Chapter 18

Author’s Note: Thanks for your infinite patience, readers. This chapter is a little bit different. I’ve been indulging in fairly long installments – 20K words and beyond – of late, but I felt that there was a better natural breaking point at a shorter interval here. I wanted both the plot points here and the party to come to get their own treatment. I think you’ll find it’s worth it. Thanks for all the great feedback. I hope you enjoy this one. We’re entering some new territory as the Katie book wraps up over the next few chapters. But fear not. We will continue. Because Traffic Girl: Stephanie will be right behind this one!

The news about Kelly was bad. A worst-case scenario. She had been diagnosed with stage four metastatic breast cancer. It had spread to her lymph nodes and her lungs. In the few days after Kat received the initial phone call, and the shock wore off, we were able to get more detailed information. She had been experiencing symptoms – dizziness, loss of balance, fever, and some aches and pains – for several weeks. She dismissed it as fatigue and partying too much, but once she fainted one night while getting ready for bed, she knew she had to see a doctor.

When she called Kat, it was to break the news. It would be impossible to keep it under wraps because Kelly planned to move back to Los Angeles full-time to get intensive treatment at City of Hope. She was a fighter and planned to throw everything she could at it. The doctors told her that, with some luck, she had about a twenty-percent chance of surviving for three years. She would start chemotherapy and radiation immediately, along with an experimental course of immunotherapy that had shown strong promise. I admired the optimism and fight Kelly exhibited. She put forth the facade, at least, of being a pillar of strength.

Kat, however, did not. She was devastated. We all were, to a certain extent, because the prognosis was so bad. But Kat and Kelly had been close for so long, and Kelly had played such a central role in mentoring Kat in so many aspects of life, she felt like she was losing a friend as well as a surrogate sister.

That sudden, encroaching sense of loss – even though Kelly was still with us, and hopefully would be for a long time to come – made me worry. It made all of us worry. Kat hadn’t always handled stresses like this very well. She knew it, too. We talked about it, and we came up with a plan that, in Kat’s mind, would address any fears we had about slipping into dangerous behavior.

“I am going to do for Kelly what Katie did for you when you were doing physical therapy,” Kat said. “I’ll be with her at every doctor’s appointment. Every treatment. I’m going to be her nurse, just like Katie was for you.”

Kat had just come back from City of Hope after dropping Kelly at her house. She had no family in LA, and her friend network needed some work after the time she had spent in Las Vegas. The five of us were smoking marijuana from the hookah on our deck by the pool. Kat sat on my lap. It wasn’t sexual. She needed comfort. Her head was nestled in the crook of my arm when she wasn’t taking a hit, and I could feel her body trembling from the stress and emotion she’d been feeling.

“Maybe Kelly would want to come for dinner?” Jess suggested. “Low-key. Takeout. Something easy.”

“I don’t know,” Kat said. “She hasn’t really seemed like she’s wanted to be social.”

“What if you went to her place?” Rita offered. “Do like a girls’ night sleepover?”

“That’s not a bad idea,” Kat said, her voice trailing off as she picked up her phone and started tapping out a text.

“You could take her a care package from us,” Katie said. “I mean, she’s going to be dealing with a lot, so I presume weed would have a medical purpose here, for example.”

“Yes!” Kat said, suddenly coming alive. “And Kelly jumped at the sleepover idea. Is that okay? I mean, I don’t want to just leave you all behind.”

“You need to go, Kat,” Rita said.

“She’s always been there for you,” I said, visions of Kat’s escape to LA when she needed it years ago jumping through my brain. “It’s what we do.”

“Okay,” Kat said. “Thank you.”

She burst into tears. The facade of strength she had put up crumbled before our eyes. I could see the fear in her face. It hit me like a sharp, stabbing pain to see the anguish she felt. The reality of Kelly’s condition was a very heavy, very dark cloud hanging over all of us. She had always been a carefree, generous friend. We were going to have to follow her example and return the favor as she faced a seemingly insurmountable condition.

Kelly’s tragic news was just another serious item for us to contend with. There was a lot swirling around after our indulgent weekend cruise. I had the Old Katie issue to bring to resolution. Katie was close to putting the finishing touches on a full demo of her first album, and she had hinted she had a surprise for us regarding it. Rita also intimated that she would have something notable to tell us soon, and it made me supremely curious. She had spent loads of time with Juliet and Riley recently, but she was tight-lipped about why. Crystal was also about to film her first feature as a pornstar. To date, she had only done a few web scenes. And, of course, Juliet’s new movie with Carly was having a red-carpet premiere in a week. As a companion to that, Jess was planning a special after-party at Hollywood & Vine.

The movie was going to be a huge event. After the title and plot had been kept under wraps for so long, we were finally learning about it. It was called Tapestry of Scars, and the more we heard, the more excited we got. Juliet played the daughter to Carly’s role as the mother. They had been estranged for years, but reunite when Juliet’s father dies, and Juliet returns home for the funeral. There, Juliet learns that her entire family history isn’t what she believed. That’s as far as she would go in teasing us with information, so we were incredibly excited to finally see the end product. I could tell Juliet was proud of it. Anytime she spoke about the film, her voice cracked, and I could see the emotion welling up in her eyes. I felt how powerfully the role had affected her. I knew in my bones it had to be a legitimate work of art.

Also in the realm of art, Katie revealed her surprise to me privately. As a poly group, we had maintained the habit of carving out one-on-one time with me and each of the girls. It was usually once a week that was just our private time to connect and spend it as we pleased. It might be an hour or two; it might be half a day. It was very free-form and flexible. That first night Kat spent at Kelly’s, Katie and I were together in our bedroom. We had made love, sober and tenderly, when she told me she couldn’t hold back her secret any longer. Riley had collaborated with her on a track for the album. They sang it as a duet, and she was over-the-moon excited about it. She played it for me from her phone, where she had stored it as an MP3.

“It’s called ‘Fast Friends,’” she explained before pressing play.

There was just a soft piano backing this demo version of it, but it instantly struck me.

(Katie)Empty coffee cups and lonely sighs Another day fading, beneath the weary skies Then you walked in, a whirlwind of bright hues Suddenly the world felt new, and the shadows withdrew

(Riley) I was searching, you were lost Two ships adrift, at any cost We collided, a spark ignited A laughter shared, a bond invited

(Both) Fast friends, forged in a moment’s grace A silent understanding, a shared embrace Two souls connecting, a rhythm so true Fast friends, me and you

(Katie) Remember that cafe, the rain on the pane Pouring our hearts out, again and again Secrets whispered, dreams we dared to chase A bond unbreakable, time and space

(Riley) Through laughter and tears, through triumphs and fears You’ve always been there, to calm my doubts and fears A shoulder to lean on, a hand to hold tight Guiding me onward, in the fading light

(Both) Fast friends, forged in a moment’s grace A silent understanding, a shared embrace Two souls connecting, a rhythm so true Fast friends, me and you

(Both) Like puzzle pieces, we fit just right A perfect harmony, shining ever so bright This bond we’ve created, a treasure untold A story of friendship, brave and bold

(Both) Fast friends, forged in a moment’s grace A silent understanding, a shared embrace Two souls connecting, a rhythm so true Fast friends, me and you

“Katie,” I said, holding her hands and looking at the hope radiating from her expression, “this is beyond beautiful. How, I mean ... you and Riley. It’s ... it’s perfect.”

“It was Riley’s idea,” she said, beaming with pride. “She thought it would boost the album, but she also wanted to do something to crystallize what close friends we’ve become.”

“It does that beautifully,” I said.

“And I also like that it’s kind of a false front,” Katie said with a cute giggle. “Empty cups of coffee? More like a freshly emptied tray of coke.”

I kissed her. Feeling her tongue sent a tingle through my body. She shifted on the bed, straddling my stomach so that her delicious ass teased my flaccid, wet cock. The creampie I had shot in her a short time earlier leaked dripped from her vagina, falling on my stomach and trickling down her thighs, tracing an outrageously sexy line down her faintly honey-colored skin. She bent forward and licked up the cum that had puddled on me.

“Do you want my ass this time, daddy?” she asked sexily.

“No, sweetie,” I said. “I want your pussy some more.”

“My pussy craves you,” Katie said, putting her mouth near my cock. “You’re going to make me cum so hard. Let me suck you and ride you and let you fill up this tight little pussy.”

“God, I love your mouth,” I said, pushing my head back into the pillows behind my head.

“I love sucking dick,” she said before swallowing me.

My cock took little coaxing to get fully erect again. And, as soon as it was, Katie climbed on and slipped me inside her.

“Daddy, my clit is so swollen, I’m going to cum so hard for you,” she panted.

My hands were plastered against her ass. Katie’s butt was so similar to Jess’s. Both luscious and thick, despite their different bodies. Jess was a skinny girl with a big butt. Katie was petite with the blessing of big tits and a luscious ass. It made it easy to push her down hard on my cock as she rode, her tits bouncing gloriously. I moved my right hand back and spanked her left cheek. She yelped in happy surprise.

“Yes, daddy, spank me!” she exhorted.

I cracked my hand against her flesh again. She ground her hips into me more forcefully. Our juices mingled around my balls as she pumped my cock in and out of her tight, sleeve-like vagina. Her orgasm hit with such force, she nearly fell down against my chest. I braced her by grabbing her tits and squeezing and twisting her nipples with moderate force, eliciting another pleased squeal from her.

“You’re getting me close fast, babe,” I whispered.

“Just jizz in me, daddy,” she said. “I love feeling you nut.”

Her eyes radiated sincerity and pleasure, and she kissed me. Her tongue darted quickly and eagerly in my mouth, pushing me along to where she wanted me to go. I was only too happy to oblige. It only took another minute or so before I growled and bucked my hips up to put a second load of semen inside her.

“I hope you know how special it is for me to fuck you, Katie,” I said.

“I know, daddy,” she said, smiling as she climbed off my hips. “And I hope you know that know man – or girl, for that matter – has ever, ever come close to giving me pleasure like this. My body is utterly connected to you. You do things to me I never knew possible.”

I could have said something about Henry, but I didn’t want to spoil the moment. Plus, I also knew that when Henry and Katie fucked, it was about something else. It was about satisfying a dark side, a forbidden lust that might have spilled over negatively into their lives if they didn’t find an outlet for it.

“I’m so lucky to have you,” I said, kissing her neck. “We’re so lucky to have you.”

“Speaking of we,” Katie said, “since I saved that first load for myself, I should let Rita have this one.”

“Sounds to me like you just want her to eat your pussy,” I said.

“That’s just a bonus,” Katie said and flashed me a smile so full of radiant confidence, I marveled at how far she had come in life.

Three days before the premiere of Tapestry of Scars, Rita, Juliet, and Riley took a mysterious retreat to Joshua Tree. Juliet was feeling an enormous amount of anxiety about the release. But that wasn’t the only reason for it. It couldn’t be. After all, Melanie wasn’t going, which struck me as odd.

“Do you trust me?” Rita asked when I raised it with her.

“Of course,” I said. “Without hesitation.”

“Let me take these two days with Juliet and Riley,” she said. “And when we come back, the day before the opening, you and Juliet can do your usual lunchtime meetup. Okay?”

“So mysterious,” I said, giving my wife a kiss.

“I promise it’ll be worth the wait,” she said.

“I think you three just want to do shrooms and fuck,” I said half-seriously.

“Well, I mean, I am taking some toys,” she said with a wink.

I didn’t question it. Rita had something going on. I could feel it inside me. And if she wanted to make it a surprise or needed time to flesh it out more precisely, I was happy to give her that time. But that still didn’t make me any less curious.

It also meant I was going to have a couple days mostly left to my own devices. Jess would be on-set, helping Crystal through her first porn feature. Kat had decided to stay with Kelly both nights. The bonding between them during this difficult time had an immensely positive impact on them both as they grappled with the challenging new reality. And Katie spent most of her time with Stephanie polishing up the final demo of her album.

Jason was taking the opportunity to whisk Bianka away for a couple days in Vegas, her old stomping grounds, and Petey was working closely with Carly on final details and preparations for the Tapestry of Scars release. So I thought it would be the perfect time to deliver on my promise to teach Zoe, the new Mile High Airways flight attendant, the art of anal sex. I also thought it would be a fun opportunity to bring in some assistance for the special event.

“You want me to come watch you fuck some new chick?” Alix said.

I had sent her a text inviting her to a lunchtime date the next day, where I was planning on popping Zoe’s anal cherry. She immediately called me.

“I thought it might be fun,” I said.

“For who?” Alix snapped. “I’m swamped with the agency, John.”

“It’s just been a while, you know?” I said. “Maybe we could start off by showing her how it’s done.”

“Well, why didn’t you just say so?” Alix said, her tone becoming bright and airy. “I’ve got an overnight appointment tonight. I can be there by one o’clock. Does that work?”

“Whatever works for you, works for me,” I said. “Just be sure to shower after your client.”

“Maybe you can shower with me, stud,” Alix said, the playfulness fully returning to her voice.

The next day, I picked up an indulgent charcuterie and cheese board from the Cheese Store of Beverly Hills. It would pair perfectly with the Dom Perignon rosé I’d pulled from our wine cellar. Yes, I was going to try to lay it on thick for Zoe. She intrigued me. I liked her immediately. And Alix would be an excellent person to help put the pharmaceutical-sales-rep-turned--flight-attendant-slash-whore at ease about adding a third hole to her sexual repertoire. Alix had such a relaxed, vivacious manner about her. She naturally helped people feel adventurous about sex. It was her unique gift. Plus, I hadn’t been able to play with her outside a group setting in ages. She was a tremendous piece of ass, and I thought I’d treat myself while my girls were otherwise occupied.

With Alix arriving at 1 p.m., I told Zoe to come at 1:30. I wanted a little time with Alix to catch up and also prepare the scene for our playmate. Alix rang the doorbell right on time. I opened the door to find her perfectly made up and ravishing. If she had really had an overnight escort day the evening before, you couldn’t tell at all. She wore a flower-patterned romper that came to mid-thigh, allowing her long legs to show off how frequently she lay by the pool. The top plunged deeply between her breasts but also didn’t fully cover her back, revealing a nearly obscene amount of side boob. Her hair was as blonde as ever, and her nipples pierced through the fabric almost as brilliantly as her eyes shone.

“You look scrumptious,” I said and flashed her my best playboy smile.

“Please don’t tell me that’s your way of saying you want to eat me,” Alix said, striding inside without delay. “My client last night, all he wanted to do was go down on me, then jerk off all over my tits after fucking them.”

“So you’re saying you need a good reaming?” I asked.

“When do I not?” Alix said, putting her Chanel purse down on the bar. Her eyes scanned the charcuterie plate, Champagne, and tray of cocaine I had laid out.

“Especially so today,” I said, joining her and sliding my arms around her waist from behind. “I like you eager.”

“I might even be a little desperate,” she said. “But he did tip me an extra five grand. I’m just a little salty about it because he’s got a huge dick, and I was really hoping he’d make me feel it. I mean you’d really think a baseball player packing a bat like that would want to use it!”

She took my hands and placed them on her breasts, then turned her head to one side so I could kiss her neck.

“I’ll make you feel it,” I said. “But maybe he was a pitcher.”

Alix laughed and said, “That’s something I’ve always liked about you, John. Ever since we first met, you knew I was a whore. You’ve always given it to me like a whore. And you make me feel treasured and special because I’m a whore.”

“Well, it’s true, isn’t it?” I said. “And that’s the appropriate treatment. Am I wrong?”

“This is why you are one of the very few perfect men in the world,” she said, turning around and giving me a peck on the lips. Hers were sticky with sweet, pink lip gloss. She looked over my shoulder and added, “I’m helping myself to that coke, okay?”

“Why do you think I put it out?” I asked rhetorically.

I watched as Alix’s tits almost spilled out of her romper while she bent over and snorted two lines. Both of them up her left nostril. Then she put two more up her right.

“I should correct myself,” I said. “Coke whore. You’re a coke whore.”

Alix looked up at me and smiled, her eyes already making the transition to glassy.

“I just love the way it smells,” she said with a laugh.

I poured us two glasses of Champagne, and we adjourned to the sofa to wait for Zoe. Alix sat close to me, draping one of her legs over my thigh and also pressing her chest into my side.

“So, what’s the game plan for this skinny bitch?” she asked.

“Have you seen pictures?” I asked.

“I have,” Alix said. “Jess showed me. She’s cute.”

“She’s got great tits and a nice butt,” I said.

“And it’s never been fucked,” she said. “Really? How can a girl end up in a job like this and hasn’t ever tried anal?”

“She said her pussy is just that tight,” I said.

Alix rolled her eyes.

“No pussy is ever as tight as an ass,” she said.

“That’s what I told her,” I said.

“Okay, so a true anal virgin,” she noted. “How is this going down?”

“My usual inclination is to have some drinks, party a little, and take her through it slowly,” I said.

“Boring,” Alix said. “But probably the right play.”

“First time anal is never boring,” I said. “And you also can’t just blast right in.”

“I know,” she said, rolling her eyes. “But maybe I can help spice it up for you.”

“How would you propose to do that?” I asked.

“Watch and learn,” she said with a smile.

As if possessing a sixth sense, the doorbell rang again. Zoe had arrived. She was ten minutes early. I made her wait a moment, and I waited for Alix to assess her from the image on the television, where the live-feed video automatically popped up.

“She is really cute,” Alix observed. “Tiny. If she rolls her ankle, she’s going to break a leg. But look at that eager face! And, okay, I admit, I was skeptical – skinny chick with nice tits? They’re really nice. I approve, John. Go get her. Let’s make her a good little ass slut.”

I laughed as I walked to the door. When I opened it, Zoe had just been about to ring the doorbell a second time. I caught her just before she did, and she was slightly startled. Then she composed herself, batted her eyelashes to draw attention to those big, brown, doe-like eyes, and flashed that optimistic smile that was white enough to light up the dark.

She wore a white sweater whose fabric was so thin, it was almost translucent. I couldn’t help but stare at her nipples, which were plainly visible. She had a slender brown belt cinched around her waist, which sat low on her long torso, and led to a textured, fluted white skirt and sexy, knee-high brown boots.

“Zoe,” I said. “I’m so happy to see you. Love your outfit.”

She smiled and walked in when I stepped aside and extended my hand.

“Thanks, John,” she said, the words crackling with nerves. “Shit, this house is amazing!”

“Thanks,” I said, closing the door behind us.

She saw Alix stand up from the couch and gave a start.

“Oh!” Zoe said with audible surprise. “Hi! I’m Zoe.”

“Alix,” the blonde said, striding over with a confident, powerful walk.

It was interesting to watch them peacocking. I don’t think it was for my benefit. That would have been totally unnecessary.

“I’ve been running the Infinity Agency since Jess wanted to take a step back and get more into Daydream,” Alix added.

“Infinity Agency?” Zoe asked.

“The escorting business,” Alix clarified. “I run that day to day, but I still do appointments.”

“Oh, wow,” Zoe said, her eyes getting big again. “I didn’t realize Jess had that, too!”

She was good at being excited. Or at least pretending to be.

“Jess is amazing,” Alix gushed. “She’s got a badass empire, honestly. Daydream is the porn production company.”

I put a glass of Champagne in Alix’s hands, then refilled Zoe’s. We gravitated toward the bar while they talked. I took a long drink.

“Wow,” Zoe added again.

“Hollywood & Vine is the sex club,” Alix continued. “Incredibly high-end and exclusive. Basically celebrities-only. And a crazy expensive membership.”

“Wait, really? Celebrities?” Zoe said.

Alix just smiled and nodded before finishing.

“You’re on the jet, and there’s a yacht, too,” Alix said. “Those are both kind of perks for the Hollywood & Vine crowd. So you should have some pretty interesting times!”

“God, I knew this gig would be cool, but I think I’m starting to realize just how cool,” Zoe said with genuine enthusiasm.

“That’s why we’ve got to get you up to speed on your ... skills,” Alix said, cutting to the chase.

“I can’t wait,” Zoe said. “Did John tell you anything about me?”

“You know, he didn’t,” Alix said, throwing me a glance and a smile.

Zoe proceeded to tell Alix the same background information she had relayed to me on the jet at our initial meeting.

“You’re my kind of girl, Zoe,” Alix said, suitably impressed. “I was a lot like you not that long ago.”

“How so?” Zoe asked.

Alix relayed her history now, while both of them casually but purposefully drained their glasses of Champagne. She told her about working for the plastic surgeon in Houston, Dr. Viviano, and how work became her personal sexual playground. She explained that’s how she met Jess and got into dating sugardaddies. And then Jess came up with the idea of the escort agency, to harness all the sexual power they had and turn it into a financial windfall. The rest was history.

“Okay, that’s such a fucking cool story,” Zoe said. “I seriously can relate to it. When this Mile High Airways opportunity came up? I realized I was giving away the best part of me for free. I didn’t do pharma sales for the money or the work. I did it for the sex. I loved fucking all these doctors. It was such a naughty thrill and so much fun. But I had this ah-ha moment when I understood that I should get paid for the sex. Do what you love, right?”

Alix laughed, held her glass up to toast Zoe, and said, “I couldn’t agree more, girl. I couldn’t agree more.”

I took the break as my cue to interject.

“And speaking of doing what you love,” I said. “Maybe we can add something new to the list of things you love.”

Zoe bit her lower lip, and Alix caught the faintest twitch of apprehension in the brunette at the same time I did.

“Come on, John,” Alix chastised. “You can’t jump straight to that when you’ve got all that coke sitting out. Aren’t you going to offer us some?”

“You know the house rules, Alix,” I said. “Help yourselves. To anything you want.”

“Come on, Zoe,” Alix said. “Do you like cocaine?”

“Love it,” Zoe said.

“I already feel like we’re going to be super fast friends,” Alix said and smiled.

“You first,” Zoe said, picking up a glass straw from the tray and handing it to Alix.

“Thanks,” Alix said. She paused before putting the straw to her nose and added, “Have you ever done a booty bump before?”

“A what?” Zoe asked, her eyes growing wide.

“John loves them,” Alix said, flashing a grin at me. “You put a line in the straw and just – poof! – blow it up your butt.”

“You can do that?” she said.

“Oh, sweetie,” Alix said, “it’s the biggest coke rush you will ever feel. Do you want to try it? It might make trying anal the first time easier. You get super numb, so you won’t feel any pain. For sure.”

“That sounds amazing,” Zoe said, as Alix bent over and expertly did two lines of cocaine quickly. “But I think I want to feel what this is really like. But I want to try that. It sounds fucking cool.”

“It is,” Alix said, then pinched her nostrils and handed over the straw.

She stared at me as Zoe bent over, admiring how beautifully her breasts hung. She licked her lips. My cock was activated. Zoe had such a bubbly enthusiasm about everything she did, it was fun just to be around her. I was going to enjoy this, maybe more than I would enjoy a usual anal training. It had been a long time since I’d done it. I was ready.

“Fuck, you get some pure as hell coke,” Zoe said as the powder took hold of her. “This is the best I’ve ever had.”

“So good, right?” Alix said, moving close to Zoe. She shot me another glance, and I knew what she was doing.

“I mean, seriously,” Zoe said, the rush spreading all over her body. “I’ve always loved cocaine since the first time I tried it. This is literally next level.”

“I know,” Alix said, sliding a hand around Zoe’s waist and putting her face close to hers.

Zoe glanced at me nervously. She hadn’t bargained on this. Neither had I. But after a brief stammer, she composed herself and regained her confident directness.

“So, um, not to be rude, but I’m really not into girls,” Zoe said.

“Really?” Alix said, startled but poised. “Not even to turn on a guy?”

“Not even to turn on a guy,” she said, taking a step back. “I’m a dick girl.”

She gave an airy laugh to soften the rejection, though Alix didn’t take it personally. She also wouldn’t accept defeat, I knew.

“Interesting,” Alix said, backing off. “They get so turned on seeing girls make out.”

“I totally appreciate that,” Zoe said, now turning her attention to me. “But I’ve always felt like guys got turned on enough because I don’t beat around the bush. If I’m down to fuck? They know it.”

“You are direct,” Alix said. “I like her, John.”

We laughed, but then Zoe cutely furrowed her brow and said, “Let’s do this. Where are we setting up? How about just here on the couch?”

“Wherever you feel comfortable,” I said.

“I like the idea of you watch TV with your wives and thinking about being the first man to fuck me in the ass,” she said, eyes sparkling.

“This slut knows what she wants,” Alix said. “I love it.”

“I’ve been practicing for this,” Zoe said, suddenly stripping off her shirt, undoing her belt, and pulling down her skirt. She was nude in moments. Alix and I both looked her up and down. “Jess had told me what butt plug to use – you saw that on the plane, John – but I got a dildo, too, and I’ve been using it in my ass for the last week. I think this is going to go well.”

Alix and I glanced at each other. Zoe was so clinical and matter-of-fact in her speech. She really had been a chemistry major, and it seemed like she treated sex like an experiment, attempting to replicate results time and time again. I was about to find out just how rigorous her methods were.

“Practicing, huh?” I said, pulling Zoe in for a kiss as we stood in front of the sofa. Alix sat down across from us, sipping her Champagne and watching intently.