The meal was eaten amidst lots of good-natured banter and chat. They were both, of course, overjoyed to discover that Richard was in the same game as them, Dan in particular practically drooling when it was mentioned that we had turned the basement/double garage into a home studio.

From there on in the conversation centred mainly on the music industry, recording techniques and the advantages of one type of kit over another.

After a while the sun started it’s evening descent, bathing the deck in an array of fiery reds and oranges, the gently lapping ocean providing the perfect soundtrack. The candles that I had lit earlier twinkling bravely from their positions arranged around the outer rim of the deck and on the table.

‘Coffee?’ Standing up Richard collected our dirty plates and made towards the glass doors. Looking at me he raised an eyebrow in unspoken question. Silently I nodded.

Turning back to our guests I explained. ‘Look, I know you guys are vehemently anti-drugs but I hope you don’t mind if Richard and I indulge in a little post-dinner skin up?’

Darren smiled and let out a laugh. ‘Hell no, you go ahead, in fact,’ and he shot a sly look behind me, ‘someone might even join you.’

‘Yes?’ I enquired, turning my head to look at Daniel.

‘Let’s just say it’s not unheard of,’ Daniel grinned, ‘in the right company of course.’

Right on cue Richard returned, handing me a small wooden box. ‘You go ahead I’ll just finish making the drinks.’

Not moving from my position on Daniel’s lap I opened the box and began arranging the contents on the table. Papers, tobacco, dope, scissors.

I heard Daniel sigh and felt him rest his head against my back contentedly as I began the familiar process.

Darren got up and muttered something about helping Richard with the coffee.

‘Does he mind?’ I asked as I snipped off part of the paper pack and fashioned a roach.

‘Nah, he just wants to go snog your husband again.’

‘Oh ok then, as long as that’s all that’s bothering him.’ Inserting the roach I reached for my lighter and handed both items behind me. ‘Guests first.’

Daniel drew back a bit and putting the joint to his lips, lit it, drawing on it experimentally until it took.

‘Nice.’ was his only comment as he leaned back in the chair and held it out to me. Smiling I indicated that he should bring it to my lips for me, which he did, holding it whilst I took a long inhalation of my own.

Setting the smouldering joint down in the ashtray, he turned me towards him, pressing his lips to mine, drawing my smoke into his mouth.

Pulling back I leant out in his arms so that I could peer in the general direction of the open doors.

‘Hey you two, thirsty people out here.’ I called out only to be answered by a distinct grumbling that I took to be an unfavourable response to my request.

A further ten minutes elapsed before our coffee finally appeared and from the strength of it I’d say it had been standing for quite a while before it made it’s appearance.

‘So guys want to have a quick peek downstairs?’ Richard asked, guessing, quite rightly, that Dan at least was just itching to have a look at the kind of set up we had.

‘Sure.’ Daniel replied trying to act as if he could take it or leave it. Yeah right.

‘Darren?’

‘No I’m quite happy here for the moment thanks.’ He had kicked his shoes off and brought his knees up to under his chin, contemplative cradling his mug and just soaking up the ambience.

Ignoring my protests as they requisitioned the remains of the joint from the ashtray Richard and Daniel disappeared inside. Daniel looking like someone had just told him it was Christmas already.

Getting up I went over to Darren. ‘Daniel was right.’ I said softly as I stood behind him and gently started to massage his shoulders, the muscles hard and knotted under my fingertips.

‘Right?’

‘You are tense.’

Darren sighed in resignation, involuntarily pushing back against my fingers. ‘Sodding album.’

‘You don’t mean that.’

‘No, I don’t, it’s just that sometimes…’ he let his voice trail off.

‘Don’t move.’ I commanded and ducked back inside the house, quickly locating and retrieving what I wanted. Returning to the deck I saw that Darren had slumped forward and was sitting with his chin in his hands, his elbows resting against the railings.

‘This is so beautiful.’ He said, indicating with a sweep of his hand the beach, the ocean, the sunset.

‘Take your shirt off.’ I whispered, not wanting to break the quiet nature of the moment that he had seemed to have created around him.

‘Huh?’

I put my hand in front of his face so he could see the bottle of massage oil I held there.

‘Oh.’ Comprehending he unbuttoned his shirt and let it drop to the floor.

Getting him to momentarily stand, I flipped round his chair so that he could sit with his back to me yet still gaze out over the setting sun. Then unscrewing the top of the bottle, I poured some of the scented oil into my palms, rubbing them together to warm it.

‘Mmmmmmmm,’ Instantly he relaxed under my touch, ‘that feels so good.’

Slowly I began to work the oil into his neck and shoulders, gradually feeling the muscles relax and unwind. Darren occasionally making small moans of appreciation.

Broadening my strokes I worked lower, massaging his back, letting the tension drain from his body.

‘Can I ask you something?’ Darren was first to break the silence.

‘Sure.’

‘Something personal?’

‘Darren…’

He sighed and knew that after what had occurred the previous month in that hotel room there wasn't really much that he couldn't ask me about.

He paused for a moment obviously trying the right words to frame what he was about to ask.

‘How many…I mean…you’ve…’

‘Done this before?’ I supplied helpfully knowing instantly what he was getting at.

‘Yeah.’

‘Only with one other couple.’

‘Oh.’

Stopping what I was doing I went round and leant on the railing, facing him.

‘The first time was about three years, some very old friends, people we had known for a long time. Richard and I had talked about it for a while but it was a case of finding another couple who felt the same way. In the end it happened quite naturally, they were round for dinner, we had all had some wine and it just sort of happened. Since then we’ve ‘played’, for want of a better word, with them four times.

‘And are they…’

‘Yes they’re both guys, a bi couple. I guess my interest is more in watching. There is something incredibly erotic about watching your partner with another man.’

‘So Dan says. And I guess for me it’s the knowledge that he is watching, knowing how turned on it makes him. But before we meet you we had never had the nerve to go through with it, you know never known quite how to go about it.’

‘Well I’m jolly glad that you told me how you felt that night. It was a lot of fun and I’m sure tonight is going to be even better.’

He laughed. ‘That night is going to take some topping.’

‘It *was* good.’ I agreed.

‘Just one more question.’

‘Sure, shoot.’

‘Has Richard ever asked you to do it the other way round? You know, wanted to watch you with another woman?’

‘No, we did discuss it but it doesn’t really do anything for either of us. Is that what it’s like for you seeing Dan with a woman?’

‘Kinda of. It’s hard to explain.’

‘My sister says that bi people are confused, I reckon they are just plain greedy.’

 ‘Who’s greedy?’ Daniel asked as he and Richard stepped back out onto the deck.

‘You two,’ I answered sharing a secret smile with Darren, ‘wanting your cake and eating it.’

‘I’ll show you who’s greedy.’ Richard said running his hand over Darren’s glistening back. I saw him shudder pleasurably at the touch and it was Daniel and Richard’s turn to exchange a conspiratorial smile.