We Three: One and One and One Makes Three is about a swinger couple and the young woman they become involved with.
Holding a mai tai for Elena and a scotch and soda on the rocks for himself, Eric passed through Club Caliente’s instructional room, designated for the month as the art photography gallery. He tried to act like he was ignorant of comments being made by people clustering around the displays, but he was nervous. Photography had been a hobby for years. More recently, though, he had begun focusing on more sensual and erotic subjects, and some of his pieces were on display tonight.
Couples gravitated toward the artistic or partial nudes and photos with boudoir settings. A few had recognized his primary subject: his wife, Elena, even if she was wearing a mask in all the images, or only visible from the throat down. He and Elena had been members at Caliente for five years and had sex with a wide variety of people.
He hesitated when he saw a single woman studying his photo display. She was alone, quiet, head tilted with clearly deep interest. She wore a slightly ill-fitting black suit—the shoulders a little too wide and the hem a little too long on her body. She had the jacket pulled back, which revealed a crisp white oxford dress shirt, also slightly mis-sized. The woman’s blonde hair, which looked like it might be quite long, had been knotted and secured at the back of her head with a claw clip. It was messy, but indescribably enhanced her attractiveness.
His artist’s eye was intrigued to find out how deep her attractiveness went.
The closer he drew to her, the more he thought maybe the suit was a loaner from an indulgent boyfriend, who liked the more androgynous appearance of a woman in men’s clothing. But the next detail he noted suggested she was not on a date, but undoubtedly alone. She carried herself defensively, her hands in her pockets, her shoulders a little hunched, weaving a bit as if to keep her surroundings in perspective at all times.
Despite the music layered through the space from both the dance floor and the private club beyond the gallery walls, his footsteps echoed on the parquet. Her expression when she turned on him was that of a deer in headlights, but he kept moving forward. She wasn’t just pretty; she was breathtaking. He had to meet her.
Her face was carved and thin, shaped by broad, arching brows. High, curved cheekbones swept down to where her jaw angled into a pointed chin. It was the most defined heart-shaped face he thought he had ever seen. She could have modeled for classically illustrated European fairy tales.
Her hair was pale gold, and her skin cream. Her lips were a natural pink, and unpainted, not even wearing a lip gloss. Crystal clear green eyes darted between his while she tried to discern his motives.
Eric cleared his throat and asked, “Do you like photography?” He nodded toward the photograph in front of her.
We Three is available through the publisher Supposed Crimes.
Lara Zielinsky 