What Caroline Wants

by Amanda Abbott

  Piper frowned. “What you’re doing is not sinful. Do you remember what I told you the day you told me about your wonderfully erotic screw-in-the-car-fest dinner? You are strong enough. The bottom line was that you had a great time. You had amazing sex with your husband.” She’d whispered the last part, glancing around to make Caroline feel better. “You didn’t do anything nefarious that night. You watched two people through a car window. That doesn’t make you a bad person. There’s no blood on your hands. Now, if they hadn’t known you were watching…” Piper chuckled as she cocked a single eyebrow. Piper was one of the most animated people Caroline had ever met. “That would be a whole different story. But you’ve got nothing to worry about. This video thing is the perfect compromise, and I guarantee it will keep you hot for a long time. I bet the amount of times you actually have to see Emma and Pete in person to get a ‘refresher’”—she made air quotes, her fork still in one hand—“will be minimal. You can just pop in the video, and voilà, all sexed up. And like I told you a minute ago, but I’ll say it quieter this time, you don’t even need to get naked”—she mouthed the word—“if you don’t want to.”

  “But isn’t that kind of cheating the system?” Caroline said, her voice barely above a whisper. “Aren’t the Slaters going to want us to be…I don’t know…sexy? How can they not care if they’re the only ones performing?”

  “Nah,” she answered, waving a hand. “They love that stuff. Emma and Pete have always been up for anything, anytime. I don’t know how they do it.” She shook her head and forked another bite of salad. “They are the most flexible people on earth—figuratively and physically. Emma is ridiculously limber. That woman can contort her body in ways that defy gravity. Whew.” She ate the salad, and then picked up her water and took a quick gulp like she was downing a gin and tonic. “I think I’m getting a wettie just thinking about it—”

  “Ladies, can I get you anything else?” the waiter asked, surprising them both.

  They jumped in their seats.

  “Jesus, man,” Piper said as she cleared her throat. “You must have marshmallows on the bottoms of your shoes. No, we’re fine. Thanks, though.” She waved him away, and he went without argument.

  “Do you think he overheard us?” Caroline asked, covering her mouth as she began to giggle. “I’m not sure my heart can take it. I’m never going to be able to have another one of these paninis again!”

  “Chill out, worry monster. If he did, all he heard me say was the word wettie, which I’m sure he has no idea what it means. He’s, like, twelve.”

  “Piper, it’s not that hard to suss out the meaning of that word. It’s in the urban dictionary. Kids his age—who are closer to twenty than twelve—are the ones who invented that kind of slang. I’m totally embarrassed.”

  “Suss out? What are you, British?” Piper peered at her friend. “And how do you know it’s in the urban dictionary? Did you do a little research?”

  Caroline tried not to cough as she blushed. “Yes, I did.” It was hard to admit it, but she confessed, “The first time you used it, I had no idea what it meant. So I had to look it up.”

  Piper tipped her head back and chortled. “Well, the word is pretty self-explanatory, if you ask me. Girls don’t get hard, they get wet. Therefore, they get a wettie when they get turned on. It’s the only real equivalent to a male hard-on we have.”

  “Yes, but I thought a wettie was when someone licks their finger and sticks it in someone else’s ear. That’s what I always thought it meant.”

  Piper began to belly laugh, her head bobbing forward, a palm slapping the table. “Oh…oh, you slay me, Caroline! And I love you for it. I really do. That’s a wet willy!” Once she calmed down, she added, “I wish I could remember that conversation. You must have thought I was a libertine at the time.”

  Caroline laughed with her. “Well, actually I did. We’d just met, and when I looked it up, I was shocked that you’d said something so personal to me so soon after we’d been introduced.”

  “It was probably a good thing it happened that away. Then you had to make a decision to like me or leave me. I must’ve been like sandpaper scratching against your dignity.” She hooted with laughter. “Or a brazen slap against your proper cheek.”

  “Actually, once I got over my initial shock, I enjoyed it. I found you…refreshing. In college, I could’ve sought out girls like you if I’d tried. But I didn’t. I stayed in my comfort zone, sticking with Southern girls—as you refer to them—even though I was dating a decidedly Yankee boy. Coming to Madison has really been one of the best things I’ve ever done, next to marrying Jason. It’s really let me find the real me, and surprisingly, I’m not a proper Southern belle.”

  Piper reached over and patted Caroline’s hand. “You are a Southern belle—but in the best way possible. You’re a free-spirited, forward-thinking, not-afraid-of-change Southern belle. I think those are the very best kind in the whole wide world.”

  Caroline smiled at her best friend. “I hope you’re right, because this Southern girl is going to need all the help she can get to make it through Saturday night without swooning.”

  * * *

  Caroline was still in the bathroom.

  Jace glanced at his watch.

  It was eight thirty, and at this rate, they were going to be late. Emma and Pete lived in a suburb of Madison at least twenty minutes away. They were supposed to be at their house by nine.

  But Jace wasn’t going to push it.

  He’d been psyched when Caroline had come home from her lunch with Piper on Thursday happy and ready to keep their date with the Slaters. But this morning she’d awoken to some trepidation, which hadn’t been surprising. He’d had some, too, but ultimately, he was willing to see where the night took them.

  Jace had told Caroline that once they arrived at Emma and Pete’s they could leave any time and she didn’t have to do anything she didn’t want to. He’d told Pete that as well.

  Everyone was in agreement.

  Now he just had to deliver Caroline to their doorstep.

  After another minute or two, he walked to the edge of the staircase and called up. “Are you ready, Care? We have to leave soon or we’re going to be late. I know you hate being late.”

  “I do,” Caroline said as she emerged at the top of the stairs. “It’s rude. But in this case, I believe the timing is a bit flexible. Don’t you think?”

  Jace smiled up at his wife. “I agree. It’s so flexible we don’t even have to go if you don’t want to. Rescheduling would be a snap.” To illustrate his point, he snapped his fingers. He didn’t want to force his wife into anything.

  She started down the stairs, her heels clicking as she went. They were a pair of his favorite sandals, strappy and sexy. “Believe me, I considered that today many times,” she said. “But in the end, that only staves off the inevitable. We’re both too curious not to meet them. I’m horny, and I don’t want to wait any longer. Let’s just go and play it by ear. If we like it, we stay. If we don’t, we go.”

  “That sounds very logical to me.” Jace chuckled. “Are you sure you’re feeling all right? What have you done with my wife?” he joked as he held out his hand. She took it. “You look gorgeous.”

  She glanced down at her outfit. “I decided to go casual. Do you think I should’ve dressed up more?”

  “Not at all. I love that shirt on you. The blue brings out the color in your eyes.” His wife had the prettiest blue eyes, and she always looked fantastic in her skinny jeans.

  Before she could change her mind, he led her to the back door.

  Just as his hand hit the doorknob, she tugged his arm, and he stopped. “Jason, I want you to promise me one thing. We can leave at any time, right? I need to hear you say it one more time. The panic is starting to flutter up in my chest, and we’re not even in the car.”

  He turned and pulled her close, closing his arms around her waist. There was no mistaking her anxiety. He was proud of her for trying to muscle th
rough it. “Of course. I told Pete that, too. We’re all set. If you’re uncomfortable, we leave.”

  She blew out a breath. “Okay. I can do this.”

  “Care, it’s going to be great. Let yourself enjoy the ride.”

  Caroline nodded as she pulled out of his arms. “I hope they have liquor, and plenty of it. I’m going to need a few stiff drinks. But,” she added hastily, “I don’t want to get drunk like last time. You’re going to have to have my back on that one.”

  “I won’t let you get wasted. I promise.” Jace led her out the door and locked it behind them. They walked to the garage and got into the SUV. He glanced over at Caroline as she buckled herself in. “You’re my hero, you know that?”

  “What? Why?” She looked up, startled. “Because I like kinky sex?”

  “No, because you’re open to trying new things. So many people would be opposed to even thinking about doing what we’re doing. I’m just glad I married someone with an open mind who appreciates life as an adventure.”

  “I didn’t know I liked adventure until I met you,” she told him. “If you’re going to thank anyone, it’s you who should be getting the pat on the back, not me.”

  “Care, you are who you are,” he said as he backed out of the driveway. “I could be the same person with a dozen other women, and they wouldn’t be anything like you. Your mind is more open than most, and you have a bunch of other attributes that make you completely special to me. That’s why I fell so hard for you after our very first date.” He turned onto the street. “I don’t know if you remember some of our first conversations that night, but we debated about a number of things. And at first you held on to your parents’ viewpoints, but the more we talked, you showed an interest in broadening your perspective. I adored you for that, and almost asked you to marry me right then. Do you know how many people can’t do that? Millions. It’s so much easier to remain steadfast than to keep learning and changing and evolving.”

  “I might be readily able to change a viewpoint based on data, but you can’t simplify matters of love like that,” she replied. “It’s a lot easier to look up facts than it is to dissect your own heart. I understand intellectually that what we’re doing tonight is not wrong, but that doesn’t matter. My heart knows the difference.” She reclined against the headrest. “This is about emotion, not hard facts.”

  Jace nodded. “I’ll give you that. But your heart, and the way it feels, is based on the norms we grew up with. If you were born into a community that did this regularly, and thought it was great, there would be no issues. Why? Because we’re not doing anything wrong. Just remember that.”

  15

  __________________________

  ____________

  It turned out Emma and Pete lived in one of those expensive communities where the homes were big and fancy. Jace pulled up in front of a beautiful brick house with well-tended garden beds and a wide stone pathway leading up to the front door.

  Caroline angled her head to get a better view. “Seems nice. Looks like Emma spends a lot of time outside.”

  Jace pulled into the driveway and parked in front of the closed garage door. Pete had instructed Jace to park there. “Yep.” Jace turned off the car. “It would be a bit different if it looked like a run-down crack house, wouldn’t it?”

  Caroline shot her husband a look. “That’s not funny.”

  “Well, what did you expect?” He chuckled as he got out of the car.

  “I don’t know what I expected,” Caroline said, opening her door. “But I definitely got a ‘free love’ vibe from them, which, to me, would point to an older home in a newly gentrified part of the city. Not a McMansion in the suburbs.”

  “I’m not sure how much ‘Mc’ is in this mansion,” Jace said as he came around the side of the car to help her out. “It looks pretty nice.”

  “It doesn’t matter. The suburbs always have that ‘Mc’ feeling to me. But, you’re right, this is definitely nicer than most. It doesn’t feel cookie-cutter, that’s for sure.”

  Jace slung his arm around her shoulders as they followed the winding path to the front door. “I wonder if she plants all this herself,” Caroline commented. “We talked about gardening briefly when we met, but she didn’t elaborate on anything specifically, only that she enjoys it.”

  “Maybe that’s how we break the ice tonight?” Jace suggested. “You can have her show you her garden.”

  “I’m sure I’ll be seeing a lot of her garden, and if it’s as well manicured as this, I’ll be impressed.” Caroline was cut off mid-giggle as the front door opened.

  “Welcome.” Emma stood in front, Pete just behind her. Emma wore a gauzy dress in pale pink, and even from where Caroline stood, she could tell the color accentuated, rather than competed with, Emma’s red hair and complexion.

  Caroline had forgotten how really stunning the redhead was.

  She swallowed, trying not to feel intimidated while she straightened her shirt and brushed an errant piece of hair behind her ear. She’d worn it down tonight.

  Jace pressed her forward, guiding her up the top two steps onto the concrete landing, no doubt sensing that Caroline needed a little boost now that reality had set in. Caroline hazarded a few quick glances over her shoulder as they went. She hadn’t even thought of the neighbors!

  What if they knew that Emma and Pete were swingers?

  And that Jace and Caroline were their new playmates? Even though it was nine at night, the sky was dusky, edging toward full night, but still bright enough to see if someone tried hard enough. With relief, she noticed that the plots of land in this development were big, and the homes were set back.

  Caroline took a deep breath and plastered a smile on her face.

  Emma seemed genuinely happy to see them, and Caroline didn’t want to come off as surly and rude. Jace reached around her and extended his hand to Pete, who had come shoulder to shoulder with his wife in the doorway. “Thanks for inviting us over,” Jace said politely.

  Thankfully he left off: So we can videotape you having sex.

  Pete shook his hand and smiled, stepping back to usher them in. “Of course, we’re happy to have you.”

  “Yes, come on in. I have drinks in the kitchen, and I made some light nibbles, just in case you’re hungry.” Emma led them into the house.

  Caroline and Jace followed. The space was immense, opening to the ceiling at least two and a half stories high. A winding stairway to the right led up to a balcony overlooking the entryway. All the floors were wide-plank hardwood stained dark. The formal living room was to the right, but they went left, passing through a dining room to get to the kitchen and den area. Once they crossed into that space, there was a sunken room on the left and an open kitchen on the right. The sunken den had a huge L-shaped leather sofa covered with jewel-toned throw pillows, and a massive TV mounted on the wall over a beautiful limestone fireplace. It was likely that’s where the Slaters spent most of their time.

  To the right, the kitchen was large, with an island twice as big as the one in Jace and Caroline’s home. The entire place was decorated warmly in rich yellows, browns, and greens, including the green-and-rust-veined granite countertops that went perfectly with the walnut cabinets.

  “Your home is truly beautiful,” Caroline commented as they came to a stop in front of the island. There were a few stools, but she didn’t know if she should pull one out and sit yet or not, so she stayed put.

  “Thank you,” Emma said as she headed across the room to where Caroline spotted a small bar area with a sink and glasses. Emma plucked up a tray and brought it over to the island. “It’s been a work in progress for years. Before we moved out here, I’d told Pete there was no way in hell I’d ever live in the suburbs. But Pete grew up in them, and he was adamant about it, so we did a lot of research, and when we found this area, we both fell in love. There is so much space out here. Great trails with lots of little ponds and lakes. It’s also very quiet. It’s an association, but you can bring in
your own architect. So that’s what we did. We had to follow some guidelines to make sure we didn’t stick out too much, but we ultimately got what we wanted.”

  “It really is gorgeous,” Caroline said as she took a sip of her drink, taking solace in the pine scent of the gin. “We’ve been renovating an older home for the last four years, but I never thought to go dark. But it’s really warm and inviting in here. I love it.”

  “Thank you,” Emma said, offering Jace a scotch.

  He took it and grinned. “I grew up on a farm,” Jace said, “and when we ventured into the big city and saw the grand old homes, I knew that’s what I wanted someday. It’s been a labor of love restoring it.”

  “I’m sure it’s wonderful,” Emma said. “I love old homes, too. It took Pete a lot to convince me to move here.”

  “Yes, it did,” Pete said, grabbing a drink off the tray. It looked like a Jack and Coke. “But it all turned out perfect in the end.” He raised his glass. “I propose a toast to our gathering tonight. To new friends and new experiences.”

  * * *

  Jace held his glass aloft and clinked it against everyone’s, saving his wife’s for last. He knew she was still jittery, but she was acting like a champ. Once he tapped her glass, she gave him a small nod.

  So far, so good.

  He wasn’t sure where they would be doing everything later, but they definitely needed this time to relax and get used to the idea.

  Like she’d read his mind, Emma went to the fridge and brought out a plate of food and announced, “Let’s go sit in the den.”

  They followed her down to the couch. Pete dimmed the lights as he followed. Jace sat on one end of the sofa and patted the seat next to him for his wife. Caroline didn’t hesitate to sit, and as she did, he laid his arm across her back and tried to relax himself. He’d been so busy making sure she was okay, he hadn’t thought of how he’d feel once he was here.