Friends in Common

  Chapter Three

  I taught him too well.

  Helpless, Max knelt ass-up on the bed, wrists still clipped behind his back, his shoulders pressed against the mattress and his knees spread wide. Behind him, Sean currently had three gloved fingers deep inside his freshly fucked ass, and was going to town massaging his prostate and getting him all worked up a second time despite having fucked one orgasm out of him already.

  Max also suspected what was coming next, because countless times he’d done this very same thing to Sean.

  In the spirit of fair play, Max wasn’t going to flip back into Top mode, either. He usually ended up there by default. If Sean had toppy oats to sow, Max was fine letting him have his fun.

  He gasped when Sean withdrew his fingers, then moaned a moment later as the lubed butt plug slid home.

  Behind him, he heard Sean strip off the glove. “There ya go. I think that can stay in all afternoon and evening.”

  Max jumped when Sean turned it on, a low, thrumming pulse that pressed against his prostate and would keep him horny all evening.

  Shit. Riding over to the club would be interesting. “I guess you’re driving tonight, huh?” Max hoarsely asked.

  Sean laughed before leaning in and biting him, hard, on his left ass cheek, then his right. “Oh, you’d better believe it. In more ways than one.” He unclipped Max’s wrists. “I’m not even close to being done with you yet.”

  “Do I even want to know?” Cali’s voice asked from the vicinity of the bedroom doorway.

  “Just having a little fun, babe,” Sean said as Max slowly pushed himself into a kneeling position, letting his body adjust to the butt plug. It was big to start with. Add in the vibrating action, it could be lethal to self-control.

  At least, it usually was to Sean’s self-control.

  “He’s getting his payback,” Max said. He carefully turned and spotted Cali in the doorway, smirking at them. “Payback’s a switch, and so is he.”

  Yep, sitting would be…interesting.

  So he remained kneeling on the bed.

  “You’re going to make him wear that all night, huh?” she asked.

  Sean held up four fingers and wiggled them at her. “Four fucking days, babe. I think I’ve earned a little Top time.”

  “No argument from me, sweetie.” She walked over and kissed him, then Max. “Sorry I’m not feeling playful. And sorry I snapped at you guys earlier, but you need to remember my work schedule is different than yours. You get to leave work at work. I can’t. To top it all off, I feel like crap.”

  “Sorry, babe,” Max said. “I honestly did miss the whole period part of the equation. I wasn’t trying to be an asshole on purpose.”

  “I know. That’s why I apologized.” She glanced at the time. “We’d better start getting ready. I’ll get my shower first. No offense, I’d rather shower alone today.” She headed for the walk-in closet to get her clothes.

  Max totally understood. He might be a man of many fetishes, but neither he nor Sean included Cali being on her period on that list.

  He finally climbed off the bed, moving slowly until the butt plug settled itself inside him.

  Sean wore an evil grin as he watched him. “Yeah, I know that feeling all too well.” He grabbed Max and pulled him in for a hug. “That’s one of your favorites to use on me, dude. Enjoy.”

  “I can take anything you dish out,” Max shot back.

  “Ooooh, reeeeeally? Is that a chall—”

  “No!” Cali yelled from the closet. “We don’t have time for that now. You can one-up each other when we get home tonight. If I have to drive myself today because you two lose track of time fucking, I will leave early tonight and you two will have to close by yourselves. This is not the time of the month to test my patience, boys.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Sean playfully shot back. Then he grinned at Max. “Lucky you, her saving your ass,” he muttered.

  “Bullshit,” Max said. “Bring it.”

  Sean stepped in close, chests touching. “I would if I wasn’t terrified of her right now,” he whispered.

  Max snorted. “True story.” He reached around Sean and grabbed his ass, grinding against him. “Don’t expect to get to sleep before dawn. Even if you fall asleep on me, I’m fucking you when we get home.”

  Sean grinned. “I’d damn sure hope so.” He gave him a quick kiss. “Otherwise, I’d think you were losing your touch.”

  * * * *

  Sean was looking forward to this afternoon’s critter group at the club. He enjoyed primal play, and dressing up in a costume was always a bonus. Based on the FetLife RSVPs, they’d probably have a mix of ponies, puppies, and kitties, along with some miscellaneous feral players. Rusty and Eliza were supposed to be there, and that was a guaranteed good time. Rusty was definitely into rough and tumble play. So was Gilo, and Sean thought he’d spied Gilo and Abbey’s names on the list, too.

  This was the first “official” critters group meeting they’d held at the club. There had been past critter-centric events as part of regular play nights, and critter and animal play workshops, but while there’d been ongoing talk of starting an actual group, no one had taken the initiative to do it before.

  Until now. Sean had been looking forward to this for a while. With them already volunteering at the club, Marcia had green-lighted them putting it on the schedule since they were willing to run it.

  While Cali was showering in the master bath, the men used the hall bath to grab their shower together. They’d decided it’d be better to do that than risk keeping Cali waiting and getting her upset.

  “Wrath” might not be an inaccurate statement of what Cali would be capable of if they pushed her too far today.

  Sean was a masochist, but he wasn’t a fucking dumbass.

  Not all the time, anyway.

  By the time they were ready to leave, Sean had assembled a variety of gear for the afternoon. He wasn’t sure what he’d feel like when he got there and the event started, and that would also vary based on who showed up and wanted to play.

  And how they wanted to play.

  He noticed Max didn’t pack any play outfits.

  “Not feeling like rolling around?”

  “Not with this thing up my ass, no, thank you.” He smirked. “Usually not considered good etiquette to spooge all over someone you’re sparring with if you’re not fluid-bonded to them.”

  Sean winced. “Oooh, good point. You want to take it out, go ahead.”

  “Nah, I’m fine. As some weird guy once said, I’m a good sport.” Max’s brown eyes hinted at mirth. He was an inch taller than Sean’s six one, and Sean envied him that his dark blond hair hid the hints of grey, unlike Sean’s brown hair.

  But they both looked damned good for being the short side of fifty. “Using my words against me, huh?”

  “Sure.”

  “I’m not that weird. Hey, you love me. That makes you weird, too.”

  Max grinned. “I never denied that. Besides, one of us needs to stay a civvie today to keep an eye on things.”

  “True, I didn’t think of that either.” Sean eyed his gear bags.

  Max read his mind. “No, if you want to play, go ahead.”

  “Would rather have another round of tackling your—”

  “If you two are done verbally jousting,” Cali said, “we need to get moving.”

  Sean’s eyes widened. “Oooh! Jousting T-Rexes!”

  Cali turned, looked like she was going to say something, then sighed. “Never mind. Let’s get going. Please?”

  “What?” Sean stared after her. “It’s a great idea! Oooh, Baxter can joust a T-Rex and win!”

  Max patted him on the shoulder. “Come on, buddy. Let’s go.” He followed Cali down the hall.

  “What? It’s a great idea!”

  “Come on, Sean!” Cali called.

  “I still say it’s a great idea.” He shouldered his bags and followed them.

  * * * *

  “Oh…dude.
What’d you do this time?” Sean stared at Rusty standing in the office of Venture.

  Rusty’s T-Rex head drooped.

  Eliza smacked one of his stubby arms. “Tell him, brainiac.”

  Rusty sighed. “I got mouthy with Ma’am last night. She didn’t feel like having sex, and I told her I’d go masturbate…and it went downhill from there.”

  “Downhill?” Cali asked.

  His head drooped lower. “Yes,” Rusty muttered.

  “Let me add that he’s not allowed to masturbate,” Eliza said. “Not without permission. He didn’t ask for permission, which I would have given, under the circumstances. But he told me what he was going to do. I then proceeded to take him down, hog-tie him, and punish him. I locked him in a chastity cage. And he’s not allowed to orgasm until at least next weekend.”

  The T-Rex head drooped even lower.

  Max snorted. “You just do not learn, do you?”

  “Apparently not,” Rusty mumbled.

  “And he’d only had two beers,” Eliza said. “He’s now on the wagon.”

  Rusty sighed. “Yes, Ma’am. Sorry.”

  Sean thought Rusty sounded miserable.

  He could sympathize.

  “I think the new meds they put him on have messed up his alcohol tolerance,” Eliza said. “Until I can get an appointment with his GP and go over that, he’s officially cut off. A year ago, he could have drank a six-pack on his own without any problem. Not that he would have driven, because he wouldn’t have. But you know what I mean. The attitude and apparent lack of alcohol tolerance is new.”

  “Is he gonna go to Sigalo’s wearing that thing?” Sean asked, laughing. “Because, I gotta tell you, if he is, I’m tagging along and taking a video and posting it.”

  “How’s he going to roll around in that thing?” Max asked.

  “He’s not,” Eliza said. “I brought puppy gear for him.”

  “Ah. Gotcha.”

  “Are you coming back later for the play party?” Cali asked as she looked them up in the computer.

  Eliza laughed. “Ooohh, you betcha. I have a lot more humiliation play to put T-Rex the Barbarian here through.”

  Cali finished checking them in and put wristbands on them. Rusty stuck his hand out as far as he could, exposing some of his wrist from the costume, so she could band him.

  Sean and Max had been hanging out in the office with Cali. Since Rusty and Eliza were the first arrivals, they followed the couple inside.

  “Where are we doing this?” Eliza asked.

  Sean hooked a thumb toward the doorway to the new side. “We put down all the MMA mats over there.” They’d even moved equipment to make the best use of the space. And the smaller section of MMA mats that was always down was still there, in case people wanted more controlled play away from the main group.

  She walked over and looked. “Holy cow, that’s a lot of mats. I’m not used to seeing them all together like that.”

  “Yeah. Should be a fun day if everyone shows up who RSVP’d.”

  Eliza started getting Rusty out of his T-Rex outfit.

  “Oh, and thanks,” Sean said, tossing in more than a little sarcastic tone.

  Eliza grinned. “What’d I do?”

  Sean pointed at the T-Rex outfit and noted Max’s smirk. “They bought me one.”

  “He rigged a strap-on harness to fit it,” Max added.

  Eliza cackled, delivering a low, formal bow with a fancy hand flourish. “You’re welcome. Did you bring it?”

  “No—”

  “Yep!” Max’s smirk morphed into a full-on evil grin.

  Sean groaned. “Oh, you son of a bitch.”

  “Aww, come on.” Max kissed him. “You know you love it.”

  “Twinsies!” Eliza looked like she was enjoying this far too much.

  Sean thought about thumbing the controller for the butt plug. With his hands in the pockets of his shorts, the controller was right there. He’d turned it off before they’d left the house. Would serve Max right if he cranked it to high without warning and it made him come standing there…

  Except Max would get revenge later.

  Wasn’t a matter of if, but when.

  That’s why Sean was veerrry careful when in Top mode to not go too far. Max always self-regulated what he did to Sean in Top mode. Sometimes taking Sean right up to the very edge of safewording, but never across it. Not deliberately. Especially for something in public.

  What Sean would tolerate from him alone at home was totally different, because it was between the two or three of them.

  As if reading his mind, Max crossed his arms over his chest and sent him a silent challenge with that knowing smirk of his fixed firmly in place.

  Bring it.

  Sean sighed. Son of a bitch.

  Chapter Four

  Cali settled onto one of the stools behind the counter and paged through her phone, looking at e-mails.

  She had another e-mail from Dave Stuckey.

  Hesitating, she considered not reading it, letting it sit. If he was going to push the issue it would piss her off, and she really didn’t want to bring that kind of energy to the club. Especially for a first-time event that was supposed to be purely fun.

  Except…

  If she didn’t read it, it would irritate the snot out of her until she did.

  Fortunately, Landry and Cris arrived, temporarily taking the decision out of her hands.

  “Hey!” She rounded the counter to hug both of them, then Bob, who walked in seconds later, laden with several bags. “Where’s Tilly?”

  “At home, blast her.” Landry’s easy smile belied his words. “She felt tired and opted to stay home with KC instead of taking her over to Leigh’s. She practically shoved us out the door with orders to wear each other out as much as physically possible without violating any club rules or state laws.”

  “So are we puppy or pony or feral or what today?” Cali asked.

  “Yes.” Landry smiled, his intense green gaze full of sadistic amusement.

  She didn’t miss how Bob and Cris exchanged knowing smiles behind Landry’s back as he got them checked in and paid for all three of them, both for the afternoon and for the evening play party.

  It was already shaping up to be quite the party tonight. People loved watching Eliza and Landry play. They usually drew a hell of a crowd when they did. Eliza had a bit of a dramatic flair learned due to her and Rusty’s heavy involvement in SCA and mock combat over the years.

  Landry was a textbook Dom and sadist, and if they used him to make instruction videos, he’d be considered the gold standard in terms of a Top. Ditto Eliza. It didn’t hurt that Landry had no problems being a service Top and playing with people on the spot. Men, or women. When he was at the club, his dance card could easily be full all night, if he wanted it to be.

  The three men were heading into the dungeon when Tony and Shayla arrived. Since they were volunteers, they didn’t have to pay for today. June and Scrye were a little bit of a surprise, though. Also volunteers, they didn’t have to pay, either.

  “I didn’t know you guys were into critter play,” Cali said.

  “I like puppy play,” June said. “Shayla and I have been talking, and Sir and Tony were talking. Don’t know if I’ll get into a puppy pile or not, but I’d like to roll around a little.”

  June was deceptively tiny, especially when compared to Scrye, who was a bear of a man. The petite woman was a former competitive gymnast, as well as a gymnastics teacher, and she still taught yoga.

  That fell in stark contrast to the fact that June had shot a guy to death on Manasota Key, while trying to protect a mutual friend of theirs from her abusive ex-boyfriend.

  No, June was definitely not a fragile, cringing woman.

  As the event’s start time approached and more people arrived, both regulars and newbies, Cali lost track of time and thoughts about the e-mail sitting on her phone. Then Marcia arrived, lugging a case of two-liter soda bottles in her arms.


  Cali raced to open the inner door for her. “Want me to grab the guys to help you?”

  “No, I got it. If you could get the doors for me, that’d be great.” She stopped just inside the dungeon and looked around. “Wow, there’s a lot of people here.”

  “Yeah, I know, right? Twenty-eight, not counting me and the guys. Or you.”

  “That’s good. Derrick will be happy to hear that. If you guys want to keep running this, just let me know. I’ll keep putting it on the calendar.”

  A few of the people attending were merely curious spectators who wanted to learn more about animal critter play, but the majority were either “critters” or “handlers.” At a quarter after, Cali locked the front door and put the sign out for latecomers to ring the bell.

  She wanted to watch this.

  Max had called the group to some semblance of order to go over the rules with everyone.

  “Thanks for coming out today, folks. We’re really impressed how many people showed up. Hopefully, this’ll be a monthly event now.

  “For today, to make sure no one feels uncomfortable, no full nudity allowed. Ladies, you need to wear a minimum of g-string and bikini. Guys, you need at least a jock or g-string. Depending on how future events go, we can adjust this as needed.”

  Everyone nodded, and Max continued.

  “Unless you know someone’s cool with it, don’t go hopping into a puppy pile with them, even if they’re already wrestling with someone. Get an okay from the person, or from their handler. If you’re in headspace, let your handler talk to their handler. ‘Red’ applies, obviously. Conversely, if you’d like to invite someone to play with you, you can approach them and say ‘green.’ And if someone’s kind of hanging out around the edges, don’t go getting all personal and close and stuff. Try to engage them with play bows. If they play, fine. If not, move on. Don’t do something stupid like sticking your nose up their ass without their permission.”

  He let the laughter die down before continuing. “Do we have any ferals or primals or critters who are definitely interested in wrestling or heavy-duty feral play?”

  Rusty and Sean raised their hands. Lynn and Paul both raised their hands, which was a little of a surprise, because Cali knew Paul was strictly a Top. Landry had Cris and Bob raise their hands, as did a few others.