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“Fuck,” Eve mumbled, quitting her conversation with Kathleen. “Guess that means I’m not getting her number after all. See you later.”

With the Warners gone, that only left Etta and Ira’s parties, both of whom were creating a stink with Jem. Except for Kathleen, who sat next to Gwenyth on the bench and commented on the lovely house.

“Thanks,” Gwenyth said. “I’m sorry about the mix-up. I knew Jem said she was letting people over while we were gone, but I had no idea that it would be all at once.”

“No worries. We found a way to make it work.”

“What? Orgy or swinging? Tell me all about fucking Helen Warner.”

“Excuse me. What makes you think it would be her?”

Gwenyth held up a finger as she began counting off the sets of genitals staying in her house. “Because Monique Grant likes the familiar, so she would only go to bed with Etta Coleman, her ex-girlfriend whom she’s still good buddies with. That meanshersweetie Jamie would be fucking your partner Ira while you get Warner’s hot bod. So? How was it? We’ve both seen her half-naked, girl. We also know she knows how to party.”

Kathleen twisted her nose. Gwenyth assumed it had to do with images of sleeping with Domme Helen Warner but, alas, Kathleen spat, “Ira andher? If she screamed that much from a few thrusts from Coleman, then she would’ve lost her voice getting it the way Ira gave it to me.”

“So I hear. Word on the grapevine is that you were moaning nonstop for half an hour.”

“You really wanna know? I can’t walk.”

“I heard that too. Congratulations.”

Ira, flummoxed with Jem’s half-assed explanation, picked up her suitcase and collected her girlfriend. “Let’s get out of here, Katie. It’s a long drive and I want to get started.” She finally acknowledged their hostess. “Good morning, Gwenyth. Sorry your girlfriend is such an asshole.”

Gwenyth waved a hand at Ira. “You get used to it.”

“Uh-huh. C’mon, Kathleen.”

Huffing, she pushed herself off the bench and followed Ira to the front door. “Don’t order me around like your sub. You’re being a dick, Ira.”

She swung the door open, forgetting to put on her jacket as she stepped out into the frozen air. “All the better to fuck you the way you like, Kathleen.”

“Don’t remind me.”

The door closed again.

“Well, I for one had a pleasant weekend.” All smiles, Etta Coleman shook Jem’s hand and took a coat from Jamie’s. “Don’t know if you know this, but you have fantastic mycological specimens around here.”

“Uh, yeah, sure.” Jem grinned in return.The woman is a genius until it comes to flora and fauna.The first thing her girlfriend would ask later would be,“What’s mycology?”

Jamie cleared her throat. “Yes, it was…” She hiccupped, clearing her throat again. Her voice was so weak that Gwenyth wondered if she required a lozenge. “Thanks for having us.”

As Etta Coleman and her company departed, Gwenyth stood up from her seat and approached her partner, who smiled like the idiot she was.

“Oh, sounds like everyone had a delightful weekend.” She wrapped an arm around Gwenyth’s shoulders and kissed her cheek.Nice touch.“I’ve been told that there was much merrymaking. Also, our butler is quitting.”

The butler threatened to quit every few months. Even so, Gwenyth made a note to increase his Christmas bonus with or without Jem’s approval. “You’re too much, baby.” She sighed into Jem’s embrace, letting her rock them back and forth. “Those poor people all thought they were going to have a quiet weekend.”

“Who the hell wantsquiet?That’s boring. Oh, and…” Jem backed away. “I have it on good authority that the office is a mess.”

“That’s…” Gwenyth slapped her hand against her cheek. “Jem.”

“Come on, Gwenny.” She swept her up in a hearty embrace, Jem’s perfume almost too much to bear when they were this close. “I say we resolve for next year. You, me, and us taking back every room in this house for ourselves.” She whispered into Gwenyth’s ear. “Let’s start with the office. Right now.”

She had to be kidding. Yet Gwenyth knew that she wasn’t. Jem never kidded aboutthat.

“Merry Christmas, baby,” she purred, escorting Gwenyth into the office. “Hope you like your present.”

Gwenyth had a feeling these antics were more of a present forJem,but she would play along with it. She always did.

THE END