Read Story: SEASON 2 EPISODE 112

Despite her obvious pleasure, Erin asked a serious question. “Marcus, how would dating me change what we already have?” Every syllable sounded like she was trying to tiptoe across a minefield.

It was a good question.

If I could already sleep with whoever I wanted, whenever I wanted, then what was even the point of pursuing a relationship?

Why not just remain a free agent and sate my appetites on endless women?

Emotional fulfillment?

Didn’t I already have that?

Erin’s affection had saturated me over the last two months. Helen’s devotion... the slow erosion of Bobbi’s hatred… even Emily’s quiet, sisterly love. It wasn’t like I was deprived.

But despite all of it… there was a certain loneliness I couldn’t explain.

Aside from the forest, I hadn’t spent much time alone since Helen showed up two months ago… and yet somehow, I still felt hollow.

Sure, I was sharing my life with these women, but it didn’t feel like I was establishing a home. It felt like I was building an empire. Helen, Bobbi, even Erin… they felt more like subjects. Affectionate subjects. Loyal ones, even… but it was still transactional.

I paid Helen. I gave her protection and made her a partner in her own firm.

Bobbi? I wouldn’t pretend there was affection there. Maybe a little, but it was hard to read through all the petulance and rage. Sometimes, though, under the surface, I saw something.

Still… I doubt she would have given me the time of day without the protection and structure I provided.

And Erin… even she felt transactional when I let myself think about it too long. I was her boss. I paid her a ridiculous salary. She got to say she worked for one of the most powerful men in the world, which looked good on a resume.

Plus, there were the benefits. The sex. I’d be the first to admit that I enjoyed the fruits of Erin’s hard labor—erotic adventures with beautiful women. Still, Erin seemed even more enthusiastic about it than I was. Her appetite for sex was voracious, and she enjoyed other women so much that I’d started to wonder if she might prefer them.

I hadn’t once seen her show interest in another man, except Dillon, and that had been a mindfuck aimed at Jessica.

But now… now that she’d reminded me of our agreement, I saw it for what it was. She’d honored it so well, I’d forgotten it was even in play. She’d gone above and beyond in giving me her exclusivity.

That kind of loyalty? It made me question everything I thought I knew about what she felt for me.

She wouldn’t have cared that much if she didn’t feel something toward me.

“It would change a lot of things, Erin. You wouldn’t just be my assistant anymore. You’d be my priority.”

“And the other women?” she asked.

“I mean… do you want to stop having sex with Helen?” I nodded toward Tara. “What about your little project?”

“That’s not what I’m asking,” Erin said. “Would you stop sleeping with other women if we were dating?”

I hadn’t expected that question… not from her.

The music started back up, as the DJ’s break was over, and there were a few cheers from the small crowd around the dance floor. Natalie and Natashya both raised their arms and whooped in joy. Tara whispered something to Natalie, who nodded, took the lesbian’s hand, and was led back toward the music. She glanced my way, saw me watching them, and waved, all smiles. It looked like she was having a good time.

“No,” I said, my eyes fixing on Natashya as she started pulling Emily back toward the dance floor. Emily draped one arm around her girlfriend’s shoulders, and they both laughed as they followed Tara and Natalie.

“I’ve seen the friction in Natashya’s relationship with my sister,” I said. “If I had to be exclusive, I could do it, but I don’t think either of us wants that.”

A small smirk played across Erin’s lips, and her eyes flashed with delight. She was suddenly letting me read her again. “Good.”

I tried to get a little more from her. “Good… as in…”

“As in, ‘that’s good,’” she said and pointed toward the dance floor. “Because you’ve been throwing yourself at a girl who’s probably expecting something from you soon.”

Fuck.

Had I fucked up?

Lost in the moment, I started a serious conversation about how I’d like to date her while actively trying to woo someone else. Erin never showed signs of any serious jealousy, but trying to be romantic with her in a moment like this had to be monumentally bad timing, no matter who the girl was.

“Erin,” I said. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t—”

“No!” Erin said, suddenly looking concerned. “No! That’s not… I didn’t mean it like that. I just mean…”

For the first time, Erin looked completely unsure and flat-footed. It was cute.

“I mean that if there was going to be anything between us, we should probably go on a proper date. I know that there’s nothing conventional about this, but…”

Those big brown eyes could have asked me for the Grand Canyon, and I would have bought it for her.

“I’d like to go on a regular date with you,” she said. “Not as the boss and his assistant, but just as us—Marcus and Erin.”

“Yeah,” I said, suddenly feeling on top of the world… like that night in Paris. “I’d like that too.”

“But,” she said, turning her attention back to the dance floor, “If you want anything to happen with us, you need to figure out what to do with her.”

She meant Natalie.

“What do you mean?”

“Do you want her to be your girlfriend? Friends with benefits? Something Platonic?”

The idea of having Natalie and Erin as my girlfriends seemed appealing, but I could also see the potential for problems. I was pretty sure Erin would be free of any sort of jealousy, but Natalie…

“Marry her, kill her,” Erin said, “do whatever you want.”

Wait… kill her?

“But if you do want to go on a date with me, I have one stipulation.”

“What’s that?” I asked.

“You have to fuck her brains out.”

“Just so I’m clear,” I said, “in order to go out with you, I have to fuck Natalie.”

Erin snorted. “You make it sound like I just gave you some kind of Herculean task. Her panties are practically soaking. I can smell the pheromones.”

“But why do you want me to fuck Natalie before you agree to go out on a date with me?”

“Because I need you to get her out of your system, at the very least,” Erin said. “You’ve had Natalie-shaped sparkles in your eyes since we met.”

“That’s not entirely true,” I said.

“Yeah,” Erin said. “It wasn’t as bad in Europe, but every time she texted or someone brought her up in conversation—”

“That was a handful of times,” I said defensively.

“Yeah, it wasn’t that many,” Erin admitted, “But it put a damper on our fun for at least an hour. I want you to experience her at least once so she’s no longer the one that got away.”

Erin stepped a little closer, placing a hand on my chest as she chewed on her bottom lip. She had the look of a tiny succubus who could easily eat me for breakfast. “Or, alternatively, I want a promise that she’ll be more involved in our lives and eventually between my legs.”

I swallowed. Hard.