Page 10 of The Swap Masquerade

I slipped it on over my head and checked myself in the rearview mirror, making sure I had it in place. The mask covered everything but my lips and jaw, and the eyeholes allowed me to see without giving anything away except my eye color. I’d always wished for a prettier color. Anything but the basic brown I’d been given at birth, but for once, I was grateful. I didn’t need anything distinguishing me from the other guests.

With my mask firmly in place and the invitation in my hand, I climbed out of my car and began making my way up the winding sidewalk to the front door. Adrenaline coursed through me, both nerves and excitement competing for dominance. Nerves began to win out the closer I got. What if I did something wrong? What if I made a fool of myself? What if it was all too overwhelming and I freaked out?

I tried to concentrate on my breathing as I neared the front of the house. I still hadn’t decided how much I wanted to do. I’d never done anything before, not even a kiss. Unless that stolen kiss with Becca Watkins in the tenth grade counted, but I didn’t think it did. It was only once, and we hadn’t even used our tongues. Plus, that kiss, or more specifically, the lack of feelings it had provoked in me, had only served to confirm my suspicions that I was indeed gay.

I stopped moving, stepping aside to let a few men walk past. My heart was hammering loudly against my ribcage and I turned, looking back at the safety of my car then back at the McMansion looming in front of me. You have no business being here. What would a virgin know about going to a sex party? a voice inside me screeched. But then another voice spoke up, quieter but its message equally as powerful. When will you ever get a chance like this again? Three months from now? Six months? Years? Do you really want to wait that long to start living?

My hands clenched into fists at my side, and I drew in a deep breath then slowly blew it out. There was no reason I couldn’t go in and play it by ear. The invitation stated clearly that no one would be required to participate, and guests could simply watch if they wanted to. My feet started moving toward the house before my brain even had a chance to catch up and the next thing I knew, I was knocking on the front door.

An elderly man answered, dressed in an honest to goodness butler uniform. Even with the small black mask on, he looked eerily similar to my Grandpa Carl who’d passed away when I was twelve which made my being there even more awkward. A blush crept up my neck as I wondered what he must think of a party like this. What did he think of me for attending a party like this? Of course, he was probably used to it, given that his employers were the ones hosting it. They might throw swap masquerades every weekend for all I knew.

He asked for my invitation and I handed it to him. He looked it over before handing it back. “Welcome, sir. Drinks are in the next room. Please, make yourself comfortable.”

“Not likely,” I murmured as I walked past him. I tried not to gawk at the marble floors, the winding staircase, or the diamond encrusted chandelier hanging from the high ceiling. The room probably cost more than my dad made in a year and I hadn’t even made it past the foyer yet.

I moved in the direction he’d pointed and took a deep breath before stepping around the corner. My point of reference for this type of thing was minimal at best, so I wasn’t sure exactly what I’d been expecting. Possibly a big pile of men writhing around on the floor together, all naked and sweaty like in the orgy porn I’d watched the night before. What I hadn’t expected was to find the guests still fully dressed and wearing masks as they sat around talking and laughing over drinks.

They looked so comfortable in their own skin that for a moment, I felt jealous, but then I zeroed in on the masks again. For whatever reason, whether it was out of necessity or simply a kink of theirs, each one of them had decided to conceal their identity for the night. So, maybe they weren’t all that different from me after all. Maybe some of them struggled with coming out to their friends and family too and simply wanted one night where they could be free.

Feeling a renewed sense of determination, I crossed the room and ordered a rum and Coke from the bartender. His green eyes shone behind a bright yellow mask. I patted my back pocket as he set it down in front of me. “Oh shit! I’m sorry. I didn’t bring my wallet in with me. I wasn’t expecting—”

“Don’t worry,” he said, laying his hand over top of mine. His touch made my skin tingle and the hairs on my arms stand up. “Everything’s covered by the host.”

“Oh, okay. Thank you.”

“No problem. Have fun tonight.” He winked at me and then turned to another guest.

I moved around the room, sipping my drink and trying to act like it wasn’t my first time ever attending a swap party. A couple of men walked up to me and we made small talk. The larger man was bald but the silver streaks running throughout his beard gave away that he was older. The other one looked much younger with long blond hair which he’d pulled back with a leather cord. Something about their body language made me think they might already know each other, and my suspicions were confirmed when the younger man called the other one Daddy.

I’d heard of their type of relationship before and had watched more than my fair share of Daddy porn, but I’d never seen it in real life. What would it be like to watch them fuck? The thought made my blood rush south at a dizzying speed.

“Maybe we’ll be lucky enough to grab your keys out of the bowl tonight. You and my boy would look quite beautiful together.”

“If I decide to put mine in.” I was surprised when I heard myself flirting back but it felt good. It felt right to stand there and enjoy the attention of other men. Despite the mask covering my face, I suddenly felt more seen than at any other time in my life. It was exhilarating and I was suddenly eager to see what else the night had in store for me.

After a bit of mingling, the music cut off and a man stepped into the middle of the room. He wore a Phantom of the Opera style mask, making it difficult to tell anything about him other than he was tall and thin with strawberry-blond hair. I decided I was more comfortable standing, so I leaned back against the wall, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Hello and welcome to my home. I’m happy to have you here. I know we have a few new guests with us tonight which is always exciting. We hope you have fun and if you like what you see and wish to be added to our guestlist for future parties, please add your contact information to the guestbook by the front door. Your confidentiality is our top priority, so please use private email addresses only. Also, if you haven’t had a chance to drop your keys in the bowl and wish to do so, it is located over on the piano.” He pointed to the large baby grand that sat in one corner of the room.

I stared, riveted by the large glass bowl set on top. Several men walked over and dropped their keys inside, adding them to the already half-filled bowl. My feet however, seemed to be frozen in place. I still wasn’t sure how much I was willing to take part in. The entire situation was so far out of my wheelhouse. The fact that I hadn’t already fled the party was a huge accomplishment in itself.

“Only those with a key emblem on their invitation need to drop their keys in the bowl. The rest of you will be the ones pulling the keys out when it is time. And remember, you can always decide to jump in later, if you’d prefer. However, please ask before joining any activities already taking place. No one wants to be surprised by an unexpected third. Or fourth or fifth.” That caused several chuckles throughout the room and my shoulders slumped in relief at the knowledge that I wouldn’t have to decide right away.

He continued. “I’m sure most of you are familiar with the rules, but I’d like to remind everyone that condoms are required during any and all sexual activities. There is a supply at the entrance to each room, as well as packets of lube. Also, the universal safe word is simply ‘No.’ If the person you are with uses it at any time throughout the night, you must immediately stop whatever you are doing. We want everyone to have fun, but we also must ensure the safety of everyone involved. If you don’t follow the rules, you will be asked to leave immediately, and any future invitations will be revoked. Understood?”

I nodded my head along with everyone else. Satisfied, he clapped his hands together once. “Great. Then I hope you will all have fun and make yourselves at home tonight. You are welcome to use any room in the house, as well as the spa and heated pool which are located through those doors.” He gestured toward a set of sliding glass doors at the back of the room.

I hadn’t paid any attention before, but peering through the glass, I could see a massive kidney shaped pool, complete with a waterfall that cascaded down over what were probably real boulders. An expensive looking outdoor kitchen sat off to one side and comfy looking chairs and tables had been strategically placed around the entire area.

My eyes narrowed as I looked back at the host. I wondered what kind of job a person had to have to afford such luxuries, but decided it was none of my business. If I didn’t want anyone guessing personal things about me, then I needed to show them the same respect.

Excitement buzzed through the air as he began passing the bowl around the room. One by one, the eligible men took turns pulling a set of keys out of the bowl. As the owners recognized their keys, they’d step forward, claiming their new partner for the evening. The number of guests remaining in the room diminished as the new pairings wandered off in groups of two or even three sometimes. When it was down to the last few men, I left the room.

The rest of the McMansion was as impressive and beautiful as the parts I’d already seen, but none of it compared to the sights that were waiting for me that night. Walking out of the living room, I headed straight for the foyer where I saw a few men heading up the winding staircase. I waited until they’d reached the top and rounded the corner, then I quickly scrawled my email address in the guestbook. I had no idea if I would want to attend another party or not, but I figured it couldn’t hurt to have options.

I took my time climbing the stairs, not wanting to appear overly eager, although I totally was. My heart was racing, and my palms were sweating from the anticipation of what I might witness. The top of the stairs had hallways to the right and the left with at least six doors on each side. Seriously, is this someone’s home or a hotel? The men I’d been following had already disappeared somewhere.

Turning to the right, I noticed a few of the doors were shut. If anyone was in there, they obviously wanted privacy, so I moved on. Soft moans filled the air as I neared the first open door, the sounds drawing me in until I was standing right outside the room. I heard the telltale sounds of kissing and then someone gasped.

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