chapter 34 | masquerade party part 2-1

"Enjoy yourselves, ladies. It was pleasure. You're so beautiful. My job is done." Natasha waves goodbye, as the woman in red assumes control again. "OK, ladies. As you put on your finishing touches, let's start a line in front of the door here." She motions towards the door. "Get ready for a night not soon to be forgotten. "As some of you have already begun indulging in our silver platter treats, I find it necessary to remind you of the sole House Rule." She looks around at everyone. "Anyone may look or touch, but permission must be granted to go further than that. This applies to men and women. Ladies just because you are ladies, does not mean you can force a man to have intercourse with you. Permission must be granted for anything beyond a simple touch. We're not into violating anyone; we're into pleasure," she snickers, "or pain. If that's your thing. All action must be consensual or risk the consequences of your actions, which are quite dire. Some of you are public figures, some of you hold high-powered positions. Let's not risk losing our good standing in the public eye and for those that hold neither title, the Advisory Board will settle those accounts if need be." She claps her hands. "OK. So, let's keep it good, clean fun and we'll all have amnesia in the morning! I'm joking but please remember, you did sign a non-disclosure agreement." The last of the women get in line. No one looks the same as when she entered. With wigs, masks and risqué lingerie, these women have been transformed into their own alter egos. We look like Victoria Secret models getting ready for our big debut. Off like cattle we go, to the next phase of this strange party. Naturally, Mia, Penelope and I choose to be at the end of the line. When the door opens, "Sweet Dreams" by the Eurythmics fills the air. The bass vibrates in the corridor. This corridor is brightly lit and not nearly as narrow as the first. It feels more open, probably doesn't hurt that full-length mirrors line both sides. I glance at myself as I'm walking, and I don't recognize the girl staring back at me. Wearing a long Cleopatra-inspired wig with gold jewels dangling from the crown of my head, my look is very exotic. Even without the gold-trimmed black mask. My see-through black lace bodysuit is video-vixen sexy. The ensemble goes from sensual to ravishingly racy when I look at the wide front to back slit that reveals my goods on sight. Whoever invented crotchless panties is a dirty diva, indeed. The look is completed with a garter belt and stockings that run up to my thighs, black high heels and a gold coiled snake bracelet on my upper arm. Everyone said it looks amazing on me, I'm having second thoughts about it now. The only comfort I have is knowing that we're all dressed so scandalously. Some women have opted for almost nothing, so my outfit is tame in comparison. Mia wears her hair as is. Long and straight, accented only by a golden wreath with tiny flowers. Her mask is white with crystals lining the border. She's wearing a sheer white lace bra and panties covered by a sheer, white, open baby doll gown and strappy heels. She looks like a sexy virgin. Penelope is a scarlet whore in a long, straight, blonde wig. Her black mask is the only subtle thing she's wearing. She chose a red latex bra and panties with a red lace garter belt, black thigh-high stockings and elbow-length black lace gloves. Her look is complete with tall, black platform stripper heels. With JC being as straight-laced as he is, it's a wonder that he and Penelope found each other. We're last to enter the party. It's culture shock once we see everyone, all the men and women, together. It's hard to tell who is who, and really that's the point. It's like I've entered a live, in color Calvin Klein underwear ad. There are men with killer bodies and abs that'll leave any woman drooling for days. A girl needs eye candy too. The hosts of this Noir party understand that. My eyes dart from guy to guy. The men's looks vary. Some are shirtless with boxer briefs and boots. I love that rough, rugged look. Others are wearing robes with boxers or briefs and casual leather shoes. Some are wearing unbuttoned, crisp white shirts and underwear designed to resemble tuxedos. Then there are some that fall into an adventurous category. These guys are wearing nothing but masks and things like a cock ring only or sexy men's bikini briefs. Every guy that's made that choice seems to know they're packing like nobody's business. Talk about billboard advertising. A girl knows what she's getting with a guy like that. As I weave through the crowd, I feel hands touching all over my body. Nameless faces caressing my thighs, my ass, my cleavage. I keep walking. Just because they're soliciting doesn't mean I have to respond, so I don't. But I kind of like it — being treated like a sex object. It's taboo. It's erotic. So, forbidden. I quietly feel heat radiating from my core. This mask is freedom. I can be whoever I want to be. I can want and do whatever I please, and I know who I want. Where is he? Mia and Penelope stay close as I wade through the crowd and try to find our guys. A Calvin Harris and Rihanna club banger gets the crowd dancing. We continue exploring. It appears there are no rooms that are off limits. We veer off to what looks to be a great room, to the right of us. Full of couches, love seats, chairs, and ottomans. There's plenty of furniture here to mark territory with. Bodies everywhere. Kissing. Licking. Tasting. Sucking. Fucking. Fast. Hard. Sensual. Soft. People watch as couples, threesomes, and groups unleash their carnal desires. Causing tension to build in those adventurous enough to wander over and let loose their inner voyeur. I spot Phoenix. At least it looks like him. He's wearing the same mask, black with black-beaded details, and his build looks like my Phoenix. Trimmed goatee, perfect pecs, broad shoulders, muscular arms, ripped abs. He doesn't see me yet. He looks damn good shirtless. My eyes trace his well-built physique in the dimly lit room. He's wearing form-fitting boxer briefs, that emphasize his toned legs. His black boots remain unlaced. I want him, now but what if he wants to do it, right here in front of everyone. Mask or not, I'm not sure I'm comfortable enough for that. "I think that's them." I point across the room, squinting my eyes. "That looks like Phoenix." "Yeah, that's JC," Penelope whispers back. "That's them for sure, I'd know that chest tattoo anywhere," Mia chimes in. "Just told on yourself, Mia." Mia laughs. "It's all your fault. Seeing you two in the living room at the penthouse, you practically spelled it out for me. Slut!" "Whoa! Actually, that's Penelope. Look at her outfit." I turn to Penelope. "Girl, you're scandalous! Spill the goods. What's up with you and Jesus Christ?" I question her. "Dipped that stick in the well and that was all she wrote!" Mia dabs the air like a fairy godmother granting a wish. "JC turned that well water to wine!" I tease. Mia and I laugh like there's no tomorrow. Penelope tries deflecting. "Let's not get on you, Ari. What happened to your Sexless Six-Month Rule?" "Huh?" I pretend I can't hear her over the music. "Uh-huh. Broke every minute of it for that one! What six-month rule? She forgot everything she thought she knew. Forget college. It's Phoenix University. Online all day! OK! Don't know my left from my right, my up from my down. Phoenix — Phoenix University. That's all I know." "She's taking night classes! Real estate. Learning about erogenous zoning and levying that ass down in just the right way!" "He's taxin' that ass! Taxin' it right!" Penelope high fives Mia. They crack up, laughing like wild hyenas, at my expense. I huff at them both. "There's an exception, to every rule." I try in vain to come to my own defense, but it's useless. They keep laughing. Guess I had that one coming. Trying to shift focus, I ask, "Is it just me? Or does the thought of being laid out on a table, having sex in front of all these people, scare you to death too! Look at that woman over there." "I'm open, but not that open!" Penelope salutes the woman on the table. "Let's get a round of drinks," Mia suggests. "We know where the guys are, we'll come back." "Let's not drink too much. Don't want to end up like Sheila." "Speaking of." Penelope and Mia stop. "What?" "Should've heard the things she said about us." "She didn't!" Penelope rolls her eyes in disgust. "Let's just say, she doesn't like us as much as we like her!" "Wow! She doesn't even know us." Mia dismisses the thought of Sheila and starts walking towards the bar. "Her loss." I glance back in Phoenix's direction.