Harem House Chapter 22 (Literotica Version)

"Is this band more rock or country?" Rani asked as she, Selene, and Kat climbed the stairs to Arthur's apartment.

"The band plays both. This is more of a country bar." Selene explained. "They have a mechanical bull and everything, so I expect it will be more country music."

"And you're sure about these clothes?" Rani asked. They came to the third-floor landing, where she waited for Selene to unlock the door. "Is this too much? I feel silly."

Like the others, Rani dressed up for their outing that evening. She didn't have cowgirl boots, so she'd worn mid-calf high heeled boots. With them, she wore long boot-cut jeans that clung to every curve of her thighs, hips, and ample butt, which looked good if she said so herself. Above her jeans, she wore a checkered black and white flannel collar shirt like an open jacket; a white halter crop top beneath it showed off her belly button piercing with its gold dangle.

"You look hot." Selene assured her. "And it's not too much." She glanced at Kat, the most thematic of the three.

"What? You said I looked cute in this!" Kat defended herself to Selene, who had checked her outfit before they left their apartment.

Kat wore a pair of pink cowgirl boots, and tight but otherwise modest white shorts that accentuated her butt, smaller than Rani's but more prominent than Selene's. Tucked into her waistband was a button-up pink and white plaid shirt with the top buttons undone to show her cleavage. The embroidered pink cowgirl hat on her head matched the boots.

"You do." Rani assured her. "Very sexy too."

"It's just..." Selene hesitated.

"Very on theme." Rani volunteered as Selene opened the front door.

Kat shook her head. "Should I leave the hat here? Is it too much?"

"It's a bit much." Selene admitted.

Kat sighed. "Fine. I'll leave it in the car or something." She said as she followed Selene and Rani into the apartment.

Selene had chosen a simpler ensemble for the evening. She wore a black long-sleeve t-shirt that showed off a narrow strip of stomach between it and the ripped-up pair of black denim jeans she wore with it. Her boots were also black, and the open sweater she wore over it all was white, with knitted loops wide enough to show it all off. It was a modest outfit but showed off her body if she ditched the sweater. Her piercings gave her a punk-ish style undermined by her long blonde hair tied back in low pigtail braids that fell all the way to her butt.

Selene also wore the narrow brown leather choker Arthur had given her as her collar. She adamantly refused to take it off. Kat's and Rani's necks were bare.

"So we're just hanging out until Katelyn and Kelly get here?" Rani asked as she plopped onto the sofa.

"And we help Master prepare for his date if he needs us." Selene added.

Kat sat on the other end of the couch as Selene entered Arthur's kitchen. "Where is he, anyway?"

"He should be here soon. He got off work a few minutes ago." Selene answered as she cracked open a window.

Rani and Kat watched Selene move around the kitchen and living room. She straightened things up, lit a lavender-scented candle, and did the few dishes in the sink.

"She really likes the whole slavery thing, huh?" Rani asked Kat as the two lounged on the sofa.

"Yeah." Kat shrugged. "She gets off on it, I guess."

Rani laughed. "I don't think I'll ever get horny over doing the dishes, but more power to her."

"It's not... sexual. It's more..." Selene was trying to find the words.

"Acts of service." Kat supplied. "It's how Selene expresses love."

"Yeah!" Selene agreed from the other room.

"My love language is anal." Rani joked, which earned a laugh from Kat.

Kat giggled. "So your giving language is physical touch. Mine is quality time, I think. The more I like someone, the more time I spend with them." She shrugged.

"Giving language?" Rani asked.

"Yeah. How you show others you love them and what makes you feel loved are sometimes two different things." Kat explained. "Everybody has a giving language, what they do subconsciously to give affection. They also have a receiving language, which makes them feel loved when other people do it to them."

Rani contemplated it, then nodded. "I think anal for both." She smirked.

"Blowjobs should be a love language." Selene called out from the kitchen.

Kat chuckled to herself. "Those both count under physical touch."

"What's Arthur's love language?" Rani asked. "What does he do to show he cares?"

Kat considered it. "Hmm... given how he is with all of us... physical touch, but I think he dabbles. Maybe quality time? He shows he cares by spending time with us? Not just playing or fucking, but talking to us, getting to know us. He does that a lot."

"Hmm." Rani appeared thoughtful.

"Like last Tuesday. We were supposed to come here and play, but he took me to dinner first. Really talked to me, engaged with me, and that was... nice." Kat said.

"He's too nice for a Dom sometimes." Rani said thoughtfully. "That's a rarity."

"Well, you enjoy being treated with respect, right?" Kat asked.

Rani nodded her agreement.

"And you like it when he takes control and dominates you?" Kat asked. Rani nodded again. "If anyone can balance the fine line between respect and domination, it's Arthur. He even treats his pet slut over there with love and respect when he's not bending her over the table."

"Fuck yeah!" Selene called out. "Master is the best."

Kat and Rani laughed.

"I advised him to be a little more dominant outside the bedroom." Rani confessed. "I thought it might help."

"I think it did, thanks." Kat confessed. "He's getting it. I think Arthur was too used to Selene's kind of submissiveness, and I guess his ex wasn't very bratty either. Still, he was pretty dominant with me last night after we gave him a lift home. It was perfect."

"Nice." Rani offered Kat a fist for her to bump, and Kat bumped it.

Selene chuckled as she witnessed the fist bump while moving from the kitchen to the bedroom. She closed the door behind her.

She was gone for a few minutes while Kat and Rani scrolled on their phones. When she returned, she had a black leather collar in hand. It was a stainless steel O-ring with black leather straps on either side. It buckled in the back like a belt. Then she got Kat's pink collar from its hook by the door and set them both on the coffee table.

Kat shared a look with Rani. "What are you doing?"

Selene answered honestly. "I was thinking we could ask Master if we can wear our collars out tonight."

"But I only wear my collar when I play." Kat reminded her. "And we're not playing with Arthur tonight. It's Kelly's date night, remember?"

"I know." Selene said, rolling her eyes. "But I had an idea. Did you see what he bought on Sunday?"

"He bought those name collars, but I didn't go through the rest of his shit." Rani shrugged.

"That is where you and Selene differ." Kat smirked. "What did you find?"

"You encourage me to snoop all the time!" Selene protested.

"I know. We're both terrible people. Arthur can spank us for it later." Kat nodded. "What'd you find?"

"Remote-control vibrators." Selene answered. "He used one on me before. It might be fun to wear them out and let him, or Kelly, control them if they want to."

They pondered momentarily. Rani had to agree it sounded hot, but she wasn't sure it'd be hot to get vibed at the wrong time. She didn't want to spill her drink, after all.

Kat was thinking along the same lines, with the added fear of getting caught. Then, there was the sin of splitting Arthur's attention. He was supposed to be giving it to Kelly, the woman who could kick their asses if they pissed her off.

"And the collars... help control them?" Rani asked, looking at the collars.

"No. They're for us. To remind us who's controlling the vibes." Selene said. She knelt on the other side of the coffee table. "I promise it'll be fun. If it's not, we go to the bathroom, turn them off, put them in our purses, and go about our evening."

Rani contemplated it. "You're confident you can keep a straight face and not get noticed having an orgasm at the bar?" Rani asked. She wasn't sure if she was up for that challenge herself.

"I can't." Kat pointed out. "I tend to..." She hesitated.

"Scream loud enough to summon the neighbors?" Rani supplied.

Kat blushed and looked down, not answering.

Selene smiled. She reached out and put a reassuring hand on her sister's knee. "You don't have to, Kat, but I thought it might be fun. So, I set them to charging."

"Nice." Rani said. "Are we doing the welcome home thing when Arthur gets here? Kneeling in that weird ass pose again?"

"Nadu?" Selene asked.

"Bless you." Rani quipped, which made Kat laugh.

"It's called the Nadu position." Selene said. "It's a pretty common slave pose."

Rani bore a thoughtful expression. "Hmm. What if you do that, and I'm just lounging on the couch when he arrives? What's a good queen slash concubine pose?"

"My vote is standing up in the display position." Kat said with a smirk. "Fully clothed."

"Fully clothed?" Selene almost seemed offended by the suggestion.

"I'm not getting my clothes all wrinkled before we go out. Besides, what if Kelly and Katelyn arrive first? I'm keeping my clothes on." Kat protested.

"Fine." Selene huffed. "What if we greet him in our own ways? Rani can lie out on the couch. I'll kneel in Nadu, and you can stand behind me in display?" Selene suggested.

Kat pictured it in her head and shrugged. "Fine."

"When's he getting here?" Rani asked.

"Soon." Selene said.

~~~

On Friday afternoon, Kelly spent some time preparing for her dinner date with Arthur. Her plan was simple: dinner and some roleplay.

Arthur was a convenient boyfriend. He was perfectly willing to explore whatever fantasies Kelly suggested. Last week, she'd been a little nervous that her preference for getting dressed up and roleplaying as foreplay for sex might scare him off. This week, she worried her role plays were too tame compared to what some of his other girlfriends offered. Kelly intended to bridge the gap.

Mindy was his office whore, ready and eager to crawl under his desk whenever he wanted. Selene was his BDSM-obsessed slave girl. Selene's sister, Katerine, was his bratty submissive. Rani was his concubine, whatever that meant, and Kelly was his wife. Well, not really his wife, but that was her nickname in the house chat, harem chat, and her messages to Arthur. She called him Mister, Sir, or Hubby as circumstances and her mood dictated, and he called her Wifey and other terms of endearment that made her feel warm inside. Sexy and sweet was a fine line, but they walked it together.

This time, since he was cooking dinner for them at his apartment, she had an overnight bag packed. Kelly knew she would stay over, and she'd suggested a roleplay she'd fantasized about for a while. Her preferences leaned domestic. Consequently, she had a scene in mind that always turned her on when she needed a good release late at night. She packed the French Maid costume in her overnight bag with some items she thought Arthur might enjoy.

Tonight was all about her and him. His other girlfriends would join them for homecoming tomorrow, but he was all hers tonight. She smiled at the thought as she put the finishing touches on her long, wavy red hair, adding some slight curl to it and checking herself in the mirror.

She dressed up for her dinner with Arthur, wearing a tight, bright red dress. It was sleeveless and strapless, with a low sweetheart neckline that would have fallen without the built-in corset that cinched her narrow waist. The top of the dress clung to her sides. It showed off her hourglass figure while the skirt flared out in folds that made up a circle skirt that fell three inches above her knee. It wasn't an indecent amount of leg, but it was obviously a dress made for date night. She had matching red heels and slipped into them before flattening her skirt and checking the mirror one last time.

Katelyn stood in the doorway, leaning against the door frame. She had a bored expression on her face. She wore cut-off jean shorts that were indecently short. They showed off every inch of her long legs, with her booty sticking out of the back a little. Above the low-riding, high-cut shorts, she showed off a flat and taut stomach, though she didn't have Kelly's ab definition. Bare stomach showed from the top of her hips to the tied-off flannel shirt that was knotted just below her small breasts. She couldn't help that her small B-cups didn't compare to Kelly's D's, but her outfit did its best to compensate for it.

"Are you ready yet?" Katelyn asked.

"Are you wearing that?" Kelly asked, surprised.

"They said it was a country music bar." Katelyn shrugged. "So... yeah?"

"Just be careful tonight." Kelly said. "Don't accept drinks from-"

"Any guys who hand them to me? Get it from the bartender; don't leave it unattended or set it down. I know. It's not my first time at a bar." Katelyn recited the warning that everyone she knew had learned by heart. "Don't worry. Katerine and her sister are coming too, remember? And that Rani girl."

Kelly nodded. Katelyn and Katerine were close friends. They'd been playing volleyball together for years. Everyone called them the Kats. Katelyn wasn't as familiar with Selene or Rani, but at least Kat was a friend.

"I just want you to be safe." Kelly assured her with a hug.

"I know, Momma." Katelyn smirked as Kelly released the hug and moved away. Katelyn returned to leaning against the doorframe.

Kelly shook her head and picked up her purse and overnight bag. Then, she set the overnight bag down to double-check the contents of her purse.

"Planning to stay at Arthur's?" Katelyn asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Just the weekend." Kelly admitted. "Tonight and Saturday night into Sunday, but I should be home Sunday afternoon."

"Sunday afternoon?" Katelyn looked aghast. "Now that's stamina for you."

Kelly shook her head but smiled. "I'll see you at homecoming, right? And text me tonight. Tell me when you get home safe."

"Yes, Momma." Katelyn said. "At least when we all move into that house, I won't always lose my roommate." Katelyn teased.

"That reminds me, you're still good for Sunday?" Kelly asked. "The brunch?"

"Yeah, I'll be there." Katelyn nodded. "I can't wait to tour this place and join your sex cult."

Kelly closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. "It's not a-"

"I know, I know. I'm teasing you, Momma." Katelyn strode into the room and gave Kelly a hug.

Kelly sighed. "That's three times now. You know I hate it when you call me that. I'm not your mom."

Katelyn chuckled. "You say you hate it, but we both know you love it, or you wouldn't act like a mom - always looking out for me and all your friends. You're the mom of every group. You can't help it."

Kelly shrugged. "I worry."

"That's the most mom thing you've said yet." Katelyn pointed out.

Kelly laughed in her gentle melody.

"Okay, well... not that I'm trying to prove you right, but are you sure you want to wear something so..." Kelly hesitated.

"Slutty?" Katelyn arched an eyebrow. "Yes, I do. You're lucky this isn't a miniskirt. With any luck, you aren't the only one getting laid tonight."

"That desperate to get over Sean?" Kelly asked. "Or is this to make him jealous?"

"He lost any right to be jealous when he cheated on me. He's not getting another chance." Katelyn stepped back. "How are you okay with your man dating other women? I'll never understand."

Kelly shrugged. "It... it's different from what I imagined, but... they're a wonderful group, and we have had no issues so far."

"It honestly doesn't bother you?" Katelyn asked. "He could be fuckin' somebody else right now, and you're cool with that?"

"I don't know." Kelly admitted. "I just know how we are together, me and him, and as a group. It just... it works, I think."

"As a group?" Katelyn asked, surprised. "You all... You fuck him as a group?"

Kelly didn't answer, but the blush on her cheeks wasn't solely from her makeup either.

"You should text me when the drama starts. I'll be there with popcorn." Katelyn shrugged. "You ready?"

"Yeah, I just need to grab one thing..." Kelly reached into her closet and pulled out a garment bag she slung over her shoulder.

"More clothes?" Katelyn asked.

"Dresses for tomorrow and Sunday." Kelly said defensively. "I can't put them in luggage. They'd wrinkle."

"Then what's in the overnight bag?" Katelyn asked.

"Toiletries and stuff." Kelly said.

"Pretty big bag for toiletries." Katelyn narrowed her eyes.

"I'm not discussing this any further with you, young lady." Kelly said, intentionally snippish for comedic effect. "Now let's go, so I can have my date with my boyfriend, and you can get laid by some rando at a bar."

Katelyn frowned. "Wow, throw that in my face. You and your loving, committed relationship with a guy and his four other side pieces."

Kelly sighed. "Be nice. You know Katerine, you're friends, right?" Kelly asked as they exited Kelly's bedroom and moved into their shared apartment.

"Yeah. Tonight will be fun." Katelyn nodded.

"No, I mean, you know her. She's not a side-piece, and neither am I. Arthur's not treating her, or any of us like..." She hesitated as she locked the door behind them.

"Like Sean treated me?" Katelyn snarked.

"I mean... yeah." Kelly said as they started toward the elevator. "In our situation, everything's out in the open. We talk about it and the others... we're a team. A community."

"With a common boyfriend." Katelyn added. "It's weird."

"Yeah." Kelly agreed. "It's weird." She shrugged. "And it's different, but that doesn't make it bad. So far, it's been great. And the sex - oh my god, Kate - the sex."

"Okay, now you're just rubbing it in." Katelyn shook her head. Still, she appeared thoughtful as the elevator stopped at the ground floor, and they walked out to the car. "But if he had to choose. Like, if the sex cult fell apart or blew up or whatever, do you think he'd choose you?"

Kelly was quiet until they got past the front doors, and then she shrugged. "Honestly, I'm not sure. I don't know. I like him a lot, and if things were different, I'd already be falling head over heels for him and adding to my wedding Pinterest. How things are helps us keep it casual, which is good for me." Kelly said as she threw her things in the trunk of her SUV and hung her garment bag. "At least, for now."

Katelyn climbed into the passenger seat, and Kelly took up the driver's seat, got settled before she turned the car on, and started the drive to Arthur's.

~~~

Arthur held a shopping bag in one hand when he walked through his apartment door. It bore a romantic bouquet with a simple plastic vase. He smiled when he saw Rani stretched out on the sofa to the left, but Selene stole the show. She was nude, in full view of the door, kneeling in the Nadu position. She kept her legs wide, palms up on her thighs, and a close-lipped smile on her face. Standing behind her in the display position, Kat also looked impressive in her cute cowgirl outfit.

"Welcome home." The girls said in unison.

Arthur closed the door behind him and shook his head. "Damn." He said with a chuckle. "Never thought those exact words would make me hard."

Kat smiled. "Are those flowers for me?"

"Don't be silly." Rani countered. "They're clearly for me."

"They're for Mistress." Selene said cheerfully, which made Rani and Kat both sigh.

"We know." Rani assured her. "We were teasing."

Kat let her arms fall from behind her head and moved to take them all the same. "Oh my god, are you okay?"

The words had Selene on her feet and by Arthur's side faster than Rani could sit up to see what Kat was talking about. She spied the red mark under Arthur's eye on the left side of his face. He had to hold his hands up in surrender to get Kat and Selene to back up a step.

"I'm fine." Arthur assured them. "Just a little shaken up, is all."

"Were you in a fender bender or something?" Kat asked. She put the flowers on the kitchen table, which Selene had set with a red tablecloth, unlit taper candles, and the finest plates and cutlery Arthur had available - his usual plates and cutlery because he only had one kind.

"Or something." Arthur admitted. "Sanjay and a friend of his were waiting for me after work."

Rani sat up. "They jumped you?"

"Not quite." Arthur assured her. "But they were looking for a fight."

"Did you fight them?" Selene asked, reaching up to touch Arthur's face and yanking her hand away when he flinched. "Let me get you some ice." She said and disappeared into the kitchen.

"I missed two guys fighting over me?" Rani asked. "Fuck. Did anybody get it on camera?"

"More like I danced with them." Arthur chuckled. "It was weird."

"You what?" Kat asked as she returned and led Arthur over to the sofa. She made him sit after Rani scooted her legs and made space for him.

"The big one tried to hit me, and I danced away. Sanjay tried to charge me like a bull, and again, I danced away. He hit a car. Beth's car, actually." Arthur shrugged. "She handled it as soon as she came out."

"Did he get expelled?" Rani asked.

"No." Arthur shook his head. "I didn't tell the guard what really happened. The big guy said they were just fooling around and fell into the car, and I just kind of went with it."

Selene returned with an ice pack wrapped in a dish towel from the kitchen. She pressed it tenderly to Arthur's face as she knelt between his legs.

"You should have told the guard the truth." Selene protested.

"You should have pummeled those guys into next week." Kat added.

"I'm not going to hit anybody." Arthur frowned.

"I have a red rear end that says different." Kat snapped before she could stop herself.

Arthur laughed, so did Rani, but Kat didn't smile.

"You seriously let him get away with it?" Kat asked. "After what he did to Rani, Mindy, and now you?"

"The way I see it, he's got one last chance to let it go and do the right thing." Arthur said. "I hope he takes it."

"And if he doesn't? If he attacks the next one of us he sees?" Kat asked. "You've left us all in danger."

"I'll fuckin' end him." Selene piped up. "No one hurts my Master and gets away with it."

Arthur laughed again. It was amusing to see the ballerina in the group, the slender but strong, short, skinny blonde in pigtails, threaten violence against anyone. He loved her for the sentiment, though, and the ice. It soothed the heat in the bump, and he closed his eyes as she cradled it against him, not letting him take it away from her.

"Seriously." Selene warned him. "If he comes after anyone else in the harem, including you, Master, I will stick him like a pig and put him in the ground."

Rani looked up at Kat with a questioning look, but Kat's expression was so hardened she gave Rani the impression if Selene failed, Kat would see it done. "Damn." Rani commented. "You two look like you'd do it, too." She smirked. "In the interest of solidarity, I am also on board with murder." Rani raised her hand. "But I request we be smart about it so I can finish my degree, or my parents will kill me before I ever stand trial."

Arthur laughed again.

"Deal." Selene and Kat said in unison.

Rani smirked. "That's all I ask."

"Does Kelly know? Did you talk to her? Are we still on for tonight?" Selene asked, turning her attention back to Arthur.

"I haven't talked to her; as far as I know, everything is still on. She should be here in twenty minutes?" He looked at his phone. If she and Katelyn were on schedule, they would have left Kelly's apartment by now.

"What still needs to be done?" Selene asked.

"I need to cook the steaks and stir-fry the veggies, though they won't take long." Arthur nodded. "And I need to shower, shave, and get changed."

"Okay." Selene nodded. "Do you have a recipe?"

Arthur gestured toward the kitchen. "Yeah. It's on a card in a box in the cabinet above the stove."

"I'll find it." Kat volunteered. "I'll get the kitchen underway. Selene, can you handle the shower without getting too distracted?"

"I'll only get as distracted as Master permits." Selene said defensively.

"What should I do?" Rani asked.

"Get his clothes ready?" Selene suggested.

"I can get my clothes ready." Arthur chuckled. "Selene, you go start the shower."

"Yes, Master." Selene said. She handed him the ice pack and then dashed to the bathroom. Kat was already moving to the kitchen.

"Just... help Kat, I guess. If she needs it. Or hang out here and look sexy. That seems to come naturally to you." Arthur suggested.

"I feel overdressed for that." Rani admitted. "But I'll do my best." She lounged dramatically against the back of the sofa, laying her calves across Arthur's lap. "It's hard work." She agreed. "But somebody has to do it."

Arthur chuckled and shook his head as he pushed her legs away, stood up, and pressed the ice pack against his face. He disappeared into the bedroom. When he came out, he headed straight into the bathroom and handed the ice pack off to Selene as he hopped into the shower.

"Do you want me to wash you, Master?" Selene asked.

"I always want that." Arthur sighed. "But I'm in a hurry and can't get too distracted."

"Do I distract you, Master?" Selene asked coyly.

"Constantly." Arthur groaned.

"I'm sorry." Selene admitted. "Maybe you can punish me for it later."

"Oh, I will." Arthur agreed. "Though I have a question." He said as he put his head under the water.

"Yes, Master?" Selene asked from the other side of the shower curtain. She was kneeling on the bathmat with his towel in her lap, waiting for him to finish.

"Why are there three of the remote vibrators charging in my room?" Arthur asked.

Selene giggled. "I thought you might enjoy using the remote Bluetooth feature tonight while we're at the bar."

Arthur considered it for a moment. "Kat and Rani are okay with that?" He asked.

"More than okay, I think." Selene told him. "Though you'd have to ask them. I also placed collars for them on the coffee table. In case you wanted to make them wear them tonight to remind them they belong to you."

Arthur was quiet. He knew they were supposed to have an open relationship. If Selene, Kat, or Rani wanted to hook up with some guy(s) or girl(s) tonight, they were free to do so. Selene's suggestion was a reminder of an attachment to prevent such a thing.

"And how do they feel about it?" Arthur asked.

"I think they're willing, but more than willing - eager for you to command it." Selene admitted. "If you walk out of here and put the collars on them without asking or explaining... I think we won't need to lube the vibrators before you bend us over and put them in us."

Arthur groaned again. Not a groan of pleasure but one of tortured frustration.

"Are you okay, Master?" Selene asked in her cutest imitation of an innocent question. "Should I come in there and help you with something?"

"We don't have time." Arthur sighed. He was nearly finished in the shower as it was. He didn't want to waste time by taking his pleasures from Selene when he knew he'd need to deliver for Kelly tonight. Pacing his sexual activities had become one of the many additional difficulties in his life, though it was a problem he knew any man would kill him to have.

"As you wish, Master." Selene said with another attempt at innocence.

Arthur turned the water ice-cold, which felt good on his face but was painful on every other part of his body. He turned the water off and stepped out to see Selene rising to greet him with his towel. Arthur peered at her from above while she wore nothing but her collar and pigtails. She looked good enough to arouse him despite the cold shower. She closed the lap-warmed towel over him. He took it from her to dry his hair and body quickly before stepping to the mirror and washing his face. While he did that, Selene took his razor from behind the bathroom mirror.

Shaving would have been faster alone, but Selene was desperate to hold the razor.

"Please, Master?" Selene begged. "I'll be careful. I won't cut you, I promise." She held the razor up in her hand.

"It'll be faster if I just do it myself." Arthur said.

"Please?" Selene begged again, her voice high and breathy. She knelt in front of him with her legs closed, the razor in her hands still. She lifted her flat palms in front of her face, offering it to him while still begging him to let her be the one to use it.

Arthur had trouble saying no to Selene. It was hard to be strong when she begged. She'd been such a good girl about the shower when he knew she wanted to be under the hot spray of the water with him, fucking or sucking. He felt guilty at the thought of denying her this. This was less sexual than any of that, but it had the possibility of being intimate.

"Stand up." Arthur said.

Selene rocked back to her feet and stood before him, still offering the razor.

"Hold on to it." He said.

Selene closed her hands over the razor's handle and squealed in delight as Arthur placed his hands under her arms and lifted her. He set her on the counter next to the sink, where there was hardly room for her round bubble butt. She kicked happily and spread her legs wide to make room for him to stand facing her, her lower thighs embracing his hips. Arthur reached past her to turn on the water and tested the temperature.

The warm steam from the shower so recently turned off still caressed their naked bodies as they gazed into one another's eyes. Arthur smiled at her. He reached past her and opened the fogged mirror above the sink, getting his shaving cream.

"Hold out your hand." He commanded.

Selene held her hand up, palm toward the ceiling, fingers together. Arthur sprayed the shaving cream onto it, creating a foam dollop, before he put the can back behind the mirror and closed it. She looked at her hand, then at his firm jaw, wondering if she was supposed to lather his face, but he did it himself.

Arthur scooped the shaving cream from the handful she offered with his fingers. He lathered his face with it until he had a beard and mustache made entirely of white foam.

Selene giggled to see it. "You look hot with a beard, Master."

"Do I?" Arthur asked. "Then why are you giggling?"

"Because it's made of foam." She said as she lowered her hand since it was clear he didn't need more.

"Maybe I'll grow it out." He shrugged. "We'll see what the harem thinks. But I think they'll want me to stay clean-shaven rather than deal with a scratchy face between their legs for a few weeks."

Selene swallowed as Arthur put his hands on her thighs, letting his thumbs sweep the inside of her upper thighs on both sides. The heat in the room wasn't entirely from the steam. "Whatever you wish, Master." She assured him. "May I rinse my hand, Master?"

Arthur nodded, and she rinsed her hand in the running sink beside her. She couldn't resist bringing her hand back up and booping his shaving cream-free nose to give it a large round circle of the stuff before it was gone. She giggled to see the little button of shaving cream on his nose, and Arthur squeezed her thighs to refocus her attention.

"Run the blades under the water for a rinse and then start. Stroke the razor in firm and steady strokes. Go from ceiling to floor on the front and sides of my face and from floor to ceiling under my chin." Arthur instructed.

Selene did as she was told, running the blade under the water. "Yes, Master. Where should I start?"

"Start with my neck." Arthur lifted his chin, breaking their intense eye contact and exposing his shaving cream-covered throat to her.

Selene hesitantly turned the blade in her hand and gently pressed it against his flesh. She dragged the razor up to reveal one strip of lightly shaven flesh.

"A little firmer." Arthur said. "The point is to get rid of the hairs."

"I'm worried I'll cut you." Selene admitted.

"Just don't jerk it or make any sudden movements with it. I'll judge the pressure before you stroke. How about that?" Arthur asked.

Selene swallowed. "Okay."

She pressed the blade to Arthur's neck again, still far too gentle.

"Firmer." Arthur commanded. "Firmer." He said again. She over-compensated. "Back it off just a little..." She lightened the touch of it by a hair. Arthur would have nodded if he could. He squeezed her thighs instead. "Perfect. Now stroke."

She stroked up the underside of his chin, revealing the now completely hairless strip of flesh amid his white foam beard. Arthur stretched his neck, tilting his head to his left as she stroked the right side of his neck.

Silence hung between them to replace the fading steam, but warmth clung to them as she finished his neck and started on his face.

Shaving his face in the downward strokes was more straightforward, with a less awkward grip on the razor for her. The intimacy was much more significant when her eyes flitted up to meet his gaze between strokes. Selene felt as though she were the one in the vulnerable position here, and his thumbs grazing the inside of her thighs had done nothing to cool her desire. She was gentle and careful to avoid pressing near the faded red mark under his eye, which she glanced at more than once. Shaving his mustache area was even trickier but still fun for her.

She rinsed the razor in the sink every few strokes, removing the shaving cream and hairs from the blades. She wanted it to keep going, but too soon, she was out of places to shave. Arthur's shaving cream beard and mustache were gone, replaced by smooth skin and wisps near his ears. He also still bore the little button of shaving cream on the tip of his nose.

Selene was breathing heavily by the time she finished, and Arthur kissed her passionately, moving the shaving cream from his face to hers. The kiss seared her to her soul. She wanted to slide off the counter, wrap her limbs around him, and have him fuck her against the wall until she was begging him to cum.

"That was so hot, Master." Selene said as she set the razor on the other side of the sink.

"I didn't even touch you anywhere sensitive." Arthur protested.

"I know, but..." Selene looked up into his eyes. "It was so intimate. Shaving you like that was just so..." She couldn't find the words to explain it. "I want to do it again."

"Well, next time." Arthur agreed. "Right now, I have to get dressed."

Selene watched from her spot on the counter as Arthur rinsed his face and then applied his aftershave. He took the face towel he used to pat his face dry and smiled at her. Arthur stood between her legs again as he used the towel corners to wipe the shaving cream off Selene's face.

"Come on." He said as he hung the towel on the back of the door. "We need to get our clothes on before Katelyn gets here."

"Vibes first." Selene reminded him as he exited the bathroom after cracking the door open to check that Kelly and Katelyn weren't there yet.

Arthur moved naked from the bathroom to the bedroom, and Rani watched from her vantage point on the sofa, admiring his sculpted backside and back as he walked away. Rani bit her bottom lip and laughed to see Selene was doing the same, though Selene appeared positively love-drunk as she exited the bathroom.

"Did he fuck you?" Rani asked.

"No." Selene sounded wistful. "But he let me shave him."

"Down there?" Rani asked, using her hand to indicate the region.

"No, his face." Selene shook her head with a giggle. "It was..." She hesitated, still not sure how to put it into words. "Fuck, it was so hot, and sweet, and tender, and... intimate." She realized she had no better word to describe the experience.

"Sounds fun." Rani nodded sagely.

"Mmhmm." Selene agreed.

Arthur emerged from the bedroom half-dressed, wearing a pair of black suit slacks on his lower half but no shirt on his upper half. Still, he looked good, his hair combed and styled, his face clean-shaven, and his smile bright. He carried a long, narrow box like an instrument case and set it on the coffee table, holding three noticeable vibrators in his other hand.

"Brat, can you come in here for a moment?" Arthur called from the living room.

It took her a second, but Kat turned the stove to warming and stepped away from it, coming around the corner and into the living room.

"I want the three of you to wear these tonight." Arthur said as he held up what was in his hands. The three remote control vibrators. "This one is Slut's." He handed it to her. "This one is Brat's." He handed one to Kat. "And this one is for my concubine." He gave the third to Rani.

"Here is the lube if you need it." Arthur placed a bottle of it on the coffee table. "And here is the card with the QR code to connect it to your phone."

The girls looked at each other, and Selene was the first to do it. She spread her legs by widening her stance. Selene notched the tip against herself and pressed it in. It slid in with one slow push until only its base was visible. She opened her eyes, eyelashes fluttering as she took a step and swallowed.

"Are you sure you don't want-" Arthur started, but Selene shook her head.

"Yeah, I'm gonna use the lube. Not everyone is constantly horny." Kat said as she came over to the coffee table, undid her shorts, and forced them and her pink thong panties down her thighs. Then she did something unexpected and handed the vibrator back to Arthur. "If you want me to wear this tonight, you can put it in me, Sir. I'm not doing it for you."

Arthur smirked. "Alright, Brat. Bend over, " he instructed, gesturing to the coffee table.

"No." Kat shook her head, making her curls bounce.

The crack of Arthur's hand against her round ass cheeks made Kat dance a step or two, but she stayed more or less in the same spot.

"Ow!" Kat protested. "Don't be mean!"

"I said, bend over, Brat. Or I'll spank you until you can't sit. Then I'll make you pull your shorts back up, and you'll go with no pleasure tonight while Queenie and Slut get orgasm after orgasm." Arthur growled, and after a brief defiant stare, Kat yielded. She spread her legs as best she could with her shorts still around her knees, which wasn't much. Arthur bent her over. She placed her hands flat against the top of the coffee table.

Arthur lubed the vibrator and pressed it into Katerine until it was nestled away, pressing against her in teasing fullness.

Kat started to stand, but Arthur pushed her back down. He gripped the base of the vibe with his fingers and pulled. Then he slid it back in, working it back and forth with the lube until Kat supplied her own.

"I have something else for you too." Arthur said as he moved next to Kat and opened the box. A line of different sizes of anal plugs was in the soft velvet of the box, and Arthur lubed up the medium-sized plug. He expected Kat to protest, but she was silent until he pressed the tip against her asshole.

"Did Selene put you up to this?" She asked.

"No. I'm doing this because I want to." Arthur answered, pressing the plug into her.

Kat's head whipped back for a second as she exhaled and closed her eyes. She was breathing heavily when Arthur took her by the shoulders and straightened her up. Then he pulled up her thong panties, admiring the jeweled end of the plug. He left the shorts down.

He picked up the pink collar they'd designated as Kat's. It was unmistakably a bondage collar, but that was the point. Still, it might be something a college student could wear as a fashion statement. "And you'll wear this too while you're out tonight." Arthur ordered. "To remind you who's in charge here."

Kat jolted as he slapped her ass again.

"Understand?" Arthur asked.

"I'll just take it off again." Kat said. Her tone was defiant, and there was heat in her eyes.

"Then I'll padlock it." Arthur said. He nodded toward Selene, who sprinted into the bedroom and returned with a small pendant-sized padlock. She handed it to Arthur, who readied it in his hand.

Arthur snugged the collar against her throat, keeping two fingers under it as he buckled it. Kat didn't enjoy things against her throat, and it was too tight until he slid his fingers away. Then she heard the lock click and set her collar into place for the night. He gave Selene the key that had been in the lock.

"You will wear it until you go to bed tonight." Arthur informed Kat.

Kat swallowed. "Yes, Sir." She felt his cock press against her butt cheek after he slid her shorts up and reached around from behind her to re-button them.

"And you." Arthur said as he looked straight at Rani. "Pull those pants down, roll over, and open your legs." Arthur instructed. "I want to watch you play with yourself before I stick this in you."

Rani glanced at the clock and swallowed, but she obeyed. She turned to face Arthur, then unbuttoned and unzipped her pants. She lowered them, wiggling until they pooled around her calves. Then she opened her legs by spreading her knees apart. Her hand was rubbing away within a few seconds.

Rani watched as Arthur kissed Selene, then repeated the kiss with Kat. He pressed the vibrators as he did so, ensuring they were secure and firmly where he wanted them. Rani closed her eyes.

"Eyes open." Arthur barked. Rani opened her eyes to see Arthur staring at her with intensity. "Good girl." He said.

Rani swallowed thickly. She glanced at the clock, but Arthur stole her attention again with a commanding tone.

"Eyes on me." He instructed, and she obeyed.

Rani watched as he played with Selene, teasing her nipples and getting her excited, and then moved to lubing up the vibrator he planned to put in Rani. She was beginning to believe the lube would be unnecessary, and as he leaned over her and kissed her, she knew it was. The kiss flooded her with heat. Rani broke her lips away and cried out as he shoved the vibe into her, and it slid in with no difficulty. She clutched at his arm as he pulled it and pushed it back in. He fucked her with it for a few slow strokes that made her want so much more. Then he pushed it in and gave her another command.

"Roll over. Ass up, face down." Arthur commanded.

Rani obeyed. She rolled over and pushed her knees together as she moved into an awkward prostrate bow on the sofa. Her ass was in the air as she presented it to Arthur, who groped it, then smirked.

"Pull it open for me, and hold it while I insert your plug." Arthur told her.

Rani reached behind her and obediently pulled her cheeks apart. She felt the cool lube first, then the smooth plastic of the tip, then the widening press of the bulb until it popped in, filling her. She was delightfully conscious of its presence and knew she would be the entire night.

"Thank you, my King." Rani said as she released her ass cheeks. She pushed her front half off the sofa seats, and Arthur picked up the black O-ring collar from the coffee table. She was on her hands and knees on the couch when he stood beside her and put the collar on her bare neck. He fastened it and ran his hands down her back as he stepped away, slapping her ass one more time.

"Pull up your pants." Arthur instructed. "And get ready to go."

"Master... may I--" Selene started and gestured to the box. "May I have one too?"

"Do you want one?" Arthur asked, surprised. The last time they'd tried anal, Selene safe-worded out. It was the first, and so far only, time she'd used the phrase.

Selene looked at the open box of plugs, focusing on the largest one. She nodded and answered, "Yes, Master."

Arthur nodded. "Bend over, hands on the table, like your sister."

Selene obeyed. She held the vibe in place with her hand as she walked forward, bent over at the waist, spread her legs, and placed her hands palms down on the coffee table.

She watched as Arthur reached past her and picked up the plug she'd been eyeing. "Are you sure?" He asked.

"Yes, Master." Selene repeated. "Please?"

Arthur smiled at her, removed the plug, and lubed it up. He pressed it gently against her hole, and she took a deep breath. Arthur pressed it in as she exhaled. He felt the resistance pushing back until there was a sudden give as the bulb made it through, and he pressed the plug into place.

Arthur then stepped over to the pile of her clothes on the floor. He had her step into her panties, then her jeans. He pulled them up, fastened them, and swatted her butt.

"Thank you, Master." Selene breathed. "Do you approve of my outfit, by the way?" She asked as she put her shirt on. She already hadn't been wearing a bra.

Arthur examined her outfit. "The shirt should be shorter and show off more of your abs. But it's not the end of the world." Arthur shrugged.

Kat and Rani watched Selene's reaction as they shifted their weight, still getting used to the plugs and vibes. They both knew what she would suggest, but Kat beat her to it by handing Arthur the safety scissors from the coffee table.

Arthur smirked as he took them. "You're okay if I cut your shirt?" He asked Selene.

"Of course, Master. You're welcome to alter my clothes however you want." Selene nodded and rubbed her thighs together as she stepped over to him.

"Lift your arms up, straight up to the ceiling." Arthur instructed.

Selene did so, lifting the hem of her shirt up by an inch. Arthur measured with his fingers from her nipple at the peak of her breast. Her nipples were hard, and trying to poke through the soft cotton t-shirt fabric. He took up the scissors in his other hand and started cutting.

When he finished, he stepped back to admire his work. He feathered it in a few places with a few extra snips to make it more Selene's style, then stepped back again. Arthur nodded his approval.

"Arms down." Arthur commanded, and Selene obeyed.

The new length looked better to Arthur, showing Selene's lightly toned stomach from the waistline of her jeans to three fingers' width, his fingers, below her breast. Even with her arms raised, it showed nothing illegal, though it might give someone a glimpse of her under-boob if she moved in just the right way. With her open sweater over it, she still looked decent.

"Might get cold tonight." Rani commented.

"I don't care." Selene smirked as she lowered her gaze. "I love it. Thank you, Master."

"Food's almost done." Kat commented from the kitchen, where she'd returned while Arthur altered Selene's costume. "Are they going to be here soon?"

"Any minute now." Arthur said after he looked at the clock. "Kelly's pretty punctual."

~~~

"Are we there yet?" Katelyn teased from the passenger seat as Kelly turned onto a residential road.

Kelly rolled her eyes as Katelyn impatiently kicked her feet. "Soon."

"I want to get drunk!" Katelyn whined.

"But not too drunk." Kelly said. Her tone was full of concern and disapproval.

"Drunk enough." Katelyn protested. "Just enough to get out of my own way and fuck somebody cute." She rested her head back on the headrest.

Kelly frowned. "Hooking up with somebody will not help you get over Sean. You're just gonna be sad tomorrow." She assumed Katelyn wouldn't listen, but she needed to say it.

"What would you know about it?" Katelyn snapped.

Kelly didn't answer. She just kept driving.

"Sorry." Katelyn shook her head and peered out the window. The houses and apartments they passed looked nice enough. "Sorry, I snapped at you." Katelyn sighed. "I'm just..." She hesitated. "I just can't sit in the apartment and mope anymore. I need to get it out of my system, get drunk, have sex, and move on."

"Okay." Kelly said, her voice soft. "I support you, but I want you to be safe."

"Thank you." Katelyn nodded. "Don't worry. I'm going with Kat. She won't let me do anything unsafe."

Kelly nodded. "I'm glad she and the others can be there for you tonight." Kelly admitted.

"Don't feel guilty." Katelyn warned. "It was last minute, and you already had your date planned."

"I don't." Kelly assured her as she turned into the apartment complex parking lot. "With any luck, we should both get lucky tonight." She smirked.

Katelyn laughed. "Raunchy, Momma."

Kelly texted that they were there when she parked. By the time she had her luggage out of the trunk, the girls were downstairs to greet her.

"Ready to get wasted?" Rani whooped.

Katelyn and Kat laughed and gave each other a hug hello. Selene waved and then gave Kelly a hug. "Do you need help taking that upstairs?" Selene asked Kelly.

"Actually... if you don't mind." Kelly said.

"Of course not." Selene assured her. "Don't leave without me!" She called over to Katerine, who led Katelyn and Rani to her car, away from Arthur's building. Not that she feared his neighbors, but she didn't enjoy hanging around in the stairwell longer than she had to.

"We won't!" Rani called back.

Kelly and Selene headed inside, with Kelly lugging her purse and overnight bag while Selene carried her garment bag over her arms. They climbed the stairs together.

"Have fun tonight." Selene said. "He's been looking forward to it."

"I am too." Kelly smirked. "Thanks again for taking Katelyn out." She nodded behind them.

"Not a problem." Selene said. "I've been looking forward to it, and so has Rani."

"And Kat?" Kelly asked.

"Kat's more of a... homebody." Selene shrugged. "She'll be fine for a night."

Kelly nodded and understood. She was the same, a homebody. Kelly was glad she and Kat had a few things in common. She was eager to find common ground with the harem. They all had Arthur in common, sure, but they needed more to build lasting friendships than a friend, boyfriend, master, or husband in common.

"Do me a favor?" Kelly asked as they reached Arthur's landing.

"Anything, Mistress." Selene said quickly, which made Kelly give her a fragile smile.

"Please watch out for Katelyn tonight. Don't let her get too crazy or go home with anyone unsafe." Kelly knew she didn't have to ask but was still worried. She wanted the other girls to recognize what they were in for.

Selene nodded. "Of course. Can you do me a favor?"

"Anything, Slut." Kelly tried to sound teasing with her nickname, but it was still awkward to use it like that. She regretted using it but tried to cover up her awkwardness by smiling.

"We've got Katelyn in excellent hands, and we'll take care of her tonight. You focus on your date and have a good time." Selene told her. "Oh, and text me if the neighbors bitch again. I have a plan if they stick their noses in our business again. I'm going to point a speaker at their apartment after Arthur leaves for the day, playing 'It's A Small World' on loop at max volume."

Kelly laughed. The idea was evil, assuming the neighbors were home to hear it. When Selene didn't join in the laughter but just smiled, Kelly realized she meant to do it and chuckled even more. "Alright, go on." She said, taking the bag from Selene. "Have fun!"

"You too." Selene said as she handed the bag over. A quick hug and she was gone, carefully descending the stairs.

Kelly straightened up and knocked.

Arthur opened it with one hand on the knob and the other holding a bouquet. He dressed to impress, freshly shaved, with his hair combed and styled. Arthur wore pressed suit slacks with sharp, clean creases, a tight, tucked-in pastel blue shirt, a black tie, and a matching black vest. The suit jacket was elsewhere, but Kelly didn't mind.

Unfortunately, Kelly's hands were full, so she couldn't take the flowers from him. Meanwhile, his hands were full of flowers, so he couldn't take what she brought from her. At least, not until he set the flowers down on the coffee table.

"Did you pack for the entire weekend?" Arthur asked, surprised.

"Well, yeah." Kelly admitted. "I wasn't sure I would have time to return home between now and the Sunday brunch."

"That's a fair point." Arthur said. He took the garment bag from her and then her overnight bag. She set her purse on the sofa and picked up the flowers. "For me?" She asked.

"For you." Arthur said. He set her luggage against the wall and hung the garment bag on the open door to the second bedroom he used as a study.

"Thank you. The flowers are gorgeous." Kelly said as Arthur returned. She kissed him, slow and soft, until they broke for breath.

"So are you." Arthur pointed out.

"And the food smells delicious." Kelly added with a smile.

Arthur chuckled. "So do you. Let me get you the vase."

He stepped away to the tablecloth-laden kitchen table and returned with the small plastic vase to hold the bouquet.

Kelly gracefully placed the flowers into it, and Arthur returned it to the table as he shifted into the kitchen. He returned a moment later and pulled out a chair for her. Kelly smirked at him and gave him a look over her shoulder, but she accepted the seat and sat, sweeping her skirt under her as she did so.

"Thank you." Kelly said. She smiled at him. "So, what are we having?"

"Steaks coupled with a veggie stir fry." Arthur answered. "It's my mother's recipe."

"Aw! You made me something your mom used to make you?" Kelly's heart melted.

"Well..." Arthur hesitated. "Kind of." He made a guilty face. "Kat actually did most of the cooking." He admitted. "I was in a rush to get ready and got home late because of- a work thing. Selene and Kat did the setup for tonight. They were here when I came home and wanted to help."

"Did..." Kelly hesitated. She wasn't upset that Kat cooked the meal. In fact, she was impressed with the girls. The harem made extraordinary efforts to support each other. Kelly realized she should up her game in the sisterhood part of this arrangement. Otherwise, she would fall far behind the kindnesses everyone else performed for her.

It was his 'work thing' that drew her attention. It was a phrase her father used whenever he was lying about where he'd been that triggered something in her.

"Did you just lie to me?"

"I guess I did." Arthur admitted sheepishly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to. I just didn't want to worry you."

Kelly was shocked by it, though she softened a little at his confession. Arthur wasn't her father. He wasn't Sean, sneaking around on anyone. Their relationship was open, poly, and built on honesty with each other. Kelly didn't need to fly off the handle at him, and should give him a chance to explain. She tried to scoff, to play it off like it didn't concern her, but her mask slipped a little. She was more upset than she was willing to admit.

"Why would I worry?" Kelly asked. "Were you fucking one of the others? Is that why you were running late? You were fucking Rani, so Kat and Selene picked up the slack? You don't have to lie about that, remember?"

"No, no. It wasn't that." Arthur shook his head. "I uh..." He hesitated again, but not telling the truth would ruin their dinner. Ironically, his motive for not telling the story was to prevent ruining their dinner. Still, she deserved the truth. "I wasn't trying to hide anything, I just didn't want to upset you or derail our romantic plans for the evening in any way. I got into a fight. Kind of. I got hit."

"What?" Kelly was on her feet. Her anger vanished, replaced by concern. Now that she was looking for it, she could see a red mark under his left eye. She reached for it. "Who hit you?"

"Some guy." Arthur winced away from the touch. The spot was still sore. "He and Sanjay were waiting by my car after work. They were pretty pissed off. They tried to start something, but I avoided their blows, other than this one, and then they accidentally set off a car alarm. Security and Beth, my boss, came up since it was her car, and that was the end."

"Oh my god." Kelly's expression was entirely concerned. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I promise." Arthur nodded at her chair. "Sit. Let me serve dinner."

Kelly kept her eyes on him but returned to her seat, waiting for him at the table. "I'm sorry I got so upset."

"It's okay." Arthur assured her.

"My..." She hesitated. "I guess I have more cheater baggage than I realized."

"Are you okay?" Arthur asked. "I mean... With..."

"Hm?" Kelly asked. "Yeah. I'm okay. I... just don't try to hide things from me, okay? If this whole Poly thing is going to work, we need to be honest with each other. Right?"

Arthur nodded. "Right."

Silence fell between them while Kelly waited for Arthur to finish dinner. Fortunately, she didn't have much longer to wait. The steaks smelled delicious, as did the veggie stir-fry for their side. Arthur spooned a tangy sauce over it after plating. It was delicious when she took her first forkful, and her expression must have shown it because Arthur smiled in relief. He started eating with her, and they talked.

Arthur related the story of the fight and his decision to give them another chance. Kelly thought it was sweet of him, if naïve, but offered to teach him how to box if he wanted. It was always good to learn to defend yourself. He couldn't dissuade Kelly even if he tried, and he knew better than to try.

Arthur had the luxury of not believing in violence because so few people tried violence against him. Kelly was too familiar with fear to believe in pacifism.

His curiosity tempted him to ask, but he didn't want to press. He didn't know if it was a specific trauma or the general fear every woman carried. Going out late or early without a means of self-defense was a risk no woman took. At least not if she'd ever heard a news story or listened to a murder podcast.

"Also, you should know that with the open part of our relationship, I've done some things with my boss Beth that might fall under... intimate." Arthur said meekly.

"You're fucking your boss now too?" Kelly asked.

"No, no." Arthur shook his head. "Well, I've fingered her. We didn't fuck. Mindy and I kind of involved her in our office play time after she caught us."

"Tell me that story." Kelly insisted, and Arthur told her the tale. The story, while short, was spicier than the stir-fry with how Arthur told it. Kelly listened intently, leaning forward and growing warm under her dress as she listened. Beth was not a threat to her. She was even less of a threat than the others in the harem, since she was outside of it, and Arthur hadn't fucked her.

"Do the others know?" Kelly asked.

"Selene and Mindy, obviously." Arthur added. "I haven't mentioned it to the others yet. We're trying to be discreet about it because of how much trouble we can get in if the school finds out."

Kelly seemed to realize something. "I know it might sound like I'm jealous, but I promise you I'm not. Still... you might want to stop playing with Beth. You could ruin her life. She'd lose her job, get blacklisted, all kinds of things. Not to mention how the fallout could hurt your and Mindy's future."

Arthur inhaled deeply and nodded. "Yeah. I've actually been thinking along the same lines. Beth and I are going to meet on Monday to talk. I think I'm going to put an end to it then. I'm just not sure how to tell Mindy." He said. "She's so excited about having sex in the office."

"Well, you and she can still mess around, sometimes." Kelly said. "You might not want to do it every lunch break, though. Maybe once a week?"

"That's a good idea." Arthur said.

"I can help you talk to her if you want." Kelly offered. "She might take it better if it comes from you and the harem, and not just you."

"Thanks." Arthur said. "I'll think about how best to talk to her about it." He wasn't sure if he wanted the whole harem there. He didn't want Mindy to feel like they were ganging up on her. She should be willing to abide by Arthur's decision on it, as her boss, master, etc. Still, backup might be a good idea if she didn't. He needed to think it over.

"So..." Kelly said after a lull in the conversation. She'd been thinking about the story of his office trysts, and what he did with the other girls. "I've been meaning to ask you..."

"Yeah?" Arthur prompted.

"Well, the girls and I talked, and I know you're... you're more into the BDSM stuff with them." Kelly explained. "At least, more than with me. Other than spanking, which I guess counts." She shrugged. "But I was wondering, how did you get introduced to it? How do you know what to do?"

"The short answer to both is Lori." Arthur said. Arthur smiled at the mention of his ex-girlfriend, but his eyes told Kelly it wasn't genuine.

Kelly looked a little surprised. She knew Lori. They hadn't talked since the summer, but she'd known Lori the entire time she was friends with Arthur or thereabouts. She never guessed Lori was like Selene. She couldn't remember Lori even hinting about it, and they'd talked about her and Arthur's bedroom activities more than once.

"You and Lori used to..." Kelly wasn't sure how to finish the sentence, so she was glad when Arthur didn't make her.

Arthur nodded and told the story. "Yeah. We were talking one day, and well, we started discussing porn. She asked me what kind I watched, and I asked her what kind she watched."

"And you were watching bondage stuff?" Kelly asked.

Arthur laughed. "No, actually. I was, uh... into girl next door porn before Lori and I started dating pretty straightforward stuff."

He shrugged. "Lori dove deeper, and when she suggested we try it... well, we tried it and - I liked it. A lot. So did she. So we practiced. We called it playing." He explained.

"And, wanting to be the best possible boyfriend she ever had so she wouldn't leave me-" which she did. "I spent more time studying bondage stuff online that semester than I did studying for my exams." He chuckled. "But... it was worth it, I guess."

"Do you miss her?" Kelly asked suddenly, after watching his face while he talked about Lori.

Arthur contemplated it. "I mean... yeah." He admitted. "I wouldn't go running back to her." Arthur assured her. "But we were close. She was my best friend for years - more than that, obviously. And losing her like that, when she left me rather than try to do long-distance... it hurt."

Kelly reached across the table, took his hand, and squeezed it.

Arthur tried to reassure her. "I'm okay. It hurt, but everything worked out. After all, if I was still with Lori, I wouldn't be here having dinner with you."

Kelly smirked. "Fair point." She supposed. "Lori wasn't into poly then?"

"No." Arthur shook his head. "At least she wasn't interested in group stuff or threesomes. She wasn't like... the super-jealous type, but I don't think she'd have invited you all to a harem either."

Kelly chuckled. "God bless Selene."

Arthur smiled in agreement. "Yeah." He nodded. He squeezed Kelly's hand. "Do you want dessert?"

Kelly let go and leaned back in her chair. "Is that a euphemism, or do you have dessert?"

"I honestly have dessert." Arthur chuckled. "Two cheesecake slices and some cool whip."

Kelly smiled. "Cheesecake sounds good to me, Mister."

~~~

Kat was eager to get out of the car when they finally arrived at the bar. Driving had been easy, but traffic was thick. Now, they were close enough to see the bar's lights as they approached since darkness had swept over the sky.

"Okay, girls." Katelyn said as they arrived. "Your mission is to find me a cute guy who is decently fit and seems safe."

"Pfft." Rani blew through her mouth. "If you just want to fuck a guy, I'm sure Selene would pimp out Arthur to anyone who asks."

Katerine glared at Rani, who blanched at Kat's anger. "What?" Rani asked.

Selene shrugged. "I mean, if you want to fuck Arthur, and he wants to fuck you..." She trailed off after seeing Kat's angry glare turn her way.

"No." Katelyn shook her head. "No, thank you. I don't want to join your sex cult."

"It's not a--" Kat started but stopped herself. She took a deep breath and exited the car. She stretched and stepped carefully a few paces before finding her stride. Rani and Selene did the same. Katelyn shrugged, rolling her shoulders. The car ride didn't seem that long to her, but she wouldn't hold it against them if they were stiff.

"I'm teasing you, Kitty Kat." Katelyn put her hands on Kat's shoulders, and Kat patted her hand.

Kat smiled. "I know. Don't worry. We'll scout for you."

Rani shrugged. "How about that guy?" She pointed to a random man approximately their age standing by the door. He had a cowboy hat on, a white t-shirt, jeans, and a pair of work boots.

Kat followed her finger to the guy, and her face became a tight line. "Oh, you've got to be fuckin' kidding me."

Rani looked surprised. Katelyn and Selene looked over to see who she'd pointed out. Selene didn't recognize the young man, but Kat did. "What's Sean doing here?"

"He's apparently out on the prowl, I guess." Katelyn huffed. "Is he alone?"

"Looks it." Rani said. "That's your ex?"

Katelyn nodded while Rani considered their options. Rani looked at Selene, then at Kat. "Well... I guess we can go elsewhere..." Rani suggested, though their outfits weren't curated for another bar. "Or... we can fuck with him?"

"Ooo." Selene said. "Interesting." She smirked at Rani. "What'd you have in mind?"

"One of us could seduce him to leave him with blue balls." Rani suggested.

"Well, he knows me and Katelyn." Katerine said. "So it'd have to be one of you two."

"I could..." Rani hesitated. "But I want to get laid tonight." She turned toward Selene.

"I could try." Selene shrugged. "I'm not planning on sleeping with anyone tonight."

Katelyn considered the plan. "She could, but then we would have to leave her alone with him, which won't work."

"She's right." Selene agreed. "I'd prefer to stick together."

"Then fuck it. We're going in and sticking together. Are you bi, by any chance?" Rani asked Katelyn.

"I mean... I've kissed a girl or two before at a party." Katelyn admitted.

"Never sober?" Rani asked.

Katelyn signaled her no by shaking her head.

"Well, we won't do any flashy PDA then." Rani offered Katelyn her hand. "But you're gonna get to smash that man's hopes and dreams tonight." She assured her. "And if we're lucky, we're gonna find someone else to fuck you and maybe me while we're at it." She shrugged.

"Your cult leader is okay with you fucking other guys?" Katelyn asked. The surprise and curiosity triggered by Rani's statement removed the threat of Sean. They had stopped and were standing behind a van, out of his view. They weren't hiding, but they weren't in sight, either.

"Stop calling it a sex cult." Kat interjected. "I'm serious, Pussy Kat."

Rani looked back and forth between the Kats and snorted with laughter. "You call her Kitty Kat, and she calls you Pussy Kat?" She asked.

"We're the Kats." Katelyn said it in such a way that she assumed it explained everything.

"We reserve those names for our use only." Katerine interjected in case Rani or Selene got any ideas. "You can't call us that."

Rani held up her hands in surrender. "Okay. Don't shoot Cowgirl." She smirked. "I think it's cute you have little pet names for each other. That's real BFF shit."

"Well, we have our pet names, too, right, Queenie?" Selene nudged Rani, who smiled back at her.

Rani glanced at Katelyn's face, but Katelyn giggled. Rani smiled at Selene. "Absolutely, Slut."

"Can I call you that, too?" Katelyn asked. "Or is that an inside joke?"

"Oh, no joke." Kat assured her. "She's a total slut. It's what we in the harem call her."

"You call your sex cult a harem?" Katelyn asked.

Kat rolled her eyes and looked at Katelyn like she was stupid. Katelyn had to admit it was a foolish question. The answer was there in the context.

"Not a cult. A sisterhood." Selene corrected her this time. "But don't worry. Tonight, you're an honorary sister." She nodded toward the door.

"Not sure you can call it a sisterhood with Arthur in it." Katelyn pointed out.

"Oh, he's not in the harem." Rani said. "We keep him around to run things and fuck. We're the team. He's the coach."

"Right..." Katelyn appeared uncertain.

"So, are we going in?" Selene interrupted. "Or are we trying our luck somewhere else?"

Rani held her hand out to Katelyn, offering it to her.

Katelyn stared at it, took her hand, and nodded. "Let's do this."

She nodded to Rani, and together, the four started walking again. Rani and Katelyn pressed together as they swept toward the door, still holding hands, while Katelyn refused to look in Sean's direction.

Selene watched him and saw his emotions flare across his face. She smirked. Tonight was going to be fun. She only hoped Master turned on their vibes soon. They were awkward, with no action happening.

Selene passed through the door as Katerine held it open for her, and she saw Sean turn away and walk into the parking lot.

~~~

"So..." Kelly hesitated again as she and Arthur ate their cheesecake slices. "What uh... How should I start learning about this bondage stuff?"

Arthur looked up and smirked. "Well, I could send you some blog links, instructional videos, that kind of thing. Or... I guess I could teach you firsthand."

"Would I be able to learn much if you're tying me up instead of teaching me how to tie someone else up?" Kelly asked with a smirk.

"Well, being tied up is always good for you to know how it feels. That way, when you dominate someone, you can know what they might be experiencing." Arthur admitted. "But I'm sure if I suggested to any of the girls that you join us for their next bondage session, they'd all be more than happy to have you learning on them. Except Kat."

Kelly took a few seconds to consider it. "I'm not sure I'll have time in my schedule, but both sound good at some point." She admitted with no firm commitment. "I'm still not sure how I feel about the idea of 'dominating' anyone. I enjoy you taking the lead and dominating me." Kelly bit into another bite of her cheesecake and slid the fork between her lips. "I'd like to know more about this kinky stuff either way if Selene's going to keep calling me Mistress."

Arthur nodded but was silent as he ate his cheesecake. Then, he looked thoughtful. "What brand of kink are you most interested in?" He asked.

Kelly didn't have to think about it. "I don't know what my options are, honestly."

"Not big into bondage porn?" Arthur asked.

Kelly laughed. "No. Massage porn has always been my thing."

Arthur nodded. "Good to know."

Kelly smirked at him and took a playful bite of cheesecake. "Seriously though, I don't know about any of that stuff. I'd need you to teach me, Mister."

"I can do that." Arthur said, doing his best to appear calm and collected, trying to ignore the warmth spreading across his face and the blood flowing directly toward his crotch. "I have a..." He needed to develop a better name for it, but for now, he just called it "a Checklist." He explained. "I can go over it with you if you want. Find out what you're interested in, what you might enjoy?"

Kelly weighed her options. "I might not know enough about it to decide." She warned him. "But..." She toyed with a piece of cheesecake with her fork and crossed her legs as she sat back. "Okay."

"You okay if I pull up my phone?" Arthur asked.

Kelly smiled and nodded. She watched as Arthur pulled his phone out, unlocked the screen, flipped through a few apps, hit a few buttons, and then pulled up a Google Doc. She watched his face as he read over it and looked back at her with a smile.

"You want to move to the sofa? Maybe have some wine?" Arthur asked.

Kelly smiled at him. "Okay, but I still want to do the French Maid roleplay, so don't get too frisky."

Arthur smirked, feeling confident and taking Rani's advice on being more dominant outside the bedroom again. "You can have multiple orgasms tonight. I'll get as frisky as I want."

Kelly appeared surprised, but then her lips pressed together and broke into a smile. She nodded, approving his statement. "Yes, Sir."

She watched him get up from the table. He put the dishes in the sink but didn't wash them. Instead, he topped off her wine and picked up her glass, moving them to the living room.

Kelly took one corner. Arthur looked as though he would take the other, but he surprised her by twisting and reclining on the sofa. He crossed his legs, placed his feet in her lap, his heels against her thighs, and pulled up his phone again. She took her wine from him with one hand and started massaging his sock-clad feet with the other while he read out the list.

~~~

Rani was at the bar, still holding Katelyn's hand, when she felt the vibe inside her activate. The vibe was, thankfully, quiet. Not that it made much difference with the band's volume blasting away most other sounds. Still, she squeezed Katelyn's hand at the surprise, causing Katelyn to look back at her.

The live band played a catchy, upbeat country song about summer and beer. The whole place smelled of dry peanuts and salt, with the faint tang of leather wafting through. Rani's squeeze on Katelyn's hand was the only sign of something wrong, but seeing Rani was okay, Katelyn squeezed back. Gentle vibrations started as a low hum inside Rani. She bit her lip but finished her order for a margarita despite the distraction.

Then Rani's vibrations faded, and Selene's kicked on, and then Kat. There was a cycle at play with the app. Selene smiled widely, standing not too far away to watch the band. Kat stood next to her and didn't appear happy, but she seemed to chill after she adjusted to it.

The vibrations started and stopped in brief intervals, starting up incrementally stronger each time. Arthur must be having fun, and Rani wondered what he and Kelly were doing.

Katelyn, oblivious to their plight, kept looking back toward the front door. Sean hadn't come in yet, and plenty of scenarios played through her head. She wondered if he was there to meet his side bitch or if that girl ditched him. Katelyn knew little regarding Sean's affair and didn't want to learn more. She had no wish to talk to him again and hoped he'd left.

Imagining his arrival with that bitch, she considered her potential reactions. Perhaps she wasn't being fair. She didn't ask who seduced whom, but she blamed Sean. Guys always instigated cheating, didn't they? Sean had a girlfriend but didn't appreciate her. He'd gotten greedy. He wanted something more or different from what she offered, so he snuck around like a bastard. She couldn't believe she thought he would propose soon. He'd dropped so many hints; now it was all gone because she'd surprised him. No, because he'd cheated on her.

She honestly didn't know how Kelly or the other girls did it. How were they okay with their guy sleeping with other women? How did they keep from getting jealous? It was unnatural. Love was supposed to be between two people, right? A man and a woman loved each other, or two men or two women; she wasn't a bigot. If their romance went well, they married to declare their love to the world. How would that work for Selene, Kelly, Kat, Rani, that other girl, and Arthur? They couldn't all get married. There were laws.

Katelyn tried shouting over the music to Selene. "Hey! How do you-"

"Oh shit! That's strong." Rani yelled as she jerked and spilled her drink. She let go of Katelyn's hand. Katelyn turned away from Selene to see what was wrong.

Rani supported herself on the bar and looked wide-eyed at Selene as the bartender used a handful of napkins to mop up the spill.

"Sorry!" Rani said. "I just slipped a little."

"We should get a booth!" Katerine said over the music.

Rani gave her a thumbs-up for approval, and Selene led the way to a booth. Katelyn redirected them to a different booth, one in the corner. They wouldn't have a great view of the band, but the door remained in line of sight.

Torn momentarily, Selene relented and followed Katelyn to the corner booth. Rani relaxed as soon as they sat, but Selene jumped like something bit her just after she slid in.

"You okay?" Katelyn asked.

Selene gave her a thumbs-up. "Yep!"

~~~

"Ready?" Arthur asked.

Kelly nodded.

Arthur raised an eyebrow at her, and Kelly looked confused for a second, then blushed and lowered her gaze. "Yes, Sir."

"Good girl." Arthur smirked. "Let's see. I know you enjoy costumes and roleplay already, right?"

"Yes, Sir." Kelly agreed. She set her wine on the coffee table and started massaging his feet with both hands.

"And you seem to like it when I spank you." Arthur pointed out.

Kelly bit her lip and nodded. "Yes, Sir." She chuckled. "I actually wanted you to spank me Wednesday night, but you never did."

"Our first group experience wasn't the right time." Arthur admitted. "But who knows? The maid might need a spanking later if I'm dissatisfied with her performance."

"Oh, I'm sure you'll have to spank her." Kelly assured him. "She'll surely mess up; if not, you can make something up. She won't know the difference."

Arthur smirked. "Absolutely." His smirk widened into a half grin. "How about playing in public?" Arthur asked. "Like if I were to take you outside to spank you?"

Kelly considered that momentarily. "I guess it depends." She admitted. "Outside is fine and could even be sexy, but involving people I haven't met or who aren't in the harem who might see us..." She shrugged. "I'd try it if you wanted to, but I wouldn't suggest it. If that makes sense."

Arthur nodded. "Makes perfect sense, and if we ever do that, I'll make sure no one gets in trouble." He assured her. "And sex outside, you'd be okay with that, you said?"

"If the weather's nice?" She shrugged. "Sure. I could see a day, laying out by the pool or up at the lake, getting you hot and bothered, leading you into a cool patch of shade, laying you down, and riding you until I can't take the pleasure anymore."

Both of them saw Arthur's physical reaction to her words. He adjusted himself and continued, determined to finish his list of questions before getting too distracted.

"Do you like being tied up in ropes or restraints?" Arthur asked. "Does that turn you on?"

"I'm not sure. No one's tied me up before." Kelly admitted. "I'm curious but not excited. Does that make sense? The concept intrigues me but doesn't turn me on, though I still want to see if doing it will."

Arthur nodded. "I get that."

"It helps that there's less pressure, honestly." Kelly admitted. "I know if I don't love a kink, it's okay because one of the others will do that kink for you. It's okay if something isn't our thing. Kinda nice."

"I agree." Arthur realized she made sense.

Kelly didn't have to pretend to want something if she didn't enjoy it. Selene, Kat, and Mindy seemed to enjoy bondage enough for everyone. Rani seemed to enjoy kink, too. Kelly's lack of experience might make her the odd woman out, but she trusted the others not to judge her too harshly. She knew the harem was dedicated to its no judgment rule.

"On the other hand..." Kelly looked thoughtful, and Arthur waited for her to continue. "I guess I'm worried about not doing something everyone wants. The other girls want me to lead, but how can I be team captain of the harem if I don't take part in or appreciate what they enjoy?"

"Don't worry about anybody else." Arthur said to assure her. "This is about you and your fantasies."

"And you and your fantasies." Kelly pointed out.

"No." Arthur corrected her. "I know my fantasies. You don't need to worry over them." He smirked. "Now, how does wearing bondage gear under your clothes at class or work sound? Stealthy sexy stuff?" Arthur asked.

"Like the lingerie I'm wearing?" Kelly asked. Her tone suggested intrigue.

"Kind of like that." Arthur admitted. "Yeah."

"Sure." Kelly winked at him.

"What about sensory deprivation?" Arthur asked. "Blindfolds, noise-canceling headphones?"

Kelly devoted considerable mental energy to that question. "Well, I've worn blindfolds to bed before, but that was to help me sleep. So, possibly? But there's a good chance a blindfold will make me fall asleep instead of making me hot."

Arthur made a note on the doc on his phone.

"With spanking, do you enjoy impact play of any other kind? Breast-slapping, face-slapping, that kind of thing?

"I'm honestly not sure, " she admitted. "I'd be willing to try, but face-slapping might be risky. Instinct might take over, and I might-" She punched the air with one arm, a quick jab that showed her potential violence if triggered. "You won't want to explain that bruising, will you?" she asked Arthur.

Arthur laughed. "Okay." He said. "What about gags? Have you ever worn any?"

"I don't mind gagging on your cock." Kelly said with a smug smirk, which got the reaction she hoped for, and she giggled in response. "I've never tried anything else, so maybe? My jaw might get tired, though."

"How might you feel being degraded or humiliated? If I were to call you names or be misogynistic toward you?" Arthur asked. He was curious. She took her time thinking over each question, imagining a scenario where it happened, and gauging her potential reactions to the events. The pattern continued with this question.

"If the humiliation fits the scenario, like tonight, then I think it'd add to the escapism and arousal." Kelly admitted. "But in everyday life, I love how you treat me. I love it when you open my car door or pull out my chair. When you act like an old-fashioned gentleman. That's one of the traits I love about you. So don't change that unless we're doing a roleplay or something."

"Noted." Arthur said. He had to keep himself from getting distracted by her use of the word love, which made his heart skip. He finished the note and smiled, and Kelly smiled back at him.

"How about being wrapped up? Totally immobilized?" Arthur asked.

Kelly considered the question, then shrugged. "I guess that might depend on what else you were doing to me." She realized. "Like, if I'm all wrapped up tight with a vibe between my legs or something, that'd be super-fucking hot." She raised her hands to illustrate a scale being knocked out of balance. "But if you just wrap me up in tinfoil or something and walk away, that would piss me off."

Arthur made the Boy Scout sign. "I promise not to wrap you up in tinfoil, even if you are a snack."

Kelly laughed.

"I appreciate that." Kelly bowed her head.

"What about consensual non-consent?" Arthur asked.

Kelly looked confused. "Can you ask that again, but make sense?"

Arthur looked apologetic. "Consensual non-consent is when, well, when people agree ahead of time that the other has the power to fuck them, regardless of whether they consent in the scene."

Kelly appeared to ponder the definition.

"I'm sure I'm butchering that definition." Arthur admitted. "But it's... well, exactly what it sounds like. We'd be playing out non-consent, but as part of a roleplay, you consent to ahead of time. Admittedly, non-consent is not my personal thing, but some people find the idea arousing."

Kelly appeared to understand but still had a question. "If non-consent's not your thing, why ask?" Kelly asked.

"Well, because it might be your thing, and if that's your thing, I'll do it for you." Arthur explained.

"Wait." Kelly held up a hand to stop him. "You wouldn't ask me to do something I didn't want to, right?"

Arthur shook his head to indicate he wouldn't.

"So why would I make you do something you don't want?" Kelly asked. "What are your answers to these questions?" She asked. "What's your kink list?"

Arthur smirked. "There are activities I'm willing to do that I wouldn't seek out and a few that are hard limits for me; I won't give you the option. We can discuss that later." He assured her. "For now, let's finish yours."

Kelly made a dissatisfied harumph but waited for him to continue.

"So, consensual non-consent?" Arthur asked.

"If it's part of a scene..." Kelly hesitated. "No, even then, I don't think I could. I don't mind you getting turned on and fucking me whenever you want, but I don't want to pretend to not want you to fuck me. I love our little role plays, but I don't like the idea of roleplaying rape."

"That's okay." Arthur assured her. "Some people enjoy that scenario, others don't. I try not to judge."

"Does somebody in the harem want it?" Kelly asked, surprised. "Who?"

Arthur shook his head. "You'll have to talk to them."

"Oh, I will." Kelly assured him. "I'm going to ask them all about their and your kinks now that I realize so many options are on the list."

Arthur chuckled. "Well, on that note - what are your thoughts on domestic chores and servitude as a means of play?"

"I love that idea." Kelly said immediately.

"Yeah?" Arthur asked, just to be sure.

Kelly nodded fiercely. "Yeah."

Arthur smiled, then looked back at his list. "Okay. How about being treated as if you were an object? If I were to use you as a footstool or table?"

Kelly considered the scenario. "I mean, I'd do it." She realized. "But I wouldn't orgasm from pretending to be a footstool." She admitted. "So if that gets you off, then sure, but left to my own devices, I'd rather serve you coffee as your wife than your coffee table."

"Makes sense." Arthur smirked, distracted by the mental image of Kelly in a bridal veil and little else holding a cup of coffee. "How do you feel about showing off your body? Exhibitionism?"

"I'm proud of the work I put into my body and my results. So, honestly? I'd be fine as long as everyone is a consenting adult." She shrugged. "I've flashed a person or two on a dare before."

Arthur kept making notes as they continued. "And you seemed okay with the girls watching us the other night."

"Oh, I'm fine with the harem." Kelly said. "I'm pretty comfortable with them. Especially after Wednesday."

"That's good news for me." Arthur joked, making Kelly smirk and give him another wink. "So you'd enjoy group sex?" He asked.

"With that group? Yeah." Kelly nodded. "Or do you mean, like, with strangers?"

"Both, I suppose." Arthur shrugged. Both were essential questions.

"With the harem and you, I enjoy the group sex aspect." Kelly assured him. "Strangers, not so much. You could take one of the other girls to the local orgy."

Arthur thought that was a reasonable request. "What do you think about surrendering your control of choice to me?" Arthur asked. "Me telling you what to wear or do?"

Kelly pondered over this one for a few long moments. "Not that I want you to abuse your authority, but having you approve my outfit yesterday was hot. That turned me on much more than I thought it might. So, if we were playing a housewife scenario or something, then yeah. I'd like that. More than I should, maybe."

"There are no 'shoulds' in kink." Arthur declared. "You like what you like, and that's okay. No shame from me or anyone in the harem." He waited a moment and then continued. "What about wax play? Or ice-cube play?" Arthur asked.

"Hot wax?" Kelly asked. "That should be okay. I've waxed before and can't imagine wax play would be more painful than that."

"It's not." Arthur said. "Wax for BDSM play has a lower melting point than typical candles and is not meant for hair removal."

"Oh." Kelly looked thoughtful. "That might be fun then." She said.

Arthur agreed; it might be fun. "I'll add wax play to the list of things to try." He added it to the list. "How about pain in general?" Arthur asked.

"Am I turned on by pain?" She asked. "Not really, though I have a pretty high pain tolerance. With spanking, I think I prefer the ordeal more than the pain - the general scenario over the specific pain, if that makes sense." She sounded uncertain and looked to Arthur for reassurance.

"You are making sense so far, I promise." Arthur did his best to assure her. After a pause, he asked: "So... hair pulling, yea or nay?"

"Hair pulling is sexy?" Kelly asked. She did her best to sound surprised but with a note of sarcasm in her question that Arthur missed.

"It can be." Arthur assured her.

Kelly laughed again. "We'll have to see."

"Any thoughts on being choked?" Arthur asked.

"I'm not sure." Kelly admitted. "I've seen choking in porn and read depictions in books, but I'm not sure if suffocating would turn me on in real life."

"Is it something you want to try or skip?" Arthur asked. "Don't feel pressured to try for my sake." He assured her.

"Do you enjoy choking?" Kelly asked.

Now, it was Arthur's turn to appear thoughtful. "I'm aroused by the sense of power and control over you that it gives me. It's also supposed to heighten your pleasure if done correctly." He answered as honestly as possible. "But if it's on your no list, then that's one less thing to remember to do in the heat of the moment." Arthur weighed the options and then shrugged. "So I win either way."

Kelly smiled coyly at him and returned to rubbing his feet. "Let's leave choking on the try list then and see what I think. I might enjoy surrendering that power and control."

"Speaking of control, would you appreciate me ordering you to do things?" Arthur asked.

"Like, you giving me orders?" Kelly considered. "It's hot."

"What if the shoe was on the other foot? What was your reaction to giving orders the other night?" Arthur asked.

Kelly contemplated that, too. "That was hot too." She admitted. "I kind of..." She looked away, embarrassment blushing her cheeks.

"Don't get shy on me now." Arthur groaned. "What were you going to say?"

"Nothing." Kelly shook her head.

"Really aiming for that spanking, huh?" Arthur smirked. "I'll put you over my knee for lying if you don't tell me." It wasn't an empty threat; they could imagine the scenario together.

Kelly bit her lip. "Well, now I want to make you put me over your knee." She hit his foot with a light slap. "You can't say things like that and not follow through!"

"Later." Arthur promised. "I want to finish the list before we play. Now, tell me what you were saying." His tone shifted to inform her she was on the edge with her decision. If she pressed into her refusal, she might enjoy being made to regret her insistence.

Arthur gave her an expectant expression.

"I was just going to say I liked leading the harem." She said. "I got a kick out of it."

"Dominating the others turns you on?" Arthur asked.

"Yes, Sir." Kelly said. "Kind of, but don't think that means I'm not wifey material." She blurted. "I liked being a Mistress to them, but I prefer submitting to you - if that makes any sense. And I still get nervous whenever they call me Mistress."

"You make perfect sense." Arthur said in a steady, soothing tone. "You might be a switch."

The word meant little to Kelly, but she nodded and looked at her hands. She remained silent and waited for Arthur to explain.

"Are you familiar with the term?" Arthur asked.

"Not at all." Kelly confessed. "But I trust you."

"It means you might enjoy switching between being submissive and dominant." Arthur said. He smiled softly and checked her answers so far against his list. "Now, what is your perspective on me having control over your body, such as dictating how to cut your hair or where to shave? How do you feel regarding forced shaving?"

"I thought you wanted me to grow out my bush?" Kelly asked, confused.

"A bush would suit you." He said to assure her. "But that was my advice before. With this, it would be my decision."

"I might prefer it being your decision." Kelly admitted. "It's one less thing I have to worry over. It takes out the guesswork, and then you'll definitely appreciate my appearance, bush, hairstyle, clothes, or whatever. Your deciding for me removes my anxiety over whether I look good to you. Though, I hope you'll be smart enough to consider my preferences."

"I adore your style." He'd never considered that Kelly might be anxious over his opinion of her wardrobe or appearance. Kelly was the most stunning woman he'd ever met and the hottest girl on campus, in his opinion. Lynn was the only person she might be second to, but his hatred for Lynn would never allow him to admit that. Her insecurities sounded preposterous to Arthur. He had no idea how someone so strong and lovely could hesitate or second-guess herself, but he restrained himself from laughing it off or teasing her.

"But how far does that control go?" Kelly asked. She raised an eyebrow to show her curiosity in the matter. She could only wonder how far Arthur would push his authority.

"What do you mean?" Arthur looked up from his phone as he asked.

"Your control over my appearance and stuff. Do I have to get a tattoo if you want me to?" Kelly asked.

"I wouldn't make you get a tattoo." Arthur said. Selene had suggested that idea before, but he hoped she was joking. He preferred his women naked, eventually. The perk of jewelry and lingerie was that they could remove them.

"What if I wanted a tattoo, but you didn't want me to get one?" Kelly asked. "What if I take a little control back?"

"Then you use a safe word, red light or yellow light, to inform me, and you take control back. It's no big deal." Arthur said.

"Okay." Kelly said. Her expression turned thoughtful. "Okay."

"What are your thoughts on playing with toys?" Arthur asked.

"Like... action figures?" Kelly sounded very confused. "Is that a kink?"

Arthur laughed. He took his time controlling his laughter because Kelly's confused expression so perfectly matched her tone that she sent him into a fit.

"What's so funny?" Kelly asked, giving his foot a squeeze.

"I meant sex toys." Arthur squeezed out through his laughter. "Not kid's toys."

"Oh!" Kelly joined him in his laughter then. "That makes a lot more sense. I don't know, honestly." She answered as her laughter turned into a comfortable smile. "I think I prefer the personal touch, but I'm not opposed to using them."

"How about using them on others?" Arthur asked. "Like if I had you spank one of the girls with a paddle or fuck them with a strap-on?"

Kelly imagined Selene naked, bent over her lap, a raised paddle in Kelly's hand that she brought down on Selene's round cheeks. Meanwhile, Arthur watched from a chair in the corner and corrected her form. The idea was pretty hot. Then she imagined strapping on a dildo, double-sided, and taking Selene from behind while Arthur fucked her face.

Both scenarios had their merits.

"Yeah, I could be into that." Kelly admitted. "I'm willing to try, anyway."

"Good girl." Arthur said, which made Kelly blush and bite her lip.

"This list feels long." Kelly complained. "Are we almost done?"

"Almost." Arthur answered. "Just a few more things to check."

"Any limits on what you'll do sexually?" Arthur asked. "Anything you don't want to try, either from experience or something you've seen in porn that killed the mood?"

Kelly had to mull over the question and run through the scenarios. Eventually, she had a concise but incomplete list. "I uh... I'm not into knives or needles, anything that pierces the skin. Also, I'm not into blood or vampires."

Arthur understood that, though mentioning vampires made him raise an eyebrow.

"Is there anything that specifically turns you on?" Arthur asked.

Kelly once again considered her response before speaking. Finding the words took her a minute, but she eventually decided what to say.

"I enjoy playing wife to you." She admitted. "Not pretending that we're married, though, that's part of the fantasy, but taking care of you in simple ways. Being domestic with you is hot foreplay and absolutely turns me on. If that-"

"It makes sense." Arthur assured her. "And I love that you enjoy that. I enjoy playing husband to you, coming home to you, and taking comfort in you. It's nice." He had only his former relationship to compare to, but Lori had never been the domestic type. Not the way Kelly was.

Kelly blushed. She was glad he understood and said nothing to belittle her for wanting what she wanted. Even if they were just pretending. Quiet moments like this? Sitting on the sofa together, talking, laughing, listening, and touching each other comfortably? Domesticity was bliss. Their conversation had her excitedly awaiting their plans for the evening.

"Last question." Arthur promised. "Are you comfortable playing with bodily fluids, like cum? I don't play with pee or scat."

"Am I comfortable with cum?" Kelly asked. She emphasized the first syllable of 'comfortable' for the pun.

Arthur laughed but pressed onward. "Are you okay with facials, being ordered to swallow cum, or if I cum inside you?" Arthur asked. He had an inkling of that being acceptable, considering their history together.

"I'm not aroused by the texture on my skin." Kelly admitted. "But I'm fine if you shoot your load on me. I much prefer it in me, though. Like, in my-" She gestured.

"Pussy?" Arthur supplied.

Kelly chuckled and nodded. She hadn't been able to produce a word besides "womb," and she didn't want to scare him. She was on birth control, but if things progressed well with Arthur, she could imagine plenty of futures with him that involved him trying to put a baby in her. His being a good, strong husband and a caring, loving father was an imagined scenario she found enticing on a carnal level. Watching Arthur demonstrate good paternal instincts, she bit her lip just imagining the scene.

"You okay?" Arthur asked. "It looked like I lost you for a second." He laughed as she snapped out of her 'off in another world' expression.

"Yeah. Sorry." She smirked. "So we're done? That's the entire checklist?"

"That's it." Arthur said. "You remember the safewords?"

"Yellow light, which I suppose is a softer stop than red light?" Kelly asked.

Arthur nodded his approval. "Good girl."

Kelly smiled. "Does that mean I can get changed?"

Arthur laughed. "Go on." He nodded. "You want the bathroom or second bedroom?"

"Bathroom. It has a mirror." Kelly decided.

Arthur nodded and watched as Kelly stood up, stopped to kiss him on her way past, then took up her overnight bag and disappeared into the bathroom. Then she returned, grabbed her garment bag, and disappeared again.

Arthur chuckled, and amused himself with his phone while Kelly got changed.

~~~

Rani, Kat, Selene, and Katelyn were in their corner booth closest to the bar. Rani was on her third drink, and Kat was drinking water after finishing her first. Now, on her second drink, Selene focused more on the music and the band than the others. Katelyn was on her fourth drink and wasn't paying attention to the band. She scanned the men in the bar, still hunting for the face she'd seen outside.

Rani noticed and spoke up. "He's not here; he bailed when he saw you come in."

Katelyn frowned. She supposed she should feel grateful that Sean and whatever slut he was with now weren't here to ruin her night. Nevertheless, she was deprived of the opportunity to spoil his evening, which was unacceptable.

"Good." Kat said as she put her hand over Katelyn's. "Don't think about him." She nodded toward the bar. "What about any of these guys? Some of them look okay."

People crowded the bar. They weren't the only women or even the only single women, but many were coupled up, and some were older. A few single guys were at the bar, but they ranged in age from college peers to retirement age. It was all a gamble. Some were obnoxious, shouting requests or commentary at the band, and others were fine, chatting away with their friends.

"What type of guy do you prefer?" Rani asked. She was the least familiar with Katelyn but also the most direct and adventurous of Katelyn's three companions. "Older, younger, tall, short?"

"Tall." Katelyn said immediately. "I don't mind a mature guy, but not too old."

"Half his age plus seven?" Rani asked. She explained when the girls at her booth looked at her with expressions that only spoke of confusion. "That's a common rule for dating someone younger. Half your age, plus seven, so, in your case, we're searching for a guy no older than twenty-eight?"

Katelyn shrugged. Determining ages by sight was difficult, but she could see a few she deemed acceptable. No one jumped out at her, though. She saw no one handsome and single who would make college athlete Sean jealous.

"What about him?" Rani nudged Katelyn and pointed. "He's cute."

"He's thirty-five, easy." Kat said. A reproachful tone colored her voice.

"So?" Rani shrugged. "It's more of a guideline, and it's not like she wants to be his new girlfriend, just have fun for the night, right?"

Kat shrugged. Rani had a valid point but couldn't argue much as the vibe restarted. Whatever Arthur and Kelly were doing, she hoped he was having fun alternating between them with his remote control over the vibes they wore.

Kelly approving Arthur playing on his phone during their date surprised Kat, but maybe he'd programmed something? Or did a setting in the app let him set a timer? She didn't know, but Arthur was frustrating her. Not in a negative way, necessarily, but in a-- and the vibrator was off again. She wished it had stayed on long enough to get her off already. The damned toy kept coming on, turning her on, getting her worked up, and then cutting her off. This was torture. She would prefer a hundred spanks with a studded paddle than another half hour of this.

Selene and Rani were enjoying themselves far more. A small smile appeared on Rani's face, and she closed her eyes as if she were appreciating the music and enjoying herself. Kat was sure she was enjoying the vibrator more than the music.

The music wasn't as cliche as Rani expected. She was smiling and bopping her head with the rhythm. The drummer was laying down danceable beats. Their bassist was talented, and the lead guitarist was skilled with finger-picking. The lead singer was cute, though not in Arthurian shape. Still, he was a trained singer, which was hot, but with his southern twang accent and tight jeans? He was a good package.

"What about the band?" Kat asked. "Selene, you said you knew someone in the band?"

Selene nodded. "That's Caleb." She pointed to the singer. "A friend of mine from theater club." She explained.

"He's cute." Katelyn suggested.

"He's gay." Selene shrugged.

"Damn." Kat said. "He is kinda cute, and that accent could be hot."

"It's uh..." Selene didn't have the heart to tell her the accent was fake. In his natural environment, Caleb was flamboyant, gay, and from the northern Midwest. "It's okay." She shrugged.

"What about the rest of the band?" Rani asked as she mentally returned to the world.

It was Selene's turn to close her eyes and then open them to resume conversing with some difficulty. "No idea." She admitted. "I think the drummer is local but doesn't go to our school. I know I've seen the guitarist around campus, playing his guitar in the quad to pick up chicks."

The girls chuckled at that. No one could discern where the stereotype started, but somehow, guys picked up the myth and ran. Every year, there was a guy who expected playing his guitar around campus like a modern troubadour could woo his choice of women. The inexplicable thing was it sometimes worked.

"The bass player?" Katelyn asked. "He's tall and... if he shaved that goatee, he might be kinda cute."

"His hair is gross." Rani commented. "Who wears long hair that way?"

"He should be in a screamo band instead of a country music band." Kat said.

Selene shrugged. "They play different kinds of music, helps them get gigs." Caleb had talked to her about the band before.

"Hey, wait." Rani said. She sat up straight. "New blood." She nodded behind Selene and Katelyn to the front door.

Several guys their age, with familiar faces from campus, entered. The guys hadn't dressed for the bar; they wore sports jerseys, t-shirts, and hoodies, but only a few appeared like they might play. They were fans, having just come from a game they wanted to celebrate.

"Which one do you want?" Rani asked Katelyn.

Katelyn checked them over as they approached the bar and examined their faces to see if any had a dangerous or creepy presence. Then she studied their bodies, or what she could see of them, as they got closer. Then she peered at their backsides as they arrived at the bar and ordered their drinks.

"Number four looks cute." Katelyn ventured.

"Hm..." Rani sized him up. "Pretty sure I've fucked him."

"Was he any good?" Katelyn asked.

Rani snorted. "He was... okay." Now that she reflected on it, she was sure she had the right guy. They'd fucked last semester, maybe January or February. The guy was average-sized and an average lay. He exerted minimal effort and assumed lasting a few minutes in the missionary position made him good at sex. His foreplay game was okay but nothing special. He was an excellent kisser but didn't go down on her or offer after she blew him, which was a massive strike in her book. "Three or four out of ten."

"Ten being..." Katelyn prompted.

Rani glanced over at Selene and winked. Selene, Kat, and Rani giggled.

"He's that good?" Katelyn asked.

"When you were fuckin' Sean, did he ever give a fuck whether or not you came?" Rani asked bluntly.

The question surprised Katelyn, but she considered the question. "I mean. Yeah."

"Yeah, like he enthusiastically dove into the foreplay and made sure you came? Or yeah, like he asked you if you came after he finished and praised himself when you lied?" Rani asked with an eyebrow raised in challenge.

Rani's frank, no-bs approach startled Katelyn, but Kat and Selene were getting more used to her now, and Selene smiled at Katelyn to encourage her. Kat sipped her water and noticed one newcomer glancing at their table. He was the big guy (big as in tall, broad, and a little thick but in an ape-ish way) in the hoodie. And unless she was mistaken, he was now staring.

"The... the latter, I guess." Katelyn confessed. "But I wasn't always lying." She added quickly.

"Did he ever ask you what one of your sexual fantasies was and then act it out with you even if it wasn't his favorite thing?" Selene asked. "And did he do that so well you can finish yourself in a minute or two just remembering it?" Lost in the memory, she bit her lip, closed her eyes, and reveled, showing little concern for their judgment.

"I mean..." Katelyn didn't have to ponder that one. "No."

"Did he respect your boundaries, admit when he's wrong, when he's fucked up, and actually work to be better?" Kat asked, surprising Katelyn that she was even joining in on this.

"No." Katelyn admitted.

"He's that good." Rani nodded. "And that's not counting the kinky shit we do or the fun with two or more of us with him. I didn't even know if I'd enjoy the kinky shit, but fuck if I didn't cum the hardest I ever have. The night I spent with him and Mindy? Or the night we all spent together? Those are in my masturbation memory banks for life."

Selene made a show of sipping her drink with all the innocence of a fallen angel.

Kat sputtered into her water as though something unseen had poked her right when she'd gone to take a sip, but she recovered.

"You okay?" Katelyn asked.

"Yeah. I'm fine." Kat assured her, wiping the spilled water from the table with a napkin.

"Hey, three o'clock." Rani said as one guy broke off from the group and approached their booth.

The hoodie-clad larger guy approached the table and smiled at them. His teeth were perfect, and his face was cute. A little round, but round as in soft-edged rather than pudgy. He had muscles, but he was swole, his muscles covered by a layer of healthy body fat. He glanced at Kat as he approached, and she met his gaze by accident.

"Hey." He said. "My name's Terry. Can I buy you a drink?"

Rani, Selene, and Katelyn looked at Kat, who appeared surprised they were staring at her. She looked confused and then stared up at the big guy.

"Me?" She asked, pointing to herself. Clearly, she believed he should be directing that question toward Rani, Katelyn, or Selene.

"Yeah." Terry nodded. "What's your name?" He asked and waited. He showed patience in the silence that followed his inquiry.

Kat continued to look surprised.

"Her name's Kat." Selene supplied. She smiled to be polite, but the smile was hollow. The more she imagined the scenario, the more she disliked the idea of Katerine, or Rani, finding someone else tonight. After all, they were here for Katelyn, and their collars meant something.

Kat nodded. "Yeah." She said. "My name's Kat."

"Why don't you go to the bar and tell the bartender what you'd like to drink?" Rani suggested, oblivious to Selene's expressions, trying to warn her to shut up. "And Terry here can buy it for you. Use the walk to get acquainted." She was trying to be helpful.

For all her intelligence, Kat gaped, trying to remember whether language existed.

Terry seemed very interested in her answer and smiled, his lips pressed together, realizing the awkwardness.

"Uh..." Kat turned toward Rani, who nodded her encouragement. "Yeah. Sure." She said, still confused. "No, wait-" She turned her head back and forth between Rani and Selene. "I have a boyfriend."

Rani shrugged. "You have an open relationship with a man." She said. "It's not the same thing."

"Oh." Terry appeared disappointed. "I'm not... I'm not trying to step in on someone else's uh... relationship. I just thought you were cute, and I should take a shot. You know?"

Kat blushed a deep red and looked away.

"It's the first time someone's tried to pick her up at a bar." Selene explained to Rani, who seemed worried.

"Really?" Terry asked. He then had the decency to look surprised he'd said that out loud.

Rani's heart melted for the guy. She usually didn't go for guys like him, but that was cute. "You can get a drink with him if you want to." Rani assured her.

Kat considered her options and then studied Terry. Kat examined his cute face and hopeful eyes. Yet, she pictured someone else when she imagined drinking with a guy. All she could do was dwell on her dinner at the restaurant with Arthur, a proper date. The memory amplified their connection. They were more in her mind than before.

She could feel the collar against her throat when she swallowed. The tension against her throat made her recall the time she came so hard she forgot to breathe and passed out. She had a boyfriend, a sir, and she couldn't look at this guy, Terry, without imagining Arthur. Her accepting a drink from him wouldn't be fair. She would just be leading him on and giving him hope for results she didn't want.

Kat shook her head, causing her blonde curls to bounce. "I'm sorry. I have a boyfriend. Thank you, though."

Terry nodded. "It's okay." He said. "Your boyfriend's a lucky guy. Have a nice night." He turned away and headed back to his group of friends.

Rani examined Kat, who was still blushing, nervous, and gripping the table like her life depended on- oh. Rani realized the problem when buzzing started between her legs. Kat had been getting buzzed the entire time through that exchange, a different buzz than those who were enjoying their alcohol.

Selene reached over and squeezed Kat's hand in approval. She didn't know what caused Kat to stand firm in having a boyfriend, but she intended to ask later when they were alone. Still, Selene was proud of Kat and excited about what this meant for them. Katelyn must see herself as more than Arthur's sidepiece to Selene. Kat and Arthur were developing feelings for each other beyond sexual chemistry. The idea excited Selene, and she happily wiggled in her seat as she squeezed Kat's hand. Kat blushed and kept her gaze on the table but squeezed her sister's hand.

Rani missed the exchange. She looked at Katelyn and nodded in Terry's direction. "Well, what do you think?" She asked. "If you don't fuck him, I will."

Katelyn chuckled. "Don't you have a boyfriend too?"

"Open relationship." Rani said. "So yes, but I can fuck whoever I want. And that guy? He was nice, clean, polite, and respectful, which is a rarity, and I could climb him like a mountain."

Katelyn laughed. "If you want him..."

Rani shrugged. "I could take him or leave him. You're the one who wants to get laid tonight, and he's the best candidate."

"Alright." Katelyn said after a moment. "How do I get his attention?"

"Do you want the cute way or direct way?" Rani asked.

"Cute way." Katelyn answered. "I don't want you yelling his name across the bar."

Rani gave her a guilty smile. "Go up, say, 'Hey, my name is Katelyn,' and ask if you can buy him a drink."

Katelyn laughed. "So exactly what he did?"

Rani nodded. "In reverse, but yeah. It's cute." She shrugged. "And in my experience, guys like a girl who makes the first move. Though, assertiveness can be risky when he's with other guys. Be careful not to emasculate him. Vibe check them on your way up. If you sense his friends are old-fashioned, ask him if he wants to buy you a drink instead of offering to buy him one."

"Okay." Katelyn agreed. "Sure, I'll do it."

"You got this." Rani slid out of the booth so Katelyn could get out.

Katelyn slid out, her bare thighs squeaked against the leather. She turned to face the table and adjusted her outfit. Rani, Selene, and Kat gave her the thumbs up.

They watched from their booth as Katelyn walked across the floor to the group of guys, where it was Terry's turn to look like a deer in the headlights. His friends elbowed him and egged him on to answer her. Selene and Kat high-fived as Terry and Katelyn walked to the bar together, and Rani sighed as the buzzing between her legs stopped.

"That girl's gonna get wrecked tonight in the best way." Rani chuckled. "He looks like he could break her in half."

"And that's... good?" Kat ventured.

Rani gave her a wink and finished her drink. "Okay, girls, why don't we make a wager?"

"I'm listening." Selene prompted her.

"Let's see who can convince one of those guys to meet us in the bathroom." Rani announced.

Kat laughed. "You'd win that one for sure." She shook her head. "I'm not taking that bet."

"How about... last one to remove these torture devices..." Selene closed her eyes and crossed her legs before continuing. "Gets me as their slave for a day."

Rani turned toward Kat. "I thought you two didn't..." They didn't do anything sexual to each other. Consequently, she wasn't sure what benefit Kat could get from winning.

"We don't." Kat assured her. "But it would be nice to see Selene clean the apartment for once. I'm in."

Rani laughed. She supposed any sibling could find a use for their sister as a slave. Her siblings would have jumped at the chance to get out of chores. "And if you win?"

Selene smirked. "Then I present the loser to Arthur for a date with the flogger of my choice."

"Ooo, interesting." Rani smirked. "Hm..." She seemed thoughtful. "Let's go with whoever gives in first." She decided. "And let's make this fair. The same thing for everyone. The loser gets punished by Arthur, with his choice of punishment, and has to be the winners' slave for one day."

Selene looked excited by the prospect, which made Kat giggle and Rani smug.

"Alright. I'm in." Kat nodded. "I'm not into women the way you are." She warned Rani. "But I heard you hate laundry? I'll clean your dorm or something. Not that I plan on losing."

"I'm in too." Selene grimaced. "And I'm not losing."

"We'll see." Rani said. Her smirk was smug.

~~~

Arthur checked the remote vibrator app while Kelly got ready in the bathroom. The app had a cycle that would loop, increasing intensity while shortening duration, then increasing duration while lessening intensity. The process would continue until he changed the setting or the batteries ran out. He figured if the girls came, they'd turn them off or take them out. Though, he wondered why he had no texts or messages from them or Mindy. Arthur knew Mindy was working a restaurant delivery shift tonight, but he'd see them all in the morning.

Arthur fired off a message to Selene, just in case.

Master: I hope you got to the bar okay. Have fun tonight! And you have my permission to cum as many times as you can. Let me know when you do.

Arthur awaited a response but assumed Selene was too busy to notice her phone buzz in her purse. Arthur considered cleaning up but remembered Kelly wanted to do that. He might get some quick reading done, but there wasn't time for that. Kelly couldn't take too much longer in the bathroom.

As if picking up his thoughts, Kelly called out from the other side of the closed bathroom door. "Arthur?"

"Yeah?" Arthur stood and ambled over to the bathroom door. "You okay?" He asked.

"I'm good." Kelly called back. "I need you to go outside, count to ten, and come back in again. Like you're coming home from work."

Arthur smirked and nodded. Then he realized she couldn't see him nod through the bathroom door, so he answered her aloud. "Okay." He called back. "I'll head out now. Just let me grab something first."

"Okay." Kelly called.

Arthur slipped his shoes on, grabbed his suit jacket, keys, and phone, and ducked outside, closing his front door behind him. He counted to ten as slowly as possible. He checked his phone as he did so, but there was still no response from Selene. When Arthur finished his count, he turned around and faced his door. He stepped in place a few times with growing strength to mimic the sound of approaching footsteps. Then he approached for real, opening his front door to see what Kelly might have prepared for him.

He closed the door behind him. Kelly stood there, looking gorgeous. She'd touched up her makeup and applied some stunning rose-blush lipstick. She wore a modest French maid uniform, but the costume was still incredibly sexy. The dress was a fit and flare cinched at her waist with a strapless sweetheart neckline. The neckline was higher than expected, covering most of her cleavage, but Arthur was thankful it didn't cover all.

Over the dress was a shouldered frilly white apron that was narrow on her upper body and broader after the waist, which tied behind her with white ribbons. The lace around the frilly, semi-transparent apron was intricate.

Under the skirt, which fell to right above her knees, she had white fishnet stockings that disappeared into her shoes. She was taller than before, wearing black high heels that made her appear on tiptoe.

She wore white silk gloves that ended two inches above her elbows. They were tough to see because she stood with her arms behind her back, her left hand gripping her right wrist. The gloves and apron matched the black and white frilled headband, which swept her wavy red hair away from her face and behind her shoulders. Additionally, she collared her elegant neck with a black velvet strip and a frilled white ribbon bow on the front.

While modest compared to the French maid lingerie he'd seen before, the outfit was still mind-numbingly sexy. It was more of a costume than underwear. He had difficulty lifting his eyes from her. Yet the card-shaped envelope in her perfect white teeth and ruby-red lips tugged at his attention.

She held the letter in her mouth, and her green eyes looked at him with bright mischief behind them.

He threw his suit jacket over the sofa arm and slipped out of his shoes as if he'd come home from a day at the office.

"What's this?" He asked as he stepped forward. "My secretary said nothing about hiring a new maid." He was getting into character a little. Kelly liked old-fashioned scenarios and old movies, and Arthur knew enough to get into the swing of things. "Kelly?" He called out as he looked into the kitchen. "Hm..." He mused to himself. "And my wife seems to have disappeared for the evening. She must be out walking the dog." He shrugged. "I hope she's careful. Selene likes to pull on her leash a little too hard sometimes."

Kelly's eyes were bright, and they followed him as he walked around her as best she could, but she didn't turn her head or move her body. Not even when he let his hand graze her skirt. Finally, he took the envelope from her lips.

He read the front of the envelope, which had a surprisingly legible cursive, reading: "Arthur." Flipping it over, he discovered a lipstick kiss on the corner of the flap, resembling a wax seal. He smiled. As props went, this was a good one. He almost felt bad opening the seal, but curiosity drove him to discover the contents.

Kelly watched him from where she was as he traveled to the sofa, plopped, put his feet on the coffee table, and opened the envelope.

Sure enough, inside was a folded note. The handwriting matched the envelope in that elegant, yet legible, script.

"My dearest husband,

I'm sorry I had to leave early for the teacher's conference and will be gone for the weekend. I know we didn't discuss this, but I saved my allowance and took the liberty of hiring a service while I'm away. The girl's name is Megan, and she'll take good care of you. I chose her specifically to your tastes and preferences. The company trained her well, but I know she can't afford another negative review. So, she's agreed to submit to any punishments you might have for her instead of reporting her to the agency.

You'll be happy to know that the agency I hired her from prides themselves on full service. She should be eager to see to your needs while I'm away. She should be able to do anything you might have me do. Anything.

Enjoy her, Mister. I hope she keeps your stomach full and your balls empty until I can get home and resume my wifely duties. Have a great weekend!

Your loving wife,

Kelly

XOXO

P.S. I miss you already."

Her effort impressed Arthur. She'd put thought into this scenario and come prepared. He would have to up his game the next time he set things up. For now, though, he decided to have fun. It was time to introduce himself to this new girl his wife had hired for the weekend.

"Megan, is it?" Arthur asked sharply. He folded the letter and returned the sheet to the envelope. He would keep both as a memento.

"Yes, Sir." Kelly, er, Megan, said.

Arthur examined her, standing still with her hands behind her butt as if anticipating punishment.

"Do you know what's in the letter from my wife?" Arthur asked.

"I haven't read it." Megan shook her head. "But we discussed everything before she left."

"So you're familiar with the contents?" He asked. "And it's true? You're here to service my needs for the weekend?"

"Yes, Sir." Megan nodded. "Anything you need."

"Anything at all?" Arthur asked. "Even the duties reserved for a wife to her husband?"

Megan nodded again. "Yes, Sir. Even that. Anything you need." This time, she placed unmistakable emphasis on the 'anything.'

Arthur chuckled to himself. "Well, well..."

"Just tell me what you need, Master." Megan urged him. "What do you need me to do first?"

"Are you any good with laundry?" Arthur asked.

Megan smiled. "Yes, Sir."

"And cleaning?" Arthur asked.

"And cleaning. And dishes. I could straighten up, dust, and vacuum too." Megan said. "What would you like?"

"You can start with the laundry." Arthur decided.

"Excellent, Master." Megan curtseyed in a perfect curtsey, lifting the sides of her skirt as she did so to give a tantalizing glimpse of her toned thighs all the way up to her hips. She showed him her fishnet stockings clinging up her thighs without showing any underwear during the quick preview. "Where is your washer and dryer?"

"Downstairs in the basement."

Megan froze, and alarm flared in her eyes for a moment.

"Too scared to go into the basement?" Arthur asked.

"N-No, Sir." Megan shook her head. "I can do the laundry. I just... didn't realize the machines weren't in the apartment."

Arthur sighed. "I'll show you where they are." He said as he stood up and put his shoes back on his feet. He pointed at the bedroom door as if she'd never been there. "You best get the hamper from the bedroom."

Megan marched toward the room he pointed to and opened the door. The bedroom was a mess. Knowing that she told him not to clean up for tonight, he hadn't made his bed. The bedding needed to be washed anyway. As did his blankets and a good portion of his clothes. Judging by volume, they wouldn't be able to complete the laundry. Not with the deadline of homecoming tomorrow. He'd have to finish up on Sunday.

The hamper was tall and full. Kelly hoisted the basket without effort and followed Arthur to the back door in the nook beyond the blank wall in his main room. The rear stairwell was narrow, and the landings were only wide enough for the doors to open.

Arthur descended first to ensure they had a straight shot with no one else in their way. The dry smell of dust, sterile lye, and perfumed fabric softener grew bolder the deeper they went. The washers and dryers were empty when they reached the basement, though their coin-operated requirements surprised Kelly.

Arthur set the coins into the four available washing machines and pulled his detergent out of his locker.

Kelly, er, Megan, took the Tide from him and threw his sheets into one washer, a blanket into another, and his clothes into the other two. The washers were large, so their lack of interior surprised her when she had to fill most of them to empty his hamper.

She measured out the detergent and dutifully pushed the coins in, bending at the waist to reach. The movement lifted the back of her skirt each time, giving Arthur a show of her hamstrings covered in the wide criss-cross mesh of her fishnets.

Arthur watched and gestured to the stairs when she finished. "That'll give us approximately a half hour." He said.

Megan picked up the laundry hamper and followed him, ascending the stairs. She was thankful no one else spotted them. Her outfit was modest enough that she wouldn't scandalize a witness, but the last thing she wanted was another altercation with Arthur's neighbors to ruin the mood. Still, her pulse thrilled being outside the apartment in something she wore to arouse Arthur. She wondered if this was how Selene felt all the time.

"What should I do next, Master?" Megan asked after they reached the apartment.

"Well, I have certain items I want you to clean for me. But they need a special cleaner, and I'll have to set it up for you at the coffee table." Arthur said after consideration. "Why don't you do the dishes while I gather that for you."

"If you wish." Megan curtseyed again. "Would you like to remove my gloves?" She asked as she offered her hands. "They're good for laundry but not for dishes."

Arthur agreed with her. "Sure, come here."

Megan lifted her hands in front of her, offering them to Arthur. Arthur took one at a time, gripping her hand with his left and rolling the gloves up from above her elbow to her wrist before removing them. He started with the left hand, then the right, letting the silk glide over her bare skin, casually tossing the gloves to the floor before he headed towards the bedroom.

Megan bent over at the waist twice, picking up each glove with a noticeable motion to draw Arthur's attention. She succeeded. Showing him more skin each time, but with her skirt still dangling low enough to cover her ass. Arthur watched, and Megan smiled back at him over her shoulder before heading into the kitchen.

Arthur passed into the bedroom and dragged out the trunk. The old black traveling trunk looked like Victorian theater luggage. Although not that old, the theatrical piece had metal clasps and a lock that required time to open.

Arthur hauled the trunk to the coffee table, then fetched a briefcase, which he set on the chest. He sat on the sofa in the corner seat and waited.

After a minute, Megan the maid, came around the corner. "May I fetch you a beer, Sir?" She asked.

"Sure." Arthur nodded. "No." He corrected himself. "On second thought, I'll take a whiskey."

Megan smiled. "Of course." She disappeared into the kitchen and reappeared with a glass of whiskey. "Ice?" She asked.

Arthur held up an index finger. "One." Ice dulled the edge of the whiskey but chilled the drink, which was worth it. Melted ice gave the sharp whiskey a smoother taste. The only significant danger was watering down the whiskey if he didn't drink fast enough. One ice cube wouldn't ruin the drink before he could finish. Two would.

Megan returned with the whiskey in a glass with one ice cube. She walked over to him and gave him a show down the front of her dress as she bent over to hand his drink to him. She placed her hand on his thigh for balance while Arthur took the glass from her.

"And what do you want me to clean... Sir?" Megan asked, looking between the briefcase and trunk.

"Open the briefcase." Arthur instructed. "And you'll see."

Megan knelt on the opposite side of the coffee table, facing Arthur. She picked up the briefcase, placed it on the table, and opened the lid. Her eyes went wide.

"There's more in the trunk." Arthur assured her. "In the linen closet, you'll find two bottles on the top shelf. One is for the metal parts, and the other for leather. You'll need two rags, towels, and a clean space to lay out the pieces to dry." He instructed. "Oh, and you can keep the apron on, but you should take off that dress." Arthur winked at her.

Megan nodded and stood. She reached behind her with enticing flexibility and lowered the zipper of her dress. Leaving the apron tied and its straps over her shoulders, she pushed the dress down her body to reveal the lingerie beneath.

She wore a sheer strapless black lace teddy that looked like a swimsuit without modesty. Its panty lines rode way up over hips, near the waist, before plunging low into a narrow strip that covered her ginger bush.

Overtop, she had a two-piece French maid lingerie set with a black and white strapless tube top and a flared black and white micro-skirt with a built-in apron. The two thin satin pieces struggled to preserve her modesty. The skirt's belt-like length undermined the effort. Fortunately, the skirt only covered the uppermost portions of her heart-shaped ass, which he glimpsed as she spun around to present the outfit to Arthur.

Everything beneath the semi-transparent white lace apron enticed Arthur. There was plenty to remove before she'd be nude, but he enjoyed the view. The new outfit was a delightful surprise and still worked with the white fishnet stockings.

"My wife sure knows how to pick them." Arthur smirked, but the look in his eyes was hungry, even though she knew his stomach was full. "Put the gloves back on."

Megan gave Arthur a smile. She reached over and put the white silk gloves back on from her kneeling position on the floor. Afterward, Megan stood and allowed him to appreciate the black silk panty lines wedgied into a thong under her skirt. His eyes followed as she walked over to the bathroom's linen closet and gathered the supplies he'd mentioned.

Arthur sipped his whiskey. He observed Megan gather her supplies and vigorously wipe the coffee table, which caused tantalizing movements in her breasts. His eyes never left her as she reached into the briefcase and commenced cleaning.

The pair of metal handcuffs she pulled from the briefcase were shiny when she finished cleaning them. She laid them on the table. Next was the paddle, an instrument that made her look up shyly at Arthur. He watched her wipe the smooth leather and place it beside the cuffs. Her expression changed from lust to confusion as she pulled out a small metal instrument that looked medical instead of sexy. A small metal handle attached to a small spiked wheel.

"Problem?" Arthur asked.

"No." Megan said. "But uh... what is this?" She asked as she cleaned.

Arthur examined the object in her hand before answering. "A Wartenberg wheel."

"It looks sharp." She observed before gingerly pressing the pad of her finger against the spikes on the wheel. They were narrow and felt sharp, but when she drew her finger away, there was no blood. She saw the tips weren't sharp enough to pierce the skin.

Arthur took the device from her and demonstrated by rolling the spokes on the underside of his forearm. "It's a device used for the pleasure of the sensation. Rolling over sensitive areas during foreplay can add to the experience." He handed it back to her.

Megan looked thoughtful but finished cleaning the spokes and set the instrument down.

"You look doubtful. Perhaps later, I'll use it on you, and you can judge for yourself." Arthur mused.

"If you wish, Sir." Megan said. She emphasized her words to remind him she was doing this for his pleasure as much as hers. She smiled as she imagined lying on the floor, Arthur running the spokes along her curves, massaging her frame until he made her gasp and flinch.

Next, she drew a bundle of rope from the briefcase, leaving her to contemplate its cleaning method.

"Don't you know how to clean rope?" Arthur asked.

"I've never had to before. I'm sorry, Sir."

Arthur scoffed. "Such ignorance."

Megan bowed her head in deference and shame, but she couldn't hide the smirk that appeared when Arthur continued.

"I'll have to punish you for that later. For now, get a bowl of hot water and a clean rag. You won't need soap." Arthur said.

Megan excused herself to the kitchen and returned with a large bowl of what appeared to be hot water. She wet a new rag, wrung the water out, and used the cloth to wash the rope. She ran the cord through the rag, squeezing with her rag hand immersed in the bowl.

"Is there a place I can hang the rope to dry?" She asked when she finished the first pull-through.

"The shower curtain rod should work." Arthur said. He dismissed her curiosity but watched as Megan walked away to deliver the rope and returned to kneel facing him again. The tube top of her costume lingerie was narrow and enticing. The amount of cleavage, combined with the looseness of the top, threatened a glimpse of her perfect quarter-sized pink nipples with every jostle as she moved, wiped, and washed.

It wasn't until she opened the trunk that she stopped, and he had to rouse her with speech. She knelt before the old vault, the lid open, her profile to Arthur as she stared into the depths and cataloged the contents in awestruck silence.

"Everything okay?" Arthur asked.

"Yes, Sir." Megan replied. "I just... wasn't expecting so many instruments of uh..." She held up a paddle much like the one she'd cleaned before. This one had hearts sewn on that stood out from the flat panel.

"My wife and I enjoy our diversions." Arthur said with a smirk.

"You use this on her?" Megan asked.

"At least once a week, to remind her who the head of the household is." Arthur said, attempting nonchalance. "Sometimes more if she earns a spanking, or if one of my girls deserves one, or if I feel like having fun."

"Is this what you use to punish her when she burns your dinner or fails you in some other way?" Megan asked.

Arthur laughed. "No." He shook his head. "The paddles are more for fun-ishment. For genuine punishment, I use something else."

Megan raised an eyebrow in curiosity but didn't push the issue as she continued to take item after item: restraints, paddles, a riding crop, rope, a long whip, a leather flogger, and more. She cleaned each piece until she held a long, thin wooden dowel with a padded leather handle at one end. The stick resembled a magic wand but was far too long for that.

Arthur nodded toward the cane in her hands. "That's what I use for punishment."

"You spank your wife with this?" Megan asked.

"Well, I suppose the proper term would be caning rather than spanking, but yes. Only when she displeases me, though. The thinner the rod, the more sting it inflicts, and that's where the genuine pain comes from. The paddles are more impactful, with less sting for more pleasurable spanking. Unless I use a quick wrist flick to make them sting, which can be fun."

"Would you not use this?" Megan asked, and she held up the leather whip with multiple strips of leather coming off the end. The flogger looked painful to her. The wide strips of flexible leather intimidated her.

"Sometimes." Arthur shrugged. "That's good for when I want to take my time and enjoy myself. Though, if I wanted to use it for punishment, I would flog her tits."

Megan's eyes widened, and her shoulders hunched, almost as if to protect her chest from the flogger in her hands. "That sounds like it would hurt quite a bit." Megan admitted.

Arthur agreed. "Oh, sure, but after a point, when the foreplay is good, pain crosses that threshold into pure sensation. And either way, pain or pleasure activates the same dopamine. The brain chemicals give you a natural high, like that of an athlete who pushes their body to the limit. I enjoy pushing someone to that limit, throwing them over the edge, and making them cum from it if I can."

Megan was silent as she imagined enduring such torture and bliss at Arthur's hands. She looked up at him from her knees and blushed, looking away from his intense gaze.

"I might enjoy that." She confessed. "I work out every day, and it's kind of the same, pushing yourself, enduring, and reaching that high. I enjoy pushing my body to the limit." She smiled. "Do you push your wife to her limit with these toys?"

"Tools." Arthur corrected. He was severe in his tone and insistent on the difference. "That dildo is a toy, but most of what you've cleaned are tools, not toys."

"Forgive me, Sir." Megan lowered her eyes. She presented a demure and apologetic expression with doe-eyed innocence when she lifted her green eyes to his. "But, what is the difference?"

Arthur mused over how to explain. "The difference between a toy and a tool? Toys are for fun and pleasure. It's their only use. Tools have wider functionality and can cause real damage if misused. Only someone who knows the difference should use them. They should know what they are doing and take precautions to ensure the only discomfort they inflict is intentional, pleasurable, and within their partner's limits. Never allow an ignorant master to strike you."

Megan's breathing had changed somewhere during his explanation, and she was biting her lip hard. "And you know what you're doing?" She asked.

"Oh yes." Arthur nodded. "You'd have to ask my wife, of course, but from what I understand, she'd be willing to testify that I am quite skilled with all the tools and toys in my collection."

Megan swallowed. "Perhaps a... demonstration is called for?" She asked with hesitation in her voice.

"When you've finished cleaning the items, I'll inspect your work." Arthur informed her. "If you've done a good job, I'll prove how pleasurable these tools are after I punish you for your ignorance."

Megan swallowed, excitement dancing across her eyes, and started cleaning more quickly than before.

~~~

"This is torture!" Selene whispered harshly.

"He has to be doing this on purpose." Kat spat. "Every time I start to enjoy myself, it turns off."

Selene gripped the table's edge, trying to look and act normal despite her white knuckles. The band's proximity made it difficult to hear anything but their music. Everyone could barely hear the person next to them, regardless of how many were at the table.

There were more than four now. Selene, Kat, and Rani had joined the college guys with Katelyn and migrated from their booth to the larger section of the boys with multiple tables shoved together.

"He's definitely doing it on purpose." Selene agreed. "Gah. I just need it to stay on longer..."

"It's getting shorter every time." Kat shook her head, speaking at 'normal volume' in Selene's ear to approximate a whisper. "I think we're nearing the end. The battery has to run out eventually."

Selene sighed. "I think the timer's getting longer instead of shorter now."

"Ugh." Kat grunted, then decided a subject change might help her hold off embarrassing herself in public. "Do you like any of these guys?"

"I'm not planning on fucking any of them." Selene shrugged. "That's why I followed your example and told them I have a boyfriend. But they're fine, I guess. They're nice enough, and hanging out with people for a change is nice. Are you having any fun?"

"Yeah, it's okay." Kat shrugged. "I'm not into any of the guys, but I'm glad Katelyn's having fun."

Selene smiled at her sister. "I'm proud of you for thinking of Arthur as your boyfriend."

Katerine rolled her eyes. "Well, he is. I know we're more casual than you and he are, and that's okay--" she added at once. "But it wouldn't be fair to get drinks with a guy if he thinks drinks will lead somewhere I don't intend to go."

Selene nodded. Kat understood she felt the same way. Selene was head over heels for Arthur, and regardless of how many women caught her eye for her cuckquean fantasies, she only had eyes for one guy. Despite their potential, none of these guys matched Arthur in nature or allure.

Selene looked over at Katelyn but leaned in and spoke to Katerine. "Katelyn needs to slow down, I think. She's had a lot of drinks."

Katelyn was sitting a few chairs down, so close to Terry that she was almost cuddled into him while he had his arm on the back of her chair. Selene and Kat huddled at the end of the pushed-together tables. Rani was in the middle, toying with each boy besides the one Katelyn picked.

"Rani moves fast." Selene commented with a tone of disapproval.

The closer Rani came to getting with someone outside the harem, the less accepting Selene appeared to be of the idea. If Mindy had been here, she might have suggested Mindy flirt with Rani to distract her. Unfortunately, Mindy was working, so Selene was considering throwing herself at Rani instead. It sounded ideal to learn from someone who knew what they were doing with a woman, for Master's sake. She loved going down on the others at her Master's command and pleasing him with her performance.

That's what sex with the others was to her: a performance for Arthur. She recognized Rani was beautiful, but Selene didn't get aroused imagining her naked, in bed, her legs spread, and slick cunt glistening. Not unless her Master's voice accompanied that mental image, demanding she pleasure Rani and offering Selene as a sex toy anyone in the harem might use. Arthur was her Master, and she was his fuck toy, whether he used her for himself or the others. That idea, with the vibe between her legs and the butt plug filling her, nearly made her orgasm right there. She might have if not for the distracting music and Kat's whisper-shout in her ear.

"This from the girl whose nickname is Slut?" Kat whispered back. "You moved pretty fast with Arthur."

The guys, as they'd come to call the group of young men, were Terry, the big caucasian one, Justin the average-looking but fit black guy; Ron (short for Ronaldo), the Hispanic jock who thought no one else here spoke Spanish; Kevin the skinny caucasian one, and Alek (short for Aleksander) the handsome one that Rani took a liking to. She'd already slept with Kevin, apparently, sometime last year. She was a liberated woman long before she'd joined the harem, but she flirted twice as hard with the butt plug, app-controlled vibrator, and the collar around her neck.

Ron took an interest in Selene, who had no interest in him. The table of guys already learned that Kat had a boyfriend, so none of them attempted to seduce her, but Justin still flirted with her for practice. Now, however, they left the sisters alone while listening to the band and chatting with Rani.

Rani shook her head and tried explaining for the third time. "No. It's an open relationship. I can still sleep with whoever I want."

Selene rolled her eyes.

"But if you're in that kind of relationship-" Alek pointed out. "Then you're not available to be someone else's girlfriend? You'd only be available for a one-night stand or friends with benefits?"

"Is that a problem for you?" Rani sounded surprised. "It's just sex."

"But what if I wanted your heart?" Alek asked.

"Aw." Rani cupped his face and patted his cheek in a sweet but condescending gesture. "Baby, that was never on the table. I'm only interested in fun. I'm not looking for a ring unless it's on your cock."

Alek coughed, and Rani laughed, as did a few others.

"What if you find something better?" Ron challenged. "A better lay than this cuck in your open relationship?"

"He's not a cuckold." Rani, Selene, and Kat said simultaneously. They shared a look and laughed. The idea of Arthur being cuckolded was insane to them.

"He's a bull." Rani explained. "I doubt any of you could match him, but feel free to try to prove me wrong..."

The guys gauged their interest, but none looked keen. They all came to the same conclusion for various reasons: peer pressure to not take sloppy seconds, avoiding being cuckolded, or they weren't the type who wanted casual sex with a gorgeous woman. Alek shook his head and turned away from Rani toward the band.

Rani realized she'd struck out. She frowned, figuring a way to regain their attention and interest, when her eyes landed on the mechanical bull.

"Are you manly men interested in showing off and riding the mechanical bull?" Rani asked.

Kevin scoffed, but Justin looked intrigued. "Are you interested?" Justin asked. "I'm sure they'll let you ride."

"I'll do it if you will." Rani suggested.

"I don't know..." Justin considered going for a ride but looked past Rani toward Selene.

"Girls!" Rani raised her drink and shouted at Kat and Selene. "The guys here are trying to convince us to ride the mechanical bull." She nudged Alek in the ribs. "But I say I'll only do that crazy shit if they will. What do you say?"

A mutual glance and shrug passed between Kat and Selene. Someone rode the bull once during their time here. The guy who rode the machine harassed his buddies to do the same, but no one did. The operator had put out a sign offering a $100 reward for anyone who could break the record.

"I'd do it." Selene volunteered. "Kat?"

Kat thought about the plug in her ass. Then she considered the vibe that could turn on or off at any moment. The inclusion of a mechanical bull in that combination seemed unwise. Selene and Rani looked enthusiastic, believing it could add to the fun. Though Rani was the type to egg the guys on to do stupid things instead of doing something stupid herself.

"I'm doing it!" Katelyn volunteered as she stood. "I want to see how long I can hold on with my thighs." She slapped her leg for emphasis.

"Is that a good idea?" Kat asked, but Selene experienced the tone often enough to recognize one of Kat's warning shots. As an older sister, Kat had perfected the art of asking questions that were more cautionary statements than inquiries.

"I'm fine." Katelyn said. Her tone was snappish enough to make her a liar. "I know my limit. And yeah, I'm buzzed, but I'm not slurring or nothin'. I'm fine." She took another shot in open defiance to prove her point. She wobbled as she walked away, but the guys' whoops of encouragement drowned out Kat's objections. Only Terry looked apprehensive and agreed with Kat. Katelyn had been drinking too much. She was tall but skinny, and Terry was as doubtful of her alcohol tolerance as the others. His fears proved valid as she had to lean on him while commuting from their table to the mechanical bull pit.

"No way they'll let her do that." Kat said, confident in the responsible nature of bar workers to protect pretty young women, which immediately proved unfounded.

The man working the attraction guided Katelyn and helped her onto the bull's back to the whoops and hollers of those nearby. He mimed the routine advice, telling her to hold on to the grip with one hand and raise her other for balance. The group made for the ring. A low half-wall enclosed the entirely padded space and the giant mechanical bull in its center.

"This is going to end so badly." Kat whined. Katelyn was too drunk for this and hadn't eaten enough food to balance out alcohol. Best-case scenario? She was going to get sick. Katelyn was always running headfirst into poor decisions, and Kat was starting to resent that.

"I know!" Rani shouted over the music. "This is gonna be great!" To her credit, the worst she figured could happen was Katelyn might get sick, and all that would do was give them a funny, somewhat embarrassing story to tell their friends. Katelyn was fun, and Rani liked her for that.

Selene laughed. Rani embraced the chaos, funneling that energy from the crowd around the bull pit. They cheered on the skinny girl holding on to the faux-back of a bull with every bit of leg and core strength she possessed as the machine started to rock back and forth.

Kat gripped the edge of the low wall as she crossed her legs while standing and kept her eyes on Katelyn as best she could. Terry stood beside Kat and looked nervously at Katelyn but tried his best to encourage her by giving her two thumbs up. Selene whooped and cheered with Rani, and the others joined in, showing their support.

The rocking mechanical bull only moved slowly for a few seconds before it stuttered, twisted, and tilted in rapid jerks to buck Katelyn off its back. The bull kicked through a series of rocking spins and jerky stutters, but Katelyn seemed to enjoy herself, showing off her hip movements and leg strength. She winked at Terry every time she made eye contact. When Katelyn couldn't see him, she whooped, hollered, and held on for twelve seconds, and then two things happened.

Katelyn flew sideways off the bull as the base spun suddenly around. As the grip wrenched away, her hand was the last part of her to release, jerking her into the air, and whipping her arm. The second noticeable event was she vomited mid-air, which made everyone flinch as she and the vomit hit the mat. She landed in a face-plant between the bull and the wall where her friends stood, her butt in the air.

The attendant immediately turned off the bull. Kat rushed forward to help her but stopped when Katelyn rolled over, clutching her arm and crying. She twisted up to her knees, and the crowd muttered. Others hissed in their next breath as they realized the problem. She'd dislocated her left shoulder, the one she'd tried to hold onto the bull with and then landed on.

"Fuck." Rani's expression changed like the flip of a coin from chaos party goblin to get-shit-done mode. She, Selene, and Kat were over the half-wall instantly, even as the attendant attempted to ward them off as he looked Katelyn over and helped her up.

Katelyn was unsteady on her feet again with so much padding under them. She wobbled and belch-vomited again, splattering the man trying to help.

The sisters made the same face and flinched away. Rani was unphased. Out of all of them, Rani was clearly the only one who'd experienced drunk-girl chaos, and she was in command of the scene like a sailor who'd come through the storm before.

"She's with us." Rani said to the attendant as she supported Katelyn's good side. "We need to get her to the car." Rani said to Kat.

Kat started moving, her purse already in hand. Selene was unsteady with how thick the padding was beneath them but held up her hands as Terry and Alek approached, offering to help.

"I can pop it back in." Alek offered.

"Are you an EMT or a med student or something?" Rani asked.

"No." Alek said. He looked more worried than contrite.

"Then fuck off." Rani snapped. "This ain't amateur hour." She said as she carried Katelyn off the mat and out of the ring. Selene grabbed their things and did her best to help Rani.

"Is this an urgent care thing or a hospital thing?" Selene asked.

"Hospital." Rani answered as Katelyn's head fell back. She was crying. The alcohol blurred the pain, but not enough. The flight, the pain, and the vomit on her shirt embarrassed her.

"Urgent care." Katelyn managed through her tears. "I'm not paying hospital rates."

Rani sighed but was reasonably confident they would send them to the ER anyway. "Fair enough."

Terry cleared the way for them, their personal bull-dozer, moving ahead and getting the doors. The bar manager came up, and everyone seemed interested in the commotion. Selene hung back, paid their tab, got their shit, and followed them out the door as Kat, Rani, and Terry loaded Katelyn into the backseat of Kat and Selene's car.

"Let me come with you." Terry said. It was a suggestion and a plea, but Rani wasn't bringing him along.

"No room for you, big boy." Rani patted his arm. "Go back in and have fun with your friends. When she comes to, I'll give her your number." Rani said. She handed him her phone.

"Okay." Terry nodded and put his number into the new contact Rani had started.

"I'm sorry." Katelyn whined from inside the car. "I just wanted to-"

"I know." Rani shushed her. "Kat? Start the car. Selene? Where the fuck is-" She stopped when she saw Selene jogging up. "Let's go, Slut." She nodded toward the car.

Selene hopped into the passenger seat as Kat started the car, and Rani climbed into the back with Katelyn. They were out of the parking lot in record time, leaving Terry on the asphalt watching them go.

"Should we call Kelly?" Selene asked, uncertain.

"No." Katelyn was crying in the backseat. "Please, no. Don't call her. She'll hate me for ruining her date, and I'll never live this down if she finds out."

Selene hesitated. That didn't sound like the Kelly she knew, but she was also worried that Kelly would be angry with her. If Kelly was mad at Selene for failing to protect Katelyn, it might harm her relationship with Arthur. Kelly had the greatest claim on Arthur's heart, after all.

At least, that's what Selene believed. Kelly was the girl he chose before the harem even started. She was the one he admired, maybe even loved, even if Arthur told Selene he loved her. Panic had driven away any arousal from the vibe and plug.

"If she wasn't in the middle of a date right now, I'd call her, but we've got this. There's nothing she could do but meet us at the urgent care and worry. And with luck, it'll be quick and easy for the nurse to pop her arm back in." Kat said with all the authority an oldest sibling could muster.

Katelyn threw up again, directly into her purse.

Rani made a disgusted face and turned her attention to the front seat. "Yeah, she's probably a little... tied up right now."

Nobody laughed.

"Sorry, just trying to lighten the mood." Rani sighed. "Can we roll down a window?"

Katelyn projectile vomited against the passenger seat, causing Kat to look back into the backseat as she drove.

Selene suddenly pointed forward. "Lookout!"