“Oh, Benjamin, do you know who I ran into?” my mother asks and I already know it’s going to be some plot to set me up with a woman. “Do you remember my friend Deborah?”
My brows furrow. “From the Yacht club?”
“Yes! She has a daughter your age, a teacher I think, she’s single.”
“That’s nice, mom.”
“She gave me her number to pass along.”
“Aunt Maggie, this roast is especially good tonight. Just look how much Hudson loves it,” Penny says, forcing everyone to look at her precious little baby.
She gives me a conspiratorial wink and I smile back at her. Penny’s definitely my favorite family member right now.
I just have to get out of this house without my mom trying to set me up with some random woman she ran into.
“Oh, Ben. I have the designs for the shirts for you to add to the marina. I’ll email them over to you and Gavin tonight,” Jessa says in a soft voice, my brother’s arm tossed around her shoulder.
“Don’t send them shit until they pay the invoice,” Aiden complains, and I put a hand over my heart.
“Do you really believe I would stiff my sister-in-law like that? How rude,” I say, whispering the word Daddy at him, causing him to glare right back at me. I learned that little secret a long time ago during a very confusing family vacation, and I fear I won’t let it die. What’s life worth if I can’t make fun of my brothers at every opportunity?
“Don’t fret, we’ll get the invoice paid. Along with my very gracious older brother printing them for us with his awesome sports supply company.”
“Fine,” Aiden says, and I give him a wide smile.
I look down at my non-existent watch. “I’ve got to get going. I’ll see you next Sunday,” I say, slapping my brothers on the shoulder, giving Jessa and Penny hugs, and touching my niece’s and nephew’s heads to stay away from their grubby little hands. When I get to my mother, she squeezes me tight.
“I’ll text you her number.”
I sigh, but agree, or else there’s no way I’m getting out of this fucking house.
“Okay. Love you, Mom.”
Avalon is classy,the front of the establishment is sophisticated with black and golds, reminiscent of a five-star hotel lobby. In the back is where all the salacious shit happens.
I’d been in a fair share of rooms and situations within Avalon’s walls, and at thirty-five I have a pretty good grasp on what I like and what I don’t like. It’s easier to start my evening at the front of the house and work my way back, the women I like are surprisingly easy to spot.
I’m not much of a voyeur except for certain situations, so sometimes going to the bar in the back feels uncomfortable. I’m not much of an exhibitionist either; despite being a part of a sex club, the idea of being watched doesn’t appeal to me.
I’m not into public humiliation, honestly degradation as a whole isn’t my thing. What I like is hard to pinpoint exactly, maybe because I’ve only gotten little pieces here and there from previous partners of what I truly want.
I don’t enjoy sharing unless it’s with Gavin. So, needless to say, I like what I like and dislike what I don’t and not many women are into what I wanted, and that’s where my brothercame into play. At least here, I wouldn’t be judged or shut down. If you aren’t into the same things as someone else you can politely decline and walk away; I can’t say the same for picking up a stranger at a bar.
That’s the beauty of Avalon. No strings, no judgment, while still getting what I need.
Cassandra is here, but she’s talking to Henry. Nicole is here, but she’s talking to George. So I make myself comfortable at the stool as Tex pours me a gin and tonic and slides it across the glowing bar.
“Thanks, Tex,” I say, the dude has been working here for god knows how long, but he must get paid well enough to keep dealing with all of us deviants.
The stool next to me pulls out. The woman is tiny, dark hair, pale skin, wearing a red silk dress that showcases her full breasts. I notice a prominent scar along her neck and collarbone, but it doesn’t detract from her beauty, if anything it makes her more interesting.
“Can I have a gimlet, please?” she says to Tex.
He gives her a once over, clearly not recognizing her.
“Can I have your membership number to start a tab?” he asks.
Ah, fresh meat. Tex knows every single one of us perverts who comes in and out of this place, but he doesn’t know her.
