What Emma Craves (5 page)

This thing with his wife was worrisome. She was clearly unhappy, and he was going to have to fix that.

Whatever it took.

* * *

Emma buzzed around the kitchen, finishing up all the last-minute prepping. Not only had she made appetizers for the ladies, but she’d also made a potluck contribution for the block party. The neighborhood event was fairly low-key, as she and Pete lived on a street that turned into a cul-de-sac that had only ten homes total. Their house was the one right before the cul-de-sac began.

Pete was going out with the guys, which had been a nice surprise. She was glad he was meeting up with them. Piper had given her a heads-up about Michael inviting him, and Emma had been thrilled.

Once the girls arrived, Emma planned on bringing them out to the block party for shits and giggles, but then they were going to come back here for the “travel shower” Caroline had insisted on throwing her.

It felt like an overindulgence, but secretly Emma was touched. She hadn’t had girlfriends like this since grade school. In high school she’d been so focused on dancing, she’d missed out on a lot of opportunities to build lasting friendships, so she was beyond happy to have these ladies in her life right now. They made it brighter.

Her phone beeped on the counter. It was Piper.

ON OUR WAY. NEED ANYTHING?

She typed back.

NOPE. ALL SET.

Piper replied.

CAN’T WAIT TO SEE THE ROCKIN’ BLOCK PARTY IN ACTION!

Emma hadn’t told anyone about the Candace incident yet. She wanted to tell all the girls at once. She couldn’t wait.

Emma texted Piper back.

ME TOO. SEE YOU IN A FEW!

Piper and Caroline were riding together, and Gillian was coming separately. Emma hoped Gillian had some juicy gossip to share about her interlude with someone famous here in town. Gillian and her husband, Brad, had hooked up with someone at the orgy they’d attended with Piper and Michael, but Gillian had been sworn to secrecy. They were all dying to know who it was.

The girls would arrive in about twenty minutes if there was no traffic. Emma put the last cookie sheet in the oven. She’d made cheese tarts with caramelized onions. Emma had taken a half day off today so she’d have enough time to prepare.

Right as she shut the oven door, her phone rang.

She wiped off her hands and picked it up. It was Pete. She smiled like she always did when he called. He preferred calls to texts, and she loved that.

“Hello,” she said.

“Hey, how are you?” Pete asked. “I wanted to touch base before each of our nights began.”

“I’m great. Just finishing all the last touches before the girls get here. It should be fun. Are you bummed you’re missing the block party?” she joked.

“Hell no.” He chuckled.

“I wonder if Candace will have the balls to attend,” Emma said. “I hope she does. The girls need to meet her.”

“I don’t care if she does, and I hope I never lay eyes on her again. Are you sure you don’t need anything? I can swing home first if you need me to pick something up.”

“Nope, I’m good. Have fun tonight with the guys.”

“I will. I’m actually looking forward to it,” Pete said. “It’s been a while since I’ve had a guys’ night out. Michael mentioned that they talk about the lifestyle once in a while. It’ll be nice to be relaxed and chat.”

That’s what Emma was hoping for. Piper was a genius. “I hope you have fun. Take your time.”

“I will. And Emma?” There was a tentative note in his voice.

“Yes?”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Emma had remained adamant in her refusal to discuss the Candace incident each time Pete had brought it up, but mostly because she didn’t want to crack her façade. Ensuring that he knew she still wasn’t happy about the entire thing would go a long way. But she wasn’t going to lie to her husband over the phone.

She loved him like crazy.

“Okay, I’ll see you later.” He sounded relieved, and Emma felt a little pang.

She’d make it up to him tonight. She wouldn’t talk about Candace, but having some hot sex wouldn’t hurt.

“Bye.” She hung up.

Emma set the phone down. Then she smiled. In only a few days she’d felt a shift in things between them—for the better. Pete seemed more attentive, and that felt like a step in the right direction.

Emma hummed as she finished cleaning and took the tarts out of the oven. She was fixing her hair when the doorbell chimed. Before she could get downstairs, Piper’s voice rang out, “We’re here! Damn, I forget how beautiful this house is.”

Emma walked down the steps to greet them. “Thank you! I love it. But if you asked me if I’d be living in the suburbs by choice a few years ago, I would’ve told you hell to the no. Come on in.” She gave both Piper and Caroline hugs in greeting, and they followed her into the kitchen, both of them carrying gifts.

“Your sense of style is totally on point,” Caroline commented as she pulled out a barstool and sat, placing a very nicely wrapped present next to her on the island. “I might have to hire you if we do any more remodeling.”

“It’s off the hook,” Piper agreed. “I’d never be ballsy enough to go with browns and greens, but this totally works.” Piper took the stool next to Caroline, setting her gift bag on the floor.

Emma placed a few platters of finger foods in front of them. “Thanks, I appreciate that,” she said. “What can I get you ladies to drink?” As Emma walked over to the bar, she heard what sounded like a motorcycle pull into her driveway. It must be Gillian. Emma didn’t know if she had a bike, but it wouldn’t be surprising. “Does Gillian have a motorcycle?”

“I’ll take a gin and tonic,” Caroline said. “And I have no idea if she does. But it wouldn’t shock me.”

“Yep, that’s her,” Piper said. “A gin and tonic sounds good. I’ll take one, too.”

“Two gin and tonics coming up.” A few moments later there was a knock at the front door. “Come on in!” Emma called over her shoulder. “It’s open!” Emma finished up the drinks right as Gillian walked into the kitchen.

“Hiya,” Gillian greeted them as she entered, glancing around. “I always forget how nice this place is.”

“I just said the same thing!” Piper said. “It’s shocking.”

Emma chuckled as she set the drinks in front of Caroline and Piper. “Thanks, guys. What can I get you to drink, Gillian?”

Gillian had on full leathers—pants, jacket, the whole nine yards. She set a big leather satchel on the end of the island. “I’ll take a beer. Whatever you have is fine. I can only have one or two tonight. I’m very careful when I take the bike.”

Caroline said, “Gillian, you’re a total badass. I could never ride a motorcycle. I wouldn’t even know where to start.”

Gillian slid onto the last barstool, next to Piper, as Emma set a beer bottle in front of her. “Don’t get too excited.” Gillian smiled. “It’s a small bike. I’ve tried to drive Brad’s big Harley, but I don’t have enough lower-body strength to keep that bad boy up.” She shrugged. “When your husband rides, you either ride, or you spend a lot of time at home alone. I prefer having my own bike. Otherwise, I’m just a hanger-on, and that’s no fun. We’d been looking for a while, but I finally found one I can handle about a year ago. It’s been super fun.” She picked up her beer.

“I’m certain I couldn’t drive it, no matter how small,” Caroline said. “But I admire you for it.”

“Okay, ladies.” Emma clapped once, her excitement at the forefront. “I have something to tell you before we head out to the block party, and it’s pretty juicy!”

“Juicier than Gillian hooking up with a celebrity?” Piper joked as she turned to Gillian. “I hope you’re planning on spilling some details tonight. It’s been two weeks, and we are dying.
Dy-ing
.”

Caroline added, “Yes! We can’t wait to hear who it is.”

Emma chuckled. “My gossip isn’t that good, but it does involve my neighbor trying to seduce my husband right here in this very kitchen.”

“No way!” Piper exclaimed. “That is a great runner-up. I’m totally kidding. Gillian’s sexcapades can wait. Neighborhood scandal right in your own kitchen wins the night. When did this happen?”

“The night we met for drinks,” Emma answered. She turned to the other girls to explain. “I asked Piper to meet me for a drink because I was having some issues with my marriage, but I couldn’t put my finger on what it was exactly, so I didn’t want to make it a big deal before I figured it out. Piper was incredible, as you can all imagine.” She grinned at her friend. “You really should be a therapist, you know. I came home feeling completely energized and ready to tackle my life—and walked in right as Candace was trying to tackle my husband.”

“I can’t believe that!” Caroline exclaimed. “That’s so ballsy. Right in your own house? I would’ve been in a white-hot rage.”

“It’s not that ballsy for this neighborhood, let me tell you,” Emma said. “Candace regularly bangs a twenty-two-year-old in her garage, and she apparently discovered that we live an extracurricular sex life, most likely from spying through our windows, and came here looking for some action.”

“Was Pete into it?” Gillian asked. “That doesn’t seem like it would be his style.”

“No, of course not!” Emma said. “But I let him think I was pissed about it. Well, I
was
pissed, but I wasn’t as mad as I portrayed. Nobody wants to catch their husband kissing someone else.” She nodded at Piper. “That was because you empowered me to not gloss over everything and try to make everyone feel good. I saw my opportunity and took it.” Emma proceeded to give the girls all the juicy tidbits about what happened. “So, in the end, Pete was upset he’d made me mad, and that’s unusual for us. My usual is to make everything fine at all costs. By doing it this way, I’m trying to coax him into
seeing
me again. Our life has become predictable, but I have high hopes for this vacation. Thanks to Piper’s advice, I’ll be doing some strutting.”

Gillian asked, “So are we going to get to see this interloper Candace at the block party? Because that would be awesome.”

Emma said, “I certainly hope so. It won’t be as fun if she doesn’t show.”

5

__________________________

____________

P
ete strode into the packed bar. He was a little late. His workload for the week had been heavy, so he’d worked longer than expected. He spotted the guys at a high-top and made his way over.

“Hey, Pete,” Michael said, holding his hand out. “Nice to see you again.”

Pete shook it and nodded to the two other guys as he took his seat. “Thanks for the invite. It was nice to get the call. Who would’ve thought we’d see each other out socially after our interactions together?”

“I know,” Michael said. “It’s strange as hell, but oddly it works. We all share a pretty hard-core component of our lives, which doesn’t tend to come up a lot in everyday conversation with other people.”

Brad nodded. “I don’t talk about my life
ever
. Most people at work think I’m socially awkward because I never talk.” He chuckled. “But they can think whatever the fuck they want to. It’s nice to be able to slam back a beer and feel comfortable for once.”

“I agree,” Pete said, nodding. “This was unexpected, but welcome. And if anyone can use a drink, I can. I’ve had a shitty week.” He nodded across the table at Jace. “It’s nice to see you again, man. I hope all is well with you and yours.”

“Things are going great,” Jace said. “In part, thanks to you and your wife. What we did at your house managed to break some kind of a seal for Caroline, and our sex life has never been better.”

“Glad to hear it,” Pete said.

The waiter came, and Pete gave him his order.

“Piper mentioned something about Emma being unhappy?” Michael said.

Pete raised his eyebrows. “Emma hasn’t said anything to me directly about being unhappy, but her actions certainly point in that direction.” He shook his head. “She’s done a complete turnaround from her normal temperament, and I can’t figure it out. Nothing big has changed in our lives. We haven’t swapped with any couples in a long time. Not because we’re not into it anymore, but we’ve just been busy, and all of you”—he gestured around the table—“have left the lifestyle as far as I know, at least for now.”

“We haven’t left,” Michael said, shaking his head. “We’re just experimenting with something new. It was time for a change, and it’s been a doozy. Have you ever heard of the Sexual Underground?”

“No,” Pete said. “Can’t say I have.”

“It’s fairly new, from what I know. It’s basically a well-organized orgy. We’ve been twice now, and it’s fucking amazing—literally,” Michael told him. “But I’m only with Piper now, so that piece has changed. We’ve had our own metamorphosis, so to speak, and we’ve found that we work the best being exclusive but in a highly charged atmosphere.”

“We’re not out of the lifestyle either,” Brad added. “Gillian is in the process of setting up these soft BDSM parties. She’s planning one a month. Similar to the orgy we attended with them”—he gestured at Michael—“but more controlled, and on a much smaller scale. But we’ve been derailed a bit.” He lowered his voice. “Do you guys know Tyler Blackstone?”