“Nice to meet you,” he said, returning Karl’s handshake. “I’m Liam and this is Jeremy. Glad we could be of help.”
Karl nodded at Jeremy in greeting. “Well, you two definitely have good timing. This is our practice target for the hunters this weekend. Charlie there took the photo.” He pointed to a middle-aged man at the other end of the frame, who was mopping his forehead with a tissue. “He had the ladies in it at carefully measured distances from the camera. We can then mark the shoot line back that same distance from the frame and have the ranges to sight in the paintball guns. When we start the hunt the guys will shoot for their position.”
“I get it.” Jeremy glanced at the picture with a new appreciation. “Nice plan. But won’t the first few shooters ruin the target?”
“Nope.” Karl grinned. “The material he printed the picture on is pretty tough and can be hosed off between shots if necessary. It should work out pretty well, and we can keep it around for playing with later.”
“This is going to be an awesome weekend,” Jeremy crowed in delight, smacking Liam on the shoulder. “When can we get started? You can never get too much target practice.”
“I’m sorry.” Liam shook his head. “You’ll have to excuse my friend. He was raised by rabid wolverines and has no social graces to speak of.”
Laughing, Karl clapped Liam on the arm. “No worries. I assume you’re here for the human fox hunt this weekend?”
“You bet we are,” Jeremy said excitedly. “We weren’t sure exactly what it was, but if those are a sample of the ‘foxes,’ this is going to be the best weekend ever.”
Karl chuckled as he glanced back at the picture. “You’re in luck. Two of these girls will be participating, and we’re hoping to get a few more tomorrow. With multiple foxes we should be able to run several hunts. Here, let me introduce you around.”
Karl walked with Liam and Jeremy to the opposite end of the target, where the other three men were inspecting the connection point of the frame to the post in the ground. “Gentlemen, this is my partner Brad, our local contracting genius Dennis, and the man responsible for the target, Charlie Wayne. Guys, this is Liam and Jeremy. If I remember correctly from their applications they are from down south in Fresno.”
“We are,” Liam agreed, lifting a hand in greeting. “Hey, guys.”
“Yo, dudes.” Jeremy echoed his friend good-naturedly, although his eyes were still riveted on the picture.
The one called Charlie was looking at them both with a kind of hungry expression that made Liam feel distinctly uneasy. He debated giving the guy his cop stare, but there didn’t seem to be any real reason to get aggressive with him—yet.
Charlie licked his lips slightly. “Excuse me, but have you two ever done any modeling?”
“Any what?” Jeremy’s head whipped around from the canvas, his eyes narrowing and a frown creasing his forehead.
“Any modeling,” Charlie repeated easily, giving Liam a conspiratorial grin. “Fetish modeling.”
“No,” Liam said slowly, putting a hand on Jeremy’s arm, which had tensed. “Can’t say that I have. I don’t pretend to know what Jeremy here does in his spare time, though.”
Charlie laughed and nodded at Karl. Liam looked them over. Charlie had no chance against either him or his partner if he tried anything funny. Brad was thin but athletic. Karl and Dennis were both big guys. Still, he was sure if it came down to it, he and Jeremy could take them. No chance there was going to be a Deliverance-style weekend here.
“Charlie’s always looking for new models,” Karl clarified, as if he had read Liam’s thoughts. “Especially males.”
Liam relaxed a bit. “I don’t think it would be a good idea,” he said finally. “Chief probably wouldn’t approve.”
Karl nodded and Charlie clucked his tongue. “Too bad. You guys definitely have the look for it. Let me know if you change your minds.”
“Sorry.” Liam tried to look apologetic. “Maybe in our next careers.”
“Do you guys want a quick tour?” Brad grinned at them, gesturing around. “Allie will show you the house, but we have a really nice dungeon in the barn here.”
“Really?” That got Jeremy’s attention. He waved a hand to the other men as he and Liam followed Brad to the large red barn. “Catch you later.”
“Nice equipment,” Jeremy said, wandering around the spacious main room with its collection of bondage tables, suspension rings, crosses, and spanking benches. “Everything a self-respecting dungeon should have.”
“Yep.” Brad looked around with pride. “It doubles as a photography studio. Charlie’s been doing more and more shoots here. I think the one he wanted you for was the upcoming Rent-a-Dom Weekend. Here, look at this.” He stopped next to a large upright cross propped against one wall. “This is going to be a flying cross, once we figure a good way to get it up into a tree. I don’t think it’ll be that hard, especially with Dennis’s help. It’s just a matter of getting it outside and starting to experiment.”
“Cool.” Jeremy stepped up and ran a hand over the heavy-looking piece. “When are you going to be doing that?”
“As soon as we get time,” Brad said. “There’s just been too much to do with the fox hunt to get to it yet. But we do need to get things set up for the bonfire, suspension demo, and submissive drum circle in the next couple of days. We could really use some more help around here. I wonder how we would advertise for that?”
* * * *
“Oh, man. What a day.” Carly wearily wiped off the counter and tossed her towel into the sink. “If you’ll get us a drink, I’ll lock the door before anyone else comes in.”
“Sounds good. My feet are killing me. Did you want a coffee or a Coke?” Ginny asked.
“Coffee, please. I need the pick-me-up.”
“Gotcha.” Ginny brought the half-full pot and two cups to one of the booths and slid onto the bench seat.
“Can you believe today? First that business with the purse thieves and the two cute guys that chased them down, then the crazy rush after the high-school basketball game. I had hoped to have an easy day since we have to be out at Clifftop early for the fox hunt tomorrow.” Carly took her seat and added creamer to the coffee Ginny pushed to her.
“No—you have to be up early. I’m not going.” Ginny blew lightly across the top of her cup.
“Yes, you are. Remember, Chuck said those cute guys were in town for the hunt. Don’t tell me you didn’t think they were hot. I saw you drooling, so I know better. I still don’t get why you wouldn’t give them your number.”
Ginny shrugged. “Sure, they were kind of sexy, but you know I haven’t gotten involved with anyone since I moved here. I’m horny as hell, but I’m not ready to go through that kind of craziness again.”
Carly took a sip of coffee, narrowing her eyes at her employee. “You never have told me the whole story about what happened in Redding.”
Ginny took a deep breath, held it for a minute, and then let it out in a slow, steady stream. “I was involved with a couple for a short time. Let’s just say it didn’t end well.”
Carly’s eyebrows lifted. “A couple? You’re poly? I didn’t know that. Since there were two of the new guys, that would be perfect.”
“No one here knows, and like I said, I don’t really want to go through that again,” Ginny said, staring into her coffee.
“Come on, Ginny. It can’t have been that bad. Besides, you can’t just leave me hanging. Spill the beans. What happened?”
Ginny hesitated, but it was an obvious relief to have someone to talk to, and after a moment she nodded. “Well, I’ve always believed in the idea of polyamory, but I’d never tried it. My best friends were going through a rough patch in their relationship and thought if they brought me in it would fix things. Needless to say, it didn’t.”
“Oh, honey, it never fixes a damaged relationship.” Carly shook her head. “It can make a healthy one better, but if it isn’t working, bringing in another person only mak
es things worse.”
“Yeah, I know that now. It’s just that I was willing to try anything to help them save their marriage. We thought that since we were already good friends we wouldn’t run into all of the normal jealousy problems. Boy, were we wrong.” Ginny shifted the coffee cup back and forth a few times before she continued. “Cindy and I had never had any issues before. Hell, I practically lived at their house. We always joked that Rick was my husband, too. So when she asked me to join them—and it was her that invited me—I jumped at the chance.”
“So what went wrong?”
“I loved them both and have always been bi-curious, so we thought a threesome would be a good way to test the waters.”
“It didn’t go as planned?”
“Not at all. It started out fantastic, one of the best sexual experiences of my life.” The color started to rise in Ginny’s face, but she continued the tale. “The problems started the next morning. All Cindy could do was cry and look at me like I was trying to steal Rick away from her. She knew that wasn’t true, that I wanted to be with them both, but she just couldn’t let the irrational thoughts go.”
“What did—Rick, right? What did Rick do?”
“He tried his best to make it all work out, but any time he touched me, kissed me, or spent any time with me alone, she would freak out. After a few weeks of that, we had a long talk. It was very emotional and at the end of it she told me that if I really loved them I would leave them alone and let them work on their relationship. So I left. I didn’t want to ruin their marriage. I couldn’t stand to see the hurt in Rick’s eyes or the accusations in Cindy’s so I left town and came here. It’s been a little over six months now but I’m still gun-shy of getting involved with anyone again.”
“Have you spoken to them since?”
“No, but I did talk to a mutual friend a few weeks ago. They’re still together but I can’t bring myself to contact them. I don’t want to get back into that cycle and hurt them all over again.”
Carly refilled both cups. “Well, I don’t know about your couple, but I do know you. If they were that good of friends I bet they would want to know that you’re okay, at the very least.”
“I guess. I’ll think about it.” Ginny stirred in more cream. “You know, the worst part is that I still believe in polyamory as a viable relationship dynamic—in theory, anyway. I just don’t know how to make it work in the real world without all the jealousy. That’s why I’m scared to try it again with these guys, hotties or not. I mean, they carry guns, for God’s sake. Who knows what they would do if they got pissed off at each other?”
“Some people make it work,” Carly pointed out. “Look at Allie and Karl and Brad. There were some issues in the beginning of their relationship, I think, but they’ve managed to figure it out. You were here when my friend Buffy visited and she found her two guys. They’re making it work. Have some faith.”
Ginny sighed. “Maybe if I’d stayed we could have gotten through the rough parts. I just didn’t want to be the reason for them splitting up. Even when it’s consensual and aboveboard, it always looks like ‘the other woman’ came in and ruined the marriage. Other people can’t help but assume that. Besides, she made it pretty clear she was afraid of losing him to me even though neither he nor I wanted that.”
“That’s unfortunate, honey, but you’re probably right. Sometimes it’s just easier to believe the fears than to work on your own issues.” Carly rested her chin in her palm with a thoughtful look. “I don’t think you’re being fair to yourself if you base everything on one bad experience, though. Would you consider trying it again?”
“I don’t know. Sometimes I think so. I’ve always had the fantasy of living in a group of loving and committed adults. There are just so many benefits—if you can work out the kinks.”
Carly gave her a mischievous grin. “Sometimes the kinks are the best part. But I know what you mean. Relationships are always complicated, and when you add more people, the complications get much bigger. Maybe you just haven’t tried the right combination yet. I’m telling you, those new guys looked like they might be used to sharing. Come out with me tomorrow and let’s see what happens.”
Ginny smiled back, looking a little lighter than she had before. “I’ll think about it. I have been incredibly horny since I got here, and it’s not like I’d have to be around them after the weekend if it doesn’t work out, right?”
“Right. They’ll go back to wherever they came from and you’ll have another poly experience under your belt. It’s a win-win.”
Ginny considered it. “I’m not usually the one-night-stand kind of girl, but you might be right. Flirting with them could get the taste of that failed relationship out of my mouth.”
“Especially if it goes well,” Carly agreed. “If they’re just coming to town for the events this week, they’re probably not looking for a committed relationship. You can play with them a little to get your confidence back up. I’m sure they can handle a simple, harmless fling.”
“Okay.” Ginny’s smile got a little broader and her shoulders straightened. “That doesn’t sound too dangerous. I flirt with them, maybe even play a little, then we all go back to our own lives. I think I can deal with that.”
“Of course you can.” Carly stood up, collecting the condiments. “It’ll be good for you. I think it’ll surprise you how much you can handle—and this will be the perfect opportunity to try.”
“Maybe. You never know.”
Chapter 2
“Will you knock it off?” Liam’s growl followed Jeremy down the stairs and into the dining area of Clifftop. “You’re way too cheerful. It’s annoying.”
“Come on, buddy,” Jeremy called back, amused. “It’s a beautiful morning. The sun is singing, the birds are shining, and the hot naked chicks will be here any minute. It’s going to be a great day.”
“Fucking morning people. You should all be shot. Twice.” Liam stomped past his friend toward the table holding the coffee pot.
“Just get some go-juice, you grumpy bastard.”
“I will, thanks—and since I’m on vacation, a donut, too, so there.” Liam sounded a little less grouchy as he approached the spread of pastries and bread on the table. He picked up a donut and eyed it as if trying to decide what kind it was. Then he took a bite and chewed thoughtfully. “Not bad,” he said. “Different, but tasty.”
“They’re good.” Jeremy picked one up, too, and stuffed it into his mouth, barely even chewing in his rush to get outside. “I had four of them before I went back up to motivate your lazy ass. Hurry up. It’s almost time to start the briefing.”
“Go on out. I’ll be there in a minute and you can catch me up on anything I miss.” Liam filled a large Styrofoam cup with steaming dark liquid and took a long, appreciative whiff.
“Okay, but don’t screw around. If there are going to be naked girls in fox costumes I’m not waiting for you,” Jeremy called over his shoulder as he headed out the door.
Surveying the activity in the back yard, Jeremy was surprised to see just how many people were involved in this thing. To his right were a group of people helping a man and a woman into what looked like horse tack. The woman’s jet-black hair was piled high on her head and cascaded down her back, making a very believable mane. Jeremy had to look twice before he saw the tiny, flesh-colored bikini she wore under a series of leather straps. There was also a waist harness with a jutting tail that matched her hair perfectly. He could also see that she had some kind of gloves that made her hands look like hooves. As the others attached the outfit, the woman stood perfectly still, like a well-trained show pony.
The man beside her was a totally different story. Strapped tightly to his skull was a headpiece with a shorter, lighter-colored mane, blinders, and a mouth bit. The two people helping him were struggling to get him to open his mouth and accept the bit while he stomped his right foot and tossed his head in an amazing imitation of a rearing horse.
“Fucking stallions,�
� muttered one of his handlers. “They’re always such a pain to gear up.” He finally managed to swing the blinders into place, and within seconds the man-horse had calmed and was standing placidly as his gear was completed.
“Pretty cool, isn’t it?” Jeremy turned at the voice to see Allie and Karl’s partner, Brad, coming to stand next to him. He knew Brad was an accountant, but he wouldn’t have guessed it by the look of him. He wore cowboy boots, old jeans, and a flannel shirt, and he held himself with the air of someone who was perfectly happy with his life.
Jeremy glanced back at the two horses, which were being petted and groomed now. “I’ll say. Looks like a lot of work to get all that costuming on them. What do they do in the hunt?”
“It is a lot of work, but it helps them get into their headspace when they play. The woman is a title holder, and well-known all over the country. They’re going to transport our foxes to their starting points.”
“Transport them? You mean they’ll be ridden?” Jeremy stared, trying to see if there were going to be saddles involved.
Brad shook his head with a smile. “No, they’re not quite that realistic. You see those carts over there? They’ll pull the ladies in those out to the various play areas so we can get the hunts started. It lets us have them involved, just like the pups over there.” He pointed to a group of three men nearby. The oldest wore blue jeans, black leather boots, and a leather vest, and was strapping knee pads and paw gloves onto two younger, almost naked men. One of them, Jeremy realized with a start, was the officer they’d met earlier at the diner—Chuck, if he remembered correctly. He was certainly out of uniform now. Besides the knee pads and gloves he was only wearing a dark jockstrap and a butt plug tail. As they watched, the older man put a black and tan rubber hood on him, so that his head was shaped like a beagle’s. “What in the world are they doing? Don’t get me wrong. I know in theory about puppy play but we don’t have any in our local community so I haven’t had a chance to see much of it. With this being my first hunt, I don’t know how all the animal players fit into it.”
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