Afterparty: The Complete Series: Open Relationships Aren't For Everyone... by Whitney Argento

SATURDAY
     
     
     
    "Are you having a good time?"
    Catelyn jerked and nearly dropped her glass.
    She'd been so busy watching her husband Aaron chat up William's wife Olivia that she hadn't heard William approach.
    She turned to see him lounging next to her with a beer in his hand. William was smiling, tall, lanky, with short dark hair and hazel eyes.
    "What? Oh. Yes, I am." She nodded at her husband and William's wife. "Looks like those two have hit it off."
    William followed her gaze, then nodded. "Yeah, they have. She likes him a lot. He's an interesting guy."
    "That's... that's really great." Catelyn knocked back the rest of her drink, then set the empty glass on the hall table next to her.
    They were at Barnaby and Janet Spencer's enormous house. The couple had thrown a wrap party for Choose Your Weapon, an independent movie they'd just finished filming. William and Aaron were cameramen, William's wife Olivia was an actress, and Catelyn was the still photographer. 
    William produced another drink for her from behind his back. Catelyn blinked in surprise.
    "Bourbon on the rocks, right?"
    "That's exactly right. Thank you." She accepted the drink and took a big gulp, then licked her lips. "Sorry." She put the cool side of the glass against her cheek. She felt flushed. "I drink too much when I'm nervous."
    William tilted his head. "Nervous? What's to be nervous about? The film's done, everything's in the can, it's up to the editors now. More work for Aaron, I suppose."
    "Yeah, I'm not nervous about that, I just don't do all that well in crowds."
    The makeup and effects crew were dancing in the middle of the living room. Aaron and Olivia were sitting on a loveseat, deep in conversation. The two producers were hanging out with some of the volunteers and support staff. Catelyn had found a spot near the stairs to stand and look casual and drink and try to pretend she wasn't staring at her husband who was chatting with a very pretty woman. 
    "I'm not much of a big crowd guy either." William blew out a breath. "It's pretty warm in here. You want to get some air?"
    "Sure."
    Instead of taking her right, toward the front door, he led her left, up the stairs. Catelyn hesitated, since "air" usually meant the front porch, but she followed anyway.
    There were several doors in the upstairs hallway, and William moved confidently to one at the end. Catelyn followed, took another sip of her drink, and felt the dizziness she always did when she left the noise and heat of a party for the bathroom. The quiet and stillness underscored the degree of her inebriation. 
    He opened the door and gestured for her to enter. "After you."
    It was a bedroom, dark and cool.
    Catelyn hesitated on the threshold. "Maybe we should go back to the party."
    William entered the room, crossed it, opened the window. There was an ottoman next to it. A cool breeze fluttered the curtains.
    "Come on. I would have taken you outside, but there are lots of smokers out there, and I don't like the smell."
    She came in slowly, leaving the door open. He grinned and she could see his teeth flash in the darkness. "Close the door."
    She hesitated, hand on the knob.
    William gestured. "Come on, don't let all the heat in the house out."
    She closed it, then lingered by the door, feeling irrationally skittish. This was stupid. She knew William, knew he was a good guy...
    "I don't bite." He patted the ottoman. "Come sit."
    She approached him, taking another sip of her bourbon. Fuck she was drunk. She'd had too much. Time to slow down, switch to water, maybe check if Aaron was ready to go home. 
    She sank onto the ottoman next to William and realized how much her whole body hurt, and she sighed. The shoot had been a grueling three months, during which she'd constantly been running, or standing, or crouching, staying out of the way and snapping still photos. 
    William's large hands dropped on her shoulders and started gently massaging her. 
    Her chin dropped to her chest and she