The Circle Ch. 20

"Ten! My God. I'm really crushing on him right now, but that's an awful lot of competition."

"You're welcome to come visit us anytime. We're good at sharing, but you're so cute and desirable I can tell you that Alex and the other eight guys and other women in our group would be all over you like white on rice. You'd be smothered in affection too. We start with the premise that we love everyone we come in contact with."

"Are you in some kind of cult or something?"

Alice chuckled, "Not really, although we have an unconventional lifestyle." Alice explained again about The Circle, how it had formed, and the significance of the porn video she and Alex had brought to Las Vegas to sell.

Tina said, "I would love to be in a group like you have. You said that Marlene Mason was in your circle too, so I can see that you might be tolerant of someone with my lurid background." She sounded embarrassed.

Alice added, "There's a core group of us, and then some others around that visit once in a while. You could do that if you wanted. Oh, don't be embarrassed because of your chosen profession; we're very tolerantandwe're very sexual. We watch porn a lot too, including Marlene's films."

"I want to visit and see all of your friends," Tina sighed and looked longingly at Alex. She whispered to her, "Deke and I are not really an item. I guess you might say we're fuck buddies, but I know if I vanished tomorrow he'd just move on to the next bimbo. I'd love to find someone stable and nice."

Alice said, "Tina, just to set your expectations. Alex is one of nine men in our circle. No one is monogamous. We are intentionally not exclusive. If you set your sights on one man, you'll be soon disappointed when he moves on to be with someone else an hour later. If you set your sights on the lifestyle and the spirit of love in mind, body, and spirit, plus enjoyment of the physical, you'll have a great experience. You get out of the experience tenfold what you put in."

Tina nodded enthusiastically. "I get it ... I think. I love to see if I could adapt to something like that."

Alice said, "Why don't you come home with us when we leave. Alex has a couple of days of some investment conference here. I was going to hang around, enjoy the city, maybe gamble a little, get laid some more, and then we were headed home."

Alice could see worry and reluctance on Tina's part, so she added, "I'll pay for your round-trip airfare – no strings, but I would like to slut around the other parties with you, if you're up for it. I bet you know the ropes."

Tina said, "I will. I really will. Thank you so much. Seeing your intentional family as you called it scared me because it sounds so ideal, but with a ticket I'd have an out. I don't have a family; I was an orphan until I got out of my last foster home when I turned eighteen."

Alice asked, "What about Deke?"

Deke had heard part of the discussion. He responded with some bravado, "Relative to a trip, I am going back to L.A. to meet and film a movie with Muffy Shags, an up and coming and hopefully soon to be well-known porn star. I also expect to get balls deep in Miss Shags before the end of next week, and she told me on the phone today she is looking forward to the event, so I will be having my own brand of fun. Take care of Tina."

Alex poked at him, "Plus you'll be doing something with our video."

Deke nodded, "You bet I will, but it'll start happening the week after next." He walked into the bathroom, and we heard the shower start.

Tina said in a low voice to Alice, "I'd love to come to see you. If it's as good as you say, I may never leave. I'll need to get a job and a place to live if I like it there."

Alex winked at Alice and said, "Honey, don't worry about it. We'll take you home with us. You won't have to worry about money or a place to live for a while. It's what we do for people we like."

As it turned out the flight home three days later was the first time Tina had ever been on an airplane. She was both exhilarated at the idea and terrified about falling out of the sky. Alice held the pretty girl throughout most of the trip and said calming words to her. Despite the reassurances, Tina squeaked or made little sounds of surprise each time the airplane bumped or thumped through the sky or onto the runway upon landing.

Matt had driven to the airport to pick up Alice and Alex. He was excited to hear more about the deal Alex had made, and whether there was a market for more films. He was even more surprised to find his friends coming down the corridor with a third person – an exceptionally shapely and petite young blond who ranked ten on the 'hot' scale.

"Matt, meet Tina," Alice exclaimed as they neared each other.

Matt balked and then put his hand out. "I know you," he said, "you're a movie star – of sorts."

Tina smiled coyly, "You've seen me in films? All of me?"

Matt laughed, "All of you, and then some." He gave her a polite hug.

Tina blushed, "That's kind of a problem when I meet someone new, especially someone like you who I want to impress. I guess you see me as a cheap slut?"

"Not at all," Matt protested. "Maybe it's a guy thing and maybe I'm inured because I'm a man slut and I live with a group of oversexed people, but I did NOT think that about you. I see a cute girl who must be daring, bold, and unconventional. My first thought was that you'd probably fit in well with the rest of us. I wondered if you would deign to even talk to me."

Tina said, "Of course, I'll talk to you, and thank you for the compliments. Alex and Alice have been telling me about your circle and how you all live ... and love. I wanted to meet everyone ... and observe ... and to chill out for a little while. I'm not exactly happy with the way my life has been going."

Matt nodded, and helped collect the various bags before they all drove back to the big house.

Tina rode in back as Alice told her all about the house, and the various additions they had made and were making as some members – like Alice – were about to have babies.

Tina asked, "Is Alex the baby daddy?"

Alice smirked knowing the answer would get a rise from Tina, "Maybe."

Tina looked perplexed.

Alice explained, "When I was fertile I made love with each of the men in the house, sometimes two or three in the same session. I'm not sure who the father is, and like that famous movie line fromGone With The Wind, frankly my dear I don't give a damn."

Tina studied Alice. Alex looked into the backseat to see how she took that bit of news. She said, "I'm ... If ... Wow! I guess that's cool. The baby will look like someone eventually, I suppose."

Alice shrugged, "Mailman. Milkman. Handyman. There might be a few others in the mix besides all the guys I live with." Alex laughed at her exaggeration.

Tina said, "We didn't talk about it, but are you ... you know, sort of a slut?"

"Not sort of. I am a first class slut of the highest degree. I love sex and always have. Even as I approach my delivery date, I find I'm loving sex even more than I was before I got pregnant. I'm going to go through serious withdrawal because my OB/GYN says I have to refrain from sex for six weeks after delivery to let my insides and various stitches heal."

"Was that why you kept urging Deke and Alex on to do more and more with you?"

Alice smiled, "They did very well by me, and you too, if I didn't misread your satisfaction level."

Tina smiled, "I was happy, and I was feeling slutty too."

The three arrived back at the house just at five o'clock. As usual everyone in the house congregated in the living room and family room to greet each other with hugs, kisses, and good conversation, for most over a beer or glass of wine. The pregnant women had discovered that diet ginger ale could be substituted for wine and still keep the doctor happy.

Tina was greeted as both a celebrity and friend after Alice shepherded her around and made introductions, giving each person a tidbit of information about her new friend.

Sheila, Jim, and Marlene did the dinner prep for everyone. They'd started a pot roast in the slow cooker that morning, and the aroma of the beef and stew filled the downstairs. After a huge salad got prepped, everyone got a plate and served themself the evening meal. The dining room table had been opened to its maximum extent, and today found eighteen people squeezed around the table including Tina. The only missing members or associates of The Circle were Don and Michelle who had a neighborhood party to attend, and Amy who lived in California most of the time.

Tina sat between Jim and Zoey, and again heard about how The Circle had formed. A few others joined in, talking about what was going to happen very soon to the house to enlarge it for the coming 'population explosion.'

After dinner, Bob, Monica, and Sandy did clean up and put away duty, although everyone brought their dishes to one of the two kitchen sinks. Tina watched the assembly line operation with fascination.

Tina said, "You're so organized."

The group near her laughed. "Don't let us fool you. We are very fluid and unstructured most of the time."

Jim pulled Tina into the family room, and got her talking about working for Brassballs – the adult video business and website she'd been working for over the past year.

Tina said, "At first it was really exciting, but now the luster has worn off. I bet Marlene told you the same thing."

Marlene sat down beside the pair, "She did," she smiled. But I'm torn between doing some more and becoming a nun."

Tina nodded, "Did you get into some of the rough stuff."

Marlene said, "Yes, and that was one more reason I left the business. My insides were hurting from doing one film, and the ER doc told me to stop or I'd be permanently injured. But then there also was the head job I was doing on myself."

Tina said, "That's where I am now. I like the sex, but it's not at all fulfilling now. I'm just a hole for someone to jerk off in. There's got to be something more to life than this."

Jim, Marlene, Brad, Sandy, and Zoey stared at Tina.

Zoey finally said, "I'm glad Alex brought you here, because you are going to see and feel a whole different way of living and actually loving other people that seems to have passed you by."