Page 16 of The Swap Masquerade

“Okay, okay, I’m going. Have a nice weekend, Terrance.”

“You too, Professor Holt.”

Leaving work earlier than normal meant it was still light out, but it also meant getting stuck in traffic as students and staff all tried to leave campus at the same time, eager to start their weekend. I sat in my car, staring absentmindedly at the line of cars in front of me. My thoughts turned to my own plans for the weekend and my stomach tightened.

It was rare for me to attend two swap masquerades so close together. One party would often be enough to last me several months before I felt the urge to go again. Especially lately. The parties didn’t hold quite the same appeal as before and I’d only gone when the loneliness had gotten to be too much. But this time was different. This time I had a very specific reason for wanting to go and I couldn’t even deny it. I wanted to see the man in the teal mask again.

I knew seeing him again would be a long shot. People came and went from those parties all the time and I often never saw the same men twice. Some went only once, finding the idea of the party intriguing but not necessarily the right fit for them. Others went there with their partners as a way of spicing up their relationships. And some were like me, going whenever they needed to scratch an itch. We all had our own reasons and timing for going and there was no guarantee the man in the teal mask would be there.

I’d told myself that at least a hundred times, but still, a shot of adrenaline coursed through my veins at the thought of seeing the sexy man again. The memory of my first encounter with him had plagued my mind for the last few weeks, making it difficult to concentrate on anything else. When I closed my eyes at night, I could feel his full lips on mine, taste the sweetness of his tongue against mine. The sounds of his gentle moans filled my dreams until I’d wake, drenched in sweat with my cock achingly hard beneath the sheets.

Each time, I’d taken matters into my own hands, jerking off to the memory of his firm body pressed against mine, and those soulful brown eyes staring at me from behind his mask until I’d come. Hard. But it wasn’t enough. I needed more. I needed the real thing. The chemistry between us had been off the charts and like nothing I’d ever experienced before. Which was exactly why I’d accepted the invitation for that night. If there was even a remote possibility of seeing him again, I had to take it.

Finally making my way through the line, I hurried home where I ate a quick dinner then took a long, hot shower. I went through my normal grooming routine but didn’t bother to shave my face. I preferred having a little bit of scruff on my jaw when I went to parties. It would probably sound stupid to someone else, but that small change helped me to separate that part of myself from Gavin the professor, or Gavin the friend. The swap masquerades were something that were just for me.

An hour later, I pulled up outside of the home where the party was taking place and parked my car. Much like the previous party location, this house was richly designed and expansive in size. It stood three stories tall, like a stark white fortress against the night sky. Strategically placed outdoor lighting drew attention to the perfectly manicured landscape at the front of the house and several large lamp posts dotted the perimeter of a tennis court off to the side.

Grabbing my mask out of the glovebox, I slipped it on before climbing out of the car. An unusual wave of jitters made my stomach knot the closer I got to the house and I shook my head at my own ridiculousness. I was a grown man who was about to attend an extremely adult party, not some schoolboy hoping to catch a glimpse of his latest crush.

I climbed a tall set of stairs that led to the front door and knocked. Seconds later, it swung open, the light and music from within the house spilling out into the night. A man wearing an orange tiger striped mask greeted me and I handed him my invitation. He checked it then looked back at me, his eyes grazing over my body hungrily. “Well, aren’t you just one of the sexiest things here” I hope I get your keys tonight. Mhmm, I sure do. Anyway, come on in. We’re getting ready to start soon.”

“Thanks. I guess we’ll have to wait and see.” I shot him a grin so I wouldn’t hurt his feelings, but inside, my gut was churning. His innocent comment had brought up something I hadn’t bothered to consider before then.

The keys.

I’d been so fixated on whether or not the mystery man would actually show up at the party that I’d completely forgotten that even if he did, he could very well be paired up with someone other than me. That was the whole point of the swap parties after all. Leaving everything to chance, letting fate decide who you would be partnered with for the evening. I’d always found that sexy and fun but now, it had every chance of backfiring on me.

I followed the sounds of the party beyond the entryway, passing several rooms, including a dining room, and a bathroom, and peeking in at a sophisticated looking kitchen equipped with all the latest gadgets and appliances. Most of the space on that level of the house, however, was taken up by an extravagantly proportioned living room which was where I found the other guests.

The décor was ultra-modern with sleek yet functional furniture, artistic sculptures made of wood and metal, and an indoor fire pit that ran the length of one wall. Two bartenders were manning the fully stocked bar which sat off to the right while male servers wearing masks carried trays of hors d’oeuvres around to all the guests.

I made a beeline over to the bar and ordered a whiskey. Once the bartender got my drink, I turned and leaned against the bar. The whiskey went down smooth, the smoky-sweet flavor lingering on my tongue as I observed the other men in the room over the rim of my glass. There were more guests at this party than the last one, adding an extra layer of energy that was almost palpable.

I had always enjoyed the part of the evening before things got started and everyone paired off. I liked watching the other guests who came in all shapes, sizes, and age ranges. It was fun to imagine who they might be under the masks, what jobs they might have. Were they a politician, a sheriff, the CEO of some multi-million-dollar corporation? It had been a fantasy of mine, and one I indulged in quite often, to imagine that the men I had been paired with held positions of power in their everyday lives. It made it even more fun then to bring those men to their knees, to have them begging for my cock and crying out as I drilled into them.

That was why it had come as such a shock when I’d felt such an intense chemistry with the man in the teal mask. Unlike most of the men there, who frequented the parties often, he’d seemed almost shy, perhaps a bit shocked by the things he’d witnessed that night. He’d clearly been aroused as he’d watched me fucking my partner, but there was also an innocence to him I hadn’t seen in any of the other men. I wasn’t sure how deep that innocence ran. Was he simply new to those types of parties and overwhelmed by it all or was there more to it? Either way, it had made me feel strangely protective of him.

I told myself that was why I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him, why I had decided to attend the very next party in the hopes of finding him. I’d nearly convinced myself I was only there to make sure he stayed safe and didn’t end up hooking up with someone who might push him too far, but deep down, I knew that wasn’t true. I did care about his well-being, but that wasn’t all there was to it.

If I was being completely honest with myself, it was also the way he’d looked at me with those big brown eyes, as if I was the only other man in the room. It was the way he’d moved closer when I’d beckoned him, despite his nerves, as if he couldn’t help himself. It was the sound of his needy little moans, and the sweet taste of his kiss, the memory of which still lingered on my tongue. It was the way he gave himself over to the feelings rushing through him and the way he clung to me as he came, so beautifully, from nothing more than the feel of my mouth on his. That moment would forever be etched into my memories. It was the purest, most honest encounter I had ever shared with another man, and damn if I didn’t want more of it. Of him.

The host stepped forward, but I tuned him out as he began explaining the party rules. I already knew them by heart anyway. Instead, my eyes traveled over the room again, scrutinizing each man in case the one I was looking for was wearing a different mask, but I didn’t see anyone with shoulders as broad as his or who had the same beautiful head of chestnut hair.

Disappointment made my shoulders slump as I turned and set my empty glass on the bar. I turned and quietly slipped behind the other guests, not wanting to draw attention to myself as I left the room. I had just made it to the doorway when someone walked in, blocking my exit. I glanced up and sucked in a breath when I recognized the tall, sexy man in the same teal mask as before. His eyes widened as he clearly recognized me too.

An odd sense of relief flooded my veins at seeing him again, but I didn’t stop to analyze the feeling. I smiled instead, speaking so only he could hear. “I wasn’t sure I’d see you again. I thought maybe I’d scared you off with the way you disappeared so quickly last time.”

He regarded me carefully as if he was deciding how much to share. “I’ll admit, it was a lot to take in, but I wasn’t scared. I don’t scare easily.”

“Good to know.” A commotion behind me had us both looking in that direction and I saw the host walking around with the bowl of keys, letting guests take turns pulling a set out. “Did you want to put your keys in? It’s not too late.” I turned back to him, dreading his answer, but knowing I had to ask anyway.

He looked down at his feet as he spoke. “No. I don’t think…I’m not ready for that quite yet.”

My grin reappeared at his honesty. “Good,” I blurted out before I could think better of it. His head snapped up and he pinned me with a questioning gaze. “I mean it’s good you aren’t afraid to say what you want. Communication is always important, but especially, at a party like this.”

His shoulders relaxed. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right.”

I winked at him. “Of course, I’m right. That’s what I do: I drink, and I know things.”

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