The Bedtime Tales of Be287m

Friends and Benefits, Chapter Epilogue

“This is a huge mistake!”

Allen just laughed at my outburst.

“Seriously,” I said.  “Tina’s brothers will tell her dad and he will not be happy.  And I really don’t want to make my future father-in-law mad.”

“Relax, dude.  They’re not going to tell.  It’s a bachelor party.  They know the code.”

“We should have done something like paintball,” I groused.

“But what would a bachelor party be without strippers?”

I rolled my eyes and leaned back on the bed.  I could hear the jokes and catcalls coming from the suite’s main room, where the poker game continued full force.  I’d pulled Allen into the bedroom as soon as he’d let slip that we were going to have some ‘adult entertainment’ showing up soon.

“You should have asked me,” I said.

“I talked to Tina.  Not my problem she didn’t tell you.”

“Great.”

Though if Tina had okayed it, it was probably fine.  She certainly would have taken her father’s reaction into account.  Or decided she didn’t care.  Mr. Delgado could still make me quake in my shoes from time to time, but that had lessened in the year and a half since Tina’d moved in with me. 

A loud cheer went up from the other room.

“The dancers must be here,” Allen said.  He slipped out the door.

I knew I should get out of the bedroom so the girls would have a place to change, but I didn’t feel like moving.  I just lay back, eyes closed, imagining the things that could go wrong.  Allen’s bachelor party came immediately to mind.  The door opened again and I didn’t stir.

“Happy bachelor party, Joe.”

I recognized the voice and bolted upright.  Sherri smiled at me while Lisa quietly closed the door behind them.

“You’re working my bachelor party?” I asked.

“Tina asked us to,” Sherri said with a broad grin, as they shed their bulky coats and hats.

“I’ll go get ready,” Lisa said, heading toward the bathroom.

I watched her ass as she walked for a moment, before turning back to Sherri, who wore a canary-eating grin.  “So why you?”

“She knew she could trust us not to go too far.”

“How far are you going to go?  Tina’s brothers are out there.”

“Not that far.  Tina told us to get you worked up, but leave it at that.”  She lowered her voice.  “I think she wants to give you a blowjob when you get home.”

I groaned.  “That is all your fault.”

“I just gave her a few tips.”

I rolled my eyes.

“It’s what I do.”

“Yeah, I know.”

I knew Tina had talked to Sherri privately at the Astarte Center a handful of times.  I, of course, didn’t know exactly what they’d talked about, but Tina had successfully brought me to orgasm orally the weekend after one such talk.  My mind drifted, thinking of that night.

I came out of my reverie to see Sherri looking at me, amused.

“What are friends for?”

I nodded.  “You and Lisa have been great friends.  To both of us.  But I’m still surprised you’re doing this.”

“I am looking forward to some of the stares Saturday,” she said with a grin.  “When those guys,” she hooked her thumb toward the main room, “figure out that we were the ones who ‘entertained’ tonight.”

I snorted softly.  For the reception, we’d seated Sherri and Lisa at the same table as Jenna and some of Tina’s medical school friends, nowhere near most of the guys attending tonight.  It might take them a while to catch on, but I’d be too busy to watch it happen.

Particularly since the women weren’t going to make it easy.  Lisa came back out of the bathroom wearing a black wig, heavy make-up, and not much else.  She smiled at me, but didn’t cover up.  My eyes flitted to her breasts and ass, as she opened her bag and pulled out some lingerie.  Yeah, it wasn’t going to be easy for the guys at all.

“Your turn,” she said to Sherri. She smiled at me while Sherri took her place in the bathroom.

“I’m surprised Robert agreed to this,” I said.

Lisa’s eyes sparkled.  “I told him if he was a good boy and let me do this, Sherri’d spend the night afterward.”

I laughed.  Robert was not a stupid man.    “He’ll want you to do more bachelor parties, if that’s the result.”

She beamed.  “I’m hoping he gets some ideas of what he might be able to do at his.”

I raised my eyebrows in a question.

“Oh, he hasn’t asked yet,” she answered.  “But the hints won’t hurt.”

I chuckled.

“Can you help me with this?” she asked, pointing to the clasp where her garter belt would hold up her stockings.  She’d attached the ones in front but not in back.

“Sure.”

I dropped to my knees and hooked it into place.  Sherri came out, also wearing a lot of make up and a blonde wig, and chuckled.

“You realize,” Sherri said, “she’s just going to make you unhook that in a few minutes.”

I grinned guiltily as I got to my feet.  “Hey, what can I say?  It’s one of the benefits of being friends.  I get to dress her and undress her.”

Sherri snorted.  “You need to get out there with your other guests.  Let us finish getting ready.”

“As you wish.”  I smiled to make it clear I was teasing.  I carefully slid out the door, making sure not to expose the ladies to the room of guys.

Allen was at the makeshift bar, mixing drinks.  Tina’s brothers sat to one side, joking and laughing with one of Tina’s cousins.  I slid into the prominently placed chair opposite them.

Allen walked back over, handing me a glass of cabernet, and then took the seat next to me.

“Tina said they were friends of yours,” he said with a nod toward the door.

I grinned.  “Yeah.  They are.”

He shook his head and laughed before taking a drink of his own beer.

“They must be some friends. For Tina to ask them to do this.”

It was my turn to laugh.  “They are.  Though I wasn’t sure we’d always be able to stay friends, once it was clear Tina and I were getting back together.”

He looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

“After the way things went with Sharon….”

He nodded, needing no further explanation.  Then he paused.  “Speaking of Sharon,” he said, “I heard from Trish that she’s getting married in a few months.”

“Huh.”  Sharon and I hadn’t talked since that fateful Christmas two years ago.  I’d heard she’d moved to Boston, and apparently that had worked out for her.  I hoped she was happy.

Then, just for a moment, many of the memories—ghosts really, flitted through my brain.  They were bittersweet, but I just tasted them before mentally pushing them aside.  I didn’t need to think about them, really.

The bedroom door opened a crack, and a hand shot out, holding a cassette tape.

“Shit,” Allen said.  “I forgot.”  He quickly got up and retrieved the tape, putting it in the boombox.  He paused before hitting play.

“Okay, guys.  A couple of rules.  First, no photos, except for any that I take for Joe.”  He nodded my way, and I had a strong suspicion that I knew which album those pictures were going into, but I didn’t say anything.  “Second, no touching the dancers.  If they come over to you, keep your hands at your sides.  Got it?”

He was answered with general murmurs and nods.  Allen gave a firm nod and hit play.

The first notes wafted out as he hastened back to his seat.  He leaned over to me.  “You’re going to love this.”

I snorted.  Lisa, Sherri, and Tina had planned this together?  What was there not to love?  I settled back to enjoy the ride.

Author’s note:

It’s been quite a ride.

This story started because I wanted to explore the concept of “friends with benefits” and particularly I wanted to explore that grey area between being clearly friends and being clearly lovers.  I’ve had a relationship like that, and several of my readers have commented that they, too, have had such relationships.

Once I’d picked that concept, the rest fell into place.  Some of it draws on my own experiences, though not to the extent that The Ugly One did.

When I realized I needed a catalyst for Joe’s growth, I immediately thought of Sherri, from The Ugly One.  Her philosophy and business plan are drawn from a tantrika (female tantra teacher) I’ve known socially, but am no longer in touch with. The tantrika believed in sacred prostitutes, and had intercourse with some of her male clients if she thought it would serve them, despite identifying as a lesbian.  I had her in mind when Sherri appeared in The Ugly One, and realized she was just too much fun to not expand into a major character.  Her mentor Susan is indeed from Nick Scipio’s Summer Camp, and the references herein are with permission.  I’m still having fun with Sherri, so look for her to appear in future stories.

The rest of the characters and the plot are the usual amalgam of pure fiction and past experiences, swirled together.  Pulling it all together was usually a joy, and sometimes quite challenging, particularly when real life intervened at times and forced me to slow down my writing.

My wife’s support was invaluable in getting through those times.  I wouldn’t be able to write what I do without her.  In addition, one of the things that helped keep me going was the supportive fan mail.  Thank you, everyone who wrote.  It’s been quit a ride, and one heckuva journey.

--Fin--

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