Right here by the fire.

Gordon lights the kindling with a fierce little torch of a lighter. After a moment, he nods toward his burning handiwork and stands. Melissa smiles and waves at him from the couch, where Martin is rubbing her feet.

Your husband inclines his head, waiting to hear if you'd like to tour the house with Dan and Marcia.

"Oh damn!" you hear Melanie's muffled wail from the WC, "My zip's stuck!"

"My dear," Melissa says to Gordon, "Perhaps you could help rescue poor Melanie?"

"My pleasure," he says, sounding very much the host. He bows to his wife.

As he's leaving, she says, "Don't be long!"

"As long as it takes, my dear," Gordon says, and steps into the hall.

When Gordon leaves, Melissa spreads her knees and Martin responds by moving his massage strokes up to Melissa's calves.

Anita snuggles her buttocks deeper into the armchair where Mark is rubbing her shoulders. As she rolls her shoulders under his hands, you can see her small breasts move under her slinky top.

"I'd like to sit a bit, darling," you say to your husband. "Maybe you could do as the Romans are doing," you suggest with a smile, nodding toward Anita and Melissa's impromptu masseurs. You look about for the best place to sit.

"A nice fire is usually Gordon's cue to bring out the brandy," Melissa says, "but perhaps Mr. Doe can do the honors," she says.

Your husband looks to you, you nod, and he follows Melissa's regal hand-wave to a polished wooden cabinet.

"Just a drop," Melissa says, "Since I think some of us are tiddly already." She smiles indulgently at you.

You feel hot in the face. You rather thought you'd recovered since your three glasses of the bubbly pink stuff. Or did she mean something else?

Melissa runs her wet tongue tip around her lips, still holding your eyes with hers. "And I think it would best to nibble a bit to soak it up. Would you be so kind as to bring out the tray with the light butter biscuits?" she says. "I love to roll them on my tongue and taste every little morsel."

You shiver, thinking how Melissa was looking at Melanie just a few minutes ago.

Marcia and Dan stay for the brandy-and-biscuits round, but you think she looks a little restless. Perhaps they'll have to leave early to see the babysitter off?

Your husband distributes little liqueur glasses with a splash of brandy each, and offers sweet biscuits to the company. Mark and Martin are too busy with their hands to accept, but Melissa takes a second biscuit and starts feeding it to Martin. Anita, laughing, asks your husband for another so she can feed it to Mark, standing behind her. Marcia and Dan get into the act, and try feeding each other and drinking through intertwined arms. Not a few crumbs and drops are spilled in the process.

"This couch is too big," Melissa says. "I'm feeling lonely. Come sit by the fire with me, someone?" Martin has made it up as far as her knees now.

Marcia seems to be considering something. Perhaps whether she should risk jumping in next to Melissa so she can be next to Martin? Or running off to a wardrobe with Dan so she can get a little fun before going home?

Anita tilts her head up. She's been making sinuous, twisty moves in her armchair as Mark's hands seem to slide lower and further forward on her shoulders. Perhaps she wants someone to twist up against?

You could definitely stand to sit down, yourself. Perhaps your husband could do as Martin or Mark is, while you feed him some ginger crystal biscuit?