On Demand

Phil pondered for a while, smirking, then went to the minibar and cracked open two of the Japanese beers.

'Here.' He slid back down beside her, snaking an arm around her shoulder and leaning back against the headboard. 'Why don't I talk to him? I'm sure he'd be happy to give you a . . . private shoot.'

'Oh, Phil, I don't know . . . he's your work partner and all that. I don't want to make things awkward between you.'

Phil paused for a throaty chuckle. 'Maddie, believe me, things would already be awkward between us if we weren't . . . comfortable around each other.'

'What do you mean?' Maddie splashed an accidental drip of beer froth out of the neck of the bottle, tutting as it landed between her breasts and slid downwards to her navel.

'I mean . . . we've seen each other . . . in action. We know what's what and where. No surprises to be had.'

'You . . . what? You're lovers?'

'No, no, not lovers. But we went out one night after scoring a massive sale and . . . picked up a girl. Took her back to my room. I was the senior salesman, so I went first while he watched, then we swapped places.'

'Really?' croaked Maddie, whose breathing had shortened at the mental image, and whose speech was correspondingly limited. 'She . . . had you both?'

'Mmm. Lucky girl, eh?'

'Yes,' whispered Maddie.

'So what do you think? Shall I line him up for a shoot? You could snap us both – two for the price of one.'

'You can but ask,' said Maddie with a nervous laugh. 'Anyway, Philip Ellward, isn't it my turn to tie you up? Put that bottle down and get your hands above your head.'

Maddie came to chat to me at Reception the next morning after breakfast.

'Soph, do you mind if I ask you something?'

Her face was shifty and flushed; I put it down to tending to Phil's morning glory. I stopped arranging leaflets into a fan shape and gave her my full attention.

'Don't tell me you're in love with him.'

'No, no, not that. Just . . .' She lowered her voice, leaning way over the desk. 'Have you ever had a threesome?'

I paused, smiling.

'Yes. More than once. What do you want to know?'

'Did you regret it? I suppose not, if you've done it more than once.'

'No, I didn't regret it. I enjoyed it. Are you asking me if you should do it? Well, as long as you're safe, sane and consensual and all that jazz, I'd say go for it. You know Phil well enough, and neither of you are going to get jealous and insecure if a third party joins the, er, party. Is it a man or a woman?'

'A man,' she confessed. 'Friend of Phil's. Gorgeous.'

'Gorgeous, eh? Is a foursome out of the question?' I winked and she giggled.

'Maybe next year.'

Crowds of muttering grey people drifted towards the doors to the Conference Suite. Maddie flitted off to join them, sticking a thumb up at me on the way. I returned to my leaflet fan, deep in pleasant reminiscence.

'As long as they don't end up on YouTube or something,' Damian said with a shrug, 'I suppose it's all right.'

'They'll be tasteful, not tacky,' Phil reassured. 'Maddie's into the artistic stuff.'

'They're just for my personal collection,' she said. 'Nobody else will ever see them.'

Maddie finished setting up her equipment and stepped out from behind the tripod.