No Room at the Apartment

Author's notes: This is a work of fiction. In this fantasy, nobody has to worry about STDs. In real life, all non-monogamous sex should be practiced using accepted safe-sex precautions.

This story revisits the characters of several earlier stories, No Room At the Inn, No Room At the Hotel, and No Room At the Cabana. This story stands alone, you don't have to read any of them to understand this one. However, if you want to read them in order to understand the characters and their history better, No Room At the Inn comes first, then Hotel, then Cabana, then this one.

This story, like the earlier ones, is written in multiple first person - all four main characters narrate the story. It may take a bit more effort to read, but the benefit is we get to see things from multiple points of view in real time. To me as the writer, that is a net gain, and worth the effort. I hope you, the reader, agree.

Special thanks to Sidney43 and Ravenna933 for their time and effort. Their insight made this a better story.

Be warned that there is some plot before the action begins. If you're looking for non-stop excitement, this may not be a story for you.

All persons involved in sexual activity are at least 18 years old.

: : : : :

S H A N N O N : : : The hotel front desk was crazy busy. Dozens of guests were in line, waiting for their rooms. There was a clerk at every station, working frantically, but the line was growing faster than they could check people in.

I grinned and strolled past the line. I had been stuck in such a line many times, but this time the delay didn't affect me -- this hotel was barely fifteen minutes from my apartment and I wouldn't be staying. I was there to support a friend of mine who paints, quite well, actually. She had a booth at an art show that weekend in the main ballroom, showing -- and hoping to sell -- prints of her latest work. The hotel was on my way home from work, so a Friday evening visit was super convenient.

There was signage from the lobby to the art show, but the signs weren't very helpful. I had never been in that building before, so I didn't know where the ballroom was, and I took a wrong turn. Instead of the art show, I ended up in front of a seafood and steak restaurant that anchors the front corner of the building. It has an entrance on the sidewalk for non-hotel diners, and an entrance down the hall from the hotel lobby for guests. I wasn't going to eat until I got home, but as long as I was there, I took the opportunity to use the Ladies' Room.

On my way out to look for the art show again, I noticed a table in the back corner. It was small, only two seats, private and cozy, isolated beside a large column next to the entrance to the kitchen. What made it interesting was who was sitting there: my co-workers Jason and Holly.

They were so preoccupied gazing into each other's eyes and holding hands that they didn't notice me. There was a half-full glass of white wine in front of Holly, and a half-full cocktail in front of Jason -- Pinot Grigio and Bourbon and Ginger Ale, respectively, if I know them. Which I do. Jason and Holly are much more than co-workers, and much more than friends.

We met several years ago when I started working at ZNN, the cable news network. ZNN is a pressure-cooker of a workplace. By its nature, news is very unpredictable, and the news business is very deadline-oriented. We often have to work late, or on the weekend or a holiday, frequently with no warning. As a result, ZNN churns through employees quickly, so there are always many new faces. In my first week there I met Holly, Jason, and Mark, all of them also recently hired. We began eating lunch together daily.

We soon discovered that we all love to travel. The way the chaotic hours of our jobs kept each of our personal lives completely out of balance, though, none of us had 'a significant other' to take trips with. We came up with a delightful solution: the four of us began traveling together.

J A S O N : : : At first it was very innocent and platonic, four travelers in four single rooms. Then a hotel screwed up our reservations and only had one room available. It was a large one, though, with two queen beds. The math was simple: two large beds, four people, that's two people per bed. We paired up boy/girl in each bed, but we turned out the lights that first night all believing that we were just going to sleep. That's not how it turned out; Shannon and I ended up screwing each other's brains out. In the other bed, Holly and Mark did the same.

Of course, in one room there were no secrets. At breakfast the next morning, we discussed what had happened and what we should do about it. We decided, unanimously, that while we liked the idea of traveling 'with benefits,' none of us wanted to be paired up. The solution to that was easy: each night we switched partners. I'd be with Shannon one night, Holly the next, then Shannon, and so on.

S H A N N O N : : : That's how it's been for several years and many trips. I know it's odd. I certainly never imagined I'd be open to such an arrangement, much less be living it.

One complicating factor has arisen, and it is huge: I've come to realize that while Holly and Jason are quite special, I really like Mark. I mean, I really like him. I've felt that way for quite a while, and I'm beginning to suspect that he might feel the same way about me. I also think it's possible that Jason and Holly are in the same boat. I haven't acted on those feelings, though, and neither have any of the others. None of us would want to do anything that might disrupt the wonderful arrangement we have as a traveling foursome.

At least that's what I thought until I saw Jason and Holly together at the restaurant. They were clearly on a date. WTF?

: : : : :

M A R K : : : Saturday morning, slightly after 9:00, my phone rang. I answered it reluctantly; usually a call that early means I'm being called in to work. It was Shannon, though -- cool. I had been lying in bed that morning thinking about her, wondering what I should do. More and more, I wanted to be with her even when we weren't traveling. I wasn't positive that she felt the same, though, and I couldn't figure out how to test those waters without possibly upsetting the balance of our wonderful travel arrangement.

I clicked the phone on and said, "Good morning, sunshine."

I could almost hear her grin in return. "Good morning yourself," she said cheerily. "You busy?"

"Not really. Going to run some errands later, but I'm taking it easy this morning -- I had a tough week."

"Yeah, me too. Um, I was wondering if, uh, see, the thing is..."

"Spit it out, Shannon..."

"Well, I'm not sure what to say. Are you, um, are you doing anything later?"

"No, not really. One of my neighbors is co-hosting a party at the clubhouse here. I'll probably go to that."

"Oh, okay..."

"What's up, Shannon? This isn't like you."

"Well, there's something I want to talk about, but it doesn't have to be tonight."

"No need to wait. Can we talk about it now?"

"It's kind of a 'face to face' topic. Later is fine, though."

"How much later? Days? Hours? Minutes?"

She paused, like she was struggling with her thoughts. "Naah, it's not urgent. It's probably nothing."

"Now I'm curious. This evening would be fine. I don't have to go to the party, it's not a biggie."

"No, that's okay. I'll see you Monday at lunch."

"Why don't we meet for dinner? There's a great little Thai place between your apartment and mine."

"Oh, I don't know. You'd be late to your party."

"Just come over here, then, we can go to the party together. There'll be food and drink there, and plenty of places to talk."

"I don't want to intrude."

"You're not. Be here around seven."

"Okay, see you then. You're sure I'm not imposing?"

"I'm sure. See you tonight."

"K. See you. Bye."

Wow, Shannon was never that indecisive. Something deep must be on her mind. I noticed that she didn't mention including Holly and Jason. Could it be that she wanted to talk about 'us'? I never intended to wait for her to take the next step, but if that's what she just did, it would solve a major problem that I hadn't been able to solve on my own...

: : : : :

S H A N N O N : : : The clubhouse at Mark's apartment complex was huge. The word 'sprawling' came to mind -- it was wide, with a tall vaulted ceiling. Opposite the entrance there were massive floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the pool, which had a huge deck on the other side. There was a band outside, and both inside and out there were bartenders and platters of assorted finger foods. We grabbed some food and drink, and found a table in a quiet nook.

I hadn't figured out the best way to tell him what I had seen. Actually, I hadn't figured out any way, and it showed. "You know, all the traveling we've done, and some of the situations we've found ourselves in, uh, you know, through no fault of our own, I mean, unintentional, really, um, not that any of us wouldn't have, uh; some of the decisions, um, as a group, you know. Shit, this is so hard to describe. Let me just say it this way: I have something to tell you -- this is, um, I mean, it could change everything.

"Dammit, I'm not making any sense at all, am I?"

M A R K : : : I couldn't believe it. There she was, talking about us. Awkwardly, but I probably couldn't do any better.

"No, I mean yeah," I said. "I think so. If I'm following you at all, and I think I am, I know what you mean, and I'm glad you brought it up. It's been on my mind too, especially recently."

She looked incredulous, and said, "So you're saying you know?"

I smiled -- the weight of the world was lifting off my shoulders. "Well, yeah, at least from my side of things."

"Well, I didn't have a clue until I saw them last night."

"Wait -- saw who?"

"Holly and Jason," she said, "that's what I've been trying to tell you. I saw Jason and Holly on a date last night."

"Oh... Oh... That's, uh, that's not what I thought you meant." I felt like the world's biggest idiot. I tried to keep my face from falling, from showing the depth of the disappointment I felt.

"What did you think I meant?"

"I thought, um..." She looked so adorable I couldn't find the words to finish the thought, and I panicked. I felt any possible future with her quickly evaporating as I watched her face cycle through layers of confusion as she connected the dots on how I had taken what she said. I have never wished so deeply for an 'undo' command in real life.

The more I watched her though, as realization washed over realization, I noticed that she didn't seem horrified at all. Actually, she seemed to accept my confusion at face value. Was that the trace of a smile? I have never felt so exposed -- what I said left no place to hide. My secret was out in the open. I felt like I had one tiny moment either to do the perfect thing and recover, or do the wrong thing and possibly ruin everything forever. I had no idea what the perfect thing to do was, so I just went for broke: I kissed her.

S H A N N O N : : : I resisted his kiss for an instant. I thought he was, well, I'm not sure what I thought. It took me a long moment to realize that this kiss meant something different than any other kiss with him had ever meant, and I melted. I realized that not only had he thought I had been talking about him and me -- us -- but that kissing me in response to that must mean that he wants me as much as I want him. I threw myself completely into this kiss, as if our future together depended on it. I guess, in a way, it did.

M A R K : : : Suddenly this party seemed very crowded.

I don't remember returning to my apartment. I do remember standing in front of her while she sat on my bed. She unbuttoned my shirt and unbuckled my belt. It was almost unbearably sexy: she flipped the script and she undressed me. While she removed item after item of my clothes, her hungry eyes scrutinized every inch of my body, including possibly the hardest erection I have ever had. She kissed my chest and tummy, and caressed my back, my sides, and my ass.

She kissed my dick, right on the tip, and stood. I sat, and it was my turn to undress her. We had been paired up on our trips dozens of times, sometimes in the same room with Jason and Holly, sometimes alone together in our own room, but as I slipped her blouse and jeans off, it truly felt to me like it was our first time together. I've seen her in bikinis smaller than the bra and panties she had on that evening, but just seeing her bare tummy, her smooth, firm thighs, the valley between the cups of her bra, it was thrilling like it was my first time seeing her undress. Actually, it was more than that... her body, as I uncovered it, never looked so lovely, so vulnerable and exposed, so naked. I haven't been this excited, this over-stimulated, this electrified to get a girl's clothes off, since my first time ever. I wanted to get her naked and on her back now, if not sooner, but luckily a tiny rational part of my brain suggested that I take my time and savor the moment, that we'd enjoy looking back on this much more if it lasted more than an instant.

I reached behind her and unhooked her bra. I slipped the straps off her shoulders, but I didn't so much pull it off her as let gravity claim it. The bra took its time separating from her chest, teasing that it was going to fall and reveal her tits for what seemed like hours before it finally did. I cupped her breasts, squeezed them, and kissed each of her nipples. She considers her boobs too little to be attractive. I guess they are on the smallish side, b-cups maybe, but I love them. To me they are perfect, soft but firm, with the most delightful wiggle when they bounce. They feature small, tan areolae and pencil-eraser-sized nipples that grow incredibly hard at any opportunity. This time, when they hit open air, they reached for my lips and trembled under my touch.

I took my time sliding her panties over her sweet hips and down her legs, and kissed her tummy just below her navel. There it was, my all-time favorite pussy. She keeps it almost completely shaved, except for a small circle at the top of her slit, about the size of a quarter. She keeps that tiny puff untrimmed, dark curly hairs that remain quite long. They were drenched in droplets of arousal.

After a nice long look at her immaculate figure, I pulled her onto the bed and into my arms.

All the manic energy of a first-time encounter sizzled through me, that vigorous, eager joy of exploring a special new bodily landscape, of finding your desires accepted and returned. I think she felt it, too. However we also touched each other with the informed subtlety of a couple who know each other well, indulging each other in personal, intimate nuances we have learned are special for each other. Her arms were so welcoming. Her body was so soft, so gorgeous, so curvy, so angelic. Her mouth was so eager. Her pussy had never seemed so warm, so wet, so tight on my finger, so willing. My dick had never felt so long, so thick, so hard.

S H A N N O N : : : We explored each other slowly, luxuriating in the moment. I ached for him to bury himself in me, but he held back. He caressed me sweetly, gently, electrifying the parts he knows I love, yet seeming to discover each special place as if it was the first time he had ever touched me there. I smoldered under his touch. I took my time exploring every inch of his physique, starting with my fingers, following up with my lips. He was so comfortably familiar, yet so excitingly new.

When he finally slipped into me, we took it slow and gentle. Like his hands did to my nipples, his rock-hard cock greeted the inside of my pussy like an old friend who hadn't visited in too long. He may have been sliding in and out of me, and I may have met every thrust of his with a gentle push of my own, but it was still foreplay -- we went slow and deep, feasting on the sensations of slick, intimate penetration. My passion fed his passion, which fed back into mine, spiraling upward to heights I -- we -- had never experienced.

We finally began to hit our stride, find our pace. I began pushing him harder and harder. He followed my lead, long-stroking me with more and more urgency, and before long we were pounding into each other with a ferocity I had never felt. It was intense, but eager rather than rough, an explosive release of the anticipation that had been building and building within me, and apparently also within him, for months.

M A R K : : : I blissfully hovered right on the brink of cumming but never quite fell over the edge. I felt attuned to her like I never had before, in awe of her beauty, her face, her boobs, her tummy, her hips, her legs, and the eager joy she showed at sharing sex.

She came multiple times. At each one, her body stiffened more than I had ever felt before. She moaned louder than I had ever heard, and wrapped me tighter in her arms and legs than she ever had before. Each time, I was ready to give her a break, let her rest a bit to recover. I was sure I'd get to cum later. I loved that I was able to give her so many releases. Each time, though, she pulled my hips forward and made it clear she wanted to keep going. Then she'd cum again, and keep me going again. When the inevitable washed over me, I came harder than I ever had.

S H A N N O N : : : When we were done, we rolled onto our sides, facing each other. He straddled my thigh, his cock still in me, our arms and legs wrapped around each other. It took me a long while to catch my breath. We slowly caressed each other's backs. I tucked my chin into his shoulder, he cradled the back of my head. I kissed his chest, he kissed my hair.

I glowed with joy to have finally burst the bubble of dealing with how much I wanted Mark, and finding that he wanted me too. Time stood still as we simply, tenderly touched each other all over. I felt wrapped in a safe cocoon of warmth and serene happiness. Talking seemed too complicated, too harsh, too intrusive, but we said enough to establish that neither of us needed to be anywhere else until work Monday morning, then fell back into silent cuddling.

An hour later, maybe two, I was ready to venture out of our radiant bubble and discuss real-world topics, and it seemed Mark was, too. I was about to say something, but he beat me to it. "We need to talk to Holly and Jason."

We searched for a comfortable way to approach them about what I had seen, but neither one of us could come up with one. Everything we thought of felt confrontational, and neither of us wanted that. I'm all about confronting someone who deserves it, at the right time and place, but this was Holly and Jason, our closest friends. Neither of us wanted to put them on the defensive, not the least because they weren't doing anything we weren't doing, even if they did it first...

When we were both clearly out of ideas, Mark said, "Maybe we're making it too complicated. Let's just get together and tell them about us, and not even mention that you saw them."

I considered that for a quick moment. "Perfect."

: : : : :

H O L L Y : : : I woke up beside Jason, and immediately scoured my brain to figure out where we were. I mean, if I'm with Jason, we must be traveling, right? I couldn't remember checking into a hotel, flying, or even planning a trip. I didn't feel hungover, so this amnesia wasn't alcohol-based.

My usual pre-morning-coffee fog began clearing from my brain, and bit by bit I recalled the last few days: Jason, more nervous than I'd ever seen him, asking me out, my inner voice rejoicing 'at last' while my outside-the-head voice more calmly accepted, a cozy table at a nice restaurant Friday evening, some ferocious sex Friday night, some delightfully tender lovemaking Saturday morning, Saturday afternoon spent running simple domestic errands and doing chores together as a couple, followed by cooking dinner together and another night of spectacular sex, even more passionate than before. As things came more into focus, I realized it was Sunday morning, this was his bedroom, at his apartment, and I felt a smile forming. My mind spun in ecstatic circles as I realized that it all meant that what I had wanted for months, Jason and I becoming a real couple outside of traveling together with Shannon and Mark, was actually happening.