Boyfriend Time Share

"So, best thing I can figure is that everybody should get a full day when they get to call the shots," Carla explained happily, ignoring my joke.

"You're just going to ignore the potential Monty Python joke? Dammit, you are different than Kaila," I shrugged.

"Fine, It's gonna be an anarcho-syndaclist commune. We'll take it in turns to act as sort of an executive officer for the week..."

I shook my head rapidly as the broad accent came out.

"Did you do theater?" I groaned as she hammed up the accent. "You're too good at that."

"Right, now you're changing the subject," She objected. "Back to it, seriously this time. We each should get a day where we get our space if we want it, or spend it with who we want on our own terms. That's it. Nice, easy, low to no pressure."

The soft bubbles of the water felt good, combined with the light orange and pinks of the clouds and the crashing water far below. The slight breeze off the ocean brought the temperature of the hot tub into sharp relief, making the entire experience brisk and simultaneously sensuous.

"So... what about other people?" I said quietly, thinking about the girl in the room.

"That's why we make the rules. That's why we make agreements. I really like the gals you two found, Brent. I really like them. I don't just fall into love with people like my sister does." Carla slid a bit closer to me, the ripple of water as she moved splashing higher on my chest, and leaving a soft heat which immediately dissipated in the chill air.

"Or me, apparently," I nodded, feeling her hip press against mine as she came closer. Damn she felt good again. The thought came that she had put an incredibly large amount of thought into this.

"Yeah, or you. You're a hopeless romantic, Brent. Making this work is going to be a lot of work. Love will help... as long as we keep the communication open. Which means all the stuff that a big family has to do. Adding in more partners without some kind of structure is going to ruin it incredibly fast."

"I refuse to grow a patriarch beard," I slid my arm around her shoulders, and she splashed me in the face with a cupped hand of water.

"If you ever say the word sister wife I'm out. Fair warning," Carla looked at me with a deadly expression.

"That's an easy one," I smiled. "Besides, can you see me doing that whole snot free beard thing, combined with a straw hat? Forget it."

"Right, so just to clarify, we're not doing any creepy cult shit. And Voting every day would just encourage that, because everybody would just pick boring things that they knew would get through. Basic group interaction. We wouldn't MEAN to be boring, but we'd get boring. And then there'd be fights. And we'd start thinking we could do better, because there's so many people out there who aren't BORING..." Carla pulled herself against me tightly. "And I can see how I'd lose you, even before we really got started. So fuck voting, Ok?"

"Ok. So, one day a week. That's what we're offering the girls." I nodded. I needed to remember that I had a voice in this too. It was something I hadn't tried before. Maybe it would work, maybe not, but she at least had thought about it. It wasn't something I was truly happy with, mind you. It seemed like an awful lot of scheduling, and in my mind's eye I kept seeing a whiteboard with names and duty rosters written on it like back in the service.

"I sorta brought it up with Charlotte, but she wasn't in the mood for it," Carla nuzzled her head against me again. We both looked out on the sunset, the clouds taking on a particular shade of orange pink that brought out the highlights in her hair perfectly. Golden strands, shot through with a few brown follicles, and her eyes softly closed as she held herself there, her hand running along my leg. "By the way, did you remember to drink some more water? I'm not getting you any more aspirin later..."