at your panties…” This was a little underhanded, and not perhaps in the spirit of my retraction … but (unfortunately) Alex was not deterred.

“I don’t mind,” she said airily. “As long as they behave themselves. So you’ll be okay if I wear just a top and panties around the apartment tomorrow?”

The idea made my blood run cold. But then I remembered something. “Oh, you’re coming into work with me for your interview, remember?” I said. “So you’ll need to put on a dress anyway.”

“Right!” she said, nodding. “Of course. But I can do that right before we leave.”

Apparently she had made up her mind. Trying to hide my disappointment, I smiled. “Fine, that’s settled then. Goodnight my darling.”

“Goodnight, Marty!” she said.

I returned to Ryan, scowling as I sat down. “You’ll be happy to know she’ll be wearing a top and panties tomorrow,” I told him grumpily.

He grinned, and nodded approvingly. Then he drummer his fingers together like Mr Burns from The Simpsons. “Excellent…”

“Dude!” I said, and he laughed.

THURSDAY: TRAINING & TICKLING

The next morning, we were almost late leaving for work, as all four of us are morning showerers, and although Drake slept in, I had to wait behind both Ryan and Alex. When I left the bathroom after a very short and cold shower (the hot water had run out after barely thirty seconds), I hurried to my bedroom and got dressed. I got to the kitchen just in time to see Drake, wearing nothing but his jockey shorts, eyeing up Alex’s bottom as he sat down next to Ryan with his coffee. Alex was bent over in front of the open fridge, retrieving a container of blueberries.

“Good morning, Sexy Lexi!” said Drake.

Alex stood up and turned around, giggling. She was wearing a different pair of panties – these were pale blue – and another white tank top with a bra underneath. “Sexy Lexi!” she repeated. “First time I’ve ever been called that!”

“What, sexy?” asked Ryan, amused.

“Both!” she replied. “I’ve always been Alexandra or Alex – never Lexi. And nobody’s ever called me sexy before!”

“That’s hard to believe,” said Drake, chuckling. “Although, if you’ve only ever worn those long dresses, perhaps not. But if you’re planning to wear shorter hemlines in the future, you better get used to it!”

“Sexy Lexi,” said Alex again, as if trying on the nickname to see if it fit. “I think I like it!”

“You want us to call you Lexi instead of Alex?” Ryan inquired.

She shrugged. “I don’t mind,” she said. “It might be fun to try. Maybe we could give it a week and see if I still like it after that time.”

The idea dismayed me. “I think I like Alex better,” I said quickly, trying to change her mind.

“Are you going to insist on that, or let her choose?” asked Ryan pointedly.

“Of course she can choose,” I said, abashed, slicing an English muffin in half.

“I’m happy to be called either – for now,” Alex decided. “If I get tired of Lexi after a few days, I’ll let you know. But don’t worry, darling – you can keep calling me Alex as long as you like.”

“Thank you,” I said, a little stiffly. “You’d better get your dress and shoes on – we’ll be leaving in about eight minutes.”

“Eight minutes!” she echoed, rather shocked. “Oh goodness.” She sat down with her blueberries and a bowl of cereal, and began eating quickly.

I poured myself some coffee, and sipped it while waiting for my English muffin. When the toaster popped up, I covered both halves with butter and honey, and ate them hurriedly.

Alex dashed into her room, and returned a minute later in a long, pastel green dress with a white collar and white buttons down the front, and white shoes with two-inch heels. She looked gorgeous.

“You look amazing,” I told her, smiling. “Doug won’t know what hit him.”

Alex smiled nervously, and held up a manila folder. “I have my résumé,” she said. “I hope he doesn’t ask me any hard questions!”

“Just be yourself,” I told her. “Don’t overthink it.”

“Good luck!” said Drake. “You got this, Lexi.”

I frowned a little, but Alex giggled. “Thanks Drake!”

“Good luck Lexi!” said Ryan.

“Thanks Ryan!”

“Okay okay, let’s go,” I said huffily.

We left the apartment, took the elevator down to the lobby, and headed outside. “Are we taking the bus or the subway?” Alex asked.

“Bus to work, subway to most other places,” I replied. “The 334 bus happens to stop right outside our office, so it’s very convenient.”

“Okay,” said Alex, nodding. “334…”

As usual, there was standing room only on the bus, and as we squeezed into the crowd, I recognised many of the faces around us. One of them, a sweaty middle-aged man with beady eyes and a combover, licked his lips as Alex stood in front of him, and stared over her shoulder at her buxom chest. I glared at him, but he did not even look at me.

The journey took twelve minutes. As we disembarked, Alex uttered a little squeal, and I turned to face her as she skipped up to my side. “You okay?” I asked.

“Someone squeezed my bottom!” she told me, sounding more surprised than upset. “Just grabbed my butt as I was about to step off, and gave it a squeeze!”

“That bastard!” I exclaimed, turning around to look for the sweaty man. “I bet I know exactly who that was – he was eyeing you like a piece of meat the whole journey!”

“It’s fine!” she assured me. “Don’t go picking fights on my account, Marty, please. No harm done.”

“No harm done?” I said, aggrieved. “He molested you!”

“It was just a little squeeze,” she said lightly, trying to calm me down. “Let it go, darling, please.”

I ground my teeth, but nodded. “All right,” I said reluctantly. “But he’s on that bus just about every day, Alex. I worry he’ll think he can get away with doing that, and try it again.”

“Let’s cross that bridge if and when we come to it,” said Alex soothingly. “In the meantime, let’s not dwell on it. I have enough to worry about this morning.”

I suddenly felt selfish. “Of course you do,” I said hastily. “I’m sorry, Alex. But really, you don’t need to worry. Doug will love you, I just know it.”

She smiled. “Thanks, Marty,” she said.

She accompanied me inside, and I signed her in at reception. Leading her to my desk, I introduced her to my colleagues.

“This is Aaron,” I said, gesturing to the lanky, greasy-haired young man sitting closest to my desk. “He currently does data management, which is the job you’re applying for. Aaron’s about to move into a different job, involving server maintenance and stuff, but I figure he’ll give you plenty of training to ease you into his former role.”

“I look forward to it!” said Aaron happily, getting to his feet and shaking her hand. “Good luck in your interview, Alex.” His eyes briefly dropped to her chest, before flicking back up to her face. “I’ll be rooting for you!”

“Thanks!” she said.

“He’s a bit of a Ryan, I’m afraid,” I muttered to her after Aaron had returned to work. “Single and desperate.”

“A bit like you, then, before you met me?” Alex inquired cheekily.

“Hey,” I protested. “Okay, yeah, a bit … but I was never as much of a dork as either of them. Yeah, I hit on way too many girls in college, but I was hardly a social pariah. Ryan has exactly two friends: me and Drake. And I’m not sure you can count Drake. Whereas I … oh, this is Stefan. Stefan, this is my fiancée, Alex. She’s come in to apply for Aaron’s job.”

“Hi Alex!” said Stefan, clearly instantly smitten. Barely twenty years old, he was boyishly exuberant and always eager to please, though as a temp he had yet to find his place here. Unlike the tall, dark-haired, almost creepily thin Aaron, Stefan was short and slightly chubby, with an infectious smile and a mop of blond curly hair. Everybody liked him, though as far as I knew, he did not have a girlfriend.

“Hi Stefan!” said Alex. “Nice to meet you.”

“Stefan mans the help desk,” I explained. “He deals with whatever issues he can, and directs the rest to me or Aaron or Wallace, depending on what the problem is. He also handles IT documentation, but now that Simone’s quit … I guess you’ll be doing help desk stuff exclusively?”

“I can do both,” said Stefan with a shrug. “It’s not hard. You’re really pretty, Alex – Marty’s a lucky guy.”

“You can’t say that, Stefan!” I said, rolling my eyes in exasperation. “Alex is going to be your colleague – we hope. It’s unprofessional … and borderline sexual harassment!”

Stefan immediately looked alarmed, but Alex shook her head. “Don’t worry Stefan,” she said, “I’m not going to report you! I don’t mind at all, and appreciate the compliment – thank you.”

Stefan smiled with relief. “I hope your interview goes well,” he said.

“And over here,” I said, “lurking in the corner, is Wallace, our comms manager. Been here as long as the company, haven’t you Wallace?”

“Oh yes,” said the white-haired sixty-year-old, getting out of his chair with difficulty. Thanks to a back injury sustained years ago, he could not stand fully upright, and at the best of times he had a tendency to talk to women’s chests – which was generally tolerated, though some women were less happy about it than others. “Who’s this lovely girl?”

“Wallace, this is my fiancée, Alex,” I said. “She’s applying for Aaron’s job.”

“Oh!” said Wallace. “Is Aaron leaving?”

“He’s applying for Simone’s job,” I explained.

Wallace licked his lips. “Ah, I see,” he said, staring at Alex’s chest. “Well, best of luck to you, Alex.”

“Thank you!” said Alex. “Nice to meet you, Wallace.”

As we walked back to my desk, I said, “Wallace has had a bit of a rough time, poor guy. He was widowed a few years ago – before I joined the company – and then he fell off a ladder and broke his back. Since then he hasn’t been able to stand upright, so you’ll have to forgive him for not looking you in the eye.”

“Oh!” said Alex. “I thought he was just captivated by my large bosom.”

I stifled a snort of laughter. “The two things aren’t mutually exclusive,” I said.

We sat down at my desk, and Alex watched me work for a while. Then, a couple of minutes before nine o’clock, I took her to Doug’s office. I had seen through his glass door that he was done with his call, and I was anxious to introduce him to Alex.

He saw us coming, and waved us in. “Hi Doug,” I said. “This is Alex.”

A slow grin spread across Doug’s face as he looked her up and down. “Wow,” he said. “You didn’t tell me you were engaged to such a beauty, Marty!” He emerged from behind his desk, and offered his hand. “Nice to meet you, Alex,” he said. “I’m Doug Rifkin, director of IT. Marty tells me you’re a bit of a math genius.”

“Well, I…” Alex began, as she shook his hand.

“Sit, sit,” he said, gesturing to a chair in front of his desk. “Thanks, Marty, I’ll take it from here.”

“Right, okay,” I said, and I closed his door on the way out.

From my desk, I kept a watchful eye on Doug and Alex, hoping to gauge how well the interview was going. Though I would not have cared to admit it, I was desperately hoping she would get the job. I did not like to think of her in some other workplace, getting hit on by horny colleagues and taken advantage of by unscrupulous bosses. Here, at least, I would be able to keep an eye on her.

It did seem to be going well. Doug was smiling a lot, and even laughing; he appeared to be in a very good mood. After half an hour, he and Alex both got to their feet, shook hands, and then – to my surprise – Doug spread his arms for a hug, which Alex readily stepped into. Dismayed, I watched open-mouthed as my boss held my fiancée close in his arms. He glanced over at me, saw that I was looking at him … and he winked at me!

Then he released Alex, who turned and skipped to the door, looking happy. I watched her with wide eyes as she came over to me. “I got the job!” she whispered excitedly.

I was both relieved and anxious. “Well done!” I said. “I knew you’d get it. But what was the hug about?”

“Oh, he just wanted to congratulate me on our engagement,” she said, “and on getting the job. Sort of a ‘welcome to the family’ hug. Did it … bother you?”

“No no, no,” I said nonchalantly, “just surprised me a bit, that’s all. Anyway this is awesome – we’ll be working together!” And I gave her a hug.

She giggled, and gently pushed me away. “We shouldn’t get too affectionate in the office, darling,” she said furtively. “We need to be a bit careful. Doug said he had reservations about us distracting each other, and he didn’t want to see us being all lovey-dovey.”

“Oh!” I said. “Right. Makes sense. Got to tone it down for the office, I guess!”

She smiled. “Yeah. Um, so, the other thing is that to begin with, I’ll just be temping – four hours a day. Doug said that because I have no experience, I need some time to prove myself before he can make me a permanent employee.”

“Huh!” I said, taken aback. “Okay … did he say which four hours?”

“Mornings,” she replied. “Starting today if I want – which I do. I can just take the 334 bus home at lunchtime, right?”

“Yeah,” I said uneasily. “At least it won’t be too crowded then. Will you know when to get off?”

“Just after the park, right?” said Alex. “I paid attention on the way here.”

I nodded. “Yup! Okay. So what’s the plan? HR?”

“Doug’s working on that,” she said. “He said I should just start job-shadowing Aaron.”

“Fair enough,” I said. “Hey Aaron! Can Alex sit with you and watch you work?”

“Absolutely!” said Aaron, looking very happy. “Come on over, Alex!”

I got back to work, glancing from time to time at Aaron and Alex as they sat side by side in front of his computer. At first, they looked very serious, with Alex taking notes as Aaron diligently explained everything he was doing. But after a while, they seemed to loosen up, and I frowned a little to see them chatting amicably in low voices. A couple of times, Alex giggled.

At about 10:45 I went to the kitchen for a coffee, and Alex made an excuse to Aaron before jumping up to join me.

“How’s it going?” I asked her.

“Pretty good!” she replied. “Aaron does a lot of things, but none of them look particularly hard. I just need to remember what to do, and when. I have a crib sheet going; that will help.”

“Good, good,” I said. “You and he seemed to be getting along well.”

She giggled. “Yeah, he’s funny,” she said. “I can’t believe he’s thirty-one and never had a proper girlfriend!” She giggled again. “Oh, oh, he said, ‘Unless you count my inflatable doll!’” She burst out laughing.

“He’s thirty-one?” I asked in surprise. “I honestly didn’t realise he was that old. I figured mid-twenties.”

“Well he doesn’t smoke or drink or do weed or anything like that,” said Alex knowledgeably. “I’m sure that helps him stay young-looking.”

“You seem to know a lot about him already!” I observed.

She nodded. “He asked me about myself, and told me quite a lot about himself. He said it’s nice to get a bit of a backstory on people you work with.”

“I guess so,” I said. “Although it’s interesting that he’s told you so much more about himself than he’s ever told me – and I’ve been working with him for over a year!”

“Maybe he doesn’t find you as easy to talk to?” Alex suggested. “He did say I’m very easy to talk to.”

“Uh-huh,” I said warily. He wasn’t wrong, though: Alex is indeed very easy to talk to.

We made our drinks, returned to our desks, and continued working. Alex and Aaron continued chatting, and I tried not to glance over at them too often … but it was not easy to concentrate on my work. One time, I happened to look over and saw Aaron’s hand on Alex’s leg! On her left thigh, just above the knee. My jaw dropped, and I glared at Aaron … but he did not look my way, and a moment later he removed his hand.

I was not sure what to do. It could have been an innocent touch – and I was certain Alex interpreted it that way – but I strongly suspected that Aaron had been pushing his luck. And having gotten away with it this time, he would be likely to try something more in the future. But if I discussed it with Alex, she would know I had been watching the two of them … which might seem a little creepy and possessive.

Was I creepy and possessive? I didn’t think so – not unduly so, anyway. I was just very aware of Alex’s naïveté, and of men’s instinctive inclinations in her presence. Could anyone blame me for keeping an eye on her?

Alternatively, one might ask: was Alex’s naïveté sufficient excuse for me to behave like a stalker? I could see both sides, and it made me uncomfortable. I felt driven to be protective of Alex … but I had to be careful not to be OVERprotective. I had no wish to smother her.

Noon came, and I suggested to Alex that we go out for lunch. We ate at a local deli, Gangsta Wraps, and talked about how her morning had gone.

“I learned a lot!” she said. “Aaron’s a good teacher.”

“Did he, uh, tell you more about himself?” I asked.

“A bit,” she replied, “though we spent more time talking about me. He was curious about my religious upbringing. Did you know he doesn’t believe in God?” She seemed awed by this revelation. “How can someone not believe in God?”

I smirked. “Did you ask him that?”

She shook her head. “I was too shocked. Maybe I’ll ask him tomorrow.” She giggled. “Daddy wouldn’t want me talking to him at all, if he knew.”

“If your beliefs are robust, a few conversations with an atheist shouldn’t shake them,” I remarked.

“Well exactly,” she said.

“I, uh … I happened to glance over, and saw his hand on your leg,” I could not help mentioning. I tried to make it sound casual.

“Oh,” said Alex. “Yeah, he did do that. Only briefly. It didn’t seem like he was being naughty, though – it felt more like a reassuring touch. Do you think he had bad intentions?”

“I can’t be sure,” I admitted. “What was he reassuring you about?”

“Oh, I just expressed some anxiety about the consequences of me accidentally making a mistake, like deleting the wrong file or linking to the wrong database.” Alex chuckled. “He said almost all mistakes are correctable, even file deletions. And he said he wouldn’t let me go solo until I was feeling confident enough to do so.”

“That was nice of him,” I conceded. “Okay, I won’t make a big deal of the whole hand-on-thigh thing – I’m sure he wasn’t being inappropriate on purpose. Just … keep your guard up, okay? Single and desperate, remember.”

Alex smiled. “Okay,” she said.

I walked her to the bus stop. “See you at home later,” I said.

She kissed my cheek. “See you later, darling!”

The bus came, and she boarded. I was relieved to see it was not at all crowded, and she found a seat almost immediately. We exchanged a brief wave, and then she was gone.

The rest of the day passed slowly; I didn’t have much to do, and I found myself worrying about Alex being home alone with Ryan. I kept telling myself I was being silly, but still I worried. I wished I could call her … but she had no phone. Yet. I decided that this weekend, in addition to buying her some new clothes, we would get her a phone. I knew she was resistant to the idea, having been warned against them by her father, but I hoped to talk her around.

I took the bus home, rode the elevator up to the fourth floor, and let myself into the apartment. Inside, I found Ryan and Alex playing Minecraft. Alex was once again dressed in a tank top and panties, but that was not what bothered me most.

“Oh!” I said, disappointed. “I was hoping to introduce you to Minecraft myself, Alex.”

“Oh, I’m sorry!” she said, embarrassed. “I didn’t realise. I just thought maybe I should try to get to know and understand this hobby of yours, and Ryan’s been helping me with that. But if we can play together – I’d love to! I just know you’re an expert at it – I worry I’ll slow you down.”

I shook my head. “No need to worry about that,” I assured her. “It would be my absolute pleasure to show you the ropes – or at least, what’s left of them…”

“Oh, there’s plenty left,” said Ryan cheerfully. “We’ve only been at this for half an hour or so. She’s smelting her first few bits of iron, and she’s been chopping down trees like crazy. How many logs do you have now, Lexi?”

“92 oak, and 26 birch!” said Alex proudly. “I’m going to make a big house!”

I went over and perched on the edge of the couch. “You know your wood will go farther if you turn them into planks,” I said.

“Oh yes,” she replied. “I know – I’ve already made planks, and sticks. My 92 oak logs will turn into 368 planks, if I convert them all … but I think I’ll leave some as logs, just to make my house more interesting. And the birch logs will look really good as my floor, I think.”

“Almost nighttime,” I observed. “Do you have a bed?”

“Yes, in my cave,” she said. “My furnace and crafting table are also in there. And a chest, for my stuff.”

“Have you met any creepers yet?” I inquired.

“Yes!” she said. “I got blown up by one. That was scary! Fortunately I found my way back to my cave afterwards, with Ryan’s help, and since then we’ve been going to bed just as night falls, so we don’t get lots of mobs spawning around us.”

“Ugh,” I said, “the split-screen thing is giving me a headache. When we play, I might use my laptop while you play on the PS4.”

“Yeah, that’d be better,” Ryan agreed. “I don’t have Minecraft on my laptop or I’d have done the same. Anyway, I’ll let you two play together, now you’re home.” He got up and sauntered off in the direction of his bedroom.

“Actually I should really get on with making dinner,” said Alex guiltily. “Sorry I’m not already on that – I was a bit distracted with this game!”

“It’s fine,” I assured her. “We’re not on a tight schedule. And I’m not all that hungry yet.”

“Still, it’ll take a while,” said Alex, putting her controller down. “I’d better get started.”

“You know, it’s not your job to feed us all,” I said. “We could always order pizza – we often do that.”

“I like cooking!” said Alex with a smile. “And I haven’t been doing anything else productive since I got home – Ryan and I have just been goofing around, mostly.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Oh? What did you guys get up to…?”

She giggled. “Well … we watched a movie, went for a walk, played cards for a bit … and, um, we had a tickle fight…”

“A tickle fight?” I asked, astonished. “What the … how did that happen?”

She blushed, and giggled again. “Um, well, Ryan teased me a bit, and I teased him back, and he got all huffy – at least he pretended to be upset, but I could tell he wasn’t – and I tickled him from behind, and he gasped and turned around, and kind of attacked me and tickled me … not in an aggressive way or anything! We were both laughing. But he eventually wrestled me on to the couch and pinned my arms and tickled me until I could hardly breathe! I cried uncle at that point, and he stopped.”

“You’re both a little old for a tickle fight!” I said uneasily, rather appalled at the mental image of Ryan ‘wrestling’ my fiancée while she was wearing so little.

“Yeah, I know,” she said sheepishly. “But as I told Ryan, I never had any brothers when I was growing up, so I missed out on that kind of experience. This felt quite cathartic, in a way. It was fun! I … I hope we weren’t out of line – are you mad…?”

She clearly hadn’t had any bad intentions, so of course I was not mad at her. “Not at all,” I assured her. “You did nothing wrong. Ryan, on the other hand, should have known better. I’m not convinced he didn’t get a secret thrill out of wrestling you – especially given what you’re wearing – and I wouldn’t put it past him to take the opportunity to grope you.”

Alex blushed, and bit her lip. “Um, well, I guess one of his hands did do that, a bit…”

I swallowed, my fists clenching involuntarily. “Oh?”

“Don’t be mad!” she said hastily. “It happened so fast – it could easily have been an accident.”

I suppressed the urge to chase after Ryan and confront him. “What happened, exactly?” I asked, trying to keep my cool.

“Well he … he had a hold of me from behind as we fell on to the couch,” Alex explained, her cheeks rather pink, “and his arms were pinning mine … and he was tickling my belly with his right hand, while his left … was kind of … across my chest … and his hand was holding on to my right breast…” She smiled nervously. “I think he was so focused on tickling me that he didn’t realise where his other hand was. But he did, sort of, squeeze my breast a few times. And I was laughing so hard I couldn’t breathe, let alone tell him where his hand was. But eventually I managed to say ‘uncle!’ And he let me go.”

I sat down, balling my fists. “That bugger!” I growled.

Alex fidgeted anxiously. “Please don’t be mad,” she said. “I honestly don’t know if he even realises what he did.”

“I’m very sure he does!” I said. “But didn’t you confront him about it afterwards?”

“No!” said Alex, shocked. “It was a nice moment, and I didn’t want to ruin the mood by accusing him of misbehaving. After all, I didn’t know for sure that he’d done it on purpose – in fact I’m fairly sure he didn’t.” She sighed. “But if you want to talk to him about it … I understand, of course.”

I nodded, and took her hands in mine. “I love that you’re so trusting,” I said, “but I really can’t believe he didn’t know exactly what he was doing. He saw his opportunity, and went for it. I can’t even say I blame him – the temptation must have been enormous. But obviously I don’t want it to happen again, accidentally or otherwise. So … no more tickle fights, okay?”

Alex nodded, looking a little sad. “I’m sorry,” she said. “It was such a fun experience, but now I feel guilty for having enjoyed it.”

“You’ve nothing to feel guilty about,” I assured her. “I’m glad you had fun. But it was just a one-time thing, okay?”

She smiled, still looking a little sad. “Okay,” she said, squeezing my hands. “I’ll go and start making dinner, then.” And she got to her feet, her breasts wobbling slightly inside her top.

I stared at her. “Are you … not wearing a bra?” I asked, shocked, as I stood up in front of her.

“Oh,” she said, folding her arms across her chest in embarrassment. “Yes. Um, again, please don’t be mad … Ryan talked me into it. He said I would be more comfortable, and my breasts would still be fully covered, so why not go for it? I told him I wasn’t sure, because this top is fairly tight and it would show the shape of them … but he said he didn’t think it would be a big deal. And he suggested I go into my bedroom – your bedroom – and give it a try … and if I didn’t feel more comfortable with the bra off, and felt like I was showing too much, I could always put it back on. So I tried it … and … honestly, Marty, it felt really good to take it off! It always does. You don’t know what it’s like, having big breasts and having to squeeze them into a bra. The straps dig in, you feel compressed and constrained … and as I looked at myself in the mirror, I thought that it didn’t look that bad after all, and I remembered you saying how my comfort was important to you, and…”

She seemed on the verge of tears, and I put my hands on her shoulders. “Okay, okay, it’s fine, I understand,” I said softly. “If it’s such a pain for you to wear a bra, then I guess it’s okay for you to take it off when you’re at home. But it does kinda sound like you’re wearing the wrong size of bra. I’ve heard that a lot of women do that, because they’ve never been professionally fitted for one. My guess is that if we find you the right size, your comfort level will improve drastically. But in the meantime, it’s okay if you want to go braless around here.” I sighed. “It’ll make Ryan and Drake way happier than they have a right to be, but your comfort is what’s most important.”

She hugged me. “Thank you, Marty,” she sniffled into my shoulder.

Then an uneasy feeling hit me. “Uh,” I said, “just out of curiosity … did you take your bra off before or after your tickle fight?”

“Before,” she said in a muffled voice.

I shuddered. “I really need to go talk to Ryan!” I said.

“Do you ... have to?” asked Alex, pulling back and looking up into my face. “I understand why you feel the need to, but … if we don’t have any more tickle fights, won’t the issue resolve itself? I’d hate for things to become awkward between you two, if it’s not necessary…”

I considered this. “I see your point,” I admitted, “but I think my relationship with Ryan will survive an awkward conversation.”

Alex hung her head. “I … I also think it might make it awkward … between me and Ryan. Right now he probably doesn’t know if I even noticed. Or maybe I did notice, and just dismissed it as an accident. If you go and confront him, he’ll think that I think he did it on purpose and I’m mad at him for it. And then things between us will be … awkward.”

I pursed my lips. “You really want me not to talk to him?” I asked.

She fidgeted. “I … it’s up to you,” she said. “I’d prefer it if you don’t, but I can’t make that decision for you. If your conscience is telling you to talk to him, then … maybe you should. I’m just telling you how I feel about it.”

I considered this for a few moments … and I was almost swayed. But then I imagined Ryan gleefully squeezing my beloved Alex’s breast while holding her tightly and tickling her, and I shook my head. “I’m sorry, it’s no good, I have to talk to him,” I said. “I’ll be dwelling on it forever if I don’t.”

Alex nodded in resignation. “All right,” she said. “I understand. Go do it. And … if you want, I’ll put my bra back on.”

I smiled at her. “You don’t have to,” I said. “Wearing a bra sounds miserable, the way you describe it. I don’t want to be the one forcing you to do that.”

“Thank you,” she said gratefully. “Um, good luck in your talk with Ryan.”

I chuckled. “I won’t need good luck,” I said. “But he might!” I kissed her on the lips. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

I knocked on Ryan’s door.

“Come in!”

I entered. “Hey Ryan,” I said.

He was sitting on his bed, leaning back against two pillows, laptop on his lap. “Hey man. What’s up?”

“Cop a nice feel, did you?” I demanded, folding my arms and glaring at him.

He stared at me, and then grinned nervously. “So she noticed that, huh? I hoped she might be so focused on the tickling that she wouldn’t.”

“So you admit it!” I exclaimed. “It was no accident!”

“Oh, it was,” he said. “At first. I didn’t even realise where my hand was until I felt it cradling her soft, warm, supple mound of flesh … and then I was like, holy shit! And I couldn’t bring myself to let go. Dude, her boobs feel amazing! Well, the right one does, and I assume the left one’s just as good. Anyway, I just had to give it a good squeeze! So I intensified my tickling, and she was shrieking and laughing, and I got in a couple of good squeezes before she said uncle and I had to let her go. But wow, dude! I’ll treasure that memory for my whole life!”

“But she’s my fiancée, Ryan!” I said plaintively. “I’m sure the experience was all kinds of magical – I’m well aware of how her breasts feel, of course – but dude! Didn’t you think of how upset I would get?”

“Uh, not really!” said Ryan candidly. “I mean, afterwards, sure. But in the heat of the moment, I’m afraid I wasn’t really thinking of anything except ‘Oh my God this is awesome!’ Sorry man – I know I should have acted differently, but put yourself in my shoes and tell me you wouldn’t have done the same.”

“I wouldn’t!” I said firmly. “Because I wouldn’t have been tickling her in the first place! Jeez, Ryan, are you twelve years old?”

He chuckled. “We were just fooling around!” he said. “And I don’t mean in a sexual way. It felt more like, you know, having a sister or something. I never had a sister, so it was kinda fun just being silly and messing around like that. We were having a blast!” He sighed. “I guess I ruined it, huh? Is she super mad at me?”

I ground my teeth. I wanted to punish him, but I also felt I ought to be honest. “No, she’s not mad at you,” I grumbled. “She had a blast too, frankly. She said something similar, about never having had a brother…”

“That’s awesome!” said Ryan. “So she and I can each be the sibling the other never had.”

“I guess,” I conceded. “And that’s great, I’m happy for you both. But no more tickle fights!”

“Aww Marty, don’t be a killjoy,” said Ryan. “Siblings goof around and roughhouse and tickle each other – it’s perfectly natural.”

“Yeah but you’re not actually siblings!” I pointed out. “And you’re grown-ups!”

“Yeah but dude,” said Ryan, “you said yourself Lexi had a blast. She’s just discovered a brother figure, and she’s enjoying how it feels to have one. You really going to pour cold water on that, right from the start? Okay, so I got a little carried away and took advantage … but it sounds like she had fun despite that. Can’t you just let it go?”

I opened and closed my mouth, unsure how to respond. “Look, I don’t want to pour cold water on it,” I said hesitantly. “If ALEX is starting to see you as the brother she never had, that’s great, and I support it. But you need to act like a brother and not like some horny guy who wants to get his hands all over her.”

“Point taken,” said Ryan. “I’ll do my best. It’s just not easy when she’s … she’s so fucking hot, man! But I’ll try.”

His assurance was not very reassuring, but I doubted I would get anything more concrete from him, unless he outright lied. And I did appreciate his honesty. “The whole top-and-panties thing was clearly a bad idea,” I said grimly. “On Saturday we’ll get Alex some shorts and t-shirts to wear around the house, and hopefully you’ll be less tempted to misbehave.”

“I’ll miss the panties,” said Ryan regretfully, “but I do get where you’re coming from.”

“Okay,” I said, feeling like I had not quite got everything I wanted from this conversation. “We’ll leave it there, for the time being. I’m going to go and help Alex with dinner.”

Alex had found a bag of chicken nuggets in the freezer, and a bag of fries, and a bag of frozen vegetables. “We need to do a proper grocery shop,” she told me when I joined her in the kitchen. “There’s nothing for me to cook! The veggies are microwave-in-the-bag, and the other things I just stuck in the oven. I want to do some proper cooking!”

“We can certainly do that,” I agreed. “Just make a list, and we’ll stop by the grocery store after we get you some new clothes on Saturday. Oh, and a phone.”

Her eyes widened. “A phone?”

“Yeah, it would be nice to be able to contact you when we’re not together,” I said. “And you’ll have the ability to take photos, and listen to music wherever you go, and you’ll have the entire internet at your fingertips.”

Alex shivered. “Daddy always said bad men would use my phone to find me and kidnap me.”

“That’s alarmist nonsense,” I said. “Yes, there are predators out there who befriend gullible kids and groom them and talk them into sending naughty photos or even meeting up in real life … but such guys are easily avoided by the simple rule: don’t talk to strangers online. Alex, almost everyone has a smartphone these days; they’re pretty essential for modern life. And with a few simple precautions, like not giving out personal information, there’s really no danger in having one.”

Alex still looked unconvinced. “But can’t smartphones be … hacked?”

“Only if you give someone access to it,” I said. “Phones these days have really robust security, so there’s almost no chance you’ll be hacked remotely. A hacker would have to be extremely knowledgeable and extremely motivated to pull that off. And someone with that kind of talent would go after bigger targets, like governments and major corporations. And they’ll be taking in big bucks for their services. They’re not going to be petty criminals looking to kidnap some random girl.”

“Well … okay then,” said Alex. She smiled. “Wow, Saturday’s going to be exciting!”

I chuckled. “I’m sure it will.”

We had dinner, washed the dishes, and sat down in front of the television. “What do you want to watch, sister?” Ryan asked Alex playfully.

“I don’t mind, brother!” Alex replied with a giggle. “Oh – maybe we could all play Minecraft?”

“Sure!” I said.

So we played Minecraft. Around ten o’clock, Drake stumbled in, dragging a young Latina woman by the hand. She was slim and attractive, with long black hair and dark eyes. I recognised her; this was the third or fourth time Drake had brought her home.

“Don’t mind us!” said Drake.

“Hey Rochelle,” said Ryan.

“Hey Brian,” she replied, swaying and falling against Drake. She had clearly been drinking. “And hey … Andy?”

“Marty,” I corrected her. “And this is my fiancée, Alex.”

“She cute!” said Rochelle, eyeing Alex with approval. “Didn’t you say she’s called Lexi though?” She craned her neck up to look at Drake.

“Ryan and I call her Lexi,” said Drake. “Marty calls her Alex.”

“Nice to meet you, Rochelle,” said Alex, standing up.

“Nice panties!” said Rochelle, and she laughed.

“Be nice, Rochelle,” Drake chided her. “She’s only just coming out of a very religious shell.”

“Well hey, you go girl!” said Rochelle. “You rock those Penney’s five-packs.”

Drake gave us an apologetic smile, and steered Rochelle towards his bedroom.

“What did she mean?” Alex asked me in concern. “Is there something wrong with my panties?”

“No!” said Ryan and I together.

“I like them very much,” I said. “There’s absolutely nothing wrong with them. They might not be as skimpy or as fashionable as the ones Rochelle probably wears, but there’s nothing wrong with that. These ones suit you very well.”

“I agree,” said Ryan. “I love your panties, Lexi.”

Alex giggled. “That’s a relief. Thank you both!”

“Don’t get too used to them, Ryan,” I said sternly. “After Saturday’s shopping trip she’ll be wearing shorts.”

“Yeah, yeah,” said Ryan grudgingly. “I think it’s a shame, though – I love how free-spirited you’ve become in the short time you’ve been here, Lexi. Seems like a shame for you to start covering up again.”

“I just want her to be safe from your ogling!” I said irritably. “It’s just not appropriate for her to be spending time with you, dressed like this.”

Ryan sighed, and looked at Alex, who was sitting between us. “I guess we gotta humour the old curmudgeon, right?”

Alex giggled, and then she turned to me, forestalling my indignant reaction. “He’s just teasing you!” she said. “You’re not an old curmudgeon, don’t worry.”

“Okay, okay,” said Ryan. “I stand corrected. Young curmudgeon, then.”

Alex laughed, and then she clutched my arm and laid her head on my shoulder. “Not any kind of curmudgeon,” she assured me. “You’re my man, and I love you.”

“I love you too,” I replied, and I kissed her. “Come on, let’s go to your room. I’ve personally had my fill of hearing him talk about your underwear!”

Alex smiled, and nodded. As we entered her room, I closed the door behind us, then I took her into my arms. “Mmm, this is better,” I murmured.

Alex was about to reply, when the muffled sounds of creaking wood and female moans made themselves heard through the wall.

“Oh my!” said Alex, startled. “Are they … doing what I think they’re doing?”

“Yeah,” I said with a grimace. “Sorry. The walls aren’t as soundproof as I’d like.”

Alex listened intently. “Is he … hurting her?” she asked in concern.

“No,” I said uncomfortably. “That’s just the sound of female ecstasy. He’s making her feel really good.”

Alex’s eyes were as wide as saucers. “Is she having an … orgasm?”

“She’s well on the way,” I replied. “Have you … never had one yourself?”

She shook her head. “Daddy told me that lust is a sin,” she said. “And I shouldn’t touch myself … down there … except for washing.” She blushed deeply. “So I sometimes washed myself quite long and hard … but every time I got close to, um, orgasm, I stopped out of guilt.”

“What a shame!” I said. “There’s no need to feel guilty about having an orgasm. Uh … if you do that in our bathroom, though, please try to keep it quiet. I’d hate for Ryan to hear you.”

She giggled. “Oh don’t worry, I’m not planning to,” she said. “At this point I’ve waited so long, I might as well wait a little longer … you know, until our wedding night.”

I smiled, and shrugged. “If that’s what you want,” I said.

“We can still make out though,” she said impishly. “And you can play with my breasts.”

I grinned. “Yes please!” I said.

We were both fairly flushed and worked up by the time we broke apart. Alex had been grinding her crotch on my thigh, and I had been massaging her bottom through her panties, and she looked very aroused as I looked down at her.

“Oh Alex,” I sighed. “I wish I could just rip off your panties and plunge myself inside you…”

She whimpered slightly. “I … I wouldn’t blame you if you did,” she admitted. “I want it too. But … I’d really rather not have to explain to Daddy why I have a big belly on my wedding day. He’d be so disappointed in me! It’s only a few months … can you wait? If you can’t…”

“I can wait,” I assured her. “I made you a promise, didn’t I? And I’m a man of my word.”

She looked relieved. “Thank you, my darling,” she said. “I … I should get ready for bed, then. Um … you want to go first?”

“No, you go first,” I said. “I’ll watch TV for a bit.”

“Okay,” she said, putting her top back on.

While she went to the bathroom, I joined Ryan on the couch. We watched a stand-up comedy special for a bit, until Ryan grunted. “This guy’s terrible. I think I’ll go and have some laptop time in my room.”

“Okay,” I said.

As Ryan got up, the bathroom door opened, and Alex stepped out. “Goodnight Lexi,” said Ryan.

“Goodnight Ryan!” she replied with a smile.

“I’m sorry about … this afternoon,” he said awkwardly. “I realise I got a bit gropey. I hope you can forgive me.”

“Oh, of course!” she said earnestly. “Don’t give it another thought. Water under the bridge.”

“So I can still be your big brother?” he asked hopefully.

She giggled. “If I can be your little sister!”

“Totally,” he grinned. “Goodnight hug?” He spread his arms.

“Sure!” She skipped over to him, and put her arms around his waist as he folded his around her back. I frowned in disapproval, but the hug seemed innocent enough.

“Mmmm,” said Ryan contentedly. “It’s nice to have a sister after all these years.”

“It’s nice to have a brother!” said Alex.

The hug lasted way too long, in my opinion, but fortunately they separated just before I snapped at Ryan. At least his hands had not wandered … though I couldn’t help wondering if they might have done, had I not been watching.

I got up. “My turn,” I said firmly.

“Sure!” said Ryan, and he threw his arms around me. Alex squealed with laughter.

“Knock it off, you idiot,” I said, chuckling as I pushed him away. Then I hugged Alex. “Goodnight, my love.”

“Goodnight, my darling!” she replied, and we kissed on the lips.

“No goodnight kiss for me?” Ryan ventured cheekily.

“Well sure, if you want,” I said, stepping toward him with my lips puckered.

He laughed, and retreated to his room. I looked at Alex, who was giggling uncontrollably. “You guys are so funny!” she said at last.

I smiled at her. “Sleep well, Alex.”

“You too!” she said. Then she turned and trotted to her bedroom.

FRIDAY: PADDLING & POSING

The next morning, I got up early so I could beat Ryan to the shower. I need not have bothered; he did not surface until after Alex was done in the bathroom.

Rochelle joined us for breakfast; she said Drake was still asleep. She, like Alex, was wearing nothing but a top and panties – at least so I assumed, though her top was a t-shirt of Drake’s, and fully covered her bottom and whatever underwear she was wearing. She chatted with Alex for a bit, and offered some advice on clothes. I was actually quite impressed: her advice seemed sound and knowledgeable, and was not focused on getting Alex to show more skin.

“Ready to go in five minutes?” I asked.

“Yup!” said Alex. “I just have to put on a bra and a dress.”

Eight minutes later, we left the apartment, and shortly after that, we were on the bus. To my dismay, the beady-eyed middle-aged pervert from yesterday was there again, and although he was not initially standing behind Alex, he contrived to manoeuvre himself into that position shortly after the bus set off. I saw Alex gasp, and her cheeks flush. She looked up at me, and I felt rage building inside me.

“Is he…?” I asked, trying to force myself to be calm and not start throwing punches before I had all the information.

She nodded, and I saw red. “Hey!” I exclaimed, reaching out and thumping the man’s shoulder. “Hey you! Get your damn hands off my fiancée!”

“What the fuck?” he said, looking startled. “What are you talking about?”

“I know you’re grabbing my fiancée’s butt!” I said fiercely.

He held up both his hands. “I’m not doing anything, I swear! Calm down, you lunatic!”

“Don’t try to deny it – you did the same thing yesterday!” I said hotly, pushing his shoulder again.

“Jesus Christ, I swear I didn’t do anything!” he protested. “On my mother’s grave! Why are you even accusing me?”

He seemed so confused that I misgave, wondering if perhaps I had made a mistake, falsely accusing him when someone else was sneakily doing the groping.

“Marty, please don’t,” said Alex urgently, clutching my arm. “I don’t want to cause trouble.”

“You’re not – it’s the pervert that’s groping you!” I said angrily. But the tears in her eyes made me soften, and I settled for shuffling through the crowd and interposing myself between Alex and the beady-eyed man, who glared at me resentfully.

Everyone else was staring at us, and the rest of the journey was tense and unpleasant. After we disembarked, I felt I had to apologise. “I’m sorry if I handled that badly,” I said. “I was convinced I knew who it was, but now I’m not so sure.”

“I thought a fight was going to break out!” said Alex unhappily. “That was scary.”

“I wasn’t trying to pick a fight,” I said. “I was just trying to defend you.”

Alex nodded. “I … I appreciate that,” she said. “I just … I’m not sure it was worth it.”

“You can’t expect me to just stand by and not act while someone’s groping you!” I protested.

“I know … I know.” Alex bit her lip. “But maybe … maybe, I don’t know, maybe it would have been better if I hadn’t said anything. Being groped is bad, I know … but I’m not sure it’s worse than seeing my fiancé get in a fight, and maybe getting arrested.”

I was not sure how to respond to this. “Well,” I said, “I don’t want you suffering in silence. If someone’s groping you … I want to know.”

Alex entwined her fingers together, fidgeting nervously. “So you can hit them?”

I shrugged. “Maybe! Or at least confront them, shame them, get them to stop doing it.”

Alex nodded, and we continued walking together in silence. “I … I’d rather you didn’t, though, except as a last resort,” she said eventually. “Would you maybe consider holding back until I actually ask you to intervene? Maybe I can just handle it myself.”

I sighed. “The last thing I want to do is make you feel less safe,” I said. “Next time, if I suspect something’s happening, I’ll do my best to hold back, until you ask for my help.”

“Thanks – that would make me feel better,” said Alex, taking my hand. “I love you, Marty.”

“I love you too, Alex,” I said.

We arrived at work, and Alex sat down with Aaron. As I worked, I could not help occasionally glancing over at them, but for a while they seemed very focused on the training. In the kitchen I asked Alex how it was going.

“Very well, I think!” she said. “I’m learning a lot, and taking a lot of notes. Aaron says at this rate I’ll be ready to go solo on Monday.”

“Oh, that’s great!” I said.

“He also mentioned there’s a nice walking trail here,” Alex went on. “I thought maybe I could make use of it after we have lunch together.”

“Totally!” I said approvingly. If she got her daily walk done here at lunchtime, she would not need to go for a walk with Ryan later, and she’d be spending a little less time with him overall. Also, a walk felt somehow … romantic, whereas watching a movie or playing cards did not. Still, I wished she had some other activity to occupy her afternoons.

Some time later, Doug summoned Alex into his office – I watched them curiously, and it looked like she was filling in some paperwork. HR stuff, no doubt. They had a short conversation, then she left.

At lunchtime, I took her to the deli again, and there I found out what Doug had been discussing with her.

“He wants me to go with him on a company visit on Monday,” she said. “A software vendor, I think? He said it would give me some good insights into the business, and I could be like his personal assistant for the trip.”

“Personal assistant?” I said uneasily. “Does he need one of those?”

“He said he’s always wanted one, but there’s never been the budget for it,” said Alex. “He said if and when I become a full-time employee, he might consider some kind of dual role for me, involving both data management and being his assistant.”

“Oh,” I said, liking this idea less and less. Doug and his wife had been separated for a while now, and he was rumoured to have had affairs in the past. “And what would this assistant role involve, exactly…?”

“Managing his calendar, making and taking calls for him, that kind of thing,” said Alex. “And possibly accompanying him on trips.”

My heart sank still further. Doug went on a lot of trips. “Not … overnight trips, I hope?”

“Um, I don’t know,” said Alex, looking concerned. “He didn’t get that specific.” Then she brightened. “But mostly I’ll be here, with you! That’ll be nice, won’t it?”

“Yes.” I smiled. “It will.”

“Oh, there was one more thing,” said Alex. “He asked me to wear something different for Monday. He said I look like I’m going to church, and if I’m to accompany him on business trips, I’ll need to look a little more like an executive’s personal assistant. Apparently that means a blouse and a short skirt.”

My jaw dropped. “He actually asked you to wear a short skirt?”

“I don’t think he meant a miniskirt!” said Alex, giggling. “Just, you know, above the knee – like Pamela wears.”

Pamela was our 45-year-old office administrator; she could frequently be observed walking the aisles importantly, on one errand or another. “One more thing to add to tomorrow’s shopping list, then,” I remarked.

She nodded, and bit her lip. “It’ll be an expensive day, I’m guessing.”

I sighed. “Yes.”

“Maybe we should leave the phone for another time…”

“No!” I said firmly. “I really feel it’s important for you to have a phone. It doesn’t have to be an expensive one, but some kind of smartphone is essential for effectively functioning in today’s society. I’m honestly amazed you got through college without one.”

“It probably would have made things easier,” she admitted. “There were apps we were supposed to use. But I managed without – with a little help.”

“We’ll get you everything you need,” I assured her. “That’s what a credit card is for. Soon we’ll be earning enough to pay off the debt.”

Alex nodded, and smiled.

After lunch, we walked back to the office, and I showed Alex to the start of the walking trail. “Have fun,” I said. “Watch out for mosquitoes.”

“I will,” she replied. “Oh look – it’s Aaron!”

I frowned as I turned to see Aaron approaching. “Hi Aaron, what’s up?”

“Just going for my lunchtime walk,” he said. “You going to walk too?”

My frown deepened. “Alex is. I have to get back to work.”

“Well these woods are generally pretty safe, but it’s probably wise not to walk alone, if you’re a beautiful young woman,” Aaron remarked. “I’d be honoured to accompany you, Lexi, just to guarantee your safety.”

“Thank you Aaron!” said Alex with a smile, before I could respond. “That’s very kind of you.”

“When did you start taking lunch so late?” I inquired grumpily.

“When Simone left,” Aaron replied. “Someone’s got to be available from noon to one.”

“Oh, right,” I muttered. “Well, I guess I should thank you for making sure Alex is safe … wait, you’re calling her Lexi now?”

Aaron nodded. “I have been since she started yesterday,” he said. “It’s how she introduced herself.”

“What?” I turned to Alex.

She blushed. “I kind of like the name!” she said defensively. “Anyway what I said was … well, he asked me if Alex was short for Alexandra, and I said yes it was, and then I said some people call me Lexi. And he asked if he could do the same, and I said sure.”

Aaron grinned, and stepped forward to stand by Alex’s side. “Better get inside, Marty,” he said. “Or Doug will start wondering what’s happened to you. Don’t worry, I won’t let anything happen to your beautiful fiancée.”

I ground my teeth a little, but forced a smile. “Have a nice walk,” I said to Alex. “I’ll see you later. I love you.”

“I love you too!” she said happily. Then she and Aaron turned away, and set off into the woods together.

I had this strange urge to follow them at a distance, to make sure Aaron behaved himself and to jump in and rescue Alex if necessary. But fortunately my wiser self immediately dismissed this as a crazy idea. If Aaron did try anything, Alex would tell me about it later … and I could then report Aaron to Doug and get him fired. But it would not come to that, I knew. Aaron was not that stupid. I hoped he was also not that unprincipled … but I worried about the ability of Alex’s beauty and shapeliness to impair the judgment of the men around her. It seemed only too likely to me that Aaron had already fantasised about Alex … and perhaps, like me and Drake and Ryan, he had even thought about getting her pregnant. And I had just sent her off into the woods with him! Yet what other choice did I have, without seeming like a jealous jerk?

Reluctantly I headed inside and got back to work. About fifty minutes later, Aaron returned and sat down at his desk, looking unnervingly pleased with himself. He caught me looking at him, and grinned.

“How was your walk?” I asked him politely.

“Awesome!” he replied. “Lexi’s great company.”

“Yeah,” I agreed, without enthusiasm. I would have to ask Alex about it later; I hoped she would not have any bad behaviour on Aaron’s part to report.

The afternoon dragged interminably, as did the bus ride home. I entered the apartment with a sense of mild dread, which was immediately dispelled by Alex throwing her arms around me and kissing me.

“What a nice welcome home!” I remarked with a smile, as we disengaged. I noted that she was once again wearing a tank top and panties, and clearly no bra.

“I missed you!” she explained.

We went into my bedroom, where I got changed into a t-shirt and shorts. “How was your walk with Aaron?” I inquired, affecting an unconcerned air.

“It was nice!” she replied. “That trail’s lovely – so quiet and peaceful and pretty. And the lake, with the little beach! I found myself wanting a smartphone, so I could take a photo. Fortunately Aaron had his, and he took a few photos – he said he would send them to me when I get my own phone.” She giggled. “And he talked me into having a paddle – it was a lot of fun!”

I blinked. “A paddle? In your work clothes?”

“Well I took my shoes off of course,” she said. “And I hiked up my dress a bit so I didn’t get it wet.” She giggled. “Aaron said I was so pretty, I put the scenery to shame!”

“Did he, uh, take photos of you?” I asked uneasily.

“Well he was taking photos of the lake anyway, but he did say I was the star of the photos,” said Alex. She giggled again. “He kept encouraging me to go further and further out, but at a certain point I had to stop as I was sinking into the mud at the bottom, and I was worried about getting my panties wet.”

I groaned, picturing the sight. “And how high had you lifted your dress by this point?” I asked her pointedly. “And was Aaron still taking photos?”

Alex bit her lip. “I guess it’s possible he may have seen my panties,” she admitted, her cheeks reddening a little. “I’m not sure if I lifted my dress high enough for that, but he might have caught a glimpse. But I thought to myself, heck, at home I hang out in my panties with Drake and Ryan; is it such a big deal if Aaron sees them too? I’ve been getting to know him quite well – I’ve spent more time with him now than I have with Drake! And he’s nice; I like him.” But her eyes were beginning to moisten. “Are you upset with me?”

My heart softened, and I pulled her into my arms. “I’m not upset with you, my love,” I said. “You were just being your usual carefree adorable self. But Aaron took advantage of you, and now I’m sure he has on his phone a bunch of sexy photos of you with your panties showing.”

“I don’t think he meant to take advantage,” said Alex doubtfully. “But if you like, on Monday I’ll ask him to delete those photos.”

I shook my head. “Don’t worry, it’s not really a big deal,” I said. I knew that Aaron, even if he agreed to delete the photos while she watched, would likely retrieve them later from his recycle bin, if he had not already emailed them to himself or downloaded them to his computer. “What’s done is done.”

She smiled. “Okay,” she said.

“And how did the rest of your afternoon go?” I inquired. “I assume Ryan got very little work done, again?”

She giggled. “He did work part of the time,” she said. “But we played cards together, chatted for a while … and, um, he gave me a massage…”

“A massage?” I repeated anxiously. “What kind of massage?”

“A back massage,” she said nervously, picking up on my reaction. “He only did it to help my back. Should I have refused his offer…?”

I wanted to say, “Yes! Yes of course you should, you naive, trusting, sweet, innocent, gorgeous girl.” But I could not bring myself to do so. I had to know how the massage had gone. I took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled. “There are massages, and massages,” I said. “Some are more, um, appropriate than others. I know you get backache a lot, and I don’t begrudge you getting some relief from it, but I worry that Ryan will use it to take advantage of you.”

“He was very professional about it,” said Alex earnestly. “He did a crazy amount of research into backache and how to relieve it. And he did a great job! My back felt SO much better afterwards!”

I smiled. “Well, I’m very glad to hear that. Um … were you dressed like this…?”

“Not quite,” she admitted, blushing a little. “I did take my top off.”

I gasped. “What??”

“He didn’t see my breasts!” she assured me hastily. “He turned his back, and didn’t turn around again until I was lying on my front on his bed.”

A cartoon version of me would have had steam coming out of his ears at this point. But I managed to hold it together. “You were … on his bed??” I clutched my hair with both hands. “And then…?”

“He massaged my back,” she said simply. “And my shoulders, and my neck, and my butt. He was very thorough.”

“He massaged your butt??” I said in a rather strangled voice. “And you were wearing nothing but your panties?”

“He stayed outside my panties, though!” said Alex, desperately attempting to reassure me. “He didn’t try anything naughty! He … he did admit he was tempted … but he remained totally professional!”

“I’m going to talk to him,” I said grimly.

As I marched to Ryan’s room, Alex trotted after me anxiously. “Please don’t beat him up!” she begged me, demonstrating a touching faith in my beating-up abilities. “He was only trying to help me!”

“I’m just going to talk to him,” I assured her. I knocked on Ryan’s door. “Ryan!”

“Come in!”

I pushed the door open. “What’s this I hear about you massaging Alex’s butt?”

He was sitting on his bed, phone in hand. He stared at me with an infuriatingly innocent expression. “Can you be more specific?” he asked.

“You massaged her butt!” I exclaimed. “I don’t need to get more specific than that!”

Ryan nodded. “Well sure I did!” he said. “Standard part of a thorough back massage. I did a lot of research, dude. It’s amazing how complex the human back is. You’ve got all kinds of muscles, nerves and ligaments that extend from the back into the butt, and a good massage of the glutes will do a lot to relieve back pain. A back massage that doesn’t include the neck, the shoulders and the butt, isn’t a complete massage and won’t fix half the issues that a proper massage should. For instance, the multifidus spinae extends all the way…”

“Yes yes, okay,” I said irritably. “So you clearly did your research. But I can’t help thinking it was just an excuse for you to grope Alex’s butt!”

Ryan grinned. “Well Marty, I’m not going to deny it was fun for me too,” he said. “Lexi has a gorgeous ass and it was very exciting for me to give it a good kneading.” His fingers clenched and flexed rhythmically as he looked over at Alex’s panties. “But the more important question you should be asking yourself is: did it help Lexi? Is her back now feeling any better than it was?”

“It really is,” said Alex fervently. She was clinging to my elbow.

“So I helped her,” Ryan went on. “Does it really matter that I got a kick out of it? She knows I enjoyed it; I didn’t keep it a secret. I was open and honest with her, and I genuinely did my best to help her out with her backache. And I think I did a good job. Are you really going to tell me I shouldn’t have done it?”

A little growl escaped my mouth. I felt as if I had no good way out of this. I could not answer in the affirmative without seeming like a jerk who didn’t care about his fiancée’s well-being. “I guess you did okay,” I conceded grumpily. “But if she’s going to get a massage with that kind of intimate contact, I should be the one giving it to her.”

“Not necessarily,” said Ryan, smirking. “I suspect if you did it, it would quickly escalate into a make-out session, and more. I had to be on my best behaviour … but you’d be under no such constraints. Plus, you haven’t done all the research that I have. As much as you may hate to admit it, it’s probably going to be best for Lexi’s back if I’m the one giving her massages.”

He was making good points, which was all the more annoying. “You sound like you’re making a case for doing this regularly!” I said. “But you can think again! I’m perfectly capable of giving Alex a good massage!”

Ryan shrugged. “Okay, so let’s make a deal. You give Lexi a massage, and let her decide who did it better. But you have to promise, Lexi, that you’ll be honest about it – don’t just say Marty out of loyalty. If indeed Marty gave you a better massage, or even just as good as I did, I’ll back off and I won’t offer again. But if you decide I did it better, then I shall continue to give you massages whenever you need them. How does that sound?”

Alex tugged my arm. “I think that sounds fair, darling,” she said. “I’d much rather be massaged by you, of course, and I can’t wait for you to try it! I bet you’d be really good at it. What do you think?”

I liked the idea of massaging her, but I was unhappy with the stakes. What if I did a bad job?”

“It’s really a win-win situation, for you,” said Ryan casually. “Whichever of us gives the better massage, Lexi’s going to end up getting the best massages possible. And you want her to have less back pain, right? That’s the goal here.”

I sighed heavily. “Fine,” I said. “Let’s give it a go. Not today though. If you’ve already fixed Alex’s back for now, there won’t be much for me to do.” I turned to my fiancée. “Let me know when your back is next hurting.”

“Okay, I will,” she promised. “Anyway, are you hungry? I’ve got dinner on the stove. It’s nothing fancy – just a spaghetti bolognese sort of thing.”

“Sounds wonderful!” I said.

We had dinner, during which Drake arrived home, and then I dried and put away dishes while Ryan washed. When I was finally done, I was the last to leave the kitchen … and I was rather disconcerted to see Alex sitting in the middle of the couch, with Ryan and Drake either side of her. Drake’s arm was draped along the back of the couch, behind Alex, and she was reclining against it. I did not like how this looked.

“Well we can’t all fit on the couch,” I remarked, “and I’d quite like to sit next to my fiancée if that’s okay.”

“Sure!” said Drake, getting up. “I can move. Actually I’m gonna head out in a few minutes. Meeting up with some friends.”

I took his place, feeling relieved. “Minecraft?” I suggested.

We played for a while, until Alex’s eyelids began to droop. “Looks like you need to get to bed,” I said to her with a smile.

She nodded. “I’ll go get ready,” she said.

Ryan and I continued to play until Alex emerged from the bathroom. She paused, and smiled shyly at me. “Um, I’m going to my room then…”

Ryan chuckled. “I think that’s an invitation,” he said. “I guess we’re done playing for now.”

I chuckled. “You can continue,” I said, closing my laptop.

Ryan shook his head, and stood up. “Can I get a goodnight hug from my little sis?”

“Of course,” said Alex, approaching him with a smile. The two of them hugged closely, with Ryan’s hands out of sight behind Alex’s back. After a moment, she gasped. “Ryan!”

He laughed. “Sorry, I couldn’t resist a little follow-up massage,” he said.

“Did you just grab her butt?” I demanded.

Ryan turned and grinned at me. “This might be my last chance!” he said. “If you massage Lexi tomorrow, and do a better job than me, then I won’t get another opportunity.”

“Which is the way it should be!” I said indignantly.

Ryan released Alex, and stepped back from her. “You’re quite right,” he acknowledged. “I apologise, Lexi – I was out of line. It’s just that your ass is so damn squeezable!”

“It’s okay,” said Alex, her cheeks rather pink. “I guess your hands were all over my butt earlier, for quite a long time, so this wasn’t much of a shock.”

Quite a long time? Just how long? I wondered.

“Come on, Alex,” I said, glaring at Ryan. “Let’s go to your room.”

In the bedroom, Alex slipped off her top, and we made out for a while. I was getting quite excited, and as she lay on her back beneath me, I began tugging at the waistband of her panties, trying to pull them down.

“Marty!” she gasped.

“Why not?” I murmured. “Getting you naked doesn’t mean we have to have sex, you know.”

She giggled. “I suppose not!” she agreed. “But don’t you think you’ll be tempted?”

“Well … maybe,” I conceded. “But I can resist the temptation.”

“I thought we agreed on what our next milestone should be,” she teased me playfully. “If you want to jump the gun, I don’t mind, but I think it’s only fair that you should reciprocate!”

I chuckled. “Fair enough,” I said, letting go of her panties. “Perhaps I’m getting ahead of myself. Uh … do you want to try the other thing … now?”

She smiled. “If you feel ready.”

I swallowed, feeling suddenly nervous. “Uh … I think maybe the moment’s passed. It doesn’t feel very spontaneous. Can we perhaps try it tomorrow?”

“Of course!” she replied. “I look forward to it.”

“Thank you darling,” I said, with a smile of relief.

We kissed each other goodnight, and then I left her room. Having got myself ready for bed, I lay down on the couch, and tried unsuccessfully to get to sleep for the next hour or so. Eventually I dozed off, but my slumber was anything but sound.

At 2:15am, when Drake and Rochelle staggered in, I was hovering on the boundary between sleep and wakefulness, so it took very little to rouse me to consciousness. “Ugh,” I grumbled. “Hey Drake. Hey Rochelle.”

“Sorry, didn’t mean to wake you,” said Drake.

“It’s okay, I’ve been back and forth between asleep and awake about fifty times already,” I muttered. “This couch sucks for sleeping on, frankly.”

“Bummer,” said Drake sympathetically. “Maybe you just need to bite the bullet and sleep with your fiancée.”

“Honestly, I’d love to,” I said glumly. “But I promised her – and her dad – that we wouldn’t do that before our wedding.”

“That’s you wouldn’t sleep with her?” asked Rochelle. “Or you wouldn’t have sex with her?”

“Have sex,” I replied. “I guess in theory we could sleep in the same bed … but we both know temptation would probably get the better of us if we did. It almost got the better of me, this evening, just because we were making out.”

Drake chuckled. “Having sex before marriage isn’t a crime, Marty. But I respect your choice. Still, it sucks that you have to spend your nights on the couch, not even getting any sleep. We have three beds in this apartment that both sleep two … surely we can come to some kind of arrangement…?”

“What do you mean?” I asked suspiciously.

“Well, if I didn’t have Rochelle coming over every other night, I’d offer to share my bed with you…”

“Eww!” I said, shuddering.

“Or with Lexi.” He grinned.

“Nuh-uh!” said Rochelle firmly.

“Relax!” said Drake, holding up his hands. “Nothing would happen. Lexi might be tempted to jump your bones, Marty, but she wouldn’t be tempted by me. And I’m a gentleman; I wouldn’t touch her. It would be purely an arrangement of convenience.”

“I appreciate the offer,” I said tersely, “but like you said, you’ve got Rochelle to sleep with.”

“Right,” he agreed. “But Ryan doesn’t have anyone…”

“Are you crazy?” I inquired. “I might … just … be willing to let Alex share a bed with you. But I don’t trust Ryan for a minute. He’d be all over her!”

“I think you’re underestimating him,” said Drake, “but whatever, it was just an idea. Enjoy your couch.”

He and Rochelle disappeared quietly into his room, leaving me to ponder my discomfort, and how appealing the idea of sleeping in my own bed again was. I knew that Alex would take the couch, if I asked her … but I would feel awful about making her endure discomfort that I could not. The idea of her sharing a bed with Drake was insane … yet it might actually work. The idea of her sharing a bed with Ryan was unthinkable.

What if … what if I shared with Ryan?

No. That would be gross. And he would never go for it anyway. He valued his privacy, just as I valued mine. He would only give it up for a seriously good reason – like, no doubt, the option of sharing his bed with Alex. And there was no way I would let that happen. Nope, there was no way around it: I was stuck on this couch.

I did eventually fall asleep again, thank goodness.


SATURDAY: SHOPPING & CLUBBING

The next morning, I washed away my sleepiness and grouchiness under the shower, before joining the others for breakfast. Rochelle and Drake appeared shortly after I sat down.

“So today’s the big shopping trip!” said Ryan. “The list seems to be getting long.”

“Tell me about it,” I said with a grimace. “But it’s all important stuff.”

Ryan nodded. “I’ll miss your panties, Lexi,” he said mischievously.

Alex giggled. “I’m sure you will!”

“Soon, these first few days of your stay here will just be a distant memory,” Ryan sighed. “Along with the lovely sight of your uncovered panties. You know … I think we should at least record some kind of memento of this time – like … how about a group photo after breakfast? Something we can all look back on fondly, in years to come?”

“Yeah, sure, that’d be cool,” said Drake.

“You want to photograph Alex in her panties?” I said huffily. “I think not!”

“Aww come on, dude,” said Ryan. “Like it or not, this is how she’s been dressing since a couple days after she got here. There’s no point pretending she didn’t. Today she’ll pick up other clothing and look totally different; can we not at least immortalise her beauty and sexiness and femininity as we’ve all been experiencing them, before she starts dressing more … boringly? And trust me dude, this isn’t going on Facebook or anything; I wouldn’t do that to you or to Lexi.”

“What do you say, girl?” asked Drake with a smile. “You willing to be Sexy Lexi one last time, for a photo, before you become just … Lexi?”

Alex giggled. “If it’s not getting published anywhere, then I don’t mind,” she said. “But I’ll still be sexy, you know! Just in private, for my Marty.” She leaned over and clutched my arm.

I smiled. “Well, if Alex really doesn’t mind, then I guess I won’t object,” I conceded. The idea that from now on she was going to be sexy for me alone, sufficiently flattered my ego that I felt I could afford to be generous.

“Great!” said Ryan, grinning.

After the dishes had been washed and put away, Ryan pulled out his phone. “Can the four of you stand in front of the wall there? Lexi and Rochelle in the middle, flanked by the guys.”

“You want me in this?” asked Rochelle, as Alex and I walked over to the wall. “I assumed it was just a roomies thing. Don’t you wanna be in it, Ryan? I can take the photo.”

“Nah, it’s fine, you’re part of the family, Rochelle,” said Ryan, gesturing to the rest of us. “Marty’s over there with Lexi; you should be with Drake.”

“Okay!” said Rochelle with a shrug, though she looked rather pleased.

“Uh, I assume you don’t mind being photographed in just a shirt…?” Ryan added hopefully.

“I’ve been photographed in less,” Rochelle replied with a grin. “And those photos ARE online.”

Alex giggled. “You naughty thing!” she said.

We posed, and Ryan took his photo. “Now how about one with just the girls?” he suggested.

“I thought it was going to be just one photo?” I said, frowning.

“One, or two – does it matter much?” Ryan inquired. “Or three. I actually think Rochelle’s idea of taking a pic of us four roomies was a good one.”

Alex shrugged. “I don’t mind,” she said.

I sighed. “All right then.”

Ryan took a photo of Alex and Rochelle, then Rochelle took one of me, Alex, Drake, and Ryan. Then she took another, with just me and Alex, with our arms around each other, while Drake retired to his bedroom.

“Hey, can we get one of just me and Lexi?” Ryan asked suddenly. “New brother and sister? It would be kinda special for me.”

“For me too!” said Alex, to my disgruntlement. “I love having a new brother!”

“Sure!” said Rochelle, who seemed to be warming to her role as official photographer. “Uh, Ryan, why don’t you stand behind her, looking over her shoulder, with your arms around her middle?”

“Seems a bit intimate,” I grumbled, but Ryan was already putting his arms around my fiancée from behind.

“That’s great!” said Rochelle, taking the photo.

“Oh, and maybe one like this?” Ryan suggested, and he planted a kiss on Alex’s cheek.

“Ryan!” I said sharply.

“Ryan, you silly goose!” said Alex, giggling.

Rochelle had taken the photo. “Any more?” she asked. “Or is that it?”

“Oh, maybe one commemorating the tickle fight we had?” Ryan suggested.

“No!” I snapped. “We don’t need a reminder of the time you groped my fiancée!”

“Oh, lighten up dude!” said Ryan in a pained voice. “I apologised for that, didn’t I? And Alex has forgiven me. I’m not talking about the groping part, I’m talking about the tickling … which both of us really enjoyed! It was kind of a watershed moment for us – the moment we became unofficial siblings. That meant a lot to me.”

“To me too,” Alex admitted. “I think it would be a cool photo – if you can keep your hands from misbehaving!”

I didn’t like the idea – not one bit. But nor did I relish the thought of being the bad guy, pouring cold water on what was clearly a meaningful experience for Alex. And for Ryan, but I cared more about Alex.

“Fine,” I said reluctantly. “One tickling photo.”

“Let’s see “ said Ryan. “We were on the couch…”

“Not at first!” said Alex. “We fell on to the couch towards the end.”

“Well yes, but I think that part would make the best photo,” said Ryan. “Let’s get into the position we were in, and I’ll start tickling you, and Rochelle can take a photo at an opportune moment.”

“Okay, but mind your hands!” said Alex, giggling.

“I will, I will,” he said.

“You’d better,” I muttered.

Ryan reclined on the couch, and Alex sat down on his lap, lying back against him. “It was something like this, wasn’t it?” she said.

“Yup,” he agreed, and he folded his arms around her, pinning hers to her sides. “Rochelle, if you could come around in front of us – and maybe kneel down, so you’re on our level.”

Rochelle looked up at me quizzically as she knelt down. “You okay with this?” she inquired. “Seems like it’ll be a pretty sexy photo!”

“Not really!” I said unhappily. “But I guess I agreed to it, so let’s just get it over with.”

“Ready?” said Ryan, and when Rochelle nodded, he began tickling Alex mercilessly. She shrieked with hysterical laughter and writhed ineffectually against his clutching arms, her legs flailing this way and that. I was about to object and leap to Alex’s defence, when the tickling abruptly stopped.

“Ugh!” said Rochelle. “It’s all blurry. Too much movement, and too fast.”

“Oh my gosh!” gasped Alex.

“How about you just pose as if you’re tickling her, Ryan, but not actually tickle her?” I suggested grimly.

“Oh, it won’t look realistic that way,” he said dismissively. “It’ll look staged and static, and tickling is supposed to be dynamic and chaotic. Rochelle, put it on the ‘sport’ setting, and hold down the button for a couple seconds while I’m tickling Alex. Then it’ll take a bunch of rapid photos, and they should be pretty sharp. I’m sure one of those at least will be worth keeping.”

“So now it’s ‘a bunch’ of photos?” I said, aggrieved. “I only got to take one with Alex, and I’m her fiancé!”

“You’re quite welcome to take more,” said Ryan. “I just want one good shot of me tickling Lexi, and then I’m done.”

Alex was still on his lap, reclining against him, with his arms around her, looking very much as if she was his girlfriend instead of mine. “Just get on with it,” I growled.

“I’ll give you a count of three, then I’ll start the photo burst,” said Rochelle. “One, two, three!”

Alex screamed in delight, twisting and writhing in Ryan’s grasp as he gleefully applied his wriggling fingers to her belly. Her legs thrashed and her arms struggled to free themselves, and her top became rucked up, exposing her midriff, as she slid downward through his arms. After one energetic movement, she slid down further … and while Ryan’s hands remained in place, they were now no longer on her belly, but cupping her breasts through her top. With a shocked expression, he stopped tickling, and Alex also froze in place, looking alarmed, with her legs akimbo and the crotch of her panties indecently displayed to the camera.

“Jesus Christ!” I exclaimed.

“Language, Marty,” said Alex breathlessly.

Rochelle laughed. “Oh, that last shot is priceless!” she exclaimed. “The looks on your faces!”

Ryan grinned, and squeezed Alex’s breasts. “I know I shouldn’t, but I can’t help it,” he said. “Your boobs are amazing, Lexi.”

Alex squealed and pushed his hands away. “Naughty man!” she said, though she did not look as furious as I was.

“Ryan, that’s it!” I yelled. “No more touching my fiancée!”

He held up his hands as Alex got to her feet. “It was an accident!” he protested. “Anyone could see that.”

“Yeah, at first!” I conceded. “But once you realised it happened, you could have taken your hands off!”

“Dude, I’m only human,” he said defensively. “I only have so much willpower.”

“It’s fine, darling,” said Alex quickly. “Don’t fall out over this. He didn’t mean to find himself in that position, but once he did … are you really surprised he didn’t let go immediately?”

“A gentleman would have done,” I muttered.

“Well, Ryan’s apparently not much of a gentleman,” said Alex, smirking a little. “But you knew that. Come on, don’t let it ruin your day. What’s done is done.”

“I know I shouldn’t have gone for that last squeeze,” said Ryan, looking rather abashed. “I’m sorry, Marty, and Lexi. I really am.”

“He seems sincere,” said Alex earnestly. “I forgive him. Can’t you?”

“Fine, but it’ll be hard to get that mental image out of my mind,” I said grumpily. As Rochelle handed Ryan’s phone back to him, I added, “Ryan, you’d better delete those last few photos!”

“Sure, sure,” he said, nodding, his eyes lighting up as he reviewed the set. “I’ll pick just one shot, one that isn’t too naughty, and keep that, and get rid of the rest.”

“I’ll watch you do it,” I said grimly. “I want to make sure you actually delete everything but the one you’re keeping.”

“Don’t you trust me, dude?” he asked, looking hurt.

“No!” I said.

“All right, but it’ll take a while,” he said. “There’s eighty-four shots to go through.”

“Eighty-four?” I exclaimed.

“Yeah, that’s what sport mode does,” he said. “It’s like burst mode on an iPhone. Look, do you really want to sit with me and look through dozens of photos of me manhandling your girl?”

“Not really!” I said. “But if that’s what it takes to have peace of mind that all the naughtiest photos are gone forever, then so be it.”

“How about I just show you my trash folder afterwards,” Ryan suggested. “You’ll see that the photos are in there, and you can watch me perma-delete them.”

“You might email them to yourself first,” I said suspiciously.

“Then you can check my inboxes, my sent items, and my trash folders,” said Ryan. “Whatever you want, dude – I want you to have that peace of mind too. We can take as long as you want.”

“I … wait, aren’t those photos updating to the cloud as we speak?” I demanded.

“Well sure,” said Ryan with a shrug. “But once I delete them from my phone, they’ll be deleted from the cloud too.”

I sighed. “How long will it take you to get ready?” I asked Alex.

“I’m pretty much ready,” she said, heading for her room. “Just need to put on my bra, dress, and shoes. Two minutes?”

I looked at my watch, and sighed. “I guess we’ll do the photo thing later, Ryan,” I said. “Alex and I will be heading out shopping in a moment.”

“Okay dude,” said Ryan, staring at his phone.

A little over two minutes later, Alex reappeared, fully dressed. “I’m ready!” she said excitedly. “Gosh, this is going to be a fun day. New phone, new clothes … office clothes, casual clothes, shorts, miniskirts, gym clothes … it’ll be a whole new me!”

I winced. “Yeah,” I said. “That’s great.”

She bit her lip. “You’re worried about the cost…”

I sighed, and shook her head. “It’s fine,” I said.

Alex put her hand on my arm. “We don’t have to buy all of those things today, you know. We could get just the most important things…”

“I know you don’t think the phone is important,” I said, “but it’s important to me that you have one.”

She nodded. “Well … maybe I can do without the gym clothes…”

“Those do seem to be a lower priority,” I admitted. “Though I’m sure Drake would disagree…”

“What would I disagree with?” asked Drake, choosing the worst possible moment to leave his bedroom.

“We’re just trying to decide which of our purchases today is non-essential,” Alex explained. “I figured gym clothes can wait.”

“If money’s tight, I’ll pay for those,” said Drake with a shrug. “It’ll be worth it to see you in the gym. I love coaching my friends. Been trying to persuade Marty to come in for over a year! Just get yourself what you need, let me know how much you spend, and I’ll reimburse you.”

“I can’t let you do that, Drake,” I said stiffly. “I can pay for my own fiancée’s clothing.”

“Apparently not,” he replied with a smile. “Just kidding – I know you’re only trying to prioritise. But the offer’s there, if you wanna take me up on it. I just wanna see Lexi get off to a good start in the gym.”

“I’ll bear it in mind,” I said, trying not to sound ungracious. “Thank you.”

“You could always drop shorts from the list,” Ryan suggested. “They’re the least necessary, I’d say.”

“Of course you would,” I said, rolling my eyes. “You just want to continue seeing Alex’s panties!”

Ryan grinned. “Of course!”

“Motion seconded,” said Drake.

“But I honestly don’t think Alex minds that much,” Ryan continued. “We’re all used to her panties by now. If she’s become comfortable showing them off, why not let her continue to do so? If she starts covering them up, it won’t be for her comfort, but for yours. Who’d have thought, Marty, that of the two of you, you’d prove to be the most prudish?”

Alex giggled. “Honestly, I really don’t mind,” she said. “But Marty, your comfort does matter to me. So if you want me to wear shorts, I’ll wear shorts.”

“I do,” I said stubbornly. “Sorry if that makes me seem prudish, but I just witnessed my skimpily-dressed fiancée being groped by my best friend, so I think I’m justified in being a little protective!”

“You are indeed,” said Alex, standing on tiptoe to kiss me.

“All right, let’s go,” I said, grabbing my stack of reusable shopping bags from their home next to the door.

We took the subway to the mall, where we started out by picking up a (relatively) cheap iPhone for Alex, getting her a number, and adding her to my plan. Then I spent some time sitting with her in the food court, showing her all the things she could do with her new device. She was thrilled and astonished, and very eager to learn. As much as it had cost me, I considered it money well spent.

Next we went to Dress for Less, where I figured we could find some affordable work outfits for Alex. I did not like the way the male shop assistant looked Alex up and down and then grinned, but I was very used to men reacting to her this way, so I chose to ignore it.

“Can I help you find something?” he asked, clasping his hands together and entwining his fingers. He was short, tubby, balding, and middle-aged, and seemed out of place in a shop selling elegant women’s clothing.

“We’re looking for some officewear for my fiancée here,” I said. “Her boss feels her usual style…” I gestured to Alex’s long dress, “is a little … old-fashioned, I guess?”

“And we’re on a budget, so nothing too expensive!” Alex added. I wished she had not said that, but I merely nodded in agreement.

“You’ve come to the right place!” said the man. “My name’s Dwight. And you are…?”

“Marty,” I said. “And…”

“And I’m Lexi,” said Alex. I pursed my lips at this, but said nothing.

“Lexi! What a pretty name,” said Dwight with a smile. “It conjures up a certain look … hmm, yes, I can picture it now…”

“I was hoping to try some shorter hemlines,” said Alex helpfully. “Both inside and outside the office, actually.”

I looked at her in exasperation, but Dwight merely laughed. “Certainly, yes, come this way. Let’s see what we can find for you.”

He led us to the back of the store, where he took out a measuring tape. “First things first: let’s take your measurements, Lexi, and get you in our system.”

“You keep a customer database?” I asked warily.

“Of course!” said Dwight. “Most businesses do. Have you never been asked for your phone number or email address?”

“Yes,” I acknowledged. “But I never give them out. I don’t want unsolicited emails, texts, or phone calls.”

“Fair enough!” said Dwight. “But in our case you can always opt out of those things. We keep a record of measurements so we can optimise our customer service, but we don’t pass on that information to any third parties.”

“I’d like to know my measurements,” said Alex. “If I’m wearing the wrong size of bra, like you suggested, I’d like to find out what the correct size is.”

A grin spread over Dwight’s face. “I can certainly help you with that,” he said, to my dismay.

Alex seemed oblivious to the implications of this. I tried to shoot her a warning look, but her attention was on Dwight. “Thank you!” she said brightly. “That would be awesome.”

“Let’s start with your waist and hips,” said Dwight. “Stay right there; I’ll work around you. Arms out a little please.” He deftly threw his tape around her waist, caught it, and pulled it tight. “Twenty-five,” he said. Then he loosened it, dropped it to around her hips, and took up the slack. “Thirty-six,” he said. “So far, so ideal! Now, normally I’d measure your bust with your dress on, but since you’re keen to figure out your bra size accurately, I really need to do it without the dress in the way. I also need to take your inseam, which is easier with the dress off.”

“She’s not taking her dress off,” I snapped instinctively. I had suspected from the moment we entered that Dwight was a creep, and now I was sure of it.

But both he and Alex were looking at me in surprise. “I can get your inseam measurement with your dress on,” said Dwight carefully to Alex, while glancing at me. “But clothes can squish your bust, leading to a false measurement. I really can’t advise you of your correct bra size using a measurement taken over the clothing.”

Alex looked at me, biting her lip. It was clear she wanted the old pervert to take her measurements, but she didn’t want to upset me. I wanted to take her aside and tell her, “Don’t you see he’s just looking for an excuse to feel you up?” But with the two of them looking at me expectantly, I opted for a less confrontational approach. “Let’s start with the inseam measurement,” I said heavily. “With the dress on. You need to understand, Dwight, that with my fiancée being so attractive, I’ve gotten used to seeing men try to entice her out of her clothes.”

“Ah,” he replied, nodding. “Thank you for your candour, Marty. The world is full of men with a one-track mind, unfortunately. If it helps, however, I am a professional who has been doing this for many years. Your fiancée is in very safe hands.”

It was his hands I was worried about, but I nodded curtly. “Thank you. Nonetheless, let’s keep the dress on for the moment at least.”

“Of course,” said Dwight. He knelt down on the carpet tiles, and placed one end of his measuring tape on the floor between Alex’s feet, holding it firmly with his left hand. “If you could lift the hem of your dress please, Lexi,” he said.

I gasped in consternation as Dwight’s right hand and tape measure climbed up beneath Alex’s dress, even as she was hiking it upward. As she pulled it up past her knees, she gasped, her cheeks turning red.

“What the … did you…” I spluttered.

But Dwight had already deftly removed the tape and was looking at where his thumbnail had come to rest. “Twenty-eight,” he said. Then he stood up. “Now, what are we doing about the bra size issue?”

I pursed my lips, feeling uneasy, and looked to Alex for guidance. She seemed a little flustered, and she looked at me sheepishly. “Uh, what’s the least intrusive way of getting the necessary measurements?” I asked.

“Well,” said Dwight, “there’s no way around the fact that the dress and bra will have to come off. We can do that in…”

“What, the bra has to come off too?” I interrupted him.

“Yes it does,” he replied firmly. “If Lexi’s wearing the wrong size or bra, it’s likely distorting the shape of her breasts and affecting her measurements. Only by measuring her naked breasts can I be sure of accuracy. Now, for maximum privacy we can do that in a changing cubicle, and if Lexi faces away from me and not towards a mirror, I’m not going to see anything. I’m necessarily going to be touching her breasts a little, but only as much as is required for taking the measurements. I’m not going to be grabbing them and jiggling them, or anything foolish like that. I’m a professional.”

“I don’t like this at all,” I grumbled to Alex.

“I don’t either,” she admitted, “but I feel like it needs to be done. He’s like a doctor, right?”

I knew what she meant, but the thought of this creep playing doctor with my fiancée was nauseating. “Well, it’s your call,” I said. “Your body, your breasts, your clothing.”

“Let’s do it,” she said, with very little hesitation. “In the cubicle, like you said.”

Dwight grinned happily. “Step right in there please,” he said, indicating a cubicle with a curtain partially drawn across. Then, as I stepped forward to follow Alex, he stopped me. “There’s not enough room in there for three.”

I watched in concern as he followed Alex into the cubicle. As he turned to close the curtain, he grinned at me. “Don’t worry, Marty; she’ll be safe in my hands.” And he held up his hands as he said this, his fingers curving to form cups.

My jaw dropped in outrage, but he whisked the curtain closed, and I could do nothing but clench my fists and glare at the teal fabric. Beneath it I could see Alex’s feet, facing away from Dwight’s.

“Here, let me help you with that,” I heard him say.

“Thank you,” Alex replied.

“Here, I’ll hang it up for you,” said Dwight. “And … the bra? Thank you. Arms up please, so I can get the tape measure in place … and … there we go. Thirty-two inches. Okay, now I need to measure around the fullest part of your breasts … hmm … and, that’s it. This isn’t so bad, is it?”

“It’s a little embarrassing!” said Alex.

“Wow, I knew it. G cup. And on such a petite frame! Marty’s a lucky man.”

“Um … thanks…” said Alex.

“32G. Amazing. And … what have you been wearing? A 34D? Good grief – you must have been suffering!”

“A little bit, yeah,” Alex admitted.

“No bra at all would be better for you than a 34D!” said Dwight, almost angrily. “Whoever suggested that size for you … ugh … it’s criminal!”

“It was my Aunt Ruth,” said Alex. “I guess she wasn’t all that knowledgeable…”

“Hmm, I don’t envy you, Lexi,” Dwight went on. “Honestly, you’re going to struggle to find bras that fit you. We don’t carry that size in this store, and you’re going to find that 32G bras, when you can find them, vary considerably in size and shape. I don’t normally do this, but … would you mind turning around, please?”

“Hey!” I protested.

“I know, I know,” said Dwight, “but hear me out. The thing is, Lexi, I may have a solution for you – a recommendation – but it really depends on how your breasts, uh, ‘sit’ on your chest, and how they behave. Only by looking at them can I determine whether my solution will be viable. But if it is … I think you’re going to find yourself a lot more comfortable as you go about your daily activities.”

I wrestled with this. I strongly suspected that Dwight was just looking for an excuse to ogle Alex’s breasts … but on the other hand, what if he could really help her?

“Okay,” said Alex, taking the matter out of my hands. I saw her feet shuffle and turn around to face Dwight’s.

“Wow,” said Dwight, in an awed tone. “What wonderful, beautiful, perfectly proportioned breasts! Absolutely amazing. You must love playing with these things, huh Marty?”

“Gah … seriously?” I said indignantly. “Alex, put your clothes on – we’re leaving!”

“All right all right, I apologise!” said Dwight. “That wasn’t so professional of me. But holy shit! A man doesn’t just come face to face with these beauties without losing his mind a bit, you know? But I’m sorry. Get it together, Dwight. Okay. So listen. Judging by how they look, I’m thinking my solution will work just fine. And my solution is: you don’t need to wear a bra. Yet. In a few years, sure, when they start to need more robust support … but for right now, we can achieve the necessary support with carefully-chosen outerwear.”

I was still fuming, my fists clenched … but apparently Alex had moved on. “You really think so?” she asked.

“I do,” he replied. “And I’m just talking in the workplace, mind you. For casual social activities, you can just go braless in whatever clothes you like, as long as you have friends who won’t judge you for not wearing a bra. For going out in public … it depends.”

“On what?” Alex asked.

“On how they behave when you’re in motion,” said Dwight. “And for this test, I’m afraid I’m going to have to touch them. I apologise; it’s really the only way I can give you an informed opinion, and steer you in the right direction, clothing-wise. May I have your permission to touch your breasts, Lexi? I will of course only do so to the extent that is warranted for my evaluation, and for no longer than necessary.”

“My faith in your ability to remain professional has taken a beating, Dwight!” I said sternly through the curtain.

“That’s fair,” he acknowledged. “But all I can do is give you my assurance that even if my professionalism slips a bit, I’m going to give you good advice and your lovely fiancée is going to walk out of here with clothes that help her lead a more comfortable life both in and out of the office.”

“I’d like that!” said Alex. “Okay, you can touch them.”

“Ohhhh wooooowwww…” I heard Dwight say. “These babies … oh my god….”

“Professionalism, Dwight!” I snapped. “What’s he doing, Alex?”

“He’s … he’s playing with them,” Alex reported in an embarrassed tone.

“Jesus, Dwight!”

“Not playing!” Dwight corrected her. “I’m testing them for firmness and suppleness, and how they behave when squished in various directions. Good, yes, most satisfactory. One more test…”

After a moment’s silence, I asked tensely, “What’s he doing now?”

“He’s … jiggling them!” said Alex.

“Oh my God!” I exclaimed, throwing the curtain open. “What the hell?” Sure enough, the old creep had Alex’s breasts in his hands, which he was rapidly oscillating so that the beautiful twin orbs of flesh jiggled hypnotically.

“Some privacy, please!” said Dwight. “Anyone could walk up behind you, Marty.”

“You can’t possibly tell me this is legit!” I exclaimed, though I did pull the curtain mostly closed.

“I certainly can, because it is!” said Dwight firmly. “I fully admit to being unprofessional before, but I am not being so now.” His hands had stopped jiggling, but he was still grasping both of Alex’s breasts as he talked. “The extent to which large breasts jiggle is directly proportional to how noticeable and distracting they are beneath clothing,” Dwight continued. “A tight blouse can keep them in check to a certain extent in the workplace, but she’s not going to be wearing office clothes to the shops on a weekend. So what is she to wear? How tight do her casual tops need to be? Does she need to consider a sports bra for certain activities, like hiking or playing badminton in the park?”

“Badminton?” I echoed.

“Well I’m sure I don’t know what hobbies the two of you have,” said Dwight. “I’m just trying to cover all the bases. The point is, this jiggling is part of a serious evaluation! One which, I’m sure you’ll be glad to hear, is now complete.” He removed his hands from Alex’s breasts. “I am now ready to give you my verdict.”

Alex and I both stared at him expectantly.

“You’re lucky, Lexi,” he went on. “Your breasts are firm enough, and hold their shape well enough even when in motion, to justify going braless under pretty much any circumstances. Jogging is really the only activity for which I’d recommend a sports bra. Your choice of clothing, however, will matter, and there of course I can give you some guidance.”

“Okay…?” I said, frowning. “Can she put her bra back on now?”

“Oh heavens, no!” said Dwight, looking shocked. “Haven’t you been listening? No more bras for Lexi! At least, not the terrible things she’s been wearing up until now.” He turned to her and smiled, putting his hands on her breasts again. “If you can find a 32G bra that fits snugly, and supports the weight of your breasts evenly without the straps digging into your shoulders or back or ribcage, and gets you through the day so well you barely notice you’re wearing it, then fine – that’s a keeper. But you can manage very well without one.” He was now gently massaging her breasts.

“Dwight!” I exclaimed.

He removed his hands quickly. “Oops!” he said. “Wow – powerful thing, instinct. Okay, so shall we start with some blouses for the office? Something in white or cream or a pastel shade, perhaps – peach or lavender or baby blue. Colours that will pair well with a black or dark blue skirt.”

“Can she put her dress back on, at least?” I asked.

“What’s the point?” said Dwight. “I’ll be bringing her a succession of blouses to try on – she doesn’t want to be taking her dress off and putting it back on again over and over, surely?”

Alex smiled at me sheepishly. “I guess I might as well stay like this for the time being,” she said.

She was wearing nothing but her panties and shoes, and I did not like the fact that Dwight wasn’t letting her put anything more on. Was I being irrational? I didn’t think so! He had just grabbed her breasts and massaged them for absolutely no reason – apparently absentmindedly, but perhaps deliberately! I didn’t trust him one bit.

As he went off to search for blouses, I stepped into the cubicle with Alex, closing the curtain behind me. “I don’t like this guy!” I whispered. “He’s far too free with his hands.”

“Yeah, he is,” she agreed. “But he does seem to know what he’s talking about. Honestly, the thought of never again wearing one of my bras is kind of … well, it’s a little scary, but it’s also a huge relief! I was so happy to hear him say I’ve been wearing entirely the wrong size of bra all this time. I thought maybe there was just something wrong with me. And if he can help me find clothes that will let me safely go braless in public … that’ll make me happier still!”

I sighed, and hugged her. “That’ll be wonderful,” I said. “What makes you happy, makes me happy too. I just hate to feel like we’re rewarding him for groping you.”

“I don’t know if he really needed to do all that fondling and jiggling,” said Alex in a small voice, looking down at her breasts. “But if I come out of this with a whole new wardrobe of clothes that are both comfy and look good on me … I almost think it’s worth letting him have a little fun at my expense.”

I shook my head. “You can’t think that way,” I said. “We’ll be paying him for whatever clothes he sells us. We don’t need to give him extra payment in the form of gropes!”

“But it’s not just the clothes,” said Alex. “It’s the service. He’s giving us the benefit of his expertise, and helping to change my life for the better. That’s hugely valuable to me, and it’s not something we’ll be paying for with money.”

“That doesn’t mean you need to pay for it with your body!” I insisted.

“No,” she conceded. “But it does mean that if he gets a little unprofessional and has a bit of an unjustified fondle, I’m inclined to let him get away with it.”

I rolled my eyes in exasperation, and I was about to argue the point further when I heard Dwight’s soft footsteps returning. A second later, he pulled the curtain open. “Here you go,” he said, handing Alex a pale yellow blouse on a hanger while keeping his eyes fixed on her bare breasts. “Try this on and see what you think.”

I stepped out of the cubicle to give Alex more room, and then I attempted to close the curtain to afford her some privacy. But Dwight kept it from closing fully, and he watched intently as Alex put the blouse on. Standing back and unable to see past him, I folded my arms and scowled.

“It’s a little tight!” Alex reported.

“It’s supposed to be,” said Dwight. “But only around the chest. If it’s too tight for your shoulders or wrists, or it won’t close comfortably around your belly, then it’s too small.”

“No, it’s fine for my arms,” Alex conceded. “And I can fasten the lower buttons just fine. But look! My breasts are spilling out of it! I can’t button it above here!”

“Yes, I see,” said Dwight. “Hmm. Well, how strict is the dress code at your workplace? Are they likely to get upset about you showing a little cleavage?”

“A little!” said Alex. “That’s a lot of cleavage! I don’t know about the dress code, but I couldn’t imagine being this exposed at work.”

“It’s pretty lax,” I conceded. “I’ve seen women get away with wearing inappropriately short skirts and showing some cleavage … but I’d be wary of showing too much. If it looks too scandalous … that’s when HR is likely to step in and send out an email formalising a dress code.”

“This is pretty scandalous!” said Alex.

I was very curious to see, but Dwight was blocking my view. “Then you’ll need a different blouse,” I said.

“Try this one then – it’s a bit roomier in the chest,” said Dwight, handing her another hanger. “It sounds like the two of you work together at the same place?”

“Yeah,” I said. “I’ve been there a while; she just started.”

“I see,” said Dwight.

He didn’t need to watch her take off the first blouse and put on the second, I thought to myself in annoyance, but he did so anyway.

“This is better,” said Alex. “Still a bit of cleavage though! I don’t think I can do up this button … oh, maybe I can!”

“Oh no, that looks terrible,” said Dwight. “And the button won’t last long under that strain. Pop it open again.”

“Okay,” said Alex dubiously. “But this cleavage … don’t you think I’m showing too much?”

“Hopefully not enough to get you in trouble,” said Dwight. “But I can’t give you the next size up; it’ll be too baggy around your shoulders, and it won’t give your breasts the necessary support.”

“Can I see, please?” I asked pointedly.

Dwight pulled the curtain fully open. Alex was standing there, looking rather embarrassed in a short white blouse, along with her panties and shoes. The blouse looked very tight, and Alex’s breasts were being squeezed together, creating a large and very eye-catching cleavage. I couldn’t imagine what the first blouse must have looked like.

“She can’t go to work like that!” I said nervously.

“Well, obviously she’ll be wearing a skirt as well,” said Dwight.

“That’s not what I meant!” I said. “No other woman at the office shows this much cleavage.”

“Are any other women at your office blessed with such mammoth mammaries?” Dwight inquired.

“Jeez dude,” I said, grimacing. “Is that what you call professional language? Look … no, I guess I’m not aware of any other women at work with Alex’s particular … physique.”

“Then perhaps your boss will be understanding about the challenges Lexi faces,” said Dwight. “Maybe he’ll tolerate her new blouse if you explain to him why it’s necessary.”

I shuddered at the thought of what Doug would think of Alex’s new blouse. Most likely he would love it. “He probably won’t disapprove of it,” I conceded.

“Good!” said Dwight. “Then I recommend you buy several of these blouses, in different colours. They’re twenty dollars each.”

“Can we get five?” asked Alex. “One for each weekday?”

“Absolutely!” said Dwight. “Shall we say white, cream, pink, baby blue, and lavender?”

“No green?” asked Alex hopefully. “I like green.”

“I think we do have a mint green one,” said Dwight, nodding. “In place of which colour?”

“Instead of the white,” said Alex. “I’m a girl who likes colour.”

“Fair enough!” said Dwight. “In that case, why don’t you slip out of that one you’re wearing, and I’ll put it back.”

I quickly pulled the curtain across as Alex began undoing buttons. A moment later, she handed him her blouse.

“Thank you,” he said. “I’ll go and get you some skirts to try on.”

“What’s she supposed to wear in the meantime?” I asked him as he hurried away.

“I’ll be right back!” he replied over his shoulder.

“It’s okay, darling,” said Alex from behind the curtain. “I’m not cold, and I’m hidden from view. Plus we haven’t seen anyone else in here. Isn’t that odd?”

I was about to reply, when a red-haired woman in her thirties arrived with an armful of outfits to try on. “There are other people here,” I informed Alex, as the woman disappeared into another cubicle, after eyeing me suspiciously.

“Oh,” said Alex. “Oh! I keep forgetting about my new phone. We should take a picture of me in my new work outfit. Another milestone in my journey of life!”

“Yeah, sure,” I said. Then I grinned. “Actually I wouldn’t mind taking a photo of you right now.”

She giggled. “Feel free!” she said, and she pulled the curtain open a little, sticking her head out and looking around cautiously. “Come on in.”

I entered the cubicle, and she handed me her phone. But I found I was too close to her to get more than half of her in the frame. I could not even get her panties in the shot unless I cropped off the top of her head. I settled for an upper body photo, showcasing her gorgeous breasts and sunny smile.

But that smile faded. “You look disappointed,” she said. “Is something wrong with how I look?”

“Oh, heck no,” I said. “You look like a goddess, as always. But I was hoping for a full-length shot, and there just isn’t enough room in here. These cubicles are ridiculously small.”

“Tell me about it!” came the voice of the woman a couple of cubicles down from ours.

Alex laughed. “I thought I was the only customer!” she said.

“Not quite,” replied the woman. “But this mall’s pretty quiet these days, compared with how it used to be.”

“Shame!” said Alex. “I like this place.” Then, to me, “If you want a full-length photo, go outside the cubicle. I can open the curtain just long enough for you to take a photo.”

“You sure you want to take that risk?” I asked doubtfully. “Anyone could come along at any moment.”

“If someone does, I’ll close the curtain,” Alex replied. “But in that unlikely event, it’ll probably be a woman anyway.”

I shook my head in disbelief. “You’ve always been so covered-up!” I said. “I’m surprised to see you so unconcerned about people seeing you without your clothes on.”

She giggled. “It’s a bit scary, but fun at the same time!” she confessed. “I guess I have a bit of a naughty side I never knew about.” She bit her lip. “Is that bad? I mean, you fell in love with the covered-up me; are you disappointed in the me I’m becoming?”

“Not at all,” I assured her. “You’re still the girl I fell in love with. It wasn’t because of your modesty that I instantly fell for you; it was because of your beauty and your sweet nature. And I don’t see either of those things going away. Of course, if you start cursing and spitting and kicking puppies and growing warts all over your face, we might have to revisit this whole engagement thing, but otherwise.…” I left the sentence unfinished as Alex dissolved into peals of laughter.

“You two are adorable!” came the voice of the woman trying on outfits nearby.

“Go on – take your photo,” said Alex, still giggling. “I’ll hold the curtain open while you do it. Just be quick, okay?”

“Okay!” I said, and I hurried out of the cubicle. Turning, I opened the camera app on my phone, and said, “Whenever you’re ready!”

Alex opened the curtain, posing and smiling in nothing but her panties and shoes. I sighed happily. “God you’re beautiful.”

“Take the photo!” she said.

“Right!” I held up my phone. “Smile!”

But Alex was already closing the curtain as she looked past me. I turned to see Dwight returning with a handful of skirts. “Don’t mind me!” he said. “You go ahead and take your photo. I can wait.”

Alex paused, then shrugged and grinned. “Nothing you haven’t seen before!” she remarked, pulling the curtain open again.

A little disconcerted, I took a couple of photos, acutely aware of Dwight standing next to me and admiring the view. Unfortunately both photos were rather disappointing, thanks to the glaring light reflected by the mirror behind Alex, as well as her own back view which rendered her real outline less distinct.

“Would you like me to take one of you both?” Dwight asked. “I don’t mind at all. You’re a cute couple and I think a photo of the two of you, standing together arm in arm, would be nice.”

“I think you’ve seen quite enough of Alex already,” I said uncomfortably.

He chuckled. “I’ve already seen what she’s showing now,” he remarked. “I just thought I’d offer.”

“I … I wouldn’t mind a photo with Marty,” said Alex tentatively. “I mean, it’s up to you, Marty, but I think it would be nice too….”

I sighed heavily. “Sure,” I said. “I guess it’s fine. As long as someone else doesn’t come along.”

“Don’t let that man talk you into anything!” warned the red-haired woman. “He has a reputation, you know.”

“Is that you, Christine?” asked Dwight. “Glad to have you back in the store!”

I could well believe that Dwight had a reputation; he had already talked Alex out of her clothes and groped her breasts, so this revelation did not come as much of a shock; it also did not negate the help he had given her.

“It’s just a photo,” I replied to Christine, “and it’s nothing he hasn’t seen already, and it’s on my fiancée’s phone anyway.”

“Suit yourself!” Christine replied. “Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

I handed Dwight the phone, and then went over to stand next to Alex in the cubicle.

“It’s a little cramped in there,” Dwight remarked, “and with the mirror behind, it’s not the best … why not come out, close the curtain, and stand in front of it? That’ll be a nice photo. Marty, you can always jump in front of your lovely fiancée if you spot someone approaching, and she can slip back into the cubicle.”

I would have objected to this, had I not already noted the problematic mirror behind us. “Just make it quick!” I said, stepping out of the cubicle. A little nervously, Alex joined me, and I pulled the curtain shut.

“This is the craziest thing I’ve ever done!” said Alex, sotto voce. “I’m in a clothes store, almost naked and outside the changing room!”

“You’re very brave,” I said, “but let’s not linger.” I put my arm around her waist, and she put hers around mine.

We smiled, and Dwight took the photo. “Very nice!” he said, approaching us and handing Alex her phone. “May I say, you are a good-looking couple.”

“Thank you,” I said, cautiously appreciating his compliment. “Now let’s take a look at the skirts you brought. We have a lot of shopping to do after we leave here.”

“Of course!” He retrieved the little stack of skirts from the little seat on which he had set them, and brought them over to Alex, who had retreated back into the cubicle. “Here’s the first,” he said, handing her a plain black garment. “See what you think.”

“Thank you.” Alex took it, and then closed the curtain.

“Ah, Christine,” said Dwight. “Find anything you like?”

Christine had emerged from her own cubicle. “Yes thank you,” she said, eyeing Dwight warily. “Just going to buy a couple of these tops.”

“Sorry I’ve not been available to assist you,” said Dwight. “Perhaps I could…”

“You gave me quite enough assistance last time, thank you!” said Christine curtly.

“If I overstepped my bounds, Christine, I humbly apologise…” began Dwight.

“Just a little!” said Christine. “And right in front of my husband!” She shook her head, then marched out into the main area of the store, heading for the checkout.

“What did you do to her?” I asked suspiciously.

“Nothing!” he protested. “It was just a misunderstanding, nothing more.”

“A misunderstanding,” I repeated sceptically. “You didn’t grope her, then? Fondle her breasts?”

“Certainly not!” said Dwight, shocked. “Marty, I swear I’d never done anything like that before today. And I only did it today because your fiancée is – to put it bluntly – quite extraordinarily beautiful. Almost intoxicatingly so. This can surely not come as a surprise to you. When she’s standing in front of you … so delicious … it’s not easy to be one’s wisest self, if you know what I mean.”

Unfortunately, I did know what he meant. “Yeah,” I said heavily, “she does have an effect on people.”

“It’s not intentional!” said Alex from behind the curtain.

“Still, that doesn’t give you licence to just grab her…” I began, but at that moment the curtain opened a crack, and Alex stuck her head out.

“I like it, but it’s maybe a little short,” she said.

“Well come on out and show us,” said Dwight. “I feel like you should have the opportunity to weigh in too, Marty,” he added.

“Thanks,” I said, finding myself in agreement. “But she’s still topless…”

Alex cautiously emerged, pink-cheeked, looking around to make sure nobody else was in sight. With her hands clasped to her breasts, she looked at me expectantly.

The skirt was fairly tight-fitting, and came halfway down her thighs. It was a little short for the office – I could imagine the effect it would have on my male colleagues – but I had seen other women get away with hemlines of similar length. “It looks great,” I remarked, “but it’s maybe a little too short.”

“You think so?” said Dwight. “I know that some corporate offices can be pretty strict, but you said yours didn’t have a formal dress code, so I figured this would be fine. At least in terms of length. But I fear it’s the wrong shape, in any case. A little too tight around the hips, and too baggy around the waist. See how it’s gaping open a little there? We can do better than that.”

“Okay,” said Alex, and I nodded.

“Let’s see … yes, try this one next,” said Dwight, holding another skirt out to her. “You know, you might as well just whip one off and put the other on out here. It’s not going to take you thirty seconds, and it’s not like you haven’t been out here in just your panties and shoes already.”

“Yes, but there’s no need to make a habit of it,” I said, but Alex, with a little giggle, was already unzipping her skirt and pulling it down, her breasts once again exposed. I looked around nervously, and was alarmed to see a mother and daughter walk past, giving us a brief startled glance in the process. “Oh jeez … someone just saw you, Alex!”

“No need to worry unless they make a fuss,” said Dwight dismissively. “I’m confused though – is it Alex or Lexi?”

“I’ve always called her Alex,” I said, with a touch of irritation. “My roommate happened to call her Lexi a couple of days ago, and she decided she liked it. And now it seems like everyone’s calling her Lexi except for me!”

“Do you not like the name?” Dwight inquired.

“I like it just fine,” I said shortly, and not entirely honestly. “It’s just that I fell in love with her when she was Alex, so I have a special fondness for that name.”

“You can keep calling me Alex,” she assured me.

“Thank you,” I said, “but it’s not all that easy. It confuses new people we meet, and it makes me feel like I’m somehow out of touch.”

“But you’re not, though,” she said, touching my arm. “I’m still your Alex, even if other people have a different nickname for me.”

I nodded, slightly mollified.

Alex had finished fastening the second skirt. This one was dark grey rather than black, and longer than the first, stopping about two inches short of her knees.

“Oh dear,” said Dwight.

“What’s wrong?” asked Alex, sliding her finger inside the waistband of the skirt. “This one fits better, I think.”

“Too conservative, though!” said Dwight. “And too yesteryear. You don’t want to look middle-aged before your time, right? You’re a young, incredibly attractive woman, and you should dress like it. Within the constraints of your office’s standards, naturally.”

Alex blushed. “All right, maybe I can go a little shorter than this. A happy medium between this one and the last one?”

“Let’s see what else I’ve got here….” Dwight checked the other skirts in his pile, and pulled out another black one. “Try this.”

I was a little bemused by how casually Alex changed skirts, her breasts exposed for all the world to see … or at least, for anyone to see who happened to be in the store and walking past the semi-enclosed area with the changing cubicles. How had my sweet and innocent fiancée gone from modest and buttoned-up Alex to carefree and publicly naked Lexi? Okay, not quite naked.

The problem was … she hadn’t. She was STILL sweet and innocent, and that was what was so dangerous. She didn’t understand the perils of the real world because she had grown up in such a sheltered environment. Dressing in a tank top and panties around Ryan and Drake was just a game for her – a fun way to rebel against her overprotected upbringing. She was not like Rochelle, who knew exactly what she was doing when she dressed provocatively. Alex just didn’t understand the consequences.

In theory, therefore, I should now be the one to protect her, to keep at bay the forces of evil – or, more specifically, the creeps and perverts that would try to take advantage of her. And to save her from herself – to prevent her from making all kinds of mistakes due to her naïveté. Yet that was likely to be a thankless task; I didn’t want her to come to think of me as a perpetual party-pooper. It was a fine line I was going to have to tread.

“I really think you should get back in the changing cubicle,” I said uneasily.

“We’re almost done,” said Dwight, as Alex fastened the third skirt.

“Couldn’t she at least wear one of her new blouses?” I suggested. “It didn’t really matter if she was topless in the cubicle, but this is ridiculous!”

Sensing my growing anxiety, Alex bit her lip and covered her breasts with her hands. “Yeah, that’s probably a good idea,” she agreed.

“All right,” Dwight conceded, “but first, what do you think of this skirt? It’s a good fit, yes?”

“It is,” Alex admitted, “but I think it’s just as short as the first one!”

“And it looks great on you,” Dwight assured her. “I’m sure your boss will be happy. And if he’s not … just bring it back within fourteen days for a full refund.”

Alex nodded. “Okay,” she said.

“Are you sure it’s not too short?” I asked her, raising an eyebrow.

“Do you think Doug will object to it?” she asked.

“No, probably not,” I conceded.

“Then let’s go for it,” she said. “I’ll need a variety, though – mix it up a bit. I don’t want to be wearing the exact same outfit, just in different colours, every day I’m at work.”

“You still have your long dresses,” I reminded her. “Not every day will be a company visit.”

“Yes, but I don’t think I want to wear those to work anymore,” said Alex. “I want to put the old me aside, and dress like a modern woman.”

“Maybe some pants, then?” I ventured.

She screwed up her face. “I still think of pants as men’s clothes,” she said. “I know that’s not really true, but I still can’t think of them as feminine.”

“All right,” I said. “Then how about a couple of longer skirts? Or maybe a short-ish dress?”

Alex brightened. “Now you’re talking!” she said.

“I’ll see what I can find,” said Dwight.

“Now let’s get a blouse on you,” I said, ushering Alex back into the cubicle, “before someone who’s easily offended sees you.”

An hour later, we left Dress for Less with a couple of bags full of clothes, and almost three hundred dollars added to my credit card debt. In addition to the five blouses and the short black skirt, our purchases included three more work skirts, two short dresses, three casual miniskirts, four t-shirts, and a halter top. Alex had greatly enjoyed trying everything on, and she chose a t-shirt and one of the miniskirts to wear out of the store. The skirt was not much shorter than her first work skirt, but it was loose and light and colourful. The t-shirt was tight and stretchy and clung to her breasts, but it did not do much to prevent them from bouncing around as she walked.

“Oh, I feel so different!” she sighed happily as we walked through the mall. “Like a new person!”

“Just don’t change too much,” I said wryly. “I fell in love with the old you, remember.”

She held on to my arm, putting her head on my shoulder. “I’m still me,” she said.

I patted her arm. “I know. Where next? Gym clothes? Or shorts?”

“I worry that you’ve spent so much already,” said Alex fretfully. “I didn’t plan on buying so much at Dress for Less. And that phone wasn’t cheap!”

“Yeah, I know,” I said gloomily. “But if you’re going to the gym, you really need some proper clothes for that … and I’m sure you’re keen to wear a little more around the apartment.”

She shrugged. “I’m not in a big hurry to go to the gym,” she said. “And honestly, I’ve gotten used to wearing a top and panties at home. I really don’t mind continuing to do so. But if it bothers you, I can always wear a skirt as well.”

“I guess that would be okay,” I conceded. “You sure about gym clothes?”

“Yes – they can wait,” she said.

“Okay,” I said, relieved that our clothes shopping was done for now. “Anyway, it’s lunchtime. Let’s find something at the food court.”

After a light lunch, we headed for the mall exit, and happened to pass a store called Foley’s Fitwear. Here I stopped, looking in through the window. “Maybe we should stop in here,” I said reluctantly.

“You really want me to go to the gym?” she asked.

“I don’t have strong feelings about it,” I said, “but Drake offered to pay for your gym clothes, and I told him I could afford to buy them myself. If we go home without any, he’s going to think I couldn’t afford them after all, and he’ll be upset that I didn’t take him up on his offer.”

Alex squeezed my hand. “It doesn’t matter what Drake thinks,” she said.

“It does to me,” I admitted. “Drake‘s super into fitness as you know, and while I don’t especially want him thinking I can’t support my fiancée financially, I definitely don’t want him thinking I don’t care about your health.”

Alex nodded. “Well then if he wants to pay for my gym clothes, why not let him? He’ll understand you just spent a ton of money on my phone and other clothes. It doesn’t mean you can’t support me, it just means you’re not made of money. Then I can get gym clothes, you don’t have to pay for them, and Drake gets to coach me, which he seems to want to do. It’s a win-win-win.”

I smiled. “When you put it like that … okay,” I said.

We entered the store, and started browsing. After a couple of minutes, a handsome and well-muscled young man came over to talk to us. “Hey there,” he said, his eyes drawn to Alex’s chest. “I’m Bryce. Can I help you folks find something?”

“Hey Bryce,” I said. “I’m Marty, and this is my fiancée … Lexi.”

“You sure about that?” he teased me. “Don’t go forgetting your fiancée’s name, Marty, or she might call off the wedding!” He laughed.

What an insufferable asshole, I thought to myself.

“It’s my fault,” Alex interjected quickly, no doubt seeing my blood beginning to boil. “He always calls me Alex, but I just started going by Lexi with other people, so he just wasn’t sure which name to introduce me by.”

“Ah, I see!” said Bryce. “Hey man, relax, I was just kidding anyway. I’m actually super envious of you; you have a gorgeous fiancée! Well done, bro, well done. Now, how can I help you?”

“I just need an outfit for the gym,” said Alex. “I’ve never really worked out before – my only exercise is walking.”

“Oh yeah?” said Bryce. “I can certainly help with that. What made you decide to start going to the gym?”

“My friend Drake,” she replied. “He works at a local gym, and he offered to coach me.”

“Drake Lewis?” Bryce inquired. “At Workout World?”

“That’s him,” I confirmed. “You know him?”

“Only in passing,” said Bryce. “Seems like a nice guy though. Bit of a ladies’ man.”

“Yeah, he certainly is,” I agreed, my anger gradually subsiding.

“Okay, so, you got choices!” said Bryce, clapping his hands together. “The first thing I’d suggest, if you don’t mind me saying – you’re clearly quite gifted in the chest department, so if you don’t have one already, a sports bra is going to be essential.”

“Yeah, I figured as much,” said Alex.

“There are sports bras and sports bras,” Bryce went on, “but the main things you want to consider are size and fit. Some of them come in regular bra sizes, like 34C or whatever, but most just come in small, medium, large, extra-large, and so on. And there are basically two kinds of fit: form-fitting, and compression. Form-fitting is looser, but it’ll still hold your boobs in place for most workout activities. Compression is very tight; it’s designed for vigorous activities like running, where you really need to keep your boobs from bouncing around. Not so comfortable as form-fitted, but, you know, it’s a trade-off.”

“I think I prefer the sound of the first type,” said Alex.

Bryce nodded. “And do you know your bra size? I have a table that converts to small, medium, large etc.”

“32G,” said Alex.

“Whoof,” said Bryce, consulting his phone. “Uh, you’re kind of off the table. But not by much. Let’s try you in a large. If you find it too big or too small, we can try a different size. Aside from that, it’s down to aesthetics. Sports bras can be worn under a top or as outerwear, so it’s really up to you how much skin you’re comfortable showing. Larger women tend to favour more coverage, to hide their excess fat or stretch marks or whatever, but I don’t think that’s much of an issue in your case. Just take a look at the photos and see what style you fancy.” He gestured to the pictures of models wearing sports bras that accompanied the items on display.

Alex bit her lip, looking at all the choices. “Um, I don’t know. Do you have a recommendation?”

“Uh, sure,” said Bryce. He stepped over to a particularly skimpy-looking grey sports bra, and picked it up. “This one’s real popular, and apparently very comfortable. You can try it on in the changing room over there … which, uh, seems to be occupied right now. Or you could just slip it on under your t-shirt if you like. I can kinda tell you’re not wearing a bra right now, so it should be easy enough…”

“We’ll wait for the changing room, thanks,” I said politely. What was with sales assistants always wanting Alex to get changed outside a changing room?

“Of course, that’s fine,” said Bryce, looking a little disappointed as he gazed wistfully at Alex’s chest.

There was a minute’s uncomfortable silence. Then, “You know, darling, I’m sure I can put it on without showing anything,” Alex said.

The changing room door was still closed. Why was there only one? I sighed. “All right,” I said grudgingly.

Alex deftly slipped her arms out of the arm-holes of her t-shirt, then she took the sports bra, opened it out, stepped into it, and pulled it up her legs. Thankfully she was careful not to drag her skirt up as she manoeuvred the stretchy garment up past her hips, and within seconds it was up beneath her t-shirt, and she was tugging it into position. Then she whipped her t-shirt up and over her head, and handed it to me, before posting her arms into the straps of the sports bra. “See?” she said with a giggle. “Easy peasy.”

“How does it feel?” Bryce asked. “How’s the fit?”

Alex shrugged. “Pretty good, I guess.”

It looked fine to me, but Bryce was apparently not satisfied. “If you’ve never worn one before,” he said, “you’ll have nothing to compare that to. My gut says it’s a little on the small side. Can we try an extra large?”

“Sure,” said Alex, reaching for her t-shirt.

“Oh, you can just slide this over the top of the one you’re wearing,” said Bryce, handing her the next size up. “Then remove that one from underneath.”

“Uh,” I said with a slight frown.

“I guess so,” said Alex, and she pulled her arms back out of the straps. Taking the larger one, she pulled it over her head, then tugged it down over the top of the first bra. When the second was in position, she carefully extracted the first, pulling it upward while holding the second in place. Having pulled the first sports bra over her head, she gave it back to Bryce, then she put her arms into the straps of the extra large.

“This one’s more comfy,” she reported. “Feels a little looser.”

“Too loose?” asked Bryce. “Try bouncing up and down a bit.”

Alex bounced up and down on her toes, and her breasts began bouncing too, along with the sports bra. Bryce watched, mesmerised, for a few seconds before shaking his head. “A little too loose,” he said. “But the first one was squishing you too much, I think. Hmm. Of the two, I’d suggest sticking with this one, but honestly I’m not sure you’re going to find a perfect fit for you. I guess we could try thinking outside the box a bit, and come up with an alternative solution?”

“Like what?” I asked warily.

“We sell crop tops,” said Bryce. “Some of them are very loose and supposed to be worn over the top of a sports bra, but others are quite tight and can be worn instead of one, as long as you’re not doing a lot of dynamic movement. The point is, they don’t have the bra-shaped reinforced padding that a sports bra does; they just mould themselves around whatever shape you are. So they’ll hold your boobs in place, to a certain extent, without any of the discomfort you experience with a poorly-fitting sports bra. For someone like you, I’d recommend them for basic stuff like lifting weights, yoga, stretching, stairmaster, anything that’s kinda slow and steady exercise. Treadmill … maybe if you’re just walking fast. Running, definitely not.”

“Sounds worth a try!” said Alex.

“Come to the next aisle,” said Bryce, and we followed him to where the crop tops were. He picked one out, and handed it to Alex. “Same drill,” he said. “Just pull it over the top, and take the sports bra out from underneath.”

Alex followed the same process as she had before, but as she extracted the large sports bra, I immediately spotted a problem with the crop top. “It’s too short!” I said.

“Oh dear!” said Alex, blushing in embarrassment.

The lower curves of her breasts were emerging from beneath the hem of the crop top, which was separated from the skin of her belly by at least two inches, I guessed.

“Wow, uh, yeah, that’s a problem,” said Bryce, his cheeks reddening as he stared at the peeping orbs. “I’m sure Drake would be more than happy if I sent you to the gym like that, but yeah, you obviously need something a bit longer.”

“Obviously,” I said, frowning. I did not appreciate his quip about Drake liking this look.

“Here, try this one instead,” said Bryce.

Alex tried to extract her left arm from the top, but as she raised her arm and pulled on the material beneath her armpit, the hem of the garment was lifted up, and her left nipple popped into view. Bryce’s eyes widened, and his lips parted in an eager smile.

“Alex!” I said urgently. “Your breast!”

“Oops!” said Alex, with a nervous giggle. “Sorry about that.”

“No need to apologise!” said Bryce with a grin. “I’m not remotely offended.”

Alex giggled again, and tried once more to extract her arm. Her breast popped out again, and I groaned in anguish, but Alex clearly decided to remedy the situation with speed rather than caution, and by the time she had removed both arms and tugged the top down again, Bryce had been treated to a lingering view of both breasts.

“Well done,” he congratulated her with a mischievous grin. “I’m glad you’re not shy about your body. God knows you have nothing to be ashamed of!”

“I am a little shy!” Alex replied. “But the sales guy at the last clothes store we visited also got a long look at my breasts, so I guess I’m a little more resigned to it now.”

Too much information! I wished Alex had not told Bryce about Dwight seeing her breasts; now Bryce would no doubt be angling for a longer, better view.

The hard part was over, however, and the second crop top went on with no further exposure. Alex wisely put her arms in first this time, and only then removed the first top, by pulling it down her body and stepping out of it.

When she stood up, I could see that this top was a little longer than the first – it fully covered her breasts, at least – but it was still not connecting with the skin of her belly. It was mostly dark grey, with bright green edges.

Bryce grinned. “Well, it looks good on you!” he said. “You’ll be the star of the gym. But how does it feel?”

“It feels good,” Alex replied. “Nice and comfy. But I’m worried it’ll ride up while I’m working out…”

“Easy to test that,” said Bryce. He pulled a couple of small pink dumbbells off a nearby shelf. “These shouldn’t tax you too much,” he said. “Hold these at shoulder height, then raise them high above your head, then lower them back to your shoulder – let’s say twenty reps. That should be enough to make a determination.”

“Reps?” asked Alex, taking the dumbbells.

“Repetitions,” Bryce explained. “Raising and lowering a weight once is one rep. Do it ten times, that’s ten reps.”

“Ah okay,” said Alex. She held the dumbbells next to her chin, then raised them up and lowered them, over and over again. After twelve reps, her breasts were starting to peep out beneath the hem of the crop top. After the twentieth, they were as exposed as they had been with the smaller top.

“Yeah, looks like you were right,” said Bryce, staring at the revealed curves. “Okay, try this one then.” He handed her another, pale bluish-grey top, and took the weights from her.

“Wouldn’t any crop top do the same though?” I suggested.

“Not necessarily,” Bryce replied.

Alex tried to get her arms out of the second crop top without exposing her nipples again, but this one, it seemed, was tighter under the arms. After a wrestling with it for a moment, she sighed with impatience, then hoisted it up over her head.

“Alex!” I exclaimed anxiously.

“Whoa!” Bryce gasped. “Sweet!”

I glanced around, but nobody else was looking our way. I noticed something else, too. “The changing room’s open!” I said.

But Alex had already pulled on the third top, and tugged it down over her breasts.

“That was a bit … bold!” I remarked unhappily. Until today, seeing Alex’s bare breasts had been a privilege afforded to the members of a highly exclusive club containing just one member: me. Now that club had expanded to three members (if you didn’t count the mother and daughter at Dress for Less – and I didn’t), and Alex did not seem as bothered about this as I felt she ought to be.

“Sorry,” said Alex sheepishly. “But nobody else could see, and Bryce had already pretty much seen everything anyway.” She looked down at her top. “Um, this is much looser!”

The top was about the same length as the previous one, but it was wholly inadequate for the task of keeping her breasts in place. It offered no support at all; its flimsy fabric was merely draped over her breasts and hanging as loosely as the miniskirt she was currently wearing.

“I actually really like this!” said Alex, looking rueful. “But I’m afraid it won’t be very practical for working out.”

“Yes it’s definitely designed to be worn over a sports bra,” agreed Bryce. “But hey, at least it won’t ride up when you’re lifting weights!”

Alex took the weights back and lifted them experimentally a few times. “True,” she acknowledged. “But if I bend over at all, it’s going to fall away from my breasts and anyone behind me, if they’re not directly behind me, will see everything.”

“It does look amazing on you though,” said Bryce. “It suits you very well.”

“You’re seriously trying to talk her into getting it?” I demanded. “It’ll be no good for working out, and you know it!”

“Can I get it for wearing in the apartment?” Alex asked me hopefully. “I really like it.”

“Well … sure,” I said. “But not as a workout top!”

“Of course not,” she agreed.

“I have one more,” said Bryce. “Fourth time’s the charm?”

Alex nodded. “I’ll give it a try.” After taking a quick look around, she pulled off the bluish-grey top, and put on the fourth one, which was mostly pink, with dark grey stripes around the arm holes and neckline. This was the longest yet, its soft material stretching around her breasts and, unlike any of the others, fitting snugly against her belly beneath.

“Very comfy!” said Alex. “I think we have a winner!”

“Uh, it’s kinda see-through though!” I said in concern. The thin fabric was stretched so much by her large breasts that it had become semi-transparent in the area of her nipples, which could faintly be seen.

“Oh,” said Alex, disappointed.

“I don’t think it’s a major issue,” said Bryce quickly. “It’s hardly noticeable. The more important thing to figure out is, does it ride up?” He handed her the weights again.

As she raised and lowered them, I watched the hem of the crop top slowly creeping up her torso. But even after twenty reps, it still had not begun to expose her breasts.

“Ugh, my arms are getting tired!” said Alex, giving the weights back to Bryce.

“But you’re still covered up,” he pointed out. “I’d say that’s a successful test.”

“Yes!” Alex agreed. “I’m still a little concerned about it being a bit see-through…”

“Me too!” I agreed.

“Few will notice, and nobody will care,” Bryce assured her. “In the unlikely event of someone hassling you about it, Drake will take care of them. The staff at Workout World don’t tolerate sexual harassment.”

“That’s good to know,” I said. “But don’t you have any other tops? More … opaque ones? Longer ones?”

“Yeah,” Bryce conceded reluctantly, “but they’re all designed as outerwear, not for holding big boobs in place.”

“The same goes for this top, surely,” I pointed out.

“But this one’s got the snug fit that you really need,” said Bryce. “Trust me, this is your best option.”

Alex nodded. “Okay, I’ll take it,” she said. “And the third one. Now, what about my bottom half?”

“Again, you have options,” said Bryce. “Shorts, both figure-hugging and loose, or leggings, full-length or capri. For maximum coolness I’d go with shorts, but it’s up to you.”

“If you got shorts, maybe you could wear them around the apartment,” I said hopefully.

“Is there such a thing as a workout skirt?” inquired Alex.

I chuckled. “I don’t think so, my love – that wouldn’t be practical. Depending on what you’re doing, you might have to be upside down, or sticking a leg up in the air….” I had had enough of other men getting an eyeful of my fiancée’s panties.

“Actually,” said Bryce, “we do have skirts, and they have built-in shorts so you don’t need to worry about being upside-down or whatever – not that you’d ever be upside-down anyway, unless you’re doing gymnastics or something, but that requires a whole different type of clothing. For working out, you’ll be either vertical or horizontal, or in some intermediate position, like when you’re doing squats or lunges. Oh, I guess crunches would be problematic in a regular skirt – but not in one of ours. We have jogging skirts and tennis-type skirts – both have built-in shorts.” Then he snapped his fingers. “We also have tennis dresses! They come as a two-piece outfit, with separate matching shorts. I don’t know if we could find one that would be comfortable for your chest, but hey, at least there would be no chance of it riding up to expose your boobs. And they’ve got a bit of stretch to them – the more I think about it, the more I think a tennis dress would be perfect for you.”

“Let’s try one!” said Alex.

He fetched two dresses, one white and one periwinkle, and handed her the latter first. “This is the smaller of the two,” he said. “If it’s too tight, we’ll try the larger. But I have a good feeling about this one.” He glanced over at the changing room, and grinned. “Unfortunately the changing room’s occupied again, but nobody’s looking…”

“Oh jeez,” I muttered, as Alex pulled off the pink top and then took the dress from Bryce.

“I hope you don’t mind me saying this,” said Bryce, staring hungrily at Alex’s breasts, “but you have the most gorgeous boobs I’ve ever seen.”

Alex blushed and giggled. “Thank you,” she said, and then she pulled the dress over her head. But then she struggled to get it down past her breasts. “Uh, this is very tight!”

“Yeah, maybe I misjudged how stretchy it is…” Bryce mused.

Having finally got it into place, Alex looked down at herself. “It’s not bad, I guess,” she conceded. “I mean, it’s fine around my waist and hips. But around my chest, it’s a little too tight for comfort.”

“At least your boobs are being held in place, though,” said Bryce. “In the larger one, they’ll bounce around more.”

“And at least this isn’t see-through,” I remarked.

“Yeah,” said Alex, unconvinced.

“Try it with the shorts,” said Bryce.

Alex hiked up the side of the dress to unzip her skirt, which she then pulled down … but if Bryce was hoping to catch a glimpse of her panties, he was disappointed. To my great satisfaction, Alex was too careful to let the hem of the dress descend along with the skirt. Taking the shorts from Bryce, she pulled them up beneath her dress, tugged them into place around her middle, then held up the dress as she looked down at the shorts. “They’re nice and snug,” she said. “Good fit. “But I’m not sure I like the feeling of wearing shorts at all. I prefer to feel a little … freer?”

“You’ll get used to them, I’m sure,” I said.

“Although,” Bryce countered, “you’d be perfectly decent without them. Like I said, crunches would be an issue, but for most anything else, you could get away without wearing the shorts.”

Alex nodded. “The dress is too tight, in any case,” she said. “I like the colour, though. Does the larger one come in the same colour?”

“It does,” Bryce confirmed. “I’ll fetch it for you.”

When he returned, Alex pulled off the first dress, just as I was noticing that the changing room was free again. I sighed, and said nothing, as Bryce happily ogled my fiancée’s breasts yet again.

Alex put the second dress on; it seemed easier this time. As she tugged it into place, she smiled and nodded. “Oh yes, this is much more comfortable.”

“It’s a little baggy on you,” said Bryce doubtfully. “It’s really meant for a larger woman. I get that it fits your chest better, though. Try it with the shorts.”

“I can’t just keep the same shorts?” Alex asked.

Bryce shook his head. “They’re a set,” he said. “I can’t sell them separately, and I can’t mix and match different sizes.”

Alex nodded, and took off the shorts she was wearing – again without showing Bryce her panties. Then she put on the larger shorts. “Oh – these are too big,” she said, having pulled them up. “They feel loose.”

“That’s no good,” said Bryce. “But like I said, you can always go without them – just avoid doing crunches. Or, you know, only do crunches if there’s nobody in front of you.” He grinned.

Alex took the shorts off, and gave them back to Bryce. “Maybe I’ll get this dress, then – and the shorts, though I won’t wear them. What a shame I can’t get this dress and the other shorts!”

“Sorry,” said Bryce. “But you did say you’d prefer not to wear shorts at all.”

“I did,” she admitted, “but I don’t want to show my panties around the gym either. What … what are crunches, exactly…?”

“Oh!” said Bryce. “They’re just exercises for your core, which you do on your back. Here, I’ll show you.” He lay down on the floor, on his back with his knees up, and proceeded to demonstrate basic crunches. “Great for tightening the abs. You can also do bicycle crunches, which give other muscles a workout….” He demonstrated this too.

Then he got to his feet. “Crunches can be a pretty important part of your workout, but maybe you can do them at home or something. It’s not like they require special equipment.”

“I see,” said Alex. “Hmm … I don’t know! I like this dress, but you’re right that it’s a bit baggy on me. On the other hand, a top and shorts would allow me to do crunches. But not these shorts, because they’re too big!”

Bryce shrugged. “So get both,” he said. “You can alternate outfits on your visits to the gym, and tailor your workout accordingly. It’s actually better that way – you don’t want to be doing the same workout day after day.”

“Which means I still need a pair of shorts!” Alex sighed.

Bryce fetched a pair of black shorts. “See how you like these.”

Alex stepped into them, and pulled them up beneath her dress, which she then held up while looking down at herself. The shorts were tight and stretchy, coming down to mid-thigh. She nodded hesitantly. “I guess I could probably get used to these,” she said.

“Try them with the top you’re getting,” said Bryce, picking up the pink top again. “Let’s see how they look together.”

Alex hesitated, glancing around, then she pulled the dress up and over her head. To my annoyance, Bryce was blatantly grinning at her breasts as they came into view for the umpteenth time. But his entertainment was short-lived, as Alex took the pink top from him and put it on quickly.

“Nice,” said Bryce approvingly. “What do you think? I think it works.”

“I guess so,” said Alex, looking down unhappily at her faintly-visible nipples.

“Okay,” I said, by now desperate for this shopping trip to be over. “So we’ll take this top and these shorts, plus the dress and matching shorts. Okay Alex?”

She nodded. “And the bluey-grey crop top.”

“Oh yes,” I said.

“And may I suggest you get the grey and green top as well?” Bryce suggested. “It looks the best on you, and you can always tug it down when it rides up. And not every exercise will cause it to ride up anyway. There are plenty of safe things you can do in that top, while looking amazing.”

Lexi looked at me hopefully. “I do like it…” she admitted.

I hesitated, then nodded. “Might as well have options,” I said. “Fine.”

“Great,” said Bryce. “Let me just take the two items you’re wearing, then….” He held out his hand.

Alex bit her lip, looking around nervously, then she pulled her top up and over her head. Handing it to Bryce, she turned to me. “Um, where’s my t-shirt?” she asked.

Confused, I looked around, then I remembered. “Oh! I think I put it down, in the aisle with the sports bras. Sorry – I’ll go and grab it.”

“In the meantime,” said Bryce to Alex, “let’s have those shorts, and I’ll meet you at the checkout.”

“You can’t wait until I come back with the t-shirt?” I inquired sharply.

“What difference does it make?” he asked. “The shorts have to come off either way, and her skirt’s right here – she can put it on immediately.”

It might not have made much difference, but as I hurried to grab Alex’s t-shirt from the next aisle, I felt irrationally bothered by the fact that Alex was now taking off her skirt and would shortly be standing in front of Bryce in just her panties and shoes. However briefly it might be, it was still a worrying repeat of our experience at Dress for Less.

When I returned, Alex had not yet put her skirt on, and Bryce was talking earnestly to her. “…just beautiful,” he was saying. “Seriously, you could be a model. I could put you in touch with a professional photographer if you like…”

“Here you go, darling,” I said, glaring at Bryce as I handed Alex her t-shirt. A little flustered, she took it, and as she opened it out, she accidentally dropped her skirt on the floor.

“What about shoes?” I asked, trying to get Bryce’s attention away from Alex’s breasts and panties. “She’ll need shoes for the gym, right?”

“Yup, just a comfortable pair of sneakers,” said Bryce, not taking his eyes off Alex for a second as she pulled her t-shirt down over her breasts. His gaze dropped to her panties. “I can give you a recommendation if you like.”

Alex finally stepped into her skirt and pulled it up, and I let out a deep breath, and relaxed. “Yes please,” said Alex.

We left the shop ten minutes later, having bought a pair of sneakers along with the other clothes we had chosen. The total came to $242, which felt like a gut punch after everything else we had bought today. And we still had to shop for groceries.

But we would have had to do that anyway, I reasoned, and the money we spent at the grocery store did not hit me as hard. Armed with a selection of fruit, vegetables, pasta, rice, meats, and fish, we headed for the subway. By the time we arrived back at the apartment, my arms were protesting under the weight of my heavy bags. Alex, who was only carrying the bags with her new clothes, still had quite a spring in her step as we entered.

“We’re back!” she said excitedly.

Ryan was stretched out on the couch. “Did you have a good time?” he asked. “Get everything you want? Oh, nice skirt, Lexi!”

“Thanks!” said Alex, giggling. “I’m going to wear it around here instead of shorts!”

“Cool!” said Ryan. “I never liked the idea of shorts anyway. This way I might still get to see your panties sometimes!”

“Ryan!” I growled, but Alex merely giggled and said, “You’re so naughty, Ryan!”

“How’s your back?” Ryan asked Alex. “After lugging those shopping bags from the mall?”

I stared at him. My arms were about to drop off from carrying the heavy grocery bags, and Ryan was concerned about Alex’s back?

“Oh, it’s fine thanks,” said Alex. “Well, it’s not bad.”

Ryan grinned. “Time for a massage from Marty, perhaps?”

Now I saw where he was going with this. “Ah,” I said. “Would you like one, darling?”

“Yes please!” she said, smiling eagerly.

“Right,” I said. “Well let me get these groceries put away, and we can do it in your bedroom.”

Ten minutes later, Alex was lying face down on her bed, wearing nothing but her panties. I confidently approached her, flexing my fingers. Five minutes’ hasty research on massaging techniques had given me a few useful pointers, and I hoped my new knowledge would enable me to massage my fiancée as well as Ryan had. After all, there really wasn’t a whole lot to it; it wasn’t exactly brain surgery.

“Right,” I said, putting one knee on the edge of the bed and leaning over Alex. “Just relax; this’ll make your back feel all better.”

“Mmmm,” murmured Alex, her eyes closed.

I placed my hands on her shoulders, and began squeezing them firmly. I found a tendon or something leading from the neck to the shoulder, and I gave it a good squeeze on both sides.

“Jyaaahh!” gasped Alex in pain.

“Oh, sorry!” I said, alarmed. “Did that hurt?”

“Yes!” said Alex unhappily.

I felt mortified. “I’m so sorry! I won’t do that again.”

She whimpered a little. “Thank you.”

I resumed the massage, moving down to her shoulder blades, which I pressed on a little more gently. She seemed quite tense. I then found two long tendons or muscles – I was not sure which – running down the length of her back, either side or her spine. I did not dare squeeze these, so I settled for pressing firmly against them with the ball of my hand, making a circular motion. I was rewarded with a murmur of approval from Alex, and I continued with renewed confidence.

Ryan had massaged her bottom through her panties, and I was determined that he should not be the only man to have this privilege. I grasped Alex’s buttocks, making her giggle, and began squeezing her soft flesh through the thin material. I had to dig my fingers deep to find the muscle beneath the fatty tissue, but I was able to give it a good prodding nonetheless.

“And … I think I’m done!” I said, standing up straight, and then arching my aching back. “How was that?”

“It was … good,” said Alex, a little hesitantly. She turned her head and smiled up at me apologetically.

Crestfallen, I sat down on the edge of the bed. “But not as good as Ryan’s?”

She bit her lip. “It was different,” she said. “But, um, I guess I felt a little better after Ryan’s massage.”

I sighed. “I think I underestimated how hard it would be,” I said. “I’m sorry. I should have studied more beforehand.”

“Maybe you could study more,” suggested Alex hopefully, “and then try again?”

I smiled uncomfortably. “I’ll see if Ryan will let me have another go,” I said. “I’m not sure that was in the spirit of the deal we made, but he might be generous.”

“Okay, let me know what he says,” said Alex.

I went out into the living room to face Ryan. “Hey Ryan,” I said.

“How did it go?” he asked.

“Uh, not great,” I said reluctantly. “I guess I should’ve done some more research first.”

“So my massage was better?” he asked excitedly.

“Yeah, but,” I said quickly, “I was hoping I could have another crack at it. Do some more reading, you know, arm myself with a bit more knowledge.”

“That’s not what we agreed, Marty,” he said reproachfully.

“I know,” I conceded, “but dude! She’s my fiancée! Give me another chance.”

“Hmm,” said Ryan. “Look, how about a compromise? If you just gave Lexi a lousy massage, then she still needs a good one, right? You don’t want her to have to suffer back pain until you’ve had time to do all the reading I have. And you don’t want to give her another massage before you’re sure you’ve got it all figured out. So, in the meantime, I’ll continue to massage her. When you feel ready to try again, go for it. And if you’ve surpassed or equalled me in skill, then she’s all yours. But if not … then you have to agree to let me be her official masseur from now on.” He smiled. “That’s fair, isn’t it?”

The words ‘official masseur’ sounded ominous to me, though I could not articulate why. “I … I guess so,” I said hesitantly.

Ryan extended his hand. “Shake on it?”

I shook his hand, deciding in that moment that I would have to become a genuine expert in the art of massage if I wanted to avoid letting Ryan put his hands on Alex’s near-naked body on a regular basis for the foreseeable future.

Ryan grinned, and got to his feet. “No time like the present!” he said, walking swiftly over to Alex’s bedroom door. He knocked.

“Come in!” I heard Alex say.

Ryan turned, gave me a wink, and then he entered my fiancée’s bedroom and closed the door behind him.

“What the fuck…” I muttered. Was he really going to massage my fiancée in my own bedroom? I followed after Ryan, pausing outside the door he had just passed through. Should I go in? Knock and then go in? Leave them to it and go and play Minecraft?

Was it irrationally jealous of me to be so concerned? I didn’t think so. Alex was rather naive, and Ryan obviously loved getting his hands on her. But did that mean he wouldn’t simply give her a great massage? How much would it matter to my relationship with Alex if he did? Even if he massaged her bottom for part of that massage?

The thought of him eagerly massaging her buttocks was too much for my brain to handle. I knocked on the door.

“Come in!” said Ryan.

I scowled, and entered. Ryan, in his t-shirt and boxer shorts, was on my bed, kneeling astride my fiancée, practically sitting on her thighs, his crotch right up against her panty-covered bottom. He was leaning over her and massaging her bare shoulders, using his thumbs to press into the soft tissue either side of her spine. “Hey Marty,” he said cheerfully.

Alex, whose head was on her side, opened her eyes and smiled. “Hi darling.”

“I just started,” said Ryan. “Did you want something?”

I noticed Alex’s skin was glistening where he was massaging it. “Did you … put oil on her skin?” I demanded.

Ryan held up a bottle of baby oil. “Yup!” he said. “Makes for a more comfortable experience. But dude, this isn’t cool – you’re supposed to be doing your own research, not watching me and discovering all my secrets.”

“Where did that bottle even come from?” I asked in bewilderment. “I didn’t see you bring it in!”

Ryan grinned, and tapped the side of his nose. “Gotta be prepared, man.”

“Well I think I do absolutely have the right to watch you massaging my fiancée!” I said decisively. “I want to be sure there’s no funny business!”

Ryan regarded me gravely. “Dude,” he said. “Doesn’t Lexi have the right to her own privacy? Even from you? Are you going to sit in on all her doctor’s appointments too?”

“I don’t mind if he stays,” said Alex, to my relief and satisfaction.

Ryan frowned in annoyance. “Of course,” he said stiffly. “If you’re okay with it, then so am I.”

I sat down on the chair in the corner of the room, my arms folded. Perhaps I could intimidate Ryan into doing a poor job, I thought to myself in amusement. At any rate he was clearly discomfited, which pleased me.

But he seemed to get over his unease quickly, and to my dismay Alex was soon uttering contented little sighs and moans of pleasure as he expertly massaged her aching back muscles, gradually working his way downward.

“What’s he doing that’s so different from what I was doing?” I asked irritably.

“The difference is … the careful application of magic,” said Ryan, prompting a giggle from Alex.

I sighed. I was unlikely to get any useful information out of him; he was motivated to keep me in the dark as to his techniques. But at least I could watch him, and hopefully pick up some tips that way.

He seemed to have a very assured touch. He would pour a little baby oil into his cupped palm, rub his hands together for a few seconds, then apply them symmetrically to Alex’s back. He used his thumbs and palms mainly, rather than his fingertips, and sometimes he would press down with the base of his palm, making small rapid circles. I had no idea what was prompting him to switch techniques – perhaps something he could feel in Alex’s back – but I tried to pay attention to where he was doing each thing.

As he made his way down her back, he gradually walked his knees backward, until he was staring down at her panties, and no doubt about to massage her lovely plump bottom.

I cleared my throat. “You should probably skip the butt massage, Ryan,” I said. “Your hands are all oily, and I’m sure Alex doesn’t want to be wearing oily panties.”

“I can always change them afterwards,” said Alex.

“Or we could just take them off you now,” said Ryan, grinning. “It would be better if I can massage your bare skin anyway.”

Alex gasped, and I said, “No way! You’re not taking off my fiancée’s panties!”

Ryan chuckled. “Are you going to say the same thing to her doctor, dude?”

“You’re not a doctor!” I retorted.

“No,” said Ryan patiently, “but just as a doctor sometimes needs his patient naked, so does a masseur.”

“You don’t need her naked!” I exclaimed.

Ryan sighed. “Lexi, I’m not sure it was the best idea to have your fiancé here for this. It’s hard to do a good job with his interruptions and argumentativeness.”

“I’m not being argumentative!” I said indignantly. “I’m just standing up for my fiancée.”

“Speaking for her, you mean,” he corrected me. “Lexi’s perfectly capable of deciding for herself whether or not she wants to keep her panties on.”

“I want to keep them on,” said Alex.

I smiled triumphantly at Ryan. “There!”

“What?” he said. “She just made my point. She can speak for herself. She doesn’t need you to leap to her defence every time I suggest something you don’t like.”

“Please don’t argue!” said Alex unhappily. “I was so relaxed a moment ago…”

I opened my mouth to speak, then closed it again, grinding my teeth. Maybe Ryan was right, and my presence was spoiling the massage. That was indeed partly my goal, but getting the blame for it was not. “I apologise,” I said stiffly, folding my arms. “I’ll be quiet.”

“Thank you,” said Ryan. “Now, Lexi, I totally respect your decision to keep your panties on, but I don’t want to get them all oily either. May I suggest a compromise…?”

“Sure,” said Alex.

“How about….” Ryan began. “Actually it’s easier if I demonstrate.” Then, to my astonishment and horror, he took hold of both sides of Alex’s panties, and pulled them up sharply so that they became bunched up between her now-exposed buttocks.

Alex squealed, and reached behind her back to cover her bottom with both hands, just as I jumped to my feet and exclaimed, “Ryan, you asshole!”

But Ryan seemed surprised by both our reactions. “Chill, you guys!” he said. “You especially, Marty. You knew I was going to massage Lexi’s ass, and that I was trying to find a way to do that without getting her panties oily, and without taking her panties off. Isn’t this the most obvious solution? And Lexi, I get that it was a bit of a surprise for you … but you see the logic of it, right?”

“Yeah, I guess so,” Alex conceded, letting her hands fall to her sides.

“Logical or not, it’s just one more step towards getting my fiancée naked!” I said vehemently.

“Marty,” said Ryan coolly, “frankly, she SHOULD be naked for this. But since you’re squeamish about that, I’m proposing this perfectly reasonable alternative. If she was wearing a thong, this wouldn’t be an issue. But she isn’t, so I’m making the best of it. Now shall I proceed, or do you want me to pull her panties back out of her ass and rub oil all over them?”

I ground my teeth. He had presented me with a choice between something that sounded sensible and something that sounded stupid – and I would look like a petty fool if I picked the latter option, even though that was my inclination. Unwilling to commit to either, I passed the buck.

“Which would you prefer, Alex?” I asked. “It should really be your decision.”

Ryan smirked. “Yes it should,” he agreed.

“I … I think Ryan might as well go ahead,” said Alex. “Since he’s already pulled my panties up.”

I sighed. “Fine. Go ahead.”

Ryan grinned as he oiled up his hands liberally, then grasped my fiancée’s buttocks. With firm, confident movements, he kneaded and squeezed and caressed them all over, his fingers roaming even between them, down to her bunched-up panties. I stared unhappily, my brain trying to form coherent thoughts, trying to figure out how I had let things get to the point where my best friend was eagerly groping my fiancée’s bottom right in front of me.

Then my sense of horror abruptly increased. “Ryan!” I exclaimed. “Gross! You’ve got a boner!”

Alex gasped, and tried to turn her head to see.

“Don’t look, Alex!” I said quickly.

“Natural reaction, dude!” said Ryan calmly. “I’m not a robot. I’m massaging the bare ass of the hottest and most beautiful woman I’ve ever met, so of course I’m gonna get aroused. You don’t need to worry about that until I start trying to put it in places I shouldn’t.”

Alex giggled, to my dismay. “I know you wouldn’t do that, Ryan,” she said. “You’re my big brother!”

“Yeah I guess it is, uh, I am pretty big,” said Ryan airily, eliciting another giggle from Alex.

“Dude!” I said painedly. “No dirty jokes while you’re massaging my nearly-naked fiancée, please!”

“Okay okay,” said Ryan, climbing off Alex and getting up from the bed, his erection tenting out the front of his boxer shorts. “Now I’m going to massage your legs, Lexi.”

“Her legs don’t need massaging!” I protested. “You’ve done her back, and her butt – I think you’ve finished!”

“Hey, I’m just trying to do a thorough job,” said Ryan. “I think Lexi could benefit from a full-body massage. Everything’s connected, dude, you know? One part of the body doesn’t operate in full isolation from the rest. After a full-body massage, Lexi’s going to be so incredibly supple and loose and relaxed, no aches and pains anywhere … she’ll feel amazing! Marty, I know you love looking at her fantastic body, but do you know the toll it takes on her, lugging around those beautiful big boobs of hers? Yes it primarily manifests as back pain, but there’s a knock-on effect throughout the body. My goal is to make Lexi feel as good as I possibly can.”

“Well … that’s my goal too,” I said, rather red-faced and blown away by Ryan’s eloquence.

“I … I think I’d love a full-body massage!” said Alex, clearly quite taken with Ryan’s little monologue.

I groaned silently. My guess was that if I were not here, Ryan would have talked her out of her panties by now. And then she would be naked, lying on a bed in front of him, entirely at his mercy…

I had to stop these massages! But I could not simply lay down the law; I was Alex’s fiancé, not her owner, and I certainly was not in a position to order Ryan around. No, the solution was to become an expert at the art of massage, so that Alex would choose me to be her ‘official masseur’ instead of Ryan.

But that would not happen immediately. I had blown my first chance at massaging Alex, and for now I would have to live with the consequences of that. “Fine,” I said with a sigh. “Go ahead.”

Alex uttered a contented sigh, and closed her eyes. Ryan oiled up his hands again, and began massaging her feet. This hardly bothered me at all, but as he moved up to her ankles, and then her calves, I could see where this was going, and I knew I was going to have a hard time watching him get to the tops of her thighs. Part of me, I confess, wanted to leave the room and avoid seeing any more of this. But that was a coward’s way out, and I was no coward. So I steeled myself, and resolved to keep watching, however uncomfortable it might be.

“Mmm, this is so nice…” said Alex dreamily, with her eyes still closed. That she was enjoying the massage so much lent it legitimacy, I supposed, though it annoyed me too. I wanted her to have this reaction to MY massages.

Ryan was now working his way up her left thigh, using both hands, newly oiled. He was straddling her, his erection still distractingly prominent in his underwear, and as his thumbs neared the mound of her left buttock, the other fingers of his right hand were slipping between her thighs, worryingly close to another, more dangerous mound – a part of her body I had not even touched yet myself.

We had discussed, of course, all the things we could theoretically do together without having actual sex. We had talked about blowjobs, and hand-jobs, and fingering, and cunnilingus … and decided that, for the time being, we would save these things for later. Maybe for until our wedding night … but we agreed that we could revisit the subject later, if we found we were getting too desperate for each other’s bodies to wait any longer.

Alex’s breasts, on the other hand, were fair game. She had agreed that I could touch, caress, fondle, kiss, and lick them, whenever we were making out in private. She had even let me suck on her nipples once, though it made her giggle uncontrollably, which was a little off-putting.

Her bottom, too, was fine for me to fondle … although so far I had done so only through her panties. That was what made Ryan’s massage of her bare buttocks particularly galling – the fact that he had now done something intimate with Alex that I had not.

As the fingers of his right hand now approached her pussy, I became increasingly anxious. He was perilously close to beating me to a second milestone. Just last weekend, in the seclusion of her bedroom at her dad’s house, Alex and I had discussed touching each other’s private parts through our underwear. Discussed … and then decided against it. Alex had actually been very keen to try it, but I was experiencing a little performance anxiety, and persuaded her to wait a bit longer before we took this step. We agreed that this would be our next milestone, though, and yesterday we had decided that tonight would be the night.

Alex squealed. “Ryan!” she gasped.

“Oops,” he said with a grin. “Guess I went a little too high there.”

“Did you … just…” I spluttered, “do what I think you did?”

“Calm down, Marty, it was an accident,” he assured me. “The side of my hand just brushed against her panties…”

“A little more than brushed!” said Alex, in a tone of mild reproof.

“Did you do it on purpose?” I demanded, my fists clenching.

“Not … exactly,” said Ryan hesitantly.

I blinked. “What does THAT mean?”

“I didn’t intentionally touch her panties,” Ryan explained. “I didn’t mean to, Lexi. But once I felt your panties against the side of my finger – I’m sorry, I couldn’t help myself – I just had to press a little harder, and gently rub…”

“You asshole!” I exclaimed, jumping to my feet.

“I couldn’t help it!” he said helplessly. “My finger was right there, between the thighs of an irresistibly beautiful woman … and I could feel her warmth … I’m sorry. I’m not sure anyone could have resisted temptation in that situation.”

“If you can’t resist the temptation to misbehave, you shouldn’t be massaging her!” I said.

“Well I guess that depends on whether Lexi is getting a net benefit from my massage,” said Ryan. “Lexi, will you accept my apology and allow me to continue, or was my offence too great?”

Alex opened her eyes and looked up at me sheepishly. “I can accept your apology, Ryan,” she said. “But I can understand why Marty’s upset. If he says you can continue, you can. Otherwise, I guess, we should leave it unfinished…”

“Thank you darling,” I said, glad that Alex was willing to let me decide. But I knew she would feel bereft if Ryan stopped now, with just one thigh remaining un-massaged. “You can continue, Ryan – just behave yourself!”

“Thank you!” he said. He shuffled backward, re-oiled his hands, and began massaging her right thigh, starting at the back of her knee. Once again I endured the slow torture of watching him climb her thigh, inching closer and closer to her bottom and panties, until his thumbs were pressing into the base of her right buttock, and the fingers of his left hand were tucked between her upper thighs.

“That’s high enough, Ryan,” I said sternly.

“Almost done,” he replied.

His fingers were moving slowly, almost sensuously, and my suspicion began to grow that he was already misbehaving. I could not see whether he was actually touching Alex’s panties down there, but she was starting to breathe a little more heavily. Or was that just my imagination?

I was about to say something – probably something foolish – when he stopped. “All right,” he said, withdrawing his hands. “Now turn over, Lexi, and I’ll do your front.”

“Out!” I said loudly, pointing at the door. “You’re done! Massage over!”

“But she wanted a full body massage!” he protested, climbing off the bed. “All right, all right, I’m going…”

Once he and his erection were out of the room, I snorted in disbelief. “I can’t believe he thought he was going to get to massage your front!”

Alex giggled. “Well he did say FULL body,” she said.

“That man takes way too many liberties,” I grumbled. “At the end there … he wasn’t touching your panties again was he? Like, between your legs?”

Alex blushed, and bit her lip. “Maybe a little bit,” she confessed.

“Oh my god!” I exclaimed. “Again? Why didn’t you say something?”

“I don’t know,” say Alex wretchedly. “I was feeling so good and relaxed, and kind of horny, and I was sort of half-expecting him to misbehave again, so it wasn’t so much of a shock as the first time, when he did. I figured you’d stop him soon enough, so I just kind of … went with it.”

“Oh God!” I groaned, clutching my hair with both hands. “You can’t let him get away with stuff like that, Alex! He’ll never stop pushing his luck, if he thinks you don’t really mind it!”

“Well, I kind of don’t really mind it,” she replied apologetically. “I’m sorry, Marty, I know I should … but I like Ryan, and I love that I now have this brother figure in my life. And I know he’s naughty and loves to grope me, but if that’s the price I have to pay for his friendship, then I … I guess I’m willing to pay it. I don’t want to push him away just for misbehaving like that – I’m not even mad at him. He thinks I’m the most beautiful woman he’s ever met, and … it’s kind of flattering, you know? And it’s kind of funny that he finds me so irresistible that he can’t keep his hands off me.”

I was rather appalled by these revelations. “Most women would be furious with a male friend who took advantage of them like that!”

“Yeah,” she conceded. “I don’t know why I’m not. Maybe because of how I was raised? Or perhaps it’s just who I am. But Marty … I hope you don’t think this means anything negative for our relationship. I’m your fiancée and that’s not going to change … I hope? You’re not thinking of … of dumping me … because I didn’t complain when Ryan touched me? Because if you are, I’ll march straight out there and tell Ryan he’s not to touch me again, ever.”

“Well I hope you’ll put a top on first,” I said, feeling amused but encouraged by her offer. “But no, I’m absolutely not thinking of dumping you! Good grief, no! I’m just concerned on your behalf – I don’t like to think of men taking advantage of your sweet and tolerant nature. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“Aww, thank you, my darling,” she said, climbing off the bed. “Give me a hug … oh my goodness, I can’t believe how good my back feels!”

I hugged her, pursing my lips unhappily. “Hopefully I’ll be able to make you feel this good after my next massage,” I said. “I hate to think of Ryan getting the job permanently.”

“I … I’ll tell him not to massage me again, if you want me to,” she offered bravely.

I kissed her neck. “Thank you, I appreciate that,” I said. “Let’s just see how my next massage goes.”

We disengaged from the hug, and Alex tugged her panties out of her bottom. “Well I guess I know what a thong feels like now,” she remarked. “Would you, um, like it if I wore thongs…?”

I thought about it, then grinned. “It might be nice,” I conceded. “Though I’d want to be the only person who gets to see them.”

She nodded, and put her top and skirt back on. “Minecraft?” she suggested.

“Totally!” I agreed.

We spent the afternoon mining and building. I introduced Alex to the Nether, but she didn’t stick around there long – she found it too scary. She did manage to gather enough warped logs to make a nice blue floor for her house, though.

Drake arrived home for dinner in a foul mood; he had been visiting an old friend, and his car had been vandalised in the short time it had been parked on the street. But he brightened when Alex mentioned the gym clothes we had bought her.

“Excellent!” he said. “How much do I owe you?”

“Well, I hate to make you pay for all of them,” I said. “We bought quite a few things. But maybe … we could go halves?”

“Sure, if you like,” he said. “How much are we talking?”

“Uh, 121 dollars,” I said. “That would be half the total.”

“I hope you like the things we bought,” said Alex.

“Let’s see them!” he said. “Actually … why don’t we go to the gym after dinner? I can coach you through your first workout.”

“I’d like that!” said Alex.

“You coming along, Marty?” Drake asked. “I’ll coach you too!”

“I’ll pass,” I replied instinctively, before it occurred to me to worry about how hands-on Drake was likely to get with his coaching. I briefly considered changing my mind, but then I decided that Drake was no Ryan: he already had a girlfriend, and he was generally more respectful of boundaries.

“And maybe we can all meet up at Smokey’s later?” Drake suggested. “You’re old enough to drink, right?”

“Just!” said Alex. “I turned twenty-one last month. But the only alcohol I ever consume is the communion wine at church.”

“Then it’s high time we introduce you to a few cocktails!” said Drake. “You up for it, Ryan?”

“Absolutely, count me in,” Ryan replied.

“And you, Marty?”

“Of course!” I said. “You think I’d let Alex go off to a bar with the two of you, without me there to keep an eye on her?”

“Great,” said Drake.

After dinner, Alex excitedly packed a bag with a towel, shampoo and conditioner, and her workout clothes, and then left the apartment with Drake.

“I hope she’ll be okay,” I muttered to Ryan. “I don’t like thinking of her in a skimpy gym outfit, surrounded by dozens of testosterone junkies.”

“She’ll be all right,” said Ryan, smirking a little. “Drake’ll take REAL good care of her.”

“Don’t say it like that!” I said, feeling agitated. “Why’d you say it like that?”

Ryan laughed. “Just winding you up, dude. Rochelle will probably be there – she’ll raise hell if she sees Drake try anything.”

“Yeah – I guess it’s comforting that he has a girlfriend,” I acknowledged. Then I looked at Ryan. “Unlike you! I know you rubbed Alex’s pussy again through her panties, at the end of the massage. That was so not cool, man!”

Ryan sighed. “I know,” he said. “I just couldn’t help it! And I think she liked it.”

“Well it was a new experience for her, and she was curious!” I retorted. “Doesn’t mean it’s okay for you to take advantage.”

Ryan stared at me. “New experience? You mean you’ve never felt her pussy yourself?”

“No!” I said irritably. “But that’s none of your business. We’re working through our milestones slowly, taking our time and savouring each one. I’d be grateful if you didn’t jump ahead of me!”

“Sorry man,” said Ryan. “I had no idea.”

I sighed. “Well luckily for you, Alex is the forgiving type. But just behave yourself in future, okay? I don’t want us to fall out.”

“Neither do I, dude, neither do I,” Ryan agreed. “It’s just so hard to behave when she’s so fucking hot! I mean, seriously! You hit the jackpot, Marty, and it still blows my mind how you managed it.”

“Yeah, she’s pretty incredible,” I admitted. “I don’t know how I got so lucky either. But she’s mine, and don’t you forget it! I just need to get as good at massaging as you, and then you won’t have an excuse to grope her.”

“Good luck!” said Ryan, grinning. “May the best man win.”

I scowled. “I can still change my mind and appoint Drake as my best man, you know.”

“Awww, don’t do that,” he said. “I’m just kidding around. I’m sure you’ll do great with your next massage. It’s not that hard, you know.”

“Yeah, I just need to do a bit more research,” I said. “Speaking of which, this is a perfect time to do that. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll be on my phone.”

“Okay dude,” he said.

I spent some time researching different massage techniques, and learned a lot. By the time Ryan and I left the apartment to go to Smokey’s, I was feeling much more confident about my ability to blow Alex away with my next massage.

The music in Smokey’s was loud, even in the bar area, and not at all to my taste, but I forced a smile and waved when I spotted Drake and Alex sitting together at a table. Ryan and I sat down with them, and I asked Alex how her first workout had gone.

“It was hard!” she said. “But fun. Drake was very nice and helpful.”

“Which outfit did you wear?” I inquired.

She blushed a little. “I started out with the pink top and the black shorts, but a woman complained that she could see my nipples, so Drake asked what else I’d brought … and I ended up wearing the grey and green top instead.”

“The one that rides up?” I said with a frown. “And … did it?”

Lexi fidgeted. “Not at first,” she said. “We started out pretty low-key with some assisted stretching, then we tried out some of the equipment, like…”

“Assisted stretching?” I inquired. “What’s that?”

“Oh, just stretching exercises,” she said, “where Drake helps me hold the right position and really push the stretch for a few seconds.”

I frowned. “So he was … touching you?”

“Well yeah,” she said. “That’s how assisted stretching works. He would get me into a position, then press it a little further so it was almost painful. He said I have a lot of potential, but I really need to work on my flexibility.”

“Can you … describe … one of these positions?” I asked her. The potential of this concept to provide a cover for groping had not escaped me, and I hoped I was wrong. “And where Drake’s hands were…?”

“I know what you’re thinking,” said Alex, with a note of disapproval, “but he didn’t take advantage of me, Marty. I mean, yes, he did have his hand on my butt a couple of times, to hold me steady while I stretched out one of my legs…”

“I knew it!” I exclaimed, kicking myself for not having gone to the gym with them.

“It wasn’t like that!” Alex insisted. “He was a perfect gentleman, throughout the whole session. Even when my breasts popped out of my top, he did the right thing – he noticed just before I did, and right away he reached out and tucked them back into my top, before anyone else saw.”

“He … tucked them back in?” I echoed in disbelief. “Himself? He didn’t let you do it?”

“I was holding weights!” said Alex defensively. “And he had to act quickly. But he didn’t squeeze them or fondle them or jiggle them, like Dwight did. He was totally professional about it! It was all over in like twenty seconds.”

“Twenty seconds?” I repeated, bemused. “It took him twenty seconds to tuck your breasts away?”

“Well he had to make sure they were securely tucked away and wouldn’t immediately fall out again,” said Alex, blushing a little. “And okay, maybe he did compliment me and say my breasts were beautifully shaped. But that’s all! He could have taken way more advantage of that situation, but he didn’t! And he spared me from potentially a lot more embarrassment by covering me up right away.”

I sighed. “So he groped your butt and your breasts, and you’re absolutely fine with his behaviour. Was Rochelle there?”

“No,” said Alex, looking a little huffy. “She and Drake broke up today, apparently. Drake said he’s kind of fallen for someone else, and it wouldn’t be fair to Rochelle if he pursued this other girl behind her back.”

“Oh?” I inquired. “And did he say who this other girl is?”

“No,” said Alex. “But he said she just started going to the gym and she’s an absolute knockout. His words.”

“Uh-huh,” I said. I had a pretty good idea who this other girl was, and the fact that Drake had dumped Rochelle on her account made me very nervous. “Just as a matter of interest … do you, uh, find Drake attractive…?”

Alex turned and stared at me. “Of course!” she said. “He’s gorgeous.”

My heart sank. “And what would you do if, uh, he expressed an interest in you…?”

She looked puzzled. “But he knows I’m your fiancée,” she said.

“But let’s say,” I persisted, “he fell in love with you so hard that he wanted you to leave me and be with him…?”

She laughed. “I hardly think that’s likely! But if he did, I’d tell him to stop being so silly. I’m yours! That’s all there is to it.”

And there it was. My sweet, innocent, pure, darling Alex simply could not conceive of cheating on me or dumping me. She had no frame of reference for such notions. I smiled at her. “Thank you,” I said. “I needed to hear that.”

She kissed me. “You’re welcome!”

I relaxed. Let Drake do his worst. For Alex, getting engaged may have been something she jumped into without much thought, but her commitment to it, and to me, was utterly genuine and unshakeable. That was why the gropings and naughtiness meant so little to her: for her, everything was clear and simple. She was going to marry me, and nothing that Ryan or Drake did would change that. At least on her side. She had, indeed, expressed a concern that I might dump her if Ryan went too far with her, so she did have some conception of relationships ending … but perhaps she thought that dumping a partner was only something men did…? No, that did not make sense. I had to believe she would seriously consider ending our engagement if I were to have intimate relations with another woman. Maybe she did not consider that a possibility?

I wanted to ask her about this – to find out what it would take for her to leave me – but my wiser self cautioned against pursuing this line of inquiry. It did not seem healthy to me. Better, I decided, to leave well enough alone.

Instead, I changed the subject. “What’s this you’re drinking?” I gestured to the glass on the table in front of us.

Alex giggled. “It’s called,” she said, putting her hand to her mouth, “Sex on the Beach!”

“Oh really?” I said, suppressing a smile. “Drake got this for you, did he?”

She nodded. “It’s actually really nice!” She had a long gulp. “My first cocktail!”

“Mm-hmm,” I said. “Just don’t overdo it.”

She nodded. “Anyway … I was thinking about church…”

“Oh?” I replied. “What about it?”

“I think St Ambrose’s is a little far from here for convenience,” she continued. “And in any case, I sort of feel like a fresh start, somewhere new. A church that can be just as much yours as mine, you know?”

“Sure!” I said. “Whatever you want. I’m afraid I don’t know much about churches in general – my parents were never very religious.”

“So let’s discover a new one together!” said Alex eagerly. “Ryan was helping me research a few yesterday, and there’s a local one I think I’d like us to try. It’s called Heavenquest, and it seems quite modern and non-traditional.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Okay… What time would we need to be there?”

“Ten-thirty,” she said. “It’s a nine-minute walk from our apartment, so if we leave by quarter past, we should have plenty of time to get a hymnal and prayer book, or whatever they have there, and get ourselves seated before the service starts.”

“Sounds good,” I said. “Uh, what should I wear?”

“Well that’s the beauty of this place,” said Alex happily. “Anything you like! Their website describes them as non-judgmental and inclusive, welcoming people from all different backgrounds, and there’s no dress code! Can you imagine that? No dress code! I could go there in my underwear if I wanted!”

“Yeah, please don’t do that,” I said with a shudder.

Alex laughed. “Obviously I wouldn’t,” she assured me. “But I’d assumed I’d have to wear a long dress to church … and now I’m thinking, I don’t have to! I can wear a short skirt!”

I shrugged. “If you want, sure.”

Alex giggled again. “A short skirt in church! Can you imagine?”

“Yeah, I can imagine,” I replied, amused.

“Time to dance!” said Drake. “Anyone else coming?”

“Sure Drake, I’ll dance with you,” said Ryan, making Alex giggle.

Drake glowered at him. “Find yourself a girl, man. Get your focus off your best friend’s fiancée.”

“Yeah!” I agreed wholeheartedly.

“What about you two?” asked Drake.

I shook my head. “I need some alcohol in me before I hit the dance floor,” I said. “Otherwise I’ll be all stiff and awkward.”

“Yeah, much better to be floppy and awkward,” said Drake wryly. “Okay, go get your drink. But Lexi, you shouldn’t have to wait for your fiancé to get drunk enough to dance, girl! Why don’t you come along with me and start shakin’ that booty? Marty can join you when he’s ready.”

“I don’t want her out there on her own!” I protested. “She’ll be mobbed by strange guys!”

“I’ll keep them off her until you get there,” Drake promised. “And it’ll be good motivation for you to get yo lazy ass on the dance floor.”

“But … I don’t know how to do this sort of dancing!” said Alex nervously. “I’d love to try it, though.”

“I’ll teach you,” said Drake. “There’s nothing to it, you’ll see.”

Alex turned to me. “I’d like to,” she said, “but I’m happy to wait for you, if you want.”

I didn’t like the idea of her dancing with Drake … or alone, or with anyone but me. “If you’re willing to wait, I’d prefer that,” I said. “I don’t want to seem controlling or anything, but…”

“No no it’s fine,” she said quickly. “I’m happy to wait.”

Drake looked disappointed. “Okay. I guess I’ll see you out there in a bit. Ryan?”

“I’m gonna get myself a drink,” said Ryan. “Marty, Lexi, can I get you something?”

“Oh, thank you!” I said. “I’ll have a whiskey sour, please.”

“Another Sex on the Beach for me, please!” said Alex.

Ryan nodded, and got to his feet.

Over the next half hour, I got myself loosened up with the help of a couple of drinks, while Alex, who was unaccustomed to drinking alcohol, became increasingly tipsy. Eventually she managed to cajole me on to the dance floor, where she proved to be even more inept than I was. “I don’t know any moves for this type of music!” she shouted.

“Just watch what other people are doing,” I replied. That was how I had learned my small but useful repertoire of basic dance moves.

“I’m trying!”

I had little to offer her in the way of advice. Women’s dance moves seemed mostly to involve pelvic gyrations accompanied by vague arm waving. As I paid more attention to the women around me, however, I noticed some of them were also moving their feet, shifting their weight from one foot to the other, and bouncing on the spot while keeping their feet on the floor. The thought of explaining this to Alex over the volume of the music was exhausting, however; I hoped she would pick it up on her own.

And she did, slowly. After five minutes she had built up a little rotation of moves she had picked up; after ten, she was practically as good as I was. “This is fun!” she shouted happily. “But I need a tighter top!”

It had not escaped my attention that she was still braless; her breasts were very obviously bouncing around inside her t-shirt, which was neither tight enough to hold them in place, nor loose enough to conceal much of their movement.

Other men nearby had also noticed this, and were watching her with hungry eyes. No doubt they were already plotting how they were going to impregnate her. “Come on, let’s sit down for a bit,” I suggested loudly into her ear.

She looked rather disappointed, but followed me back to our table, where Ryan was typing on his phone. “I was just starting to get a nice sequence together,” she said regretfully.

“We can go back out there in a bit,” I assured her. “I just can’t handle more than a few minutes at a time. The flashing lights, the thudding beat, the bouncing … it makes me nauseous if I’m out there too long.”

“Oh, I’m sorry!” she said in concern. “Are you not feeling well? Should we just go home?”

“No no, I’m fine,” I assured her. “I just need a little break.”

“Okay,” said Alex.

“Were you having fun?” Ryan asked her.

“Oh yes!” she said enthusiastically. “I was really starting to get the hang of it, I think.”

“You know, you can always dance on your own,” Ryan suggested. “Lots of people do. And if Marty needs a break…”

“There were a bunch of hungry sharks circling,” I said. “I’m not sure she’d be safe on her own.”

Ryan shrugged. “I could dance with her then. They’ll leave her alone if she’s with someone.”

Alex brightened, but I felt uneasy. “You’re one of the sharks, Ryan! I don’t trust you not to take advantage.”

He grinned. “You know me too well,” he said. “But wouldn’t that guarantee that other guys leave her alone? If they see someone getting a little handsy with her?”

“It might,” I conceded, “but I don’t want you getting handsy with her either!”

“I do that anyway, though,” said Ryan, reaching over and cupping Alex’s left breast through her t-shirt.

“Dude!” I exclaimed.

“Ryan!” said Alex, giggling as she pushed his hand away.

“You see?” said Ryan. “If I misbehave, she stops me. Dude, I know you don’t particularly enjoy dancing, and Lexi’s obviously itching to get back out there. This is a good solution. Yeah, maybe I’ll be a little naughty, but I’m a known quantity. Better she dance with me than with some random stranger.”

I scowled, unhappy with how much sense he was making. But then it occurred to me that Ryan was even less of a dancer than I was. “Can you even dance, though?” I asked pointedly. “As I recall, you pretty much only come here to drink. I’ve seen you dancing, uh, maybe twice? And you didn’t look very comfortable doing it!”

“I had nobody to dance with,” said Ryan, unflapped. “I feel dumb dancing on my own. If I was dancing with Lexi, though, I’m sure I’d have a good time.” He grinned at Alex, who giggled again.

I sighed, and looked around to see if I could see Drake. But I was not sure I trusted him any more than Ryan at this point – not after the workout session Alex had just described. I turned back to Alex. “You know, I think I’m ready to go back out there,” I said.

Alex smiled happily, and Ryan looked disappointed. “You sure you want to do that, dude?” he asked.

“Very sure,” I replied grimly. And I led my fiancée back to the dance floor.

Five minutes later, I was already regretting it. I had not been lying about the deleterious effects of the flashing lights and the thudding bass sounds on me. The alcohol was probably not helping, too. Feeling rather unwell, I led Alex back to our table.

“Sorry, I just can’t dance anymore right now,” I apologised.

“Does that mean I can dance with Lexi?” asked Ryan with a grin.

“That’s up to Alex,” I replied testily.

“What d’ya think, Lexi?” asked Ryan.

“Um … only if it’s okay with Marty,” said Alex, clearly torn.

I sighed. “Go ahead,” I said. “But don’t let him grope you!”

“You’re putting the burden of that on her?” Ryan asked. “Not ‘Don’t grope her, Ryan’?”

“Well obviously don’t grope her, Ryan!” I retorted. “I just have less confidence in you complying with my instructions. How about this, then? If Ryan gropes you, Alex, then come back to the table.”

“So now she has to be punished for my transgression?” Ryan inquired. “Dude, I thought you were more progressive than that.”

“Oh, you’re just trying to twist everything to your advantage,” I grumbled. “Should I tell her to just let you grope her?”

“Of course not!” said Ryan. “How about you just leave it up to her? It’s her body; she doesn’t need anyone else policing it.”

I shrugged. “Fair enough. Alex, have fun – and handle Ryan as you see fit. Don’t be afraid to knee him in the balls if you think he deserves it.”

Alex giggled. “Okay!” she said. “Come on, Ryan. And mind you behave yourself!”

I soon lost sight of them in the crowd, and I pursed my lips, hoping Ryan was not taking advantage. As the minutes ticked by, I increasingly felt the urge to go and check on them, but whenever I contemplated returning to the dance floor, my stomach reminded me that it was unhappy and trying to rest.

Then I smiled and waved, as Drake danced his way over, looking totally comfortable and confident in his well-practised moves. “Hey Marty,” he said. “How you doing?”

“Taking a break from dancing,” I replied. “My stomach, you know…”

He nodded. “I spotted Ryan and Lexi out there,” he said. “They look like they’re having a good time.”

“How good?” I asked. “I’m worried about Ryan taking advantage.”

Drake chuckled. “They were just dancing, bro. Nothing to get upset about. But I can go back out there and keep an eye on them if you like.”

“No, it’s okay,” I said. “If he tries anything, Alex will tell me about it later. Then he’ll face whatever consequences I deem appropriate.”

“Very mature of you,” said Drake. “Anyway I just came out for a drink; can I get you anything?”

“Nah man, thanks, I’ve had enough for now,” I said.

Drake got his drink, downed it swiftly, and returned to the dance floor. I spent some quality time with my phone, and before I knew it, half an hour had passed. Then Ryan returned to the table, alone.

I sat up straight, staring at him as he sat down, looking rather hot and sweaty. “Man, that girl’s for some stamina!” he said.

“You left her out there alone?” I demanded anxiously.

“Relax!” he said. “She’s with Drake.”

“Oh,” I said. “So, uh, did you behave yourself?”

He grinned. “More or less,” he said.

“I’ll be asking Alex what that means,” I warned him.

“I’d expect nothing less,” he replied calmly.

The fact that he wasn’t concerned about this was somewhat reassuring; it meant that things hadn’t got totally out of hand. Now all I had to worry about was Drake. “I should go out and check on them,” I said.

“So soon?” Ryan asked. “Give them a few minutes, dude. I got to dance with Lexi for ages; Drake only just started.”

“I guess,” I said reluctantly. “Maybe she’ll get tired.”

“I’m sure she will,” he agreed.

But twenty minutes later, neither she nor Drake had returned, and my imagination was beginning to get the best of me. “I’m going to find my fiancée,” I said firmly.

“Okay,” said Ryan, not looking up from his phone.

I made my way through the sea of energetic, bouncing, sweating, dancing humans, looking this way and that for my fiancée’s golden curls and Drake’s imposing physique. It took me a couple of minutes, but I eventually spotted Drake with his back to me, clutching the hips of a girl who was bent over in front of him, and grinding his crotch against her. My heart sank as I realised that either that was Alex, or Alex was somewhere else, alone. Both possibilities were troubling.

I moved around in front of Drake, and confirmed that the girl was indeed my fiancée. To my shock, she was twerking against him, and her skirt was rucked up over the top of her bottom. My handsome black friend, it seemed, was grinding his crotch against her panties.

“Alex!” I shouted.

She looked up, and smiled as she saw me. “Hey!” she replied, straightening up as if nothing was wrong. “Are you feeling better?”

I could barely hear her words, but I nodded, and then pointed toward the exit. She turned to Drake and waved, then accompanied me back to our table.

“You and Drake were getting pretty, uh, close there,” I remarked.

“He was teaching me how to twerp!” she replied happily. “And some other moves.”

“Twerk,” I corrected her. “Yeah, I could see that. Did you realise your skirt had ridden up?”

“Oh! No! Oh dear!” she said in alarm. “Do you think anyone saw my panties?”

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “But Drake was certainly having fun rubbing himself against them.”

“Oh gosh!” said Alex in dismay. “I didn’t … do you think he realised my skirt wasn’t in the way?”

“Probably!” I said, frowning.

“Hehe – he probably lifted it up out of the way,” added Ryan with a grin.

“Oh, I don’t think so!” said Alex, looking rather shocked at the suggestion. “I’m sure it was just an accident. It probably just rode up by itself.”

“Perhaps,” I said, and I pursed my lips. Alex’s innate trust in my friends was touching, however misplaced, and I found myself reluctant to replace her sweet innocence with a more cynical outlook. “You know, I’m sure you’re right. But I’m still going to have a word with Drake about it.”

“Can I get you guys something else to drink?” asked Ryan.

“Nah, I think I’ve had enough,” I said, and I turned to Alex. “Shall we head home, do you think?”

She nodded. “Sure.”

“Aww, the night is young!” Ryan protested amiably. “I’m sure Lexi’d love to stay a little longer. I’ll bring her home safe and sound, Marty, I promise.”

“Thanks Ryan, but I’d rather be with Marty,” said Alex.

This warmed my heart, and I smiled at her in love and gratitude. “I’m glad to hear that,” I told her. “See you later, Ryan.”

Ryan waved indifferently, but I could tell he was disappointed. Good! I felt like I had defeated him, in some small way.

This feeling did not last long. As Alex and I walked home, I asked her how her dance with Ryan had gone.

“It was fun!” she giggled. “Despite Ryan getting rather handsy, as you predicted!”

“Oh yeah?” I said warily. “What did he do, exactly?”

“Oh, you know, he groped my breasts a bit,” she replied, “and my bottom. I’ll spare you the details…”

“I really think I ought to know the details,” I remarked grimly, “so I know how mad at Ryan I need to be.”

“Oh please don’t be mad at him, darling,” she begged me. “He was just being Ryan – you know how he is. And he wasn’t really doing anything he hasn’t done before.”

“I’ll go as easy on him as I feel able,” I said stubbornly. “But please don’t hide anything from me, Alex.”

“I won’t!” she said. “Of course I won’t. Okay, so for a while we were just dancing separately – he was doing his thing, and I was doing mine. Then Drake found us, and he laughed at our dancing, and said he would show us some better moves. And he put his arm around my waist, and one of his feet between mine, and he started dancing with me sort of … sexily, I guess. He was really good, and he was holding me against his body – we were moving in sync. It was fun! But then Ryan started getting a little upset, I guess, at being pushed aside. He said ‘Dude, do you mind?’ And Drake backed off and went away … and Ryan stepped forward and took my waist, like Drake had done. He wasn’t as good as Drake, of course, but he did his best. And then one of his hands slid down to my bottom, and he started fondling it through my skirt. I said, ‘Ryan, stop that!’ But he just said, ‘What?’ and when I repeated myself, he said, ‘I can’t hear you – music’s too loud.’ Which I think might have just been an excuse to keep fondling me…”

“Yeah,” I agreed, frowning.

“Then he spun me round,” Alex continued, “and hugged me from behind, and we danced together like that, which was pretty neat. But then his hands started wandering again, and the next thing I knew, he was squeezing and fondling my breasts through my t-shirt. And then he started kissing my neck…”

“Oh my God!” I exclaimed.

“I said, ‘Ryan, stop!’ And I pulled his hands away from my breasts, but he kept kissing my neck, and … it was really distracting! It felt nice, but I would much rather it had been you doing that. But I found myself in a sort of dreamy daze, feeling hot and light-headed, and swaying to the music … and I realised he was fondling my breasts again, but I figured it was pointless to try to stop him again. I didn’t want to make a scene, and ruin what was otherwise a nice experience.”

“So you just … let him?” I asked in dismay.

“I’m sorry,” said Alex sadly. “I wasn’t thinking straight. I should have tried harder to stop him.”

I fought hard to suppress my anger, to direct it away from my beloved Alex and toward the true culprit in this situation. “No, it’s not your fault,” I managed to say. “Ryan took advantage of the situation, and your tipsy state, and your sweet nature, and the fact that he was dancing with you. He’s to blame here.”

“I did eventually stop him,” said Alex. “But only after he, um…”

“Yes?” I inquired, steeling myself for the next awful revelation.

“He, um, let go of my right breast and ran his hand down to my thigh,” said Alex in a small voice. “And then he ran it back up … under my skirt. I was still in a bit of a daze, and didn’t really notice what he was doing, until I felt his hand … um … sort of, cupping … the front of my panties…”

“Oh my God!” I exclaimed, horrified at the mental image. “So he groped your pussy! And in front of a ton of people!”

“I don’t think anyone saw,” said Alex hurriedly. “It was under my skirt…”

“But he was reaching down from above!” I pointed out. “He’d have to have pulled up your skirt to do that. Everyone in front of you would have seen his hand cupping your pussy through your panties!” I was almost yelling by this point.

Alex bowed her head and put her hands to her face, and her shoulders began shaking. “I’m sorry, Marty,” she sobbed. “I let you down. I’m so sorry.”

My heart instantly melted, and I pulled her into a hug. “Hush, darling, no you didn’t,” I assured her. “You didn’t do anything wrong. You said you stopped him, right? So as far as I’m concerned, you responded appropriately.”

“Yes, I stopped him,” she said in a muffled voice. “I grabbed his wrist and pulled his hand away, then I sort of struggled out of the hug. He took the hint, and didn’t try anything after that. Then Drake came, and he started dancing with me, and Ryan left.”

I decided not to press her on what exactly Drake had done with her. I figured I had seen the climax of it with my own eyes anyway. As I pulled back from our hug, I kissed her on the lips. “I’m sorry I yelled at you,” I said. “My anger isn’t directed at you; just at Ryan. And Drake. Maybe we shouldn’t all go to Smokey’s again. My friends clearly can’t control themselves around you, and they ruined what should have been a fun night out. I’m sorry for their bad behaviour.”

“They really didn’t ruin it,” Alex assured me. “I still had a fun time. I know Ryan pushed his luck, but I’ve come to expect that of him. And what happened with Drake was an accident, I’m sure. I still had a blast, Marty – I’d love to do it again sometime, if you’re not too upset by what happened…”

I was about to point out that the evening’s events had brought her to tears, until I realised that it was my yelling that had accomplished that. I, in fact, had been the one to ruin her night out, rather than Ryan or Drake. If I was not careful, she might start to prefer their company over mine. “I’m glad you had fun,” I said. “If you want to go back to Smokey’s, we’ll absolutely do that. I … I don’t know if I can dance for hours at a time, like you can – your stamina’s very impressive, you know? And the lights and thudding beats tend to make me a little nauseous after a while…” I sighed. “I hate to make you sit on the sidelines when you want to dance. And I guess I’d still rather you dance with Ryan or Drake than with some random stranger. I’m just not sure how to make them behave themselves…”

Alex clutched my arm and snuggled against me. “I don’t have to dance with anyone but you,” she said. “If I only get to dance for a few minutes, that’ll be enough for me.”

“Hmm,” I said, unconvinced.

We got home, and Alex had a shower. To my displeasure, Ryan arrived home just as Alex was emerging from the bathroom with her towel wrapped around her and, I assumed, nothing underneath. She was carrying a little bundle of her clothing. “Hi Ryan!” she said brightly.

“Hi Sis!” he replied with a grin.

“Don’t you ‘Hi Sis’ her, Ryan,” I said, rather sharply. “Brothers don’t feel up their sisters!” Alex looked suddenly anxious, and I knew I had to tread softly. “Do you have anything to say for yourself?”

“I got a little carried away,” Ryan admitted. “I was a little drunk, the hottest woman on the planet was in my arms … yeah, I confess, I succumbed to temptation. I think anyone would have. But I am sorry, Lexi – I hope you can forgive me.”

Alex was blushing, and smiling. “Yeah, I guess I can,” she said airily. Then she giggled. “But don’t do it again! Or Marty will ban me from going to the club, and I don’t want that.”

Ryan smirked. “Aww, he wouldn’t punish you for my misdeeds, would he? Would you, Marty? It wasn’t her fault.”

“No, and I said as much to her,” I replied. “But you need to stop pushing your luck like that!”

“I know, I know,” Ryan agreed. “The last thing I want is to upset Lexi, when she means so much to me.”

“Awww,” said Alex happily. “Don’t worry, I wasn’t all that upset, really.”

I facepalmed, literally. Alex was the embodiment of being nice to a fault. “You can’t tell him that, Alex!” I said urgently. “He’ll take it as licence to keep doing it!”

Ryan grinned. “I’ll try to keep the groping to a minimum,” he said impishly.

“And no more kissing!” I added. “Kissing her neck was almost as bad as the groping, in my opinion.”

Ryan chuckled. “Well I can’t promise that,” he said. “After all, how can I say goodnight to my sweet little sister without giving her a goodnight kiss?”

“You’ve given her enough kisses!” I said sternly.

“Not a goodnight one, though!” said Ryan. “Totally different thing. Lexi looks like she’s about to go to bed, and I’m going to my room for the night … can we not give each other a goodnight kiss? Just to show there are no hard feelings after tonight’s … events?”

“No,” I said stubbornly.

“You’re deciding for Lexi?” Ryan inquired. “Wow, dude.”

“There are no hard feelings, Ryan,” Alex assured him. “We don’t need to have a goodnight kiss to prove that.”

Ryan stepped forward, and put his arms around her. “Please? Just a little kiss? It would make me feel a lot better.”

“I’m sure it would!” I said irritably. “But she said no! Now please take your hands off her, and go to bed!”

“She didn’t say no,” Ryan pointed out, still holding my fiancée close against him. He looked down at Alex’s pretty face. “When I was little, I used to kiss my mom and my sisters goodnight. Heck, I even kissed my dad goodnight! It doesn’t have to be weird. What do you say, Lexi? Just one … little … kiss … and then I’ll leave you alone with your overprotective fiancé.”

Alex giggled. “I don’t think it’s a good idea,” she said. “My overprotective fiancé’s mad enough as it is.”

“But this isn’t his decision,” he said. “It’s yours, and he needs to respect it, however you decide. Isn’t that right, Marty?”

“Of course,” I said gruffly. “But I do hope she wouldn’t make a decision that she knows would upset me.”

“Ah, emotional manipulation,” Ryan remarked, shaking his head sadly. “You see how he tries to undermine our sibling relationship, Lexi?”

“Sibling relationship!” I exclaimed. “You’re just a horny bugger trying to steal some intimacy with my fiancée, and using this ‘sibling’ idea as an excuse!”

“Marty!” said Ryan reproachfully. “It’s not like that at all.”

Alex looked shocked. “I don’t think that’s quite fair, Marty…”

Of course she would say that; she assumed the best about everyone. And now I had lost my temper, and come across like an intolerant jerk … even if I was justified in my outburst. This was of course playing right into Ryan’s hands, if his goal was to steal Alex from me.

But, if I was honest with myself, I did not truly believe Ryan would be that evil. He knew Alex was totally mine; he was merely trying to get whatever cheap thrills he could at her expense. A grope here, a fondle there … and as much eye candy as he could dream of. To some extent, Alex seemed aware of this, and she was annoyingly unbothered by it. Perhaps, in order to avoid being thought of as an overbearing, overreacting killjoy, I should try to become a little less bothered myself.

“All right, maybe that was a little harsh,” I conceded. “I’m happy the two of you have developed this sibling-like relationship, and I didn’t intend to mock that or anything. I just get a little anxious when I see my fiancée in the arms of another man, you know?”

“Totally understandable,” said Ryan. “But my love for Lexi is completely brotherly, I assure you. The fact that I find her body irresistible is a different issue entirely – just a rather inevitable result of hormones and Lexi’s incredible hotness and our lack of a biological connection. But it’s the brotherly side of me that wants this goodnight kiss – so how about it, Sis? A kiss for your big bro?”

Alex looked to me for support. Feeling cornered, and unwilling to re-escalate the tension in the room, I shrugged, then nodded.

Ryan grinned, then he took Alex’s chin in his right hand, and planted his lips on hers. Her eyes widened in startlement, and she pulled away quickly.

“Hey!” I protested. “You never said anything about a kiss on the lips! I assumed you meant on the cheek!”

Ryan looked nonplussed. “If you thought I meant a kiss on the cheek, why were you getting so worked up? You’ve already seen me kiss her cheek.”

“Yeah, but that was a stolen kiss!” I retorted. “You surely didn’t kiss your mom and sisters on the lips!”

“I certainly did,” said Ryan. “It never seemed weird to me; it was just the way we were brought up.”

“Well it wasn’t how I was brought up!” I said. “Or how Alex was brought up!”

“Actually,” Alex confessed, red-cheeked, “It was like that in our family too. Dad never kissed me on the lips in front of you, Marty, because he didn’t want to weird you out … but he gave me goodnight and goodbye kisses on the lips all the time. So did Mom, before she passed.”

“All right all right,” I said grumpily. “Well you’ve had your goodnight kiss, Ryan, so…”

“It got interrupted!” said Ryan. “Come on Lexi, let’s do this properly.” And before Alex had a chance to respond, he pressed his lips against hers again. This time she did not pull away, and she automatically closed her eyes as Ryan tenderly…

“All right, that’s enough,” I said tersely. “I seriously doubt you kissed your mom for ten seconds or more.”

Ryan pulled away, leaving Alex looking quite pink-cheeked. He grinned. “Yeah, I guess that was a little longer. But Lexi’s lips are just so sweet, you kinda have to take your time.” Then he let go of her and took a step back, and her untucked towel began to fall…

Alex squealed, and grabbed her towel as Ryan laughed in delight. “You rascal!” she exclaimed, hurriedly covering up her briefly-exposed left nipple.

“Ryan, I don’t believe this…” I began.

“Hey, not my fault!” he said, holding up his hands. “I didn’t do anything – it must have come untucked by itself. I swear I didn’t pull on it or anything.”

“Oh,” said Alex, abashed. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have assumed that.”

I was not sure whether to believe him or not. “Just go to bed, Ryan!”

He grinned. “Actually, I might stay here for a bit, and watch TV.”

“Well I’M going to bed,” said Alex. “Goodnight Ryan. Marty, would you like to come with me, and help me take my towel off…?” She sauntered toward her bedroom.

Ryan stared at her. “You need help with that?”

I grinned at him as I walked after Alex. “A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do.”

In the privacy of her bedroom and with the door closed behind us, Alex took off her towel. Underneath, she was naked, and my eyes widened. “Whoa!”

Giggling, Alex pulled a clean pair of panties out of her drawer. Still with her back to me, she stepped into them one foot at a time, and pulled them up. Only then did she turn around, smiling happily at me. “There,” she said. “You haven’t quite seen all of me yet, but at least you’ve seen something Ryan hasn’t!”

“You’re so beautiful!” I gasped.

She lay down on her bed. “Come and make out with me, my darling,” she said, holding her arms out toward me.

I quickly stripped down to my underwear, and climbed on to the bed next to her. “How far do you want to go…?” I asked her tentatively, as I placed my hand on her breast.

She bit her lip. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “Marty, I have to tell you … I’m super horny! Drake and Ryan both got me sort of worked up today … and being practically naked in public at two different stores was kind of exciting too, in a scary way. I thought having a shower might help, but it didn’t, because I couldn’t resist touching my … you know what. Part of me just wants you to rip off my panties and have sex with me!” She covered her mouth with her hand, but her confession had already escaped.

“If I were less principled,” I told her huskily, “I’d do exactly that. But I know you trusted me with that revelation because you know I won’t take advantage of it. I’d love to have sex with you, Alex – I really would – but I know you’d regret it afterwards, and we’d both feel ashamed of ourselves for not having had the willpower to wait until our wedding night.”

“I know, I know,” she groaned, putting her face in her hands. “But what are we going to do? Making out is only going to make me hornier!”

“Maybe I could … uh … touch the front of your panties?” I ventured hesitantly. “Put my hand there, and … maybe … rub you a bit?”

“You’re ready for that milestone?” she asked me. “I totally am, if you are.”

I nodded. “I am,” I said.

Her eyes widened, and she sat up, looking eagerly at my underwear, in which my erection was pitching an obvious tent. She reached towards it with her right hand. “Can I … go first?” she asked.

“Uh … yeah … sure,” I said, feeling slightly nervous, but excited.

Slowly, she grasped the shaft of my cock through my jockey shorts. “Wow…” she murmured. “My first time touching a … a penis. Do I … rub it?”

“Uh, yeah,” I said, feigning nonchalance. “If you want.”

She began stroking it, inexpertly at first … but then she closed her hand around it, gripping it firmly through the material, and began jerking me off almost as effectively as I was accustomed to doing myself.

Far more effectively, as it turned out. The sensation of another person giving me a hand-job was an entirely unfamiliar one, and it felt … so good! “Ohh!!” I gasped, closing my eyes and clenching my fists. “That feels so … ahhh … ahhhh … ah wait … wait!”

But it was too late, as my semen erupted inside my jockey shorts, deflected by the material down my shaft and all over my pelvis. “Ugh!”

“Oh no! I’m sorry! Did I do something wrong?” asked Alex anxiously.

“No, that was perfect,” I groaned, disgusted at the sensation of my sticky goo spreading downwards and running over my balls. “Too good. I’m afraid I … I came…”

“Oh! Can I see?” asked Alex, wide-eyed.

“What? No!” I said, retreating with my hands over my crotch. My jockey shorts clung wetly to my genitals. “I, uh, I’m just going to go and clean up.”

Alex looked disappointed. “Oh. Okay.”

I pulled my shorts on, then hurried to the bathroom, past Ryan, who raised his eyebrows. “That was quick,” he said.

“I just need to pee before we, uh, you know,” I muttered.

In the bathroom I wiped my underwear as clean and dry as possible. Then, since I was there, and I was still feeling rather embarrassed, I got myself ready for bed. By the time I returned to the bedroom, my fiancée was tucked up in bed, staring thoughtfully at the ceiling.

“Sorry about that,” I said.

“Do you think our new church will have more relaxed views about things like contraception, abortion, sex before marriage, that kind of thing?” Alex wondered aloud.

“I have no idea,” I replied, sitting down on the edge of the bed. “If they do, though, it doesn’t mean you have to change your own views.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s true,” Alex agreed. She sighed.

“Are you thinking of changing your mind about sex before marriage?” I inquired.

“No,” she said. “Actually I was thinking maybe we’ve been moving too fast.”

This caught me by surprise. “Oh?”

“I let my horniness get the better of me this evening,” she confessed. “I was way too ready to jump into having sex with you … and you were absolutely right that it would have been a mistake. I do think we should wait for our wedding night … and I also think that we shouldn’t try to do too much other stuff before then. Our wedding night should be about exploring each other’s bodies, I think. I shouldn’t have rubbed your penis like that, and I’m sorry I made you, uh, do your thing. You were obviously embarrassed about it, and I feel like we shouldn’t have done that yet.”

“Oh,” I said. “I see. So … you don’t want me to … reciprocate?”

She turned onto her side, and smiled at me. “Not tonight,” she said. “Maybe not until our wedding. I’m not sure. I’m still trying to figure it out. But there’s no harm in waiting, right? We’ll have years and years of married life – plenty of time to enjoy each other’s bodies.”

I felt disappointed, but I nodded. “Whatever you like, my darling,” I said. “You’re absolutely, totally, one hundred percent worth the wait.”

She smiled happily. “Thank you for being so understanding and wonderful,” she said, spreading her arms out. “Can we cuddle?”

“Of course!” I said.

So we cuddled. Half an hour later, I realised she had fallen asleep, so I got up and left the room. Ryan had gone to his bedroom, so I turned off the main light and made myself as comfortable as possible on the couch, watching YouTube videos on the television.

Drake arrived home a few minutes later, alone. “Hey man,” he said.

I had not forgotten the twerking incident, and I frowned at him. “Hi Drake. Did you have fun at Smokey’s?”

“Yeah, it was okay,” he chuckled. “Ran into a couple of gym buddies, and we had a little friendly competition to see who could kiss the hottest chick.”

“Oh?” I said politely. “Who won?”

Drake shrugged. “Well that’s a matter of opinion. I kissed this cute redhead, Isaiah kissed a black hottie … we couldn’t agree which was hotter. We both agreed Garry wasn’t in the running, though.” He laughed, shaking his head. “He sure won the big booty prize, I guess.”

“You moved on quickly from Alex, then,” I remarked. “You were getting pretty intimate with her, weren’t you?”

He grinned. “Sure was!” he said. “But chill, bro – it wasn’t anything to get upset about. Just a bit of harmless twerking. She wanted to learn the move! I was happy to teach her. That’s all there was to it.”

“You were rubbing up against her panties!” I said. “That’s more than ‘a bit of harmless twerking’!”

“Okay, her skirt did ride up a bit,” he conceded. “Nobody’s fault. And at least she was wearing panties.” He grinned. “Not every girl in that place was.”

“Ugh,” I said. “AND you groped her boobs at the gym.”

“They popped out!” countered Drake. “I popped them back in again before anyone else saw. I’d have thought you’d be glad I protected your girl’s modesty. It’s not my fault you bought her a tight crop top and expected her to wear it without a bra. What were you thinking, man?”

“But you took your sweet time about ‘popping them back’, didn’t you?” I accused him. “Don’t pretend you didn’t!”

“All right, sure, maybe I could’ve done it faster,” Drake conceded. “Bro, when you get your hands on a luscious pair like that, it’s hard to let go right away. Besides, I wanted to ensure they were tucked away well, so they wouldn’t immediately fall out again.”

He was being so candid and reasonable-sounding that I felt like I was losing the wind from my sails. “Just don’t become another Ryan,” I said grumpily. “One’s enough to deal with.”

“Yeah I hear you, man,” said Drake. “Anyway ima hit the hay. Goodnight Marty.”

“Goodnight Drake,” I said.

Sleep was hard to acquire, and even harder to retain. More and more, as the night progressed, I thought to myself of the comfort of my own bed in my own room, which my beloved Alex was enjoying right now. Would it be so bad if I sneaked in with her, just to sleep and nothing else? Would she mind?

At about two o’clock in the morning, I decided to go for it. Creeping into Alex’s bedroom, I found her lying partially covered, and wearing only her panties. I gently touched her shoulder. “Alex…?”

She stirred, and then turned her head my way. “Marty?” she whispered. “What’s up?”

“I’m sorry, I just can’t get any sleep out there,” I whispered back. “I was wondering … hoping … you might let me sleep with you for the rest of the night. Just sleeping – nothing else, I promise.”

“Of course, of course,” she replied. “Climb in.”

I gratefully climbed in behind her, and pulled the sheet over me as I lay back and closed my eyes. This was so much better…

“You can snuggle if you like,” said Alex. “No harm in that.”

I turned and cuddled up to her, putting my arm around her waist. My crotch was against her bottom, and inevitably I began to get aroused. Feeling my hardness in the cleft between her buttocks, Alex wiggled back against it. Then she took my right hand and pulled it up to her breast; I understood this as licence to begin gently squeezing it, and I heard her breathing grow faster.

So far, the ‘sleep and nothing else’ plan was not going very well … but I was enjoying myself nonetheless.

She turned on to her back, and her mouth found mine. As we kissed, I slid my hand down her belly to her panties … and as I was on the verge of feeling her pussy, she did not seem like she was going to stop me. In fact she was practically writhing as her tongue eagerly swirled around mine.

I broke off the kiss. “Do you want to … do more?”

She sighed in exasperation. “Yes!” she said. “I’m so horny, Marty! But we can’t. Ugh – I’m sorry. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea. But I don’t want you to go back to the couch and have a miserable night. Perhaps I should try the couch instead…”

My grimace was invisible in the dark. “With Ryan and Drake coming and going? I’m not happy about that idea. Plus, it’s no solution for you to have a sleepless night instead of me.” I climbed out of the bed. “I’ll go back. I’ll get some sleep, I’m sure. I’m sorry I woke you up.”

“Marty…” she said unhappily.

“Goodnight,” I replied firmly. I returned to the couch, tucked myself in, and lay wide awake for the next hour. But eventually I did, indeed, get some sleep.

SUNDAY: TRUTH & DARE

The next morning, Alex came to breakfast in a tank top and a denim miniskirt. Ryan and Drake, however, had not yet surfaced. “Looks like I wore this skirt for nothing!” she remarked wryly.

I chuckled. “They might appear at any moment though.”

“Who might appear?” asked Ryan, appearing.

“You!” I said. “Thank you for justifying Alex’s wearing a skirt.”

“Good morning Ryan!” said Alex.

“You’re wearing a skirt just for me?” Ryan inquired with a smile. “You needn’t have bothered, Lexi – I prefer you without one.”

“That’s the problem!” I retorted.

“So you’re making Lexi wear a skirt purely to spoil my fun?” Ryan asked. “Not cool, dude.”

“I just don’t like how familiar you’ve become with my fiancée’s panties,” I said sternly.

“I’m her masseur!” said Ryan. “It’s just an inevitable part of the job.”

“Not for long!” I reminded him. “My next massage will blow yours out of the water.”

“Oh?” said Alex, interested.

“Oh really?” Ryan inquired. “Been studying, have you?”

“A bit,” I said nonchalantly. I was less confident than I let on, though; despite my studying, I was feeling nervous about my next massage. Today I would have to spend a chunk of time on further research.

“Okay,” said Ryan. “Well if you win, I guess I’ll resign myself to not seeing much of Lexi’s panties again. But if I win, and become her official masseur, will you concede it’s pointless to hide her panties from me? And let her go back to being skirtless around here?”

“It’s not a question of ‘letting’ her,” I said testily. “Alex is quite welcome to wear whatever she wants. She was only wearing so little because of the heat, and the fact that she didn’t have any shorts or short skirts to wear.”

“Yeah I know that,” said Ryan. “But after she’d gotten used to it, she found she actually preferred dressing that way – didn’t you Lexi? You said you found it fun and liberating, right?”

“I did,” Alex admitted. “But…”

“There, you see Marty?” said Ryan. “She’s only wearing a skirt now because of YOUR sense of modesty – not hers. And she’s the one who grew up all conservative! She’s trying to spread her wings and you’re keeping her in a cage.”

Astonished, I turned to Alex. “Is that how you feel?”

“No!” she assured me. “I mean, maybe I’m enjoying my newfound freedom a bit too much, and it’s good to have you to keep me grounded, and let me know what parts of my strict upbringing I can let go of, and what parts I should hold on to.”

“Balance is important,” Ryan agreed. “And moderation. You can’t just go running naked through the streets shouting ‘Look at me, I’m free!’ There’s a line you need to be mindful of, and Marty and Drake and I can all give you some guidance on where it is. And as far as I’m concerned, going skirtless in your own home isn’t on the wrong side of that line.”

“It’s a grey area,” I remarked. “This may be Alex’s home for the time being, but outside of her bedroom, she should still be mindful of what she’s wearing. She’s a beautiful woman. And while you and Drake are friends of mine, and of hers now, the fact remains you’re both still men.”

“Kind of you to say so,” said Ryan. “My point is that we’re all living together and we’ve all seen each other’s underwear before, and nobody’s offended by it. If Lexi wants to wear a top and panties, she should be able to, without having to feel guilty as a result of your disapproval.”

I sighed. Ryan was like a dog with a bone; he just wasn’t letting the matter go. “Fine,” I said. “Your ulterior motives are painfully transparent, but that doesn’t mean you’re wrong. I’m happy to leave it up to you, Alex, with no pressure from me either way. If you feel comfortable without your skirt on, feel free to take it off.”

“Thank you darling,” she said, smiling sweetly at me. “I’ll leave it on for now, but I’ll bear it in mind for later.”

“Is this the outfit you’ll be wearing for church?” I asked.

“Oh no,” said Alex, shaking her head. “I know this place has no formal dress code, but a denim miniskirt might still be frowned on. I could be wrong, but I’d rather err on the side of caution for our first visit.”

“Fair enough,” I replied.

But as we prepared to leave, Alex got increasingly anxious. “Darling, this blouse is so revealing!” she said. “I’m showing so much cleavage! What if they kick us out?”

“I’m sure they won’t do that,” I assured her, although I secretly shared her alarm at how exposed her chest was. She was wearing the lavender-coloured blouse, and one of her longer work skirts. “But if you’d rather wear a t-shirt…”

“Not really,” she said unhappily. “Unless I wear a bra with one of them … but I’ve sort of promised myself I would stop wearing bras…”

“You did?” I asked her in surprise. “Well … I’m not sure you have to stick to that promise, if you want to change your mind.”

“I don’t want to change my mind,” said Alex, a little hesitantly. “The thought of not having to wear bras anymore was such a huge relief – even if it’s only for a few years. Going braless, and Ryan’s massages, have made me feel so much better! Even though the weight of my breasts is still there, the backache and the pain from the bra straps is practically nonexistent.”

“That makes me happy,” I said with a smile. “I’m glad you’re feeling better … even if I have to thank Ryan for it!”

She giggled. “Maybe I’ll have just you to thank, after you next massage me.”

I nodded. “Yup, that’s the plan. So, look – my feeling on this is, wear whatever you like to this church. If they welcome you with open arms, then great, we’ve found our church. If they don’t, then we try somewhere else, and count ourselves lucky that we dodged a bullet. Because frankly, I wouldn’t want to be part of a church that didn’t welcome you as you look right now without judgment.”

Alex beamed. “Very well said! And that’s why I love you. You just made a complicated issue very simple.”

I smiled. “Shall we go?”

Our walk to Heavenquest Liberation Church took just under ten minutes. It was a smaller building than I had expected – modern-looking and rather plain in design, with a single small stained-glass window at one end and a miniature steeple with a cross on top. As we nervously entered through the large double doors, we were greeted by a grey-haired man in a flannel shirt and jeans.

“Fresh meat!” he said, raising his eyes from Alex’s chest. “What an attractive young couple! Welcome, welcome. My name’s Derek; I’m the treasurer of this little church. And what might your names be?”

“I’m Marty, and this is … Lexi,” I said, a little warily. “My fiancée.”

“Oh, congratulations!” said Derek. “Young love is such a special thing. Come in, come in! Here’s an order of service for you both; you’ll find hymn books in the pews. Sit wherever you like. And after the service, please do stay for coffee and cookies. The organist’s wife makes the most fabulous maple pecan cookies, they’re absolutely to die for.”

“Thank you!” I said, beginning to warm to the man. “That sounds wonderful.”

“Are you new in town?” Derek inquired.

“I am,” said Alex. “I just moved in with Marty, who lives quite close … oh!” She put a hand to her mouth.

“Something wrong?” asked Derek.

“I just … I’m sorry … my last church wouldn’t have approved of us living together,” said Alex, blushing. “But we’re not sleeping together…”

Derek held up a hand. “That’s none of my business,” he said, “and nobody here will bat an eyelid at the idea of you living with your fiancé, I assure you. We’re not judgmental people.”

“That’s good to know,” I said, squeezing Alex’s hand encouragingly. “We kinda had that impression, which is what attracted us to this church in the first place … along with its convenient location.”

“Even so, I was a little worried about whether my outfit would be appropriate…” said Alex sheepishly.

“Your outfit is lovely!” said Derek. “We have no dress code here; all we ask of our congregants is that they be their authentic selves. If you’re trans and in the closet, this is your safe space to dress as the gender you identify with. If you find adulting hard and want to dress like a baby – like Tommy over there – feel free! And if you like to show a bit of skin … or a lot … you go right ahead. All we ask is that people be kind, and respectful of each other, and non-judgmental, so that we can maintain the harmony of our community. We all worship the same God, and He is the only one we have to answer to, in the end.”

I could not see much of Tommy, since he was facing away from us, but what I did see astonished me; a hefty adult figure in a frilly bonnet and what might have been a fleece onesie. What a weirdo!

“That’s so nice!” said Alex happily. “Now I don’t feel so self-conscious – thank you. You don’t know how hard it is to shop for clothes when you’re … the shape I am. I grew up wearing nothing but baggy dresses, but now that I’ve left my dad’s house … I don’t really want to go back to that, you know?”

Derek nodded. “I quite understand. You’re not the only one here who’s left a repressive denomination in search of more freedom of expression.” He smiled at her cleavage. “In fact you’d be more than welcome to wear a skimpier top, or a shorter skirt … or even to just undo another of those buttons … if you like. You’ll find the same welcome here as you would get if you showed up in one of those old baggy dresses.”

Alex giggled. “Good to know!” she said.

“In fact,” Derek continued, his eyes still fixed on her chest, “why don’t you try it?”

“I’m sorry?” said Alex uncertainly.

“Try undoing another button,” Derek suggested. “Enjoy the freedom this church can offer you.” He raised his hand, reaching for her blouse. “May I?”

“Uh,” said Alex, a little flustered, “what?”

“What the…” I said, raising my own hand to stop him.

But he had already deftly popped open the uppermost of her fastened blouse buttons. The weight of her breasts immediately pushed the two halves of the garment outward, expanding and deepening her neckline, and revealing even more of her curvaceous flesh, as Alex raised her hands protectively.

“Please excuse my forwardness,” said Derek apologetically, as he withdrew his hand. “My only motive is to show you just how accepting we can be. If you want to do up that button again, feel free … but I’d encourage you to leave it alone. I think you’ll feel freer … and nobody here will cause you to regret it, I assure you.”

A likely story! I had seen the glint in his eye. Like any heterosexual man who encountered Alex for the first time, he clearly just wanted to see more of her.

Alex was blushing, but smiling. “I guess I could leave it like this,” she said. “It’s a little embarrassing, but I’m starting to get used to being embarrassingly exposed!”

“The embarrassment will pass,” said Derek, “once you see how accepting we all are. Now if you’ll excuse me…”

I was glad to get away from the man before he undressed my fiancée any further. As we sat down in a pew on the left side of the central aisle, a little closer to the back than to the front, I muttered to Alex, “Wow, can you believe that guy? Don’t feel you have to stay unbuttoned like that.”

“I thought he was sweet!” said Alex, with a slightly reproachful tone. “So kind and welcoming! I don’t think he meant any harm by undoing my button – I think he just wanted to show us how nice and accepting this church is. I know you like to believe the worst about people, Marty, but I thought he was very genuine. And I don’t mind leaving my button undone – it’ll be an interesting test of how welcoming this place really is.”

“Hmm,” I said, unconvinced. “If this place is so welcoming, how come there are so few young people here? I don’t see any kids … we’re like the youngest people here! Did we walk into a senior citizens centre by accident?”

“Huh, yes, that is rather strange,” Alex agreed, puzzled. “Oh … look, they’re quite young – that couple over there.”

I snorted. “Only compared to the median. There’s literally nobody else here in their twenties.”

Alex nodded to our right. “What about him?”

I spotted the shaven-headed young man to whom she was referring. “Okay, one,” I acknowledged. “Probably the son of one of the older couples. It might be worth talking to him, to find out what the deal is with this place.”

“I’m sure it’s nothing sinister,” said Alex.

“Hmph.” I glanced down at her cleavage. “You really okay showing that much of your … front?”

Alex giggled quietly. “I actually think it’s sort of fun,” she said. “I hope it’s not sacrilegious of me to think this, but … I quite like the idea of being a little bit naughty in church. I guess I always have. When I was little, when I was singing hymns, I sometimes used to substitute rude words for the correct words – you know, like ‘fart’ instead of ‘heart’.” She giggled again. “Eventually I got caught, though, so I stopped.”

I chuckled in amusement. “You rebel.” Then I pursed my lips. “Alex … now that I’m introducing you to people as Lexi … it feels kinda weird to keep calling you Alex. If I’ve told someone your name is Lexi, and then I call you Alex, I feel like it makes me look foolish.”

She squeezed my hand. “Yeah, I can understand that. Do you want to start calling me Lexi, then?”

I shrugged. “I prefer Alex,” I said. “It’s the name I got to know you as. But I’m feeling increasingly like I’m being excluded from the Lexi club. So … yeah … I guess I’d prefer to just rip off the band-aid and join everyone else in calling you Lexi.”

She smiled, then leaned her head on my shoulder. “Okay Marty,” she said. “That’s fine with me.”

I took a deep breath, then let it out. So that was it. Alex was no more. The girl by my side, the girl I was going to marry, was now officially Lexi. It would take some getting used to but, I told myself, it was just a name. It didn’t change anything about her. She was still my sweet innocent fiancée.

A large man abruptly sat down next to her, breaking my train of thought. An equally large woman sat down on his other side. They were in their fifties, I guessed.

“Hi!” said Lexi brightly. “We’re new here. I’m Lexi, and this is my fiancé, Marty.”

“Well hey there, Lexi,” said the man, staring down into her expansive cleavage with wide eyes. He wrested his eyes upward. “I’m Rich, and this is my wife, Darlene.” He had a southern accent. “What brings you young folks to our humble church?”

“We liked the sound of it,” I replied, “and it’s convenient for where we live. But we couldn’t help noticing we seem to be the youngest people here. Is there a reason for that…?”

“Oh, sure,” Rich replied. “You see, Pastor John used to work as a counsellor in a retirement community, serving the mental health needs of the old folks who lived there. My daddy was one of them. Now there was this big church that all the retirees went to, run by this charismatic preacher, name of Marcus Vane. This guy was a real firebrand kinda guy, always whippin’ up the congregation into a frenzy. You might find it hard to imagine, but old folks can get mighty riled up if you push their buttons. And oh boy, he did push their buttons. Well now, one day our John, he got sick of all that rhetoric. And he stands up, bold as you please, and he calls out Marcus and tells him not to be so hateful. Well Marcus, he doesn’t like that one bit. No sirree. And he’s the one with the microphone, see? And he’s sayin’ all this crap about John and how he’s been prayin’ at the altar of liberalism and all this and that … oh, I guess I’ll have to finish this story later.”

A man in a black shirt and jeans, with a white dog-collar, was standing in the middle of the front of the church, facing the congregation. He was about sixty years old, with a lean build and a mop of shaggy grey hair. He raised his arms. “Welcome, friends!” he said. “I’m so happy you could all be here this morning. I don’t have any announcements this week, so let’s kick this thing off! We’ll start with hymn number 42: ‘The Lord Is My Shepherd’. Take it away, Jerry!”

The organ began playing, and as luck would have it, I was familiar with the tune. Having found hymn 42 in the hymn book I had picked up from the back of the pew in front of me, I began to sing along with everyone else.

Lexi had her own hymn book, and she began to sing at the same time. It was only now that I came to a startling realisation: this was the first time I had heard her sing. And good grief, she was good! Her voice, clear as a bell, rang out next to me with the timbre and precision of a professional vocalist. I found myself staring at her, and quickly turned my gaze forward … but not before I noticed Rich also staring at her in surprise.

After the hymn was over, we all sat down, or knelt, in order to pray. I could not help whispering to Lexi, “Your singing voice is incredible! I had no idea!”

“Thank you!” she whispered back.

After the prayer, to which I paid very little attention, we sat through a Bible reading, stood for the second hymn, and then sat down again for the sermon. Pastor John ascended into his pulpit, and as he looked around, I saw his eyes widen as they fell upon Lexi’s exposed chest.

“I see we have some new faces!” he said. “Welcome, welcome – lovely to have you here. May I ask your names?”

I had not been expecting to be called upon by the pastor in the middle of the service! But as I cleared my throat in order to speak, Lexi beat me to it. “I’m Lexi,” she said, “and this is Marty, my fiancé.”

“She can sing!” Rich added, loudly. “Voice like an angel, this girl.”

“Oh!” said the pastor, intrigued. “Perhaps you’d be interested in joining our choir, Lexi? It could use an infusion of youthful energy, I’m sure.” He gestured to the three elderly ladies and two elderly gentlemen who currently constituted the Heavenquest choir.

“I’d love to!” said Lexi happily.

“Excellent, excellent!” said John. “In fact, if you can bear to be parted from your handsome fiancé for a short time, would you care to go up and join them now? I’m sure they would love to have you for the rest of the service. Entirely up to you, of course.”

“Oh!” said Lexi, her cheeks reddening. “I … I guess I can do that…” She turned to me, as if seeking my permission. I was not particularly happy about her being singled out and dragged to the front of the church like this, but I didn’t want to make a fuss and seem like a jealous and possessive fiancé, so I simply nodded, and forced a smile.

Lexi got up and turned toward Rich, who started to rise from his seat in order to let her past. He was a big man, though, and it was clear she would have trouble squeezing past him. “Maybe I’ll just go the other way,” she said apologetically. As she turned back to face me, Rich sat back down. His phone was in his hand, face down, and he seemed to briefly move it underneath Lexi’s skirt as I swung my knees to the side in order to let her pass. Once she was past me, I frowned suspiciously at Rich’s phone as he turned it over to look at its display, but he kept it angled away from me so I couldn’t see what he was looking at. Had he just upskirted my fiancée? I could not be sure. And I didn’t want to cause a ruckus by accusing him of it, particularly if I was wrong. Out of the corner of my eye I watched as he showed his phone to his wife, who chuckled audibly in response. Perhaps I had been wrong after all.

Lexi was now on her way down the outside of our block of pews, heading for the front of the church. As she approached the foot of the pulpit, she smiled shyly and folded her arms across her chest, clearly trying to cover some of her exposed breast flesh.

“So tell us about yourself, Lexi,” John invited her. “If you could stand where I was standing earlier, and face the pews … just tell us a little about who you are and where you’ve come from.”

“Oh,” said Lexi, a little taken aback. “Um.” She turned to face the congregation. “Well, I grew up in a very strict Christian household, home-schooled, very little contact with the outside world. My parents belonged to a very conservative sect, so I grew up very … sheltered, I guess. Then my mom died, when I was eleven, and it was just Daddy and me. And as hard as he was working at his job, he always made time to ensure I got the best possible home education. He bought me stacks of books, found online courses for me to take … until I was old enough to find them for myself, anyway. Then I started attending college at the age of seventeen, and got my degree in particle physics a few months ago. I was planning to take a masters degree this fall, but the program got deferred. And then I met Marty!” She waved at me, and I waved back with a smile. “He’s my first boyfriend, and now my fiancé – and he’s been teaching me about the real world. A few days ago I moved in with him and his friends, Ryan and Drake, and it’s been quite an adventure! Last night I went to a nightclub for the first time ever … and I drank alcohol for the first time, except for communion wine of course, and I danced! It was all very new and exciting. And these clothes … until I moved out of my dad’s house, I’d only ever worn long dresses. But yesterday Marty took me shopping, and we bought all kinds of new clothes for me. This is only my second day wearing a short skirt! We had a harder time finding tops that fit me – particularly blouses – I’m afraid I’m a little large in the chest, which makes things awkward…”

“Over-sharing, darling,” I muttered.

“…but I’m having such a good time, breaking free of my strict upbringing! And now I’ve found this church, and it’s so different from my old church! In the best way, of course. They’d have thrown me out if I’d worn an outfit like this…”

“And we’re very happy to have you join our congregation,” John interrupted her smoothly. “You needn’t worry about being judged for your clothing here, and please don’t feel you have to cover yourself up. You’re not going to offend anyone. And we’re thrilled to have you join our choir. Did you sing much in your previous church?”

“Yes, I was in the choir there too,” said Lexi, hesitantly lowering her arms. “I loved it.”

“Do you have a favourite religious song…?” John inquired.

“Hmm,” said Lexi thoughtfully. “Probably ‘Ave Maria’ – it’s beautiful.”

“I know this is a lot to ask a newcomer,” said John, “but would you be willing to sing it for us? If Jerry accompanies you on the organ?”

“Oh gosh!” said Lexi, startled. “Um, well, sure, I guess!”

“Wonderful!” said John. “Sorry to put you on the spot, Jerry – can you manage that?”

The organist responded with the introductory notes of Schubert’s ‘Ave Maria’, and at the beginning of the third bar, Lexi opened her mouth, and began to sing.

Her performance was instantly captivating. Her beautiful soprano voice handled the high notes effortlessly, and as she slowly swayed back and forth on the spot, staring up at the gallery at the back of the church, she seemed lost in her own little musical world.

But she was nervous, nonetheless, I could tell. Her hands were gripping the sides of her skirt, her fingers curling and uncurling, pulling more and more material into her grasp. I imagined this was an old habit, formed over long years of performing in long dresses at her old church. But while clutching the sides of a long dress would have had little effect on the length of its hem, the effect now, on her short office skirt, was at first mildly titillating, then considerably so, and before long, verging on alarmingly revealing. Apparently unaware of the view she was presenting to the congregation, Lexi was slowly hiking up the hem of her skirt to expose more and more of her bare thighs.

Before long I was literally cringing in my seat, wondering if I should interrupt the song and say something. But I hated to bring an awkward halt to such a beautiful performance, and settled for merely hoping desperately that the song would end before she began exposing her panties.

By the end of the song, fortunately, her skirt was still covering her panties with a little to spare, and I heaved a sigh of relief.

“Thank you, Lexi!” said John. “Any higher, and I think you might have shattered our stained-glass window! What a beautiful voice you have. I do hope you’ll perform more solos for us, in addition to singing with our choir.”

“Thank you, I’d love to!” said Lexi happily.

“Now off you go, and join the rest of the choir,” said John, “and I’ll proceed with my sermon. I’m going to start by reading a verse from St Paul’s letter to the Ephesians…”

I watched as Lexi walked to the choir stalls, her skirt having fallen down to a more appropriate length. The two old men in the front row smiled eagerly at her, beckoning her to join them. As she entered their pew, they scooted apart a little, and she stepped past the first of them, then sat down between them. Both men looked as delighted as if they had just won the lottery. One of them was possibly the ugliest old man I had ever seen; it was rather horrific to see him leering at my fiancée. The other man looked a little older, but he was well-groomed and relatively decent-looking for his age. As the sermon went on, the two men kept sneaking glances at Lexi’s cleavage; sometimes these ‘glances’ lasted several seconds.

Another hymn followed, then intercessory prayers, then communion. As a member of the choir, Lexi was among the first to take communion, and I watched as John gave her a wafer, smiling and no doubt taking the opportunity to ogle her breasts at close range.

Because I had never been confirmed, I didn’t feel qualified to go up to the communion rail, but Rich encouraged me to go anyway. “We don’t exclude people in this church,” he told me. And so I went, and ate the communion wafer, and had a sip of wine.

At the end of the service, Lexi came down from the choir stalls to join me, and we headed to the back for coffee and cookies. Lexi was the centre of attention, of course, and I found myself standing silently while she chatted with a succession of middle-aged and elderly congregants. One old lady was especially taken with Lexi’s outfit.

“I wish I’d been brave enough to wear that sort of thing when I was your age!” she said. “But men were quite awful back then, I’m afraid – the liberties they would take! And they would get away with it, too – no accountability whatsoever. You had to learn how to run and dodge in high heels!”

“I’m not sure all that much has changed,” said Lexi, smiling. “Men are still men, after all!”

“Oh, ain’t that the truth!” said the old lady. “But at least there are laws against sexual harassment now!”

I was starting to get antsy. “You ready to head home?” I asked hopefully.

“Oh, sure!” said Lexi. “I’m sorry, Angela, I think we’re leaving now. Lovely meeting you!”

“And the same to you, dear!” said the old lady. “Will you be here next Sunday?”

“Just try and keep me away!” Lexi laughed. “I love this church already!”

“Wonderful, wonderful,” said Angela. “See you next time, then! Bye bye.”

The open church door promised freedom, but unfortunately our egress was blocked by the pastor himself. He shook my hand. “We’re so glad you found us, Marty,” he said. “And you, Lexi. We hope you’ll find a long-term home with us.”

“I’d like that!” said Lexi. “Everyone here is so nice!”

John smiled. “If I may be so bold as to ask: have you set a date for your wedding? And did you have a venue in mind?”

“We were thinking of next May,” I said. “We haven’t decided on a venue though.”

“May I suggest this church?” said John. “We’d love to host a wedding here. One for young people, I mean. You may have noticed our demographics are a little skewed towards the senior citizen end…”

I nodded. “Yes, we were wondering about that. Rich started to explain it to us, but his story got interrupted.”

“Ah okay, well in a nutshell,” said John, “I used to belong to a much more conservative church, and I disagreed with a lot of the incendiary nonsense spouted by the preacher there. Finally I got sick of it, got myself ordained, and formed a splinter group which raised the money to buy this place. The congregation served by our old church, though, came entirely from a retirement community, so everyone who came with me was, to put it bluntly, on the elderly side. I had hoped to attract a younger crowd, but honestly I was surprised how many people jumped ship and came with us. We filled the space with old folks … and although we had a steady stream of younger visitors, they never stuck around for long. And who could blame them? Anyway, in the five years since we started this church, we’ve lost a few of our original members, so there’s a little more space for young folks like yourself. And who knows, if you stick around, then future young visitors will hopefully not feel so much like this is a church for retirees. God knows I’ve gone out of my way to make it accepting of anyone who wants to join. And in fairness, we have had one or two younger folks who have stayed for the feeling of acceptance they get here. But none of them are quite as young as you, I have to say. So there you have it. Our story, and our pitch. Will you consider getting married here?”

Lexi looked up at me for approval, and I nodded. “We’d love to!” she said.

“Excellent,” said John. “Just let me know as soon as you settle on a date.”

“We will,” I promised him. “Nice meeting you, John.” I shook his hand again.

“Whew!” I said, once we were outside. “I wasn’t sure if we would ever escape. You were quite the hit, my darling.”

Lexi giggled. “Everyone was so nice!” she said. “And I can’t believe I’m in the choir already!”

“How did that go?” I asked her. “The two gentlemen either side of you seemed very happy to have your company.”

“Yes, and they were a little bit handsy!” she remarked. “Hence my comment about not much changing, and men being men!”

I groaned. “Oh god. And you’ll have to sit with them every week?”

She giggled again. “Oh don’t worry, I can handle them,” she said. “They were quite sweet really. But they did talk to my chest a lot. And then Eddie put his hand on my right knee, and right after that, Maurice put his hand on my left knee. They were chatting away to me, so it seemed quite innocent at first, but…”

“When was this?” I inquired in surprise. “When did you have time to converse with them?”

“During communion,” she replied. “While Jerry was doing his solo organ bit. Anyway their hands started stroking further and further up my thigh – it was almost like they were having a competition with each other to see which of them could get the highest! Men are so naughty!” She giggled. “But I stopped them, of course, and told them to behave themselves. And they did, more or less, after that.”

“More or less?” I inquired.

“Well, when we got up to leave, Maurice gave me a hug and said how glad he was that I had joined the choir … and his hands…”

I rolled my eyes. “Let me guess – he grabbed your butt?”

“Just a little bit,” she confirmed. “And then it was Eddie’s turn, and he took a leaf out of Maurice’s book, of course. But he really went for it – gave my bottom a really good squeeze! I said to him, ‘Eddie, behave yourself! Or I’ll have to swap places with one of the ladies in the row behind!’ And he apologised, but I don’t think he was really very sorry.” She sighed. “What is it with men and their fascination with women’s bottoms?”

“I worry you didn’t do enough to deter them from doing it again,” I said glumly.

Lexi shrugged. “Yeah, maybe, but I didn’t want to be too harsh. After all, they’re both super old. They’re harmless, really – I can handle them.”

“If you say so,” I said, unconvinced. “At least you can quit the choir if they get too bad. And then you can explain to John exactly why you’re quitting, and Eddie and Maurice can face some real consequences.”

“That’s an option,” she agreed. She snuggled against my arm. “So, about this wedding…”

I smiled. “Yes?”

“What if we didn’t wait until next May?” she asked. “What if we got married … sooner?”

I raised an eyebrow. “How much sooner?”

“Like … soon!” said Lexi. “As soon as this church can reasonably arrange it.”

“Wow!” I said. “What brought this on?”

She sighed. “Maybe I’m just being silly, Marty. But the fact is … the thought of having to wait until next May before we can have sex … it’s such a long time!”

“Oh!” I said, my loins stirring. “I see.”

“Last night really brought it home to me,” she went on. “We really want each other, Marty! And I know it seems like a bad reason to rush a wedding, but I think it’s healthy for us to want each other, you know? I was lying awake last night, just imagining you on top of me, your thing buried deep inside me, kissing my neck and fondling my breasts as you thrust and thrust…”

“Whoa!” I said, startled at her sudden candour. “Careful, darling, I’m about to burst out of my pants here!”

She giggled. “Sorry!”

I chuckled. “The truth is, I’ve had similar thoughts. And the idea of moving up the wedding … well heck, why not? I’m sure my parents will be fine with it; how about your dad though? I’m sure he’s not going to be impressed by your reasoning.”

“I’ll just tell him it feels like the right thing to do,” she replied simply. “He can either accept that or not, but I’m not going to let him change my mind. Also, I think he’ll like the idea of a smaller, less expensive wedding than the one he probably envisioned for next May. I don’t need a big wedding, Marty. All I want is to wear a nice wedding dress, to have my dad there, and to get married in a church. Specifically, Heavenquest. I love it already, and I think I’m going to be very happy going there every Sunday. And every Wednesday and Friday…”

I blinked. “What?”

“They have an evening service on Wednesdays, and Friday is choir practice,” she explained.

“Oh!” I said, a little nonplussed. “Wow. What’s the Wednesday service going to be like?”

“Evensong,” she said. “It’ll be mostly singing. Eddie asked me if I’d be up for doing another solo … which I guess might be fun. I do know a few other lovely anthems by heart.”

“Well, I shall look forward to hearing you perform,” I said loyally.

She giggled. “I really won’t be offended if you’d rather not go to evensong as well,” she assured me. “I know it’s a lot. I’ll be happy just to have you with me on Sundays.”

“Except I won’t really be with you,” I said ruefully. “I’ll be in the congregation and you’ll be in the choir.”

“Oh dear – should I not have joined the choir?” she asked anxiously.

“No, no, it’s fine,” I said. “With your voice … you clearly belong there. I’ll just have to get used to admiring your vocal talent from afar.”

She giggled. “So, when do you think we should aim for? For the wedding?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know how long these things take to organise. Two months? One month?”

Lexi bit her lip, and stopped walking. “Maybe we should go back and talk to Pastor John…”

“Now?” I shook my head. “We’re almost home, and I don’t want to come across as pushy on our first day in a new church. Let’s wait until next Sunday to ask … or possibly you can talk to him on Wednesday…”

“Yes, that’s a good idea,” she agreed. “I’ll do that.”

We arrived back at the apartment, where Ryan was playing Legend of Zelda. He paused his game. “How was church?”

“Pretty good,” I said, just as Lexi said, “Great!”

“Lexi made an immediate impact,” I added. “She’s in the choir now.”

“Nice!” said Ryan. Then he smirked. “Lexi, huh?”

“I finally bowed to the inevitable,” I replied with a shrug.

“Seems like a good philosophy,” said Ryan. “Speaking of which – how’s your back, Lexi? Could you use a massage?”

“I probably could,” she admitted.

“How about It, Marty?” Ryan inquired. “You ready for your second and final attempt?”

I frowned. “You cocky bugger. No, I want a little more time to complete my research. But I’ll do that today, so enjoy this massage, because it’ll be your last!”

“I will enjoy it,” he said smugly. “But if this is to be my last one, and the one that needs to measure up to yours, when you go all out … it’s only fair that I go all out myself. I want to give you a full-body massage, Lexi. I’m going to have your entire body singing with happiness by the end.”

He seemed so confident, and I was becoming more and more stressed out. I had anticipated having to meet, or exceed, the high standard Ryan had set with his last massage. Now it seemed he was preparing to up his game? This did not seem fair. I had visions of Lexi gasping with pleasure and saying, ‘Oh Ryan, that was absolutely amazing!’ And then my turn wouldn’t come until tomorrow, by which time Ryan’s would have had a whole day to cement itself in Lexi’s mind as this perfect massage experience – something I would find impossible to live up to, let alone beat.

“Wait,” I said. “I want to go first. Fiancé’s privilege. But you’ve got to give me a couple of hours to prepare.”

Ryan shrugged. “Okay,” he said. “It’s … almost noon. So, two o’clock?”

“Sure,” I began, before Alex interjected on my behalf.

“Let’s make it three o’clock,” she said to Ryan. “Then Marty has time to eat some lunch as well as do his research.”

“Fine,” said Ryan affably. “Then I can give you one tomorrow afternoon, after you get home from work.”

I felt my stress levels increase even further: this was worse! I would not be here for that massage; I would not be able to see what Ryan was doing. He might pull any number of sneaky tricks to enhance the experience for Lexi. Even so, I couldn’t bring myself to change my mind; my logic for going first still applied. But I would have to do an outstanding job.

“Uh, can you wait until I get home?” I said. “I just want to make sure you’re, uh, playing fair, and not taking advantage, and so on.”

Ryan looked displeased. “Is that really necessary?” he asked. “Lexi herself will be judging us, so she’ll be the arbiter of whether I’m ‘playing fair’ or not.”

“It’s fine with me,” Lexi said. “I can wait until the evening.”

Ryan sighed. “Fine. But if you get to watch my massage, then I get to watch yours. Just to make sure you’re ‘playing fair’.” He smirked.

This was not ideal; I had planned to introduce an element of naughtiness into my massage, which I could not very well do in front of Ryan. Perhaps he had guessed as much, and wanted to make sure I didn’t use my relationship with Lexi to my advantage. Which was, I had to admit, fair enough. “Fine,” I said grumpily. I would have to tweak my plan, but it was worth it to prevent Ryan from massaging Lexi while I was at the office tomorrow.

Lexi changed into a tank top and a casual skirt, then began making lunch, while I sat in her/my bedroom and googled ‘How to give the best massage’. Oddly enough, one of the results that popped up was from a site called ‘Ryan and Alex’, which was a massive and unnerving coincidence; I avoided it on principle, but there were plenty of alternatives, and by the time Lexi called me for lunch, I felt I had learned enough to give her an amazing massage. The key, I had discovered, was to engage ALL the senses – not just touch. Sound (as in soft music), and smell (as in a pleasant fragrance), would be the keys to a holistic and unforgettable massage experience. Okay, so, three of the senses.

After lunch I was on a mission. I hurried to the nearest pharmacy, where I found exactly what I needed: a bottle of lavender-scented massage oil. Returning to the apartment, I spent some time setting up Lexi’s bedroom, with a towel hanging over the window to keep out the daylight glare, and a t-shirt draped over the bedside lamp to bathe the room in a soft yellowish light. I found a YouTube video with a performance of Ave Maria, and listened to a few seconds to confirm it was the right tune. Finally, I laid out a towel on the bed, to make sure Lexi’s sheets did not get oily.

I was ready. Just before three o’clock I went into the living room, where Lexi and Ryan were playing a card game. “Whenever you’re ready,” I said, “come on into my massage parlour…”

Lexi looked excited as she put down her cards, got up, and skipped past me into her bedroom. “Ooh!” she said. “I like what you’ve done in here!”

I grinned at Ryan. “I have a good feeling about this,” I said.

“Good for you!” he replied. “If I’ve done nothing but push you into being a better partner for Lexi, then it’ll have been worth it.”

I nodded. “A gentlemanly response. I had expected some trash talk.”

Ryan chuckled. “Nah dude, credit where it’s due. I can see you’ve put the effort in. I’m just curious about whether your actual technique has significantly improved.”

That made two of us, but I said nothing more as I wafted Ryan into the bedroom. Entering behind him, I closed the door. “Turn your back please, Ryan. Lexi, please could you strip down to your panties and lie on your front.”

She did so, and I took up a position at the foot of the bed. Pulling up YouTube on my phone, I hit Play on the Ave Maria video.

“Oh!” said Lexi in surprise. “I get music with my massage?”

“Nice touch,” Ryan acknowledged, reluctantly impressed.

I poured some oil into my cupped palm, set the bottle down, and then rubbed my hands together, warming the oil. My strategy was to begin with Lexi’s feet, and work my way up. This way, I would finish with her upper back and shoulders, which were, after all, her big problem areas. A fitting climax to the massage, and the thing she would remember most about it.

Lexi giggled. “That tickles!” she said.

“Sorry.” I hastily moved on from the soles of her feet to her ankles. Not a great start, but how I finished would be far more important.

“Mmmm,” Lexi murmured, as I kneaded her calf muscles. A good sign!

“Ohh yes, that’s nice,” she said, as I rubbed the backs of her thighs.

Nearing her panties, I knew I had a decision to make. Pulling her panties between her buttocks, as Ryan had done, would allow me to massage her bottom – which did have benefits, and was something Ryan would certainly not shy away from in his next massage. On the other hand, I would be consciously exposing her to his lecherous gaze. Unless…

I made a decision. Interposing myself between Ryan and Lexi’s bottom, I tugged her panties into her cleft, making her squeal and giggle. I then began kneading her buttocks like two lumps of dough.

“Hey,” Ryan objected. “You can’t hide what you’re doing. How can I tell if you’re playing fair?”

“I just don’t want you looking at her bare butt,” I said uncomfortably.

“I’ve already done that, though,” said Ryan. “Come on, dude.”

I sighed. “Fine.” And I resumed my former position, straddling Lexi’s thighs, allowing Ryan a direct line of sight to her perfect derrière as I gave it a thorough massage.

Thorough, but brief. Her buttocks had absorbed just about all the oil I had applied to them, and were dry enough for me to pull her panties back into place – which I now did. Moving on to her lower back, I once again elicited giggles as my fingers worked outward from her spine to the sides of her waist, so from then on I stayed pretty central, concentrating on the two long muscles I could feel either side of her spine.

“Aaahhh,” she gasped, as I pressed the backs of my fingers into the tightest part of those muscles. For a second I was worried, but then she added, “That feels so good…”

Encouraged, I continued on up toward her neck. The song had come to an end, so I reached over and restarted it. Then I got to work on her shoulders, this time going much more gently in order to avoid my previous mistake. Unfortunately, however, I now made a new one.

Working down Lexi’s left arm, I massaged her biceps with what I considered to be a reasonable amount of pressure, given the robustness of that particular muscle. But she suddenly yelped, and I immediately loosened my grip.

“Sorry, that just pinched a bit,” she said.

Crestfallen, I continued more gently, working my way down her arm to her hand. Another misstep. Another chance for Ryan to get ahead of me. The thought that he might earn his coveted massage rights loomed large in my mind as I moved on to Lexi’s right arm. This time I applied a softer, subtler pressure to her biceps, and I was rewarded for it.

“Mmm, that’s good,” she said.

Having massaged the palm of her hand, I addressed the final massage area: her neck. This was the part I had been dreading most; if I hurt her neck, losing the massage contest would be the least of my worries. I could permanently injure her. So I kept my massage light and gentle, applying very little pressure at all. Once I had done both sides, I stopped, feeling relieved to have got through the whole thing without a major disaster. Still, it had not gone as well as I had hoped.

“There,” I said. “All done. How do you feel?”

“Good!” she replied happily. “That was a very nice massage, Marty. Thank you!”

The faint praise was enough to tell me I was going to lose this contest. Barring a colossal error on Ryan’s part, his next massage was sure to blow mine away. Unless I could sabotage it in some way…

Yes! Maybe I could tamper with his massage oil – mix it with hot sauce or something. No – that might cause Lexi terrible pain. And in any case it would likely make the oil look and smell different. And then they would know it had been sabotaged, and I would be the prime suspect. Nope – that was a bad idea.

“Well done dude,” Ryan congratulated me. “My turn tomorrow evening, then?”

“Yeah, I guess so,” I agreed. “Okay, let’s give Lexi some privacy so she can get dressed.”

“She’s kinda oily,” Ryan remarked. “She probably wants a shower first.”

“Yes, that would be good,” said Lexi.

“Okay fair enough, but she still needs privacy either way,” I pointed out. “Come on, Ryan.”

After a quick shower, Lexi put on a tank top and her denim miniskirt, and prepared lunch for all of us. I offered to help, and expressed some concern over how much of the cooking and cleaning burden she was taking on, but she assured me she was happy in a domestic role. I reminded her that she was working an office job as well, but she brushed this off, saying it was only part-time.

Once the lunch dishes had been done, Ryan suggested a game of Truth or Dare.

“Not a chance, Ryan,” I said firmly. “You know those games always take a sexual turn, and Lexi’s the only girl here.”

“I’ve heard of Truth or Dare, but I’ve never played,” said Lexi. “Is it fun?”

“Totally!” said Drake with a grin.

“So much fun,” Ryan agreed. “Wow, you’ve never played? You’ve really missed out!”

“Come on Marty, let her play just this once,” said Drake.

“Guys!” I said in exasperation. “You’re just going to dare her to do something sexual with you! Lexi, this game is really best played by a bunch of mixed singles. And, I might add, on a drunken Friday or Saturday evening – not on a very sober Sunday afternoon!”

“She doesn’t have to do anything she doesn’t want to,” said Ryan.

“And we can fix the sober part easily enough,” said Drake. “I have liquor. I can even make a cocktail or two.”

“But it’s Sunday!” I protested.

Drake shrugged. “So?”

“Come on Marty, let’s play a couple rounds,” said Ryan. “Just to give Lexi a taste of the game. Otherwise I guess she and I can play tomorrow afternoon…”

“No!” I said. “Then it’ll just be the two of you, and I dread to think what you’ll dare her to do.”

“Come on bro, look at her face,” said Drake. “She’s longing to play. You gonna be a party-pooper?”

Lexi was wearing a hopeful expression as she looked at me, and I sighed. She clearly didn’t know what she was getting herself into …. but if she was this keen on playing, maybe it was actually safer to get it out of the way on a sober Sunday afternoon.

“Fine!” I said. “Just a couple of rounds. But then Lexi and I are going for a walk!”

“Ooh yes, that sounds nice,” said Lexi. She hugged me. “Thank you darling.”

Drake disappeared to fetch some alcohol, and Ryan and I moved the couch back so we could all sit in a circle in front of it.

“We could really do with another woman here, at least,” I grumbled, “to balance things out a bit. I just know the two of you are going to pick Lexi for all the dares. Are we going around in a circle, or spinning a bottle?”

Drake produced an empty bottle. “More fun if it’s random,” he said.

“And what about rules?” I asked.

“You can’t choose the same person twice in a row,” said Ryan. “And when you’re chosen, you can’t pick the same thing more than twice in a row: if you’ve picked truth twice, you have to take a dare next time. If you refuse a truth, you drink or take a dare instead. If you refuse a dare, you drink. If you refuse a dare after refusing a truth, you take two shots instead of one.”

“Jesus, Lexi’ll be paralytic!” I exclaimed. “Look, since it’s a Sunday afternoon and Lexi’s alcohol tolerance isn’t as high as ours, I propose a three-shot cap. Once anyone takes their third shot, the game’s over.”

“I think that’s reasonable,” Drake agreed.

“Three’s hardly any!” Ryan objected. “Surely she can handle four or five?”

“Three!” I said firmly.

“Oh fine,” said Ryan. “Moving on. Dares have to be performed immediately and in this room. You can dare someone to do something to someone else, but you can’t dare them to do something to you. That’ll rule out self-serving dares.”

“And nothing sexual,” I added.

“Well … define ‘sexual’,” said Ryan.

“Yeah man, be specific,” Drake agreed. “Otherwise you’ll be vetoing every remotely risqué dare.”

This stumped me. “Uh … I don’t know … uh … I guess, nothing that involves activities one would normally associate with making out or foreplay.”

Drake chuckled. “So I can’t dare Lexi to kiss you?”

“Dude, she can always drink instead,” said Ryan. “And if she does that three times, the game’s over. So we’re not exactly incentivised to give her nothing but sexual dares, are we?”

“Putting limits on the dares spoils the fun of it,” said Drake. “Let’s just play.”

“I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” I muttered under my breath, but I consoled myself with the idea that Lexi could decline any inappropriate dare.

“Lexi, why don’t you spin first?” Ryan suggested.

“Oh, um, okay….” Lexi took the bottle from Drake, and spun it, a little clumsily. It skidded across the floor, and bounced against my foot, coming to rest with its top pointing at Lexi. “Oh!” she said.

“Now pick someone and say to them. ‘Truth or Dare’,” I prompted Lexi.

“Drake,” she said. “Truth or Dare?”

Drake grinned. “They say confession’s good for the soul. Truth!”

Lexi giggled. “So I just think of a question to ask him?”

“Yeah, preferably an embarrassing one to answer,” said Ryan.

“Hmm!” Lexi stared at the bottle thoughtfully as I replaced it in the middle. “Oh, I know! What was your most embarrassing moment?”

“Ha!” said Drake. “Probably when I was in third grade, and Miss Coburn asked our class to say what our dads’ job was. And other kids were sayin’ ‘My daddy’s a scientist’ or ‘My daddy’s a driving instructor’ or whatever. And I said my dad was a sanitation worker, cause that’s what he always told me … and one of the other kids said ‘You mean he’s a trash guy?’ And everyone laughed, and some of them were sayin’ ‘trash guy, trash guy’, over and over, until Miss Coburn made them stop.” He sighed, then noticed the rest of us looking at him in horror. He grinned. “Hey, it’s all good – no lasting damage.” He spun the bottle. “Ryan!”

Ryan grinned. “I’ll pick Marty! Truth or Dare?”

“Truth,” I said.

“How old were you when you first masturbated?” he asked.

My jaw dropped. “Jeez! That’s a bit personal!”

Ryan laughed. “You have played this game before, right?”

“All right, all right,” I grumbled. “Okay, I guess I was twelve.” I quickly spun the bottle. “Me again. Okay … Ryan. Truth or Dare?”

“Dare!”

“Oh,” I said, nonplussed. I had been trying to think of a good question, and now I felt derailed. “Let’s see. I dare you … to lick the carpet.”

“Eww!” said Lexi, screwing her face up. “That’s nasty!”

Ryan chuckled. “No problem.” He bent his head down to the floor, extended his tongue, and gave the infrequently-vacuumed carpet a good lick. “Mmm, tasty,” he said as he sat up again. Then he grimaced, stuck his fingers in his mouth, and pulled out something that had stuck to his tongue.

“Well done,” I conceded grudgingly.

Ryan spun, and the bottle pointed to himself again. “Hmm … Lexi! Truth or Dare?”

“Truth,” said Lexi, and she bit her lip apprehensively.

Ryan grinned. “Would you rather post a naked photo of yourself on the internet, or tongue-kiss a stranger at Smokey’s?”

I shook my head in disgust. “Aww come on man…”

Lexi’s cheeks turned bright red. At first I wondered if she would take a date instead, but then she shrugged. “Post a naked photo,” she said. “As embarrassing as that would be, it’s still better than cheating on my fiancé!”

I smiled. “Thank you, darling,” I said.

Lexi spun the bottle, and it pointed to Drake. He laughed. “Lexi,” he said, “Truth or Dare!”

“Oh, but I just did one!” she replied, a little flustered. “I thought I couldn’t do two in a row.”

“No, each one of us can’t ask the same person twice in a row,” Ryan clarified. “But you can certainly be asked, twice in a row, by different people.”

“Oh … truth again, then,” said Lexi nervously.

“Who was your first celebrity crush?” asked Drake.

Lexi giggled. “Harry Styles,” she said. “I never got to listen to much pop music as a kid, but my friend Macy was super into One Direction and she showed me some of their videos. Harry was just so … handsome!”

Drake chuckled. “Okay,” he said. “Dare next time though!”

“I know,” said Lexi, looking a little nervous. She spun the bottle, and it landed on Drake again.

“Ha!” he said. “Well I guess I can’t ask Lexi…”

“Right,” I agreed.

He grinned at me. “Marty! Truth or Dare?”

“Truth,” I said warily.

“What was the worst rejection you ever had?” he asked.

“Ugh,” I said unhappily. “Man, that’s a brutal question. You know I had some miserable strikeouts in college.”

Drake shrugged unrepentantly. “Yeah I know. What was the worst?”

Ryan snorted. “I bet I can guess the answer.”

Lexi was looking at me with interest. With a sigh, I began my tale of woe. “Her name was Angie…”

Ryan clapped his hands. “I knew it!”

“She was a sophomore, I was a freshman,” I continued. “She was … uh, really pretty.”

“Absolute bombshell,” agreed Ryan.

“I didn’t have the courage to ask her out to her face,” I went on wretchedly, “so I wrote her an email…”

“Oof,” said Drake. “You asked a girl out by email? How well did you know her by this point?”

“I’d never spoken to her,” I admitted. “At least … I’d said hi to her a couple times. But that was it.”

“And what happened next, Marty?” asked Ryan, wide-eyed and with a shit-eating grin.

“You know what happened,” I grumbled. “She forwarded my email to all her friends, and they forwarded it … it kinda went viral. Apparently it was highly amusing.” I scowled. “I was a laughing stock for months.”

Drake frowned. “Bitch move,” he said. “I mean, you shouldn’t have asked her out by email, but that’s a harsh punishment.”

“What was in the email? How bad can it have been?” Lexi wanted to know.

“I … I complimented her,” I said, feeling very hot.

“Oh really?” said Ryan, clearly trying not to laugh. “What sort of compliments did you pay her?”

“I don’t have to go into that detail,” I said irritably. “I’ve answered the question. Let’s move on!”

“Naw man, you can’t stop there,” said Drake. “It’s not much of a story without the detail.”

“Don’t be mean to him, Drake,” said Lexi reproachfully. “He’s obviously uncomfortable talking about it.”

“That’s the point!” said Drake. “This game is all about taking you outside of your comfort zone and making you squirm a bit. Come on, Marty – you gotta loosen up and get into the spirit of it.”

I sighed. “Fine. I complimented just about every part of her body, from her hair and eyes to her breasts and butt, and how much I loved the way her soft tight clothing clung to her curves. I described all the ways I wanted to kiss her and touch her, and I described how we would make love by candlelight all night long. There. Are you happy?”

“Oh bro…” said Drake, shaking his head slowly. “You kinda had it coming, in that case.”

Lexi laid her hand on my arm. “I think it sounds quite sweet,” she said. “I certainly wouldn’t have treated you like that. I think she was very mean.”

“Wait until you hear the best part, though!” said Ryan.

“Moving on!” I said firmly, and I spun the bottle. It came to rest, pointing at Lexi.

“Ooh!” she said. “Um … Ryan! Truth or Dare?”

“Heck, I’ll take a dare,” he replied.

Lexi giggled. “I dare you to … sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star in the highest falsetto you can manage!”

Ryan stared at her. “I think someone needs to get the drinking started. Might as well be me!”

“Chickenshit,” retorted Drake. “That wasn’t even a difficult one!”

“I don’t sing, okay?” said Ryan, slightly huffily. “And I’m thirsty. Pour me a shot of vodka.” Then he spun the bottle. “Marty!”

While Drake poured Ryan’s shot, I turned to my fiancée and grinned. “Lexi, Truth or Dare?”

“Dare!” she said, her eyes shining. No doubt she felt safe accepting a dare from me.

“I dare you,” I said, “to kiss me.”

“Lame…” grumbled Drake.

“Also against the rules,” added Ryan. “No self-serving dares, remember? You could get her to kiss me or Drake, though…”

“Not likely!” I retorted. “Okay, fine, I forgot that rule. In that case … Lexi, I dare you to … pick your nose and eat it.”

“Ewww!!” she exclaimed, and both Drake and Ryan looked appalled.

“Dude!” said Ryan in disgust. “Why would you want to see her do that?”

“It’s a dare!” I replied defensively. “I know it’s something she finds disgusting. I thought it would be a good way to challenge her comfort zone.”

“I’d rather drink!” said Lexi. “Pour me something nice, Drake.” She spun the bottle, and it pointed to Drake.

“Okay!” he said, handing Lexi a vodka and orange. “Drink up Lexi, then choose: Truth or Dare?”

She drank. “I’ll take another dare,” she said. “I feel like I ought to do one, at least.”

Drake grinned. “I dare you to take your skirt off,” he said, “and leave it off for the rest of the day.”

“Hey, you can’t set her a dare that extends beyond the duration of the game,” I objected.

“Did you establish that rule at the beginning?” Ryan inquired mischievously.

“Well … no,” I admitted, “but it’s a standard rule for the game!”

“Marty, Truth or Dare doesn’t have any standard rules,” said Drake. “It’s like the most rule-flexible game in the world. That’s why we agreed rules at the beginning.”

“I don’t mind,” said Lexi a carefree shrug. “I’ve spent a lot of time here in just my top and panties.” She stood up, unzipped her denim skirt, and took it off.

I sighed. “Fine. Let’s continue.”

Next, Ryan dared me to moon out of the window. I declined, and drank. Then Drake dared Ryan to shave his eyebrows, which Ryan declined to do. After he drank his second shot, he said, “Careful what you dare me next, guys, or this game will be over pretty quickly!”

“Fine with me!” I said, smirking a little. “Next time I’ll dare you to give Drake a blowjob.”

Lexi squealed with laughter, and Ryan turned red. “Dude! Not cool. You were the one who didn’t want anything sexual, right?”

“And you wouldn’t let me make that a rule,” I reminded him. “I hope you like the taste of sperm.”

Ryan was still glaring at me as Lexi selected her next victim. “Marty!” she said. “Truth or Dare?”

“Dare,” I said. I felt I would be safe taking a dare from her, and it would allow me to pick Truth twice in a row if I had to.

“I dare you…” said Lexi thoughtfully, “to … um … take off your shirt!”

I chuckled. “Accepted.” I undid a couple of buttons, then pulled my shirt over my head.

“Lovely!” said Lexi happily.

Drake shook his head as he looked me over. “Bro, we seriously need to get you to the gym.”

I ignored him, and spun the bottle. It pointed to Lexi again.

“Oh!” she said in surprise. “Drake. Truth or Dare?”

“Dare,” he said. “I was beginning to think I’d never get one!”

Lexi tapped her chin for a few moments. “I dare you … to put Ryan over your knee and spank his bottom.” She broke into a fit of giggles.

Drake snorted with laughter. “Okay, get over here Ryan.”

“Nuh-uh!” Ryan objected. “This is your dare, not mine, and I’m not obligated to participate in it. It would be way worse for me anyways, which kinda misses the point of the game.”

“Yeah,” Drake agreed, “you can’t involve someone in someone else’s dare against their will.”

“That wasn’t in the rules!” I pointed out.

“Yeah, but it doesn’t have to be,” said Ryan. “It’s just how the game works. If I refuse to participate, I’m not breaking any rules as it wasn’t my dare. And Drake didn’t refuse the dare; he just can’t complete it … except through an act of violence which, you know, would be against the law.”

“All right, fair enough,” I conceded. “I guess you’ll have to come up with another dare, Lexi.”

“But that would unfairly penalise Drake,” said Ryan thoughtfully. “He accepted the dare. It’s not his fault that the dare itself was flawed. I think if Person A dares Person B to do something involving Person C, and Person C refuses to participate, the consequence should be that Person A has to take their place in the dare. After all, you shouldn’t be setting dares that you wouldn’t be willing to do yourself, right?”

I was a little slow to catch on. “You mean … Lexi should spank … wait a moment!”

“No, I mean Drake should spank Lexi!” said Ryan with a cheeky grin.

“Sounds good to me!” said Drake, his eyes lighting up.

“No way!” I said. “You said any other participants would have to be willing!”

“If they were roped in by someone else,” Ryan corrected me. “But Lexi involved herself by setting Drake a dare involving me, without checking that I would be okay with it. Since I’m not okay with it, it’s only reasonable that she should have to take my place.”

“Yeah, I agree,” said Drake. “Don’t worry Lexi, I’ll go easy on you.” He winked at her.

“But you’re just making up rules as you go along!” I protested. “This should have been agreed to at the start!”

“Marty, we can’t anticipate every single eventuality,” said Ryan calmly. “Sometimes unexpected things happen, requiring rules to be tweaked or appended on the fly.”

“But we all need to agree to those tweaks!” I said. “And I don’t!”

“Let’s put it to a vote, then,” said Ryan. “Lexi will have to abstain, as the person this affects most directly...”

“Well that’s hardly fair!” I objected. “You know very well how that vote will go!”

“Look bro, you’ve gotta admit it’s a good rule,” Drake said. “Some accountability for dare-setting. If it were anyone but Lexi, you’d be all for it. If I dared you to slap Ryan, and he refused to be slapped, then the consequence for me should be that you slap me instead. Right?”

“I admit that does sound fair,” I conceded, “but it’s Lexi! You shouldn’t get to spank her!”

“What, because that’s your job?” Drake inquired, amused.

“What? No!” I said, a little flustered. “But, you know … it’s … kinda … sexual…”

Ryan raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t have a problem with that when it was going to be me on the receiving end!” he said. “It’s just a spanking, Marty. Yeah, it can be sexual, but it doesn’t have to be. Mainly it’s used as an embarrassing punishment, and that’s perfect for this game, and as a consequence for transgressing an unwritten rule. I’m sure Drake won’t spank her hard, dude.”

“I won’t, I promise,” said Drake, grinning.

I was about to attempt another argument, but Lexi laid her hand on my arm. “I’m sure I can handle it, darling,” she said gently. “I really appreciate you trying to get me out of it, but all this arguing is holding the game up, and I want to keep it moving along. I can endure a little spanking … goodness knows I’m used to it.”

I opened my mouth, then blinked and looked at her quizzically. “Your dad used to spank you?”

She nodded. “When I was little, yes.”

I shuddered. “Fortunately my parents never did that to me.” I sighed. “You’re really okay with getting spanked by Drake?”

“As long as he’s not too harsh, then yes, I can handle it,” she replied.

I shrugged helplessly. “Fine. Go ahead then.”

I thought I had resigned myself to the idea of letting Lexi make the decision and respecting her choice … but the sight of her crawling over to Drake and lying down across his lap, her panty-clad bottom looking sexy and shapely beneath his lustful eyes, was very hard to take. Even worse was the little squeal Lexi uttered when Drake brought his hand sharply down on her right buttock; it sounded more like a squeal of excitement than a squeal of pain, and she followed it up with a nervous giggle.

“That wasn’t too hard, was it?” Drake asked.

“No, no,” Lexi assured him. “I’ve had worse!”

Drake now began swatting both of her buttocks, alternating between left and right, and eliciting squeals and giggles in equal measure. After about a dozen moderately light spanks, he stopped, with his hand resting on her bottom. “There, that wasn’t so bad, was it?”

“No, it was actually quite nice!” Lexi confessed candidly.

“Heh-hey, sounds like we might be witnessing the birth of a fetish!” Ryan laughed. “Something to add to your bedroom repertoire, Marty.”

“All right, you can stop fondling Lexi’s butt now, Drake,” I said, noting that he was gently kneading her buttock flesh with his hand.

“In a moment, Marty,” said Drake. “Don’t you know you should always follow up a spanking with a little massage, to soothe the area?”

“If you’re going to massage her butt,” said Ryan, “you should give her a wedgie first, so you’re massaging her bare skin. That’s what I do.”

“Uhh, I think not!” I said in alarm.

But Drake had already grasped Lexi’s panties, and pulled them up hard between her buttocks, making her squeal again.

Ryan laughed. “Dude, you don’t have to pull so hard!”

“You said give her a wedgie,” Drake replied, and he began massaging Lexi’s bare bottom.

I felt like the situation was getting out of control. “All right, that’s enough,” I said uncomfortably. “You’ve spanked her, Drake. Let her get up, and let’s continue.”

Lexi’s cheeks were bright red as she pushed herself up on to her knees, tugged her panties out from between her buttocks, and returned to her place.

Drake spun the bottle; it pointed to me. “Hmm,” I said. “Ryan. Truth or Dare?”

“Truth,” said Ryan.

I felt like getting a little payback. “What’s your least favourite nickname that you’ve ever been called?”

He grimaced. “Not fair – you already know the answer,” he said.

I shrugged. “You already knew my embarrassing rejection story.”

“Ah, but I didn’t ask you about that,” he countered. “Drake did, and he didn’t know what you would reply.”

“Are you refusing to answer?” I inquired politely. “You could always take a shot instead.” And that would be the end of this silly game.

“Or a dare,” Ryan said.

“You’ve already had two dares in a row,” I pointed out.

“Three actually,” he admitted.

I blinked. “Oh? How did that happen? That’s against the rules!”

Ryan shrugged. “I refused two of them,” he said, “so I didn’t think they counted. Anyway, that rule is mainly to keep people from picking Truth all the time.”

“Just answer the damn question,” said Drake. “Otherwise I’ll just ask it next time.”

Ryan scowled. “Shrinky-dink, okay? I was twelve! I hadn’t yet fully developed. I’ve more than made up for it since then, as I’d be happy to demonstrate.” He knelt up and began to reach into his boxer shorts.

“That won’t be necessary!” I said hastily.

“That was a mean thing for people to call you,” said Lexi sympathetically.

“Thank you sis,” he replied affectionately. Then he spun the bottle. “Drake.”

Drake grinned. “Lexi – Truth or Dare?”

Lexi shivered. “Truth.”

“Have you ever doubted the existence of God?” Drake asked.

Lexi looked stunned. “No!” she replied, a little too vehemently. “Not once. Not ever.”

“Really?” Drake inquired. “Never? Remember this is Truth or Dare. No lies allowed.”

Lexi’s cheeks reddened. “Oh. Well … there might have been once … just briefly. After my mom died…”

“Oh wow,” I said, reaching over and holding her hand. “Yeah I’m sure that was a rough time.”

“But it was only a passing thought,” Lexi continued hurriedly. “Daddy helped me through it.” She spun the bottle.

“Ooh,” said Ryan, his eyes lighting up. “Lexi – Truth or Dare?”

Lexi bit her lip. “Dare?” she said.

Ryan grinned. “I dare you to kiss Drake,” he said. “A proper French-kiss, with plenty of tongue action.”

Lexi gasped, her eyes widening.

“Not happening!” I said firmly.

“Not your choice, bro!” said Drake, smiling eagerly at Lexi. “It’s Lexi’s. Of course, she can choose to drink instead…”

“I’ll do that,” said Lexi. “Sorry Drake, I’m sure you’re a great kisser, but it just wouldn’t be fair to Marty.”

I smiled with relief, as Drake poured Lexi her second drink. She spun the bottle, then drank.

“Me again!” said Ryan. “Okay … Marty. Truth or Dare?”

“Truth,” I said. “I picked Dare the last two times, and even though I refused one of them, I at least am sticking to the letter of the rules.”

“Good for you,” said Ryan. “If Lexi got pregnant with another man’s baby, would you still marry her?”

“Whoa!” I exclaimed. “What kind of a question is that?”

“Yeah man, that’s pretty intense, even for this game,” Drake remarked.

“It’s a valid question,” said Ryan defensively. “Either answer it, or drink.”

Lexi was looking at me in consternation. She was clearly – and understandably – highly invested in my answer. I had to tread very carefully.

“It’s not a straightforward question to answer!” I protested. “It would depend on so many things. Like, did she deliberately cheat on me or was she, uh, I dunno, impregnated in her sleep or something? And if she cheated, was it a drunken one-night stand which she’s sorry for, or an ongoing affair which she wants to continue having? Not that I think that’s at all likely, of course, but you posed the question! The point is, I need more information before I could answer.”

“All right, fair enough,” Ryan conceded. “Let’s say she just discovered she was pregnant and had no idea how it had happened. Someone must’ve taken advantage of her but she doesn’t remember it.”

“Then it’s an easy question,” I replied. “Yes of course I’d still marry her. If it wasn’t her fault, why would I hold it against her?”

Lexi looked relieved and happy to hear this answer. “Thank you darling,” she said.

“You’d be cool with raising another man’s kid?” Drake inquired.

“Follow-up questions not allowed!” I replied. And I spun the bottle. “Oh, me! Uh … Drake! Truth or Dare?”

“Dare.”

I thought for a moment. Then, “I dare you to French-kiss Ryan.”

Drake stared at me. “Excuse me?”

I smirked. “Don’t want to? Feel free to drink.”

“You realise that if he accepts and I refuse,” said Ryan, “he’ll have to kiss you instead?”

My stomach suddenly cramped in alarm. “Uh…”

Drake chuckled. “Fortunately I have no wish to kiss either of you,” he said. “Not ‘cause I’m homophobic or whatever; just ‘cause you’re both such losers. Besides, everyone’s had a drink but me.” He poured himself a shot, then spun the bottle.

“Haha!” said Ryan. “Lexi – Truth or Dare?”

“Ugh,” I muttered.

“Dare!” said Lexi. “But be careful what you dare me, Ryan! I’ve already had two drinks. If I refuse this one, the game’s over! And I really don’t want it to end so soon, because I’ve thought of a really good dare for you or Drake.”

Ryan smirked. “I dare you to go topless for the rest of the game.”

Lexi gasped, and I frowned. “Come on Ryan, be reasonable!” I protested.

“What?” said Ryan innocently. “She went topless in front of two strangers yesterday, right? When you went clothes-shopping?”

My jaw dropped. “How did you know that?”

“Drake told me,” said Ryan.

I turned to Drake. “And how did YOU know about that?”

“Oh, that’s my fault I’m afraid!” said Lexi fretfully. “Drake and I were chatting during my workout at the gym, and he was asking how our shopping trip went … and I told him what happened with Dwight and Bryce…”

I groaned.

“So really, it shouldn’t be that big of a deal for Lexi to go topless in the comfort and security of this apartment,” Ryan went on. “Better for us to see her boobs than total strangers, right? At any rate, it’s a valid dare – she’s proved she can handle it. Heck, she’s shown a level of bravery I wouldn’t have imagined her capable of.”

“I didn’t feel brave!” said Lexi. “I felt very embarrassed!”

“But you told me that on some level it was also kinda exciting,” said Drake.

“Well…” said Lexi hesitantly, “yes, it was … I just couldn’t believe I was so naked in a public place, you know? It was so radically different from anything I’d ever done before. It was weirdly liberating, as well as being very scary.”

“That makes sense,” said Ryan. “But here of course you get that sense of liberation without any of the scariness. So how about it? Drink, and end the game? Or take off your top, and keep playing?”

Lexi giggled. “I don’t know … I guess I can handle going topless … but I think it might upset Marty…”

Ryan and Drake looked at me expectantly. “How about it, Marty?” Ryan asked. “Apparently Lexi needs your permission. Are you going to give your fiancée the freedom to have her own agency and make her own decisions, or are you going to be a killjoy?”

“Of course Lexi’s free to make her own decisions,” I replied irritably. “I’m not going to prohibit her from going topless. That doesn’t mean I have to like it, though.”

“You don’t like seeing Lexi topless?” Drake asked, bemused. “What’s wrong with you, man?”

“I mean, going topless in front of you two lechers!” I said, exasperated. “Knowing that you’re ogling her breasts, and plotting how to get your hands on them, no doubt!”

“No doubt,” agreed Ryan, making Lexi giggle. “Look dude, you don’t have to enjoy it. Just tell Lexi that you support her, whatever she decides.”

“I do, of course,” I said gruffly. “Lexi, whatever you choose to do, I’ll support you.”

“You really mean that?” asked my beautiful fiancée.

“Of course,” I assured her. “But if you’re going to go topless, I think that’s a fitting climax to this game; let’s wrap it up as quickly as possible.”

Lexi bit her lip, then she took hold of her top, and hoisted it up over her head. Ryan’s eyes bulged as he got his first good look at her breasts, and even Drake gave a low whistle. “Damn, girl!” he said. “That’s a perfect pair right there.”

Lexi giggled, and covered her beasts self-consciously. “Thank you,” she said.

“They’re beautiful!” Ryan agreed. “Please don’t cover them up – let us feast our eyes for a bit.”

Lexi blushed, and lowered her arms.

“You don’t have to do what he asks, you know,” I told her peevishly. “You can keep them covered as much as you want. You’re still topless, so you’re still fulfilling the dare.”

“On the other hand, now that we’ve seen them, why bother?” said Ryan. “It’ll be exhausting to have to concentrate on keeping your boobs covered up the whole time. You might as well just bite the bullet, and get used to showing them off. You do, after all, have boobs you can be proud of. Most women would kill to have such a perfect chest.”

Lexi giggled, and lowered her arms again. She spun the bottle, which pointed at Drake.

“Marty,” he said. “Truth or Dare?”

I wrested my eyes away from Lexi’s bare breasts. “Huh?” I said. “Oh … Truth, I guess.”

He grinned. “On a scale of one to ten, how confident are you that you and Lexi will be able to refrain from sex before your wedding night?”

I chuckled ruefully, as Lexi looked at me curiously. “Speaking only for myself, I’ll say … nine. It’s getting increasingly hard to resist temptation, but we’re bringing our wedding forward to basically ASAP, so that’ll help.”

“Oh?” said Ryan. “Not waiting until next May then?”

I shook my head. “We really like our new church, and we figured we should just take the plunge.” I spun the bottle. It came to a halt, pointing at Lexi.

“Ooh!” said Lexi. “Um … Ryan. Truth or Dare?”

Ryan smirked. “I’ll take a dare this time. You said you had a good one, so let’s hear it!”

Lexi grinned. “I dare you to … put your hand in Drake’s underwear, and have a good feel of what you find in there!”

Drake, Ryan and I stared at Lexi in shock. “What the heck?” Drake exclaimed. “Why would you dare him to do that?”

She giggled, her hands pressed to her cheeks. “Marty asked me to wrap this up!” she said. “And Ryan’s already had two drinks. So either he drinks, and the game ends, or Marty and I get to watch the two of you get very embarrassed!” She giggled again.

“Clever girl,” I said, chuckling and shaking my head.

Ryan grinned. “You’re more devious than I gave you credit for, Lexi!” he said. “But what the heck – I’m actually curious to see if Drake is as well-endowed as his various girlfriends seem to think. Open up your undies, dude – I’m goin’ in!”

“What??” said Drake, looking startled. “You’re kidding!”

“Nope,” said Ryan, to my astonishment. “Let me get a hold of what you’re packing.”

“I don’t think so!” said Drake, staring at Ryan as if he had lost his mind.

“Oh … you’re refusing?” Ryan inquired.

“Shyeah!” said Drake adamantly.

Ryan turned to Lexi with a smug grin, and my stomach cramped as I put two and two together. “Looks like you’ll have to take his place, Sis!” said Ryan.

“Uh, no way!” I said.

Lexi gasped in shock. She grabbed handfuls of her hair, and turned to me. “I’m so sorry!” she said. “It didn’t occur to me that he might do that! I just wanted to come up with something risqué and naughty, to fit the theme of the game!”

“And you did that perfectly,” Ryan assured her. “Now pull open those panties, and I’ll just slip my hand in.”

“Not so fast, Gropey McGroperson!” I said hastily. “You’re not putting your hand in Lexi’s panties, and that’s final!”

“Marty,” said Ryan reproachfully. “With all due respect, it’s not your decision. It’s Lexi’s, and you don’t get to speak for her and make her decisions for her. You should know better than that. And if she wants to, Lexi can refuse – I’m all about informed consent and I wouldn’t dream of forcing my hand into her panties against her will. Hopefully you know that about me! On the other hand, this was a rule we established earlier in the game – in fact we’ve put it into practice already, so there’s a precedent for this situation. This has been a fun game and I don’t want it to end on a sour note, so as long as Lexi’s willing to grit her teeth and put up with a little grope, we can finish the game as we planned, with someone drinking their third and final shot.”

“You can’t expect her to willingly put up with that!” I exclaimed.

“Why not?” Ryan asked innocently. “She was perfectly fine with the idea of Drake having to put up with me fondling his cock, right?”

“That’s different!” I said.

“Yeah, it’s different,” Ryan conceded. “But not all that much, if you think about it. Now, are you going to let Lexi speak for herself? Or does she not get a say in this?”

I threw up my hands. “Of course she does!” And I fell silent, hoping that Lexi would be as firmly against this as I was.

She blushed. “I, um, don’t think it would be fair to Marty if you … did that, Ryan,” she said. “I mean, he’s not even done that himself … yet.”

Ryan grinned. “Well he doesn’t have to do EVERYTHING first, does he? He may have been your first kiss, and your first lots of other things, but is it such a big deal if one little ‘first’ is reserved for your big brother Ryan?”

“It’s a weird thing for a brother to do!” I said sharply.

“Dude!” said Ryan, in a tone of mild reproof. “Can you not let Lexi speak for herself for like two minutes?”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” I said, abashed.

“Lexi,” said Ryan, taking her hand in his. “Truth or Dare is a flexible game in terms of rules, but one principle is paramount: whatever the rules are, everyone has to follow them. Failure to abide by the rules is quite a breach of social etiquette. If you’re supposed to drink and refuse to, or if you lie when you’re supposed to be telling the truth, or if you cheat on a dare … these are considered serious offences. A breach of trust, if you will. Now obviously I won’t force my hand into your panties, but I urge you to seriously consider whether you want to end this game by ripping up that social contract. I know it’ll be rough on Marty, but he’s a big boy; he can handle it. And so, I suspect, can you. So put aside the notion of whether it’s ‘inappropriate’ or whatever – dares are supposed to be inappropriate! And just make a decision based on whether you think you can survive a little grope without feeling too traumatised by the experience.”

Lexi looked at me sheepishly. “I … I think I probably can handle it,” she admitted. “As long as you can, Marty. I know you don’t want it to happen, but we’ll have plenty other milestones, and I don’t want to ruin my first ever game of Truth or Dare. I made a silly mistake, and this I guess is the consequence. I can handle it.” She smiled ruefully. “Ryan’s hands have been everywhere else on me, and he gives great massages; I’m sure he’ll be nice about it, and gentle.”

I stared at her, feeling comprehensively out-argued. “Well it’s your decision,” I said reluctantly. “I guess if you’re willing to endure it, I’ll just have to do the same.” Then I turned to Ryan and scowled. “But no penetration! If even a fingertip goes inside, so help me I’ll make you regret it!”

Ryan’s eyes widened at my show of aggression, and he nodded. “That seems like a reasonable request,” he said. “You have my word.”

I unclenched my fists. “All right then, let’s get it over with.”

“Holy shit, this is really happening?” said Drake, looking bemused.

“Um, how do you want me?” Lexi asked Ryan nervously.

“Uh … just kneel up, and I’ll get behind you,” said Ryan. He got up and walked around her, then knelt down. “Move your knees apart, so I can get a little closer.” As Lexi complied, he shuffled his knees forward until he was kneeling up just behind her. He reached around her with both hands; his left arm held her in a snug embrace, and his right hand slid down to her panties, until he was cupping her pussy through the material.

Lexi gasped, and I grimaced as I noticed her nipples visibly hardening and becoming more prominent. Ryan was clearly planning to take his time over this; rather than diving straight into her panties, he simply began a slow, sensuous massage of her pussy through the soft fabric. This irritated me, but I could not bring myself to demand that he stop what he was doing and stick his hand into her panties instead. How would that look? ‘Hurry up and grope my fiancée’s pussy properly, Ryan!’ Nope – I couldn’t possibly say that.

Fortunately Drake did the job for me. “Weren’t you supposed to be going inside her panties, bro?” he inquired, amused.

“Yes, but it would be a rather jarring experience for Lexi if I just jumped straight in,” Ryan explained. “No man’s ever done this to her before; I have to consider her feelings. I have to warm her up a bit first; it would be rude to just reach in and grab her naked pussy.”

“Thank you!” said Lexi, a little breathlessly.

“All right, that’s very commendable,” I grumbled, “but don’t make too much of a meal of it. I don’t want this lasting any longer than necessary.”

“Understood,” said Ryan. “Do you feel ready for me to go inside now, Lexi?”

She uttered a nervous giggle. “As ready as I’ll ever be!”

Ryan smiled, and nodded. Then he slid his hand up to her belly, then back down, this time tucking his fingers beneath the waistband of her panties. I watched with a sick feeling in my stomach as his whole hand disappeared behind the flimsy white material.

Lexi gasped, and clutched Ryan’s wrist. “Oh gosh!” Her cheeks looked very flushed, and her eyes were half-closed.

Ryan grinned. “How does this feel?” he asked, as he gently stroked her. I could not see exactly what his fingers were doing, but I trusted Lexi to say something if he tried penetrating her.

“It feels … very arousing!” Lexi panted, now holding on to his forearm with both hands.

“You know,” Ryan remarked casually, “a pussy massage is actually really good for you. I was reading about it in my research on massage techniques. There might not be much musculature in this area, but there are a ton of nerve endings, and a nice massage will stimulate them, increasing blood flow to the area, releasing endorphins, and dissipating tension.” His hand was now moving more rapidly inside her panties; he was clearly rubbing her quite vigorously.

“Oh gosh … oh gosh…” Lexi gasped, her eyes now fully closed.

“All right all right!” I said, my patience and tolerance levels at an all-time low. “That’s enough, Ryan! You’ve had your fun.”

“I don’t want to stop too abruptly,” Ryan replied. “Lexi seems to be enjoying herself, and if I stop suddenly, I suspect she’ll feel rather let down. I’ll stop when she asks me to stop.”

“You’re very good … with your fingers…” Lexi panted. “But … you’d better stop.”

“Okay,” said Ryan. “Slowing down now…” And to my indignation, instead of stopping right away, he simply slowed the pace of his stroking. “Don’t want to stop too abruptly! But stop I certainly will, as you wish.”

He had now returned to the slow, sensuous massage he had started with. I stared at Lexi’s panties, my eyes transfixed by the movement of Ryan’s unseen fingers. This felt like a dream – or rather, a nightmare: my fiancée was naked except for her panties, and getting her pussy felt up by my best friend, while my other best friend watched eagerly, no doubt plotting how to contrive a similar situation for himself. And Lexi herself … she seemed to be in a dreamlike state, too, with her eyes closed and her mouth open, breathing heavily and in no apparent hurry for the experience to end.

“Okay, enough already!” I pleaded.

Ryan finally withdrew his hand, and Lexi opened her eyes, biting her lip in embarrassment. “I’m sorry, Marty!” she said. “I wish that had been you…”

“Sounds like Ryan did a good job!” Drake chuckled.

“Are you okay?” I asked Lexi, a little huffily since she seemed perfectly fine. But I tried to sound concerned. “How are you feeling?”

“Very horny!” she said candidly. And she looked it: her nipples were standing out prominently, her whole upper body was flushed, and she was breathing heavily. She added, with a note of regret, “I wish we could have sex…”

Ryan and Drake laughed. “Go for it!” said Drake. “No sex before marriage is an archaic and silly rule. Just jump into bed together, fuck like bunnies, and enjoy your time together!”

“Drake, language!” I said sternly.

Lexi giggled. “As tempting as it sounds, we’ll have years to do that. The waiting will be tough, but it’ll be worth it.”

“All right, let’s continue,” said Ryan, spinning the bottle. “Drake, you’re up.”

Drake grinned. “Lexi,” he said. “Truth or Dare?”

“Truth!” she replied. “Or you’ll probably dare me to take off my panties too!” She giggled, slightly hysterically, and I raised an eyebrow. Either her two drinks were kicking in, or Ryan’s intimate massage had made her a little loopy.

“How big is Marty’s cock?” asked Drake mischievously.

“Hey!” I protested. “You can’t ask her that!”

“I’ve never seen it,” said Lexi, perfectly honestly.

“That doesn’t mean you don’t know how big it is,” Drake pressed her cunningly. “Every guy knows exactly how many inches he’s packin’, and every girlfriend is curious. I’m betting you’ve asked, and he’s told you.”

This was a shockingly shrewd guess, and Lexi’s face betrayed her. “Maybe…?” she admitted.

“So how long is it?” Drake asked.

Lexi looked at me, and I shook my head subtly. I was not ashamed of my size, but I suspected Drake was larger. I was not sure about Ryan, but if he was bigger too, I didn’t want to know about it. Being the smallest of the three of us was a humiliating prospect.

“That’s not really my secret to share,” said Lexi, taking my hint. “Sorry. I guess I’ll have to take a dare instead.”

Drake clapped his hands happily. “Okay! I dare you … to make out with Ryan! Full on kissing, with tongues, for at least a minute.”

“Hey!” I objected. “Hasn’t Ryan had enough action with Lexi for one game?”

“Yeah,” said Lexi ruefully. “I think I’ll have to drink. Sorry, but…”

“Now wait a minute,” said Ryan. “You’re all assuming I’ll agree to it. But … I refuse.”

We all stared at him in surprise. “What?” I said.

“I refuse!” said Ryan simply. “Marty’s right – I’ve already done a lot with Lexi and I don’t want to be greedy. Don’t get me wrong, Lexi – I’d love to kiss you, believe me! But it was extremely generous of Drake to give me the opportunity, and so I’d like to return the favour … by refusing to participate. Which means that if you accept the dare, you kiss Drake instead of me. I got to feel your pussy; it’s only fair that Drake should get to do something with you too.”

“Thanks bro, that’s really nice of you!” said Drake, looking genuinely touched. He extended his fist, and Ryan bumped it with his own.

“Awww!” said Lexi. She seemed quite touched, too.

“Yes, a very selfless act,” I remarked testily. “But you’re being generous with someone else’s body, Ryan! It’s not your place to decide who Lexi kisses. Just have a drink, Lexi, and let’s finish this game.”

But she looked torn. “I don’t know….” She bit her lip, then turned to me. “I hate to pour cold water on Ryan’s generous act. He could have French-kissed me himself, yet he gave that up for his friend! That was really sweet of him, don’t you think?”

“Kind of,” I conceded. “But he’s already got quite a lot out of this game!”

“Yeah, and that’s why I did it,” Ryan agreed. “Come on, Marty … do I need to remind you that it’s Lexi’s decision? Of course she won’t do it if you put your foot down, and the game will end … but can’t you let Drake have his kiss? If Lexi’s willing? After all, answer me this: which is worse? A kiss, or a pussy grope?”

“A pussy grope, obviously,” I replied, reluctantly but honestly.

“Right!” Ryan agreed. “If you can endure that, you can surely handle a kiss, right?”

I glared at him, then looked at Lexi, who was looking at me hopefully. I folded my arms, and pursed my lips. “It’s up to you, darling,” I said. “I knew this game was a bad idea! But if you feel you must kiss Drake, then go ahead, I guess.”

She smiled at me happily. “Thank you for understanding, darling.” She walked on her knees over to Drake, who pulled her into a hug, turning her and bending her backwards, pressing his lips to hers as he cradled her in his strong arms. Lexi uttered a single muffled squeal, then she closed her eyes and parted her lips, and I recoiled at the sight of Drake sticking his tongue into her mouth.

It was hard to watch – almost harder than the pussy grope, actually, because this time Lexi was an active participant. For what seemed like an eternity, Lexi and Drake swapped saliva, their tongues wrestling with each other, Lexi making little sounds of either excitement or anxious discomfort (I couldn’t tell which, but I hoped it was the latter) – as Drake fondled her…

“Hey!” I said indignantly. “No touching her breasts! That wasn’t part of the dare!”

Drake let go of Lexi’s bare left breast, and reached around behind her instead, grasping her bottom through her panties.

“Okay, time’s up, time’s up!” I said irritably. “That had to have been at least a minute.”

Drake pulled his face away from Lexi’s. He looked very pleased with himself; Lexi looked flushed and breathless.

“Actually that was only forty-three seconds,” said Ryan. “You have another seventeen.”

Drake grinned, and launched into another passionate kiss, as Lexi’s head tipped back, her eyes closing once again. I clenched my teeth and endured the sight, counting down the seconds in my head. “Okay, time’s up!” I snapped.

Apparently I had counted too quickly. “Four … three … two … one … that’s a minute,” said Ryan.

Drake and Lexi pulled apart. “Wow!” Lexi gasped. “You’re good at kissing, Drake!”

“Thank you, you’re not so bad yourself,” Drake replied.

Lexi now looked at me guiltily. “I’m sorry, Marty – you’re very good too, of course.”

“Well I haven’t had as much practice as Drake,” I said stiffly, “but I’m sure I’ll improve, the more we do it together.”

Lexi returned to her spot, and spun the bottle. To my relief, it pointed to me. “Ryan,” I said. “Truth or Dare?”

“Dare,” he replied, playing right into my hands.

“I dare you,” I said, “to lick Drake’s butthole.”

“Ugh!” “Jesus!” Ryan’s and Drake’s disgusted reactions were both gratifyingly strong. Lexi looked shocked, too.

“I understand if you don’t want to participate, Drake,” I said with a smirk. “In which case Ryan will have to lick mine.”

Ryan drank. “I guess that’s it – game over,” he said. “Way to end it on a low note, Marty.”

I resented this. “Hey, I think I’ve been very open-minded and tolerant, given that my fiancée is almost naked, had her pussy felt up by you, and made out with Drake!”

Ryan chuckled. “Yeah, you have a point,” he said. “I guess that was a smart move on your part. Okay, thanks for playing, everyone! Especially Lexi.” He winked at her.

I stood up, and helped Lexi to her feet. “Let’s go for a walk,” I said. “I think we need to talk about what just happened here.”

She nodded. “Okay, I’ll put some clothes on.”

“Not so fast!” said Ryan. “Remember you’re not allowed to put your skirt back on for the rest of the day.”

I thought for a moment. “Fine – then put on a dress.”

“That’s not really in the spirit of the dare,” Ryan objected. “The idea was for Lexi’s panties to remain uncovered.”

“You dared her to leave her skirt off for the rest of the day,” I reminded him. “It’s not my fault if you worded the dare poorly.”

“I don’t really want to put on one of my old dresses,” said Lexi awkwardly. “I feel like I’ve put that phase of my life behind me.”

“Then how about your workout shorts?” I asked. “The black and pink ones?”

Lexi hesitated.

“She doesn’t want to wear shorts either, bro,” said Drake.

This was news to me. “What?” I said.

“Please don’t be upset,” said Lexi quickly, putting her hand on my chest. “I know we just bought two pairs of workout shorts … but one of those doesn’t fit me anyway. And the other pair … maybe we can return them and get your money back?”

I was confused. “What’s wrong with them?” I asked.

“Nothing,” she said, biting her lip in embarrassment. “It’s just … I sort of decided I like the idea of wearing miniskirts and short dresses exclusively. I mentioned that to Drake and he liked the idea, and said maybe I could make a commitment to myself, to never wear shorts or long pants, or capris, or anything like that.”

“But why?” I asked, bemused. “What have you got against shorts?”

She blushed. “I … I just like the idea of being Sexy Lexi,” she said, hanging her head and staring down at the floor. “It’s … it’s fun … and something I never imagined I could be. And I just don’t think shorts fit with that. They’re not … sexy.”

“Are you kidding?” I asked in disbelief. “Those tight workout shorts were super sexy on you! The way they hugged your perfect butt, showed off your curves…”

Lexi giggled. “You really thought so?”

“I did!” I assured her.

She looked up at me, smiling. “Well, thank you. But I still feel like I want to just wear short skirts and dresses…”

“May I make a suggestion?” Ryan ventured.

I turned toward him, feeling wary. “I’m not all that keen on your suggestions lately, Ryan.”

“Hear me out,” he said. “You want to take Lexi somewhere nice, somewhere quiet, somewhere you can talk … right?”

I raised an eyebrow. “Yeah…?”

“Why not take her up to the roof?” he suggested. “Take the elevator, prop the roof door open, get a nice view of the city in the afternoon sun … and you can talk and talk to your hearts’ content. And, most importantly, Lexi can wear whatever she likes, because nobody will be likely to disturb you. Hardly anyone ever goes up there. Heck, she could even go up there in just her panties if she wants. Nobody will see her.”

“Uh, people do go up there!” I said. “There are bottles, cigarette butts…”

“Rarely,” he replied. “You’re very unlikely to be up there at the same time as someone else. But if you’re worried, go on ahead and check it out. If it’s deserted, come back and fetch Lexi.”

“That does sound like fun!” said Lexi with a giggle. “I couldn’t possibly leave the apartment topless, though. I’d just die if anyone saw me in nothing but my panties!”

“You were in a public place in nothing but your panties yesterday,” Ryan reminded her. “Two public places, in fact.”

“Yes but I was trying clothes on,” said Lexi. “I was always just a few seconds from being dressed. It … it just wasn’t the same as being caught in a corridor or on a rooftop in nothing but a pair of panties. I mean, I guess that does sound kind of exciting, but I’m not brave enough to risk it.”

“So put a top on,” said Drake with a shrug. “The dare was to be skirtless. Heck, you could even put shoes on – then you’ll be protected if there’s any broken glass up there.”

Lexi nodded thoughtfully. “I … I think I could do that.” She looked up at me earnestly. “You’ll protect me if bad guys come along?”

“Absolutely,” I promised her. “But are you sure you want to venture out of here with your panties showing? I can’t guarantee we won’t meet anyone.”

She shivered. “As long as I can hide behind you, and you’ll protect me, I think I can handle it.”

I sighed. “Well, if you’re determined not to put on some shorts, then I guess … wait, what about your workout dress? You could wear that – it’s not a skirt – then we can go to the park instead.”

Lexi brightened. “That would work!” she said. “Although … I’m kind of curious to see the roof…”

“I can still take you up to the roof,” I said. “But if you’re wearing your workout dress, you won’t need to worry about meeting anyone.”

“All the same,” said Drake, “you might want to run up there anyway, just to make sure it’s deserted. You won’t be able to relax and enjoy yourselves if there are teenagers there, doing weed or something.”

“Good point,” I agreed. “Okay, I’ll head up there now. Lexi, you can go and put your dress on in the meantime.”

“Okay,” she said.

I put my shirt back on, and tucked it into my jeans. “Back in a bit!” I left the apartment, took the elevator up to the top floor, and found the door to the roof closed. For a moment I was worried it would be locked, but when I tried the handle and pulled, it opened. I switched on the little light at the foot of the staircase, and ascended. The door at the top opened, and I propped it open with the cinder block that was commonly used for this purpose.

The rooftop was deserted – as I had suspected it would be. I checked around for broken glass, but found none, though I did come across a few empty beer bottles, as well as other items of litter. I knew that the building’s maintenance guy, Raffi, came up here periodically with a trash bag, but it looked like he had not done so for at least a few days.

At any rate, it seemed safe enough to bring Lexi here. I left the door propped open, and went back down the stairs. I took the elevator down to the fourth floor, and entered the apartment … where I found Lexi just disengaging from some kind of hug with Ryan and Drake. She was still naked but for her panties, and she was looking rather flushed and breathless.

“What’s going on?” I inquired suspiciously.

“Just took a few photos,” Ryan replied, as he retrieved his phone from where it was propped up on the table, “to remind our future selves of Lexi’s first ever game of Truth or Dare.”

“With the three of you?” I asked. “Shouldn’t I have been in the photos too?”

“Uh, yeah, I guess so,” Ryan conceded. “Well heck, it’s not too late. We can take one with all of us. Stand next to Lexi and Drake.”

“What should Marty do, though?” asked Lexi. “Which of his dares?”

“I only did one,” I said. “But what do you mean?”

“We were recreating a couple of dares for the camera,” said Lexi. “I … I hope that was okay – it was just for a moment, while the photos were being taken.”

“Which dares?” I asked uneasily.

Lexi fidgeted nervously, while Ryan and Drake grinned at each other. “Um,” said Lexi, “well, Drake kissed me, while Ryan put his hand in my panties…”

I rolled my eyes. “Of course!” I said with a scowl. “I might have guessed.”

“Come on dude,” said Ryan. “Be a good sport, and get your shirt off. I know you’ll never let us play Truth or Dare again, so this’ll be a singular event, and worth commemorating. One photo, and then you can take your girl up to the roof, and talk about this all you like.”

I sighed. “Fine.” I took off my shirt.

Ryan set up his phone again, with the camera on a ten-second timer. “Ready?” he said. “And … ten, nine, eight…” He hurried over to stand next to Lexi, who stood next to Drake, who stood next to me. Then Ryan slipped his hand into the front of Lexi’s panties, while Drake began kissing her and groping her left breast.

“Hey!” I said in annoyance. “Didn’t you already do one like this? Knock it off, guys!”

And that was the photo: me, sans shirt, glaring at Drake and Ryan, while they molested my nearly-naked fiancée. As Ryan showed it to me a minute later, I grunted unhappily. “Yeah, I guess it sums up how the game went,” I conceded. “But that’s the last time you and Drake get so intimate with Lexi! I knew this game was a bad idea.”

“Awww come on Marty,” said Ryan. “It’s Truth or Dare! It’s supposed to be a bit transgressive. Next time maybe I’ll have a hot fiancée, and you’ll get to be a little naughty with her.”

“There won’t be a next time!” I said firmly. “Anyway, I’m going up to the roof with Lexi.”

“Okay, see you later,” said Ryan. And he headed off to his room.

Buttoning up my shirt, I turned to Lexi, who had put her tank top back on. “Are you going to put on your workout dress?” I asked her.

She bit her lip. “Drake sort of dared me to go like this…”

“He can’t do that!” I exclaimed. “The game’s over!”

“He said it was really just a clarification of the going skirtless dare,” she said. “It’s okay – I don’t mind – I think it’ll be kind of exciting to go up to the roof like this! As long as you’re with me, I know I’ll be safe.”

I sighed. I was in no mood to argue about it, or lay down the law to her. “Fine, let’s go,” I said. “We really need to talk!”

I looked out into the corridor; it was clear. “Come on,” I said, beckoning to her.

We made it to the elevator, and summoned it. When it arrived, the door opened, and there stood an old man.

“Mr Wilcox!” I said in surprise. Lexi squealed and quickly hid behind me.

“Marty! Dear boy,” said the elderly gentleman. “What a … nice surprise. Is that your lovely fiancée?”

“Yes, this is Lexi,” I said awkwardly. “Uh, I’m so sorry, we really weren’t expecting to meet anyone.” As the elevator door began to close, I quickly hurried forward and stuck my foot in the way. The door detected the obstacle, and retreated. “We’re just heading up to the roof for some … uh … quiet couple time.”

A grin spread across the old man’s face. “Oh! Say no more, Marty, say no more. Hello, young lady! I’m very pleased to meet you.”

Lexi, her hands clasped in front of her panties, smiled shyly. “Hi!” she said. “I’m sorry I’m a little underdressed…”

“No need to apologise!” said Mr Wilcox with a grin. “I vaguely remember what it was like to be young and carefree. So you’re the girl Marty’s going to marry! Wow – you’re quite the beauty, aren’t you?”

Lexi blushed. “Thank you,” she said.

The old man extended his hand. “Call me Patrick.”

She shook it. “Nice to meet you, Patrick,” she said. “Have you lived here long?”

“Oh yes – twenty-four years!” he replied. “Longer than you’ve been alive, I’m guessing.”

“Yes!” said Lexi. “I’m just twenty-one.”

“And I’m seventy-six,” sighed Patrick. “Oh to be young again!”

“Pardon my asking,” said Lexi, “but are you from … Australia?”

“Australia?” he replied, slightly offended. “No – England! Sussex, to be more precise. I moved to the States in 1983 in order to … but, haha, I’m sure you don’t want to hear my life story.”

“I’d like to!” said Lexi. “Perhaps not right now, but definitely sometime! I’ve always wanted to visit England, and I’m so sorry I thought you were Australian! I hope I didn’t offend you.”

“Not at all, not at all,” said Patrick, smiling. “Well I won’t keep you – but maybe you’d like to come over for afternoon tea later? Maybe when you come back down from the roof? I’d love the company … and perhaps I can tell you some interesting things about England…”

Lexi clutched my arm and looked up at me. “Can we?” she asked.

I shrugged. “Sure!” I said. “That’d be very nice, Patrick.”

The old man smiled down at Lexi’s panties, which she was no longer covering. “Feel free to come as you are, if you like,” he said. “I’m no prude.”

“Uh, thanks, we’ll bear that in mind,” I said, frowning a little. The elevator door thunked into my foot again. “Uh, we’ll see you later then.”

“I’ll go and prepare my tea things!” Patrick shuffled out of the elevator and started off down the corridor. “It’s been a while since I last had guests! Have fun on the roof…”

I pulled Lexi into the elevator. “Ugh, what a creep – we shouldn’t have accepted his invitation.”

“Why?” asked Lexi in surprise.

“‘Come as you are’?” I said. “He just wants to ogle your panties some more!”

Lexi giggled. “Well he’s a man,” she said. “What do you expect? But he’s nice – I like him! And I’m looking forward to hearing about England. Will you take me there someday?”

I raised an eyebrow. “Sure!” I said. “When we have the money to go, absolutely. I’d like to go there too. But it might take a few years before we have that kind of money to spend on travel.”

“Oh,” said Lexi, a little crestfallen. “Yeah, I suppose it’s probably quite expensive.”

“Oh shit!” I exclaimed, realising the elevator was going down. I had hit the button for the top floor, but apparently someone below us had summoned it first. “I’m sorry, darling – looks like we’re going to have company.”

“Oh gosh!” said Lexi, clinging to my arm.

It did not take long for the elevator to reach the ground floor. As the doors opened, Lexi hid anxiously behind me, and I prepared to confront anyone who might give her a hard time.

My fears were realised when three young black men stepped in. Two were taller than I was; the other was short and stocky. All three of them stopped and stared at me, trying to see who I was hiding.

“Hi,” I said uncomfortably, as the three of them stepped in. One of them hit the button for the sixth floor, as I backed into a corner, protecting Lexi.

“Hey,” said one of the young men. “And hey to the girl behind you.”

“Hello!” said Lexi in a slightly squeaky voice. “Sorry, I’m a bit underdressed!”

“It was a dare,” I explained. “But we weren’t expecting the elevator to come down. We were going up to the roof.”

The three men relaxed, and laughed. “Should’ve waited until you got there before takin’ your clothes off, honey!” said one of the tall guys.

“I know, I’m sorry!” said Lexi.

The other tall man chuckled. “Hey, it’s no big deal. We’re cool. I’ve seen you around, man – didn’t know you had a girlfriend.”

“Actually she’s my fiancée,” I said.

“Nice!” he said. “Congrats. I’m Antwan, this is Daniel, and this is Jamal.”

“Hey,” said Jamal, the short one.

“Sup,” said Daniel.

“Nice to meet you all!” said Lexi, peeking around me. “I’m Lexi.”

“And I’m Marty,” I said.

“Wow Marty, you done good!” Antwan remarked. “Yo girl seriously pretty!”

“She is,” I agreed, feeling a sense of pride, tempered with nervousness.

“You a bona fide ten, Lexi!” said Daniel. “Whatcha doin’ wit a five?”

“Hey now,” I said, annoyed. “There’s no call for…”

But I was interrupted by Daniel clapping my shoulder, as all three of them laughed. “I just fuckin’ wit you, man,” he said.

“He just jealous cause his girl’s a five!” said Jamal.

Daniel lunged at the cackling Jamal, but Antwan quickly restrained him. “Take it easy, man.” To me he added, “They always at each other’s throats, ever since they was little.”

“Are you all brothers?” asked Lexi curiously.

“These two are,” said Antwan. “I’m just a friend of the family.”

The elevator stopped, and the doors opened. “Have fun on the roof!” said Daniel, as he and Antwan stepped out.

“Sorry if it’s a little messy up there,” added Jamal, pausing at the door. “We kinda had a roof party last night.”

“Oh … okay,” I said.

Antwan stuck his head back in. “We do that most Saturday nights,” he said. “You guys are welcome to join us next time, if you don’t mind hanging out with a bunch of black folks.”

“I think we’d probably feel a little out of place,” I remarked, “but I appreciate the offer.”

“I do too!” said Lexi. “Bye!” She waved.

“Bye Lexi!” said Jamal, grinning at her as the door closed.

“Whew!” I said, as the elevator continued upward. “Well, that could have gone a lot worse.”

“They seemed nice!” said Lexi. “We should think about joining their party next Saturday.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” I said uneasily. “I’d feel very outnumbered. And out of place. And who knows how they would behave with a few drinks in them?”

“I think that’s a little uncharitable,” she said reproachfully. “They were quite gentlemanly! Not one of them made any kind of lewd comment.”

“That’s true,” I conceded. “We’ll see.”

The elevator brought us to the top floor, where we got out, then ascended the stairs to the roof. It was still, thank goodness, unpopulated.

“Oh – I forgot to put shoes on!” said Lexi.

“You should be all right, I didn’t see any broken glass up here,” I said. “But tread carefully, even so.”

She cautiously emerged. “Oh, we’re so high!” she said, wide-eyed. Then she looked back. “Should we close the door, do you think? So we won’t be disturbed?”

“No!” I replied. “It wouldn’t prevent anyone else from coming up here, but it would prevent us from getting back! It locks automatically when you close it, and you can only open it from inside, unless you have a key.”

“Oh!” said Lexi. “Good to know.”

We walked over to the railing, and spent a couple of minutes enjoying the view. I pointed out a few local landmarks, and we watched a plane taking off from the airport. Then I felt obliged to address the subject that was gnawing at me.

“So,” I said carefully, “that was a pretty intense game, huh?”

“Yes,” she agreed, with a nervous giggle. “I didn’t imagine it would turn out the way it did.”

“Any … regrets?” I asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

“Yes!” she replied. “Daring Ryan to put his hand in Drake’s underwear. That really backfired, didn’t it?”

“Yeah it did,” I agreed. “But, uh, you didn’t seem to mind too much … Ryan, you know, doing what he did.”

Lexi blushed, and bit her lip. “I didn’t want him to do that,” she said, “but I knew I had to endure it … so I just closed my eyes and imagined it was your hand instead. And then … well … Ryan was pretty good with his fingers! The way he was rubbing me … I couldn’t help getting aroused, Marty. I’m sorry. Would you rather I had hated every second of it?”

“No, of course not,” I said grudgingly. “And it helps that you were imagining me doing it. He didn’t … uh … put a finger inside you at all, did he…?”

“No!” said Lexi. “He was as good as his word. He just slid his middle finger back and forth between my … um … you know … and rubbed my … my button…”

“Okay okay, I don’t need all the details,” I said with a shudder. “But ugh! It sucks that he got to do that to you before I did.”

Lexi hugged me. “There’ll be plenty of other things you can do to me,” she assured me. “Things that you’ll be not only the first person to do, but the ONLY person to do.”

I smiled. “I look forward to those things,” I said. Then I sighed. “And Drake … did you enjoy kissing him…?”

Lexi blushed. “He’s a good kisser,” she admitted. “It was hard not to enjoy it, even though I felt guilty about enjoying it. But Marty, I have no desire to kiss him again. He’s not the one I love; you are. A kiss with you is so much more meaningful and wonderful to me than a kiss with Drake, or with anyone else. I love you, and only you.”

I smiled. “So there’s no danger of him turning your head? Making you second-guess your choice of life partner?”

“You want me to put a percentage on it?” Lexi inquired. “The chance of Drake convincing me to leave you for him?”

“Uh … sure,” I said.

“Zero!” she replied with a happy smile. “Zero point zero. You have absolutely nothing to fear on that score, my darling.”

I grinned in relief. “That’s good to hear!” I said. “Actually that really helps – thank you.”

She hugged me tightly. “I know the game bothered you a lot,” she said. “But isn’t that what Truth or Dare is all about? Being naughty and transgressive and doing things you wouldn’t dare to do ordinarily, and being put in uncomfortable situations? That’s how Ryan described the game to me, anyway.”

“And you still wanted to play?” I inquired.

She giggled. “It sounded fun! Marty, I’ve been living in a bubble my whole life; I’ve been having a very interesting and exciting time since I moved in with you, and I’m loving all these new experiences.”

I chuckled. “Well … good, I guess. I do feel that Ryan and Drake are taking advantage of that fact, though.”

“Yeah,” she admitted. “I guess they are. Boys will be boys! But I still like them and enjoy their company, even though they can be a little naughty. I don’t think they’re seriously trying to steal me away from you – they know they couldn’t do that, however hard they try. They’re just trying to sneak a few gropes here and there.”

“Yeah,” I said glumly. “And tomorrow Ryan’s going to massage you, and I’m sure he’ll do a brilliant job, and he’ll get to be your official masseur, with licence to grope your bottom to his heart’s content.”

Lexi smiled slyly. “I’m sure he’ll do a good job,” she said, “but I can still say I preferred yours. Then you’ll get to be my masseur.”

“You mean … lie?” I asked in surprise. “Alex … Lexi … have you ever told a lie in your entire life?”

“Yes!” she said. “I once ate a cookie that I wasn’t supposed to, and when Mom asked me who had eaten it, I said it was Goldie, our dog.”

“Uh-huh,” I said, “and how old were you when this happened?”

Lexi thought for a moment. “Um … four?”

I laughed. “Any major fibs since you took the training wheels off your first bicycle?”

Lexi smiled sheepishly. “Maybe one or two? I don’t know. Mom and Dad always instilled in me a strong belief in always telling the truth. But you know, I’m putting a lot of my childhood habits behind me; maybe it’s time I learned the value of a judicious white lie…”

I thought about this, then shook my head. “Lexi, I’m supportive of your personal growth, but I think your aversion to lying is actually a wonderful thing that you should hang on to. In the short term, yeah, there’s a benefit to me if you lie to Ryan on my behalf … but I feel like the cost is too high. We’d lose something rather special about you, and I fear it would come back to bite us in the long run.”

Lexi looked relieved. “I’m so glad to hear you say that!” she said. “I like being honest and truthful, and knowing that people know they can always trust my word.”

“And I think that’s an awesome trait,” I said.

“But what are we going to do about Ryan, then?” Lexi asked.

I shrugged. “Hope he screws up somehow, I guess.” I grimaced. “For a brief moment I was actually tempted to sabotage him – like, by contaminating his massage oil or something. But I decided against it. If you’re to get a crappy massage from Ryan, I don’t want it to be my fault. And if you or he had found out about it, I’d look pretty bad.”

“Yes, I’d say so!” Lexi agreed. “I’m a little shocked you even had that thought! Although … I guess I can understand the impulse. I’m just glad you dismissed the idea.”

I nodded. “So, anyway … would you be heartbroken if that was your last ever game of Truth or Dare?”

Lexi looked a little surprised for a moment. Then she said, “We don’t have to play it again. It was fun, and exciting, and arousing – just about everything I hoped it would be – but you obviously didn’t enjoy it, for very understandable reasons, and I don’t want you to have to endure that again.”

“But … you enjoyed it?” I asked, baffled. “Even though you got seriously taken advantage of?”

She gave me an embarrassed smile. “Marty, I’ve avoided male attention my whole life. Well, I guess it wasn’t hard to do when I was a kid. But during my teenage years, and especially through college, I actively deflected it. In college I had several boys come up to me and try to talk to me … but it was so drummed into me that I needed to avoid relationships until I was done with college, I didn’t let any boys or men converse with me about anything but schoolwork. Looking back on it, I guess I must have seemed like a complete jerk … or a b-star-t-c-h … but I was on a mission. I…”

“Did you just spell out a censored version of a naughty word?” I asked her in amusement.

“Yeah,” she said, and giggled. “But my point is, I didn’t let any boys get close to me all the way through college. Then you happened to come along at the perfect time … and suddenly I began to discover everything I had been missing out on, these past few years. Having boys hit on me, grope me, talk me into showing my panties or whatever … it’s still new and exciting for me! I’m sure I’ll tire of it eventually, and I’ll start to find it as annoying as I’m sure other girls do … but for right now, it really doesn’t bother me. In fact, yes, to a certain extent, I do enjoy it.” She bit her lip. “I hope that doesn’t make me a bad person. Or that you think less of me for it.”

“No, and no,” I assured her. “But what it does is make me anxious that your lack of resistance will encourage guys to keep taking advantage of you. Ryan, and Drake … but also other men you might meet, who aren’t as nice as my friends.”

Lexi nodded. “That’s a valid concern,” she agreed. “Maybe I should try to figure out what my boundaries are, and what to do if a man crosses the line.”

“A slap works pretty well,” I said with a smirk. “Closely followed by pulling out your phone and starting to film the perpetrator. People really don’t like to be caught on camera doing crimes!”

Lexi giggled. “I don’t know, Marty,” she said. “I really don’t like confrontation. I’m not sure I could do either of those things.”

“Then escape the situation,” I suggested. “Move away from the guy. And call for help if he gets … insistent.”

Lexi smiled, and nodded. “Kiss me?”

I kissed her. And as our kiss went on, I reached down and began fondling her bottom through her panties. After a minute of this, I raised my hand, then slid it down inside the back of her panties, grabbing a handful of her bare right buttock.

We finally came up for air, and she giggled. “Oh gosh, Marty, I’m so horny! Part of me wants you to just pull down my panties and stick your penis inside me.”

“I want that too,” I admitted. “Watching Ryan fondling your pussy made me feel very jealous and anxious, and like I wanted to drag you away from him and make love to you immediately.”

She shivered. “And yet we can’t,” she sighed. “Perhaps we need a cold shower!”

“Yeah,” I reluctantly conceded. “Though not at the same time, otherwise I’m not sure I could control myself…”

She giggled again. “It’s probably rather dangerous for us to be alone together when we’re both horny,” she said. “I guess that’s why couples traditionally weren’t allowed to live together until they were married.”

“Yeah,” I said glumly. “These pesky hormones! Hehe. It would be nice if we could sleep together in the same bed, without worrying it would lead to something. That couch is the worst; I haven’t had a good night’s sleep in days.”

“Oh no!” said Lexi, concerned. “Well that’s no good! Tonight you take the bed; I’ll sleep on the couch.”

“My darling,” I said in a tone of admonition, “as if! I’m not going to let you spend a miserable night on the couch while I sleep soundly in my bed. But it’s certainly another good reason for getting married as soon as possible.”

Lexi nodded. “I’ll talk to Pastor John on Wednesday. I’ll ask him what’s the earliest possible date that he can marry us.”

I smiled. “I can’t wait to marry you, Lexi.”

We kissed again. Then, before it could get too heated, we pulled apart. “Let’s go and have tea with Patrick,” said Lexi. “I’m sure that’ll cool us down quite effectively!”

I grimaced. “It won’t cool HIM down though! Did you see the way he looked at your panties? You’ll need to go back to our apartment first and put on a sk…. Oh crap, you can’t!”

Lexi giggled. “Well he did say I could come as I am,” she said. “I don’t mind. He seems nice, and he’s already seen my panties anyway.”

“You really want to go and have tea with a strange old man, wearing nothing but a tank top and panties?” I inquired nervously. “I don’t know, Lexi…”

“He’s old!” she said. “What’s he going to do? You’ll be there to protect me if he turns out to be some sort of sex predator or something.”

I sighed, then shrugged. “Fine. Let’s go and have an English tea, then.”

We took the elevator back down to the fourth floor, and knocked on Patrick’s door. After a few moments, it opened.

“Oh, you DID come as you were!” Patrick exclaimed in delight, looking down at Lexi’s panties. “How wonderful of you!”

I frowned slightly. “Yeah, well, thanks to the dare my friend Drake challenged her to, she has to remain like this for the rest of the day.”

“Lucky me!” said Patrick. “Come in, come in – I’ll put the kettle on. Are you tea drinkers?” He closed the door behind us as we entered.

“I love tea!” said Lexi. “My mom was a Southern belle, and she used to make me iced tea on hot days.”

Patrick stopped on his way to the kitchen, and turned to look at her. “That’s not real tea.”

“I’m more of a coffee drinker,” I said, “but I’ve been known to have the occasional Earl Grey.”

Patrick shuffled over to his electric kettle, and pulled it off its stand. “Can’t stand Earl Grey,” he remarked. “I have Darjeeling, English Afternoon, Lady Grey, English Breakfast, and Prince of Wales.” He half-filled the kettle with water from the sink, then took it back to set it down on its stand.

“What do you recommend?” asked Lexi.

“English Afternoon is pretty standard,” said Patrick, turning to face her. His eyes dropped to her panties. “Prince of Wales is similar, but milder. English Breakfast is stronger, but still pretty standard. Darjeeling is very mild, and a little different in flavour – more of a connoisseur’s tea. Lady Grey is mild and a little citrusy – I normally don’t like herbal or fruity teas, but Lady Grey is very palatable.”

“Interesting!” I said. “I think I’ll try the English Afternoon, though I confess I’m curious about the Darjeeling.”

“I’ll try the Darjeeling,” said Lexi. “Then you can have a taste too.”

“Okay, coming right up,” said Patrick. “Make yourselves comfortable. Either of you take sugar?”

“Yes please,” said Lexi. “I have quite a sweet tooth I’m afraid!”

I smiled. “Yes for me too, please.”

Five minutes later we were all drinking tea in Patrick’s living room. Lexi and I were on the couch, and he was in a matching armchair. My English Afternoon tea was quite pleasant, and I preferred it to Lexi’s Darjeeling, which she let me sip. Patrick also offered us Oreo cookies, which I accepted but Lexi declined.

“Have you always lived alone, Patrick?” Lexi asked.

“Oh no – just for the last eleven years,” said the old man. “Since my wife died.”

“Oh, I didn’t know you were ever married!” I said. “I’m so sorry for your loss. What was her name?”

“Pam,” said Patrick. “She had a lot of health issues, poor girl. The last three years of her life were … a trial, I guess you could say. When she died I confess it was something of a relief. I’d been looking after her for so long – had to quit my job to care for her full-time. I was close to retirement anyway so it wasn’t too bad, but money was certainly tight … then and since. I’ve had to give up my dream of moving back to England – I just can’t afford it.”

“Oh, that’s so sad!” said Lexi in dismay.

Patrick chuckled. “It’s all right; I’ve come to terms with the idea I’ll live out my final days here. It’s not so bad. I have my cats, and my friends at the chess club.”

“You play chess?” I asked in surprise.

The old man nodded. “Indeed I do. Not to a very high level, mind you, but I have been playing for a great many years. I used to bowl, as well, but a shoulder injury put a stop to that.”

“Sorry to hear that,” I said sympathetically. “I love bowling.”

“How did you hurt your shoulder?” asked Lexi.

Patrick sighed. “A young ruffian – a resident of this building actually – pushed me down the stairs. I was giving him a piece of my mind about him and his friends doing drugs on the staircase. This was about two years ago, I suppose. Anyway I broke my shoulder, and now I have very limited range of motion in my right arm.”

“That’s awful!” said Lexi, shocked.

“I hope the culprit did some time behind bars!” I remarked.

Patrick nodded. “He got twelve months.” He sighed. “I felt bad – I really don’t think he intended for me to get seriously injured. But it’s certainly impacted my life. I can’t even bathe properly now.”

“Why’s that?” I inquired, puzzled.

Patrick chuckled ruefully. “Well, you see, that wasn’t my first shoulder injury. I’d already wrecked the other one in a car accident, twenty years ago. Frozen shoulder, it’s called. For years I’d been scrubbing my back and washing my hair one-handed … and now I can’t even do that. Oh, I manage, kind of. But it’s difficult and rather painful, so I’m afraid I don’t bathe as often as I should.”

“And you don’t have anyone who can come and help you?” asked Lexi, wide-eyed.

He shook his head. “No, I’ve no family around here, and I can’t afford a caregiver. But this is depressing talk; don’t worry about me! Tell me about yourselves. You’re just starting out in life; it’ll do me good to hear about the lives and plans of young people.”

So Lexi and I told him our story, and about our plans for getting married as soon as possible. Lexi was cheerfully forthcoming regarding the reasons for our hurry, which I was not entirely happy about.

Patrick chuckled. “My mum was Irish, and a staunch Catholic, so I can relate,” he said. He put on a high voice with an Irish accent. “‘Sex before marriage is a sin!’ Hehe. When you’ve been brought up with a certain set of beliefs, they’re hard to shake. But it sounds like you’ve come up with a good solution – if your commitment to each other is strong, which it seems like it is.”

“Very much so,” I confirmed.

“Well, good luck to you both,” said Patrick, looking at Lexi’s bare legs. “In your shoes, though, Marty, I’m not sure I could wait even a day! You must have incredible self-control. Lexi’s as beautiful and sexy as any woman I’ve ever … hmm, Sexy Lexi!”

Lexi giggled. “You’re not the first to call me that!” she said. “In fact that’s why I changed my name from Alex to Lexi. Drake called me Sexy Lexi one time, and I decided I liked the sound of it.”

“It suits you,” said Patrick, grinning. “Let me know if you ever get into the caregiving business – I’d be happy to sacrifice some of my food budget if it meant getting a visit from you a couple of times a week!”

“You don’t have to pay me to visit you!” said Lexi, giggling again. “Marty and I will be happy to visit you. You make a lovely cup of tea! As for the caregiving … well, do you just need someone to wash your back and hair? Because I could totally do that.”

Patrick and I both stared at her in surprise. “You could?” asked Patrick hopefully.

Levi shrugged. “Sure! I mean, it doesn’t sound hard – and if it would help a nice man like you stay clean and healthy, it’d be my pleasure!”

An eager gleam came into the old man’s eye. “That would be … wonderful!” he said. “Thank you! I’ll pay you of course – not much, but you should have some compensation for your trouble…”

“Don’t be silly,” said Lexi dismissively. “I won’t take a cent from you. How often would you bathe, ordinarily, if it wasn’t a struggle for you?”

“Lexi…” I said uneasily.

“Every day,” said Patrick promptly. “But I can’t possibly ask you to come every day – you have your own life to live. I’m sure twice a week will be sufficient – or even once a week…”

Lexi smiled. “Can we say every other day? I’m sure your hair doesn’t need a wash every day.”

“It doesn’t,” Patrick agreed. “Every other day will be great – thank you so much! This is so kind of you!”

“Oh goodness,” I muttered.

“It’s my pleasure,” said Lexi happily. “Shall I come over this evening, then? What time do you bathe?”

Patrick hesitated. “Well … do you have some time now? I was hoping to go out later, and it would be nice to be clean…”

“Oh!” said Lexi, looking at me. “Um … is that okay, darling…?”

I pursed my lips. “I guess it doesn’t make much difference,” I said. I would much rather my fiancée did not help this pervy old man bathe at all, frankly, but she seemed to have made up her mind to do it. “How long do you think this will take?”

“Not long,” said Patrick cheerfully. “Maybe fifteen to twenty minutes. You’re welcome to stay in here … or go back to your apartment if you prefer.”

“I’d rather stick around, just in case I’m needed,” I said, a little stiffly.

“Suit yourself,” said Patrick, getting up out of his chair.

Lexi got up too. “Lead the way!” she said. And then, while I watched uneasily, she followed him into his bathroom, closing the door behind her.

As I waited, I could hear muffled sounds of conversation, and water running. I had a feeling that Patrick was going to try to take advantage of Lexi in some way, but it would be very weird if I were to ask to come in and watch.

I crept quietly up to the bathroom door, and listened. To my surprise, now that I could hear better, I realised that they were not running a bath for Patrick; it sounded like he was having a shower.

“Oh dear, my clothes are getting all wet!” I heard Lexi say.

“You could always take them off…” Patrick suggested.

“Haha, I’m sure you’d enjoy that … but I don’t think my fiancé would be very happy with me!”

“But you have nothing to change into. You don’t want to go back to your apartment in soaking wet clothes, surely? Marty will understand you’re just being practical.”

“I’ll just try to stand further out of the way of the shower stream. Why is it so wide? Ours isn’t like this.”

“I had a narrower shower head, but I didn’t like how it pummelled a small area of my back while leaving the rest of me untouched. I like the broad spray this one puts out.”

“Yes, well, it’s getting me wet as well as you! There – I’ve washed your back. Shall we do your hair next?”

“Sure. But I’m taller than you; it’ll be tricky. Probably best if I kneel down…”

“Oh my gosh, now my panties are soaked!”

“So I see! Hmm … I see you don’t shave…”

I scowled. What the fuck??

“You naughty man, you shouldn’t be looking there! Anyway why would I shave … there? I shave my legs, but that’s normal for women.”

“So is shaving your pussy. Most women do, you know. More hygienic, more visually appealing.”

“What? Really?”

“Haha – have you never watched any porn? Seen what other women have down there? Shaving is the norm. Of course, not all women shave completely; a lot of them leave a tidy little patch, neatly trimmed, maybe in the shape of a triangle or a heart, depending on how whimsical they are. Or a little landing strip – just a long thin rectangle. You should Google some photos of shaved pussies for ideas. Or you could just shave the lot off, which is simpler and easier to maintain. And I think you’ll find most men prefer a shaved pussy.”

I was getting quite angry. Patrick was way out of line – it was clear that Lexi’s offer of bathing assistance had been a terrible idea.

“Are you serious?”

“Absolutely! Talk to Marty about it; I’m sure he’s got plenty of thoughts on the matter. But I’m surprised you don’t already know what he thinks about it. Hasn’t he seen you naked yet?”

“Only from the back!”

“Oh! Wow…”

“Oh gosh, my top’s getting wetter and wetter!”

“So take it off! Live up to your nickname, ‘Sexy Lexi’, hehe! You’ve got nothing to fear from me, I assure you.”

“Oh Patrick! I don’t know … I can’t believe how many men other than Marty have seen me topless now. Fine, I don’t suppose it’ll make much difference if you do too.”

“Who else has seen you topless??”

“Drake, Ryan, a couple of salesmen in clothes shops … but there always seemed…”

“Wow!!! Your tits are amazing! So beautiful!”

“Thank you. Men do seem to like them! I don’t really understand the appeal – what’s so great about these two big blobs off flesh hanging off my chest?”

“It’s how they look, and feel. They tap into something pretty primal in men. I guess all men are different – some like bigger tits, some like smaller – but most men I imagine like them on the larger side. And yours are big and round and full without being saggy, which is about the best case scenario. They’re the most perfect breasts I think I’ve ever seen.”

“Aww – thank you!”

“May I have a little feel…?”

“No! Marty wouldn’t like that.”

“But you would?”

“I didn’t say that! I personally wouldn’t mind, as long as you’re gentle and don’t overstay your welcome … but Marty doesn’t like it when other men fondle my breasts, so please keep your hands to yourself.”

“Who else has fondled them??”

“Drake, Ryan, one of the salesmen I mentioned…”

“Wow. Lucky guys! And what was their excuse?”

“Well, Drake and Ryan just sort of helped themselves. The sales guy asked for permission, at least. And he did have a good reason – he was fitting me for clothing. And Drake … he was tucking my breasts away at the gym, after they fell out of my top. Then he fondled them again when I was kissing him during a game of Truth or Dare which got a little … racy. And Ryan … he accidentally grabbed them while he was tickling me. Then last night he was dancing with me at the club, and he just sort of grabbed them and started fondling them. I was a bit drunk and didn’t make as much of an effort to stop him as I probably should.”

“Fascinating! I don’t imagine most women would be as tolerant and forgiving as you seem to be.”

“Yeah, I’ve gotten that impression. Maybe it’s because I grew up so sheltered – all this male attention is kind of … exciting! But I need to do a better job of fending men off, because it upsets Marty when they do stuff like that.”

“Stuff like this?”

“Patrick!”

My fists clenched, and I was very tempted to barge in and punch Patrick into next week. But in doing so I would have to reveal that I had been listening in, which would not look good … and nor would attacking a naked man in his own bathtub.

“Haha … sorry, sorry … please forgive me. It’s been so terribly long since I had the pleasure of touching a woman, you see, and … the temptation was just too much…”

“It’s okay, I understand … just please try to control yourself, Patrick, or Marty won’t let me come and help you with your showering.”

“That would be tragic. I’ll try not to misbehave again.”

“Thank you. So, why is it you prefer showering over having a bath?”

“Oh … well, this is going to sound silly, but I have a bit of a phobia about baths. When I was little, I watched my brother Tommy drown in the bathtub.”

“What??”

“He was mucking about, as young boys do … and then he slipped and hit his head, and fell face down into the water. Right in front of me. I thought he was just pretending, and I told him to stop being silly, and get up. And then I shook him, and tried to turn him over, but I couldn’t. Then I got scared, and ran to fetch my mum. Well she took one look at him and screamed, and then I knew it was bad. Fortunately she pulled him out and did CPR – she’d trained as a nurse, so she knew her stuff – and then suddenly Tommy coughed up about half a pint of water, and started breathing again, and Mum was crying and I was crying and Tommy was crying…. I was four years old. Anyway, after that, Mum couldn’t get me to go near a bathtub that had more than an inch of water in it. I was terrified. And as silly as it sounds, I’ve never been comfortable around full bathtubs, even as an adult. Ever since that day, I’ve had showers exclusively.”

“Oh my gosh Patrick, that’s so awful! I’m so glad your brother survived, though! Thank goodness for your mom’s training!”

“Yes, indeed.”

“Well I certainly don’t blame you for sticking with showers! You poor man. It doesn’t sound silly at all. And now I feel bad for complaining about my panties and top getting wet!”

“No need to feel bad, Lexi, no need at all. I’m very grateful to you for helping me like this.”

“It’s my pleasure, genuinely. There – how does that feel?”

“Feels great!”

“Just stand back a bit, so I can get the last of the suds out…”

“Thank you, Lexi, from the bottom of my heart. Are you sure you can do this every other day?”

“Yes, absolutely. I’ll have to wear a swimsuit next time, though! I hadn’t anticipated having to climb into the tub with you. But yes, I’m happy to help you bathe every other day.”

“You’re an angel, Lexi, you really are. I’m so happy to have met you. You’re … I just…”

“Oh, hush…. It’s okay. I’m happy I met you too. I … oh Patrick, really? You’re just like Ryan – incorrigible!”

“I’m sorry – I just can’t help myself. To have a beautiful young woman in my arms, naked except for a soaking wet pair of panties … I feel like I’ve gone to heaven.”

“Yes, well, I’m just worried about what Marty will say. You realise I’ll have to tell him, right? I don’t keep secrets from him.”

As upset as I was with Patrick, it was comforting to hear that Lexi was feeling obligated to inform me of anything naughty that the old man did. It made me feel safer – which in turn made me feel a little less inclined to give him a beating for groping my fiancée. In fact, in the light of his truly disturbing story about his brother nearly drowning, I was inclined to cut him a little slack.

“Patrick, your thingy is poking against me; this is really inappropriate! Let’s just get out of the shower, and dry off. Do you have a spare towel I can use?”

“Oh, not really – not in here anyway. We’ll have to share.”

“Ugh. I need to get out of these wet panties. Go on, you get out first; I’ll stay in here with the curtain closed. When you’re done with the towel…”

“I’ll fetch you a clean one from my linen cupboard.”

“Oh, thank you, that would be nice.”

I quietly retreated, and was sitting on the couch, playing with my phone, when Patrick emerged from the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. He grinned at me. “She’s a lovely girl, Marty – you’re a lucky man!”

“Yes, I know,” I replied, with the slightest of frowns.

He disappeared into another room, and a moment later brought out a grey towel.

I jumped to my feet. “Is that for Lexi?” I asked.

“Yes, she got a little damp,” he explained.

I trotted up to him, and took the towel. “I can give this to her,” I said. I didn’t want my naked fiancée spending any more time with this horny old man than necessary; his towel was doing a poor job of concealing his arousal.

“Oh – okay, sure,” he said. “I’ll go and get dressed then.”

As he went into another room – presumably his bedroom – I entered the bathroom. “Hello … naked lady? I have a towel for you,” I said to the plain yellow shower curtain.

Lexi giggled, and opened the curtain enough to peer around it. She held out her hand for the towel, but I did not give it to her immediately.

“Can I see you?” I asked hopefully. “Like, everything?”

She blushed, and smiled shyly. “Are you going to show me yours too?”

I hesitated, then nodded. “Sure, I guess, if you want.”

But she hesitated. “Can we … wait?” she asked. “I don’t feel quite … ready. I need to take care of something first.”

I guessed she was referring to her pubic hair, but I couldn’t say so without giving away the fact that I had been listening at the door. “Oh … okay,” I said. “Woman stuff?”

“Something like that,” she replied.

I handed her the towel. “Okay, well I’ll give you some privacy then.” I turned to leave.

“Marty?”

I had my hand on the door. “Yes, my darling?”

“Can I ask you something?”

I turned, and smiled at her. “Sure!”

She bit her lip nervously. “Um … you watch porn, right?”

I raised an eyebrow. “Uh, I’ve been known to. I don’t watch a lot – not compared with, say, Ryan. But … why do you ask?”

“The girls in those movies,” said Lexi awkwardly, “do they all … shave?”

I figured I should play dumb. “Shave … what? Their legs? Their armpits? Their chins – hopefully not!”

Lexi giggled. “I mean their … private parts.”

“Oh, right,” I said, nodding. “Well, some do, some don’t. I mean, completely. They all shave to some extent – you never see like a full … bush.”

“Oh,” said Lexi, looking thoughtful. “And … what do you prefer? Completely shaved? Or like … just a neatly-trimmed patch?”

I smiled. “You should decide how you want it to look when you’re ready to show it to me,” I said. “I’ll love it, whatever you choose to do with it.”

“But you must have a preference,” she pressed me.

I shrugged. “I guess I don’t mind seeing a little something there,” I said. “But completely bald is fine too. What’s important to me is that you like it.”

“Hmm,” she said. “Okay. Um, so, my clothes got a little bit wet. Would you mind going back to our apartment and fetching me a top and a pair of panties from my … your … our bedroom?”

I chuckled. “It’s just your bedroom – for now! But yes, absolutely – shall I take your wet things with me? I can throw them in the laundry hamper.”

“Sure – just a minute,” said Lexi.

I stooped and picked up her damp tank top, then took from Lexi’s hand the panties she had just wrung out. “Thanks – I’ll be right back!” I left the room. “Patrick, I’m just going to run down the hall to pick up some dry clothes for Lexi. I’ll be back in a minute.”

“Okay, just leave the door unlocked,” Patrick called through from his bedroom. “So you can get back in.”

“Thanks!” I flicked the catch on his door lock, so it wouldn’t lock behind me, then I left his apartment and returned to my own. In Lexi’s bedroom, in one of the drawers I’d cleared out for her clothes, I found several clean pairs of panties, mostly white, along with a couple of white tank tops. I grabbed one of each, then hesitated. This would be a perfect opportunity to get Lexi a little more covered-up. I could bring her a skirt, or perhaps a long dress … surely she had spent long enough showing off her panties!

But she had a stubborn streak, I knew. She would almost certainly insist on sticking to both the letter and the spirit of the dare she had accepted. I sighed. As laudable as my intentions might be, she wouldn’t thank me for trying to force her into covering her panties. Reluctantly, I went back to Patrick’s apartment carrying nothing but a pair of white panties and a tank top.

I had half-expected to find Patrick in the bathroom, hoping to get a final peek at Lexi. But he was sitting on his couch, fully dressed, cookie in hand and reading a magazine – it was now difficult to imagine that he had only minutes ago been naked and groping my nearly-naked fiancée.

I entered the bathroom, where Lexi was waiting with the towel wrapped around her. “Got your clothes,” I said.

“Thanks!” she said, taking the top and panties. She put on the panties first, then she dropped the towel and pulled the top over her head. She giggled. “This is starting to feel like a normal outfit for me!”

“Don’t get too used to it!” I warned her. “I don’t want you accidentally turning up to work like this.”

She laughed. “Not much chance of that! Come on – let’s say goodbye to Patrick and then go home.”

“Sounds good,” I agreed. We left the bathroom. “Patrick, we’re going to head home,” I informed him.

The old man got to his feet. “Thank you so much for coming to tea,” he said. “And for helping me with my shower! That was such a wonderful experience for me – I can’t tell you how grateful I am…”

I was surprised to see tears in his eyes, and for a moment I felt quite sorry for him; he must have been very lonely for a long time. But my sympathy was tempered by the memory of Lexi scolding him for getting handsy. “You’re welcome,” I said, with a rather tight smile. “I’m glad we were able…”

Lexi was clearly more affected by Patrick’s display of emotion than I was: she hurried over to him and gave him a big hug. Surprised, he wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

“It’s always nice to make a new friend,” said Lexi in a rather muffled voice. “Thank you for giving us tea!”

Patrick smiled, and his hands slid down to her bottom. “My pleasure,” he said.

“Hey, watch those hands!” I said sharply.

Lexi giggled. “Seriously, Patrick!” she said. “And right in front of my fiancé, too! You men are just terrible!”

But she did not sound angry, and I noted with some irritation that the old man, having started to withdraw his hands in response to my admonition, reapplied them upon hearing Lexi’s follow-up. Greedily massaging her buttocks, he said, “We really are. But in fairness, Lexi, you do have the most temptingly beautiful bottom I’ve ever seen!”

I growled, and clenched my fists. Seeing this, Patrick let my fiancée go, and stepped back. “So I’ll see you on Wednesday…?”

Lexi nodded. “As long as Marty lets me come! I still have to tell him what you did in the shower.”

Once again I had to feign ignorance. “Oh?” I asked, frowning. “What did he do?”

Lexi came over and hugged me. “I’ll tell you later,” she said. “I don’t want you to lose your temper and beat up poor Patrick. Come on, let’s go home.”

“Goodbye,” said Patrick. “And feel free to come over any time you fancy a cup of tea. I’ll always be glad of the company.”

“We’ll bear that in mind, thank you,” Lexi said. “Goodbye Patrick!”

Back in our apartment, Lexi pulled me into her bedroom and closed the door. “So … as you’ve probably guessed, Patrick groped me in the shower. But I’m fine, and I handled it, so please don’t get too mad at him. I’m sure it was very tempting, having me in there all wet and wearing so little. He’s very lonely, poor man, and it’s been many years since he touched a woman.”

“Yeah, but I’m not feeling very inclined to lend you out to lonely old men!” I replied peevishly. “I do feel bad for him, but he still shouldn’t be groping another man’s fiancée!”

Lexi nodded. “I know,” she said. “And so does he. It’s really just about exercising some self-control. Now that he’s got it out of his system, I’m sure he’ll behave better next time … if you let me go back and help him shower again. Oh … I expect you’re wondering why he showered instead of having a bath.”

I wasn’t, but of course I couldn’t tell her that. “Yes!” I said. “What’s that about?”

“His brother nearly drowned in the bath!” said Lexi earnestly. “Right in front of him, when he was only four years old … and ever since then he’s been afraid of full bathtubs.”

“Huh!” I said. “Wow. That must suck – so he’s never taken a bath since he was four years old?”

“Nope!” said Lexi. “Anyway the water would’ve gotten all over the floor with the shower curtain open, and with it closed, I couldn’t really help him from outside the tub. So I climbed in with him, hoping to stay out of the shower stream. But it was so wide! And with the water splashing off him and on to me, I found myself getting pretty damp. Patrick suggested I take off my top to avoid getting it too wet, and I figured, what the heck – he’s old and harmless, and several men have seen my breasts now, and they’ve all been very complimentary…”

“Do you enjoy showing your breasts to men and getting compliments?” I inquired.

She blushed. “It’s not … totally unpleasant,” she conceded. “And it feels a little bit naughty, and that’s kind of exciting. But I really didn’t intend for him to grope them! I guess temptation got the better of him. He didn’t do it for long; he stopped when I told him off.”

“What a gentleman,” I remarked.

Lexi giggled. “Anyway, after I rinsed his hair, he got a bit emotional, so I gave him a hug … and of course his hands went straight to my bottom, so I had to tell him off again….”

“So he groped your breasts and your bottom … and you still want to go back and help him bathe again?”

Lexi shrugged. “Do you want me to tell him I can’t?” she asked. “I can handle a bit of groping, Marty, but if it really bothers you, I’ll just tell him I’ve changed my mind.”

I sighed. “Part of me wants to say yeah, don’t bathe him again … but that feels like pretty controlling behaviour. I don’t want to tell you what you should or shouldn’t do. If you can handle a bit of groping, then I should be prepared to handle it too. After all, you’re the one getting groped. My part is easier – it’s just psychological.”

Lexi smiled. “Thank you,” she said. “Well, I certainly won’t encourage him to grope me, but if he does it anyway, I can bear it.”

I nodded. There was one piece of information that she had kept from me, and I was not sure if she was planning to tell me at all. I decided to coax it out of her. “So, um … if he was naked, and hugging you … and groping you … I can’t help feeling he must have been a little aroused…”

“Oh yes!” said Lexi. “He was. His thing was poking against me! He was, you know, hard … I was very careful not to look down as we pulled apart! So I never saw it. But I totally felt it!” She shuddered.

“Ugh,” I said. “Perhaps next time he can face away from you.”

Lexi nodded. “That might be best!”

We played Minecraft together for a while, until it was time to make dinner. I helped by peeling and chopping vegetables, then I returned to my game while Lexi did the rest. Ryan and Drake joined us, and afterwards, Drake washed the dishes, with Ryan on drying duty, while I cuddled with Lexi on the couch. Once the dishes were done, Ryan sat down at the table with his laptop, and Drake sat in the armchair, watching TV with us. Both of my friends were being almost suspiciously respectful toward Lexi – no groping or lewd compliments about her body – and I could not help waiting for the other shoe to drop.

At nine forty-five, Ryan yawned, then closed his laptop. “I’m calling it a night,” he said. “I just can’t concentrate.”

“Were you working?” I inquired.

He nodded. “Just something I was supposed to finish last week. I’ll get it done first thing tomorrow.”

“Okay, goodnight then,” I said.

“Goodnight, big brother!” said Lexi.

Ryan stood up, grinning. “Can I get a goodnight kiss, my sweet sister?”

“Sure!” she replied, smiling happily.

“No tongue this time!” I warned him.

“Aww, don’t be like that,” said Ryan. “We’re not real siblings, after all, and I gave up a chance to kiss her properly earlier, remember? I wanted to, believe me … but I let Drake have the pleasure instead, at least partly because I figured I’d get a chance this evening.”

“I won’t forget it, either,” said Drake solemnly. “That was seriously generous of you.”

“Yes yes,” I said testily. “But that was part of the game; this isn’t.”

“So?” said Ryan. “Dude, you’re always trying to make decisions for Lexi; you haven’t even asked her for her opinion! You say you don’t want to be a controlling boyfriend … fiancé, whatever … but frankly, that’s exactly what you’re being. It’s like you’ve sprung Lexi from one cage, only to put her in another.”

This charge rattled me. Lexi’s right to self-determination was of the utmost importance to me, and the last thing I wanted was to be seen as the type of controlling partner that I had always despised. I found myself backtracking hastily. “That’s absolutely not my intention,” I said. “Lexi is quite welcome to give you whatever goodnight kiss she wants. It’s your behaviour I’m trying to control, not hers.”

Ryan chuckled. “Okay dude, good luck with that. You don’t get to control me either.”

I felt the last of my authority in this situation dwindling away. “Fine!” I said irritably. “You and Lexi can tongue-kiss, if that’s what she wants. Apparently I don’t get a say in it.”

“Of course you do,” said Lexi gently, putting her arms around me. “Your wish is my command. If you don’t want me to kiss Ryan with tongues, then of course I won’t do it.”

Ryan chuckled. “Be careful what you wish for, then, Marty,” he said. “Looks like you can control Lexi just by expressing a mild desire or dislike.”

“I don’t want that either,” I grumbled. “Lexi, I appreciate you wanting to do what makes me happy, but what makes me happiest is your freedom to do what you want. I don’t want to feel like I’m controlling you just by telling you what I want. So go ahead and kiss Ryan, however you like. As long as you’re still my girl, and not his, I’ll be fine, I promise.”

She hesitated, then nodded. “I’ll let him tongue-kiss me, then,” she said. “Because I absolutely am your girl, now and always.”

I smiled at her. “Thank you. That’s always nice to hear.”

She squeezed my hand, then got up and walked over to Ryan. He took her in his arms, and began kissing her, open-mouthed and with plenty of tongue action going on. I grimaced, and looked away, but out of the corner of my eye I saw his hands sliding down to Lexi’s bottom. I scowled, and folded my arms. Ryan was getting altogether too familiar with my fiancée’s bottom … but while I very much wanted to call an immediate halt to this ‘goodnight kiss’, I didn’t want to face yet more accusations of being controlling.

The kiss lasted over half a minute, by which time Ryan’s hands were fully inside Lexi’s panties, massaging her bare buttocks. Then she pulled her face away from his. “Quite the goodnight kiss!” she giggled breathlessly.

“Do I get one too?” Drake asked, getting up from the couch. “I think I’m gonna hit the hay soon myself.”

“You already had your kiss!” I said. “Quite a prolonged one!”

“That was part of the game,” he replied. “This ain’t. If Ryan gets to have a goodnight kiss with Lexi, I’d like one too – if she’s willing, of course.”

“Ryan gets one because he’s like a brother to her,” I said, not immediately realising how weird this sounded.

“Can’t I be a brother to her too?” Drake asked. “Lexi, would you like another brother? Two brothers are better than one!”

Lexi smiled happily. “I’d love that!”

Ryan pursed his lips in displeasure, and I couldn’t help smirking a little. While I was uncomfortable with the idea of Drake getting closer to Lexi, it would at least draw some of her attention away from Ryan.

Drake approached Lexi, spreading his arms. “So … can I get a goodnight kiss?”

Lexi looked at me uncertainly, and I shrugged. “It’s your decision, darling,” I said grumpily. “I don’t want to be ‘controlling’ or whatever.”

Lexi smiled awkwardly at Drake. “Um, just a quick one then,” she said.

Drake pulled her into his arms, bent her over, and kissed her passionately. She uttered a little muffled squeal, then seemed to melt into his arms, clutching his muscular shoulders with her hands. Drake was supporting her back with his left arm; what his right arm was doing, I could not see, but I suspected it was up to no good.

The kiss lasted even longer than Ryan’s. I was getting very impatient and annoyed when it finally ended.

“Goodness!” Lexi gasped. “That was very … you’re such a good kisser!”

“Thank you,” Drake replied. “You bring out the best in me.”

Lexi panted heavily for a few moments, then she straightened up. “All right Drake, please could you take your hand out of my top.”

He chuckled. “Sorry, your boobs are just too inviting! I never felt any so nice – and I’ve felt a lot of boobs.”

“Damn it, Drake!” I exclaimed indignantly.

He stood back from Lexi, his hands in the air. “Hey bro, she asked me to stop, and I don’t need to be asked twice. Goodnight, sexy Lexi.” Then he turned to me. “And goodnight Marty. I hope you sleep better tonight.”

“Thanks,” I said irritably. “I’m sure I won’t. I barely got a wink last night.”

Lexi stared at me in dismay. “We have to do something about the sleeping arrangements!” she said. “You can’t go on like this. You’ll be falling asleep at work!”

“Yeah, probably,” I agreed ruefully.

“Just sleep with each other already!” said Ryan. “Jesus.”

I shook my head. “We’ll just end up having sex!” I had little doubt about this. I was feeling very possessive right now, and horny – I wanted more than anything to take Lexi in my arms and thrust my cock into her … and I had a strong suspicion she would not try to stop me.

“So what?” said Drake. “It’s high time, bro! I know you want to wait and all, but who cares if you fuck before your wedding?”

“We made a promise,” said Lexi. “And we’re determined not to break it.”

“I made a promise,” I corrected her. “To both you and your dad. I don’t recall you making a similar promise.”

“Perhaps that’s the issue,” suggested Lexi thoughtfully. “I’ve been relying on you keeping your promise, but I’ve not felt under quite the same pressure. Maybe it would be easier for us to keep our resolve if I made the same promise?”

“You mean,” I said slowly, “perhaps we’d find it easier to sleep together if we both felt bound by a mutual promise of chastity?”

Drake rolled his eyes. “That’s the last thing you guys need!” he sighed.

“I don’t know, man,” I said, “I think she’s on to something. If we make like a firm, unbreakable promise to each other, not to have sex until our wedding night, then maybe we can control ourselves enough to sleep together without incident.”

Ryan chuckled. “I think you may be underestimating the power of horniness,” he said. “If you both want it badly enough, it’ll happen.”

“And you’re underestimating the power of religion!” said Lexi, smiling confidently. “I like this plan! Let’s do it.”

“I’ll grab a pen and paper,” I said. “Let’s write down exactly what we’re promising.”

Drake left the room, chuckling and shaking his head. Ryan stayed behind, sitting down as I fetched a pad and pen. “You should have a witness to this promise,” he said. “To give it more weight.”

“Yes!” Lexi agreed. “Ooh, and maybe we could swear on the Bible!”

I smiled. “I believe I have one of those.”

Two minutes later, Lexi and I were sitting side by side on the couch. The pad was on my knees, and I was holding a pen at the ready. “I, the undersigned, solemnly swear on this Bible…” I said, writing at the same time.

“Oh, we’re signing it too?” said Lexi. “Good idea!”

“…that I will not have sex with my fiancé(e), until our wedding night,” I continued.

“Does that include oral sex?” Ryan inquired.

I looked at Lexi, who nodded. “Yeah,” I said.

“Better make that explicit,” said Ryan. “By the time your wedding comes, the two of you will have figured out any possible loophole in that wording.”

I was not sure about that, but I nodded, and continued to write. “I will also not perform oral sex on my fiancé(e), nor allow them to perform oral sex on me.”

“What about hand-jobs?” asked Ryan. “Can she jerk you off, for example?”

I hesitated. “I should probably include that too,” I said. “What do you think, darling?”

“Well I was looking forward to touching it,” she said reluctantly, “but I guess, yeah, we probably should.”

“You can still touch it,” I said with a grin. “Touching isn’t a hand-job.”

“Slippery slope, though, dude!” Ryan warned me. “One moment she’s touching it, next minute she’s holding it, next minute you’re subtly thrusting in her hand, telling yourself it’s not really a hand-job … honestly, it’s simplest and best if you outlaw touching entirely. Easier to resist temptation that way.”

I grimaced. “That’s a fair point,” I conceded, “but then I wouldn’t get to touch Lexi’s pussy, either! And that’s something you’ve done already!”

“I can understand how that must feel,” Ryan acknowledged, “but you gotta put it in the larger perspective. When your wedding night comes, you’ll be able to do all that and more, and the brief groping I gave her today will seem insignificant.”

“I think that’s probably true,” Lexi agreed.

I sighed. “Fine. I also promise … not to touch my fiancé(e)’s … uh … genitals … nor allow them to touch mine.”

“Even through clothing,” added Ryan.

I frowned. “What?”

“Isn’t that a little strict?” Lexi ventured.

Ryan held up his hands. “Just trying to anticipate loopholes! I know you’ll be looking for ways around these rules. Marty could very easily give you an orgasm by rubbing your pussy through your panties … and you could give him one by jerking him off through his underwear.”

“Even … through … clothing.” I scowled grumpily. “I think that should cover it.”

“With any part of your body,” said Ryan.

I groaned. “What?”

“With any part of your body!” Ryan insisted. “Otherwise you’ll be dry-humping each other in an attempt to get around the promise.”

“Jeez!” I muttered. But I added his wording. “That’s it! No more changes. Unless … you have any suggestions, Lexi?”

She shook her head. “I don’t think so. Let’s hear the whole thing.”

I cleared my throat. “I, the undersigned, solemnly swear on this Bible that I will not have sex with my fiancé(e), until our wedding night. I will also not perform oral sex on my fiancé(e), nor allow them to perform oral sex on me. I also promise not to touch my fiancé(e)’s genitals, nor allow them to touch mine, even through clothing, with any part of my body.” I reread this. “Uh, that last line doesn’t make sense. I’ll change it to ‘with any body part’.”

“Okay,” said Lexi. “Well I’m ready to make that promise. Are you?”

I added a quick final sentence, then nodded, a little reluctantly. “You want to go first?”

“Sure,” she said. She picked up my Bible, and read the words on the pad – more or less: “I, the undersigned, solemnly swear on this Bible that I will not have sex with my fiancé, until our wedding night. I will also not perform oral sex on my fiancé, nor allow him to perform oral sex on me. I also promise not to touch my fiancé’s genitals, nor allow him to touch mine, even through clothing, with any body part. All of these prohibitions will remain effective until our wedding night.”

She handed me the Bible, and smiled. For some reason, I felt a slight sense of unease as I took it, and began reading the words of the oath. Following Lexi’s example, I said ‘her’ instead of ‘them’ where appropriate. Then I put the Bible down. Lexi signed her name, and I signed mine. Then I tore the piece of paper from the pad, folded it up, and stuck it inside the Bible. “Okay,” I said. “So what happens if one of us breaks the oath?”

“We won’t,” Lexi assured me.

“I don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility,” said Ryan. “You made this promise so you could sleep together, right? Well, it’s certainly a powerful motivation to behave yourselves, but it’s still possible that in the middle of the night, when you can’t sleep because of how horny you are, you might succumb to the temptation to touch one another inappropriately.”

“If that happens,” I said, “I’ll just go back to sleeping on the couch.”

Ryan shook his head. “If you do that, then making the promise was a pointless exercise. The consequence for breaking an oath shouldn’t be the same as if you’d never made the oath at all, right? And ultimately this was all about making sure you get some good sleep at night, which is kind of important, and independent of whether you’re getting frisky with your fiancée.”

“Do you have a better suggestion?” I asked politely. “I’m not going to make Lexi sleep on the couch. And whatever the consequence is, it’ll have to involve us not sleeping together.”

“And it should be unpleasant enough to strongly motivate you to behave yourselves,” Ryan added.

“Yes, definitely,” I agreed.

“So here’s my suggestion,” said Ryan, smiling. “If either of you breaks the oath … you continue to sleep in your own bed, but Lexi comes to my room and sleeps with me instead.”

“What??” I exclaimed, as Lexi gasped. “No way!”

“Think about it,” Ryan urged us. “It’s not a bad solution. It checks all the boxes. It allows you both to get a good night’s sleep, it keeps the two of you apart, and it’s powerful motivation for you to not misbehave!”

“All true,” I conceded, “but dude! I can’t possibly trust you not to take advantage of a beautiful girl sleeping nearly naked next to you in your bed!”

Ryan chuckled. “Will I get a little handsy? Well sure. But I do that anyway. If you think I’d rape her, though … I mean, I really hope that’s not what you’re thinking. Because I’d hate to think you have such a low opinion of me, Marty!”

“I know you wouldn’t do that, Ryan,” said Lexi.

“Thank you, Lexi,” he replied gravely. “I can’t promise I won’t grope you a bit, but believe it or not, I like to get a good night’s sleep as much as the next guy. So if – heaven forbid – you break your oath and have to come and sleep with me, that’s what we’ll mostly be doing: sleeping. And you won’t need to worry about me molesting you in your sleep or whatever – that’s gross. You can sleep soundly, knowing I’ll keep my hands to myself. And when you’re awake … yeah, I might grope you a bit … but you know me well enough to know that I’ll stop as soon as you tell me to.”

Lexi looked at me. “I believe him, Marty,” she said earnestly. “I know it’s not ideal, but it does seem like a good solution. I can handle a bit of groping, as I’ve said already. And it’ll mean you get a good night’s sleep either way. But this is only a last resort, remember? Because we’ll both keep our oath, right?”

I ground my teeth for a few moments. “It’s certainly a powerful incentive for us to behave,” I conceded. “I just hate the thought of Ryan getting to sleep with you.”

“I know,” she said sympathetically. “But it’s not going to happen, right?”

“It’s not,” I agreed. “Fine, Ryan, I guess we’ll go with your suggestion. It’ll definitely motivate us to behave ourselves.”

Ryan grinned. “All right!” he said. “But I don’t want you backing out if or when you mess up and have to face the consequence. I want you both to promise that if either of you breaks the oath you just made, Lexi will come and sleep with me.”

Lexi picked up the Bible again. “I promise on this Bible, I will come and sleep with you if Marty or I breaks our oath.”

“Jeez, you didn’t need to swear on the Bible!” I muttered. Then, grudgingly, I said, “I promise that Lexi will sleep with you, Ryan, if either of us breaks the oath.”

“Good enough!” said Ryan happily. “Goodnight then – I’m off to my room.”

“I’m almost afraid to get into bed with you now,” I said to Lexi ruefully. “Let’s be super-careful not to break the rules, okay?”

“Absolutely!” she said. “But oh Marty! I’m so excited to get to sleep with you!”

“Me too,” I admitted, smiling. “Just don’t get TOO excited.”

She nodded. “Okay – let’s get ready for bed.”

Fifteen minutes later, we climbed into bed together. I lay back, stretching out on the comfy mattress. “Ohhh, this feels so good,” I murmured.

Lexi snuggled up to me. “We can still kiss and cuddle, right?”

“Of course,” I said warily. “As long as, you know, we don’t get carried away.”

She sighed. “I know, I know. I just wish I weren’t so horny right now!”

“You could always masturbate,” I suggested.

She did not reply to this at first. Then, rather shyly, she said, “I … I don’t do that, Marty. Dad always said masturbation was a sin … you know, giving in to lust. I’m not sure I still believe that – I think he may just have been too uncomfortable with the idea of his thirteen-year-old daughter masturbating – but it’s not easy to just discard something you’ve been brought up to think is true. Maybe after we have sex for the first time, I’ll feel a little freer to … experiment … but for now I’d prefer to just wait, and let the feelings subside on their own.”

I chuckled. “In that case I’d suggest a cold shower.”

She pouted. “But I want to kiss and cuddle!”

I put my arms around her. “We can do that.” And i kissed her lips softly. She responded eagerly, her mouth opening and her tongue darting out to greet mine. I grasped her left breast with my hand; and gently squeezed and caressed it. She responded by throwing her leg over me and…

“Wait, wait!” I gasped, pulling away. “Careful darling – you’re almost touching me with your … panties.”

“Oh gosh, oops!” she said, withdrawing her leg. “Oh, this is going to be even harder than I thought!”

“Yeah,” I agreed glumly. “Let’s just lie side by side, on our backs, and not even turn to face each other. Then we won’t have any … accidents.”

“Okay, good idea,” said Lexi.

We continued to make out in this rather unsatisfactory manner for another couple of minutes. Then Lexi sighed with frustration. “We’d better stop,” she said, “or we’ll get ourselves so worked up we’ll never get to sleep.”

“Okay,” I sighed. “Jeez, I didn’t realise this promise would prevent us from cuddling face to face!”

Lexi thought for a moment. “I suppose we still can. We’ll just need to put a pillow between our nether regions.”

“I guess that’s worth a try,” I said. “You want to try it now?”

“No,” she replied after a moment. “I think it’ll just get me even more horny and frustrated. Let’s just try and sleep.”

We both lay awake for most of the next hour. Then, finally, I heard my fiancée’s breathing turn deeper and more sonorous, and knew she had fallen asleep. And perhaps on some level I felt that I had been given permission to do the same, because the next thing I knew, it was Monday morning.

MONDAY: MERMAID & MASSEUR

Having switched my alarm off, I rolled over, then remembered that Lexi had spent the night with me. I opened my eyes, but she was not in the bed. Figuring she must be in the shower, I began checking emails on my phone.

The door opened, and Lexi entered, wrapped in a towel. “Good morning!” she said, smiling happily. “How did you sleep?”

“Like a log!” I replied. “Eventually. It did take me quite a long time to fall asleep. But this was a great idea. So much better than sleeping on the couch!”

Lexi giggled. “Good! I’m very glad. No more couch for you, Mister! This is your bedroom, and I think it should stay that way.”

“I’m not going to argue,” I said, chuckling. “It’s nice to be back in here.”

She said nothing for a moment. Then she bit her lip, and blushed. “I … I did something in the shower…”

“Oh?” I raised an eyebrow. “Did you masturbate, finally?”

She shook her head. “Nope! I’m not going to do that until after we’ve had sex. No, what I did was … I shaved…”

I blinked. “Oh! You mean … your pussy?”

She nodded. “I … I hope you like how it looks. I intended to leave a little patch, but it was tricky to get it looking symmetrical, and the more I tried to fix it … well, I just couldn’t seem to get it to a point where I was happy with it, so I … I shaved off the last little bit.”

“Oh!” I said. “Wow. Well … that’s cool. Pity I won’t get to see what your hair, uh, down there, looks like … but clean-shaven is nice too…”

Lexi entwined her fingers, fidgeting awkwardly. “I can always grow It back,” she said. “If you want. But I’m sorry I didn’t think to show it to you before.”

“That’s my fault,” I said ruefully. “I was too embarrassed to show you my cock. But … maybe we could show each other now…?”

Lexi smiled. “We can if you like,” she said. “But tonight might be a better time. I got a little bit of razor burn from shaving, and … it’ll look better by tonight, trust me. Plus, we’ll have more time then. If you want to take a shower this morning, you might want to get in the bathroom before Ryan or Drake beats you to it.”

“Oh, yeah,” I agreed. “Okay. See you at breakfast then.”

Half an hour later, neither Ryan nor Drake had surfaced, and Lexi and I were enjoying a quiet breakfast together. She had made French toast, and I was munching on my second piece when she asked me if her outfit was okay. She was wearing her mint green blouse and one of her new work skirts; the latter was dark grey, and came halfway down her thighs. The most eye-catching part of the outfit was not her short hemline, however; it was the huge expanse of cleavage that her partially-buttoned blouse was showing off. Owing to the tightness of the garment, it was rather obvious that she was not wearing a bra.

“You look great,” I told her uneasily. “Very sexy. Somewhat inappropriate for work, of course, but knowing Doug, I really doubt he’ll object.”

“I don’t want to get into trouble,” said Lexi nervously. “I like being sexy, but not at the expense of my job!”

“You won’t lose your job,” I assured her. “Worst case scenario would be that Doug says something like, ‘Well Lexi, I personally don’t mind your outfit, but it might offend some of the less open-minded people here at the office, so perhaps you could wear something a little more modest tomorrow?’”

“Do you think he’ll be likely to say that?” Lexi asked, looking anxious. “I don’t have a lot of options.”

“I honestly don’t know,” I admitted. “Only one way to find out though.”

“I guess so,” she agreed.

Ten minutes later we left the apartment, rode the elevator down to the ground floor, and made our way to the bus stop. “Let’s hope your groper isn’t on the bus today,” I remarked.

“Yes,” she said fervently. “But if he is, Marty, please don’t make a fuss. You know I can put up with a bit of groping, and I’d rather do that than see you get in a fight. I know it goes against the grain for you, but please, if you see me getting groped … resist the temptation to intervene. Can you do that, for me?”

“Unless you ask me to, yeah I know,” I said grumpily. “I just worry that if he sees me doing nothing while he gropes you, he’ll get the idea that I don’t care what he does to you … and he’ll take that as licence to do even more.”

“It should be easy enough for you to pretend you can’t see what he’s doing,” said Lexi. “But to make sure, you could always turn away from me and look out of the window or something.”

“That might be just as bad,” I said glumly. “But at least then he might worry about me turning to look at you. I don’t know. I just hope he’s not on the bus!”

“Me too!” she agreed.

The bus arrived, and we boarded, pushing our way through the jostling bodies until we got to a place where we could both hang on to something. Looking around, at first I could not spot the combover guy, and I was filled with a sense of relief. But then he suddenly appeared, rising up from a seat that was quickly occupied again by another passenger. He sidled into a position just behind Lexi, and I saw her eyes widen. Clenching my teeth in annoyance, I resisted the temptation to glare at him, and instead turned to look out of the window.

It was not long before I realised I could see what he was doing to my fiancée in the reflection from the bus’s window, thanks to the dark red side of a truck that had pulled up alongside us. All too soon, though, it moved on, and the brightness of the new background washed out the reflection. I had seen enough to know that he was currently fondling Lexi’s bottom through her skirt, though, and my knuckles whitened as I tightened my grip on the vertical pole next to me. On the one hand I felt vindicated – there was no doubt this time that he was the culprit – but on the other, it was infuriating to have to stand idly by while he manhandled my fiancée.

For the next five minutes I tried in vain to discern what was happening in the window’s reflection, but it was not until we passed under a wide rail bridge that I got my next good look. What I saw almost made me turn and aim a punch at the guy: he was now grasping Lexi’s right breast through her blouse, while whispering something into her ear. I could only see the two of them side-on in the window, so I did not have a great view of his hand, but I knew that if I just turned my head toward Lexi, I would see his disgusting fingers kneading her supple breast flesh through the thin material. As for his other hand … I could not see it. Was it grasping her left breast from the other side? The only way to know this was by turning and looking. But if I did that, and he caught me looking, I would feel honour-bound to act. And that would cause a ruckus, a fight might ensue, and Lexi would be upset with me.

So, with my blood boiling in my veins, I simply stared resolutely at the window, desperate for the journey to end. But the office was still another five minutes away; this asshole was going to have plenty more time to enjoy fondling my fiancée. The thought made me sick to my stomach.

I could no longer see a reflection in the window. I caught myself thinking the rather cowardly thought that Lexi’s ongoing molestation was easier to bear if I could not see it happening. I scolded myself for this thought, and continued to try to make out what was going on in Lexi’s faint and intermittent reflection.

The last few minutes felt like an eternity; I could only imagine how they felt for poor Lexi. But we finally arrived at our stop, and I turned to see the combover guy effectively hugging my fiancée from behind, with his right hand tucked inside her blouse, his hand grasping her left breast.

“Jesus!” I exclaimed angrily, and I was about to say (and do) more, but Lexi wriggled free and took my hand as she pushed me towards the exit. Her breasts were practically falling out of her blouse.

As we stepped off the bus, Lexi hastily fastened the button that had somehow come undone. “Thank you for not hitting him,” she said.

“He had his hand inside your blouse!” I exclaimed indignantly. “We should call the police! Have him arrested!”

“Please don’t,” said Lexi anxiously. “There’s no harm done. I don’t want to make a fuss.”

“No harm done!” I repeated in disbelief.

“Yes!” she insisted. “I’m not hurt, and he didn’t damage my clothing. I’m fine!”

“Well you shouldn’t be!” I snapped. “You shouldn’t be okay with strangers fondling your breasts on public transport! It’s not normal and it’s not right!”

Tears welled up in Lexi’s eyes. “Please don’t shout at me, Marty,” she said, distressed. “I’m doing the best I can.”

My instinct was to respond with “It’s not good enough!” But her tears melted my heart. “I know,” I said, more softly. “I know you’re just trying to cope with it. But if you give assholes like that an inch, they’ll take a mile. At some point you’re going to have to figure out how to stop him.”

“I know,” she said unhappily. “Maybe … do you think … perhaps … you could think about getting a car…?”

I sighed. “Yes, that would certainly solve the problem. But cars cost a lot of money, and I can’t afford to put myself further in debt right now. If I get a car, I’ll no longer be able to keep up with my credit card bills, and I’ll be owing more and more each month. I worry I’ll never get out from under it.”

Lexi nodded. “Of course. I’m sorry. We can manage without a car. And I can cope with the gropings – trust me.”

“I don’t want that either,” I grumbled. “I don’t want you to have to cope. I want the gropings to stop!”

“So do I,” said Lexi. “But not at the cost of turning an uncomfortable situation into something more nasty and scary.” She bit her lip. “Marty, you knew I was likely to get groped in there, and I thought you were okay with just letting me handle it.”

“That was before I saw that guy’s hand in your blouse,” I said.

“Inside my blouse, outside my blouse – does it really make that much difference?” she asked.

“Yeah, I think so!” I replied. Then I sighed. “But look, the person whose feelings about it matter most is you. I guess if it didn’t bother you, I should try to be less bothered myself.”

“Of course it bothered me,” said Lexi with a little shudder. “But for better or worse, I seem to have a body that men find it very hard to resist groping. I can either let that drive me crazy … or just learn to put up with it. Or, I guess, change my body – get a breast reduction, or eat and eat until I get super fat…”

“Please don’t do that!” I said, aghast.

She giggled. “Yes, that’s not my preferred option. But nor is making a public scene and causing fights. I’d rather just grin and bear it … if you’ll continue to let me.”

I grimaced. “I don’t like feeling helpless to protect my fiancée from getting preyed on by lecherous men. But I guess … until I get myself a car, I’ll have to learn to accept it. Unless you ask me to intervene, of course, and then, believe me, I’ll go to battle for you!”

She smiled. “Thank you Marty. That’s all I ask.”

I nodded. I was very curious to know what the combover guy had whispered to her, but I didn’t want her to know I had been watching her reflection. “So,” I said casually, as we walked toward the office, “can you talk me through what he did?”

Lexi hesitated. “Are you sure you won’t get mad? I want to be transparent and honest with you, but … I’m a little worried how you’ll react. I don’t want to keep things from you … but I don’t want to upset you, either.”

“Please tell me everything,” I said gravely. “I’ll do my best to keep my reactions in check. I appreciate that you don’t want to upset me, but if we can’t be honest with each other, our relationship is in trouble.”

“Okay,” said Lexi. “Though I wouldn’t mind, or judge you, if you told me you’d rather not hear about it. I would totally understand why. It’s not about keeping things from you or being dishonest … I just don’t want to cause you unnecessary anguish.”

“I appreciate that,” I said. “Nonetheless, I still want to hear it.”

She nodded. “All right. Well, I first felt a hand on my butt, and I reached back and pushed it away. But it came right back, and I felt another hand on my hip. I was holding on to a pole, so I only had one hand to fight him off with, and he was very persistent! I did what I could, but he was soon giving my butt a very thorough massage. Then … he stuck his hand under my skirt, and I guess he pulled it up a bit, and I felt him grabbing and massaging my butt through my panties.”

“Ugh – dammit!” I growled.

Lexi looked at me in concern. “Should I … stop…?”

“No,” I replied, trying to mask my anger. “Go on – please.”

“Anyway,” she went on, “he did that for a while … at first with one hand, and then with both. I had given up trying to push his hands away; it was pointless. So I just let him fondle my butt, hoping he would be satisfied with just doing that. But then he reached around me with one hand, and grabbed my breast through my blouse. I knocked his hand away – a few times – but he kept coming back, and after a while I just gave up and let him do his thing.”

“Ugh,” I said. “You’d think someone else would have intervened at that point! I mean, I’d have done so, but I was deliberately trying not to look in your direction.”

“I only saw one other person looking at me,” said Lexi. “A young man with tattoos on his face. He looked like he was enjoying the show. Everyone else was busy on their phones, or just looking elsewhere. Anyway while he was fondling my breast with one hand, he pulled the back of my skirt up so high that he was able to slide his other hand down inside the back of my panties.”

“Oh my God!” I exclaimed.

“And then he leaned over my shoulder and started whispering in my ear,” she continued, with a shudder. “He said I was very beautiful, and he would love to have sex with me, and maybe put a little baby in my belly.”

“Oh my God!” I exclaimed again. “You see? Every man wants to get you pregnant!”

“I told him ‘No thank you!’” Lexi continued. “But that didn’t discourage him. He told me his name is Colin, and he asked me mine. I said ‘It’s Lexi, now please stop touching me.’ But of course he didn’t…”

“You told him your name?” I said, aghast.

“Um, yeah – well, he asked!” said Lexi. “It’s not like he’ll be able to find out where I live, based on just my first name.”

I sighed. “Probably not, but still – please try not giving your name to random perverts who hit on you, Lexi.”

Lexi blushed in embarrassment. “Okay, I won’t,” she said. “Anyway, I tried to get his hand out of my panties, but with only one hand free there wasn’t much I could do to stop him, and I soon gave up.”

“Goddammit, I really want to smash his head in,” I growled.

Lexi gasped. “Marty, please don’t do anything like that! You’ll be thrown in jail, and I’ll be on my own! Well, I guess I’ll have Ryan and Drake, but still…”

The thought of Lexi living with Ryan and Drake, totally at their mercy and without me to keep them off her, was unbearable. “Trust me, I don’t want to go to jail!” I assured her. “I promise I won’t attack the guy … but we have to do something about him!”

“Maybe we could catch an earlier bus?” she suggested.

I grimaced. “If you want to get to work half an hour earlier,” I said. “Which, honestly, would be worth doing, if it keeps you away from Combover Colin.”

Lexi burst out laughing. “Combover Colin!” she exclaimed. “I love It! Aww, that’s a bit mean – but I guess he deserves it!”

“Yeah he does,” I agreed. “So … did he do anything else?”

“Yes,” said Lexi, “well you saw what he did – he popped open my top button and slid his hand into my blouse. Again I tried to stop him, but he was already in there, grabbing my breast. We were almost here by that point, so I just let him play with it until you turned and saw. Marty, I know you’re very protective and I love you for that, but I want to assure you that I’m fine. I’m not traumatised or anything. Maybe I should be – maybe there’s something wrong with me…”

“There’s nothing wrong with you,” I said firmly. “You just haven’t built up the defences other women of your age have, because of your sheltered upbringing.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s probably true,” said Lexi.

We arrived at the office, entered, and made our way to our respective desks. Aaron was delighted to see Lexi. “Wow, Lexi!” I heard him say. “You look amazing!”

“Mind where you’re staring, asshole,” I muttered as I sat down. The fact that Lexi was going to be spending time training with Aaron made me uneasy.

Over the next half-hour I watched the two of them surreptitiously. Their behaviour did not ease my mind at all, unfortunately; they chatted in low voices, Lexi giggling every few moments, and Aaron’s eyes seemed glued to her cleavage.

I could not keep my focus entirely on Lexi, though; I had work to do. Sometimes it distracted me enough that I spent a couple of minutes looking at my screen instead of keeping an eye on Lexi. On one of these occasions, I rattled off an email to one of the customer service girls, then remembered to glance to my left.

What I saw made me scowl: Aaron’s hand was on Lexi’s thigh again – and way higher than it had any right to be. Her skirt, which came down to mid-thigh when she was standing up, covered very little of her thighs when she was sitting down … and Aaron’s pinky finger was barely an inch from its hem.

Then he removed his hand and waved … and I realised he had spotted me looking at him. I nodded curtly in response, satisfied that he had been properly admonished, and knew it. But five minutes later, when I glanced over again, his hand was back on Lexi’s leg, even higher up. And he was actually stroking her thigh!

Fortunately it was at this point that Doug appeared, causing Aaron to quickly remove his hand again.

“Good morning Lexi!” I heard Doug say. “Wow, this is quite a change of outfit!”

“I’m sorry it’s so revealing!” said Lexi quickly, her cheeks reddening. “It was hard to find blouses that fit me…”

“No no, you look great!” said Doug. “Are you ready for a road trip?”

“Yes, absolutely!” she said. And the two of them left the building together.

I was glad that my fiancée was no longer being manhandled by Aaron, but the thought of her spending time alone with Doug was not exactly comforting, and I spent the rest of the morning feeling rather anxious.

They returned shortly before noon. I was itching to ask Lexi how it had gone, but before I got a chance to do so, Aaron sat down with her again. It was not long before his hand was on her thigh again, stroking away…

As his fingers began pushing the hem of her skirt back, exposing more skin, I had had enough. I jumped out of my chair and hurried over. “Lexi, it’s lunchtime,” I said firmly. “Shall we?”

Aaron had removed his hand. “Well, it’s been fun,” he said. “Enjoy your lunch, Lexi.”

“Thank you, I will,” she replied happily. “Thank you for the training!”

“You’re welcome!” he said.

We ate at Gangsta Wraps. “So … how’s the training going?” I asked nonchalantly.

“It’s going well!” she said. “Aaron says I hardly need him to be there at all at this point.”

“That’s great!” I smiled. “So, maybe you can go solo from now on…?”

“Well he wants to just keep an eye on what I’m doing for a couple more days,” she said, “just to make sure. There are a few scenarios that haven’t yet come up, and he wants to make sure I handle them appropriately when they do.”

“Uh-huh,” I said, frowning a little. “He, uh, his hand was misbehaving a little.”

She giggled, blushing slightly. “Yes, it was! I did try to stop him at first, but he was persistent! I even physically pulled his hand off my leg at one point, but even that didn’t work. I told him he was just as bad as Ryan … and that led to us talking about how men couldn’t seem to keep their hands off me. And he said some very sweet things as part of his theory on why that is. He may have just been trying to butter me up, of course … but compliments are always nice….”

I snorted. “So what happens next time he tries to get his hand up your skirt?”

Lexi bit her lip. “I really doubt he’ll try what you’re thinking,” she said. “Not at my desk, in full view of you! But if he does, pleads don’t come charging in with your fists swinging, Marty – I’d hate for you to lose your job! If he takes it too far, I can always report him to HR … although I’d also hate for him to lose his job…”

“If he full-on gropes you,” I said grimly, “he’ll deserve to lose his job!”

“Maybe,” Lexi conceded reluctantly, “but it’ll make me feel terribly guilty. I’ll have been the cause of it after all.”

“As sexy as you look right now, that’s no excuse for him to grope you,” I said firmly. “Anyway … how was your little outing with Doug?”

“It was interesting!” said Lexi. “Doug has a nice car! And he was quite the gentleman; he opened the door for me, held it as I got in, then closed it behind me.”

“Probably so he could get a look at your panties,” I grumbled.

“Oh, I don’t think so,” said Lexi, looking slightly troubled. “I mean … I guess he might have got a little glimpse, but I’m sure that wasn’t his intent.”

“You have an amazing capacity for giving people the benefit of the doubt,” I remarked. “Anyway, go on.”

“He did look at my legs quite a lot on our way to Multicode Solutions,” Lexi conceded. “I was paranoid that he was trying to decide if my skirt was too short for a company visit. But then he said, ‘You know, Lexi, that little skirt of yours might just work in our favour today. Not to mention your sexy cleavage.’ I was mortified! I didn’t know what to say. But then he went on, saying, ‘The guys we’re meeting are trying to sell us a production management system – a very sophisticated one. I’ve seen a demo already, it looks good, and the production team is very enthused about it. But it’s expensive, and my plan is to negotiate a better deal than the one they’re offering. That’s where you come in. These guys are no different from most guys, and they’ll be more amenable to persuasion if they’re distracted by your skirt and blouse.’ Or words to that effect.”

“So he just wanted you with him for eye candy?” I asked with a frown.

Lexi brightened. “That’s exactly what I said! How funny that we had the same thought! But he said, ‘No, Lexi, you’re here to learn. You have a smart head on your shoulders and that’s what I want to make use of as we develop your role at our company. But you’re also a very attractive and sexy young woman, and we might as well use every tool in our toolkit.’ His words, not mine!”

“Accurate words, nonetheless,” I said. “But I don’t like the thought of him exploiting your hotness for his personal gain.”

“Well it’s really the company’s gain, not his personally,” said Lexi. “And I thought to myself, if I could help the company save money by doing nothing but wearing what I was already wearing … where’s the harm in it? It seemed like an easy win. So I said okay, and it actually helped me to feel more at ease, knowing Doug actively approved of my outfit.”

I sighed. “All right, so what happened when you got to this Multicode place?”

“We went in and met a guy named Evan, who took us to a kind of conference room for a meeting. I say ‘kind of’ because it wasn’t like the conference rooms here, with a big table in the middle. There were just chairs, in a circle – Evan said it was a laptop-free zone, where people could get together and interact and talk and brainstorm without distractions. Well we sat down, and Evan went off to fetch a couple of his colleagues. Doug asked if I’d noticed how taken Evan was with my outfit, and I said of course I noticed where his eyes were looking. And he said … he suggested I could maybe cross and uncross my legs a few times during the meeting. He said something like, ‘Give them a glimpse of those pretty pink panties.’ Which of course confirmed that he’d seen them as I was getting in the car…”

“Ugh!” I said irritably. “Does every man you meet have to see your panties, for heaven’s sake?”

“Apparently so,” said Lexi apologetically. “I’m sorry, Marty – I do seem to have this effect on men. I guess there were signs, in college, but I think I was too naive to pick up on them. And I never hung out with other students socially … and of course I was always wearing those long dresses. This past week has been … I don’t know … weird and new and exciting and scary all at the same time. I have you to thank for that, of course, but I’m sorry it bothers you. If you want me to quit this job, I will…”

“No,” I said with a heavy sigh. “We need the money, and I suspect you’ll get the same kind of treatment wherever you work. And if you don’t work at all, or work from home, you’ll be with Ryan all day, and I don’t like that idea either. At least this way I can keep an eye on you to some extent, and have lunch with you.”

Lexi smiled. “Yes! That’s definitely a bonus.”

“So go on,” I said. “Did you … flash your panties at Evan and his colleagues?”

Lexi fidgeted awkwardly. “A couple of times,” she said. Then she giggled nervously. “It was actually kind of fun, seeing all their eyes snap to my skirt whenever I began moving a knee. I probably crossed and uncrossed my legs a bit more often than was necessary, but nobody complained or even said anything – they just looked, and sometimes they stumbled over what they were saying … which was quite funny! There were three of them – Evan and Josh and Russ – and they were all very nice and polite. And very smart! They clearly knew their product very well and had done their research on our business. Anyway Doug hammered out a deal with them, and he was very pleased with how it went. Afterwards he said I’d been brilliant, and that he’d love to take me on other company visits as I was a great asset!”

“I’m sure,” I said glumly.

“Outside the building, just before we got in the car, he gave me a hug,” Lexi went on, looking a little sheepish. “And he, um, sort of gave my bottom a squeeze. He said I’m a wonderful young woman, and you’re a very lucky man.”

“Indeed I am,” I replied with a frown. “But I do wish people would keep their hands off my fiancée’s butt!”

She nodded. “Then he held the car door for me again as I got in … and he smiled and said, ‘You know, Lexi, those panties just saved the company about five thousand dollars.’ So embarrassing!”

“Jeez!” I said, appalled. Then I grimaced. “Maybe you should have asked him if you can get a cut of that.”

She shivered. “Oh, I couldn’t possibly. But then, as we were driving back, he asked how I felt about wearing such a revealing outfit at work. And I said I didn’t mind doing it, as long as nobody else minded and I didn’t get into trouble for it. And he said, ‘Well you just demonstrated that it’s good for the company, so you’ll hear no complaints from me, and I’ll make sure nobody else gives you any trouble about what you’re wearing. In fact, if you want to wear even shorter skirts than that, feel free! You’ve earned that right today, and it might even help us in future company visits.’”

“Ugh, he just wants to ogle you more,” I grumbled.

“I don’t know,” said Lexi uncomfortably. “It’s possible he’s just recognised a business opportunity and wants to capitalise on it. Anyway I told him I’d think about it, and he said, ‘If you need an extra incentive, how about this: if you come to work tomorrow in an extra-short miniskirt, I’ll treat you and your fiancé to a nice lunch at Horowitz.’”

“Horowitz!” I said, surprised. “That’s pretty upscale – I’ve never been there, but I heard it’s very expensive.”

“You … you think I should do it, then?” Lexi asked nervously. “Wear a really short skirt to work tomorrow?”

I shuddered. “No! I don’t like the idea of Doug turning you into his little piece of personal eye candy. You already look gorgeous, and very sexy – and when you’re seated, you’re showing almost all of your thighs! God knows what an even shorter skirt would look like.”

Lexi nodded, but she did not look convinced. “I … I sort of said thank you, and I’d ask you for your opinion…” she said.

My face fell. “Oh great – so now if you don’t wear a shorter skirt, he’ll blame me? Ugh, that’s all I need.”

“I’m sorry!” she said in dismay. “I didn’t say it to get you into trouble! I just felt quite pressured, and wasn’t sure what to say.”

“It’s fine,” I assured her. “So he’ll be miffed at me for a couple days – I can handle that.”

“Or I could just wear a shorter skirt, and he’ll be happy with both of us,” Lexi suggested tentatively. “And we’d get a nice lunch out of it.”

“At what cost, though?” I asked glumly. Then I raised an eyebrow. “Wouldn’t you feel awfully naked in a shorter skirt than that?” I gestured vaguely through the table. “For years you’ve been wearing nothing but long dresses, today you’re out in public in an outfit so skimpy it would earn you a warning at most companies, maybe even get you sent home … and you’re considering wearing even less tomorrow? Doesn’t the thought of that scare you?”

Lexi giggled nervously. “A bit, yes,” she confessed. “But maybe not as much as you might think – or as much as I would have imagined just a few days ago. I mean, heck Marty, think of what I wore in front of Dwight! And Bryce! This won’t be anything like that bad, right?”

“No,” I conceded, “but the situation is a little different. The people who see you in a skimpy outfit at work … you’ll have to continue to see them, day after day. With Dwight and Bryce, we knew that if things got out of hand, we could just leave and never see them again.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s true,” said Lexi. “But isn’t it also true of work, to some extent? If things get out of hand there, I can just quit.”

“But then I’d have to quit, too,” I said unhappily. “And then we’d both be out of work, with bills to pay.”

“Why would you have to quit?” Lexi asked, puzzled.

“Out of solidarity!” I said. “If Doug – or someone else – did something bad enough to make you quit, then I’d feel obligated to resign in support.”

Lexi smiled. “Silly thing!” she said. “You wouldn’t have to do that. Supporting me would be staying in work, so we can still pay the bills while I look for another job.” She bit her lip. “So if Doug, say, does something bad to me, I know your instinct will be to jump in and save me, and hit him or something … but please don’t. I’d rather you just stay out of it and keep your job. If I need to quit, I’ll quit. I can handle it myself.”

“If you say so,” I said dubiously.

She reached over the table and squeezed my hand. “Promise you won’t attack your boss on my behalf?”

I chuckled. “I promise.”

After lunch we headed back to the office, and I accompanied Lexi to the start of the woodland trail. There, to my displeasure, we encountered Aaron. He grinned at us. “You both walking today?” he asked.

“No, I have to work, as you well know,” I said, feeling annoyed.

Aaron nodded. “Ah well – perhaps I could keep you company again, Lexi?”

“Sure!” said Lexi, sounding not at all concerned by the fact that he had totally taken advantage of her last time.

“I’ll see you later, darling,” I said, and I kissed her on the lips.

“Bye darling,” she said.

I returned to work, and spent the next hour worrying. When Aaron reappeared at his desk, he looked infuriatingly pleased with himself. He grinned at me and gave me a thumbs-up. Now just what did that mean?

Then it occurred to me that I could simply ask Lexi. I had completely forgotten that she had a phone now and I could reach her at any time. I pulled my phone out of my pocket, and texted her.

Me: Hi darling
Me: How was your walk?

She did not immediately reply, or even read the message, and I sighed heavily. I would have to wait after all.

An hour or so later, she replied:

Lexi: Sorry, I didn’t see this! My phone was in my purse. The walk was nice – but Aaron was a little naughty! I’ll tell you about it later – best to have that kind of conversation in person, don’t you think?

I frowned. She was probably right, but now I was itching to know what had happened on the walk, and I would have to wait another couple of hours. I considered confronting Aaron about it, but decided against it; I didn’t trust him to give me an accurate account, and I couldn’t just accuse him of something until I had a better idea of what he had done.

The remainder of the afternoon passed with soul-killing slowness. At five o’clock I took the bus home, and entered the apartment to find Lexi on the couch, wearing just a tank top and her pink panties, and reclining against Ryan, who had his arms around her.

“What the…” I began.

Lexi jumped up excitedly and ran into my arms. “You’re home!” she said happily.

I hugged her, while glaring at Ryan. “What’s going on?” I demanded. “Why did Ryan have his arms around you?”

“Oh, we were just having a bit of sibling cuddle time,” said Lexi. “It was Ryan’s idea, but I kind of like it. It’s nice to have a brother!”

“He’s not your brother!” I said irritably. “And why aren’t you wearing a skirt?”

“Aww, don’t be a grumpy-boots,” she admonished me gently.

“Jeez, Marty,” said Ryan, amused. “If you get your panties in a wad just seeing us cuddle, how are you gonna handle seeing me give her a full-body massage?”

“My panties are not in a wad!” I retorted. “And yes, I haven’t forgotten about the massage – but that doesn’t mean I want to see you cuddling her too!”

“Dude, yesterday you watched me fondle her pussy with my hand in her panties,” Ryan reminded me. “Are you really gonna be this uptight about a simple hug? You’re acting kinda possessive, dude – maybe you’d like Lexi to just lock herself in her room whenever the two of you are apart?”

That actually sounded pretty good to me … and I immediately realised that this instinct was not a healthy one. “Maybe I’m overreacting,” I conceded grudgingly. “It’s just not easy coming home to find my fiancée in the arms of another man.”

“You should have a little faith in Lexi!” said Ryan. “She loves you, dude.”

“I do!” Lexi confirmed. “With all my heart.”

I smiled at her. “I love you too.”

“Speaking of the massage,” said Ryan, “shall we do that now? Or wait until after dinner?”

I grimaced. “After dinner,” I said. “Right now I need a few minutes alone with Lexi.” I looked down at her. “Shall we…?”

She nodded, and we shut ourselves in our bedroom. Lexi sat on the bed, and I joined her, after setting my work bag down by the door.

I took her hand. “So … tell me about your walk today.”

“I will,” she promised. “But first, I just have to get something else off my chest. I got another job!”

I stared at her. “What?”

“The cosplaying job at Futureland!” said Lexi. “They finally got back to me, and they interviewed me over the phone. Ryan helped set it up. He … um … he had me pose for them in my underwear…”

“What??” I said again, increasingly dismayed. “But darling, you have a job already!”

“But it’s only part-time,” Lexi pointed out. “My afternoons are free, and when I told them I couldn’t do mornings, they said that was fine! They want me to work from two until seven, Monday through Thursday.”

I felt rather stunned. “Doing what?”

“Dressing up in costumes,” said Lexi, “posing for photos with people, acting in little sketches … that kind of thing.”

I sighed. Yet another opportunity for creeps and perverts to take advantage of my sweet fiancée. And yet she seemed quite excited at the prospect. “Are you sure you’ll be all right, working at a place like that on your own…?”

“Oh yes,” she assured me. “It’s a theme park! There will be families there. I’ll be quite safe, I’m sure. And darling, think of the extra money I’ll be bringing in!”

I nodded reluctantly. “All right then. How far away is it?”

“It’s only a five-minute bus ride from the office,” she said. “It’s on Route 12, where all the car dealerships are.”

I nodded. “Yeah, I can picture where it is. Well … congratulations, then. And yes, the money will help. Well done, my darling.” I kissed her. “Now, about the walk…”

“Oh yes,” she said. “So, we walked to the lake again, and stopped for a while at the beach. It was another nice day, so I took some photos with my phone … and Aaron encouraged me to go paddling again. I was wearing a short skirt, of course, so I didn’t see the harm in it … but then he suggested I wade out to this big rock, and pose for a photo on top of it – you know, like the Little Mermaid. It was pretty far, and I said I was worried about getting my skirt and panties wet … but he talked me into trying anyway. So I tried … and I got to within a few feet of the rock, but the water was so deep that I was having to hike up my skirt. Aaron said I should just pull it up around my waist, and I said, ‘But then you’ll see my panties!’ And he laughed and said he’d seen them already.”

I scowled.

“And I said, ‘Not these ones!’ And he said, ‘What difference does it make? Are the panties you’re wearing today special somehow?’ And I said ‘No, not really,’ and he said, ‘So go on – pull your skirt up. Or better yet, just take it off – it’ll make for a better photo anyway.’ And I said, ‘I don’t want you taking photos of me in my panties, Aaron!’ And he said, ‘But it won’t be for me. Don’t you think Marty would like to see a nice artistic photo of you posing as the Little Mermaid on that rock? It’ll be a nice gift for him.’ And I said I didn’t think you would appreciate it if you hadn’t taken the photo yourself. But he said that you weren’t there and couldn’t take the photo, so he might as well take it for you. Gosh, Marty, I can’t remember everything he said, exactly, but he was very persuasive! So eventually I came back to the beach and took off my skirt – over my head so as not to get it wet – and then I went back out to the rock.”

I groaned. “Oh Lexi – I do wish you would stop showing your panties to everyone.”

She blushed, and hung her head. “I’m sorry, Marty,” she said. “Do you not want to see the photo?”

“No, I do,” I admitted. “Go on.”

“Anyway, I got to the rock, but my final step was on to a patch of mud, and I sank into it more than I expected … and the water came halfway up my panties.”

“Oh no!” I said, worried about where this story was going.

“The bottom of my blouse got a bit wet too,” she continued ruefully. “I climbed out on to the rock, and posed like Ariel – you know, when the wave crashed behind her?”

“I don’t really remember the movie,” I confessed.

“Oh, well she was on her front, with her tail stretched out behind her, propping herself up on her arms,” said Lexi. “It’s kind of an iconic picture. But Aaron didn’t like it. He said I should pose more like the statue in Copenhagen. It’s more of a sedate pose…”

“I’ve seen photos of the statue,” I said. “She wasn’t wearing a blouse though!”

“Yeah,” said Lexi uncomfortably. “Aaron said that too. He said for the full effect, I should really be topless…”

I suddenly felt a little nauseous. “Please tell me you didn’t…”

“He was very persuasive!” said Lexi defensively. “He said I could drape my hair over my breasts in order to hide my nipples. It’s not long enough for that, unfortunately, but the fact that he suggested it proves that he was more interested in the aesthetic of the photo than in getting a cheap thrill.”

“I don’t think it does…” I said doubtfully.

“And he also pointed out that there was twenty feet of water between us, so he wouldn’t be able to touch me inappropriately without getting his clothes wet.” Lexi bit her lip. “Anyway … I quite liked the idea of doing a Little Mermaid pose for you. So I … I took off my blouse, and posed with my hands covering my breasts.”

I sighed. “Well at least your breasts were covered – I think enough men have seen your bare breasts already. No need to add Aaron to the list.”

Lexi blushed, and looked down at her knees. “Um … he did actually,” she confessed. “After he’d taken one photo, he said I looked a bit awkward with my hands up like that. He said I was a beautiful mermaid, and mermaids aren’t shy of their bodies like humans are. He said I should embrace the role and pose just like the statue. So … I did.”

I groaned, but I looked at the photo as she showed me her phone. “It’s a nice photo,” I admitted. “You’re beautiful. I just don’t like that Aaron got to see you like this.”

“But is it a nice present?” she asked hopefully. “I was doing it for you…”

“It’s a beautiful present,” I assured her. “Thank you. I just wish I’d been the photographer.”

Lexi smiled. “We could always go for a walk instead of having lunch together,” she suggested.

“Then we’d still need to have lunch, and my break would be over,” I pointed out, feeling a little resentful. “And Aaron would probably find a way to have lunch with you instead.” And that made me think. “If he’s spending his lunch hour walking with you, when does he eat…?”

Lexi shrugged. “I don’t know. Anyway, he took a few photos, and then he said I should come back to the beach. And … he said I should take off my panties so they didn’t get any wetter, then I could spread out my blouse and panties on a rock so they could dry out in the sun...”

“That little … ugh!” I exclaimed. “You didn’t fall for that, did you?”

Lexi hung her head. “He promised he wouldn’t look!” she said. “And it seemed like a better idea that putting on wet clothes. He said I could lie down and sunbathe naked, and the sun would dry me off. And he would look the other way, and we could just talk for a bit.”

“Lie down on what?” I demanded incredulously. “The beach? It’s just stones, isn’t it? Not very comfortable, I’d have thought!”

“Aaron was actually very kind – he took off his own clothes and laid them out for me to lie on,” said Lexi in a reassuring tone, as if this news would make me feel better.

“All his clothes?” I inquired nervously.

“No, he kept his underwear on, of course,” she said. “Then he turned his back, as good as his word, and I … I took off my panties and waded back to shore, holding my clothes out of the water. Then I laid them out on a big rock, and lay down on Aaron’s clothes. And he didn’t peek once!”

“That’s good,” I conceded, though I was feeling extremely uncomfortable with the whole idea of my fiancée being naked in Aaron’s company. “So … how long did it take for you and your clothes to dry?”

“A while,” she admitted. “And we were both getting quite cold. There was a breeze coming off the water, you see, which rather negated the warmth of the sun – though it probably helped to dry my clothes faster. So Aaron … he suggested we huddle together for warmth…”

“Oh god,” I groaned, fearing where this story was going. “Don’t you see he manipulated the whole situation?”

“I don’t think so!” Lexi objected. “You’re so cynical! One thing just kind of led to another – I really don’t believe he planned it all out. Anyway I told him I didn’t think that would be appropriate, and he acknowledged that it probably wasn’t. But then he said that keeping me from catching cold was more important than being appropriate … and we could take some precautions to minimise the inappropriateness.”

“For instance?” I asked sceptically.

“Like, me cuddling up to his back instead of being face to face,” said Lexi. “Then my front and his back would be kept warm, and he would remain facing away from me and not seeing anything. That sounded reasonable to me…”

“Except for the part where Aaron gets a cuddle from my naked fiancée!” I protested.

Lexi looked crestfallen and anxious. “You’re right – I should probably have just stayed cold. It’s just that I felt like he was being quite a gentleman…”

“A gentleman!” I echoed.

“Well yes! He was offering to lie down almost naked on bare gravel so that I could use his body for warmth!” said Lexi. “That seemed pretty gentlemanly to me!”

I ground my teeth, feeling frustrated by Lexi’s trusting nature. “Go on,” I said with some difficulty.

“So I snuggled up to his back, so that my front was warm … which was better than nothing, but I still had the breeze on my back. And after a few minutes, Aaron suggested we do it the other way around…”

“Uh-oh,” I said, alarmed at the thought.

“I know what you’re thinking,” said Lexi, “but he was very good about it. Anticipating my objections, he suggested I turn around first, and assured me he would keep his eyes closed when he turned around himself. But as he pointed out, it made more sense to have him warming my back, because I could take care of my front to some extent myself … you know, with my arms.”

After today, I was determined that there should be no more ‘walks’ with Aaron. He was too good at manipulating Lexi, at turning her naïveté to his advantage. “So you turned around…?” I managed stiffly.

“Yes,” she said. “And he put his arm around my waist. I thought about objecting, but he wasn’t going for my breast, so it seemed like he was just trying to help me stay warm. And his torso did feel nice against my cold back. My main concern was the thing I could feel poking against my, um, you know … between my legs…”

I gasped. “His cock was out?”

Lexi bit her lip, blushing. “Apparently so. Of course when I realised this – or at least suspected it – I immediately said, ‘Aaron! Is that your thing I can feel?’ And he was extremely apologetic – he said, ‘I’m so sorry, Lexi, it’s an involuntary response. I’m doing my best to remain objective here and just focus on keeping you warm, but there’s a part of my brain that knows I have a beautiful naked woman in my arms, and unfortunately that’s the part that’s wired to my nether regions. If you could just ignore it, and try not to move, hopefully it’ll subside by itself.’ And I said, ‘I appreciate your honesty, and I understand you can’t help that … but why is it out of your underwear?’ And he said, ‘Oh, well it has a tendency to pop out when it gets erect.’ I … I sort of took his word for that, but … is that realistic?”

“No!” I snapped. “No it’s not realistic! Clearly he took it out before turning around, because he wanted to put it inside you!”

“Oh,” said Lexi, in a subdued tone. “So yours … never pops out when it … grows?”

I pursed my lips, wanting to insist that this was impossible. But I could not bring myself to lie. “Okay, it’s not unheard-of,” I admitted. “But it’s also not something that happens without the guy noticing. He would have known when it happened, and he should have tucked it back in!”

“Okay, so he didn’t lie,” said Lexi in relief. “Darling, he couldn’t really tuck it back in with one arm pinned beneath him and the other around my waist, and his body pressed up against mine. Anyway I decided to trust him and follow his advice, and just keep still. But his thingy didn’t get any smaller or softer – quite the reverse in fact. It seemed to be pushing more and more firmly against me, and I started to get worried it was going to find … you know … my hole. So I said, ‘Aaron, this is making me nervous.’ And he said, ‘I know exactly what you mean, Lexi. The last thing I want is for my … cock … to go somewhere it shouldn’t. You’re a wonderful woman and I like you very much, and I would hate to betray your trust like that, even accidentally. Could you perhaps reach down between your legs, and grab my, um, cock … and hold on to it so that it doesn’t go anywhere naughty?’”

“Jesus Christ!” I exclaimed. “Please tell me you didn’t…”

“Well I wasn’t going to,” said Lexi uncomfortably, “but then it slipped a bit, and it was in a very dangerous place, and I sort of panicked … and I quickly reached down, between my legs, and I grabbed it…”

I groaned. “The first time you touch a cock, and it’s not even mine!”

“I know,” said Lexi unhappily. “I’m sorry, Marty! I really am. But my biggest priority in that moment was to protect my, um, vagina.”

“So what happened next?” I asked bitterly. “Did he talk you into giving him a hand-job?”

Lexi looked shocked. “Of course not!” she said. “Don’t be silly. I just held it in place so it wouldn’t go … inside. And we stayed like that for about five minutes, until Aaron could apparently no longer resist the temptation to grab my right breast…”

“Ugh!” I growled. I was annoyed, but not really surprised. What man in his right mind (assuming he was straight) would refrain from grabbing the breast of a beautiful naked woman in his arms? Aaron had held out for ten minutes, which was actually quite impressive.

Lexi sighed. “I told him off, and he apologised, but he kept fondling it while he told me how nice it felt. But after a while I decided it probably wasn’t a good idea to let him continue having fun like that, and I said I was going to get dressed. He kindly turned away from me, and I put my clothes on. My panties were still quite damp, but my blouse was almost dry, and of course my skirt and shoes were fine. Aaron and I finished our walk, and then I took the bus home. And that’s when Ryan told me the good news about Futureland.”

Relieved that the Aaron story was over, I exhaled, and felt some tension leave my shoulders. Then I raised an eyebrow. “How did Ryan know about it before you?”

“Oh, we used his computer to set up my email address,” said Lexi. “He’s been checking my inbox for responses to my job applications.”

“It doesn’t bother you that he has access to your email?” I inquired uneasily.

“Why should it?” she asked in surprise. “I’m not using it for anything personal. I have another email address on my phone, thanks to you – that’s what I’ll be using for most things, I imagine.”

I nodded. “Okay. So … you called Futureland for an interview?”

“Yes! Well, first I changed out of my damp clothes and into this outfit, and then I called Harley, the man who’d sent the email. He was very nice, and he asked when I would be available to do a video call. I said I didn’t know how to do that but I would ask my friend Ryan, and I was free anytime this afternoon. And he said he would send me a link to the call, and I would just need to click it on a computer with a camera. I said okay, and he hung up, and I went to Ryan to ask for his help. He set up his laptop on the kitchen table, and said we were good to go. I asked his advice on what to wear for the call, and he said I was fine as I was. He said they would only see me from the waist up, so they wouldn’t know I didn’t have a skirt on. And he said I look amazing in a tank top, and there isn’t a man on the planet who would refuse me a job after seeing me in one. His words!”

“He’s probably not wrong,” I admitted. “But I guess Harley got to see your panties anyway…?”

“Well, yes, Harley and another guy, Bo – they asked me a few questions about myself and why I wanted to work there, and then they asked if I could stand up so they could get a better look at me. I got a bit flustered and confessed I was only wearing panties on my bottom half … and they said that was fine! They said they were going to ask me to pose in my underwear anyway, so they could get an idea of my body type and how I would look in various costumes. I was a little embarrassed … but, knowing how men love to see my panties, I figured it wasn’t going to hurt my chances of getting the job. So I stood up, moved the chair out of the way, and posed for them … and they were very complimentary!”

“I’ll bet they were,” I grumbled.

“Then they asked me if I could take the top off, and pose in my bra and panties,” Lexi continued. “And of course I had to tell them I wasn’t wearing a bra … and Harley said, ‘Oh! Well perhaps you can just cover your boobs with your hands.’ So … I went off camera, took off my top, and came back with my hands covering my breasts.”

“Oh God!” I groaned. “So you posed for these guys in just your panties? No wonder you got the job!”

Lexi giggled. “They did seem to think very highly of me! They said I was gorgeous, and would be a wonderful addition to their team. That’s when I said I could only work afternoons. They did seem a little disappointed, but they said it was no problem and I could just work four hours a day, five days a week … or if I preferred, five hours a day, four days a week. I thought the second option sounded best, and I asked if I could do Monday through Thursday, so I could have my Friday afternoons free. They said that was fine. So that’s it! I’m fully employed, working forty hours a week!”

“Congratulations,” I said with a smile. “How much does it pay?”

“Not much,” she admitted. “Because the cosplayers get tips. It’s four-fifty an hour…”

“Four-fifty??” I exclaimed in disgust.

“Plus tips!” she said. “They said if I’m willing to show some skin, I’m likely to get pretty big tips from the dads. And, well, I seem to be getting quite accustomed to showing some skin!”

“Yeah,” I said unhappily.

Her face fell. “You don’t like that, do you?”

I sighed. “It just makes me a little uneasy,” I said. “I love that you’re discovering a newfound sense of freedom and everything … but I worry about men taking advantage of you. It’s beginning to happen quite a lot!”

“Yeah,” she conceded sheepishly. “In hindsight, now that I look back on my walk with Aaron, he did manage to get me naked and put his thingy … his cock … between my legs. That’s pretty outrageous when you think about it!”

“Exactly!” I agreed.

“I’m still not sure he intended it, or planned it in advance,” she went on thoughtfully. “But I guess he saw his opportunity to get me naked and grope me, and went for it.”

“Yeah,” I said, relieved that she was seeing through Aaron’s ‘gentleman’ act at last. “So maybe you shouldn’t go for any more walks with him...”

She giggled. “Oh, I really don’t want to give up my walks,” she said. “I enjoy walking in those woods! And I can’t really stop Aaron from taking his walks at the same time. But I’ll certainly be more on my guard next time, if he comes along again. I won’t let him talk me into snuggling with him naked, that’s for sure!”

“Okay,” I said dubiously. “If you’re sure…”

“Yes, I’m sure,” she said, patting my hand. “Don’t you worry about me, Marty. I can take care of myself. Anyway, enough about my day; how was yours?”

We conversed for a few more minutes, and then Lexi went to the kitchen to make dinner. Drake arrived home not long afterward, and the four of us sat down to eat.

“How was your day, Drake?” Lexi asked.

“It was good,” he acknowledged. “Started coaching this real skinny white guy who’s looking to stand up to some bullies. I asked him why not take a martial arts class, and he said he’s planning on doing that too, but he wants to get strong first. Poor guy can only bench fifty pounds right now, but I’ll get him in shape. I like having a blank canvas to work on. Just like you, Lexi – when you coming back to the gym?”

Lexi shrugged, smiling sheepishly. “I don’t know … I’m working full-time now so my days will be pretty full. Except for Friday afternoons. Is the gym open in the evening?”

“Absolutely!” said Drake. “When do you think most people have time to work out? We’re open until 10pm most days. You want to go this evening, after your massage?”

“Hmm, I wish I could,” said Lexi, “but I have a little sewing job I need to get done. Maybe tomorrow evening?”

“What sewing job?” I inquired.

“Um, I need to shorten one of my skirts for tomorrow,” said Lexi.

“Oh,” I said with a grimace. “Right.”

“Oh yeah?” Drake inquired with a grin. “Why’s that?”

“Just to keep the boss happy,” I replied, hoping Lexi wouldn’t launch into a fully-detailed account of her outing with Doug.

“My legs seem to have a distracting effect on men during financial negotiations,” she added cheerfully.

“Not just your legs, I’m guessing,” said Drake.

“Yes, my breasts too,” Lexi agreed. “Fortunately he didn’t ask me to wear skimpier tops!”

“That’ll come next, I’m guessing,” Ryan remarked.

“I hope not!” I said with a shudder. “Lexi’s alarmingly underdressed as it is.”

“Yes!” she agreed.

After dinner I washed the dishes, while Drake dried. Then, having drained the sink, I went through to the living room, where Ryan and Lexi were just getting up from the couch.

“Massage time!” said Ryan, rubbing his hands together in gleeful anticipation. “Let’s do it in my room; I’ve got everything set up.”

“Ugh,” I muttered. I had been dreading this. Deep down I feared that the massage I had given Lexi yesterday was not even up to the standard of Ryan’s first massage, let alone his second … and unless he somehow screwed up today, he was almost certain to earn his title of Lexi’s Official Masseur.

“You going to come and watch, Marty?” asked Ryan, with an infuriating grin.

“Yeah,” I responded reluctantly. “If only to make sure you don’t overstep your boundaries.”

He smirked, then led us both into his bedroom, where he started some music playing on his phone. It was not Ave Maria, but it was something else classical – an orchestral piece that sounded vaguely familiar. “Copying my ideas, huh?” I inquired.

“Why not?” he replied. “It was a good idea. Now Lexi, how about you slip out of those clothes and lie down on your front?”

I did not like the sound of ‘those clothes’. “Panties stay on,” I said firmly.

Ryan raised an eyebrow. “Marty, I’m going to give Lexi a full-body massage. You knew this – we agreed to it. Full-body means the whole body – including her ass and pussy. There’s absolutely no point in her keeping her panties on; they’ll just be in the way. I thought you understood that she would need to be naked for this.”

“I understood no such thing!” I said indignantly. “And I certainly didn’t agree you could massage her pussy!”

“Marty, what did you think ‘full-body’ meant?” Ryan asked patiently. “You had your opportunity to go all-out in your own massage; now it’s my turn. Need I remind you that per our original agreement, I didn’t have to give you a second chance at all. You talked me into it, but you understood that we were both going to pull out all the stops in order to give Lexi the best massage possible. You had your shot; now it’s my turn. And I’m not going to have you directing the action from the back seat! This is my show, and if you’re going to call out objections every couple of minutes, then frankly I’d rather you just leave the room.”

“But she’s my fiancée!” I protested. “I’m the only one who should be touching her pussy!”

“What about her doctor?” Ryan asked calmly.

“Well … that’s different!” I said.

“Actually, even my doctor’s never touched me there,” Lexi remarked, her cheeks looking quite pink.

“He hasn’t?” Ryan inquired in surprise. “What about your gynaecologist?”

Lexi shivered. “I’ve never been to one of those.”

“You should,” Ryan said. “When was the last time you saw your regular doctor?”

“Um … five years ago?” Lexi guessed. “She retired soon after that.”

“Oh goodness, we should get you another doctor,” I said firmly. “I’ll look into that tomorrow.”

“Good luck,” said Ryan. “I hear there’s a shortage; most doctors, if not all, aren’t taking on new patients right now.”

“Oh dear!” said Lexi in concern.

“We’ll try mine,” I said. “The fact that you’re my fiancée should help. But never mind that for now – what about this massage? I’m still not happy about the idea of…”

“Marty, I already massaged Lexi’s pussy once,” Ryan said smoothly. “Remember? And she enjoyed it. I described the health benefits at the time. Now, I’m happy to turn around while Lexi gets undressed and into position – as pointless as that will be – but she really does need to be naked for this. Anyway, once again you keep on speaking for Lexi, like she doesn’t have a say in the matter. Perhaps you could just be quiet, and let Lexi accept or refuse on her own behalf?”

“All right all right,” I grumbled, embarrassed to have been caught making decisions for Lexi again. I hoped she would have the decency and the sense of loyalty to refuse the pussy massage.

“Thank you!” said Ryan. “Now, Lexi, since Marty’s made his feelings abundantly clear, I’m sure you’re planning to decline that part of the massage out of a sense of duty and loyalty to your fiancé. But I also think you’re probably feeling conflicted about it. So I’m going to ask you to postpone making that decision until we get to that point. Then, if you don’t want me to continue, you can say so. Does that sound fair?”

Lexi bit her lip. “I guess so…”

Ryan smiled. “Okay – so off with the top and panties, and we’ll get started.”

“Can’t she keep her panties on until she’s decided?” I inquired pointedly.

“Marty!” said Ryan in exasperation. “Either shut up or get out. If you keep interfering, this is going to be a disaster – which is possibly your plan, but I’m not gonna let you do that.”

“It’s not my plan!” I objected. “Fine! I’ll shut up.”

“If you leave your panties on, Lexi, it’ll bias your decision later,” said Ryan. Plus your legs and ass will already be oily. Being fully naked will keep our options open. But like I said, I’m happy to turn around while you undress and get into position.”

“Um, okay…” said Lexi, and I groaned as Ryan turned his back on her, his delight evident all over his stupid face.

Not taking any chances, Lexi turned towards the far wall, thus preventing not only Ryan, if he turned around suddenly, but also myself, from seeing her naked pussy. She pulled her top off, then tugged her panties down and stepped out of them, before climbing quickly on to the bed. I got a good look at her bare bottom, but nothing else, by the time she lay down on her front.

“Okay, I’m ready,” she said.

Ryan turned around, now holding a bottle of massage oil. I watched grumpily as he climbed on to the bed, knelt astride Lexi’s legs, then oiled up his hands. He began applying the oil to her upper back and shoulders, and she sighed contentedly.

The massage progressed much like the last one he had given her: after doing her upper back, he moved on to her arms, spending time on her hands and even her individual fingers, before massaging her lower back and bottom. I had to lean to my right in order to see exactly what he was doing; I feared he would try something naughty.

And so he did. Having liberally applied oil to her bottom, he used both of his hands to knead her left buttock, while letting the little finger of his right hand slip down deep into the central cleft, possibly even grazing her anus in the process. Her little squeal seemed to confirm this, and I clenched my fists. “Watch where your fingers are going, Ryan!” I snapped.

“No need to get tetchy, Marty,” said Ryan calmly. “So I touched her asshole – big deal! Is that worse than touching her pussy? I don’t think so.”

I was about to say more, but he abruptly climbed off her, and moved down to her feet. Relieved, I closed my mouth and merely watched, as he thoroughly oiled up and then massaged the toes, heel, arch and ball of each foot. Then her ankles, calves, thighs … and at this point I gritted my teeth, bracing for the inevitable.

But he surprised me. “Okay, turn over,” he said.

“She doesn’t need to turn over and show you everything,” I said irritably. “Even if she lets you massage her pussy, you can do that while she’s on her front.”

“Marty, this is a full-body massage,” said Ryan patiently. “You know how many muscles are on the front of your body? You’ve got your pecs, abs, quadruceps, tibialis anterior … and I’ll be massaging her breasts, too, as well as her pussy, which will be a lot easier if she’s on her back. So please, will you stop interfering? Next outburst, and you’re out of here, I swear.”

I subsided into an unhappy silence. I knew he was right, of course – obviously there were lots of muscles on the front of the body. I had never heard of the tibialis whatever, but judging by the name I guessed it was the long vertical muscle next to the shinbone.

Ryan patted my fiancée’s bottom. “Go on, Lexi – turn over please.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Lexi turned herself over … but she kept one hand over her pussy, which gave me a small measure of comfort.

“You’ll have to move that eventually,” Ryan remarked with a smile, “but you’re fine for now.” He then oiled up her upper chest, sat astride her again, and resumed the massage.

It was not long before he had worked his way down to her breasts. Having slathered them with oil, he massaged them with slow, sensuous movements, grasping as much flesh as he could within his hands, and both squeezing and caressing the twin orbs while Lexi bit her lip and arched her back, her eyes closed.

I almost said “All right, that’s enough!” after about a minute of this, but I stopped myself in time; I did not want to get kicked out of the room just yet. There might be a more pressing need to intervene later.

After another minute, during which Ryan paid infuriating and unnecessary attention to Lexi’s nipples – rubbing them and gently pinching them between finger and thumb – he finally moved down to her belly. Her right arm was a little in the way, but she lifted it away from her abdomen so he could massage around and beneath it. I was convinced, knowing how ticklish she was, that she would burst into a fit of giggles … but she did not. Somehow Ryan was managing to avoid triggering that response. I wished I knew his secret; I felt sure that if I tried the same massage, Lexi’s giggling and writhing would make it impossible.

My anxiety was mounting as he reached her wrist, fearing he would now move her hand out of the way … but he stopped, climbed off her again, and began working on her shins. Her knees followed, then her thighs … and I steeled myself with a sense of dread in the pit of my stomach. Only one body part remained. Lexi knew this too – she was visibly trembling in anticipation. Her whole body was flushed with arousal, and she was breathing heavily.

“And now it’s decision time,” said Ryan. “Marty, I don’t want to hear a word out of you. Lexi, I’ve already massaged your pussy once, so this won’t be anything new – except that this time I’m going to go all out, to give you the absolute best massage experience you’ve ever had. It’s the culmination of the full-body massage; the final piece of the puzzle. I know you want to decline it, for Marty’s sake, but trust me, he’ll get over it. The two of you are crazy about each other, and this won’t change that. What it’ll do is give you all the information about what I can do as your masseur, so that when you come to decide which of us will get that job, I won’t feel like I could or should have done more. Marty had his chance to give you the best massage possible; I want the same opportunity. If you let me do this, that doesn’t mean you’re obliged to choose me as your masseur; it just means you’ll be able to make a fully-informed choice. And you won’t feel that sense of frustration from having had an incomplete massage. Now, I’m not going to put pressure on you by making you give me explicit permission; I’m just going to proceed, and you can stop me if you really want to. Once I begin massaging your pussy, of course, the line will have been crossed and I might as well continue. First, I’m going to move your hand out of the way.” He grasped Lexi’s wrist as he said this, and lifted it away from her pussy.

I craned my neck to see, but Ryan was standing in the way, and I growled in annoyance. Now he had seen her pussy, and I still had not. “You’re blocking my view, Ryan.” I said testily.

“Oh, sorry,” he said, climbing over Lexi and kneeling on her other side, with his right hand now cupping her pussy. I still had not seen it, and now I had to watch him touching it. It was maddening!

Lexi’s hips began to undulate as Ryan’s fingers slowly slid around her most intimate area, and my vision started to cloud. This felt like a dream … no, a nightmare … in which I sat helpless to prevent my beloved fiancée from getting molested by my best friend. How had this happened? Why had I not stopped him? Why had Lexi not stopped him?

He was too smooth a talker, that’s why. He had first insisted that it was Lexi’s choice, then he had spoken to her like he was going to let her decide, and finally he had given her almost no opportunity to make a decision. He had sailed right past the moment before she realised it had come and gone. And now he was slowly, sensuously, lovingly almost, massaging her oily pussy with confident fingers … and Lexi seemed to be loving it. I let out a quiet whimper of unhappiness.

As her arousal grew, Lexi’s movements became more pronounced. Her hips undulated with increasing amplitude, her hands were clenching handfuls of Ryan’s comforter, her toes curled and uncurled, and her legs bent as her knees rose off the bed.

“Ohhh … ohhhh!” she gasped, arching her back and grinding her pussy against Ryan’s hand. He was rubbing her faster now, his middle finger buried in the cleft between her smooth, oily labia, which I could finally see, sandwiched between that finger and those either side.

She was obviously nearing her climax, and I felt powerless to prevent it. Well … not powerless exactly … more like the consequences of stopping this would be worse than letting it play out. I knew only too well the frustration of being interrupted while masturbating, seconds before orgasm, and I had no wish to incur the inevitable resentment that such an interruption would cause. Ryan was going to give my fiancée an orgasm, and I was going to have to let him.

“Aaahhh … AAAHHHHHHH!!!” cried Lexi, her whole body stiffening and her knees parting wide. To my horror, Ryan’s middle finger slid downward and curled inward, slipping inside Lexi’s vagina and then rapidly vibrating as Lexi’s pelvis bucked and shuddered.

“Hey!” I protested, jumping to my feet.

But I doubt Ryan and Lexi even heard me, so lost were both of them in the moment. Lexi was writhing in ecstasy, and moaning so loudly that I almost expected Drake to burst in and ask if she was okay. But he wouldn’t do that, of course; he knew these sounds only too well.

Ryan, meanwhile, was mercilessly pistoning his finger in and out of Lexi’s vagina, keeping her orgasm going for as long as he could. I stared, horrorstruck, my mouth agape, not daring to interfere, but gradually building my resolve to beat the crap out of Ryan at the earliest opportunity.

Finally, he pulled out his finger, and Lexi collapsed into a limp state, panting heavily and apparently unselfconscious about the fact that she was naked, her legs were spread, and her shaven pussy was fully on display. Ryan quickly grabbed a tissue and wiped his finger clean, but not before I had noticed a streak of red on it.

“Was that blood?” I demanded in disbelief.

“Yeah,” he replied apologetically. “Her hymen must have broken, I guess.”

“You … you asshole!” I exclaimed. “I never said you could put your finger in her … and neither did she! And now you’ve … you’ve taken her virginity!”

“No I haven’t!” he retorted. “Hymens break for all sorts of reasons. Riding a bike can do it. She’s a virgin until she has sex, which hasn’t happened yet as far as I’m aware. As for the finger … well, it just seemed like the thing to do – to send her over the edge and give her the best orgasm.”

“But you…” I began hotly.

“Marty, can we do this later?” Ryan suggested, interrupting me. “Let’s not ruin the experience for Lexi. You know she hates conflict.”

I ground my teeth. I did not really care about ruining the experience – I had an interest in Lexi not enjoying it – but the fact was that Ryan’s part in it was over, and it had gone swimmingly. If her experience got ruined now, it would be entirely my fault, and Lexi would know it. So I clamped my jaws shut, and nodded.

“So, Lexi,” said Ryan, an impish grin on his face. “Which massage was better? Mine, or Marty’s?”

Lexi opened her eyes, and propped herself up on her elbows. Suddenly embarrassed at how indecently she was displaying herself, she closed her legs. “Um,” she said sheepishly, “well, I’m not sure that’s a fair question. You crossed a boundary that Marty and I hadn’t yet crossed ourselves, so you kind of cheated and gave yourself an unfair advantage.”

“I don’t see how it counts as cheating,” said Ryan. “I didn’t break any rules that we’d agreed to beforehand. It’s not my fault that Marty didn’t finger you to a climax. He could have done. Speaking for myself, I went all out because I wanted to give you the absolute best massage possible. I didn’t do anything Marty couldn’t have done himself, if he was motivated enough. I spent hours on research. How much time did Marty spend? Ten minutes?”

“Much longer than that!” I objected, but I felt myself blushing in embarrassment: he was not all that far from the mark. I had not done nearly as much research as I ought to have done. In my defence, though, Ryan by his own admission typically spent about two hours a day working, and the rest of the time playing games. He had more time to spend on research than I did.

“Go on, Lexi,” said Ryan. “Sit up, stand up, stretch, move around – and tell me how your body feels. Giving you an orgasm was a bonus, but the real point of the massage was to take away your backache and generally get you feeling good all over. I want to see if I accomplished that.”

Lexi sat up, arched her back experimentally, then she turned and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Standing up, she raised her arms and leaned over to her left, then to her right. Then she smiled. “I feel amazing!” she admitted. “No back pain at all! Thank you Ryan, you did a wonderful job.”

“I guess that’s it, then,” I said bitterly. “You get to be Lexi’s official masseur, Ryan.”

Ryan grinned, and Lexi looked at me unhappily. “I’m so sorry, Marty! I wish it had been you.”

“It’s my own fault,” I said mournfully. “Ryan’s right; I didn’t do enough research. I just assumed I could do as good a job as he did, and I was very wrong about that. But … could I have another chance, maybe…?”

“You already had another chance,” said Ryan.

“But he’s my fiancé!” said Lexi. “Please, Ryan? You can be my official masseur for now, but nobody said it had to be permanent. Could he not, um, reapply for the job after a certain period?”

“Hmm,” said Ryan, looking slightly disgruntled. “Well, as I recall, what Marty agreed to was that if I won, I would be your official masseur ‘from now on’. That sounds pretty permanent to me. But you’re my friends, so I don’t feel I can say no to such a request. Fine. Marty can have one more chance to prove he can massage you as well as I can. But I’m not sure how he’ll give you that good of a massage without touching your pussy. He can’t do that until you’re married, right?”

“Oh shit!” I groaned.

“That’s true,” said Lexi regretfully. “I guess … Marty, maybe you should wait until our honeymoon before you try again.”

“I guess so,” I said glumly. I knew my massage could not possibly compete with Ryan’s if I were not allowed to finger her to orgasm, as he had.

“Until then, Lexi, I’ll be your official masseur,” said Ryan happily. “And I’ll take that responsibility seriously; I’ll give you a damn good massage every single day.”

“Oh gosh,” said Lexi, her eyes widening. She shivered slightly.

I was beyond depressed. Somehow Lexi and I had given Ryan licence to touch her naked body all over, every day, and give her orgasms – while I (only the fiancé!) was not allowed to touch her pussy even through her clothing. “We have to get married ASAP!” I said urgently.

Lexi giggled. “Okay!” she said.

I glanced down at her naked pussy. “Now maybe you can put your clothes back on.”

“I dare you to stay naked for the rest of the evening, Lexi,” said Ryan, grinning.

“We’re not playing Truth or Dare, Ryan!” I exclaimed, as Lexi picked up her panties and stepped into them.

“We should, though,” he remarked, his gaze now fixed on Lexi’s breasts. “Our last game was a lot of fun. We should totally do it again.”

“Fun for you!” I replied irritably. “And for Drake.”

“And for Lexi,” said Ryan. “She enjoyed it – didn’t you, Lexi?”

“Yeah,” she admitted. “Mostly. But you and Drake took it a little far.”

Ryan smirked. “That’s the point of the game. To be a little naughty, a little transgressive. Making straight men kiss each other, making non-couples fool around, getting a little drunk, lowering your inhibitions, showing body parts you wouldn’t normally dare show – that kind of thing.”

“Yes, I know how it works!” said Lexi. “I got quite a schooling last time. And yes, it was fun, even though it was embarrassing at the same time. But it was also quite difficult for Marty, and I don’t want to put him through that again.”

“Thank you,” I said.

“Marty doesn’t have to play,” Ryan suggested. “It can be me, you, and Drake.”

“I think not!” I retorted. “Come on, Lexi, let’s get out of here.”

Lexi pulled her top back on, and we left Ryan’s room and went to ours. “I need to shorten one of my skirts for tomorrow,” she said.

“Oh, right,” I said, without enthusiasm. “How long will that take? I was hoping we might play a little Minecraft…”

“About an hour, probably,” said Lexi apologetically. “If I had Mom’s sewing machine here, I could do it in ten minutes. But I’ll have to do it by hand.”

“Okay,” I said, nodding.

“But after that, I’d love to play some Minecraft with you!” she continued brightly. “In the meantime, want to keep me company while I sew?”

“Sure,” I said. As she got to work, I watched her in silence for a couple of minutes, but I barely paid attention to what she was doing. I could not help reliving in my head the massage Ryan had given her. “So,” I said. “I guess Ryan’s going to be giving you more orgasmic massages over the next few days and weeks, huh?”

Lexi bit her lip, and blushed. “I guess so,” she said, and she seemed to shiver at the thought. “I’m sorry, Marty. I really wish he hadn’t done as good a job as you did. Your massage was lovely, it really was. But you were more of a gentleman; you weren’t to know he was going to take his massage so far.”

I stared at her. Her capacity to sugarcoat my abject failure was incredible. “You’re not … mad at me?” I asked her. “Or disappointed in me? For losing the massage contest? I feel like I failed you badly.”

“Oh, no!” said Lexi earnestly. “I know you did your best, my darling. I had no expectations of you being a great masseur or anything – that’s not why I fell in love with you. Ryan turned out to have a real talent for it, and a fierce drive to achieve perfection in the art – I was impressed that you were willing to try to do the same, and I’d have been overjoyed if you’d done that, but what matters most is that you tried. I couldn’t ask any more from you. You’re the best fiancé I could hope for!”

I smiled happily. She had a way of bringing me out of the deepest funk, and banishing my negative feelings about myself. “I love you, Lexi, so much!”

“I love you too, Marty!” she said happily. Then she giggled. “I’m so glad we’re sleeping together now; it makes me excited at the thought of going to bed!”

I grinned. “Me too!” I agreed. “And I can’t wait until we’re married and can do more than just sleep.”

Lexi giggled. “Oh, me too! While Ryan was putting his finger in me, I was imagining it was your penis, and that you were on top of me, thrusting and thrusting…”

“Jeez!” I said, my eyes wide. “Well my cock will feel a lot thicker than Ryan’s finger, I should warn you!”

Lexi shivered all over. “I know – I can’t wait!” she said excitedly. “Gosh … I so want to take off my panties right now, and lie back on the bed, and feel you entering me…”

I was as hard as a rock by now. “Wow,” I gasped. “We REALLY have to get married!”

“I know!” said Lexi. “Don’t worry, though – I’ll talk to Pastor John on Wednesday, and I’ll use all my charm to persuade him to marry us as soon as humanly possible. Even if it’s just him and you and me, with no proper service or anything. I don’t need a big wedding. I just want us to be married, so we can start having sex!”

“I … I think I need a cold shower!” I stuttered.

She giggled. “I think I do too!” She sighed. “Tonight’s going to be hard. Being next to you, but not able to snuggle too close in case we break our oath. I want so desperately to be intimate with you, Marty!”

“I do too,” I said fervently. “But we managed last night; we can manage again tonight. But perhaps we should change the subject, so I can stop thinking about having sex with you, and get rid of this boner.”

She looked curiously at the front of my shorts. “Okay,” she said. “But, you know, you’ve seen my pussy now … could I maybe see your … penis?”

I hesitated, but not for long. My cock was still hard; right now it would look as good as it ever did. “Okay,” I said.

I pulled my shorts down, along with my underwear, then stood up straight, my cock pointing directly at Lexi’s head. I turned, so that she could see it from the side.

She stared at it. “Wow…” she said. “Thank you, Marty. It looks so … nice! I just want to grab it and hold it.”

“Don’t do that,” I cautioned her. “But I’m glad you like it!”

“How, um … how many inches is it…?” she asked curiously.

“About … five inches,” I said. “The average is five to six inches, so I’m pretty normal in that regard. Why do you ask?”

Lexi blushed. “Ryan told me how big his was, so I … I was just curious…”

I pulled my underwear and shorts back up. “Oh?” I said uncomfortably. “And how big is his?”

She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter,” she said. “He was probably exaggerating anyway.”

“How big did he claim it was?” I pressed her.

“Um, six and a half,” she said apologetically. “Personally I think that sounds too big…”

“Yeah,” I agreed, trying to hide my disappointment. Maybe he was exaggerating; maybe not. But now it seemed likely that I did indeed have the smallest cock of the three of us – which sucked enormously. “Anyway, as Yoda said, ‘Size matters not. What you do with it, is what counts.’”

Lexi giggled. “I remember that quote a little differently,” she said. “But I’m sure you’re right.” She looked down at the skirt she was working on. “Okay, I need to concentrate.”

I let her work in silence for a few minutes, but I soon got bored. “Maybe I’ll go and do a bit more mining…”

She looked up. “Oh! Sure. Yes, I’ll see you in a bit.”

“Okay,” I said, relieved. I left the room, but found Ryan and Drake watching some reality show on Netflix. I sat down and watched it with them until the end of the episode, then I asked if they would mind giving me and Lexi some Minecraft time. They didn’t mind, so I fired up the game and resumed my search for lapis lazuli.

About forty minutes later, Lexi emerged from our bedroom, wearing possibly the shortest skirt I had ever seen. “Whoa!” I exclaimed. “That’s … short!”

Drake appeared, having apparently heard me from his room. “Wow, Lexi!” he said, clearly impressed. “Great job – looks like it was made that way. Hey Ryan, get your ass out here!”

Ryan hurried in from his own room. “Oh, very sexy!” he approved. “You’ll turn every head in the office!”

Lexi giggled. “It’s actually a little shorter than I intended it to be. My first cut was … problematic. But do you think Doug will approve, Marty? I hope he won’t say it’s too short…”

“It IS too short, frankly,” I said unhappily. “But I’m guessing Doug will like it very much. As, no doubt, will Combover Colin.”

“Turn around,” said Ryan. “Let’s see how it looks from the back.”

Lexi turned her back on us, and then looked back over her shoulder to gauge our reactions.

“Well it covers your ass, at least!” Ryan observed.

“Just!” Drake added.

“I made sure it did!” said Lexi. “I didn’t want my bottom hanging out!”

“Just don’t bend over to pick anything up,” I warned her. “Jeez, you didn’t leave much margin for error!”

“Let’s see how far you can bend over before your ass starts showing,” Ryan suggested. “Then you’ll know what you can and can’t get away with doing.”

“That’s a good idea,” said Lexi.

“Ugh, he just wants to see your panties,” I grumbled.

“Of course!” Ryan admitted with a grin. “But it’s not like we haven’t all seen plenty of them already. And it will be useful info for her.”

“I guess so,” I acknowledged grudgingly.

Lexi turned her head away from us, then bent forward slightly. “How’s this?”

Her upper body had bent forward a little, but her lower back had barely moved. “That’s fine,” I said. “Nothing showing.”

“Lookin’ good though!” Drake remarked.

Lexi turned her head, smiled, and then bent forward a little more. “How about now?”

“Still not showing anything,” I reported. Her lower back was now inclined too, but only slightly.

“And now?” Lexi asked.

“I see buttock!” said Ryan, taking a photo with his phone.

“Ryan!” I complained.

“What?” he asked innocently. “It’ll be helpful for her to review the pics afterwards, so she knows what other people will be seeing when she bends over.”

“Keep going, Lexi,” Drake encouraged her. “Let’s see at what point those panties start showing.”

Lexi giggled, and bent over still further.

“We got panties!” Ryan cried jubilantly, before taking another photo.

“Dude,” I muttered.

“Keep it going,” said Drake. “So you’ll know just how much of your butt you’re showing at each amount of … of bend.”

I scowled as Lexi bent over further and further, Ryan taking photo after photo, until she was touching her toes with her fingertips. By now her panties were very much on display, her impractically tiny skirt covering little more than half of her round and shapely bottom.

“All right, that’s plenty of photos now,” I said, disgruntled. “I think it’s obvious that you should avoid bending over at all, Lexi, while at the office. Which should be manageable; just try not to drop anything. And if you do happen to drop something, crouch to pick it up.”

“But where’s the fun in that?” Ryan inquired impishly. “Like it or not, Lexi’s embracing her sexy side, and the men in your office, I guarantee it, have all noticed her and think she’s super hot. Not one of them is going to complain if she bends over and flashes her panties.”

“The women might, though!” I countered. “It’ll just take one to make a complaint to HR about how she’s sexualising the office space, and then not even Doug can protect her.”

“I don’t know, dude,” said Ryan. “If her sexiness is really saving the company money, that’s a powerful reason for management to brush aside a complaint like that.”

“I don’t want anyone to complain about me!” said Lexi anxiously. “But … if there WAS a complaint, wouldn’t Doug just ask me to go back to wearing longer skirts, instead of firing me?”

“You’d have to ask him that,” I replied. “But yeah, I guess that would be the rational response.”

Lexi took off her skirt, then sat down next to me. “So, shall we play some Minecraft?”

I grabbed a controller. “Absolutely.”

We played until bedtime. Then Lexi stood up and picked up her skirt, which she had laid on the arm of the couch. “Do you want to go through the bathroom first?” she asked. “You’ll be quicker than me…”

I shrugged. “Sure,” I said. “Thank you.”

I brushed my teeth, flossed, and then peed. Having washed and dried my hands, I came out of the bathroom to find Drake with his arms around my fiancée, and his tongue in her mouth. “What the hell?” I demanded.

Drake disengaged, grinning, and I now realised that only one of his arms had been around her back; the other had been up her top, playing with her right breast. “Just our daily goodnight kiss,” he said.

“That wasn’t just a goodnight kiss though!” I complained. “You were making out with her! And groping her!”

Drake shrugged. “Just like last night,” he said. “That’s how I kiss a girl goodnight.”

“Not when she’s someone else’s fiancée!” I persisted.

“Ryan does the same thing,” Drake pointed out.

I scowled. “Well he shouldn’t!”

“Look, if you can talk Ryan into stopping the goodnight kisses, I’ll stop too,” Drake promised. “Until then, ima enjoy Lexi’s sweet lips as much as I can.”

“Ugh!” I muttered. “Okay, I’ll talk to Ryan.”

“Good luck,” he said, “and good night.” He headed into his room, and closed the door.

“You know,” I said to Lexi, “maybe this is a crazy notion, but how about we just TELL Ryan he can’t give you goodnight kisses anymore? Shouldn’t it be our decision? Well … your decision. Oh god … am I making decisions for you again?”

“It’s fine,” she assured me. “If you want the goodnight kisses to stop, then so do I. The last thing I want is to upset you. I mean, Ryan and Drake kiss very nicely – especially Drake – but neither of them is my fiancé. You are. Your opinion is the only one that matters to me.”

“Thank you,” I said with a smile. “So let’s go and tell Ryan not to give you any more goodnight kisses.”

“Okay!” said Lexi.

The knocked on Ryan’s door, and it opened. “Bedtime already?” Ryan asked, grinning mischievously at Lexi. He was wearing just his boxer shorts. “You come for your goodnight kiss?”

“Actually that’s what we wanted to talk about,” I replied sternly. “The goodnight kisses have to stop. It’s inappropriate and I… we … don’t like it.”

“Really?” he inquired sceptically. “You’re speaking for Lexi as well as yourself, Marty? Because I’m pretty sure Lexi enjoys them.”

I did not want to give Lexi a chance to answer this. “Whether she does or not, on a physical level, is irrelevant. It’s not good for our relationship.”

Ryan sighed. “You still doubt Lexi’s loyalty, dude? Are you that insecure? She loves you! How can you not see that?”

“Of course I see it!” I retorted. “And I don’t doubt her loyalty at all! But that’s not the point. It’s just not appropriate for her to be kissing other men!”

“Dude,” said Ryan patiently. “Last night, you agreed to leave it up to Lexi, with no pressure from yourself. You seemed determined, then, to avoid being seen as a ‘controlling’ fiancé. That was a healthy instinct, man.” He shook his head sorrowfully.

“I’m not being controlling!” I said indignantly. “I’m not falling for that line of argument again, Ryan. When I voice an opinion and Lexi agrees with me, that’s not me ‘controlling’ her. Right, Lexi?”

“Right!” she agreed.

“There, you see?” I said.

Ryan sighed. “Ordinarily I’d say you have a point, Marty,” he acknowledged. “But you’re overlooking the fact that Lexi automatically agrees with you, all the time. She loves to make you happy, and will default to a position of doing whatever you want. Your wish is her command, dude! So if you say you don’t like the goodnight kisses, then she’ll say the same thing, just to please you. I know you’re not intending to be controlling, but you absolutely are, all the same. And if you’re not careful, that’s what your marriage is going to be like – with Lexi going along with all your wishes, you steering the ship through your whole lives, and Lexi never getting to be her own person. Is that what you want?”

“No, of course not,” I said irritably. “But it won’t be like that.”

“It will if you continue to deny Lexi agency,” he warned me. “If you continue making her decisions for her. It’s a slippery slope, dude. When you tell Lexi, a woman who loves you intensely and would do anything for you, that you don’t like something she’s doing, you might as well have forbidden her to do it. You might as well have locked that thing in a strongbox and thrown away the key. But you know what? What you’re really saying to her, over and over again, is that you don’t trust her. And over time that’s going to chip away, bit by bit, at the bond between the two of you. Eventually it’ll lead to resentment, and a fading of the great love she now has for you.”

I stared at him in dismay. “That’s … nonsense,” I said.

“That’ll never happen,” Lexi reassured me, with a gentle touch on my arm.

“Of course you think that now,” said Ryan. “But Lexi, even you can’t predict how you’ll feel about Marty in five, ten, twenty years. People change; it’s inevitable. That’s why it’s so important to lay good groundwork now, to insulate your relationship against future challenges.”

“And how do you suggest we do that?” I asked warily. I did not want to admit it, but he was making a startling amount of sense, however impure his motives might be. I was very aware that my good fortune and future happiness depended entirely on Lexi’s inexplicable devotion to me, and I had to take seriously any threat to the strength of her feelings for me.

“For a start, let her make her own decisions!” said Ryan. “Let her off that tight leash you have her on. If you trust her – and I’m sure, deep down, you do – then give her the freedom to decide for herself on things like goodnight kisses.”

“I’ve decided,” said Lexi promptly. “I’ve decided to stop them.” I could have kissed her.

But Ryan regarded her gravely. “Only because you know Marty doesn’t like them,” he said. “He’s still controlling you, even now, without saying a word. Last night he allowed you to make the decision – to his credit – and you decided to French-kiss me. And I know you enjoyed that. And you enjoyed it with Drake even more, apparently! So it’s obvious that’s what you’d rather do. Frankly, the only way you’ll convince me you’re making your own decision is to make the one you made last night. And Marty, the only way she’ll feel able to make that decision is if you encourage her to do so – if you persuade her that her self-determination is more important to you than your own comfort level with seeing her kiss another man.”

I scowled. “You want me to talk her into kissing you? That’s messed up!”

“Yeah, I get why you’d feel that way,” he said, nodding. “But I genuinely think it’s the only way to overcome her determination to make the decision she feels you want her to make.”

I sighed heavily. “Fine, I get it,” I said. “Lexi … I’m sorry it’s come to this, and I feel like it’s my fault. But for the sake of our future together, I guess you should go ahead and give Ryan his goodnight kiss. If you don’t, I think we’ll both be worrying that we’ve started down a path of me controlling you through the mere expression of my desires for what you should or shouldn’t do. I don’t want that – and while I think you don’t mind it right now, I think in the future you may come to resent it. So yeah … go ahead.”

Lexi looked at me worriedly. “Are you sure?” she asked. “The last thing I want is to make you unhappy. I mean, I enjoy the kisses, but I don’t need them. All I need is you!”

I smiled at her fondly. “And that’s why, I guess, I feel safe letting you kiss Ryan and Drake.”

She nodded, then bit her lip. “I’m sure he’ll grope me…”

Ryan chuckled. “Of course! But you don’t seem to mind that. And if Marty is serious about letting you make your own decisions, he won’t say a word about it.”

“All the same, I don’t want him to feel bad…” said Lexi awkwardly.

Ryan looked at me expectantly, and I felt like I ought to say something. “You don’t need to feel bad about Ryan groping you,” I said reluctantly. “It’s fine. As long as I know you’re loyal to me, it doesn’t make a difference if he gropes you.” I hoped that was the right thing to say.

It seemed to be, because Lexi looked relieved. “Okay then,” she said.

I had no desire to stick around to watch the show. “I’ll see you in our room,” I muttered, as I turned and headed for my bedroom.

Lexi joined me there about five minutes later. “Sorry, we got talking afterwards,” she said, looking very flushed in the cheeks.

“How was the kiss?” I asked grumpily.

“It was … nice,” she said. Then she bit her lip. “He kind of felt me up a bit though. I mean … here.” She pointed to the front of her panties.

“Jeez!” I exclaimed. “Inside or outside?”

“Oh, just outside,” she assured me quickly. “He did try to put his hand inside, but I stopped him and asked him to stay outside. And from then on, he did.”

“From then on?” I said unhappily. “How long was he rubbing your pussy for?”

“Um, a couple of minutes…?” guessed Lexi sheepishly. “I told him he shouldn’t be doing that, but he said he’d already done it to my naked pussy during the massage, and would be doing it again every day, so what difference did it make?”

“Ugh,” I groaned. I should have stayed in Ryan’s bedroom after all; then at least I could have called a halt to the proceedings once a decently short time had elapsed. Thirty seconds should have been more than sufficient for a goodnight kiss. Or twenty, even! Two minutes was ridiculous. But no doubt Lexi had been too caught up in the moment to stop it herself. Next time, I decided, I would stay and keep an eye on things.

We climbed into bed. “I wish I could rub your pussy,” I grumbled. “It’s not fair that Ryan gets to do that, and I don’t.”

“I know,” Lexi agreed ruefully. “And I really want you to! But we swore an oath…”

I sighed. “Yeah. Well, let’s do as much as we’re allowed to do. I’m feeling the need to, uh, kinda reclaim you as my own, if you know what I mean.”

Lexi nodded, and smiled happily. “Reclaim me, my darling!” She spread out her arms.

I grinned, and hugged her, taking care to keep my loins away from hers. We kissed, and as our tongues swirled hungrily around each other, our arms pulled our bodies closer together.

“Careful,” I gasped, breaking the kiss. “We’re getting pretty close.”

“I know,” sighed Lexi. “Marty … will you climb on top of me? Looking down at me … like we’re having sex. I just want to imagine it. We can still keep our genitals apart.”

“Sure, I guess so,” I said cautiously. I was a little worried we might get carried away and make a mistake … but both of us knew the stakes; I was sure Lexi would not do anything silly.

I climbed on top of her, keeping my pelvis suspended above hers, and lowered myself on to my elbows as I kissed her sweet lips. She put her arms around my neck and kissed me back eagerly, her tongue swirling around mine as she caressed the back of my head with one hand. Soon we were lost in our own little world, exploring each other … her hands roamed over my back, I fondled her left breast with my right hand while supporting myself on my left elbow, she kissed my neck, I nibbled on her ear, she grabbed and squeezed my buttocks, I slid my right hand beneath her to grab one of hers…

And then it happened. I was not sure exactly how. I thought I had been keeping my crotch suspended several inches above hers, resting on my knees which were between her thighs. But somehow, in grasping each other’s buttocks, we had narrowed the gap between us without noticing. It was a sudden moan of pleasure from Lexi that jolted me into a horrifying realisation: my cock was now pressing against my fiancée’s pussy. More than just pressing, in fact; I was grinding against her, and she against me. My jockey shorts and her panties were still in the way, of course, but it did not matter: we had broken our oath.

“Oh my God!” I exclaimed, freezing in shock.

“Oh!” said Lexi in anguish. “Oh no … but I don’t care, keep rubbing against me!”

I hesitated, then resumed … but Lexi whimpered unhappily. “No, stop,” she said reluctantly. “I’m sorry – I was caught up in the heat of the moment, but we’ve broken our vow and we can’t pretend otherwise.”

I climbed off her, feeling sick inside. “That was so stupid of me!” I groaned. “Apparently I wasn’t paying attention to what my body was doing – and now you have to go and sleep with Ryan! Ugh – I’m so sorry, Lexi…”

She sat up, and patted my hand. “Me too,” she said. “But don’t feel bad, Marty. I know you didn’t do it deliberately.” She sighed. “I know this is going to be hard for you, my darling … but look on the bright side – at least you’ve got your bed all to yourself again.” She put on her tank top.

“That’s hardly a bright side,” I said gloomily. “I was enjoying sharing it with you.”

“Yes, so was I,” she admitted. “Well … I guess I should go to Ryan’s room now. Goodnight. Marty.” She kissed me on the lips, then got up and walked to the door.

I felt a sudden cramp in my stomach. “I just know Ryan’s going to grope you mercilessly!” I wailed. “Isn’t there any way around this?”

She shook her head. “We knew what the consequence of breaking our oath would be. And it wouldn’t have been much of an oath if breaking it didn’t have a consequence of this magnitude. I’m sorry, Marty, but we’ll just have to endure this as best we can.”

“Yeah, I guess so,” I said forlornly. “Goodnight then.”

She left the room, I turned the light off, and then I spent the next hour trying to get to sleep. I kept hearing, or maybe just imagining, the sounds of Lexi’s squeaky little moans of pleasure, but whenever I strained my ears to listen, I could hear nothing further. Eventually I fell into an unhappy sleep, filled with dreams of Lexi getting pawed at by dozens of horny, drooling men.

TUESDAY: PIRATES & POKER

The next morning I was anxious to find out how her night had gone. I knocked on Ryan’s door, and a moment later it was opened by Lexi herself. She was wearing her tank top and panties, to my relief – I had half-expected her to be naked, having been talked out of her clothes by Ryan. She smiled and hugged me. “Good morning, darling!” she said.

“Good morning,” I replied, hugging her back. “How was your night?”

She hesitated. “Let’s talk about it later,” she said. “Right now I’d like to go take a shower.”

“Okay,” I said warily, as she slipped past me.

Ryan was still in bed, his bare chest exposed and his hands behind his head. “Morning Marty!” he said, looking annoyingly happy.

“Morning,” I muttered, before closing his door and returning to my room.

Lexi joined me there after her shower. “Your turn!” she said.

“First I’d like to hear about last night,” I told her.

Again, she hesitated. “Okay … well, as you might imagine, he couldn’t keep his hands to himself.”

I scowled. “Yeah, not surprising.”

“He persuaded me to ditch my top,” she went on, “because I was getting quite hot, and I had to admit to him that I don’t wear a top when I’m in bed with you. He said it was pointless to be modest when he’d already seen my breasts … particularly since it was dark anyway and we’d be asleep for most of the night.”

“Ugh,” I grumbled. “So you were wearing only your panties, in bed with Ryan?”

“Yes, and it wasn’t long before he was fondling my breasts,” said Lexi apologetically. “I turned away from him, but he just snuggled up to my back and kissed my neck and reached around me to grope me. Then his hand went down to my panties…”

“Oh no!” I said, alarmed.

“I tried to stop him!” she said earnestly. “I said, ‘Ryan, are you going to let me get any sleep tonight?’ And he said ‘Of course, but there’s plenty of time for that. I just want to enjoy having a beautiful woman in bed with me for the first time ever.’ And I pointed out to him that I was still your fiancée, not his, and he acknowledged that, but he said he was now my official masseur, so it wasn’t even inappropriate for him to be massaging my body. And he started massaging my pussy through my panties. I said that didn’t mean he could massage me anytime, and he agreed … but then he said that there was no better time than when I was lying down in his bed. And I said, ‘I think one massage per day is enough, Ryan!’ And he said, ‘A full-body massage, sure. But I have in mind just a mini-massage – a quick massage of your pussy, to give you an orgasm and help you get straight to sleep.’”

I growled in annoyance. “I think one massage per day of any kind is enough!” I said firmly. “You were right about that.”

Lexi bit her lip. “He got me to admit that I was feeling horny, and frustrated about not being able to be intimate with you,” she continued. “And then he said that since he was rubbing my pussy anyway, why not just finish the job and let me get to sleep? And … I don’t know, Marty, but it just seemed to make sense at the time! I truly was very horny, and maybe that was impairing my judgment … but I figured he’d already massaged me to one orgasm yesterday … did it make much difference if he did it again? So … I agreed.”

I groaned in despair. “Oh, Lexi!”

Tears filled her eyes. “I’m sorry … I knew I shouldn’t have agreed. But he was so persistent and persuasive!”

“I’m sure he was,” I muttered.

Lexi broke down, putting her face in her hands. Her shoulders shook as she sobbed … and my heart melted. I put my arms around her. “I don’t blame you,” I assured her. “It was a difficult situation to be in. I’m sure you just wanted the groping to be over so you could get to sleep … and you also wanted some relief from your frustration. Ryan took advantage of that and talked you into something you wouldn’t have agreed to otherwise. I’m not saying I like it, but … I understand why you agreed.”

“Thank you,” said Lexi, sniffling. “I … I don’t need to tell you any more if you’d prefer…”

I sighed. “No, I feel I ought to know everything, as uncomfortable as it might be.”

“Are you sure?” she asked anxiously.

I let her go, and sat back away from her. “I’m sure,” I said. “Please, continue.”

She nodded. “Well … he told me to lie on my back, and then he … uncovered me … and he started to take off my panties. I grabbed them, and asked if I could keep them on. He said ‘It’s a pussy massage – I need proper access.’ And he finished taking them off.”

“So you were naked!” I said, wincing at the thought. “Fantastic.”

“He put some oil on his fingers,” Lexi went on wretchedly, “then he pulled my legs apart, and began rubbing my pussy.”

I tried not to show the anguish I felt in that moment. Forcing a smile, I said, “I’m sure that felt good.”

“Yeah,” she admitted. “Ryan’s very good with his fingers. He made me … I tried to keep quiet, but it was very difficult … I hoped you weren’t hearing the sounds I was making. I put a pillow over my face, but I felt like I was still being quite loud…”

“I did hear something, but I chalked it up to my imagination,” I told her.

“It wasn’t your imagination,” she said dolefully. “I was hoping to get it over with quickly, but he was teasing me! Every time I got close to an orgasm, he would stop rubbing so hard…”

“No doubt so he could make the experience last as long as possible,” I said grimly.

“By the time I finally got there,” she said regretfully, “he had two fingers inside me, and he was thrusting them in and out really fast. I felt so good that I couldn’t bring myself to tell him off for penetrating me…”

“Ugh!” I exclaimed. “The man’s a master manipulator! But why can’t he work this kind of magic on a woman who isn’t engaged to his best friend?”

“Maybe you can talk to him,” Lexi suggested hopefully. “Convince him to limit his gropings to just my chest, or something.”

“I guess I can try,” I said doubtfully. I suspected Ryan would grope Lexi exactly as much as he could get away with, whatever I said to him. But I owed it to Lexi to give it my best shot – after all, it was my fault she was having to sleep with him now. “So … was that it? He brought you to a climax?”

Lexi blushed. “He did, but that wasn’t the end of it. As I was lying there recovering, he … he started rubbing his penis. You know … masturbating.”

“Oh God!” I exclaimed. “Was he naked too?”

“Almost,” she replied, looking very embarrassed. “He was just wearing his underwear, and he’d pulled them halfway down his thighs. And then … he … he, um, spurted…”

“Gross!” I said in disgust.

“His stuff landed on my, um, pussy,” said Lexi wretchedly. “I was shocked, and grossed out … but also kind of curious about it, so I wiped up some of it with my finger, and looked at it. And I said, ‘This is the stuff that makes babies?’ And he said ‘Yeah, so I’d better wipe it off you, in case any of it gets inside you.’ And he started wiping it off with his hand.”

“Ugh!” I said. “He didn’t have a tissue handy?”

“I think he just wanted an excuse to keep rubbing my pussy,” said Lexi. “But I was super nervous he was going to put his fingers in me again, along with some of his … sperm. So I grabbed a tissue – there was a box on his bedside table – and quickly wiped it up myself.”

“Whew!” I said in relief. “That was quick thinking. But Jesus Christ! I’m going to kill Ryan!”

“Please don’t!” she said earnestly. “And don’t take the Lord’s name in vain, Marty.” Her expression turned reproachful.

I ground my teeth. “So, what happened next?”

“He got into bed with me, turned the light off, and snuggled up against me,” said Lexi. “I think he took his underwear off in the process, so now we were both naked. I told him not to snuggle – I said ‘We might be sharing a bed, Ryan, but remember you’re not my boyfriend!’ But he said, ‘Lexi, I just fingered you to an orgasm, and you’re worried about snuggling? Besides, you’re my sister, and siblings cuddle – we’ve cuddled plenty on the couch, and you seemed to like that.’ And I said, ‘Not naked, though! And not with your thingy pressing up against me! Can I at least put my panties back on?’ And he said, ‘What are you afraid of? That I’ll slip my cock inside you while you’re asleep? Do you really think I’d do that? You think I’m a rapist?’ And I said, ‘No of course not,’ and he said, ‘So stop worrying, and just go to sleep. You’re safe with me, I promise you.’ And there didn’t seem to be much else I could say, so I just let it go. And, eventually, I fell asleep.”

“Ugh,” I grumbled. “It was worse than I imagined! But at least he didn’t have sex with you – and I do believe he wouldn’t try to do that in your sleep.”

She nodded. “Me too. But when I woke up … he was, um … licking me…”

“Licking you?” I asked, wrinkling my nose in puzzlement. “What, like, your face? Like a dog?”

“No,” said Lexi uncomfortably. “Between my legs.”

“What??” I exclaimed.

“I gasped, and I said, ‘Ryan! Stop that!’ And he stopped, and said, ‘Good morning Lexi! Didn’t that feel nice?’ And I said, ‘It felt weird! And you shouldn’t be doing that!’ I tried to close my legs, but he was holding then open. I was on my back. Then he said, ‘This is just another type of pussy massage, except even better because my tongue is softer than my fingers.’ And he went back to licking me! And once I’d gotten over the shock, I had to admit it did feel nice … but I felt like I should stop him anyway. So I said, ‘Ryan, I should get up and have my shower.’ But he said, ‘You’ve got plenty of time.’ And he went back to licking! In fact he wasn’t just licking – he was kind of sucking on my … my sensitive place.”

“Your clitoris,” I said, through clenched teeth.

“Yes,” said Lexi. “And he kept sucking and sucking … I think I said ‘Stop it, Ryan’, but I don’t think I was very convincing – I was getting so aroused! But he did stop, only to say ‘I’ll stop when I’ve given you a nice morning orgasm. But if you keep making me talk, this is going to take longer.’ And he went back to sucking … and then he stuck his finger inside me again.”

I groaned. “This just keeps getting worse and worse!”

“I’m sorry,” said Lexi unhappily. “Should I stop the story, and let you imagine the rest?”

“No,” I muttered. “I told you I wanted to hear everything.”

She sighed. “I know you said that, my darling, but it seems to be hurting your feelings dreadfully. The last thing I want to do is hurt you! I’m sorry for everything Ryan did to me, and I wish he hadn’t done it, and I wish I’d stopped him. I’m sorry I didn’t do a better job of that, but it’s hard to fend off a man when you’ve agreed to sleep with him and you’re naked in his bed! I didn’t want that.”

Now I felt guilty. “I know, I know,” I said soothingly. “And it’s my fault you were in that position. I don’t blame you for him taking advantage of you. But I do feel like I ought to know everything. I’ll try to do a better job of handling the information. Please, go on.”

Lexi nodded. “Well … he made me climax … and then he started masturbating again, kneeling between my legs and looking at my pussy. I just knew he was planning on spurting his stuff all over me again, so I put my hand over my pussy. But he removed it! He said he wanted to see it, because it was a pretty sight and it would help him to ‘cum faster’. Then … I couldn’t believe my ears … he asked me to hold my vagina open! He said it would make him cum even quicker!”

“What??” I was outraged.

“I said to him, ‘No, Ryan! You’ll just spurt inside me, and I’ll get pregnant!’ And he smiled! And he said. ‘Wouldn’t that be cool though? A pregnant virgin? You’d be like Mary from the Bible.’ And I guess I must have looked a bit panicky, because then he laughed and admitted he was just kidding, and said of course he wouldn’t do that. But he still spurted all over my pussy and started smearing it around with his … his cock … until I grabbed another tissue.”

“He actually rubbed his … on your … ugh!!” I spluttered, incensed to the point of incoherence. “That’s it – that’s enough! This is insane! You’re not spending another night with that asshole, Lexi! If all this happened on your first night together, think what’ll happen on the second! Or the third!”

Lexi nodded anxiously. “If you can get me out of it, please do!” she said. “The orgasms were nice, but I dread to think what he’ll try to do to me tonight. He’s so persuasive – and when I’m with him, he makes the craziest stuff seem normal and acceptable.”

My fists clenched. “I’ve half a mind to go into his room and punch that shit-eating grin off his face!” I growled. “Teach him not to mess with my fiancée!”

“Please don’t,” said Lexi nervously. “I hate fights, and he’s your best friend! I don’t want the two of you to fall out because of me.”

“It’s a little late for that!” I exclaimed. “After everything he’s done, how can I remain his friend? I’m mad as hell at him! Aren’t YOU mad at him?”

Lexi shrugged uneasily. “Not really,” she confessed. “I mean, sure, he does push his luck from time to time, but he’s always so sweet to me! It’s hard to get mad at him. He’s always very focused on me, on my needs, on my pleasure … he teaches me stuff about the world, plays with me, makes me laugh … he’s good company! And most of the time he does feel like a brother … when he’s not groping me of course. I’m really very fond of him.”

My heart sank. “Would you rather be with him than with me?” I asked stiffly.

Her jaw dropped. “No!” she said. “Of course not! You’re the man I love, Marty! Ryan’s like a friend and a brother rolled into one, and when he does naughty things to me, it’s annoying as much as it is arousing. When he kisses me, I just wish it was you kissing me instead … and when he does all that other stuff … then I wish it was you doing it.”

“I wish I could!” I moaned. “But I can’t. Not until we’re married. But that doesn’t mean Ryan should be doing it instead!”

She nodded. “It’s just that he finds me irresistible,” she said ruefully. “He thinks I’m so incredibly beautiful and sexy – his words, not mine – that he just can’t control himself. He … he thinks the world of me, Marty.”

“I do too!” I protested. “But unlike Ryan, I have a bit of self-control!”

“It’s different for you,” said Lexi timidly. “You know you’ll have me for the rest of our lives. Ryan’s very aware that his window of opportunity for doing stuff with me is very small, and that’s making him feel a certain sense of … urgency…”

I couldn’t believe she was defending him, after everything he had done to her. “And if he rapes you tonight, are you going to make the same excuses for him?” I demanded.

“He’s not going to do that, Marty!” said Lexi, shocked at the suggestion. “He wouldn’t! He’s never forced me to do anything!”

“All right, all right,” I muttered. “Maybe he’s not a rapist. But like you said, he’s very persuasive. I just worry about what he’s going to persuade you to do next!”

“I do too,” she admitted, “but it won’t be to have sex with him. That’s off the table, and he knows it. My virginity belongs to you, Marty, and you alone.”

I nodded, somewhat mollified. “Well I’m still mad at him,” I said, “but I promise I won’t beat him up. Anyway I’d better go have my shower. Unless there’s anything else to report…?”

“No, that was it,” said Lexi. “I got out of bed, put my panties on … and that’s when you knocked on the door. Enjoy your shower.”

I went to the bathroom, emptied by bladder, showered, shaved, and brushed my hair and teeth. When I left the room, I saw Lexi having breakfast with Ryan, and I scowled as I went to my bedroom to get dressed.

At the breakfast table, I said nothing to my friend, and the tension in the air was palpable. Lexi tried to engage me in conversation, but my answers were laconic, so she spoke mostly to Ryan. Eventually she announced that she was going to get dressed, and off she went to our bedroom.

Ryan sighed. “What a woman,” he said. “What … a … woman.”

“She is,” I agreed, frowning. “But Jesus Christ, Ryan! She’s MY fiancée! And you’re supposed to be my best friend! What kind of friend rubs his cock on his best friend’s fiancée’s pussy!”

Ryan grinned, looking a little nervous. “Oh, she told you about that, did she?”

I snorted. “Of course she did! We have no secrets from each other!”

“Look, I wouldn’t have put it inside her,” he assured me. “It’s just that … jeez dude, the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met was naked in my bed with her legs spread! Don’t tell me you’d have done any different in my position! You’ve no idea how hard it was to resist the temptation to lie down on top of her and thrust my cock inside her. It would have been so easy! But I did resist, and I’ll continue to resist, because you ARE my best friend, and I wouldn’t do that to you … or to her.”

“Glad to hear it,” I said irritably, “but she wouldn’t have been naked if you hadn’t taken off her panties, and her legs were only spread because you spread them! And in her sleep, I might add – and then you started giving her oral sex without consent!”

“She enjoyed it,” he pointed out. “It was a calculated risk, which paid off.”

I ground my teeth. “What would you have done if Lexi had jumped out of bed and come crying to me, saying you had taken advantage of her?”

Ryan shrugged. “Packed my bags, I guess? Prepared myself mentally for the prospect of going to jail?”

“So you knew what you were doing was wrong!” I accused him.

“I knew it was a grey area!” he countered. “It was up to Lexi to decide if it was wrong. Fortunately she was into it, so no harm, no foul.”

I couldn’t resist punching him.

“Ow!” he said, rubbing his shoulder. “Jeez, dude!”

“It wasn’t just her feelings that mattered in the equation!” I told him angrily. “You performed oral sex on MY fiancée! That’s a betrayal of our friendship!”

“Well, yeah,” he conceded. “But come on, dude, put yourself in my position. Your best friend brings home the most beautiful girl you’ve ever seen, and you get the opportunity to get her naked and sleep with her. And in this scenario, remember, you’re single and lonely. Would you seriously just lie there next to her and not do anything? Be honest.”

“I like to think that I would,” I replied uncomfortably. “But I can see that it would be very tempting to misbehave. That still doesn’t excuse it, though!”

“Perhaps not,” conceded Ryan. “But I’m only human, Marty. I guess the big takeaway is, you and Lexi need to get yourselves hitched ASAP.”

“I know!” I groaned. “We need to talk to Pastor John. Lexi has evensong tomorrow; she’ll talk to him then. I don’t know what the usual waiting time is for weddings, but hopefully she can charm him into skipping some of the red tape.”

Ryan chuckled. “I’m sure she can. But in the meantime, she’ll be sleeping with me, and you know I’m going to keep misbehaving. Can you handle that, or do we need to do some desensitisation exercises?”

“Some what?” I inquired.

“You know, some exercises in a controlled setting, to help you get used to the idea of me being intimate with Lexi,” Ryan explained.

“I don’t want to get used to it,” I grumbled. “I just want it to stop.”

“Yeah, but it’s not going to stop right away,” said Ryan with a smirk. “And I’d rather not be your punching bag every time you get upset at something I’ve done with your fiancée. So if you can’t keep your cool, we’ll have to talk again about desensitisation exercises. If necessary I’ll persuade Lexi that it’s something we need to do, for the good of your relationship.”

I grimaced at the idea. “Jeez Ryan, it was only your shoulder, and it wasn’t a particularly hard punch. But fine, I won’t do it again. There’s no need for any such exercises.”

Ryan nodded. “Good,” he said. “Then we’re cool?” He held out his fist.

I bumped it with mine. “Yeah, I guess so,” I said.

“Even though you know I’m going to lick Lexi’s pussy again tonight?” he pressed me playfully.

My anger instantly welled up. “Jesus Christ, Ryan!” I exclaimed, clenching both fists and half-rising from my chair.

“Uh-uh!” he said, leaning away from me, his palms raised defensively. “See, this is what I’m talking about.”

“You can’t expect me to be cool with that!” I said hotly.

Ryan shrugged. “Well, yeah, I kinda need you to be,” he said. “Otherwise we’re going to have to help you suppress your jealousy with, you know, certain exercises.”

I sat back in my chair, fuming. “I just can’t stand the thought of you doing that to her. I’m not even allowed to touch her there! Although, I guess the oath is broken already, so maybe it doesn’t matter anymore…”

“That’s a strange position to take,” Ryan remarked. “If a man commits murder once, does that mean it’s okay for him to keep committing more murders?”

I shrugged. “If he’s already serving a life sentence, what difference would it make?”

“Hmm,” said Ryan. “Then I guess we need a different, more severe consequence for if you break your oath again. After all, the oath is still binding, until you get married; there needs to be some kind of incentive for you not to break it.”

I did not like this notion, but I could not fault his logic. “Like what?” I asked warily.

Ryan smiled. “Like, I get to take Lexi’s virginity.”

“Fuck that!” I objected. “No way in hell! Lexi’s staying a virgin until her wedding night – that’s of paramount importance to her – and I’ll be the one to take her virginity. That’s non-negotiable.”

He looked disappointed. “Fine,” he said. “Then the consequence should be that you no longer get to be intimate with her at all. No more kissing and cuddling, no more touching her boobs, no hand-holding even. Until you’re married.”

“That’s a heavy penalty!” I exclaimed.

“It’s a powerful incentive,” he said firmly. “Just keep that consequence in mind whenever you’re making out with Lexi, and you’ll be highly motivated to avoid breaking your oath again.”

“I’ll talk to her about it,” I said, frowning. “It’s not the kind of decision I can make without her.”

“Fair enough,” said Ryan.

When Lexi emerged from our bedroom, her tiny skirt made me very uneasy at the thought of our imminent bus ride. No doubt Combover Colin would have a field day.

“You … look … stunning!” said Ryan admiringly.

“Perhaps Drake would be willing to give us a ride to work today,” I mused aloud.

“Can’t – his car’s in the body shop,” said Ryan. “He’s taking the bus today, same as you.”

“Ugh!” I groaned. “And it’s too late to catch an earlier bus – I should have thought of that sooner!”

“Maybe we can move down to the end of the bus this time?” Lexi suggested. “Maybe we’ll be able to find a seat.”

“Maybe,” I said doubtfully. “But assuming we can’t, I’m not going to just stand idly while Combover Colin molests you. If he tries something again, I’m going to intervene.”

“Please don’t!” said Lexi urgently. “Marty, you promised.”

“I promised I wouldn’t fight him,” I said. “And I won’t. But I can at least confront him and … and scold him.”

“Scold him?” Ryan inquired, looking amused. “‘Excuse me sir, I can’t help noticing you’re molesting my fiancée. That’s very naughty of you!’”

I frowned. “Not in quite those words, but that would be the general idea. Plus, I’d get between him and Lexi, and keep him away from her.”

“Physically?” asked Ryan. “That sounds like the kind of confrontation Lexi wants to avoid. He only needs to try and push past you, and you push him back, and you’ve got a fight on your hands.”

“What would you suggest, then?” I asked politely.

Ryan shrugged. “Get video evidence, and call the cops,” he said. “If he’s behind bars, he won’t be able to spoil your morning commute.”

“Oh I don’t think I could do that,” said Lexi uneasily. “I don’t think he deserves prison. I mean, he’s a jerk for molesting me, of course, but he hasn’t physically harmed me.”

“Molesting is enough!” I retorted.

“Ryan molests me too,” said Lexi. “Are you going to call the cops on him?”

I smirked. “Hmm, not a bad idea…”

“You know you don’t mean that,” said Lexi reprovingly.

“I hope not!” said Ryan, looking slightly uncomfortable. “But in any case, it could very well backfire on you. Colin only has to make up some bogus story about Lexi acting like a stripper or something, and the cops will take a look at how she’s dressed … and given the reputation of the cops in this city, they’d be just as likely to take her in for questioning, maybe a strip search, or even a cavity search to make sure she’s not carrying drugs…”

“Oh no!” Lexi exclaimed. “Do you think so? Oh, surely not – aren’t the cops the good guys?”

Against my wishes, I found myself having to side with Ryan. “They’re supposed to be,” I said, “but I’ve heard too many stories of corruption and abuses of power. Ryan’s probably right – calling the cops might be a bad idea.”

“In that case,” said Lexi thoughtfully, “I think it’s best if I just continue to endure Colin’s gropings, and if you, Marty, continue to turn a blind eye. I don’t want to risk any trouble, especially if it might lead to someone calling the cops, since apparently that’s the worst thing we could do in this situation.”

“But he practically undressed you on Friday!” I protested. “If we do nothing, he’s going to keep going further and further!”

“There’s only so much he can do in a public place,” Lexi assured me. “And he only popped open one button! It wasn’t that big of a deal.”

“Ugh,” I grumbled. “I don’t like it, but okay. I’ll try not to interfere.” But I clenched my fists, imagining what I would do if Colin did something crazy like stripping Lexi naked.

Lexi stared at my fists. “I want your promise, Marty!” she said urgently. “No matter what he does, I want you to promise not to intervene. Let me handle it.”

I ground my teeth. “Fine, I promise,” I said.

Ryan chuckled. “And how are you going to handle it, Lexi?” he inquired.

Lexi blushed. “I’m not sure yet,” she said. “I’ll play it by ear, I guess.”

I looked at the time. “We have to go,” I said. “Come on.”

Lexi nodded, and we left the apartment. Minutes later, we were boarding the bus, and I felt a great sense of trepidation as I saw Colin’s combover among the heads thronging the central aisle. He was about halfway down, but nearer the back than the front.

“Let’s stay close to the front,” I said in Lexi’s ear, and she nodded.

The bus started to move, and I noted with satisfaction that Colin was not attempting to push through the crowd. I began to hope that maybe, this time, the bald-pated serial molester would let my fiancée get to her workplace ungroped.

That hope lasted until the next stop. Then several people made their way to the front, and Colin was with them. Somehow he contrived to push past me and then behind Lexi, shuffling into position with a gleeful leer at the back of her head. I turned around and stared out of the window, fixing my gaze on the man setting out traffic cones on the other side of the street.

The bus resumed its journey, and when it passed beneath a bridge, the darkness outside rendered Lexi’s and Colin’s reflections briefly visible. My breath caught in my throat as I saw his hands grasping her breasts through her blouse. Lexi seemed to be trying to shrug him off, but with one hand holding the pole next to her, and the other clutching her bag, she had no hands free to effectively defend herself.

I lost sight of them for the next five minutes, which passed with painful slowness. I found it very hard to resist the urge to turn around and see what was going on. But then of course I would have to confront Colin and forcibly pull him off my fiancée … which would potentially lead to a scene, a fight, getting kicked off the bus, and maybe even police involvement. Lexi would hate all that even more than the groping, and in any case I had made her a promise. As difficult as it was, I would have to keep my back to her.

I got another glimpse of the two of them when a black truck overtook the bus. My fists clenched involuntarily; he had partially unbuttoned her blouse and had stuck his left hand inside, to fondle her right breast. Her skirt, meanwhile, seemed to have grown magically shorter, and I guessed that he must have pulled it up at the back. Her white panties were peeping into view.

Then the reflections disappeared again, and did not return until we reached the broad rail bridge, beneath which we stopped for a minute in the queue for the traffic lights. I almost screamed in horror at the view I was now presented with: Lexi’s skirt around her waist, Colin’s hand inside the front of her panties, her blouse fully unbuttoned with one breast exposed … and, worst of all, Lexi’s face turned toward Colin’s, her lips pressed against his, her eyes wide with shock.

The idea that she was kissing him voluntarily never crossed my mind, of course, and I soon saw why she was not immediately pulling away: his left hand was cupping the back of her head, holding it in place. It took every ounce of willpower I could summon up, to stay where I was and not intervene in what was happening. But this was the last time we would be taking the bus, I resolved. We were still five minutes away from work, and this asshole was already going further with my fiancée than I ever had. I hated him with every fibre of my being.

Seething with rage, I could only watch impotently while Colin’s hand moved rhythmically inside Lexi’s panties. Her body, tragically, was responding to his touch: her visible nipple was erect, her cheeks were flushed, her breathing had become heavier, and her eyes were half-closed. Her mouth was open, and Colin seemed to be probing it with his tongue. As much as I wanted to be aware of what Lexi was going through, it was torturous viewing, and I was almost relieved when the bus emerged from beneath the bridge and the reflections vanished.

For the remainder of our journey, I could only imagine what Lexi was going through. When we finally arrived at our stop, I hesitated to turn around, fearful of what I would see. But Lexi took matters into her own hands, grabbing my arm and saying, “Come on darling, let’s go.”

I glanced at her as we reached the front of the bus. She had pulled her skirt back down and refastened some of her buttons. “Gosh, what a nightmare!” she muttered, once we had stepped off.

“Jesus, Lexi, I seriously want to kill that guy!” I exclaimed.

“How … how much did you see?” asked Lexi nervously.

“I saw enough!” I replied angrily. “He was kissing you, and groping your pussy! And you seemed to be enjoying it! I know that wasn’t your fault,” I added hastily, as she uttered a strangled cry of protest, “it was just your body reacting naturally to what he was doing. But it didn’t make it any less painful to watch!” She looked on the verge of tears, so I stopped, took a deep breath, and pulled her into my arms. “I don’t blame you for anything that happened in there,” I said softly. “But we have to find an alternative way of getting to work. We can’t let that happen again.”

Lexi nodded. “Okay,” she said. “I have to agree. Kissing him was awful! He tasted like rotten cabbage and cigarettes. It made me want to throw up!”

“Couldn’t you have … you know … closed your mouth…?” I ventured.

Lexi sighed. “No, I made a deal with him to let him French-kiss me,” she said. “In return for which, he promised to keep his fingers out of my vagina. Which, in fairness, he did. But honestly, I’m not sure if that would have been any worse.”

I groaned and shook my head. “Not an easy choice,” I conceded. “I hate that you had to make it alone. I couldn’t stand having to face away from you, knowing what was going on behind me. Or not knowing, when I couldn’t see your reflection. I’m not sure which was worse.”

“I’m sorry,” said Lexi sympathetically.

I grimaced. “Don’t be,” I said. “Your experience was worse, of course. How you managed to endure that for fifteen minutes, I have no idea.”

“Well, it’s over now,” she said. “Let’s just make sure he doesn’t get another opportunity to grope me.”

“Absolutely,” I agreed fervently.

We arrived at the office, where Lexi’s skirt immediately attracted attention. Aaron, to my displeasure, was particularly effusive in his compliments, and Lexi giggled and thanked him, as if he had not acted like a complete cad on yesterday’s walk.

I was relieved to see Aaron go and sit down at his own desk, leaving Lexi to start her day solo. I hoped that this meant he was done training her, but I strongly suspected he would find any excuse to come over and get cosy with her, so I kept a surreptitious eye on him as I began my own work.

After about forty-five minutes, Doug called Lexi into his office. He looked very pleased with her new skirt, and had her turn around slowly, no doubt so he could ogle her bottom. I glared at him through his window, but he apparently did not care enough about my opinion to check if I was watching. If he had looked up, of course, I would have hastily looked away and changed my expression; I had no desire to make trouble either for myself or for Lexi.

The two of them sat down, and I turned back to my computer. A chain of increasingly heated emails caught my attention, and kept me distracted for the next several minutes. Then I heard Doug’s door open, and turned to see Lexi, looking quite flushed and embarrassed, hurrying back to her desk. My eyes widened as I realised she was showing rather more of her chest than she had been when we arrived at the office, and I was tempted to rush over to ask her about it. But I stopped myself; I did not want to give Doug the satisfaction of seeing my reaction.

So I messaged Lexi instead: ‘Hi darling. You’re looking a little more … exposed…?’

She replied almost immediately: ‘I’m sorry! Doug persuaded me to undo another button. Does it look terrible?’

My response: ‘You look beautiful and very sexy, of course. I just don’t like the thought of Doug ogling you. And Aaron, and every other guy in the building…’

Lexi: ‘He wants me to go on more company visits with him, and while he may or may not need me to dress this sexily each time, he thinks I should try to get comfortable with revealing clothing. It’s all part of grooming me to become his personal assistant.’

Me: ‘So that’s why he called you into his office? To ask you to undo another button?’

Lexi: ‘Well first he complimented me on my skirt, and he asked me to sit down and try crossing my legs in front of him, imagining I was trying to tease and distract a man he was doing a deal with.’

Me: ‘Ugh, he just wanted to see your panties!’

Lexi: ‘So I crossed and uncrossed my legs a few times, and he gave me some tips on how to do it more effectively.’

Me: ‘Like what kind of tips?’

Lexi: ‘Basically to do it more slowly, and spread my legs a little wider when I was doing it. And he recorded it with his phone, so he could show me what it would look like from the point of view of one of his vendors.’

Me: ‘That old pervert! He just wanted a video of your panties on his phone, so he could enjoy it later!’

Lexi: ‘I really don’t think he was being duplicitous! He was quite candid about how much he was enjoying the show, but he said that was just an ancillary benefit – the main goal was making me an effective asset in his deal-making ventures.’

Me: ‘Well I guess he’d already seen your panties, so I probably shouldn’t get too uptight about that. Did he do anything else though? Did he … touch you?’

Lexi: ‘Yes, I’m afraid he did – while I was sitting on his lap. Now don’t get upset – please – it was just part of an act we were rehearsing, to make men feel envious of him. Having a sexy PA is one thing, but a sexy PA that sits on the boss’s lap is every businessman’s dream, and he would benefit enormously if we can imply that we’re in a sexual relationship – even though we aren’t!’

Me: ‘Benefit how? Just by making men jealous??’

Lexi: ‘You mean envious, I think, but pretty much, yes. And not just envious, but horny. Horny guys apparently don’t think very clearly, and he can take advantage of that. So he suggested I hike my skirt up a little before I sat on his lap, so that my panties would definitely be showing.’

Me: ‘Oh goodness – what an asshole! So what did he do once you were on his lap?’

Lexi: ‘Marty, do you think the company monitors these messages…? I’m just a little worried about you calling your boss words like pervert and a-hole.’

I froze in alarm, then hastily typed: ‘Crap, I didn’t think of that. Doug’s a great guy, really – but he can’t blame me for feeling a little possessive where my fiancée is concerned!’

Lexi: ‘I’m sure he’ll understand. But let’s talk about this later.’

Me: ‘Good idea.’

I sighed, and got back to work. It was hard to concentrate, though, knowing Doug had touched Lexi inappropriately, but not knowing how. My imagination began to run away with me, as I pictured my fiancée sitting on my boss’s lap, her skirt hiked up to reveal her panties, and his chubby hands exploring her body. My fists clenched, I read the first sentence of an email five times without taking it in.

It took a glance over at Lexi to wrench my mind off Doug. Suddenly I had a new problem: Aaron had sat down next to her, and he appeared to be giving her some more training. It seemed innocent enough … until he laid his hand on her thigh. I ground my teeth in annoyance, but it was not an unexpected move on his part; he had done the same thing yesterday and suffered no consequence, so why would he not try it again?

To Lexi’s credit, she did try to stop him this time, in her own way: with a gentle touch on his arm and a reproachful comment which simply made him grin roguishly. He uttered some quiet comment, to which Lexi responded with a reluctant nod, before removing her hand from his arm. His hand stayed on her thigh, and started to massage it sensuously. Meanwhile he pointed to the screen with his other hand, continuing her training as if he was not misbehaving outrageously. I seethed with anger, desperate to march over there and yell at Aaron … but I held myself in check, knowing Lexi would not want me to make a scene.

But it was not easy. Lexi’s skirt was practically at crotch level, and soon, so was Aaron’s hand. Lexi bit her lip, and glanced over at me … and I gave her an expression that I hoped conveyed a meaning of ‘What the heck??’ In response she shrugged sheepishly, as if to reply, ‘What can I do? Boys will be boys.’ Or something to that effect.

Lexi’s cheeks were getting rather flushed, and I strongly suspected he was now rubbing the front of her panties. This was too much; nobody, not even Lexi, could blame me for intervening now. I had every right, as her fiancé, to go over there and punch Aaron smack in the side of his head.

And yet I hesitated. Colin had done worse than this, not two hours ago, and yet I had managed to hold myself back, knowing it was what Lexi wanted. And now, surely, she would want me to do the same, especially since the stakes were higher here. Making a scene on the bus might get us kicked off the bus; worst case scenario, we might be banned from riding it in the future. Here at work, making a scene might get us both fired from our jobs. And we could not afford that.

Aaron’s hand was now tucked between her legs; he was definitely rubbing her pussy through her panties. Lexi’s eyes were half-closed, her cheeks glowing, her hands making fists on her keyboard. I was convinced that he as going to make her climax, right there at her desk.

But then, mercifully, they were interrupted by Doug emerging from his office. Aaron quickly withdrew his hand, and then turned to talk to Doug. After a short conversation, Doug sent Aaron back to his own desk, no doubt to work on something urgent. Lexi turned towards me, looking very relieved; she mimed mopping her brow. I responded with a curt nod, and a tight-lipped smile.

Finally able to relax a bit, I suddenly remembered that I was supposed to call my doctor. I picked up my phone and called his office.

“Hello, Lincoln Medical Center,” said a female voice. “Julianne speaking.”

“Hi Julianne, this is Martin Hawtrey – I’m a patient of Doctor Benning,” I said.

“Date of birth?” she asked.

I recited it. “But actually, I’m calling on behalf of my fiancée. She’s just moved in with me and needs a new primary care physician. I was hoping Doctor Benning could fit her in…?”

“Doctor Benning isn’t taking new patients right now, unfortunately,” said Julianne. “She’s swamped – fully booked for months out. The same goes for everyone else except for Doctor Johnson … who, as luck would have it, just had a cancellation for tomorrow afternoon. Would you be interested?”

I jumped at the chance. “Yes please!” I said. “Oh … what time though?” I was anxious about Lexi missing her second day of work at Futureland.

“One o’clock,” said Julianne.

“Perfect!” I said excitedly.

“What is the patient’s name, please?” she asked.

“Alexandra Thorburn,” I said, and then I answered several more questions about Lexi.

“Okay, she’s all set for one o’clock tomorrow afternoon,” said Julianne eventually. “Anything else I can help you with?”

“No, that’s it,” I said. “Thank you very much.” I hung up, then I got up and trotted over to Lexi’s desk.

“Hi darling!” she said, looking up and smiling.

“I have good news!” I announced, leaning down towards her so I could keep my voice low. “You have a doctor’s appointment, for tomorrow at one o’clock!”

“Oh,” said Lexi, seeming less than enthused. “That’s great – thank you for organising that. Is it with your doctor?”

“No,” I admitted. “Sorry – she was booked up. You’re seeing a Doctor Johnson … oh bother, I forgot to ask if it’s a man or a woman…”

Lexi smiled nervously. “Hopefully a woman,” she said.

I nodded. “I don’t think we had much choice though – everyone else was fully booked.”

Lexi nodded. “Well that’s good news indeed,” she said. “Thank you.”

“I’ll let you get back to work, then,” I said, and I went back to my computer.

Fortunately Aaron did not return to Lexi’s desk for more training, though I spent the rest of the morning on edge, fearing what would happen if he did. As noon approached, I began to relax, and exactly on the hour, I was on my feet and heading over to Lexi.

“Lunch?” I suggested, keeping my tone light.

“Sure!” she replied. “But Doug’s taking us to Horowitz, remember?”

“Oh,” I said, my smile evaporating. “Of course – I’d forgotten.” I had been hoping to ask her about what Doug had done to her in his office, but I could not very well do that in front of him.

“You kids hungry?” asked Doug, who had just come out of his office. He was grinning at Lexi.

“Yes!” said Lexi. “Thank you so much for taking us out to eat, Doug.”

“You’ve earned it!” he replied. “That delightful little skirt of yours is going to save us thousands of dollars. Not to mention your pretty panties, haha!”

Lexi blushed, and I glared at Doug, but he did not even spare me a glance. “Let’s go,” he said.

Outside, he held open the passenger door of his car for Lexi, and chuckled as she got in. “I’ll never get tired of that pretty sight!” he said, winking at me as he closed the door.

I climbed into the back seat, grinding my teeth in annoyance. My boss was perving over my fiancée so blatantly! It was infuriating.

The drive to Horowitz took only five minutes, but in that time Doug glanced down at Lexi’s legs twelve times. I know it was twelve, because I counted. I wished I could give him a punch in the face for every glance. They were discussing cocktails; Lexi giggled as she described her first Sex on the Beach, and asked if the restaurant would have it.

“I don’t think so,” said Doug, “but they do have some other excellent cocktails. Will you trust my recommendation?”

“I don’t know,” said Lexi nervously.

Doug laughed. “I’m not planning to get you drunk, Lexi. If you don’t like my suggestion, you don’t have to finish it.”

“Okay,” said Lexi.

We entered the restaurant, and were met by an attractive young blonde waitress. “Table or booth?” she asked mechanically.

“Booth please,” said Doug, frowning a little. “We have a reservation under the name of Doug Rifkin.”

That name seemed to ring a bell, because her eyes widened a little. “Of course – come this way please.”

We followed her to a booth, where Doug gestured for Lexi to sit down. She did so, sliding along the seat toward the panelled wall … and then, to my irritation. Doug proceeded to sit down next to her. At this point I could remain silent no longer. “Uh, Doug, do you think perhaps I might sit next to my fiancée?” I asked, with as much civility as I could muster.

“You can sit across from her instead,” he replied. “Much better – you get to look at each other.”

I grumpily sat down on the other side of the table, and scooted along until I was opposite Lexi. Another attractive waitress – this one a brunette – came over and doled out menus. “Hi, I’m Cassie, and I’ll be your waitress today. Can I get you something to drink?”

“I’ll have a Coors, please,” said Doug. “And the lady will have a classic mojito.”

Cassie turned to me, smiling warmly. “And for this handsome gentleman?”

I think I probably blushed. “Uh, a whiskey sour, please,” I said, feeling a little flustered.

Once she had left, Doug chuckled. “Nice-looking girl,” he remarked. “And she seems to fancy you, Marty! I guess she figured you must be single.”

I noticed Lexi looking a little disgruntled. I also noticed Doug’s right arm was stretched across the back of the seat’s upright cushion, behind Lexi’s shoulders. He was not touching her, but it was annoying nonetheless. “I’m not interested in the waitress,” I said stiffly. “I have Lexi – and I wish I were sitting next to her, so it would be clear we’re together!”

Lexi smiled at me.

Doug smirked. “Awww, take the compliment, Marty! It doesn’t mean anything unless you want it to. Just be happy a pretty girl – sorry, another pretty girl – is interested in you. It’s good for the ego.”

“Hmmph,” I said. In truth, it did feel quite good to be noticed by an attractive woman other than Lexi, but it was an acutely uncomfortable experience when Lexi was sitting right in front of me, watching it happen.

Our drinks arrived, and we placed our orders. Then Doug held up his glass. It occurred to me that he was a leftie, which I had never noticed before. “A toast,” he said, “to Lexi, our newest recruit.” He put his right hand around Lexi’s shoulder, and pulled her against his side. “I see a lot of potential in you, sweetheart; I think you’re going to be a great asset to our company.”

Sweetheart! My anger, both at this term and at the arm he had put around her, made me feel uncharacteristically bold, even to the point of recklessness. “Is it her intelligence you value, Doug,” I said, trembling slightly, “or her physical attributes?”

Lexi looked suddenly anxious, her eyes imploring me to stand down.

“Both!” Doug replied. “Now are you going to toast your lovely fiancée, Marty, or are you going to throw a jealous tantrum?”

“To Lexi,” I muttered sullenly, raising my own glass. I took a swig.

“Said with such enthusiasm!” Doug remarked, amused. “Marty, I sense you’ve got a possessive streak a mile wide … I do hope that’s not going to become a problem. If Lexi becomes my personal assistant, I may have to take her with me on overnight trips. Are you going to be able to handle that, or am I going to have to worry about you turning up at work with an AR-15?”

“Absolutely not!” I said hastily, rattled at the suggestion. “I hate guns. I’m just … she’s my fiancée, Doug! And soon to be my wife! How do you think I feel, seeing you putting your arm around her and calling her ‘sweetheart’?”

“Oh I understand, believe me,” said Doug. “Jealousy is a very natural impulse. But it’s one you’re going to have to suppress, if the two of you want to keep your jobs. We can’t have you making a ruckus, Marty.”

“I won’t make a ruckus,” I promised.

“Are you sure?” Doug inquired. “I’m sensing you may have a small issue with self-control, Marty. I’ve gotta be honest, I’m a little concerned.”

“He has excellent self-control, Doug,” Lexi assured him. “He didn’t intervene on the bus this morning, even though some random creep was groping and kissing me!”

Doug blinked, and I died a little inside. Why did Lexi have to tell him that? I didn’t want Doug, or anyone else at work, to know about Combover Colin.

“Some guy was groping and kissing your fiancée on the bus today … and you did nothing?” Doug asked in astonishment.

“He wanted to!” said Lexi. “But I made him promise not to intervene. I didn’t want him to cause trouble, get in a fight … maybe even get arrested!”

A slow smile spread across Doug’s face. “A wise choice,” he said, nodding. “But I’m not sure I totally believe it. I very much doubt you have THAT much self-control, Marty.”

“Well I do,” I told him stubbornly. Then my eyes bulged as Doug, having set his glass down, blatantly reached across and grasped Lexi’s left breast, cupping it and squeezing it through her blouse. She squealed, and I said, “Hey!”

“Consider this a test of your self-control, Marty,” said Doug, with an infuriating smirk. He leaned in closer to my fiancée, and now his right hand detached from her shoulder and reached down to grasp her right breast. “If you could handle a stranger groping Lexi on the bus, surely you can cope with this too.”

Lexi looked embarrassed and uncomfortable, but her expression told me ‘Please don’t do anything rash!’

If Doug was trying to get a rise out of me, I am happy to report that he failed. “I can cope,” I replied, frowning. “That doesn’t mean I like it, or that you should do it. Poor Lexi looks mortified!”

Doug gave both breasts a final squeeze, then he chuckled and withdrew both hands. “I guess you passed the test,” he conceded. “I don’t think many men would. But that’s good! It makes me more confident in my plan to make you my personal assistant, Lexi. I think you’ll work out very well. I just need to get approval for the position, and then we’ll make it official.”

“Thank you Doug,” said Lexi, in a somewhat subdued tone.

Our food arrived, and we ate. It was very good – I had a beautifully cooked steak – but I could not help noticing that while Doug ate with his left hand, his right was beneath the table, out of sight. Lexi was looking rather flushed, and I had a sneaking suspicion that he was caressing her thigh. This feeling gnawed at me as Doug engaged me in polite conversation, and I could only manage laconic replies. I felt like I had to know what he was doing.

While I ate with my right hand, I used my left to subtly extract my phone from my pocket. Deftly opening the camera app and switching it to video mode, I tapped the record symbol and held my phone vertically, the camera pointing approximately at Lexi’s knees. Glancing at Doug and Lexi, I was satisfied that neither of them had noticed my actions, and the three of us continued to eat and chat for the next couple of minutes. I was itching to look down at my phone and check the video, but I knew that if I stared down at my crotch for more than a second or two, Doug would definitely notice and ask awkward questions.

I decided to excuse myself instead. “I’m just going to run to the bathroom real quick,” I said, switching my phone off to stop the recording. I surreptitiously slid it back into my pocket.

“Take your time,” said Doug generously. “We’re not in a rush to get back to the office.”

He just wanted more time alone with Lexi, I realised, but I could not do much about that. If she became his personal assistant, he would have as much time with her as he wanted. She looked at me a little anxiously as I got up, but I gave her a brief smile of reassurance before hurrying to the restroom. Inside, I locked myself in a stall, and played the video I had recorded.

My heart sank as I saw Doug’s meaty hand on Lexi’s thigh, just as I had suspected. He was slowly stroking and massaging her flesh, and seemed to be inching his way up toward her panties, which were highly visible as a white triangle in the background. Over the course of the two-minute video, his hand crept backward with patient slowness, until, with ten seconds to go, it abruptly turned ninety degrees, his fingers now pressing against the front of Lexi’s panties. As they began to rub her pussy through the material, I heard my own voice say, “I’m just going…” and then the video ended.

Shit! My timing could hardly have been worse. He had only just started rubbing Lexi’s pussy when I left the table, leaving her entirely at his mercy! Since then he had probably taken advantage of my absence by working his hand inside her panties. Oh God! What if he was actually fingering her vagina right now, and I could have prevented it by staying at the table?

Wracked with guilt, I left the restroom and hurried back to the table. Lexi was looking very flushed as I sat down; Doug merely smiled at me pleasantly, his right hand still beneath the table and still, presumably, rubbing Lexi’s pussy. I wanted to protest loudly and fiercely, but I could not reveal that I knew what he was doing to Lexi, without revealing how I knew. So I had to sit there, seething in silence, while my boss molested my fiancée.

When Cassie returned to take our plates away, she asked, “Can I interest anyone in dessert?” And before either Doug or Lexi could reply, I said, “Not for me thanks – I’m full.”

“So am I,” added Lexi, to my immense relief.

Doug looked disappointed. “Just the check please,” he said.

He drove us back to work a few minutes later. I was so happy that the lunch ordeal was over that I barely cared when Doug blatantly ogled Lexi’s panties as she climbed into the passenger seat. I cared more when he reached over to pat her thigh as we arrived back at the office, but luckily for Doug, his hand did not linger.

I got out of the car first, and opened Lexi’s door before Doug had the chance to do so. I had the decency not to look, though, as she spread her thighs to climb out.

“Thanks for lunch, Doug,” I said, forcing a smile. “I’ll see you back inside – I just want a quick word with my fiancée.”

“Okay, and you’re welcome,” he said. “But you can thank Lexi and her wonderful little miniskirt.”

I scowled, but he just chuckled as he strolled up to the front door of the building.

“Oh gosh, Marty, that was awful!” Lexi lamented, once Doug was safely out of earshot. “He was rubbing my pussy for most of lunch, and he actually stuck his hand in my panties while you were in the restroom! He was fingering … ugh – I’m so horny now! I could use a cold shower!”

“I’m so sorry!” I groaned. “I thought he might be doing something like that, with his hand beneath the table – but I didn’t think you would want me to challenge him on it.”

“Oh absolutely,” Lexi confirmed. “You did the right thing by doing nothing – that must have been hard though.”

“It was,” I admitted.

Lexi sighed. “The food was nice, anyway.”

“Yeah,” I conceded. “But I have no desire to go there again – at least not with Doug.”

“Not even to see that waitress?” she teased me. Her tone was light, but she seemed to be studying my face, perhaps to gauge my reaction.

“Yeah, that was weird,” I said, choosing honesty. “I felt like she was flirting with me, which was kind of a new experience. But if she was, she was barking up the wrong tree! I’m taken.”

“Yes you are,” she said, squeezing my arm. “Well, I should let you get back to work. I’m going to take a walk in the woods – I’ve got plenty of time before I need to get to Futureland. There’s a bus that leaves from here at 1:45, which is almost an hour away.”

“Ugh,” I said, grimacing. “What about Aaron, though? He’s bound to try something again.”

“I’ll be on my guard,” Lexi promised. “I won’t let him get me naked again. Besides, he doesn’t start his walk for another ten minutes, so I’ll be ahead of him – with any luck we won’t even run into each other!”

“Here’s hoping,” I said with a smile. “Okay, enjoy your walk, darling.” I kissed her. “And good luck with your first day of cosplaying! I can’t wait to hear all about it.”

Lexi giggled. “And I can’t wait to experience it! I’ll text you if I get a chance, but otherwise … maybe you can pick me up at seven…?”

“Of course!” I assured her. “I’ll be there.”

She headed off into the woods, and I entered the office and got back to work. The afternoon passed slowly, but at 4:27 I got a text from Lexi saying ‘Going well so far, but the men here are a little naughty!’ I groaned quietly, and typed back, ‘Why am I not surprised? Be careful, darling! Don’t let any of them get you alone.’ A couple of minutes later she replied, ‘Thanks darling, but I’ll be fine. I’ve made a friend – his name’s Doobie and he’s very funny! He stood up for me when a couple of mean girls were making fun of my space pirate costume. I have a pic of it – let me show you.’

A photo of Lexi appeared – she was wearing a very skimpy pirate-style outfit, like one of those ‘sexy pirate’ costumes you might find in the adult section of a Halloween store, and she was smiling and posing in front of a carousel. Atop her head a silver-coloured tricorn hat sported a grinning skull and crossbones, and a low-cut peasant blouse showed off plenty of her cleavage, which was further enhanced by a silver corset cinched tightly around her waist. The skirt was layered and ruffled, matched the pale cream colour of the blouse … and was extremely short, barely covering her panties. The final element of the outfit was a pair of knee-high silver boots with impractical-looking high heels, and in her hand she was carrying what I assumed was supposed to be a laser pistol.

‘Very sexy!’ I typed. ‘Too sexy for kids to see, surely??’

‘I had that same concern,’ she responded. ‘Got to get back to work – we’ll talk later! I have to tell you about Aaron.’

My heart sank – presumably that meant he had met up with her on her walk. ‘What happened with Aaron??’ I typed quickly.

But she did not reply, and I fretted about the matter until it was time to leave work. Then I fretted about it on the way home. During dinner (Ryan had ordered pizza), I fretted about it some more.

“Dude,” said Ryan gravely, “you need to chill and stop worrying. It’s not like you can change what happened at lunchtime – if anything did happen – and you’ll only give yourself an ulcer by stressing about it. Wait until you know what happened, and then deal with it accordingly.”

“Oh, something definitely happened,” I said glumly. “She wouldn’t say ‘I have to tell you about Aaron’ if it was nothing to worry about. It has to be something big – something that hasn’t happened before.”

Ryan shrugged. “Maybe,” he said. “And maybe it’s not even something sexual. Maybe he told her some dark secret and it freaked her out.”

My spirits lifted a little. “I suppose that’s plausible,” I conceded. “Let’s hope that’s all it is. Anyway, I should probably get going – I don’t want to miss the bus.”

“Okay, see you in a bit,” he said.

I left the apartment building, and caught the bus to Futureland. As I disembarked, I could see it, looming behind the rows of stickered cars in the Toyota dealership’s parking lot. I checked the time on my phone: it was quarter to seven. I walked briskly along the sidewalk, turned left on to the theme park’s boulder-bordered entrance road, and arrived at a gate with a ticket booth next to it, wherein sat a bored-looking middle-aged woman.

“Hi,” I said. “My fiancée works here and I’m here to pick her up. Any chance I can get in without having to buy a ticket?”

“Nice try,” she said. “Fifteen bucks.”

“She finishes in … thirteen minutes!” I protested. “I’m not paying fifteen bucks to go in, meet up with her, and come out again in thirteen minutes!”

“Then wait here for her,” she said with a shrug.

I scowled. “Fine,” I said, folding my arms. I walked over to one of the boulders, sat down, and messaged Lexi: ‘Ticket lady isn’t letting me in unless I buy a ticket. See you at the entrance?’

I waited. Then a few minutes later I got a reply: ‘Oh that’s a shame – I was hoping to introduce you to Doobie!’

I sighed. I could not bring myself to let her down. ‘Okay, I’ll be there shortly. How do I find you?’

I got up and returned to the ticket booth, pulling out my wallet. “Look,” I said. “I don’t think I should have to pay full price just for picking my fiancée up. How about if I give you fifteen dollars now, and if I’m back within fifteen minutes, you give me ten back?”

The woman considered this, then nodded. She took my money, stamped the back of my hand, then started a timer on her phone. “Better run,” she said with a smirk. “It’s a big place.”

“Thank you,” I said stiffly. I passed through the turnstile next to the gate, hurried into the park, and checked my phone again.

Lexi had texted me: ‘Do you see the Ferris wheel? I’ll meet you at the bottom, by the exit gate.’

I could see the Ferris wheel; it was not far away. I trotted through the park, dodging clusters of milling visitors, until I spotted my beloved fiancée … with her arms around another man, who was also dressed in space-pirate garb, looking rather like a flamboyant Han Solo. He was a little shorter than me, but a little broader, and his face sported not only a strikingly large, aquiline nose, but the bushiest eyebrows I had ever seen outside of the Lord of the Rings movies. His hands were both on Lexi’s bottom, squeezing her buttocks through her little pirate skirt. This kind of sight was not unfamiliar by now, but it still infuriated me. My fists clenching, I marched up to the two of them, prepared to voice my displeasure.

They disengaged as I approached, and Lexi beamed. “Marty!” she said happily, turning away from Mr Bushy-Brows and throwing her arms around me instead. I took the opportunity to glare at her new friend, but he merely smiled affably at me in response.

“Marty, I’d like you to meet Doobie,” said Lexi, letting me go and taking a step backward. “He’s been my friend and mentor today – and he’s just hilarious!”

Doobie took a step forward, extending his right hand. “Nice to meet you, Marty,” he said. “Lexi’s been telling me all about you, in nauseating detail! Never seen a girl so much in love; it’s either heart-warming or stomach-churning – my internal organs are still debating which.”

I shook his hand, still glaring. “Nice to meet you too,” I said, “and thank you, I guess, for showing Lexi the ropes.” I badly wanted to add, “But what the fuck were you doing with your hands on her ass?” But I knew this would only upset Lexi; she seemed to like this guy, and I wouldn’t be doing myself – or her – any favours by picking a fight with him.

“Oh, it’s been an absolute pleasure,” said Doobie, his right hand disappearing behind Lexi’s back.

Lexi giggled. “Doobie…” she said reproachfully as she reached behind her back to deflect his hand. “Not in front of Marty, please!”

I pursed my lips, my fists clenching again. I knew Lexi would want me to let her handle it, but it was getting very difficult to control my temper.

Seeing my reaction, Lexi hastily stepped forward and took my hand. “Let me show you around,” she said. “Bye Doobie – I’ll see you tomorrow!”

“Bye beautiful!” he replied.

“‘Not in front of Marty’?” I inquired, as we walked away. “But behind my back is okay?”

“Marty, please don’t be mad at him,” said Lexi earnestly. “He’s been super nice and helpful and supportive today – I don’t know what I would have done without him. Yes, he can’t keep his hands off my butt, like most men … but at least he’s nice about it, unlike … some.”

“Some?” I repeated. “Like who?”

She shrugged uneasily. “Well, my boss, for one. His name’s Bo – he was on my interview call. He’s a bit creepy, to be honest, and while he was showing me around he kept putting his arm around my waist. Then he had me put on this costume, and he was very complimentary about how it looked … but then he asked me to bend over, to see if my panties would show. He said that I might have to bend over a lot, and he needed to know what visitors would see.”

“Pervert,” I muttered.

“So I bent over … and he took a photo!” Lexi continued. “And he said my panties looked very nice, and he didn’t think they would offend anyone. Then, as he was showing me my station, he put his hand up my skirt and pinched my bottom through my panties! I gasped, and stepped away from him, but he just laughed and said I would have to expect that kind of thing. He said he just wanted to test me, to see how I would react. He said I should be careful not to antagonise any horny male visitors, in case they got angry and caused a scene, I told him I try very hard to avoid conflict, and that I have some experience enduring a bit of groping without objecting. He seemed to like that, but he insisted on testing it out. So I had to stand there while he stuck his hand up my skirt again and squeezed and pinched and even slapped my bottom. He was chuckling the whole time; it was obvious he was just having fun at my expense. But I kept quiet and endured the whole thing.”

“What an asshole!” I exclaimed.

She nodded. “Anyway then he paired me up with Doobie, who taught me my shtick and told me what to expect for the rest of the day…”

“Your … shtick?” I inquired.

“Oh, just, you know, how I’m supposed to act around visitors,” she explained. “Arrrr! Shiver me timbers! Aye aye, captain!” She had put on a passable pirate accent, and I smiled.

“Very good!” I said.

“Oh, and I get to tell jokes to the visitors,” she added. “Like, um, what does a pirate say on his eightieth birthday?”

“I can’t imagine,” I replied with a smile.

“Arrrr matey!” she said, and giggled.

I chuckled.

“Doobie has a ton of jokes memorised,” Lexi went on. “He’s a riot! And so good with the visitors. Come on, let me show you where we work.”

“Um, okay, just briefly!” I said. “I had to pay full price for a ticket just to get in here, but the ticket lady said I could get ten bucks back if I leave within fifteen minutes.”

“Oh!” said Lexi, her smile fading. “And how long ago was that?”

I checked the time on my phone. “Eight minutes,” I said apologetically.

Lexi sighed. “Never mind then. Maybe I can show you tomorrow.”

I hated to see her disappointed. “No, please show me,” I said. “We’ve got a few minutes. And if I don’t get my money back … well, it’s in a good cause.”

Lexi smiled, took my hand, and set off, pulling me after her. “I’ll make it quick!” she said.

She led me to a structure that was built to look like a crashed spaceship, which itself was designed in the style of an eighteenth-century pirate ship, complete with solar sails mounted on masts, and rows of laser cannons projecting from the hull. It was a cool design, if only it did not look so cheaply made.

A ladder afforded access to the ‘deck’, and Lexi climbed it without hesitation, prompting me to stare in startlement at her very exposed panties. “Nice view!” I remarked as I climbed up after her. “How many times today have people seen you climb this ladder?”

“Lots of times!” she replied. “I know what you’re thinking, and yes, tons of people have seen my panties today. It’s a good thing I’m pretty used to that by now!”

It was rather unsettling that Lexi was getting so blasé about showing her panties in public. At home, in front of Ryan and Drake, was bad enough … but at least that was a private setting. Lexi becoming so unconcerned about total strangers ogling her panties was a worrying development. As I looked back down the ladder, I saw a couple of teenage boys looking up at Lexi and grinning. Scowling at them, I climbed up the last couple of rungs and joined her on the deck.

“How would this work in space?” I asked, my annoyance showing through. “You couldn’t have people up here – they’d have no air to breathe.”

Lexi shrugged. “I guess the crew would all go below deck until they get to a planet with an atmosphere,” she surmised. “Anyway, up here is where Doobie and I put on our little show. We just about improvised the whole thing – except for the kiss, which we practised first.”

“Kiss?” I demanded. “He kissed you??”

Lexi blushed, and nodded. “It was sort of a key plot point,” she said defensively. “Doobie was the captain, I was his first mate, and we were under fire from the Galactic Confederation. Doobie has this whole soundtrack for the battle, with explosions and shouting and computer sounds and laser sounds – it’s really cool!”

“It was just the two of you?” I inquired. “Sounds like you need a bigger cast!”

“Yes, there used to be more people on this attraction, apparently,” said Lexi, “but there were budget cuts. Anyway, Doobie set the scene for me and talked me through how it would play out – he was resigned to defeat and I had to encourage him to keep fighting – and after I gave him a pep talk and rallied his spirits, he would take me in his arms and kiss me. He said audiences love to see the kiss – it always gets a cheer – so he thought we should practise first, to make sure it looked natural. I knew you wouldn’t be very happy about that and I told him so, and he said I didn’t have to do it, but it would make for a disappointing climax to the scene if we didn’t. Then I felt bad, and I had to admit to him that I’ve had a few kisses recently with other men, and you’ve shown yourself able to handle it … so I thought it would be okay to include the kiss.”

I sighed, and rolled my eyes. “So he guilted you into it,” I grumbled. “Well, I guess it was only acting.”

“Absolutely!” Lexi agreed. “So anyway … we practised … and at first I was a bit hesitant and stiff, and he said that the audience would be able to see my discomfort and it would make them feel uncomfortable on my behalf. So I had to try to throw myself into it a bit more, and use my tongue and so on … and after a few tries, Doobie was satisfied that we could sell our relationship really well. And by that I mean, really convince the audience that we were a couple.”

I pursed my lips. “And how did it go?”

“Great!” said Lexi happily. “Our kiss got a big cheer. Doobie got a little carried away, and fondled my bottom while we kissed, but I didn’t want to make a fuss in front of everyone.”

“Naturally,” I muttered.

“He’s got a great idea for tomorrow’s skit,” Lexi continued. “He’ll be busy doing his captainy things, and I’ll play the part of a mischievous crew member who keeps doing naughty things and playing tricks on him.”

I smiled. “I think I like the sound of that more than today’s.”

Lexi giggled. “Yes, I thought you might prefer us to play antagonists rather than lovers! But honestly, Marty, it was so much fun! I think I might have been bitten by the acting bug. So much more fun than sitting in an office!”

I grimaced. “Yeah, I can imagine. But it doesn’t pay nearly as well, unfortunately.”

“No,” she conceded, “although I did pretty well in tips today. I posed for photos with dozens of men, and some of them were quite generous. One guy tipped me fifty dollars!”

“Fifty!” I exclaimed. “Just for posing with you?”

Lexi’s cheeks reddened. “Well, you have to understand, this was after I’d posed for quite a lot of photos. Doobie had warned me that some of the men can get a little gropey, so I was prepared for that, but after the first few times, when I’d been gently deflecting wandering hands away from my breasts and bottom, Doobie suggested that I would earn bigger tips if I just let the guys have a little feel. I’m sure he wouldn’t have said that if I hadn’t already told him I was getting used to being groped … and he did say he’d be on hand to make sure nobody got too carried away.”

“He was pimping you out!” I exclaimed.

Lexi looked shocked. “Marty!” she said. “No he absolutely wasn’t! He left it all up to me to decide what was and wasn’t acceptable, and he let me keep all the tips for myself. He just pointed out that men were going to grope me anyway, and rather than expend my energy fighting it, I might as well be compensated for it.”

“Well I can’t argue that you don’t deserve compensation for men’s bad behaviour toward you,” I said grudgingly, “but I’m not convinced you should be encouraging it!”

“I wasn’t encouraging it!” Lexi insisted. “I wasn’t inviting them to put their hands on my breasts or up my skirt, Marty! I just wasn’t stopping them when they did it of their own accord. You know I don’t like conflict, and honestly it was a relief to just accept the behaviour and hope that it would lead to a big tip. Which it often did, though not always.”

“And the fifty dollar guy – what did he do?” I inquired.

Lexi bit her lip. “Well, he asked me to sit on his lap for the photos,” she said. “He wasn’t the first, or the last, to do that, but he was definitely the naughtiest. He said he wanted five photos, which is ten dollars, and while Doobie was taking them, he had his left arm around me while fondling my breasts with his right hand. But then, for the final photo, he said he wanted a kiss, and he promised me a big tip if he could kiss me on the lips. Doobie said it was up to me, and I figured, what the heck, it’s just a kiss. So I agreed, and he kissed me on the lips. But then he put his hand on my thigh, and slipped it up my skirt! I didn’t mind at first – he wasn’t the first to do that – but then he practically grabbed hold of my pussy through my panties, and started rubbing it pretty firmly! I opened my mouth to say something, and he jammed his tongue in! Then I had no choice but to French-kiss him, and hope that he would keep his promise about the big tip. Which he did, of course.”

“Ugh!” I said. “I hate that men seem to think it’s okay to just manhandle you like that!”

“He did remind me of Colin, a bit,” said Lexi. “Better hair, though – and at least he paid me for it!”

“How old was he?” I asked, feeling an understandable urge to know a bit more about a guy who had tongue-kissed my fiancée and felt her pussy.

She shrugged. “Forty? Fifty? I’m not sure. His age was a little hard to judge. He said his name was Harrison.”

I nodded. Then I remembered the ticket lady. “Oh! I need to get back to the gate. Are you ready to leave?”

“I need to change first,” she said, “but you go on ahead. Get your refund. I’ll meet you at the gate.”

“Okay,” I said, and I quickly climbed down the ladder, into a small crowd of teenagers who had no doubt gathered to watch Lexi come down. “This attraction is closed,” I told them shortly. “You might as well move on to … someplace else.” But they just laughed, and ignored me.

I ran back to the front gate, passed through the turnstile, and approached the ticket lady breathlessly. “I’m back!”

She looked unimpressed. “Eighteen minutes,” she said. “No refund.”

“Oh come on!” I protested. “I just came to pick up my fiancée! She’s just changing – she’ll be along in a minute – but come on, you can’t charge me full price!”

She shrugged. “We had a deal, didn’t we?”

I stared at her, grinding my teeth. “Yes,” I conceded.

“Then I’m not sure what else there is to discuss,” she said.

Frustrated, I turned away and walked over to a boulder to sit down. A few minutes later, I saw Lexi approaching, once again dressed in her work blouse and miniskirt. I waved to her, and waited for her to join me.

She came through the turnstile, and walked toward me with a smile. “Did you get your refund?” she asked.

“No,” I said, glaring at the woman in the booth. “I was too late.”

“Awww, I’m sorry,” said Lexi sympathetically.

“It’s fine, let’s just go,” I muttered.

While we waited for the bus, I said, feeling slightly anxious, “So … tell me about Aaron.”

“Oh,” said Lexi uncomfortably. “Well … I walked to the lake and sat down, just enjoying the sun and the cool breeze coming off the water … but I hadn’t been there more than five minutes when Aaron showed up. He said hi, and I said hi, and then he asked if I wanted to go for a swim. I told him I didn’t have a swimsuit, and he grinned and said I could always skinny-dip. And I said, ‘After yesterday, Aaron, I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to be naked around you!’ And he said, ‘Well I’ve already seen you naked; does it matter if I see you naked again? Wasn’t I a gentleman last time? I didn’t press my advantage, right? I could easily have done, but I’m not that kind of guy, as I hope you know.’ And I said, ‘Yes I know you’re not that kind of guy, but even so, it was a little uncomfortable for me.’ And he said, ‘Would you swim if you had a swimsuit?’ And I said, ‘Sure … but I don’t.’ And then he reached into the bag he was carrying, and pulled out a women’s swimsuit!”

“Ugh, he tricked you!” I exclaimed.

“Oh, I don’t think he meant to be deceptive,” said Lexi doubtfully. “I think he just wanted to give me a nice surprise. Anyway it was actually a bikini – I’ve never worn one of those before. So I said to him, ‘Wow, did you buy that for me?’ And he said, ‘Yes, well I felt bad that you got your clothes wet last time, and I thought if you went in the water again, it would be nice for you to have a swimsuit with you. That way you get to swim, and preserve your modesty, and keep your regular clothes dry.’ And I said that was very sweet of him, and I gave him a hug. And he hugged me back, and of course he grabbed my bottom and gave it a squeeze.”

“Of course he did,” I said with a frown. “Damn it, I wish guys would leave your butt alone! Did you tell him off?”

Lexi shook her head. “Marty, if I got upset every time a man groped my bottom, I’d be exhausted. I’ve resigned myself to the fact that men love to fondle it, and frankly, I don’t really mind. It doesn’t hurt me, and as long as they’re gentle, it actually feels quite nice. And I have to admit it’s sort of flattering, too.”

“I think most women would be horrified to hear you say that,” I remarked.

She shrugged. “What can I say? I’m not most women. I’m me, and I don’t know how to be anyone else. It doesn’t matter how I’m supposed to feel about something if I just don’t feel that way. Maybe it’s just a defence mechanism, I don’t know.”

This made a lot of sense to me. “You are who you are, and that’s the woman I love,” I told her solemnly. “Don’t try to be someone else – for me or for anyone.”

“Thank you,” she said gratefully. “Anyway, he suggested I try it on, and he promised not to look while I changed. Then he turned around, and I thought since he’d gone to the trouble of buying it for me, I ought to at least try it on.”

“Didn’t you say you weren’t going to let him get you naked today?” I inquired peevishly.

Lexi blushed. “I know,” she said awkwardly. “But he bought me a swimsuit! Well, a bikini. I felt … obliged…”

“He’s clever, I’ll give him that,” I grumbled. “Go on – what happened next?”

“Well, I put on the bikini,” said Lexi. “It was quite skimpy! But it was pretty, and it fit me very well. I’ll show it to you later.”

“Will you model it for me?” I asked hopefully.

She giggled. “Of course! Anyway I told Aaron he could look, and he turned back around and looked me up and down, and said how nice I looked. He actually used an F-word, but he immediately apologised for it.”

I frowned. “Like how? Did he say he wanted to f…?”

“No no,” Lexi corrected me quickly. “No, he used it as an adverb, to describe how ‘hot’ I looked.”

“Oh, I see,” I said. ‘Fucking hot’, then. Great.

“Then he said I was so hot,” Lexi continued with a giggle, “I should cool off with a nice swim! So I waded into the lake, and the water was beautiful! I swam out to the rock where I’d posed yesterday, and I posed again, just for fun. Aaron took a couple of photos, and he asked me to pose topless again … but I told him he’d already taken enough photos of my breasts! I said he should have a swim too, and enjoy the lovely water. And to my surprise, he agreed! He took off everything but his underwear, jumped in the lake, and waded out to my rock. Then he asked me if I wanted a race, and I said sure. So we swam out to another rock, and he won, but only by a little. We sunned ourselves on that rock for a few minutes, but the breeze was too cool for comfort, really. We swam back to the beach, and I asked Aaron if he’d brought towels. He said he hadn’t thought of it, but that I would dry off soon enough in the sun, if I took off my bikini.”

“I bet he did think about it, and deliberately didn’t bring a towel so you would have to spend some time naked!” I said in annoyance.

“In fairness,” said Lexi, “I didn’t think of it either, and I should have considered the possibility that I might be getting wet again. Anyway, I asked him to turn around, but he said he’d already seen me naked and would love to see my ‘lovely body’ again. I tried to persuade him, but he was very persistent and very flattering, and eventually I gave in, and took off my bikini in front of him.”

“Ugh,” I groaned.

Lexi bit her lip anxiously. “It … it gets worse, I’m sorry…”

Feeling apprehensive, I grimaced. “Go on.”

“He took off his underwear,” Lexi went on awkwardly, “so then we were both naked. Aaron made a blanket out of our clothes, so I could lie down without getting dirty. But he didn’t have anywhere to lie down himself, so he just stood there with his hands clasped over his thing. He asked if I was cold, and I told him I was, a bit. Then he suggested we cuddle, like we did yesterday, for shared warmth. I reminded him that his thing had almost gone somewhere it shouldn’t yesterday, and he said, ‘But it didn’t, right? We made sure of that. Didn’t I show you that you can trust me to be a gentleman?’ And I had to acknowledge that he was right. So … long story short, he talked me into cuddling with him. And he lay down on top of me, and put his arms around me … and he told me to wrap my arms and legs around his back. I could feel his thing pressing against my pussy, and I was a bit nervous, but I did as he had asked.”

“Oh God!” I exclaimed. “So the two of you were in, like the missionary position??”

“I guess so,” said Lexi wretchedly. “But he wasn’t inside me! At least, not at first…”

“Not at first??” I gasped. “Not at first??? So he stuck it inside you??”

“No!” she replied. “Well … not exactly. Please let me tell the story properly, Marty. You can be as mad as you like – at Aaron, at me – afterwards. But I want you to understand exactly what happened.”

I ground my teeth. “Go on,” I said with difficulty.

“He … he started rubbing my pussy with his thing…”

“You might as well say ‘cock’,” I grumbled irritably.

“Sorry, old habits,” she said. “I told him he shouldn’t, but he said, ‘Lexi, do you know how arousing it is to be in this position with you? My cock feels ready to explode. I just need to rub it to get some relief from the pressure. Have you never felt so horny you just had to rub yourself?’ And I replied, ‘A strict religious upbringing tends to make one pretty good at suppressing such urges.’ And yet I knew exactly what he was talking about, because I was feeling the same way, and I was actually really enjoying the rubbing. And when Aaron asked if I’d ever had an orgasm, I … I’m afraid I told him about Ryan rubbing me and sticking his fingers in me…”

“Oh no…” I groaned.

“Then Aaron,” Lexi continued, her cheeks now bright red, “reached down with his hand, and he started rubbing my pussy with his fingers. He said, ‘Wouldn’t you like a nice orgasm right now?’ And I told him he shouldn’t do that, and he said, ‘If it’s okay for Ryan to do it, why not me?’ And I explained that Ryan’s like a brother to me, and he laughed and said, ‘That makes it worse, surely? You wouldn’t want your real brother doing that?’ And then … he stuck a finger inside me. And I guess I was pretty wet, because he said, ‘Wow, Lexi, I guess you’re as horny as I am!’ And I didn’t reply to that, because his finger sliding in and out of me was making it hard to think. Then … he kissed me. I squealed, I guess, and turned my head to stop him. And he did stop … and he said, ‘Come on, Lexi, just a little kiss.’ And I said, ‘Aaron, how am I going to explain this to Marty?’ And he said, ‘How did you explain to him what Ryan did?’ And I told him it was a very embarrassing conversation, but you’re so wonderful you didn’t even get mad at me. And he asked if Ryan had kissed me, and I told him yes … and he asked if anyone else had, besides you and Ryan, and I said yes … and then he kissed me again, and this time I felt like I didn’t have an excuse not to let him. And I was so horny, Marty! I’m afraid I … I kind of let myself get lost in the moment. I wasn’t thinking straight – I’m sorry…”

I scowled. “Well obviously I’m not happy about the kissing,” I said, “but at this point it’s not exactly a huge shock. I’m more concerned about where this story ends up.”

Lexi nodded. “Anyway, he … while he was kissing me, he pulled out his finger … and he took hold of his … cock … and started rubbing the tip up and down my pussy. Part of me sensed the danger, but I was super horny and I sort of dismissed the idea that he would push it inside me. I had chosen to trust him. But then … it sort of … slipped…”

My blood ran cold. “Slipped?”

“It sort of got stuck in my … opening,” said Lexi, staring at the ground. “It freaked me out and I said, ‘Aaron! Careful!’ And he said, ‘Oops! Don’t worry though – there’s no harm in it staying where it is. It’s not going to slide in unless I give it a very firm push … which I promise you, I’m not going to do.’ And he resumed kissing me. I was very nervous about where his cock was, but he’d given me his promise, so I thought it would be okay…”

“Oh God…” I muttered.

“He was rubbing my button with his fingers,” Lexi went on, in a bit of a rush, “and I was getting closer and closer to my climax. And I was … I guess I was writhing my hips, or something, and … and maybe I was pulling him against me with my legs … but suddenly I felt his cock sinking into my … my vagina. And I squealed in panic. And Aaron stopped kissing me, and said, ‘Oh no!’ Actually he used a curse word, beginning with ‘sh’. But the point is, Marty, he didn’t intend to do it! I … I think it was my fault. I said, ‘Oh no, I can’t believe you just took my virginity! Pull it out! Please pull it out!’ But he didn’t pull out immediately. He said, ‘Okay, don’t panic, Lexi – let’s just see how far in it is. And he pushed himself up with his hands, and we both looked down to see what was going on. And I could see his cock … sticking into me. Not much of it, though … and he said, ‘All right, I’m about an inch in. The head’s not even all the way in. Lexi, I haven’t taken your virginity. Just putting the tip in isn’t enough for that. Granted, we just came as close as we could possibly get … but you’re still a virgin.’ And I said, ‘Really? Are you sure?’ And he said, ‘Yes, absolutely. But Lexi, since this is the closest I’ll ever get to having sex with you, please allow me to take a photo, to commemorate this amazing moment. I’ll likely never again be in a situation like this with someone as beautiful and wonderful as you.’ Words to that effect, anyway, I can’t remember exactly what he said because I was sort of still in shock. Oh, and then he said, ‘Just one photo, then we’ll get dressed, go our separate ways, and we can forget this happened.’ That sounded pretty good to me, so I said, ‘Okay, just one photo.’ But he had apparently put his phone down out of reach, on a nearby tree stump, so he had to go and fetch it. So I had to lie there naked, with my legs spread, and wait for him to come back.”

“You should have gotten up and put your clothes on!” I said.

“I was very tempted to!” Lexi admitted. “But Marty, I’d agreed to let him take a photo, and I couldn’t go back on my word. I did put my hand over my pussy, but when he came back with his phone and lay on top of me again, he moved it aside anyway. Then he took hold of his cock, and began pushing it inside me again.”

“What??” I exclaimed.

“I know!” said Lexi. “I said, ‘Hey!’ and tried to stop him, but he said, ‘I’m just getting into the same position as before, for the photo.’ And I said, ‘You want a photo of your cock going inside me?’ And he said, ‘Well yeah, obviously. I said I wanted to commemorate the moment, and this was part of it. Don’t worry, this won’t take long.’ And I felt my vagina opening up as the head of his cock slowly disappeared inside me.” Lexi bit her lip. “Marty … I have to admit … from a purely physical perspective … the situation was incredibly arousing. I was feeling insanely horny. I can’t help wondering if I would even have stopped him, if he’d kept going until he was all the way in. I … I wasn’t exactly thinking straight.” She began to sniffle miserably. “I’m sorry, Marty!”

“But he didn’t, right?” I asked her nervously. “He didn’t put it all the way in?”

“No,” she confirmed. “Though I do think he went a little deeper the second time. Like, I think maybe the whole of the … the head … went in. Then he stopped, and supported himself on one hand while taking a photo with the other. He showed me the photo afterwards, and even offered to send it to me, but I declined. It showed my face, and my breasts, and all the way down to where his cock was entering me. I don’t know why I smiled for the photo – just because he said ‘Say cheese’ I guess.”

I grimaced. “And then?”

“Then he pulled out,” she continued, “and we got dressed, and he walked me back to the office. And our chat along the way seemed so normal and lighthearted that it was already becoming hard to believe that he had almost had sex with me. Except that I was still super-horny and my panties were wet.”

I sighed heavily. “Well jeez, Lexi, I don’t know what to say.”

She looked up at me anxiously. “Are you … mad at me?” Her pretty blue eyes were filling with tears.

I hesitated, then shook my head. “Lexi, I’m upset, but not at you. Aaron took advantage of you – again – and it was almost disastrous. I’m not sure whether I believe he didn’t deliberately ‘slip’, or that he didn’t actively push his cock into you, but I guess I should be glad that his conscience didn’t let him go any further. I think I want a second opinion on the whole virginity thing – what he said about you still being a virgin seems … questionable.”

She clutched my arm. “Marty, what if we find out I’m not a virgin anymore? Won’t that ruin our relationship? Will you still want to marry me?” Her voice was getting higher and higher. “Will you … still love me?”

“Hush, hush, calm down,” I said reassuringly, taking hold of her shoulders. “Lexi, I can’t deny it would be quite a blow, but I know you didn’t do it intentionally and I know you still love me … so of course I’d still marry you, and I absolutely will continue to love you with all my heart.”

She smiled at me through her tears, and looked so relieved that I couldn’t help taking her in my arms and kissing her. When we pulled apart, a minute later, I smiled down at her.

“No more getting naked with Aaron, though, right?” I said gently. “Even if you have something else to put on, like a bikini. No more swimming with him, or getting your clothes wet. I don’t want him to have any excuse for getting you out of your clothes.”

Lexi nodded. “Absolutely!” she said firmly. “Lesson learned!”

Our bus arrived, and we boarded. Lexi’s skimpy outfit attracted plenty of stares, but we were able to get adjacent seats, and Lexi sat next to the window so that I could shield her from ogling eyes. When we got home, Lexi took off her skirt and swapped her blouse for a tank top. After she had eaten a couple of slices of pizza on the couch, I put my arm around her.

“Wanna watch something?” I asked.

She smiled. “I’d love to!” she said. “But I have a couple of promises to keep first.”

My face fell. “Oh – are you going to see Patrick?”

“Yes, I need to help him shower,” she said apologetically. “But first I need to go to the gym with Drake.”

“Oh,” I said, grimacing a little.

“Maybe you can come too?” she suggested hopefully. “Make sure Drake behaves himself? And you can get a nice workout in too!”

I ground my teeth. “I just know he’s going to grope you,” I grumbled. “Whether I’m there or not. And if I’m there, I’m going to be spending the whole time policing him … which isn’t as much fun as you might think.”

Lexi looked a little crestfallen. “I understand,” she said. “I just thought … he probably won’t take the groping quite as far if you’re there.”

“True,” I conceded, “but also, I don’t have anything suitable to wear. If I just wear regular shorts and a t-shirt, people will laugh at me.”

“Then we need to get you some workout clothes!” said Lexi. “Oh … maybe you can buy some at the gym?”

I shook my head. “Then I’ll have to change there, in a men’s locker room filled with naked sweaty gym bros. No thank you. Tell you what, though – how about if I buy a gym outfit tomorrow, after work?”

Lexi nodded. “All right, that sounds good. So you don’t want to come today? Even to watch me work out, and keep Drake in line?”

I hesitated, then shook my head. “I would feel weird and uncomfortable, just sitting there in regular clothes, watching you work out while Drake gropes you. If I call him out, that’ll just draw attention to it from anyone else that’s there, and then they’ll laugh at me for watching my wife getting felt up by a gym coach.” I shrugged. “If I’m not there, hopefully nobody will notice Drake groping you … but conversely, there’s only so much he’ll be willing to do while other people are around. If he fondles your breasts or butt, big deal – you don’t seem to mind it, and he’s done it before, several times. Lots of men have,” I added bitterly.

Lexi looked unhappy. “Marty, I’m so sorry – I feel like I’m making you miserable! I’ll ask him not to touch me at all, okay?”

I blinked. Was this an option? Could we really just stop the gropings by asking for them to stop? “Uh … that sounds great!” I said. “I feel like it’s not going to be that easy, but I guess it’s worth a try!”

Lexi smiled. “I’ll try, then! I don’t suppose it would work with someone like Colin, but … Drake’s my friend! Our friend. I’m sure he’ll listen.”

“You think Ryan would too?” I mused aloud.

She giggled. “Maybe not – he gets way too horny … and he’d just talk me into letting it happen anyway. He’s very persuasive!”

“Yeah,” I agreed glumly. “But it’s worth a shot with Drake, definitely.”

“I’ll go and change,” said Lexi, “and then I’ll talk to him on the way there.”

I nodded. “Okay.”

Lexi got up and went into our bedroom, then emerged a minute later with a casual miniskirt on, and carrying her workout bag. She smiled at me, put her bag by the door, then walked to Drake’s room. “Drake?”

He opened the door. “Hey!” he said with a smile. “You ready to hit the gym?”

“I sure am!” she replied.

“All right, let’s go,” he said.

They left, and I played Minecraft for the next half-hour, until Ryan came out and joined me, then we played together. I would have been quite happy not to discuss Lexi’s workout session with Drake, but the subject, it seemed, was on Ryan’s mind.

“Do you think Drake will push his luck?” he inquired idly.

I was frantically trying to clear a room of shulkers before they sniped me to death. “Huh?”

“You think he’ll get his hand in her panties?” said Ryan.

“Ugh!” I exclaimed. “One shulker shell! After all that. One!”

“Dude, you have a sword with Looting Three,” said Ryan reproachfully. “Why are you taking out shulkers with a bow and arrow if you want shulker shells?”

“It’s safer,” I said, annoyed. “Anyway, I don’t want to think about what Drake’s doing. I’ll find out soon enough from Lexi.”

“It’s probably best,” Ryan advised, “to imagine the worst. Then you’ll be pleasantly surprised, or at least not shocked, when you learn what happened.”

“I’d rather not imagine anything until I’m forced to,” I replied curtly.

“No harm in preparing yourself psychologically though,” said Ryan.

“That’s as may be,” I muttered, “but right now I just want to enjoy the game.”

“Suit yourself,” said Ryan.

It was just after ten o’clock when Drake and Lexi walked in. Lexi was still wearing her gym clothes. She gave me a little wave as I got up, feeling suddenly anxious.

“How was the workout?” I asked, feigning nonchalance.

“Great!” said Drake. “She did really well.”

“Yes, it was good!” said Lexi. “Drake’s an excellent coach. Anyway I’m going to change – come with me?”

I followed her into the bedroom, and closed the door. “Did Drake misbehave?” I asked.

She nodded. “Yeah,” she said uncomfortably. “A bit. He did a great job talking me through my workout routine, and I think it did me a lot of good … but yes, he got a little naughty.”

I sighed, and sat down. “Not exactly surprising,” I remarked. “Want to talk me through it?”

Lexi nodded. “I do … but it’s already quite late. Do you mind if we postpone this conversation until after I get back from Patrick’s apartment? If you can’t wait, then of course we can talk now.”

I shook my head in disgust. “And no doubt Patrick will misbehave too,” I grumbled. “Well I guess we can kill two birds with one stone and discuss both Drake and Patrick, one after the other.” I tried not to sound as bitter as I felt.

“Aww, Marty!” said Lexi, looking distressed. “If you like, I’ll go over to Patrick’s and tell him I can’t give him a shower tonight. I’m sure he can wait until tomorrow.”

That she was willing to cancel on Patrick at such a late hour was telling; I knew she absolutely hated to break her word or let anybody down. “No,” I said reluctantly. “Go give the old man his shower. A promise is a promise. I’m sorry if I seem resentful; I’ll try to be a little more mature about it. I don’t mind waiting until you get back.”

“Thank you!” she said, looking very relieved. She gave me a hug. Then she took off her shorts and crop top, and I had the pleasure of admiring her lovely breasts for a few seconds before she put her white tank top back on. At this point she hesitated. “Should I bother putting a skirt on?” she wondered aloud. “He’s just across the hallway, and I’ll be getting naked for the shower anyway, unless I wear my panties again, though honestly that seems a little pointless…”

“Didn’t you tell him you would wear a swimsuit next time?” I asked peevishly. “You have a bikini now, remember – wouldn’t that be a good option?”

“Oh yes!” she exclaimed in delight. “What a good idea! I don’t think I should wear it over there though – I’ll carry it, wrapped up in my towel. But is it okay if I go over there without a skirt on?”

I shrugged. “I guess it’s up to you,” I said. “I don’t want to get accused of being ‘controlling’ by telling you what you should or shouldn’t wear. But you wore this outfit last time – and he loved it of course – so I guess it doesn’t really matter if you wear it again.”

She smiled, and nodded. “Okay then,” she said. And having gathered up her things, including some items she retrieved from the bathroom, she left the apartment, and once again I found myself waiting for her to come back home with more stories about being molested.

To take my mind off it, I spent some time with Ryan and Drake, playing a few hands of poker. We played for pennies, pulled from the penny jar we kept in the kitchen. It was not long before Drake was down to his last one.

“God I suck at this,” he said. “I fold. I’m out.”

“I’ll stake you ten of my pennies,” I said with a grin, “if you’ll forgo your goodnight kiss with Lexi.”

Drake snorted. “Not worth it!” he said. “Besides, we already had our goodnight kiss.”

“Oh?” I asked, frowning. “When? At the gym?”

“Nah man, in my car,” said Drake. “After I drove us home.”

Ryan looked at Drake shrewdly. “That was hardly a ‘goodnight’ kiss though, dude,” he said. “It wasn’t like you weren’t going to be seeing her again tonight. I feel like you should still get a goodnight kiss right before the two of you part company for the night.”

“Hey!” I objected.

“Works for me!” said Drake cheerfully.

“But you’ll have to earn it,” said Ryan. “Obviously you can’t just take it, without permission from Marty. You should play him for it. One round, Five Card Draw. If you win, you get another goodnight kiss with Lexi. If you lose … well Marty, what do you think you should win? Maybe Drake loses tomorrow’s goodnight kiss?”

“I can’t play poker for Lexi’s kisses!” I protested. “They’re not mine to trade!”

“Well obviously Lexi would have to agree to it herself,” said Ryan. “That goes without saying. What we’re really trading here, Marty, is your consent. That, dude, you can certainly play for.”

I smirked. “Sure,” I said. “Why not?”

“He’s counting on Lexi not agreeing to it,” remarked Drake. “Which she won’t, if he tells her not to.”

“Yeah, Marty, you’ll have to at least try to persuade her,” said Ryan. “Otherwise you’ve no stake in the bet.

“I don’t know,” I said uncomfortably. “I don’t enjoy encouraging Lexi to kiss another guy.”

“Come on man, it’s not like the stakes are real high,” said Drake. “If you lose, and you talk her into honouring the bet, I get one extra kiss – big deal! And if you win, I get one less kiss. I’ll be bummed about that, but I’ll survive.”

“I … I guess so,” I said reluctantly. The chance to deprive him of tomorrow night’s goodnight kiss was not without its appeal. “Fine – deal away.”

Ryan dealt us five cards each, and I kept a straight face as I looked at my hand. I had a pair of jacks – not a likely winner – but I had a small chance of picking up a third. Since the bet was set already, there was no need for secrecy, but I kept a poker face out of habit. Glancing at Drake, I fancied he looked a little glum … possibly a bluff, or maybe he was not feeling the need to keep a straight face.

“Okay,” said Ryan, “the bet is already made, so Marty, do you want to discard anything?”

“Sure,” I said, and I tossed my three unpaired cards on the table. Ryan dealt me three more, and I picked them up. Three of hearts, ten of spades, three of spades. Another pair! Things were looking up.

Drake also traded in three cards, and I watched his face as he looked at his new ones. He seemed disappointed, but not overtly so. Just a slight purse of the lips.

“Anyone want to raise the stakes?” Ryan asked.

Drake shook his head. I hesitated, then said, “Sure, why not? I’ll throw in a boob grope.”

Both Drake and Ryan looked unimpressed. “I grope Lexi’s boobs during our goodnight kisses anyway,” said Drake. “She doesn’t mind.”

I frowned. “Well you shouldn’t!” I said. “But if you win this hand, I’ll give my consent to you groping her boobs whenever you kiss her. If you lose, no more boob-groping while kissing!”

Drake chuckled. “Bro, you’re not offering anything I don’t have already. I have no motivation to accept that bet. I have a lot to lose and nothing to gain.”

I strongly suspected he had nothing but a pair, and I was determined to entice him into accepting the bet and losing his groping privileges. “Fine,” I said. “If you win, Lexi goes topless during your goodnight kisses, tonight and tomorrow. If you lose, no goodnight kiss tomorrow, and no boob-groping at all for the rest of this week!”

“Hmm,” said Drake thoughtfully. “Okay, now you’re talking. I guess the reward is worth the risk. Fine. And just for fun, I’ll raise you – if I win, Lexi goes topless whenever she’s in the apartment. If I lose … uh … I’ll do all the dishes for the rest of the week.”

“Nuh-uh!” I said. “It has to be Lexi-related. If you lose, you forfeit all physical contact with Lexi until Sunday.”

“Jeez!” said Drake in dismay. “That’s harsh, bro! Can you not make it Saturday at least? That’s three full days of no contact, while having to watch Ryan kiss and fondle her to his heart’s content. Surely that’s punishment enough?”

“Sunday,” I said firmly.

He looked at his cards, and shook his head. “Nah, I can’t risk that.”

“All right, Saturday,” I conceded.

He hesitated, sighed, and then nodded. “Okay, let’s see what you got.”

I laid out my cards. “Two pairs,” I said.

He grinned, and laid out his own hand. “Three sevens!”

My jaw dropped. “You bluffed!” I accused him.

He shrugged, looking very pleased with himself. “Yeah, how about that? You’d think there’d be a rule against bluffing or something.”

I was beaten, and I knew it. Now I could only hope that Lexi would refuse to honour the terms of the bet. That was by no means a given, but she might do it for me, if I asked her to. That would go against the spirit of the bet – Ryan had after all said that I was trading my ‘acceptance’ – but perhaps I could be subtle about it.

“Wanna play a hand with me?” Ryan asked Drake.

“Sure,” said Drake. “What are we playing for?”

“If you win,” said Ryan, “and as long as she agrees to it, Lexi sleeps with you tonight instead of me.”

“Whoa!” said Drake, his eyes widening. “And if you win?”

“Well I don’t know,” said Ryan. “What do you have to trade?”

Drake thought for a minute. “It has to be Lexi-related?”

“Yeah,” said Ryan.

“Uh,” said Drake, “well the only thing I do with her that you don’t do, is take her to the gym. So how about if you take her to the gym tomorrow instead?”

“Can’t really compare with sleeping with her,” Ryan remarked, “plus I’m not that bothered about taking her to the gym. What if I took her somewhere else? Like, to a movie maybe?”

“Yeah, sure,” said Drake. “That works.”

It didn’t work for me, though. “You want to take my fiancée out on a date, Ryan? Hell no!”

“It’s only a date if we call it one,” said Ryan. “Is it a date when Drake takes her to the gym?”

“A movie’s different,” I said.

“How?” asked Ryan. “Friends can take friends to movies; it doesn’t have to count as a date. Anyway, this is between me and Drake, and as always, Lexi would get the final say. With all due respect, Marty, it’s not your call. But go ahead and shuffle and deal if you like.”

Scowling, I picked up the deck and shuffled thoroughly. Then I dealt five cards to each of my friends. Feeling tense, I watched as they picked up their cards and looked at them. Drake traded in three of his cards; Ryan traded four.

“Anyone want to raise?” I asked, hoping they wouldn’t. The stakes were high enough already.

Ryan, staring at his cards, said, “Nah.”

Drake, however, was more confident. “Sure,” he said. “Two nights with Lexi, tonight and tomorrow, for two dates, tomorrow and Thursday evening.”

“No deal,” said Ryan. “I fold.” He put down his cards – he had a pair of fives.

“Woohoo!” Drake exclaimed. “I got you good, bro!” He laid out his own cards; he had nothing, not even a pair.

“Oh, you asshole!” Ryan exclaimed, looking shocked. “Damn. Well played.”

Drake cackled gleefully. “A night with the lovely Lexi!” he said. “Hallelujah!”

“As long as she agrees,” I said sharply. I was not happy about this arrangement, to put it mildly … but I figured it made little difference if Lexi slept with Ryan or with Drake. Either way, it sucked for me.

“Of course,” said Drake. “As long as she agrees.”

“Now it’s our turn to play, Marty,” said Ryan.

“Oh no,” I said with a shudder, as Drake gathered up the cards. “I think we’ve bet enough of Lexi’s time and … stuff.”

“Come on Marty,” said Drake, casually shuffling. “This is your chance to get a bit back. You can’t sleep with her tonight … but what about tomorrow night?”

“I’m not allowed,” I said grumpily. “Consequence of breaking our oath.”

“That’s right,” Ryan agreed. “But if you like, we can make it about what I can and can’t do with Lexi. For instance, if I lose, maybe I sleep on the couch tomorrow night, and let Lexi sleep alone in my room. Or perhaps I have to keep my fingers out of her vagina during tonight’s massage.”

Either one of those sounded pretty good to me. “All right, I’ll bite,” I said grudgingly. “I’ll pick the latter. And if you win?”

Ryan grinned. “If I win, she has to give me a blowjob.”

“No way!” I exclaimed. “She’s not gonna suck your cock, Ryan!”

“That’ll be up to her,” said Ryan smoothly. “This is just about your consent. If you lose, I’ll still have to try and talk her into it. So I might not get it anyway.”

“You’re very persuasive,” I grumbled, “but even so, I can’t believe she’d agree to give you a blowjob.”

“So take the bet, and let’s play,” said Ryan.

Drake dealt the cards. I picked mine up, and my heart sank. Nothing. At least … hmm. I did have a seven, a nine, and a ten – if I got an eight, I would have a small straight. Were small straights a thing in poker? Or was that just Yahtzee? Well, it was conceivable that I could get an eight and a six, or an eight and a jack … but the odds were against that. Alternatively I could throw in all five cards and hope for the best … but if I did that, I wouldn’t have a hope of bluffing Ryan into folding.

I tossed in my king of diamonds and three of clubs. Drake dealt me two more, while Ryan looked at me thoughtfully. As I looked at my cards, I smiled slightly, though inside I was disappointed. Another nine, and an ace. I had a pair.

Ryan traded in three, and remained expressionless as he looked at his new cards. Then he sighed. “Okay, let’s see what you’ve got,” he said.

I decided to go bold. “I want to raise,” I said. “If I win, you have to keep your fingers out of Lexi’s vagina until we get married. If you win … she gives you a blowjob every night until … Saturday.” I was convinced this would make him fold.

“That’s hardly fair!” he protested. “Who knows when you’ll get married? If Saturday is the cut-off for blowjobs, it should be the cut-off for a fingering ban.”

I grinned. “That’s my raise,” I said. “Call, or fold.”

Ryan hesitated. I was sure he was going to cut his losses and fold. But he surprised me. “Call,” he said.

I widened my smile. “You sure? You stand to lose quite a lot…”

“Yeah, but I think you’re bluffing,” he said, laying his cards down. “There – a pair of queens.”

The blood drained from my face. “Shit,” I said, putting down my own cards.

Ryan clapped his hands, and whooped for joy. “Five blowjobs!” he exclaimed. “Yes!!”

“Four!” I said irritably. “I said ‘until Saturday’, not ‘including Saturday’.”

“Awww,” said Ryan. “Still – four blowjobs!”

“If she agrees!” I reminded him. “Which she won’t.”

“We’ll see,” he replied, grinning. “You have to make a good-faith effort to persuade her though!”

“Like hell I will,” I muttered. I felt thoroughly disgusted with the whole game; it had gone very badly from my point of view. “No more poker!” I snapped. “Jeez. God knows what Lexi’s going to say when she gets back and finds out what we’ve been betting.” I put my head in my hands. “Ugh, I’ve really let her down!”

Drake put his hand on my shoulder. “Hey man, don’t worry – just remind her she doesn’t have to do anything she doesn’t want to.”

I nodded. “Yeah, I guess that’s comforting.”

It was another fifteen minutes before Lexi returned, wearing a towel and carrying her clothes and toiletries in a bundle. She smiled at me, a little anxiously, as I jumped up from the couch and walked over to her. She headed for the bedroom, and I followed.

Inside, I closed the door. “How did it go?” I asked.

She put down her bundle. “I … I don’t think you’re going to like it,” she said. “But please don’t do anything … bad … to Patrick. It was really my fault…”

I frowned. But I was acutely aware that I had some bad news of my own, which might make her mad at me. “Uh, well, I have something to confess too,” I said. “Hopefully we can both try to stay calm, and not to be mad at each other.”

Her eyes widened. “You?” she asked. “I can’t imagine you’ve done anything wrong! Unless you’ve got a secret mistress stashed away that I don’t know about!” She giggled nervously, then her smile faded.

“Nothing like that!” I said. “I just … I made an ill-advised bet in a game of poker with Drake and Ryan.”

Lexi stared at me in surprise. “Did you … lose some money?”

I shook my head. “No, we only played for pennies. At first. Then … but look, can we do your stories first?”

“Oh, sure,” said Lexi. She sat down, and unwrapped her bundle of clothes. Inside her tank top was her skimpy pink and white bikini, which, I couldn’t help notice, was dry. “This is my new bikini,” she said. “Can I model it for you?”

“Sure,” I said, and I turned my back while she took off her towel and put the bikini on.

“There – what do you think?” she asked.

I turned to face her. She was standing by the bed, her hands awkwardly by her sides, her breasts spilling out of a bikini top that was clearly too small for her. The bottom half looked fine from the front, but when she turned away from me to show me the back, I was surprised to see it was a thong. Her bare buttocks looked delicious, but it made me fume inside to think about Aaron buying this bikini for her, persuading her to wear it, and then talking her out of it.

“You look gorgeous, as always,” I said, disgruntled.

She sat down next to me, looking concerned. “Oh no, you hate it!” she said. “I’m sorry, I should have known. It’s so skimpy, isn’t it? I don’t know what I was thinking, I should never have…”

I silenced her with a kiss. “I love the bikini, and you in it,” I assured her. “I just hate the fact that it was Aaron and not me who bought it for you. But it’s very sexy, you look amazing, and I’ll be proud to show you off at the beach sometime.”

She sighed with relief. “Oh, okay,” she said. “I’m sorry about Aaron. Don’t worry – I won’t wear it for him again.”

I smiled at her, a little tightly. “So tell me about … well, your workout, first of all.”

“Um … okay,” she said, her cheeks reddening. “Well, in the car, Drake asked what outfit I wanted to wear today, and I said maybe I should wear the dress, since my breasts kept popping out last time. And he said people might see my panties, and I said I could wear the shorts I wore last time, even though they don’t match … and he said I could if I wanted to, but I needn’t bother, it wouldn’t be a big deal if someone caught a glimpse of my panties occasionally, and it would be cooler without them. I said I was getting quite used to strangers seeing my panties, and that it was better than people seeing my bare breasts … and he agreed. So I wore the dress, and we started with a lot of stretching, which did reveal my panties a lot, but Drake told me not to worry about it, and he would handle it if anyone complained.”

“And in the meantime I’m guessing he was enjoying the view!” I said with a frown.

“Well … yes,” Lexi conceded. “He did keep putting me in positions where my thighs were spread and my panties were displayed right in front of his face. I mean, I’m sure they were legitimate stretches, but he certainly didn’t need to ogle my panties quite so blatantly.”

“I’ll talk to him,” I said sternly.

Lexi shook her head. “Please don’t,” she said. “That was hardly the worst thing he did, and although it was a little embarrassing that he was doing it in a public place, I don’t really mind him looking at my panties. It seems to make him happy, and I like making my friends happy.”

“Hmm,” I said disapprovingly. “So go on – what else did he do?”

“Well, after the stretching, he got me lifting weights, which was hard work, and my whole body is complaining,” Lexi went on ruefully. “At this point he was being totally professional, giving me advice on technique and a lot of information about muscle groups and so on. But after a while, a few people left, and it was just me and Drake and four other men in there, all of whom seemed to know each other. And Drake noticed they were looking over at me, and he told me they were all, um, ‘hot’ for me. I figured that was an exaggeration, but…”

“Probably not,” I surmised.

“Well, it turned out they were staring at me because of my dress,” Lexi continued with a rueful expression. “One of them called out, ‘Did you just come from Wimbledon, honey?’ And his friends laughed. I was so embarrassed! But gosh, Drake really laid into them. I’ve never seen him so mad!”

“He … hit them?” I asked, shocked.

“Oh no – he just went over and told them off, really fiercely!” said Lexi. “And he made them come and apologise to me. They seemed a bit afraid of him. It was kind of cool, actually! But I felt bad for them – they apologised so nicely and I said it was fine, I knew they were just trying to be funny. Then they went back to their weights, and Drake resumed coaching me. But I asked him if it was a bit of a faux pas to wear a tennis dress in the gym, and he said it was a bit unusual. And he asked if I wanted to change outfits, and I said maybe. Then he asked if I wanted to have a little fun at those men’s expense – get my own back, by teasing them a bit. I wasn’t sure exactly what he meant, but then he pulled my green and grey top out of my bag, and suggested I swap it for my dress. I said, ‘And the shorts?’ And he said, ‘Nah, you don’t need the shorts. Just work out in your top and panties.’ And I said, ‘Drake, I can’t work out here in my panties!’ And he said, ‘Why not? You think those guys will mind?’ And I said to him, ‘I don’t know, but they came here to work out, and I probably shouldn’t distract them!’ To which he said, ‘Sometimes a little distraction is good for the soul.’ And then he said, ‘Come on, let’s show them you’re not just a silly girl in a tennis dress – you’re a sexy woman with a body they’d give anything to touch. And they can’t – that’s the beauty of it. You’ll give them all a boner they can’t do anything with – it’ll be a sweet revenge for their meanness.’ And, I don’t know, it just sounded like fun, and by that point I was feeling a little embarrassed about the dress. So … I said okay.”

I grimaced. “I kind of get what Drake was saying,” I acknowledged. “I have no problem with you getting a little revenge on the men who teased you. But I wish it hadn’t involved you getting undressed – that feels like more of a reward for Drake.”

Lexi shrugged. “I think perhaps he deserved a reward for sticking up for me so strongly,” she said. “Anyway, I slipped into the changing room, took off my dress, put on my green and grey top, and came back wearing just that and my panties … and my shoes of course.”

I sighed. “And did it have the desired effect?”

“I think so,” said Lexi, a little awkwardly. “They sort of cheered and clapped when they saw me. It didn’t seem like much of a punishment, but Drake said I would soon make them crazy with frustration. I was worried they might … you know … try to rape me – but Drake said they wouldn’t dare try anything with him there. Which was comforting.”

“Hmm,” I said. “Still, I don’t like the idea of you being in such a public place in your panties. I know you were in your panties a lot when we were clothes-shopping on Saturday, but that was only for short periods between outfits, and I was there with you.”

“And Drake was with me this time,” said Lexi reassuringly. “And it was fine! The men enjoyed looking at me, and paid me lots of compliments, but they didn’t dare come too near. Drake, though … this was when he started to get a bit more handsy…”

“Oh?” I said with a frown.

“I was on one of the machines,” she went on. “I was lying on my back, and I had my knees hooked over this padded bar thing, and I was lifting these other padded things with my feet. And he … he had his hand on my thigh, at first, but then he slid it down to my bottom…”

“Ugh,” I said.

“Then he put his hand on my pussy, and started gently rubbing it through my panties,” said Lexi apologetically. “I told him he was distracting me, but he just laughed and said he was sure I could manage despite the distraction. So I kept going with the exercise, and he kept rubbing me.”

“That asshole,” I growled.

“Eventually I just couldn’t do any more, so I got off the machine,” said Lexi. “Drake put me on this other machine where I had to pull a bar down, over and over again – it was attached to a cord which was attached to weights at the other end – and my top barely kept me covered for two reps before my breasts started falling out. The other men started cheering, so I knew they’d noticed, but Drake … he pulled my top down once or twice, but then he just started letting my breasts get exposed, and when I said, ‘Drake, my breasts!’ he just laughed, and he said, ‘Awww, let them get an eyeful of what they can’t have.’ And somehow he talked me into finishing the exercise with my nipples out in the open.”

“Jeez!” I said in dismay.

“Needless to say, the other men were thrilled,” Lexi said, blushing, “and they came closer than ever, to watch me work out. Then one of them pulled out his phone and took a photo. Drake started to tell him off, but he offered to take a photo of Drake and me together, and I guess Drake liked that idea. He gave the guy his own phone, though, so only he would have the photo afterwards. Then he put his arm around me, I pulled my top down, and we posed. Then the guy – I can’t remember his name … oh yes, Ashton – suggested he take a series of photos of Drake coaching me. Drake really liked that idea, and he had me go back to pulling that bar thing down. And he stood next to me, and put his hand on my bottom, and Ashton took photos while I pulled the bar. Of course then my breasts popped out, but Drake and Ashton both told me to keep going, so the next couple of photos had my breasts in them.”

“Sounds like they were working together!” I remarked, feeling annoyed.

“It felt that way, a bit,” Lexi admitted. “Then Ashton suggested my top wasn’t doing much good, and I should just take it off. And Drake agreed! He asked me very nicely if I would please take it off – he said it would make for an extremely sexy photo. And … I’m sorry, Marty … I don’t know what came over me … I guess I was feeling really horny from the rubbing Drake had given me. But I found that I was having fun, and I was actually quite excited about taking my top off! I think I even … giggled … as I pulled it over my head.” She put her head in her hands. “I don’t know why. I guess Drake was making me feel safe, and everyone was so appreciative and complimentary!”

I didn’t approve, but I understood. “You got caught up in the moment,” I said with a frown. “You weren’t really given much choice in the matter, so you threw yourself into it with enthusiasm, as a way to make the experience bearable.”

“Yes … I guess so,” said Lexi thoughtfully. “Maybe something like that. But I didn’t really feel like I didn’t have a choice. I’m sure if I’d said I wasn’t comfortable with it, Drake would have backed me up a hundred percent. But there was such a friendly atmosphere by this point, and a general feeling of goodwill, that I didn’t want to ruin it by refusing to go along with their request. And I didn’t really mind – they were so complimentary about my breasts! One of them said he’d never seen a more beautiful pair, even on a supermodel!”

“Well supermodels are all ultra-thin and have tiny breasts, so that’s not really saying much,” I said. “But still – I’m glad they were nice.”

“Anyway the point is,” said Lexi, “I didn’t mind being topless around those men. They were very nice to me, and Drake was my protector. So Ashton took some more photos, and they got naughtier and naughtier…”

“Naughtier how?” I asked warily.

Lexi stared down at her knees. “Well, Drake moved behind me, and he reached around me and put his hands on my breasts … and as he was fondling them, not only was Ashton taking photos with Drake’s phone, but the other men were taking photos with their own phones. I was a bit anxious about that, but I was still sort of having fun and I didn’t want to make a fuss…”

I sighed in exasperation. “That’s the problem!” I exclaimed. “You don’t make a fuss when you absolutely should! All these men are taking advantage of you, and groping you, and kissing you … and you never object! You never stop them! Why do you think you don’t see other women on the street or at work or in other places, being fondled by random strange men? Because women are supposed to make a fuss about that!”

Lexi stared at me with a tragic expression, and then she dissolved into tears. Her shoulders shook, and she put her head in her hands. “I know!” she sobbed. “I’m useless! I’m an awful fiancée! I don’t deserve you! You should just leave me, Marty, and find a normal girl to marry…”

My anger melted away almost instantly, and was replaced with a terrible sense of guilt and shame. “Oh god,” I muttered. I put my arms around Lexi and pulled her against me. “No, no, no, Lexi, it’s me, it’s all me – I’m so sorry. You’ve done nothing wrong at all. I love you just the way you are, and I don’t want you to change for me or for anyone. You are who you are, and if that means you get groped a lot, and taken advantage of, I guess I’d rather you enjoy it than hate it. I’m so sorry, Lexi. I lost my head for a minute. Please forgive me. I don’t want anyone else in the world but you. I just need to try to keep my jealousy in check, and not go off on wild rants like that. I hurt you, and I never want to do that. I’m so sorry.”

“But you’re right!” Lexi sniffled. “I know women are supposed to make a fuss about things like that, and not let men grope them, and so on. I feel like I’m … defective.”

“You’re not!” I said vehemently. “You’re a product of your upbringing, that’s all. And that upbringing has made you an incredible, wonderful person. It does come with a downside, clearly … but nobody’s perfect, and I love you just as you are. Don’t torture yourself by thinking you should be different somehow. Please. My rant was entirely unjustified, and I take it all back. Please forgive me, my darling.”

Lexi put her arms around my neck and held me tightly. “Are you sure you’re not mad at me?” she asked in a muffled voice.

“I’m absolutely not mad at you,” I assured her. “And I promise you, Lexi, this won’t happen again, I won’t get angry at you for what men do to you, and I won’t ever ask you to change who you are, or tell you that you ought to react differently to being … groped, or whatever. If accepting the groping, and letting yourself enjoy it, is your defence mechanism, I have no right to tell you that’s wrong, and I promise I won’t hold it against you, or complain about it again. For a minute there, in my jealous rage, I lost sight of what’s most important to me – and that’s being the best possible fiancé, and soon husband, to the most wonderful woman in the world. Can you forgive me for being so stupid?”

She squeezed me tightly. “There’s nothing to forgive,” she whispered. “I was never upset with you – only at myself. But if you’re sure you’re not mad at me, then maybe I can try to forgive myself for letting you down.”

“Please do!” I said fervently. “I absolutely don’t want you beating yourself up over this. You did nothing wrong.”

She hesitated. “If you say so, Marty.”

“I want you to say so too,” I told her. “Repeat after me: I did nothing wrong.”

“You haven’t heard what I did in the car…” she said, sounding anxious.

“It doesn’t matter,” I told her firmly. “Whatever it was, I know you, and I know your heart. And I know with certainty that you did nothing wrong. So please say it yourself.”

“I … did nothing wrong,” she said uncertainly.

“Good,” I said. “Now – please tell me the rest of the story, and I promise I won’t interrupt with any more jealous outbursts.”

“Are you sure?” Lexi asked nervously. “It does get worse…”

“It doesn’t matter,” I said firmly. “However bad it gets, I’m going to remain calm, and I’m not going to be upset with you.”

We disengaged from each other, and Lexi took a deep breath. “Well … Drake moved his hand down to my panties, and rubbed me some more … and the other men cheered and took lots of photos … and then Drake stuck his hand actually inside my panties … but that’s as far as it went! Then he said ‘Okay that’s enough photos, guys.’ And we pretty much stopped the workout there. I put on my top and shorts, we left the gym, and Drake drove us back here. But in the parking lot outside, he, um…”

“He asked for his goodnight kiss?” I guessed.

Lexi’s eyes widened in surprise. “Yes,” she said. “How did you…”

“He told me,” I said. “He didn’t go into details though – just said he’d already had his goodnight kiss with you.”

She nodded. “Yes, well, he said if we had it in the car, we wouldn’t have to worry about fitting it in later, and also it would be kinder to you if we didn’t do it in front of you. So I said okay, and he said we should get in the back seats where there was more room. So we climbed in the back, and started kissing … and he put his hand inside my shorts and panties, and started rubbing my pussy, and … um … he even got a finger inside me.” She paused to gauge my reaction, and I nodded, my lips pursed.

“It’s okay,” I said. “Go on.”

“Well then I stopped kissing him,” she said, “and I told him we should probably go inside, but he said ‘Not just yet. You’re obviously very horny; let me take care of that for you.’ And, well, he was right, I was super horny, and I was desperate for an orgasm … so I said okay.” She bit her lip.

“Go on,” I said, forcing myself to remain calm.

“He … he said, ‘Let’s get these off, it’ll be easier.’ And he started pulling down my shorts. And I put my thighs together so he could … but he pulled my panties down at the same time, which I wasn’t expecting! I covered my pussy, but once he’d gotten my shorts and panties off, he pulled my legs apart and put his hand under mine. And then … then he started fingering me … and it started feeling really good…” She blushed in shame. “I … I climaxed pretty quickly.”

“Understandable,” I said. “And it’s not like this was the first time a guy has given you an orgasm that way. Once Ryan did it, I guess it was inevitable that Drake would want to do the same thing. And he got you alone, and horny … I don’t blame you for letting him do that.” I was not quite sure if I believed this, but I knew it was what I needed to say in this moment, to help Lexi feel safe.

She smiled sheepishly. “Well … that wasn’t the end of it, I’m afraid. You see, then he got out his … cock … and it was all big and hard … and he said, ‘Would you mind returning the favour? I’m super horny too.’”

“Oh jeez,” I said uncomfortably. I hoped this story wasn’t about to go where it sounded like it was going … but knowing Lexi and knowing Drake, I steeled myself for more bad news.

“I told him I didn’t know how, but he said it was a piece of cake. He asked if I’d ever touched one before, and I told him I’d held Aaron’s, yesterday. So he told me to hold it, and he took my hand and wrapped it around his cock. Then he moved it up and down a few times … and then he let go and told me to carry on like that. So I did … and, well, he gave me some more pointers on how to do it … and I started going faster when he asked me to … and then he said he was about to climax, and he wanted to do it … on me. And he took off my top, and positioned himself over my chest, and I kept rubbing him fast, until his stuff shot out and went all over my breasts.”

“Ugh!” I said, unable to hide my displeasure any longer. “Gross! Why did he have to ejaculate on you?”

“I thought it was probably better on my chest than on my pussy,” Lexi ventured.

“Yeah, that’s true,” I admitted. “But still – did he clean you up at least?”

“Oh yes – he had a box of tissues in his car, and he cleaned me very thoroughly,” she said.

“That’s something, I guess,” I muttered. “So you’ve given your first hand-job. Great. Was his cock, uh … how did it compare…”

“He’s a little bigger than Ryan,” she said. “I didn’t ask him how long it was, but I’m guessing … maybe … eight inches? Or maybe just seven and a half. But the big part … the head … seemed much bigger. I don’t know how he would get that inside a woman without it hurting a lot.”

I sighed. It was confirmed, then: I was indeed the smallest of the three of us. “So then you got dressed and came inside?”

Lexi nodded. “Do you … want me to tell you about Patrick now?”

“Yes please,” I said. This would surely not be as bad.

She took a deep breath, and let it out. “He seemed very happy to see me,” she said. “He invited me in, and we sat down and chatted for a bit. He offered me tea, but I declined. I apologised for coming over so late, but he said it was fine, he wouldn’t be going to bed for another hour or so. I suggested we go and have our shower, and I said I needed one anyway because I’d just been working out with Drake. He agreed, we went to the bathroom, and I pulled out my bikini. He asked why I had it, and I said I’d been planning to wear it for the shower. And he said, ‘Oh, there’s no need for that is there? It’ll only make it harder to wash yourself. You were fine showering in just your panties last time, and they got pretty see-through; does it really matter if you shower without anything on?’ And he made a good point about me having seen him naked too. And he got me to admit that it wasn’t either practical or fair for me to be partially covered up when he wasn’t. So I took off my top and panties, and he took off his clothes, and we climbed into his bathtub.”

“Oh goodness,” I muttered.

“He immediately noticed I’d, um, shaved,” said Lexi awkwardly, “and he was very complimentary. I’m sure he hoped to put me at ease, but it was embarrassing to have it pointed out. I thanked him, then asked him to try not to look.”

I snorted. “I’m sure he tried very hard. But it’s not the looking that bothers me as much as the touching…”

Lexi nodded. “I figured he would probably grope me,” she said, “and he did. While I was washing his hair, he turned to face me – he said he wanted to feel the hot water drumming on his back – and then he started fondling my breasts. I told him off, gently, but he kept doing it, and I could see his cock was … you know … hard. Then he said that since I was busy washing him, he might as well wash me at the same time…”

“If he’s capable of washing you,” I said irritably, “then why can’t he wash himself?”

“Because he can’t raise his arms to the extent that you have to, when you wash your hair or your neck or your back,” Lexi explained patiently. “He even has trouble reaching behind himself to wash his bottom. He can wash his legs, if he sits down to do so, but he doesn’t like sitting down in the shower, with the water raining down on him, and you know why he won’t take baths.”

“I thought it was only one arm he couldn’t raise?” I said with a frown, trying to remember the details of his story. “Didn’t he break his right shoulder?”

“Yes, his right arm’s worse than his left,” Lexi confirmed. “He can adjust the shower head with his left hand, for example … but even with that hand, he can’t reach most of his back. Anyway, he was already washing my breasts pretty thoroughly, and I thought it might save time and get us out of there quicker, so I said okay. I figured it would get his hands off my breasts for a while, too. Then he asked if he could have some of my shampoo. I wasn’t sure about letting him wash my hair, but he insisted, so I squeezed some shampoo into his hand, and away he went. But he had trouble reaching up that high with his right hand, so he asked me to kneel down while he did my hair. I did so, and took the opportunity to wash his legs while I was down there. His cock was a little off-putting, pointing right at my face … and then … he asked me to wash it, along with his … balls.”

“I’m pretty sure he can manage to wash those himself!” I said.

“Well … yes,” Lexi admitted. “But as he pointed out, his own hands were occupied, washing my hair – and honestly he was doing a pretty good job of that, as far as I could tell. So I washed his … equipment … and he seemed to enjoy that, particularly when I rubbed his cock the way I’d rubbed Drake’s…”

“You gave him a hand-job??” I gasped.

“No!” Lexi said quickly. “Not really. I was just washing it – that was just the motion I used. But he was making … happy sounds … and he said, ‘Oh that’s good … keep doing that’. But I said to him, ‘I’m only washing you, Patrick, I’m not … doing that.’ And he let it go.”

“You mean YOU let it go,” I said wryly.

She giggled. “Yes, I did,” she said.

“Well, good for you,” I said. “I’m glad you didn’t give him a hand-job.”

Lexi shuddered. “Me too,” she said. “He’d have squirted his stuff all over my face! But as it was, he unfortunately got a little distracted, and didn’t pay enough attention to keeping my shampoo out of my eyes. I think maybe a bit of the shower stream came over his shoulder and on to my head or something – anyway I had to suddenly close my right eye because I felt a trickle of sudsy water going into it. I told Patrick I needed to rinse my face, and he said he was done with my hair, so I could stand up. I got up, and he pulled me under the shower so that the water was coming down on my head. He said he would wash my back while I rinsed my own hair, and he … he sort of hugged me, and I felt his cock against my pussy. I said, ‘Patrick, you’re a little close!’ But he said, ‘I kinda have to be, to wash your back.’ And he moved his hands down to my bottom, which he started washing quite thoroughly! I rinsed my hair as quickly as I could, and then I told him I was done. And he said, ‘Okay, turn around so I can do your front.’ And I said, ‘You already washed my breasts!’ And he said, ‘Yes, but I didn’t do the rest of your front yet.’ So I turned around, and he hugged me from behind, and washed my chest and belly … and then he reached down further and started washing my pussy…”

“Ugh, dammit, I just knew this was coming,” I said with a scowl. “I bet even your bikini wouldn’t have stopped him.”

“Yeah, I don’t suppose it would have,” Lexi agreed ruefully. “Anyway somehow his cock was now between my legs, and it was rubbing against my … my pussy from the back … as he was rubbing it with his hand from the front. And I was getting a little lightheaded … he knew what he was doing with his fingers, and I … I guess I started making some happy sounds of my own. I did say, “I think you’ve washed me there enough, Patrick!’ But he didn’t stop. He said, ‘Just let me give you a bit of pleasure, in return for the wonderful kindness you’ve shown me.’ And I … I had to hold on to something, so I bent forward and planted my hands on the end of the bathtub. And I felt the tip of his cock sliding back and forth against me, and then … it sort of got lodged in my opening…”

“Oh God!” I said, aghast.

“I stopped him!” Lexi said quickly. “I said ‘Patrick! Don’t you dare push your thing into me! I already had one close call today and I don’t want another!’ And he kept rubbing me, and didn’t move his cock away … he just said, ‘Close call? What do you mean?’ And I told him about Aaron, and how he’d stuck the head of his cock inside me, and how I was worried about whether I was still a virgin or not. And Patrick said, ‘I don’t think it counts as taking your virginity if a man just puts the tip in … like this.’ And I felt his cock pushing into me! I said, ‘Patrick! Don’t!’ And he said, ‘Don’t worry, Lexi – I won’t put it in any further than Aaron did. I just want to experience what he did – it’s been so long since my todger’ – yes, he said todger – ‘has been this close to Paradise. And either Aaron took your virginity, in which case you’ve nothing to fear from me – or he didn’t, in which case I won’t either. But as someone who’s had plenty of sex in his prime, I feel pretty qualified to tell you whether this counts as losing your virginity. Just let me ease in a bit further…’”

“Jesus Christ!” I exclaimed, my insides knotted with stress.

“Language, Marty,” said Lexi uncomfortably. “I know you’re provoked, but still.”

“So what happened?” I demanded. “How far did he push it in?”

“Not far,” said Lexi unhappily. “I don’t know. It felt like it felt with Aaron, but I was facing away from him and couldn’t see. He was still rubbing my button with his fingers, and I was so aroused! But also terrified, because I knew he could decide to just thrust it all the way in at any moment. Then he said, ‘Is this what it felt like!’ And I said, or rather gasped, ‘Yes!’ And he said, ‘In my opinion, Lexi, you’re still a virgin until a man’s cock has gone all the way in. So right now you’re a virgin, and if you want to back up a little, so that I go deeper inside you, you’ll still be a virgin … unless you back up too far.’ And I said, ‘Please take it out, Patrick!’ And he did.”

“Whew!” I said, relieved. “Well it was a crappy thing to do, to put it inside you in the first place, but I’m sure the temptation must have been enormous, and I guess I should give him a little credit for not going any further. Just a little, though!” I was being way too generous to the horny old man, of course, but in that moment I was just so relieved he had not deflowered my fiancée.

“Yes,” said Lexi hesitantly. “But … that wasn’t the end of it.”

My heart sank. “It wasn’t?”

Lexi bit her lip. “You see … I was a little paranoid about how far he had put it in. It was preying on my mind as we finished our shower – he got out first so I could do my conditioner and shave – and by the time I got out of the shower myself, I’d more than half convinced myself that he’d been sneaky and slid it all the way in. So after I got out, and dried myself … I rolled up my panties and shampoo and conditioner and body wash in my top, then I wrapped my towel around myself, and went out to talk to Patrick. He was in his living room, sitting on his couch, still naked and … um … masturbating…”

“Ugh, the old pervert!” I growled.

“He stopped when he saw me,” Lexi continued. “And I said, ‘Patrick, please be honest with me: how far inside me did you … put your cock?’ And he just sort of smiled, and said, ‘You couldn’t tell?’ And I shook my head. And he said, ‘Come into the bedroom, and I’ll show you.’ And he got up and went into his bedroom! I followed him, but I said, ‘I’m not going to let you do it again, Patrick!’ And he replied, ‘Yes you will, if you really want to know the answer to your question. Because I guarantee that I’ll put it in exactly as far this time as I did in the shower … and you’ll know I’m telling the truth because it’ll feel the same. So lie down on my bed, on your back, and I’ll show you. Or you can just leave, and forever wonder, until it drives you crazy, if it was me or your husband who took your virginity.’”

“What a manipulative asshole!” I exclaimed.

Lexi nodded sadly. “I said to him, ‘Can’t you just tell me? If you promise to tell the truth, I’ll believe you.’ But he said, ‘No, because you need to feel it too. So take off that towel, lie down, and we’ll get this over with.’ And I … I felt like I had no choice! So … I untucked my towel, took it off, and draped it over a chair. Then I climbed on his bed, and lay down on my back.” She put her head in her hands. “Marty … I have to confess, I was feeling very horny … and maybe that was affecting my judgment. It was like my body was getting ready to be … you know … penetrated. When he climbed on top of me and pulled my legs apart … a rush of … of excitement surged through me. My brain was sounding all kinds of alarm bells, but my body … it was ready for sex! It was crazy – I was so full of conflicting emotions that I actually started crying. But I let him push my thighs wide apart, and as he started sliding his cock into me, I almost wanted him to just do it – stick it all the way in – so that at least I would know for certain that I was no longer a virgin, and I could face the consequences. It was a moment of madness – I’m sorry!”

I had been listening to this with a mounting sense of horror and panic. “But … did he?” I asked in a frantic whisper.

“No,” she assured me. “I’d propped myself up on my elbows, and I watched him slowly sink his cock into me … and I saw the wide part disappear, and I felt it going inside me … and then he stopped. It was deeper in me than Aaron’s had been … I guess pretty much exactly halfway in, though he’s not as big as Aaron…”

“How big?” I could not help asking. “Bigger than me…?”

“No … no,” said Lexi unconvincingly. “Well, not by much. Maybe … five and a half inches? Six at most. Aaron’s about the same size as Ryan.”

I scowled in disgruntlement. Why did all of the cocks Lexi had encountered have to be above average? It did not seem fair. “You’re getting acquainted with a lot of cocks this week,” I grumbled. Then, seeing her face start to crumple, I added hastily, “Not your fault of course! Just a result of you being so beautiful and sweet-natured and appealing to every straight guy’s biological urges. But I love you and I’m grateful you trust me enough to tell me all these things.”

Lexi nodded. “He … he didn’t take it out right away,” she went on. “First he asked me if that felt the same as it had in the shower. I thought about it, and said yes, it did kind of feel the same. And he promised me that it was the same depth both times. And then … he asked if he could kiss me. I told him of course not, that I was your fiancée and I was kissing far too many men already these days. Then he asked who else I’d kissed, and I told him. And he said, ‘Well don’t I deserve a goodnight kiss too? I feel I’ve been very restrained here.’ And … I was feeling very nervous about his cock sliding deeper inside me, so I said, ‘If you take your cock out of me, right now, I guess we can have a goodnight kiss.’ And he said, ‘It’s a deal!’ And he pulled his cock out, which I was very relieved about!”

“I’m sure,” I said, with mixed feelings. “I guess I’d rather imagine his tongue in your mouth than his cock in your vagina … though frankly I’m not a big fan of either.”

“I know,” said Lexi unhappily. “And I’m sorry, Marty. If it’s any comfort, he wasn’t very pleasant to kiss – his breath smells and his mouth doesn’t taste good. But I was so horny, I sort of got into it anyway. He was lying on top of me, his hands were kneading my bottom, my legs were wrapped around him, and his cock was grinding against my pussy. We sort of rolled on to our sides, and he reached down between us … and I felt the tip of his cock going inside me again. But I stopped kissing him and said, ‘Stop that, Patrick!’ And he just grinned and said, ‘Can’t blame a lonely old man for trying!’ And he pulled it back out. Then I got up from his bed, put my towel around me again, and picked up my things from the living room. Before I left, he said, ‘Thank you, Lexi, from the bottom of my heart. You’ve made an old man very, very happy. I can understand if you don’t want to come back … but I do still need help showering, so if you can find it in your heart, I’d love to see you again on Thursday.’ I was feeling quite taken advantage of, but he looked so forlorn and lonely, I felt bad for him. I told him I would think about it, but if I came back on Thursday, he would have to be on his best behaviour!”

“You’re really thinking of going back there?” I asked uneasily.

Lexi shrugged. “I won’t if you tell me not to,” she said. “But I do feel bad for him. He has nobody else, Marty. If I abandon him … I’ll feel terribly guilty.”

I sighed. “So that was it? That’s when you came back?”

“Yes,” said Lexi. “I’m sorry that was so bad. I feel better for having gotten it off my chest, but … how are you feeling?”

“Not great,” I admitted. “It’s not easy hearing stuff like this. But in a weird way, I’m less bothered about Patrick getting his cock inside you than I was about Aaron doing the same thing. Probably because he doesn’t feel like as much of a threat to our relationship. Still, there’s more of an ick factor with Patrick – like, it’s kinda gross to imagine his wrinkled cock invading your vagina, and his smelly tongue in your mouth.”

Lexi shuddered, and nodded. “Yes, definitely more of an ick factor.”

I put my arm around her, and squeezed her shoulder. “Poor darling,” I said sympathetically. “I’m sure it was way worse for you in reality. I only have to imagine it; you had to go through it.” Then I swallowed nervously; it was now my turn to confess. “So, um, I’m afraid I did something stupid. I apologise in advance, and I’ll apologise afterwards, too – and I just hope you won’t be as mad at me as I am at myself … though you have every right to be…”

She put her hand on my arm. “Don’t preface, darling – just tell me.”

I took a deep breath. “I made a bet with Drake,” I said, “on a poker hand. If he won, he would get another goodnight kiss with you tonight.”

“What?” said Lexi, shocked.

“Only if you agreed!” I said quickly. “It was Ryan’s idea. I objected to it on principle – I said I couldn’t bet your kisses – but Ryan said that all I was betting was my consent. You would still have to agree to it.”

“Oh,” said Lexi, looking puzzled.

“If he lost,” I continued, “he would lose out on tomorrow’s goodnight kiss. I agreed to it partly because I really wanted to deprive him of that, and I was hoping that if I lost, you would still refuse Drake a second goodnight kiss.”

“I see,” said Lexi thoughtfully. “You don’t think that was at all … duplicitous?”

“Not at all!” I said. “Drake and Ryan were well aware of my feelings on the matter. In fact that loophole was how Ryan sold the idea to me.”

Lexi nodded. “All right,” she said. “But surely Drake knew I would probably refuse? I’m not sure why he would risk tomorrow night’s kiss for such an unlikely reward.”

“Well,” I said reluctantly, “I did kinda say I would do my best to talk you into ‘honouring’ the bet.” I used air quotes.

Lexi fidgeted with her towel. “Then … I sort of feel like I should honour it,” she confessed. “I don’t like the idea of you making a bet that you had no intention of honouring.”

“I didn’t!” I protested. “I told them I would try to persuade you, and I will. That doesn’t mean you have to agree to it.”

“But don’t you see,” she said gently, “you’re already trying to talk me out of it? I don’t want to let Drake kiss me again tonight, but now I feel a sense of … obligation.”

“But,” I began, before realising I was about to try to dissuade her again. “Ugh. I guess you’re right. Dammit! Maybe you should honour the bet after all … except that it didn’t end there.”

“Well I’m assuming you lost the hand,” Lexi surmised.

“I did,” I confirmed, “but not before we’d raised the stakes. You see, I picked up a second pair, and Drake seemed unhappy with his hand … so I raised…”

Lexi shivered. “Oh?”

I groaned. “I’m sorry, Lexi! I really messed up. The new stakes were that if … if I won, Drake would forfeit all physical contact with you until Saturday. No kissing, no fondling … no touching at all.”

“And if he won?” Lexi inquired.

I hesitated. “Um … you would have to be topless at all times while you’re in the apartment.”

Lexi gasped. “What?”

“I know!” I said despairingly. “I’m sorry! But again, only if you agree to it.”

“But … you’re going to persuade me?” Lexi asked, her eyes wide.

I cringed at the thought. “I … guess so…?” I said tentatively. Then, as Lexi’s look turned sceptical, I groaned. “All right! I’m sorry, okay? I did say it was stupid of me. I’m … I’m really sorry, Lexi. I should never have made bets that you would have to honour. I … I don’t know what else to say.”

She leaned in and hugged me. “It’s okay,” she said. “It’s not like Drake and Ryan aren’t very familiar with my breasts by now. I’m a little taken aback about the whole thing, but I’ve been feeling so wretched about my own failures lately, it’s almost refreshing to learn that you can make mistakes too.”

I nodded. “There’s … more,” I said.

Lexi bit her lip nervously. “Okay … what else do I have to do?”

I felt awful, watching her steeling herself against the indignities I was heaping upon her. “Oh God,” I said. “Lexi, just … please don’t let me persuade you to do anything you’re not happy doing.”

She shrugged. “Marty, as you may have noticed, I’m sort of easy to persuade. I like to make people happy and I don’t like conflict, so in any given situation I’ll generally choose whichever option leads to the least friction. Just please … don’t keep me in suspense. Tell me what I’m going to have to do.”

I opened my mouth, then closed it. I just couldn’t do it. I couldn’t bring myself to say, “You have to sleep with Drake tonight, and give Ryan four blowjobs.” Instead, and rather awkwardly, I said, “Well, then Drake had a bet with Ryan, and Drake won again. And what he won was … a night with you. Tonight, specifically. You’ll sleep with him instead of Ryan. If you agree to it.”

Lexi looked surprised, but she nodded. “How do you feel about that?” she asked.

“Actually,” I said, “I’d almost prefer you sleep with Drake than with Ryan. Ryan’s more … manipulative.”

She nodded. “Okay, I’ll sleep with Drake tonight then. Anything else?”

My shoulders hunched as I prepared to deliver the worst news. “So then … Ryan and I played … this was the last game. And … if he won, you would, um … give him a blowjob…”

Lexi gasped in shock. “Oh my gosh! You agreed to that?”

“Well it was conditional on you agreeing!” I said. “I never said I would persuade you to do it. In fact I refused to! But anyway … we raised the stakes. I was hoping to keep Ryan’s fingers out of your vagina until we get married … but he won the hand. So … um … he thinks he’s getting a blowjob from you every night until Saturday…”

“Good grief!” Lexi exclaimed.

“I’m so sorry,” I said miserably. “Please don’t agree to it, Lexi! I may have given my consent, but I hate to think of you sucking on that asshole’s cock!”

“I must admit, I’m not inclined to,” she admitted. “Being topless is easy enough. Sleeping with Drake instead of Ryan for one night … sure, I can do that. But I really want your cock to be the first one I suck!”

“Me too!” I said fervently. “So, you’ll refuse?”

She hesitated. “I think so,” she said. “I don’t like dishonouring a bet you made, but in this case I think it’s just too much to ask.”

I sighed with relief. “Thank you!” I said. “I’m so happy you feel that way.”

We hugged, and kissed. Then Lexi got up and put a clean pair of panties on. “I guess this is all I’m wearing!” she said with a nervous giggle. “I’m going to go and brush my teeth. Then, I suppose, I’ll go and get my daily massage from Ryan. Then I’ll go to Drake’s bedroom for the night.”

“Do I get a goodnight kiss…?” I ventured.

“Of course!” said Lexi, smiling. “Just … be careful where you put your hands.”

“I’m allowed to touch your breasts,” I pointed out. “And I intend to!”

She giggled, we kissed, and I fondled her naked breasts. Then we parted, Lexi walked to the door, and then she was gone for the night.

Ten minutes later, I heard her moans coming from Ryan’s room, and I irritably put my earbuds in, and turned up my music. Half an hour later, I took them out again and listened: it seemed quiet enough, so I went to the bathroom, peed, brushed my teeth, and then returned to my room. Climbing into bed, I eventually managed to fall asleep.

WEDNESDAY: DOCTOR & NURSE

The next morning, Lexi came to visit me. “Good morning Marty,” she whispered. She climbed under the covers and hugged me.

“Good morning darling,” I mumbled. “What time is it?”

“It’s not yet time for your shower,” she said. “I just had to come and talk to you – and tell you what happened last night. With Ryan and with Drake.”

I groaned into my pillow. I was not sure how much more of this I could take. Every conversation I was having with Lexi recently was like being beaten around the face with an oversized penis. What new horrors were about to pour from Lexi’s pretty lips into my abused ears?

“I can give you the short version if you like,” said Lexi, sounding a little downcast. “Or … I guess it can wait until later…”

I mentally slapped myself. I was not being fair to my beloved fiancée. Whatever she was about to tell me, it had no doubt been worse for her to endure than it would be for me to hear about it. “I’m sorry,” I said, rubbing my eyes and turning to face her. “I’m just sleepy and grouchy. But please, tell me what happened.”

“Are you sure?” she asked anxiously.

“I’m sure.”

She said nothing for a moment, and appeared to be gathering her thoughts. “Um,” she said, “I … I gave Ryan a … a blowjob.”

My blood froze. “Oh,” I said. “So he persuaded you.”

“Actually I … I sort of offered,” said Lexi wretchedly. “I didn’t know what else to do! I guess I panicked…”

I swallowed. “I guess you should start at the beginning.”

“Well, first of all he brought up the bet he had made with you,” she said, “and how I ‘owed’ him a blowjob every night until Saturday. And I asked him if I could refuse, and he said of course. So I said I really wanted to save that for you, and I hoped he would understand. And I offered to give him a hand-job instead. He seemed to like that idea, but he said he would think about it.”

“Okay…” I said.

“Then he massaged me,” Lexi went on, “and you know how good he is at that, and how it ends up…”

“Yeah,” I acknowledged with a grimace.

“So he fingered me almost to an orgasm,” Lexi went on in a rush, “and then he licked me and stuck his tongue inside me, and I climaxed … really hard.” She shivered. “Then he asked for his goodnight kiss, and he was naked against me, and I was really … wet, you know … and his cock was pressing against my … and it started sliding in, and I said, ‘No Ryan, wait! Please don’t take my virginity. I’ve been getting closer and closer to losing it, and I really want to save it for Marty!’ And I briefly told him about Aaron and Patrick, all while trying to clench my vagina and push his hips away from mine, desperately trying to keep him from going too deep inside me. And he pulled out of me – thank goodness! – but only so he could kneel between my legs and pull my legs apart. And he slid his cock into me again, and said, ‘Show me how deep Aaron went.’ And I looked down and saw the head of his cock disappearing, and I said, ‘There! That deep.’ And then he said, ‘And Patrick?’ And he kept pushing his cock in. And when he was about halfway in, I said, ‘There! Please don’t go any deeper, Ryan!’ And he started taking it out … but then he pushed it back in again … then out again, then in again … and he never went more than halfway in, but even so, it felt disturbingly like…”

I felt like my guts had been ripped out. A numb horror settled over me. “Like he was fucking you?” I asked stonily.

She nodded, and her eyes filled with tears. “Then he started to go deeper, and faster, and I panicked, and I said, ‘Ryan, please let me give you a blowjob!’ And he was so surprised that he stopped, and pulled his cock out of me. I was so relieved! But also scared, because I didn’t know if he’d just taken my virginity or not. I hoped not, but I wasn’t sure.”

I nodded, and blinked back tears of my own. “I … I think you did your best … in the circumstances,” I said. “Desperate times call for desperate measures, and all that. I think that if you hadn’t offered him a blowjob, you’d definitely no longer be a virgin now.”

“Yes, that was my thinking,” she said. She whimpered at the memory, and went on, “He knelt up on his knees, and I got on all fours, and … I opened my mouth, and he pushed his cock in. I closed my lips around it, and started sucking. I didn’t know what I was doing, but Ryan gave me pointers, and before long he was gasping and gripping my shoulders. And then … ugh … I felt his stuff filling my mouth! And he said, ‘Good, now swallow it!’ But I was so grossed out, I spat it out into my hand … then I grabbed a tissue and wiped my hand clean. And he didn’t seem to mind; he just said ‘Well done Lexi! Your first blowjob! You did great!’ And I said thank you, and then I said I had to go to Drake’s room. And he said goodnight, and I put my panties on, and left his room.”

“Ugh,” I said, shuddering. “I’m so sorry you went through that, Lexi. I can’t believe Ryan didn’t warn you before he ejaculated – that was a mean thing to do. I’m not surprised you spat it out. I’m sure it was horrible.”

“Actually the taste wasn’t bad,” she conceded. “I was just so shocked and grossed out to find my mouth filling up with this stuff from his penis – it was instinctive to spit it out.”

“It was a good instinct,” I assured her.

“Anyway, I knocked on Drake’s door, and he invited me in, and he was delighted to see me in just my panties. And I climbed into bed with him, and he kissed me … and I couldn’t remember if I was supposed to let him have another goodnight kiss, or if the topless thing was instead … but I just went along with it. And he pulled my panties off, and stuck a couple of fingers inside me, and even though I’d just had an orgasm, he soon had me on the verge of another. And he got on top of me, and pushed my legs apart, and I felt his cock pressing against my vagina … and I said, ‘Drake, please don’t! I’ve already had three different cocks inside me today, and I don’t want a fourth! And I just know yours is going to hurt worse than the others, being so big.’”

“Good for you,” I said, “standing up for yourself like that. Did he listen?”

“Oh yes,” she said. “He’s a gentleman. He was immediately concerned, and asked if Ryan had … you know, ‘effed’ me. And I said I wasn’t sure, but it had been really close, and I only managed to stop it by offering him a blowjob. And he asked how the blowjob went, and I described it to him … and he laughed when I said I spat it out. And then he told me all about, um, the philosophy of blowjobs…”

“Philosophy?” I asked, bemused. “What philosophy?”

“Like, about spitting versus swallowing,” said Lexi, “and what it means to do one or the other, and guys who prefer to give ‘facials’, and how it’s a mark of really caring about a guy if you’re willing to swallow it … and how guys REALLY love it if you show them your mouth full of semen, and then swallow it.” She paused. “I’ll do that for you, when the time comes,” she said.

“Wow, sounds like Drake really gave you an education!” I said uneasily.

“Yeah, I guess he did,” said Lexi. “But then … he said he really wanted to put his cock in me, even just a little way, because Ryan had gotten to do it, and so had Aaron, and even Patrick … and it was a little unfair to discriminate against the black guy with the big cock – his words! And he asked – very nicely – if he could try going really slowly and gently, and at least try to get the head in, and if I needed to stop and take a break, he would absolutely stop, and give me as much time as I needed. And he was rubbing my pussy while he said this, and gosh I was so horny! And I knew we wouldn’t be getting any sleep until he was satisfied … so I said ‘Okay, we’ll try, but just the head.’ And he…”

“Wait,” I said, hardly believing my ears. “You consented … to let him stick his cock in your vagina?”

“Well Ryan already had!” said Lexi defensively. “And Drake at least asked nicely, and was considerate about it! And he wasn’t even planning to put in as much as Ryan did.” Then she put her face in her hands, and whimpered. “But you’re right, I should have just said no. I was horny, I guess, and not really thinking straight. It seemed like an okay thing to do under the circumstances.”

I sighed. I knew I could not berate her about her decision without her having a guilt meltdown. “It’s okay,” I said gently. “You were in a difficult position and did your best. So … what happened next?”

“Well,” she said, “Drake was very happy that I agreed to it. And he started penetrating me … very slowly … but he was so big! I told him it was hurting a bit, and he stopped, and said, ‘Let’s try some lube.’ And he fetched a tube of this jelly stuff, and he rubbed it all over his cock and my pussy, and then he started pushing his cock into me again. This time it seemed easier, and although it still hurt a bit, and I felt my vagina expanding more than ever … his cock went inside me. I watched the head disappear, and then he stopped and said, ‘How does that feel?’ And I said it felt okay. And he started pushing again, and I said, ‘Not too deep, Drake!’ And he grinned and said, “I just want to get it halfway in, like Ryan did.’ And I said, ‘But you’re longer than Ryan.’ And he laughed and said, ‘Am I? I guessed I might be. And what about Marty?’ But I didn’t want to tell him he was bigger than you, so I just said, ‘That’s none of your business, Drake. He hasn’t been inside me yet anyway.’ Then he continued sliding into me, and I said, ‘Drake!’ And then he stopped … and I guess he was pretty much exactly halfway in. Which meant four inches – and I was really worried that he was going to start thrusting, like Ryan had. So I said, ‘Please take it out, Drake. Please don’t take my virginity. I’ll … I’ll give you a blowjob instead.’ And he smiled at me, and said, ‘Is that really what you want? Because it really seems like you want me to...’ And he used the f-word.”

I was staring at her in horror. “He didn’t, though … did he?”

“I really thought he was going to!” said Lexi. “I even resigned myself to it, almost. But he was just teasing me. He said, ‘I’ll take it out if you say the two magic words.’ And I said, ‘What words?’ And he said…” Lexi blushed in embarrassment. “I’m not used to using this word, but I guess I should just bite the bullet. He said, ‘Fuck me.’ He wanted me to say that to him, and then he would pull his cock out.”

“That’s messed up!” I exclaimed. “Because if you said that, he could take it as consent to … you know!”

Lexi nodded. “I was afraid he was going to do that. But I didn’t feel like I had a choice. I said to him … ‘Fuck me.’ And he grinned at me, and said, ‘Good girl. Say it again.’ And I said, ‘Fuck me, Drake.’ And he laughed … and he pulled his cock out of me. Then he kissed me, and said, ‘Thank you for trusting me, Lexi. You’re a wonderful girl, and Marty’s very lucky to have you.’”

“Whew!” I said, relieved. “Another close call. But you’re still a virgin – I think.”

“I really don’t know, at this point,” said Lexi fretfully. “But I have a doctor’s appointment today … maybe I could ask for his expert opinion?”

I nodded. “Yes, that would be good. But Lexi, my darling … we have to stop these close calls! At least you won’t be walking in the woods with Aaron today – that’s a relief. And no shower tonight with Patrick.” I sighed. “But maybe we should make a plan for if … you know … if someone … cums … inside you.”

Lexi gasped. “Marty, that’s not going to happen!” she said quickly. “I can’t get pregnant before we’re married … and certainly not by someone other than you!”

“Which is why I’m suggesting making a plan,” I replied gently. “You know … contraception.”

“I’ve been thinking about that,” Lexi admitted. “I kind of hate the idea – I just can’t get over my negative feelings about it, based on my religious beliefs – but it’s impossible not to think things like, what if Aaron had been a little more unscrupulous? What if Patrick had been so overcome with loneliness and lust that he … lost control? What if Ryan had kept thrusting inside me until he … came? What if Drake hadn’t been such a gentleman? I did ask him to eff me, after all…”

“You can say ‘fuck’,” I told her, a little irritably. It wasn’t fun to be reminded of all the cocks she had had inside her yesterday.

Lexi sighed. “Sorry – it still feels uncomfortable to say it. Maybe … maybe we can ask the doctor for advice.”

I nodded. “Sure,” I said. “Anyway … did anything else happen with Drake?”

“Yes,” she admitted. “I gave him a blowjob.”

“Ugh,” I groaned.

“Well I had offered,” she said defensively. “And he still needed to … cum. So I sucked him until he came in my mouth … and this time I thought I would try swallowing … so I did. I swallowed it all. It wasn’t as unpleasant as I’d feared.”

I shuddered, grimacing.

“Then we went to sleep,” she said. “I woke up first, and went to the bathroom and brushed my teeth, and then I came here.”

I sighed. “Somehow we’ll get through the next few days,” I said. “Tonight you’re talking to Pastor John, right? Let’s see how soon he can marry us. At this rate, tomorrow would be good.”

Levi giggled. “But Marty, I don’t even have a wedding dress yet, or anything!”

“Friday, then,” I said, with a smirk, and she giggled again.

“I’ll see what I can do,” she promised.

After my shower, we had breakfast together – Lexi still wearing nothing but her panties – and both Ryan and Drake came out of their rooms to join us. I glared at both of them.

“Aaah, best night’s sleep I’ve had in ages,” said Drake, looking a little smug. “How about you, Ryan?”

“A little lonely, without Lexi,” Ryan replied, regarding Drake suspiciously. “Did you guys…?”

Drake chuckled. “I’m not going to embarrass Lexi by going into details of what we did or didn’t do,” he said. “If she wants to share, that’s fine.”

Lexi looked embarrassed nonetheless, but she smiled sheepishly at Drake. Then she said to Ryan, “We did pretty much the same as you and I did.”

Ryan nodded, looking satisfied. “Nice to see you topless. Thank you for honouring Marty’s bet.”

“I honoured all three bets,” said Lexi, a little ruefully. “In future, though, I’d prefer to be a participant in any card games where you’re making bets that affect me.”

“Yes, absolutely,” I agreed, feeling ashamed. “I’m sorry I went along with it, darling.”

“It’s okay,” she said.

“What will you be wearing today?” I asked, keen to get off the subject of my ill-advised gambling.

“My pink blouse,” she replied, “and my wraparound skirt. It’s not quite as short as yesterday’s skirt; I hope Doug won’t mind. It was so late last night after my shower with Patrick; I didn’t have time to shorten anything else.”

“You could always fold over the waistband,” Ryan suggested. “Make it look shorter than it is. At least long enough for him to see it and be satisfied. Then you can unroll it for sitting at your desk.”

“That might work!” said Lexi with a smile. “Thanks Ryan.”

“In the meantime we have to avoid Combover Colin,” I remarked. “Drake, since you have your car back, would you mind driving Lexi and me to work?”

“Oh,” said Drake, looking somewhat taken aback. “Look bro, I wish I could, but I have to get to the gym. Tyrrell opened up but he has to leave in half an hour to take his dog to the vet. I have to be there to take over. If you’d said something earlier I could maybe have arranged something…”

“Okay, never mind then,” I said, disappointed. “In that case, Lexi, we need to leave in like two minutes, to catch the earlier bus.”

“That’s very short notice!” said Lexi in dismay. “I still have to get dressed and do my hair and makeup! I can maybe leave in ten…”

My heart sank. “Maybe we’ll get lucky and the bus’ll be running late,” I said. “Just do your best.”

“I will,” she promised.

I am sure she did hurry, but it was twelve minutes later that we left the apartment and headed to the elevator. When we arrived at the bus stop, I had little doubt that we had no chance of making the 7:21 bus. It was already 7:29, and the next bus – our usual bus – Colin’s bus – would be here at 7:42.

I sighed. “Well, I guess we have to face the likelihood that we’ll be sharing a bus with Colin again. I hate the thought of just letting him grope you to his heart’s content, though – he’s such a disgusting pervert. Seeing his hands all over you in the reflection…”

“Then don’t look at the reflection,” Lexi advised me. “It’s only going to make you unhappy and angry. Just let me handle it and tell you about it afterwards. You know I’ll tell you the whole truth.”

I hesitated, then nodded. She was right, of course. “Well at least do up that button,” I suggested. “You’re very exposed; it looks like an invitation. You can undo it again once we get off the bus.”

“Colin’ll just undo it anyway,” she pointed out, but she fastened the button.

“Yes, but the more work he has to do on your buttons, the less time he’ll have for other things,” I said. I knew this did not make much sense – that button could be popped open in under a second – but Lexi did not argue the point.

Right on schedule, our bus arrived, and we boarded. I tried to stay close to Lexi, but a broad-shouldered man stepped between us, and I lost sight of her. This disturbed me, but since I was not supposed to be looking at her anyway, I did not attempt to reconnect with her: Forced up against the knees of an old man who was sitting down with a large canvas bag on his lap, I smiled down at him apologetically. “Super crowded today,” I observed. He nodded in response.

A few minutes later, I could not help glancing in the window as we passed beneath the wide bridge, but I could not see Lexi. This worried me, but I assumed – perhaps foolishly – that Lexi would simply rejoin me when we reached our stop. As we drew near it, however, I began to panic, and I craned my neck and pried at shoulders in an attempt to find my fiancée. “Lexi?” I said anxiously.

I heard a squeal, followed by “This is my stop!” Then Lexi appeared, pushing her way between two large men, her blouse completely open and off her shoulders; she was clutching it against her breasts. “Let’s go!” she said urgently.

I took her hand and pulled her after me, past the driver, out of the door and onto the sidewalk. As I turned toward Lexi, however, I gasped in dismay. “Your skirt!” I exclaimed. “Where’s your skirt?”

Lexi, who had pulled her blouse up over her shoulders and was now feverishly fastening buttons, shrieked in alarm as she looked down at her exposed panties. “Oh no!” She picked up her bag, which she had unceremoniously dropped in order to fix her blouse, and clutched it in front of herself. “Those men must have unwrapped it while I…”

“Men?” I demanded. “Plural?” I moved behind her, holding my own bag against her bottom.

“Oh Marty, it was awful!” she wailed. “Colin had two friends with him. And they … well … they helped him to…” She put one hand to her face. “Marty, I don’t know how to tell you this, but…”

I put an arm around her, and hugged her. “You can tell me what happened when we get back to the apartment. Obviously you can’t go to work like this. We’ll catch the next bus back home.”

She looked at me in surprise, then shook her head. “Marty, I’d rather go to work and hide out in the restroom while you run out and pick me up another skirt, than have to wait on the street for a bus, and then ride the bus, with my panties exposed the whole time.”

“Oh!” I said, taken aback. “Well, hopefully we can sneak you into the restroom without Doug spotting us … although, knowing Doug, he might not be all that upset about seeing you skirtless…”

Lexi shuddered. “Yes, he does like to look at my panties. Hopefully that means I won’t get into trouble if he sees me like this.”

“Okay, let’s get to the office then,” I said, and we started walking.

“So, I found myself surrounded by three men,” said Lexi. “Colin was behind me as usual; the others were sort of in front and either side of me. Colin started feeling my breasts and kissing my neck, and then he unfastened my buttons. Then he reached down, lifted my skirt, and slid his hand into my panties. As he started rubbing my pussy, he … he kissed me. And as we were kissing, I felt his friends’ hands on my breasts. After a while, I felt Colin’s cock between my legs. He’d pulled my panties to one side, and he was rubbing it against my pussy. I … I couldn’t help getting a bit … wet. My eyes were closed … I suddenly realised I was kissing one of the other two men, and I opened my eyes in shock. He was about Colin’s age, but taller and better-looking, though he seemed a little … odd, somehow. I don’t know – maybe he was a bit slow, mentally? He kept chuckling in this weird way. Anyway, the other man was kind of fat, and gross and sweaty, and he liked pinching my nipples.”

“Jesus!” I said, appalled.

“Colin was rubbing my button … my clit … with one hand,” Lexi continued, “and fingering my vagina. I think he was using his other hand to position his cock, because then … I felt it pressing inward…”

“Oh God,” I groaned, feeling sick. “You poor sweet thing!”

“Then the fat guy kissed me, which was gross – his tongue was very … penetrative,” said Lexi, grimacing. “And slimy. But it was hard to focus on that, because I was trying to stand up straight and stiff, to make it harder for Colin to get his cock inside me. But then … the fat man reached down and grabbed my knee, and lifted it up between us. I could feel Colin’s cock sliding deeper inside me. I tried to push the fat man away and put my knee down, but it was like pushing against a brick wall! I looked out of the window and realised we were almost at our stop, and at that moment, Colin sort of … thrust hard. I think I let out a little scream … and I said, ‘This is my stop!’ And I started struggling. They let me go, Colin’s cock slipped out of me, and I pushed my way towards the front. And then I saw you.”

“You poor thing!” I groaned. “So you think he went all the way in?”

“I’m afraid … he might have,” Lexi confessed.

“Of all the people to take your virginity,” I said miserably, “why Colin? Ugh. Well as far as I’m concerned, that counts as rape. We should definitely call the police.”

“No, Marty!” said Lexi frantically. “I don’t want to involve the police! And please don’t call it rape – I didn’t even struggle until the end. Colin has witnesses that will say I was kissing him, and them, and that I never objected to any of it. Which is true. They just took advantage of me because I’m easy to take advantage of. Please just let it go. But obviously we can’t take this bus again. I don’t care how early we have to leave tomorrow, let’s make sure we get a bus that Colin isn’t on.”

“Okay, we can do that,” I said. “But I still don’t like the idea of letting him get away with what he did!”

“Neither do I,” she admitted, “but it’ll be easier on me than trying to hold him to account, and he’d probably still get away with it, so it would be a lot of stress and humiliation for nothing.”

We reached the front door of our office building. “How do you want to do this?” I asked.

Lexi took a deep breath. “Straight to our desks,” she said. “Then I’ll run to the restroom. If anyone sees me, you can explain to them that a pervert on the bus took my skirt off and I didn’t notice because of the crush.”

“So … the truth,” I said.

“A partial truth,” Lexi replied. “I hate to lie, as you know, and I don’t want you telling a story I wouldn’t be prepared to tell myself.”

“Understood,” I said. “Okay, let’s do this.”

It was still only five to eight, so a lot of people were not yet at their desks. I spotted Wallace, with his back to us, but neither Aaron nor Stefan had arrived yet. “Okay, go,” I whispered.

But then Doug, with the worst timing ever, appeared at the end of the aisle, having just been to the restroom himself. He smiled at waved at us, but my hopes that he would head straight to his office were dashed, as he walked straight toward us.

“Good morning Lexi!” he boomed. “And Marty. How are you both, this fine morning?”

“Good thanks,” Lexi and I said together.

Our nervousness must have been obvious. “Something wrong?” he inquired. His eyes dropped to Lexi’s bag, which she shifted awkwardly. “What are you hiding, Sweetheart?” he inquired. “A new, even shorter skirt?” He laughed. “No need to be shy!”

“A man on the bus stole my skirt!” Lexi blurted out. “It was a wraparound skirt, and the bus was packed so tightly – in all the jostling, I didn’t feel him untie it. I didn’t even notice until I got off – and then it was too late!”

Doug blinked. “How awful!” he said. “Did you see who it was? Could you give the cops a description?”

“I … I don’t want to report it,” said Lexi, blushing. “I’d rather just get a new one, and forget about it. I was hoping … maybe I could hang out in the restroom while Marty goes out and buys me another skirt?”

“Hmm,” said Doug. “That’ll take a while, and I’d rather you both stay here and do your jobs. Lexi, you’re welcome to work in my office, which will give you a little more privacy than working at your own desk – and Marty, you can shop for a replacement skirt at lunchtime. Make sure it’s nice and short!” He chuckled.

“Doug, you can’t expect her to work without a skirt on!” I protested.

“Why, does the lack of a skirt impair her cognitive abilities?” he inquired. “She’ll be fine in my office, Marty, don’t you worry.”

“I’ll be fine,” Lexi assured me, with a gentle hand on my elbow.

“Well … okay,” I said reluctantly. And I watched anxiously as Lexi hurried to her desk, unplugged her laptop, and took it into Doug’s office. Doug followed her in, grinning at her panty-clad bottom. I sat down at my own desk, feeling uneasy, and switched on my computer.

Half an hour later, still fretting about Lexi, I messaged her: ‘Hi babe – how’s it going?’

She responded almost immediately: ‘Good thanks, although my laptop battery is draining pretty fast. Would you mind fetching the power cable from my desk, please?’

‘Sure!’ I was glad of an excuse to visit her in Doug’s office, and check on the situation there. Having unplugged her laptop’s power cable, I took it to Doug’s office, and knocked on his half-open door.

“Come in, Marty,” said Doug, spinning to face me. “But I’m not sure if that cable will reach the power strip, and the power strip is full in any case.”

“Oh,” I said, deflated. “Well, how much battery life do you have left, Lexi?”

“46%,” she said. She was sitting on the other side of Doug’s large desk, with her laptop open in front of her.

“However,” Doug continued, “Lexi tells me she’s become quite accustomed to having her panties on display – in front of your friends, and your neighbour, and even in public places like the gym. She says she can cope with working at her own desk like this, and since her laptop battery likely won’t last the hour, I figure she might as well go back there.”

“What?” I said, dismayed. “But … the office is a little different, surely? She needs to look professional! People will complain if they see her like this.”

“They might,” Doug admitted. “Which is why I think I’ll take her over to see Grant. If Grant’s willing to allow Lexi to dress like this, just for today, then we won’t have to worry about complaints.”

“You’re going to march Lexi over to Grant’s office?” I asked anxiously. “Dressed like … she is?”

“I wouldn’t say ‘march’,” Doug chuckled. “A fairly casual stroll should do the job.” He got to his feet. “And now’s as good a time as any, I guess. Let’s go, Sweetheart.”

And Lexi – dressed only in her blouse, panties, and shoes – got up from behind Doug’s desk, and approached me with a sheepish expression. I backed out of the room, so she and Doug could exit, and then I watched as they passed me by and walked off in the direction of Grant’s office. Lexi had clasped her hands together in front of her panties, but Doug inclined his head, whispered something to her, and then reached behind her and gave her a light swat on her right buttock. Lexi immediately unclasped her hands and let them fall to her sides. My guess was that he had instructed her to own her outfit and not look embarrassed – perhaps he figured this was the best strategy for selling it to Grant.

I returned to my desk, and tried to concentrate on my work. It was not easy, but in fact I did get absorbed enough in a page layout issue that I completely failed to notice when Lexi returned to her desk. I merely looked up, a few minutes later, and there she was, working away. I quickly sent her a message: ‘How did it go?’

She replied (after a lengthy bout of typing): ‘Very well – or badly, depending on your perspective. Grant was clearly very happy to see me dressed this way, though he was quick to point out that it wasn’t appropriate for the office. Doug explained the situation and asked if it would be okay for me to work at my desk like this today, and he made a big deal – way too big a deal – of the ‘fact’ that I’m very comfortable showing my panties in public. He also touted my math skills and said I was potentially a huge asset – and he mentioned Monday’s visit to Multicode, which apparently Grant already knew about. And Grant decided it would be fine for today, and to come and let him know if anyone gave me a hard time about it. So, I guess I’ll be working like this for the rest of the morning.’

Me: ‘Okay, well I guess it’s good you won’t be getting into trouble. But how do you feel about it?’

Lexi: ‘I guess I’m okay with it. Doug wasn’t entirely wrong: I’m relatively comfortable showing my panties in public, as long as nobody’s being mean about it. Mostly I get compliments, which is always nice. I’m a little worried about what other women in the office will say, but at least I have an excuse, and Grant’s blessing.’

Me: ‘Good, well I’m glad you’re not stressing about it. And … I have to be honest … you look super hot!’

Lexi: ‘Teehee! Thank you xxx’

Me: ‘xxxxxx’

The morning dragged on. The next time I looked over at Lexi, I scowled to see Aaron sitting next to her. His left hand was pointing at the screen, and he was talking casually, as if explaining to her some aspect of her job … but in the meantime, his right hand was tucked between her legs, and – I was incensed to see – actually inside her panties. Her thighs were slightly parted, her head was bowed, her cheeks were flushed, and she was gripping his wrist with both hands, as if trying but failing to extract his hand.

I knew Lexi would not thank me for interfering, so I turned back to my work, comforting myself with the knowledge that at least Aaron would not be walking or swimming with her today. And he would not be able to get his cock inside her while they were at her desk.

My mind kept wandering to Lexi’s upcoming doctor’s appointment. I found myself hoping that, somehow, having heard the details of Lexi’s recent encounters with male sexual appendages, the doctor would assure us that she was still a virgin. But my little fantasy went further: perhaps he could even come up with a simple solution to stop these close encounters entirely. Some kind of magic bullet that would guarantee her virginity until our wedding night. And a way around our oath and our deal with Ryan.

I knew it was foolish to pin all these hopes on one doctor’s visit. But the fantasy preyed on my mind all morning nonetheless. Then, just after eleven o’clock, Lexi messaged me: ‘Doug wants to take me out to lunch again, while you shop for another skirt for me. He says he doesn’t want me to have to hang out here, waiting for you and not getting to eat. I told him I would mind waiting, but he sort of insisted…’

I scowled, and replied: ‘So you said yes…?’

Lexi: ‘He wouldn’t take no for an answer! I’m sorry – I’d much rather have lunch with you.’

Me: ‘But how are you going to go out to eat with no skirt on? You’ll get kicked out of any restaurant.’

Lexi: ‘He says he has a plan – he didn’t give me any details. I’m sure he won’t take me any place that will kick me out.’

Me: ‘Okay – better him than Aaron, I guess. Just try to keep him out of your panties … please?’

Lexi: ‘I’ll try my best! But speaking of Aaron … he offered to pick us up from home and bring us to work tomorrow, so we can avoid Colin. I told him I’d ask you.’

I ground my teeth. I had no desire to be in Aaron’s debt; his motives were far from pure, and he would no doubt turn the situation to his advantage. Yes, it would be nice to get a ride to work and avoid Colin, but there had to be a better alternative. I typed: ‘Please decline. We’ll find another way.’

Lexi: ‘Okay. Also, Doug said he would drop me off at the doctor’s office. Can you text me the address? I’ll meet you there at, say, 12:45?’

Me: ‘Make it 12:50.’ And I gave her the address.

Lexi: ‘Thanks! See you there.’

At noon, I set out on my quest for a new skirt. As I walked to the bus stop, I looked back and saw Lexi and Doug heading for Doug’s car. Lexi looked very sexy in her blouse and panties … which normally would have made me smile with pride, but now filled me with dread. In fifty minutes, when we met up again at the doctor’s office, would she have had yet another cock inside her…?

I shook my head to banish this thought. I was in danger of succumbing to paranoia. Lexi was going to have lunch with Doug, that was all. Sure, he might rub her pussy under the table for a while … but he was hardly likely to bend her over that table, pull her panties down, and sink his cock into her vagina. Not in the middle of a restaurant. And not in his car, in broad daylight.

I forced myself to relax as I reached the bus stop. Unfamiliar with the schedule at this time of day, I checked it online. The mall was two miles and five stops away, and the next bus from here was in eight minutes. From the mall, I would need to take two different buses to get to the doctor’s office by 12:50; the second one would leave Hurst Park at 12:35, while the first would arrive at Hurst Park at 12:27. That first bus would leave the mall at 12:21, and my own bus, the one I was due to catch in eight minutes, would arrive at the mall at 12:22. I would have minus one minute to shop.

“Shit!” I exclaimed. I cursed myself for not having thought this through ahead of time. I couldn’t go to the mall and still meet up with Lexi at 12:50. What if I caught a later bus from the mall? The next one was at 12:33. It would get to Hurst Park at 12:39, ten minutes before the next bus from Hurst Park at 12:49, which would get me to the doctor’s office at 1:02 – two minutes after Lexi’s appointment time.

I groaned aloud. The mall was not an option, then. Where else? This business park had no clothing stores. Between here and the mall there were no shopping districts, and in the other direction was a massive industrial park. Ardenville had a Walmart, but could I reach it in time? I looked it up. No, almost certainly not. In desperation I scanned my map app, and my eyes lit up. Goodwill! A mile and a half away, next to Appleman’s Furniture. Screw the bus – I could walk there in twenty minutes. Jog there in twelve, maybe, although I didn’t want to make myself hot and sweaty.

Making up my mind, I commenced a brisk walk in the direction of the small retail park in which Goodwill resided. Alternately walking and jogging, I was able to cover the distance in a little over fifteen minutes, and by the time I got there I was, unfortunately, very hot and sweaty. I hurried up to the front door of the store, slightly concerned about the lack of cars in the parking lot…

It was closed. ‘CLOSED FOR REFURBISHMENT’, said the sign. I groaned and banged my head on the door several times. Then I turned and looked wildly around the rest of the retail park, hoping to see a clothes store that I had somehow missed on the app.

But no – all I saw was Appleman’s Furniture, PetSmart, and Wing Noodle, a Chinese restaurant. I looked at the time. 12:19. Where was the nearest bus stop, and what bus would I need to catch? I quickly found the answers. Just up the road, and in three minutes. Feeling defeated, I trudged through the parking lot, past the restaurant, and out on to the road. At the bus stop, I waited until it came. I boarded it, rode it to the third stop, got off, boarded another six minutes later, and disembarked seven minutes after that. Then I walked to the doctor’s office, arriving at 12:49.

Lexi was nowhere to be seen, so I waited by the entrance. Two minutes later, Doug’s car pulled in, and Lexi got out. I looked unhappily at her panties, and then at her quizzical expression.

“I’m sorry!” I said morosely. “I tried! I calculated that I didn’t have time to go to the mall and still make it here by one, so I went to Goodwill instead. I even ran there! But they were closed! And there wasn’t another clothing store anywhere nearby. By that point I didn’t have time to do anything else except catch a bus to get here. I’m sorry, Lexi.”

She hugged me. “It’s okay,” she said. “Perhaps they can lend me a towel or something here, to wrap around my waist.”

“Perhaps,” I said gloomily. There was no getting around the fact that I had let her down.

We went inside, and made a beeline for the check-in window. Fortunately the counter was high enough that the woman behind the sliding glass pane could not see Lexi’s panties, though she did raise an eyebrow at Lexi’s partially buttoned blouse and expansive cleavage. “Name,” she said in a rather arch manner.

“Lexi Thorburn,” said Lexi.

“I booked her in as Alexandra,” I added helpfully.

The receptionist handed Lexi a clipboard. “Take a seat please, and fill out this form.”

We sat down in a corner of the waiting room. There were two other people here – an elderly man and a middle-aged woman. The man was staring at Lexi with a delighted expression; the woman was frowning at a magazine she was reading.

Lexi began filling out the form. “What’s our work address?” she whispered.

I told her. “You’ve got your insurance card, right?”

“In my purse,” she said.

“You didn’t ask her for a towel,” I said. “Want me to ask her?”

She shook her head. “She doesn’t know I’m not wearing anything over my panties. I’d rather keep it that way.”

Once she had completed the form, she took it back to the receptionist, then she came and sat back down next to me. But almost immediately, a door at the end of the waiting room opened, and a nurse in scrubs appeared. “Alexandra?” She was very short, with curly reddish hair, and looked in her forties.

We both got up. “Is it okay if I stay with her?” I asked. “She’s a little nervous.”

“Sure, that’s fine,” said the nurse, staring in surprise at Lexi’s panties. “This way please. You shouldn’t undress in the waiting room, you know!”

“I’m sorry,” said Lexi, “my skirt was stolen this morning on the bus. A man just … pulled it off me!”

“That’s terrible!” said the nurse, leading us down a corridor. “And you’ve nothing else to wear instead?”

“No,” said Lexi sheepishly. “Marty tried to find me another skirt at lunch, but the place he tried was closed.”

The nurse turned to me with an eyebrow raised. “Maybe he likes your current outfit.”

“Not at all!” I said. “I mean, yes, but not in public! I tried Goodwill, but they were closed for refurbishment. And I don’t have a car, so I had to follow bus schedules, and that left me no time to find another store.”

“Shoes off, and stand on here please, back to the wall,” said the nurse. Lexi did as instructed, and the nurse measured her height. “Five foot three,” she said. “And … 126 pounds. What I wouldn’t give to have your shape! Okay, follow me.”

Lexi stepped back into her shoes, and we followed the nurse to an exam room. “Take a seat there, Alexandra, and let’s check your vitals,” said the nurse.

“She prefers Lexi,” I mentioned.

“Lexi, how cute,” said the nurse, wrapping an inflatable cuff around Lexi’s left upper arm. She took Lexi’s blood pressure, pulse, and temperature, and then she removed the cuff and put it away. Having typed the results into her computer, she said, “Okay, Doctor Johnson will be with you shortly.” Then she left the room.

“115 over 70,” said Lexi. “Is that good?”

“That would have been a question for the nurse,” I said. “But I think it’s pretty good. You can ask the doctor when he arrives.” Then I pursed my lips. “So … how was lunch?”

“It was … okay…” she said guardedly. “We ate at a diner, and lots of people stared at my panties, but nobody said anything – probably because Doug was with me and he looks pretty intimidating. He, um, got two fingers inside me, in the car afterwards. And he … kissed me…”

“Ugh,” I said in disgust. “I’m sorry, darling. But … that was it?”

She nodded. “He didn’t take his cock out, or anything.”

“Whew,” I said, relieved. “Well that’s something.”

Lexi hesitated. “He … he really likes this outfit,” she said awkwardly. “He said I should wear it tomorrow as well…”

I blinked. “What? Oh come on – he can’t seriously ask you to do that! Even Grant only sanctioned it for today!”

“He said he talked to Grant,” Lexi went on, her tone rather apologetic. “Apparently Grant’s on board – as long as I don’t cause any trouble. And Doug said he’s got my position as his personal assistant approved, so as long as I continue to impress him … the job’s as good as mine.”

“You’re not thinking of really doing it though, are you?” I asked uneasily. “Showing up to work in a blouse and panties … on purpose?”

Lexi shrugged. “It wasn’t so bad today, was it?” she said. “I even went to the kitchen and got myself a drink … and nobody said anything. I think I can handle it, for the sake of keeping Doug happy.”

I was stunned. Not five hours ago, Lexi had been in a panic over entering the office dressed like this. Now she was thinking of doing it again? “Well I guess it’s up to you,” I said. “But heck … will you at least wear a skirt for the journey to work? And home again?”

“Oh, sure,” said Lexi. “But we’ll need to talk about…”

The door opened, and a white-haired man in a dark grey shirt and beige chinos entered the room. He was tall, thin, and stern-looking, but he smiled with delight as he caught sight of Lexi, and looked her up and down. “Well well!” he said. “My new patient! Lexi, is it? Nice to meet you. I’m Doctor Johnson.” He extended his hand; she arose from her chair, and shook it. Then the doctor turned to me. “And you’re the husband?”

“Fiancé,” I said. “Name’s Marty.”

“Roads? Where we’re going, Marty, we don’t need roads!” he said, before guffawing loudly. “Sorry, you’re probably sick of Back to the Future references!”

Lexi was giggling, and I smiled tolerantly. “Can’t get enough of them,” I said.

He chuckled. “Good for you. So, full physical today? Lucky me! If you could just hop up on the table here, Lexi?”

Lexi complied, sitting on the edge of the padded table with her feet dangling below. The doctor fetched a tongue depressor, and donned a headlight. “Can you open your mouth and say ‘Aaah’?”

“Aaah,” said Lexi, as he looked in her mouth.

“Excellent,” he said. “Can I see your hands?” She showed him; he gave them a cursory inspection. “And your feet?” As she raised her feet, he slipped her shoes off and placed them on the floor. Then he took a look at both feet. “All good,” he said. “Now lie down please; I’ll be feeling your abdomen.”

Lexi obediently lay down on her back, and he gently pressed down on her belly in various places, looking thoughtful. “Very good,” he said at last. “You can sit up again. Let’s have a listen to your heart, shall we?” He placed into his ears the earbuds on his stethoscope, and listened to her back through her blouse. “Nice strong heartbeat, no arrhythmia. Breathe in deeply please … and out. In again … and out. Good. Lungs sound fine.” Then he pulled his stool around to sit in front of her. “I like to listen from the front, too – occasionally I hear something faint that I don’t hear from the back.” He placed the diaphragm against the inner curve of her left breast and listened solemnly. “Hmm,” he said. “You have lovely breasts, Lexi, but this blouse is pushing them up and creating a lot of thickness for me to listen through. Would you mind unbuttoning your blouse, please, so they can settle into their natural position?”

I frowned a little, but his manner was professional, so I did not feel suspicious. Lexi, for her part, hesitated only for a moment before undoing her buttons. The doctor then applied his stethoscope again – to her left breast, then her right breast, and then between them … at which point he nodded. “All sounds good,” he said. “Now, when was your last breast exam?”

Lexi blushed. “I’ve never had one.”

“Oh!” he said. “Well, let’s take care of that, then. If you could slip out of your blouse, please?”

Lexi looked at me for reassurance, and I reluctantly nodded. Breast exams were important, I knew, and this was the least appropriate time to get upset about her breasts getting exposed. If she could show them to a sales assistant in a clothing store, she could certainly show them to a doctor.

She shrugged out of her blouse, and pulled her arms out of the sleeves. The doctor’s eyes widened at the sight of her fully-revealed breasts, and his mouth curled up in a smile. “Nurse Angie told me you had a little adventure this morning,” he said. “Someone stole your skirt?”

“Yes!” said Lexi. “The bus was packed so tightly, I didn’t even notice it was gone until we were off the bus! It was a short, wraparound skirt – easy to take off, unfortunately.”

“How awful!” said the doctor sympathetically, as he picked up a bottle from his countertop. He squirted a large amount of clear gel into his left hand, forming an inch-high mound that almost covered his palm. “This will feel a little cold, for which I apologise in advance, but I find a breast exam is easier and ultimately more pleasant for the patient when I use plenty of gel.” Putting the bottle down, he scooped up half of the gel in his right hand, then applied both hands simultaneously to the underside of Lexi’s breasts.

She gasped at the cold wet touch, then her eyes widened as the doctor began smearing the gel all over her sumptuous orbs of mammary flesh. He applied the gel thoroughly and liberally, coating her breasts with a thick layer of slimy transparent goo. Once this was done, he proceeded to knead and massage each breast in turn, double-handed, squeezing and stroking and fondling it in a manner which could only be described as sensuous.

“Um, Doctor Johnson…” I said uneasily.

“Yes, Marty?” he said, without pausing his work.

“What are you … checking for?” I asked.

“Lumps,” he replied. “Anomalies. Anything but normal breast tissue. Breast cancer is treatable if caught early, and breast exams literally save lives.” He moved on to her other breast.

Lexi looked rather embarrassed and uncomfortable, bur she seemed prepared to endure the exam for as long as it took. “Are you … finding anything?” she ventured.

“Not a thing!” said Doctor Johnson, now massaging both breasts together. “Your breasts are beautiful and perfect. I look at you and I think, ‘Now there’s a girl who was made for motherhood. I do hope you’ll consider breastfeeding when the time comes; it’s such a natural, healthy way to feed a baby.”

“Oh yes, definitely,” said Lexi, but I could not help feeling that the doctor’s remarks were rather unprofessional.

He was now feeling his way up the sides of her breasts, even into her armpits. “All clear,” he said. “Now … have you ever had a gynaecological exam?”

“No,” Lexi admitted.

The doctor grinned. “Okay, we’ll take care of that too. Slip off those panties, and lie down please.”

Lexi looked at me anxiously, and I felt compelled to leap to her aid. “Maybe we could do that another time?” I said. “I think she’s feeling a little overwhelmed.”

“Okay, that’s fine,” said the doctor, seeming disappointed. “Do you have any health concerns at all, before I send you on your merry way?”

“Well … there was something,” said Lexi awkwardly. “You see…” Again she looked to me for assistance.

“We’d kind of like your advice,” I said. “You see … we’re not quite sure whether Lexi is still a virgin, and we were hoping you could clear that up for us.”

“Oh!” he said in surprise. “Well I can try, but unless there’s clear evidence that you’ve recently had sex, that might be tricky. But … wouldn’t you know that yourself?”

“I’ve had some close calls in the past twenty-four hours,” Lexi explained. “I’m not sure if they count as having sex.”

“Oh, I see,” said the doctor. “Can you describe what happened?”

Lexi blushed. “Well first there was Aaron,” she said. “He put the tip in…”

“Hold on, I’m confused,” said Doctor Johnson. “Who’s Aaron? And why…”

“He’s a colleague,” I interrupted, “who took advantage of Lexi yesterday when they went for a walk together. He’d bought her a swimsuit, they swam together, he talked her out of it, then he cuddled her for warmth…”

“Oh my!” said the doctor. “So he sexually assaulted you?”

“I wouldn’t call it that,” said Lexi, hanging her head in shame. “We were kissing at the time, and it just sort of … happened.”

“Kissing?” Doctor Johnson raised an eyebrow, and looked at me.

“Look, I know what you’re thinking,” I said, slightly irritably, “but Lexi’s a loyal fiancée. She’s just very sweet and a little naive, and unfortunately rather easy to take advantage of. My two roommates, Ryan and Drake, have talked her into giving them ‘goodnight kisses’ every night, and they’ve escalated into full-on makeout sessions. And Aaron talked her into kissing him, and clearly more … I’m not saying he’s not a scoundrel, but he did at least stop as soon as the tip went in.”

“He’s nice,” Lexi confirmed. “I wouldn’t call him a scoundrel at all. He just couldn’t help himself. He’s very attracted to me.”

“That I can understand,” said the doctor, who had been looking more and more bemused. “Well, if it was just the tip, that was probably not enough to break your hymen – for what that’s worth.”

“That’s already broken,” I replied glumly, “thanks to Ryan’s fingers.

The doctor stared at me oddly. “Okay … well if it was just the tip…”

“With Aaron it was,” said Lexi dolefully. “But then there was Patrick…”

The doctor blinked. “Who’s Patrick??”

“Our elderly neighbour,” I told him, frowning. “He’s a little infirm, and Lexi’s been helping him shower. After last night’s shower, he managed to get the whole head of his cock inside her.”

“So HE raped you?” the doctor asked in bewilderment. “This infirm elderly neighbour?”

“No, he didn’t rape me!” said Lexi, shocked. “We were in the shower together, both naked, and he was rubbing his cock between my legs … and yes I know that was naughty of him … and we were discussing what Aaron did, and then Patrick just … did the same thing. And I made him stop, but afterwards I was worried about how far he had put it in, so he said he would show me. And I watched him put it in again, and the whole head went in – but no more than that.”

“You let him do it again?” asked the doctor, astonished.

“I wanted to know how much he’d put it in the first time!” said Lexi defensively. “Anyway, after that Ryan put his thingy halfway in, and then Drake did the same – but Drake’s is bigger, so his halfway is deeper than Ryan’s halfway. So, about four inches. And then this morning, on the bus, this man called Colin got his thingy inside me, and I’ve no idea how far in it was, but it felt deep. But that was only for a second before I got away. If anything was rape, that was, but even so I wouldn’t really call it that.”

“I probably would,” I muttered.

The doctor scratched his head. “Well this is quite extraordinary,” he said. “So you’ve had five penises inside your vagina in the past day or so, Lexi? Or partly inside, at least. What about Marty’s?”

“We haven’t even come close,” I grumbled. “We’re waiting for our wedding night.”

The doctor let out a little snort, which he turned into a cough. Then he sighed heavily. “Well I hate to break it to you, Lexi, but you’re no longer a virgin. When it happened is debatable, but once you’ve had four inches of male member inside you, the matter is very much settled. That’s as much as some men have in total.”

“But there was no … you know … thrusting,” I argued desperately. “And none of them climaxed.”

“Ryan did move it in and out a bit,” Lexi pointed out.

Doctor Johnson shook his head. “I’m sorry,” he said, “but once a penis enters the vagina, that’s pretty much the definition of losing one’s virginity. But if it’s any comfort, virginity is a rather meaningless concept. It doesn’t change anything about a person. And particularly in your case, Lexi, where you’d already lost your hymen to a fingering, and each of your encounters yesterday went a little further than the last … it’s a perfect illustration of just how useless the idea of virginity is. But if you insist on having an answer to the specific question, ‘Is Lexi still a virgin?’ then the answer, I’m afraid, is no.”

“Ugh,” I said, feeling defeated. Lexi looked rather sad.

“But that’s by no means the most important question!” the doctor continued. “It’s obvious Lexi has a hard time saying ‘no’, and my guess is that these encounters will continue to escalate. Are you on birth control, Lexi?”

“No,” she replied. “I don’t believe in it.”

“Really,” said the doctor, licking his lips. “Religious, huh?”

“Yes, although she’s been challenging some of her old beliefs,” I said. “And perhaps this is one that needs to be revisited.”

“I don’t know,” said Lexi uncertainly.

“There’s no need to abandon your beliefs, my dear,” said the doctor smoothly. “But clearly some precautions are in order, and I can help with that. The first thing is to check on your sexual health. I know you wanted to postpone your gyno exam, but I think under the circumstances we shouldn’t delay it at all.”

“Oh,” said Lexi despondently. “Okay.” Reluctantly she lay back on the table, lifted her bottom off the padded surface, and pulled her panties down. Once she had slid them off her feet, the doctor took them and placed them on a chair with her blouse.

“Scoot forward a bit,” he instructed her, and she did so, until her bottom was slightly overhanging the end of the table. Then he took hold of her legs, and pushed them back while pulling them apart. “Hold on to your knees, please – unfortunately this table doesn’t have stirrups.”

It was highly uncomfortable, watching my naked fiancée spread her thighs wide apart and display her most intimate parts to this strange man. She looked very uncomfortable too; she bit her lip worriedly as she looked at me. I attempted a reassuring smile.

The doctor squirted more gel into his hand, then slathered it over Lexi’s pussy, making her twitch. “Sorry,” he apologised. “A little cold, isn’t it?” Then, licking his lips again, he slowly inserted a finger into her vagina.

“Shouldn’t you be, um, wearing gloves?” I asked uneasily.

“I just sanitised my hands,” said the doctor. “Trust me, they’re totally germ-free.” He introduced a second finger, and began slowly sliding both fingers in and out, rhythmically. “How does this feel?”

“Okay,” said Lexi, looking rather mortified.

The doctor twisted his fingers, feeling around. “Everything feels normal,” he said. “But I’ll need to crank you open with a speculum for a better look. That can be quite painful if you’ve never had it done before, so it’s best to get your vagina fully relaxed and loosened up first. Tell me, Lexi, have you ever used a dildo before?”

Her eyes widened. “No,” she said.

The doctor nodded. “Well it’s just like a penis,” he said, “only made of latex. Do you happen to have a latex allergy…?” His tone was weirdly hopeful.

“No,” said Lexi.

The doctor nodded. “Good. Well, it’s the perfect way to prepare your vagina for the speculum, so let’s give it a go.” He opened a drawer, and then opened it further. “Huh!” He opened another drawer, then another. “It’s gone! I’m guessing another doctor must have borrowed it. I’m so sorry, Lexi, I’m afraid I’m going to have to insert the cold metal speculum into your unprepared vagina and force it open – it won’t be very pleasant.”

“Oh my gosh!” said Lexi, looking panicked.

“Unless…” said Doctor Johnson, suddenly thoughtful. “There’s no reason we can’t use a real penis. Marty, would you like to do the honours?”

I stared at him. “You want me to … stick my cock … in Lexi? Now?”

“Oh, but you were planning to wait – I was forgetting,” said the doctor, and he sighed. “And I’m sure you don’t want your first time together to be in this clinical situation, in front of a doctor.”

“Also, we swore an oath,” Lexi added sadly.

“Very commendable,” said the doctor. “I wouldn’t dream of asking you to break it. Hmm, well … this is a little unconventional … but in theory we could use mine…”

“What?” I said. “You want to put your own cock in my fiancée??”

“Hear me out,” said the doctor, holding up his hands. “Ordinarily I wouldn’t dream of even offering. But these circumstances ARE unusual. Lexi, you’ve had a number of penises inside you in the last twenty-four hours, and none of those was for a very good reason. This time IS for a good reason, and hopefully your other experiences have, at least to a certain extent, prepared you mentally for it. I can assure you I will be as gentle and respectful and professional as I can … and this will greatly reduce the discomfort of the speculum exam. I can’t stress enough how much it will help. But of course, it’s completely your call.”

Lexi looked at me nervously. “I feel like I should say yes,” she said. “I don’t want this to be painful, and since I’m already not a virgin … what do you think?”

I grimaced. I did not want this old doctor putting his cock in my fiancée, of course – but she had already had five cocks in her. A sixth would make little practical difference, and this time it was at least in a good cause. “All right,” I said reluctantly.

“Excellent,” said the doctor, grinning as he unbuckled his belt. “Good choice.” He pulled down his chinos and underwear together, and shuffled up to Lexi, placing the tip of his erect cock against her vaginal opening. It was rather bigger than mine, infuriatingly.

“Shouldn’t you be wearing a condom?” I asked.

“Lexi doesn’t believe in contraception,” said the doctor, “and I wouldn’t want to compromise her religious beliefs. In any case, I’m not planning to ejaculate. Don’t worry, Marty.” Then he pushed forward. Lubricated by the copious gel coating Lexi’s pussy, his member slid inside her smoothly and easily. As it sank deep, my stomach knotted in disgust. “Aaah…” he sighed, his expression blissful. “What a wonderful vagina you have, Lexi. This feels amazing! You’re going to make Marty very happy.”

“Thank you,” said Lexi, looking very embarrassed.

The doctor drew his hips back, then pushed them forward, his cock sliding partway out of her and then all the way in. “This repetitive motion will help your vagina relax,” he said, sliding in and out again.

“There’s a word for that repetitive motion!” I said sharply.

“Indeed there is,” the doctor agreed. “But try not to think about that. This is a medical treatment only.” And he continued to thrust in and out, at a leisurely pace.

I endured this for a minute or so, then I said testily, “How long do you think this will take?”

“Not too long,” the doctor panted, now thrusting a little harder. He took hold of Lexi’s hips, to keep her from rocking back and forth as much. “Right now she’s still very tight – she’s gripping me like you wouldn’t believe – oh man – so I need to keep going until she relaxes…”

I tried to be patient, but it was not easy. Lexi was looking very flushed, her eyes were half-closed, and she was breathing heavily. Doctor Johnson was thrusting harder and harder, and faster than before, and I was getting concerned; in his place, I was sure I would have climaxed by now. But still he kept going, sweat beading on his brow as he uttered little grunts of effort.

“I think you should stop,” I said nervously.

“Still … too … tight…” the doctor gasped. He was now hammering his cock in and out of Lexi, and she was letting out gasps and moans of pleasure. Noticing this, Doctor Johnson began rubbing her clitoris with his thumb, and this had an immediate effect – Lexi arched her back and pulled her knees even wider apart, tilting her head back and uttering staccato high-pitched moans in time with the thrusting.

“Doctor Johnson, that’s enough!” I exclaimed in distress.

Then, suddenly, Lexi climaxed, her whole body shuddering and her moans drawing out into longer, cathartic exhalations. The doctor groaned, his face contorting as he jammed his cock deep inside her, holding her hips against his. His pale buttocks clenched and twitched; he pulled out and thrust again, paused, then repeated the motion, as I watched in horror.

“Did you … climax?” I demanded in disbelief.

“Yes…” Lexi gasped.

“I meant Doctor Johnson!” I exclaimed.

“Yes I did – I’m so sorry,” said the doctor with a sheepish expression.

“Oh no!” Lexi squealed.

“I’m afraid I got a little lost in the moment,” the doctor went on. “But this worked a treat, Lexi – your vagina’s feeling more relaxed now. I think you’re ready for the speculum.”

“But you came inside her!” I cried. “What if you get her pregnant?”

The doctor looked down at Lexi’s belly, and smiled. “Well, Marty, this is probably a good thing, actually. Now that my sperms are swimming around inside your beautiful fiancée, you’re going to have to confront some harsh realities, and start figuring out some answers to these ‘what if’ questions. Based on what’s been happening over the past day, it seems possible that your friends – Ryan and Drake, was it? – might also ejaculate inside her soon. And you both need to decide on a plan for dealing with it. If it wasn’t me, now, it would have been one of them, tonight … and what would you do about that?”

I groaned. “You’re probably right. They’ve both admitted they’ve fantasised about getting her pregnant. It seems all men take one look at her and immediately start imagining putting a baby in her! It’s crazy!”

The doctor slowly withdrew his cock from Lexi’s vagina. As it popped free, his white semen began to ooze from her glistening orifice. Pulling up his underwear and chinos, he said, “Now, the first thing we need to work out is whether you’re ovulating, Lexi. When did your last period begin and end?”

“It ended last Thursday,” Lexi panted. “It started the previous … Saturday, I think?”

“So you’re on Day 12,” said the doctor. “How long is your cycle, usually?”

“It varies,” said Lexi. “Twenty-eight or twenty-nine days, usually, but it’s been as short as twenty-seven and as long as thirty.”

“That’s fairly consistent,” said the doctor. “I’ve had patients with far more variable cycles. So, the likelihood is that you’ll be ovulating in a couple of days, by which time my sperms will probably no longer be viable. They never had great motility even in my prime, and I’m sixty-one now. So I don’t think you need to worry about my getting you pregnant. If I were you I’d be more concerned about the young studs you’re living with. I’m assuming your roommates are roughly your age…?”

“Yes,” I confirmed. “And while I wouldn’t dream of calling Ryan a ‘stud’, that description would certainly apply to Drake.”

“Okay,” said the doctor. “Now let’s say Lexi comes running out of Drake’s room, saying he just came inside her … what do you do?”

I grimaced. “Go and punch him, I guess.”

“Don’t do that!” said Lexi quickly.

“I mean, what do you do to prevent Lexi from getting pregnant?” the doctor asked patiently.

I shrugged. “Morning-after pill?”

Lexi shook her head, and the doctor smiled. “I imagine that’s even more against Lexi’s beliefs than a condom,” he said. “But how would you feel, Lexi, about simply flushing the semen out of you? I can give you a kit to help you do that. Technically it’s a form of contraception, but perhaps it’s more acceptable to you than more conventional forms? More … natural?”

It sounded good to me. “I think that’s a good compromise, darling,” I urged Lexi. “Maybe you can try to be a little flexible?”

Lexi propped herself up on her elbows, and closed her legs. “Yes, I like that idea,” she said. “Can we do it now?”

Doctor Johnson pulled her knees apart again. “Unfortunately we don’t have time,” he said. “But like I said, you needn’t be concerned about my old sperm. Right now I need to get this speculum inside you. Like back, please, and relax.”

Lexi gulped, and lay back down. Doctor Johnson fetched a speculum from a drawer, and I was surprised to see it was made of clear plastic. “I thought you said it was metal,” I said accusingly. “You got Lexi all anxious for nothing!”

“Some are metal, some are plastic,” he replied, unruffled. “I’m more accustomed to the metal ones. I’m relatively new here and I wasn’t sure what I’d find in the drawer. But it makes little difference; they work the same way. My reasoning for wanting to get Lexi loosened up still applies.” He gently inserted the long blades of the speculum into Lexi’s vagina, and squeezed so that they spread apart inside her. She winced a little, and I bit my lip in sympathy. The doctor tightened a screw, and then shone a tiny flashlight in through the hole in the speculum. With his other hand he inserted a stick with a swab on the end, like a long Q-tip, with which he poked around gently.

“All looks good in there!” said the doctor, pleased. “Healthy-looking vagina and cervix. Want to take a look, Marty? If Lexi doesn’t mind, of course.”

“It’s a little embarrassing!” said Lexi. “But … if you really want to look, darling, I guess I don’t mind…”

Curiosity got the better of me, and I got out of my chair and peered over the doctor’s shoulder. He leaned out of my way. “See her cervix?” he asked.

I looked inside, and saw a circular reddish structure, mostly covered and obscured by a whitish fluid: the doctor’s semen, no doubt. Below it was a pool of the same fluid. “I see it,” I said unhappily.

The doctor unscrewed and then carefully removed the speculum. “All done!” he said. “Unless you have any other concerns?”

I just wanted this to be over, and I shook my head. Lexi closed her legs and sat up. “I don’t think so,” she said. “Unless you can tell me how to stop men from having sex with me.”

The doctor chuckled. “Lexi, I mean this in the kindest possible way, and with no trace of judgment: you are what is commonly known as a ‘pushover’. The solution is simply to say no – but I know that’s not as easy for you as it sounds. Your best option is to move out of the apartment you currently share with two other men, get a place of your own, get a car so you don’t have to take the bus, and spend your lunches together, with no other men present.

“That’s a good plan,” I admitted, “and it’s kind of THE plan, after we get married, which we’re hoping to do as soon as possible … and when we’re a little more financially stable.”

The doctor nodded. “Okay – just remember that the longer you put off doing all that, the higher the likelihood is that Lexi will be impregnated by another man. All right, I’ll have the nurse bring you a douching kit, and then she’ll take you back to reception. Lexi, I think you should come back here in two days. Things are obviously moving very fast for you, and I’d like to keep tabs on your sexual activity, so we can act appropriately as circumstances demand. Can you be here at the same time on Friday?”

“Oh!” said Lexi uncertainly. “I’ll check, but I think so.”

“Excellent,” said the doctor. He shook my hand. “I’m glad to have met you both.” He reached out and wiped some excess gel from Lexi’s right breast. “Hmm, you should wipe yourself down before putting your blouse back on.” He handed her a box of tissues. “I’d be grateful if you didn’t mention to anyone that we had sex, Lexi. I did it with the best intentions, with your wellbeing as my top priority, but it was definitely against the rules and I’d rather not get fired, if possible.”

“Oh!” said Lexi. “Well … okay … I won’t tell anyone. Even Drake and Ryan?”

“I can’t be sure they wouldn’t take up arms on your behalf,” said the doctor, “so I’d prefer it if you didn’t tell them, if possible.”

Lexi nodded, looking troubled.

“See you on Friday!” said Doctor Johnson.

I let out a deep breath. “Well … that sucks,” I said glumly.

“I can’t believe he had sex with me!” said Lexi, wide-eyed. “I mean, that wasn’t just putting it in and taking it out again. That was … the real thing!” She began to wipe her breasts clean with tissues.

“Yeah,” I said bitterly. “Another thing I was hoping to do with you before anyone else.”

“But it was just a medical thing,” she assured me. “You’ll be my first proper sex experience.”

I stared at her. “Lexi, tonight you’re going to sleep with Ryan, and he’s bound to get his cock inside you again. And this time I’m pretty sure he’ll fuck you until he cums!”

Lexi shivered. “No he won’t,” she said, as she stepped into her panties. “I’ll give him a blowjob instead, and he’ll cum in my mouth. Marty, I don’t know how soon Pastor John can marry us, but I’ll talk to him this evening and beg him to set it for this weekend. I’ll be as persuasive as possible without … I don’t know … offering him a blowjob!” She giggled, putting a hand to her mouth. “Oh gosh, I can’t believe I just said that!”

“Yeah, don’t do that,” I said with an uncomfortable smile. Her joke was amusing, but it still rankled that she had given Ryan and Drake blowjobs, while I was not allowed one. “I like the idea of getting married this weekend, though! You think that’s even possible?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted, “but if we just have a bare-bones ceremony, hopefully it won’t be too hard to organise and schedule.”

“I hope you’re right,” I said.

There was a knock on the door, and the nurse came back in while Lexi was buttoning her blouse. “The doctor told me to give you a douche kit,” she said, looking somewhat stern. “We don’t recommend douching, as it removes natural bacteria and flora from your vagina and can lead to an infection. Doctor Johnson says you’re refusing to use any other type of contraception, though, so under protest, here you go. But you use this at your own risk, and against our advice.” She handed Lexi a small cardboard box.

“Oh!” said Lexi, looking troubled as she took it. “But what else could I do if I have … if I get sperm inside me?”

“Take Plan B!” said the nurse. “And be more careful next time! Now put this on, and we’ll get you checked out.” She handed Lexi a patterned cotton garment.”

“What’s this?” asked Lexi. “Oh, a skirt!”

“That should keep you modest so you can get home,” said the nurse.

“Thanks!” I said gratefully, and “Thank you so much!” said Lexi.

Lexi put on the skirt – it was longer than knee-length, and rather ugly – and then the nurse took us to the checkout window. Lexi paid her deductible, and we left the building.

“It was very kind of the nurse to give me this,” Lexi remarked.

“It was,” I agreed. “Heck, we needn’t have spent so much money on skirts, if I’d known we could get them here for free.”

Lexi laughed. “Well I certainly wouldn’t choose a skirt like this! It’s not the most aesthetically appealing. But I’m glad to be able to cover my panties.”

I nodded. “Yes, it must have been so stressful for you in the office, and at lunchtime!”

She shrugged. “Not as much as you might think. I was sitting down most of the time, and nobody was being mean to me.”

“Well that’s good,” I said. “Okay, here’s our bus.”

We rode the bus to Futureland, where we both got off. “Have fun cosplaying,” I said, giving her a quick kiss. “I’ll see you at seven.”

“Thanks!” she said. “Bye, darling.”

I walked to the office, and worked until six. At this point I decided there wasn’t much point in going home, so I figured I would go straight to Futureland and surprise Lexi. I was forgetting, however, about the woman on the gate.

“Fifteen bucks,” she said.

“Oh come on!” I complained. “You know I’m just here to pick up my fiancée!”

“Fifteen bucks,” she repeated.

“I’m not spending fifteen dollars just to pick Lexi up every day!” I protested.

“Then you can wait for her out here,” she said implacably.

“Ugh!” I looked around, and saw a Panera in the distance. I was hungry, and it was tempting to go there for dinner … but Lexi would no doubt be hungry too, when she finished her shift. It would be better to go together.

I texted her: ‘I’m here, outside the gate. There’s a Panera not far away – fancy eating there when you’re done?’

But she did not reply immediately. It was ten past six, and I had fifty minutes to kill. I sighed, and went over to sit on one of the rocks. And there I waited, playing Tiny Wings on my phone.

At seven o’clock, Lexi texted me: ‘Sorry I missed this! Are you still at the gate? Panera sounds lovely. I’ll be right there.’

Five minutes later, she arrived … and I was surprised and rather shocked to see she was once again wearing just her blouse, panties, and shoes. “Hi darling!” I said. “What happened to your skirt?”

“Oh, Doobie said I look better in just my panties,” said Lexi apologetically. “He said the skirt was really awful, and at least in my panties I look sexy. He … he sort of … threw my skirt in the dumpster.”

“What??” I said in dismay. “That was a horrible thing to do!”

“Well he said it was for my own good,” Lexi said uncomfortably. “And he was so funny and good-natured about it, I couldn’t really be upset with him. Of course, I was dressed at the time, so the full implications didn’t really hit me until later.”

“Okay, well let’s get you home,” I said, a little nervously.

“We’re not eating at Panera?” Lexi asked.

“Look how you’re dressed!” I said. “You think they’ll let us eat there?”

“I don’t know,” she replied.

I sighed. “I guess we can try. At the very least I can get our food to go. Come on then.”

Lexi looked down at her panties. “Hold my hand as we walk?”

“Of course,” I said. And we walked hand in hand down the street and across the road to Panera. Inside, a wide-eyed man in his early thirties said we could stay if we kept ourselves tucked away in a booth, and only as long as nobody complained.

But we had not even finished placing our order when Lexi suddenly gripped my arm in panic. “Evensong!” she exclaimed.

“Oh shit!” I said, looking at the time on my phone. “What time does it start?”

“Seven-thirty!” she replied. “Do we have time to eat and get home and change and get to the church by then?”

“Not a chance,” I said. “Maybe if we get our food to go, and get really lucky with the bus, we might make it to the church on time – um, can we get this to go, please?”

The man behind the counter looked relieved. “Sure,” he said.

We sat down in a booth to await our food. Lexi was very fidgety, clearly anxious about the time.

“So, how was the cosplaying today?” I asked cheerfully, in an attempt to calm her a little.

“Oh … it was fun,” said Lexi. “Except for when I got dunked in the dunk tank. Today I was playing a nurse, but Bo didn’t want me getting the nurse outfit wet, so he insisted I wear a long white t-shirt instead – and when I got out of the tank, it was completely see-through and clinging to my breasts! I was so embarrassed – there were parents and kids there!”

“Oh jeez!” I said in dismay.

“Afterwards,” she went on, “he ushered me into the staff tent and helped me get out of my wet clothes – in other words my t-shirt and panties. I was in a hurry to get my nurse’s uniform back on, because he was watching me and grinning lustfully … but he didn’t let me, at first. He held on to it and said he would trade it for a kiss. I had to get dressed, so … I accepted. He pulled me into his arms and kissed me, and he started fondling my bottom of course, and my breasts. Then he put his hand between my legs and rubbed my pussy, and whispered in my ear that he was going to ‘eff’ me ‘so hard’…”

“Oh my God!” I cried, before quickly muffling my voice as Lexi looked around nervously. “What the hell? Please tell me he didn’t…”

She shook her head. “No – Doobie came in and yelled at him, and he left in a hurry. Then Doobie hugged me and asked me if I was okay. And I said I was, and I thanked him. And then … he kissed me. And I was so grateful to him that I just let him … and even … I guess I kissed him back a bit, sorry. And then he started doing all the things Bo had been doing, except of course I didn’t mind nearly as much. But I didn’t want to have sex with him, of course, so when he pulled out his cock, I offered to … you know … suck him, instead.”

I groaned. “Lexi, you have to stop doing that! I’m sure he’d have been fine if you’d just said ‘no sex’ without offering him anything else.”

“Do you think so?” she asked fretfully. “Oh dear – maybe that would have been best. But he gratefully accepted my offer, anyway, and he came in my mouth pretty quickly. Since he’s nice to me, and I like him, I showed him what was in my mouth before I swallowed it.”

I shuddered in disgust at the thought. I didn’t want to lose my temper at her, so I tried to look on the bright side. “At least he stopped Bo from having his way with you,” I muttered. “But you don’t have to have a sexual relationship with every man you know, Lexi! That’s not how things are supposed to work!”

“I know,” she said sadly. “I just … men seem to expect things from me! And you know I’m not very good at stopping them…” She seemed on the verge of tears, and I didn’t have the heart to twist the knife any further. It wasn’t her fault that she was irresistibly hot.

“I’m sorry,” I said with a sigh. “I know all this is difficult for you to navigate, and I shouldn’t be making it worse. I know you’re doing your best. I’ll try harder not to get upset. So, what else happened?”

“Well,” said Lexi, “I had to put the nurse’s uniform back on, but without my panties, because they were still wet. And it was very short, of course. I was so self-conscious!”

“How short?” I asked uneasily.

“Longer than the pirate dress,” said Lexi, “but not by much. Luckily I didn’t have to do any clambering around in it – I was just posing for photos. I did have to sit on a couple of men’s laps, but I kept my hands clasped in my lap to prevent the camera from seeing my pussy. The uniform was very tight in the chest though, so I couldn’t zip it up very high, and my breasts were practically falling out of it. So the men I was posing with tended to focus mainly on groping my chest. I would have been more annoyed about that if I hadn’t been glad they weren’t trying to grope my pussy.”

“Small mercies,” I muttered. “Anything else?”

“Order for Marty!”

“Oh, our food’s ready,” I said. “I’ll be right back.”

“Okay,” she replied.

I got up and went to the counter, and returned with a brown paper bag containing our food. “Okay, let’s get out of here.”

We left the restaurant and walked quickly to the bus stop. Few pedestrians were about, and none of them stopped to give Lexi a hard time, but several drivers honked their horns, to my annoyance.

“Now, where were we?” I asked, choosing to ignore the latest rude driver. “Oh yes, you were posing for photos in a nurse’s uniform with no panties underneath.”

“Yes, and I was desperate to get my panties back on!” said Lexi. “I knew Doobie and I had a skit coming up, and I was going to be doing a lot of running around and bending over on the stage. So after the photo session I fetched my panties, and found they were only slightly damp. So I put them on. Then Bo came in with another outfit, which he said he wanted me to wear for the skit. It was a stiff sort of silvery dress with wide shoulders, and thigh-high silver boots. He said, ‘I hope the boots fit; I tried to get your size. If not, just wear the boots you wore yesterday.’ So I tried them on, and actually they fit better and were more comfortable than the boots I’d worn for the pirate outfit. This time I was supposed to be a robot, and I had a mask and a helmet with little antennae on it. But Marty, the dress was ridiculous! I felt like it had been made for a little girl! It didn’t even completely cover my panties at the front. And Bo asked me if I had any silver panties I could wear with it! I said no, and he said never mind, white would do.”

“Oh jeez,” I groaned. But I could not help being curious about how the costume looked. “Do you … do you have a photo?”

Lexi nodded, then she laughed. “You like the sound of my skimpy robot outfit?” she teased me.

I chuckled. “Well kind of,” I admitted. “But only as something I’d love to see you in, in private. I’m less comfortable with the thought of the general public seeing you in it.”

Lexi nodded, and showed me her phone. “There you go.”

I was relieved to see that Lexi’s face was completely hidden behind her silver mask, and her hair was tucked up inside the helmet. Nobody would know it was her … unless they were very familiar with how her cleavage looked. I could not help thinking that if the idea of the helmet and mask was to imply an inhuman piece of machinery, that impression was rather subverted by the dress, which was doing a very poor job of concealing her lovely chest contours. And down below, there were her pretty white panties, peeping out beneath the hem of the dress.

I smiled. “Cool outfit,” I said. “You look awesome. How did Bo find boots that fit you? That’s got to be tricky, surely?”

“He had half a dozen pairs to choose from,” she explained. “These ones were made for a girl with slightly bigger thighs than me, but otherwise they were a great fit for me. Bo, for all his faults, has a good eye. Also, he had my shoe size. What do you think of the dress?”

“Very sexy!” I said. “I’m sure you made a lot of men very happy.”

“Believe it or not, it shows less of my cleavage than the nurse outfit did!” she said. “Here, let me show you.” She swiped the screen a few times.

“Good grief!” I exclaimed. She had not been exaggerating: her breasts looked very much in danger of falling out of the pink nurse outfit she was posing in. I fancied I could even see the edge of her right areola. “And you wore this for most of the afternoon?”

“Yes,” she admitted. “But at least it doesn’t show my panties! The robot outfit certainly did, and I also couldn’t really see much of anything except what was directly in front of me … so my bottom kept getting groped by men I didn’t even see coming.”

“Ugh,” I said, infuriated on her behalf. “And did nobody stick up for you? Tell these guys off? Not even Doobie?”

“I … I sort of asked him not to,” said Lexi sheepishly. “I mean, he did – once or twice – but after one of the men got a bit aggressive, I was so afraid Doobie would get into a fight, and get hurt. So I asked him to just let me handle it.”

“Which means not handling it at all,” I grumbled. But then I saw her face start to crumple, and immediately had to backtrack. “I didn’t mean that – I’m sorry. You’re definitely handling it, in your own way – I just wish that meant preventing these incidents rather than enduring them. I know you’re more comfortable with the latter; the problem is that it means they keep happening.”

“I know,” sighed Lexi. “But the more it happens, the more I get used to it, and the less it bothers me.”

I was not sure that was a good thing, but I sensibly did not say this. I did not want her to think that I wanted her to suffer more, for the sake of motivating her to be more assertive in defending herself from gropers. That was almost true, but I didn’t want to seem callous. “So tell me about the skit,” I said. “Not the same one as yesterday, I take it?”

“Oh no,” said Lexi, brightening. “It was a lot of fun! I had various props to work with, and I got to pull all kinds of little pranks on Doobie. He was my master, and I was his robot servant. One time I was sweeping up, and he was behind me, and I jabbed him in the stomach with the end of my broom. Then I had to fetch him his meal, and I poured his tea in his lap, and he pretended it was boiling hot, and I kept bumping things into him and knocking him over and hurting him – only not really hurting him, he was just acting. It was hilarious! Finally he got so upset he put me over his knee at the front of the stage, and spanked me!”

“He spanked you?” I gasped.

“Not hard!” she added quickly. “He was pretending to do it hard, but he was pulling his … slaps. I was making a great show of how painful it was, kicking my feet and waving my arms and making these distressed beeping noises … but it really didn’t hurt.”

“But he was still spanking your bottom, right, in front of people?” I asked in disbelief. “With your panties showing? So he was basically spanking your panties?”

Lexi blushed. “Well yes,” she said. “That was sort of inevitable, with the length of the dress. But the audience loved it! They were laughing and cheering – and some of them were shouting at Doobie to spank me harder. So he said, ‘You think I should spank her harder? Well I guess she can take it – she’s made of metal after all!’ And he pretended to spank me harder. Actually he did spank me a bit harder, but it was fine – it still didn’t hurt much. Just made me a bit tingly.”

“It was still quite a liberty to take, and in public too!” I said, a little grumpily.

“It was fine!” she insisted. “I didn’t mind at all – it was just an act. And spanking me was nothing compared to what he’d been doing with me in private earlier.”

I sighed. “All right,” I said. “Did anything else happen?”

Lexi bit her lip. “Yes,” she said uncomfortably. “Bo … he took me into the staff tent, and told me he’d seen me earlier, giving Doobie a blowjob. I was so embarrassed and flustered! I apologised, and begged him not to fire Doobie. I told him it was all my fault.”

I blinked. “You begged him not to fire … Doobie?”

“Well yes!” said Lexi, seeming surprised that I would ask. “If he fired me, yes I’d be upset … but I do at least have another job. Futureland is Doobie’s life! He loves that place. I’d never forgive myself if I got him fired from there.”

“Okay, well that’s very commendable,” I said grudgingly. “And what did he say?”

Lexi grimaced. “He said he really ought to fire us both, but he would let us stay if … if I gave him a blowjob too.”

“That piece of shit!” I growled.

“Hush!” said Lexi nervously. “Anyway, if it had just been my own job on the line, I’d have refused. But I couldn’t let Doobie get fired – not if I could save him. So … I gave Bo a blowjob.”

“Ugh,” I groaned.

“And he told me to swallow it, so I did,” she added regretfully. “I really wanted to spit it out.”

I shuddered in disgust at the thought. “And that was it?”

Lexi hesitated. “Well … I went and told Doobie what happened, and he really wanted to go and punch Bo, but I persuaded him not to. Instead he got me a drink to wash away the taste of Bo’s sperm. Then he told me he cared about me a lot, and … he kissed me again. And while we were kissing, he fondled my bottom and one of my breasts. And … I’m afraid I just let him.”

I sighed. “And that was it?”

She nodded. “That was it.” She smiled at me sheepishly. “I know you wish I had done better, but I really did try, Marty. My main priority today was to keep men’s cocks out of my vagina, and so far I’ve succeeded pretty well, except for Colin.”

“You’ve done very well,” I assured her. There was Doctor Johnson, of course, but if Lexi wasn’t going to count him, then neither was I. “Here’s the bus!” I observed. “Whew! We’re cutting it really fine though!”

We boarded the bus, Lexi hiding behind me as I paid the fare. Her panties attracted some attention, but we found seats near the back, and Lexi sat next to the window so that any potential gropers would have to go through me. None of the men on the bus attempted anything, though several regarded Lexi with interest.

As we ate our food, Lexi giggled. “I can’t believe how much of today I spent in my panties! It wasn’t as scary as I would have thought. And Doug even approved! It was actually sort of … fun!”

I smiled, tight-lipped. “I’d say you got pretty lucky,” I said. “But I’m glad you had fun. Are you thinking of agreeing to Doug’s request that you go skirtless at the office tomorrow?”

“I’m sort of … toying with the idea,” she said carefully. “I’m not sure. I just think there’s something quite funny about the idea of going to work fully-dressed, getting to my desk … and then taking off my skirt and hanging it up … as if it’s a coat or something!” She giggled again.

I smirked. “Yeah, that would be quite amusing, I guess.” Then I remembered this morning’s bus ride. “Let’s hope Colin doesn’t steal your skirt again though.”

“Oh goodness, yes,” Lexi agreed. “But we’re taking an earlier bus, right? To avoid him?”

“Yes, absolutely,” I agreed. “That’s the plan. Although, having said that, I’m sure Colin isn’t the only pervert on the buses, and the sight of you in a miniskirt is, no doubt, a tempting one for that kind of guy.”


“You think another man might steal my skirt?” Lexi inquired. “Are you suggesting I should go skirtless on the bus as well?”

“No!” I said quickly. “Are you kidding? When it’s so crowded in the morning? That would be an open invitation to every creep and pervert on the bus!”

“Hush!” she whispered, glancing around anxiously. “Hopefully they’ll find it harder to get a zip-up skirt off me without me noticing.”

“Maybe we can padlock it or something,” I said with a smirk.

She grinned. “Maybe I could wear a chastity belt too!”

I laughed. “Do such things even exist these days?”

She shrugged. “Would you … want me to wear one…?”

“God no!” I said, shuddering. “The whole idea is barbaric.”

“I’d do it for you though,” she said earnestly. “And it would keep men from putting their cocks in me.”

“Lexi!” I said firmly. “I’m not putting you in a chastity belt. How would it even work, anyway? How would you go to the bathroom? And if you spent the day at the office in your panties, how would you hide the fact that you were wearing a chastity belt?”

“Oh, good point,” she conceded.

I looked at the time. “Crap,” I muttered. “Lexi, we don’t have time to go home before church. We’re almost there, but it’s already 7:29. Do you want to show up to the service ten or fifteen minutes late, with a skirt on? Or maybe one minute late, in your panties?”

Lexi groaned in exasperation. “Panties,” she said, as the bus slowed to a halt.

“Then this is our stop,” I said, getting to my feet. “Come on.”

We hurried to the front, and disembarked under the wide-eyed gaze of the driver. We were about thirty yards from the church, and the time was 7:30. We ran to try to get to the door before 7:31, but did not quite make it. Nonetheless, as we slipped inside, we were immediately met by Derek, who stared in astonishment at Lexi’s panties.

“I’m so sorry!” said Lexi, covering her panties with her hands. “Someone pulled my skirt off on the bus, and I didn’t have time to go home and change before coming here…”

“No need to explain, you’ll be fine as you are,” said Derek, now grinning in delight. “You look lovely. And you’re just in time! Hurry on up to the choir stalls, Lexi, and Marty, sit wherever you like.”

“Are you sure?” asked Lexi anxiously. “Shouldn’t I just hide in the back somewhere?”

“No no, you’ll be fine!” said Derek. “We don’t judge people for their clothing here, remember? Your outfit is absolutely fine for this church – you can dress like this for our Sunday service too if you like.”

“Okay – thank you!” said Lexi, and she hurried down the aisle to the front of the church, accompanied by gasps of surprise and shock from the seated congregants. Attendance, I noticed, was far sparser than it had been on Sunday; aside from the choir, which looked fairly complete, there were only six or seven people in the pews. I quietly joined them, near the back.

Lexi looked very embarrassed as she reached the choir stalls and inserted herself between Maurice and Eddie, both of whom looked very happy to see her. I saw her talking to them animatedly; no doubt she was explaining again her state of undress.

Pastor John had appeared through a door near the front of the church a few seconds before Lexi sat down, and he looked a little stunned as he took up his usual spot at the head of the central aisle, facing the pews.

“Thank you all for coming!” he said. “It’s always nice to see people here on a Wednesday. I have no announcements, so let’s get on with the important business of worshipping our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. We begin with hymn number 17: ‘I Heard a Tale from Galilee’. Take it away, Jerry.”

The service was heavy on the music, light on the prayers, and had only a short sermon, at the end of which John turned toward the choir. “I’m glad to see our newest chorister here,” he said. “Lexi, I don’t suppose you’d be willing to treat us to another solo performance…?”

I saw Lexi’s face turn red. “Oh!” she said.

“She’d love to!” said Eddie cheerfully.

“But … I’m not really dressed for it!” she said anxiously.

“What you’re wearing isn’t important,” John assured her. “We just want to hear your lovely voice.”

Lexi looked a little worried, but she nodded. Then she got to her feet, sidled past Eddie, and emerged from the choir stalls looking rather embarrassed and with her hands clasped in front of her panties. “I’m afraid I lost my skirt on the bus,” she confessed.

“Oh my goodness – I had no idea!” said John, startled. “Uh … well … I didn’t mean to embarrass you. But if you’re still willing, we’d love to hear you sing.”

Lexi took her place in the middle of the aisle, where she had performed on Sunday. “Um … do you know ‘Panis Angelicus’, Jerry?”

Jerry responded with the first few bars, and Lexi smiled and nodded. Then she began to sing, and her self-consciousness quickly evaporated. Forgetting to keep her panties covered, she reclasped her hands together in front of her midriff, pouring her heart into the beautiful anthem.

I looked around nervously at the other congregants, but none of them seemed to disapprove of Lexi’s outfit. A few were clearly fixated on her panties, but the rest were apparently just enjoying her singing.

“Well that was wonderful!” said John, after Lexi had finished. “Thank you very much, Lexi. Now let us turn to page 132 in the prayer book…”

Lexi scurried back to the safety of the choir stalls, and resumed her place between the two lecherous old men. I caught her eye, and gave her a big thumbs-up to show I had enjoyed her performance. She smiled at me in response.

At just over forty minutes, the service was mercifully short. Some of the music was sung by the choir only, while the congregants bowed their heads in quiet contemplation. I simply did what everyone else did, but unlike me, they were probably not fretting about what Eddie and Maurice were doing to Lexi. No doubt misbehaving … but at least there was a limit to what they could accomplish without making a scene.

After the service, I hurried up to the front, meeting Lexi as she was leaving the choir stalls. “Come on, let’s talk to Pastor John!” she said, grabbing my hand.

As we walked quickly down the aisle to the back of the church, Lexi showed no more signs of self-consciousness about her exposed panties. She was on a mission.

We met John by the door. “Hello again!” he said, smiling. “How nice to see you both here. But Lexi! I am so sorry I summoned you to sing – I had no idea you were wearing so little! I just hope it was not too traumatic for you.”

Lexi blushed, and clasped her hands in front of her panties. “A man on the bus pulled off my skirt without me noticing,” she said. “I didn’t have time to go home and get another one before coming here – I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologise,” he assured her. “I’m glad you chose to come here rather than go home. But nobody would have held it against you if you’d skipped this service; we’d have missed your beautiful voice, but the choir would have managed without you.”

Lexi smiled. “Thank you,” she said, “but we sort of had to come, and talk to you. You see … we need to get married as soon as possible!”

“Oh!” said John in surprise. “Goodnight Alan! Goodnight Hannah! Okay – let’s talk in my office.”

He finished saying goodnight to the departing congregants, and then he led us up to the door at the front of the church. On the other side was a short corridor with doors either side. He opened one of these, and we followed him through it.

John’s office was small, but packed with furniture. He had a desk with a computer on it, a swivel chair, a sofa, an armchair, two filing cabinets, a chest of drawers, and a wardrobe. “Please, take a seat,” he said. “Now, may I ask what prompted such … urgency?”

Lexi and I sat down on the sofa. “Things are moving really quickly in my life,” Lexi began. “In our lives. We’d really like to get married as soon as possible because … um…” Her cheeks reddened, and words seemed to desert her.

“Uh, how candid can we be with you, about … sex stuff?” I asked.

“As candid as you like!” he replied. “I’m no prude, and I often help couples with advice on sexual matters. Please, tell me what’s on your mind.”

“Uh, well,” I said, “so, Lexi and I agreed not to have sex until we’re married. But since she moved in with me, a number of men have, uh, taken advantage of her … let’s say … naïveté and generosity. To put it bluntly … she … she lost her virginity yesterday.”

John gasped. “And not to you?”

I shook my head, while Lexi hung hers in shame. “It wasn’t her fault!” I added hastily. “But it wasn’t rape, either. She’s just a … a bit of a … pushover. And the more the men in her life are discovering this, the more they’re pushing their luck. Frankly, we’re a little worried about her getting pregnant before I’ve even … you know...”

“That won’t happen,” said Lexi adamantly. “I’m not going to let any more men put their … thing … inside me. And certainly not to the point where they … climax. I’ve already managed to stop that happening a few times by offering … um … you know … a blowjob.”

“The point is,” I went on, “we need to get married as soon as possible so that we can have sex with each other and make sure that if anyone gets her pregnant … it’s me.”

The pastor was staring at us with a bemused expression. “I think,” he said at last, “there’s a deeper problem here than who gets Lexi pregnant first. I think we need to get to the bottom of why Lexi is having trouble stopping men from having sex with her … and address that.”

“That’s a good plan,” I agreed, “and if I thought you could fix the issue this evening in one conversation, I’d be happy to focus solely on that. But both of us are in agreement that we want to get married as soon as humanly possible … and we’d really appreciate it if you could give us your thoughts on that…”

John ran a hand through his mop of grey hair. He sighed. “If you’re absolutely set on this, we can make it happen pretty quickly. There’s no waiting time for a marriage licence in this state, so you can go to the county clerk’s office tomorrow, or as soon as is practical for you, and obtain your licence. Both of you will need to be present for that. You’ll need your IDs with you, and some means of payment. I believe the cost is currently thirty-five dollars. Once you have your licence … in theory, I could marry you as early as Sunday afternoon, depending on how big of a wedding you want and how much preparation is required.”

“Sunday afternoon sounds great!” I said gratefully. “Thank you!”

“I said in theory!” said John, a little sternly. “I am not yet convinced I should agree to it. I’m concerned about what’s going on with you, Lexi.”

I sighed. “I guess that’s understandable. I’m concerned myself! We both are.”

“Perhaps you could give me some more detail about what’s been happening?” John suggested.

I looked at Lexi, who nodded. “All right,” I said. “I guess it began with Ryan talking Lexi into ditching the long dresses she had been wearing, and going about the apartment with her panties uncovered…”

Over the course of the next half-hour, Lexi and I described to Pastor John much of what had happened over the past week. He listened patiently, and at times incredulously, but he did not interrupt until I had brought him up to date with today’s events.

“How extraordinary!” he said at last. “I’m not sure how to feel about this … this incredible series of events. On the one hand, what you said about men immediately wanting to get Lexi pregnant … it rings true for me, because, I confess, I felt a similar impulse when I first saw you, Lexi. Naturally, as your pastor, I would never act on that impulse, but it was … and is … surprisingly strong. Coupled with your naïveté and … lack of resistance … it’s a dangerous combination! I begin to understand why you want to get married as soon as possible.”

“Good!” I said, choosing to overlook his confession. “So … are you willing to marry us on Sunday?”

He paused thoughtfully, then nodded. “I am,” he said. “But please, Lexi … try your best to stay chaste until then?”

“I will!” said Lexi confidently. Then she seemed to deflate a little. “Somehow … I will.”

John sighed, and shook his head. “Marty, I think you were very foolish to let Lexi sleep with your friends, but I would not ask you to break your word. Just be prepared for more bad news tomorrow morning. Now, about birth control. Lexi, you’re very opposed to it, and I understand that’s because of your upbringing. But you belong to my church now, and I can assure you, this church has nothing against the Pill, condoms, or any other forms of birth control. I would urge you to rethink your opposition, and seriously consider going on some form of birth control, at least in the short term.”

Lexi bit her lip. “I … I have actually been considering it,” she admitted. “My instinct is to simply avoid having sex until our wedding night, but maybe I should take some kind of precaution…”

John nodded. “Yes, good,” he said. “I would suggest talking to your doctor about it, but it sounds to me like he’s hoping to get you pregnant himself. And, frankly, may already have done so.”

“What??” I gasped.

“No!” said Lexi anxiously. “Surely not! He said his sperm was old, and not very good. He seemed to think it was extremely unlikely he would get me pregnant!”

“And you believed him,” said John with a slight frown. “Did it not occur to you that he might be lying?”

“But … he’s a doctor!” said Lexi, bewildered.

John held up his hands. “Maybe he was telling the truth! I don’t know. I’m just suggesting that like most other men, his instinct when seeing you was probably to get you pregnant somehow. And then he talked you into letting him have sex with you – a crime for which he should really be struck off, incidentally, if not arrested and jailed – and then he ejaculated inside you. If those aren’t the actions of a man who is trying to get a girl pregnant, then I don’t know what would be.”

Lexi and I looked at each other in dismay. “You might be … pregnant already?” I whispered.

“The chances may indeed be slim,” said John. “I don’t know. I’m just saying it’s at least possible. How would you feel, Marty, if Lexi did get pregnant with another man’s child? Would you abandon her?”

“Of course not!” I protested. “Good grief. It wasn’t Lexi’s fault! If she had a baby that wasn’t mine biologically, I’d nevertheless raise it as my own. The reason I’m marrying Lexi is Lexi, not whatever children she might bear me!”

Lexi hugged me. “Thank you, Marty!” she whispered. “This is why I love you so much.”

“That’s very commendable, Marty,” said John, nodding in approval. “Very well – I’ll marry you on Sunday.”

My relief upon hearing this was enormous. I hugged Lexi, then we began discussing some of the finer details with Pastor John. Twenty minutes later, we left the church, feeling buoyant. But it was now getting dark, and once we were outside I felt nervous about Lexi being so exposed. We hurried home, and both of us heaved a sigh of relief when we were safely in the apartment.

“Hey … guys…” said Ryan, looking in surprise at Lexi’s panties. “Whoa, did you…”

“We’re getting married on Sunday!” I exclaimed.

“Heehee!” Lexi squealed excitedly as she put down her bag.

“Seriously?” said Ryan, astonished. “Just like that?”

“Just like that!” I replied. “We just need a marriage licence, which we’ll pick up tomorrow at lunchtime. It won’t be a huge wedding, but Pastor John gave us contact info for a photographer who works pretty cheap, and a florist that he often works with, and a wedding dress shop…”

“It’s so exciting!” gushed Lexi. “I’m going to be Mrs Hawtrey in four days!”

“That’s great!” said Ryan. “Congratulations. I’m happy for you both. Now what happened to your skirt, Lexi?”

“Oh,” said Lexi, blushing. “Colin stole my skirt this morning on the bus. I didn’t even notice until I got off!”

Ryan blinked. “This morning?? So you’ve been like this all day?”

“Not quite!” Lexi replied with a little giggle. “But mostly, yes. Doug liked it so much he wants me to work skirtless again tomorrow!”

“Cool!” said Ryan. “That sounds awesome!”

“No it doesn’t!” I said hastily. “Lexi’s sexy enough as she is, in a miniskirt and gaping-open blouse, without having to show off her panties as well!”

“But she looks incredible in her panties!” Ryan exclaimed. “She’s like the sexiest woman alive! Don’t be a spoilsport, Marty – give Lexi her freedom! Let her show off her pretty panties at the office. Most workplaces wouldn’t permit it, of course, but luckily for you, your boss is not only willing to allow it, but is even encouraging it! How cool is that??”

“Oh, I don’t know why you’re so keen on it,” I grumbled. “It’s not like you’ll be able to enjoy the view.”

“Exactly,” said Ryan. “My motives are selfless. All I want is to encourage Sexy Lexi to express herself freely. To march around her office in her panties, showing your boss and her colleagues that she’s the hottest damn piece of ass on the planet!”

Lexi was giggling uncontrollably. “Oh Ryan, you crack me up!” she gasped. “You know what, I’ll do it! No more skirts for me at work! I’m going to show off my panties there every day! Until they tell me to stop.”

“Good for you, girl!” said Ryan, and he held up his hand for a high-five, which she gave him. “Now take off your blouse – topless at all times in the apartment, remember?”

“Oh yes!” said Lexi, and she began unbuttoning her blouse.

“And how about a massage?” Ryan added hopefully. “I’ve been looking forward to it all day … and I’m sure you have too.”

Lexi shivered and blushed as she pulled her left arm out of her blouse. Her nipples were becoming visibly more prominent.

I groaned. “Ryan, we just got home. Can’t we have a break and watch something or play something before you start putting your grubby hands all over my fiancée?”

“It’s nine-thirty already,” Ryan pointed out. “The massage takes a while, and I’m sure Lexi’s had a busy day and wants a good night’s sleep…”

“I’d like to play a little Minecraft with Marty if that’s okay,” said Lexi.

I smiled at her. “I’d like that too!” I said.

“Fine, of course,” said Ryan, nodding.

I got changed into some casual clothes, and Lexi put her blouse, shoes, and bag in our bedroom. Then we sat down on the couch and played Minecraft together. Ryan sat down on Lexi’s other side, watching us play … and a couple of minutes later, to my annoyance, I noticed that he had put his left arm around her.

“Really dude?” I complained.

“What?” he said. “I’m just snuggling with my sister. We used to have a bit of sibling snuggle time every afternoon, but now that she’s spending her afternoons at Futureland, I miss it!”

“Jeez, Ryan, you’re going to be sleeping with her tonight,” I said peevishly. “AND you’re giving her a massage. That ought to be more than enough for you.”

“You’d think so, wouldn’t you?” said Ryan, now taking hold of Lexi’s right breast with his right hand, and giving it a gentle squeeze. She giggled.

“Stop that!” I protested.

“Dude, would you relax?” said Ryan in sudden exasperation. “You know very well what I’ll be doing with Lexi later, and you’re making a fuss about a simple boob grope? What’s the point? Or is it a case of ‘out of sight, out of mind’? It doesn’t matter to you unless you can see it?”

“Of course it matters!” I snapped back. “I hate the thought of you fingering Lexi, and licking her, and fondling her breasts – all of it! But having to see it definitely makes it worse. I can’t ignore it or pretend it’s not happening if it’s right in front of my face!”

“See, that’s not healthy though,” Ryan admonished me. “I think maybe we need to do some of those desensitisation exercises I was talking about yesterday. Otherwise you’re not really managing your emotions, you’re just suppressing them. And sooner or later, bang! You’re going to explode in a fit of rage.”

“Oh no – do you really think so?” asked Lexi anxiously.

“Yes, I think it’s inevitable,” said Ryan.

Lexi turned to me. “If desensitisation exercises would help, don’t you think that might be a good idea…?”

The last thing I wanted was to have to sit and watch as Ryan gleefully fingered my fiancée right in front of my face. “I don’t need any exercises,” I said stiffly. “I can handle my reactions just fine without them.”

Ryan chuckled. “The evidence suggests otherwise,” he said. “But if you want to prove that, show us you can be cool with me sitting here and groping Lexi while the two of you play Minecraft.”

“Fine,” I muttered. “Go for it.” And I did my best to ignore Ryan as he fondled first her right breast, and then her left, and then slid his hand down her belly to her panties. I very nearly protested at this point, but I knew it would only prove him right, and he would insist on putting me through a series of desensitisation exercises, which would almost certainly be a lot worse. So I gritted my teeth and concentrated on the game on the television, but my heart was no longer in it. What was supposed to have been some quality time with my fiancée had been spoiled and corrupted by Ryan.

“Ryan…” Lexi gasped, and I glanced down to see his hand actually inside her panties, slowly but rhythmically rubbing her pussy.

I felt paralysed. On the one hand, I badly wanted to stop Ryan from molesting Lexi right next to me. On the other, I didn’t want to prove him right and thus subject myself to a battery of desensitisation exercises. I opted for inaction, but Lexi’s increasingly heavy breathing was making it impossible to enjoy the game or even focus on it,

Then, mercifully, Drake walked in and broke the spell. “Hey guys,” he said. “Whoa!” He stopped and stared at Lexi’s breasts, and at Ryan’s hand in her panties.

“You know,” I said, putting down my controller, “I’m actually kinda tired. I think I’ll get ready for bed.”

“Marty, you’re getting pretty cool about letting Ryan feel up Lexi!” Drake remarked.

“Just bowing to the inevitable,” I replied uncomfortably, as I got to my feet. “Ryan’s about to give her a massage anyway.”

“Yes indeed!” said Ryan, grinning. “Shall we go do that now, honey?”

“Don’t call her ‘honey’, Ryan!” I said irritably. “She’s not your honey.”

“That’s what you’re upset about?” asked Ryan in amusement. “Jeez, dude, get some perspective.”

He was right, of course, but I wasn’t about to admit that. “Just don’t,” I said stubbornly.

“You should come watch the massage,” he said. “You might learn something. And it would be good desensitisation training for you.”

“No thank you!” I said. “Lexi, will you come and say goodnight after your massage?”

“Of course!” she replied, smiling at me warmly.

I smiled back, rather tight-lipped, and then I went to the bathroom. By the time I had finished my nightly routine, Lexi and Ryan had disappeared into his bedroom and closed the door. Drake was watching television.

“Goodnight, Drake,” I said, in a rather subdued tone.

He looked up, his expression sympathetic. “You know he’s going to fuck her, right?” he replied.

“No I don’t!” I said indignantly. “Lexi’s very motivated not to let that happen, and she has a plan to avoid it.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Oh? What’s that?”

I opened my mouth to answer him, then scowled. “Well I’m not going to tell you, am I? You want to fuck her yourself!”

He grinned. “Busted,” he said.

“Goodnight!” I said firmly, and I marched to my bedroom, climbed into bed, and played Tiny Wings for about twenty minutes, with my earbuds in to block out the sounds of Lexi’s pleasure.

Then the door burst open, and Lexi hurried in, completely naked and glistening with massage oil. “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh!” she exclaimed, heading straight for her bag. “I need the douche thingy.”

“What?” I said, alarmed, taking out my earbuds. “Did Ryan…”

“Yes, he came inside me!” she said, pulling the kit out of her bag. “I’m sorry darling – I’ll tell you all about it when I’m done.” She left the room, closing the door behind her, and leaving me stunned and upset. I thought about getting up and following her, but decided against it; cleaning herself out was probably something she would prefer to do without an audience.

Ten minutes later she returned, looking somewhat calmer. She tucked her douche kit away in the closet, and then sat down on the edge of the bed. “I’m sorry, Marty,” she said sadly. “I did try. But Ryan … he’s very good at … you know, it’s hard to, um…”

“Start at the beginning,” I suggested.

She took a deep breath, and let it out. “So he massaged me,” she said, “and as usual it felt … amazing! He ended up with his fingers inside me, and he used his tongue too … he gave me a wonderful orgasm. Then he lay on top of me, and gave me a goodnight kiss … and he started pushing his cock inside me. And I said, ‘How about a blowjob, Ryan? And he said, ‘That sounds awesome, but my cock’s quite happy where it is for the moment. Just let me enjoy this for a little bit, then you can suck me all you like.” And he pushed it all the way in. And I said, ‘Just be careful please! I don’t want anyone else cumming inside me!’ And he stopped and said, ‘Someone came inside you already? Who?’ And I told him all about our visit to Doctor Johnson. And he seemed kind of annoyed, but then he said, ‘So I guess it doesn’t really matter if I … eff … fuck … you too.’ And I said, ‘Yes it does! The doctor’s old, and his sperm isn't very good. You’re young and healthy, and I’m ovulating in two days. I just don’t want to take the risk!’ And he just said, ‘Wow, so this could be the moment I get you pregnant?’ And he started thrusting harder inside me. And … ugh … I’m sorry Marty, but it felt really good! I had my arms and legs wrapped around him … I was finding it hard to think straight. But I did say, ‘Don’t get me pregnant, Ryan! Don’t cum inside me!’ But he just ignored me. He kept going faster and faster … and then he sort of groaned and shuddered and pressed himself really deep inside me … and I could sort of feel it when he … ejaculated. And I said, ‘Ryan! You just came inside me, didn’t you?’ And he kissed me, and started thrusting again but more gently. And then he said, ‘Lexi, I wish I could say I’m sorry, but I can’t. I’m not sorry. I’m happy I came inside you, and nothing would make me happier than to get you pregnant. It’s what I’ve been dreaming about, ever since I met you.’”

“Ugh!” I groaned. “See, I should have predicted this. Ryan’s biological drive to impregnate you was always going to trump his conscience. Once he got his cock in you … how could he possibly resist cumming inside you? I’m sure I couldn’t.”

“Well he had his cock inside me yesterday,” said Lexi glumly, “and still managed to take it out without cumming. But once he got going, this time, I guess there was no stopping him. Anyway, I rushed out of his room, got the douche kit from here, and flushed myself out. And I’m not ovulating for another two days; I think it’ll be fine.”

I nodded. “It still sucks that Ryan’s had sex with you now,” I grumbled, “and I haven’t even touched your pussy yet.”

Lexi lay down next to me, and took my hand in hers. “You just need to wait another four days,” she said. “Then you can … fuck me … as much as you want.”

I smiled, a little sadly. “Yeah, that’ll be awesome.” I stroked her hair. “Oh, my darling, I can’t wait to marry you. Sunday can’t come soon enough!”

Lexi squeezed my hand. “I … I called Dad,” she said. “I told him we’re getting married on Sunday…”

“Oh!” I said in surprise. “Wow. How did he take it?”

She sighed. “Not very well, I’m afraid. He wanted to know why we’re in such a hurry. I … I had to tell him it’s because we can’t, um, wait any longer…”

“Uh-oh,” I muttered. “You didn’t tell him about … having sex…”

“No!” she said with a shudder. “He’d disown me. Anyway he said he was very disappointed in me, and he’s not even sure whether he’ll come to the wedding. He said it was ‘ridiculous’ to get married on such short notice, and … he said a bunch of other stuff too. I told him it would break my heart if he’s not there to give me away, and he said he needed to think about it.”

I nodded. “Well he’s not got long to make up his mind. Will you be okay if he doesn’t come?”

“Yes,” said Lexi, after a moment’s hesitation. “The important thing for me is marrying you. I definitely want my Dad’s blessing and approval, but if he doesn’t want to be a part of his only daughter’s wedding, I’m not going to let that ruin my happy day.”

“That’s the spirit,” I said with a smile. “Still, it would be nice if he comes to his senses in time to make the trip here.”

“It would,” she agreed.

I kissed her cheek. “So, what now – back to Ryan’s room?”

“Yeah,” she said reluctantly. “I guess so. Oh, but first I need to say goodnight to Drake.”

“Oh, right,” I said, grimacing. “Don’t let him put his cock in you.”

She sighed. “I’ll try not to. But … maybe I should take the douche kit with me, just in case…”

I frowned, and came to a decision. “No need for that,” I said, throwing back the covers. “I’ll come with you, to make sure things don’t go too far.”

“Okay!” she said, sounding relieved. “Thank you.”

“Where are your panties?” I asked. “Ryan’s room?”

She nodded. “But I can put on a clean pair.”

“Yes, do that,” I said. The more obstacles we put in Drake’s path, the better.

We walked to Drake’s room, and knocked on the door. “Come in,” he said.

We entered, and found him in bed already. “Hi Drake,” I said. “Lexi’s here for her goodnight kiss.” I sat down in his chair, and smiled grimly. “And I’m here to make sure it doesn’t go too far.”

Drake chuckled. “Well, I guess that’s understandable,” he said. “How did the massage with Ryan go?”

“That definitely went too far!” I growled.

“He came inside me,” said Lexi regretfully.

Drake’s jaw dropped. “He fucked you?” he said in surprise. “For real?”

“Yes,” she replied in a small voice, clasping her hands together in front of her panties.

“Wow – good for him!” said Drake. “Bro finally lost his V-card.”

“But it was with my fiancée!” I said hotly.

“How was he?” Drake inquired. “I bet he didn’t last long, am I right?”

“I … I don’t think I should say,” said Lexi awkwardly. “I think that’s sort of between me and him.”

“Fair enough,” Drake conceded. “So he came inside you? Wild! And you’re not on birth control. What if he knocks you up?”

“He won’t!” I said grimly.

“I flushed myself out with a douche,” said Lexi. “Also, I’m not due to ovulate for another two days.”

Drake raised an eyebrow, and smiled. “Okay then,” he said. “So there’s still a chance your first baby will be brown.” He pulled back the covers, to reveal he was naked, and his intimidatingly large cock was fully erect. “Climb in here, and let me show you how a man of experience does it.”

“Don’t even think about it!” I said firmly. “I’m here to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

Drake grinned. “Come on, Lexi. No need to be nervous.”

Lexi hesitated, looking at me. I shrugged, knowing that she was going to have to at least make out with him a bit – that was, after all, why we were here. But I was prepared to intervene if Drake took things too far.

Lexi climbed into Drake’s bed, and he pulled the covers over them both. “Oh no,” I said, “don’t cover her up. I want to see what’s going on.”

Drake pursed his lips, but acquiesced, uncovering Lexi and himself. Then he leaned over her, smiling down at her, and she looked up at him with wide eyes. She shivered, and I noticed her nipples were hard and her face was getting flushed. She was aroused, clearly – which was annoying, but probably inevitable.

He put his hand on her left breast – also annoying – and then he kissed her. Almost automatically, I guess, she put her arms around his neck, and soon they were making out as if their lives depended on it. I watched uncomfortably and impatiently, my fists clenching as Drake slid his hand into her panties and began rubbing her pussy.

“All right, all right, that’s enough,” I said irritably.

Drake broke off from the kiss. Lexi’s cheeks were flushed, and she was breathing heavily as Drake continued to play with her pussy. “Bro, we’re just getting started!” he said. “You can’t let Ryan fuck her and then tell me I have to stop before I’ve even got my finger inside her! Be reasonable.”

“I am being reasonable!” I protested. “It’s not unreasonable to stop my friend from fingering my fiancée!”

“You didn’t stop Ryan,” he pointed out.

“I wasn’t there!” I said.

“So you don’t care what Ryan does with Lexi in his goodnight kisses, but you’re gonna police mine?” Drake inquired.

“Of course I care!” I said angrily. “If I’d known he was actually going to have sex with her…”

“Awww come on Marty,” said Drake, his hand still moving rhythmically inside Lexi’s panties. “You must’ve known that was going to happen, after the way he’s been escalating those massages.”

“I didn’t know!” I insisted.

Drake frowned. “Seriously? You must have considered the possibility, at least.”

“I knew he was likely to try,” I said stubbornly. “I thought Lexi was going to get out of it by giving him a blowjob.”

“Ah, so you’re okay with blowjobs now?” he asked.

“No!” I replied irritably. “But they’re better than actual sex, at least. If it’s a choice between the two…”

“Yeah, I get it,” said Drake. “So how about Lexi sucks my cock? She did it last night, so no big deal if she does it again, right?”

“I guess,” I conceded, not exactly happy about it but only too aware that if he came in her mouth, he would not be able to cum in her vagina afterwards. “But it’s up to Lexi.”

“How about it, Lexi?” said Drake. “Wanna suck my cock? And maybe I could lick your pussy, too. Would you like that?”

Lexi clutched his wrist with both hands, her eyes closed, her head tilted back, her breathing heavy. “Okay,” she gasped.

Drake grinned. “Okay, let’s get these off then.” He withdrew his hand from her panties, then he reached around her bottom, grabbed the back of her panties, and swiftly dragged them down her legs, making her gasp.

“Hey!” I objected, but I was too slow; he had already whisked them past her ankles and off her feet. Then he pulled her knees apart, pushed them back, and bent down to begin licking her pussy. I was shocked at the speed and efficiency with which he got straight to the job at hand, appalled at his brazen disregard for my feelings on the matter, and rather disgusted by the unhygienic nature of what he was doing. As he slid his tongue down from her clitoris to her vaginal opening and pushed it inside her, making her moan with pleasure, I watched in horrified fascination. Lexi, gripping the sheets with her fists and arching her back with her thighs spread wide apart, seemed strangely unfazed by the gross violation of her privacy that Drake was visiting upon her, and it occurred to me, with more than a little chagrin, that my black friend must be such an expert at this as to overcome her natural reserve and sense of decency.

Soon he had her writhing and moaning with pleasure, lost in her own little world, getting closer and closer to another orgasm. As Drake sucked on her clitoris, he slid two fingers in and out of her vagina; they came out looking slick and almost dripping with her internal juices.

Then, his cock standing rigidly to attention, Drake got up on to his knees, looking lustfully down at Lexi’s slightly open vagina. Bending over her, he guided his cock to her moist entrance, and began pushing it inward.

“Hey!” I objected, rising from the chair. “No fucking!”

“Sorry Marty, I just can’t resist at least putting it in,” said Drake apologetically. “Ryan got to have sex with her; at least let me see if I can get my cock all the way in. Last night I was halfway in; this will be the real test.”

In horror I watched Lexi’s vagina stretching to accommodate the enormous head of Drake’s ridiculously large cock. “You’re too big!” I said desperately. “You’ll hurt her!”

“She took it last night,” said Drake.

“It did hurt a bit though!” Lexi gasped.

Her vagina was now fully dilated, and Drake’s bulbous glans was sinking inside her. It disappeared, and her vaginal entrance closed about his thick shaft. Drake continued to push, more and more of his cock sliding into her, until barely an inch remained outside. “I seem to have bottomed out,” he remarked. “Damn this feels good! How you doing, Lexi?”

“I’m okay!” she said breathlessly.

“All right, you’ve conducted your little experiment,” I said testily. “Can you take it out now please?”

“Just give me a minute, Marty, jeez,” said Drake. “Let me enjoy this moment.” He drew his hips back, pulling a couple of inches of his cock out of Lexi, then he slid back in. And out … and in. “Oh man,” he breathed. “This feels incredible.”

“Okay, now you’re just fucking her!” I exclaimed, feeling increasingly upset.

“Marty, would you relax?” Drake chided me. “I’m just taking some time to enjoy the moment. In any case, Ryan already fucked her and came inside her, so I’m not exactly breaking new ground here.”

“All the same,” said Lexi uncomfortably, as Drake’s cock started thrusting a little harder and faster inside her. “I think you should stop, Drake. You can pull it out, and I’ll give you a blowjob.”

He silenced her with a kiss, and began fucking her in earnest. “Damn it!” I growled, now out of my chair with my fists clenched. I had half a mind to grab Drake and forcibly pull him off Lexi, but as I hesitated, trying to work up the nerve, Lexi’s flailing feet wrapped themselves around Drake’s back, and she was gripping his shoulders. Tears came to my eyes as the realisation hit me that I had utterly failed in my goal to prevent Drake from fucking my fiancée. I might as well have not bothered coming here at all. “Can you at least pull out before you cum?” I pleaded with him. “Can you cum in her mouth instead?”

“Yes…” Lexi gasped, clutching Drake tightly as she panted with her eyes closed. “Cum in my mouth, Drake. I’ll swallow it for you.”

“I’ll … think about it,” he replied breathlessly. He was now fully lying on top of her, and I could no longer see their genitals coupling … which perhaps was a small mercy. But the sight of Drake’s clenching buttocks and thrusting hips was hardly any more pleasant, and I sat back down in the chair, feeling morose and helpless.

I spent the next few minutes in a haze of depression, watching Drake fuck my fiancée with the power and stamina of an Olympic athlete. And Lexi seemed to be loving it; she was clutching his shoulders and uttering loud moans of pleasure with her eyes closed and her cheeks florid with passion. At one point her moans became protracted shrieks, presumably accompanying a monumental orgasm, but Drake did not let up his relentless pounding for a second.

Then suddenly he groaned, his body stiffening, his loins pressed firmly against Lexi’s pelvis. Whether she had somehow deepened over the course of their lovemaking, or his cock had been compressed or bent inside her, I had no idea, but it certainly seemed like he was now fully buried in her. Maybe I was wrong about this – my view was still obscured – but it added fuel to the funeral pyre of my self esteem.

“You were supposed to cum in her mouth!” I protested.

“I … said I’d … think about it,” he panted. “And I did. But damn … I just couldn’t bring myself … to pull out.”

“But now she’ll have to flush herself out again!” I complained. “And the nurse said she shouldn’t be doing that anyway because it’s potentially harmful!”

“Yeah, it’s probably best if you don’t, Lexi,” said Drake. He kissed her, his tongue worming into her open mouth. She responded instinctively. “Look, you said two days until ovulation, right?” he continued, a few moments later. “Even if you’re early this month, you’ve surely got a few hours yet. And Ryan’s bound to fuck you again tonight, and maybe tomorrow morning too. Might as well wait, and flush it all out at once. Also, if you’re full of my cum when you go to his bed, he’ll be more likely to leave you alone. Nobody likes sloppy seconds.”

I hated this whole situation, but the thought of Ryan being grossed out enough to pass on the chance of fucking Lexi again did have a little appeal. This was almost entirely negated by the thought of Lexi keeping Drake’s cum in her vagina overnight … but if douching was really a bad thing, healthwise, it would probably be best if she did it as few times as possible. “All right,” I said reluctantly. “Maybe, Lexi, you should wait until the morning.”

“Okay,” she whispered breathlessly. “I … I need to take a shower tonight though … but I’m not sure I can move after that…”

Drake slowly rolled off her, and as he raised his right hip, I was treated to the horrific sight of his softening cock sliding out of Lexi’s vagina, slick with their mingled fluids. Semen leaked from her opening as it slowly closed up. Drake smiled at the sight, and he gently rubbed her pussy with his fingers.

I stood up. “Come on, Lexi, let’s get you to Ryan’s room,” I said grumpily. “You can shower in the morning.” I helped her to sit up, and then to get up from the bed. With trembling hands, she put her panties back on. “Oh, I can barely walk!” she giggled faintly, as she hobbled to the door, clutching my arm.

Drake looked infuriatingly proud of himself. “Come back for another round anytime, sweetness,” he said with a grin.

We left his room, and I closed the door behind us. “I’m so sorry you had to go through that, Lexi,” I lamented. “I wish I had been able to … I should have just pulled him off you.”

She shook her head. “After Ryan, it was inevitable Drake would be next,” she said. “I don’t think you could have done anything short of completely ruining your friendship with him … and I don’t want that. I’m sure you probably hate him right now, Marty, but please don’t. Please try to forgive him. In his shoes I’m sure you’d have done the same – I know he’s very attracted to me, and I was practically naked in his bed. He was so crazed with lust, he wasn’t thinking straight, and I don’t think he could have stopped himself.”

“You’re making excuses for him?” I inquired. “Don’t you feel horribly … violated?”

Lexi bit her lip, and looked down at the floor. “Maybe I ought to,” she admitted. “But … I just…”

“You enjoyed it,” I said bitterly.

“I’m sorry, Marty,” she whispered, and I could tell she was about to cry.

I sighed. “Look, I suppose I get it,” I said. “You’re not responsible for how your body reacts to being touched in a certain way. And your mind … it can’t help being influenced by how your body feels.” I pulled her into a hug. “I don’t blame you, Lexi. I’m not mad at you – not even a little. But … was it really that good? You can be honest…”

“Oh Marty,” she said, sounding apologetic. “It was … I’m sorry to say this, but it was the most incredible experience of my life. I mean, it felt really good with Ryan, too, but with Drake … I felt like I’d gone to heaven! My whole body was exploding with pleasure. I … I’m afraid … in the moment, I just didn’t want it to stop!”

I held her close, fighting back tears. “It’s okay,” I whispered. “It’s okay.”

“I think I love sex,” she confessed. “And I can’t wait to do it with you! If only we hadn’t taken that stupid oath…”

“Yeah,” I said with a grimace. “But it’s only ninety-six hours until our wedding night. And then we’ve got the rest of our lives to have as much sex as we can handle.”

She giggled. “I’m looking forward to that!” she said.

I smiled, but I felt glum. “Will it even feel special to you though?” I asked sadly. “Now that you’ve experienced the magnificence of Drake’s lovemaking?”

“Marty,” she said reproachfully. “Of course it’ll feel special! It’ll be special because it’ll be with you! You’re the one I love – not Drake, not Ryan. I mean, sure, I’m very fond of both of them, but it’s not like the deep love I have for you. When you and I have sex … it’ll be beyond magical!”

I was not at all sure about this. I doubted I could live up to the standard Drake had set. But I hoped she was right. “Okay,” I said. “I hope so.”

“I know so,” she said firmly.

I let her go. “Well, I guess you should go and sleep with Ryan,” I said. “Can you make it? Or should I carry you into his room?”

She giggled quietly. “I think I can walk now,” she said. She began to move, then pulled a face. Hooking her thumbs into her panties, she pulled them down her legs, and stepped out of them. “Would you mind putting these in the laundry basket?” she asked. “I have another pair in Ryan’s room, and I’m afraid I’ve just soaked these.”

I took her panties, holding them gingerly between finger and thumb. “Sure,” I said.

She kissed my cheek. “Thanks darling,” she said. Then she walked naked into Ryan’s bedroom, and closed the door behind her.

I went to bed feeling sad and empty. My beloved Lexi – a virgin until … sometime yesterday, it was hard to be sure exactly when … had now had bona fide sex with my two best friends, while I, merely her fiancé, had still not even touched her pussy.

I lay awake for ages. Normally masturbation helped me to achieve sleep, but now I found myself unable even to get an erection – I was too distracted by mental images of Lexi getting pounded by Drake’s huge cock. I tried to imagine it was my cock instead, but it was no good: my brain knew mine was shorter and slimmer and whiter – literally a pale imitation of his – and so my fantasy was undermined and overwhelmed by feelings of inadequacy. In the end – maybe around two o’clock in the morning – I drifted into a sleep filled with unpleasant dreams.

THURSDAY: PLANS & PROMISES

The next morning, I switched off my alarm with a sleepy grunt of annoyance, and fell asleep again immediately. The next thing I knew, I was being shaken awake by Lexi. “Marty!” she was saying urgently.

“Wha…what is it?” I slurred, fumbling for my phone. “Oh crap, what time is it?”

“It’s almost time to leave!” she said. “But Marty, I have to take a shower! I stink!”

I couldn’t smell anything, but I was happy to take her word for it. “Okay, go and shower,” I said, squinting at my phone. “I guess I’ll skip mine. We’ve got time – just need to eat a quick breakfast.”

“But we were going to catch the earlier bus, remember?” said Lexi. “Ugh – I have to go shower. I’ll make it as quick as I can. But I have to shave!” She hurried out of the room, and I couldn’t help noticing she was naked.

“Oh shit,” I muttered. There was little to no chance of Lexi being ready in time to catch the early bus. But the thought of having to stand idly by while Colin and his friends cornered Lexi and perhaps this time succeeded in properly fucking her … it was unbearable.

I got dressed, and hurried to Drake’s bedroom. I hated to have to ask him for a favour, after last night’s horrible debacle, but I was desperate. “Drake,” I exclaimed, “please could you give Lexi and me a … oh.”

His room was empty, his bed made. I hurried to Ryan’s room. “Ryan! Where’s Drake?”

“Oh, he left early,” said Ryan, casually scratching his shoulder. “Had to open the gym this morning.” He sat up, throwing the covers back.

“Ugh, dude, put something on,” I said with a shudder. “Fuck! What are we going to do? We’re not going to have time to catch the early bus!”

Ryan shrugged. “So catch a later one.”

I shook my head. “The next bus will get us to work fifteen minutes late,” I said.

“So be fifteen minutes late,” said Ryan. “Doug’ll forgive you, if you tell him it was necessary to prevent Lexi from getting molested.”

“You don’t know Doug,” I said gloomily. “He’s a stickler for punctuality and timekeeping. You don’t know how hard it was to get him to let me accompany Lexi to her doctor’s appointment yesterday.”

“So let Lexi plead your case,” Ryan suggested. “He’s obviously very taken with her. I’m sure if she turns her puppy-dog eyes on him, he’ll melt like an ice cream in a microwave.”

This was, I had to admit, a pretty good idea. “Worth a try,” I said. “I just can’t bear to subject Lexi to Colin’s attentions one more time. He got his cock in her last time; in fact he might just be the first man to have put his entire cock inside her.”

Ryan sighed. “What a shame. I knew I should have just put the whole thing in when I had the chance.”

“You’ve done that since then, though!” I said sternly.

“Yeah, but it would have been nice to be the first,” said Ryan, totally unapologetic. “Nicer for Lexi, too – and maybe even for you – if it had been me instead of Colin.”

I ground my teeth. “It was supposed to be me, though!”

“Yeah, true,” Ryan conceded. “But better me than Colin, right?”

Having to admit this was almost physically painful. “Yeah, I guess so,” I grumbled. “But it’s still sickening to me that you and Drake have both fucked Lexi now – not to mention her doctor – AND cum inside her … while I haven’t even come close!”

Ryan chuckled. “Yeah, I heard about her doctor,” he said. “Lucky bastard – he worked fast, didn’t he?”

“He wasn’t supposed to cum!” I retorted. “And if I’d been allowed to put my own cock in her, it would have been ME making her ready for the speculum instead of the doctor. It was just bad luck – and poor judgment – that we took that stupid oath. Which I’d give anything to rescind right now!”

“Yeah, that’s a bummer,” said Ryan sympathetically. “Still, not long to wait now, right?”

“Three and a half days,” I grumbled. “Yeah, not long … but it feels like a lot has happened in the past couple of days, and a lot more could happen in the next three.”

Ryan smirked. “Well dude,” he said. “She’s already had sex. What more could you possibly be afraid of?”

He had a point. “I guess you’re right,” I conceded. “I guess I just don’t want her having sex with anyone else. I’m sure Doug wants to, and there’s Aaron, who almost has already. Same with Patrick, who she’ll probably be showering with tonight.”

“Maybe they can all be fended off with blowjobs,” Ryan suggested.

“Maybe,” I agreed hopefully.

I grabbed some breakfast. When Lexi emerged from the bathroom in a towel, I outlined the plan. She was rather nervous about it. “What if Doug’s angry at us both?” she asked.

“He likes you,” I told her firmly. “I’m sure he won’t be too hard on you, if you sincerely apologise … for both of us. I’m sure he’ll accept our excuse coming from you. Coming from me, not so much.”

“All right,” she said, nodding. “Let’s do it, then.”

The time came to leave, and as I waited by the door, Lexi came out of our bedroom carrying her bag, and wearing her cream blouse, a pair of pink panties, and her work shoes.

I stared at her. “Aren’t you forgetting something?” I inquired. “What about a skirt?”

“Oh,” she said, looking down at her panties. “Well, Ryan persuaded me to just spend the day like this, since I’m not going to be wearing a skirt at the office.”

“Looking good, Lexi!” said Ryan, entering the living room. “Super sexy.”

“But what about when you’re not at the office?” I asked incredulously. “Aren’t you concerned about being on a crowded bus like that? Ryan, why would you talk her into this??”

“Oh,” said Lexi anxiously. “I’m sorry, Marty. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“Marty, dude,” said Ryan reproachfully. “You’re acting a little repressive right now. Lexi had a blast yesterday, going skirtless in public. Didn’t she tell you that? For her, it was an exciting, liberating adventure. And there’s no reason she can’t spend the whole day skirtless. She told me herself it’s an exciting idea.”

“You … enjoyed yesterday?” I asked Lexi, bewildered. “But yesterday was awful! You were fucked by three different men! Four if you count Colin. And none of them was by choice!”

“And none of those incidents happened because she went skirtless in public, either,” Ryan pointed out. “Dude, you’re conflating two different things. She was wearing a skirt when Colin got his cock in her; granted, he removed it during or just afterward. And she’d have had to undress anyway at the doctor’s office – she could have been wearing jeans and it wouldn’t have made any difference. And then, with Drake and me … well, she was no longer in public, and again, she was completely naked. Since she’ll have to spend the day at the office skirtless, and she’ll have other outfits to wear at Futureland, why shouldn’t she just go out skirtless to begin with?”

“Well … it’s the bus!” I said, feeling like I was clutching at straws, and not sure why I was feeling that way. “We might be avoiding Colin, but there could be other gropey men on the later bus!”

“Lexi’s skirt didn’t stop Colin,” said Ryan firmly. “And it wouldn’t stop another groper. Gropers will grope. It’s not about the clothes, it’s about the person. Lexi just has a certain natural sexiness, and there’s no getting around that.”

“Nobody groped her in college when she was wearing full-length dresses,” I pointed out.

“True,” Ryan admitted. “But she deliberately kept all men at arm’s length, and … okay, sure, those dresses probably did protect her to some extent. But Lexi, do you want to go back to being the old, boring, puritanical Alex, with the long dresses and no drinking and the all-work-and-no-play attitude…?”

“Absolutely not!” said Lexi with a shudder. “I like the new me.” Then she turned to me uncertainly. “Do you, Marty…? Would you prefer me to go back to my old self?”

I hesitated. The honest answer was yes; the new Lexi was still the sweet girl I fell in love with, but her embrace of her sexy side had brought a ton of problems on both of us. And yet I could not bring myself to say this; she was obviously happy with her newfound freedom, despite the consequences. “No, I said reluctantly. “But there’s still something to be said for at least adhering to social norms – like not going out in public with your panties showing.”

“Marty, stop trying to control her!” said Ryan. “Let her be her authentic self. Anyway, you’re almost out of time if you want to catch the bus.”

“Also,” Lexi added apologetically, “I sort of promised Ryan I’d go out like this…”

I blinked, and almost demanded to know why she had promised such a thing … but we were indeed almost out of time, and I didn’t need to hear a long description of how Ryan had talked her into it. “Fine!” I said irritably. “Let’s just go. And hope Colin isn’t running late today too!”

“Have fun today, Lexi!” said Ryan.

“Thanks, I will!” said Lexi over her shoulder, as we left the apartment.

Outside, Lexi’s panties attracted plenty of stares and comments, and she was soon blushing and flustered. “Oh gosh, this is so embarrassing!” she said anxiously. “I shouldn’t have made that promise to Ryan – it seemed exciting and sexy at the time, but the reality is pretty scary.”

“Yeah, well, I’m here to protect you,” I assured her. “But maybe tomorrow you can go back to wearing a skirt, at least for the bus journeys?”

She nodded. “Gosh – and tomorrow’s our last work day before our wedding! Are we going to take next week off, for our honeymoon? Or do you want to delay it until we have more money?”

“Delay it, I think,” I replied. “You deserve a nicer honeymoon than I can afford to give you right now. But let’s at least spend our wedding night in a hotel, and take Monday off work so we can have a fun outing of some kind.”

“That sounds wonderful!” Lexi enthused.

“Nice outfit you got there,” said a scruffy-looking ginger-haired man in his thirties, sidling up close to Lexi from her other side. I glared at him as he eyed her up and down creepily.

“Thank you!” said Lexi brightly.

Our bus was approaching, and as it slowed down, the ginger creep took up a position directly behind Lexi, no doubt intending to grope her as she boarded. I clenched my jaws, and prepared to interpose myself as soon as she stepped forward.

But to my surprise, Lexi squeezed my hand. “Stand down, Marty,” she said in a low voice.

“What?” I said.

“I can see you preparing for battle,” she said. “But please don’t. I know what’s likely to happen, and I’m at peace with it. I need you to be, as well. Please. You know I don’t mind a bit of harmless groping.”

Feeling deflated, I unclenched my fists. “Better him than Colin, I guess,” I muttered. “But I’ll keep an eye on things, just in case…”

“No!” she whispered back. “Don’t even watch. Just ignore me – please. I don’t want you getting upset.”

I sighed. “If that’s what you want.”

The bus had stopped, and as its doors opened, Lexi boarded, and Ginger elbowed me out of the way as he determinedly stuck close behind her. Another man tried to jostle Ginger out of the way, and I found myself separated from my fiancée by some distance once we were all in the central aisle. I glanced rearward, and my blood almost froze in my veins as I caught sight of Colin and his two friends. He did not look at me; his beady little eyes were laser-focused on Lexi. And Ginger, no doubt hoping to isolate her and have her to himself, was unwittingly ushering her towards that follicly-challenged asshole.

Fuck! There was nothing I could do. Lexi would not want me getting involved, and I was under instruction to ignore her. So, with a sinking feeling, I did so. I turned my back on my beloved fiancée, and resigned myself to merely comforting her at the end of our journey. Maybe Ginger would be so keen to have her to himself that he would react aggressively to Colin’s attempts to molest her. Maybe they would fight, and Lexi would be able to sneak away untouched.

I gripped the pole I was holding, and faced forward resolutely. I was a little tempted, over the next few minutes, to glance behind me to see what was going on … but only a little. In truth, I was afraid to – if I turned around and saw Colin or one of his friends trying to fuck her, I would doubtless feel compelled to charge back there with my fists swinging. And while the pile of bodies at my feet would be immensely satisfying, I would then get arrested and imprisoned, and Lexi would be entirely on her own in an ocean of perverts who wanted to impregnate her.

This was my reasoning, but deep down I knew how hollow it was. Clearly I was currently doing no better a job at keeping Lexi chaste than if I were rotting in a prison cell. After all, Colin could be fucking her right now, and what was I doing about it? Nothing. Just standing a few yards away with my back to her, ignoring her. I reached up and wiped a tear from my eye.

How the heck was Colin on this bus, anyway? Why had he not taken the previous bus? How had he known we would be on this bus and not that one? Or … had he and his friends perhaps taken the previous bus, then disembarked and doubled back when Lexi and I failed to board at our usual time and place? If so, that was quite the gamble; we might easily have taken an earlier bus, or found an alternative means of transportation.

But surely he would not have gone to such ridiculous lengths to ensure an encounter with Lexi. I was getting paranoid. More likely, he had simply been delayed this morning for some reason, and it was sheer bad luck that we had taken the later bus too. Coincidences did, after all, happen from time to time – that was why there was a word for them.

The bus was finally nearing our office building. I was about to turn around and call out to Lexi, when she rushed past me saying, “Let’s go.” She was clutching her blouse closed with one hand, and holding her bag with the other. Her panties were still on, I was relieved to see.

The bus came to a stop, and we got off. “What happened?” I asked her. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” she said uncertainly. “I’m okay, I guess. But Marty … Colin was on the bus!”

“So I saw,” I said grimly. “But you were already way ahead of me when I spotted him; I couldn’t exactly grab you and pull you off the bus again.”

Lexi looked down at her blouse. “He pulled off all my buttons!” she said mournfully.

“Oh shit!” I said, shocked. “Uh, that’s going to be a problem!”

She nodded. “That’s not all he did,” she went on glumly. Then she sighed. “Let’s get to the office quickly. We’re very late.”

We started walking. “Tell me what happened,” I said gently.

“Well,” she began, “there was this other guy, Forrest, who started fondling my bottom as soon as I got on board. I tried to get away from him by going towards the back of the bus, but then I saw Colin waiting for me. So I stopped, and Forrest put his arms around me and started playing with my breasts. I don’t think Colin liked that, because he got up and came towards me with his friends, and he said, “Hey Lexi – is this guy bothering you?” Which I thought was pretty cheeky, considering what he was planning to do to me himself!”

“I’ll say,” I grumbled.

“But it had the intended effect,” Lexi went on, “because Forrest immediately backed off. And then Colin and his friends surrounded me, and Colin started kissing me and opening up my blouse. And the next thing I knew, one of his friends was pulling my panties down, and someone’s hand was on my pussy, rubbing me.” She shivered, and bit her lip. “I hate to say it, Marty, but it was actually pretty erotic – there were hands all over me, caressing me, fondling my breasts and bottom, Colin’s tongue was in my mouth – and I think he might have actually brushed his teeth this morning! He didn’t taste as bad as usual. Anyway I couldn’t help getting quite aroused … and then I was lifted off my feet, and my knees were lifted up high and then pulled apart. My panties were just around one ankle by this point. Then Colin … he got his cock out, and he slowly slid it inside me. I … I didn’t even try to stop him, I’m afraid. I was just sort of … horrified and fascinated, equally … as I watched it go in. And then he started thrusting, and … ugh…” She put her head in her hands.

“Oh God!” I groaned, putting my hand on her shoulder and giving it a sympathetic squeeze. “I’m so sorry, Lexi. It must have been so awful!”

“Well, yes,” she admitted. “I mean, kind of. Emotionally, yes. But from a purely physical standpoint, once he got going, it sort of felt good, too…”

“Really?” I said, feeling rather disgusted. “It felt good? To be raped by that horrible piece-of-shit creep?”

“Don’t say that word!” said Lexi uncomfortably. “I went along with it, didn’t I? And yes! Believe it or not, it feels good to have a man’s cock sliding in and out of my vagina! Even an awful man like Colin. I’m not saying I wanted it, or that I didn’t wish he would stop, or that I was glad afterwards … but at the time the sensations were … stimulating.”

“But … weren’t you terrified he would cum inside you?” I asked in disbelief. She was being so calm about it.

“Yeah, I was,” Lexi admitted, “but once he turned down my offer of a blowjob, I sort of resigned myself to the fact that if he wanted to cum inside me, he would, and I couldn’t really do anything about it. And … yes, unfortunately he did cum inside me.”

“Oh no!” I said miserably. “And you’re ovulating tomorrow!”

“Yeah,” said Lexi unhappily. “I was hoping that somehow today I could avoid getting … what did Drake call it – creampied? … but it’s happened twice already this morning!”

“Twice!” I said, aghast. “Did one of Colin’s friends…”

“Oh … well yes, one of them did … fuck me,” Lexi admitted. “But he didn’t have time to climax, thank goodness! And I gave a blowjob to the other one, and he came in my mouth. And Forrest pushed his way in and stuck his cock in my mouth, so I had to suck him too. And swallow his cum as well.” She grimaced. “I didn’t want to get any on my clothes.”

“Ugh!” I exclaimed. “But who else came inside you?”

“Oh … Ryan, of course,” said Lexi sheepishly. “He fucked me first thing this morning. I actually woke up to find him entering me.”

“Jesus!” I gasped. “Man, I’d really love to kick him in the balls, and put him out of commission for a few weeks!”

“Don’t do that,” said Lexi hastily. “He was really very nice about it – he gave me kisses and cuddles, and made sure I … you know … climaxed. And for a few moments afterwards, we lay in each other’s arms … until I suddenly realised what time it was. And then I got up in a panic and ran to your bedroom to wake you up.”

I frowned, not liking how comfortable Lexi had become about Ryan having sex with her. “And what about last night?” I asked, remembering how she had gone to Ryan’s room with her vagina full of Drake’s cum. “Did Drake’s plan work?”

“No,” she admitted. “I told him I was leaking Drake’s sperm, and he pulled me naked into his bed and then very sweetly and gently cleaned me up with a tissue. And then he cuddled me and started kissing me, and we made out for a while, but his cock was getting very erect, and my legs were wrapped around him, and … well, he just sort of slid inside me again. And he fucked me very gently for a long while, until he got close to his climax. Then he sped up a lot, and finally he came inside me again. I told him off for doing that, and he apologised, but he didn’t seem very sorry. And he stayed inside me until we both fell asleep.”

“Ugh, this is so depressing!” I wailed. “Ryan’s basically become your lover! I bet he’s going to end up getting you pregnant…”

“No he won’t,” said Lexi determinedly. “From this evening, until our wedding, nobody else is going to cum inside me. When we get home, I’ll flush myself out, and that’s it! My vagina will stay empty until you’re in it.”

“I wish I could believe that,” I said gloomily. “But you’ll be sleeping with Ryan again tonight, and I have no doubt he’ll be having sex with you again.”

“But I have a plan!” said Lexi with a smug smile. “I’m going to make Ryan an offer he can’t refuse!”

“Oh?” I inquired warily. “What kind of offer?”

“I’ll tell you later,” she said. We had arrived at the office. She took a deep breath, then she opened the door. “Let’s go and see Doug. Hopefully he won’t be too mad at us.”

We dropped off our bags at our respective desks, and Lexi said hello to Aaron, who looked delighted to see her. Then I followed Lexi to Doug’s office.

“Come in!” he boomed.

“I’m sorry we’re late, Doug,” said Lexi, walking in. “We had a bit of a harrowing experience on the bus. I’m afraid … I lost all the buttons on my blouse…”

“Really…?” said Doug, looking intrigued. “Let’s see, then. Marty, unless you’ve a reason for being here beyond apologising for your tardiness, you can go to your desk and start working.”

“Yes Doug, absolutely,” I said, and I hurriedly retreated. Well done Lexi! She had got me out of a verbal beating, for which I was very grateful. I just hoped Doug would not take advantage of her state of undress.

But that was a foolish hope, I knew. As I sat down, I looked over at Doug’s office, and was not surprised to see Lexi sitting on his lap. I scowled, and tried not to imagine him fondling her bare breasts beneath her unbuttoned blouse … as he was no doubt doing right now. I could not see exactly what was going on – she had her back to me – but I could see that his right arm was around her, his forearm tucked beneath her right armpit … and he was holding her very close. Then, to my horror, she turned her face toward him, and he kissed her – a full-on, open-mouthed, sloppy tongue-kiss that made me retch a little. I turned away, unable to watch any more. What had he said to her, to make her agree to that?

I tried to work, but it was difficult to concentrate. A couple of minutes later, to my great relief, I saw Lexi heading back to her desk. I immediately messaged her: ‘What happened?’

Lexi: ‘He wants to take me shopping for a new blouse later this morning. He said he’ll pay for it!’

Me: ‘Oh! That’s good, I guess. And … anything else happen…?’

Lexi: ‘Yes – he had me sit on his lap, so he could inspect the damage to my blouse. And he fondled my breasts, and put his hand in my panties. And he told me he wanted to have sex with me. And I said I couldn’t, because I’m engaged to you … but I would give him a blowjob instead if he wanted.’

Me: ‘OMG Lexi! You’ve got to stop offering blowjobs to men! Why couldn’t you leave it at “you can’t have sex with me because I’m engaged”?’

Lexi: ‘I’m sorry, Marty! I was afraid he was going to force or at least manipulate me into having sex with him. If he takes me shopping, I’ll be alone in his car, and he’s already kissed and fingered me. I assume he’s expecting to have sex with me soon. I’ll do whatever I have to, to prevent that. I just can’t take the risk, so close to my ovulation day. For all I know, I’m ovulating right now. It’s possible.’

Me: ‘Okay, fair enough, I guess you did your best. Did he take you up on your offer?’

Lexi: ‘No! Surprisingly. He just said “I’ll settle for a kiss – but make it a good one.” So we kissed for a while, and he fingered me again.’

Me: ‘I saw the kiss. Sorry you had to endure that.’

Lexi: ‘Thank you. At least he tastes better than Colin – but I’d much rather be kissing you, of course.’

The sentiment was nice, but I knew I was not the best kisser Lexi had been kissing recently, and I could not resist a petty little jibe.

Me: ‘Or Drake…’

Lexi: ‘Marty, why would you say that?? I’d rather kiss you than anyone – Drake included!’

Me: ‘I’m sorry, darling. Jealousy got the better of me for a moment. I take it back. Please forgive me.’

Lexi: ‘Of course I forgive you. But please stop being silly. Whatever I’m forced to do with other men, you’re the only one I love.’

This made me feel better, and I relaxed enough to get back to work and be reasonably productive. But then I looked over and saw Aaron sitting with Lexi, his hand tucked between her legs, and my mood darkened again. Turning back to my computer, I pounded out an email to a customer who probably did not deserve the level of snark I put into it.

When I next glanced at Lexi, she was slouched in her chair, her thighs were parted, her head was tilted back, her eyes were closed, and she was clearly breathing heavily. Aaron’s hand was in her panties and his arm was moving rhythmically. As I stared at him in shock and anger, he used his free hand to slip her blouse off her right breast, exposing it to the world. Staring down at her nipple hungrily, he licked his lips.

This was it. I had had enough. I was going to stab that motherfucker in his smug little face. Grabbing my pen, I gripped it like a knife, prepared to commit violence. But I had barely begun to rise from my chair when Doug’s door opened, and Aaron hastily whipped his hand out of Lexi’s panties. Lexi abruptly came to her senses, opened her eyes, and realised one of her breasts was out in the open. She hastily sat up straight and pulled her blouse back into place.

“You ready to go shopping, Lexi?” asked Doug, approaching her desk as Aaron scurried back to his.

“Yes Doug,” said Lexi, getting to her feet. Holding her blouse closed, she followed Doug towards the front entrance. As she passed me, she gave me a sheepish smile, to which I responded with a curt nod.

Over the next hour, I did a lot of thinking. The main question on my mind was: how do I stop all this? I had just sat and watched my fiancée getting fingered by our colleague at her desk, and I had done nothing about it. What kind of fiancé was I? What other fiancé would allow that to happen?

Of course, this latest incident paled in comparison to watching Drake fucking Lexi right in front of me, but the difference was simply one of scale. They were both symptoms of the same problem: Lexi was too sweet a girl to say no when men took advantage of her, and too conflict-averse to allow me to step in and save her from such men. It was not that I was incapable of defending her; she simply didn’t want me to. But the consequence of this conflict-avoidance was that the men in Lexi’s life were discovering she had almost no boundaries at all – at least none that were being enforced.

So how could I stop my fiancée from being fucked by any man she encountered? I had been imagining that getting married, and finally being allowed to have sex with her myself, would somehow solve the problem … but would it? Would it really? Granted, she would be sleeping with me and therefore not with Ryan anymore … but he and Drake would no doubt still fuck her during their goodnight kisses. And if she continued to work here, she would be at Doug’s mercy … and maybe Aaron’s, too. And if we continued to ride the bus, Colin would no doubt fuck her every day.

I sighed, and for a few moments I wondered if I would have to resign myself to the prospect of having to endure seeing, or at least hearing about, Lexi getting fucked by lots of other men, for the foreseeable future. Perhaps if I could just bring myself to accept it, it would weigh less heavily on my soul.

But then I pulled myself together. No! Fuck that! ‘Stop feeling sorry for yourself, Marty,’ I told myself, ‘and take action!’ And as I continued to mull over the issue, the outlines of a plan began to take shape…

When Doug and Lexi returned, I looked up … and my jaw dropped in surprise and alarm. “Good grief!” I could not help saying.

Lexi stopped next to me, as Doug continued to his office. “It was Doug’s idea!” she said nervously. “Do I look terrible?”

She did not look terrible, of course – just very exposed. On her bottom half, little had changed, except that her panties were now white, and looked a little skimpier than the pink pair she had been wearing earlier. But her blouse had been replaced with a low-cut, sheer, stretchy white cropped tank top, through which her nipples and the contours of her breasts were clearly visible. It exposed less cleavage than her blouse had, with the number of buttons she had been leaving undone, but this seemed academic when one could actually see her breasts through the material.

“Holy cow, I can see your boobs!” I gasped, unable to stop myself staring at them. “Doug seriously bought this for you to wear in the office?”

“Yes,” she said unhappily, folding her arms across her chest. “He promised me I wouldn’t get into trouble.”

“Well jeez!” I said, rubbing my head. “What about when you leave? Oh – maybe you can wear your blouse over the top of it?”

She pouted, and shook her head. “He threw it in a trash can,” she said glumly. “This is all I have to wear for the rest of the day … except for when I’m at Futureland, of course. And these panties cover less of my butt than my old ones.” She turned around to show me.

My eyes widened. Her new white panties looked smoother and shinier than the pair she had been wearing earlier, and they did indeed expose more of her bottom, with each leg seam diagonally bisecting a buttock. “They’re nice panties,” I had to admit. “Are they silk, or something?”

“Satin,” she replied, turning to face me again. “He said my other panties were too old-fashioned; he bought me ten pairs of these.”

“Well, they’re very nice,” I said, “but in combination with that see-through top … it’s just too much. You can’t go out on the street like this, Lexi!”

“Doug says I can,” said Lexi with a grimace. “He says it’s not illegal, and he likes the idea that ‘the sexiest woman in the city’ is his employee.”

“Good grief – that asshole!” I muttered. “I’m so sorry, Lexi – we have to find you another job! I’ve actually been thinking about it … and I think we should just take the plunge, and move to another town. A smaller town. One where nobody knows us, and where we can find you a job that lets you work from home, like Ryan does. And I’ll get a car, so we don’t have to use public transportation, and … and you won’t need to go anywhere without me, and I can keep you away from other men…”

“Can we afford to do all that?” asked Lexi doubtfully. “Won’t it cost money to move? And if we don’t even have jobs lined up, we’ll be giving up our financial security for an uncertain prospect.”

“We’ll get a loan!” I said, having already considered this problem. “Just enough to get us moved, pay for a month’s rent in whatever apartment we end up in, and a bit extra for expenses while we find jobs.”

Lexi looked rather worried, but she smiled. “Okay Marty, I trust you. Let’s do it.”

“All right!” I said, feeling a heavy weight of responsibility settling on my shoulders. “I’ll start looking into some stuff.”

“Are we still getting a marriage licence at lunchtime?” Lexi asked.

“Oh goodness – yes!” I said. “I’d forgotten … but yes, absolutely.” Then I shuddered. “How we’re going to get you there in that outfit – or what they’ll think when they see you – I have no idea. But we’ll manage.”

She nodded. “Okay,” she said. “And, um, what about wedding rings…?”

I gasped. “Oh my goodness! I never even thought about that! I guess it would be simplest if we get them from the same place as your engagement ring. What was it called … Allister’s? But I don’t think we can squeeze that into my lunch break as well.”

“What if you go there on your own after work?” Lexi suggested. “They have my finger measurement – technically I don’t need to be there.”

“I’ll have to check their hours – make sure they don’t close at five,” I said. “But don’t you want a say in what rings we get? You’ll be wearing it for the rest of your life, after all … hopefully!”

She smiled sweetly. “I trust you, Marty.”

This warmed my heart, although at the same time it added to my anxiety. “Okay. Maybe I can send you pictures, for your approval.”

“Oh yes!” she said. “I can’t promise I’ll be able to respond right away though.”

“Understood,” I acknowledged. “Well, we’d best get back to work.”

Lexi nodded, and returned to her desk.

To my relief, neither Aaron nor Doug bothered her for the rest of the morning. During a lull in my work activity, I called the florist and the photographer whose contact numbers Pastor John had given us. The florist quoted a figure that made me baulk and politely decline; I decided we should pick up some flowers from the grocery store instead, and set them out ourselves. The photographer didn’t answer, so I left a message on his voicemail.

At lunchtime Lexi and I left the office, then boarded a bus that took us straight to City Hall where, after a twenty-minute wait, we sat down with the county clerk, Hilda Bernstein. She stared in surprise at Lexi, who folded her arms across her chest in embarrassment.

“I’m so sorry about Lexi’s state of undress,” I said quickly, in case Lexi was about to over-share. “She had a bit of a clothing mishap, which we would be correcting right now, except we agreed that getting our marriage licence was the top priority.”

“Okay hun, I ain’t judging,” said Hilda with a shrug. “You have your IDs with you, and the fee?”

We did, and ten minutes later we left the building with our marriage licence. “That was quick!” I remarked.

“I didn’t think it would be so easy!” said Lexi. “Oh Marty, this is it – this is really happening! We’re going to get married, in just three days!” She let out an excited squeak. “Do we have time for lunch?”

“You do; I don’t,” I said. “We can go to Gangsta Wraps, but I’ll have to leave you there.”

“What if we place an order by phone, and pick it up when we get there?” she suggested. “Then you can take yours back to the office, and I can eat mine wherever. By the lake, maybe.”

I shook my head. “I don’t like the thought of you walking alone in the woods dressed like that,” I said. “Anyone could come along.”

“Probably just Aaron,” she replied.

“Exactly my point,” I said grimly.

She but her lip. “I … I sort of promised him I would walk with him today,” she said apologetically. “He missed me yesterday, you see, and…”

“Why would you promise him that?” I demanded in exasperation. “You know he’ll try to have sex with you!”

“I’m sorry, I just felt bad for him!” Lexi groaned, putting her face in her hands. “I did tell him I wouldn’t be swimming with him again, and I made him promise not to take off my panties.”

“He actually promised that?” I asked in surprise. “Huh – maybe he’s counting on persuading you to take them off yourself.”

“Which I will not be doing,” she said firmly.

I smirked. “Promise?” Perhaps I could make her integrity work in our favour for once.

Her eyes lit up, and she smiled. Then her brow furrowed. “What if I need to pee?”

“Okay, that’s a valid exception,” I conceded. “Hopefully you won’t have to pee in the woods though! If you need to go, can you use the office restroom before you start your walk?”

She nodded. “Yes, I can do that. Oh, is this our bus?”

“Yup,” I said. “Let’s hope we can find a couple of empty seats together.”

We did, and despite Lexi getting some looks of interest from male passengers, our ride back to the office was as uneventful as the outbound ride had been. The walk to Gangsta Wraps was worse: several young men called out lewd comments to Lexi, who endured them with bright pink cheeks and and an occasional nervous giggle, her arms folded across her chest.

“I’m so sorry, Lexi,” I said, feeling guilty for not having brought something she could wear over her panties on the street.

“It’s fine,” she assured me. “They’re just being cheeky – I can’t really blame them when I’m dressed like this.”

“Wha… ugh…” I spluttered, my liberal brain outraged on behalf of women everywhere. “Lexi! Men shouldn’t be behaving like that, whatever you’re wearing! It’s sexual harassment, and it’s against the law!”

“It is?” she asked in surprise. “Oh – well, I wouldn’t want anyone to go to prison just for telling me I look sexy or whatever. That doesn’t seem right.”

“Yeah, well I guess it does pale into insignificance next to groping and stripping and pretty much raping you on the bus…” I remarked.

“Marty!” she admonished me.

“I did say ‘pretty much’,” I said defensively. “My point is, if comments are the worst we have to put up with, I guess I can live with that.”

We endured little more than stares and incredulous mutterings from the staff and customers at Gangsta Wraps. We were served without fuss, and took our lunches back to the office. Lexi came in to use the restroom, and when she left, heading for the woods, I observed Aaron following her. I scowled, and almost chased after him … but my lunch break was over, and his was just beginning; there was little I could do.

Forty-five minutes later, I texted Lexi, figuring she would be on her way to Futureland by now: ‘Hi darling. How was your walk/lunch?’

But she did not respond until almost four o’clock: ‘Hi Marty! Sorry I didn’t reply right away – I’ve been a little occupied. The walk with Aaron was nice, and we sat and chatted while I ate my lunch. He’d brought a blanket with him. But Marty … I’m afraid I have bad news…’

My heart sank. Fearing the worst, I typed: ‘Oh…?’

Lexi: ‘I kept my promise! My panties stayed on. But … he sort of got around them.’

Me: ‘Jesus Christ, Lexi!’

Lexi: ‘Okay, I can tell you’re super mad, and I totally understand. But perhaps this story should wait until I can tell you in person.’

I forced myself to calm down, and typed: ‘No no, please tell me. I’m sorry – I’ll be okay. I won’t lose my temper. But I really don’t want to have to wait until 7:00 to find out what happened. My imagination will run wild.’

Lexi: ‘Okay. Well, I told Aaron about Colin, and what he did to me on the bus, and he was very concerned about me getting pregnant by, as he put it, ‘some jerk on the bus’. Actually he didn’t use the word jerk, but you get the idea. He said that just because tomorrow is Day 14 doesn’t necessarily mean I’ll ovulate tomorrow. It could happen a day early or a day late – or even earlier or later. It varies. Which I sort of knew already, but I’d been hoping tomorrow was highly likely. The other thing he said was that sperm can make its way through the cervix into the womb within minutes, and no amount of flushing out will do any good at that point. And once in the womb, sperm can survive for a couple of days, at least, waiting for an egg to be released.’

Me: ‘I didn’t know that! Minutes??? Heck, Lexi, you could be pregnant already!’

Lexi: ‘Yeah, I know, but as Aaron pointed out, I might not be, and taking precautions over the next few days might still save me from an unplanned pregnancy. He said it was likely that some of Colin’s sperms had made it into my womb, but not all of them, and I should flush the rest out immediately, to minimize the chances of one of them hitting the target. He said that since Colin was an older man, he was probably firing a lot of blanks, but it wouldn’t hurt to be on the safe side.’

Me: ‘Okay, but did you even have your douche kit with you?’

Lexi: ‘No I didn’t, and I told him that. And he said he had a douche kit of his own, and he suggested … peeing inside me!’

Me: ‘WHAT???’

Lexi: ‘I know! It sounds gross. But he said pee is sterile and wouldn’t do me any harm … and it would be a very effective flushing agent. It’s also slightly acidic, so it would act as a spermicide. I asked how he planned to pee inside me, and he said he would have to insert his cock, so that he could be sure his pee would thoroughly rinse me out.’

Me: ‘That scoundrel! I hope you told him no thank you!’

Lexi: ‘Why would I do that?? Yes, I knew he was using my predicament as an excuse to put his cock fully inside me – I’m not stupid – but that doesn’t change the fact that his reasoning was sound. And if there was any chance that his solution could prevent me from getting pregnant by Colin, I figured it was worth a try. After all, as Aaron pointed out, it’s not like my virginity was at risk anymore. That ship has sailed.’

Me: ‘OMG. So he … what, he pulled your panties to one side, and shoved his cock in you?’

Lexi: ‘Not at first. First he licked me and fingered me, so that I would get … you know, wet inside. Then he asked me to suck his cock, to get it wet too. So I did. Then he lay on top of me, and put his cock inside me. And he started … fucking me.’

Me: ‘Damn it! That wasn’t the plan!’

Lexi: ‘I know. But he said he couldn’t help it. Now that he was inside me, it felt so amazing that he couldn’t help thrusting. And … well, it felt good for me too, so I just let him continue. He said he couldn’t pee with an erection anyway, so he would have to climax first, then wait until he was soft enough to pee.’

Me: ‘That scumbag! He played you like a fiddle!’

Lexi: ‘That’s a bit uncharitable, Marty. He was trying his best to help me. I did ask him to pull out before his climax, and I offered to swallow his cum. But he said if he did that, his cock would go soft and he might not be able to get it back in my vagina. And he said it would be okay, because he would be flushing it out anyway immediately afterwards.’

I groaned, and slumped over my desk, slowly banging my head on its lacquered surface. Why had I even thought there was a chance Lexi would be able to keep Aaron’s cock out of her?

Lexi: ‘So he climaxed inside me, and then just lay there for a while, panting heavily. I asked him if he was ready to pee yet, and he said no, it would be a few minutes. So I waited. Eventually I asked him again, and he said he would try. And he tried … but he said he couldn’t yet. He said he had peed just before leaving the office, so the urge to pee wasn’t strong enough to overcome the semen clogging up his cock … that was how he put it. So we waited a while longer … but then he started to get hard again! At that point I realised there wasn’t going to be time for him to fuck me again, climax, and wait to get soft again, so I thanked him for trying, and said I was going to have to leave soon. He was very dismayed, and said he couldn’t possibly leave me full of his sperm. He said he would be as quick as possible, and he started fucking me again, really hard and fast. Oh gosh, it felt … well, that’s not important. But I did have an orgasm. Anyway, it took him a long time to climax, and by the time he did, I was getting worried about missing my bus to Futureland. So I said I was going to have to leave. And he said he was very sorry his plan had failed, but he hoped that if I got pregnant, it would be with his baby rather than Colin’s. Then he asked, quite apologetically, if I would mind sucking his cock clean before he put his underwear back on. So I did that, and then we hurried down the trail back to the office. I managed to catch my bus, and got to Futureland on time.’

Me: ‘And full of Aaron’s semen!’

Lexi: ‘Yes, unfortunately! But he did try his best, and I was grateful for his help. When I got to Futureland, I went to the restroom and used my fingers to pull out as much semen as I could, but I don’t know if I did enough. I also had to wipe my panties out, because a lot of it had leaked out of me.’

I sighed. Her woodland walk had gone about as disastrously as it could have. So why wasn’t she more upset about it? I had to ask.

Me: ‘You seem quite calm about it all. How are you feeling?’

Lexi: ‘Anxious! But I’m telling myself I’ve done the best I can, and what happens next is in God’s hands.’

Me: ‘I guess that’s a sensible way of looking at it.’

Lexi: ‘I have more to tell you, but I have to get back to work. See you at 7. I love you! xxx’

Me: ‘See you later – I love you too xxxxx’

After work, I went straight to Allister’s, the jewellery store, which fortunately was open until six. Destiny, the nice young woman who had sold us Lexi’s engagement ring, was not there, but her colleague Robert was very helpful. I chose a rather plain wedding band that reminded me of the One Ring, and sent Lexi a photo. Ten minutes later she had not yet responded, and I made an executive decision, confirming my choice to Robert. While he was sizing the two rings, Lexi sent me a text: ‘Perfect!’ That made me feel better.

I tried not to think about my credit card balance as I paid for the rings. I told myself this was a necessary expense, and an investment in our future, but this did not fully allay my anxiety. Thanking Robert and bidding him goodnight, I left the store, went home, and had dinner with Ryan and Drake. The conversation quickly turned to the subject of my darling fiancée, and her numerous sexual encounters.

“I just don’t know how to stop it!” I said glumly. “I would ask you two for advice, except that you’re part of the problem…”

“That doesn’t mean we won’t help,” said Drake kindly. “You’re still our friend, after all. If we put our heads together, I’m sure we can figure out ways to keep Lexi away from other guys. I don’t like the idea of sharing her with half a dozen other men any more than you do. How would you feel about agreeing to let Ryan and me fuck her whenever we want, in exchange for us keeping her from having sex with anyone else?”

“I’m not going to agree to that!” I said irritably. “I mean, I’d appreciate your help, but not at the cost of essentially giving her to you.”

“The alternative,” said Ryan, “is to maintain the status quo, in which we still have sex with her, but so does every other guy who spends much time alone with her. Dude, if she goes on like this, she’s not only going to get pregnant with another man’s baby, she’ll catch something nasty, and then give it to all three of us. Wouldn’t you feel safer, and more comfortable, if you knew it was just Drake and me fucking her? And you of course.”

“And me?” I said, puzzled. Then the light dawned. “You’re talking about continuing this after we’re married??”

“Well sure,” said Drake. “Do you think Aaron, or Doug, or her doctor, or her boss at Futureland, cares whether she’s married or not? Bro, you need to face facts: this problem isn’t going to go away after your wedding.”

“Yes it is,” I said stubbornly. “I have a plan. We’re going to move to another town, where nobody knows us. Lexi will get a job working from home, and I’ll keep her away from all other men.”

The two of them stared at me. “You’re going to make her your prisoner?” Drake inquired.

“No!” I said defensively. “Of course not. I’m not going to lock her up! We’ll still go out and do fun stuff … but together, and in a safe environment.”

“And you’ll keep her from seeing a doctor?” Ryan asked.

“We’ll find her a female doctor,” I said promptly, having already thought of this.

“So if you’re out at work, and she’s home alone,” Ryan went on, “how will you stop her from having visitors? Friendly neighbours, door-to-door salesmen, Jehovah’s Witnesses, your landlord wanting to know why the rent is late…”

“We’ll pay our rent on time,” I said, choosing to ignore the other possibilities.

“With what?” Ryan inquired. “Dude, you’re in debt as it is! How are you going to afford this move? Do you even have a job lined up in this new town you’re planning to move to?”

“Yeah man,” Drake agreed, “this sounds a bit like a pipe dream to me. Or like something you’d do after about a year of planning and saving.”

“You’re just saying that,” I snapped, “because you want us to stick around so you can keep having sex with Lexi!”

Both of them stared at me. “You’re right,” Ryan eventually conceded. “We do want to keep having sex with her. Of course we do! But that doesn’t mean we’re wrong, and deep down, I think you know it. Deep down, you know it’s a desperate plan, and one which will likely be a disaster. What you and Lexi need right now is financial stability. You have a good job, and with Lexi starting to earn too, you’ve got decent prospects. Soon you’ll be able to start paying off your credit card debt. Then you can take stock, start looking for another job – for both yourself and for Lexi – and figure out where you’re going to live. But if you try to do it backwards, if you ditch your steady income for some flimsy plan that involves a large financial outlay … you’re going to end up on the streets.”

I groaned in despair. He was right, of course. I had in fact done some rough calculations, based on my income and Lexi’s, my paltry checking account and nonexistent savings, the size of my credit card bills, my student loans, Lexi’s student loans, and our monthly expenses … and I knew it would be years before we could get our heads above water. If Lexi got the job as Doug’s personal assistant, that would help … but that was an awful prospect: I was sure he would fuck her every chance he got.

The logical course of action was to stay in place for now, and start looking for the best-paying jobs we could find. But staying in place meant that Lexi would continue to have sex with Ryan and Drake, and no doubt other men as well. I seemed to be doing a very poor job of halting the escalation myself; maybe I should just resign myself to the inevitability of sharing Lexi with my friends, and enlist their help in keeping her from anyone else.

“Damn it … all right,” I said reluctantly. “If you can guarantee that you’ll keep other men from having sex with Lexi, then I guess … you can have sex with her whenever you want … IF she consents!”

“Well we can’t make any guarantees, Marty,” said Drake. “Be realistic. We can’t accompany her wherever she goes. But we can help you devise strategies to keep her away from high-risk situations; I can give her – or both of you – rides in my car when I can, so she spends as little time on buses as possible; and Ryan, I’m sure, can help with the job search.”

“That I can do,” Ryan agreed.

“But you’re going to have to give your consent without any guarantees attached,” Drake went on. “We’ll do our best, but we do have our own lives to lead.”

I sighed. “I guess your best will have to be good enough. Fine – you can have sex with Lexi whenever you want, with her consent, as long as you do your best to keep her from having sex with other men.” It made me feel gross to say this, but I figured it wouldn’t make a lot of difference anyway; they were already having sex with her whenever they wanted, pretty much.

Ryan and Drake high-fived each other. “All right!” said Ryan exultantly. “Pleasure doing business with you, Marty.”

“Now, why don’t you let me go pick Lexi up from Futureland?” Drake suggested. “Then you and she won’t have to ride the bus back here.”

“We’re usually okay on the bus in the evening,” I remarked. “It’s the morning bus journeys that are the problem.”

“You’ve been lucky so far,” said Drake. “But you never know when you might encounter some pervert who squeezes between the two of you, and takes advantage of Lexi’s state of undress. She’ll be safer in my car, trust me.”

“Thanks for the offer,” I said stiffly, “but I’d still prefer to pick her up myself. I’m sure we’ll be fine.”

He shrugged. “Suit yourself. I’m just trying to keep up my end of the bargain.”

I nodded curtly, but inside I was feeling rather smug. What if I could use Ryan and Drake to keep other men away from Lexi, while doing what I could to keep her away from Ryan and Drake? I was sure that Drake had been planning to fuck Lexi in his car; I had just scuppered that plan. Maybe I could keep doing things like this, to minimise the number of opportunities he and Ryan would have with her.

At seven o’clock, I was at Futureland’s front gate, waiting patiently for Lexi to appear. I did not have to wait long, but as she approached me in her skimpy top and panties, I could tell something was wrong. She seemed to be walking awkwardly, and she looked rather red-faced and downcast.

I pulled her into a hug. “Hi darling,” I said. “I guess something bad happened?”

“Yes,” she said sadly. “I’m sorry. Marty … I’m not sure you’ll still want to marry me, after what happened today…”

“Oh hush,” I replied brusquely, suddenly afraid she might call off the wedding out of a sense of guilt. “Whatever happened isn’t going to change my mind about you, and if you feel like you’ve done something wrong, I forgive you. But I suspect that whatever it was, it wasn’t your choice.”

She hugged me back, tightly. “Do you … want me to tell you about it?”

“Of course,” I said. “Let’s walk to the bus stop as you talk.”

We started walking. “Bo saw me arrive, and he was thrilled by my outfit,” said Lexi. “He wanted to know why I was walking around in public with nothing covering my panties. So I told him I had a very repressed upbringing, and I find it liberating to dress like this. He said that was awesome, and he would find me some skimpier outfits to wear for my job here. And he did – he dressed me up in what he called a ‘space vixen’ costume, which was basically a silvery, sparkly corset, the silver thigh boots I’d worn before … and a white thong.”

“Oh my god!” I said, startled.

She showed me a photo on her phone. “I’d have sent it to you earlier,” she said, a little sheepishly, “but I didn’t want to worry you.”

I shivered. “I’m guessing you got groped a lot in this.”

She nodded. “But not before Bo had watched me getting changed – he insisted I take everything off before I put any of the costume on, and when I was naked … he pulled me into his arms and kissed me. I told him I’m engaged, and getting married on Sunday … but he said he didn’t care. I could see his intentions, and I … I’m afraid I panicked, and offered him a blowjob – which he accepted.”

I grimaced, but nodded. “I’m sure that was the better option, under the circumstances.”

“I think I’ve gotten pretty good at giving them,” she continued, sounding almost proud of herself. “I made him climax quite quickly … and I didn’t want to annoy him, so I … I swallowed it.” She shuddered at the memory. “Then I got dressed in the space vixen costume, and Bo told me I was a good girl, and he would … ‘fuck me later’.”

I was tempted to ask if he had followed through on that, but I decided to let Lexi tell the story in her own time. “Uh-huh,” I said grimly. “Go on.”

“I went and found Doobie,” she continued, “and I told him what had happened.” She sighed. “He’s such a nice man. He was really mad at Bo, and wanted to go and punch him, but I begged him not to. I said he was my favourite person at Futureland, and I would hate for him to get fired, especially on my account. So he agreed not to do anything. And he said I looked amazing, and he told me his plan for today’s skit. He called it ‘First Contact’, and it was about the first encounter between a human and an alien species. He would play the alien, and I would play the human. And in this skit, we would try to communicate with each other, with improvised dialogue … but it wouldn’t go very well, because of course we can’t understand each other’s languages. And then the alien gets impatient, and decides to examine the human more closely. And, um, this is where, as Doobie put it, the skit got both cleverer and naughtier. You see … the alien would undress me with his telekinetic powers.”

I frowned. “Why am I not surprised?” I grumbled. “Doobie’s just as much of a pervert as Bo! I don’t know why you like him so much.”

“Oh but he’s not!” Lexi insisted earnestly. “I mean, he loves my body of course, and enjoys seeing as much of it as possible … but he’s nothing like Bo in the way he treats me. He’s always kind, and respectful, and makes sure I’m happy with the plan, and never tries to make me do something I don’t want to do. And he’s hilarious!”

“Okay, fine,” I muttered. “That’s all good, I guess. So you liked his plan?”

“Well … I did!” she said, a little defensively. “He assured me I would only be stripping down to my underwear, so I wouldn’t be showing any more than people have seen already.”

“But you were already in your underwear!” I pointed out.

“Oh, there was a different outfit for the skit,” Lexi explained. “I was playing an astronaut, so I had a uniform consisting of a jacket, a blouse, and a skirt … all of which were designed to come off easily, with Velcro along the sleeves and so on. Doobie described it as a quick-change outfit, and said it was designed for magic shows.”

“Oh, okay, I can picture that,” I said, nodding.

“We needed an assistant for this skit,” said Lexi, “so Doobie conscripted a friend of his, Leo, to help with the undressing part. You see, I would be standing in front of a sort of false wall with vertical slits in it. Leo would be behind the wall, holding strings attached to my clothes. When he pulled the strings in the right order, first my jacket would be pulled through one of the slits, and then my skirt, and finally my blouse.”

“And what were you wearing under your blouse?” I inquired suspiciously.

She blushed. “Well … that was a topic of considerable discussion,” she said. “I haven’t worn a bra since last Saturday – the closest I’ve come is the bikini top Aaron bought for me. Or, I guess, a sports bra. So I was a little reluctant to put on a bra, and I fold Doobie that … and he sort of smiled, and said ‘What if you’re topless, but as the blouse comes off, you immediately put your hands over your breasts, so nobody sees anything they shouldn’t?’ And I said I was worried about that being inappropriate for kids to see, and he said he could ask Bo, but he was sure it would be fine. And I told him I trusted his judgment, and not to ask Bo.”

“Oh wow,” I said. “And … how did it go when you performed it?”

Lexi giggled nervously. “It went pretty smoothly up until the point when my blouse came off. Doobie gave a hilarious performance as the alien – he was making all these funny noises, but throwing in the occasional English-sounding word so the audience could get the gist of what he was saying. I was improvising around that, and I think I did pretty well, considering I had to spend the whole time standing in one place, and pretty motionless, so nobody would see the strings, or my clothes moving strangely. Then Leo pulled my jacket off, and that worked great. My skirt came off easily too. But when my blouse came off, I guess the Velcro must have been stuck a little harder, because it didn’t come apart at first. Then Leo gave it a harder pull, and it did come off … but it pulled my arms back at the same time, and for a brief moment my breasts were completely exposed…”

“Oh jeez!” I said, alarmed.

“I covered them up as quickly as I could!” said Lexi, “and then ran offstage – that was the end of the skit. But I was terrified people would complain … and apparently, they did.”

“Oh no!” I said.

“I didn’t find that out until later,” Lexi went on. “Immediately after the skit, before I’d had a chance to change back into the space vixen outfit, Doobie took me in his arms and said … he said I was a great actress … and a beautiful woman … and … and a wonderful person…” She blushed, and hesitated. “And he … he told me he was falling in love with me.”

“Uh-oh,” I said, frowning.

“I told him I was engaged, and getting married on Sunday,” said Lexi awkwardly, “and he said he knew that, and while he was happy for me, he was sad for himself. He said you were a very lucky man, and he was tempted to ask you for your advice on how to … um … how to get ‘such an amazing woman’, because he’d never had much luck with women himself. I told him he was a great guy, and any woman – even a beautiful woman – would be lucky to have him. And he kissed me … and I’m afraid I kissed him back … and he put his hand in my panties, and started rubbing my pussy … and then he picked me up and laid me down on the couch…”

“There’s a couch in the tent?” I asked in surprise.

“Oh yes – it’s a prop for skits,” said Lexi. “There’s an entire three-piece suite. There are lots of things in there – mostly decorated in a futuristic style, but some of it looks contemporary, including the couch. Anyway, Doobie was getting me all worked up with his fingers, and when my guard was down … he pulled down my panties. Well, my thong.”

“That asshole!” I growled.

“Oh, he’s not!” said Lexi reproachfully. “He was just caught up in the moment, like I was. I didn’t even mind. And when he pulled my knees apart, and got out his cock … I almost just gave in and let him have sex with me. My body really wanted it, by that point. But my brain was still functioning, fortunately, and I said to him, ‘Would you like another blowjob?’ And he smiled at me, and he said, ‘Lexi, in three days you’ll be married, and I couldn’t bring myself to have sex with a married woman, even though I’m in love with you and dying to have sex with you. This is my last chance, while you’re still single...”

“But you’re not single!” I said indignantly. “You’re my fiancée!”

“Yes I know,” Lexi agreed. “What he really meant was ‘unmarried’, but I let it pass. Then he said, ‘I’ve never had sex with anyone, and I know I’ll never again have this chance to have sex with a woman as amazing as you. You’ve had sex a few times now, with a few different men … could you please find it in your heart to let me join them … just this once?’ And … I’m sorry … when he put it like that, I didn’t have the heart to refuse him. Please don’t be mad at me, but … I said to him, ‘Okay, but you have to promise not to cum inside me.’”

I groaned. “And you trusted him to keep that promise?”

“Yes!” said Lexi. “And I was right to, because he was as good as his word. Unfortunately, just as he was pulling out … Bo came in and caught us.”

“Oh shit!” I said, aghast.

“Doobie scrambled off me, and pulled his pants up, and apologised to Bo,” said Lexi sadly. “And I sat up and begged Bo not to fire Doobie. And Bo told Doobie to get back to work, and he would talk to him later. And Doobie said, ‘Don’t you dare take advantage of Lexi!’ And Bo said, ‘You’re not in a position to give me orders, Doobie! Go and interact with the guests.’ And Doobie went out, and Bo pulled down his pants and underwear, and he said, ‘Now, Lexi, how are you going to help Doobie keep his job?’”

“That fucking asshole!” I growled.

“And I said, ‘By giving you another blowjob?’” Lexi continued. “But I could see he wasn’t going to let me off that easily this time. He said, ‘We’re a little beyond that, Sweetie. This time I’m going to fuck you.’ And he pushed me back down into a lying position, and started climbing on top of me. And I said, ‘Okay, but you have to promise me you won’t cum inside me, Bo, I’m not on the pill, and I might be ovulating today.’ And he said, ‘I’ll think about it.’ And he pushed my knees apart, and lay on top of me, and I felt his cock sliding into me. Then he started … fucking me.”

“Ugh,” I groaned. “Please tell me he did pull out in time…”

Lexi shook her head sadly. “No he didn’t,” she said. “He even whispered in my ear that he was going to cum inside me. He said he was looking forward to getting me pregnant. I said to him ‘Please don’t do that!’, but he just laughed. And then … he climaxed. And he lay on top of me for a while. Then, after he finally pulled out and climbed off me, he fetched a cushion and tucked it beneath my bottom. And he got me to hold on to my knees, and he said, ‘Stay in this position for half an hour. I want my sperms to have plenty of time to invade your womb. If you move, or try to get my seed out of you, Doobie’s gone.’ And then he left me there, and I had no choice but to do as he’d told me to.” She bit her lip, and hung her head. “So I’d say there’s a good chance I’ll be getting pregnant this cycle. I’m so sorry, Marty!”

My stomach was hurting. “I’d like to say it’s all right,” I said stiffly, “but obviously it’s not. All I can say is that I don’t blame you. Bo took advantage of your vulnerability and your kindness, and your friendship with Doobie. But let’s not assume he’s going to get you pregnant.”

“If he didn’t, then Colin or Aaron probably will,” she said morosely. “I’m guessing some of their sperms made it into my womb too.”

“Not to mention Ryan and Drake,” I added grumpily. “But maybe none of them will. Maybe in two weeks you’ll get your period, and we can both heave a big sigh of relief.”

She smiled at me hopefully. “I’d like that,” she said.

The bus arrived, and we boarded. But we did not board alone. As we were getting on, an acne-faced teenager with a wild mop of wiry red hair ran up behind us, and having paid his fare, he followed us to the back. As Lexi and I sat down, he sat across the aisle from us, grinning at Lexi. “Hey!” he said.

I frowned at him. “Hi,” I said, in as unfriendly a manner as possible.

He was undeterred. “Your name’s Lexi, right? You work at Futureland?”

“Yes!” said Lexi brightly.

“I love how you just go around with your panties showing the whole time!” said the boy. “It’s so cool and brave of you … and so hot!”

Lexi giggled. “Thank you!”

“My name’s Arnie,” the boy continued. “I was standing in line for ages to get a private photo session with you, but then a guy came and said that everyone in front of me would get a photo session, but me and everyone behind me would have to try again another day. I begged him to make the cut-off behind me instead of in front of me, but he refused.”

I raised an eyebrow, wondering what a ‘private photo session’ entailed. Lexi had not finished telling me about her day, and it seemed there was more to tell.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” said Lexi in dismay. “I didn’t know that happened – I assumed everyone who wanted a photo session got one.”

“Will you be working there again tomorrow?” asked Arnie hopefully. “I’ll try to be at the front of the line…”

“I’m sorry, I won’t,” said Lexi apologetically. “I only work Monday through Thursday.”

“Oh,” said Arnie, crestfallen. “I don’t suppose…” He pulled a twenty-dollar bill out of his pocket, and held it out. “Could I maybe get a quick photo session with you now…?”

“Twenty dollars?” I inquired, and I turned to Lexi. “How many of these did you do today?”

“Eleven,” said Lexi. “But I only got five bucks for each one! Bo must have kept the rest.”

“That slimy little…” I began.

“So I’m cutting out the middle man!” said Arnie with a grin. “Come on – please? It’s just five minutes, right?”

Lexi placed her hand on my arm. “What do you think, Marty? Just one more photo shoot, and I’ll make four times as much as each session earned me this afternoon.”

“But you’re off work now,” I said uncomfortably.

“Please, Marty,” Arnie begged me. “It’s just five minutes.”

I sighed, and turned to Lexi. “Well it’s your choice,” I said. “I can’t deny that every little helps – twenty bucks is twenty bucks. It’s up to you.”

Lexi looked around. “I’ll do it,” she said. “But Marty … I’m afraid I was doing these photo sessions … naked…”

My heart sank. “Oh god.” I turned to Arnie. “Can she do this one with her clothes on? We’re in a rather public place…”

Arnie hesitated. “Obviously I don’t want to get you into trouble, Lexi,” he said. “But if I’m paying the full fee, I’d really like to get the same experience as the other guys who got to do it. Nobody’s looking...”

I frowned. “What were these guys doing, while you were posing for photos with them?” I asked Lexi.

She blushed. “They got pretty naughty,” she admitted. “Bo even encouraged them to, you know, finger me and stuff.”

I groaned and rolled my eyes. “And you just agreed to let Arnie do the same?”

She smiled sheepishly. “He seems nice,” she said. “Nicer than most of the others. I sort of feel bad that he missed out.”

I sighed heavily. And I had agreed to let her make the call. So now I was going to have to take photos of some strange man, or rather boy, fingering my fiancée. Ugh – how had we got to this point? It seemed so surreal, like a bad dream. “All right,” I said reluctantly. “I guess I’m taking the photos, then?” At least I could direct the action, and ensure it did not go too far. I took Arnie’s money, and gave it to Lexi, who put it in her bag.

Arnie handed me his phone, already switched on and in camera mode. Then Lexi hesitantly took off her top and shoes. “Jeez,” I said nervously, looking out of the window to make sure nobody could see my naked fiancée. “You seem very at ease, considering you’re naked in public.”

She shivered as she hunched down, trying to keep as much of herself below window level as possible. “I feel safe with you here,” she said, sliding her panties down her thighs. “But … I’m a bit worried about crossing the aisle like this, in case the driver looks in his mirror at the wrong time. Maybe you and Arnie should swap places?”

I nodded. “Okay, good idea.” I got out of my seat, and stepped aside while Arnie scooted in, taking my place next to Lexi. He immediately put his arm around her, grinning.

I sat down across the aisle. “Is this the first time you’ve touched a naked woman?” I asked, torn between jealous disapproval and amusement at his teenage exuberance. “How old are you, anyway?”

“Nineteen,” he replied, taking hold of Lexi‘s left breast. “And yes, I’ve never even seen a naked woman before – not in real life.”

“All right, we haven’t started yet,” I said irritably. The jealous disapproval was winning out. I set a five-minute timer on my phone, then held up Arnie’s. “Say cheese, I guess, both of you.”

They both smiled, and I took a photo. “Should I get on his lap?” asked Lexi uncertainly. “That’s how these sessions usually start…”

“Well I don’t know!” I said peevishly. “You didn’t get around to telling me about these ‘private photo sessions’.”

“Can you just talk us through it, Lexi?” Arnie asked. “I’d like to have the exact same experience as the guys who were in the line ahead of me today. And obviously your friend here doesn’t know what that was like…”

“Friend?” I objected. “I’m her fiancé!”

He stared at me. “Seriously?” he inquired, wide-eyed. “And you’re okay with … what she does?”

“Not really!” I snapped. “But it’s part of her job, apparently, so let’s just get this over with.”

“Arnie, if you can scoot this way a bit, so you’re more central on the seat…” said Lexi. And as he followed this instruction, she got up and sat down on his lap, straddling his thighs and leaning back against his chest. He was a tall, gangly lad, and his head was practically level with hers as he put his arms around her, looking almost giddy with excitement. Then he raised his hands to grasp her breasts.

“Smile,” I said through gritted teeth. Then I took another photo.

Arnie cautiously reached down with his right hand, and gently cupped Lexi’s pussy. “Did the other guys really put their fingers inside you?” he asked. “I’m dying to do that, but I want to make sure I don’t go too far by mistake.”

“Yes,” she replied unhappily, “they pretty much all did that. And Bo took great delight in getting close-up photos of their fingers probing my vagina.”

“Oh wow – I want that too!” said Arnie eagerly. “Can we do that please?”

“Oh goodness,” said Lexi uncomfortably. “Well, I guess we’ll have to turn towards Marty a bit.”

“You don’t have to do EVERYTHING that the others did,” I said irritably.

“Hey, I paid in full, AND cut out the middle man,” Arnie retorted. “Lexi agreed to do this, and I want the same deal as the other guys got.”

I sighed, and watched in considerable discomfort as Arnie turned towards me, and scooted backward a bit so he could lean against the window. Then he reached over Lexi’s shoulders to take hold of her knees, which he pulled up and outward, lewdly displaying her pussy and vaginal opening to my view (and, more pertinently, his camera’s). Licking the index and middle fingers of his right hand, he reached down, and slowly began pushing both fingers into her vagina. I scowled, but reluctantly took a photo.

“Get some close-ups!” Arnie urged me.

I did so, again with great reluctance. “All right, that’s enough fingering,” I said grumpily. I did not like the way Lexi was panting with pleasure, her eyes closed and her cheeks rosy, as Arnie gleefully thrust his fingers in and out of her.

“I haven’t had my five minutes yet!” Arnie objected. “What else did the other guys do, Lexi?”

“Well … they all kissed me,” she admitted.

“Cool!” said Arnie in delight, and he bent his head over her face, pressing his lips against hers. She opened her mouth automatically, and their tongues entwined disgustingly. With my internal rage building, I took a few more photos, including a couple of close-ups of the kiss. I was desperate for this to be over, but infuriatingly, only three minutes had passed.

Arnie broke off the kiss. “What else?” he asked eagerly. “Did any of them, uh … did they get out their cocks? I mean, like, did you, you know … touch them…?”

Lexi seemed to cringe a little at the memory. “Yes,” she confessed. “I … I sucked a few of them. And a couple of them put their cocks … inside me.” She bit her lip wretchedly.

I was shocked at this revelation, but also horrified that she had revealed it to Arnie as well as myself. “You didn’t need to tell him that, Lexi!” I protested.

“Oh but you have to let me do that too!” Arnie exclaimed, wide-eyed. “Please! It would be the absolute most awesome way for me to lose my virginity!”

“There isn’t time,” I said firmly. “You’ve only got a minute left.” He actually had a minute and a half.

“Quick!” said Arnie urgently, pushing Lexi forward. “Can you suck my cock for like ten seconds, and then sit on it?” He began fumbling with his belt with feverish excitement as soon as Lexi’s bottom was off him.

Lexi partially stood up, crouching a little to stay out of sight of the driver, and she gave me an apologetic half-smile. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I felt I had to be honest, but…”

“Quick, quick!” said Arnie, hurriedly pushing his jeans and underwear down to his knees. His cock – long and slender, like himself – was standing upright, and I felt a pang of resentment as I noted that it was, like perhaps every other cock that had been inside Lexi, rather longer than my own.

Lexi bent down and took it into her mouth, holding it near the base of the shaft with her right hand, while sucking on it and bobbing her head like an expert. The thought that she had become so well-practised at giving blowjobs filled me with sadness, given that I had yet to benefit from all this experience. As I took another photo, I firmly told myself, ‘Three days! Just three more days, and she’s all yours!’

“Okay, that’s enough,” said Arnie. “Now turn around and sit on my cock … please.”

Lexi lifted her head off his erection, then she hesitated, and looked over at me for support. I grimaced, wanting to tell her ‘Don’t do it! Don’t let him put his cock inside you!’ But she had agreed to this, and I knew her too well to try to persuade her to go back on her word. So I gave her a slight nod, along with a frown to show that while I was allowing it, I didn’t have to like it.

Lexi turned around, then she climbed on to the seat, straddling Arnie’s legs, and lowered herself on to his cock, holding it and guiding it into her vagina. Feeling nauseous, I took a photo, then another. Strangely, it helped to have something to do while this nightmare was unfolding before my eyes. I glanced at the time – twenty-seven seconds left.

Arnie was clutching Lexi’s shoulders, a wild look of intense excitement on his face. Then, as she settled her full weight on his cock and it became fully buried inside her, he suddenly gasped, screwed his eyes tightly shut, and shuddered, uttering a long moan of pleasure.

“Oh god, did you cum?” I demanded anxiously.

“Uhhhh … yeah…” Arnie put his arms around Lexi, and held her tightly against him. “That was amazing – thank you Lexi!”

“Jesus Christ!” I exclaimed. “Okay, time’s up! Time’s up! Get off him, Lexi.”

She tried, but he was still holding her down. “One last photo!” he said. “I want to remember this wonderful moment forever. Lean back against me, Lexi, and we’ll both smile at the camera.”

I glanced down at my phone. Five minutes and seven seconds, and counting. “Your time is up,” I growled. “No more photos. Let her up, please.”

“Just one!” he begged. “Please, Lexi – can you persuade him?”

Lexi bit her lip, and raised her eyebrows at me. “I know you’re upset, darling,” she said, “but what’s done is done. I’m sure it wasn’t his fault – he didn’t mean to cum so quickly. Can he not have one last photo? It won’t make any difference, surely?”

Since it was Lexi asking, I could hardly refuse. “Fine,” I said grudgingly. “Smile, then.”

Lexi leaned back against him, and he grabbed her knees, pulling them up and outward so I had the best possible view of his cock lodged deep in her vagina. As they smiled, I took the final photo, then I handed Arnie’s phone back to him.

“I just thought of something,” he said suddenly. “Are you on the Pill, Lexi?”

“No!” she said, still impaled on his cock. “And I might be ovulating tomorrow, or even today, so I’m a little worried about getting pregnant!”

“Oh wow!” Arnie exclaimed, his eyes widening. “What if you get pregnant, and I’m the dad?”

“Hopefully not!” I said fiercely. “Now could you please…”

“But it’s a possibility, right?” said Arnie. “Should we not exchange phone numbers, just in case you need me to take a paternity test or something?”

I scowled, but realised immediately that his suggestion was a sound one. Not only that, but we probably ought to get Colin’s number as well. “Okay,” I conceded reluctantly, picking up my phone. “What’s your number?”

He recited it, and I added him to my contacts. Then I gave him mine.

“Can I have yours too, Lexi?” Arnie asked.

“Sure,” said Lexi, before I could even open my mouth to suggest that he didn’t need both of our numbers. I sighed as she rattled off hers, with seemingly no regard for her own privacy. At least, I thought, she could block his number if he became a problem.

“All right, now you can get off him, Lexi,” I said shortly. Arnie had already had two minutes more than he had paid for.

“As the possible father of your future baby,” said Arnie cheekily, “could I please have one last kiss?”

“It’s not very likely, you know!” I snapped at him. “Lexi’s had…” But then I saw Lexi looking at me anxiously, and I realised I probably shouldn’t go around announcing how many men had fucked her recently. The last thing I wanted was to humiliate her in public. “…some pretty good advice from her doctor about how to avoid getting pregnant,” I finished awkwardly.

“As long as there’s a chance, I’ll choose to be optimistic,” said Arnie cheerfully. “Come on Lexi – please? Just one last kiss. Who knows when – or if – I’ll ever see you again? But there’s a chance, however remote, that I’ll become an important part of your life, and that of your baby. Isn’t that worth a kiss?”

“I … I guess so,” said Lexi, looking at me sheepishly.

I rolled my eyes, and shrugged. One more kiss wasn’t going to make much difference, I figured.

“Great!” said Arnie. “Can you turn around and face me, while still sitting on my lap?”

For a moment I thought he was asking her to swivel 180 degrees while still impaled on his cock, but he made no objection as she climbed off him, then turned herself around and sat back down, her knees up by her shoulders and her feet planted either side of Arnie’s hips. In the process I caught a brief glimpse of his cock, and was surprised to see that it had already almost re-erected itself.

Arnie took Lexi’s face in his hands, and gently kissed her on the lips. Then he pushed out his tongue, and Lexi opened her mouth to receive it. I folded my arms and frowned, feeling quite strongly that this pimply teenager did not deserve the honour of kissing my sweet naked fiancée so passionately, especially after he had ejaculated inside her without permission or even warning her first.

“Hold on,” he gasped, breaking off for a moment and reaching down beneath Lexi’s pussy. “Lift yourself up a bit – I just need to make an adjustment…”

Lexi waited uncertainly, then her eyes widened in shock. “Naughty boy!” she said. “You shouldn’t be doing that…”

“What the … did he … seriously?” I began, realising what he was doing.

But he had already grasped her hips and pulled her down firmly, making her gasp. Then he kissed her, and once again she readily accepted his tongue, which annoyed me intensely. He had just stuck his cock back inside her without permission, and she was rewarding him with another kiss?

I sat and fumed silently for the next couple of minutes, stubbornly facing the front of the bus, now angry at both Arnie and Lexi. When I next glanced over at them, Lexi was rhythmically grinding her pelvis against Arnie’s, and he was fondling her breasts. “Oh come on!” I protested.

Lexi immediately broke off the kiss and stopped grinding. “I’m sorry!” she said quickly, looking over at me with a rather desperate expression. “I’m so sorry Marty – I got carried away. Arnie got to climax, but I didn’t … and now I’m super horny! But that’s no excuse, I know…”

“Sure it is!” said Arnie. “You were kind enough to let me put my cock inside you, and I had a great orgasm, even if it was a bit quicker than I would have liked. It’s only fair that you should get to climax too. Marty surely wouldn’t be so harsh as to deny you the same pleasure that I had … would he?”

“It’s not a matter of denying her,” I said irritably. “It’s more about what you’re getting out of it.”

“So you want to cut off Lexi’s pleasure just so that you can deprive me of a little more fun?” Arnie inquired. “That seems a little … petty?”

“Dude, you’re sitting there with your cock inside my fiancée!” I protested. “I don’t think it’s petty of me to want that to stop!”

“It’s not,” Lexi assured me. “I’m very sorry, Marty – I’ll climb off at once.” And she tried to do so.

But Arnie held her firmly in place. “Dude, don’t be selfish,” he admonished me. “She wants to get off me in order to please you, but obviously she’s still horny and wants to … get off, in the other sense. I totally get why you’re jealous – who wouldn’t be? But if you want to be a kind and supportive fiancé to Lexi, you’ll tell her it’s okay to make herself cum first, so she can relax. Then she won’t resent you for making her stop before she’s ready to.”

“Jeez, Arnie, it’s like you’ve been taking lessons from Ryan,” I grumbled. “Fine, I guess it doesn’t make any difference if you’re inside her a few more minutes. Go ahead Lexi – you can carry on until you climax. Just try to make it quick, please. But, uh … no pressure.”

“Are you sure?” she asked anxiously.

“Yes, I’m sure,” I said, forcing a smile. “Go on – enjoy yourself.” Then I glared at Arnie. “Just to be clear, I’m allowing this for Lexi, not for you!”

“Understood,” he replied, grinning.

And for the rest of the bus journey, I morosely stared at my phone while Lexi bounced up and down on Arnie’s cock. At first they were kissing, too, but before long she was too out of breath to do so. Eventually – and not a moment too soon, because the bus was almost at our stop – she stiffened and moaned, and Arnie grinned happily and put his arms around her, holding her close.

“All right, we’re almost home, get dressed Lexi,” I said.

Lexi climbed off Arnie, whose erection glistened, slick with their shared juices. “Bye Arnie!” she said.

“Bye Lexi,” he replied, his eyes shining happily. “It was great having sex with you.”

She quickly put her panties on, stepped into her shoes, and pulled her top over her head. As she tugged her top down over her breasts, we made our way to the front.

Once we had disembarked, Lexi clutched my arm. “I feel really guilty,” she confessed. “I’m sorry, Marty – I totally just prioritised my pleasure over your feelings, didn’t I?”

“Not at all,” I replied grumpily. “I told you to go ahead, didn’t I? If anyone was prioritising your pleasure, it was me. And I was happy to do it.”

“I’m not sure that’s true, darling,” she ventured, butting my shoulder with the side of her head. “And I don’t think it was healthy. I shouldn’t be having sex with other men if I can possibly avoid it – and on the bus just now, I really think I could have avoided it. And I knew that, deep down. I just … I’m afraid I was really horny, and not thinking straight.”

“Well I wasn’t horny, and I was thinking straight,” I told her firmly. “And I told you to go for it. So don’t beat yourself up. But you’re right – it probably wasn’t healthy.” I sighed. “But I’m not sure what difference it makes. You’ll be having unprotected sex with Ryan and Drake later, anyway. They’ve promised to try to keep other men away from you, but only if…” I trailed off, embarrassed to admit to her the deal I made.

“If what?” she asked, puzzled.

I grimaced. “Lexi, I’m sorry – I’m afraid I sort of made a deal with them. They’ll help you to avoid having sex with other men … if they can have sex with you whenever they want. Including … after our wedding.”

“Oh!” she said in surprise. “Wow. Marty!”

“I know, I know!” I apologised. “It was a stupid deal to make. I was just … I was upset at the idea of you having sex with more and more men, and I thought, if it was just Ryan and Drake, that would at least be more bearable…”

She hugged me. “I understand,” she said. “But aren’t we moving out after the wedding? That was your plan, right?”

“Yeah,” I agreed, “but Ryan and Drake both pointed out that it’s not a great plan. We’d be ditching financial stability for an uncertain future. My plan … it could be quite costly, and I’m already in debt up to my eyeballs. I think perhaps we ought to stay with Ryan and Drake until we’re out of debt, at least.”

“Oh!” said Lexi, sounding relieved. “Okay. I would totally have taken the plunge with you, but I confess I was a little worried about how we were going to make it work.”

I sighed, and nodded. “Yeah, well, unfortunately it means resigning myself to having to share you with Ryan and Drake.”

She stood on tiptoe, and kissed my cheek. “I’m sure they’ll eventually get bored of me,” she said. “And they’ll find their own girlfriends, who won’t let them have sex with me. Anyway, after we’re married, at least we’ll be able to sleep together again! And we can have sex as much as you want!”

“That’ll be nice,” I said with a smile. “I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to it! But … what if … you know … after all the sex you’ve had … what if you find me … disappointing…?”

“That won’t happen,” she replied firmly. “Don’t even think that! Having sex with you will be extra-special because I’m in love with you. I’m not in love with Ryan, or Drake, or Colin, or Aaron, or anyone else, Marty. I’m in love with you, and you’re the person I most want to have sex with.”

“But what if I’m no good at it?” I asked plaintively.

“Then we’ll practise a LOT!” she replied, giggling. “And you’ll inevitably get better!”

I laughed too – this was such an optimistic and upbeat way of looking at it. “Okay,” I said happily. “That sounds good to me!”

My buoyant mood lasted exactly thirty seconds. As we entered our apartment building, two young black men were just stepping out of the elevator, talking heatedly; I recognised them as Jamal and Antwan, two of the young men that Lexi and I had met in the elevator last Sunday.

“You gotta talk to him, bro!” Antwan was saying animatedly. “He’s yo brother!”

“That don’t mean he’ll listen to me…” Jamal began, but at that point both of them noticed Lexi and me, and their jaws dropped.

“Lexi!” said Antwan in delight. “And Marvin! Hey guys. Another dare?”

“Hi guys,” I replied nervously. “It’s Marty though.”

“No, this isn’t another dare,” Lexi confessed, clasping her hands in front of her panties, her bag bumping her knees as she slowed to a halt. “I’m pretty much dressing like this all the time now.”

“No way!” Jamal exclaimed in delight. “Ain’t you scared to go out like that?”

Lexi giggled. “A little!” she said. “But it’s exciting. I couldn’t have imagined doing anything like this, even a month ago. But Marty and his friends have helped me to feel more confident and sexy.”

“Sexy is right!” said Antwan fervently. “Girl, you hot as hell in that get-up! But don’t you get guys takin’ all kinds of liberties? I dunno, I can’t speak for all men, but I gotta think a lot of ‘em would take that as, y’know, permission…”

“I get groped a lot,” said Lexi candidly. “At first it bothered me, but I’m getting pretty used to it now. I don’t really mind, as long as they’re gentle.”

I turned and stared at her. “Don’t tell them that!” I whispered in exasperation. Her naïveté was endearing, but sometimes rather maddening.

Both young men laughed. “Well, you do you, Lexi!” said Antwan. “I think it’s awesome. Hey, you gonna come to our roof party on Saturday evening? We’d love to see you.”

“We’d love to,” I said quickly, before Lexi could say anything else foolish, “but we’re getting married on Sunday, so we’ll be rather busy on Saturday with preparations.”

“Oh wow!” said Jamal. “Congratulations!”

“It’s all very sudden!” said Lexi with a giggle. “We only arranged it with our pastor yesterday, and got our marriage licence today.”

“That’s a very quick wedding!” Antwan remarked. “Do you need help with any of the arrangements? Flowers, photographer, catering? My aunt Jackie’s a florist, Jamal’s brother Daniel is a mean photographer, and we got a ton of female relatives who love to cook…”

I stared at him in astonishment. “You … you don’t even know us! I mean, that’s an incredibly generous offer, but … why?” I glanced at Lexi; she too looked shocked.

Antwan laughed. “We wouldn’t do it for free, homie! But you won’t get better deals nowhere else, I promise you that. This place, this building … it’s a community, man! A community! You know what I’m sayin’? We look out for each other.”

“I love that!” said Lexi excitedly. “What a wonderful spirit!”

“Yes, well, I agree … but Pastor John already gave us contacts for a photographer and a florist,” I pointed out.

“Have you called them yet?” Lexi inquired. I had not yet had a chance to tell her about the calls I had made.

I pursed my lips. “The florist was too expensive,” I said, “so I figured we should do it ourselves. The photographer hasn’t called me back yet.”

“There you go!” said Antwan, grinning. “Just leave it all to me – I’ll fix you up with flowers, catering, a photographer … we just need to sit down together and figure it out. I promise we’ll keep the costs as low as possible.”

Lexi turned to me. “Oh Marty, that sounds like a wonderful plan!” she said.

I reluctantly nodded. “All right,” I agreed.

“And how ‘bout a bachelor party for you, Marty?” asked Antwan. “And a bachelorette party for Lexi? Have you arranged those? We can easily take care of both if you like.”

I shuddered at the idea of Lexi being ‘entertained’ by male strippers. “I think we can do without,” I said.

“Aw c’mon, Marty!” exclaimed Jamal. “Ain’t a genuine wedding if you ain’t been lettin’ loose the night before!”

“Maybe so,” said Lexi, “but I’ve heard about these types of parties, and it sounds like they can get pretty wild! I’m not sure Marty … or I … need any more wildness in our lives right now.”

“How about you just come to our roof party?” Antwan suggested. “Kill two birds with one stone, you know what I’m sayin’? No need for things to get out of hand. Have a couple drinks, dance a bit, just have some fun for a couple hours. You do like fun, right Marty?”

“Of course I like fun!” I said defensively. “I just think, the night before our wedding, we’ll be a little busy.”

“With what?” Jamal asked. “If we’re handling the food ‘n’ flowers ‘n’ shit … what else d’ya need help with?”

“I … don’t know,” I admitted. The truth was, I just didn’t fancy the idea of hanging out with a bunch of black guys, especially if Lexi was going to be dressed as skimpily as she was now.

“Your roomies can come along too,” Antwan added. “Drake and … what’s his name … Brian?”

“Ryan,” I said.

“Oh, I think it’ll be fun!” said Lexi eagerly, clutching my arm. “And if Drake and Ryan are there, we won’t feel so out of place, right?”

“Maybe we can rustle up a couple more white folks,” Antwan teased us, making Lexi giggle.

I chuckled politely. “Thank you, but I’m sure we’ll be fine. If Ryan and Drake are there, I’ll certainly feel more comfortable. Sure, let’s do it.”

“Sweet!” said Jamal, giving Lexi’s panties a hungry look that rather annoyed me. I knew I could not blame men for looking at Lexi with lust when she was dressed this way, but it still made me very uncomfortable, and I decided I had to finally do something about it.

“When do you want to get together to discuss the wedding stuff?” Antwan asked. “We should probably do that sooner rather than later, but I’m just heading out right now. We can do it tomorrow morning, maybe?”

“We’ll be working,” I said.

“I have the afternoon off, though!” said Lexi brightly. “Maybe you could come over to our apartment?”

“Sure, that sounds good,” said Antwan. “Gimme your number, and I’ll text you first to make sure it’s a good time.”

“Okay!” said Lexi, and she gave him her number. I wanted to object to this, but I had no better plan as an alternative. Lexi’s afternoon off would indeed be well-spent on wedding prep, and Antwan coming to our apartment was preferable to her going to his. At least Ryan would be there to make sure Antwan didn’t take advantage.

“All right, well, see you around,” I said, gently steering Lexi toward the elevator.

“Bye guys!” said Lexi, waving happily.

“See you tomorrow, Lexi,” said Antwan with a grin.

We rode the elevator upward, and entered our apartment a few moments later. Ryan was in the living room, wearing only his underwear, playing God of War, which he immediately paused.

“Lexi!” he said happily. “I missed you, honey. Now why don’t you get naked and come and sit on my cock?” He patted his junk through his boxer shorts.

Lexi gasped, and put her hand to her face. “Ryan!” she exclaimed.

Ryan grinned. “Did Marty not tell you about the deal he made with me and Drake?”

“I did tell her!” I said irritably. “But part of that deal was that Lexi has to agree to it too. You can’t just assume you can have sex with her whenever you want!”

“Well, that was kind of the deal, Marty!” Ryan pointed out. “Obviously Lexi has a choice in the matter, and I’d never force her to do anything she didn’t want to do … but we all know that Lexi enjoys having sex with me and Drake, and we made the deal on the assumption that she’d be cool with it. If she’s not – and she absolutely has a right not to be – then there’s really no deal.”

“Couldn’t you try to keep other men away from Lexi, I don’t know, out of the goodness of your heart?” I suggested, annoyed.

Ryan nodded. “Sure, of course,” he said. “But then we’d be upholding our end of the deal without you upholding yours. We can do that, but it’ll be hard to feel like you aren’t taking advantage of our friendship, expecting us to do a job you should really be doing yourself. But, well, I can’t speak for Drake, but I guess I’m prepared to do that, if Lexi doesn’t want to honour the deal…”

Lexi turned to me. “I don’t think that would be fair, Marty,” she said anxiously. “I’m not mad at you for making the deal without me here to agree to it, but I do think I should honour it. If the deal was for Ryan and Drake to have sex with me whenever they want … I … I consent to that.”

I died a little inside. “Okay,” I said unhappily. “I guess I only have myself to blame. Go on then.”

She stood on tiptoe, and kissed my cheek. “I love you,” she said. And then she stepped out of her shoes, pulled her top up and over her head, and then tugged her panties down. I picked up the latter as she approached Ryan; they were soaked with cum. I then picked up her top and shoes.

“I’ll just put these in the bedroom,” I said.

“Thank you,” said Lexi, as she climbed on to Ryan’s lap. He had removed his boxer shorts, and as she put her arms around his neck and looked into his eyes, she slowly lowered herself on to his cock. He took hold of it and guided it in, gasping with pleasure as he sank deep inside her.

“God, you’re so wet already!” he said, wide-eyed.

“I’m sorry, it’s Arnie’s cum,” she apologised.

“Ugh!” said Ryan in dismay. “Who the fuck is Arnie?”

At the doorway of my bedroom, I smirked. “Just a rando on the bus,” I said. “You might want to ask Lexi how her day went before you stick your cock inside her … oh, too late I guess.”

Ryan hesitated, then shrugged. “Ah, fuck it,” he said. “Ride me, Lexi!”

She giggled, and began bouncing up and down. My brief moment of schadenfreude passed, and I grouchily stomped into my bedroom and closed the door.

Twenty minutes later, Lexi entered the room, completely naked and looking thoughtful. She approached me with a sheepish expression as I took out my earbuds. “Did you have nice sex?” I asked, trying not to sound as bitter as I felt.

“Yes thank you,” she replied. “But, um, I sort of promised Ryan I wouldn’t wear panties anymore in the apartment.”

I groaned and rolled my eyes. “Why would you do that?” I asked in exasperation.

She bit her lip. “I … I don’t know. I was super horny and not thinking straight – and when he whispered in my ear, it just sounded so naughty and sexy. I’m sorry.”

I shrugged. “Well it’s not like you have any secrets from Drake and Ryan anymore,” I said. “I guess it doesn’t make much difference at this point. But you’re going to be dripping cum everywhere and making wet spots on the furniture if they’re going to be fucking you every chance they get.”

She grimaced, and entwined her fingers together in front of her pussy. “Well … that’s the other thing,” she said. “Ryan made the same observation … but he had a solution. He … he gave me a little gift he’d ordered for me online.” She approached me awkwardly, and then raised her left foot up on to the bed. I now spotted something between her legs: a pink rubber disc covering the entrance to her vagina.

“What’s that?” I demanded incredulously.

“It’s called a ‘butt plug’,” she replied, with a nervous giggle. “I guess it’s supposed to go in the butt, but it can be used in the vagina too. Ryan said it would help to keep his cum inside me instead of it leaking out all over the place.”

“But we don’t want to keep his cum inside you!” I protested. “Surely? What happened to flushing yourself out? May I remind you that you’re due to ovulate tomorrow!”

Her lower lip began to wobble, and tears formed in her eyes. “I know,” she whispered tragically. “But Marty … with all the sex I’ve been having … I think … and Ryan also pointed out … I’m almost certainly getting pregnant this cycle. If I don’t, it’ll be because there’s some issue with my own biology, and not because of a shortage of viable sperm. Either way, there doesn’t seem to be any point in flushing myself out anymore – and the nurse said it’s unhealthy to do so anyway.”

I said nothing, and put my head in my hands dejectedly. I had come to the same conclusion myself, but it was still devastating to hear Lexi say it plainly. I was going to be a father to some other man’s baby. I had no idea whose it would be; the one thing I knew for sure was that it wouldn’t be mine.

Lexi sat down beside me, and I realised she was weeping uncontrollably. “I’m s…sorry Marty,” she sobbed. “I’ve ruined everything. You deserve better than this; you deserve a wife who will have sex with you and only you. I’m going to be a terrible wife. You should just leave me and marry someone else.”

“Don’t say that,” I told her firmly. “And don’t use that as an excuse to leave me!” The prospect of being married to a woman who couldn’t stop having sex with other men was horrifying … but the prospect of losing Lexi entirely was far worse. She was the most beautiful woman in the world and she loved me, and if there was a price to pay for keeping her as my wife, then so be it: I would pay that price. “I love you, Lexi. I want more than anything to be your husband. I want to have a family with you, and if the first of our kids isn’t biologically mine, well, I can live with that. It’ll be worth it, just to be with you. Don’t even think about not marrying me ‘for my own good’. The thought of marrying you is the one thing that’s keeping me sane throughout all this … this craziness. Please don’t take that away from me.”

Still sobbing, she threw her arms around me. “Oh, thank you, thank you,” she said. “I love you so much, Marty! Of course I’ll marry you, if you still want me. I just worry about the toll it’s taking on you…”

“It’s rough,” I admitted, “but nothing compared to the heartbreak that would come from losing you.” I stroked her hair. “So let’s have no more nonsense about you not ‘deserving’ me, or me ‘deserving better’ than you. I would marry you even if it meant I could never have sex with you myself, and had to watch as other men fucked you every morning, noon and night.”

She giggled tearfully. “Oh Marty, don’t be silly. You and I are going to have lots and lots of wonderful sex, and somehow … I don’t know how, but somehow … we’re going to figure out how to keep other men from having sex with me. I want to be just yours, Marty! Only yours! You’re the only man I love.”

I sighed, and held her naked body tightly against me. Moments like this made it all worthwhile. “It makes me happy to hear that,” I sighed. “Now, let me get you something to eat – I’m sure you’re starving. I ate with Drake and Ryan earlier, sorry.”

“Actually I had some dinner at Futureland,” said Lexi. “Bo bought me a burger and fries, and a big cup of lemonade. So I’m fine – thank you. But I should probably go and help Patrick with his shower…”

I pursed my lips. “Oh, you’re still going to do that, are you?”

“Well … yeah,” she said sheepishly. “I feel sort of obligated. He needs help, and I agreed to do it.”

“But he put his cock in you!” I said. “I’m not sure he deserves your help.”

She wiped her eyes. “Marty, so many men have put their cocks in me,” she said resignedly. “I’m not sure I can either blame him or punish him for that. I did let him do it, after all.” Then she managed a little smile. “If he tries it again this evening, though, he won’t get very far – you know, with the plug there…”

I chuckled. “I guess that’s a good argument for keeping it in,” I conceded. “Are you at least going to put on some panties before you go over there?”

“Of course!” she said in surprise. “And a top! Did you think I was planning to leave the apartment naked??”

I shook my head, feeling rather abashed. “No – of course not – goodness no. Sorry, I’m not sure what I was thinking. Maybe it’s because you seem to have become more and more comfortable in skimpier and skimpier outfits … and now you’re naked and planning to stay naked in the apartment…”

Lexi giggled. “Yes, well, it’s hard to feel ashamed of my body when everyone is so complimentary about it. Ryan especially has helped me to feel quite proud of how nice my naked body looks. I know it’s not going to look like this forever, but as he said, I might as well make the most of it while I can.”

There was a knock on the door. “Uh, who is it?” I asked, glancing at my naked fiancée.

“Drake!” Drake replied.

“Oh – come in, I guess,” I said reluctantly.

The door opened, and Drake grinned as he saw Lexi. “Hey guys,” he said. “Lexi, you coming to the gym with me?”

“Oh!” said Lexi. Perhaps, like me, she had been expecting him to demand sex on the spot. “Goodness … it’s already eight o’clock. I was planning to go and help Patrick with his shower.”

“That old fart can shower himself,” said Drake unsympathetically. “He’s managed it for years; he doesn’t need you as much as he says. And if you go over there tonight, he’s gon’ fuck you, Lexi, I guarantee it. And I made a deal with Marty to keep other men from fucking you, so, y’know, I’m trying to honour that.”

“I appreciate that, Drake,” I said. “He does have a point, Lexi. I’m sure Patrick can manage by himself; he just likes showering with a beautiful naked woman.”

“He can’t even reach his back!” said Lexi. “Look, I’m not stupid – I know he likes showering with me because it gives him the opportunity of groping me, and maybe even trying to get his cock inside me – but that doesn’t change the fact that he needs help, and I practically promised him I’d give him that help. I know you’re trying to protect me from other men, Drake, but I’ll be all right – Ryan gave me a present that should keep Patrick from going too far with me.”

“Yeah, I heard,” said Drake, staring curiously at what little of her pussy he could see. “Anyways, don’t say I didn’t warn you. But that don’t stop you from goin’ to the gym. Patrick can wait … he can’t expect you to neglect your own physical health just so he can have an early bedtime. We’ll make it a quick one, but you owe it to yourself to put in at least a half-hour’s workout.”

Lexi nodded. “Okay, that sounds good,” she said. “What outfit should I wear?”

Drake grinned. “Crop top and panties should be fine,” he said. “I’ll make sure no-one harasses you.”

Lexi giggled. “Okay!”

I was concerned to see her putting on her grey and green crop top, which I knew was going to ride up and expose her breasts. But Drake had committed to keeping Lexi safe from other men, and he was quite capable of doing so. “Have fun,” I said.

“Thanks darling,” said Lexi, giving me a quick peck on the lips. “You too.”

She and Drake left, and I sat down next to Ryan on the living room couch. “A butt plug?” I demanded.

Ryan grinned. “I actually bought it so we could loosen her up for anal sex,” he said. “But it occurred to me that it would work very nicely to keep cum from leaking out of her.”

“Anal sex?” I gasped. “Jeez dude – leave something for me, please!”

He shrugged. “You can have anal sex with her too.”

“That’s not the point!” I exclaimed. “All of her firsts have been with you and Drake! Except for her first kiss – but that’s about it!”

“That’s not true at all,” he replied. “Her doctor was the first to properly fuck her and cum inside her. And you were right there, watching, and didn’t even stop him!”

“I didn’t imagine he was going to cum inside her!” I snapped. “He was just supposed to be preparing her vagina for the speculum. And since she’d already had a few cocks in her by that point, I didn’t think it would be that big of a deal … until it was too late.”

Ryan smirked. “Yeah, well, I’m sorry to break it to you, Marty, but I’m going to try and fuck Lexi in the ass tonight. And if it doesn’t work out tonight, then definitely tomorrow night. I’m sure you’ll have some firsts with her, but anal sex won’t be one of them.”

“We’ll see about that,” I muttered. I knew the odds were against me, but I was determined to somehow keep Lexi’s anal virginity for myself.

“Wanna play some Minecraft?” Ryan asked. “Start a new world? See if we can beat the Ender Dragon before Drake and Lexi get back?”

I snorted. “Not possible,” I said.

“Sure it is,” said Ryan, “if we collaborate, and coordinate our strategy.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Keep inventory on?”

“Don’t be a pussy,” he admonished me. “We can do this.”

I sighed. “I think it kind of depends on how long it takes us to find a fortress …. but, fine, let’s go for it.”

Two hours later, when Drake and Lexi returned, I was feeling rather frustrated. In my haste to loot the fortress we had found, I had been knocked off a bridge into the lava ocean below, which had of course killed me and destroyed all of my equipment. I was in the process of mining some more iron to make another suit or armour for myself, and Ryan was gathering ender pearls in a warped forest he had found, when Lexi walked in, topless.

My jaw dropped. “Lexi!” I exclaimed. “Where’s your top?”

She giggled. “Here!” she said, holding it up. “Drake dared me to walk here from his car in just my panties and shoes … and I did it!”

“Good grief, Lexi, is there anything you wouldn’t do if Drake or Ryan dared you to do it?” I asked in disbelief.

“Of course!” she said, looking crestfallen. “I’m sorry – I didn’t think you’d mind. Drake was with me – I didn’t feel in any danger.”

“I’m just … I just hope you’re not planning to make a habit out of it,” I said. “Your outfits are rapidly shrinking to nonexistence – even your going-out-in-public outfits. I’m just … concerned.”

“Oh, I’m definitely not planning to make a habit of going topless in public!” Lexi assured me. “Drake tells me it’s not illegal, but even so – I think a lot of people would complain.”

“Yes, I’m sure they would,” I agreed. “Anyway, how was your workout?”

“It was … memorable,” said Lexi, looking slightly uncomfortable. “I’ll tell you all about it, but I really need a shower … and so does Patrick. Can we talk after I come back from his place…?”

Ryan elbowed me. “Then we’ll have time to do the Ender Dragon.”

I grimaced, but nodded. “Fine,” I said. “Just … keep that plug in! If it is still in…”

Lexi patted the front of her panties. “Yup!” she said cheerfully. “I’m very well protected.”

“I still think you shouldn’t go over there,” said Drake. “I hate to say it, Lexi, but it’s kinda easy to talk you into stuff.”

A look of mortification came over Lexi’s face. “I know you all think I’m very naive,” she said, “and maybe you’re right. I tend to assume people are generally honest and have good intentions, and perhaps that leaves me vulnerable to being taken advantage of. But the alternative is to be cynical and distrustful, and I don’t feel like that’s a very healthy way of looking at the world.”

“You’re right, Lexi,” said Ryan firmly, “and I’m sure both Marty and Drake would agree with me that we love you just the way you are. I don’t think any of us wants to see you become cynical and untrusting, nor would we want to stop you from being good and kind to people, even if there’s a risk of them taking advantage of you. The only person whose behaviour you’re responsible for is you, and what’s most important is that you stay true to yourself. Wouldn’t you agree, guys?”

“Yes, absolutely,” I said. “I fell in love with the sweet girl that you are; I don’t want you becoming all bitter and cynical at the world.”

Lexi beamed at me.

“Neither do I,” Drake admitted. “It’s just that I’ve agreed to keep you from having sex with other men, so I feel it’s my duty to warn you, at the very least, when you’re about to go into a situation where that’s a possibility.”

“And now you have,” said Ryan, “and I’m sure Marty has too, and I’ve equipped her with some protection against the kind of ‘accidents’ that might happen in the shower. But we can’t control every aspect of Lexi’s life, and if she chooses to continue to assist an old man who’s already taken advantage of her more than once, we shouldn’t try to stop her. Her kindness is a strength, not a weakness.”

“Aww!” said Lexi, clearly touched.

“I agree,” I said, nodding. “Just … please be careful, darling.”

Lexi smiled happily. “I will,” she said. “And don’t worry – I’ve no intention of changing who I am. I know it puts me at risk of being molested, or worse, by other men … but it’s nice to know that you all still want me to stay true to myself! Anyway, I’ll just go grab my shower things, and then I’ll go to Patrick’s.”

Ryan and I resumed our game, and Drake retired to his bedroom. A few moments later, Lexi left the apartment with her top back on and a bag in her hand. I watched the door close behind her, and then I resumed mining through a mixture of granite and stone, trying not to think about the various strategies Patrick might employ in order to get his cock inside my sweet fiancée.

Ryan sighed. “He’s totally going to fuck her, isn’t he?”

“Don’t be so sure!” I admonished him. “Lexi’s naive, but she’s not stupid. I think we’ve adequately prepared her. She knows what Patrick’s intentions will likely be, and this time she’s got that plug inside her – thanks to you. She’s on her guard. I think she’ll surprise you.”

Ryan chuckled. “You don’t really believe that, Marty. Deep down, you know she’ll come back with her vagina full of Patrick’s cum.”

“I know no such thing!” I retorted. “In fact I’m willing to bet she doesn’t.”

“Ha!” said Ryan sceptically. “I doubt that very much. Willing to bet a nickel, maybe.”

“How about a dollar?” I suggested.

“Oh my!” said Ryan with a mocking grin. “You really have that much faith in her? A whole dollar?”

“A hundred dollars then!” I said rashly, my annoyance getting the better of me.

“Come on Marty, you can’t afford to lose a hundred dollars,” he replied. “Oh fuck fuck fuck! Yikes … that was too close! Fucking wither skeletons…”

“It sure would be nice to win a hundred, though,” I remarked. “I think you’re just scared Lexi will prove you wrong.”

“Oh, I can totally afford a hundred, dude,” said Ryan. “I just don’t want to take it from you. I’ll tell you what, though. If she comes back without Patrick’s cum inside her, I’ll give you a hundred dollars. But if she DOES have his cum inside her…”

“Inside her vagina,” I corrected him. “I don’t have a problem with her giving him a blowjob if it’ll keep him from fucking her.”

Ryan laughed. “Oh dude!” he said. “I never thought I’d hear you say you don’t have a problem with Lexi giving another guy a blowjob!”

I felt my cheeks reddening. “Context matters, dude!” I said. “Obviously I don’t like it – but given the choice between a blowjob and sex?”

“Yeah, yeah, I get it,” he said. “Fine – inside her vagina. If she has his cum inside her vagina … I don’t want your money…”

“I’m not letting you have anal sex with her!” I said sharply, guessing his intent.

“No no,” he assured me. “Nothing like that. I was thinking more of a forfeit on your part. I don’t want you to lose money … but how about you lose your kissing privileges with Lexi?”

“What?” I said in surprise.

“If I win the bet,” Ryan clarified, “and Lexi has Patrick’s cum in her vagina when she gets back here, you forfeit your right to kiss her. Until the wedding, of course.”

I frowned uneasily. “Are we talking any kind of kiss? Or just French-kissing?”

“Hmm,” said Ryan. “I’d say just French-kissing, but you’ll just make up for it with sucking on her neck, or nipples, or…”

“Dude!”

“Let’s just say,” Ryan went on, “you can’t touch any part of her with your lips, until the pastor says ‘You may now kiss the bride.’ How’s that?”

“I think that sucks,” I said. “I’m not going to risk losing my right to kiss my fiancée!”

“See?” said Ryan smugly. “I knew it. Deep down, you know what’s going to happen over there. You know Lexi’s going to take out her plug, and let Patrick slide his wrinkly old cock into her, and let him thrust and thrust inside her until he climaxes and fills her vagina with his cum…”

“Fuck you!” I said hotly. “That’s bullshit! She’s not going to let him do that. I have faith in her. Fine, I’ll take the bet! You’re going to be a hundred dollars poorer in a few minutes, Ryan!”

“I don’t think so!” he said. “And I also don’t think you’ll honour the bet. I want to hear you swear it. Swear an oath, like you did before.”

“Fine!” I growled. Looking around, I spotted my Bible still sitting on the table. I picked it up. “I solemnly swear on this Bible that if Lexi comes back from Patrick’s apartment this evening with his cum in her vagina, I won’t touch any part of her body with my lips until Pastor John says ‘You may now kiss the bride’, or words to that effect.” I put the Bible down.

“Okay,” said Ryan, grinning. “And what about a consequence, if you break that oath?”

I shrugged. “It’s academic, since I’m going to win the bet. But IF I lose, and I break my oath and kiss Lexi before the wedding … I don’t know. What do you think?”

Ryan shrugged. “It’ll have to be something pretty big,” he said. “Like, you’ll have to let me fuck Lexi on your wedding night. Yeah – she’ll go to the hotel with me instead of you, and we’ll spend all night fucking, while you stay here with Drake.”

I shuddered. This idea was too awful to contemplate. “Nah, that’s too much,” I said. “I wouldn’t give up my wedding night with Lexi for any reason. Even on a 0.001 percent chance. Think of something else.”

Ryan contemplated this while he roamed through the fortress, looking for nether wart. Then he said, “Okay, how about this? You get your wedding night, but you only have sex with her once, and you have to wear a condom while you do it.”

“No good,” I said. “Lexi’s against contraception.”

“Oh, right,” said Ryan, sounding disappointed. He sighed, and thought for a few moments more. “Oh! Nether wart! Found it!”

“Okay, great,” I said. “Now get your ass back home so we can make some Eyes of Ender and find a stronghold. I assume you’ve got plenty of blaze rods?”

“Yup, on my way,” he replied. Then, as he bounced along a tunnel, “Okay, I got it. You get your wedding night, and you can fuck Lexi without a condom … but only after me and Drake have fucked her first. Then you’ll get sloppy thirds. She’s not allowed to clean herself out in between. And that’ll be the only time you get to fuck her until the following night. And … you have to pull out before you cum.”

“Jesus Christ, Ryan!” I said irritably. “That’s disgusting – and humiliating! Why would you want to do that to your best friend?”

“Dude, it’s supposed to be unpleasant,” said Ryan. “That’s the whole point! If it was something you were willing to do, it wouldn’t be much of a disincentive, would it? Admit it, this one checks all the boxes: it lets you have your wedding night, it doesn’t violate Lexi’s rules against contraception, and yet it’s sufficiently horrific that you’ll be extremely motivated to not violate your oath.”

“I guess so,” I conceded. Then I played my trump card. “But I can’t agree to it anyway, because it’s Lexi’s decision as much as mine.”

“Obviously she’ll have to agree to it too,” Ryan acknowledged. “You’re just agreeing to your part: allowing me and Drake to fuck her first, and pulling out before you climax. She can always refuse if she wants to.”

I climbed the cobblestone stairs back to my house of polished granite and spruce planks, and dumped eighteen pieces of raw iron into my furnace. “Fine,” I grumbled. “You’re right, it’s a powerful incentive. But don’t get your hopes up, because Lexi’s not going to let Patrick cum inside her!”

“We’ll see,” said Ryan. “Now I want to hear you swear that you’ll stick to this wedding night consequence, if it comes to that. I don’t want you weaseling out…”

I grumpily reached out and touched the Bible. “I swear it!”

Ryan smiled, and nodded in satisfaction. “And Drake and I will be there to make sure you stick to the letter of the rules.”

“Whatever!” I said. “It’s not gonna happen.”

Half an hour later, Lexi had not yet returned. “I’m a little worried,” I admitted. “Maybe I should go over there…”

“Don’t you dare!” said Ryan. “That’s against the spirit of our bet. Lexi has to fend Patrick off by herself. If you interfere, you’re not getting my hundred dollars. Besides, we’re finally ready to fight the Ender Dragon!”

“I still need three more diamonds!” I said. “I want all diamond armour before we go into the End.”

Ryan rolled his eyes. “Jeez, dude,” he said. “I’ll give you three diamonds. Now quit stalling and let’s do this.”

I sighed. “Okay.”

Once I had made a diamond helmet, we jumped into the End Portal, and found ourselves in an obsidian platform next to a yellow cliff. Ryan immediately began mining a stairway upward into the End stone. “Dibs on the egg,” he said.

We fought the dragon, and won without loss of life. Ryan grabbed the egg, while I started building a staircase up to the gateway that had formed upon the dragon’s demise. “You got an ender pearl?” I asked him.

“I have a trapdoor,” he replied.

“Even better,” I said, and we entered the gateway.

“Jeez!” said Ryan, as we materialised on the very corner of a tiny island about twenty blocks from the nearest major island. It was also about twenty blocks below us.

I began bridging toward it. “I have a water bucket,” I said. Once I was safely over the large island, I constructed a platform with a hole in the middle, in which I placed a water block. Then I stepped into it.

Ryan landed next to me, and immediately raced off in search of a city. He found one within a minute. “Ship!” he reported.

I sighed. “Well I guess that one’s yours.”

“Want me to get a pair of elytra for you?” he asked.

“No thanks, I’ll find my own,” I replied.

“Got plenty of blocks?” he asked.

“Ten stacks,” I said. “And I can always mine end stone if I need more. Jeez, what’s taking so long over there…?”

“They’re probably cuddling as they get their breath back,” Ryan surmised.

I turned and glared at him. “Stop assuming the worst!” I said sharply.

He shrugged. “I’m hoping for the best,” he said. “I can afford to lose a hundred bucks, but I’d prefer not to.”

“You’re supposed to be on my side, though!” I complained. “What happened to helping me to keep her away from other men?”

“Hey, I did my part,” said Ryan. “Ack – fucking endermen. That was dumb.”

“If you die, I’m totally grabbing the elytra from that ship,” I warned him.

“I’m fine!” he said, now standing in the middle of a pool of water and munching on golden carrots. Then he attacked the enderman he had inadvertently aggroed, hitting it with his sword until it fell on to its side and disappeared, leaving a couple of ender pearls behind.

I headed off in a different direction, skirting around the edge of the island until I reached the closest point to the next island. I bridged over to it across the void, explored it, bridged to another island, explored that, bridged to yet another island … and spotted another city in the distance. It looked small, and I feared it had no ship … but as I approached, I was delighted to see one on the far side. “Found another ship!” I said.

But I had only just begun building a tower up to its level when the door opened, and Lexi entered. I crouched, for safety, and looked up at her apprehensively. A sense of dread filled my heart as I saw her expression: she looked ashamed and embarrassed.

“Hi darling,” I said. “Did … uh … is your, um, plug still in…?”

She looked down at the floor. “It’s in,” she said.

“It didn’t stay in the whole time though, right?” asked Ryan, smirking a little.

She bit her lip, and shook her head.

I groaned. “Did Patrick … have sex with you?” I asked.

She nodded.

Sweat broke out on my forehead. But there was still a chance… “Did he … cum inside you?”

She nodded again.

Ryan snickered. “Bad luck, Marty,” he said. “You want to explain to Lexi what that means?”

“What?” asked Lexi, looking up anxiously.

“I want an explanation for how Patrick managed to fuck you, first!” I said indignantly. “Okay maybe I was stupid to do so, but I made a bet with Ryan on whether you’d be coming back here full of Patrick’s cum. I was sure you wouldn’t.”

“I’m so sorry!” said Lexi wretchedly, her eyes filling with tears. “How much did you lose?”

“I didn’t lose money,” I grumbled. “Just the right to kiss you. Until our wedding.”

Lexi put a hand to her mouth. “Oh no!”

“But how did it happen?” I asked her in bewilderment.

“Undress first,” said Ryan.

Lexi put down her bag, then she took off her top and panties. While she was doing this, I quickly built a walled platform around myself, then quit the game. Ryan patted his lap, and Lexi walked over and sat down upon him, as naturally and automatically as if she was his fiancée instead of mine. For some reason, this irritated me even more than the discovery that Patrick had cum inside her. I almost said something, before I realised that if he wanted, Ryan could ask her to sit on his cock, and she would do it, and there was nothing I would be able to do to stop it. If he was happy for her to just sit on his lap, I should probably leave well enough alone.

“Now, my love,” said Ryan, taking hold of her left breast and giving it a gentle squeeze. “Tell us what happened.”

“Hey, don’t call her that!” I said in annoyance. “She’s not your love.”

Ryan smiled. “Maybe it’s just one-way,” he said, “but it’s technically accurate. I haven’t said this before, but I’m genuinely in love with you, Lexi.”

“Oh!” she said, startled.

“How could I not be?” Ryan went on. “You’re beautiful, kind, sweet, intelligent – if rather naive – and we have fun hanging out together. I’ve loved you almost from the moment you moved in here. You don’t love me, and that’s fine – but when I call you ‘my love’, I’m just saying what you are to me.”

“Awww!” said Lexi, clearly touched. “Wow … Ryan … I do love you though. Not like I love Marty, of course … but more like, as a brother…”

Ryan smiled. “At this point I’d say we’ve moved beyond the brother-sister dynamic, though. As Marty’s fond of pointing out, brothers and sisters don’t have sex. I kinda feel like Drake and I are more like … your boyfriends. Marty’s your fiancé, but you have two boyfriends as well.”

“I don’t like that way of looking at it,” I said sternly.

“Then what would you call us, Marty?” asked Ryan politely. He slid his hand down Lexi’s belly, and tucked it between her thighs, cupping her pussy with his fingers. “We’re more than just friends, obviously.”

Lexi clutched his arm. “Ryan, I…” But then he kissed her, and for the next half-minute I had to watch them tonguing each other’s mouths.

“All right, that’s enough!” I snapped. “I guess the word ‘boyfriend’ fits, as much as I hate it. But we’re getting sidetracked. Lexi, what happened with Patrick?”

“Oh,” she said, looking rather flushed. “Well, we got undressed and started the shower, as usual, and as I washed him, he washed me … and it wasn’t long before he got to my pussy, and then of course he found my plug, and asked about it. And I told him about having to be naked around the apartment now, and that the plug is supposed to stop cum leaking out of me.”

I groaned. “Oh God, Lexi, you don’t have to tell him everything!”

But Ryan merely chuckled. “Actually I think Lexi’s compulsion to be completely frank and honest with people is one of her most endearing traits,” he said. “Go on, my darling.”

“So he asked me if it was Marty’s cum, and I told him no, of course not – we’re waiting until we get married. And I explained that … uh … it was a mixture of Drake’s and … um, sorry Marty, I didn’t get around to telling you about our gym session…”

I stared at her. “Drake let someone else fuck you?” I demanded. “So much for keeping you away from other men! He’s not living up to his end of the deal!”

“It wasn’t his fault!” said Lexi earnestly. “It was mine. Okay … look … I guess I should tell you about the gym first.”

Ryan smirked as he slowly massaged her pussy. “Yeah, that’s probably best.”

Lexi’s cheeks were getting very flushed, and she was starting to breathe heavily. “So we got to the gym,” she said, “but in the parking lot, Drake said … he said it was bugging him that I was sitting there full of Ryan’s cum. He wanted me to be full of his instead. And he asked … he asked me to empty myself out as best I could, and let him cum inside me. And since I’d agreed to honour your deal, Marty, to have sex with Ryan and Drake whenever they want, I said sure. And I took off my panties and used my fingers to get Ryan’s cum out, and then I lay down in the back of Drake’s car, and let him fuck me until he climaxed inside me.”

“Ugh,” I said with a shudder.

“In the parking lot?” asked Ryan, looking a little disgruntled. “Didn’t people see you?”

“We were in the staff parking section, round the back,” Lexi explained. “There was a chance someone would pass by and see us, I guess, but nobody did. Anyway, then Drake put my plug back in, I put my panties on, and we went inside. I got a lot of attention as we worked out, as you might expect, and one of the guys there was Bryce – you remember Bryce? From Foley’s? The place where we got my gym clothes?”

“I remember him,” I said with a frown. The sight of the musclebound jerk ogling Lexi’s breasts was one of the more unpleasant memories from last Saturday’s shopping trip.

“Well, he was super nice and complimentary,” said Lexi, parting her thighs slightly and gazing into the middle distance. “He said he was glad I was getting some use out of my crop top, even though it wasn’t the most practical workout wear.”

“Were your nipples exposed while he was saying that?” I inquired.

Lexi bit her lip. “They may have been,” she confessed. “At first I kept pulling my top down every time my breasts got uncovered, but eventually the guys encouraged me to stop bothering.”

“Was it just guys there?” asked Ryan, his middle finger rhythmically rubbing her clitoris.

“No,” gasped Lexi. “There were a few women there, at first. Later I noticed all but two of them had left; those two just kept to themselves, doing their own thing.”

“Probably glad you took the heat off them,” Ryan remarked.

“After a while, someone suggested my top wasn’t really serving any purpose, and that I should just take it off,” Lexi went on. “I looked at Drake, and he said they had a point, and I would probably be more comfortable with it off, rather than being bunched up beneath my armpits. It wasn’t really that bad, but all the guys were encouraging me to take it off, so I did.”

I rolled my eyes. “And it didn’t bother you to be topless amongst all those men?”

Lexi smiled sheepishly. “I felt safe, with Drake being there, and everyone was very complimentary about my body. I … you don’t know what it’s like, Marty – to be surrounded by men who think you’re beautiful and sexy.”

“You realise they probably all have girlfriends or wives at home, right,” I said, “who wouldn’t like it if they knew their boyfriends and husbands were ogling a half-naked girl at the gym instead of working out?”

“Oh,” said Lexi, looking worried. “Well I … I wouldn’t want to come between a couple. But in any case, only Bryce … um … well, you see, Drake had to deal with an emergency, and he left Bryce in charge of keeping me safe.”

“What kind of emergency?” I demanded. “He was supposed to be keeping you safe from guys like Bryce!”

“One of the older men got sick,” said Lexi. “He was having trouble breathing. He said he was fine to drive home, but Drake insisted on taking him to the emergency room.”

“Couldn’t someone else have done that?” I asked peevishly. “Couldn’t Bryce?”

“Bryce and the others said we should just let Sy go home,” said Lexi. “Only Drake and I thought he should go to the ER. Drake was worried about leaving me with the guys, and he suggested I come to the hospital with him and Sy … but Bryce offered to look after me, and I told Drake I would be fine, and I was sure I would be safe with Bryce.”

“And were you sure?” Ryan inquired.

“Not entirely,” Lexi admitted. “At least, I was sure he would probably grope me, and maybe try for more, but I hoped I could fend him off with a blowjob if I had to.”

I sighed. “So what happened?”

“Well,” said Lexi, “to cut a long story short, once Drake was gone, the guys surrounded me and started chatting me up, and putting their arms around me, and feeling my breasts, and my butt … and then Bryce told them all off and pulled me away. He took me into a private room and suggested it would be safer if we did some one-on-one training. I agreed, and he started showing me some exercises. But it wasn’t long before he got a little handsy, and then he … um … he kissed me.”

“Ugh,” I growled.

“I did try to stop him!” said Lexi uncomfortably. “But he had his hand in my panties, and he was fingering me, and … and I guess I wasn’t very forceful about it, and he just started kissing my neck instead. And then he started pulling my panties down, and I guessed his intentions, so I offered to suck his cock. And he just smiled and said, ‘Maybe later – first let me get a taste of your sweet pussy.’ And he took my panties off, spread my legs, and started … licking me.”

“Dammit!” I muttered. That slimy bastard!

“He played you like a fiddle,” Ryan remarked.

Lexi nodded. “He was very good at it,” she said. “But, um, I should mention at this point that he already knew about the plug. He and the other guys had noticed it earlier, while ogling my panties, and I had to tell them it was stopping semen from leaking out of me.”

“You didn’t have to tell them that!” I exclaimed.

“What else was I going to say?” she asked plaintively. “I didn’t tell them it whose it was, at least. But, um, I did end up telling Bryce…”

I threw up my hands in exasperation. “Why??”

“He said you were a ‘kinky devil’ for plugging my vagina to keep your cum inside!” said Lexi unhappily. “He said ‘I guess he couldn’t even wait for the wedding to knock you up!’ I felt like he was impugning your character, and I felt obliged to correct him!”

I put my head in my hands.

“So I said it wasn’t your cum, and you and I were waiting until we’re married,” Lexi continued. “So then he asked whose the cum was, and I said it was Drake’s. So then he thought Drake and I were having an affair! He said I was very naughty, and what would you think if you knew? So I explained it wasn’t like that at all, that you knew about it, and that Drake wasn’t the only man I’ve been having sex with. And he said he had no idea I was so promiscuous! And I said I didn’t mean to be, but men kept having sex with me and I didn’t seem to be able to stop it. Anyway this was while he was helping me work out, so he knew all of that stuff before he took off my panties and … you know … performed oral sex on me.”

“Go on,” said Ryan, looking rather amused.

“Anyway he was licking me … and he … he made me … climax … and then he lay down on top of me, and I felt his cock sliding into me. I protested, and he said, ‘Come on Lexi – at this point, what’s one more cock?’ And he started … fucking me. So I said, ‘Okay, but please don’t cum inside me, Bryce. I’m probably ovulating tomorrow, if not already.’ And he said, ‘So what? You were keeping Drake’s sperm inside you – are you hoping to have his baby?’ And I said no, and then I had to admit that I was almost certainly getting pregnant anyway, so a bit more sperm inside me wouldn’t matter. So then he said he might as well cum inside me then, and I had no good argument against that. So he filled me up with his semen, and then he put the plug back inside me, so it wouldn’t leak out.” She sighed. I asked him not to tell the others – I was worried they’d all want to fuck me as well if they knew how easy it was. And he promised not to tell anyone.”

I groaned. “I doubt he’ll keep that promise. Gym guys like to brag about their ‘conquests’.”

Ryan nodded. “I think that probably applies to guys in general, but yeah – I suspect sooner or later it’ll slip out. You may want to avoid going back to that gym.”

Lexi bit her lip, and nodded. “Anyway, Bryce kept me to himself until Drake got back, and then he and I left together. I told him about Bryce, and he was annoyed, but he didn’t blame me.”

“Which brings us to Patrick,” I said. “So you told him you were full of Drake’s and Bryce’s cum…”

“Oh yes,” said Lexi. “And I said the plug was to stop it leaking out of me and making a mess in the apartment. And he said, ‘Well you have to let it out sometime, and where better than in the shower?’ And when I thought about it, that made perfect sense. But I was worried he would take advantage, so I said, ‘All right, but please don’t take the opportunity to put your cock in me!’ And he said, ‘Why not? It’s been inside you already, and it’s hardly the only one. I get the feeling you enjoy having a man’s cock inside you, and you’re apparently not concerned about getting pregnant. Am I wrong?’ And I said to him, ‘I do enjoy the feeling of having sex with a man, but I’ve had a lot of sex today and I’m a bit sore down there! And I’m trying to limit my sexual partners to just Drake and Ryan from now on.’ And he said, ‘I understand. Now why don’t you bend over, and I’ll take out the plug and wash your pussy for you.’ I did tell him I could do it myself, but he said, ‘We’re washing each other, remember? Now come on, might as well get it over with.’ So I bent over, and he took the plug out, and then he stuck a couple of fingers inside me and pulled out all the cum he could find. He was very thorough – he kept sliding his fingers in and out, over and over and over again. And then … then he grabbed my hips with both hands, and I realised he had put his cock in me and was actually fucking me. I’d sort of expected it, so I wasn’t all that shocked, and I just resigned myself to letting it happen.”

“Ugh,” I muttered. At this point, I was not shocked either … but I was still very much disgusted by the mental image.

“But then he stopped!” said Lexi. “He said, ‘Lexi, I can’t believe you’re letting me have sex with you, and I’m very grateful … but I’m afraid I’m not the man I used to be, and fucking you in this position is quite difficult for me. I know it’s a lot to ask, but do you think we could finish our shower, dry ourselves off, and then go and have sex in my bedroom?’”

“The nerve of that guy!” I exclaimed. “I hope you told him no!”

“Well … not really,” said Lexi, embarrassed. “I said to him, ‘Only if you promise not to cum inside me!’ And he said, ‘I’m sorry, Lexi, I just can’t make that promise. But what difference will it make either way? You said yourself you’re probably getting pregnant anyway, from all the sex you’ve had. And I’m sure my elderly sperm is no match for that of Drake or Ryan. Whoever gets you pregnant, it will almost certainly not be me.’ And … and I guess I figured that was probably true, so I said okay.”

I shook my head sadly, while Ryan chuckled.

“So we finished our shower, and dried ourselves,” Lexi went on, “and then we went to his bedroom, and I lay down on his bed. He climbed on top of me, spread my legs apart, and put his cock in my vagina. He fucked me for a couple of minutes, until he came inside me, and then he kissed me, and as we kissed…”

“With tongues?” Ryan wanted to know.

“Um, yes,” said Lexi. “Um, and he was … crying!”

“Crying?” I inquired, puzzled.

“Yes!” said Lexi. “I was concerned, and I asked him what was wrong. And he said nothing was wrong … he said he had long ago given up hope of having sex with a woman, and he never would have dreamed he’d be so lucky as to have sex with such a beautiful woman as me … his words, not mine!”

“Accurate though,” Ryan remarked. “I totally get why that would make him emotional.”

“And then he said,” Lexi continued, “that only one thing was making him sad: the fact that I was about to get married, and would no doubt be moving away to start my life with you, Marty. And he asked if he could have one last shower with me before the wedding – maybe on Saturday night, and have sex with me again.”

“Jeez!” I said, frowning. “He wants to fuck you the night before our wedding? Unbelievable! I hope you told him no!”

“I did tell him no,” Lexi confirmed, to my relief and no small surprise. “I said we had plans on Saturday. I said we were having a joint bachelor/bachelorette party on the roof, hosted by the nice black gentlemen who live in this building … and I said he was welcome to come up and join us. But he declined – he said he was a little old to be partying with the young folks and he would feel very out of place. So I said … I felt sorry for him, you see … I said I would come over and shower with him tomorrow night instead.”

I scowled.

“And he was very happy about that, and asked if he could have sex with me again,” said Lexi, breathing heavily with her eyes closed. “And I figured it would probably happen anyway, so I said sure. And then … then I told him we weren’t actually planning to move anywhere after the wedding; we’re planning to stay here until we’re more financially stable. And he was very excited about that … and he asked if we could continue our showers together. And I said of course we can. And he asked if we can have sex afterwards … and I said I sort of assumed that would happen, now that the line had been crossed. And … and he asked me to promise. But I told him I didn’t think I could promise that.”

“I should think not!” I said indignantly.

“But then it occurred to me,” Lexi went on, “that you basically promised Ryan and Drake that they could have sex with me whenever they wanted, even after our wedding, so I thought, why not? And even before he’d finished saying he understood, and he knew it was too much to ask … I told him I’d changed my mind. And I promised him that I would shower with him at least three times a week for as long as I was still living in this building, and that he could have sex with me afterwards, every time.”

My jaw dropped. “Oh my god!” I exclaimed, as Ryan snorted with laughter.

“I know, I know!” groaned Lexi. “I probably shouldn’t have done it. But you don’t understand – he was so sad at the prospect of losing me, and I felt so sorry for him. He’s got nobody else, Marty! And at this point, I’ve had sex with so many men – even strangers – that it didn’t seem like a big deal to make a promise like that to a lonely old man that I care about.”

“Much as I hate to share you with too many other guys,” said Ryan, “I think that was very sweet and generous of you, Lexi. I know I’m supposed to be keeping you away from other men, but I guess I’ll have to make an exception for old Patrick. I can see Marty’s going to take a while to get used to the idea, but for what it’s worth, I support your decision and I think you did the right thing.”

“You do?” asked Lexi, opening her eyes and looking at him with immense relief. “Oh, thank you Ryan!” And then, to my annoyance, they began to kiss passionately as he stepped up his rubbing of her pussy.

“Anyone else you want to add to the list of approved sex partners?” I asked bitterly. “Aaron maybe? Colin?”

“Ugh, no!” said Lexi, breaking off from the kiss. “Of course not!”

Ryan patted her bottom. “Why don’t you run along and get ready for bed?” he suggested. “Take out that plug, let Drake have his goodnight fuck, and then come to bed with me. I’d like to try a couple of new positions.”

Lexi’s eyes widened. “Sex positions?”

He smiled. “Of course.”

She giggled. “I look forward to it!”

I sighed unhappily. “You really love having sex, don’t you?” I remarked.

She bit her lip, looking sheepish. “I’m sorry Marty,” she said. “I know you don’t want me to, but … yes I do. I sort of love it.”

“Would you rather she hated it?” Ryan inquired.

“No, of course not,” I muttered. “Since she can’t avoid having sex with men other than myself, I guess it’s best if she enjoys it.”

“You guess?” said Ryan, amused. “Wow Marty, Lexi’s lucky you’re so deeply invested in her happiness!”

“Look, this isn’t easy for me, Ryan!” I snapped. “My fiancée lost her virginity two days ago, and I’ve already lost track of her body count.”

“Body count?” asked Lexi.

“The number of men you’ve had sex with,” Ryan explained.

“Oh!” said Lexi, and she began helpfully counting off on her fingers. “Well there was Doctor Johnson, Colin, Aaron…”

“I don’t need you to run through the list!” I said agitatedly. “I’m sure I could figure it out for myself if I wanted to, which I don’t particularly.” With some effort, I forced myself to unclench. “I’m going to my room. Will you come and kiss me goodnight before you go to bed with Ryan, please?”

“Of course,” she said, before Ryan interrupted.

“No kissing,” he reminded me. “Not until the wedding.”

“Oh dammit,” I growled. “Fine!”

“I’ll give you a goodnight hug,” Lexi promised me.

“All right, thank you,” I said grudgingly.

Lexi skipped to the bathroom, seemingly quite comfortable with her nakedness, while I trudged to my bedroom, trying not to imagine my beloved fiancée eagerly climbing into bed and spreading her legs for first Drake, and then Ryan. Both of them would no doubt cum inside her, and probably give her wonderful orgasms too. I began to have dark thoughts about my own first time with her, and what she would think of my performance. ‘Don’t worry,’ I imagined her saying. ‘It’s not your fault you can’t make me climax; I’m just too accustomed to larger penises. But I still love you.’

I put my earbuds in, and played games on my phone for a while. Then I went to the bathroom and got ready for bed. Pausing outside Drake’s door, I could hear his grunts and Lexi’s excited moans. Then I heard her gasp, “Oh that feels so good, Drake! I love your great big cock!” I scowled, returned to my room, and put my earbuds back in.

Ten minutes later, Lexi opened the door and came in. I tried to smile at her, but she could see that I was unhappy. She came over and sat next to me. “Poor Marty,” she said sympathetically. “I can’t imagine how you must be feeling.” She put her arm around me, and laid her head on my shoulder. “Are you sure you still want to marry me?”

“Yes!” I said firmly. “Of course! I’m desperate to have sex with you, Lexi, and one day, when we can afford it, I want us to move far away from here, make a fresh start, and then I can have you all to myself.”

She sighed. “That sounds wonderful. As much as I enjoy having sex with Ryan and Drake, I feel like as your wife I shouldn’t be having sex with anyone but you. The Bible is pretty clear on that.”

“Maybe,” I suggested hopefully, “you could … swear an oath? To have sex with only me, once we’re married?”

She giggled. “Well that’s a customary part of traditional wedding vows!” she pointed out. “But in our case it’s not quite that simple. I’ve already promised Ryan and Drake, and now Patrick, that I’ll continue having sex with them even after our wedding. So we’re going to have to tweak our vows anyway.”

“I guess so,” I agreed glumly.

“I … I sort of already wrote mine,” said Lexi. “Do you want to hear them, or would you rather wait until the wedding…?”

I shrugged. “There’s no need for them to be a surprise. Go on then, let’s hear them.”

“They’re on my phone, but I’m pretty sure I can remember them.” Lexi sat up straight, and cleared her throat. “I, Lexi, take you, Marty, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God’s holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge myself to you.” She smiled apologetically. “I had to take out ‘forsaking all others’, obviously.”

I nodded. “That sounds really nice,” I said. “I guess I need to write mine, too.” I felt as if a heavy weight were settling on me. I would have no problem saying ‘forsaking all others’, of course, and I had half a mind to leave that phrase in my own vows, just to make a point. But that would cast an unnecessary shadow over the whole proceedings, and I wanted, more than anything else, to make Lexi happy on our wedding day. “I … I guess I’ll leave out ‘forsaking all others’ too,” I mused. “But that doesn’t mean I plan to cheat on you! I just don’t want to make you feel bad for not saying it yourself.”

Lexi hung her head sadly. “I’m sorry, Marty,” she said. “Look … I can’t expect you to be a hundred percent faithful to me, when I’m having sex with other men. At least while that’s happening … I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to … to have sex with some other women.”

“What?” I said, startled.

“I mean it,” she said. “I’ll … I’ll even help you, if you like. Help you find a nice woman to have sex with. Or two, or three, if you like.”

“Jeez, Lexi!” I exclaimed. “No no no – that’s not what I want at all! I only want you! You’re the woman of my dreams … my one true love … my life partner … my soulmate! I have zero interest in having sex with anyone but you! I know you can’t be faithful to me, but I’m damn well going to be absolutely faithful to you! That’s a promise!”

“Oh Marty!” said Lexi, turning to me with her eyes brimming with tears. “I love you so much!”

“I love you too, Lexi!” I said, my own tears welling up as I took her face in my hands. “All I care about is getting married to you. Everything else is just … noise.”

“But Marty, I’m going to be a terrible wife!” Lexi lamented, tears now running down both cheeks. “I worry I’m going to make you miserable by having sex with other men!”

“No, no,” I assured her, wiping her left cheek with my thumb and then kissing the spot I’d wiped. “I told you I would pay that price happily, and I … oh shit!”

“What?” asked Lexi anxiously. “What is it?”

“I just kissed you!” I said in a panic. “Oh god! That means … oh shit, can we please not tell Ryan?”

Lexi took my hands in hers. “What does it mean, Marty? Did you make another bet?”

“No, no,” I groaned, “it’s not like that – it’s just the consequence Ryan gave me for kissing you before our wedding. He said if I kissed you … anywhere on your body … then he would, uh, well … there were certain conditions set on our wedding night.”

“Oh no!” said Lexi, alarmed. “What conditions?”

“Ryan and Drake will come with us to the hotel,” I explained miserably, “and both of them will have sex with you before me. I’ll have to … have ‘sloppy thirds’, as Ryan put it. And, if that wasn’t bad enough, I’ll have to pull out of you before I cum.”

“But that’s … that’ll ruin our wedding night!” Lexi wailed. “That’s a horrible consequence! It’s … it’s downright cruel!”

I put my face in my hands. “I know! It’s awful. But his alternative suggestion was having sex with you with a condom on … and I knew that wasn’t going to work, because, you know, contraception…”

Lexi shook her head in dismay. “Did you … promise this?”

“I swore on the Bible,” I admitted. Then I brightened. “But it was conditional on you agreeing to it too! So all you have to do is refuse to have sex with Ryan and Drake…”

She bit her lip. “Sorry Marty, but I can’t. I already promised to have sex with both of them whenever they want. If they want to fuck me on our wedding night, they can. And if you’ve sworn not to have sex with me until both of them have … then I’m afraid that’s just what’s going to happen.”

“Maybe I can talk them out of it,” I said wretchedly. “Maybe I can make a deal with them.”

“You can try,” said Lexi, “but I’m doubtful you’ll be able to talk them out of fucking me on our wedding night. Knowing both of them, I’m fairly sure they’re not going to give that up without some serious motivation.” She wiped her eyes, and stood up. “I know you didn’t mean to kiss me, Marty, and I appreciate that you did it to comfort me. But all of these deals you make … the consequences you agree to…”

“I know,” I said sadly. “I really know how to mess things up, don’t I?” I felt tears roll down my own cheeks. “I’m sorry I screwed up so badly, Lexi! Please forgive me.”

She bent down and put her arms around my shoulders. “There’s nothing to forgive, my darling,” she said. “I’m certainly in no position to judge you, and I know you had good intentions. What’s done is done, and we’ll just have to make the best of it.” She sighed. “I have to go and sleep with Ryan now, but … maybe you can take some time tonight to think of how to persuade him to give you another chance. Or at least to soften this latest consequence.”

I nodded. “I’ll do that. I’ll talk to him tomorrow morning, when I’m not so … uh…” I wiped my eyes. “Emotional.”

“Goodnight Marty,” she said softly, and then she slipped out of the room as I blew her a kiss.

I switched off my light, and lay awake, thinking. By the time I drifted into sleep, I thought I had a pretty persuasive argument lined up to propose to Ryan…

FRIDAY: TREASURY & PAYMENT

The next morning, I woke up with a determination to put things right. I got dressed, left my room, and marched to Ryan’s. I knocked briskly, and he bade me enter.

“Ryan,” I said firmly, “we need to talk about this wedding night consequence.”

“Yeah,” said Ryan, nodding. He was sitting up in his bed, with his laptop in front of him. “Lexi told me. But you know, you did swear an oath…”

“I know that,” I said. “But you didn’t, and you can still choose to not have sex with Lexi on Sunday night. Drake too.”

He scratched his stubble. “I dunno, dude, fucking a bride on her wedding night before the groom does … that’s a heck of an exciting thing. You’re gonna have to be pretty persuasive.”

I took a deep breath, and let it out. “What if,” I said slowly, “I let you take Lexi’s anal virginity?”

Ryan raised an eyebrow. “Seriously?”

I nodded. “I know I was hoping to save it for myself, but I just have to salvage our wedding night. So … yeah … that’s the deal.”

He shrugged. “Well dude, I might be tempted by such an offer, but I’m afraid that ship’s already sailed. Lexi came in here last night with her plug in and her vagina full of Drake’s cum, so I fucked her ass instead.”

“You what?” I gasped.

He nodded, then grinned gleefully. “My first time doing anal! Hers too, of course.”

I felt utterly betrayed. “But … but…”

“I did tell you I was going to,” he pointed out.

“But I asked you not to!” I said plaintively.

“You weren’t persuasive enough,” he replied. “Sorry dude. For what it’s worth, it was amazing … but I think I still prefer cumming in her vagina. There’s just something about knowing my little sperms are swimming up her Fallopian tubes in search of an egg to fertilize that just gets me … mmm!”

I slumped against the door frame, lost for words.

“If you want me and Drake to stay home on Sunday night, and let you have your wedding night with Lexi,” said Ryan, “you’re going to have to make some kind of massive sacrifice.”

“What do you want?” I asked bitterly. “A newborn lamb?”

“Gross,” he said. “No – I was thinking of something more along the lines of, for the first month of your marriage – excluding your wedding night – Lexi only sleeps with me or Drake, but never you.”

“What??” I exclaimed.

“Oh, you can still fuck her,” he clarified. “But she’ll sleep in my bed or Drake’s. Just not yours.”

“But she’ll be my wife!” I protested.

“Yeah,” Ryan conceded, “but that’s the deal. You agree to that, and I’ll talk Drake into letting you have an uninterrupted wedding night. Unless you kiss Lexi again between now and the wedding, of course.”

“What does it matter if I kiss her again?” I grumbled. “You already have unlimited licence to have sex with Lexi, and if I agree to this deal, you’ll get to sleep with her whenever you want as well, for a whole month!”

“I still want to fuck her on her wedding night,” said Ryan with a grin. “And I might remind you that you swore on the Bible that you wouldn’t kiss Lexi before the wedding. If you break that oath again, there needs to be a huge consequence.”

I glared at him. “Beyond ruining my wedding night?”

“Well sure!” he said. “Obviously the threat of that wasn’t enough to deter you. This time you need the ultimate motivation to behave yourself.”

“What does that mean?” I asked warily.

Ryan smiled. “If you break your oath again, you forfeit your right to have sex with Lexi at all … ever.”

I gasped. “Bullshit!” I said. “There’s no way I’m agreeing to that!”

He shrugged. “Then there’s no deal. We stick with the current plan for your wedding night. But dude, do you seriously have so little self-control that you can’t keep yourself from kissing Lexi between now and Sunday?”

“I thought I did,” I replied candidly. “But look what happened!”

Ryan nodded. “You slipped up,” he said. “But from now on, you’ll be on your guard. You’ve learned from your mistake. And with such a heavy consequence to motivate you, you’ll be super careful about even getting close to Lexi. Am I right?”

“Well yeah,” I conceded. “If the consequence of touching Lexi with my lips is losing the right to have sex with her, ever, then I’m going to be totally paranoid about accidents. I’ll probably even go back to wearing a mask!”

He chuckled. “All right, well how about this? You agree to that consequence, and I’ll sweeten the deal even more: I’ll give you your wedding night for just two weeks of her sleeping with me and Drake. That way he and I get seven nights each, which I think is enough to persuade him to go along with it. Two weeks … and then you can sleep with your wife every night. Soon those two weeks will just be a distant memory.”

I was sold, albeit reluctantly. “All right,” I said. “Let’s make the deal. I think it’s worth it to have a good wedding night with Lexi. But I seriously am going to wear a mask until the wedding! I am NOT taking any chances with further accidents.”

“Suit yourself,” said Ryan. “Now go get that Bible, and swear on it; I want this deal to be official. Oh, and just for clarification, ‘sex’ includes all forms of sex, like anal, oral, handjobs, fingering – just like before.”

“Whatever,” I said. “There’s no way I’m gonna let it happen.”

I fetched the Bible, swore on it as I repeated back to Ryan the terms of the new deal, and then I went to the kitchen to get myself some breakfast. While I was eating, Lexi emerged naked from the bathroom.

“Good morning darling,” I said.

She smiled happily. “Good morning, my soon-to-be husband!”

“I talked to Ryan,” I told her. “I made a deal with him to get our wedding night back.”

“Oh good!” she said in surprise. “Dare I ask what the price was?”

I grimaced. “We can sleep together Sunday night, but for the next two weeks, you’ll be sleeping with Ryan or Drake – alternating each night, I assume.”

“Oh,” said Lexi, looking disappointed. “Okay … well, I guess I can do that.”

“Also, the cost of kissing you before the wedding went up,” I told her. “And it’s a big consequence, so I can’t afford to mess up again. If I kiss you before the wedding … I’m not allowed to have sex with you, ever.”

“What??” Lexi exclaimed.

“It’s okay!” I hastily assured her. “I’m obviously not going to let that happen. To be on the safe side, I’m going to wear a mask around you, until the wedding. I wore a mask for months during the pandemic; it’ll be no problem for me to do it again for a couple days. Believe me, I’m going to be so paranoid about accidentally kissing you that there’s absolutely zero chance of me slipping up again.”

“Well … okay,” said Lexi, but she still looked troubled. “And did you swear all this on the Bible?”

“Yeah,” I confirmed, nodding to where I’d set it down on the table.

She sighed, then started toward my bedroom, before pausing. “Are we taking the early bus today?”

“Ryan and Drake are supposed to be keeping you away from other men,” I said. “I’m hoping that means Drake will be giving us a ride to work.”

“As long as he hasn’t left for the gym already!” she remarked.

“Pretty sure he’s still in bed,” I replied. “His door’s shut.”

“Maybe you can check while I’m getting dressed,” she said. “If we’re taking the early bus, we’ll have to leave very soon.”

“Okay.” I finished off my English muffin, then I got up and walked to Drake’s room. I knocked on the door, and it opened almost immediately. Drake was dressed already.

“Morning Marty, what’s up?” he said.

“I was hoping you’d drive Lexi and me to work,” I said. “You know, to honour your commitment to keeping her away from guys like Colin.”

“I’d be happy to, Marty,” said Drake, “but I have to leave for the gym right now. Nate’s let me down; he was supposed to be opening up this morning but he just texted me to say he’s sick. I swear, that guy … I’m tired of covering for his lazy ass. Anyway I’m sorry, but…”

“So how is this commitment of yours, to keep Lexi away from other guys, actually manifesting?” I demanded. “Because from where I’m standing, you’re rapidly losing your right to have sex with Lexi whenever you want!”

Drake grinned, and put his hand on my shoulder. “Dude,” he said, “frankly, that deal we made is kinda irrelevant now. Talk to Lexi about the promise she made me last night.”

This took me aback. “What?”

“Gotta run, Marty!” Drake stepped past me, and hurried to the front door.

I returned to the breakfast table, and finished my coffee. When Lexi next appeared, she was wearing another see-through cropped white tank top, along with white satin panties and her black work shoes. I quailed internally around the thought of taking the bus, with Lexi looking so incredibly sexy.

“We’d best take the early bus,” I said to her. “Drake just left for the gym.”

“Oh no!” she said in dismay.

“He mentioned something about a promise you made him last night…?”

Lexi bit her lip. “Oh … while we were having sex?”

I shrugged. “He didn’t say.”

Lexi sat down. “Um … he asked me to promise him that he could have sex with me whenever he wanted,” she said. “I was pretty close to my climax and feeling really good … and I’d already made him that promise, or so I thought, so I didn’t think it was a big deal. And it sounded exciting to say it out loud, and he was making me feel so wonderful…” She sighed wistfully at the memory. “So I said it out loud – I said, ‘Drake, I promise you can have sex with me whenever you want.’ And then I had an orgasm, and he came inside me.”

I groaned. “Great – so now he doesn’t have to do anything to earn that privilege. He doesn’t have to go out of his way to keep you away from other men, which was the condition for him continuing to have sex with you after our wedding.”

Lexi looked abashed. “Yes, I know. That occurred to me later. But, you know, I’m sure he’ll get tired of me eventually. Or we’ll move far away and it’ll be too much trouble for him to come and visit every time he gets horny. He’ll find someone else. He’s Drake! He has lots of options.”

“Yeah, you’re not wrong there,” I conceded. “Still, until we move it’ll suck. Just please don’t make the same promise to Ryan, okay?”

“I … I already did,” Lexi confessed sheepishly.

“What?” I said in disbelief. “Why?”

“I told him what I’d promised Drake, and he asked me to promise him the same!” said Lexi defensively. “I didn’t think I could deny Ryan a privilege I’d granted Drake.”

I threw up my hands. “Well, Ryan’s not likely to find a girl half as beautiful as you,” I said bitterly. “If we move, he’ll probably move with us, just to stay close to you. He works from home, after all – he can live anywhere.”

Lexi hung her head. “I’m sorry, Marty.”

I sighed. “What’s done is done. You’d better grab something to eat; we’ll be leaving in about … seven minutes.”

She fetched herself some coffee and a yogurt, and sat down. Then Ryan entered the kitchen area, wearing boxer shorts and nothing else. He stopped and kissed Lexi’s neck, while giving her breasts a squeeze through her top. “Jumping the gun a bit, aren’t we?” he remarked.

“Sorry,” said Lexi guiltily. “We’ll be leaving in five minutes … I didn’t think you’d be up before we left. Do you want me to undress?”

“Nah, it’s fine,” he said, pulling her top up to expose her breasts. “This’ll do.” Then he dipped a finger into her yogurt pot and scooped out some yogurt, which he wiped onto her left nipple.

“Hey!” she said in mild indignation. Then she giggled as Ryan bent down and sucked her nipple into his mouth. “Ryan, you silly man!”

“We’re in a hurry, Ryan,” I said grumpily. “Didn’t you have enough fun with Lexi last night?”

He stood up again, licking his lips. “Oh I could never have too much fun with Lexi!” he said. “But point taken – I’ll leave you in peace. Have a good day at work, both of you.”

“Only a half-day for me!” said Lexi. “No Futureland today.”

“Oh, that’s right!” said Ryan. “You only work Monday through Thursday there. Sweet – so we can spend the afternoon together?”

“I was wondering if you might be willing to help me with some wedding prep,” she said hopefully. “I have a list of things that need to get done.”

“Of course!” said Ryan. “I’d be happy to.”

After breakfast, Lexi pulled her top down to cover her breasts, and we left the apartment. At the bus stop, I slapped my forehead. “A mask!” I exclaimed. “I meant to grab a mask!”

“Oh,” said Lexi. “Well I’m sure you won’t need one on the bus, or at work – you’re not likely to be tempted to kiss me in either place, right?”

“True enough,” I admitted. “I’m just a little paranoid, I guess … but not entirely without justification.”

She nodded. “I understand.”

As we waited, I fidgeted nervously. “Colin probably won’t be on this bus, but if he is, let’s just get off and catch the next one.”

“Okay,” she said.

“Do you have your plug in?” I asked.

“Oh … no,” she replied. “I left it in the bathroom. My vagina’s pretty sore from all the sex I’ve been having – I wanted to give it a rest.”

“That’s fine, and I’m sorry to hear you’re sore,” I said sympathetically. “But it does mean you’re more vulnerable to jerks like Colin.”

Lexi shrugged. “He would just take it out anyway. It’s not really much of a defence.”

“I guess that’s true,” I conceded.

“Hey, why don’t you put some clothes on?” a nearby voice demanded.

Lexi and I turned in surprise, to see a young couple around our own age, or maybe one or two years older. It was the woman who had spoken. She was quite attractive, though not in Lexi’s league, and her boyfriend was eyeing Lexi with interest.

“I’m not sure that that’s any of your business,” I said stiffly, and I put a protective arm around my fiancée.

“But you’re not wearing pants, girl!” the woman exclaimed. “You’re just asking for trouble!”

“I seem to get into trouble even when my panties are covered up,” said Lexi ruefully. “Last time I wore a skirt on this bus, it was stolen right off me. That’s partly why I’ve stopped bothering to wear one.”

“Ugh, you got molested?” asked the woman in dismay.

“Yes, and more than that,” said Lexi with an air of resignation. “It happens every day now.” Then, seeing the look of horror on both the woman and her boyfriend, she added hastily, “I’m okay though – it’s annoying, but fortunately I really love sex. Do you guys have sex? It’s the best feeling in the world…” She sighed.

“Yeah … when it’s with each other!” said the woman, looking almost outraged. “Not when it’s with some rando on the bus!”

“Oh,” said Lexi. “Well, I don’t seem to be very good at stopping it from happening, so I figured I might as well try and enjoy it.”

“And what are you doing, while this is happening?” the boyfriend asked me, his brow furrowed.

I blushed in embarrassment. “Uh, nothing,” I replied awkwardly. “At Lexi’s insistence. She doesn’t want me getting into a fight.”

“So you just … watch?” asked the woman, bemused.

“No!” I said defensively. “I just, sort of, turn my back…”

“What kind of a man are you?” asked the boyfriend in disbelief.

I bridled at this, and was about to respond sharply, when Lexi leapt to my defence.

“He’s a wonderful man!” she exclaimed. “He’s my favourite man in the whole world, and I love him with all my heart … so don’t be mean to him, please! He doesn’t interfere when other men do bad things to me, because I made him promise he wouldn’t! And he always keeps his promises … don’t you, Marty?”

“Yeah,” I agreed.

“Stupid promise to make,” the boyfriend muttered.

“Here’s the bus!” said Lexi, spotting it approaching.

“Maybe we could … help?” ventured the woman.

“This isn’t our bus,” her boyfriend replied. “Sorry,” he added apologetically to Lexi.

“Thank you for the thought,” said Lexi, “but I’ll be fine, really.”

The woman and her boyfriend did not look very reassured. The bus arrived, and as Lexi boarded in front of me, clutching her bag, I quickly scanned the windows along the length of the bus, trying to determine if Colin was on board. I did not see him, but he might still have been on the other side. Flashing my pass at the driver, I hurried after Lexi, and as she penetrated the crowd of standing passengers, I stood on tiptoe, searching for Colin’s face.

Then I spotted him. “Oh my god,” I said, reaching forward to grab Lexi’s arm. “Lexi! He’s here! Let’s get off and catch the next bus!”

“Oh goodness!” said Lexi, turning immediately and following me as I pulled her arm.

“Don’t close the door!” I said urgently to the driver. “We’re getting off. Come on Lexi!”

Lexi’s bag was caught on something, and I let go of her arm so she could free it. Then I hurried to the open doors, standing between them so the driver would not be able to close them.

“Hurry up!” he said in annoyance. “Get on or get off! Don’t keep people waiting.”

Lexi had freed her bag, and was trotting toward me. Relieved, I stepped off the bus, then turned to wait for her. But to my horror, the doors immediately closed, trapping Lexi inside. She looked at me through the glass with a startled expression, and then she turned to the driver. But whatever she said to him did not apparently convince him, because the bus began to move forward, pulling out into the traffic. Lexi turned back to look at me in shock, and as I ran alongside the bus, yelling her name, I saw two hands reaching around from behind her to grasp her breasts…

Then I began to fall behind as the bus picked up speed, and I lost sight of Lexi. But I kept running, thinking I might be able to board the bus at its next stop. That was a good quarter-mile away, but I figured I could make it if I kept up a brisk pace.

Hot and sweaty, I arrived at the next stop just as the bus was pulling away. I cursed in frustration, and continued running. But the next stop was even farther away, and the bus was way ahead of me by the time I got there. By now I was drenched in sweat, and panting heavily. I had no choice but to stop, having given up on the idea of catching up with Lexi.

I waited anxiously for the next bus, hoping that Lexi would at least be able to get off at our usual stop near the office. I also hoped that by some miracle she wouldn’t have Colin’s cum in her vagina. But perhaps that was too much to ask. The main thing was getting her back. I was not sure what I would do if I got to work and she wasn’t there.

The wait felt interminable, but in due course, the next bus did arrive, and I boarded. Shortly afterwards, my phone vibrated, and I saw I had a text from Lexi: ‘I’m at the bus stop near the office. Come quickly please!’

I texted back: ‘I’m on the next bus – I’ll be there soon! Are you ok?’

Lexi: ‘Yes … I’m ok. But Colin and his friends did have sex with me, I’m sorry.’

My heart sank. ‘I’m sorry too! You poor thing – I can’t believe the driver closed the doors before you could get off! That was a horrible thing to do!’

Lexi: ‘Yes I know! I asked him to open them again, but he just said it was too late and I would have to get off at the next stop. But Colin made sure I didn’t do that, of course. Actually, he and his friends wanted to keep having sex with me at the back of the bus all morning! They were laughing and joking with each other about how they should take me home and use me as a sex slave. I know they were just kidding around, but the idea made my skin crawl! In the end … I had to promise Colin that I would keep taking our usual bus in the mornings and continue having sex with him and his friends every weekday for as long as I have this job, just so he would let me get off at my stop.’

Me: ‘Oh my god! You didn’t!!!’

Lexi: ‘What else could I do? I didn’t want to keep riding the bus all morning, having sex over and over and over again with Colin’s friends! There were eight of them this time, Marty, not including Colin. Eight! Only four of them fucked me – two of them in my butt – and the other four were clearly eager to take a turn as well. Colin promised them they could fuck me next time, so I’ve got that to look forward to, ugh!’

Me: ‘Oh Lexi, I’m so sorry! Will this never end??’

Lexi: ‘I’m guessing not, and I’m just going to have to get used to that idea. And, I’m so sorry darling, but I’m afraid you are too. You deserve better, and I’m so sorry I’m putting you through all this. If you want to leave me and find a better woman … I’ll understand.’

Me: ‘Never! Please stop saying that, Lexi. I want only you.’

Lexi: ‘Thank you Marty, that’s nice to hear. I love you so much!’ She appended three sparkling hearts to this message.

Me: ‘I love you too, my darling!’ And I added two hearts and a kissing emoji.

When the bus got to my stop, I jumped off, and looked around anxiously for Lexi. I did not see her at first … but then I heard her voice. “Marty! Over here!”

I looked in the direction of the voice, and saw Lexi crouching behind a low wall, with only her head visible. “Lexi!” I said in relief, and I hurried over to her. “Why are you hiding? Are you naked??”

She stood up, looking sheepish, with her arms folded across her bare breasts. “They kept my clothes,” she said ruefully. “Except for my shoes, and luckily I had a spare pair of panties in my bag. But still … what am I going to do? I can’t go to the office topless!”

I unbuttoned my shirt. “You can wear this,” I told her. “We’ll explain to Doug what happened; hopefully he’ll let me work shirtless.”

Lexi took it gratefully, and put it on. “He isn’t going to like how covered-up I am,” she remarked. “He’ll probably want me to leave it unbuttoned, or something.”

“Yeah, I’m sure,” I agreed gloomily. “But let’s not assume. You can button it until we get to the office, at least.”

Lexi nodded, and we walked to the office together. “Oh,” she said, “I got Colin’s number – and the names and numbers of the other men who fucked me. They wrote them down on a piece of paper for me. It’s in my bag.”

“Okay … good,” I said. “At least we can contact them if, you know…”

“Yeah,” she agreed unhappily. “If … or more likely when … I confirm I’m pregnant. I had to give them all my own number too, in exchange … and they’ve already started texting me, telling me how much they loved kissing and fucking me…”

“Goddammit,” I said irritably. “You should block their numbers. You can always unblock them if we need to contact them.”

“I guess so,” Lexi conceded. “But … I don’t know, I’m not sure I can justify blocking them just yet. Nobody’s been mean or unpleasant. I’ll … I’ll block them if that changes.”

I sighed, and said nothing else until we reached the office. Inside, Lexi’s usual admirers gawked at her from their desks, and if any of them were disappointed in today’s outfit, they did not show it. They did, however, favour me with a few puzzled looks.

We went straight to Doug’s office. He looked us both up and down, and got straight to the point. “What happened?”

“The men on the bus kept my clothes,” said Lexi mournfully.

“Well it was nice of Marty to offer you his shirt,” said Doug, “but I can’t have him working topless. Please give it back to him.”

“But Lexi can’t work topless either!” I objected, as Lexi began unbuttoning my shirt.

“Sure she can,” said Doug, with a slightly smug smile. “If I let her work in here where she’s mostly out of sight.”

“Your office has windows and a glass door!” I pointed out.

“On one side, sure,” said Doug patiently. “But she’ll be mostly sitting there on the far side of my desk, with her laptop open in front of her. Hardly anyone will see her boobs.”

“What if someone does, and complains?” I pressed him.

“You let me worry about that!” he said sternly. “Now put your shirt on, and go and fetch Lexi’s laptop.”

Lexi handed me my shirt, and I reluctantly put it on while she walked around to the far side of Doug’s desk, covering her breasts with her hands. With a sigh, I left the room and went to Lexi’s desk, where I unhooked her laptop from its docking station. Bringing it back to Doug’s office, I gave it to Lexi, who thanked me with a slightly nervous smile.

“What happens when I need to use the restroom?” she asked.

“Just go as you are,” said Doug indifferently. “You won’t be out in the open for more than a few seconds. If anyone sees you and complains, I’ll handle it.”

Lexi swallowed, but nodded. “Okay.”

How quickly Lexi had gone from wearing a long dress at work, to working in nothing but panties and shoes! What would happen next? Would Doug convince her she’d be more comfortable working barefoot? And how was she to get home??

“Oh God!” I said. “How are you going to get home?”

“I’ll drive her,” said Doug.

“Oh!” said Lexi in surprise. “Thank you, Doug! That’s most kind of you.”

“You’re welcome,” he replied. “Don’t you have someplace else to be, Marty?”

“Uh, yeah,” I said. “Uh, see you later darling.”

Feeling apprehensive, I went to my desk and started my day’s work. After five minutes, I glanced over my shoulder at Doug’s office. I could see him seated on this side of his desk, and the top of Lexi’s head on the other side. I turned back to my screen. A little later, I checked on Lexi and Doug again; nothing had changed. For the next twenty minutes, I kept looking over at them, but saw nothing untoward.

And then, something did happen. I glanced backward, then did a double-take. Lexi was now sitting on Doug’s lap; his left arm was around her, and his right hand was fondling her left breast. Frowning, I looked over at Aaron to see if he had noticed. But he seemed engrossed in his work.

I had no idea how Doug had persuaded Lexi to sit on his lap, but as much as it irritated me, I knew I could not intervene. I turned back to my computer, and glared at the screen for the next five minutes or so. Then, unable to resist any longer, I looked back over my shoulder.

What I saw almost made me cry out in dismay. Lexi was now facing Doug directly, presumably straddling his lap although I could not see her thighs, and she was bouncing up and down. Her breasts were bouncing too, and her hands were gripping Doug’s shoulders. Clearly, she was riding his cock, and moreover doing all the work herself. Her face looked flushed, and her eyes were almost closed.

Feeling depressed, I put my head in my hands. So my boss was now the latest man to fuck my fiancée. Great. “Enjoy your sloppy sixths, you asshole,” I muttered.

It was impossible to concentrate on my work now. I tried to resist the temptation to look through Doug’s window, but it was impossible. The next time I looked, Doug was on his feet, Lexi was bending over his desk, and he was fucking her from behind. He seemed completely unconcerned about whether anyone was watching him.

By now Aaron had noticed what was going on; he was staring open-mouthed at Doug and Lexi. A moment later, Doug stiffened and tilted his head back, and I felt sick to think that he was currently emptying his balls inside my fiancée. And today she was supposedly ovulating. Maybe she was pregnant already, maybe not … but if she had not yet ovulated, Doug’s sperms would soon have as good a chance of fertilising one of her eggs as Ryan’s or Drake’s. Her womb and Fallopian tubes were surely teeming with sperms by now, from many different men – some of whose names I did not even know. As soon as one of her ovaries released an egg, those sperms would all pounce on it, and one of them would inevitably penetrate its outer layers to unite its genetic material with Lexi’s. From the moment I had first met her, I had wanted to see Lexi’s belly swell with my baby; now I would certainly get to see her belly swell, but the baby inside her would not be mine.

Feeling rather miserable, I got back to work. I would of course try to love the baby as my own, whoever the father was … but if that father stuck around to assert his parental rights, it was going to be pretty rough on me, psychologically. I would endure it, though. For Lexi.

When I next looked over, she was back at work behind her laptop. I messaged her: ‘I guess we can add Doug to the list now…’

Lexi: ‘Yes. I’m sorry. I think it was fairly inevitable though. I’m sure you probably saw it coming.’

Me: ‘Yeah, I guess so. Doesn’t make it any easier to see it though. Are you okay?’

Lexi: ‘A bit sore, but otherwise fine, thanks. I need a break from sex – at least if Doug takes me home at lunchtime I can avoid having sex with Aaron, though I’ll miss my daily walk in the woods. I suppose Doug might want to fuck me again, I don’t know.’

Me: ‘Good luck with that.’

Lexi: ‘Thanks.’

The rest of the morning passed slowly. Around eleven o’clock I was surprised to see Lexi sitting at her own desk, still wearing nothing but her panties and shoes. I messaged her: ‘So much for keeping you out of sight! What happened?’

Lexi: ‘Doug had to make a private call. He said it would only be a few minutes, and he would make sure I don’t get into any trouble.’

Me: ‘He’d better!’ But part of me was thinking that if Lexi got fired, at least she would be out of reach of both Doug and Aaron. Maybe she could get a full-time job working from home – then it would just be Ryan taking advantage of her. No more Colin, no more Colin’s friends, no more Bo, and Doobie, and the paying visitors at Futureland. It would be as close to ideal as I could hope for.

Lunchtime came, and Lexi, still almost naked, left the building with Doug. He had his arm around her, which annoyed me, but I was glad to see the look of disappointment on Aaron’s face.

Twenty minutes later, Lexi texted me: ‘I’m home. Doug didn’t fuck me again, I’m happy to say. I persuaded him to let me blow him instead. But he wants me to go with him on another vendor visit on Tuesday. He said it’s a big deal and he thinks I can save the company even more money this time.’

Me: ‘By doing … what?’

Lexi: ‘Oh, just by being semi-naked, I guess. Doug said he’d get me a top to wear … oh, but he wants me to keep working topless in the office. He said Grant ok’d it, on the condition that he gets to fuck me too, from time to time. Doug agreed to that without even asking me first – can you believe that?’

Me: ‘That’s outrageous! I hope you told him to go fuck himself!’

Lexi: ‘LOL! Oh, I couldn’t do that. I told him it wasn’t very nice of him to promise Grant my body without asking me, but … in the end I agreed to it, after he said please. It’s not often Doug says please, you know.’

Me: ‘Ugh, this whole situation…. So what are your plans for this afternoon?’

Lexi: ‘Well first I need to get to my appointment with Doctor Johnson. Drake just got home and he said he’ll drive me. Then later I need to meet up with Antwan to go over wedding plans. And after that, if there’s time, Ryan’s got some kind of plan to let me earn money by working from home.’

Me: ‘Oh, that’s cool! It would be great if you could quit this job and work from home instead.’

Lexi: ‘Well I don’t know – it might not earn enough for that. But a bit of supplementary income would be helpful, right?’

Me: ‘Yeah, it would. Okay, good luck with that. Tell me all about it later.’

Lexi: ‘I will. Okay, I should get going. Bye Marty – I love you so much! See you when you get home.’

Me: ‘Bye darling – see you later. I love you too.’

I did not hear from her for the rest of the afternoon. I took the bus home, and when I entered the apartment, I was pleasantly surprised to see Lexi and Ryan innocently playing Minecraft together. Lexi was naked, of course, but I was happy she was merely sitting next to him rather than bouncing on top of him or lying beneath him.

I smiled. “Hi darling, hey Ryan.”

Lexi jumped up and came over to kiss me. I was about to meet her lips with mine, but then I hastily pushed her away. “Whoa!” I exclaimed. “Careful! No kissing, remember? Otherwise we’ll never be able to have sex!”

Lexi slapped her hands to her cheeks in horror. “Oh goodness!” she said. “I’m sorry – I forgot!”

I pulled her into a hug. “Don’t worry, no harm done,” I said. “But I should go and put a mask on right away. How did your afternoon go? Did you get our wedding organised?”

“Yes!” she said excitedly, disengaging from the hug. “Well, Antwan did most of the work – he’s been phenomenal! He’s got us a big room at the youth centre down the road from the church … you know, for the reception? Just for two hours, from three to five…” Then she bit her lip. “I … I’m afraid I … I had sex with him…”

I groaned. But Ryan immediately leapt to Lexi’s defence. “What did you expect, dude? Antwan comes over here, finds Lexi naked, and you expect him to just sit with her and make wedding plans without making a move on her? Especially after she let slip that she was having trouble keeping cocks out of her vagina.”

“It came up in conversation!” said Lexi defensively. “He was asking all these questions; I couldn’t lie to him.”

I sighed. “But you got the catering, flowers, photographer all worked out?”

She nodded. “Yes, all taken care of. We’ve even got a hotel room booked for Sunday night. All I really need now is a dress … and Ryan said he’ll help me shop for one tomorrow.”

“Why Ryan?” I inquired, a little peevishly. “Couldn’t I help you with that?”

“Oh, but that would be bad luck!” said Lexi. “You’re not supposed to see me in my wedding dress before the wedding, Marty.”

“Oh, yeah, I guess not,” I conceded. “Fair enough. So, uh … oh! How did your doctor’s appointment go?”

Lexi blushed. “Um … it went fine, I guess. Doctor Johnson used his cock again, to prepare me for the speculum. And … he came inside me again.”

I rolled my eyes. “And he knows you’re likely to be ovulating today! I swear … I bet he’s trying to get you pregnant himself.”

“The thought did cross my mind,” Lexi admitted. “But like he said, he’s old and his sperms probably can’t compete with those of younger men like Ryan and Drake, who cum in me every chance they get.”

“Yeah, but tell him about the syringe!” said Ryan, sounding a little disgruntled.

“What syringe?” I asked.

Lexi grimaced. “Doctor Johnson squirted a big syringe full of white fluid into my womb, through my cervix,” she said. “He said it was just a routine thing, for good uterine health … but Ryan thinks it was probably full of semen that he had been saving up over the past couple of days, in anticipation of today’s appointment.”

“What the hell!” I said, aghast. “He can’t do that, can he? That’s got to be all kinds of illegal!”

“Maybe,” said Ryan, “but how are you going to prove what he did? Go to a hospital and find the doc’s sperm in Lexi’s womb? All that’ll prove is that he fucked her. And that’s enough to get him struck off, sure, but in any case, Lexi doesn’t even want to report it.”

“What good would it do?” she asked, shrugging her shoulders. “So he fucked me when he shouldn’t have. Lots of men have done that. I can’t report them all. Well I guess I could, but I don’t want to. The police would only think I’m some kind of slut for letting so many men fuck me. Which … maybe I am…” She hung her head in shame.

“No you’re not!” I told her adamantly. “You’re just easily taken advantage of. But after today’s experience, I’m sure you won’t be going back to Doctor Johnson!”

“Actually,” said Lexi sheepishly, “I have an appointment to go see him again on Tuesday.”

I blinked. “What?”

“Well as he pointed out,” she said, “I’m very likely to get pregnant this cycle, and since this’ll be my first pregnancy, and especially since we won’t know who the father is for a while, it’ll be important to monitor my health closely over the next few days and weeks. And I … I sort of promised him I would continue to see him over the course of my pregnancy, if indeed I do get pregnant.”

I pounded my forehead with the palm of my hand. “Lexi, you’ve got to stop making these promises! Promise me you won’t make any more promises to men in which you put yourself further in their power!”

“You may want to rethink that,” Ryan remarked with a smirk. “In view of the fact that you’re exchanging wedding vows with her on Sunday.”

“Well … myself excepted, of course,” I said awkwardly.

“I guess I can stop making promises,” said Lexi reluctantly. “But then, how am I supposed to assure people that I mean what I say?”

“You could just, I dunno, give them your word?” I suggested. “But honestly, that would be just as bad. I guess what I want you to do is stop making commitments to other men.”

Lexi bit her lip, and nodded. “I’ll … I’ll try,” she said. “Anyway, I have to go to choir practice now. Will you … walk me to the church?”

“Oh – of course!” I said. “Uh … what are you going to wear…?”

“Just a top and panties, I guess,” she replied with a shrug. “And shoes. I sort of … made a promise that I would go skirtless whenever I can, and Derek said it was fine for church.”

“Ryan!” I said in exasperation. “Why would you make her promise that?”

“Hey, not my doing this time,” said Ryan, looking as surprised by the news as I was.

“I promised Drake,” said Lexi, embarrassed. “While we were, um, having sex last night.”

“What’s the big deal?” Ryan asked. “She’s spent the last two days completely skirtless. A top and panties has become Lexi’s signature outfit, and I for one think it’s awesome.”

I sighed. “I just worry about where it’s going! Today Doug had her working topless at her desk – and I’m worried that’s going to become a regular thing too. And once she’s used to being topless in the office, I’m worried she’ll start going topless in public too. And I’m worried that soon Doug will ask her to start working naked, and that will spill over into public places too. And before I know it, Lexi will be boarding the bus naked…”

Lexi giggled. “Don’t be silly, Marty! I’d get arrested for that, for sure!”

“I worry about that too!” I fretted. “I worry you’ll get arrested by a couple of cops who will then fuck your in their car, and take you to jail and throw you into a cell, still naked, with a bunch of male criminals who will all fuck you too…”

Ryan snorted. “Dude, you’re gonna give yourself an ulcer! You’re letting your imagination get the better of you. You need to stop worrying so much.”

“Is it so far-fetched, though?” I demanded. “After everything else that’s happened?”

Lexi squeezed my arm. “I totally understand why your mind would go to those places,” she said gently, “but trust me, I’m not going to start going out in public naked … or even topless! I like wearing a top and panties, and I’m happy with that being my default outfit from now on. I’m not planning to keep reducing my outfit until there’s nothing left, I promise you.”

Finally she had made a promise that actually made me feel better rather than worse. I smiled at her. “That’s a relief,” I said. “All right, you go get dressed, then, and I’ll grab a mask and walk you to the church.”

Five minutes later, Lexi and I were on our way. She was wearing her pale blue blouse, unbuttoned enough to show plenty of cleavage (though not as much as she had been showing on Tuesday). On her bottom half was a pair of white satin panties, and her white shoes with the two-inch heels. She looked gorgeous, and insanely sexy.

“Are you planning on sitting between Eddie and Maurice again?” I inquired. “You know they won’t be able to keep their hands off you.”

“There’s only so much they can do while we’re practising,” she said unconcernedly. “If they get too unsubtle about it, Jerry will split us up, I’m sure.”

“Jerry’s going to be sitting at the organ,” I pointed out. “How will he even know?”

“He has a mirror mounted on his organ, above the keyboard,” said Lexi. “He can actually see us pretty well from where he’s sitting – so Eddie tells me.”

“Huh!” I said. “Fair enough. Well, don’t be afraid to attract his attention and complain, if those old perverts get too gropey.”

Lexi smiled. “As long as they keep it low-key, I might as well let them have a bit of fun,” she said. “With me being dressed like this, I’m sure the temptation to touch me will be far too great for them to resist.”

I sighed. “I guess it’s a good thing you don’t mind being groped – you’d be having a miserable time otherwise – but I still think you should try to discourage it.”

She bit her lip. “Marty … I feel like I need to clarify this, for the sake of full transparency … it’s not just that I don’t mind being groped. I actually … like it.”

I grimaced. This was not exactly a shocking revelation, but it made my heart sink nonetheless. “I still think you should discourage it. Aren’t those guys married?”

“No,” said Lexi unhelpfully. “Eddie’s a widower, and Maurice is a lifelong bachelor.”

“Not exactly surprising,” I muttered. “The guy’s hideous.”

“Awww, that’s not his fault though,” said Lexi. “The poor man must have been so lonely his whole life. I feel very sorry for him. And for Eddie, losing his wife so tragically…”

“Well please don’t have sex with them out of pity!” I snapped. “I know you’ve been pressured or manipulated or even forced into sex a lot recently, but I’m your fiancé and I don’t want you just giving it away to anyone who asks.”

Lexi hung her head. “Right, of course. I’m sorry, Marty.” She continued walking in silence, and then wiped a tear from her cheek. I felt bad for snapping at her, but also justified in my annoyance, so I resisted the temptation to apologise. I did, however, soften my tone for my next utterance.

“I love you, Lexi,” I said, “and I’m excited to get married to you. I’ve resigned myself to the knowledge that you’ll be having regular sex with Ryan and Drake, and Patrick, and I guess Doug, and probably Bo, and Colin of course, and his friends no doubt … but jeez … please try not to add to the list.”

“And Doctor Johnson,” Lexi reminded me.

“Ugh, yes,” I grumbled.

“I’m sure I can persuade Doobie not to have sex with me again,” Lexi went on, “though I feel a little bad for him – he deserves it more than Bo…”

“Yeah, well, I’d rather Bo not have sex with you either,” I said testily. “But he’s in a position of power over you and isn’t likely to give you much of a choice.” Then I sighed. “Look, I guess, if you want to throw Doobie a bone every once in a while, I can live with that. As long as he’s willing to pull out before he cums, like he did last time. I know it probably seems stupid to have him do that when everyone else is cumming inside you, but…”

“No, no, not at all,” said Lexi quickly. “Thank you, Marty, that’s a good compromise.”

I nodded. “Um, so you mentioned earlier, Ryan had come up with an idea for you to make more money…”

“Oh … yes,” said Lexi. “We, um, we did sort of get started on that. I … I don’t know if you’ll approve, though…”

I raised a wary eyebrow. “Oh?”

“We’re almost at the church,” she said. “Can I tell you about it on the way home?”

I shrugged, “Sure.”

We stopped at the entrance. “What time do I pick you up?” I asked.

“I think it’s an hour,” she replied. “But how about I just text you?”

“That works,” I said. “See you later then. Try not to have sex!”

She giggled uncomfortably, nodded, then headed inside. With a long sigh, I took off my mask, then turned around and began walking home.

I was about to enter the apartment building when my phone rang. It was my dad. “Hi Dad!” I said. “I’m guessing you finally read my email?”

“Yes!” he replied. “Sorry it took me so long – I get so much spam in my inbox that I didn’t notice your email until a few minutes ago. Uh, your mom’s here too.”

“Hi Marty!” said my mom.

“Hi Mom!” I said. “So, will you guys be coming on Sunday?”

“I wish we could!” said Dad. “But we already made plans which are kind of set in stone at this point…”

“Oh!” I said, disappointed.

As he and Mom described their upcoming schedule, at first I tried to think of how to convince them to tweak their plans so that they could be there for Lexi’s and my big day. But the more they talked, the more hopeless I realised the situation was.

“No no,” I eventually heard myself saying. “That would be crazy. Don’t cancel anything on our account – you’re right, it’s very short notice and I shouldn’t have assumed you’d be able to make it. Lexi will be disappointed, but she’ll understand. We’ll come and visit you, as newlyweds, when you get back, okay?”

“Yes, that would be wonderful,” said Mom. “Once again, I’m so sorry we can’t make it! But we’ll make it up to you … and congratulations! Lexi’s such a lovely girl…”

“Yes … a real beauty,” Dad agreed. “Take lots of photos, okay?”

“We will,” I promised him. “And a video of the whole thing, which I’ll send to you afterwards.”

“Yes – thank you – that’ll be wonderful,” said Mom.

We said our goodbyes, and with a sigh, I entered the elevator. In the apartment, I told Ryan about the call.

“Oh man,” he said sympathetically. “That’s a shame. Lexi’ll be heartbroken.”

“Yeah,” I agreed. “Especially if her dad doesn’t come either.”

A little over an hour after I had dropped her off, Lexi had not yet texted me. “I should just go,” I said to Ryan. “If she’s not done already, I’m sure she will be soon.”

“Maybe it’s a ninety-minute practice,” Ryan suggested. “Just wait for her text, dude. She’s a big girl; she can take care of herself.”

I stared at him. “No she can’t! As you know only too well.”

“She’s in a church,” Ryan countered. “I’m sure she’s fine. Come on dude, we just got to the mansion. You might as well help me loot it until she texts you.”

I said nothing, but I followed him into the mansion, bow at the ready. Fifteen minutes later I was getting very antsy, but then my phone chimed, and I grabbed it.

Lexi: I’m ready – come and get me!

Me: Be right there!

“Gotta go,” I said, quitting the game. “Hopefully she hasn’t had sex with anyone new!”

“Best of luck with that,” said Ryan.

His tone and smirk annoyed me. “I was kidding!” I said. “You don’t need to act like it’s a foregone conclusion.”

Ryan shrugged. “Dude, you know I love Lexi, but let’s not kid ourselves. She went to a place where there are men, while dressed in a very skimpy outfit. And you know how much of a pushover she is.”

My fists clenched. “I’m willing to bet she hasn’t had sex at church,” I fired back, perhaps more boldly than the situation and past experience warranted. “How about letting me earn back my right to sleep with Lexi for the two weeks after our wedding?”

Ryan snorted. “Aren’t you tired of losing bets, dude?”

“I’m not going to lose this one!” I said confidently. Ryan did not know about my talk with Lexi before she went into the church, so I felt like I had an unfair advantage … which I was quite prepared to exploit. “I’m willing to bet that Lexi comes back from church without any new sperm inside her. How about that? If I win, I get my two weeks of sleeping with Lexi back.”

Ryan shook his head. “I can only bet my own week,” he said. “I can’t speak for Drake. But sure, I’m up for it. If you’re right, I’ll happily forfeit my week of sleeping with Lexi. If you’re wrong, though, I get to fuck her on your wedding night, before you, and you have to pull out before you cum, as we agreed before.”

I was about to reply when the door opened, and Drake walked in.

“Perfect timing!” said Ryan. “Dude, Marty’s making another bet about his wedding night.”

Drake stared at me. “Didn’t you already get it back, bro? Why you wanna risk losing it again?”

I smiled tightly. “Because I’m confident I’ll win, and I want my two weeks of sleeping with Lexi back!”

“The bet,” Ryan explained, “is that Lexi won’t come back from church with fresh sperm in her. If that’s the case, I’m willing to forfeit my week of sleeping with Lexi after the wedding. But if Marty loses the bet, he has to let me fuck her first on Sunday night – and he’s not allowed to cum inside her himself.”

Drake chuckled. “Well I think you’re a moron for risking this, Marty, but I guess I’m in. I’ll give up my week too, if you win. But if you lose, I also get to fuck her before you on Sunday night.”

“Deal,” I said firmly. Lexi would not let me down, I was sure of it. Worst case scenario, she had offered blowjobs to Eddie and Maurice, who were no doubt ecstatic to get them. But even that possibility seemed unlikely. There were women in the choir; they would surely have objected to such behaviour. And Jerry would have been watching from his organ. It just seemed highly unlikely that Lexi would have had a chance to have sex, even if she hadn’t been strongly motivated to avoid it.

“Swear on it!” said Ryan.

I frowned. “Dude, really?” But I walked over to the Bible and picked it up. “Fine, I swear on the Bible that I’ll stick to the terms of the bet we just made. Good enough?”

Drake nodded. “Now go get Lexi, and let’s find out what, if anything, happened.”

I headed for the door, but Ryan suddenly said, “Wait. When Marty gets to the church, the first thing he’s going to do is ask Lexi if she had sex. And if she did, he’s going to be highly motivated to ensure that she doesn’t come home with sperm in her vagina.”

“What?” I said indignantly. “Are you serious right now?”

“That’s a good point,” Drake agreed. “According to the terms of the bet, she could flush herself out before coming back here, and Marty would still win.”

“Is that what you think of me?” I protested. “Have I been anything less than honest with you guys?”

“It’s not about being dishonest,” said Ryan. “It’s about taking advantage of a loophole, and with the stakes this high, I certainly wouldn’t put it past you – or blame you – for doing that.”

“I’ll go get her,” said Drake. “I know where the place is. Heavenquest, right?”

“Yeah, that’s the place,” I said uneasily. “But wait, no! You’ll just pull her into an alley and have sex with her, to make sure she has fresh sperm in her!”

“Is that what you think of ME?” asked Drake with a frown.

I shrugged. “You’re already allowed to have sex with her. You’d just be taking advantage of a loophole.”

Drake sighed. “Fine, I’ll swear not to have sex with her between now and bringing her back from church.”

“Jeez, why don’t you both go…” began Ryan.

My phone chimed. “Hold on,” I said, glancing at my phone. “She’s messaging me.” I read out loud the text she had just sent: “No need to come get me – Derek’s going to drop me off outside the apartment building. He’s anxious about me walking outside this late, dressed like this.”

“Problem solved!” said Ryan.

“Yeah, unless he has sex with her on the way home,” I grumbled.

“Dude, it’s like a two-minute drive,” said Ryan. “And how’s he going to fuck her while driving?”

“I don’t know, he might refuse to unlock the door to let her out until he’s extracted payment for the ride,” I speculated.

Drake laughed. “Bro, you’re so paranoid! Look, if you’re that worried about it, let’s go down and meet her outside, together. As soon as this Derek pulls up, we’ll make sure Lexi gets out without climbing aboard his cock.”

I was inclined to point out that would be in Drake’s interest if she did so, but I simply nodded. “Okay, let’s go.”

“In the meantime I’m going to order pizza,” said Ryan. “Save Lexi from having to cook.”

“Good plan,” said Drake, and I nodded.

As we rode the elevator down, Drake said, “Prolly best if you don’t mention the bet, Marty, until we’re all back in the apartment. Then neither of us can attempt to change the outcome.”

I pursed my lips, then said, “Sure.”

We did not have to wait long. As we stood at the edge of the sidewalk, a white Toyota sedan drew up alongside us. The passenger door opened, and out climbed Lexi. She turned and waved to Derek in the driver’s seat. “Thanks again, Derek! Have a good night.”

“You too, Lexi!” he replied, grinning.

Lexi closed the door, and we headed inside. “How did choir practice go?” I ventured.

She hesitated. “It was … good.”

I was not at all surprised by the hesitation, nor particularly worried … yet. I decided to approach the subject lightly. “Did Maurice and Eddie behave themselves?”

She bit her lip. “Not exactly,” she confessed. “I mean, you knew they wouldn’t.”

There was already someone waiting for the elevator – a middle-aged Asian woman, who stared at Lexi’s panties with disapproval. “Maybe save this story until we’re home,” Drake suggested.

I nodded, and we ascended in silence. Desperate to know what happened, I caught myself grinding my teeth, and stopped. The next thirty seconds passed slowly indeed, but finally we were in the apartment, and Ryan was looking up at Lexi from the couch with a curious expression.

“So…?” he inquired.

“Okay, let’s hear about what happened at choir practice,” said Drake, plopping himself down at the other end of the couch. He patted the space between himself and Ryan.

“Undress first!” said Ryan.

Nodding, Lexi pulled off her top, then tugged her panties down. Stepping out of the latter, she quickly folded the two garments into a bundle. “I’ll just put these in the bedroom,” she said.

When she returned, she sat down between my roommates, while I, with a feeling of annoyance, sat in the armchair. “Well, as you might imagine, Eddie and Maurice got pretty handsy,” Lexi said, her cheeks a deep shade of embarrassment pink. “Even before we all sat down. I’d apologised to everyone for my panties being on show, but nobody seemed to mind about that. Eddie gave me a hug and said he was happy I’d joined the choir, and he gave my bottom a squeeze, and said my panties were just fine. And Derek said I was breathing new life into an old congregation, and Patty Soames said…”

“What was Derek even doing there?” I asked. “He’s not in the choir.”

“No, but as the treasurer, he’s there a lot, I guess,” said Lexi.

Ryan smirked. “Probably just an excuse. He knew you’d be there for choir practice. I’m sure he didn’t want to miss an opportunity to see you again.”

“Go on, Lexi,” said Drake. He seemed as keen to get to the substance of the story as I was.

“Then Maurice hugged me, and he grabbed my butt too,” Lexi went on. “And this time Patty saw, and she told him off! But I immediately said, ‘It’s fine, Patty, really – I don’t mind. Men are always groping my butt and breasts, and I’m quite used to it by now. I just take it as a compliment.’ And Maurice, who was pretty much massaging my butt by this point, said, ‘Who in their right mind could keep their hands off such a superior posterior?’” She giggled. “That made me laugh! But Patty and Angie didn’t look very amused. Angie said I shouldn’t let men get away with such things, and Patty agreed. And I said I wished it were that simple. I’m sure it works for some women, but personally I hate confrontations and I’d rather just go along with it and try to enjoy it, to avoid any unpleasantness. And Patty said if you give men an inch, they’ll take a mile, and pointed to the fact that Maurice’s hands were by now inside the back of my panties. And I had to admit that yes, men do tend to take a mile … but fortunately I have the best, most understanding fiancé, and he doesn’t judge me when men take things too far with me. And Angie asked what ‘too far’ meant, but at that moment Jerry called us over to the choir stalls, and Maurice let go of me, so I avoided having to answer Angie’s awkward question!”

“Good thing!” I said. But I was concerned; choir practice had not even started, and already Maurice had got his hands in my fiancée’s panties. And without negative repercussions! There was little doubt in my mind that worse was to come.

“Anyway, we went to the choir stalls, and Patty said to me, ‘Why don’t you sit with us, Lexi, away from wandering hands?’ And I said, ‘Thank you, that would be great!’ But Maurice and Eddie immediately objected. Maurice said, ‘Then you’ll have four in your row and we’ll have just two in ours! And Lexi doesn’t mind sitting with us, do you Lexi?’ And Patty said, ‘Dot can sit with you two – if that’s okay with you, Dot.’ But Dot seemed a bit anxious about this, and Angie said, ‘I think Dot likes to be next to me, because I’m loud and I help her keep in tune.’ I guess Dot’s a bit hard of hearing. And I didn't want to disrupt an established dynamic, so I said, ‘It’s really fine – I’ll stay in the front row with Maurice and Eddie. I don’t mind the gropings, honestly.’ And the two men looked very excited about this, but Patty seemed quite unhappy. She said, ‘That’s just not right, Lexi. But I guess if you like showing your panties and getting felt up by horny old men, that’s your prerogative. Who am I to judge?’”

I groaned. “So you basically gave them licence to do whatever they wanted!”

Lexi bit her lip. “I figured they’d only be able to go so far – and It wasn’t likely to bother me.”

“Go on,” said Ryan with a grin. “What happened next?”

Lexi took a deep breath, and let it out. “We sang through a couple of new hymns, while sitting down, and Maurice and Eddie wasted no time. Maurice was on my right – he was stroking my thigh with his left hand, and he soon worked his way up to my panties. Then he was rubbing me between my legs for a bit, and then … he slid his hand inside my panties.” Her bare nipples became more prominent at the memory. “Meanwhile Eddie had been fondling my left breast with his left hand – first through my top, and then he slid his hand up beneath it.”

“And you did absolutely nothing to discourage them?” I asked plaintively.

Lexi shrugged awkwardly. “I figured it was all inevitable, so I just ignored both men’s hands and concentrated on singing. But then Maurice pulled my right leg up and hooked it over his left leg … and Eddie noticed that and did the same thing with my left leg … and then Maurice was able to stick a finger inside me.”

“Ugh,” I groaned.

“I tried to concentrate, but it was so distracting!” Lexi continued. “Maurice was sliding his finger in and out of my vagina, and Eddie had pulled my top up and was playing with my left nipple. I was getting very aroused! And then Maurice slid another finger in … and I think I made a moaning sound. Anyway Patty leaned over … Jerry had just stopped playing … and she gasped, and said, ‘You little harlot! Maurice, get your hand out of her panties, you old pervert!’ And immediately, both men stopped touching me, and I sat up straight and put my legs down, and covered my breasts with my top. And I apologised to Patty, but she was already taking some heat from Angie for calling me a harlot. And then Patty apologised to me, and I said it was fine, I understood her perspective, and then Jerry wanted to know what was going on, and we all said it was nothing. And I quietly said to Maurice and Eddie that if they could keep their hands off me for the rest of the practice, I would let them both kiss and fondle me afterwards.”

“You offered to kiss them both?” I inquired with a shudder. “I mean … Maurice…”

“Yes, I know he’s quite unattractive,” Lexi conceded with a little shiver, “but some of Colin’s friends are pretty gross-looking too. And I don’t feel nearly as sorry for them!”

“Fair enough,” I said. “Good thinking, then, I guess. I’d rather you offered them kisses than blowjobs!”

Lexi bit her lip, and the pink in her cheeks deepened.

Ryan chuckled. “Just keep telling the story, Lexi – let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”

Surmising that blowjobs did indeed feature later in this story, I grimaced unhappily.

“Anyway it worked,” said Lexi. “Both men kept their hands to themselves for the rest of the practice. But afterwards, of course, I knew I had to follow through on the deal we’d made. The women had stayed for coffee and cookies, and Jerry and Derek were still hanging around, so Eddie suggested we find a more private place to make out. He led Maurice and me out the back door, and into Pastor John’s office. I said I didn’t think Pastor John would be very happy about us using his office, and Maurice suggested using the treasury instead.”

“Treasury?” Ryan inquired. “Your church has treasure?”

I smirked. “It’s just the treasurer’s office,” I said. “I mean, yeah, whatever valuables the church possesses are kept there, but it’s also where the treasurer keeps the cash box and does the accounts.”

“Right,” agreed Lexi. “Anyway I thought it would be a little less … offensive … if we used the treasury rather than the pastor’s office, so I said okay. So we went in there together, Maurice closed the door, and Eddie … he took me into his arms, and kissed me. I opened my mouth and let his tongue in, and we kissed for a bit, while he pulled up my top and played with my breasts. Maurice got behind me and put his hands down the back of my panties, massaging my butt … and then he reached around and put one hand in the front. It wasn’t long before he was pulling my panties down…”

“Uh-oh,” I said nervously.

“Yeah, I was getting a bit anxious,” said Lexi, “so I stopped kissing Eddie and said ‘I think it’s probably Maurice’s turn.’ And Eddie nodded, so I turned around to face Maurice. And Maurice said ‘Let’s get that top off first,” and he sort of pulled my arms up as he was lifting up my top. And off it came. Then he kissed me, and I let him put his tongue in my mouth, and it was all slimy and gross, but I felt like I should give him the same experience as Eddie, so I put my arms around his neck and kissed him back.”

“Ugh,” I muttered.

“Then I felt my panties being pulled down,” Lexi continued, “and Maurice put his hand between my legs and stuck a finger inside me again. And Eddie grabbed my breasts from behind and he was massaging them … it was like being on the bus, between Colin and one of his friends, only not as scary because it wasn’t in public. It was actually … quite arousing.” She hung her head shamefully.

“Of course it was,” said Ryan sympathetically. “No need to feel guilty about that. Your body will naturally respond to being kissed and fondled. So what happened next?”

“Well I was starting to get into it,” Lexi confessed. “I wanted to stop it before it went too far, but Eddie and Maurice didn’t seem like they would take no for an answer. I did try, honestly. I said something like, ‘I think that’s probably enough, guys,” but they just ignored me! Eddie began pulling me, and they walked me backward so that I stepped out of my panties … and then I reached the desk, and Maurice pushed me so that I bent backwards until I was lying on it. And then he lifted my legs up in the air. And then Eddie bent down and kissed me, and Maurice pulled my knees apart and started licking my pussy. And he stuck a couple of fingers in me, and he was thrusting them in and out … it was making me so horny!”

“I’m sure!” said Drake, smirking.

I scowled. I knew what he was thinking: that this story was going to end with Lexi getting fucked. But I had not yet resigned myself to that – far from it. I was sure that Lexi, even in her arousal-impaired state, had offered blowjobs to the two old men, and that she was about to mention this.

“Anyway my eyes were closed, I was kissing Eddie … and I guess I just didn’t notice the moment when Maurice replaced his fingers with his cock,” said Lexi wretchedly. “It just gradually dawned on me that he was fucking me … and it felt so good! I was a bit annoyed, but mostly I just thought ‘oh well, I guess I’m getting fucked again.’ And I just assumed that once Maurice was done, Eddie would want his turn, and I resigned myself to that.”

“Oh God!” I groaned. “Please tell me they didn’t cum inside you though!”

She shrugged. “Marty, I’m almost certainly pregnant already. What difference does it make?”

“So they did cum inside you?” asked Ryan in delight. “Both of them?”

Lexi nodded, while looking at me with a slightly anxious expression. “Well … yes. Maurice didn’t last long, and then Eddie said ‘My turn!’ and he took Maurice’s place. He lasted quite a while, though, and while he was fucking me … Derek came in.”

I stared at my knees, feeling numb. I had lost the bet. How could I have been so stupid? I had trusted in Lexi’s determination to avoid having sex with anyone at church … but I had failed to account for her horny male fellow choristers’ determination to overcome her resistance.

“Jeez!” said Ryan. “Busted! What did he say?”

“Well, we all froze!” said Lexi. I said ‘I’m so sorry, Derek!’ and Eddie said, ‘This isn’t what it looks like!’ Which I thought was a strange thing to say, because obviously it was exactly what it looked like. But after he got over his initial shock, Derek just said, ‘I only have one question: is this consensual?’ And I realised he was worried that Eddie and Maurice might be raping me! And I didn’t want him thinking that, and maybe calling the police, so I said, ‘Yes, it’s absolutely consensual.’ And then I was worried that he would think I was deliberately cheating on you, so I added, ‘I didn’t plan on doing this, but I’m afraid I’m a bit of a pushover. Don’t worry, Marty knows I am. This isn’t the first time this has happened.’ And Derek looked pretty confused for a moment, but then he said, ‘Well, I guess it’s okay then. Carry on! And don’t mind me; I’ve just got some filing to do.’ And he went over to his filing cabinet with a stack of papers, and started putting things away, completely ignoring us! Eddie and I looked at each other, and Eddie shrugged, and then he started fucking me again. And a couple of minutes later, he came inside me.”

Ryan and Drake exchanged grins.

“Afterwards,” she continued, “they both thanked me, and Maurice said he was looking forward to seeing me on Sunday. And I told him I probably wouldn’t be able to attend the morning service as I was getting married in the afternoon. Apparently they both knew that already, and Maurice asked if he could attend the wedding ceremony. I said we weren’t likely to have too many guests, and it would be nice if the church wasn’t completely empty … so I thought it would be fine. And then Eddie asked if he could come too, and I said sure. Was that okay?” She looked at me, suddenly anxious.

“Oh sure, why wouldn’t I want two old perverts who fucked my fiancée to be guests at our wedding?” I said bitterly.

“Oh gosh, I’m sorry!” said Lexi, aghast. “I’ll get in touch with them … somehow … and rescind the invitation.”

“No need for that, surely?” said Ryan. “They’re hardly going to misbehave on your big day. And let’s face it, they won’t be the only men there who’ve fucked you.” He grinned.

“Also, bro,” said Drake, “won’t it be nice to make Lexi your wife in front of a bunch of guys who want her for themselves? You know, rub it in their faces a bit, that you’re the one who gets to marry her?”

I shrugged uncomfortably. “I guess, on some level. But it’ll make the whole thing seem a little less wholesome, a little more … vulgar.” I sighed. “But what’s done is done. Don’t rescind the invitations, Lexi – but please don’t invite to our wedding any more men you’ve had sex with!”

Lexi bit her lip, and nodded. “Should I … go on with the story?”

“There’s more?” Drake inquired.

“Well, yes,” said Lexi. “Because after Maurice and Eddie left, Derek had questions! He wanted to know how Marty would feel if he knew what I had just done, and if he would still want to marry me, knowing I’m a … a slut. His word, not mine! But … perhaps it fits…”

“Yeah,” Ryan conceded. “Not a slut in the conventional sense, maybe, but technically … you’re certainly spreading yourself pretty thin.”

“You’re monogamous in spirit if not in body,” remarked Drake with a smirk.

“That wasn’t even the worst thing he called me, though,” said Lexi dolefully. “After I told him that Marty isn’t happy when other men have sex with me, but still wants to marry me, he asked how many men I’ve had sex with. And I said quite a lot, but only since Tuesday or Wednesday, and I explained that I’m not trying to be unfaithful; I just find it difficult to keep men at bay.”

I groaned. “And were you still naked while saying this to him?”

“Oh no – I got dressed as soon as Eddie and Maurice left,” Lexi said reassuringly. “But … it didn’t really make any difference…”

I ground my teeth. “Let me guess. Derek took advantage.”

She nodded. “He said he could understand if, in my naïveté, I let myself get seduced by some handsome ladies’ man, but he couldn’t fathom how a guy like Maurice had managed to persuade me to spread my legs for him. He said, ‘How did he do it? And Eddie too? I can’t imagine them as experts in the art of seduction.’ Or words to that effect. And … well, I didn’t want to tell him that all a man needs to do is start groping and kissing me … so I said I felt sorry for them, with Maurice never having been married, and Eddie losing his wife. And when they started touching me, I sort of … just let them. Which was all true.”

Drake chuckled. “So I guess he found a way to make you feel sorry for him?”

Lexi shook her head. “No … he actually said, ‘How would you feel about another form of persuasion?’ And he took out his wallet!”

I gasped. “No way…”

“And he said, ‘I’ll give you fifty dollars if you’ll have sex with me, right here and now.’ And I said, ‘Derek, I’m not a prostitute!’ And he said, ‘You’re happy to give it away for free, but you draw the line at taking money for it?’ And I said ‘Yes!” But then I remembered that I’d basically had sex for money at Futureland, thanks to the cut that Bo gave me. And Arnie, afterwards. So then I felt I had to backtrack, and I told Derek I’d earned thirty dollars for doing photo shoots that involved having sex with strangers at Futureland. And Derek said, ‘So you ARE a prostitute, then.’ And I felt shivery all over, because I realised he was right. And … I nodded. And he smiled and said, ‘Go on, I want to hear you say it.’ And I started feeling all hot and light-headed, and I didn’t want to say it, but because I knew he was right, I … I said to him, ‘I’m a prostitute.’”

I stared at her in horror. “No you’re not!” I exclaimed. I turned to Ryan and Drake. “She’s not! Back me up here!”

Ryan shrugged. “Marty, you know I love Lexi passionately. But technically … Derek wasn’t wrong. If you take money for having sex…”

“I’m not sure I agree,” said Drake with a frown. “Intent matters, don’t it? Lexi didn’t go into those photo shoots intending to have sex; she thought she was being paid for the shoot. The fact that it led to sex wasn’t her fault, or her intent. She was kinda coerced into it.”

“You don’t think women can be coerced into prostitution?” Ryan inquired.

“Well … yeah,” Drake conceded. “But still, I think the money was for the photo shoot, not the sex.”

“Oh gosh,” said Lexi anxiously. “I hadn’t thought of it like that. Yes! So maybe I wasn’t a prostitute after all. Ugh! But I am now.” She groaned. “You see … Derek pressed fifty dollars into my hand and said, ‘Good girl. Now that you’ve acknowledged what you are, you might as well make some good money from it. Turn around and bend over the desk. And I … I sort of felt like I was on autopilot. I clutched the money in my hand, and I turned around and bent over the desk, resting my elbows on it. And Derek … he pulled my panties down, and I heard him spit into his hand. Then … I felt his cock sliding into me.”

I put my head in my hands. My beloved bride-to-be was now a self-confessed prostitute. How had this happened to us? Was it solely because of Lexi’s sweet nature and aversion to conflict? Or was I to blame for my own weakness in not putting a stop to it?

“Go on,” said Ryan eagerly.

“Well, he fucked me,” said Lexi simply. “And he talked to me while he did it, saying some really gross, dirty things.”

“Like what?” asked Drake.

Lexi blushed. “I … I almost daren’t repeat them. But he .. he called me a ‘good whore’, and he said I had a ‘tight cunt’ and a ‘body that was made for sin’. And other things. And … it made me feel really dirty and cheap … but also, ugh, I hate to admit it, but … kind of excited at the same time.” A look of sadness came over her face. “So that’s it. I’m a bad, sinful girl, Marty. A cheap slut and a prostitute. I … I understand if you no longer want to marry me. In fact, maybe you shouldn’t. I’ll only make you miserable.”

“Maybe I should marry you instead,” said Ryan cheerfully. “We love each other, and unlike Marty, I’m not at all bothered by the idea of you having sex with other men. If you marry him, you’ll make him miserable. But not me – I’m not the jealous type. I’ll happily pimp you out to paying customers, if that’s what you’d like to do. And if not…”

The hot blood rushing through my body finally boiled. “What the fuck!!” I yelled. “Are you seriously proposing to my fiancée right now, Ryan?” I advanced on him with my fists clenched.

“Hey, take it easy,” he said, holding up his hands. “I’m just saying, if you change your mind about marrying Lexi…”

“I haven’t!” I snapped. “And I won’t! Sure, I’m pretty dismayed and horrified by all this … this stuff. I don’t want to think of Lexi as a prostitute – heck, I don’t want her to BE a prostitute! But if she decides that’s what she is, then I’ll support her in that, as I’d support her in any of her decisions. Because I love her! I’ll always love her! And I’ll always want to be her husband, no matter what! Do you get that, Ryan, you asshole? NO. MATTER. WHAT.”

“Oh Marty!” gasped Lexi, looking up at me in adoration. “I love you so much!” She rose to her feet.

“I love you too,” I said huskily, stepping forward and taking her into my arms. My face approached hers, her lips puckered … I closed my eyes … and then she squealed as she was yanked away from me.

I stared in surprise as Lexi fell on to Drake’s lap. He had pulled her away from me, and was looking at me with an air of exasperation. “Bro!” he said. “You nearly kissed her!”

“Oh shit!” I said, slapping my hand over my mouth. I felt a cold sweat break out all over my body. I had almost lost the right to have sex with Lexi, ever. “Oh my god – man – that was close!”

“Yes it was!” agreed Lexi fervently. “Thank you Drake – you saved us!”

He smiled, and kissed her, tonguing her mouth as she enthusiastically responded. I was feeling too shocked, and too grateful to Drake for averting disaster, to even feel annoyed that he was now making out with my fiancée. “Thanks Drake,” I said sheepishly.

“So, Lexi,” said Ryan casually. “Just to confirm – you came home with the sperm of three men inside you?”

Lexi broke off the kiss. “Well, yeah,” she said awkwardly. “I mean, a lot of it leaked out into my panties, but not all of it, I’m sure. Derek came inside me, I pulled my panties back up, and then I texted Marty to come get me. But as I was leaving the church, Derek offered...”

“The reason I ask,” Ryan interrupted her, “is that Marty made a bet that you wouldn’t come home with fresh sperm in you…”

“Oh no!” said Lexi anxiously. “Marty! Why … ugh … I can’t be upset with you for believing in me, I suppose, but I do wish you’d stop making bets. What did you lose this time…?”

“Our wedding night,” I replied gloomily. “Ryan and Drake get to have sex with you first, and I’ll have to pull out before I climax.”

She sighed. “Well, I’ve already resigned myself to that once already, so I guess it could be worse. But I’m sorry we won’t have a very special wedding night.”

I nodded sadly. “Me too.”

Lexi stood up. “Anyone hungry? I’ll go make us some dinner.”

“No need!” said Ryan. “I ordered pizza.”

“Oh!” said Lexi, not looking entirely happy. “Well, that’s good. Thank you. In that case, Marty, I should probably take this opportunity to tell you what Ryan and I did this afternoon…”

“Oh, right, your new work-from-home thing?” I said. “Sure, I’d like to hear about it.”

“Let’s talk in the bedroom,” she suggested.

“No kissing!” Ryan warned us playfully.

I fished my mask out of my pocket and put it on. “Just for safety,” I said.

Lexi led me into the bedroom, and I closed the door. “I’m not sure if you’ll approve,” she confessed. “If you don’t want me doing it, I’ll stop.”

I sat down next to her. “What’s the job?” I asked warily.

“It’s a website called ModelBiz,” said Lexi.

I raised my eyebrows. “ModelBiz? The porn site?”

She bit her lip, and nodded. “Ryan said that since I’m getting kind of used to strangers seeing me naked, I might as well make some money from it. He signed me up, and talked me into giving it a try … and so I sat naked for a while in front of his laptop, and all these men started messaging me in the chat, and asking me to uncover my breasts, and to show my pussy, and … and to finger myself … and they were sending me money! Just for doing that sort of thing. Ryan coached me through it – he told me what to show, and when, and what to say to my, uh, ‘fans’ in the chat. Some of them were quite lewd in their comments, but mostly they were very nice and complimentary. Anyway I did that for about half an hour, and then Ryan told me to say goodbye, and he logged me off. Then he asked me what I thought, and I told him truthfully that it had been kind of fun! And he suggested doing it on a daily basis, maybe for an hour or two. And I said I’d have to talk to you.”

“Well … goodness!” I said. “I guess it’s a little, uh, I mean, I didn’t imagine you making a living from doing porn … but I guess it’s better than going to Futureland and being pimped out by Bo, which I’m guessing will become your main role, if you keep working there.”

“Ohh,” said Lexi, crestfallen. “I’d been hoping to do both. I mean, I don’t really want to be a prostitute for Bo! But I’d miss Doobie and the fun skits we do together.”

I sighed. “You really want to keep working there? Knowing Bo will make you have sex for money?”

Lexi hung her head. “I know … I shouldn’t.”

Ryan’s proposal, and his assertion that Lexi would make me miserable if she married me, bubbled up in my mind. Like it or not, this was who I was marrying, and I could either let it make me unhappy, or I could attempt to embrace it. “If you’re okay with that,” I forced myself to say, “then so am I. If you want to keep working at Futureland, having sex with men for money, I’ll absolutely support you in that. And if you want to do the ModelBiz thing as well, then great, I’ll support that too. But … do you still want to work in the office, as well?”

“Oh yes!” she replied. “I love getting to spend my mornings working alongside you.”

“But what if Doug really makes you his personal assistant?” I asked. “And it becomes a full-time position?”

“Aaron doesn’t think it ever will,” said Lexi. “He thinks Doug doesn’t want to have to pay me benefits, and if he can get all he needs from me in a part-time job, he will, for as long as he can.”

“Maybe,” I said doubtfully.

“But if he does offer me a full-time job, I’ll absolutely take it,” she continued. “But maybe I could still do a few hours a week at Futureland? After work, or on weekends?”

I suppressed a grimace. “If you really want to, then sure,” I said.

I heard the doorbell ring. Then Ryan knocked on our bedroom door, and opened it. “Pizza guy’s here,” he announced. “Would you mind getting the door, Lexi?”

“But I’m naked!” she said in surprise.

Ryan grinned. “So? Go on, it’ll be fun to see his face.”

Lexi giggled, then turned to me. “Only if you approve,” she said.

I smiled, tight-lipped. “Whatever you want to do is fine with me, darling.”

She hugged me. “You’re so silly! I can tell you don’t want me to. So, I won’t!”

Ryan snorted. “Lexi, he doesn’t want you kissing other guys or having sex with strangers or any of that stuff. This is a small thing by comparison. He’s given you permission, so go ahead and answer the door!”

Lexi looked troubled, but when she heard the doorbell ring again, she got to her feet uncertainly.

“Quickly!” Ryan urged. “Or he’ll go away.”

Lexi turned to me, and I waved her onward. “Go,” I said. “We can talk later.” Secretly I was feeling a quiet sense of hope; Lexi was still uncomfortable with doing things that would make me unhappy. Maybe I could work on that, and leverage it in my favour.

Lexi left the room, and I heard her open the front door, followed by a “Whoa!” and a giggle. There was some conversation, which I could not fully make out, though I heard snatches of what sounded like compliments, gratefully received.

I let myself fall backwards on to my pillow. Part of me wanted to go out there, to stare down the pizza delivery guy, to make sure he didn’t try anything with Lexi. Another part of me – a more bitter, pessimistic part – reminded me that I was lousy at preventing men from having their way with my fiancée, and if I went out there, it would accomplish nothing but the misery of watching my beloved girl get kissed, molested, maybe even fucked by yet another stranger.

I was pleasantly surprised, therefore, when Lexi appeared in the doorway only a moment later. “Hungry?” she asked with a smile.

I got up quickly. “What did Ryan order for me?”

“Your usual,” she replied.

“What did the pizza guy say when he saw you?” I inquired.

She giggled. “His jaw just dropped open! He said ‘Whoa!’ and then he blushed like crazy and handed me the pizza boxes. Ryan paid him, and he said I was very beautiful and that Ryan’s a lucky guy! I was about to correct him, but Ryan put his arm around me and said, ‘I certainly am!’ I thought the guy might try to hug me or something, but he just sort of waved and then scurried away!”

“I wish more guys would react to you like that,” I muttered.

Lexi giggled. “Yes, me too.”

After dinner, Lexi took a bag of shower things over to Patrick’s apartment, and since he was just down the hall and she was unlikely to meet anyone on the way, she did not even bother putting panties on this time. She was gone for over an hour.

While I waited for her to return, I played some Soul Calibur and then Minecraft with Ryan. While we were plundering an ocean monument, he said, “So, you must be pretty excited about Sunday, huh dude?”

“Yes,” I acknowledged. “Excited, a little nervous … mainly I just want to get it out of the way. I’m more excited at the prospect of being married than of getting married … you know?”

He chuckled. “So romantic!” he teased me. “You’re not looking forward to seeing Lexi all dolled up and in her wedding dress?”

I shrugged. “Yeah, I guess so. It’ll be the most she’s worn in a while! It’s almost like she doesn’t even want to wear outerwear anymore.”

“Yeah, she defo has an exhibitionistic streak,” Ryan remarked. “It’s amazing what she’s willing to wear in public now, such a short time after exclusively wearing long dresses.”

“I kind of miss those dresses,” I admitted. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, she looks amazing in nothing but panties, or whatever … but I feel like this whole coming out of her shell thing … it’s gone way too far. I kind of wish we could go back to the way things were before.”

Ryan chuckled. “Can’t put the genie back in the bottle, dude. For better or worse, she’s…”

But his thought was interrupted by the door opening. In walked Lexi, naked and carrying her shower things. Her hair looked damp.

“I can’t believe I walked to Patrick’s apartment and back again without a stitch of clothing on!” she said with a giggle.

I pursed my lips. “Did you, uh, have good sex…?” I asked, instantly cringing at how stupid that sounded.

“Yes thank you,” she replied, blushing a little. “Both before and after our shower. I had to wait awhile for him to get his energy back, and the second time I sat on top of him and did all the work, so that he wouldn’t have to exert himself too much.”

“Very generous of you,” I muttered, while Ryan snorted with laughter.

“Oh … should I not have?” Lexi asked anxiously. “I didn’t think it would make a difference…”

I shrugged. “I guess it didn’t, really.” I decided to change the subject. “Any word from your dad?”

She shook her head. “I don’t want to badger him about it. Either he comes or he doesn’t. I … I’m honestly hoping he doesn’t, though. If he sees the person I’ve become…”

I shivered. “Yeah,” I said nervously. “And he’ll surely blame me for ‘corrupting’ you. I’ve been kind of dreading having to face his rage in the event of him coming to visit, and seeing how you dress, and … and so on.”

Lexi smiled, a little sadly. “I don’t want to pretend I’m still the innocent girl he left behind,” she said, “nor apologise for who I’ve become. But if we face him together … I think we’ll survive.”

The thought of facing Earl’s wrath at Lexi’s transformation from virginal church girl to naked sex object made me quail inside. But perhaps we could keep the worst of it from him. After all, Lexi would be wearing a bridal dress, and surely my friends would keep their hands off her during the wedding, at least.

I forced a smile. “I’m sure you’re right.”

“At least your mom and dad will be there,” said Lexi happily. “Maybe your dad can walk me down the aisle…?”

“Ah,” I said uncomfortably. “About that. I’m afraid they can’t come.”

Lexi’s face fell. “Seriously? You said they wouldn’t miss it for the world!”

“If we’d given them more notice, yes,” I said apologetically. “But they’re flying to the UK on Saturday, apparently. Dad’s a guest speaker at a conference in London, and they decided to combine the trip with a tour of England and Scotland. They’ll be gone for three weeks. Everything’s booked – flights, hotels, bed and breakfasts, car rental – they were devastated at the thought of missing our wedding and did briefly consider cancelling everything, but I told them to go ahead and enjoy their vacation. I just didn’t want it on my conscience to ruin their plans and make them pay cancellation fees and whatever.”

Lexi looked sad, but nodded. “You did the right thing. When did this happen, though? Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“They called me just after I dropped you off at Heavenquest,” I said. “I guess it slipped my mind until now, sorry.” Then I couldn’t resist adding, “When you got back, you kind of gave me a whole lot else to think about.”

“Yeah, I guess I did,” Lexi said sheepishly.

I smiled at her. “Shall we cheer ourselves up a bit with some Minecraft…?”

We played for a while, but Lexi’s head soon began to droop, and it occurred to me that my poor fiancée had had a long and busy, not to mention physically exhausting, day. “Time for bed?” I suggested.

She nodded. “Goodnight, Marty.”

We hugged, and she went into the bathroom to get herself ready for bed. Ryan and Drake had already retired to their rooms, and I went to mine. Not long afterward, I scowled at the unpleasant sounds of Drake fucking my fiancée. Once that was over, I had to ensure the sounds of Ryan doing the same. “Two days,” I muttered to myself. “Just two days.” And then, finally, I would be able to do the same thing.

SATURDAY: BACHELOR & BACHELORETTE

The next morning, after Lexi and I had eaten breakfast together, Ryan came out of his room, fully dressed. He smiled at Lexi. “Ready to go shopping for a wedding dress?”

“Yes!” said Lexi eagerly. She got up from the table, and disappeared into our bedroom.

“How about you, Marty?” Ryan asked. “You got a nice suit?”

“I do,” I confirmed. “And I’ve only worn it once – to my first job interview. That was a mistake – I looked incredibly out of place. Nobody seems to wear full suits these days. Except at weddings and funerals, I guess.”

“Okay, well I guess we’ll see you later then,” said Ryan.

Lexi soon emerged, wearing a semi-sheer top and panties, along with a pair of sneakers. “Bye Marty!”

“See you later, darling,” I said. “Have fun dress-shopping.”

The two of them left, and I found myself alone in the apartment; Drake had already gone to the gym. I killed some time on Minecraft, then I called Antwan and asked him if he needed any help with preparations for tomorrow.

“Nah man, we got it covered,” he replied. “You and Lexi are still coming up to the roof tonight, right?”

“Sure,” I said, a little reluctantly. “What time should we be there?”

“Anytime after eight o’clock,” said Antwan. “Nine’s probably better.”

“Okay, just as long as we’re not up too late,” I said with a chuckle. “Big day tomorrow!”

“Yeah man, that’s fine, you can leave whenever you like,” he assured me. “I just want you guys to have a good time.”

“Thank you, I appreciate that,” I said. “Uh … Antwan…”

“Yeah?”

I cleared my throat uncomfortably. “Uh, so, I know you and Lexi had sex…”

“Oh … yeah … man, I’m sorry about that. She said you’d be cool with it.”

“I wouldn’t exactly say I’m ‘cool’ with it,” I replied, slightly annoyed. “More like I’ve resigned myself to the fact that Lexi seems unable to stop men from having by their way with her. And since she can’t stop it, I’ve given her permission to enjoy it. But … uh, bro … if you really want me to have a good time tonight, I’d appreciate it if you could do your best to keep other men off Lexi as much as possible.”

I heard him laugh. “Marty, I’ll do what I can, but … no offence … isn’t that your job?”

“Yeah,” I conceded. “But I’m guessing there will be a lot of guys at the party that I don’t know. Friends of yours. I think maybe they’ll be more likely to listen to you than to me.”

“Aight, well I’ll do my best, bearing in mind Lexi’s a free agent and can make her own decisions,” said Antwan.

I sighed. “I understand. Thank you.”

“Take it easy man – see you later.”

“Bye,” I said, and I hung up. I did not feel very reassured. But on the other hand, as Antwan had said, we could leave whenever we wanted. If things started to get out of hand, I decided, that’s exactly what we would do.

Minecraft has a way of sucking up time, and it was almost noon before it even occurred to me to wonder whether Ryan and Lexi would be back for lunch. I texted her to ask, and a few minutes later, she responded.

Lexi: ‘Hi! We’re not yet done with the shopping – and Ryan wants to have lunch in the food court. Do you mind?’

Me: ‘No, not at all, that’s fine. Just checking in! How’s it going so far?’

Lexi: ‘Pretty good! I have a dress … heehee! Wait till you see it! It’s a bit daring, but I hope you’ll like it anyway.’

Me: ‘I’m sure I’ll love it. But will your dad…?’

Lexi: ‘Dad’s not coming to the wedding – he called me and we talked for about half an hour this morning. He said it was far too short notice and we were very silly for being in such a rush. He asked if we had had sex already, and I truthfully told him no! So he wanted to know why we were getting married so soon. I was so glad he didn’t just ask me straight out if I was pregnant, because I’m not sure how I would have answered that! Anyway I told him we just couldn’t wait, and he said it wasn’t like me at all to be so impulsive, and he wasn’t prepared to sanction it. He said “Act in haste; repent at leisure.” And he said you were clearly having a bad influence on me! I told him that if he didn’t want to walk his only daughter down the aisle, that was his decision, but it made me sad. And I told him I love him, and then I hung up!’

Me: ‘Good for you. I think you handled that very well.’

Lexi: ‘I thought so!’

Me: ‘Well, enjoy the rest of your shopping. See you later xxxx’

Lexi: ‘I love you! xxxxx’

I put my phone down, and got back to mining for diamonds. But very soon I felt the need for a change of scenery, so I got up, made myself a sandwich, and watched a reaction video while I ate. After I had finished eating, I grabbed a book from my bedroom, and headed out for a walk.

It was nice and peaceful, sitting with my back against a broad-trunked basswood in the park. Reading helped me to settle my troubled mind, to refocus my attention on something other than tomorrow’s wedding and my impending first time with Lexi, about which I had understandably mixed feelings. But after three chapters or so, my attention was interrupted in a way I could not in a million years have predicted.

“Marty? Marty Hawtrey?”

I looked up, and gasped. “Ashley!” I said, scrambling to my feet. “Ashley Fontaine! Goodness, I didn’t expect to see you here!”

Ashley was an old crush; a girl I had begged to go out with me in one of the most cringeworthy moments of my college years. Blonde, tall, slender, and attractive (though not in Lexi’s league), she and I had been friendly enough that I had really thought I stood a chance with her. And perhaps I might have done, though my social clumsiness no doubt ruined my chances.

Ashley beamed, and pulled me into a hug. “It’s so nice to see you!” she said. “Do you live around here?”

“Yes!” I replied. “Just a few blocks away. You?”

“No, I’m just in town for a few days, visiting my brother,” she replied, her cheeks colouring a little. “Hey, we should catch up – you wanna grab a coffee with me?”

I hesitated. On the one hand, it would be nice to sit and chat with Ashley after all this time. On the other … it probably wouldn’t be a good idea. “I don’t know,” I said doubtfully. “I’m getting married tomorrow.”

“Oh my god!” she said, wide-eyed. “Congratulations! Who’s the lucky girl?”

I smiled. “I’m the lucky one. Her name’s Lexi and she’s the most beautiful woman in the world.” I pulled out my phone, and showed her my wallpaper – a photo I’d taken of Lexi when she was still Alex. When she was still wearing long dresses. When she was still mine and only mine…

“Shit, Marty – she’s gorgeous!” said Ashley, impressed. “Damn, I guess you lucked out when I turned you down, huh? You might still be stuck with me otherwise!” She elbowed me playfully.

I chuckled bashfully. “Yes, I’m very lucky,” I agreed. “I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Still … I sometimes find myself wishing she weren’t quite so beautiful, you know? She gets a ton of male attention … and she’s not very good at fighting it off.”

“Oh … oh Marty,” said Ashley, looking a little dismayed. “You mean she isn’t faithful?”

“She doesn’t mean to be unfaithful,” I said defensively. “She just … she doesn’t know how to say ‘no’ to men.” I sighed.

“Awww,” said Ashley sympathetically. “You sure you don’t want to get that coffee? Seems like you might want to talk about this with an old friend.”

I thought about all the sex Lexi was having with other men. Surely she would be okay with me getting coffee with another woman? “Okay,” I said, nodding. “Sure – that would be nice.”

Ten minutes later, Ashley and I were sitting across a table from each other. “So,” I said, “how about you? I don’t see a wedding ring, or an engagement ring.”

“I did have an engagement ring,” said Ashley ruefully. “It came off last week. Turned out my asshole fiancé had been cheating on me for the past six months.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” I said. “That sucks.”

She shrugged. “Honestly, it was best to find out now, rather than after the wedding. Anyway that’s why I’m here, staying with Ben while I sort myself out. The worst part is that I was working for Cole and his dad, so when I dumped him I kinda had to quit my job at the same time. And the apartment was in Cole’s name, so I had to move out with nowhere else to go. Luckily I’ve got some savings, but I’m pretty much having to start fresh all round.”

“I’m so sorry!” I said, reaching out and placing my hand on hers. “That’s a terrible turn of events. I’m glad you have a brother to turn to.”

She placed her other hand atop mine. “Thank you, Marty,” she said softly. “You know … if your Lexi is sleeping around … I don’t care how pretty she is, I don’t think you’ll be happy. You may think it’s too late to cut and run, since you’re getting married tomorrow … but it’ll be far easier to do it before than after, trust me.”

I withdrew my hand, frowning. “Ashley, I’m absolutely in love with Lexi and I’m not going to ‘cut and run’, thank you. I … look. I had very strong feelings for you, back in the day. And I want only good things for you now. And if I were single, I’d be all over you like a rash. But even then, I’d just be your rebound guy and I’m sure it wouldn’t last. There was a reason you weren’t interested in me in college, and it wouldn’t take you long to remember that reason.”

“There were several reasons,” said Ashley candidly. “Firstly, you were desperate and throwing yourself at every young woman who was nice to you … and a few that weren’t. You didn’t make a very good case for yourself, Marty! Also, I was young and foolish, and thought I wanted, you know, the ‘cool guys’ with the smooth talk and the nice clothes and the big pecs. And my fiancé was one of those. But he was also super shallow and kind of a jerk. Not to me, of course – at least not at first. But how he treated other people should have been a red flag. Anyway, I don’t want to talk about him. My point is … I’ve grown since then. So have you. Maybe we should give each other a chance. I know, I know, you’re super in love with this amazing girl who can’t keep other men out of her panties … I’m reading between the lines here, but I notice you’re not contradicting me. Just ask yourself, is she going to make you happy, long term? Or are you going to sit at home alone, night after night, trying not to imagine what she’s doing, wherever she is, with whoever she’s with?”

I said nothing. She was articulating my fears better than I had done, even in the dark corners of my mind. “I … I can’t,” I managed eventually. “She’s the love of my life, Ashley.”

Ashley nodded. Then she reached into her purse, pulled out a pen, and scribbled on a napkin. “Here’s my number,” she said. “If you have a chance of heart tonight … or tomorrow morning, or heck, even next week … give me a call. Marty, I don’t know if you believe in fate, but I think there was a reason we happened to run into each other today. I could have stayed at my brother’s house, binge-watching Netflix shows or playing word games on my phone. But no – on a whim I decided to go for a walk. And who do I run into? A guy I overlooked in college who, just maybe, might be the One to make me happy in life. And maybe I’m the One for you, if you can get past your Lexi myopia. Who knows? Isn’t it worth a try? Don’t answer that. Just think about it. And … call me. Tonight, or tomorrow, or next week, or whenever. But don’t wait too long, Marty. Because I won’t.” She slung her purse over her shoulder, and stood up. “It’s been nice seeing you again.” As she passed me, she stooped and kissed me on the cheek. “Think about it.”

Then she was gone, and I was left staring at the napkin on which she had written her phone number. I sighed. If she had reconnected with me before I found Lexi, I would have been overjoyed to start going out with her. And maybe it would have worked out. But maybe not. It was academic, either way. Getting up, I headed for the exit, and as I passed the trash can by the door, I crumpled up the napkin and tossed it in.

I was going to marry Lexi, dammit. And tomorrow we would have sex for the first of many times, and somehow, perhaps nine or ten months from now, I would make sure that her second baby was mine. What Ashley failed to understand was that Lexi wasn’t just some slut who was marrying me out of kindness or whatever. Lexi and I were deeply in love, and emotionally committed to each other. That wasn’t something I was going to throw away just because an old college crush showed up and threw herself at me.

Feeling more clear-headed, I went home and waited for Lexi to return from her shopping trip. And, after an hour or so, in she walked, beaming happily at me as she held up her shopping bags. “Hi Marty!” she said. “Guess what?”

“What?” I inquired, as Ryan stepped inside and closed the door behind him. I noticed Lexi was wearing a new outfit: a slightly sheer blue bandeau top, and a skimpy pair of string-sided white panties.

“I haven’t had sex today – AT ALL!” She grinned. “Aren’t you proud of me?”

“Proud, happy, and surprised!” I replied. “How’d you manage that? I’d have thought Ryan, at least, would have taken advantage of the naked girl in his bed this morning.”

“He was very nice about that!” she said happily. “He said I ought to have a little time to recover, before my big night tomorrow. I only gave him a blowjob. And while we were out, he kept me safe the whole time! I only got groped a little on the subway – nothing major.”

“That’s great!” I acknowledged grudgingly. “Thanks Ryan.”

“Oh but look,” said Lexi, turning her back on me and then talking over her shoulder. “What do you think?”

“Goodness!” I said, staring at her bare buttocks. “You’re wearing a thong!”

“Yup, and I got a bunch of them!” she said, turning back around. “I’m going to wear them exclusively from now on. Ryan talked me into it.” She giggled. “He’s so persuasive!”

I grimaced. “Yeah, don’t I know it. Well, you look very sexy, but jeez … didn’t anyone give you a hard time about showing off your bare butt in public?”

Lexi shrugged. “Yeah, a bit. But I got a lot of compliments, too! And Ryan was there to protect me from anyone who wanted to be mean to me.”

It had already been blowing my mind, whenever I stopped to think about it, that Lexi had become comfortable with being out in public with her panties exposed. Now she had taken it a step further, and she was still fine with it? What was next?

“So what else did you get?” I inquired, with a slight sense of unease.

Ryan put his hand on Lexi’s shoulder. “Don’t forget to undress.”

“Oh yes!” she said. “Um … can I show him my ribbon?”

“Sure,” he replied.

Lexi quickly took off her top, then she extracted from her bag a large roll of pink ribbon, roughly two inches wide. “Hold on a second,” she said, and she trotted to the kitchen and retrieved a pair of scissors from a drawer. She pulled out approximately five feet of ribbon from the roll, and cut it with the scissors. Then she deftly passed it behind her back, drew it up around her breasts, pulled it snug, and tied a large bow in the front.

“I appreciate the gift, but Christmas is a few months away,” I said with a smile.

Lexi giggled. “I’m not a gift…” she said.

“That’s debatable,” Ryan remarked with a smirk.

She swatted his arm. “I mean I’m not gift-wrapping myself! Ryan thought this would be a good top to wear on the bus on weekday mornings. You know how Colin’s friends like to keep my clothes as souvenirs. Well they can pull on the ribbon and undress me as easy as pie, and if they keep the ribbon afterwards, no problem! I have plenty more.”

“Very clever,” I said uncomfortably. “Do you have a similar solution for your panties?”

“No, not yet,” she admitted. “I’m not sure what to do about those. I certainly can’t afford to lose a thong every day, though!”

“Well we have some time to think about it,” I said. “No bus rides until Tuesday!”

Lexi’s face fell. “Oh … I was meaning to talk to you about that,” she said. “I got a text from Doug while we were out.”

I blinked. “What? I didn’t even know he had your phone number!”

Lexi smiled apologetically. “Well if I’m to be his personal assistant, he’ll need to be able to get in touch with me at any time. Anyway he said the vendor visit he’d planned for Tuesday has been brought forward to Monday … and he really needs me to come along.”

“But I already requested Monday off!” I protested. “And he approved it! And he knew it was so we could spend the day after our wedding together! Didn’t he approve your request too?”

“Not exactly,” she said sheepishly. “I put in the request, but he didn’t approve it immediately, so I asked him about it, and he said it would probably be fine, but he hadn’t yet figured out his schedule for Monday. He said if I didn’t hear from him otherwise, I could just assume it was fine, and take Monday off. But, of course, then I did hear from him otherwise.”

I threw up my hands. “Well there’s no point in me taking Monday off now. I might as well work that day, and we can pick another day to take off together.”

“I’m sorry Marty,” she said unhappily. “I’d love to have Monday off. But … he’s our boss…”

I sighed. “Maybe we can take next Friday off, and have a long weekend, and go someplace nice, and stay a couple nights.”

“That would be lovely!” said Lexi.

“Uh, except remember, Lexi, Drake and I are sleeping with you every night for the two weeks following your wedding night,” Ryan reminded us. “And we decided to alternate. One night Drake, one night me, and so on.”

“Oh yeah,” I said grumpily. “Well, maybe we can work something out. Anyway … Lexi … this evening will be our last dinner as an unmarried couple, and I think we should celebrate the occasion with something more fancy than leftover pizza. I’d like to take you out for a nice meal.”

“Oh!” said Lexi excitedly. “That sounds fun!”

“Nice restaurants have dress codes,” Ryan pointed out.

“Yeah, exactly,” I agreed. “I know Lexi promised to stay skirtless at all times, but can you maybe let her off the hook for a restaurant outing?”

He shrugged. “Sure! It wasn’t a hard and fast rule. She just promised to go skirtless in public whenever she can; clearly this would be a valid exception.”

“Whew, good!” I said, relieved. “Uh, darling, how about wearing one of your long dresses? You know, for old times’ sake? To mark the end of one era and the beginning of another?”

“Um … well … okay…” said Lexi, looking a little conflicted.

“Dude, she promised herself she’d never wear those things again,” said Ryan reproachfully. “Can she not wear one of her miniskirts?”

“I’d rather she didn’t,” I said stubbornly. “Just for once, I’d like to go out with my fiancée and not have her be ogled and groped by every man we interact with.”

“Ah,” said Ryan, “so you want her to be a frump, for the sake of your ego.”

“She was never a frump!” I objected. “Not even in her old dresses! Tell me honestly: did you think she was a frump when you first met her?”

“No,” he admitted, “but that’s only because her beauty overpowered the frumpiness of her clothing. That doesn’t mean the dresses themselves weren’t frumpy.”

“Look,” I said hotly. “This is between me and Lexi. I’ve had enough of your input into what she wears! I’m taking my fiancée out to dinner and you’re not invited, so you don’t get a say…”

“Dude, I’m standing up for Lexi,” said Ryan calmly. “She’ll roll over and do whatever you want, without telling you how uncomfortable it makes her feel. But at this point I know her better than you do…”

“Oh you do, do you?” I demanded, my fists clenching.

“Sure – I’ve spent more time with her,” said Ryan.

“Maybe there’s a compromise position?” suggested Lexi desperately. “Please don’t fight over this. What if I shorten one of my old dresses? Not super short; just short enough to make it non-frumpy.”

“Not a bad idea, but I think it’ll look weird,” said Ryan. “It would still be baggy on the top half…”

“Bullshit,” I said. “Not all of them are baggy. I’ve seen a couple that were pretty form-fitting on the top half…”

“Only because her boobs fill them out,” said Ryan. “None of them have much of a waist.”

“I can take in the waist,” said Lexi. “I can think of a couple of good candidates. Trust me, I can turn one of them into something I’ll look good in.”

“You look good in anything,” I pointed out. “But … okay. That does sound like a good option. Just … don’t go any shorter than knee-length, okay?”

“Knee-length?” Ryan scoffed. “Dude, you’re going out to dinner, not to a funeral…”

“Knee-length is fine,” Lexi assured him. “I don’t mind.”

“You’d rather go shorter though, admit it,” he said. “Knee-length just isn’t ‘you’ anymore … you know?”

“But it’s for Marty,” she reminded him.

“It’s gotta work for you too, though,” he insisted. “Compromise, remember? At least go to mid-thigh. Then I think you’ll still feel sexy, and Marty will be satisfied that your thong is covered with plenty to spare.”

I frowned. “Mid-thigh’s too short.”

“Come on dude, work with us here!” said a Ryan painedly. “Mid-thigh is positively prudish compared with what she’s been wearing the last couple days!”

“Well … yeah,” I conceded. “But it’s still scandalous compared with how she was dressing before.”

“But not scandalous for this day and age,” Ryan argued. “For a nice dinner at a restaurant, mid-thigh is standard! She won’t be the only woman dressed like that, I’m certain. Marty, I know you’re just trying to have a nice distraction-free dinner without having to worry about men having their way with your date … and you can! It’s not like a bus ride, with other men jostling around her, or Futureland, where her boss pimps her out to horny guys. It’ll be just the two of you, sitting down in a restaurant booth, with Lexi’s sexy legs tucked underneath the table. The shortness of her dress will be largely irrelevant. And none of her old dresses show cleavage, so above the table she’ll be as covered-up as you could wish.”

“Yeah … I guess so,” I acknowledged reluctantly. “All right Lexi – if it’ll make you feel better, mid-thigh will be fine.”

She smiled. “Thank you Marty,” she said. “But really, I’d have been okay with knee-length…”

“Oh no you don’t,” said Ryan firmly. “Perhaps I should come with you, to make sure you don’t make it too long out of loyalty to Marty.”

“That sounds pretty good to me,” I said mildly. “She doesn’t need you policing her work, Ryan. You’ll just push her to make it shorter!”

Ryan shook his head. “You agreed to mid-thigh; I’m just going to make sure she sticks with that.”

“Then I’ll come along too,” I said, “to make sure she doesn’t go too short.”

“Bad idea,” said Ryan gravely. “She’ll go too long, just to try to please you, if you’re in the room.”

“Again, sounds good to me!” I retorted. “At the very least, the presence of both of us will provide a little balance…”

“What’s all the fuss?” asked Drake, emerging from his room.

“Drake!” I said in surprise. “I didn’t even know you were home.”

“Half day,” he said. “Hey Lexi – what’s with the bow?”

She giggled. “It’s my new top, for the bus! I got a big roll of ribbon, so if my top gets stolen, I can easily make another!”

“Cool,” he said, nodding. “But you’re in the apartment now…”

“Oh yes,” said Lexi, and she quickly took off the ribbon and pulled down her thong.

“Regarding the ‘fuss’,” I said, “Lexi’s going to shorten one of her old dresses so she can wear it to a nice restaurant for dinner this evening. I’d rather it were knee-length, so she can have a respite from male attention, and Ryan wants it a lot shorter. We compromised on mid-thigh, but Ryan’s insisting on going with Lexi into our bedroom so he can make sure she doesn’t make it too long. I want to go with them to make sure Ryan doesn’t persuade her to make it too short.”

Drake looked at me blankly. “Is Ryan going out to dinner with you guys?”

“No!” I said. “It’ll just be me and Lexi.”

“Then why do you care how long it is, Ryan?” Drake inquired.

“I just like seeing Lexi be her authentic self,” replied Ryan defensively. “I don’t like to see such beauty covered up.”

“It’s only one dinner, for heaven’s sake!” I said in exasperation. “And you won’t even be there to see her in the dress!”

“It’s the principle of the thing,” he said.

Drake chuckled. “Well this is one of the dumbest arguments I think you two have had,” he remarked. “Lexi, I suggest you go and work on shortening your dress; let Ryan and Marty work out the supervision arrangements between them. I’m gonna okay some Minecraft.” He sat down next to me, and picked up the PS4 controller.

“What?” I said, nonplussed. “Drake, you hate Minecraft.”

“I hate watching it,” he corrected me. “It makes me sick to my stomach, with the picture wheeling around like crazy. But you keep telling me it’s different if you’re playing it yourself, so I figure I’ll give it a try.” He logged in, and loaded up the game.

Lexi had gone into our bedroom. Ryan followed, and I got to my feet, feeling conflicted. “Well, uh, give me a shout if you need any advice,” I said.

“Should I create a new world, or what?” Drake asked.

“Uh, yeah,” I said. “Yup, just hit the X button, and again. Normal mode is fine. You can give your world a name.” I watched as he laboriously typed out ‘Drakeworld’. “Okay, now go to Advanced and select the options to show number of days played, and your coordinates. Good. Now go ahead and hit Create, and let’s see where you spawn…” I glanced toward the bedroom. I probably had a couple of minutes while Lexi got out her dress and prepared her sewing things. “Oh, a jungle biome! Nice.”

Drake experimented with the controls. As a seasoned gamer, he quickly mastered moving around and orienting the camera. “X to jump,” he muttered. “What’s this?”

“Your inventory and crafting menu,” I explained. “At the bottom is your hot bar – you can use L1 and R1 to select things there. But close it for now with the circle button.”

“I gotta go punch a tree, right?” he asked.

“Yup,” I confirmed. “Hold down R2. There you go. You might as well mine the whole tree; it’s not very big.”

“Ugh, this is pretty slow,” he grumbled.

“It’ll be a lot faster once you have an axe,” I promised him. “Okay, now open your crafting menu. Yup. On the left there you can see what things you can make. Use L1 and R1 to switch between tabs…” I talked him through creating planks, sticks, and a crafting table. “Now select the crafting table, and use L2 to place it on the ground. Yup, there is fine. Now use L2 to use the crafting table. There – just like before, only now you have more options for things to craft. Including tools. Go to the tools tab … that’s it. Now make yourself a wooden pickaxe.”

“How about an axe as well?” he asked.

“Nope, not necessary,” I told him. “We’re going to mine a bit of stone first, and then you can create stone tools, which work faster and last longer.” I sat down next to him. I could probably spare a few more minutes…

Half an hour later, Lexi and Ryan emerged from my bedroom. I looked up at Lexi guiltily. “Oh gosh – sorry! I was helping Drake…”

“No worries, dude,” said Ryan, looking smug. “We managed just fine without you.”

I glared at him suspiciously. “Is the dress mid-thigh-length?”

Lexi looked rather sheepish. “Um, it’s a bit shorter than that actually. Ryan talked me into it…”

“Ugh, I knew it!” I groaned. “How much shorter?”

“Relax!” Ryan chided me. “You’ve gotten used to Lexi going out in public skirtless; this’ll be a breeze by comparison.”

“And as Ryan pointed out,” Lexi chipped in earnestly, “my legs will be beneath the table. Nobody will see how short my dress is.”

“How short is it?” I demanded.

“Well,” said Lexi uncomfortably, “Ryan thought it would be fun if it wasn’t quite long enough to tuck under my butt…”

That told me all I needed to know. “Great!” I said bitterly. “They’re not even going to let us in the front door!”

“You booked a table already?” Lexi asked. “Where are we going?”

“I was speaking generally,” I replied, trying to keep a lid on my irritation. “I haven’t booked anywhere yet. It’s only three o’clock.”

“You should get on that,” Drake advised. “Or all the best places will be booked up. Oh, what the fuck is THAT thing?”

“Enderman,” I said. “Don’t look at it! It’ll leave you alone unless you look directly at it.” I pulled out my phone. “Okay, I’ll try that new French place, La Provençale.”

“Good luck!” said Ryan. “They’re probably booked up for days in advance.”

I called, and booked a table for 6:30. “Oh ye of little faith,” I said with a smirk. “Damn, maybe I should have bet on that outcome!”

“You should,” Ryan agreed.

“Are you enjoying Minecraft, Drake?” Lexi asked.

“Uh, sure,” said Drake with a shrug. “I’ve built a house, but it doesn’t look like much.”

“You can make a nice roof out of stairs,” said Lexi. “Cobblestone looks pretty good.”

“Why don’t we all play together?” I suggested. “Four players on one world?”

Drake put his controller down. “Nah bro, I’m all set. Thanks though, this was kinda fun.”

“How about a game of Truth or Dare?” Ryan suggested cheekily.

“Ooh!” said Lexi.

“No!” I exclaimed. “No fucking Truth or Dare! What else could you possibly dare Lexi to do that she hasn’t done already?”

“I can think of a few things,” said Drake with a grin.

“No!” I repeated firmly.

“Then how about a movie?” said Lexi.

Ryan shrugged. “Sure.”

Drake nodded. “I’m up for a movie.”

“Me too,” I said in relief. “How about Transformers? The first one. Lexi’s never seen it.”

“Because it’s crap?” said Ryan with an irritating air of superiority. “Dude, you have the worst taste in movies. How about Arrival?”

I mimicked yawning, and Ryan glared at me.

“How about that, uh, Kingsman movie?” Drake ventured. “That was a lot of fun.”

“Which one? There are three of them,” said Ryan. “But yeah – the first one – absolutely.”

“Okay,” I agreed. “I remember enjoying that. Let’s watch it.”

We watched Kingsman: The Secret Service. Lexi enjoyed it immensely. Then she went into our bedroom to get changed, and emerged in her drastically-shortened dress. It was blue and white, with long sleeves and a high neck, which made the radically short hemline look ridiculous.

I whimpered a little as I looked at it. “You look gorgeous as always, my darling,” I said unhappily. “But it was supposed to be mid-thigh-length!”

“I know,” she said guiltily. “Um, does it cover my butt in the back?” She turned around. Her buttocks were peeping at me below the hem.

“Not quite!” I told her. “Ugh – I do hope they let us into the restaurant.”

“Just get Lexi to bat her eyelashes at them,” said Ryan. “There’s no way they’ll turn her away.”

I scowled at him. He was probably right, but I would much rather have been able to enact my original plan of going out with Lexi looking reasonably modest. Still, this final pre-wedding dinner was for her as much as for me, so I put on a smile, and said, “I’m sure it’ll be fine. Come on my love – let’s go.”

“How far is it?” asked Drake. “Want me to chauffeur you?”

“It’s a ten-minute walk,” I said, “but, uh, yeah! That would be awesome, thank you. And could you maybe pick us up afterwards, please?”

“Of course – just text me when you’re ready to leave,” he replied.

I felt very relieved at the thought of not having to walk the evening streets, with Lexi looking like this. “Thanks man,” I said gratefully.

We took the elevator down to the lobby, left the building, and Drake drove us to the restaurant. As we entered, we were met by a black-haired, middle-aged man whose eyes widened at the sight of Lexi.

“I’m so sorry about her dress,” I said quickly. “We do have a reservation – the name’s Marty. Marty Hawtrey. Maybe you could tuck us out of sight in a booth somewhere?”

Lexi put on her most winsome smile, and the man smiled back in a slightly befuddled way. He consulted his touchscreen, then nodded. “Right this way, please.”

As we followed him to a booth, I spotted a few other diners staring at Lexi, then quickly averting their eyes. I relaxed a little as she sat down.

I took my seat; and the black-haired man handed us menus. “Someone will be right with you,” he said.

“This is nice,” said Lexi happily. “We haven’t been out to eat in a while.”

I nodded. “Not since you moved in. The last place was, um, that Thai restaurant – I forget its name. You were still wearing your long dresses.”

She bit her lip. “I know you wanted me to wear a long one this time … but I’m sorry, I just can’t be that girl anymore. Even the thought of it makes me feel … stifled.”

“Is that worse than being groped and stripped and raped by strangers?” I asked thoughtlessly, my feelings of bitterness and resentment spilling out without the intervention of my usual self-control. I instantly regretted it.

Lexi was staring at me in utter shock. “Um, no, of course not,” she said, her voice faltering as tears welled up in her eyes. But I knew this was a lie: she genuinely did not mind being fucked by Colin and his friends on the bus, or by the paying customers at Futureland, or by my own friends, or Patrick, or Aaron, or Doug … the list went on and on. In fact ‘not mind’ was the wrong way to phrase it. I suspected now that she had actually grown to love it – every minute of it.

It was too late to take back what I had said. “Really?” I inquired sadly. “Were you being totally honest there?”

She hung her head. “I … I don’t know. I mean … oh Marty, I was feeling so happy a moment ago – now I feel just terrible! This is supposed to be our last outing together as an unmarried couple; why do I suddenly get the feeling it’s our last outing as a couple, period?”

“It’s not!” I said hastily. “God … look, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said what I said. My jealousy and insecurities just kinda slipped out.”

“But that’s okay,” she said earnestly, tears now running down her cheeks. “I want you to tell me how you’re feeling – not just bottle it up until it explodes out of you. I’m just worried about what it means for our marriage.”

I sighed. “Then be honest with me – and with yourself. I think you love it now – getting groped and stripped and … let’s call it ‘gangbanged’. My guess is that you’re happy to walk almost naked into a group of horny men, knowing the fate that awaits you. More than happy, even – more like, excited at the idea. Am I wrong?”

She blushed, looking guilty and distressed. “You’re not entirely wrong,” she admitted. “But not entirely right, either. It’s a defence mechanism. I’ve had to train myself to enjoy it – even to look forward to it, to a certain extent. Marty, nothing would make me happier than to never kiss or be touched by or have sex with any man but you for the rest of my life. But I’ve accepted the fact that that’s just not going to happen. I’ve come to terms with it … with the knowledge that I’m a pushover, and men are going to take advantage of me. I’ve trained myself to ignore the horrible aspects of that, and focus only on the sexual pleasure I can get out of it. That’s the only way I can cope, Marty. But I’m sorry if that makes it more painful for you – that was never my intention. I just wanted to keep myself sane and happy.”

This put a whole new perspective on things. I felt like I now understood Lexi much better than I had before. I reached across the table and took her hand. “That makes so much sense!” I said. “Of course you would do that! I … I get it now. I know we’ve spoken before about you ‘trying to enjoy it’, but it didn’t really hit me until now just what that meant. You’ve had to rewire your whole brain!”

“I’m not sure I’d go quite that far…” she said doubtfully.

“Parts of it, then,” I corrected myself. “The point is, I’ve been feeling like I’m slowly losing you, bit by bit, as other men come along and claim pieces of you.”

“That’s not it at all!” she said firmly. “I’m still all yours, Marty – I just let other men use my body for their pleasure. I’ve become … I’ve had to become … happy for them to do so. But I’m still your fiancée and soon to be your wife, and nobody’s going to take that from us … unless you want it to.”

“I don’t,” I replied. “I want you to be my wife, Lexi, and I can’t wait to marry you!”

She wiped her cheeks, and smiled. “Well you don’t have to wait much longer.”

I grinned. “I know! I’m so excited! And Lexi … I promise I won’t make any more bitter remarks about you having sex with other men, or how much you enjoy it. I understand now that I just have to accept it and make peace with it.”

She squeezed my hand. “And, maybe, try to enjoy it? For the sake of your own sanity?”

I raised an eyebrow. “You mean, train myself to get excited at the thought of other men fucking you? Ugh, no – I don’t think I can do that. Best I can manage, I’m afraid, is grudging acceptance. But I’ll do my best to keep the grudging part hidden away.”

She hesitated, then nodded. “Just don’t hide it too well. Don’t bottle it up. Keep talking to me about how you feel, so it doesn’t slip out in unhealthy, destructive ways.”

“Very sage advice,” I agreed. “It’s a deal.”

She smiled. Then she looked down at her chest, and grimaced a little. “Marty, now that my legs are out of sight, do you mind if I unbutton this a bit? I buttoned it all the way up to my neck, to make up for my hem being so short, but I’m sort of feeling … constricted.”

“Uh, yeah, that’s fine,” I said generously. “Nothing wrong with showing a bit of cleavage.”

“Thank you,” she said, looking relieved. She popped open the top four buttons, and the two sides of the dress parted, exposing what I considered to be an acceptable amount of cleavage. Then she popped open a fifth button, which I felt was pushing it slightly, but since she had shown way more than this at the office, I did not object. “Ah, that’s better,” she said.

A slightly overweight and balding waiter approached our table. He looked about forty, and when he spoke, it was with a pronounced French accent. “Good evening,” he said. “My name is Marcel; I will be taking care of you this evening. Can I get you something to drink?” His eyes dropped to Lexi’s chest, and widened a little.

“Bonjour Marcel!” I said to him with a smile, glad of the opportunity to practise my French. “Comment allez-vous?”

“Eh, I am very well, thank you,” he replied, apparently unimpressed.

“What would you like to drink?” I asked Lexi, feeling a little awkward. “Oh – maybe we should get a bottle of wine? Seems appropriate.”

“Okay!” said Lexi.

I looked up at Marcel, who annoyingly had returned his gaze to Lexi’s cleavage. “Can you recommend something? I’m not much of a connoisseur.”

“Well it rather depends on what you are likely to be eating,” he replied. “For lighter dishes like fish or seafood, you’ll want a white wine. For darker meats, a red is better. If you want to order appetisers, you could start with a glass of white and keep your options open for the main course. Or you could start with a mineral water and order wine when you decide on your main courses.”

“Uh … what do you think?” I asked Lexi.

She shrugged timidly. “It’s up to you,” she said.

“Just water, then, I think,” I decided. “Until we figure out our main courses.”

He nodded curtly, then departed. I picked up my menu and perused it. “Hmm, not exactly a huge selection,” I noted. Then I spotted the prices, and winced. ‘It’s a special occasion,’ I told myself.

“I like how all the dishes have explanations,” said Lexi. “Don’t ask me to pronounce their names though. Except for ratatouille – I know that one, thanks to Pixar!”

I chuckled. “See anything you fancy?”

“Hmm – I think I’ll have the … the ‘boolya-base’?” she hazarded.

I smirked. “Not quite – it’s pronounced ‘bwee-a-bess’,” I said. “Interesting choice! I’m not sure I’m feeling quite that adventurous. I’m going to have the Poulet Provençal. Can’t go wrong with chicken. Did you want an appetiser first though?”

“Oh no,” she said, shaking her head. “The prices…”

“Don’t worry about the cost,” I assured her. “This is a special occasion!”

She smiled, and bit her lip. “Well … I was thinking about maybe having dessert…”

I raised an eyebrow. “Oh, something caught your eye?”

She nodded. “Crème brûlée! I adore crème brûlée.”

“Then you shall have it!” I promised her.

When Marcel returned, we placed our orders, and he recommended a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. Shortly afterwards, he brought us two glasses and a bottle, which he deftly uncorked and then poured. He also brought us some crusty bread which was served with olive oil rather than butter.

“Uh, I’m not sure about this,” I muttered, trying to spread the oil across my bread with a knife. “When in Provence, I guess…”

“I’m sure he’d bring you some butter if you asked for it,” said Lexi.

I shook my head. “Oh no, I don’t want to seem uncultured.”

We continued to chat for the next half-hour or so. I found myself getting a little antsy, and hungry. “Not exactly fast food, is it?” I quipped.

“I should hope not,” said Lexi with a smile. “I’m sure it’ll be worth the wait.”

Finally, Marcel arrived with our food. He carefully set down a broad, shallow bowl in front of Lexi, and a regular plate for me. “Bon appétit,” he said.

“Thank you very much,” I replied. “This looks delicious.”

He smiled, nodded, and departed. I sampled my food; it was indeed as good as it looked. The chicken was tender and succulent, and tasted amazing, and it had come with roasted potatoes, which were also very nice. I smiled contentedly, and looked over at Lexi, who was not looking so happy. In fact, she was looking rather uncomfortable.

“What’s wrong?” I asked in concern. “Is it not good?”

She grimaced sheepishly. “I … I’m afraid I don’t like it,” she said. “It doesn’t taste good. I think there might be something wrong with it. But don’t say anything to the waiter, please – I don’t want to offend him.”

“Well … that’s awful, I’m so sorry!” I said in dismay. “I wanted you to enjoy this meal!”

“I’m enjoying the company,” she assured me. “And I’m sure the dessert will be lovely.” She put down her spoon.

I took another bite of my food, but it felt a little awkward to be enjoying my meal while Lexi was just sitting there. “What are you going to tell Marcel?” I asked uneasily.

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “I guess I’ll just apologise and say I didn’t know it was going to taste like this.”

“Mind if I try it?” I asked.

She shrugged. “If you want.”

I picked up her spoon and helped myself to a couple of chunks and some broth. I put it in my mouth, and almost immediately screwed up my face in disgust. I hastily swallowed, then drank some wine. “There’s no way it’s supposed to taste like that!” I said. “It tastes … I dunno … like, rotten? We really should complain!”

“Please don’t!” she urged me.

“I’ll do it diplomatically,” I assured her. “I’ll do it so it doesn’t seem like a complaint. Will you trust me?”

She hesitated. “I … yes, okay,” she said.

I managed to catch Marcel’s attention as he was retrieving empty plates from another table. He came over, arms laden. “Is everything all right?” he inquired.

I noticed Lexi looking rather panic-stricken. “Would you mind trying my fiancée‘s bouillabaisse?” I asked him. “I just want an expert opinion on how it tastes. I have a clean spoon here…”

“Oh, certainly,” he said, setting down a couple of plates. He took the spoon I was offering him, dipped it in Lexi’s bowl, and then popped it into his mouth. His eyes widened, and he grabbed a napkin, putting it to his mouth. “Mon Dieu!” he exclaimed, after spitting out the food discreetly. “That is terrible! I ‘ave no idea what ‘appened, but I will get your dish remade immediately.” He placed the napkin atop the plates he had set down, then he picked up Lexi’s bowl and added it to the pile. “I am so sorry.”

“I really don’t want to make a fuss or cause anyone any extra work,” said Lexi anxiously.

“Oh, believe me,” said Marcel, picking up the pile of crockery, with the offending bouillabaisse balanced on top, “the ‘ead chef will want to know about this. Someone is getting fired tonight!”

“Oh gosh!” Lexi gasped, grabbing Marcel’s sleeve in a panic as he turned to go. This halted the momentum of his arm, but not of his body, which continued to turn for a brief moment. His pile of plates tipped, and he planted his foot and turned hastily back toward Lexi as he tried in vain to avert disaster. But her bowl was already sliding off the topmost plate, and he had no free hand with which to catch it.

Seeing it tipping toward her, Lexi made a grab for the bowl herself, just as Marcel attempted a scooping motion with the plates, in an effort to thrust them beneath the bowl. But he only succeeded in knocking it in Lexi’s direction, just as she was trying to grasp it with both hands. She managed to catch it with her right hand, but missed with her left, and the heavy bowl tipped vertically just as it reached her chest. This all took barely a second – maybe even half a second. I could not be sure, because for me it seemed to happen in slow motion.

Lexi squealed as the entire rotten fish stew slid out of the bowl and poured over her partially exposed breasts, thence to be funnelled into her cleavage. Aghast, I watched a dozen or more sloppy chunks of fish and shellfish disappear inside her dress. The rest tumbled down her belly and ended up in her lap, while the broth soaked into the material.

“Ah Mon Dieu, I am so sorry!” Marcel exclaimed.

“No no, it was my fault for grabbing your arm,” Lexi replied quickly, as she picked bits of seafood off her breasts. “Oh dear, what a mess!” She scooted back in her seat and looked down at her lap.

From the way Marcel’s eyes widened as his gaze followed hers, I surmised that he was getting a very sexy view of her thighs. “Oh, your pretty dress,” he said, transfixed. “I am so sorry. We must get you cleaned up, and a fresh bowl of bouillabaisse prepared … unless you would prefer a different dish under the circumstances? That would be understandable … though I do assure you it is normally … exquisite.”

“Thank you, that would be most kind,” said Lexi. “I’m happy to try the bouillabaisse again.”

“I will fetch some damp towels right away,” said Marcel. Gathering up the scattered dishes, he hurried off to the kitchen.

“What a disaster!” I groaned. “I’m sorry, Lexi – this isn’t how I hoped our date would turn out.”

“I know, but don’t worry about it,” she reassured me. “These things happen. We don’t need to let it spoil our evening.”

I nodded, and picked at my food. The fact that Lexi was going to have to wait another half-hour for her main course made it difficult to enjoy mine.

Marcel returned with some washcloths and a plastic bowl of water, which he set down on the table. He soaked one of the washcloths, wrung it out gently, and then brought it toward Lexi’s chest. “May I?” he asked cheekily.

My jaw dropped, and Lexi’s eyes widened. “You … you want to clean me up yourself?” she stammered.

“I made the mess,” said Marcel with a shrug. “I should be the one to clean it up. Besides, I have some experience with getting stains out of fabric.”

“Oh … well, okay then,” said Lexi, to my dismay.

As Marcel bent over, reaching out with his wet cloth, I was about to object, but instead of going for one of Lexi’s breasts, as I had expected, the waiter began carefully wiping her upper chest, delicately working his way along her neckline, taking apparent pains not to invite an accusation of impropriety.

Nevertheless, “Could Lexi not do that herself?” I ventured, a little testily.

“Lexi!” said Marcel, withdrawing his hand and re-soaking his washcloth in the bowl. “That is a pretty name! Well you know, as I said, it is my mess to clean up. But, je m’excuse, I need to wipe the dress as well.” And, having lightly wrung out the cloth, he boldly pressed it against Lexi’s right breast. “I’m so sorry,” he added, beginning to wipe the cloth around.

“It’s okay,” said Lexi, with a nervous giggle. “I’m actually getting quite used to strange men touching my breasts. It happens a lot.”

I groaned, and put my face in my hands.

“You are?” said Marcel in surprise. The corners of his mouth twitched upward. “Well, I am relieved to hear that.” And his wiping turned into a full-on grope as he kneaded her breast through the wet cloth and her increasingly wet dress. “We will get you clean in no time. But, uh, this is not good for my back. May I perhaps sit down while I do this?”

“Oh … of course,” said Lexi, and she slid a little to her left to make more room for him.

Marcel sat down beside her, and he casually rested his left arm along the back of the seat behind her as he resumed ‘cleaning’ her right breast. Then he rinsed out his cloth in the bowl again, and this time he barely wrung it out at all before bringing it over to Lexi’s left breast. With the dripping wet cloth draped over his palm and spread fingers, he grasped her breast through her dress, and began a sensuous wiping and kneading that made Lexi bite her lip as her cheeks flushed a bright pink.

After a minute of this, I was getting quite annoyed. “It’s not just her boobs that got messy, Marcel,” I scolded him.

“Of course, of course,” he said. Rinsing out his cloth again, he began working his way down her front, soaking her dress from her neckline down to below the level of the table, where I could no longer see what he was doing.

Then Lexi gasped. “Um, maybe I should do my own legs…”

“As you wish,” he conceded, to my relief. “But I think you got some of the bouillabaisse inside your dress, non?”

“A bit,” she admitted.

“Then I fear we shall ‘ave to undo some of these buttons…” And he deftly popped open her topmost still-fastened button.

I gasped in alarm … as did Lexi, though she made no move to stop him. “Uh, excuse me!” I objected. “This isn’t the time or place to be undressing my fiancée!”

“I will be as discreet as possible,” Marcel assured me, as he undid a fourth button before applying his cloth to Lexi’s newly exposed bare skin. “But if you prefer, I will take your lovely fiancée to the restroom, where I can give her a more thorough cleaning with a little more privacy.”

If he did that, I was fairly sure that he would somehow contrive to have sex with her. At least out in the open like this, and in front of me, he was unlikely to go anywhere near that far. “No, that won’t be necessary,” I grumbled. “Just do your best to keep her covered, please.”

“Of course,” he said, sliding his cloth underneath Lexi’s dress to clean her left breast.

I picked at my food unhappily while Marcel diligently applied his washcloth. After repeated visits to the bowl of water, it had thoroughly soaked Lexi’s dress, which was gaping wide at the front, its two sides draped carelessly over her breasts. I could not see down far enough to be certain, but it seemed to me that the horny Frenchman had by now undone all of its buttons. And now he was washing Lexi down low, out of sight; her eyes were glazed and her breathing was heavy.

I did not have to guess what he was doing, though, for he said, “All over your panties, too – what a shame. But don’t worry, I’ll soon have them clean.”

I sighed dejectedly. Apparently Lexi and I could not even enjoy a nice meal out at a restaurant without her getting manhandled by horny men. And she didn’t seem to mind, at all – which, I supposed, was a good thing. If it could not be avoided, she might as well enjoy it. This was not an easy framing for me to accept, but I knew that I had to train myself to do so. And without any snarky quips like ‘Enjoying yourself there, honey?’, which I was currently tempted to utter.

I continued to eat, while staring resolutely at my plate … but I could not help glancing up occasionally, which gave me snapshots of Lexi’s progressing relationship with Marcel. The first snapshot was of Marcel with his left arm now around Lexi’s shoulders, a smug grin on his face, his right arm straight and moving rhythmically, his hand out of sight but clearly between Lexi’s thighs. In the second snapshot, he was kissing her – she was pursing her lips to resist him, but her eyes were closed and she was not attempting to turn her head away. In the third snapshot, she was fully French-kissing him, her cheeks were very flushed, and her left nipple had popped into view.

At this point I felt I had to say something. I had allowed the escalation for Lexi’s sake, but now people at other tables were starting to stare at us, and it was not fun to imagine what they must be thinking about me. But what could I say, that would not make me sound like an idiot?

I did my best. “Marcel, a little professionalism, please!” I said curtly. I had no idea whether this would work, but I was hoping he valued his job.

Marcel pulled his lips away from Lexi’s, and grinned at me. “You are a very tolerant man!” he said, as Lexi hastily covered her exposed breast. “But I think you are right – I should not be performing this cleaning in such a public place. Lexi, would you please accompany me back to the kitchen, where we can get this dress off you and clean it properly.”

“I … I’d rather stay here, if that’s okay,” said Lexi timidly.

“Ah, but without your dress you will be almost naked,” said Marcel gravely. “And we will get complaints from other guests. But we must finish cleaning your dress quickly, or it will stain.”

Lexi looked at me hopefully, but I was unsure what she was hoping for me to say. Probably she just wanted permission to go off and have sex with Marcel, I surmised bitterly. But I was not totally certain about this; she might be hoping for me to get her out of it.

“Do whatever you think best,” I said diplomatically.

She looked a little disappointed, but nodded. “I’ll go with you to the kitchen,” she told Marcel.

He got eagerly to his feet, and held out his hand. Lexi took it, and he helped her up as she used her free arm to keep her dress closed. Soaking wet and plastered to her torso, and moreover still gaping a little below her arm, it was doing a poor job of covering the front of her thong. And as Lexi and Marcel headed to the kitchen, I cringed at the sight of my fiancée’s buttocks peeping below the hem of her dress. It looked like she wasn’t wearing any underwear at all, and I found myself hoping, weirdly, that everyone who was seeing her from the back had seen her from the front first, so that they would know she wasn’t being entirely indecent.

I returned to my food, and pulled out my phone to keep myself distracted. I didn’t want to think about what was going on in the kitchen. I played games, I browsed Twitter (I refused to call it, or even think about it, as ‘X’), and I caught up on my emails. It was almost ten minutes later when I saw Marcel burst out of the kitchen with an armful of plates and make straight for a table in the far corner, where he apologised profusely to three impatient diners.

I watched the kitchen doors expectantly, but Lexi did not appear. Marcel came and went a few more times, and my own patience began to wear very thin. I could guess what was going on – my beloved fiancée was probably getting gangbanged by half the kitchen staff, and I shuddered at the mental images this idea conjured up. I was about to get to my feet and march into the kitchen to put a stop to it, when Marcel passed by near enough for me to attract his attention.

“Where’s my fiancée?” I demanded.

“Oh, she is safe,” he assured me. “But ‘er dress is in the washer at the moment, so she is staying out of sight.”

“In the washer?” I repeated indignantly. “This is unacceptable! She’s my date! My fiancée! You can’t keep her to yourself all this time!”

My raised voice was attracting the attention of other diners, some of whom were looking rather amused.

“Very well, I will reunite the two of you immediately,” said Marcel calmly. “But I cannot allow you in the kitchen. Please exit the restaurant and go around the back – I will bring the young lady out to you in a moment. Obviously I cannot bring ‘er out this way without ‘er dress…”

“What about the check?” I asked, somewhat mollified. “And Lexi really wanted a crème brûlée.”

“She ‘as already ‘ad it,” said Marcel. “As for the check, your meal is on the house, in the light of the appalling bouillabaisse your fiancée was served.”

“And the fun you’ve had at her expense, no doubt,” I added bitterly. “All right, thank you. I’ll be waiting outside then.”

“Do not forget the lady’s purse,” said Marcel, as I began to walk away.

“Oh … right,” I said, retrieving it from Lexi’s seat. I glared at Marcel one more time, and then marched to the front entrance, followed by stares and whispered remarks from the tables I passed.

Outside, I found the rear entrance of the building, and I texted Drake while I waited there. Two minutes later, the door opened and Lexi emerged, naked but for her shoes. She gave me a sheepish smile. “Hi Marty,” she said awkwardly. “Sorry that took so long. Marcel says we can come back for my dress and thong anytime.”

“Your thong’s in the washer too?” I inquired.

She nodded. “Marty … I’m so sorry. Marcel had sex with me. I tried really hard to stop him! I offered him the best blowjob he’s ever had – that’s how I put it to him – and he said okay, but he wanted to ‘pleasure me first’. And he started licking my pussy – this was after he’d washed me thoroughly – and before I knew it, he was sticking his cock into me. I … I’m sorry. I was really hoping to get through today without having sex with anyone!”

“I appreciate the effort,” I said, smiling ruefully as I gently stroked her arm. “Just Marcel, though? You were gone a long time; I thought maybe…”

“Oh no, it was just him,” she assured me. “He had me tucked away in the pantry – I think he wanted to keep me all to himself. But Marty … we were talking afterwards, and he … he had this idea…”

I raised an eyebrow. “What idea?”

“His brother works at the hospital,” she went on, speaking rather quickly as if hoping to get all the words out before I could interrupt. “He’s a lab technician, and one of his responsibilities is doing DNA tests. Marcel suggested that I could gather together DNA samples from all the men that have had sex with me in the past few days, so that when the time is right and I get my baby’s DNA tested, we can immediately see which man is a match.”

I blinked in surprise. “How did this even come up?” I asked.

Lexi bit her lip. “Well, he asked if there’s any chance I could get pregnant, and I said yes, there’s a pretty good chance, if I’m not pregnant already. And I told him a few other men have had sex with me unprotected, and any one of them might have impregnated me. And he looked disappointed, but he asked about you, and why you let me sleep around, and I told him it’s not really like that – it’s just so hard to keep men from having sex with me. And then he asked if I would keep the baby, even if it wasn’t yours, and I said it definitely wouldn’t be yours, but I’d be keeping it anyway. And he said he really hoped it would be his, and I gave him my phone number and asked him to text me, so I have his number and can get in touch with him if I need to get a sample of his DNA for a paternity test. And I told him I’m keeping a log of men who’ve had sex with me, and whether they came inside me … along with their contact info…”

This took me aback, though it really should not have; I knew she had been collecting contacts. “You are?”

She nodded. “Well it seemed like the sensible thing to do.” She sighed. “I’ve now had sex with twenty-two men, Marty.”

“Twenty-two!” I gasped.

“Two of those men,” she continued, “just posed with their cocks inside me at Futureland; they didn’t technically fuck me, let alone cum inside me. I didn’t get their names or contact info, unfortunately, but I don’t suppose that matters. For the other twenty, I have all their phone numbers, even for the two guys on the bus – two of Colin’s friends – who only came in my butt. And then there’s Doobie, who had sex with me but didn’t climax. That leaves seventeen men who have put their sperm inside me, and could potentially be the father of my baby.”

It blew my mind how calmly and dispassionately she was laying out these horrendous facts. “Seventeen!” I groaned.

“That means we have to get seventeen DNA samples,” Lexi continued, “which, as Marcel pointed out, is going to be a logistical nightmare, particularly if, or when, I add to the list. But he had an idea, which … I think is a good one, but you might not like it…”

Filled with a sense of numbing despair, I threw up my hands. “I don’t like any of this! But if there’s a way to make the process easier, I guess I’m willing to hear it.”

“He said he’s going to talk to his brother about taking swabs from all seventeen men at the same time, if we can gather them all together in one place.”

I snorted. “Not likely! It’d be like herding cats. Can you imagine Doug dropping everything to get together with all the other guys who’ve had sex with you? You’d have to find a time that works for all seventeen men. And a sufficiently persuasive motivation to get them all to come…” Then a cold realisation crept over me, and I felt my stomach cramp. “Oh … Lexi … please tell me you’re not going to invite them all to a gangbang…”

She giggled. “No, silly! Of course not. Just to our wedding.”

“Our wedding!” I echoed, if anything even more shocked by this idea. “Oh jeez – Lexi – I don’t think I can face having all of the men who’ve fucked you at our wedding!”

“Yeah … I know it’s a lot to ask,” Lexi admitted. “Of course it’s your choice. Marcel just thought it would be a sure-fire way to get everyone together. A wedding invitation is hard to refuse…”

“Not for your dad, apparently,” I remarked.

Lexi’s face fell. “No … apparently not,” she agreed sadly. “That was a little hurtful, Marty.”

I hugged her. “I’m sorry, Lexi, it wasn’t meant to be. I’m angry at him on your behalf. He ought to be at the wedding, whatever the circumstances and whether he approves of your choices or not. He’s your dad! I really did think better of him than this.”

“Yes,” she agreed, “but I’m kind of glad he won’t be there. I don’t want him seeing me all … sexy and semi-naked. He’d be so upset with me!”

“So it’s a pretty skimpy dress, then…” I surmised.

She giggled. “Well you knew that already.”

I sighed. “We’ll just have to find another way to get the DNA tests. Marcel’s idea was pretty good, but I just … I can’t marry you with seventeen of your lovers spectating the event. It would be beyond humiliating.”

“I understand,” Lexi assured me. “But please don’t call them my lovers! Only a couple of them qualify for that.”

“Right, sorry,” I said, a little abashed. “Sex partners, then?”

She thought about this, then nodded. “I guess so.”

Drake arrived to pick us up, and he was both surprised and amused to find Lexi naked but for her shoes. “Did you have a nice meal?” he asked.

“Yes thanks,” said Lexi. “Well, I ended up eating mine in the pantry, but still, it was nice…”

“At least you got dessert!” I pointed out. “Marcel never even offered me any.”

“Why did you eat in the pantry?” Drake inquired. And then of course we had to tell him the whole story. “Oh man, you guys,” he chuckled. “I can’t take you anywhere, can I?”

“Tell me about it,” I grumbled.

He drove us home, and Lexi went into our bedroom to find something to wear for the rooftop party. When she reappeared, I looked her up and down nervously. “Do you think that’ll be adequate?” I asked mildly. “I’m a little worried about Antwan’s friends taking your outfit as an invitation…”

Lexi looked down at her sheer crop top and thong. “Marty, these are my new going-out clothes,” she said. “I know they’re revealing, but they reflect who I am these days. I was happy to put on a dress for the restaurant, because that was a formal sort of place and I didn’t want to get kicked out. But this party … well, it’s definitely not going to be formal, right? It’ll be a very relaxed atmosphere, I’m sure. And I want to dress in a way I feel comfortable and genuine. If you really want me to put on a skirt, I will, but I did promise to keep my panties uncovered whenever possible.”

“I guess so,” I said reluctantly. “Does it have to be a thong, though? You didn’t promise to wear only thongs from now on, did you…?”

“No I didn’t!” said Lexi brightly. “Okay, sure, I’ll change into regular panties – just for you.”

“Thank you,” I said gratefully.

Shortly after 8:30, we headed up to the roof. The party seemed in full swing already, with hip-hop music blaring and a dozen or so of Antwan’s friends either dancing or sitting around, drinking and talking loudly. I suddenly felt very white.

Antwan spied us, and came over with a big grin and a couple of beers. He handed a bottle to each of us. “Welcome to the party, guys!” he said. Then, turning around, he yelled, “The bachelor and bachelorette are here!” A chorus of whoops and cheers went up, and I waved self-consciously.

“This looks amazing!” said Lexi, wide-eyed. “You really went all out!”

I had to agree. The roof had been decorated with streamers and balloons, with string lights and LED lanterns providing most of the illumination. Cushions and throw pillows and some foldable beach chairs provided seating, and there were two large coolers packed with drinks. An array of snacks was laid out on a folding table.

“Thanks Antwan, this is great,” I said.

Lexi rapidly became the centre of attention. Several young men clustered around her, showering her with compliments and questions, until Antwan stepped in. “Aight y’all, back up and give the lady some room,” he said.

We found a couple of unoccupied chairs on which to sit with our beers. “Last night as an unmarried couple!” said Lexi with a sigh. “Are you excited for tomorrow?”

“Like you wouldn’t believe,” I replied with a smile. “I’m a little apprehensive about the wedding, to be honest, but afterwards … well, you know.”

She giggled. “Me too! But why are you apprehensive?”

Ryan flopped down next to Lexi. “This is quite the party!” he said. “I feel like we’re a little outnumbered, though … ethnically.”

Lexi shrugged. “I don’t mind that. Antwan and his friends are super nice.”

“Oh, I don’t mind either,” said Ryan hurriedly. “It was just an observation. You okay there, Marty?”

“Yeah, fine,” I replied.

“He’s apprehensive about the wedding,” said Lexi, to my chagrin.

“I’m fine!” I insisted. “I mean, I guess I’m a little concerned about who might show up unannounced…”

“I didn’t tell Marcel where we’re getting married,” Lexi assured me. “Or any of the others, for that matter.”

“Actually I was thinking about your dad,” I said.

“Who’s Marcel?” asked Ryan.

“The waiter at the restaurant,” I replied sourly.

Ryan chuckled. “Oh, right. Drake told me about that. He didn’t waste any time, did he? So, what, did he propose to you or something?”

“No, nothing like that,” said Lexi. “He just suggested that the wedding would be a good place to get together all the men who’ve had sex with me, for DNA testing. His brother’s a lab tech at a hospital, so he has all the right equipment.”

“Oh!” said Ryan. “Actually that does sound like a good idea.”

“No it doesn’t!” I said irritably. “I don’t want my wedding attended by all the guys who’ve fucked my bride.”

“Obviously,” Ryan agreed. “But Marty … just, hear me out.” And he began laying out his case.

Five minutes later, he had somehow talked me into agreeing to let Lexi text wedding invitations to all of the men on her list. He even helped her craft the invitation, which read: ‘Hi XXXXX! Sorry for the short notice, but I’m getting married tomorrow at Heavenquest Church on Charleston Road at 2pm. I’d love it if you could come. We’ll have a lab technician there who will take a sample of your DNA, with your consent – when the time is right, we’ll test it against my baby’s DNA to see if you’re the father. I hope to see you there! As an added incentive, I’ll be wearing a very skimpy wedding dress! Love, Lexi.’

I wanted it to say ‘biological father’ rather than just ‘father’, but Ryan said the word ‘biological’ was understood, and might be taken as mildly insulting, and therefore detrimental to our goal of persuading these men to attend the wedding. I also objected to the sign-off, but again, Ryan argued that the more enticing the text was, the more likely we were to achieve a 100% success rate. I did, fortunately, manage to veto a last-minute amendment to ‘All my love, Lexi.’

“Well, that’s the last one sent,” said Lexi brightly, as she put her phone back in her purse.

“I think I need to get drunk,” I muttered.

“Good plan,” said Ryan. “I’ll get us some more beers.”

Over the next half-hour or so, more partygoers arrived, and the alcohol continued to flow. Drake had contributed cocktails, and Lexi was getting a little tipsy. “Come on, dance with me,” she implored me.

“It’s really not my kind of music,” I said uncomfortably. “Why don’t you dance with Drake?” Better him than one of Antwan’s friends, was my thinking.

She shrugged. “Okay.”

So she danced with Drake for a while. To my discomfort, though not to my surprise, he started getting a little handsy with her as she twerked against his crotch.

Daniel, Jamal’s brother, plopped himself down next to me. “Hey bro,” he said. “Ain’t you seein’ what yo girl’s doin’ with Drake?”

“I see it,” I said grimly. “But it’s a little late for me to start worrying about it.” I tried to choose my words carefully. “She likes dressing in next to nothing, and Drake likes groping her. It’s happened so often now that I’ve stopped bothering to object to it.”

“Whoa – and now they’re kissing!” said Daniel. “You sure you’re okay with this?”

“I wouldn’t say I’m okay with it,” I admitted. “But he’s practically a second boyfriend to Lexi at this point. Once we’re married and we find a place of our own, I’ll have her to myself at long last.”

Daniel gasped. “Bro, he stuck his hand in her panties!”

“Look, what do you want from me?” I said irritably. “I’m not exactly going to go over and fight the guy.”

“Aight Marty,” said Daniel, taken aback. “I just don’t know how you so chill with what they doin’.” He got up, and wandered off.

Over the next few minutes, a few other men asked to dance with Lexi, but to my relief, Drake fended them off. I was sure that Lexi would have been happy to accept every invitation, out of politeness and friendliness, but clearly Drake foresaw the inevitable consequences as well as I did. My decision to let the two of them dance together was, I felt, paying off.

But then he took a phone call, and moved to the edge of the roof in order to talk. By the time he had hung up and returned to Lexi, she was already dancing with Jamal. Drake gently steered her away and over to me.

“Enough dancing for you, Lexi,” he said firmly. “Stay with Marty. Marty, I have to run to the gym.”

“Again?” I complained. “Can’t your colleagues do ANYTHING without you?”

“We need more staff,” he said, “but money’s tight. I’ll be back soon.”

Then he was gone, and since Ryan had found himself a fellow gamer to talk to, it was up to me to keep Lexi out of trouble. At first this was not difficult; she stayed dutifully by my side. But things took a turn for the worse once the mingling phase of the party was over, and Antwan reminded us all of why we were here.

“Yo yo yo!” he said loudly, having paused the music. “Everybody, lemme get your attention real quick! Big shoutout to y’all for pullin’ up to the bachelor and bachelorette party of my man Marty and his beautiful fiancée Lexi —the happy couple chillin’ right over there. Give it up for ’em, y’all! Aight, now grab your drinks and let’s toast to their big day comin’ up tomorrow!”

A cheer went up, and everyone drank while I stood up and nodded and smiled awkwardly and thanked them for coming. A few of the partygoers came up to congratulate me and Lexi, and soon we were in the midst of a lively group.

“So what’s the deal with your outfit, girl?” asked one of the young women, addressing Lexi. Her name, if I had heard it correctly, was Tanisha.

“Oh, I just like dressing this way,” said Lexi, blushing. “It’s kind of exciting. I spent so many years wearing long dresses and trying not to be noticed, and now … it’s quite exhilarating!”

“You know, Marty, it’s traditional to have a stripper at your bachelor party,” remarked one of the guys – his name was JJ apparently. He smirked mischievously. “But I guess you already got one right here!”

Tanisha swatted him with the back of her hand, but Lexi giggled. “I am getting quite used to being undressed in public!” she said. “What does a stripper normally do, aside from … strip?”

“They normally put on some kind of act,” said JJ. “Like, at my Uncle Andre’s bachelor party, this girl came in dressed as a cop. She did this whole thing where she acted like he in trouble, all layin’ down the law ‘n’ shit, and she said she could either arrest him or give him a spanking. He picked the spanking! And that’s what he got, all bent over his chair with his pants on the floor. Then she sat him in the chair, and handcuffed his hands behind his back, then she put on some music, and did a little striptease in front of him.”

Lexi laughed. “That sounds like fun!”

JJ chuckled. “It was aight. She weren’t that good-lookin’ though.”

Lexi smiled up at me. “Maybe I should be your stripper.”

This elicited a chorus of approval, but I shook my head. “I don’t want to be undressed and spanked, thanks!”

“It don’t have to be like that,” said Jamal.

“Yeah, that was just one example,” JJ agreed. “Other strippers will do like a striptease, to music … maybe even give the bachelor a lap dance.”

“I could do that,” Lexi suggested.

“Uh, I don’t think…” I began, but Jamal and JJ cut me off.

“That’s a good idea, Lexi!” Jamal encouraged her. “Marty should get, like, the full bachelor party experience, you know what I’m sayin’?”

“And then after that maybe one of the guys can be a male stripper for you,” said a tall and muscular young man named Darnell, who I would later learn was JJ’s younger brother.

Lexi giggled. “I don’t think men can be strippers!”

JJ and Darnell looked at each other in surprise. “Girl, how sheltered yo life been?” said JJ. “Course they can! They do the same thing at bachelorette parties as female strippers do at bachelor parties.”

“Oh! I didn’t know,” said Lexi. “Well as fun as that sounds, I’m not sure Marty would approve…”

I blinked. The absurdity of Lexi’s demur warranted comment. “After everything I’ve had to put up with, the last few days, you’re worried I’ll object to a man stripping in front of you?”

“It’s only fair,” said Jamal. “If Marty gets a stripper, you should too.”

“Well … okay!” said Lexi, with another giggle. “Sure!”

I had not intended to persuade her to go along with this plan, but it was a little late to protest now. So I simply shrugged. “You don’t have a lot to take off,” I remarked. “If you’re going to strip, you should put on some kind of outfit. And please … don’t go all the way naked. Keep your panties on at least.”

She nodded excitedly. “I’ll see what I can come up with!” She got to her feet. “Um, Tanisha … do you have any sexy costumes, or know anyone who has…”

Tanisha chuckled. “I got you covered, girl. Come with me.” And she led Lexi away.

JJ, Jamal and Darnell stuck around to ask me questions about Lexi, but I was not very forthcoming, and they soon got tired of me and moved off to livelier pastures.

Twenty minutes later, Lexi returned. She was wearing a black minidress with a corset-like upper section, knee-length black boots, long black gloves, and a bat-like cape that was black on the outside and red on the inside, with a high collar. Fangs protruded from beneath her upper lip as she walked towards me, grinning in a rather non-menacing fashion.

Fortunately whoever was streaming the music was on the ball, and a song that I recognised as the theme tune to the TV show True Blood began playing. It contrasted starkly with the hip-hop we had just been listening to, but it fit the vibe as Lexi got into character and began dancing. I smiled at her as she stood in front of me, shaking her hips and peeling off one of her gloves.

Every man on the roof took notice and came over to watch as Lexi danced and slowly undressed in front of me. Applause and whoops of appreciation accompanied the removal of each garment, and for a brief moment I was okay with the fact that there was an audience present for her striptease. More than okay, actually – I was proud of her, of how sexy she was. I liked that other men were currently envying me.

That feeling lasted until her dress came off, revealing her bare breasts, and I noted the eager, lustful looks on the faces of the black men gathered around her. In my mind at least, their demeanour had evolved from envious to predatory. I told myself I was being paranoid – some of them had girlfriends and wives present, and those women were also cheering Lexi on – but it was hard to shake the feeling of dread that was settling in the pit of my stomach.

Now wearing only her panties, Lexi turned around and twerked in front of me, her bottom gyrating barely two feet from my face as I stared, mesmerised, at the thin strip of white material between her buttocks. “Grab her butt!” I heard someone encourage me. But it was not in my nature to grope a stripper, even if that stripper was my fiancée. Nevertheless, I was enjoying the show – Lexi’s performance was incredibly hot, and I was glad she was my stripper instead of some random woman hired for this event. I was also trying to get into the spirit of the occasion, and I clapped and cheered her on, along with all the other men.

The song had changed – it was now ‘Sweet Dreams Are Made of This’, except sung by a man instead of the female vocalist I was more familiar with. It had a suitably sinister / seductive vibe to it, and Lexi clearly seemed to be taking her cue from that. She turned to face me, climbed on to my lap, and pulled my head against her breasts.

“Suck her boobs!” the other men encouraged me. And in my semi-drunken state, with my head sandwiched between my fiancée’s breasts … I turned my head and briefly kissed one of those delectable orbs. Then the realisation of what I had done hit me, and I jerked my head away in shock.

Lexi raised her eyebrows in surprise, then her hand flew to her mouth as she gasped in shock. “Oh no!” she squealed. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean…”

“It didn’t happen!” I said quickly. “It almost did, but I stopped myself in time. But we have to be more careful!”

She looked doubtful, but nodded. I hoped very much that she had not felt my lips on her flesh; I was prepared to lie through my teeth in order to avoid lifelong celibacy, but I did not want Lexi to feel like she had to do the same.

“What are you waiting for?” asked Jamal, amused. “She’s your fiancée, bro! Suck on those puppies.”

“I can’t,” I explained. “I kinda made a promise that I wouldn’t kiss Lexi before the wedding. I just gotta hold out a few more hours!”

He laughed. “Why would you do that? You crazy, man!”

I declined to explain further. Lexi had climbed off me, and was now dancing in front of me, somewhat half-heartedly. I sensed she was feeling a little anxious, so I brought her performance to an end by clapping enthusiastically. “Thank you darling; that was wonderful!” I stood up and gave her a hug.

She smiled happily. “You’re welcome!” Then she sat down next to me, and took hold of my arm as she laid her head on my shoulder. “Marty, are you sure you didn’t…”

“Yes!” I said, tensing up. “I’m sure.”

“Okay, good,” she said in relief.

“Where’s your top?” I asked. “You should probably put it back on.”

“Oh – goodness – I think it’s still in Tanisha’s apartment!” said Lexi. “I guess I should put my vampire costume back on…” She looked around for it, but it seemed to have vanished; some prankster must have absconded with it in order to keep Lexi undressed.

“Never mind!” said Antwan cheerfully. “You’re along friends here – and didn’t you tell me you enjoy being topless?”

“In a safe setting, I said,” Lexi reminded him.

“This is a safe setting,” he assured her. “And everyone here’s seen your boobs anyway.”

She giggled, and shrugged. “I guess so! Oh well, it looks like I’ll be staying like this.”

“I could lend you my t-shirt,” I offered.

She shook her head. “No, don’t worry about it – I’m fine like this, really.”

I grimaced, but did not object. Antwan was right; it was a little late for Lexi to play modest. Furthermore, it was a little late for me to play possessive: for the past week I had stood by and allowed her to become the sexual plaything of my friends and neighbours, her doctor, our boss, and an assortment of total strangers. Who was I to tell her now to cover her breasts?

I took another swig of my drink, attempting to numb my self-pity with alcohol. A few minutes later, I became aware of a little cluster of men approaching Lexi. I looked up warily. One of them was JJ: he was now dressed like a fireman, with – for some reason – sunglasses, which he tipped downward so he could look at her over the top. “Hey girl,” he said sternly. “We’ve had reports you’ve been starting fires all over this building.”

Lexi gasped, then giggled. “It’s not true!” she said. “I would never!”

“I ain’t sayin’ it was deliberate,” JJ responded. “The problem is, you just too damn hot!”

Lexi giggled again, and clapped her hands. “Thank you!” she said happily.

“Oh man,” JJ went on. “I can feel the heat from here. It’s just like radiatin’ off you – I’m sweatin’ here real bad! I gotta take this off!” And he began unfastening the four clasps that held his jacket together. As if on cue, a new song started playing, and JJ began dancing as he stripped, timing his movements to the thudding beats. The other men around him were dancing too, though with less pronounced movements.

“Oh man!” said JJ, now unzipping his pants. “The heat’s too much – I gotta … I gotta take off my pants!” And with that, he pulled them down to reveal a bright red posing pouch that unnervingly showed off the impressive size of his genitalia.

Lexi squealed, and clapped again, and a couple of the other women cheered too. Tanisha had come over to watch; she whistled appreciatively. “What you smugglin’ there, JJ, a pineapple?” she asked impishly.

“Girl, it’s my firehose!” said JJ. “Fireman gotta have a big firehose.”

“Just don’t spray me with it!” said Lexi, giggling as she held up her hands protectively.

JJ finished taking off his pants, having also kicked off his shoes. Rather awkwardly, he straightened up and resumed dancing, gyrating his hips and causing his package to swing around. I looked away in distaste, but Lexi seemed entranced. A moment later, he grabbed hold of the front of his muscle shirt with both hands, and ripped it open. Lexi laughed and cheered, along with several others. I pursed my lips and regarded JJ’s abs with a touch of envy.

Now dressed only in his g-string, JJ danced forward until he was standing astride Lexi’s lap, waving his barely-concealed cock a mere foot from her face. The men behind him were cheering, the women were whooping, Lexi was laughing as she recoiled as much as she could from the bouncing pouch in front of her … and then Tanisha said, “Take it off! Take it off!”

Other women took up the chant. “Take it off! Take it off!” And then, to my consternation, a giggling Lexi joined them. “Take it off!” she said, clapping. “Take it off!”

JJ looked a little uncertain, and he looked over at me. I shrugged helplessly and buried my face in my hands. When I next dared to sneak a peek, he had taken a step back and hooked his thumbs into the sides of his g-string. With the onlookers cheering, he slid it down his thighs, unleashing a monster that outclassed even Drake’s impressive cock, and made mine seem positively pitiful. It swung about vulgarly as JJ scooped up his g-string with his foot, swirled it around his head, then tossed it to one side. Now naked, he straddled Lexi’s lap again, waving his cock in front of her face. She giggled and leaned back away from it, but she could not take her eyes off it.

“Hey JJ, this’ll help you cool off!” said Darnell, handing his brother a can of whipped cream.

“Thanks bro!” said JJ, popping the cap off. He sprayed a thick white line down the length of his stiffening member. “Ah, that’s better.”

“But now you’re all messy,” Darnell pointed out. “And I sure as shit ain’t lickin’ that off.”

“Damn,” said JJ. “Well who’s gonna … oh! Lexi – would you mind…?”

I had seen enough bachelorette party porn to know that this whole thing had been planned from the beginning, as a ruse to get Lexi to lick JJ’s cock. But surely she wouldn’t…

“Oh goodness!” exclaimed my wide-eyed fiancée. “Does this normally happen at bachelorette parties?”

“Frequently!” said Tanisha, grinning. “Go on girl – lick it off!”

“Lick … it … off! Lick … it … off!” Others took up the chant. “Lick … it … off!”

Lexi laughed as JJ thrust his cock towards her face. Then she looked at me a little anxiously, and again, I shrugged. I had zero justification for intervening now, after everything Lexi had done with other men, and I had no desire to be seen as a party-pooper by dozens of black men and women, who had generously thrown this bash for our benefit.

Lexi gave me an apologetic smile, then she stuck out her tongue and gingerly licked along the shaft of JJ’s penis, while her audience cheered her on.

“Thanks Lexi!” said JJ, once she had removed every last trace. Then he sprayed a dollop on to the tip of his cock. “Oh, you missed a bit.”

Lexi giggled again, and stuck out her tongue to lick it up. But as her open mouth approached the cream, JJ retreated a little. Lexi looked up at him in surprise, but he merely beckoned her forward. She leaned toward him, and he backed up a little more. Lexi giggled, and advanced again … and this time he thrust forward at the same time. The head of his cock hit Lexi’s lips and then slid into her open mouth, as everyone laughed and cheered. “Suck it, Lexi!” Darnell encouraged her.

Initially taken aback, Lexi quickly got into the spirit of the joke, her shoulders shaking in a silent giggle as she took more of JJ’s cock into her mouth and began sucking on it. Having clearly accepted what was expected of her, she threw herself into it, taking his shaft in her right hand and massaging it while bobbing her head up and down.

“Whoa, I think she done this before!” JJ remarked. “She got some skills!”

“You gon nut already?” Darnell asked, amused.

“Hell naw!” said JJ, almost scornfully. “Gimme some credit. Yo boy’s got more stamina than that.” Nevertheless, after barely a minute of the blowjob, he took hold of Lexi’s head and gently extracted his cock. “I think this girl needs to cool down a bit herself!” As Lexi leaned back, he aimed the whipped cream can at her right breast, and sprayed a small amount on her nipple.

Lexi giggled, and then watched curiously as he did the same to her left nipple. “I’m not sure that’s going to cool me down much!” she remarked playfully.

“Oh we ain’t done yet,” said JJ. “But since you licked me clean, it only fair I should do the same for you.” And he knelt down, pulled her knees apart, then shuffled forward on his knees, leaning in and closing his lips around her right nipple, engulfing the whipped cream in the process. The onlookers cheered excitedly.

Lexi had made no move to stop him. “Heehee!” she said. “You naughty man!” Then she smiled happily and tipped her head back, apparently enjoying the feeling of the large black man sucking on her breast.

I did not even notice his hands working their way up her thighs, until his right hand reached the front of her panties. At this point he rotated his wrist so that he could cup her pussy through the white material. He then pulled his head away from her chest, and wiped his mouth. “I think I found where the heat’s comin’ from!” he announced. “Who thinks I should get these panties off and cool Lexi down with some more whipped cream?”

Lexi squealed at this, but to my ears her tone sounded more like delight than anxiety. “I think she’s undressed enough already,” I said nervously.

But I was overruled, my voice drowned out by a chorus of cheers and whistles that I could not compete with. And Lexi did not seem to mind at all; she closed her knees and lifted her bottom so that JJ could pull her panties down. Then she stared at his face with breathless anticipation as he pulled her forward so that her bottom was at the front of the beach chair, and she leaned back while he took hold of her ankles and lifted them off the floor, spreading her legs apart and exposing her naked, shaven pussy to everyone.

The cheering died away, and a hush fell over the crowd of spectators, who all stared in fascination as JJ liberally applied whipped cream to Lexi’s pussy. Sitting in the chair next to hers, I was feeling increasingly uncomfortable. I wished I were on the other side of the roof, deeply engaged in conversation with someone and blissfully unaware of what was going on with my fiancée. That was a cowardly thought, of course, but it shows how desperate I was to remove myself from this situation.

“Lemme just smear that shit around a bit,” said JJ, knee-walking forward a little more, and guiding his fully-erect cock to her cream-covered pussy. I heard gasps and murmurs as he began rubbing the bulbous head of his oversized tool against her labia; I guessed that the collective astonishment stemmed less from JJ’s boldness, and more from the complete lack of resistance he was encountering from Lexi.

“You like this, huh?” asked JJ, shrewdly grinning at her. He was right, of course: I could see the flush in Lexi’s cheeks and the brightness in her eyes. He began to press the tip of his cock against her well-lubricated opening, and I noted how she bit her lip in anticipation.

I wanted to stop him. I wanted to push him away, to scream at him, to punch him, to pull Lexi away from this awful situation … but I was surrounded by a whole crowd of people who wanted the exact opposite of what I wanted, and my nerve deserted me. My mouth was dry, my hands were trembling, my stomach felt queasy … for a crazy moment I fantasised about throwing up all over JJ, causing him to flee in disgust. I imagined that everybody must be looking at me with contempt, wondering why I was letting another man penetrate my fiancée. Explaining to them that JJ would merely be the latest of many, though, didn’t seem like a great idea.

“Oh my god, she’s pulling me in!” JJ exclaimed, as his thick penis slowly slid inside Lexi’s vagina. “I can’t resist! The suction’s too powerful!

“Really?” asked Lexi in wide-eyed surprise as she stared down at JJ’s cock entering her. Her reaction elicited a snort of laughter from someone.

“You’re a good sport, Lexi!” chuckled JJ, sinking himself as deep as he could. He began to thrust, gently. I glared at him, but he seemed to be deliberately ignoring my presence.

I had no idea what to do. My thoughts were buzzing chaotically, my decision-making ability frozen. I tried to tell myself this wasn’t such a big deal – JJ was, after all, only the twenty-third man to put his cock in my fiancée – but the fact that he was fucking her right in front of me, and with an audience of laughing, cheering onlookers, made this experience seem worse than any of the others. This time my inadequacy as a future husband was laid bare for all to see.

And so I sat and watched, numbly, while JJ pounded my beautiful Lexi’s pussy with powerful strokes, while she kept her legs spread wide for him and moaned with undisguised pleasure. When he finally climaxed, groaning as he ejaculated inside her, some of his friends cheered … but others gasped and expressed concern.

“You nutted in her?” said Darnell anxiously. “What if you knock her up?”

“Do you even know if she’s on the pill?” asked someone else.

“I’m not!” panted Lexi. “I’m probably pregnant already anyway … but just in case, JJ, I’d better add you to my list. And if you can come to the wedding tomorrow, there’ll be a guy there taking DNA samples, you know, for paternity testing.”

“List?” Tanisha inquired with her arms folded. “How many men you been with, girl?”

“Well, JJ’s the eighteenth man to come inside me,” said Lexi with, I felt, unnecessary candour. “And that’s just since Wednesday. On Tuesday I was still a virgin! But men do seem to love putting their cocks in me, I’m afraid, and I don’t seem to be able to stop them.”

“Lexi!” I groaned. No doubt the alcohol she had consumed was enhancing her usual cheerful honesty.

“Girl, you something else!” Tanisha remarked, looking torn between disgust and awe.

“I’m not gonna lie, I kinda hope I do knock you up, Lexi,” JJ confessed as he slowly pulled his glistening, softening cock out of her. “Though I wish I’d got to you before all those other guys.”

“So does Marty!” Lexi joked, causing me to curl up in embarrassment, with my head tucked between my knees.

“He ain’t fucked you yet?” asked Daniel in surprise.

“No, we’ve been waiting until our wedding night,” said Lexi proudly. “Not long to go now!”

I wanted to die. The laughter that Lexi’s latest revelation elicited from our audience felt like the worst bullying I’d ever experienced as a child. Unable to bear it any longer, I got up from the chair and ran to the far side of the roof, where I dropped to my knees and threw up.

“Marty!” I heard Lexi cry out anxiously. But I did not respond. My shoulders shaking, I fought back the urge to burst into tears.

“Hey Marty, you okay dude?” It was Ryan.

“What does it look like?” I snapped miserably. I spat out a few chunks, and wiped my mouth.

He sat down next to me. “Yeah, that had to be rough,” he said. “Believe me, I understand. Lexi’s my girlfriend as well as your fiancée – I don’t like seeing her fucked by other men any more than you do. But this is who she is; we can’t really fight it.”

“She was supposed to be just mine, though!” I wailed. “I’m the one who’s marrying her!”

“She’s not ‘just yours’ though, is she?” said Ryan firmly. “She’s pretty much communal property now, Marty, and the sooner you get used to that idea, the better. You gotta learn to be content with, and grateful for, the fact that you’ll be the one she comes home to each night. If that’s not enough for you … you’d best be cutting your losses right now, before it’s too late, and going out and finding yourself a different kind of girl.”

“I can’t do that,” I said dolefully. “Lexi’s the one I want. Even if I have to share her with other men.”

Ryan laid his hand on my shoulder. “I get that,” he said sympathetically. “Really I do. But is this really the life you want for yourself? Does it make sense for you to marry Lexi, knowing what’s in store for you? If you walk away, sure, you’ll be heartbroken for a while. But you’ll find someone else, someone more suitable for you, someone who will be faithful to you. And you’ll be genuinely happy.”

For a moment, I found myself seriously thinking about this, and wondering if maybe there was some truth in his words. But then…

“Meanwhile, Lexi would be free to marry someone who doesn’t mind sharing her,” Ryan continued casually. “Someone … like me, maybe.”

“You said you didn’t like seeing her have sex with other men any more than I do!” I accused him. Suddenly all of his words seemed false and hollow. “You’re just trying to convince me to leave her, so you can marry her instead! Nice try, Ryan, but no! Fuck no. I’m damn well going to marry Lexi tomorrow, and neither you nor anyone else is going to stop me!”

He grinned. “That’s the spirit!” he said. “That’s the fire I was looking for. Self-pity doesn’t look good on you, Marty. Stand up and be a man! Go fight for your girl.”

“Oh!” I said in surprise. “Well, okay then. Thanks for the pep talk, I guess.” I got unsteadily to my feet. “I’m gonna go get Lexi, and take her home.”

“Attaboy,” said Ryan, giving me a thumbs-up. “But, uh, just try not to punch anyone, okay? I’m your wingman, under most circumstances, but I’m not about to wade into a fight between you and a bunch of black dudes.”

“I won’t hit anyone,” I assured him. But as I walked back toward Lexi, I was unnerved to see that the crowd around her (and hiding her from my view) was as enthusiastic as ever, cheering and yelling words of encouragement. I pushed my way through … and found my beloved fiancée now straddling Darnell, and bouncing up and down on his lap. He was sitting in her beach chair, and she was facing him, with her legs hanging over the armrests and her hands resting on his shoulders.

“Hey!” I said indignantly.

Darnell spotted me, and grinned. Then he took Lexi’s face in his hands, pulled her close, and kissed her. Clearly lost in the moment, Lexi enthusiastically returned the kiss, entwining her tongue with his as she rhythmically raised and lowered herself on his cock.

I felt my arm being pulled by the elbow, and I turned irritably. It was Antwan. “Keep it chill, Marty,” he cautioned me. “Let them finish. Darnell gon be real pissed at you if he can’t nut inside Lexi, like JJ did.”

There was no reason Darnell should have any expectation of climaxing inside Lexi at all, of course, but since JJ had already done so, I figured it really didn’t make any difference. “Fine,” I grumbled. But I was firmly resolved that as soon as they were done, Lexi and I would be leaving.

A moment later, Darnell’s face contorted in a spasm of orgasmic bliss, and I fought the urge to throw up at the thought of his cock spewing millions of sperms deep inside my darling Lexi. He kissed her again, and she continued riding his cock while they tongued each other’s mouths.

“Hey Lexi, can you give me a lap dance next?” asked Jamal cheekily.

“Lexi and I need to go,” I announced hastily. “Big day tomorrow!”

“Aww c’mon man, your wedding ain’t until the afternoon,” said Jamal. “The party just gettin’ started! Hang out a lil’ longer.”

“Why, so you can have sex with my fiancée?” I demanded.

He shrugged. “You seemed pretty chill with JJ and Darnell fuckin’ her. And she’s lovin’ it, obviously.”

“There wasn’t much I could do to stop it!” I snapped. “That doesn’t mean I want it to keep happening!”

Lexi climbed off Darnell and approached me with a sheepish expression. “I’m sorry, darling,” she said. “After JJ pulled out of me, I wanted to come and find you … but Antwan said it looked like you needed some space, and it probably wouldn’t help you to see me with JJ’s cum running down my legs. And then Darnell was nice enough to offer me a couple of tissues to wipe myself with … and when I thanked him for them, he said he’d never seen anything as sexy as the lap dance I gave you … and he asked if he could pay me to give him a lap dance. And I told him I didn’t think you would like me giving him a lap dance … and Antwan pointed out that you’ve watched me having sex with multiple men, and a lap dance wasn’t much in comparison. And everyone else … even Tanisha … encouraged me to do it. And so … I said okay. And I started dancing for him … but then he got out his cock – he said it needed some room – and then … um … he sort of pulled me on to his lap, and before I knew it, his cock was going up inside me…” She bit her lip. “I’m sorry … but it felt so good, and I was so horny, I … I just sort of started bouncing on it automatically…” She trailed off, and hung her head. “I know that’s not a very good excuse.”

I sighed. “Lexi, after everything that’s happened, it’s really not that surprising or shocking. I gave you permission to enjoy having sex with other men, so…”

“But you didn’t give me permission to HAVE sex with other men,” said Lexi dolefully. “I mean, so far I’ve always been sort of manipulated into it … and I guess this time was like that … but all the same, I feel like I could have gotten out of it, if I’d really tried…”

“So, why didn’t you?” I asked bluntly.

Her hands squirmed together wretchedly. “I … I don’t know!” she confessed. “I guess … it just felt … inevitable? Or something? Like it was going to happen whether I wanted it to or not?”

I grimaced. “I guess I can understand why you would feel that way, given how things have been going.”

She smiled nervously. “Can you forgive me?”

I relaxed a little. “Yes, of course,” I told her warmly. “But let’s get you out of here before you have sex with anyone else.”

“Okay!” she said happily.

“So, uh, do you know where your panties are?” I inquired. “Or are we just giving them up for lost?”

She looked around, as did I, but neither of us could spot her panties. “Someone probably took them as a souvenir,” she said. “It’s okay … I don’t mind walking back to our apartment naked. We’re not likely to meet anyone. And even if we do…” She shrugged.

I shook my head in bemusement. “I can’t believe how comfortable you’ve become with being naked in public. But, I guess, if I had a body as perfect as yours, I’d be more inclined to show it off…”

Antwan cut us off as we were heading for the exit door. “Y’all ain’t leavin’ already, are you?” he asked.

“Yeah, well, big day tomorrow,” I replied.

“But we got you some wedding gifts!” he said.

I blinked in surprise. “Oh! Goodness – you didn’t need to do that, Antwan! You’ve all been so wonderfully generous already with your time and resources.”

He laughed. “You payin’ for those, though! But any couple startin’ out on married life could use a few things, and Ryan had some suggestions on what you might be needin’.”

“Well, thank you,” I said gratefully. “I guess we could stick around a little longer.”

Lexi clutched my arm. “Are you sure, Marty?” she asked, a little anxiously.

I led her out of earshot of Antwan. “I don’t want to seem ungrateful,” I explained. “I don’t want to antagonise these guys by rejecting their hospitality and generosity. They’ve been very friendly and helpful to us so far; I don’t want the relationship to turn sour.”

She nodded. “I don’t want that either.”

We returned to our seats, where I sat down rather heavily, my head swimming. Lexi was about to sit down too, but Jamal grabbed her hand. “Hey Lexi, dance with me,” he said.

“Oh, I don’t know…” she said, looking at me uncertainly.

Antwan sat down next to me, and handed me a beer. “You got a second to talk about the plan for tomorrow?” he asked.

“Uh, sure,” I said. I did not really want to get any more drunk, but I was feeling thirsty after throwing up.

“Yo man’s busy right now,” said Jamal to Lexi. “C’mon, let’s just dance while him and Antwan talk guy stuff.”

“Oh … okay,” said Lexi hesitantly. And as Antwan engaged me in conversation about wedding plans, I tried to pay attention while keeping an eye on what Jamal and Lexi were doing. It was not easy – the two of them drifted to the other side of the roof, and other dancing bodies blocked my view – but the brief glimpses I got were enough to show me that he was getting pretty handsy.

Then, after my view had been obscured for almost a minute, the dancers parted long enough for me to see Jamal hugging Lexi from behind, with one hand squeezing her left breast and the other tucked between her legs, rubbing her pussy. Her eyes were closed and her mouth was open, and he was kissing her neck. Then he caught sight of me watching in dismay, and let go of her breast long enough to reach up and turn her face towards his, whereupon he began French-kissing her.

“Fucking hell!” I grumbled, and I tried to get to my feet.

Antwan pulled me back down. “Chill, Marty,” he said. “She’s already fucked two guys up here – all’s Jamal doin’ is feelin’ her up. You don’t wanna make a scene, do ya?”

“I just don’t want it going any further,” I said stubbornly. But he was right about me not wanting to make a scene. Reluctantly I settled back into my beach chair, and hoped Jamal would be content with just groping Lexi.

That was a foolish hope, of course. The next time I caught a glimpse of them, he was obviously finger-fucking her, and she seemed quite happy letting him. The time after that, he had her bent over a foldable table, but he was still just using his fingers on her. With his free hand, though, he was rubbing his crotch.

Then my view was obscured for over a minute. When I next saw them, Jamal was fucking Lexi from behind. I groaned, and put my face in my hands.

“Aww, don’t even stress about it, man,” said Antwan sympathetically. “It was bound to happen, right?”

“Yeah, I guess so,” I said glumly.

“Just have another drink,” he suggested. “Let yo girl do her thing, and be happy knowin’ she’s goin’ home with you, and not one of these clowns.”

I nodded. “Yeah, that’s a good way of looking at it.”

“Don’ even look over there,” he advised me. “I’m sure it’s no fun watchin’ yo fiancée get nailed by another guy. Talk to me ‘bout yo plans. You gon’ stay in the apartment with Ryan and Drake?”

“For a while,” I said. “Until we can afford to move out. Then I think we’ll leave the city entirely. Make a fresh start somewhere new.” And I rambled on for a while about my hopes for the future, for me and Lexi, for our first child (whoever the father turned out to be), and for my long-term career plans.

Then he began telling me about his own plans for starting a business with his friends, repairing and refurbishing computers and gaming consoles, and although it was quite interesting and he talked with considerable enthusiasm, my emotional and physical weariness, together with the alcohol I had consumed, were making it hard for me to concentrate. In fact, as I slouched deeper into my beach chair, I felt myself drifting off…

When I awoke, it was with a feeling of confusion and disorientation. But then I looked around the rooftop, and it all came flooding back. Antwan was no longer sitting next to me, and there were only a handful of people up here. I struggled to my feet, and tried to find a familiar face. Spotting Daniel sitting with his girlfriend, I stumbled toward them, my head swimming.

“Yo Marty,” said Daniel. “You okay man?”

I nodded. “Where’s Lexi?” I asked.

“No idea, sorry,” he said. “She left with Malik a couple hours ago.”

I blinked. “Who the fuck is Malik? Why didn’t anyone wake me?”

He shrugged. “Prolly wanted to save you some grief. Don’t worry man – I’m sure he’ll bring her home safe, at some point tonight.”

“That’s not good enough!” I said indignantly. “Who is he? Where’s he taken her? I need to find her!”

“Bro, chill,” he said. “Malik’s a horndog, not gonna lie, but he’s cool – he won’t let anything bad happen to Lexi.”

“I hope not!” I said angrily. “Where does he live? In this building?”

“Yeah, but he didn’t necessarily take her to his place,” Daniel cautioned me.

“It’s somewhere to start, at least!” I said. “What’s his apartment number?”

“I dunno man,” he replied. “Did you check your phone? Maybe she texted you.”

“Oh! Jeez.” For a moment I felt stupid as I fished out my phone. But then I remembered she had not brought her purse or phone with her, so she was unlikely to have texted me. Nevertheless, I checked … and immediately saw that I had a text from Ryan. It said, ‘Come home. I know where Lexi is.’

“I gotta run!” I said. And I hurried to the exit door. After a short elevator ride downward, I burst into our apartment. “All right, where the hell is she?” I demanded.

Ryan was sitting on the couch, playing some voxel-based game he had recently discovered. He paused it, and set down his controller. “Come on, I’ll take you there,” he said, getting to his feet.

We rode the elevator up to the eleventh floor, and headed to apartment 1108. Ryan knocked on the door, and I bit my lip anxiously.

The door opened, and a sleepy-looking young black man scratched his head as he looked us up and down. “Hey, wassup?” he said. He was wearing a t-shirt and jockey shorts; nothing else.

“Is my fiancée in there?” I asked. “Her name’s Lexi.”

“Oh, you the dude she’s marryin’ tomorrow?” asked the young man, a grin spreading across his face. “Well c’mon in! Join the party!”

He led us inside. The living room was occupied by half a dozen black guys, of whom four were fast asleep, and of those four, two were wearing nothing but their underwear. The two conscious men stared at us.

“This is the guy who marryin’ Lexi!” said the man who had let us in. “Oh, uh, I shoulda introduced myself. I’m Dre, and this is Reem and Bradley. The sleepin’ beauties there are Ray, K-Mart, Corey, and Manny.”

I had been about to demand where Lexi was, but my train of thought was derailed by the revelation that a man by the name of K-Mart existed. “K-Mart?” I inquired.

Dre laughed. “His real name’s Kendrick Martell, so of course he been called K-Mart since kindergarten. So what’s yo names? I was prolly tole yours, but I forgot.”

“Marty,” I replied. “And this is Ryan.”

“Marty!” said Dre, snapping his fingers. “That was it.”

“So where’s Lexi?” asked Ryan.

“Oh, she in bed!” said Dre. “Sleepin’ it off. She been a busy girl!” He grinned at me. “You know what’s been happenin’, right?”

“I can guess,” I said with a scowl.

“Oh man,” said Dre, shaking his head as he led us to a bedroom. “Yo girl just loves black cock! She actually said – for real, I’m quotin’ here – she said, ‘I love it when black cocks fill me with sperm!’” He burst out laughing. “For real! We got that on video, if you don’t believe me.”

“I believe it,” I growled. “But I’m guessing she was fed that line and then persuaded to say it out loud for the camera.”

Dre shrugged. “Yeah, that pretty much how it went. But that don’t mean she di’n mean it. She was SO into it! Like, she had multiple orgasms, I ain’t kidding. At one point she had three cocks in her – one in her mouth, one in her ass, and one in her pussy. We got that on video too – look.” He held up his phone, and played a video, which I refused to look at.

“No thanks,” I said firmly. “I just want to wake Lexi up and take her home.”

Dre paused with his hand on the doorknob. “You sure you wanna see this?”

“Yes!” I said. “Just let me go in, please.”

He opened the door, and I entered, immediately recoiling from the stench of sex. Lexi, fast asleep, was lying naked on her back with her legs spread wide, and I noticed with horror that her knees were being held apart by what looked like sheets, bunched and twisted to form makeshift ropes, which disappeared over the edge of the bed and were presumably attached to something out of sight. Maybe to each other – maybe it was just one long sheet running under the bed with its opposing corners tied to each of her knees.

Her vaginal opening, looking quite red and sore from all the fucking it had endured, was leaking semen into a large pool that was slowly congealing on the bedsheet in front of her buttocks. Her arms were raised up above her head, with her hands stuck through the bars in the headboard, and her wrists fastened together with, to my horror, what looked like genuine handcuffs.

“What the heck?” I demanded. “Why’s she in handcuffs?”

Dre chuckled. “Malik thought it would be fun. And Lexi di’n mind! She got totally in the spirit of it, for real. I swear to God, dude, she’s had a blast here. She loved every minute of it.”

“Is there a key to these cuffs?” Ryan asked, having peered closely at them for a moment.

“Yeah, I’m sure there is, but Malik prolly has it,” said Dre.

I sighed impatiently. “And where’s Malik?”

“Uh, I don’t know, man,” said Dre, looking a little shifty. “I think he had to run an errand or sum’n.”

“What kind of errand?” I asked suspiciously.

Dre shrugged. “Look, man, you’ll have to talk to him when gets back. I don’t think he’ll be long.”

I sighed, and looked at Ryan. “I guess we wait, then.”

“I guess so,” Ryan agreed. “Unless you want to try snapping that bar. But then we’d still need to get the cuffs off.”

I sat down next to Lexi. Then I said irritably, “Can you fetch a blanket or something, please, to cover up my fiancée’s vagina?”

“Hey man, I don’t live here – I don’t know where that shit is,” said Dre unhelpfully.

Ryan went over to the closet, opened it, and retrieved a pale grey hoodie, which he carefully draped over Lexi, covering her from neck to thighs.

She stirred, tried to move her arms, grimaced, and opened her eyes. As soon as she saw me, she gasped.

“Are you okay?” I asked her softly.

Her face contorted in distress. “Marty, I’m so sorry!” she said miserably. “I … I’m afraid I’ve had a lot of sex this evening…”

I nodded unhappily. “Yeah, I figured. But don’t worry about it. We just need to get you out of those handcuffs and take you home.”

She tugged on the handcuffs. “Where’s Malik? He probably has the key to these things. He put them on me.”

“We don’t know,” I said. “He went out on an errand, apparently.”

She groaned. “What time is it?”

“It’s just past midnight,” I told her.

Her eyes widened. “Oh my gosh – it’s our wedding day!”

“Uh, yeah, I guess it is,” I said. “Wow.”

“And what a state I’m in!” she wailed. “Oh Marty – I’m so sorry!”

I patted her shoulder. “It’s okay.”

“No it’s not,” she said sadly. “We’d only just been taking about how I don’t have your permission to have sex with other men … and look what happened!”

“Huh?” said Ryan. “What do you mean? Sure you have his permission.”

“Technically she doesn’t,” I corrected him. “I mean … with you and Drake, yeah. But not with random strangers. I’ve given her permission to enjoy it, but not to have it in the first place.”

“Well that’s stupid,” said Ryan bluntly. “You’re setting her up to be wracked with guilt throughout your entire marriage. Give her your permission, for fuck’s sake.”

“I’m not going to do that!” I protested. “Not being able to avoid it is one thing; telling her she can just go out and fuck whoever she wants is totally different!”

“Not really!” Ryan countered. “Marty, she loves you! She’s not going to cheat on you unless she’s manipulated into it – you know that! But the last thing she needs is the mental burden of thinking she’s … she’s defying you, every time it happens. Don’t put her through that torture – it’ll wreck her mental health.”

“All right, all right,” I muttered. The last thing I wanted was for Lexi to suffer. “As much as it goes against the grain to say this … Lexi, you have my permission to have sex with other men. I think it’s kind of academic at this point, but if it eases your mind to have my permission, you have it. You don’t need to feel guilty about it; just enjoy it, and … well, that’s it I guess.”

She smiled at me gratefully. “Thanks Marty, that does help.”

I heard the creak of a door, and voices … and a moment later, a young black man entered the bedroom. He was followed by a shabbily-dressed, grey-bearded black man in his fifties, whose dirty face and clothing gave the impression he had been living on the streets for years. Then another man walked in, and another, and another. All of them looked like they might be homeless.

“Who are you?” the first man demanded.

“I’m Lexi’s fiancé!” I said angrily as I stood up. “Are you Malik?”

His face broke into a grin. “You’re Marty?” he said. Then he laughed. “Nice to meet you. Yeah, I’m Malik. Have you come to watch these guys bang your girl?”

“No!” I said indignantly. “I’ve come to take her home! You’ve had enough fun at her expense, thank you!”

“Ah, nah man, sorry, you can’t take her just yet,” said Malik smoothly. “These guys have already paid me to fuck Lexi, so you’ll have to wait until they’re done.”

“Paid you?” I said, horrified. “You’re pimping her out?”

“I sho am,” he replied with a grin. “She did tell us she’s a ho, so I figured, why not make a little money off her?”

“I’m sorry Marty!” said Lexi wretchedly. “I didn’t mean … it just sort of slipped out that I had sex for money. I didn’t use that word though!”

Malik pulled his hoodie off her, once again explicitly displaying her cum-leaking vagina. “You wanna go first … what was yo name, sorry?”

“George,” said the man he had addressed.

I stared at him in shock. “You don’t even know each other?”

“You can use a rubber if you like,” Malik continued, ignoring me. “But you don’t have to. The rest of us didn’t. She ain’t on the pill, and might be ovulating as we speak. She’s keepin’ a list of potential baby-daddies … and check this out: you get to have her phone number if you’re on the list.”

George had been feverishly undressing, and now he climbed on top of Lexi, with more eagerness than grace. “No condom for me!” he said. “I like the idea of knockin’ up this white bitch.”

“Now just a minute!” I said hotly, advancing with my fists clenched.

“I’m not a bitch!” Lexi objected. “I’m nice!”

George pressed the head of his cock against her vaginal opening. “My mistake,” he said with a grin. “Now let’s see how ‘nice’ you are. Gimme a kiss, Goldilocks.” And he began to slide his thick black cock inside her.

“Oh gosh!” she gasped. And then he stuck his tongue in her mouth.

“This is … intolerable!” I snapped, and in a fit of sheer rage, I swung my fist at George’s back. It bounced off his ribcage.

He broke off from the kiss and looked back at me. “What the fuck?”

Malik grabbed my arm, and pulled me out of the room. “You really want to start somethin’ here, bro?”

“Maybe!” I said rebelliously, though I was quite rattled at the sight of at least a dozen new men – mostly black, but some Latino – sitting around and no doubt waiting for their turn with my poor Lexi. All were shabbily-dressed.

Malik pushed me against a wall, and stared into my eyes with his face very close to mine. He was heavily-built, about three inches taller than I, and looked pretty intimidating. “Go home,” he ordered me. “Go home and sleep it off. I’ll send your ho girlfriend back to you in the morning.”

“Don’t call her that!” I fired back. “First, she’s my fiancée, and second, she’s not a whore, except in the strictest technical sense of having been given money by a guy who had sex with her. Which happened once!”

He smirked. “Well it’s happened a whole lot more, tonight. If she wasn’t a ho before, she sho as shit is now.”

“Only because you forced it on her!” I protested.

He stood back, and let me go. “Go home,” he repeated. “Before you say somethin’ or do somethin’ you’ll regret, and me and my boys gotta rough you up.”

Ryan had emerged from the bedroom; he looked at me uneasily. “Marty, I think we should just go. I honestly think Lexi’ll be better off if we’re not here.”

“Listen to yo buddy,” said Malik. “I promise you we’ll return Lexi to you in one piece, by … let’s say nine o’clock tomorrow morning.”

“Eight o’clock,” I replied, scowling at him. I knew I had very little negotiating power, but I didn’t want him to think I was a pushover.

He chuckled. “Fine. Eight o’clock. Now run along, white boy.”

Ryan pulled my arm, and I reluctantly accompanied him to the door. “If anything happens to her, I’ll be calling the cops!” I warned the whole room loudly.

Outside in the corridor, I sank to my knees, the pain and misery of this ordeal finally getting the better of me. “God, Ryan – this is the worst night of my life! And it’s my wedding day! And all those guys who are in there fucking my fiancée … they’ll all be coming to the wedding! I feel like my life is spiraling out of control. Help me, Ryan – I don’t know what to do!”

“Let’s just get you home to begin with,” said Ryan, looking nervously back at the door. “Come on – up you get.”

We returned to our apartment, where I flopped down on the couch. “Where the fuck is Drake?” I demanded. “Just when I need a tough guy, he vanishes!”

“He’s, uh … he brought a girl home,” said Ryan uncomfortably. “Seems like he found himself a side-piece at the gym.”

I raised an eyebrow. “He found a girlfriend, you mean! Lexi’s his side-piece.”

Ryan shrugged. “Anyway the two of them have been in his room since he got home. If you want, you can go knock on his door, but dude, he’s not going to go to Malik’s place and fight a ton of guys just to get Lexi out of there.”

I threw up my hands helplessly. “He could try!” But I knew Ryan was right. “Maybe I should just go to bed, and try and get some sleep. But I don’t know what I’m going to do if Lexi’s not back by eight…”

“Go to Malik’s apartment and demand he bring her out,” said Ryan simply. “And call the cops if he doesn’t.”

“I guess so,” I said morosely. I groaned in despair. “Ryan, is this how every night of my marriage is going to go?”

“Not unless you plan on taking her to parties with a bunch of black guys every night,” he replied. “Dude, bachelorette parties frequently get pretty wild. Maybe not this wild, because Lexi’s a unique kinda girl … but an ordinary night will consist of the four of us hanging out here and just enjoying a quiet night in. We might watch a movie, play a video game, Drake and I will fuck Lexi … and then she’ll go to bed with you.”

This prospect seemed heavenly by comparison. “Yeah, I guess you’re right,” I said hopefully. “After the first two weeks, of course.”

“Well, yeah,” he conceded. “But those two weeks will fly by – you’ll see. And even during that time, you can still fuck her as much as you want; you don’t have to be sleeping with her to do that.”

I remembered the kiss I had placed upon her breast, and nodded uneasily. “Yeah,” I said. Then I suppressed my guilty conscience. “Yes. God! I can’t wait to have sex with her! I just hope I’m not a disappointment to her, after all the experience she’s had.”

“Trust me, sex is mostly psychological,” Ryan assured me. “It’ll be wonderful for her, because it’ll be with you rather than a random stranger, or a friend or colleague who’s taking advantage of her. The two of you have waited a long time for this, and despite everything that’s happened, your first time together is going to be magical, trust me.”

I sighed, and managed a small smile. “I hope so,” I said. “Ugh, but Ryan! Should we really be leaving Lexi up there? It doesn’t feel right.”

“I know,” he admitted. “It really doesn’t. But you know it’ll be disastrous if the cops get involved – all of Lexi’s adventures will come out, and they’ll see her as some kind of super-slut if not a bona fide prostitute. And if we try to take her by force – maybe with Drake and a few of his gym buddies – we’ll likely start some kind of gang war in this building. People will get hurt, maybe even killed. Whereas if we just lay low and let things play out … my gut tells me Lexi will show up here tomorrow morning, tired and well-fucked, but fine.”

I nodded, grimacing at the thought. “Yeah, I think that’s a fair assessment. I don’t know how I’m going to get any sleep tonight though.”

“Try, anyway,” he advised me. “Big day tomorrow.”

I did try. And, I’m guessing at about half past two or so, I finally managed to achieve unconsciousness. My dreams, unfortunately, were not very restful: even in the depths of my slumber, I could not escape visions of my poor darling Lexi getting fucked by grinning strangers.

SUNDAY: CONFETTI & CONSUMMATION

My alarm woke me at half past seven. It took me a moment to get my bearings, and then I leapt out of bed, went to the bathroom, peed, and brushed my teeth. Then I waited by the door anxiously.

Ryan joined me. “Twenty-five minutes left,” he said, looking worried. “Are you going to give them a grace period, or head up there on the dot of…”

There was a knock on the door. I flung it open, and there was my sweet Lexi – naked and tired-looking, but seemingly intact. I pulled her into my arms.

“Oh Lexi!” I sobbed. “I was so worried! Are you okay?”

“Yes, yes, I’m fine,” she said. “Oh, but Marty, I’m so ashamed! And I’m so sorry – I should never have gone to Malik’s apartment. I’ve been fucked by so many men…”

“Hush, don’t worry about it, it’s okay,” I assured her, as I shepherded her inside and closed the door. “The important thing is that you’re home and safe. Why don’t you have a nice hot shower – I’m sure you’ll feel better after that.”

“Actually I just had a bath,” said Lexi, “at Malik’s place. He said you wouldn’t like me coming home all stinky and covered in semen, and I figured he was probably right. He’d already run it in by the time I woke up…”

“Did he leave you in handcuffs all night?” I asked, frowning.

“Oh no – those came off not long after you left,” said Lexi. “And the sex only went on for an hour or so after that. Then Malik covered me up, switched off the light, and I slept until about half an hour ago. I woke up to find Malik fucking me…”

“That bastard!” I growled.

Lexi shook her head. “He was actually pretty nice to me,” she said. “Aside from, you know, pimping me out to homeless men. I told him my vagina was very sore, this morning, and so he used extra lube and was very gentle. While I was in the bath, he offered to make me some breakfast … but I told him I’d rather just come straight home. And he accompanied me down to this floor, to make sure I got home safely.”

“Well it was still a lousy thing that he did,” I said with a frown. “He threatened to beat me up!”

She gasped. “Oh, I didn’t know that! Gosh, I wouldn’t have kissed him this morning if I’d known that.”

“The important thing is that you’re okay,” said Ryan. “And as much as I’m sure you want to post-mortem last night, I think you should focus on what’s happening today – if you’re both feeling up to going through with it. I guess the first question you need to ask yourselves is: did last night change anything for either of you? Do you both still want to get married today?”

I stared at him, and so did Lexi. “For my part, absolutely yes,” said Lexi in a small, slightly sad voice. “But I’ll understand if Marty doesn’t want me anymore…”

“Don’t be silly,” I chided her. The fact that she had just been gangbanged by homeless men, I realised, had made me feel even more protective of her. It had impressed on me the need to marry her as soon as possible, so we could start our lives together, and I could begin to work on getting her out of this building and this city. “Of course I still want to marry you! You didn’t choose what happened last night. At least … I assume you didn’t…”

“No!” she said quickly. “I only went with Malik because he said he didn’t want to fuck me in front of a crowd of cheering spectators, and he thought I could use a break. Ha! But of course the spectators came with us, and I didn’t get a break for a long time after that...”

“You must be in such pain!” I said anxiously. “Is there anything we can do to alleviate it?”

“The bath helped,” said Lexi. “Well, it stung at first, but then it helped. I’m all right, really.” She smiled reassuringly. “Don’t think you’re off the hook for giving me a good pounding tonight, mister!”

I blinked, and Ryan snorted. “Let’s try to keep you away from any men before the wedding,” he said. “No more sex for you, until tonight. And tonight … Drake and I will promise to be very gentle, before it’s Marty’s turn.”

“Thank you, I’d appreciate that!” said Lexi gratefully.

“How are we going to stop the wedding itself from turning into a gangbang?” I asked morosely. “The church will be absolutely full of men who’ve learned they can do whatever they like with Lexi, whenever they like.”

“I’ll talk to Drake,” said Ryan. “We’ll come up with a plan. Don’t worry about it, Marty – just leave it to us.”

I relaxed a little. “Okay – thanks Ryan.”

“Are either of you hungry?” asked Lexi. “I think I’ll make pancakes. I’m starving!”

We had breakfast. As Lexi chatted excitedly about our imminent nuptials, I found myself marvelling at how untraumatised she seemed to be, after the ordeal she had been through. Not that I wanted her to be cowering in a corner of our bedroom, or huddled in the foetal position under the shower, but some sign that she was upset by having been gangbanged by a bunch of homeless men would have been … well, not nice exactly, but … appropriate, maybe? Something I could understand, wrap my head around, relate to … something I could comfort her for. That she was able to shrug it all off was a little disconcerting.

“You seem pretty subdued, Marty,” Ryan remarked.

“Oh … uh … sorry, I’m just … thinking,” l said.

“About what?” Lexi inquired.

I smiled, and shook my head. “Just … stuff.” I realised how evasive that sounded, and quickly opted to change the subject. “Wedding’s at two. How are we spending our time until then?”

“Well there’s not much we need to do,” said Lexi. “I need to get myself ready, of course, but that won’t take even an hour. I want to do something nice with my hair; Tanisha said she’d come and help me with that. I just need to text her when I’m ready for her, and she’ll come down here.”

“You’ll probably want to make yourself scarce at that point, dude,” said Ryan. “Traditionally, of course, you shouldn’t even be seeing Lexi at all today, until she walks down the aisle. But I guess this won’t exactly be a traditional wedding…”

“No, but I think it’s worth keeping as many traditions as we reasonably can,” I said. “I want it to feel like a proper wedding.”

Ryan nodded. “Then maybe you should go hang out with Antwan, and help out with setting up the church and the reception room.”

I hesitated. “You’ll keep Lexi out of trouble?”

“Yeah, I will,” he promised. “With Drake’s help if I need it. He’s not working today.”

“And you have the rings?”

“Of course!” he said, looking offended that I had even asked.

I nodded. “Okay – I’ll go and get changed then, I guess.” I went to my bedroom, changed into my suit and tie, and returned to the living room.

“Ooh, you look handsome!” said Lexi.

“Not bad, not bad,” Ryan agreed. “See you at the wedding, dude.”

I smiled, and nodded. “Okay, I’m off to see Antwan.” I turned to Lexi. “Well, darling … I guess the next time we see each other will be in the church.”

She nodded, her eyes shining excitedly. “I can’t wait!”

I gave her a slightly awkward hug, then I turned and walked to the door. Leaving the apartment, I heaved a sigh of relief. I had managed, somehow, to avoid kissing Lexi before our wedding – kind of – and had therefore retained the right to have sex with her. Part of me, deep down, had been convinced that with the way things had been going, something bad would happen and I would be prevented from marrying Lexi, or having sex with her … but the big day was here, and nothing bad had happened – well, except for Lexi getting gangbanged by homeless men, of course, and having sex with lots of other men, including my friends, my neighbours, my boss, my colleague, her doctor, and a bunch of random strangers. But that was who she was … or at least who she had become. Yes, it sucked … but soon I would be sticking my own cock into her willing vagina, and planting my own seed in her. And maybe, just maybe, she was ovulating a little late this month, and I might still be in with a chance of fathering her first baby.

The more I fantasised about this, the more I began to cling to the hope that somehow her body knew she was about to get married, and had delayed ovulation until our wedding night. And that my sperms would outcompete Ryan’s and Drake’s – they had, after all, been overworking their testes recently, whereas I had been abstaining from masturbation.

This was by choice … mostly. I had been entertaining some vague notion of ‘saving up’ my sperms for our wedding night, so that I could unleash several days’ worth of built-up semen deep inside my new bride, and overwhelm the competition by weight of numbers. I was not sure if it really worked like this, but it was comforting to imagine. There was a flaw in this plan, of course – I was supposed to be pulling out before my climax – but I had more than half decided to ignore that rule, and cum inside her anyway. After all, neither Ryan nor Drake would know how close I was to orgasm, once I was thrusting away inside her. And no consequence had been set for my breaking that rule.

In truth, though, I had been struggling to get an erection lately. Oh, sure, the sight of Lexi naked or in a skimpy outfit got my blood pumping and my loins stirring … but at night, alone in bed and listening to the sounds of my friends energetically fucking her, I found I could massage no life into my floppy member. Even when I couldn’t hear such noises, the memory of them, and my imagination vividly picturing Drake’s thick cock (or Ryan’s slightly smaller penis) thrusting inside my darling Lexi, were enough to kill any arousal I was feeling.

The implications of this were not lost on me. The thought that I would be attempting sex with Lexi for the first time while her vagina was full of Drake’s and Ryan’s sperm, filled me with anxiety. Would I even be able to get it up? Or would I be wretchedly and vainly trying to pump some life into it while my friends watched and laughed?

The thought was almost enough to send me into a full-blown panic attack. But what brought me back down to Earth was the knowledge that Lexi would be patient, and helpful, and very beautiful and sexy, and she would work with me all night if necessary until we were successful.

And if all else failed, there was always Viagra. Not for tonight, of course – it was too late for that – but if the worst case scenario occurred, and I couldn’t perform at all this evening, it was an option I could resort to in the future.

Antwan was not at home, so I gave him a call. He said he was out picking up a few things, and he suggested I meet him at the reception venue. I took the elevator down to the lobby, walked to the youth centre, and there I worked for a while with Antwan and his friends, getting things set up. As luck would have it, there were no events being held there before our reception, so we had plenty of time to arrange the tables and decorations.

It was nice for a while to put thoughts of Lexi’s sexploits out of my head, and just focus on wedding prep. As food arrived, brought by various members of Antwan’s family and social circle (mostly female), we laid it out or put it in one of the refrigerators, depending on how perishable it was. I helped Jamal put up a banner, congratulating myself and Lexi on our marriage.

After a light lunch of cheese and crackers, I accompanied Antwan to the church, where I quickly found my help was not really needed. I spent some time talking with Pastor John instead, while a large black lady – Antwan’s Aunt Etta – arranged flowers.

“I … I kind of have to give you a heads-up about something,” I told the pastor awkwardly. “There might be, um, quite a large congregation here for the wedding.”

“That’s fine!” he said with a smile. “I like a big congregation. How large are we talking?”

“I’m not quite sure,” I said. “But, um, it’ll be almost exclusively men, I think. You see … Lexi kind of invited all the men who’ve had sex with her.”

“Good heavens!” said Pastor John, looking a little dismayed. “Whatever for? Why would she do that to you?”

I shrugged. “There is a good reason, believe it or not. One of them, assuming he doesn’t let us down, is a lab technician at a hospital. He’s going to take DNA samples from everyone, so that if and when Lexi gets pregnant, we can figure out who the father is. Getting all of them in one place seemed like a challenge, but our wedding gave us a … a sort of focal point, I guess. A definitive time and place, and a strong motivation to attend.”

“Marty, I’m officiating a wedding, not a paternity-testing clinic!” John protested. “I’m sorry, but no – I’m not happy about this at all.”

I started to panic. “It doesn’t have to disrupt anything!” I assured him. “This lab tech guy … he can just hang out at the exit, if you like, and take a mouth swab from each man as he leaves. I’m sure there’s no more to it than that. But please – it’s quite possible Lexi’s pregnant already, and … I’m fully committed to raising her first baby as my own, but I need to know whose it is!”

“Why?” asked the pastor simply.

“Because!” I replied. “I’ll be forever wondering, otherwise.”

“Is that so bad?” he inquired. “Is it worse than the alternative?”

“Well, yeah!” I said defensively. “I think so.”

“What’s the best-case scenario?” he asked me. “Assuming it isn’t yours. Whose would you most like it to be? And conversely, whose would you least like it to be?”

I thought about this. “Hmm,” I said. “I guess … it would probably be best if it was Ryan’s or Drake’s. Ryan’s, actually – then it would be white, at least. Not that I’m racist or anything! I’d just feel more comfortable if it was white. Then, you know, when Lexi and I are out in public with our baby, its skin colour won’t raise awkward questions.”

“I can understand that,” said John, nodding. “But both Ryan and Drake are very close to you. Of all the possible biological fathers, they would be the most likely to usurp your position as husband and father.”

I stared at him. “I … I hadn’t thought of it like that,” I confessed. “But … no … the issue isn’t really that. I mean, Ryan and Drake are both going to be having sex with Lexi whenever they want, pretty much in perpetuity. I’ve resigned myself to that. I’d rather one of them was the father, than some random asshole – sorry – who then has an excuse to worm his way further into our lives.”

Pastor John nodded. “That makes sense,” he said. “So the worst-case scenario is … who?”

I shrugged. “Probably one of the homeless men who had sex with her last night. For all I know they could be drug addicts, or violent criminals, or anything. They’re the last people I want establishing a permanent presence in our lives.”

“Homeless men!” Pastor John shook his head slowly. “I won’t ask how that came about. But Marty, are you sure you even want to go through with this? It seems to me…”

“Yes!” I said firmly. “I love Lexi. And she loves me. None of this is her fault. I mean, maybe a little. But it’s at least as much my fault, for letting it all happen. Even so, I don’t feel like I’ve done anything wrong in particular. Things just kind of got out of hand, and neither of us knew how to stop it. But there’s still this great love between us, and we’re committed to spending the rest of our lives together, come what may. For better or worse, right?”

John smiled. “I do admire the strength of your commitment,” he said, “though your particular circumstances would strain the strongest of marriages. What about ‘forsaking all others’?”

“Ah, well,” I said, my face reddening, “I’d be happy to say that in my vows, but obviously Lexi can’t. I don’t want her making promises she can’t keep.”

“But can you live like that?” he pressed me. “I fear you’re dooming yourself to a very unhappy married life.”

“Not at all,” I told him stubbornly. “Look, I’m no great catch, all right? I was extremely lucky that Lexi fell in love with me. Clearly there’s a price to be paid for making her my wife, but I’m willing to pay it. I’d pay ten times as much.”

He patted my shoulder, and smiled. “Such devotion shouldn’t be chastened with cold rationalism,” he said. “You’re a brave man, Marty, and I hope you can really find happiness in the life you’ll be leading with Lexi.”

“Thank you,” I said gratefully.

“Now if you’ll excuse me,” said John, “I need to make some preparations of my own. I’ll see you at two o’clock.”

“Great,” I said. “Um, we never had a rehearsal. What exactly happens at two?”

“Oh!” said John. “Well, we’re not having a formal service, so you and Lexi just need to join me at the front.”

“But … she wants to walk down the aisle!” I said anxiously. “To that tune – you know – ‘Here Comes the Bride’. I know this was all a bit of a rush, and I’m sorry for that … but we’d like this to feel as much like a proper church wedding as possible.”

“Oh I see!” said Pastor John. “Okay – I’ll give Jerry a call, make sure he’s available. If not, my phone’s hooked up to the speakers via Bluetooth – I can play the wedding march on that if I need to. So what we’ll do is this: I’ll poke my head out at two o’clock, and I’ll look for you in the front row. As soon as you see me, you can let Lexi know it’s time to walk down the aisle. And as soon as I see her, I’ll either start the wedding march on my phone, or signal Jerry to start playing the organ.”

“Okay, that sounds good!” I said, relieved. “See you at two, then.”

The next forty-five minutes felt like an eternity – mainly because I had nothing to do but wait. But then guests began to arrive, and among the first of them were Ryan and Drake.

“Sorry I’m late!” said Drake, who had agreed to arrive a few minutes early in order to fulfil his duties as an usher. “What do I need to do?”

“Just direct people to seats,” I said. “Don’t split the church into bride’s side and groom’s side, for heaven’s sake. Just divide the guests roughly evenly between left and right. Wait, where have you left Lexi?”

“She’s in the car with Patrick,” said Drake. “He’s walking her down the aisle.”

“Oh!” I said. “Well … okay. I guess someone ought to.” Since her dad was not coming, it might as well be Patrick as anyone. “Have you got the rings, Ryan?”

“Yes!” he said, in a slightly exasperated tone, which I ignored.

“You both look good,” I told them. “Thank you for, you know, showing up and being here for me, and stuff.”

“You’re welcome,” said Drake.

“At two o’clock,” I continued, “Pastor John will be giving me a signal that he’s ready. Can you make sure Lexi and Patrick are ready to come in at that time? Then as soon as I give you a thumbs-up, you can tell them to start walking down the aisle.”

“Copy that,” said Drake. “Now if you’ll excuse me – I got some ushing to do.”

I nodded. “Okay, Ryan, you and I need to be at the front.”

“Chill out Marty,” Ryan advised me. “You’re flapping around like a butterfly with its ass on fire.”

“Sorry, I’m just nervous,” I said. “I feel so unprepared! I wish we’d had time for a rehearsal.”

“There’ll be nothing to it,” he said. “Didn’t you say the pastor was going to talk you both through it?”

“Well, yeah,” I conceded.

“He knows what he’s doing, even if you don’t,” Ryan assured me. “You’re in safe hands, I’m sure. You’ve got your vows written out?”

My face froze. “Yes – on a piece of paper in my bedroom! Oh God!”

“Relax!” said Ryan. “Just ask the pastor to talk you through the standard ones – nothing wrong with those, right?”

Since I had copied my vows almost verbatim from the traditional wording that Lexi had found, I figured Ryan was probably correct. “Okay, that’s probably best,” I agreed.

“Now come on,” said Ryan. “You and I need to be at the front. It’s getting close to two o’clock.”

We took our places in the front row, and I glanced back nervously at the increasingly large crowd of people – almost all men – in the seats behind us and across the aisle. There was Doug, sitting next to Aaron. And there was Dr Johnson, looking very dapper in a suit and tie. Next to him was Lexi’s Futureland colleague Doobie, wearing a rather flamboyant shirt with a bright red tie. On Doobie’s other side was a heavy-set man with a caveman-looking forehead and bushy eyebrows; I guessed he was probably Bo. And there was Colin, wearing a jacket and tie, his combover immaculate. He was sitting with four other white men that I guessed were his friends, though I knew only two of them had cum inside Lexi.

I also spotted Arnie, and Bryce, and Marcel, who was with a similar-looking man that I guessed was his lab tech brother. And behind those two were Derek and Maurice and Eddie, sitting all together. On the other side of the church, mostly, was the African American contingent: Antwan and Jamal and Malik, and a few faces I recognised from Malik’s apartment last night, like Dre and K-Mart … and a few I didn’t recognise. I had no idea if all of the homeless men who had fucked Lexi were here, but it certainly looked like a lot of them were. At any rate, it seemed highly likely that the father of Lexi’s first baby was currently in this church.

‘Of course he is,’ I told myself sternly. ‘Because that man is going to be me.’

And yet, deep down in the pit of my stomach lurked the fear that the father of Lexi’s first baby would not only not be me; it would not even be a man of my race. Not that I was racist! Far from it. If I had to choose between Drake and, say, Colin or Doug, I’d pick Drake in a heartbeat. But the fact remained that if Lexi’s baby was black, that would raise questions I was not going to be happy answering.

And if the father was one of those homeless guys … I surveyed them with pursed lips. What if he turned out to be a drug addict? And Lexi insisted on letting him come and visit his baby? And he started shooting up, or whatever, in our living room? Or stealing our stuff to support his habit? And what if…

Then my eye was caught by a good-looking young black man who was dressed far too nicely to be homeless, yet he was sitting on the edge of their ranks, next to the aisle. He was holding up a phone and slowly panning it around, as if he were filming. As he panned toward me, I looked away, not wanting to be caught looking at the camera. Perhaps the young man had been hired by Antwan as a videographer.

“Is that Pastor John?” asked Ryan.

I whipped my head around. John had appeared from the door at the front. “That’s him!” I said. He caught my eye, and nodded. I turned and looked for Drake, who was standing at the back, watching me. I gave him a thumbs-up, and he beckoned towards the main entrance.

As Pastor John took his standard spot in the middle of the aisle, slightly rearward of the choir stalls, he seemed rather disconcerted by the size and makeup of his congregation. But he quickly recovered, and clasped his hands together before him, looking calm and collected. Then he spotted Lexi, and gave a little nod toward the organ.

The familiar tune of ‘Here Comes the Bride’ began, and I eagerly looked back down the aisle. When I saw Lexi, my jaw dropped open.

She was very nearly naked, or so it appeared at first – her outfit consisted of no more than a pair of white panties, and a skimpy, almost completely transparent babydoll negligée that covered little and hid nothing. The bunch of flowers she was holding in front of herself helped a little, by partially obscuring one breast, but it was still an outrageously sexy look for a bride at a church wedding. She was not even wearing shoes.

Next to her was Patrick, who was dressed in an old suit and looked very pleased with himself as he walked her down the aisle. Never particularly steady on his feet at the best of times, he had his left arm around her waist for support. Every few seconds he would glance down at her breasts.

Lexi, I had to admit, looked radiant. Her smile lit up the whole church. I doubt any other woman could have pulled off looking so sexy and yet so wholesome at the same time. As she approached, I got up and moved in front of John, waiting for her to take her place next to me. I smiled at her, and she smiled back … and then she gasped as Patrick dropped his hand from her waist and gave her bottom a quick squeeze. I glared at him, but he did not even look at me; he just turned and made his way to an empty spot in the front pew. Leaning back and glancing down at Lexi’s bottom, I realised her underwear was a thong.

“Welcome to Heavenquest!” said Pastor John. “It’s nice to see so many new faces. We are gathered here today to witness the wedding of these two young people, Marty and Lexi, and to celebrate the joining of their lives in the sacred bond of marriage. Before we begin, if anyone here present knows of any reason why they should not be married, please speak now.”

He paused, and I was filled with a sense of dread as I heard mutterings and chuckles from some of the congregants behind me. But nobody spoke up, and to my relief, the pastor continued.

“Marty and Lexi, do you come here today of your own free will and with the intention of being married?”

“I do,” Lexi and I both said.

“And do you promise to love and honour one another, stand by each other throughout life’s ups and downs, and remain fai… uh, support each other for the rest of your lives?”

“I do,” we said together.

Pastor John smiled, a little tightly. “Please face each other, and join hands as you exchange vows.”

We did so, and my heart soared at how happy and excited Lexi looked. Despite the fact that Drake and Ryan – and many other men – had been far more intimate with her than I had, she looked overjoyed at the idea of marrying me, Marty – a man who was such a failure that he had allowed his sweet and innocent fiancée to be corrupted and sexually abused countless times and by a number of men I could no longer even guess at. How was it that she still, even now, looked so in love with me? What, after everything that had happened, did she see in me?

“Do you have your own vows, or should I stick to the standard wording?” John asked quietly.

“We have our own,” Lexi replied.

“Uh, I accidentally left mine at home,” I said sheepishly. “But the standard wording is fine for me.”

John nodded. “Repeat after me…”

As he said the words of the vow, I repeated them: “I, Martin James Hawtrey, take you, Alexandra Sophia Thorburn, to be my wife. I promise to love, honour, and cherish you, through good times and bad, forsaking all others, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow.” He had looked briefly anxious after uttering the phrase ‘forsaking all others’, but visibly relaxed as I repeated it without hesitation.

“And now, Lexi, please read your own vows,” he said.

“I, Alexandra Sophia Thorburn, joyfully take you, Martin James Hawtrey, to be my lawfully wedded husband,” said Lexi, barely containing her excitement. “I promise to love, honour, and cherish you, to be your constant and devoted companion, and to stay with you no matter what life sends our way. I can’t promise to forsake all others – you know I’m terrible at that – but whatever happens to my body, my heart will belong to you as long as I live. I will always treat you with love and respect, and be the best wife I can be. Um … this is my solemn vow.” Then she beamed at me, and I smiled. I could have done without the reference to her lack of faithfulness, but they were nice vows nonetheless.

“May I have the rings?” said Pastor John.

Ryan got to his feet, approached us, and handed John the two wedding bands. Then he sat back down.

“Let these rings be a symbol of the unending circle of your love for each other, and a reminder of the promises you have made here,” said John solemnly. “Marty, please place this ring on Lexi’s finger, and repeat after me. ‘With this ring…’”

As I slid the ring on to Lexi’s finger, I repeated the words John was feeding me: “With this ring, I affirm my promises to you, and my commitment to our future together in the holy bond of marriage.”

Then it was Lexi’s turn, and she said the same words to me as she put the other ring on my own ring finger.

“By the power vested in me,” John said loudly, “and in the presence of these witnesses, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may seal your bond with a kiss.”

There was an instant uproar from behind us, which caught me off guard: a resounding chorus of cheers, wolf-whistles, and applause. I looked around in bewilderment, and nodded and smiled gratefully at the massive show of support.

Then Ryan caught my eye, and he gestured wildly at Lexi. “Kiss her, you idiot!” he yelled over the hubbub.

“Oh!” Startled, I turned to see Lexi with her face upraised, her eyes closed, and her lips puckered. Wasting no more time, I put my arms around her, and pressed my lips to hers. She wrapped her arms around my neck, hugged me tightly, and opened her mouth a little. But I had only just begun to extend my tongue when it occurred to me that this was not the time for a full-blown French kiss, and I closed my lips.

We pulled apart, and smiled at each other. I could hardly believe it. I was married. I was married to Lexi. We were married to each other. Lexi was my wife. I was her husband.

“May I present the bride and groom, Mr and Mrs Hawtrey!” said John. More cheers and whistles and clapping erupted.

“Now if you’ll come with me, we have some paperwork to attend to,” said John. “Do you have a witness?”

I nodded, and beckoned to Ryan.

The three of us followed John to his office, where he had Lexi and me sign our marriage licence, which I had wisely placed in the inside pocket of my suit jacket a couple of days ago. Then Ryan signed as a witness, and our marriage was officially legal. I hugged Lexi, and then kissed her.

“It’s so good to be able to kiss you again!” I said, my voice trembling with emotion.

There were tears in Lexi’s eyes. “Yes!” she agreed. “Oh Marty, I’m so happy!”

“Now we go to the reception, I guess,” I said. “Do you think we can avoid … you know…”

“Drake’ll make sure nobody touches her, dude,” said Ryan. “Don’t worry about it.”

I turned to Pastor John. “Thank you very much,” I said, shaking his hand. “This was very short notice, I know, but I’m eternally grateful to you for making it happen. I feel so much better now Lexi’s my wife.”

He smiled. “A good day to start anew, perhaps?” he said. “Put the past behind you, and start a fresh chapter in your lives?”

I knew exactly what he meant. “A very good day,” I replied.

“Now you get to walk down the aisle as husband and wife,” he said. “Look after each other, and you’ll be able to handle any challenges that come your way. I wish you long and happy lives together.”

“Thank you!” said Lexi, smiling happily.

We walked down the aisle, to the sound of cheers and applause. Near the entrance, we saw Marcel’s brother – he had set up a little DNA-sampling station on a table against the wall. I approached him.

“You’re Marcel’s brother, I assume,” I said. “I’m sorry, I don’t recall if he told us your name.”

“René,” he said, and he shook my hand. “I am pleased to meet you. As I understand it, there is no need to sample your DNA…”

I frowned. “There’s every reason,” I corrected him.

“My mistake,” he said. “Forgive me. In that case you will be my first customer.” He tore open a paper sachet and pulled out a white plastic stick with a cotton swab on the end. “Please open your mouth – this will take about fifteen seconds.”

I opened my mouth, and waited patiently while René swabbed the inside of my cheek. Then he broke the stick in half, and dropped the end with the swab into a test tube, which he sealed. “Please fill out this label,” he instructed me.

I wrote down my name, address, and phone number, and handed the label back to René. He peeled it off its backing, and wrapped it around the test tube, sticking it firmly in place. “All done,” he said. “Who’s next…?”

“Come on, let’s get to the reception,” I said to Lexi.

As we walked out of the church, I was surprised to find a small crowd waiting for us. It seemed that Drake and Ryan and a few of the other guests had sneaked out during my DNA sampling, and were waiting for us with handfuls of confetti, which they threw over us both with cheers and laughter. Lexi squealed with delight, and I found myself laughing too. It was a wonderful moment, and I noted that the young videographer (if that’s what he was) was recording the whole thing on his phone.

We climbed into Drake’s car, and a few seconds later, Drake got into the driver’s seat. “Congratulations, both of you,” he said. “I’m very happy for you.”

“Thanks Drake!” I said. “I assume we’re going straight to the reception now?”

“That’s the plan,” said Drake.

“And, uh, you’ll be able to keep all those guys off Lexi?” I added.

“Sure, shouldn’t be a problem,” he said with a shrug.

“Well I like your confidence,” I said.

“Marty,” said Lexi, “are you thinking that everyone at the wedding is coming to the reception?”

I raised an eyebrow as I looked at her. “They’re not?”

“Oh goodness, no!” said Lexi with a smile. “I only invited a handful of close friends.”

“Oh my gosh!” I exclaimed in relief. “That’s … oh, thank you! So who’s coming?”

Lexi began counting off with her fingers. “Ryan and Drake, obviously, and Aaron, and Doobie – I hope you don’t mind…”

“No, that’s fine, I know he’s been a good friend to you,” I said. In fact, even though Doobie had not yet cum inside Lexi, he concerned me more than most of her lovers – she seemed to have a genuine fondness for him – but right now I was feeling particularly reassured about Lexi’s love for me and her commitment to our marriage, so I was inclined to be generous. “Who else?”

“Well, Patrick of course,” Lexi continued, “and Antwan – I couldn’t not invite him, he’s been so helpful.”

“Fair enough,” I acknowledged.

“And Doug,” Lexi went on, “and Maurice and…”

“You invited Doug??” I asked in surprise.

“Well, he’s our boss,” said Lexi sheepishly. “I just thought it’d be rude not to.”

I grimaced. “And what about Bo? He’s your boss too.”

“Yes, I invited him as well,” she admitted. “I didn’t really want to, but I was worried he might punish me at work somehow if I left him out…”

“Ugh,” I groaned. “Anyone else? You said Maurice?”

“Maurice and Eddie, and Derek,” said Lexi. “And that’s it! I think. Please don’t be mad – I just thought…”

“I’m not mad,” I assured her. “I don’t exactly consider some of these guys ‘close friends’, but this is a heck of a lot better than what I was expecting and dreading, which was basically … everyone.”

Lexi nodded. “Drake will make sure nobody has sex with me,” she said. “Don’t worry – I want this day to be special and just about the two of us, as much as you do.”

I smiled, but then I thought about tonight. “It’s just a shame my stupid bets are going to spoil our wedding night.”

“It won’t be spoiled,” Lexi said, squeezing my hand. “I mean, yes, Drake and Ryan will be having sex with me first … but really, that’s nothing new. You’ve already watched them have sex with me. I’m sorry – I know it won’t be fun – but hopefully you’re still looking forward to doing it with me yourself…?”

“More than anything,” I told her fervently. “It’s all I’ve been thinking about for … well … ages … at least, I mean, obviously I’ve been thinking about other things too – I’m ecstatic to be married to you at last…”

She giggled, and hushed me with a kiss. “It’s okay,” she said. “I’m looking forward to it too!”

We arrived at the youth centre, and found the reception hall already occupied by two black women, Monique and Gabi, who were chatting next to a long buffet table. I recognised them from this morning; they had been instrumental in setting up the food and decorations here. They looked up as we entered, and began clapping. “Here’s the happy couple!” said Monique. “Congratulations, guys!”

“Congrats!” said Gabi.

We thanked them both.

“We’ll leave you to it,” said Monique. “We was just stickin’ around till you got here.”

“Oh, won’t you stay?” I asked. “It’ll be all men here otherwise, aside from Lexi, and you’ve been so helpful – you should stay and enjoy the fruits of your labours.”

“Yes, please stay!” Lexi agreed.

“Thank you, don’t mind if I do!” said Monique.

The other guests began to arrive, including Antwan, who started up some music. To my surprise, and relief, the first song was not some profanity-laden hip-hop track, but “I Gotta Feeling” by the Black Eyed Peas”.

“Can we dance?” Lexi asked me hopefully.

I smiled. “Of course.”

We danced together in the middle of the floor, but I felt rather awkward and under scrutiny, and at the end of the song I said, “Uh, shall we get something to eat?”

“Yes please, I’m starving!” said Lexi.

But she had not even taken her first mouthful when Doug came up to her. “Congratulations!” he said. “To both of you. I love your dress, Lexi.”

“Thank you,” she said, blushing.

He spread his arms. “May I give the bride a hug?”

“Sure!” she replied, and he enfolded her in a bear-like embrace, his hands sliding down her back to grasp and squeeze her buttocks. “Oh, don’t be naughty, Doug!” she chided him.

“What’s the matter?” he asked with a grin. “You told me you don’t mind a bit of groping.”

“Yes, I know,” she admitted, “but this is sort of a special occasion for me and Marty.”

“Yeah, I get it,” Doug acknowledged. “Give me a kiss, then, and I’ll leave you alone with your new hubby.”

“Um, I’m not sure we should kiss just now,” said Lexi uncomfortably, as she looked back at me.

“Let her go please, Doug,” I said, in as pleasant a tone as I could manage, given that he was currently molesting my bride’s bottom right in front of me.

“Just one kiss!” he protested. “Come on Lexi, we’ve kissed plenty of times already.”

“All right, just one,” she said reluctantly. I frowned, but nodded. She was only trying to defuse the situation, I knew.

But as Doug plunged his tongue into Lexi’s mouth, I recoiled in disgust. His eyes met mine, and he seemed to take a perverse delight in holding my gaze while making the kiss as sloppy and invasive as possible, and diligently massaging her bare buttocks at the same time.

Eventually Lexi was able to come up for air. “Okay Doug, that’s enough,” she gasped. Her cheeks were bright pink.

As soon as Doug was out of earshot, I muttered, “Wasn’t Drake going to prevent that sort of thing?” I spotted my big black friend across the room, talking with Ryan.

“Well I’m not sure,” said Lexi doubtfully. “He said he would stop men from having sex with me, but Doug didn’t go nearly that far. Maybe you should talk to him, get some clarification.”

I caught Drake’s eye, and beckoned him over. He sauntered across the room. “Hey Marty, what’s up?”

“Lexi just got molested and French-kissed by our boss!” I told him. “I was kinda hoping you might step in and prevent stuff like that.”

“Oh, sure!” said Drake. “Sorry Marty – I’ll try to be more vigilant.”

I had been prepared to argue my case, but his response immediately put me at ease. “Thanks, I appreciate it,” I said.

“Mmm, these are good!” said Lexi, having taken a bite of some sort of deep-fried snack. “Look, there’s mac and cheese in here!”

“Nice!” I said, picking one up and biting into it. It was delicious. “I’ll be sure to compliment Monique – I think she cooked them.”

Doobie was the next man to approach us. “Congratulations, both of you!” he said, shaking my hand. “You’re a very lucky man, Marty!”

“I know it,” I said. “Thanks for looking after Lexi at work, Doobie – I know you risked your job for her, and I appreciate it.”

He shrugged. “My pleasure,” he said. “She’s my favourite person in the world – I’d do anything for her.”

“Aww Doobie!” said Lexi, blushing happily. “You’re so sweet.” And she hugged him tightly.

Doobie kissed her neck, then looked up at me. “Would it be cheeky to ask for a dance?”

“Well I’m not that good, but I’ll give it a shot,” I said, stepping toward him with my hands raised.

He and Lexi both laughed. “You didn’t tell me he was funny, Lexi!” said Doobie.

Lexi giggled. “Oh, he is!” she said. “Quite often.” Then she took my hand. “I wouldn’t mind dancing with Doobie, but only if you say it’s okay.”

I wasn’t that keen on the idea, but I didn’t really want to dance any more, and I didn’t want to deprive Lexi of the opportunity. Also, I liked that they both asked my permission. “Sure,” I said magnanimously. “Go ahead.”

I loaded up a plate, poured myself a cup of fruit punch, and found a seat next to Aaron, who was watching Lexi with a wistful expression. “Hey man, congrats,” he said. “You’re a lucky guy. I’d give anything to be in your shoes.”

“Well don’t expect me to feel sorry for you,” I retorted. “You’ve had sex with her, which is more than I can say.”

“Yeah,” said Aaron with a happy sigh. “Most amazing experience of my life. You’re gonna do it tonight though, right?”

“Yes!” I said firmly. “I can’t wait. It’s been really tough, holding myself back when so many other men have just helped themselves.”

“I can imagine,” said Aaron. “Holy cow, I couldn’t believe how many men were getting their DNA sampled back in the church. Have they really all had sex with her? There must have been, I dunno, at least forty guys?”

“She’s not very good at saying no,” I said glumly. “And every man she meets takes one look at her and instantly starts scheming on how to get her pregnant. You know what I’m talking about.”

“I absolutely do,” he agreed. “God, I hope her first baby’s mine.”

“It’s certainly possible,” I said. “But I’m still holding out hope that it’ll be mine.”

He turned to me and extended his hand. “Marty,” he said, “I honestly wish you the best of luck. Yeah, I got to have sex with her, but all she can ever talk about is you. I’d trade the sex for the love she obviously has for her new husband. I’m happy for you, man.”

Taken aback, I shook his hand. “Well, thanks Aaron! That’s nice to hear. I’ve been low-key upset with you all week because of your escalating encounters with Lexi, but frankly, she’s had sex with so many less pleasant men in the last few days, that I almost don’t mind the thought of her doing it with you. I know you’ve been lonely for a long time – like I was before Lexi – so, I guess I can make peace with the fact that you couldn’t resist fucking her. In your shoes I’d probably have done the same.”

“I appreciate that, man,” said Aaron. “So you’ll be okay with me fucking her again on our lunchtime walk tomorrow?

I frowned at him. “I wouldn’t say that. And I don’t know if she’ll be able to walk with you at lunchtime; she’s going on a vendor visit tomorrow, with Doug.”

“Ugh,” said Aaron in annoyance. “I’m sure that’s just an excuse so he can get the newlywed bride alone, so he can fuck her.”

“Probably!” I agreed. “He’s such an asshole. He approved my day off, but didn’t approve Lexi’s. And then he comes up with this bullshit vendor visit. It was supposed to be on Tuesday. I’ll bet he didn’t even think of bringing it forward to tomorrow until Lexi requested the day off.”

“Yeah, I bet you’re right,” said Aaron. “Look, Marty, be careful of Doug. With me, your marriage is safe – I’m just going to take what I can get and be grateful for it. But I wouldn’t put it past Doug to try and steal Lexi away from you completely.”

This thought unnerved me. “You think so? But Lexi wouldn’t…”

“Not willingly, no,” said Aaron. “But you know how persuadable she is. Sure, she wouldn’t deliberately choose Doug over you. But he might slowly manipulate her into giving him more and more time, leaving less and less time for her to spend with you, until he’s completely monopolising her.”

“Shit!” I said, horrified. “I hope not!” But it sounded alarmingly plausible. Making her his personal assistant would be a perfect first step if this was his goal. “How am I going to stop that?”

“I have no idea,” Aaron confessed. “Look, I don’t know for sure that that’s what he’s planning. He might be just taking every opportunity to have sex with her, with no long-term goal. All I’m saying is, be vigilant. And keep Lexi happy. Her love for you is what will keep your marriage going even under the direst of circumstances.”

I nodded. This sounded like good advice, which I had not expected from Aaron.

“And I’ll do my part,” Aaron continued. “I’ll keep an eye on things, give Lexi what advice I can on evading Doug’s clutches, and even talk Doug out of doing anything to jeopardise his future at the company … that kind of thing.”

“Thanks Aaron,” I said gratefully. “All of that would be great.”

“In return,” he said with an impish grin, “can you give me your blessing to fuck Lexi? I’m going to anyway, you know … but I’d much rather do it with your permission than without it. I’d like us to be on friendly terms, you know?”

This was about as good an offer as I was likely to get from Aaron, and I saw the value of keeping him on my side. And, as he had intimated, he was more than likely going to continue to fuck her anyway on a regular basis, on their daily walks together.

“Fine,” I said reluctantly. “You have my blessing. I guess if she’s having sex with you, she’s not getting into trouble with someone else.”

“Yeah, like that guy,” said Aaron, nodding toward Lexi. “Who the heck is he? He’s getting a bit too familiar…”

I looked over at Lexi and Doobie, and was annoyed to see that not only was he kissing her, but he had also untied the front of her negligée and pulled it open, fully exposing her breasts. Not that the gauzy material had been hiding them very well before, but even so, he was taking quite a liberty!

I waved to catch Drake’s attention, and he came hurrying over. “Drake, can’t you see what’s going on?” I demanded.

“Yeah, but didn’t you see me talk to them?” he inquired.

“Uh, no, I guess I wasn’t watching at that point,” I said. “Why, what happened?”

“As soon as Doobie put his hand on her boob, I stepped in and grabbed his wrist,” Drake explained. “And I started like layin’ down the law … but Lexi immediately told me to back off! In, like, the nicest possible way, of course. She said something like, ‘It’s fine, Drake, really – Doobie’s one of my best friends and he’s very respectful – he’s the only man who pulled out of me when I asked him to. I don’t mind him having a little grope.’ So I left the two of them alone. Next thing I know, they’re kissing … but it didn’t look like he was forcing her or anything, so I didn’t intervene.”

“But he’s undone her dress!” I pointed out. “Oh shit…”

Doobie and Lexi’s dance had just been interrupted by Bo, who seemed to be asking to cut in. Doobie looked like he was protesting, but Lexi laid a hand on his chest and talked him down. Then she began dancing with Bo, as Doobie retreated to the sidelines.

“Want me to step in now?” Drake asked.

“Not just yet,” I said, “but keep a close eye on them. Lexi doesn’t like Bo, and he basically pimped her out to some of the visitors at Futureland. But he’s still her boss there and I’m not sure she’d thank us for antagonising him unnecessarily. But if he tries anything, yeah, absolutely, get in there.”

But Bo had just slipped Lexi’s ‘dress’ off her shoulders, and was playing with her left breast with right hand, while his left was in the small of her back, holding her close. She did not look comfortable.

“Now can I?” Drake asked.

“Yes!” I said. “Now would be the perfect time.”

Drake walked over and laid his hand on Bo’s shoulder. Bo looked a little irritated at being interrupted, but it only took a few words from my imposing friend to cause him to back away and leave Lexi alone. She smiled at Drake and thanked him.

Patrick was the next man to approach her, and Lexi looked quite happy to dance with him. Drake returned to my side. “She should be okay with Patrick,” he said.

“Yeah, she likes him well enough,” I agreed. “Still, he’s quite a rogue, despite his age. Wouldn’t hurt to keep an eye on him.”

“Ugh, that’s gross!” said Aaron, as Patrick began French-kissing Lexi. “What is he, eighty years old?”

“Close,” I replied. “Seventy-six.”

Aaron blinked. “And he’s fucked her too?”

“Yup,” I confirmed with a sigh. “He was one of the first. She helps him shower, you see – he’s too old and frail to manage by himself.”

“Want me to separate them?” Drake asked.

“Uh, no, I guess not,” I said. “He’s not forcing himself on her; that kiss looks pretty mutual to me.”

But then Lexi’s negligée slipped from her shoulders again, and this time Patrick helped it by pulling her arms down. Before I or Drake could react, it was falling off her wrists and on to the floor in a heap. She squealed, and stooped to pick it up.

Maurice and Eddie were converging on her now, eager to take their turn dancing with her. Lexi smiled at them both, and began to put her ‘dress’ back on, but the old men seemed to be asking her to leave it off.

“Ima take care of this,” said Drake, hurrying toward Lexi.

“Thank you!” I called after him. Then I watched curiously to see what he would do.

He talked earnestly with Lexi and Patrick, and also with Maurice, who seemed to have emerged as frontrunner for the next dance. Then, to my astonishment, I saw Lexi handing Drake her negligée. Then, as Patrick shuffled away and Maurice put his arms around Lexi, who seemed quite unbothered about now being dressed only in a thong, and Drake returned to me, looking rather bemused.

“Seriously?” I said. “Drake, since when did you become a pushover?”

“What?” he said defensively. “She’s fine! She’s not having sex with anyone. You didn’t task me with keep her fully dressed, bro – not that she was fully-dressed in the first place, with this see-through thing.”

I sighed in exasperation. “What did she say to you?”

He shrugged. “She said if everyone was trying to get this off her, she might as well just leave it off. She said it wasn’t really hiding anything anyway, and she doesn’t mind wearing only a thong. She even made a joke about Maurice pulling her thong down, and she seemed to find that idea pretty funny. So did Maurice, but she did tell him not to get any ideas. Then Patrick said he needed to sit down, and Maurice and Eddie both asked Lexi for a dance. She picked Maurice to dance first, as you can see. Now, do you want me to go pull them apart? Force Lexi to put this dress back on? What?”

I looked over at Maurice and Lexi. He had one arm around her and was playing with one breast and one buttock, just like Patrick had been … but as I watched, he slid his right hand down from her breast to her belly … and then even further down, to cup her pussy through her thong. This made her giggle, and she made no attempt to stop him.

“Ugh,” I muttered. “Looks like she’s fine for the moment. If he tries bending her over a table and pulling down her thong, then yeah, definitely. But she doesn’t mind a bit of groping, if it’s someone she likes. And she seems to like Maurice.”

“I guess she does!” Aaron remarked, looking both fascinated and appalled. “How can she kiss him like that? He’s so old and ugly!” He shuddered.

“She feels sorry for him,” I explained. “I actually think it helps his case that he’s ugly.”

“Damn,” said Aaron. “Well if you don’t mind, I’ll have a dance with your beautiful bride after Maurice and his buddy.”

I sighed. “Why not? Everyone else is dancing with her. Just don’t get too bold, or Drake will come and split you up.”

“Ouch, sounds painful,” Aaron quipped.

I smirked. “Hopefully.” Then I scowled. “Oh good grief!”

Maurice was now hugging Lexi from behind, and he was kissing her neck while his right hand was buried inside her panties, playing with her pussy. It was possible he even had a finger inside her. I waved irritably at Drake, who was chatting to Antwan next to the buffet table. He did not notice at first, but finally he caught my eye, looked over at Lexi, and then gave me a nod. Sauntering over to Maurice, who was now tonguing her mouth and squeezing her left breast as well as fingering her, he laid a hand on the ugly old man’s shoulder and said something I could not hear. Maurice reluctantly released Lexi, and Eddie smoothly hobbled up to take his place.

Lexi was now, clearly, very horny, for she offered no resistance at all, and even responded with enthusiasm, as Eddie kissed her and explored her body with his hands. Drake, who had retreated back to the buffet table, watched in bemusement for a few moments before turning to look at me with a quizzical expression. I shrugged, figuring I might as well let Eddie get as far as Maurice had before I ended his fun.

Lexi’s arms were around Eddie’s neck, and her eyes were closed as she kissed him passionately. His hands were on her bottom, massaging it thoroughly, and soon he was slipping his fingers inside the waistband of her thong, pushing it down, until it was halfway down her buttocks. At this point I realised her thong was about to come off, if I didn’t immediately signal Drake to stop it.

But as I raised my hand, Aaron caught it, and pushed it back down. “Come on Marty,” he said, “you know she’s going to lose the thong sooner or later. Might as well get it over with.”

“Why, so she’s naked when she dances with you?” I demanded.

“She will be anyway,” he replied with a grin. “If that guy doesn’t take her thong off, I certainly will. Just bite the bullet, man.”

It was now a little late to stop it anyway. Eddie had pulled her thong down to her knees, and gravity helped them from there down to the floor. With a giggle, Lexi stepped out of them. Then she turned to look at me, with a suddenly anxious expression. I responded with a raised eyebrow, hoping to send the message ‘Oh really? Now you’re worried about what I’m thinking?’ Whether she got that message or not, I couldn’t tell, because Eddie had stuck his tongue in her mouth again, and turned her away from me. I now couldn’t see where his right hand was, but I guessed it was between her legs, rubbing her pussy or perhaps even fingering her vagina.

“Okay, I think Eddie’s had enough time with her,” I said, and I raised my hand to wave to Drake. But again Aaron stopped me.

“How about I go over there and cut in?” he suggested. “That’ll put a stop to Eddie’s mischief, in a slightly more natural, less threatening kind of way.”

“I don’t think Drake comes across as particularly threatening,” I said. “Imposing, sure, but he doesn’t act aggressive. He was very restrained and polite with Maurice. But if you want to go cut in, that’s fine.”

Aaron sprang from his seat and trotted over to Lexi and Eddie. After the exchange of a few quiet words, the old man reluctantly ceded his place, and headed for the buffet table as Aaron began dancing with Lexi.

Ryan plopped down next to me. “Having fun?” he asked.

I grunted. “This’d be more fun if our guests would stop molesting my bride.”

“Then go over there and dance with her yourself, for fuck’s sake,” said Ryan unsympathetically. “Otherwise pretty soon they’ll start fucking her, and frankly I want her nice and clean and un-fucked when I fuck her later.”

I glared at him. “You’re going before Drake, then?”

“Still undecided,” he replied. “Drake thinks we should decide at the time, by means of rock-paper-scissors. I suggested rock-paper-scissors-lizard-Spock, but he told me to ‘quit it with that nerdy shit’.” He chuckled.

Antwan was approaching us. “Hey man,” he said slyly. “I gotta surprise for you.”

“Oh?” I said. I could not imagine it was anything good.

“Ta-daa!” he said, gesturing toward a door, through which a large middle-aged black lady was walking very slowly and carefully with, in her arms, a three-tiered and impressively professional-looking wedding cake.

“No way!” I exclaimed. “You said you didn’t have the time or resources to get a cake baked!”

Antwan cackled. “Yeah and you believed me!” he said. “I got you good, didn’t I? Of course we weren’t gonna let you have a wedding reception without a cake!”

Feeling much happier, I got up and hurried over to the table that the lady was heading for. “Thank you so much!” I said to her. “That looks amazing!”

“You’re welcome,” she said, as she gently set it down.

“It’s got our names on and everything!” I marvelled.

Lexi, now naked as the day she was born, had come over to stare at the cake. “Oh, I love it!” she cried. “Thank you, Jackie!” She threw her arms around the smiling baker. I noticed Aaron a few yards away, looking rather disgruntled; the thought that Jackie had interrupted his fun made me happy.

“Girl, you need to get some clothes on!” said Jackie, patting Lexi’s back. “I know you like to show off, but damn!”

Lexi giggled sheepishly as she disengaged. “Men keep undressing me!” she said. “It’s a lot of effort to stay dressed when everyone’s determined to get me naked.”

“Well, I gotta say,” Jackie remarked, looking Lexi up and down, “you do pull it off.” She handed me a large knife. “Okay you guys, time to cut the cake!”

Lexi and I held the knife together, and everyone cheered as we cut into the cake. Then Jackie took over and divided it up, and I helped myself to a piece of the top tier, which turned out to be lemon-flavoured and delicious. The bottom tier, I’d been advised, was a red velvet cake, and the middle tier was a ‘sweet potato spice’ cake, which didn’t sound terribly appetising (although Drake, who tried it, later told me it was excellent).

Then Ryan nudged me. “Dude, you should give a speech.”

“What?” I said. “Fuck off, I haven’t prepared one.”

“It doesn’t have to be long, or fancy,” he said. “Just thank everyone for coming, and toast your bride. Come on, it’s tradition.”

I felt myself starting to panic. “I didn’t think we were bothering with such things!”

But Ryan clapped his hands together loudly. “Attention everyone, attention please! The groom would like to say a few words.”

“You asshole!” I muttered. Then, as all eyes turned toward me, I swallowed nervously. “Um, thank you all for coming,” I said. “Thanks especially to those who worked so hard to make all this happen at such short notice. Lexi and I are enormously appreciative. Um … I just want to say, I’m very proud and happy to be marrying such a wonderful and beautiful woman.” I looked around to see where Lexi was, only to find her, to my dismay, sitting on Doug’s lap. She did not look very comfortable there, but she smiled at me encouragingly. I assumed Doug had pulled her on to his lap, and she had not been given an opportunity to say no. Now his right hand was tucked between her legs, and his left hand was fondling her left breast.

Naturally, everyone else had turned to look at Lexi when I did, and so they all saw my boss lewdly groping her while I waxed lyrical about her qualities. “Uh, I feel so, um, lucky to be married to Lexi,” I stumbled, feeling my cheeks reddening. “She’s the best thing that ever happened to me. So I’d like you all to raise your glasses please, for a toast to my darling bride. To Lexi!”

As we all drank to my darling bride, I miserably watched as Doug turned her face toward his, and plunged his tongue into her mouth, kissing her in the most penetrative and disgusting manner in front of everyone. It was like he wanted the room to know that his employee’s wife was, in fact, his property. Then, as if he had not humiliated me enough, he grabbed her left knee and pulled it up and back, spreading her legs so that we could all see his fingers thrusting in and out of her vagina.

Then Drake, mercifully, leaned down and whispered something in Doug’s ear. Whatever he said, it had an immediate and electric effect. Doug pulled his fingers out of Lexi, raised both hands as if to protest his innocence, and allowed Drake to help Lexi get up from his lap.

I relaxed a little. “And now,” I said, after a flash of inspiration, “my best man would like to say a few words.” I turned and gestured to Ryan, who looked gratifyingly horrified.

“Uh, well,” he said awkwardly, looking around at the expectant faces, “I hadn’t really prepared anything … but I guess I can wing this. So, what can I say about Marty? I mean, he’s my best bud. I first met him in freshman year at college, and let me tell you, he was SO desperate to find himself a girlfriend. He chased all the pretty girls – he wrote them love notes and poetry, and he sent this one girl, Angie, an email which…”

I could feel my hairs standing on end. “Moving on, Ryan!” I said loudly.

“Oh, right,” said Ryan, grinning. “So fast forward to this year – we’re roomies in an apartment along with Marty’s childhood friend, Drake – hey there Drake – and Marty comes bursting in, telling us he has a girlfriend now. Of course Drake and I are like, ‘Oh yeah, what embarrassing thing have you done now? Does this girl know she’s your girlfriend? Did she say hello to you in the street, and now you’re hopelessly in love?’ But he swears blind she’s his bona fide girlfriend, and not only that, she’s the most beautiful girl he’s ever seen. To say that Drake and I were sceptical … would be the understatement of the year. And then he brought her home to meet us … and, well, you can imagine our astonishment. Getting to know Lexi has been … well, I guess I don’t need to tell you all what it’s like to know Lexi … to hold her in your arms … to kiss those sweet lips, to slide your…”

“Ryan!” I exclaimed in distress.

“Oh, yeah, sorry, got a little lost there,” said Ryan apologetically. “The point is, Marty found himself an extraordinary woman. One in a billion. I’m sure we’re all super grateful that he did, and that he brought her into our lives. So let’s hear it for the happy couple. To Marty and Lexi!”

We drank, and I glared at Ryan as he sat down. “Nice speech,” I growled.

“Hey, I did my best, considering you put me on the spot,” he replied.

“You did the same to me!” I retorted.

Drake and Lexi approached us; he had his arm around her. “Marty, unless you got a compelling reason to stick around here, I suggest the four of us get out of here and go to the hotel. Otherwise it’s probably only a matter of time before someone here gets their cock in her.”

“That’s probably true,” Lexi confessed, her cheeks very pink.

“Oh!” I said. “Is it okay for us to leave early? I mean, it sounds like a great idea…”

Antwan now approached us, along with the young videographer I had spotted in the church. Now that I saw him close up, he looked even younger than I had thought: maybe not even eighteen, which made me nervous.

“Hey Marty, hey Lexi,” said Antwan. “This is Shad – he’ll be making a video of your wedding ceremony, and also an album of photos for you.”

“Oh wow, thank you Shad!” I said. “That’s awesome.” I was not sure to whom we would be able to show either the album or the video, but it was nice to think that Lexi and I could enjoy them together, in years to come.

“I was hoping to get some more photos?” said Shad. “I got plenty of video of the two of you dancing, and Lexi dancing with other people, and the cutting of the cake … and I can take some stills from that footage … but I still don’t have any group photos. You guys ran out of the church and came here before I could ask you to stop for some pics. Sorry.”

“Oh goodness,” I said. “Well, we really should get going…”

“Awww, we need some nice wedding photos though!” said Lexi eagerly. “Please can we do this? I’d like a nice framed photo to put on a wall somewhere.”

“Maybe if it’s from the neck up,” I said with a small laugh of embarrassment.

Lexi’s face fell. “Are you … ashamed of me?”

I hastily shook my head. “Oh, god no! Not at all. I’m just thinking about, you know, when parents come to visit, like, can you imagine what your dad would say if he saw you posing naked with me at our wedding reception? He’d … I don’t know what he’d do.”

Lexi giggled. “Yes, well that’s a good point! But he won’t visit unannounced, and we can take down any photos he doesn’t approve of. But for ordinary guests, who are used to seeing me wearing very little, surely it wouldn’t matter?”

“That is also a good point,” I conceded. “So maybe we could have two nice framed photos, one decent and one … less so … and we can swap them out if we need to?”

“I like that idea!” said Lexi happily.

I smiled. “So I guess we’re staying a bit longer for some photos. Where do you want us, Shad?”

It took a little rearranging, but with help we soon set up a photo area, with a nice homemade banner that said ‘Congratulations Marty and Lexi!’, and a couple of small tables, on which sat vases of flowers, that we could pose between. Lexi found her dress and thong, put them both on, and then we posed together.

“Smile!” said Shad, before taking the first photo. “Good! Now one where Marty’s holding Lexi from behind…” He had explained to us that he would not need to take two versions of each pose, because he could always crop each full-length photo to show just our heads … or our heads and shoulders if we preferred. This made sense, so I felt fairly comfortable going through various poses with Lexi, knowing we could create decent versions of any of them.

“Now give her a kiss!” said Shad. And we got a nice kissing photo.

Then he started pulling other people into the shots, with some guidance from me and Lexi on whom we would like to pose with. First it was Ryan and Drake, standing either side of us, and then Doobie and Patrick joined in, followed by Aaron and Antwan and Eddie and Maurice … and pretty soon, the entire guest list was crowded into the shot. At that point I assumed we were going to wrap it up, but then some idiot (Aaron) suggested that Lexi should be posing naked in at least some of the shots, since she had been naked for much of the reception and the photos should reflect that.

“I’m not sure that’s necessary,” I said, but my opinion was overruled by a chorus of approving noises, and undermined by Lexi’s delighted giggles.

So Lexi’s negligée came off, followed soon afterward by her thong. Then Ryan asked me if he could pose alone with Lexi, and I agreed with only a little reluctance; the two of them, after all, had become very close. I was less happy when he insisted on grabbing her breasts for a second, ‘naughty’ photo, but Lexi seemed to think it was very funny.

Then Drake asked if he could pose with Lexi too, and, like Ryan, he followed up his first, conventional pose with a naughtier one, in which he pretended to spank Lexi while she looked back over her shoulder with an affected expression of shock, while trying not to laugh.

Aaron asked next, and although I voiced my reluctance, Lexi seemed amenable, so again I agreed. Aaron’s first photo seemed quite naughty enough – he stood behind Lexi and posed with his hands cupping her breasts. For his second photo, he reached down and cupped her pussy with one hand, while gently pinching her nipple with the other.

Then Doobie tried to ask for a turn, but he was rather rudely pushed aside by Bo, who set a chair down, sat on it, and asked Lexi to park herself on his lap. Then, for his first photo, he reached between her legs and began slowly rubbing her pussy. “Bo,” said Lexi uncomfortably, “this isn’t that kind of photo shoot.”

“You let the last guy touch your pussy,” he pointed out. “Come on, we all know what kind of girl you are. No point in pretending you’re not.”

Drake moved to stand between Lexi and Shad, folding his arms in an intimidating manner. “Bro, you’re being disrespectful,” he said. “I think you should leave.”

“Drake, it’s okay, really!” said Lexi earnestly. “Don’t forget he’s my boss! Or one of them, anyway. It’s fine – just a couple of photos. I don’t mind.”

“If you say so,” said Drake doubtfully, and he stood aside.

“Now open your legs,” said Bo. “Spread ‘em wide for the camera.”

Drake looked like he was ready to jump in again, but most of the men who had gathered around sounded quite enthusiastic about the idea. “Go on Lexi!” Derek encouraged her. “No need to be shy. Everyone here knows you like to show off.”

Lexi bit her lip. “There’s showing off, and there’s showing everything,” she said, but her nipples were stiff and her face was flushed with arousal. I could tell she wasn’t opposed to the idea, but I was sure she would rather do it for almost anyone than Bo.

Everyone was watching her in wide-eyed anticipation. Drake looked at me with a raised eyebrow, but I could only manage an indecisive shrug. The ball, I felt, was in Lexi’s court. Bo wasn’t forcing her to do anything. I could only hope that she was more inclined to please me than her least favourite boss.

And for a moment, I thought she was going to do the right thing. But then Bo bent his head and whispered something into her ear, and, to my disappointment, she nodded. Then she slowly opened her thighs wide, lifted her knees up, and leaned back against Bo’s torso. All eyes were glued to Bo’s fingers as he lewdly massaged her labia and clitoris, and Shad, recovering himself, quickly took a couple of photos. Then Bo spread his fingers apart, revealing Lexi’s most intimate area, including her moist opening, still quite red from last night’s abuse. Shad took another photo, and I groaned in dismay.

But Bo’s actions were proving popular. Lexi’s audience, having got over their initial shock, were now expressing themselves with excited words of encouragement. And most of those words had a common theme. “Stick your fingers in!” said Derek. “Give her a good fingering!” said Maurice.

To my disappointment, my best friends, Drake and Ryan, seemed okay with Lexi being so grossly displayed and molested. Drake seemed to have given up his role of keeping Lexi safe – or perhaps he was of the opinion that Lexi was enjoying herself and didn’t need rescuing. There was some justification for that position, if so, but I would still have liked him to intervene. Only Doobie, out of everyone, looked unhappy at what Bo was doing.

A cheer went up as Bo sank two fingers deep into Lexi’s vagina, causing her to moan and writhe with pleasure. He started finger-fucking her, as Shad took photo after photo. Finally I decided that it was up to me to act.

“All right Bo, you’ve had more than your fair share of photos,” I said firmly. “Please let Lexi go.”

“My turn, my turn!” said Maurice eagerly, as Lexi hurriedly climbed off Bo’s lap. “But let’s have Lexi sitting down this time.”

For a confused moment, I wondered if he was going to try to sit on her lap. But as Bo vacated the chair and Lexi sat down, Maurice took up a position standing next to her, and unzipped his fly. To my surprise – and not just mine – he pulled out his erect cock, and held it with its tip almost touching her cheek. Startled, she turned toward it, and he redirected it at her lips. I was annoyed to note that despite Maurice’s age and ugliness, his cock was both longer and thicker than mine.

“Put it in her mouth!” said Bo eagerly.

“Suck it, Lexi!” said Derek.

“Maybe just pretend you’re about to,” Shad suggested. “Open your mouth – it’ll make a good photo.”

So Lexi took hold of Maurice’s cock, and parted her lips, as if she were going to suck him off. Shad took a photo … and then Maurice thrust his hips forward a couple of inches, pushing the head of his cock into Lexi’s open mouth.

“Damn it!” I protested, but I was drowned out by the cheer that went up around me. Lexi raised her eyebrows, but then she shrugged, and began sucking on Maurice’s cock as if it was no big deal. Shad took more photos.

I was sure Maurice would happily let Lexi finish him off, and by no means certain that Lexi wouldn’t do so … but this was supposed to be just a photo shoot, and I was fearful of it turning into an orgy. “All right, that’s enough,” I said loudly. “Next person please.”

Eddie was next, and he started by taking Lexi’s hand and helping her up. Then he sat himself upon the chair … but not before pulling down his chinos and underwear. With his erection pointing up at the ceiling, he grinned and beckoned for Lexi to sit on his lap.

At this point Drake finally intervened. “No penetration!” he warned Eddie.

“No no,” Eddie assured him. “I just want to pose, you know, at the point of entry.”

This sounded risky, but when Drake nodded, I did not feel I could say “You know, I’m not really comfortable with that” without sounding like a weak fool. These men would probably just laugh at me, which would be utterly humiliating.

All I could do was watch unhappily as Lexi climbed into position on Eddie’s lap, leaning back against him and lowering herself until her pussy was almost touching his cock. Reaching down to grab it, she held it forward as she settled herself on top of it.

Eddie winced. “Ah, that’s a little … hold on, let me lift you up a bit…”

He slipped his arms beneath her knees, lifting her feet off the floor and pulling her thighs upward and apart, displaying her pussy explicitly to everyone in front of her. She, looking nervous but aroused, carefully positioned his cock so that its bulbous head was right up against her vaginal opening. Strangely, despite the obvious danger inherent in this pose, I found myself feeling somewhat comforted by the fact that Eddie’s cock was barely any larger than mine.

“That’s a great pose!” said Shad. “Smile please!”

“Give me a kiss,” said Eddie, and as Lexi turned her face toward his, he planted his lips upon hers, and pushed his tongue into her mouth. Several men cheered, and Shad took another photo.

But I was feeling increasingly anxious; I could see Lexi’s very moist orifice widening as it slowly engulfed the head of Eddie’s cock. “Drake!” I called out urgently.

Drake, nodding to me, put a heavy hand on Eddie’s shoulder. “Hey, no penetration I said!”

Eddie looked up guiltily. “Sorry, my arms are getting tired. We’ll make this the last photo. Say cheese, Lexi!”

As Shad took one more photo, I was dismayed to see Eddie’s cock almost half-buried inside my darling bride. “All right, come on, up you get,” said Drake, grabbing Lexi beneath her thighs and lifting her off Eddie.

“Can I go next please?” asked Patrick hopefully.

“I think we’re done with the photos,” said Drake as he set Lexi down on her feet. “They’re getting too much like porn. Let’s not forget this is Marty’s and Lexi’s wedding – it’s their big day! You’ve all fucked her before and no doubt will again – I get that you’re horny right now, but save it for another day. These photos are supposed to be for their wedding album.”

I smiled gratefully at my friend. This was the kind of leadership and gatekeeping I had been hoping he would provide.

“Just one more set,” said Doug, getting to his feet and approaching Lexi. “I get what you’re saying, young fella, but as Lexi’s boss, and Marty’s, I think you could make an exception for me. I’d very much like to pose with my favourite employee for a couple of photos.”

Drake hesitated, then looked over at me for a decision. Unfortunately Lexi made it for me. “It’s okay, Drake,” she said. “You can make an exception for Doug. Like he said, he’s my boss.”

I shrugged, and Drake shook his head in disappointment. “Fine,” he said, stepping back.

Doug grinned, and unfastened his belt. A moment later he was sitting on the chair, his chubby cock rigid and leaning forward, its shaft and head pressing into his lowest roll of belly flab. He beckoned to Lexi. “Same pose as the last guy,” he said.

His implication was obvious, to Lexi as well as everyone else. She bit her lip, then she turned and sat down gingerly on Doug’s lap. He slipped his hands beneath her thighs and picked her up easily, pulling her against his expansive torso and lowering her on to his cock. “Guide it in,” he instructed her.

She gave me an apologetic look as she reached down, took hold of Doug’s cock, and positioned it so that its tip pressed into her vaginal opening. Then he slowly relaxed his arms, and I watched with a sickening sensation as his cock disappeared up inside Lexi. And not just a little way; he did not stop until he was fully buried.

“Aww come on, Doug!” I protested. “You didn’t need to go all the way in!”

He grinned at me. “Halfway in, all the way in – what’s the difference? Smile at the camera, Lexi.”

Shad took a couple of photos.

“You know what,” said Doug, “Marty, you should be in the photo too – you’re both on my team, after all. And this is your wedding! You should be together.”

I felt like throwing up. The last thing I wanted at that moment was to take part in this grotesque charade of a photo shoot. Yet somehow I managed to keep my temper under control. “Uh … where should I stand?” I asked.

“You’ll be too tall if you’re standing up,” said Doug. Just kneel down on Lexi’s right, holding her hand.”

I felt very awkward as I got down on my knees next to my bride, who was impaled on my boss’s cock. He was holding her thighs wide apart, and I found myself looking at the camera over her right shin. She held out her hand to me, and I took it.

“Man,” said Drake in disgust, “you don’t need to rub his nose in it like this.”

“Marty knew what he was getting himself into by marrying Lexi,” said Doug unsympathetically. “He needs to learn to embrace it. Having a photo like this in his wedding album will help.”

This elicited some stifled laughter from one or two of the spectators – particularly Bo, whose muffled snorts and shaking shoulders irritated me beyond measure. I felt my cheeks redden in embarrassment, but forced a smile when prompted to do so by Shad. More than anything, I wanted this horrible photo shoot to be over.

But Doug had other ideas. “Okay, for the next photo I want you bent over the buffet table, Lexi. You know how I like taking you from behind.”

“You’ve had enough photos, Doug,” I said in annoyance, as Lexi climbed off him.

“Not quite, Marty, not quite,” he replied coolly. “And I want you in this one too – you’ll be on the other side of the table, leaning over it and kissing Lexi on the lips. No tongue – just touch your lips together. I want the kiss to look sweet rather than passionate.”

The idea sounded awful. “All right, but this is the last one!” I growled.

“Uh-huh,” he said.

Helpful hands quickly cleared a space for us on the buffet table, which was really several tables standing end to end with overlapping tablecloths covering them. I had to walk all the way to the left-hand end and then back along the far side in order to take up my position, and when I got there, Doug was already sinking his cock back inside Lexi, who was resting her breasts and elbows on the tablecloth.

“Now give her a nice, chaste little peck on the lips,” said Doug. “I think this’ll make another good photo.”

I bent over the table, and my eyes met Lexi’s. “This isn’t really how I imagined our wedding reception,” I grumbled.

“I know,” she said gently, “but we’ll get out of here very soon, and go to the hotel, I promise!”

I smiled, and pressed my lips to hers. Shad, leaning over the table a few feet away, took a photo, and I stood up straight. “All done?” I asked hopefully.

“Just one more,” said Doug, pulling his cock out. “Lexi, for this one I want you lying on your back on the table, with your butt at the edge.”

I was inclined to object again, but “just one more” sounded good to me – like a promise I could hold him to. “Do I need to be in this one?” I inquired.

“Sure – why don’t you come back around here?” he suggested.

So I walked down to the end of the buffet table, and back along the other side. When I reached Lexi and Doug, she was on her back with her legs up and wide apart, and Doug was slowly inserting his erection back into her.

“Come around this side of me, Marty,” Doug instructed me, “and hold on to Lexi’s leg. Can I get a volunteer to hold her other leg?”

“Sure, I can do that,” said Bo, coming over to stand on Doug’s other side.

I stared glumly down at the half-inch of Doug’s shaft that could still be seen; the rest of his cock was inside my wife. I could not even manage a fake smile when Doug said “Say cheese” and Shad took another photo. I just wanted this to be over.

But then Doug, grasping Lexi’s hips, began thrusting. “Hey!” I objected.

“Come on man!” said Drake, stepping forward and tapping Doug’s shoulder. “You’ve had your fun.”

“Might want to switch to video mode there, young man,” said Doug to Shad, ignoring both Drake and myself. Then he turned and winked at me. “Sorry Marty, I just couldn’t resist. How could anyone, in this position?”

“But it’s our wedding day!” I exclaimed. “We’re about to go to the hotel – I want her to stay clean for that!” He did not know that Ryan and Drake would be fucking Lexi before me … and he did not need to.

“At least pull out before you cum!” said Lexi breathlessly.

“I’ll do my best,” he assured her.

I morosely held Lexi’s leg and watched as Doug pounded his cock into her over and over and over again. Fortunately the ordeal did not last long – the excitement of fucking his employee right in front of her new husband was apparently highly arousing for my boss, and he lasted barely a minute before tipping his head back and groaning with pleasure.

“Awww, Doug!” I complained. “You were supposed to pull out!”

“Nobody can pull out of Lexi, once they’ve started fucking her,” said Doug smugly. “It’s just not possible. The drive to put a baby in her belly is just too strong.”

“Doobie managed it,” I replied with a scowl. Then I caught Doobie’s eye, and we exchanged nods. Of all of Lexi’s lovers (excluding Ryan and Drake), I felt I could perhaps be friendly with him.

“Then he’s a better man than I,” said Doug, pulling his cock out of Lexi. His cum immediately began to leak out of her still-open vagina.

Then, to my great indignation, Bo stepped in as Doug vacated his spot. “My turn!” he said cheerfully as he pulled out his cock.

“Hey, no, you already had a turn!” I said hotly.

“But I didn’t get to pose with my cock in her,” he pointed out. “And I’m also her boss. I think it’s only reasonable.” He thrust his erect cock into Lexi’s vagina; it slid in quickly and easily.

“There’s nothing reasonable about any of this!” I cried angrily.

“Right,” said Drake, grabbing Bo’s shoulder. “You’re gonna…”

“Please, Drake, don’t!” squealed Lexi anxiously. “He’s my boss! And I don’t want any violence at my wedding – please!”

Drake looked down at her, his expression conflicted. “All right,” he said reluctantly, letting go of Bo’s shirt. “But this guy’s the last!” He glared around at the other guests. “Nobody else is fucking Lexi, or even posing with her. The photo shoot ends here, okay?”

Nobody dared to disagree, though the men who had not yet posed with Lexi looked rather disappointed. “Not even me?” asked Patrick sadly. “I’d have loved a photo – even just a normal one.”

“Ohhh, Patrick,” said Lexi earnestly, as her head bounced back and forth. “Drake, I appreciate you setting a hard boundary, but can’t we make an exception for Patrick? He’s a nice old man and he’s our friend … and I think it would be nice for him.”

“And what about me?” asked Doobie timidly.

“Oh yes – and Doobie too!” said Lexi.

“And Aaron?” said Aaron hopefully.

“Yes, and Aaron,” Lexi agreed.

“I guess that just leaves me,” said Antwan. “I don’t wanna be left out…”

“Oh, sure,” said Lexi.

“And me,” said Derek.

“Um, well, yes, I guess so,” said Lexi, sounding less convinced. “Is that everyone?”

“Not quite!” said Monique, who was watching from the sidelines. “I’m okay though – I don’t need no sexy photo.” I could not see Gabi; perhaps she had left when things started to get crazy. If so, I wondered why Monique had stuck around. Curiosity, maybe?

“Uh, and me,” said Shad, a little sheepishly. “But I guess I don’t need one either – I’m just the photographer.”

“Everyone gets a photo that wants one,” said Lexi, sounding surprisingly decisive.

Drake sighed, and shrugged his shoulders. “Far be it from me to contradict the bride,” he said. “You ok with a few more photos, Marty?”

“As long as they don’t involve … this!” I said, gesturing down at Bo’s cock pistoning in and out of Lexi.

“Got it,” said Drake. “Patrick, you can go next, but your clothes stay on and zipped up – okay?”

“Okay!” said Patrick happily.

Bo took his sweet time, but eventually he shuddered and let out a long sigh of pleasure as he unloaded his semen deep inside my beautiful bride. Then he pulled out, I helped Lexi off the table, and Doobie gave her a couple of tissues so she could mop up the cum leaking out of her.

“Sorry darling,” said Lexi to me. “I’d hoped we could get through the reception without this happening, but … you know … Doug was pretty determined.”

“Yes he was,” I said grimly. Then I sighed. “It can’t be helped. Let’s just get through the last few photos, and then get out of here.”

“Yes please!” she agreed.

The last few photos did not get as crazy as the first few, but neither were they quite as innocuous as I had hoped. Patrick asked Lexi to sit on his lap, which she did, after apologising in advance for any leakage that might occur.

“Oh, don’t worry about that,” he said. “I should really dry-clean these pants anyway.”

“Maybe I could tuck a napkin beneath me?” she suggested.

“Or we could just use my hand,” he said impishly, before tucking his hand between her legs.

She gasped, and blushed. “Well, I guess this works too…”

“Smile!” said Shad, and he took a photo.

“Do I get two photos?” asked Patrick. “I’d like one where I’m kissing you, if possible. I know it’s a little cheeky, but kissing isn’t as bad as what your bosses did, right?”

“That’s true,” she conceded. “All right. One more photo, with a kiss.”

I watched with a mixture of suspicion and disapproval. This was admittedly not as bad as what Doug had done, but Patrick was definitely pushing his luck. As he kissed Lexi, I saw him push his hand a little further between her legs, and her sudden gasp told me that he had probably stuck a finger or two inside her. And then he took advantage of her gasp by thrusting his tongue into her mouth.

“Okay … uh … I took the photo already,” said Shad.

Patrick and Lexi broke off their deep kiss, and a strand of saliva connecting their mouths snapped and disappeared. “All right, that’s your two,” I said firmly.

Then it was Doobie’s turn to pose with Lexi on his lap; he too asked for a kiss, to which Lexi readily agreed. Unlike Patrick, though, he did not attempt to finger her, contenting himself instead with fondling her left breast as they swapped saliva. I noted with some disgruntlement that Lexi was kissing him with as much enthusiasm as I’d ever seen her kiss Ryan or Drake … or even myself. I found myself wondering if she was, perhaps, in love with him too. If so … tough luck, Doobie – she just married me.

Next came Aaron, who wanted Lexi to straddle his lap while facing him and kissing him. During the kiss, to my annoyance, he was clearly finger-fucking her, and the fact that she was raising and lowering herself did not help my mood. I might almost have suspected that he had somehow pulled out his cock and she was riding it … but when she eventually climbed off him, he was still zipped up and I had not seen any sign of him hastily tucking his cock away. I was satisfied that he had only used his fingers.

Then it was Antwan’s turn. He put Lexi in the same position that Bo had done in his first photo shoot: leaning back against him with her legs spread obscenely. Then he kissed her, while blatantly finger-fucking her, exactly as Bo had done. In a surprise move, though, after he pulled his fingers out, he slid his middle finger into her anus. Lubricated by a mixture of semen and her own juices, his finger sank deep before she could even react.

“Antwan!” she gasped. “You naughty man.”

He chuckled, and pulled his finger back out. “You’re welcome,” he said.

I frowned. “Derek next, I guess.”

“Thank you!” said Derek. “I’d like to take my photos with both of you, if that’s okay? I mean, it’s your big day as much as Lexi’s, and I know you both.”

“Uh, sure,” I said warily. His manner was pleasant enough, but I was only too aware that this was the guy who had manipulated Lexi into believing that she was now a prostitute. I did not trust him at all.

Derek fetched another chair, and set it down beside the first. “Come and sit down!” he invited me, gesturing to the chair on the left. He himself sat in the other chair, then beckoned to Lexi. As she turned around and sat on his lap, facing away from him, he reached around her with both arms and slipped his hands under her thighs, lifting them up and pulling them apart. “Now Lexi, hold Marty’s hand,” he said. Then, having set her legs where he wanted them, he let go with his right hand, then he reached down over her shoulder, placed his hand on her pussy, and began rubbing it sensuously.

I was frowning about this as Shad took the first photo. “Wait, I wasn’t ready,” I said. I smiled, tight-lipped, and Shad took a second photo. Then I glanced down to my right, and sure enough, Derek was now finger-fucking my wife with two fingers. This was not quite as bad as having to hold Lexi’s hand while she was sitting impaled on Doug’s cock, but it was close. It was obviously a photo designed to humiliate me and rub in my face my inability to keep other men from doing what they wanted with my lovely bride. Looking further up, I grimaced at the sight of Derek French-kissing Lexi, and practically drooling into her open mouth. I glanced back at Shad, who was taking more photos.

“All right, that’s enough,” I said. “End of the photo shoot. It’s time for me and Lexi to get out of here. Please continue to enjoy the food and each other’s company.”

Shad nodded, and put his phone away. The other guests began to disperse, and I got to my feet. I turned to see Derek still kissing and fingering Lexi. “Derek!” I snapped. “Enough!”

He sat up straight, grinning, and let Lexi climb off his lap. “Thank you for a most enjoyable wedding reception!” he said, before waving to someone behind me.

“Yeah, well, you’re welcome,” I said, a little bitterly. “But I’m not very happy with all the photos. You and the other men took way too much advantage.”

“We did, we did,” Derek acknowledged.

“I need to use the ladies’ room,” said Lexi.

“I’ll show you where it is,” said Derek.

“Marty, can I talk to you please?” said a female voice behind me.

I turned. “Ah, Monique! Hi. Thank you, again, for doing such a great job with the catering.”

“You’re welcome!” she replied. “But I ain’t done it for free, you know.”

“Of course, of course,” I said. “But you did all this at very short notice and much cheaper than if we’d gone elsewhere, and for that I’m extremely grateful.”

She nodded, unmoved. “Can I, uh, talk to you in private?”

“Um, sure?” I said, wondering what this was about.

“Come this way,” she said, taking my arm and leading me toward a door.

I glanced back to see Derek and Lexi about to leave the room through another door, on the far side of the room. “Okay, but I can only spare a couple minutes while Lexi’s going to the restroom…”

We passed through the door, into what looked like a kids’ playroom, with shelving containing board games, plastic and stuffed toys, and boxes of Lego and wooden building blocks. Here Monique closed the door, and turned to face me. “Marty,” she said seriously. “I do need to talk about the catering costs, but that can wait. My bigger question is, what in the name of Jesus was all that?”

“Oh, you mean the photos?” I asked uneasily. “Look, Monique … people talk, so I’m sure you’re aware that Lexi is kind of a pushover. I don’t even know at this point how many men she’s had sex with, but it’s all been in the past few days. And she doesn’t want me to fight with anyone on her behalf, so I’ve just kind of had to … accept it. It’s not easy, of course, but I just need to come to terms with the fact that Lexi … just isn’t going to be faithful to me. It’s not that she doesn’t want to be; she just physically and psychologically can’t keep other men from having sex with her. And she, in turn, as an act of self-preservation, has had to learn to enjoy it all. She’s trained herself to love the gropings, the fingerings, even the fuckings.”

“She’s a nympho!” Monique exclaimed, having listened patiently to my explanation without apparently understanding any of it.

I sighed. “Monique, did you have any advice to offer, or did you just ask me in here to express your disapproval of Lexi’s lifestyle?”

She shrugged. “Oh, it ain’t my place to judge. I just don’t know why you’d want to be with a woman who’d do you dirty like this.”

I stared at her. “Have you seen her? Monique, she’s a 10. I’m at best a 6…”

“5,” she corrected me.

“Okay,” I said, frowning a little. “The point is, she loves me! And wants to be my wife! And not only is she a 10, but she’s also the sweetest, nicest, kindest woman you could imagine. And what, I’m just going to dump her, because she’s too sweet and timid to say no to a man? Heck no! I’ll take what I can get of her, even if I have to share her with other men. And at the end of the day, I’m the one she’ll be calling her husband.”

She shook her head. “That ain’t no marriage, Marty. That ain’t no life.”

“Thanks, your opinion is noted,” I said, getting rather annoyed. “Was there anything else? I’m sure Lexi’s probably done in the restroom and waiting to leave by now.”

Monique shrugged. “Well, I guess at the end of the day it’s your life and your marriage. I don’t think you gonna be happy, but for what it’s worth, I really hope I’m wrong. I really hope that somehow, this crazy arrangement the two of you have, I hope it works out for you both. I think you both outta your tree, but hell, maybe that makes you right for each other. Good luck, Marty.”

I appreciated her gracious farewell. “Thank you Monique,” I said. “Did you want to talk about the costs as well, or can that wait?”

“It can wait,” she said. “Go get your girl.”

I left the room, and looked around for Lexi. I could not see her, so I headed for the door through which I had seen her leave with Derek. On the way, I passed Ryan. “Hey dude,” he said. “What did Monique want?”

I snorted. “To tell me how weird I am for wanting to be with Lexi. It was a strange conversation, to be honest.”

“Huh,” he said, puzzled. “She didn’t try to come on to you or anything?”

I blinked. “No! Nothing at all like that. Why?”

Ryan shrugged. “I saw Derek give her some cash a few minutes ago, and I wondered if he’d paid her to seduce you or something.”

My brow furrowed. “Why would he do that? Unless … oh jeez! So he could get her alone and keep me away, of course! God I’m so stupid!” I started for the door.

“But why would he do that?” asked Ryan. “He’s fucked her before; he’ll do it again. Why pay money for what he can get for free?”

“It’s his modus operandi, I guess!” I replied. “He paid her for sex the first time – I think because it tickled him to turn her into a prostitute. Today – paying Monique to distract me – I don’t know. But I do know I want to get in that restroom and interrupt whatever he’s doing!”

“Why bother?” Ryan inquired with a shrug. “Are you going to physically assault him? You know Lexi won’t thank you for that. So what if he fucks her – yeah it’s annoying, but Doug and Bo already spoiled our plan to keep her clean until this evening. What’s one more cock, at this point?”

“It’s the principle of the thing!” I said indignantly. “He was very firmly told he couldn’t fuck her.”

“Maybe it was that prohibition that motivated him,” Ryan suggested.

“Whatever,” I said. “I don’t care what his reasons are. I’m going to go in there…”

“Take Drake, at least,” Ryan advised. “I think Derek is more likely to stop what he’s doing if he’s getting a threatening look from Drake.”

“A very good point,” I conceded. “Drake!” I waved to my big black friend. When he came over, I said, “We think Derek probably went into the ladies’ restroom with Lexi, to have sex with her. Would you mind coming and helping me stop him?”

“Uh,” said Drake, “isn’t that Derek over there?”

Surprised and confused, I turned to look … and sure enough, there indeed was Derek, chatting away with Eddie and Maurice. “Huh!” I said, nonplussed. “Well, that’s good news. But in that case, what did he pay Monique for? As far as I know, they’ve not met before today.”

“Maybe go check on Lexi anyway?” Ryan suggested.

“Yeah,” I agreed. “Be right back.”

I left the room and found myself in the short corridor that led to the front entrance. I spotted the ladies’ restroom immediately, and went over to knock on the door. “Lexi, are you in there?” I did not hear a reply, so I opened the door a couple of inches. “Lexi?”

“Uh … Marty … I’m here!” she replied.

It sounded like she was panting heavily. I knew what this meant, and I scowled. Marching in, I clenched my fists, prepared to do battle – verbally if not physically.

And there she was, bent over and clutching the washbasin with both hands, uttering staccato moans as her vagina took yet another pounding. Behind her was Antwan, shorts around his ankles, gripping my wife’s hips and thrusting his own with a powerful rhythm.

“Jeez, Antwan!” I protested. “You couldn’t have waited until … like, any other day?”

“Sorry man,” he replied breathlessly, “but seeing her white bosses fuckin’ her like that just made me want to, you know, reclaim her as my own. On behalf of the black community.”

Feeling suddenly deflated and depressed, I closed the lid of the toilet and sat down. “Are you almost done, at least?”

“Yeah, almost,” he said.

The phrase ‘reclaim her as my own’ echoed through my head. I knew exactly what he meant, and how he had felt while she was being fucked by Doug and Bo, because it was how I felt whenever I saw her getting fucked by another man. I so desperately wanted to reclaim her for myself, but so far I had been denied that privilege.

“I don’t suppose I could persuade you to, uh, pull out and cum all over her butt?” I ventured.

“Nope,” he replied.

I sighed heavily. The urge to cum inside Lexi was just too powerful, I was only too aware. It was something I had wanted to do from the moment I first met her. I was developing a profound respect for Doobie, for having the willpower to pull out first; he seemed to be the only one among her many lovers that cared about her more than he cared about getting her pregnant. In a world where I could not trust even my closest friends to have Lexi’s best interests at heart, he seemed like the only person I could have a genuine friendship with. Maybe Lexi and I could invite him around for dinner and a movie sometime.

“Ahhhhh…” Antwan groaned, stiffening and pressing his loins firmly up against Lexi’s bottom. “Daaang, that’s the best feeling in the world.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” I grumbled.

I waited impatiently, grinding my teeth. Eventually he pulled out, stooped to grab and haul up his shorts, and as Lexi stood up straight and turned around, he gave her a long, passionate kiss. “See you around, honey,” he said. “Later man.” And he left.

Lexi clasped her hands in front of her pussy, looking guilty. “I’m sorry, Marty,” she said. “Derek showed me to this restroom, and I guess he was about to follow me in, when Antwan came out of the men’s room. He looked at both of us and then he said to Derek, ‘What are you doing?’, and Derek sort of stammered and said he was going to help me. And Antwan said, ‘I don’t think so! Get your ass back in there.’ Pointing at the reception room, you know. And Derek obeyed him, just like that! And I thanked Antwan, and he said he would stand guard, so I went in and used the toilet … but as I was washing my hands, Antwan came in. He said he was very sorry, but he just couldn’t resist the opportunity. He said that watching Doug and Bo fuck me – he called them ‘candy-ass white dudes’ – he said it made him kind of crazy, and he wanted to remind me what a ‘black cock’ was like. I told him I didn’t think I needed a reminder, after last night, but he kissed me and said he just had to fuck me. So I, um, I figured it was inevitable, so I said okay, and, well, you saw the rest…”

I nodded. “Yeah,” I said glumly. “I’m sorry I didn’t come with you myself. I think Derek paid Monique to distract me and keep me talking, so he could have his way with you. I guess Antwan spoiled his plan.”

“Oh!” said Lexi, startled. “Goodness!” Then she bit her lip. “I know this isn’t a great start to our marriage, Marty. Are you … are you very mad at me?”

I shook my head. “Not even a little,” I said. “I’m not sure I’m even mad at Antwan. I’m almost glad it was him and not Derek. Derek’s kind of an asshole.”

Lexi giggled. “Well if he really paid someone to keep you busy while he cornered me in the restroom and had his way with me … then I’m inclined to agree!”

I smiled at her. “Shall we go find your clothes, and get out of here?”

“Yes please!” she said. “Just let me wipe myself…”

We returned to the reception room and found Lexi’s negligée-dress. Her thong was nowhere to be seen, however. “Someone must have pocketed it,” said Ryan.

“Ah well, you have others,” I said.

“But I liked that thong!” she said sadly. “It’s the thong I got married in. I wanted to keep it.”

“Yo yo, listen up!” said Drake loudly. He commanded attention instantly. “Lexi’s thong is missing. I don’t care who has it, but it’s important to her and she’d like it back. Nobody gonna get in trouble – just please give it up now, so she can have it as a memento of this memorable day.”

Nobody moved, or said anything. Drake looked around suspiciously, then he raised an eyebrow at me. I shrugged.

“Maybe the culprit needs more incentive,” Ryan suggested. “Can we offer them compensation of some kind?”

“I’m not going to pay a thief for the return of the thing he stole,” I muttered. “Anyway I suspect he’d rather have the thong than the money.”

“What about something that’s worth more than money?” said Ryan. “Like, maybe, a kiss from Lexi?”

“Everyone’s already kissed her!” I said with a helpless shrug.

Lexi had just finished tying up the front of her dress. “Um,” she said, “what if we offer them … one more photo with me? Like, a naughty photo?”

I scowled, but Ryan and Drake both nodded. “Yeah, that’s a good idea,” said Ryan.

“Whoever returns Lexi’s thong,” Drake continued loudly, “will get one more photo with her. As naughty as you like.”

“Jeez, Drake, really?” I said plaintively. “You know what they’re gonna want to do.”

It worked, though. Derek raised his hand, looking smug. “Sorry, I just really wanted a souvenir.”

“Dammit!” I exclaimed. Derek was the last person I wanted to have another naughty photo with Lexi.

He came over and handed the thong to Lexi. “Here you go,” he said. “Now, you did say ‘as naughty as I like’, yes?”

“Yeah,” said Drake warily.

Derek grinned. “Okay, then I want a photo of me pulling my cock out of Lexi’s vagina, in which I have just ejaculated.”

“You son of a bitch!” I said furiously.

Drake folded his arms, scowling. “I agree with Marty.”

“Well you did walk into that one,” Ryan chided him. “You didn’t have to say ‘as naughty as you like’.”

“But he did,” said Derek.

“Not very Christian of you!” I said angrily. “To take advantage like this!”

“However,” said Ryan with a slight smirk, “Drake didn’t say when this photo would take place. Shall we schedule it for, say, six months from now?”

I blinked, and then laughed. “Yeah!” I said.

Derek looked dismayed. “What? Oh come on…”

But Drake latched on to the idea. “Yup, that’s right!” he said, grinning. “You’ll get your photo, bro, in six months.”

Only Lexi still looked unhappy. “Guys, I appreciate the thought, but I’d really prefer not to have this hanging over me for the next six months. I’d rather just get it out of the way.”

My elation evaporated. Ryan’s smile disappeared, as did Drake’s. Derek, however, chuckled. “Yes, I think that’s best,” he said. “Go lie on the buffet table, Lexi, like you did before. You can keep your dress on, but undo it at the front – I want your breasts on show.”

Looking rather sad, Lexi dutifully untied the strings holding her negligée together at the front, and walked over to the buffet table. Lying down on it as the men in the room gathered around, she lifted her legs up and spread them wide apart, while staring passively up at the ceiling.

Derek sauntered over to her, undoing his belt as he walked. Having pulled down his pants and underwear, he positioned his erect cock at her vaginal opening, and slowly slid it inside. It was long and thin and oddly tapered, like a carrot with a bulbous head. As he started thrusting it in and out of my wife, I noted that nobody was cheering this time. We all just watched in silence.

After barely a minute, Derek gasped, “I’m almost there. Where’s the photographer?”

“Right here,” said Shad, stepping forward with his phone at the ready.

Derek groaned as he pumped his sperm into my beautiful bride. I so badly wanted to punch his stupid, contorted face. This was worse than watching Bo fuck her.

After a few moments, Derek opened his eyes and grinned. Slowly he pulled his cock out of Lexi, stopping with just the tip still inside. “There,” he said. “Take the photo, please.”

Shad did so. Then Derek withdrew and pulled his pants up, and I helped Lexi off the table. “Are you okay?” I asked her anxiously.

“Yes, I’m fine,” she said, stepping into her thong. “Don’t worry about me, Marty – after last night, this was nothing.”

That in itself worried me. “Ready to go?” I asked her.

“Very much so,” she said.

Our guests followed us to the door. “Bye everyone!” I said. “Thanks for coming!”

“You’re welcome!” said Bo. “I came a lot.” This prompted raucous laughter. “In your wife,” he added unnecessarily.

“Bye, thanks everyone!” said Lexi, waving.

And then we were outside, walking quickly to the car with Ryan and Drake. “Straight to the hotel?” asked Drake. “Or are we stopping at home first?”

“Hotel please,” said Lexi. “We have everything we need.”

“You’re going into the hotel like that?” I inquired.

“Oh no,” said Lexi. “I have a change of clothes. I packed a bag; it’s in the trunk.”

As she climbed into the back seat, I noticed Ryan getting into the other side. “Uh, hey, Ryan?” I said, stooping to talk to him through the open door. “I thought maybe I could sit in the back with Lexi?”

“Oh, I figured you’d want the front seat, with your long legs,” he said. “I’m in now. Go on, take the front seat. It’s hardly any distance to the hotel.”

“No, I really think…” I began.

“Just get in the front, Marty,” said Drake. “You’ll get plenty of time with Lexi at the hotel.”

Feeling disgruntled, I got into the passenger seat and strapped in. As Drake drove to the hotel, I glanced back to see Ryan making out with Lexi. “What the heck?” I demanded.

“Come on Marty, you’ve seen this dozens of times,” Ryan answered calmly, as he caressed Lexi’s left breast inside her dress.

“Maybe we should stop, though,” said Lexi awkwardly. “Just for now. It feels mean to Marty. He’s been banned from making out with me for so long…”

“Thank you darling,” I said gratefully.

“As you wish,” said Ryan, withdrawing his hand from her dress.

We arrived at the hotel, and parked. Drake fetched Lexi’s overnight bag from the trunk, and Lexi pulled out a top and a pair of high-heeled shoes. Then, to the startlement of a passing trio of well-dressed Japanese businessmen, she accompanied me into the hotel, with Ryan and Drake following close behind.

The young desk clerk, wearing a name tag that strongly implied his name was Bryden, looked Lexi up and down nervously. “Uh,” he said to me, “you can’t use your rooms for … I mean, you can’t bring her here…”

“What?” I said, my face growing hot as I set down Lexi’s bag. “She’s my wife! We have a room reserved – under my name I believe – my name’s Martin Hawtrey.”

He checked his computer. “Ah yes,” he said, looking relieved. “The newlyweds. Um, but sir, this is a family hotel…”

“Would you like me to put on a skirt?” Lexi asked earnestly. “I’m so sorry – I’m a bit of an exhibitionist – I like being out in public in my panties. But I don’t want to cause any trouble.”

Bryden blushed a little, and smiled. “I think you’ll be fine,” he said, “as long as you go straight to your room. But … are you planning to have dinner here?”

“Yes,” I said.

“Then maybe … a skirt would be more appropriate for the dining room,” said Bryden, sounding almost apologetic.

“That’s fine, I completely understand,” said Lexi.

“Although,” Bryden added, “if you prefer, we can have room service bring your dinner up to your room?”

“Oh, that would be ideal!” I said. The less time Lexi spent around other people while we were here, the better.

“Here are your keycards,” said Bryden, handing us each a little paper wallet containing a plastic card. “You’ll find a dinner menu in your room. When you’re ready to order, just call room service.”

“Thank you!” I said, and I turned to go.

“Can I help you gentlemen?” asked Bryden.

“We’re with them,” said Ryan.

I quickly turned back around. “They’re just visiting,” I said. “They’re helping us … um, sort some stuff out, this evening. They won’t be staying the night.”

“Ah, I see,” said Bryden, not looking convinced.

We made for the elevator, and rode it up to the third floor. “309,” I said. “This way.”

We arrived at the room, and I unlocked it with my card. “Well, this is nice,” I said, walking in and setting Lexi’s bag on the king-size bed. Then I heard a giggle behind me, and I turned to see Ryan carrying Lexi into the room. “What the … hey, that’s my job! I was supposed to do that.”

Ryan grinned. “You didn’t, though. You snooze, you lose.” He set Lexi down.

“Not bad, not bad,” said Drake. “Nice place to spend your first night together as a married couple.”

Lexi skipped over to the bedside table, and pulled open the drawer. “Gideons have been here!” she said with a smile.

“Good, we can have a prayer meeting,” I said.

She giggled, walked up to me, and put her arms around my neck. “I love you, Mr Hawtrey.”

“I love you, Mrs Hawtrey,” I said, and I kissed her on the lips. But just as I was about to slip my tongue into her mouth, Ryan sneaked up behind her and whipped her thong down to her ankles, making her squeal.

“Time for you to get naked!” he said.

Lexi stepped out of her thong. “Actually it’s time I had a shower! I stink of cum.”

This was, unfortunately, only a slight exaggeration. I nodded. “Good idea. And if you can flush Derek’s out of you, that would be awesome. I’m still rather annoyed he got to fuck you at the reception.”

“I think most of it leaked out into my thong,” said Lexi candidly. “It was squishing against me all the way over here. But yes, I want to be nice and clean for … later.”

She took off her negligée-dress, and then her shoes, before walking naked into the bathroom. “Ooh, there’s a lovely deep bath in here!” she reported. “Maybe I’ll have a bath instead.”

“You go ahead,” I said. “We’ll … I dunno, watch TV I guess.”

“There’s a games room downstairs,” Ryan remarked. “They have pool, ping-pong, and foosball.”

“Oh!” I hesitated. Then, “Uh, Lexi, if you’re going to be having a nice long bath, I think we’ll head downstairs to the games room. Apparently they have ping-pong and pool and foosball.”

Lexi popped her head around the corner. “Oh!” she said. “Well I’d love to play those too. Maybe I can join you after my bath?”

“Sure,” I said. “But, uh, maybe put on a skirt before you come down?”

“Amongst other things, yes,” she said with a giggle. “Go have fun – I’ll join you in an hour or so, probably.”

“By then it’ll pretty much be time to order dinner,” Ryan remarked.

“We can all go back down and play some more after dinner,” said Drake.

“Sounds good!” said Lexi.

I had been hoping that dinner would be followed by sex, but I merely smiled and nodded. “Sure.”

So Lexi disappeared into the bathroom, and the rest of us went downstairs to the games room. The two pool tables were occupied, as was the ping-pong table, so we played foosball until one of the pool tables was free. We commandeered that table, and took turns playing each other until Lexi texted me to say she had finished her bath and was ready to either come down or order dinner – whichever I preferred. I told her we’d be right up.

“Ten past five,” I said. “Lexi’s done with her bath. “Shall we go up and order room service? I know it’s a little early for dinner, but by the time we’ve decided, and ordered, and they’ve had time to make it and bring it up … it’ll pretty much be dinner time.”

Ryan and Drake agreed, and we returned to the room. Lexi, all clean and floral-scented, greeted me with a kiss. “Excited for tonight?” she asked me impishly.

“You have no idea,” I replied with a grin. “I feel like my whole life has been building up to tonight.”

Her smile faded a little. “Darling … I’m so sorry it’s not going to be … perfect. With Drake and Ryan going first, and you not being allowed to … finish, inside me, you know.”

I shook my head. “There will be other times for that,” I said. “Believe me, Lexi, I’ve had time to come to terms with this. Yes, the first time won’t be ideal. But just to be inside you will be enough. And tomorrow, before you go to bed with Drake, you and I are going to have sex again – with you all clean to begin with. And I’ll cum inside you … and just maybe you’re late ovulating this month, and I’ll have a chance of fathering your first baby. Yes, I know it’s a long shot, but I don’t think it’s totally out of the realm of possibility.”

Lexi beamed. “Oh, I hope you’re right! That would be wonderful! And no, I absolutely don’t think it’s out of the realm of possibility.” She sighed happily. “Marty, I feel so awful about everything I’ve put you through. The fact that you still want to be with me, and that you put such a positive face on it, makes my heart just … explode with love for you! I’m so happy we’re married now.”

I hugged her tightly. “Me too, Lexi.”

We ordered our dinners – mine was a grilled pork chop with potatoes and green beans – and then we watched some television while we waited for the food. After a few minutes I went to the bathroom, and when I returned I was annoyed to see Ryan on one side of Lexi, fingering her vagina and sucking on her left nipple, and Drake on her other side, probing her mouth with his tongue and massaging her right breast.

“Guys, I didn’t order a sandwich!” I said peevishly.

Ryan laughed as he rolled away from Lexi and climbed off the bed. “Sorry dude, we just got bored in the commercials.”

I took my place next to Lexi, and glared at Drake, who was now lying back and smiling innocently. “Would it be too much to ask you to exercise some self-control?” I asked him politely. “I know Ryan can’t control himself, but I know you can do better. And I’d have thought you’d be feeling a little bit guilty, after your total failure to prevent Lexi from having sex at the reception.”

“Hey man, that wasn’t my fault,” he said, looking annoyed. “I did what I could.”

“He really did,” said Lexi. “I’m sure things would have gotten a lot worse if he hadn’t been there.”

“Hmph,” I said.

Some time later, there was a knock at the door. “Room service!” The voice was deep, definitely male, and sounded black.

“Go get the door, Lexi,” said Ryan.

Lexi gasped. “Oh … I don’t know…”

“Yeah, go on, make the guy’s day,” said Drake.

“I’ll get it,” I said grimly, as I got up from the bed.

“Aww dude, don’t spoil Lexi’s fun!” said Ryan. “Come on, you know she loves to show off. You must be used to strangers seeing her naked by now, right?”

I stopped, and sighed. “Would you like to, Lexi? I guess it’s up to you.”

She giggled. “Maybe! I’m curious to see the look on his face when I open the door.”

I sat back down. “Fine! Have fun.”

Lexi skipped over to the door, and opened it. Immediately I heard a gasp, followed by a “Whoa, lady, you’re … I gotta say, you look very … uh, here’s your food.”

Lexi giggled. “Thank you, you’re so kind! Oh, I should get you a tip.”

“I think you already did!” he replied. I now caught a glimpse of the man; he was indeed black, he looked to be in his fifties, and he wore an ill-fitting uniform.

“Ask him if he wants to squeeze your boobs!” Ryan called out.

“Jeez Ryan!” I exclaimed.

“Oh!” said Lexi. “Um … would you like to squeeze my breasts? You seem like a nice man and I’m sure you deserve a little treat.”

“I’d love to!” the man replied. “But I’m a married man, so I gotta say no, sorry. Enjoy your meal!” And with that he turned and walked off.

Lexi pulled in the cart he had brought, and closed the door. “What a nice man!” she said brightly.

“Yeah,” agreed Drake. “I don’t suppose many men, married or otherwise, would turn down an offer like that.”

“Well I’m glad he did,” I said shortly. “Lexi’s been manhandled enough today.”

“True,” Drake agreed. “Maybe we should all just leave her alone for the rest of the night.”

I stared at him, fearing he was serious. But then he laughed, and I relaxed; he was only kidding. “If anyone ought to be allowed to touch Lexi on her wedding night, it’s her husband!” I remarked. “But for right now, let’s eat.”

We found a movie to watch (Edge of Tomorrow), and ate our dinners while Tom Cruise ran very fast and endeavoured to save the world. When the film ended, we all looked at each other.

“Can we go and play some games now…?” Lexi asked hopefully. “Unless you want to … you know…”

“I definitely want to ‘you know’,” I said.

Drake chuckled. “Yeah, maybe we’ve kept poor Marty waiting long enough.”

“Um, okay then,” said Lexi shyly. “I guess I’ll go and get myself ready.” She slid off the bed, and trotted into the bathroom.

“Oh God, it’s really happening!” I said, beginning to hyperventilate. “I’m finally going to lose my virginity … to the most beautiful woman in the world.”

“It’s the best,” said Ryan. “Fucking Lexi for the first time was like … I dunno how to describe it. It was magical.”

“Yeah,” Drake admitted. “I mean, I been with more experienced girls, but there’s just something special about Lexi. She’s on another level.”

“I’m so ready for this,” I muttered.

A few minutes later, Lexi emerged from the bathroom, wearing another negligée. This one was pale blue and very transparent – although it was long enough to cover her pussy, I could see that she was not wearing any panties. She approached the bed, looking at me shyly.

“Rock paper scissors?” said Ryan.

“Yup, let’s go,” agreed Drake. He then faced off with Ryan, pounding his right fist into his left hand three times while Ryan did the same … and then he abruptly opened his hand flat, indicating paper.

“Dammit!” said Ryan, who had kept his fist closed. “Congrats – you go first.”

“Um, should I just … lie down?” Lexi asked.

Drake climbed off the bed, stood before her, and put his hands on her shoulders. “Ima make this special for you, baby,” he said softly. And he took her face in his hands, kissed her gently, and then he stooped and swept her up into his arms. She gasped, and looked up into his eyes lovingly as he kissed her again, this time more deeply.

“Looks like Drake’ll be taking his time over this,” said Ryan. “I’m gonna brush my teeth. You might want to do the same, dude.”

I nodded. I had no particular desire to watch Drake skilfully romancing my wife anyway. Watching him fuck her was painful enough.

I fetched my sponge bag, which Lexi had packed in her overnight bag, and followed Ryan into the bathroom. I waited patiently while he brushed his teeth. “Tomorrow,” I said to him, “I’m going to have sex with her first. Drake will be the one getting sloppy seconds.”

Ryan brushed for a few more seconds, then spat into the basin. “I figured,” he said. “But, you know, you could still earn back my week if you like. I brought my cards – we could make a little bet…”

“Absolutely not!” I told him firmly. “No more betting. It was a terrible idea and it’s had terrible consequences. At least, currently, I’ll get to have sex with Lexi tonight, and tomorrow I’ll get to cum inside her … and in two weeks, I’ll be able to sleep with her properly. It’s not the best arrangement for a newlywed couple, but I’m resigned to it now, and I’m not going to risk losing it.”

Ryan grinned. “I was kidding anyway; I didn’t bring the cards.”

“Oh, you asshole!” I said. Then I chuckled. “Clearly I’m a terrible gambler. Don’t let me bet on anything to do with Lexi ever again, okay?”

He shrugged. “I’m not gonna rule it out,” he said. “I’ve benefitted from your previous bets. It’s up to you to control your gambling addiction.”

“It’s not an addiction!” I said. “Ugh – you’re just trying to get a rise out of me. But it won’t work! I’ve got just one focus right now, and that’s having sex with Lexi for the first time. Nothing can stop me – except maybe a hotel fire or something. I swear, if the alarm goes off just before I’m about to enter her, I’ll … I’ll…”

“Burn the place down?” Ryan suggested mildly.

I smirked. “But that’s not going to happen! Lexi and I are going to have sex.”

Ryan walked over and patted my shoulder. “You’re gonna finally dip your wick in Drake’s and my semen,” he said. “Congrats, Marty.”

“You can try putting me off as much as you want!” I said. “It won’t work. I’m more ready for this than I’ve been for anything!”

“I have AIDS,” said Ryan.

“What?” I blinked.

“I have AIDS,” he repeated. Then he laughed. “Oh god, the look on your face!”

“Don’t do that to me!” I said nervously. “With all the sex Lexi has had, and keeps having, obviously an STI is a constant worry.”

He nodded. “For me and Drake too! He and I have talked about it. We think Lexi should get tested at least once a week.”

“Or, better still, we should figure out how to stop her having sex with every guy she meets,” I remarked.

“We’ve talked about that too,” said Ryan. “But short of keeping her in a cage, I’m not sure we can realistically do much. We could train her to be more normal – you know, to dress more modestly and act more defensively in public, to be more hostile to gropey strangers, and so on … but frankly, I don’t really want to change who she is. I love her exactly as she is right now. So does Drake.”

“So does everyone,” I said gloomily. “That’s the problem. But I guess you’re right – I don’t want to change her either.” I sighed. “For better or worse, right?”

“Right,” he agreed. “Okay, I’m going to go watch Drake fuck your wife’s brains out.”

“Dude!” I said with a grimace.

But as I brushed my teeth, I could already hear Lexi’s ecstatic moans as Drake brought her to every-higher levels of pleasure. The bastard was really pulling out all the stops … no doubt to make my own lovemaking seem awful by comparison. It was little comfort that Ryan was probably also unhappy at having to follow Drake and being unfavourably compared.

I returned to the bed, where Lexi was now fully naked and lying beneath Drake, who was nibbling on her ear while thrusting inside her with powerful strokes. Her eyes were closed and she was moaning in time with his movements.

“You sticking with missionary, Drake?” said Ryan, smirking. “How imaginative.”

Drake looked up at Ryan. “Oh, we’ll get through a bunch of positions,” he said coolly, while still thrusting. “Don’t worry – I can keep this up all night.”

“Drake … my love,” said Lexi in a small, high, breathless voice. “I know you want to make this a wonderful experience for me, but to tell you the truth, I’m still pretty sore down there. What I’d like best, if you don’t mind too much, is if you could finish pretty soon.”

“Oh!” said Drake, looking a little disappointed. “Well, sure thing, sweetheart. I didn’t mean to make you suffer. I’ll focus on cumming ASAP.”

“Oh, I’m not suffering!” she assured him. “This feels amazing, as it always does with you. But it does hurt a bit at the same time, and I’ve still got to have sex with Ryan and Marty.”

“Understood,” said Drake, and he began to increase the pace of his thrusting. A minute later, Lexi was clutching his shoulders and curling her toes.

“Oh god – oh god!” she cried, arching her back beneath him. “So good … yes … oh yes!!!” Then she went stiff, and shuddered, and uttered a moan of ecstasy that was almost a scream. Ryan and I looked at each other nervously, and I hoped we were not about to be visited by concerned hotel staff.

Drake’s jackhammer thrusting suddenly ceased, and the big man groaned as he pressed himself deep into Lexi, filling her with his seed. I folded my arms and scowled darkly; I knew this had to happen, of course, but that did not make it any easier to watch.

Panting heavily, Drake collapsed on top of Lexi, who wrapped her arms and legs around his back and stroked the back of his head. “Thank you my darling,” she whispered in his ear. “Thank you so much. That was amazing. I love you.”

“I love you too, Lexi,” he said huskily, and he raised his head and kissed her passionately.

“All right, all right,” said Ryan, looking annoyed. “We all know you’re a fantastic lover, Drake. Let’s not forget this is Marty’s big night, though – it’s not all about you.”

Drake turned toward him. “Will you chill, bro? Give us both a little time to recover, okay? Don’t ruin a beautiful moment.”

Ryan shrugged, and went over to sit down in the armchair by the window. “Fine, take your time,” he said, with an air of resignation. “Just spare a thought for those of us who have to follow the maestro.”

Drake smiled down at Lexi. “Hello, beautiful.”

“Hello, handsome,” she whispered back.

“I wish I could stay inside you all night,” he said. “But I guess I need to let Ryan take his turn now. You gonna be okay? Not too sore downstairs?”

“I’m okay,” she assured him. “I can take a couple more cocks today. But maybe, tomorrow, I can have a bit of a break…? At least until the evening…”

“Yeah, absolutely,” said Drake. “Tomorrow’s all about you and Marty. You can have a quiet day in, or if you wanna go out, we can figure out how to make that safe for you.”

“Staying in sounds good to me,” said Lexi.

“Okay then,” said Drake. “That makes it easy. I’ll pick the two of you up first thing in the morning, and take you straight back to the apartment.”

“Thank you Drake,” said Lexi softly.

He climbed off her, his cock sliding out of her with a faint sucking sound. Semen began leaking out of her gaping vagina immediately. Then, as Drake disappeared into the bathroom, Lexi looked at Ryan, who was hurriedly disrobing.

“Take your time, Ryan,” she said in amusement. “We don’t have a deadline to meet.”

He chuckled, and climbed on top of her. “I just can’t wait to be inside you,” he said. “Sorry if I don’t compare well with Drake … but I promise you, I love you just as much as he does, if not more.”

I cringed internally at Ryan’s gross attempt at sweet talk. But Lexi seemed to like it. “Aww, I love you too, Ryan! And this isn’t a competition – I appreciate you both in your own unique ways.”

I rolled my eyes – which fortunately Lexi did not notice. But as she and Ryan kissed, I couldn’t help sensing the strength of the love between them. It made me feel anxious and uneasy. Then, as he slipped his cock inside her, and she sighed with pleasure, I found myself becoming light-headed. My heart was pounding. Jesus Christ, was I having a panic attack or something?

I forced myself to look out of the window, and to bring my thoughts back to rationality. Yes, Lexi loved both Ryan and Drake. But she also loved me, and of the three of us, I was the one she had chosen to marry. For the sake of my sanity, I had to get a grip on my jealousy. In an unconventional marriage like ours, jealousy was not going to be a helpful or healthy instinct.

“Embrace it,” I muttered to myself. “Learn to embrace it.” Then I made myself look back at the bed, where Ryan was now gently thrusting inside Lexi. As much as I hated to see this, somehow I needed to try to feel happy for Ryan, and to feel happy for Lexi that she had Ryan, and happy for the love that they clearly shared. Somehow, I needed to make myself feel happy that they were having sex – maybe even to the point where I could, in future, encourage them to go and have sex together.

I grimaced as they locked lips and exchanged saliva. Happy? Fat chance. Most likely this sight was always going to make me feel miserable, and the only way I was going to alleviate that misery was by avoiding it. Ryan could fuck Lexi in his room, Drake could fuck her in his, and I would hide out in my own room, earbuds in, pretending not to know what was going on a few feet away. Yes, that was probably best.

“Cum for me, Ryan!” Lexi gasped. “I want it – I want your cum deep inside me.”

“Uhhh … oh god!!” Ryan groaned, and he went stiff for a few moments, then limp. Lexi entwined him in her limbs, as she had done with Drake, and she stroked his hair and kissed his ear.

He raised himself up on his elbows. “I, uh, I could have lasted longer, you know. But I knew you wanted me to be quick.”

She nodded. “Oh, I know you can last a long time when you want to,” she said. “Thank you very much for cumming more quickly this time – I appreciate that.”

Ryan smiled. “So, I guess the big moment has come, huh? You’re finally going to get to have sex with your new husband.”

“Yes!” she said excitedly. Then she looked over at me. “Are you ready, my darling?”

I got to my feet, trembling. “Oh yes!” I said. “God yes. I’ve been ready for so long!”

Ryan pulled himself out of Lexi’s vagina, and crawled off the bed. “Good luck Marty,” he said.

Drake came out of the bathroom. “You done already, Ryan?” he quipped.

Ryan gave him a dirty look. “I could’ve lasted plenty longer,” he said, “but unlike some, I knew tonight isn’t about me. It’s about these two.”

“Yeah, it is,” Drake agreed, not rising to the bait. “Go on Marty – you’ve been waiting for this for a long time.”

I quickly undressed. But as I pulled my underwear down, I was horrified to see that my cock, far from being the semi I had been nursing just a moment ago, was now pitifully small and dangling limply against my balls. I hastily covered myself with my hands.

“That’s quite the weapon you’re wielding there,” Drake remarked, trying to keep a straight face.

“Don’t you be mean to him, Drake!” said Lexi, with unexpected fierceness. “Cocks come in all shapes and sizes, and he can’t help that his isn’t as big as yours.”

“It does get bigger!” I said defensively. “I just … apparently I’m having a little performance anxiety.”

“I know it gets bigger,” said Lexi kindly. “Much bigger! I’ve seen it for myself. Five inches, didn’t you say?”

“Uh, yeah,” I said uncomfortably, wishing she would stop trying to help.

“So you’re a grower,” said Drake politely.

“That thing grows to five inches?” asked Ryan doubtfully.

“Yes!” I insisted. “Well, very nearly five. But it’s not likely to while we’re discussing this! It’s not exactly helping my anxiety. Can’t you guys leave Lexi and me alone for … I don’t know … an hour?”

“Uh, no, sorry dude,” said Ryan. “This was part of the deal, remember? Drake and I have to stick around to make sure you don’t break the rules.”

“Ah, fuck,” I muttered.

“Would … would looking at my pussy help?” suggested Lexi timidly. “I’m sorry – I know I’m leaking a lot of cum. I wish I could clean up for you, but … you know … the rules…”

I looked at the cum oozing out of her vagina; it did not help my arousal.

“Talk dirty to him, Lexi,” Drake suggested. “His eyes are giving him signals that you belong to other men. The key to getting him excited is his brain. You gotta change what he’s thinking about.”

This was a genius insight, a fact I began to appreciate as soon as Lexi took the concept on board and ran with it. “Oh, I see!” she said. “Let me think. Okay … how about this. Marty … you know I love you more than Drake and Ryan, right? Well, what if my body secretly knows that? What if it’s been delaying my ovulation until it knows your sperm is inside me? What if it’s absolutely determined to make a baby inside me that’s half me, half you? I’d like that – wouldn’t you? I’d like you to fill me with your sperms – hundreds of millions of them – all locking on to my ovaries and swimming powerfully to find them. And as soon as an egg is released, your wonderful sperms will swarm all over it, fighting to get inside. And one of them will, Marty! It’ll beat out all the competition and plunge itself deep into the egg … how’s this – is it going any good?”

Her ‘dirty talk’ was, in fact, having an astonishing effect on me. It was exactly what I needed to hear. My cock had begun stirring almost immediately, and now it was well on its way to maximum tumescence. “It’s working!” I said excitedly. “Keep talking!”

“Oh – good!” said Lexi happily. “Okay, um … so imagine our baby growing inside me – and all the other men who had sex with me are super disappointed because they failed to get me pregnant. And after I give birth, the doctors tell me I shouldn’t have sex for three or four weeks because my body needs to recover. So we tell Drake and Ryan, and Doug and Bo and everyone else, that I need four weeks. But after three weeks, you start fucking me every night and cumming inside me … and by the end of the week, you’ve got me pregnant again!”

This was dynamite stuff, and my cock was rock hard and at its full 4.875 inches. I was ready. “Look!” I said, uncovering myself. “Look what you did, Lexi! It worked! That was a great idea, Drake, thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he said, amused. “Now get it in there!”

“Oh this is so exciting!” Lexi squealed, as I climbed on top of her. “It’s really happening! And to think last night I was afraid it never would!”

“Huh? Why?” asked Ryan.

“Well … we almost had an accident,” she said.

I positioned my cock at her vaginal opening, but Ryan’s next words froze my blood.

“He didn’t kiss you, did he?”

“Well, I thought maybe he kissed my boob,” said Lexi, with regrettable honesty, “but he said he didn’t, so…”

“Sorry Marty, but can you get off her for a moment please?” said Ryan in a rather sharp tone.

“What? Are you kidding me?” I protested. The tip of my cock was literally touching the semen leaking out of Lexi’s vagina.

“I’m serious, Marty!” he said. “We need to get to the bottom of this. It’s new information, and Drake and I need to understand what happened exactly. I think you’ll agree that if you fuck Lexi under false pretences, her trust in you will be permanently shattered.”

“What false pretences?” I asked, my cock rapidly wilting. I rocked back on to my knees, and sat up, covering myself with my hands again. “I didn’t kiss her, okay?”

Ryan fetched the Bible from the beside table, and set it down next to me. “Put your hand on that,” he said, “and tell us exactly what happened.”

“Ryan,” said Drake uncomfortably, “is this necessary? I’m happy to take his word for it…”

“Normally I would too,” said Ryan, “but let’s face it, nobody in the history of the planet has had a better reason to lie than Marty, if in fact he did kiss Lexi last night.”

Drake shrugged. “All right, Marty, go on – what happened? Hand on Bible.”

I swallowed nervously, and splayed my fingers on the hard cover of the Bible. How was I going to get out of this? Maybe on a technicality? Ryan and Drake would surely have a little mercy on me, under the circumstances. But I had to downplay it. “Uh,” I began, “well, you see, when Lexi was giving me that lap dance, she kinda pulled my head against her chest, and my face was, uh, between her boobs … and … uh … I turned my head a bit, and maybe, uh, my lips might have briefly touched her skin, a bit…”

Ryan shook his head sorrowfully. “Oh dear,” he said. “Oh Marty.”

Lexi sat up, looking shocked. “But … you said you didn’t!”

“I didn’t kiss you!” I said defensively. “Not really – not properly.”

“But under the terms of the oath you swore, Marty, you weren’t allowed go touch any part of Lexi’s body with your lips, until Pastor John said ‘you may now kiss the bride’. The penalty for breaking that oath, which you agreed to, was to never, ever have sex with Lexi.”

“Oh, Marty!” said Lexi, her expression tragic.

“But you can’t possibly hold me to that!” I said desperately. “She’s my wife! I can’t go through life never having sex with my wife!”

“Never having sex with anyone,” Ryan corrected me. “Didn’t you vow to forsake all others this morning?”

I grabbed my hair with both hands. “Oh god, this is a nightmare!”

“I’m not going to hold you to anything,” Ryan went on. “If you want to break your oath, that’s up to you. But I’m pretty sure that Lexi takes oaths seriously, and I thought you did too.”

“I do!” I wailed. “But this one … it’s too much!”

“You’re either an oath-keeper or an oath-breaker,” said Ryan. “And I think you know in your heart that you’re an oath-keeper. For what it’s worth, though, once you get used to the idea, I think you’ll see there’s a silver lining to this.”

“A silver lining!” I exclaimed. “What possible silver lining could there be to this disaster?”

Ryan shrugged. “Oh, I don’t know, the fact that you’ll never have to worry about catching an STI off Lexi? Or the fact that she’ll never have to compare your lovemaking skills to those of any other man?”

“That’s small consolation!” I said. I uttered a groan of despair. “Lexi, I knew it was a long shot for me to father your first baby. But I was hoping I’d rather at least one child with you, someday!”

Lexi looked at me sadly. Then she leaned forward, and took my hand in hers. “Darling, I was hoping that too. But … I believe everything happens for a reason. Maybe … just maybe … this will actually turn out to be a good thing.”

I stared at her. “What? How could this be good? I’m your husband! I’m supposed to be, like, the number one man in your life! I know lots of other men are going to be having sex with you in the future, but … I ought to get top priority! I should be … special!”

She smiled at me sympathetically. “Maybe … what’s special about you … is that you’re the one man who I know will never have sex with me. The one man I can be totally comfortable with. The one man who I can trust not to climb on top of me and stick his cock in me.”

“I’m not sure that’s very special,” I said morosely. “You like it when men stick their cocks in you.”

“Well, that’s true,” she conceded. “But I do get sore after a while. Honestly … it’s almost a relief to know that I won’t be having any more sex tonight. The thought of just lying in bed with you, and cuddling with you … it’s actually quite nice!”

My heart sank. “You’re okay with this, then? You’re okay with the idea of me never having sex with you?”

She squeezed my hand. “Yes – I think so,” she said. “And hopefully you can learn to be okay with it too. After all, there’s other things we can do – like blowjobs.”

“Nope,” I said sadly. “Under the terms of the deal, oral and anal sex count as sex. Even handjobs are off limits.”

“Bro,” said Drake, shaking his head. “You really fucked up.”

Only Ryan looked happy. “You can always masturbate,” he said cheerfully. “And when all’s said and done, you’re still Lexi’s husband – a fact which confers a whole lot of bragging rights. You don’t have to tell people you’re not allowed to fuck her.”

I glared at him. “That doesn’t make me feel any better, Ryan. The fact is, this is a complete disaster. There’s no point pretending it isn’t. But it is what it is, and I’m going to have to live with it. Now, I believe the two of you have no more reason to be here, so if appreciate it if you could go on home, and let me spend the rest of the night with my wife.”

“Yeah, we can do that,” said Drake. “Come on, Ryan, let’s go home.”

They left, and Lexi and I both got ready for bed. Climbing under the covers together, we kissed and snuggled for a while. But when my hand drifted too close to the front of her panties, she stopped me. “If I’m not allowed to give you handjobs, are you allowed to rub my pussy?”

“No,” I had to admit.

“Then you’d best keep your hands above the waistband of my panties,” she said gently.

“All right,” I said grudgingly. “Why are you wearing panties, though? I thought you were sleeping naked these days?”

“Just for extra protection,” she said, kissing my nose. “In case you get too tempted. I’ll still sleep naked with Ryan and Drake.”

“I can behave!” I said, feeling a little offended. “You don’t need extra protection.”

“I’m sure that’s true,” she said soothingly. “But I don’t want to take any chances. I don’t want to risk Ryan banning you from sleeping with me at all.”

“He … he can’t do that,” I said, unnerved.

“Not explicitly,” she agreed. “But you know how persuasive he is. Look how he’s already banned you from having sex with me. I mean, yes, you sort of banned yourself … but it wouldn’t have happened without Ryan making bets and deals with you. I just don’t want to give him a reason to manipulate us into permanently sleeping apart.”

I shuddered. “Neither do I,” I said. It sounded only too plausible. “All right, the panties stay on.”

We held each other for a while, until I realised she had fallen asleep. I was not surprised; she had been through a lot today. For a moment I considered whether I could get away with reaching into her panties and slipping a finger into her vagina … but I quickly dismissed this idea. For one thing, it would be a huge betrayal of Lexi’s trust … and for another, Ryan was right about me: I did take my oaths seriously. But the knowledge that I would never be allowed to do something so simple, something that any other husband in the world wouldn’t think twice about doing … made me feel desperately sad.

I cried myself to sleep.

AFTERMATH

And just like that, our wedding night was over. I awoke to find Lexi smiling at me. “Good morning, husband,” she said happily.

“Good morning, wife,” I replied.

“We’d better order breakfast,” she said. “We have to be out of here within an hour or we’ll be late for work.”

“Ugh, work,” I said, grimacing. “Okay.”

This time, I answered the door when room service knocked. We ate our breakfast together in bed, and then I had my shower. Lexi had already showered while I slept. When I left the bathroom, I found her already wearing a sheer crop top, a clean thong, and a pair of sneakers. She looked so good that I found myself becoming erect.

She looked down at my cock with a wistful expression. “Shame I can’t help you with that,” he he said.

“Yeah,” I agreed unhappily. “I guess I can just take care of it myself…”

“Okay!” she said brightly. “Oh – what if I touch myself while you watch and masturbate? Would you like that?”

“Yeah!” I said. “That would be great.”

Lexi slipped off her panties and lay back on the bed, spreading her legs and rubbing her clit with her middle finger while I pumped my rigid member. “This is the first time I’ve done this myself,” she confessed. “It feels … strange.”

“Can I cum on your pussy?” I asked hopefully.

She bit her lip. “I think that might count as a form of sex,” she said. “In fact, even watching each other masturbate might. We should probably get a ruling on it from Ryan.”

I scowled. “I really don’t think so. But I guess I can cum in a tissue, just in case.”

I did so, and Lexi put her panties back on. “I texted Drake while you were in the shower,” she said. “He’ll be waiting for us outside by the time we get downstairs.”

I got dressed. Lexi had already packed. “That’s it, then, I guess,” I said, looking regretfully at the bed. “It wasn’t quite the wedding night I hoped for.”

“I know,” she said, squeezing my arm. “I’m sorry. And I know we won’t get to sleep together again for two weeks. But after that, I look forward to many more nights together!”

I smiled at her. “Me too.”

Drake drove us home. He offered to drive us to work as well, but Lexi had made a promise to Colin, and there was no question of her not keeping it. So she took off her top, tied a ribbon around her breasts, and accompanied me to the bus stop. After we boarded, Colin and his friends surrounded her and shepherded her to the back of the bus, where they took turns fucking her. She acquired two new contacts for her phone, and managed to get both her thong and the ribbon back.

When we got to work, Doug called her into his office, and fucked her on his desk. Then he sent her to work at her own desk in just her thong. Aaron sat with her and molested her for a while, and then Doug took her out on another vendor visit. He pimped her out to a couple of executives in return for a considerable reduction in the cost of their services.

I had been hoping to have lunch with Lexi, but Doug had apparently promised her as a lunch date for Grant, his boss. So when noon came around, Grant took her to a restaurant, and then fucked her in his car. Afterwards she went for her usual walk in the woods, where of course she met up with Aaron, who had sex with her by the lake.

Later, at Futureland, Bo fucked her, then pimped her out for erotic photo shoots with a string of men who all ended up cumming inside her, and adding their contact info to her phone. She offered herself to Doobie, too, but he graciously declined, telling her he didn’t want to make her any more sore than she already was. He also once again professed his love for her, and she tearfully told him she loved him too. They enjoyed a naked makeout session together, and then she sucked him dry.

I picked her up and took her home on the bus, but Arnie boarded with us – he had figured out this was a good way of fucking Lexi without having to pay full price for a photo shoot. He offered to pay her the five dollars Bo was giving her for each session, plus an extra five for ‘overtime pay’. I let Lexi make the call, and she agreed to his terms.

We had dinner at home, and played some Minecraft together for a few minutes before she went off with Ryan to do some camgirl stuff on the ModelBiz website. I was not too happy about this, but it sounded like she could actually make pretty good money from it. Later she went to Patrick’s apartment to shower and have sex with him. When she returned, she had sex with first Ryan and then Drake, with whom she spent the night.

Tuesday was a little better; Doug didn’t have another vendor visit lined up. He did however fuck her in his office, and then, just for kicks I guess, he asked her to work at her desk naked. She did so without complaint, and Aaron took full advantage: he actually managed to fuck her, right there in her cube. It didn’t bother me especially; I was just idly hoping Doug would catch him in the act, and fire him. But that did not happen.

At lunchtime I accompanied Lexi to her appointment with Doctor Johnson. The horny old man did not even pretend she was there for a medical purpose – he just asked her to undress and lie on the exam table, and then he fucked her, right in front of me. Afterwards he set up a regular appointment schedule for her to visit him every Tuesday and Friday.

And so our lives went on. Every day was filled with lots of sex for Lexi, and none at all for me. Lexi tried her best to bolster my spirits, but I found myself depressed and moody most of the time. My only consolation was the thought that after two weeks of marriage, we would finally get to resume spending our nights sleeping together.

But towards the end of the first week, Ryan suggested that Lexi was getting so much sex during the day that it was unfair to expect her to have sex with both him and Drake at night. He proposed that whoever was sleeping with her each night should be the only one to fuck her. Drake agreed with this plan, and on Monday night, she had sex only with Drake, before falling asleep in his arms. The next morning, he fucked her again. On Tuesday night, Ryan did the same.

The problem was, this quickly became a habit. And on the following Monday, she fell asleep after having sex with Drake, and I fell asleep while waiting for her to join me. The next morning, when I forlornly asked why she had not come to bed with me, she apologised profusely and explained that she was always exhausted at nighttime.

Then Ryan suggested that it was only natural for Lexi to spend the night with the man she had just been fucked by … particularly since they would no doubt be fucking again in the morning. He said it just wasn’t practical for Lexi to have to get up and go to another bed after having been fucked to exhaustion, and then to have to go back again for a morning fuck. He made a clear, concise, and persuasive argument that Lexi should just sleep with whoever’s turn it was to fuck her.

I strongly resisted this proposal, of course – as did Lexi, which made me happy. But on Tuesday night, after he had sex with her, Ryan persuaded her to stay and cuddle with him for a while … and of course she ended up falling asleep. Tired of waiting, I angrily marched into his room, only to have him shush me and whisper that I shouldn’t disturb Lexi’s much-needed rest. Fuming, I returned to my room … and that was pretty much that. The incident strengthened Ryan’s case, and he got Lexi to reluctantly agree that she might as well spend the night with whichever of my friends had just cum inside her.

I suppose, even then, I was holding on to some forlorn hope that things would eventually change for the better. But my lonely nights continued, and the weeks turned into months.

By this time we had confirmed with a test that Lexi was indeed pregnant. Two months in, Marcel’s brother René drew a blood sample from Lexi, and took it away for testing. The following Monday, he called Lexi with the result. Since we had previously agreed that we wanted to find out together, she asked him to come around that evening.

Sitting in the living room, we waited with bated breath. Lexi was sitting naked on the couch between Ryan and Drake, each of them holding one of her hands. I, obviously with no chance of being the father, sat in the armchair. René sat on another chair, holding an envelope.

“I know what’s in here, of course,” he said. “But this contains the proof of what I am about to tell you: the identity of the father of Lexi’s child.”

I bit my lip. I was almost hoping it would not be either Ryan or Drake – I was looking forward to seeing the disappointment on their faces. But on the other hand, it would make things much simpler if it was indeed one of them. And some of the alternatives were far less palatable.

“Please be me, please be me, please be me,” Ryan muttered, and I suddenly realised just how much this meant to him – to father the first baby of the woman he loved. Drake, on the other hand, remained quiet … but I could see he was clenching his teeth in anticipation.

“Nathaniel Lockwood,” said René.

I blinked.

“Who the fuck is that?” asked Ryan, looking dismayed and grumpy.

“Oh, he’s one of the men who had sex with me in Malik’s apartment!” said Lexi. “You know, after our joint bachelor-bachelorette party? I remember him – he was so grateful! I felt quite sorry for him. I think he hadn’t even touched a woman for many years.”

“Goddammit,” muttered Ryan.

“Right there with you, bro,” Drake admitted. “Dang, I really thought I had pretty good odds.”

“Well, we don’t need to tell him,” I said. “It’ll only complicate things. It doesn’t really matter who the father is; Lexi and I will raise the child as our own.”

“Oh, but we have to tell him!” said Lexi earnestly. “You can’t keep a thing like that from someone. He has a right to know that he has a kid out there, somewhere. And to have some kind of involvement in the kid’s life, if he wants.”

“But he’s homeless!” I said. “What kind of contribution can he possibly make to the child’s upbringing?”

“We should give him a chance!” said Lexi. “Maybe it’ll be the incentive he needs to turn his life around. And it’s not just about responsibilities; it’s about rights. The two things go hand in hand, sure, but … we can’t just leave him in the dark.”

“But how do you see it working?” asked Ryan doubtfully. “I mean, let’s assume he manages somehow to get a job, rent a small apartment perhaps … are you going to let him share custody of the baby?”

Lexi looked troubled. “Well, no…”

“He’d have a lot of work to do, to show he was ready for that,” Drake said, “but we wouldn’t need to go there at all. Legally, the baby will be yours and Marty’s. If this Nathaniel wants to be involved in some way, he could start by making small financial contributions to her upbringing. In return, maybe – if you’re willing – you could maybe consider supervised visits.”

“That sounds reasonable,” said Lexi. “What do you think, Marty?”

I sighed. I didn’t even want to meet the guy, let alone let him into our lives. “I guess so,” I said reluctantly.

So we tracked him down, using the phone number he had given Lexi, which turned out to belong to a homeless shelter. We found the lanky black fifty-year-old huddled up in a threadbare blanket at the end of an alley; he was barely coherent, and running a fever.

“Oh, we have to look after him!” said Lexi. “What if he dies out here in the cold? It’ll be winter soon – look at his clothes! We have to help him!”

“Can we drop him off at a hospital?” I suggested.

“Who would pay for his treatment?” asked Drake.

“We would, of course!” said Lexi.

“Cheaper if we just bring him home for a couple days, until he gets better,” said Drake. “I’m sure it’s nothing too serious, but being out here in the cold ain’t gonna help him.”

“Where are we going to put him?” I asked unhappily. I had a nasty feeling I was about to lose my room again and have to sleep on the couch.

“On the couch, of course,” said Drake. “It’ll be like luxury for him after sleeping rough for who knows how long.”

“Yeah, okay, fair enough,” I said.

So Nathaniel – or Nate, as he liked to be called – came home with us and slept on the couch for a couple of nights. Drake’s instinct had been correct; his fever broke the following day, and he perked up enough to join us for meals and take part in conversation. He was very appreciative of the food we gave him, and very complimentary toward Lexi. When he saw how Ryan and Drake treated her, he quickly discovered that he could get away with doing the same; she seemed to have unlimited tolerance for hugs, kisses, and gropings … and when he politely asked if he could have sex with her, she did not have the heart to refuse him.

It would be an understatement to say that he was delighted to hear he was going to be a dad was an understatement. He was already a father, to three grown-up kids he had not heard from in years, but he was very excited at the news that he was going to have another biological child. While acknowledging that we did not owe him anything, he said he would do his best to clean himself up and be worthy to take some small part in the child’s life.

On the third day, kitted out in a new outfit cobbled together from Drake’s and my old clothes, Nate left us and went back on the street. Lexi was sad to see him go, but Ryan and I persuaded her that he could not feasibly stay with us long-term. The apartment was crowded enough as it was, and we had her baby to think of.

In fact, it had become rather obvious that we needed more space. Ryan had been keeping his eye open for good deals on larger apartments, and a few days after Nate’s stay, he found a place that would suit us. It had four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a good-sized kitchen, and a pretty decent view of the river. We paid it a visit, and all of us liked it a lot.

A week later we settled up with our current landlord, Benny, and arranged our move. One of Antwan’s friends had a big truck, into which we were able to fit most of our stuff, and on a sunny Saturday morning, nearly three months after our wedding, we left our apartment for the last time, and moved into the new place. The landlord, Keith, was a bit of a sleazeball who made no secret of his interest in Lexi, and I got the feeling he would soon be making a move on her. By this time I was well aware of how that would go, and I had long since lost the courage and willpower to fight it. He would fuck her, as much as he wanted to, and I would just stand back and let it happen.

A month later we had a cold snap. Lexi was worried about Nate, and she and Drake went out to find him. They found him nursing a nasty cold, and Lexi insisted on bringing him home again. Since we now had four bedrooms, we were able to give him his own room … and after a couple of days, Lexi persuaded the rest of us to make his stay permanent. I did point out that his bedroom was supposed to be the baby’s, but Lexi said that we had several months to figure something out, and if we had to, we could get a futon for the living room. None of us men liked that idea, though; it was not a good long-term solution.

Nate lost no opportunity to have sex with Lexi, and although he seemed in no hurry to find himself a job, he cleaned himself up enough for his presence not to be objectionable. And then, one evening after a few drinks, he suggested putting himself into the rotation as Lexi’s sleep partner. Drake and Ryan were not entirely happy about this, but when Lexi suggested that she would happily have sex with them outside of bedtime if they really needed it, they reluctantly agreed. That night, Lexi slept with Nate, and since his room was next to mine, I could hear him take full advantage of her naked body throughout the night. The man had impressive stamina for his age.

I found myself resenting his presence more and more. Granted, he was the father of Lexi’s baby, but that was a pure accident of timing; he had no right, in my view, to equal time with her. I didn’t mind living with Ryan and Drake – I had been doing so long before Lexi moved in – but I had no desire for this interloper to join our small circle.

So I began doing my own apartment search, in secret, in the hopes of finding a cheap single-bedroom place for Nate to stay in. A couple of months ago, this would have been unthinkable, but our finances were finally starting to look up. Lexi was now making some decent money, thanks to her ModelBiz work with Ryan as well as the pay bump she had received from becoming Doug’s official assistant (still only part-time, but with the expectation that she would be available for weekend work if necessary – which Doug ensured happened every weekend). I felt we could afford to set Nate up in his own place, and if I could seal the deal before anyone could object, I hoped I could sell it to both Lexi and Nate. I did not think Ryan or Drake would object.

It took over a month, but I managed to find what I was looking for. It was not in the best part of town, but it was cheap, and it would serve Nate well, I thought. I signed on the dotted line, and then, that evening – it was a Friday night – I got everyone together in the living room to make my announcement.

It was now late March, and Lexi was seven months pregnant. Her belly was getting quite big, but that had not impacted her ModelBiz earnings in the slightest, nor had it apparently diminished her appeal with horny men she met while out in public. The winter months had caused her to wear heavier clothing while outside, out of necessity, but she refused to fully cover her panties even on the coldest of mornings. Now that the weather was beginning to warm up, she was gradually going back to wearing as little as possible.

Sitting on Nate’s lap, with Ryan and Drake on either side, she looked at me expectantly. “What’s this all about, Marty?” asked Drake.

I smiled. “I know I should probably have consulted with you all first, but I wanted it to be a surprise. Nate … I’ve rented an apartment for you. It’s very reasonable, and of course we’ll pay your rent – at least for a while, until you get a job and can earn your own money. But … think of it! Your own place! Some autonomy at last!”

They all stared at me. “Uh, yeah Marty, you really should have talked to us about this first,” said Ryan.

“You want Nate to move out?” asked Lexi. “But … he’s part of our family now!”

“Well … not really,” I said. “Look, Nate, it’s nothing personal … but when the baby comes, we’ll need the extra room. And you just don’t have the history that the rest of us have. We were already a tight-knit group before you moved in, and, well … no offence, but you’re kind of the odd man out here. I think it’ll do you good to be in a place of your own.”

“Oh, I don’t think so, Marty!” said Lexi earnestly. “He doesn’t do well on his own. He needs us. He needs me! And, honestly, I enjoy having him around.”

“Frankly, Marty,” said Ryan matter-of-factly, “if anyone should move out, it should be you. I know you’re Lexi’s husband, on paper, but let’s face it, you spend less time with her than any of us. I’m not sure we’d even notice if you moved out. I mean, what time do you spend with Lexi other than the occasional game of Minecraft?”

I stared at him in horror. This conversation had taken an unexpected and alarming turn. “But I’m her husband! I’m the one she loves the most!”

“You really are, Marty,” Lexi agreed. “Ryan’s just making a point – that Nate deserves to be here as much as anyone.”

“Actually, no,” said Ryan. “I’m being serious. And the more I think about it, the more I think it’s a good idea. I know you love Marty, but he’s become kinda superfluous around here. Would you honestly notice if he moved out, and just joined us here for dinner and the occasional movie or game of Minecraft? When was the last time you were even in his room?”

Lexi looked shocked. But I could tell she was thinking seriously about his words.

“Oh come on!” I said, my face growing hot. “You can’t really expect me to move out! My name’s on the lease, for fuck’s sake! And I’m your best friend, Ryan! Aren’t I?”

Ryan shrugged. “I kinda think of Lexi as my best friend now,” he said. “But even if you were my best friend … that doesn’t mean we need to live together. We did so because it meant we could afford a decent apartment. But to be honest, we don’t really need your contribution anymore. You’ve just rented another apartment – okay, great, go live there. You can still come over and see Lexi from time to time. But she should live with whoever she’s sleeping with – and that’s me, Drake, and Nate.”

“I hate to say it,” said Drake, “but you got a point, Ryan. We need to start decorating the baby’s room pretty soon, which means freeing up one of our bedrooms. And I agree – Nate shouldn’t be the one to move out. He’s the biological father, after all.”

“Thanks Drake,” said Nate, and the two of them fist-bumped.

“All those in favour of Marty moving out?” said Ryan. He raised his own hand, and then Nate raised his. After a moment’s hesitation, Drake raised his too.

“Not me!” said Lexi, looking anxious. “I think Marty should stay.”

“You’re out-voted, though,” said Ryan gently. “You know this is how we make decisions, honey. So I’m afraid that settles it, Marty. We’d like you to move out, please – as soon as possible.”

“What?” I said desperately. “I can’t believe you all want me to leave! I thought you were my friends!”

“We’re still your friends, Marty,” said Drake gently. “But you gotta admit, you’ve been kind of a toxic presence around here lately. Always complaining, always with the sarcastic comments, not doing your fair share of the chores…”

“Well excuse me if I’ve been a little depressed!” I said. “I think I have good reason to be!”

“Yeah, it’s understandable,” Drake conceded. “But you’re kind of a bummer to be around now. And I’m not sure that energy is going to be healthy for Lexi’s baby.”

“Maybe he can change,” said Lexi hopefully.

“Maybe,” said Ryan. “But clearly it’s not doing him any good to be around us – to watch his three roommates fucking his wife every day. I think maybe some time away from us will do him good – get him to rethink his life and try to, you know, work on some personal growth.”

To my dismay, Lexi nodded. “Maybe you’re right,” she said. “Marty … I love you … but perhaps you might be better off in that apartment you just rented.”

“But … it’s horrible!” I protested.

“You wanted me to move into a horrible apartment?” Nate inquired. “Jeez.”

“Well it’s not all that bad,” I hastily backtracked. “But it’s not as nice as this place. Still better than being on the street!”

“Maybe you can spruce it up a bit,” Drake suggested.

“We’ll help you move out tomorrow,” said Ryan. “It’s a Saturday, and the weather will be nice – good day for a move, I think.”

I felt my blood beginning to boil. I rose to my feet, shaking with anger. “You asshole!” I shouted. “You’ve been planning all this, haven’t you? Ever since I brought Lexi into this apartment! You’ve been taking her away from me, piece by piece, and now you’re stopping me from even living with her! Some ‘friend’ you turned out to be! I bet you even cheated at poker, too, just so I wouldn’t win any of those bets!”

“Take it easy, Marty,” said Ryan. “You’re starting to sound paranoid.”

“Oh no, I’m not paranoid!” I snarled. “I’m just finally seeing everything clearly. Seeing what a vile, manipulative snake you are!”

“Marty, please!” said Lexi in distress.

“Well I’m glad we’re finally getting to meet the real you,” said Ryan coolly. “You’re just confirming that kicking you out is the right decision.”

“You fucker!” I yelled, attacking him with my fists. Lexi screamed. I managed to land one good punch before Drake had me pinned on the floor with a knee in my back.

“Jesus!” said Ryan, clutching his cheek. “That’s it. He has to go – tonight! And frankly, I think he should be banned from even visiting us here!”

“No, Ryan, please, he’s my husband!” said Lexi. “But I do agree he ought to go live in his own place for now. It’ll give him time to think.”

I groaned. Now even Lexi wanted me to move out. “Fine, I’ll go,” I said miserably. “If nobody wants me here, I might as well just leave. But please don’t ban me from coming over here at all. If I don’t get to spend even a little time each day with my wife, I really have no more reason to live.”

“Hmm,” said Ryan. “Personally I think Lexi should divorce you – or even just annul the marriage. After all, you’re pretty much the most pointless husband in history. But she still loves you, for some reason, and wants to stay married to you … so I guess I’m willing to let you visit each day, on a probationary basis.”

Drake let me up, and I retreated to the armchair, rubbing my back. “Thank you,” I muttered. “Can we please do the move tomorrow, though? It’s getting late.”

“You gonna behave?” asked Drake.

“Yes!” I said irritably. “I’ll behave.”

And so, the following day, I moved into the apartment I’d rented. It was even worse than I’d thought, with cockroaches and mould and malfunctioning appliances and aggressively loud neighbours. The irony of my having intended for Nate to live here, only to be forced to live here myself, did not escape me.

“Don’t come over tonight,” said Ryan, after he and Drake had brought over the last of my things. “Take a day to get used to this place. Tomorrow evening, call me, and we’ll see. But I think it’ll do you good to go 24 hours without seeing Lexi.”

“I’ll be seeing her at church,” I pointed out.

“Oh,” he said. “Well, whatever. I figure you won’t be seeing much of her. She’ll be in the choir, you’ll be in the congregation … and afterwards, she’ll be gangbanged in the treasury by Derek and Eddie and Maurice and whoever else pays Derek to fuck her. Don’t hang around to wait for her and walk her home. She can call me or Drake.”

“Fine,” I said sullenly.

He looked around. “Well, have fun here. Looks like you’ll have some company, at least.”

“Too bad it had to work out this way,” said Drake. “Good luck, bro.” He extended his hand, and I shook it.

“Thanks,” I said uncomfortably. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He nodded. “Well … bye then.”

The two of them left, and I spent some time unpackIng. Then I sat down, and updated the journal I had been keeping on my phone ever since Lexi first moved in with me and Ryan and Drake. I began re-reading it from the beginning. How happy I had been back then! How full of optimism and excitement for our future together. How had it all gone so wrong?

I decided to try fleshing it out into a full-blown narrative. Perhaps it would provide some insights, and help me to understand better the mistakes I had made and how I might fix them.

For the rest of the day, I wrote, and wrote. I wrote like a man possessed. I wrote late into the night, and when I woke up on Sunday morning, I wrote some more. And at some point along the way, I had a flash of inspiration. An idea for how I could fix things. It was a long shot, but I felt it was worth taking.

Hurrying to Heavenquest, I waited by the door for Lexi. She arrived in Drake’s car, got out, and smiled happily when she saw me. She was wearing a sheer tube top and a thong, with sandals, and looked absolutely beautiful, even with her large pregnant belly.

I put my arms around her, and kissed her. “Oh Lexi, I missed you!”

“Me too!” she said. “I’ve been so worried about you. How are you holding up?”

“Fine, fine,” I said. “But listen – I’m going to come over for dinner tonight, and I have a plan to fix everything!”

“Fix … everything?” she asked, her eyes wide. “How?”

“You’ll see,” I said with a smile.

I did not see much of her after that. I could see her in the choir stalls, of course, getting undressed by Maurice and Eddie, and I caught a glimpse of her at the end of the service as the two horny old men hurried her back to the treasury, but I did not get to talk to her again before I left and headed back to my new apartment.

The rest of the day passed painfully slowly; I spent most of it writing. Then, at four o’clock, I called Lexi. “Hi darling,” I said. “Okay if I come over?”

“Oh … let me check,” she said. A moment later, I heard her talking to Ryan. Then she came back on the phone. “You can come at six o’clock, Ryan says. Not before.”

I ground my teeth a little, but said, “Okay – I’ll see you then.”

I dutifully knocked on the door of my old apartment at six on the dot. Drake let me in, and I was treated to the unpleasant sight of Lexi bouncing up and down on Nate’s cock as he sat on the couch. “Oh, hi darling!” she said breathlessly.

Ryan approached me, looking wary. “Hey Marty,” he said. “Lexi says you have some kind of plan?”

I nodded. “I do,” I said. “And here it is: Ryan, how would you like to play a hand of poker with me, for old time’s sake?”

He raised an eyebrow. “That’s your plan?” he asked. “To gamble your way back in here?”

“Dude, I have nothing left to lose!” I told him. “I might as well give myself a chance – and frankly, the universe owes me a little luck!”

Ryan chuckled. “Well, I’m up for it. One hand? Okay, let’s do it.” He fetched a deck of cards, and we sat down across from each other, with the coffee table between us. “Wanna shuffle?” he said. Then, as he was handing me the deck, he suddenly changed his mind. “Not that I don’t trust you, but … Drake, would you mind shuffling?”

Drake sighed, and shook his head. “Sure,” he said. “What are you betting on?”

“If I win,” I said, “I get to move back in here, and I go into the rotation. One night out of every four with Lexi. No sex – I understand that – but at least I’ll get some quality time with her.”

“And if you lose?” Ryan inquired.

I bit my lip. “I, uh, well, I have to keep living in my new apartment.”

Ryan shook his head. “You stand to gain a lot, and lose nothing,” he said. “I think the stakes should be a little higher. If you lose, Marty, your marriage to Lexi becomes entirely platonic. No kissing, no cuddling, no sweet talk. No more my darlings or I love yous.”

I stared at him in dismay. “That would be awful! Unbearable!”

He shrugged. “That’s the deal. I thought about saying you couldn’t ever come over again, but I think this is better. We might still ban you from coming over, if you misbehave at all.”

Drake finished shuffling. “Are we doing this?”

“Oh … Marty … don’t!” said Lexi breathlessly. She was now bending over the couch, and Nate was fucking her from behind.

I pursed my lips. “Let’s do it. I feel lucky.”

Drake dealt. I looked at my cards, and kept a straight face. I had a pair of twos, and nothing else to work with. I tossed in the other three cards, and got three new ones. Ryan exchanged two of his.

My heart pounding, I looked at my new cards … and my heart leapt. Another two! I had three of a kind!

“All right, let’s see ‘em,” said Ryan.

I laid down my cards. “Three twos!” I said, while anxiously watching his face to gauge his reaction.

Drake was also looking at Ryan. “Come on bro, don’t keep us in suspense,” he said.

Ryan smirked.

THE END


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