Hostile negotiations.

Chapter 5 – Lake House Vacation (continued)

“Would you like to hear my hypothesis?” He asked after a moment of silence between them.

“Better be good, Dick-Head.” Heather turned back to face him, still scowling.

“I think you’re a bit jealous of me.”

“Why would I be jealous of you?” She asked defensively.

“Because I have close friendships, admiration, and even potential romantic relationships with a few girls, and you want that for yourself.”

She gaped at him, her face turning red; from embarrassment or fury he couldn’t tell. “With Alex, for instance?” He continued.

In an instant, his face was on fire, and it took him a moment to catch up to the fact that Heather had slapped him. But he saw the next blow coming and grabbed the blonde’s wrist before it could connect. “Heather, stop!” He growled then shot a look at the other two girls who were already starting to approach them. “That’s not a no.” He said, as the cheerleader tugged her arm to free it from his grasp. “Promise not to hit me again?”

She nodded, and he released her arm. “So am I wrong?”

Heather got up and walked a few yards away, crossing her arms in front of her as she faced away from them.

“Is Heather okay?” Kate whispered as she drew close, Chloe just a few steps behind.

“What did you say to her?” The Navajo girl asked.

“I suggested that the reason she’s so upset with me getting more friendly with other girls is that she’s jealous of my good relationships.” He explained.

Kate nodded, looking impressed, while Chloe glanced thoughtfully at the blonde in question. “Okay, my turn. But… I need permission to reveal a few things, Jason.”

Jason considered, but eventually nodded. He trusted his girlfriend. She’d gotten them this far. So the black-haired girl went to speak with Heather while their redhead friend sat next to Jason. “You think it’s going to be okay?” Kate asked. “We can still call off the… lovemaking thing if it means saving Heather’s friendship.”

“I think she’ll be fine, it’s just a lot to deal with all at once. I just dropped a bit of a bomb on her.”

“What kind of bomb?”

Jason turned and looked Kate in her bright green eyes, “It’s not really my place to tell. But I’ve guessed something about her that I don’t think she’d admitted to herself yet. You can ask her about it later, if you want.”

“You think she’s jealous of our… relationship?”

Jason smiled and chuckled, “You’re pretty perceptive.”

“So she wants to sleep with you too?” The thoughtful frown on her freckled face was adorable to Jason’s mind.

“I’m not sure it’s me she wants to sleep with.” He admitted, probably hinting at more than he should have.

Kate’s eyes went wide, and she glanced at Heather, then back at Jason. “You mean she… No, you probably shouldn’t say it out loud. It’s like you said, it’s not your place to tell me. I’m just surprised.”

“So was I, when I first figured it out.” He agreed.

“I can’t speak against that.”

“What do you mean?”

She shook her head, her short red ponytail swaying back and forth, “I’ve always felt torn between my parents and my grandparents’ lifestyles. You know how I don’t like to swear; I spend a lot of time visiting my grandparents, and they’re very devout Catholics. But my mom and my dad used to be hippy swingers when they were my age. They’re not shy about it, but they also never tried to pressure me to follow their example. I…”

She paused, worrying her lower lip between her teeth, then she leaned closer and continued in a whisper, “I think they still do it from time to time, especially since I moved out.”

Jason grinned. Kate’s parents were active healthy people, especially her mom who was not only a few years younger than her dad, but from his understanding had only been sixteen or seventeen when Kate had been born. He wasn’t surprised at all to hear that they were still sexually active, though he’d obviously had no idea they were swingers before now. He could also see why it was so embarrassing for Kate.

“Truth is, I’m still struggling a bit.” Kate continued, “I don’t want to get in between you and Chloe, and I’ve accepted that you’re going to do stuff with her, and Alex and probably Heather and Lynn as well. But… I kinda hate the rest of it. If it were just me, I definitely wouldn’t agree for you to sleep with Lilly, or your boss, or that girl from the taco place. I’d probably ask you not to do anything with Stephani either. I understand why you want to, but it’s hard for me.”

He reached out, and wrapped his arm around Kate’s shoulders, pulling her into a one-armed hug. “Sorry. I know it’s unconventional. I probably wouldn’t have gone for any of this if Chloe didn’t want it so bad. She actually made me promise to take advantage of opportunities I might have, but…”

“Fucking shitball, what?!” They heard Heather growl out loudly, causing them both to glance at the blonde and black-haired girls still talking.

Jason turned back to Kate, who offered a shy smile and a shrug, and leaned into Jason’s embrace. “You were saying?”

He nodded, and continued, “Yeah I was going to say; that Chloe is unique, and really special, and she’s been through a lot. I don’t want to disappoint her, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want you to be comfortable too. You should talk to her. I’m sure she’d be willing to compromise on some of her more out there desires for me.”

Her face turned red between her freckles, but after a moment she answered his question, “You really think she’d be okay with me asking for some… um, restrictions?”

Before Jason could respond to that, Chloe returned with Heather in tow. “I told her we’re sorta dating.” She explained, gesturing between herself and Jason, “And that I’m okay with you two sharing your first time; that I encouraged it even. Now I have a question for you Kate.”

“For me?” The redhead blinked up at Chloe.

The black-haired girl nodded, “Would it bother you to watch Jason kiss another girl? Me, for instance?”

“I, uh…” Kate glanced between all three of them, “I mean, maybe a little, but is that really up to me?” She looked down.

“Yeah, you’re a part of this weird relationship circle. Let’s test it out.” Chloe took Jason’s hands and pulled him to his feet, then stepped on his boots and went up on tiptoe to kiss him. He let his hands settle on her waist, leaning down to meet her, and let her guide the embrace. It lasted only a few seconds, but that brief brush of lips and just a single flick of tongues between them was heavenly.

Then they both looked at Kate, who was staring openly, blushing heatedly, and looked away when they turned to regard her. “Well? Did that bother you?” Jason’s girlfriend asked.

“Honestly? It was kinda hot and it bothered me a little.”

“How much?”

“I think I’m overall okay with it, because it’s you, Chloe.”

Chloe smiled, and stepped back, turning towards Heather, “Okay, your turn.”

The blonde took a deep breath, and let it out, staring at the ground in a rather uncharacteristically unconfident manner, “Kate…” She mumbled, “Would you be okay with me kissing Jason?”

“You, what?” Kate blinked at her.

“This was a shit idea…” Heather said starting to turn away before Chloe grabbed her arm.

“Kate?” The brown-skinned girl asked.

“Um, I guess if you want to, you can. But isn’t that up to Chloe and Jason?”

Heather snorted, “Like Dick-Head doesn’t want me.”

“You might be surprised how little time I spend thinking about kissing you, Brat.” Jason said, trying to be playful.

“You’d turn me down?” The blonde finally met his gaze.

“I didn’t say that. If Kate and Chloe are both okay with it.”

“It was my suggestion.” Chloe explained.

“Alright, um… go ahead.” Kate added.

Jason turned to face Heather head-on as the blonde cheerleader who had featured so prominently in many of his sexual fantasies over the years approached him, and reached up to loop her arms around his neck. “Just so you know, Dick-Head, this doesn’t mean I’m okay with all the shit you’ve done, or are planning to do. But I made a deal, and I’m going to stay out of your business, except when it has to do with me.”

“Alright, that sounds like a good plan.” He agreed then leaned in as she rose up to kiss him.

Heather’s kiss was aggressive; she tilted her head and molded her lips to his, tugging gently and coaxing his tongue into her mouth so she could meet it with her own. He moaned softly, and tried to follow as she broke the kiss and pulled back.

“Not bad.” She said, smirking and licking her lips. “Got room for improvement, but considering your inexperience, you’re a pretty good kisser.”

Jason chuckled, “I’ll take the compliment.”

Then Heather turned towards Kate and Chloe. The Navajo girl was grinning, and the Irish redhead was blushing heatedly, her face and neck completely pink. “Wow.” Kate murmured. “Maybe I’m more into girls than I thought.”

“Maybe we’ll explore that thought some more, later.” Heather suggested, before stepping further away. “In the meantime, a deal’s a deal. I guess Chloe and I will be heading back now. You two nerds have fun. Don’t get your asses caught.”

Jason looked at Chloe for confirmation, and she nodded before stepping closer, “I’ll give you the details later. Enjoy.” She said with a smile before heading off down the path, with the blonde cheerleader falling into step beside her.

He watched them go until they disappeared around a bend. “Not sure how, but Chloe did it.” He said, turning back to his sister’s best friend, who had risen to her feet. “Shall we?” He gestured towards the opposite path leading further up the mountain.