As always, I can’t thank Lireal enough for her help. On more than one occasion have I had an “iffy” idea, ran it by her, and she’s helped me come up with a better one. This story would have been completely different if I hadn’t consulted with her first, and probably not very good.

[i]”Deepening shadows gather splendor as day is done.

Fingers of night shall soon surrender the setting sun.

I count the moments, darling, til you’re here with me.

Together, at last, at twilight time.”[/i]

-The Platters, [i]”Twilight Time.”[/i]

Julie walked into the house and set her purse down by the door. She removed her shoes and hung up her coat before she noticed the darkened hallway to the living room and the flickering shadows coming from the end of the hall. “Candles,” she murmured with a slight smile as she walked toward it.

Troy was standing at attention, a plastic tray with several little microwaveable plastic containers sitting on the coffee table in front of him. He smiled at her and spoke.

“Welcome to Just Us Club. What is the first rule of Just Us Club?”

Julie smiled back and stood at attention herself. “The first rule of Just Us Club is: You do not talk about Just Us Club unless the person you’re talking to would think it’d be hot!”

“Correct, and what is the SECOND rule of Just Us Club?”

“The second rule of Just Us Club is: Enough of the Fight Club shit, Troy; let’s get on with it!”

“Correct. Thus ends the reading of the rules of Just Us Club,” Troy said as he sat down.

Julie walked to the opposite end of the couch, plopped down, and put her feet up in Troy’s lap. He started rubbing them with no further prompting as she unhooked her bra. “I’m sorry I’m late, Master. I used to think traffic sucked back home til we moved to a real city.”

“Not to worry, Mistress,” Troy replied, taking her right foot in both hands and pressing his thumbs against her heel. “I heard there was a ball game today. Gave me time to set things up.”

Julie sighed as Troy worked his magic on her feet. “So, you have a cunning plan?”

“Yes, and it’s so cunning, you could shave with it!”

“Heh, mmm ... and where’s Susan tonight?”

“Claire got called out of town at the last minute. She’s up in her room.”

“Aww, well, she doesn’t have to go out or lock herself away on Just Us Nights, we’ve told her that.”

“She knows. She’s reading up there. I let her borrow my Hitchhiker’s Trilogy.”

Julie looked at the containers on the tray. Nice smells were coming from them, and she was hungry, but she was enjoying the foot massage too much to sit up and see what was in them. “Has she gotten to Magrathea?”

“Yes, and she said the same thing you did, and I told her that no, my parents didn’t tell me bedtime stories about Magrathea.”

They both gave a little laugh and Julie sat up and slid next to him on the couch. “Well, first off, where are my manners,” she said as she leaned over and gave him a smooch. “Second, what’ve we got for tonight?”

Troy stood up again and started removing covers from containers, adding the air of a waiter at a fancy restaurant to his voice. “We were aware that Mademoiselle had client meetings today, and that, compounded with the traffic meant that she would be in a mood for something light and uncomplicated; and so, an appetizer platter has been prepared. We have Pizza Rolls ala Totino, wings in various degrees of hotness, mozzarella sticks and marinara, and some sliced up sausage and cheese for making little cracker sandwiches. Ritz for the lady, of course.”

Julie looked down her nose at the food and nodded. “Very good, Troilus, and what would you suggest from the wine cellar?”

“We have an excellent selection of wines in boxes from last week’s Costco run, or perhaps Madame would enjoy a fine Coca-Cola, artisanally hewn from the earth in the Coca-Cola mines of Atlanta, Georgia; Kentucky bourbon optional.”

“We’ll have the Coke, with two fingers of the bourbon neat in a glass on the side.”

“As you wish, Mademoiselle,” Troy said with a click of his heels, and walked into the kitchen.

Julie popped a pizza roll into her mouth and stood up. She blew out the candles and picked up the tray, raising her voice so Troy could hear her from the kitchen. “We’ll take this in the bedroom. Has a show been prepared?”

“For Mademoiselle’s dining and viewing pleasure, we have, of course, arranged for a showing of the 1985 classic ‘The Goonies, ‘ available at fine bedroom Blu-Ray players everywhere.”

“I suppose the Goonies will have to be good enough,” she said with a smile, and carried the food into the bedroom. Troy followed a minute later with a bottle of bourbon, two cans of Coke, and a lowball glass. Julie had already set the tray on her nightstand, undressed, and flopped down onto the bed. Sensing the imminence of snuggling, Troy set down his cargo and did the same.

“You’re still tense,” he said, wrapping his arms around her.

“Yeah,” she said, sliding into position. “Actually GOT the ‘Could you make the logo more branded’ question from a client today. I thought that only happened to Dilbert.”

“Wanna play a game, then?”

“Sure. Guessing you’ve got something in mind.”

“I do. It starts with you looking into my eyes...”

Julie looked up to meet his gaze with a tiny smirk. “An induction? We haven’t done those for years. We’ve both got so many of each other’s triggers and commands in our heads; hell, we’ve done two of them since I got home.”

Troy smiled back. “I’m feeling nostalgic tonight, Mistress.”

“I guessed. Slumber party snacks for dinner, Goonies cued up, I’m half expecting Cookie-Bar Sundae Rainbow Explosions for dessert.”

“I didn’t have time to cube the Starbursts; thought about dragging the N64 out and loading up Goldeneye too.”

Julie raised an eyebrow at him. “Ok, now my ‘Troy Has An Agenda’ sense is tingling.”

“Maybe he does. The only way to find out for certain is to look into my eyes...”

Julie let out a contented sigh and relaxed, gazing into Troy’s eyes. “The last time you had something big on your mind when we played a game was the night we ... well, that’s why I gave you my panties,” she said, gesturing toward a large display case of gifts they’d given each other over the years.

“And that’s turned out well, hasn’t it, Mistress?”

She responded with a kiss. “Yes. Yes it has. Ok, yes Master, I obey, I am your slave, yadda yadda.”

Troy chuckled a little. “That’s not what I’m going for tonight, Sunflower. Just relax and fall deeper into my eyes. Deeper and deeper into my eyes.”

“Deeper and deeper,” Julie repeated.

“Just breathe deeply and relax. Let your mind drift away, floating peacefully on my voice.”

“So calm ... so peaceful ... so relaxed ... falling deeper...”

“Psst, you’re not supposed to help, Mistress.”

“Mmm ... yes, Master, but I’m not supposed to NOT help either.”

They both had a little laugh at that before he continued. “Falling deeper now and counting down into trance with me now. Five...”

“Four...”

“Three...”

“Mmm ... Two...”

“One, so deeply entranced. So relaxed. Go ahead and open your eyes and keep looking at me, Julie, but remain deeply asleep.”

“Mmm ... thank you, Master. Feeling relaxed now.”

Troy motioned towards the door, Julie started to look and see what he was pointing at, but he held her gaze.