Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 73425 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 367(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73425 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 367(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
I swallow the cold concoction, taking a deep breath before starting my explanation.
“Uh, yeah, so I guess I’m kind of seeing –”
“But how did it happen? When did this start? Who is he?” Her questions fire at me like bullets, and I blush.
“We met a couple of weeks ago.”
“A couple of weeks? Mira!” Jessie seems so amazed. Did I say the wrong thing? I haven’t even gotten to the steamier parts of this whole thing. “How is this the first I’m hearing of this?”
“I don’t know,” I shrug. “I guess I’m just a little self-conscious about the whole thing. We technically haven’t defined our relationship yet, and it has me a little anxious.”
“Ugh, why can’t he just talk about it? What is wrong with guys these days?”
“Well, it’s more complicated than that. There is,” I take a small pause, “more to the story.”
“More? How? How could there be more?”
“I’m not just seeing him. I mean, there’s someone else too.” Jessie almost drops her spoon.
“What does that mean? Are you dating another man? Another woman? Simultaneously? Do they know about one another?”
“Yeah,” I whisper. “I’m seeing another man too.”
“Really?” she gasps, her eyes wide.
I nod.
“Do they know? About one another I mean?” I nod again.
“They know about each other because I’m dating them together.” Jessie squints, utterly confused.
“Together? What does that mean? Is this some weird freaky thing where you’re being filmed for an episode of Extreme Love? I know that show is a hit, but still, girlie, it’s not worth it.”
I can’t help but laugh at that.
“No, no, it’s not like that at all. There are no cameras nor any videographers. I’m not explaining it right. Basically, the men I’m seeing like to share a woman; they do this thing where they both date a woman at the same time. They told me it’s because they have different qualities to offer a woman, so they feel like they can fulfill their partner’s needs better when there’s two of them. I don’t know if I’m explaining this right.”
My friend is stumped.
“Oh,” Jessie says at first. She doesn’t seem to get it, but then her face breaks with realization. “Ohhh,” she says again, drawing out her response.
“Sorry, I’m not making any sense.” I wave my hands in front of my face, feeling weird about this whole thing.
“No, no, no, you’re doing a picture-perfect job. You guys are in a polyamorous type thing, right? I totally get it. I read about the lifestyle in New York Magazine last week. It makes sense, it’s totally fine.”
It feels really good that she’s open-minded and accepting, and it means the world to me that Jessie’s already decided that it’s okay. But then she turns to me with confusion in her eyes.
“Wait, is this why you were asking me about the Promise Vows? Have you been sleeping with them?”
I look down at the carton because I wasn’t expecting Jessie to ask me such a pointed question so quickly. I can’t believe she even remembered, and blush.
“Oh, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. I’m sorry if my question was super crass. Oh, dear god.” My friend covers her eyes with her hands, putting her head down in mock shame.
“No, no, it’s not that. You’re right,” I admit. “I have been sleeping with both of them, and we’ve been doing it a particular way so that it doesn’t conflict with my Promise Vow. But girl, it feels so good. I was not expecting the backdoor to be this amazing.”
My friend gapes at me when she realizes I’m referring to anal sex. But yes, it’s true, and she gulps noisily. It feels so weird talking about this with someone because saying it out loud makes it feel so much more real. I thought walking around in secret added some excitement to the whole thing, but putting it out there in the open gives it new life.
Jessie gulps again, still wide-eyed.
“Is it better than this ice cream?” she asks while taking a big bite. She moans as the Rocky Road hits her tongue. “Can’t be right? What could be better than this?” she asks, faking an orgasm.
“With them, yes,” I say. “It’s incredible.”
She shakes her head, swallowing.
“Oh man. You’re a powerhouse, girl. So you’re still a virgin the … um, straight way, right?”
I nod.
“Yep. They respect my Promise Vow and have been helping me honor it. So I’m still a woman of virtue in a sense,” I joke weakly.
Jessie nods, looking thoughtful.
“So, tell me. What do these guys look like? Just how hot are they? I mean, girl, you are going for broke right now.”
“Oh, I don’t know. They’re pretty cute,” I shrug vaguely. But my friend presses for more.
“Pretty cute? Come on, Mira. Give me details. What color is their hair? What color are their eyes? Tell me more!”