Poker Night

Finding something to wear was difficult. As the day went on she was starting to feel resentful of the man. He had managed to exploit the free use concept to turn her into a rent-a-wife. When this all started she expected someone who would maybe come over four or five times. They’d have sex and leave. She didn’t plan to have a group of men over playing poker and smoking cigars in her apartment. He didn’t deserve her prettiest dress. He didn’t deserve her sexiest lingerie.

In the end, that’s what she bitterly wore. Nicole had put on a little bit of weight since she last wore the lingerie. Putting on the panties under the garter would have been more comfortable, but she was starting to understand him. “Easy access,” she whispered as she committed to wearing her panties on the outside. Plus, she hoped it meant they could have a quickie after his poker friends left and she could get to sleep. She wanted to bring her A game to Kennedy and Tabitha’s PowerPoint Party.

The man arrives 20 minutes before the other men are set to arrive. Nicole is starting the sloppy joe meat on the stove. He steps behind her and wraps an arm around her waist. Kissing her on the top of her head he says “hey, slut, you cleaned up nice. You wearing something sexy for me under that pretty dress?”

“Yes,” she says, stirring the meat. The moment felt very weird to Nicole. Domestic. Like a husband coming home to his wife. She was pretty sure she hated it.

His hands grope her breasts. “Your tits look great tonight. Love the v-cut of the dress,” he says “but you need to go put on some heels. Those shoes won’t do.”

Nicole had selected practical flats. She didn’t like wearing heels around the apartment. “I need to keep preparing dinner,” she says.

He squeezes her breasts harder. “I’ll finish this. You need to look 100 percent while taking care of my buds.” He releases her breast and slaps her ass to send her on her way. “And for tonight, call me cute pet names like ‘honey,’ okay?”

Nicole can’t help but groan and roll her eyes. “Yes...honey,” she replies and stomps upstairs to find a suitable pair of heels.

She returns wearing a pair of pumps she’d purchased one week before the first pandemic lockdown. Nicole was so focused on her new job that she wasn’t dating much. When she finally decided to get back into the game the first thing she did was buy these heels - and then the world stopped. He certainly didn’t deserve how good the heels made her legs look, but safer slipping them on she was happy to finally put them to use. Although she almost immediately wished she’d taken the time to break them in.

Nicole is surprised to find the man had already moved the sloppy joe serving bowl, placed burger buns on a plate, and put out condiments, plates, napkins, and silverware. There were five places set.

“Did you eat?” he asks when she comes into the room. His eyes roam up and down her body. She hated that she felt flattered by his ogling.

“No, not yet. I was waiting for all of you.”

He shakes his head. “You should grab something now. I did this work for you, but you’ll be on call standing in the corner for the rest of the night.”

Nicole clenches her fists. She wants to yell that she isn’t a maid but keeps it inside. Whatever, a couple of hours. It would be fine. She goes to help herself to the food on the table and he stops her. “Woah, Woah. You made this for us.”

She looks at him with daggers. That bushy beer grins.

There are only 10 minutes before his friends are supposed to arrive, so she opens the fridge and grabs a three-day-old box of Chinese takeout and eats it cold. No grown woman has ever so clearly expressed resentful petulance while chewing food. The man seems to relish it as he sets up the deck of cards while chuckling to himself.

The doorbell rings.

“Showtime,” the man says and leans back in one of the five chairs at her round dining table. “Politely greet my guests, but remember this is a guy’s night, so I expect you to behave, do what you’re told, and speak only when spoken to.” The daggers shooting from her eyes turn into swords, but she understands there’s no turning back now. Composing herself, she looks in the mirror of the compact she keeps on the kitchen table and makes sure nothing is stuck in her teeth. That’s followed by an annoyed huff while brushing at her dress to make sure it looks nice. And she forces a bright welcoming smile.