Chapter 7: Bro

My cellphone rang just after two p.m. on Saturday – my brother.

When I answered he said, “Hey bro, I’ll be brief. This woman I’m with – the real estate agent, Anna Mays, is hot – as – hell. You’d love her. She oozes sexuality and is sooooo nice. The chemistry between us is spectacular and the flirting has gotten so heavy we’re almost in bed. I was thinking based on what the two of you told me about tonight’s gathering that she’d be the perfect fit with everybody. I think she’s a liberated woman that would like the group situation you described. What do you think about inviting her, you know, as my plus one? I’d like to see whether I can convince her to come to the party. We’ve already agreed that we’d date in the future, and I have a feeling that I may even have found ‘The One’ – I mean I’d marry this woman today if I had a chance. I’m just hoping she feels the same and that things unfold the way I feel right now.”

While Jake was still on the line I went and found Ellie. He’d told me that they were at Anna’s office and that she was gathering materials and some keys for the next couple of houses to show him that afternoon. I put Jake on speaker with Ellie and me, and he quickly described Anna in glowing terms and put his suggestion forward. We both agreed that she should be invited but urged him not to screw up his house hunting or his longer relationship with her. He said that he’d be home around five o’clock and tell us the result.

Ellie informed Darren, Megan, Ally, and Greg that my brother and a possible girlfriend would be joining us and hopefully be as open and sexual as the rest of us had become. I hoped that my brother’s description of a ‘hot woman’ came close to mine, and that he wasn’t showing up with some girl that was the loser in a hatchet fight.

I shouldn’t have worried. The Saturday gathering exploded when Jake arrived with Anna Mays, the smoking-hot real-estate agent helping him house-hunt. She was a knockout — long brunette hair, sparkling hazel eyes, killer curves, and a bubbly, inclusive personality that won everyone over instantly. Within minutes she was laughing, flirting, and clearly intrigued by the vibe.

Anna made six new friends in her first few minutes with us, in addition to the adoration of Jake who followed her around like a puppy who’d imprinted on her. Jake did make as good an impression on the others as Anna did but I expected that.

We had a great barbecue. During that time, I heard Ellie offer to tell Anna about the group and the after-dinner activities. The way Ellie sounded, there was no doubt but that whatever would happen would be scandalous and sexual.

The two women were at one end of the table, and I couldn’t hear them, but they did talk in low voices for fifteen minutes. Anna was obviously interested, grinning lecherously, and hanging on every word that Ellie spoke. A lot of nodding was going on. Often, she’d look from Ellie to one of the others at the long table. I felt sure Anna was eager for whatever would be happening later.

Towards the end of dinner as people were changing seats before our dessert, Anna came and sat with me. I felt that she was comparing me with my brother and that didn’t bother me. I was candid about my life and learned more about her and her burgeoning real estate career. One of the topics that flew by addressed our open marriage and my feelings about polyamorous relationships. I could have gone on for hours on the subject but kept my answers short as I was aware of the time.