Emmerson finally caught up with Irena and Henry in the afternoon. They responded exactly the same way they always did, with the exception of Irena asking her how she was feeling after last night. Emmerson looked around to make sure they were out of earshot of others before answering.

"I'm good. It was actually really fun, and I'm actually curious to learn more about the... lifestyle," she said clearing her throat awkwardly.

"Well, that is very exciting to hear. Henry, did you hear that? She wants to learn more."

"Hmm, yes, that is very welcome news," he said discreetly licking his lips in a way that would mean nothing to anyone else, but spoke volumes to Emmerson.

"We are hosting a little meet and greet in our suite tonight. You could come if you want to experience a bit more of what it's all about," Irena suggested.

"Meet and greet?"

"It's a chance for people to get to know each other and decide if they want to explore things further. It's mainly couples, but there are usually a few vetted bulls and vixens. You could come along as our little unicorn."

Emmerson wasn't sure if she was ready for that. "Oh, I don't think I'm ready to try this out with any other people..." she said hesitantly.

"That's ok, no pressure at all Em," Henry said heartily as if they were discussing the weather. "We do find these dental conferences to be a very fertile playground for finding like-minded individuals. It's also a major bonus that everyone in the dental industry is such a stickler for cleanliness," he said with a chuckle.

Emmerson gulped. "Right. Ok. How about I think about it?"

"Of course sweetie. You give it some thought and just let us know," Irena said kindly. "The party starts at 7 p.m. No one will be on time, so don't worry about it if you decide to come by later."

***

Emmerson and Matty met up for dinner to debrief on the sessions they attended and catch-up in general. They facetimed Annie who showed off her gorgeous growing baby bump.

"I'm so excited for the two of you," Emmerson continued to gush after they hung up with Annie.

"Ok enough about me and Annie. I want to hear more about what's been going on with you and this sexual renaissance you've been going through."

Emmerson blushed and looked away, reconsidering her decision to share so much with Matty. "I've already told you everything already."

"No, I want details cupcake. Like, have you really been able to do it all in alphabetical order? What if you meet someone and they don't fit with the sequence, do you kick them to the curb? Or what if the guy matches the order, but you're not attracted to him... or her?!"

Emmerson laughed. It did feel good to have another non-judgmental person to talk to about it. "So far, I have been able to do 'a' through 'i' with the exception of 'f' but that was only because victory was cruelly snatched from my clutches! But I'm optimistic that I'll be able to come back to that one at some point."

"Sorry, you're going to have to explain that to me."

"I told you about Cisco, right? Hot, Marine Corps dentist?"

"Yes, the one you were supposed to hook up with at Hannah's wedding. But that's not letter 'f'?" Matty said with a look of confusion.

"Exactly. That's what I thought too. But his name is actually Francisco!"

"Ok, so you're planning to meet up with him when he's back from deployment?"

"I hope so... he just started writing to me from wherever he is," Emmerson said with a dreamy look on her face. "He doesn't know how long he's going to be gone for, and he's made it clear he's not asking me to put my life on hold for him. I mean, we had just barely met, but the chemistry was off the charts! Even our texts were in sync. We slipped into that kind of shorthand you only have with people who really know you, you know what I mean?"

Matty nodded understandingly. "So, in the meantime, you're having fun. I get it. But back to one of my original questions, what happens if you meet someone who doesn't line up with your order?"

Emmerson thought about it. So far, Garrison was the only one who'd slipped through out of sequence.

"I honestly don't know. I guess the biggest thing is that so far, this experience has made me more openminded about sex. I used to think it was just for couples and people in committed relationships, but I'm starting to see that maybe there aren't as many limitations as I'd thought. There has to be an attraction though, I'm not hooking up with whoever looks at me the right way."

"Bravo!" Matty said enthusiastically and raised her glass to Emmerson. "To sexual freedom!" she shouted.

Emmerson blushed furiously and sunk down in the banquette. "Ok, maybe not something we want to broadcast too widely," she hissed at her friend, which only emboldened Matty.

"To Dr. Emmerson Green having ALL THE SEX she wants, ANYTIME SHE WANTS!" she bellowed even louder.

Luckily the restaurant was packed and Matty's voice was largely drowned out by the hubbub of conversation, cutlery and music.

"You are the worst! I'd forgotten how positively cruel you can be," Emmerson joked.

Matty shrugged. "What can I say, it's my signature style."

"Speaking of 'all the sex,' I've been invited to a swingers party tonight."

Matty's eyes widened, and she looked around the room as if trying to spot the swingers. "Wait, there are more of them here?!"

"Apparently, these conferences are great for meeting people who are open to it..." Emmerson said, toying with her glass.

"Don't leave me hanging! Are you going to go, or what?!"

"I wasn't going to. But the more I think about it, the more intrigued I get. Apparently, it's not like an orgy or anything. It's called a meet-and-greet. People mingle and see if they vibe. It's mostly couples, but there are a few single people that couples bring as vetted guests. What was it they called me... I think it was a unicorn, or maybe a vixen? Anyway... I'm curious."

Matty was literally leaning so far forward that she was perched on the edge of the seat and slipped off. She straightened herself as they both giggled.

"Sorry, this is fascinating as fuck! You have to go tonight. I need to know more about this whole thing! Like, what do people wear? Is it like harnesses and whips and chains and shit?"

"I hope not! Irena said it was like a regular party, but the difference is everyone is making it known that they are open to couple swapping and other experiences..." Emmerson trailed off as she tried to picture what the part would be like. "Screw it!" She said slapping the table. "I am going to go!"

Matty whooped in support and Emmerson flagged down the server. "I'd like two tequila shots and the bill please."

***

Emmerson surveyed herself in the mirror in her hotel room. She was wearing her hair loose around her shoulders. She'd touched up her subtle make-up. Blush hadn't been necessary because her cheeks were already flushed with anticipation. For her outfit, she'd paired worn jeans with a thin white camisole and grey cardigan. Underneath, just in case, she wore her nice white lacey bra, which was barely visible through her flimsy top, and a matching thong.

She couldn't deny that just the idea of going to the party scared the crap out of her, while also making her feel incredibly horny. She wasn't sure if Henry and Irena would have any expectations for her, but she wouldn't say no to another romp in their bed if it came to that.

Stepping off the elevator, she could hear the familiar cacophony of a party. It was after 8 p.m., which meant the gathering should be in full swing (pardon the pun!). The door was propped open slightly, and she let herself into the suite. The first thing she saw was Irena, sitting on Jamie's lap. His eyes met with hers and the shocked expression on his face quickly melted into a grin.

Before she could make her way over to him, Henry greeted her with a hug and the offer of a drink, which she gladly accepted.

"You look gorgeous Em. Let me know if you have any questions. It can be a bit overwhelming for someone as unique as you to attend a party like this for the first time. A lot of couples will be interested in getting to know you."

She nodded as if she understood what he meant, but she had no idea. She was also distracted because she started to recognize people around the room.

She also recognized a few other couples she knew from previous dental conferences and training sessions. She was surprised by the diversity of people present. It ran the full gamut in terms of age, body composition, skin colour, you name it. For some reason, she had thought that everyone would be good-looking supermodels with perfect bodies, because that's pretty much what Irena and Henry looked like.

A couple that looked a little older than Irena and Henry made their way over to her. She took a big gulp, steeling herself for her first conversation.

"Hi, you must be Emmerson. I'm Candy and this is Doc. Well, his name is actually Joshua, but everyone calls him Doc," the woman said.

Candy had bright red hair, the most striking emerald green eyes, and massive breasts. Doc, had silvery hair, a trimmed beard, and warm brown eyes that twinkled with mischief as he greeted her.

"Irena asked us to keep an eye on you tonight," Candy said with a wink. "Everyone here has been pre-selected, and we pretty much all know each other. But she was worried you might feel uncomfortable. So, we're here to provide that comfort," she said in a velvety voice.

Emmerson chatted with them about dentistry, current events, and the conference. Another couple joined the conversation and Emmerson's nerves melted away. She had been keeping an eye on Jamie as he moved around the room. She really wanted to find out what he was doing at the party.

He eventually made his way over to her. "Ahem, funny meeting you here," he said slyly.

"Yeah, no kidding. What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I could ask you the same thing," he retorted.

"I asked you first," she shot back.

He grinned at her and crossed his arms across his broad chest, staring her down with a look that made her squirm. "How much do you know about the party you're at?"

"More than you think I know," she said flirtatiously.

"Really?"

She nodded her head. "Really. So tell me, how do you know Irena?"

"I have the pleasure of being one of her bulls," he said, continuing to hold her gaze. "Do you know what that means?"

She thought back to Irena mentioning that several of her bulls were at the conference. Emmerson's pulse was racing. She knew exactly what that meant.

"How do you know Irena?"

"Her husband was my mentor, and we've stayed in touch."

"I bet you have," he said, moistening his lips as he eyed her up and down like a snack.

"No, it wasn't like that. I had no idea about their lifestyle before. I just learned about it... last night."

He read between the lines right away and muttered, "holy shit. Dr. Green, I didn't know you had it in you."

She was feeling emboldened by the night. "Not yet, but hopefully I will soon," she replied, stepping closer to him, brushing the soft fabric of her camisole against his chest, her nipples straining beneath the material, begging to be touched.

Jamie gulped as he processed what she was insinuating. "Really?" he asked in disbelief.

She nodded coquettishly.

"Well then, let's get the hell out here," he said, grabbing her by the hand.