“Brad is going to kill me,” Paul breathed as he dragged Fenny into the apartment. She was a total giggling mess and Paul was trying his hardest to keep her quiet.

“Brad shmad,” Fenny declared and kicked off her shoes. “Let’s not go to bed, let’s watch TV or something.”

“Fen, you need to sleep this off,” Paul scorned.

“I know what I’d rather do,” Fenny smiled wickedly and swaggered toward Paul.

“You’re gonna regret this in the morning. Trust me, I’ve been there,” Paul babbled as he attempted to back away.

“No, I don’t have regrets. Only sucky things that depress me,” she giggled, nodding and edging closer to him.

“I don’t think of you in that way, Fen,” he cussed as he smacked into the coffee table. “Fuck,” he hissed.

“I think about you in that way, a lot,” she grinned, as he came to a halt against the arm of the couch. She tottered forward and instantly turned to stroking the velvet on the front of his jacket.

“I’ll drag you to bed in a minute,” he scorned.

“I won’t stop you,” Fenny giggled and, to Paul’s absolute shock, kissed him full on the lips. He tried to pull away but fell over the arm of the couch, with Fenny landing on top of him. He muffled a pained groan as she burst into yet another fit of giggles.

“Are you ok, Pauly?” she cooed and started nibbling his ear. He pushed her onto the couch and hurriedly got to his feet.

“Fenny, get a fucking grip. You’re freaking me out!”

“I’m just being honest. Gina doesn’t appreciate you,” she grumbled, sprawling out on the couch. “I appreciate you, though. I appreciate your painting skills, your sense of humor, the way you make people look like dicks…”

“You’re embarrassing yourself,” he sighed and crossed his arms.

“Your singing, I appreciate that too.”

“Genie loves my singing.”

“Not as much as I do.”

Paul rolled his eyes. He was used to the drunken ramblings of various people. It was always the same with those who drank rarely or not at all: “I love you, no one else loves me, let’s have sex.”

“Know what else I appreciate?” Fenny grinned as she adjusted her breasts as best she could while lying down.

“No, but I suppose you’ll tell me anyway,” he mused.

“Your buns of steel,” she giggled.

“That’s it, you’re going to bed,” he mused and grabbed her by the wrists to pull her off the couch.

“Meanie,” Fenny huffed as she was led to her room. Paul opened the door quietly and guided her to the bed.

“Wake the kid and I kill you,” Brad breathed.

“Sorry man, Fen’s a bit, um…pissed,” Paul whispered.

“What?” Brad gasped, sitting up.

“Some nutbar spiked her drink,” Paul explained.

“Fantastic,” Brad breathed as he looked to see Fenny struggling with her dress in the dark.

“I’ll leave you to it,” Paul sighed and closed the door as he left.

Brad threw back the covers and wandered over to Fenny in the dark.

“Stand still,” he ordered in a hushed voice.

Fenny stopped fidgeting and waited impatiently for Brad to unzip her dress. He slid it off her shoulders and helped her out of it.

“Thank you,” Fenny whispered.

Brad hung the dress over a chair and then turned back to Fenny. He squinted in the dull light radiated from the clock.

“How come I’ve never seen that underwear before?” he mused.

“It’s only for special occasions,” Fenny declared and began searching for her pajamas.

“Don’t take it off,” Brad cooed and sidled back over. He slid his hands onto her waist and then let one hand stroke the fabric of the panties.

“My, we’re frisky,” Fenny mused.

“I watched a very interesting documentary tonight,” Brad breathed and brushed his lips over that spot on her neck.

“What about,” Fenny breathed.

“I’ll give you a demonstration if you’d like,” Brad whispered and brought his lips to hers hungrily.

Fenny felt nothing but pure happy bliss and reached up to run her hands over Brad’s chest. He guided her back to the bed as they kissed, and they sunk into the sheets together.

“What about Lilly?” Fenny panted as Brad began to trace kisses over her stomach.

“I set her up in the study,” Brad replied.

“Fantabulous,” Fenny giggled as she ran her fingers through his hair.

Paul staggered into the guestroom and fell onto the bed next to Gina,

“Good party?” Gina asked wearily as she turned over, her head next to his on the pillow.

“Not even close. Seb kept flirting with me, and someone spiked Fen’s drink,” Paul sighed.

“Is she ok?” Gina asked.

“She’ll have a headache in the morning, but she should be ok.”

“She do anything embarrassing?”

“She sang, she danced, and she tried to rape me,” he mused.

She giggled. “Everyone wants you today, don’t they.”

“Do you?” Paul asked coyly.

“No, I walked out on the job I just got back because I wanted to change Lilly’s nappies,” Gina chided.

Paul brought his hand up to her cheek and stroked it. “I’ll take that as a yes, shall I?”

“Take it any way you want, babe,” Gina mused and brought her lips to his. They shared a quick, intense kiss before Paul slid off the bed.

“I’m roasting in this suit,” Paul breathed and slid his jacket off. He searched for a coat hanger, but eventually just dropped it on the floor.

“Gonna do a strip for me?” Gina mused as she sat up and switched on the light.

Paul gave her a bemused look and then began to quietly sing stripping music, “Badadada…dadada…” as he unbuttoned his waistcoat, twirled it on his finger and let it fly across the room. Next he seductively slipped off his tie and tossed it over his shoulder. He began to roll his hips as he unbuttoned his shirt, turned his back and slid it off his shoulders, before letting it drop to the floor. Gina threw back the covers and got to her feet.

“I get to do the pants,” she announced.

“Well if you insist,” Paul said huskily, eyebrow raised as Gina padded across the room to him. She teasingly brought her lips close to his as she slid a hand down his back and onto his “buns of steel.”

“I see someone’s hit you with the horny stick,” Paul mused, fighting a smile.

“I’ve discovered the American Learning Channel is much more sophisticated than ours,” Gina purred, her lips edging closer to Paul’s. He couldn’t wait any longer and engulfed her in a lustful kiss. His hands became entwined in her hair as she fumbled with the button on his pants.

Fenny was in heaven; Brad had kissed every part of her imaginable, some unimaginable. She’d traced kisses over his back and chest and had hungrier, more lustful kisses than they’d ever had before. In fact, this was the best sex they’d ever had. Although her head was considerably fuzzy, Fenny was totally baffled as to why Brad was so, so god damn good. She then decided she was thinking too much and started to make little circles with one finger at the bottom of Brad’s spine. This turned out to be a good move as he went from nibbling her neck to pulling her on top of him and fumbling hopelessly with the clasps on her bra.

“Men are hopeless,” she giggled and removed it in one quick movement. She chucked it blindly across the room and it landed on top of the dresser, scattering deodorant and brushes everywhere.

“I’m so sorry I’ve fucked everything up,” Brad panted.

“What do you mean?” Fenny asked, bewildered.

“Lilly,” Brad breathed.

“Brad, it’s 2 am and you’re driving me crazy. I couldn’t care less about Lilly right now,” Fenny gasped and brought her lips quickly to Brad’s to silence any other thoughts he might be having. She felt his hands caress her back and within seconds, they’d changed positions and he was now on top of her and eagerly groping the silky fabric of her panties.

The velvet hit the floor and Paul kicked his pants into a corner, as Gina wasted no time guiding him back toward the bed. He stopped to slip her singlet off and that too got chucked into a corner as she slid off her pajama pants. They fell onto the bed a writhing mass of built up sexual frustration, filled with desperate need and passionate love. Gina managed to pull herself away, panting, and straddled Paul. She breathlessly trailed kisses over his chest.

“And I thought you’d want to sleep,” Paul gasped.

“I did, but now I want you,” Gina purred, catching Paul in a kiss and sinking into his arms.

Brad woke to screams. It took several seconds for it to register that they were Lilly’s, and blaring out of the baby monitor. He rubbed his eyes with his free hand – his other arm was being crushed by Fenny.

“Shut her up,” Fenny groaned and rolled over, freeing Brad’s arm. He rubbed it roughly to get the feeling back and wearily slid out of bed. He grabbed his boxers from where they were strewn on the floor, and staggered out of the bedroom. He opened the door to the study and found Lilly at the bottom of her cot wailing. He picked her up and rubbed her back while he tried to soothe her.

“You smell, you’re hungry and your gums hurt, right?” he yawned.

Lilly burbled and nuzzled into Brad’s shoulder. He looked around and found her change mat and laid it out with one hand before resting her on it on the floor. Lilly began to wail again, but Brad was too tired to pander her and let her go, trying a few tired words to soothe her.

Fenny rolled back over, grabbed the baby monitor and chucked it out of the opened bedroom door, before she pulled a pillow over her head and attempted to get back to sleep.

“You lose again,” Brad mused, chalking the end of his pool cue.

“Shame,” Gina purred and slowly unbuttoned her shirt.

“Here, let me,” Brad cooed, and leaned his cue against the wall. He swaggered over, toyed with the first button and then ripped Gina’s shirt open.

“I think we should play a new kinda game,” Gina smiled wickedly and led him toward the pool table. She sat herself on the edge and wrapped her legs around Brad’s waist.

“Looks like this is the only way you’re gonna score tonight,” Brad mused as he brought his lips hungrily to hers and slowly guided her down onto the felt.

“Fuck me,” Gina gasped, her eyes wide open.

“Later,” Paul mumbled.

“It was a figure of speech.”

“I thought it was an invitation,” he mused and turned over, eyes still closed.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Course you can.”

“Have you ever had sex dreams? Like real freaky sex dreams?”

Paul opened one eye. “Think about that question for a moment.”

“I’m serious, like, dreams about people that you wouldn’t usually think about in that way?”

“I used to dream about Mary Tyler Moore, and there was a recurring one about Rich. Why are you asking?”

“Just curious,” Gina said meekly.

“You’re a hopeless liar,” Paul chided.

“Do I need therapy?” she asked, propping herself up on one elbow.

“Yes, but not because of your dreams,” he mused, rubbing his eyes. “Who you dreaming about then? Should I be worried? It’s not another woman, is it?”

“No, it’s not another woman and I’m not saying. I just want to know if it’s normal.”

“You’ve never been normal,” Paul declared.

“That’s not funny,” Gina huffed. “I wish Brad would shut that kid up.”

“Why don’t you give him a hand, I’m sure he could do with it. Then I can go back to sleep and dream about Mary.” he yawned.

“Why should I go help Brad? He can manage, it’s not like my presence is going to stop the child crying. In fact, she’ll probably scream more. Best I stay here,” Gina babbled.

Paul looked at her strangely. “Ok,” he breathed and closed his eyes again.

Fenny woke and looked at the clock. It was 9:30 am, and her head was thumping. She felt terrible and didn’t want to move. Reluctantly though, she was forced to get up and search for something, anything, to quell her headache. She groggily clambered out of bed and pulled on her pants and t-shirt before she left the sanctity of the bedroom and wandered into the kitchen. She fell into a chair and held her head.

“You’ll be needing some aspirin,” Brad announced as he nursed Lilly in his arms while he fed her. He managed to keep her balanced as he hunted out the aspirin for Fenny and poured her a glass of water.

“How did I get home?” Fenny groaned as she took the aspirin.

“Paul brought you,” Brad replied. “Hold on, you don’t remember anything about last night?”

Fenny shook her head. “Nope, I remember Pink’s shitty music, that’s about it.”

Brad felt like sharing a few choice words. They’d had the best sex ever and she couldn’t bloody remember. How typical of his life was that?

“It’s not like John Howard, is it?” Paul asked as he followed Gina into the kitchen.

“God no,” Gina replied.

“Max?”

“Ew, that’s just wrong.”

“It’s not Rich is it?”

“Just forget it.”

“You’re having sex dreams about another man, how can I forget it?” Paul huffed.

“So are you, apparently,” Gina countered.

“You guys never cease to amaze me with deranged conversation,” Brad mused.

“Gina’s having sex dreams about another man, real dirty, kinky ones, apparently,” Paul chided. “Won’t tell me with whom, though,” he added and wandered over the fridge.

Brad and Gina caught each other’s eyes, that feeling of sharing the same thought passed through them both and they looked away bashfully.

“Morning Fen,” Paul perked.

“Shut up,” Fenny grumbled.

“How’s she doing?” Gina asked.

“Can’t remember a thing,” Brad sighed.

Gina and Paul looked at each other. “That’s not necessarily a bad thing, man,” Paul mused.

“Oh it’s bad,” Brad huffed.

Gina and Paul looked at each other and shrugged as the phone rang. Brad passed Lilly to Gina and then hurried out of the room.

“What happened last night?” Fenny asked, looking over at Paul.

“Someone spiked your drink,” Paul replied.

“Crap. Did I do anything embarrassing?” she grimaced.

Paul looked at her blankly. “Maybe.”

“You’re going to torment me, aren’t you,” Fenny groaned.

“Oh yeah,” Paul nodded and looked up as Brad reappeared looking stressed.

“I need to ask you a huge, huge favor,” he announced, crouching down to talk to Fenny.

“What?” Fenny sighed.

“I promised a friend a while ago I’d cameo in his film. It’s only a tiny part but he wants to film today, and I totally forgot,” Brad said gingerly.

“And?”

“Could you please look after Lilly for me?” he begged.

Fenny let out a groan, too tired and pained to argue. “Whatever.”

“Thank you,” Brad breathed and planted a kiss on her forehead before dashing off to get dressed.

“You guys’ll stay and help me, right?” Fenny asked.

“Well, we sorta have plans,” Gina replied.

“Please, I can’t look after that on my own. I might break it,” Fenny whined.

“I guess we could…” Gina began.

“No, Fen, you have to learn to look after her,” Paul announced sternly.

“I can’t, I’m terrible. No mothering instinct,” Fenny pleaded.

“Well find your mothering instinct. I want to spend some time with my wife,” Paul scorned.

“Surfing isn’t spending time with me,” Gina countered.

“You’ll be holding my towel,” Paul mused.

“Such a charmer,” Gina sighed and handed Lilly to Fenny, who was contemplating how her day had just gone from shit to hitting the fan.