Anything Goes

Cat turned. A tall, gorgeous man stood a foot away, dressed in the same black pants and white shirt as the outside attendants. A silver name tag on his shirt said “Everett” in black block letters. He looked at her from eyes the color of spring grass. Dark brown hair curled over his head and ears. He smiled, exposing straight white teeth. His tan skin made him look healthy and virile. He couldn’t be more than twenty-five.

Wow. What a hunk. She caught herself before her mouth dropped open. Gathering her composure, Cat returned his smile. “Good evening.”

“I’m Everett. I’ll be your guide tonight, Ms. Wylde.”

Her guide? She had no idea she’d have a guide. She also didn’t know how he knew her name. “You know me?”

Everett smiled again. “I was given your description. I must say, the description didn’t do you justice.” His gaze swept down her body and back to her face. “You’re stunning.”

She knew it was a line, that Everett probably said the same words to every woman who came to Anything Goes. Knowing that didn’t stop the pleasant warmth from rushing to her cheeks at his compliment. “Thank you. But who gave you my description?”

A young woman appeared next to Everett, dressed in what Cat assumed must be the normal attire of black pants and white shirt. Everett took Cat’s clutch from her fingers, removed her wrap from the crook of her elbow. “Vella will take care of your personal items. There’s a buffet and bar set up in the Meeting Room. Would you care for something to eat or drink?”

Cat noticed he neatly sidestepped her question. At his mention of something to drink, she decided it didn’t matter how he knew her. Her mouth had been dry for the last twenty minutes. “Something to drink would be nice.”

Placing his hand on the small of her back, he guided her into the room where Cat estimated twenty people gathered. A long serving table on her right held dozens of different finger foods. A beautiful thirty-something blonde woman—Trixie, according to her name tag—stood behind the bar in the corner, mixing drinks for the couple who had driven in before her. The man glanced at Cat, gave her body a thorough look. Cat didn’t know whether to feel pleased or insulted at his leer.

The woman’s interested gaze left Cat even more confused. She began to wonder if she’d made a huge mistake in coming here.

Everett urged her closer to the bar once the couple moved away. “What would you like?”

“Chardonnay please.”

“Coming right up,” Trixie said with a smile.

Everett leaned one elbow on the bar. “I’m sure you have questions. Ask me anything.”

Cat had so many questions, she didn’t know where to start. “Maybe you could…hit the highlights for me?”

“Sure.” He accepted the glass of wine from Trixie and handed it to Cat. “Let’s go outside.”

They meandered through the crowd, Everett’s hand lightly gripping her elbow. Cat sipped her wine as she gazed at the other people. They ranged in age from early twenties to late fifties. All attractive, all impeccable dressed, all seeming very at ease in this environment.

“Here in this room and out on the patio is where everyone gathers when they arrive,” Everett said. “Most of our clientele already know each other. They become reacquainted before going upstairs.”

“Upstairs?”

“The stage show starts at nine o’clock.”

Cat was almost afraid to ask her next question. “Stage show?”

Everett gave her a gentle smile. “You don’t know much about Anything Goes, do you?”

“I’ve heard rumors. I don’t know how much is true.”

“Probably everything you’ve heard.” Still holding her elbow, he guided her toward a private corner of the patio. “How did you get your invitation to come here?”

“My best friend, Lisa Cline, gave it to me. Is she a member?”

“Sorry, I’m not allowed to give out that information.”

“Oh, of course. I understand.” It didn’t matter that Everett wouldn’t confirm or deny Lisa’s membership. Lisa wouldn’t belong to a club like this and not tell her. Cat and Lisa shared everything. Well, except how Lisa had gotten the invitation to Anything Goes. And Cat had never told her friend about her feelings for Lisa’s brother, Alex. That secret stayed locked up inside her.

Pushing aside thoughts of the man she couldn’t have, Cat sipped her wine. “What is the stage show?”

“There’s a stage upstairs where members put on a show. Chairs are set up in a semi-circle so people can watch.”

It took her a moment to realize what Everett meant. “You mean they…have sex in front of everyone?”

Everett nodded. “Sometimes it’s a couple, sometimes it’s several people. Everyone is welcome to join in if they want, or simply watch. There’s also a large open play area where anyone can have sex with anyone. If you join the play area, you’ll be approached by people you may not want to be with, men and women both. You always have the right to say no.”

Cat had never considered having sex with a woman. Although from the looks she’d received from that woman at the bar, others here didn’t feel the same way she did. “Is there a lot of same gender sex here?”

“There’s a lot of every kind of sex here, Ms. Wylde.”