Nate was already awake when the sun started coming up. He was buzzing with anticipation and nerves.

Today was the day. The big Fourth of July party that would change everything.

He’d finally made it to the big leagues at StarPhire, the hottest fintech startup in the valley. And today his colleagues were invited to his home to show them he wasn’t just the compliance guy who did the lame shit. He had the perfect house, the perfect girlfriend, and he was all set to prove he belonged among the real players.

He slipped out of bed quietly, trying not to wake Nora, and padded downstairs to the kitchen. He made his coffee and pulled out his timeline one more time, grinning as he reviewed every detail. Food, pool games, his automated fireworks display. Every detail was locked down.

These weren’t just any coworkers either. The big players were coming. Marcus with his Wharton MBA confidence. Tyler who was turning down Goldman Sachs offers like they were spam emails. Jack, the technical genius who built the foundation of StarPhire. And Alex, the creative director whose campaigns regularly won awards. And he was going to be in their inner circle after this.

His knockout of a girlfriend Nora was the cherry on top, who would make them all jealous as hell.

He downed his coffee, then checked his timeline one more time. Nothing could be left to chance.

Not after that damned prank war.

The thought crept in despite his best efforts to keep it buried. He tried to push it away, focus on today, but the memory forced its way back. Watching Nora getting fucked by his best friends in his own bed, right in front of him. Hearing her beg for it.

“We were just acting,” she’d insisted any time he confronted her, those piercing green eyes penetrated his soul. “Where’s the trust after four years together?”

He’d tried to argue. “I heard you, Nora. I saw you, with my own eyes, right in front of me.”

“You think I would actually fuck your friends? It was just a performance to sell the prank, and it worked, we got you good!” Her voice gleeful as she reminisced about “winning” the prank war.

“We had to make it look convincing, right? God, Nate, you’re being so paranoid.”

Every time he brought up what he’d witnessed, she’d turn it around on him. Make him the problem. The jealous boyfriend. The one who couldn’t handle a harmless prank.

At some point it became easier to accept her story than to accept what his own eyes had told him. At least on the surface.

But he couldn’t face Dean and Finn again after what they’d done. He cut them out of his life completely, blocked their numbers, avoided the places they hung out. He couldn’t confront the truth, couldn’t let it disrupt his dream of perfect life.

But today was different. Today was the day he brought that dream to fruition.

He landed the dream job, now he just had to prove he belonged with the key players. Marcus with his Wharton MBA confidence. Tyler who was turning down Goldman Sachs offers. Jack, the legend who built the entire technical foundation that made StarPhire possible. And Alex, the creative director whose campaigns regularly won awards.

Nate was the compliance guy. He was brought in to do the boring paperwork while these guys changed the world. He set out to prove he was more than that. He wanted to be one of them.

He’d made a resolution not to drink today, stay vigilant, stay in control. Learn from his mistakes.

The back door opened behind him and Nora emerged, stretching like a cat in the morning sun. Even fresh from bed, hair in a messy tangle, she looked stunning. The months since April had been good to her. Her trainer had helped sculpt her body into something even more devastating than before, though Nate didn’t trust that smug asshole Brock for a second. Still, he could hardly deny the results Nora was getting, so he kept his mouth shut.

Her ass was noticeably rounder and more sculpted from months of squats and deadlifts. Thicker, more defined thighs that strained against whatever she wore. Those flawless double-D tits that still made his brain short-circuit, but now set against a narrow waist that emphasized her hard won curves into a perfect hourglass figure.

Nate had become pretty insatiable in the wake of her transformation, to the point of her annoyance. But she was giving him some leeway because she did enjoy the attention, and it clearly kept Nate happy instead of him asking too many questions about April Fools and the aftermath.

“You’re up early,” she said, her voice husky from sleep. “Planning your little party?”

“I just want everything to be perfect,” he said, trying to keep the edge out of his voice. “These guys are important.”

She rolled her eyes, strutting over to pour herself coffee. “They’re just a bunch of tech bros, Nate. Not the UN Security Council.”

She had no idea what was at stake here.

“I’m going to grab a shower,” Nora said, heading back upstairs. “What time are they coming over?”

“Around noon,” he called after her.

An hour later, she reappeared in a simple red, white, and blue bikini that showed off her amazing curves.

Nate felt that familiar mix of pride and anxiety watching her move around the kitchen.

“You look great, but maybe something a little less...” he started, then caught himself.

Nora’s eyes flashed dangerously. “A little less what?”

“I just meant, you know, it’s a work thing, so maybe something more conservative?”

“Maybe I should cover up because you don’t trust yourself or your coworkers to behave like adults?”

“It’s not that, it’s just...” He gestured helplessly. “This is important to me.”

She crossed her arms under her chest, pushing her tits up higher. “So I’m supposed to dress for your insecurity?”

“Come on, Nora. You know what I mean.”

“No, actually, I don’t. Explain it to me.”

He was digging himself deeper with every word. “Just ... maybe something that won’t distract everyone?”

“Right. Because my body is the problem.” Her voice was getting sharper.

“That’s not what I said.”

“It’s what you meant.”

“Think what you want I guess, but go change! I mean it! And before they get here!”

She turned to head upstairs. “Fine. I’ll change. Since you asked so nicely.”

Nate’s stomach dropped as he realized how he came across.

“Babe, wait, I didn’t mean...”

“You’re good,” she called back sweetly. “I’d hate to embarrass you.” She fluttered her eyelashes at him as she walked away.

At least she was going to change, but he knew he’d pissed her off.

When she returned a few minutes later, Nate’s eyes went wide.

“Holy shit.”

The new bikini was barely anything at all, tiny triangles connected by strings that seemed designed to disappear into her curves. The bottom rode up between her ass cheeks, showing off the sculpted butt that months of gym work had given her. The top barely contained her incredible tits, threatening to spill out with every movement, tied in front with a simple bow that looked like it could come undone with the slightest tug.

Nate noticed how that tiny triangle in front displayed her completely bald pussy against the tight fabric. He’d been asking her to get waxed for months, and she’d finally given in as she got more confident with her body. The thin material of the tiny bikini left nothing to the imagination, molded against her so tightly that it was obvious there wasn’t so much as a hair under it.

“You wanted me to change,” she said with a defiant smile. “So I changed.”

Nate’s mouth hung open but no words came out.

Before he could respond, the doorbell rang.

“Showtime,” Nora said, sauntering toward the back door. “Hope you’re ready for your big important party.”

Nate opened the front door to find his four coworkers standing there with coolers and grins. Marcus looked like he’d walked out of a magazine in his perfectly fitted polo. Tyler wore expensive casual wear that probably cost more than Nate’s mortgage payment. Jack looked deceptively relaxed but was clearly ripped under his shirt. And Alex had that laid back surfer vibe that made everything look easy.

“Nate! Ready for that firework show you’ve been promising us!” Marcus boomed, clasping him on the shoulder.

They made their way to the backyard, chatting about work and the market and StarPhire’s latest funding round. Normal guy talk. Nate started to relax, maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.

Then Nora stepped onto the deck.

The conversation came screeching to a halt. They suddenly found themselves staring at the most spectacular woman any of them had ever seen in person. Her toned, curvy body was showcased perfectly by the tiny bikini, every curve and line screaming sex appeal and confidence.

“Hey boys,” she said casually. “Welcome to our little Fourth of July celebration.”

Marcus recovered first. “You must be the famous Nora, you look absolutely stunning. Nate’s a lucky man.”

“Nice to meet you,” Tyler said, his eyes locked on her.

Jack just nodded, his mouth hanging open before he caught himself. “Hi, we’ve heard so much about you!”

Alex looked her up and down with obvious appreciation but kept his cool. “Great place you guys have here.”

Part of Nate felt proud watching them stare at his girlfriend, knowing she was his. But another part of him wanted to throw a towel over her and get her away from their hungry eyes.

But now it was time to show these guys what he was made of.

“Alright, it’s about time to fire up the grill,” he announced, walking over to his latest toy, the most expensive grill money could buy, loaded with every high-tech feature available.

He’d spent an hour yesterday testing every function, checking connections, making sure everything was perfect for today.

He pressed the ignition button. Nothing.

Pressed it again. Still nothing.

“Sometimes it takes a minute to warm up,” he said, trying to keep the confidence in his voice as he turned knobs and pressed buttons. The guys watched politely as ten minutes passed with no results. Everyone was getting hungry, watching him fumble with the controls.

“Tank might be empty,” Jack said finally, checking the obvious thing Nate should have thought of first.

“I just filled it!” Nate protested.

Jack stepped in, pushing Nate aside as he checked the tank, confirming Nate’s worst fear. “Valve was left slightly open. Looks like it leaked out.”

Jack shook his head with a half-joking smile. “Propane though? Really? Gas is just ... not real grilling, you know? Can’t get that flavor.”

He mentioned his barbecue competition wins, smoked brisket and ribs that took home trophies. “Low and slow, that’s the secret. Takes lots of patience and good ol’ fashioned know-how.”

Nate’s face went red. All that money on equipment, and Jack was politely schooling him.

“I’ll be right back,” Nate muttered, grabbing his keys. “Just need to swap out the tank.”

He had to drive to swap out the tank while everyone waited hungry, leaving Nora alone with his more successful, confident coworkers. The embarrassment burned in his chest the whole trip.

When he returned, he found Nora sitting casually on Jack’s lap while he regaled everyone with stories about his barbecue competition days. She was clearly comfortable getting cozy with Jack while Nate was gone. That paper thin bikini bottom was all that separated her smooth, waxed pussy from Jack’s thigh. The tiny triangle of fabric did almost nothing to hide the outline of her lips as she shifted against him.

“You need to let the meat get nice and relaxed before you start, really let the flavor penetrate deep,” Jack was saying, talking about injecting marinades.

Nora was hanging on every word, clearly enamored by his confidence more so than any real interest in barbecue techniques. “I do love a nice piece of meat,” she giggled, matching his energy.

Nate’s hands clenched into fists. He wanted to tell her to get off Jack’s lap but knew he couldn’t without seeming like a controlling lunatic.

The barbecue finally got started after Nate changed out the tank. He made a point of staying focused on the grill, keeping his distance from Jack. He didn’t need another lesson in front of everyone about how he was doing everything wrong.

“Need any help over there?” Jack called out, but Nate waved him off.

“I got it,” he spat more curtly than he intended.

Jack put his hands up. “Okay, you got it...”

But he was distracted watching Nora laugh and flirt with their guests. The smell of burning meat hit him too late.

“Shit shit shit,” he fumbled with the tongs.

He flipped the burgers quickly, but they were already charred black on one side. He tried to play it off, turning them and hoping no one would notice. At least the brats were salvageable.

Marcus wandered over to check on the progress. “Smells great, man.”

Nate forced a smile, even though the burgers looked like charcoal. “Just getting some good char on them.”

By the time he finished grilling, all the burgers he’d promised his guests were destroyed. Thankfully the brats turned out okay and Nora was back to sitting in her own chair, much to Nate’s relief.

Everyone grabbed plates and complimented the food politely, though nobody touched the burgers. “These look great,” Marcus said, grabbing a brat and loading it up with toppings.

But Nate watched as everyone avoided the burgers entirely. They were so obviously burnt that nobody even pretended to want one.

Nora was the one to point out the burgers were inedible. “Really?” she held one up. “I’ve been looking forward to a burger all day,” she said disappointedly as she glared at Nate.

Nora took one of the brats instead, skipping the bun. “My trainer has me on keto,” she explained when she got a weird look from Jack.

“Whatever you’re doing is working!” Jack said, nodding approvingly as he dug into his plate.

She noticed all the eyes on her as she wrapped her lips around the bratwurst, taking her time as she looked right at Jack. Her tongue darted out to catch some juice that dripped down her chin.

Nate watched with a growing knot in his stomach as she held eye contact with Jack, her mouth still on her sausage.

Nobody else said anything about the burnt hamburgers. He had a witty retort locked and loaded in case his coworkers brought it up, but nobody did, which made him feel worse somehow.

Nate’s face burned with embarrassment. Even the simple task of grilling lunch, he’d managed to screw up. At least the brats saved him from looking like a complete fraud.